Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Canadians vs Yakima

Yep went to the ball game. Canadians lost!



Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

Monday, July 21, 2008

Folk Fest & Protest

It was fun in the sun for me this weekend. I went to the Folk Festival for the first time in my life! I have always wanted to partake in this music filled weekend, but could either never find the time or the money. This year the ticket was a freebie and I made the time.

The folk fest has been going on for more years than I can remember. The music was great, but the whole feeling of the Folk Fest seems to be what keeps people coming back year after year. It takes people back to their youth and the good ole hippy days. Sitting under the sun, getting stoned and grooving to music. We did not stay till the evening when I am sure the air would have been pungent with good ole BC bud! Instead we headed down to the heart of the city. Down to the waterfront where the rich and powerful PNWER group were meeting to discuss the fate of us little people. They claim they are bringing in new security measures to speed up the flow of traffic through the border when the Olympics happen yet there was no representation from the Border Guards there? Tech Cominco was there & Conoco was there although what makes them specialists in border traffic is beyond me. They have not been elected nor have the people been consulted about the decisions they are making. They want to unify and merge Canada, USA & Mexico. They want our countries to be so similar that soon we will be one. Of course the USA as usual controls the agenda in most of these meetings. They have the most to gain - Canada.

The meeting this week was taking place at the BayShore Hotel right on the harbour and for two hours our group of protestors disrupted the peace and quiet of the garden party reception they were having. For two hours our group banged pots and chanted to let them know that WE are the people and that WE are the voice of democracy and WE want our say in how our countries are run. It was noisy and very disruptive to the hotel. The police were out in exagerated numbers given the fact that half the group were elderly and there were even some disabled people there. However, the police for the most part were patient and did little more than stand guard.

Later I took a walk on the waterfront that this hotel fronts. Then I drove home through the poorest address in Canada - East Vancouver! It was a full day.

*** I have posted some pictures of the day on the sidebar.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Camera Critters #15

This is an old picture, but one of my favorites. This baby seal was on the shore in Sechelt, BC.
Take a look at all the other Camera Critter postings at Camera Critters.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Sky Watch Friday!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

PTSD


How terribly sad. Joseph Dwyer, the US Medic, who once won the hearts of everyone when he was shown rescuing an injured Iraqi boy who had been caught in crossfire has died of an overdose. He was suffering the ravages of PTSD from his time in combat and unable to cope with the trauma. He was only 31 years old. For some the war never ends.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Maybe by SARK

Maybe we are building a new world
Maybe we'll paint marshmallows purple,
Or Free Circus elephants

Maybe we'll ride
On chocolate merry-go-rounds,
Or make tennis shoes for camels.

Maybe we'll find a child who feels
Unsafe at home and take her out of there right away.

Maybe we'll mail so many letters to God,
That everything gets all healed up.

Maybe we'll mail so many letters to God,
That everythign gets all healed up.

Maybe we'll mail so many letters to God,
That everything gets all healed up.

Maybe we'll take all the mean people,
And use them to full up the ozone hole.

Maybe when we see a sign that says
"Drawbridge', we'll get out and do a lovely bridge sketch.

Maybe we will make airplaines
Out of the same material that the "Black Box" is made of.
Maybe we'll live in real communities,
Equal for everyone.
Maybe 100% of the people will vote,
And start a new world.
Maybe everbody is an
Angel, God, Animal, naturea, all rolled into one bundle
Of nerve and tissue, lip and bone.
Maybe we'll stop fighting
And trying to be right.
Maybe there will be nap rooms everywhere,
And cars will run on kisses.
Maybe dreams are real
Maybe all the homeless
will move onto all the golf courses.
Maybe schools are filled with imagination,
And prisons have nutritious food and spiritual programs.

Maybe we are all free,
Safe and well loved.
Maye we all want the same things. Maybe we all love everyone.
by S.A.R.K.

Some days all I can do is dream.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Morgentaler gets The Order Of Canada

Amid much controversy Dr. Henry Morgentaler is awarded The Order of Canada. This is the highest civilian honor that is given in this country and Dr. Morgentaler's award has created a firestorm of controversy.

For those who don't know Dr. Morgentaler fought for women to have the right to choose what happens to their body. That included the right to end a pregnancy and in 1969 Dr. Morgentaler, a Montreal doctor, opened the first abortion clinic in Canada. Until Dr. Morgentaler's historic battle many women lost their lives to back door butchers who used dirty instruments in dirty back rooms to have an unwanted pregnancy terminated because it was illegal to have an abortion in Canada. Some women ,in extreme desperation, attempted to abort themselves with coat hangers. Many women died in the process.

Many have come forward to criticize Michaelle Jean, the Governor General of Canada, for awarding this to what they deem "a murderer". Not the least of these critics is the Catholic church. In particular Father Lucien Larre, himself a winner of the Order of Canada, has sent his back. Father Larre claims that people find Dr. Morgentaler's stand on abortion repugnant and that Dr. Morgentaler's pro abortion stand has divided the country and not unified it which he feels is important.

It strikes me that the Catholic church is very hypocritical. Given the fact that the church has been hit with numerous lawsuits over it's treatment of children in residential schools in Canada as well as having numerous priest charged with sexual assault of children in their parishes one would think they would heed the words "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones". Father Larre should take particular notice of this since in 1989 he was found guilty of two counts of physically abusing children at the Bosco Youth Centres in Saskatchewan that he helped found.

I am not a pro-abortionist, but I do think that women should have the right to choose what to do with their own bodies and this should be a matter between themselves, their doctors and their God. It really is not the business of the Catholic church or Father Larre.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Change Can Be Good

As I am sure most of you noticed my blog was looking a little pale in the last week or so. That paleness was not a new design by me, but rather a glitch in my other template which I could not fix. So I found a new one. It needs a little tweaking still, but at least it is no longer bland.

Camera Critters #14

Well it is a lovely Saturday here on the west coast and I am getting ready to spend the day out walking in the woods with Miss Lucy and then off for a belated Birthday dinner at the Boat House. YUM! I can hardly wait.

For Camera Critters #14 Here is a photo of my favorite bird. I spend a lot of time trying to get good photos of these big fellas and they grudgingly oblige me on occasion.



Have a great happy and safe weekend!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Sky Watch


Thanks to Crazy Cath for letting me know about this and Wiggers World for hosting Friday's Sky Watch. Here is my photo of Harrision Lake, sky and mountains that I took a few weeks ago.