Megacity A Megamess – Toronto is on Strike

Canada’s largest city is facing its second city-wide strike in under a decade, as both inside and outside staffers walked off the job as of 12:01 this morning.

Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 6,200 of the City of Toronto’s outside workers went on strike, as labour negotiations with the city failed.

The union representing the city’s additional 18,000 inside workers – CUPE Local 79 – also went on strike, in part to support their outside colleagues, and also – as it so happens – their union talks also hit a brick wall.

Both unions have been in negotiations for over six-months to renegotiate their collective bargaining contracts, which expired December 31, 2008.

The last time city employees went on strike was back in 2002 – also in the midst of a summer heat wave. A day after the first day of summer, Toronto is experiencing its first taste of real summer-like weather, with temperatures about 27C, but with the humidex it makes it feel more 31C.

The hot and humid weather will only add to the misery of the strike, as trash piles bake. Garbage collectors, parks and recreation employees, paramedics, city run pool staff, and the ferry service between Toronto’s mainland and it’s neighbouring communities on the islands all ground to a halt.

Inside workers on strike mean the city’s daycare centres are closed as are municipal offices – though local politicians should still be on the job.

Toronto police and fire services are not affected by the strike, nor is the city’s public transit system, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Ambulance services are reduced due to the strike, and so are low priority calls to 9-1-1.

What an irresponsible and completely avoidable mess for one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

In an economy worse than the Great Depression, people with good paying jobs which not only provide them with a solid and steady income, but benefits most private-sector employees could only dream of, should be humbled by the very fact that they have jobs, let alone going half-cocked over a measly 18-unpaid sick days (which is one of the big burning issues for the outside workers).

The world’s largest company, General Motors, has slashed its workforce by thousands, and continues to announce layoffs on an almost regular basis. Other major companies around the world have had to let go of valuable, long-term employees because of the failing economy.

Unions do good things for their members. They fight the good fight; ensuring workers are compensated fairly, treated equally, and have safe and secure places of employment. However, sometimes, unions make unreasonable demands which fail to take into account the whole picture. They see bigger and better things for their members, without really considering the consequences to their member’s employers, the company’s customers, and the public’s safety.

Where has CUPE been these past few months – a Turkish prison? They should be thankful that employment slashing hasn’t hit their members the way it has hit the auto sector (which is also highly unionized).

And although they are in a legal strike position, isn’t it just as equally irresponsible to put people in harm’s way by stopping the collection of garbage during a heat wave? Garbage collection at any time of the year is a vital service, but becomes all the more of an issue as the humid conditions create a more hospitable environment for cockroaches, rats, seagulls, pigeons, racoons, and infestations not as common in the winter months. And all of these become a real health risk as they can spread disease.

Labour leaders aren’t solely to blame – part of the problem lies with the city as well. History has a tendency to repeat itself – just as in 2002 we had a summer of heat, humidity and garbage piling up on city streets. The city saw this coming. They know when their contracts end. The city knew from the strike of 2002 what negotiations are like what some of the key issues would most likely be, and what tactics the union would deploy.

Both the union and the city failed to act responsibly, and now Canada’s largest city is a city without the basics most modern civilizations enjoy.

Related articles by Zemanta

• What's the deal with union benefits? (nationalpost.com)
• City of Toronto continues to seek negotiated settlements - "No-Board" reports issued (newswire.ca)
• Toronto continues to seek negotiated settlement with CUPE union locals (newswire.ca)
• Against deadline, Toronto pushes for deal with unions (ctv.ca)
• Statement - City of Toronto and CUPE Local 79 resume bargaining (newswire.ca)

Shuttle Sabotage? NASA Investigating

Image via Wikipedia

Bitter employees, willing to do whatever it takes to send their message of anger and hate abound in many offices these days – but who would have ever thought that rocket scientists – the guys that put a man on the moon – could stoop to such levels?

No one knows if a rocket scientist, or anyone else working for the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) in the States is to blame for the two delays of the Space Shuttle Endeavour this month – but they are investigating the possibility, in addition to the technical faults.

With NASA’s finalization of the final Shuttle missions, as the aging fleet of spacecraft is being retired in 2010, fear, anger and frustration are to be expected. The final Space Shuttle mission is currently set for May 25, 2010.

Almost everyone fears change – that’s just a normal part of being human. And big changes are coming to an organization which has been known for its unwavering, highly structured mentality.

As the fleet of Space Shuttles is retired, by its own estimates, NASA will be shedding between 3,000 to 4,000 jobs at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. In this economy, even a handful of job losses could easily push even a model employee over the brink.

It isn’t uncommon for good employees to go sour during periods of transition in a company or organization. We’ve all heard about the story about the person caught on the security camera, urinating in the coffee maker at the office because he didn’t get his promotion. But there are many other stories of corruption within the workplace, some far more reaching.

Like the vice-president of a telecommunications company that leaked a change in the company’s direction, causing the stock price to tumble so quickly, the company never recovered, and it had to file for bankruptcy protection.

Sabotage at NASA is rare, but has happened in the past. In 2007, a subcontractor intentionally cut wires on a computer box on a Space Shuttle Endeavour mission, but the fault was found and corrected without affecting the flight.

NASA will begin laying off employees after the final Shuttle mission. But with each delayed launch, that final mission gets extended. This leaves the space agency open to possible internal attacks, as those concerned for their financial well-being do what they feel is necessary, to keep a pay cheque coming in.

NASA top-brass have been very vocal over rumours about sabotage by their own staff. Space Shuttle Deputy Program Manager LeRoy Cain said they trust their own people and do not think anyone on any Shuttle mission would do anything which would hamper the flight of the space craft, during his briefing after the second delay of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Still, the cause of the hydrogen fuel leaks which have grounded the Space Shuttle Endeavour remains a mystery, and will keep the Shuttle on the ground at least until July 11, as NASA investigates the cause.

NASA expects to find a technical fault, but as they edge ever closer to retiring the Shuttle program, moving to the new Orion space craft which is still in the testing stages, and handing out pink-slips to thousands of employees, everything – and one – are suspect.

Related articles by Zemanta

• NASA Investigates Remote Possibility of Shuttle Sabotage - Space.com (space.com)
• Fuel leak grounds space shuttle (nationalpost.com)
• Space Shuttle Delayed Again Over Gas Leak (news.sky.com)
• Gas leak postpones space shuttle launch (nationalpost.com)
• 500th Person to Space Launching on Shuttle Endeavour (space.com)

Cold War Replay -- But This Time The Risk Is Real

Movies, as they often do, reflect the mood and public perception of the time. There’s a great scene in the 1983 movie War Games, with a very young Mathew Broderick and Alley Sheedy, trying to convince the reclusive inventor (played by John Wood) that his computer isn’t playing a simulated war game, but actually is calculating real missile launch trajectories to win a nuclear war.

It isn’t until Broderick’s character teaches the computer how to play Checkers that the computer realizes, just as in a game of Checkers; no one would ever win a nuclear war.

Problem is North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il doesn’t appear to understand this concept, as his continued nuclear missile tests form the basis for a new Cold War.

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday, the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Daily reported that North Korea had long-range nuclear missiles which they are going to be test firing towards Hawaii between July 4 and July 8.

Ironic, just as Americans will be lighting fireworks to celebrate their nation’s birth on the Fourth of July, North Korea may be sending off their own version of a firework – only this one has a long-range Taepodong-2 type nuclear warhead, which has a range of up to 6,500 KM (about 4,039 miles.)

Politicians and diplomats from Russia and China are trying to open a dialogue with North Korea, to stop the continued tests, but talk appears to be cheap. The sanctions by the United Nations Security Council imposed after the last North Korean nuclear rocket launch on May 25 don’t seem to be working.

Japan is particularly concerned, as any rockets fired towards Hawaii must pass over them – posing a grave risk to all inhabitants should th

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

e missile fail to reach its destination.

The country’s leader Kim Jong-il isn’t worrying about the risks associated with these nuclear missile tests.

And here lies the real risk – Jong-il’s lack of concern for the people in the countries around him – or even perhaps for his own citizens -- makes him a very dangerous person.

The real “war” in the Cold War of the 1980’s was a war of words. Each side would verbally threaten the other through use of the mainstream media. Messages were sent by each side, threatening to use nuclear weapons – but in the end, thankfully both the “Ruskies” and the Americans were smart enough to realize the consequences of launching an all-out nuclear war.

Jong-il’s war isn’t one of words, but of actions. The more global leaders talk of sanctions, and diplomats attempt to cool the tensions with discussions and dialogue, the more nuclear missile tests North Korea conducts and the more nuclear-grade weapon materials North Korea produces.

However, when you’ve got nuclear weapons of mass destruction – and you can’t get more massively destructive than a nuclear blast – actions are not the wisest thing to take.

Stronger measures must be taken against North Korea’s nuclear missile program by all world leaders. The United Nations is on the right track, but something more must be done. Otherwise, the face of planet Earth may one day be as barren as Mars. And we have yet to find life on Mars.

Related articles by Zemanta

• US braced for more 'reckless' moves from North Korea (telegraph.co.uk)
• Responding to North Korea: U.S. Leans on Asian Allies (time.com)
• Source: N. Korea may be preparing nuclear test (cnn.com)
• North Korea Preparing for a Third Nuclear Test? (blogs.abcnews.com)
• North Korea's leader yanks the world's chain again (thestar.com)

Surfing the Net in Canada – Watch Where You Click

A proposed new law is being introduced in Canada’s House of Commons today, which would grant police the power to force your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to hand over all records of your online activities without a warrant.

Imagine having someone go through all your personal emails, chat room conversations, website histories, file transfers and surfing habits, without your knowledge, and for reasons which may or may not be justified.

The proposed law, a Bill called “An Act Regulating Telecommunications Facilities to Support Investigations,” gives Canadian law enforcement agencies unprecedented sweeping powers to dig up all this dirt, without justifying their reasons.

Simply cut off a cop on the highway, and next thing you know, they b

reak down your door because you downloaded last summer’s block buster movie off the net.

Supporters of the Bill – including police forces across the country – say situations like these aren’t likely, because they will only use these new rights to investigate criminal activates. They say the Internet has become an easy and important tool by criminals, pedophiles, terrorists, drug dealers and scam artists.

However, Canada’s Federal Privacy Commissioner and other privacy watchdogs are very worried about this proposed legislation, because it allows police to have carte blanche access to your complete online life, with nothing more than a hunch.

Currently, law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant – by providing reasonable and probable grounds to a judge to get that warrant – just to listen in on your phone conversations, or to search your places of work or residence. They don’t presently have any rights to access your online usage from your ISP.

Police and other law enforcement agencies across Canada have been demanding this type of law for years, to help in their criminal investigations.

Granting law enforcement agencies the right to gather this information from ISPs isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but allowing them to have this information without a warrant is.

Being a police officer is a tough job, but being a cop also means having a certain element of power and responsibility.

Placing the responsibility in those that have the power is a dangerous combination – that’s why the proposed Bill is a bad Bill. It allows police to regulate themselves in terms of what prompts them to order an ISP to hand over personal online information.

You could be out at a restaurant with a group of friends, one joke taken the wrong way by a police officer in earshot, and that cop goes off and starts searching through your online life – and you may never know about this, especially if there is nothing incriminating against you.

If the police and other law enforcement agencies want to have laws allowing them to access the personal information of suspected criminals online – fine. But giving them unfettered access, based on what may just be a best-guess, is a step closer to living in a country like China, where the government regularly blocks Internet access under the guise of “protecting its citizens.”

Like when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported during last summer’s Olympic Games that some of the ceremonies broadcast “live” from China, were actually pre-recorded and edited by the Chinese government. Within hours of CBC reporting that story, the Chinese government had blocked all CBC sites within China.

It would take a long time, and many more similar Bills proposed and passed in Canada, before such a controlled online world were to happen. But this Bill is the first step towards just that.

Is that the type of society we want here in Canada?

Related articles by Zemanta

• New laws would let police eavesdrop on Internet (ctv.ca)
• Central Bureau of Investigation Origanizing Cyber Crime Conference (taragana.com)
• Privacy advocates concerned about potential internet wiretapping law (cbc.ca)

Fresh Eggs Or Foul Stench?

There’s a scene in Sasha Baron Cohen’s movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, where his chicken accidentally escapes on a subway in New York City. The hilarious scene shows Baron Cohen in his Borat character, chasing after the bird, in and around the ankles of spooked city dwellers.

That scene could very well be played out for real in Canada’s largest city of Toronto, if the local politicians allow chicken coups in residential areas. Currently any form of raising livestock in your home is illegal – as it should be.

Image via Wikipedia

Granted, the city isn’t going to allow Torontonians to cut off the bird’s heads and cook them up for dinner – the chickens are supposed to be used for providing fresh eggs daily – but you just know that someone, will get their axe and swipe away at Chicken Little.

For most of us, we choose where we want to live based on our own personal beliefs, values, and lifestyles. For those who like to get up at the crack of dawn, to the sounds of a rooster, the smells of manure, and the hard physical work of living the farm life – awesome for you.

As cities and towns across North America continue to sprawl into farm country, we’re losing our most valuable source of food – the farm. Farmers do hard work, so that lazy city stiffs – like me – can enjoy a good, well balanced diet.

Then there are city stiffs – like me – who chose to live and work in urban areas like the suburbs or right in the city. Although we may wake at the crack of dawn, the noise we hear is usually traffic, and the smells may be of smog, or that funky neighbour down the road that never seems to bathe.

Most city slickers couldn’t imagine taking care of livestock. Sure we have our domesticated pets, our cats, dogs, fish, even the odd turtle or lizard. But we’d never, not in our wildest dreams see ourselves raising animals for food production.

That’s just too complicated – you have to make sure you do the right thing, or the food you produce could be toxic, and the waste from the livestock – that’s a whole other matter.

Feed your chickens the wrong things, and you could be eating eggs which will later have you rushed to the hospital for a good ‘ol fashioned stomach pumping. Nothing like one of those first thing in the morning!

And what about that guy – you just know he’s out there – that’s going to kill his chicken for dinner? In an urban setting, where the foulest things we produce are consumer-grade waste, how is this person going to dispose of the remains of the chicken in a safe and ethical manner?

Cities just weren’t designed for farming. We don’t have the resources, and we certainly don’t have the know-how to do it right.

We’d all love to have the freshest milk, eggs, vegetables; even the freshest steak would be nice. But to live in certain lifestyles, you must give up the benefits of others. That’s life.

Toronto isn’t the first city to contend with allowing local residents to farm their own food. New York, Chicago and Vancouver already have these programs in place. Whether these programs are serving the public good, or – pardon the pun – fowling our cities, remains to be seen.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Consumers Eating More Chicken, Less Beef (shoppingblog.com)
• Beef and pork proteins being injected into restaurant chicken meals (telegraph.co.uk)

Canada’s Largest City About to Stink

Can you smell it? The stink of rotting garbage in the summer’s sun? Soon residents of Canada’s biggest city – Toronto – may be smelling that foul stench, as outside city employees – including garbage collectors – are gearing up for a strike as early as next week.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 416 which represents Toronto’s outside workers isn’t after wage increases – they want better job security and for the city to payout the past sick leave it owes to the union’s 6,200 members.

Local 416 includes all outside workers – from those parks and recreation staffers that take care of the lawns, gardens and water parks in the city, to ambulance attendants, and garbage collectors. Ironically, the inside workers union is also gearing up for a strike, which could make getting any city-run services next to impossible.

If a garbage strike were to hit Canada’s largest city, it wouldn’t be the first time. Back in the summer of 2002, under then-Mayor Mel Lastman, the same union went on strike, leaving stinky garbage piling up all over the city for the 16-days of the strike.

We also happened to have a heat-wave that fair and smelly summer, and as the rotting garbage baked under the hot summer’s sun, rats, cockroaches and other – ahem – forms of wildlife started taking roost in the mess, adding to the problem.

That was the summer the Pope came to Toronto, for World Youth Day, which was the main reason the city became squeaky clean so quick. Politicians didn’t want Canada’s largest city looking and smelling like a garbage dump for the Pope and the thousands coming from around the world to participate in the festivities.

This summer we won’t be so lucky. The Pope isn’t planning on coming to Toronto this summer, so unless we have another form of divine intervention, a strike could last much longer.

Ambulance attendants and paramedics are considered emergency workers, so they can’t legally go on strike. But there will be work-to-rule style shortages, meaning fewer ambulances on Toronto’s roads.

The question which came up during the strike and probably will arise again – should trash collectors be essential emergency services?

We don’t often think about garbage collection as an essential service, we simply toss our trash and recyclables into the correct containers, put them out first thing in the morning, and when we come back from work at the end of the day, they are magically gone.

Problem is – as we witnessed during the strike of 2002 – if that “magic” doesn’t happen, rodents, bugs, even birds all zoom in on the mess, bringing viruses and disease which can cause a major health hazard to humans.

At a time when the World Health Organization (WHO) is labeling the H1N1 Swine Flu a global pandemic, is it really wise for the powers-that-be in Canada’s largest city to allow a labour disruption which may increase the threat from this deadly flu?

Labour unions are not evil groups of people, plotting to destroy society. Without the labour movement previously fighting for equal rights, fair wages, and safe working environments, we’d all have real reasons to hate our jobs.

But sometimes, the best labour leaders need to take a reality check and open their eyes to see what is going on around them, and whether or not it really is in their members – and the publics – best interest to go on strike.

CUPE’s leaders aren’t oblivious to the nature of the global economy, nor are they blind to the fact that Swine Flu is a real concern in developing nations, because of poor sanitation.

If CUPE’s leaders encourage and allow their members to go on strike at this point in time, they aren’t looking out for anyone’s best interests. Just because a garbage collector is on strike, doesn’t make him or her any less susceptible to catching the Swine Flu, should our city turn into a giant trash heap.

Making garbage collectors emergency workers, forbidding them to strike isn’t the answer. What is the answer is having responsible leadership at both the management and union side of the negotiating table. Leaders acting responsibly, by taking a long hard look at what is going on in the world around them, and how their actions or inactions may make that world a whole lot less stable is what we need.

One thing we don’t need in a global economic depression, riddled with H1N1 Swine Flu, is another garbage strike.

Related articles by Zemanta

• 'Strike is very possible,' says city workers union (cbc.ca)
• Toronto unions start clock ticking on strike threat (cbc.ca)
• Indoor workers vote to give union strike mandate (thestar.com)

Jordan’s Daily – Almost! – Growing Up

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed a few changes over the past few days.

Gone are some of the campy personal links to some of my favourite television shows, replaced with news feeds from some of the big news outlets around the globe.

And as you scroll down, you’ll see I’ve even thanked you for reading – and I really mean it. Without YOU there wouldn’t be much of a need for me to stumble through my morning hot chocolate, scouring the headlines, watching television, even surfing the net, to figure out what to write.

It’s all about YOU – your feedback, good or bad is always welcome – and encouraged. Just the other day, I received a lengthy comment from one of my readers, a fellow writer, and friend, chewing me out for “hitting a nerve” and she concluded her letter with an apology hoping there were “no hard feelings.”

When I wrote regular columns for newspapers years ago, I loved getting letters and emails – even the occasional death threat. Well okay, not so much the death threats, of which thankfully there were only two in over a decade of writing those. We writers, be it for newspaper, television, radio, or here on the so-called “blogsphere” thrive on your comments and feedback.

Be it rolling your eyes in bewilderment, rolling on the floor laughing, or wanting to roll me into the nearest dumpster, whatever comes to mind from reading this blog – by having some sort of reaction it means I’m doing my job.

And what is my job on here anyway?

My job is to get you to think. If by some chance of pure luck, you read something here on Jordan’s Daily – Almost! and it stirs something deep within you – awesome – I’ve earned my keep for the week!

Even better, if that something I’ve stirred within you get’s you so moved, that you take fingers to keyboard and hammer out a comment to me – which I highly recommend and encourage. A link to add your comments is at the end of every posting – you don’t have to join Blogger, it is completely free, and an incredible way of interacting in this highly interactive world.

Many other changes are coming, some have already been implemented – including a cool way for you to rate me, and even increase readership to your own blogs – if you happen to write one. On the right-hand column is a link from Scribnia, a free rating and review service open to all bloggers (and other writers). Bloggers such as myself, writers from the New York Times, and many other blog sites and publications are on this service.

The theory behind it, the more reviews you get, and the more targeted readers are driven to your blog. It’s free to rate and review others, and to add your own blog or publication. I encourage other bloggers to take advantage of this free service. And hey, even if you don’t have a blog, PLEASE review this blog!

Other changes include easier and more visible ways for you to subscribe to this blog using Really Simple Subscription (RSS) Atom feeds, and some other common feeds including Google, My Yahoo! and Bloglines. (This blog is carried on my Facebook via an RSS feed – for those who wonder about some elements not visible on the Facebook feed).

At the very end of Jordan’s Daily – Almost! – you have to scroll all the way to the bottom – is the Blogger Followers section. This is where fellow bloggers using the Blogger service can subscribe to this blog as a follower. The follower concept is pretty cool too – you follow me, I follow you, your followers can follow me, my followers can follow you, and everyone follows everyone else. Confused? Me too – but suffice it to say, it’s a good way of automatically keeping up with this blog if you use Blogger – so please follow me if you’re a fellow Blogger user.

More changes are on the way, some driven directly by your feedback.

I began Jordan’s Daily – Almost! three-years ago, taking my then Myspace blog and posting it here, for those without a Myspace account to read. (I have since exchanged Myspace for Facebook, for those wondering why they can’t find me on Myspace.)

Since I first hammered out my first blog, I have written over 440 of these things, had almost 11,000 readers and gone through countless mugs of hot chocolate.

Thank you – no – THANK YOU – for reading Jordan’s Daily – Almost!

Making Teachers Parents

It’s been a long time since I was in kindergarten – I feel all the older just thinking back to those early days. Back then, the first school years of a child’s life were half-days at school, the other half at home.

When I was a kid, way back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth – well not quite – I went to junior kindergarten class for half the day for my first school year, and then I had senior kindergarten for another half-day the following year. It wasn’t until grade one that I was in school for a full day.

I remember coming home from school, and watching eagerly as my mom cut holes in two big plastic garbage bags – one for me, the other for my brother. Mom would cut a hole in the top, and split the seams on both sides, then put these over my brother and I – instant smock to protect us from the messy finger paints we were playing with.

After our half-day classes of kindergarten, mom would read stories to us – my favourite was always James and the Giant Peach, by Ronald Dahl – sing songs to us, and get us involved in crafts and other things that parents do as part of being a parent.

That’s all going to change this coming September in the province of Ontario, Canada, as the province’s leader, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced today that kindergarten will be a full-day starting in the fall.

This is based on a provincial report, which calls for the merging of kindergarten and day care, ironically saying this will increase the amount of time parents spend with their children.

Though the report does call for an increase in parental leave so parents can take more time off work to be with their kids, by placing kids in kindergarten for a full-day instead of the half-day of the past, the province is actually taking away valuable time from the parents.

Granted, not all parents participate actively in their child’s development, and some may see this as a great time saver, because they don’t have to spend all day with their kids, or worry about finding a babysitter or placing the child in daycare for the remainder of the day.

But part of the magic of childhood are those times spent doing things with mom and dad when you’re little – things that many of us remember to this day. These activities help kids bond with their parents, and may even teach both parents and children a thing or two about growing up.

Maybe Ontario’s premier didn’t have any fond memories of after school play with his parents, because he’s taking that time away by enforcing full-day kindergartens province-wide.

It’s another example of how teachers these days are being asked to be more of a parental figure in our blink-and-you-miss-it society. And that’s too bad, because one day, many years from now, these parents will blink, and realize they missed their kids growing up.

Why the Canadian Government Is a Sham

Canada’s federal government has gone through four elections in the last five-years – and we could be having yet another federal election if the opposition parties have their way tomorrow.

The three opposition parties are all expected to vote against the ruling Conservative Party’s financial report, and possibly force Canadians to the polls in the fall. Already, the Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic Party of Canada have said they will vote against the report which just leaves the federal Liberal Party to make or break the deadlock against the current Canadian government.

Last time a federal election was called, it was called by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, because he felt he just couldn’t work with the other three parties. The result – we got pretty much the same government we had prior to the election. Prime Minister Harper was re-anointed to the Prime Minister’s office, and his Conservative Party snuck into power with a minority government.

Over the past five-years, we’ve seen our fair share of federal elections, each one costing Canadian taxpayers on average between $100 to $270 million dollars, and taking time away from what governments are supposed to be doing – governing.

And that’s the real problem with Canada’s federal government, they just don’t do enough of what they are expected to do, because they are always getting in each other’s way.

Just think about it, the last election was called because our country’s leader felt he couldn’t work with the other federal party leaders. The other federal party leaders were threatening to call a non-confidence vote, because they just didn’t like the way the ruling leader was running the country.

If these were kids, we’d just forbid them from playing together, maybe send them to bed without dinner. But these aren’t kids, they are fully grown adults, and they are all in leadership roles.

But instead of taking their jobs seriously, and enjoying the banter and debate of questioning policy, to ensure fairness and balance in the laws which guide all Canadians, they act like children. They call each other names, try to make each other look bad, and just disagree with each other without having any real basis other than their strong dislike for the person and the party that put forward the motion in the first place.

Is it any wonder that our federal government has done anything at all in the past five-years? Come to think of it – what has our federal government done in the past five-years?

Well, they have called a number of elections, filled with the usual one-up-manship, ridiculous promises, and negative campaign commercials typical of elections in Canada. They have participated in election debates during these elections, even offending one of the up-coming political parties by protesting their involvement.

They welcomed the new president of the United States of America to Canada for a quick tour.

They all have cut ribbons, and handed out big cheques for photo opportunities.
But has the Canadian government actually done anything worthwhile, to make Canada a better place to call home?

For that to happen, we’d actually need to have a government that works – one where despite the personal and political differences of those involved, they all actively participate in the creation of policies and programs which have an impact on life in Canada.

Too bad the federal government is composed of children that just don’t want to play in the sandbox with each other, instead of adults willing to do whatever it takes to make Canada strong.

Monday, the children running the country will squabble again, about how the current federal economic stimulus package isn’t working – but it’s all just a sham. There hasn’t been enough time since the initial plan was announced – let alone since the last federal election – for the government’s plans to have any effect, good or bad.

This could trigger another election, putting aside the business of running the country again, all because no one was willing to suck it up and actually do their job.

Say Good-Bye to Snow

When I was a kid, we were lucky to be among the first on our street with a VHS VCR. It was a Panasonic, big huge thing too and heavy – not like technology these days which is small and light. Being a new device, and as with most things technological – even today sadly – the instructions weren’t very well written.

I remember all the noise. The television’s volume must have been way up high, because you could hear the static throughout the house. The sounds of static were occasionally broken by my dad cursing and swearing, as he muddled with all the cables, trying to figure out how to make his new toy work.

Eventually he got the VCR hooked up, and we were all awed by its newness. We recorded our favourite shows, rented movies, and would occasionally watch one show while taping another. The novelty of it all!

Today is a historic and somewhat sad day in the United States of America – where television originated. As of midnight tonight, all television stations will be broadcasting strictly in digital format.

This is good for those of us who have cable, satellite, and digital cable boxes, but bad for those who still use “rabbit ears.”

“Rabbit ears” or “bunny ears” are the affectionate names given to those two pieces of hollow metal tube-like antennas used to capture the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) analogue television stations freely.

As of midnight tonight, analogue television broadcasts will be gone in the States, so anyone using bunny ears to tune into their favourite shows will be watching a snowy, static filled screen.

The move in the States is to allow for progress towards better digital sound and picture, but the underlying reason is money – as it often is.

The American government will auction off the old UHF channels to mobile phone companies and make a sweet profit from the deal. With all the cell phone companies in the States jockeying for more frequencies to carry their signals, some are saying the American government could make millions or even a billion or two off of these stations.

With all the government bail-outs, the Obama administration sure could use the money. However, this change represents a new move towards the commercialization of the airwaves.

Gone are the days when you could go up north, plug in an old beat-up TV into any old electrical outlet, turn it to channel three, fidget with the rabbit ears, and eventually see a snowy screen turn to a glowing picture.

These days, you’ll have to subscribe to a television services provider to receive signal, or buy or rent a digital to analogue converter box to capture the now purely digital broadcasts.

We’ve already seen attempts to commercialize the airwaves – just look at satellite radio. Most of us probably have thought about subscribing, but haven’t – because there is little point. You can still get radio for free off the airwaves, or plug in your MP3 player and listen to your own customized-show, with all the songs you want to hear. That’ probably why the two satellite companies XM and Sirius merged in the States, and despite their merger, they are in the midst of a bankruptcy Chapter 11 filing. (Here in Canada, XM and Sirius are still broadcasting, but who knows what may happen, based on their parent company’s actions in the States.)

Television is different though, as the “switch” sending out all those free channels on the UHF band is being shut-off permanently. The “off switch” will be flung tonight in the States, and in 2011 up here in Canada. This will force people to pay to watch their favourite shows.

Though for most Canadians, that won’t be much of a problem – Canada has been ranked in the top ten of the most wired countries for the past ten-years straight. Most people here do have cable or satellite, and have been enjoying digital television for years.

I’ve had a digital cable setup for at least the past four-years and love it. I especially enjoy my new PVR which I’ve only had a few months – it essentially replaces all the functions of a VCR, only it records everything in pure digital high definition.

Through my digital cable boxes, I get over 500 channels – and several on-demand channels which are pretty cool. Despite all the channels, sometimes, there still isn’t anything worthwhile on!

That said, today is a lukewarm day in television history – as it marks the end of free UHF television, as we move towards a pay-for-use digital dial.

Swine Flu Officially a Pandemic

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its six-level pandemic alert to the highest level in over 41-years, thanks to the Swine Flu.

WHO sent out a statement to all its member countries officially declaring Swine Flu a pandemic as it raised the alert level to the global pandemic level 6.

Although Swine Flu hasn’t been spreading as fast here in Canada, the number of infections has increased in the United States, Australia, and parts of Europe and South America.

In Canada, there have been almost three-thousand cases of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as the Swine Flu. Of the 2,978 reported cases to Health Canada, there have been 138 people hospitalized by the bug, and four confirmed deaths.

In the U.S., there have been 6,247 confirmed infections of the H1N1 Swine Flu virus, and 67 people have died from the virus.

For years scientists have been warning us that we’re on the brink of a global pandemic, one which will be far worse than anything we’ve ever seen.

Is H1N1 Swine Flu just what the scientists have been worried about?

So far, not yet – though with WHO’s raising of the pandemic level today, it could be. However, scientists are more concerned about the next pandemic super-bug.

A super-bug is one which is resistant to modern medical cures. Thanks in part to our growing dependence on pharmaceuticals to cure everything from the common cold, to baldness, over time, our immune systems get weaker, our kid’s immune systems never develop to their full potential, and all the microbes we’ve been fighting off with these drugs have become more resistant against these chemical compounds.

Just think how easy it is to reach for a bottle of this-that-and-the-next-thing, rather than taking a day or two off work, to sleep off a cold. Those of us who grew up in the age of penicillin know all too well how easy it is to grab a bottle of drugs to fight off a cold – it was something we’d always be given when we were kids and sick.

Growth hormones in food to make that steak all the bigger, that chicken breast all the juicier, and that ham all the rounder have also contributed to our downfall over the years. Even fresh fruits and vegetables have been genetically altered over time, to last longer on our shelves, and be resistant to pests.

All of these additives to our bodies over time have created a dangerous scenario, which may just start to play itself out. These chemicals may have helped us fight off colds and flu faster, have made our kids physically grow faster, and even may have extended our maximum age by a handful of years. But all of these additives have weakened our immune systems, while strengthening the resilience of viruses and other deadly germs.

The H1N1 Swine Flu virus became a threat to humans, when the virus mutated inside a pig, so that the virus was now able to attack human cells. Since the virus has been in human beings, it has added to its makeup all the components of our DNA – especially the ones which fight viruses such as so-called Helper T Cells – which are the body’s natural defenders against attacking viruses.

If the H1N1 Swine Flu is spread from person to pig, with the human genetic code, it could very well change into a super-bug – one which is easily contagious to people, yet resistant to all modern medical cures.

And that’s just the kind of super-bug scientists are worried about being the next great global pandemic.

UK’s Big Brother May Come to Canada

Thanks to the constantly shrinking global village we live in, I was able to catch a cool BBC documentary the other day, called “Who’s Watching You?”

This was the first of a series of programs currently running in the United Kingdom, about the constantly increased use of Closed Circuit Television (CCT) security cameras.

CCT security cameras are nothing new to most of us – banks have used them for years to deter robberies, they are present in most banking machines and many offices and government buildings have these things to capture would-be crooks in the action.

CCT security cameras are used along our expressways to – and carried live on many popular television morning shows, to help us with our daily drive into work.
But in the United Kingdom, according to the show, they have the most advanced CCT security camera network in the world.

At first, I thought it was just typical posturing – but after watching the first episode, I understood it is more about fear.

Not only do they use security cameras in the UK to deter thieves, they use them for far more Big Brotherish reasons. In one scene, the host of the show, Richard Bilton, walks down a seemingly quaint boardwalk, and drops a candy bar wrapper on the ground. Suddenly, a voice from nowhere informs him that his illegal littering has been caught on camera, and politely asks him to pick up the litter and put it into the trash bin just a few feet away. The voice reminds him that if he doesn’t there is fine, and as his actions have been caught on camera, he should comply.

Pretty scary stuff, now not only can the powers that be see you, they can order you to do whatever they want as well.

Another scene shows how all the UK CCT security cameras along the major highways are connected to a computer database, and within two-seconds of driving past one of these cameras, it has already compared the license plate on the car to all the ones in the database of wanted criminals. And we’re not talking about just big player criminals – if you’ve got anything from outstanding parking tickets, to littering in a public place, they can now quickly find you and make you pay. The police in the UK even setup roadside stops, where they have mobile CCT cameras mounted on vans down the road. The camera runs license plates of all passing vehicles, and when one is flagged for whatever reason, the operator calls to the police at the checkpoint, and those police then stop the vehicle, and make the arrest.

Bilton reminds us that these recorded license plates are kept on file for two-years – so at the time of your drive-by, you may be innocent. But forget to pay that parking ticket, and the next time you hit the highway, you could be taken down at gunpoint, handcuffed, and stuffed in the back of a police car.

CCT security cameras are used for surveillance here in Canada too. In Canada’s biggest city, Toronto, there are cameras watching passers-by in the entertainment district, and near major attractions like the CNTower and the Eaton Centre.

So far, these cameras are only used for catching criminals in the act, and as a deterrent. But if what is going on down in the UK is any indication of what the future holds, these cameras could eventually be part of a much more scary story.

It is a story of time, when everyone is so paranoid about the world, that Big Brother is called in to keep the peace. The problem with George Orwell’s version of peace, is eventually no one trusts anyone else, and society falls apart because good honest people do horribly dishonest things, just to survive. And that is one story I hope to never live through.

Racial Profiling of Native Protesters – Ridiculous!

Today, native protesters closed a major bridge because of an on-going conflict between them and the local law enforcement agencies.

Dozens of members of the Mohawk community from the Akwesasne reserve have blocked off a portion of the Skyway Bridge, which runs just east of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between Belleville and Kingston. The protesting natives are angry about what they say is an increase in racial profiling and harassment from the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and local police agencies, since the arming of Canadian border crossing guards.

Some of the protesters are saying they will not leave the bridge until the Canadian Federal government includes them in talks about the arming of border guards.

Native protesters – including ones from this very same reserve – have participated in long and violent protests in the past, where the protests lasted for months, and people have been shot and beat up.

Is it any wonder why the police are being accused of using racial profiling? It isn’t so much racial profiling as just good common sense. In previous protests, these native groups have thrown rocks, used clubs and sticks and even rifles and shotguns on police, and others who dared to cross their protest.

I still remember the news reports from many of the past reports, watching as these characters wore hoods and ball caps over their heads and bandannas over their faces, to hide their identities. They always claimed they were peacefully protesting their rights, but I always wondered if they are so peaceful, how come they hide who they really are? Peaceful people don’t have to dress up like terrorists to conceal themselves.

And that is because although these native protesters claim to be peaceful, they are anything but. They may start off with good intentions, but as soon as the police arrive to ensure the peace remains, they grab a stick, a rock, or a gun and take up a defensive, hostile, war-like stance.

That’s why they dress just like terrorists – they are ready to kill peaceful people for what they believe in.

Perhaps if these protesters didn’t want the police to show up ready for a fight, these very same protesters wouldn’t put up a fight in the first place. They shouldn’t dress like terrorists, bring weapons, and when the local “fuzz” arrives, they shouldn’t start throwing rocks, sticks, and firing off rounds from sawed off shotguns.

I can see why the Canadian government doesn’t have these natives represented at the bargaining table – would you invite someone to your home or office who may come ready to kill – complete with G.I. Joe getup, shotgun in hand, ready to fight at the drop of a hat?

Still, after over twenty-years of violent native protests – these have been a regular summer feature since the 1980’s if not longer – the protesters haven’t learned what it means to hold a peaceful demonstration.

And that is why it appears the police are racially profiling them – because peace to these protesters is anything but peaceful.

Political Shakedowns – Who Do You Trust?

Today, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown shuffled his cabinet saying it’s because of the economy. Though many in the United Kingdom think the re-organization of the Brit’s government was because of the recent resignation of Secretary of Defence, John Hutton, over spending blunders in the military.

Prime Minister Brown said he’s determined to clean up the government, and in turn make it run more efficiently and effectively, to bring Britain out of the global economic depression.

Politicians, lawyers and gulp – even journalists – have all been tossed to the bottom of the list of those most likely to be respected and trusted.

Lawyers scare people with paperwork, legal fees, and language that is anything but straight forward – no wonder they aren’t trusted. Journalists often go after the blood, the gore, or the glam, without really telling people what they need to know to live their lives.

I can see how the ambulance chasers and celebrity hounds have lost the public’s trust. Politicians, unlike lawyers and journalists aren’t in it for the money or the fame, but to make a difference in society.

Right?

Maybe not.

Just look at all the scandals over the years from U.S. President Richard Nixon’s Watergate, the on-going Airbus scandal here in Canada involving former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, to today’s so-called “reshuffle” by Britain’s Prime Minster Brown.

All of these political messes were caused by world leaders thinking about their bank accounts, and not how history would remember them and their policies.

Granted, once you become leader of a country, you become an instant celebrity, and some of the scandals are simply tabloid trash. Like U.S. President Bill Clinton’s sexual exploits with then-White House intern Monica Lewinski, or even further back, to the womanizing of U.S. President John F. Kennedy – it is well known now that Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe were involved.

Though all public figures should be aware of their celebrity status, and should be mindful of the things they do, and how their actions may have far greater ramifications.

That said, we’re all only human, so we’re bound to make some ill fated decisions along the way. But some of these poor choices are more forgivable than others.
Former U.S. President Clinton’s affair was driven by hormones, and wasn’t really something that would affect the operations of the government, national security, or anything else presidential – though from the media circus at the time you’d swear it would.

But when former Canadian Prime Minister Mulroney allegedly takes a bribe to dole out government contracts to Airbus International, that does affect the operations of government, and possibly the safety and security of the nation. We’re still hearing – and bound to hear for years to come – the arguments in the Airbus scandal unfold.

However, Prime Minister Brown is playing a good hand by trying to clean up his political house. Although most government shuffles are purely public relations events, to move people around and show the public that the government is taking care of business, maybe, just maybe this shuffle might be different.

Provided Prime Minister Brown has really thought through today’s decision, and placed the right people into the right roles.

That’s what real leadership is all about – managing the ultimate resource in any business or government: people.

People – be it employees, or publicly elected politicians – make the decisions which in the end, determine whether a company or government succeeds or fails.

And it is up to those in leadership roles, that decide who does what which really starts that government or business on the road to success or failure.

Let’s just hope Britain’s leader got today’s players right – otherwise we’ll probably see the outcome of a failed government in the form of a snap election call.

President Obama On Right Path, Down a Long Road

Early this morning, while many were just waking up, U.S. President Barack Obama was trying to make things right.

Around 6:30 am EST, President Obama spoke at the Cairo University, to try and mend relations between his country of fifty states, and the Muslim world. The speech was carried live outside the States on an American government server, and was hyped on the popular social networking sites Myspace, Facebook and Twitter.

Calling for “a new beginning” President Obama is on the right track towards making peace in the Middle East – and we aren’t talking about the ongoing war in the West Bank of Israel.

Since the tragic events of Sept. 11 – commonly called “9-11” – when the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon were attacked, there has been a war between America and the Muslim world. Tensions have run high between the two cultures, as then-American President George W. Bush launched bombing runs in Afghanistan and Iraq, and called for the deaths of Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, their families and their associates.

Those tensions have carried over to much of the Muslim world, many of whom have nothing to do with the actions on Sept. 11 – and here is where current President Obama must have a new beginning.

Although President Obama talked about the wars in the Middle East, his four-nation tour half-way ‘round the globe isn’t about peace in the Middle East – it is all about peace between America and the Middle East.

The war of words between American political, cultural and business interests within the Muslim countries has escalated, to the point where many won’t do any business with North American-based companies.

This impacts global trade at a time when all countries are looking for more ways to do more business, not less.

Although President Obama has a green plan of action, to reduce America’s dependence on oil from the Middle East, until that green plan is in full swing, America needs to have decent or better relationships with the powers that be in the Middle East.

It will be interesting to see just how far President Obama goes to make peace between his country and those on his Muslim world tour. Will he continue to disguise his true intentions in the banter of peace in the Middle East, or will he actually go so far to apologize for his predecessors fowl tongue and actions?

If President Obama really wants to re-establish good relations between America and The Middle East, he’ll most likely have to the later, because if he doesn’t stand up to the plate and apologize for America’s behaviour in the past, there may not be much of a future going forward.

Happy Birthday to “The Dome”

Canada’s largest city has many internationally recognized landmarks – the most famous is the CNTower. The CNTower was the world’s tallest free standing structure when it was built, and has come to symbolize Toronto, and Canada.

But one of the other big landmarks – located almost right next to that famous tower – is celebrating it’s birthday today.

Home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club and the Toronto Argonauts football franchise, “the Dome” turns 20 this week.

These days, thanks in large part due to corporate take-overs, the world’s first retractable roof sports stadium is now known as “The Rogers Centre” because it was purchased by Ted Rogers, of Rogers Cable and Rogers Broadcasting fame.

Back in the day, when it opened some 20-years ago, it was often just referred to as “the Dome.” The official name back then, was SkyDome, which was a very fitting name for the place, as the rounded dome-shaped roof would split open, revealing the bright blue sky outside.

I remember they held a contest to name the building just prior to its opening. The prize was a lifetime subscription to all sports functions. I wonder if those lucky people who won still get in free, since the name change in honour of the new owners?

To die hard fans, the sports stadium will always be “the Dome.” I still call it that in casual conversation. “The Jays are playing at the Dome tonight,” I’ll say when talking about my favourite sports team.

SkyDome, the world’s greatest entertainment centre – that was the slogan used in all promotional materials back when the Dome wasn’t the Rogers Centre. And it was – and maybe still is – one of the greatest entertainment venues in the world.
Where else can you go to watch a major league baseball game under the stars, without getting wet when the rain starts to fall?

The Dome has some fancy restaurants and even a hotel built into it. I remember when the thing first opened 20-years ago, and everyone was talking about how luxurious and expensive the hotel was, especially the rooms with a view of the playing field. Imagine waking up and turning to the window to see how the Argos were doing?

Many other functions have been held over the years at The Dome. From the Autoshow, to food shows, to the Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask show and more.

The SkyDome replaced the aging Exhibition Stadium where the Jays and the Argos played previously. In many ways I miss the old Ex. Sure, the seats weren’t all that comfy, and the food was limited to hot dog vendors, bags of peanuts, and luke-warm soft drinks. But the Ex had character – it was a traditional ballpark.

Enter the SkyDome in the 1980’s and it had a modern high-tech ambiance. The world’s first Jumbotron lit up at the Dome, the seats were more cozy, and the food choices ranged from pizza, hot dogs and pop, to gourmet appetizers served in the SkyBoxes.

Ah, the SkyBoxes, here lies the real tragedy of the SkyDome, the Dome, The Rogers Centre – whatever you want to call it.

Back in the day of old Exhibition Stadium, you could get a decent seat to a major sports match, a hot dog, a drink and even a souvenir all for under $40. A father – as my dad did – could bring his kids down for a day at the game, without having to take out a second mortgage.

Although the Dome ushered in a new era of high-tech amenities, it made going out for a day at the ballpark a high-end thing to do – something only the rich could afford. You can still get cheap seats at the Dome, and recently they have started selling recession-buster ticket packages that include a drink and a dog, but that’s only because as with all businesses these days, the recession is hitting everyone hard.

Before the economy tanked, and for much of the 20-years the Dome has been around, only the well-to-do could afford to go. Ticket prices kept going up, as did the cost of food, drinks, even ball caps.

Granted, the cost of living has increased, so what a dollar bought 20-years ago isn’t the same as what it buys these days. But the prices skyrocketed well past the rates of inflation, to enlarge the wallets of the fat cats owning and operating the ballpark, and in a way killing off a solid, dedicated customer-base.

And the ironic thing, despite the economic depression we are in, many are talking about how the Dome is too old, and needs to be replaced!

These morons are money-hungry developer-backed, that want nothing more than something big to make money off of. And no doubt, by building a new stadium, they’d include all the latest high-tech wonders of today, which would again drive up the cost to attend functions at the venue and drive away fans.

The Dome doesn’t need to be replaced, just keep prices low past this economic downturn, so that parents can take their kids out to the ballgame – and you’ll do fine.

Happy Birthday to the Dome – and hopefully many more!

City Officials Watching Grass Grow

Sometimes I wonder if those that work at city hall just have too much time on their hands. Take the latest project to keep Canada’s largest city green – but not too green.

They have hired a handful of – for a lack of better term, let’s call them grass inspectors – to drive around, ruler in hand, and measure the length of lawns in and around the city. If the grass is over 20 cm, they will issue a warning.

Those who have too much to do to keep their lawns down to the required height, will have three-days from the issuance of the warning to cut the grass, otherwise the city will do it for them, and bill them for the work.

This is similar to the law requiring those in the fair city of Toronto, ON., Canada to remove fallen snow from walkways and driveways within 24-hours of a snow storm, otherwise the city will do it and again bill the offender.

However, unlike snow which is a safety concern, overgrown grass isn’t likely to cause someone to slip and fall. Though if someone were to fall on a grassy green field, one would hope there was enough of the green stuff to cushion the fall.

Joking aside, in the midst of this economic nightmare, aren’t there more important things our publicly funded civil servants can be doing, than simply watching grass grow?

Whatever happened to all those job creation strategies the Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, promised months ago? Unless those going out and measuring the green spaces are part of that program – but that doesn’t say much for re-training unemployed people in high demand or future demand roles.

I know, maybe all of those people looking for work in Toronto have been hired by the ruler makers, thanks to the City of Toronto? After all, more measuring sticks will be required to keep track of the length of all those grassy fields.

Then there are those who the city will need to actually mow the lawns, and then no doubt, water them once those negligent in their upkeep fail to do that as well.

Overgrown grass can be unsightly, and lead to angry neighbours, but it is hardly an offence worthy of our civil servants constant scrutiny – unless you happen to be one of those inspecting the green stuff.