Posted on February 7, 2019 under Thursday Tidbits with 3 comments

“Whatsoever things are true”

 

“We sure could use a little good news today.”

Anne Murray recorded “A Little Good News” back in 1983. The song despairs about the plight of the world. It speaks of war, gun violence, hatred, assassinations, hostage taking and bad economic news. Sadly, the more things change, the more things stay the same. The big difference between 1983 and 2019 is the internet. We are being bombarded with information every waking minute of the day and even during the night when we’re supposed to be sleeping.

So, where do you get your news?

Is the news you’re getting real news or fake news? Do you check more than one news source to get different points of view?

Those of us getting longer in the tooth are probably less afraid than those coming up behind us.  But many of us are very concerned about the world we’re passing on to our children and grandchildren.

I suspect that some of you attended the Linden Macintyre lecture a few weeks ago. Linden was and still is a respected journalist and author. I was away at the time and couldn’t attend but thanks to technology, I was able to listen to the lecture in its entirety a few days ago. If you have time ( about 90 minutes), grab yourself a coffee, a glass of red wine or some legal cannabis (or all three!) and listen to some sobering thoughts of someone who has an excellent grasp of what’s going on here, south of the border and around the world.

He explains how blatant lying by politicians is imperiling our world.

“Veritas vos liberabit.” (verse 3:82 of the gospel of St.John)  The truth will set you free. What is truth? The lines appear blurred.

Do you know Chris Hedges? No, he’s not one of the Hedges from Hawthorne Street! Chris Hedges is an American journalist and an ordained Presbyterian minister. He has reported from over 50 countries and has worked for the Christian Science Monitor, NPR, Dallas Morning News and the New York Times where he was a foreign correspondent for 15 years. Among other things, he has taught college credit courses for several years in New Jersey prisons.

Mr.Hedges delivered a lecture at the University of Victoria on January 17^th. The title of the talk was “Christian Fascism and the Rise of Donald Trump”. Being a scant 10 minute walk from the lecture hall, my brother and I wandered over for the 5:00p.m. presentation. There were dozens of other people walking in front of us which led us to believe that this was a much anticipated event. Indeed it was. The first classroom holding 350 people quickly filled. By the time we arrived, there was quite a throng standing outside the building. The organizers had to scramble to find extra space. Two more classrooms were seconded and when all was said and done, in excess of 1,000 people heard the lecture.

Once again, here is a person who had traveled widely and has been on the front lines witnessing history unfold. You could hear a pin drop as he traced a series of events that provided the opportunity for Donald Trump to become president. Lest one thinks that he was cheerleading for the Democrats, this was certainly not the case. He posited that neither political party south of the border holds the moral high ground. One of his underlying themes was the gross inequity between the rich and the poor. For you serious political junkies, here’s the video:

Sorry for all this heavy stuff but it is incumbent that we pay attention to what’s going on. For our  children and our grandchildren .Democracy is under siege.

On a much lighter note, I left the beautiful weather of Victoria last Saturday and arrived home to moderating temperatures. The day after I left, the west coast received their first taste of winter weather as the polar vortex swept westward. Victoria had -10 wind chills and a skiff of snow. I sent a note to friends and relatives suggesting that they shouldn’t have run me out of town so soon!

Have a great weekend.

 

 

 

Posted on February 4, 2019 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

The Rockies

Over the past six weeks, I have travelled by car, ferry, ferry taxi, bus, train (Skytrain in Vancouver) and airplane. I mustn’t forget travel by foot. I covered a lot of miles over the streets and trails of Victoria and Vancouver. I like driving less with every passing day and I’ve become a big fan of public transit. If you have time and you’re not in a hurry, travel can be relatively painless. Of course, every one of us has a travel story that has gone south, and I don’t mean Florida.

I have become a student of air travel and have adopted a few strategies that take some of the stress out of this mode of transport. Baggage is always a big deal so whenever possible, I travel lightly with only a carry on bag. It avoids the zoo around the baggage carousel and of course minimizes the chances of your baggage not arriving at its destination.

I’m always astounded at the whole check in procedure when you arrive at your appointed gate. Everybody sitting in the waiting room is going to get on the plane but when the first pre-boarding announcement comes over the loud speaker, there is a stampede for the check in counter. I wonder if those people pushing and shoving think they’re going to arrive at their destination before the others. Yes, if you’re the lucky one to be first on the plane, you avoid those other annoying passengers banging you in the butt with their laptop bag.

But if you’re the last person to board the plane, you also avoid the pandemonium and that is precisely what I have been doing the last several times I’ve flown.  It’s very calming.

The same holds true at the end of the journey. You know that just about everyone on the plane is restless having been sitting in cramped quarters for numerous hours. If you have a tight connection, then it is imperative to gather your carry on bags and beat a hasty exit from the plane. However, if you have a checked bag, then standing at a crooked angle by the window seat, trying your best to break into the lineup, is an exercise in futility unless you’re 100% positive your bag is going to be the first one off the carousel. How often has that ever happened to you? Never. I thought so.

If you don’t have a tight connection  and you have a checked bag, might I politely suggest that you stay in your seat until everyone except for the flight attendants have vacated the plane. You’ll avoid a hernia trying to twist your body to get amidst the throng panting to get to the exit. If you’re the last off the plane, you walk peacefully down the aisle. Barring a miracle, you arrive at the baggage collection section before the carousel indicator makes that jarring and sometimes annoying beeping sound.

Now those same people who pushed and shoved to get on the plane, then off the plane, are also likely the same ones who push their way to the front of the carousel. By the time they get to their vehicle, they are well on their way to road rage or a heart attack.

If you have the time, try my strategy some time. You’ll be amazed that you leave the same time as everyone else, arrive at the same time and collect your bags within minutes of everyone else.

If you just missed a connecting flight to the Bahamas, please disregard this post!

Have a great week.