A Bad News Day

I started off my day going through the news online, and one of the first headlines I see is about a Walmart employee that got trampled by Black Friday shoppers. Other injuries are being reported, and even a pregnant woman was hospitalized for observation. I'd been wondering what Black Friday was. It turns out I'd heard of it before - just not by that name. I'm thoroughly horrified by the whole thing. Seriously, people. It it really worth people's lives and safety, just so you can get a deal on some shopping? It's totally insane.

I didn't finish my news before we had to head out. I come back home and am greeted by this headline. Liberals propose non-confidence motion, governing coalition. Why?

"In light of the government's failure to recognize the seriousness of Canada's economic situation and its failure in particular to present any credible plan to stimulate the Canadian economy and to help workers and businesses in hard-pressed sectors such as manufacturing, the automotive industry and forestry, this House has lost confidence in this government and is of the opinion that a viable alternative government can be formed within the present House of Commons."

Look, you Bozos. Just because the CPC isn't running around and panicing like you guys seem to want them to, that doesn't mean we want to be governed by your Coalition of Losers. The last thing Canada needs is a bunch of people who wouldn't know fiscal restraint if it smacked them over the head. Repeatedly. Especially the Liberals, who are so in debt, it's a wonder they're even surviving right now. Canada is doing better than pretty much any other country in the world right now. I'd prefer we keep it that way. We need to keep our heads, not start throwing money at companies that aren't keeping themselves viable.

It's not the government's responsibility to provide jobs. It's the governements responsibility to provide an atmosphere that allows people to create jobs. For years, it's been known that Canada and the US is moving away from the Industrial Age. We're moving into the Information Age. We need to be able to retrain and adapt, not prop up old paradigms at taxpayers expense. That will only prolong the pain and slow recovery.

The CPC may be making some mistakes - or they may turn out to not be mistakes at all - but at least they're not causing as much damage as these socialist dimwits will.

Gah. I shouldn't try and write when I so friggin' irritated.

Giving thanks

Wishing all my friends in the US a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a wonderful day of food, fun and family!

Me? I'm about to go clear the spot for our tree. We're putting it up, but not decorating it for a few days. It's time to train the kitten. :-D

I'm back! Did you miss me? LOL

Well, it's been way too long since I posted here, though I did manage a couple of posts on my home school blog.

Things have been sort of all over the place, these days. Dh's health has been an issue - with a whole new pile of medications we can't afford that he's apparently going to be taking for the rest of his life. After his last dr's appointment, he walked out with a pile of them that, if we'd filled completely that day, would've cost just under $900. Thankfully, some were refills he didn't need to refill yet. Still, since we can't afford to pay for them in 3 month supplies and getting the discount, they'll end up costing us more. Here's hoping the insurance company will approve the new ones and we'll get our 80% back. Then we can afford to fill the ones he's running out of. *sigh*

With Christmas coming, things are getting busy. The girls have already finished their shopping (!!! good for them!), while I'm still trying to finish the coat I'm crocheting for Eldest before I start on some decorations I'm making for this year. So close to being finished!

We never do a lot of shopping for Christmas. For starters, I hate shopping this time of hear. It gets so crowded and noisey in the stores. We don't buy a great deal, either. Last year our budget was bigger than it had been in years - for the last 10 years or so, our budget for gifts has been in the $200 range. Gifts aren't the priority for our Christmas celebrations. If things work out well, we'll actually have guests joining us for Wigilia this year. That reminds me, there's a couple of butchers I need to check out to see if we can get the meats for toutierre, using my MIL's secret recipe, this year. I've had one in particular recommended to me because they have a good variety of game meats.

Another week and the tree goes up and we start decorating the apartment, though Thursday is our first day of the Christmas season - St. Catherine's Day. I don't know that anyone's interested in making the toffee anymore, though. We'll need to do a bit of re-arranging to make room for the Christmas tree - there's only one spot we can put it, really, and as soon as the tree is gone, it gets filled. LOL

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to keep up with my reading. I've been working on The Case Against Adolescence, a 2007 book that I highly recommend. For a lot of home schooling families, the idea that childhood is being artificially extended well beyond anything that's healthy is old news. This is one of the most complete books I've encountered on the subject and I highly recommend it. I don't know if I'll have a chance to write a full review of it when I'm finished reading it.

Another I just picked up is Scared to Death, a British book, also published in 2007. One of the co-authors was actively involved in some of the scares they write about. I'm still in the first part (food scares), and it's fascinating reading. Another one I'd definitly recommend. Especially to anyone who's all freaked out about AGW right now, though it's unlikely people who are in the middle of the scare du jour would appreciate anything from this book. It's a real eye opener, though, when reading about the background mechanations that create these scares.

Well, time to go. Got more running around to do - a couple of errands before heading to park day. :-) That and writing while a movie is playing behind my head is a touch distracting! The girls are watching a Miss Marple, and I find them way too interesting. :-D

It's not much to ask...

... just A Pittance of Time

Remember

Lest We Forget.

Wear the red poppy.

Support your Legion.

A great loss this tuesday.

No, I'm not talking about yesterday's election.

Michael Crichton, dead at 66



Michael Crichton dies of cancer

Crichton died Tuesday in Los Angeles at age 66 after privately battling cancer.

John Wells, executive producer of "ER" called the author "an extraordinary man. Brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful.

"No lunch with Michael lasted less than three hours and no subject was too prosaic or obscure to attract his interest. Sexual politics, medical and scientific ethics, anthropology, archaeology, economics, astronomy, astrology, quantum physics, and molecular biology were all regular topics of conversation."

Damn. We've lost a great mind and an amazing talent.

To my friends in the US.

The big day is coming for you folks in the US. Two more days to the election. Things are getting pretty intense! And, the whole world seems to be watching.

In reading my daily news, the general consensus around the world seems to be that Obama will be the next president of the US. Of course, if you've been reading my blog on any regular basis, you know what I think of consensus. ;-) Don't count your votes before they're cast!

I've also noticed that around the world, people seem to want US voters to elect Obama instead of McCain. To me, this would be a warning sign to do the exact opposite. The rest of the world doesn't have the US' best interests at heart. They have their own best interests at heart. I admit my own bias in that direction. I disagree with a lot of things on both sides of the US political front, but I believe McCain would be better for Canada, and that Obama would be really bad for us.

But I'm not voting in this election. It's up to US citizens to decide.

Whoever you end up electing, I wish you the best.