Several days ago Secretary for Defense B. Gates delivered a rather nasty critique of American NATO allies in general and Canadians in particular.  To say that his statements were received like the proverbial cup of cold sick, is an understatement.  However, whatever I think of the man's comments, he is certainly not the only idiot on the block with foot in mouth disease. The other day I read in one of the Edmonton papers that statistics show that more Canadian soldiers, propotionaly,died compared to other allies.  Who makes up this garbage and why are they wasting their time on this when they could be counting sand on the beach or something.  The families of soldiers who died in the line don't give a d- and they come from all over the globe.

This game of who gives the most, who has the hardest job, whose smarter, braver, wiser, best equipped is total rot. 

 

Come on people who do you think your kidding.?  The NATO forces are out there giving their all, just as the American forces are.  The families of the soldiers who have given their lives in the line of duty grieve just as much whether they are American, Canadian, British or Afghan. (Yes, there are Afghan soldiers out there training and fighting for their country and their freedom, do not forget them, they matter just as much as the allies' soldiers. )

When did this war become a school boy contest along the lines of " We're better than you are, nyah, nyah , nyah?  Get over yourselves.  Our soldiers are doing a tough job under even tougher conditions -  all of them. Every single one of them is a volunteer, nobody there has been drafted and, last I heard,we all want the same thing.

War is not a contest between allies.  Heaven knows they are having enough trouble with the contest of those guys over there shooting at them with real guns and blowing them up with real explosives.  I doubt if you asked any soldier there which was the more important contest the answer would not be the same as the politicos' back home.  They have way more important things to think about.  Sure if you asked them if they were the best, they'd probably answer in the affirmative, so what.  Esprit de corps is pretty much based on that notion.

Those of us at home would probably agree.  After all they're our sons and daughters over there.  We want them home safe.  We want that to happen as soon as  humanly possible.  Again, it doesn't matter what country you happen to come from, that's the bottom line.  

If those in power want to play silly games about war, maybe they ought to go over there themselves.  It ought to be an eye-opening experience. So get over yourselves guys.  It's not about you at all.  It's about people far from home doing the best they can with what they have. 

It sure isn't a contest. 

 

Tags: War Afghanistan Soldiers Politics Contest

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Nearly three and a half years ago, my stepmother - a lady in her 80's, known to her friends and family as Mimi - returned from hospital, where she had been treated for depression, made an appointment with friends to go shopping the next day and sometime during the night, vanished.  

Mimi lived the Medicine Hat and to give you a picture of the area it is flat prairie, practically desert, at least in terms of Canada.  When you're out of the city you can see and be seen for miles in any direction.  The RCMP have never failed to find a missing person on that prairie.  They failed that July.  No sign of her was ever found. Her bank accounts and charge cards were never used and there was absolutely no sign of foul play.  To this day no one knows what happened that July evening or why.

 

I am sad to say that Mimi and I were not friends, at least in her eyes.  I live in Edmonton and hadn't seen her in over ten years.  Somehow, that does not make a difference in my sorrow that she died alone and only God knows where her body lies.  Yes, I do believe she is dead - not just legally dead, but actually dead.

 

But, I also grieve for her life.  She was one of those people who could not seem to accept or give love.  She wanted and needed attention and certainly was jealous of those who had what was missing in her life, but, to her, love was more a matter of a contract than an emotion.  I do not say this because I don't like or because she didn't like me, I say this because that is what I saw while I was living at home.  My father said, much later, when I was a mother myself, that she was jealous of me.  Maybe she was, tho' I have no idea why.

If I have given the impression that life with Mimi was emotionally draining and, sometimes, downright aweful, it is the correct one.  To outsiders she was the soul of courtesy, to her Canadian family ( she emigrated from Mexico) she was not. So I grieve that she lost so much during her life with us, that she was unhappy and at a loss as how to fix it.  I grieve for the fact that she will never lie beside my father in the cemetary and that there was no one there to say goodby.

 

Mimi was the last of my immediate family to die.  Both my natural mother and my father suffered long and painful illnesses before they left us.  But Mimi's story is the saddest.  

Look at your family today and remind yourself that these are the people who really know you.  Never forget to show that you love them, never miss that chance.  A life without love shared is as lost as my poor stepmother.  May she rest in peace, wherever she is. 

Tags: Missing Persons Family Life

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'Tis the season and all the big charity groups are out there to make sure the poor get something for Christmas.  It's the only time of year when people accept that, yes Virginia, there are poor people in our society and, no, they don't want to be. At least at Christmas a poor family can give their kids presents and, possibly, a nice dinner, just like the rich folk.

In our society living below the poverty line is unacceptable.  After all, they can work, they just don't want to, they're lazy, etc., etc.  You read it in the papers, you hear it from politicians (although they couch their terms slightly differently) but the upshot is that nobody in our society has to be poor therefore they must want to be.  It can't possibly be that they are ill, or have low paying jobs or are single mothers who have the choice of spending 10-12 hours at work, or actually seeing their kids, not to mention raising them.  There can't be people who earn what is laughingly called a living on minimum wage under the poverty line or people who can't afford to get a college degree and are not qualified for higher paying jobs.  Nope they're just lazy.

Since western economy is based on consumerism, those who can not afford to buy the latest in anything are not welcome.  However, what seems to be forgotten is that our economy is also based on competition. By definition that means some people will win and some people will not.  Those who win the big prize like the house, car, colour TV and all the other things our society contends we absolutely must have look down on those who don't have extra money for anything but essentials and some who have even less than that.  They have no idea how hard it is to decide which bill to pay this month  - heating or electricity.  The rent comes first, then food then the rest of the bills, hopefully.  If you aren't able to work because of illness, including mental illness, or injury or circumstance the accepted wisdom is that, naturally you don't want to.  Trust me, I have never heard any child say "When I grow up I want to live on social security."

So, this Christmas season, as you drop some money in the Salvation Army bucket, or give to the various food drives or Santa's Anonymous  remember that most of the people on the receiving end of your genourosity would rather be giving of what they have to others.  Take with you through the rest of the year the idea that nobody wants to have to chose between feeding or clothing their kids.  Most of us dislike going without.  Many of us volunteer our time, if we have any and are capable, to others.  From the point of view of those on the bottom of the economy pile, there are always others who are less fortunate.  All of us deserve to be treated with dignity, regardless of our income. 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Poverty Competition Economy Humour

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Think about mountains.

Tall, stately, solid   slow winding trails of evergreen forest winding ever upward  trees that  reach up for the sun as the mountains   earth rises to pierce the clouds  listen to the trees whispering to wind  walk further up till tree turns to rock   stumble upon the mountain lake held in its arms  takes your breath away  blue-green  ice-cold  beautiful

Yes, think about mountains and replenish your soul 

Tags: Poetry Beauty Mountains

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I'm pretty new at this and want to thank all of you for your very kind welcome.  I look forward to getting to know you better over the next little while, although I'm not sure I will ever get to over a thousand people (Congrats to Zubby btw, well done!)

I live in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada.  Should anyone check a map you will notice it's about halfway up the province and, since it's the end of November, winter has arrived with a bang - complete with snow, ice and really cold weather. Definitely going to be a white Christmas this year, so I and my cat are not going to be venturing forth  into the great outdoors unless absolutely necessary, at least for a while.  Since I'm not into winter sports, winter is a great time for my favorite pastime, reading. (Although, in all honesty, I do not think there has been a day since I started to read, lo these many years ago, when I have gone one day without reading something.)

My children are grown - I have one of each- and I have two grands-also one of each- who, unfortunately for me, live in Thunder Bay which is about half-way across the country, so I don't see them very often.  Still, they're great kids, if I do say so myself.

Being divorced I live alone and tend to be a bit of a hermit.  Actually I'm a lot hermit. I'm on disability and actually prefer living alone.  My cat is company, but doesn't have a great deal to  say.  I read just about anything - although my present preferences are for fantasy, sf and mystery.  I also write poetry and have published some of them.  I do not refer to myself as a poet, it sounds way too pretentious for me and, truthfully, in this day and age, no one can make any kind of living at it, unless they plan to do without things like food and shelter.  You will probably see some of my poems here as, like all writers, I like to share.  Feedback will be gratefully accepted, btw, even begged for. (Good or bad, it's nice to know how or if my poems are affecting people.)

I tend to be opinionated, so you'll also see those in the coming future.  These are my own opinions and are not meant to insult anyone. If you don't like them you are welcome to say so.  I really enjoy discussion and we can always agree to differ.

I am not here to earn money on the net. Should that be your goal, please do not expect me to participate in that aspect of Zubby, however I am interested in you and should any of you want to discuss what you are doing, I'd love to hear about it. I just don't want to join.

So, a big hello to you all from myself and Shadow, the cat who guards my page. 

 

Tags: Introduction Humor Thoughts

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