In your face Steve !

I think i know the reason why Danny will not open the House of Assembly until spring,2008! Danny recently appeared on "This Hour has 22 Minutes" and tonight he'll appear on the "Rick Mercer Report." It's obvious! Danny wants to win a Gemini Award! Rumor has it he'll appear in several more Canadian TV shows in December. Just watch the new RCMP Officer who guest stars in "Corner Gas." In January he'll guest star as a new Imam on "Little Moqsue on the Prairie." Come March in the house when questioned by the opposition, he'll just sit back with his award in front of him,spit polished by Tom and Ross and grin like a Cheshire cat saying under his breath "in your face Steve."

Fearing Crime, Japanese Wear the Hiding Place.

After reading a news article today about crime in Japan the first thing that came to mind was Wile E. Coyote. The news article said “Japanese society won’t just laugh, so inventors are not afraid to try new things." I can only imagine myself trying to insert a Loonie in to this Loonie! Check out the news article and some of the unusual inventions here>>>>>

Ritual Threats of Violence in Small Newfoundland Communities Are Method of Creating Trust, Researchers Say...

Apparently researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia are probably the same people who done the research for the invasion of Iraq claiming they had Weapons of Mass Destructions.
After reading this article about mummers in my home province by the University of Missouri-Columbia i can only shake my head in disbelief. Craig T. Palmer, assistant professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Science. "It’s a way for community members to prove their trust and commitment to each other." NO Mr. Palmer! it's a fun time, trust, commitment has nothing to do with it. We usually have that before we go to our neighbors house dressed as mummers. "12 days after Christmas" NO! It's during Christmas! They threatened the hosts with physical and sexual violence. No! Nothing of the sort, it does not happen! Here's a blog i wrote sometime back. You will learn more from this piece then all the research you have done at your University.

VOCM NEWS ARTICLE.

Heavy Reading for MHAs
October 17, 2007

The new members of the House of Assembly have some heavy reading, a two volume handbook that spells out the rules for member's allowances. The Clerk of the House of Assembly, Bill MacKenzie, says the rules are laid out in such a manner as to eliminate interpretation and confusion. Under the new rules, constituency allowances will be made public. Chief Justice Derek Green recommended each member turn over their records every six months for review, but Speaker Harvey Hodder thinks that time frame is too long. He'd like to see the records examined on a more regular basis and will make that recommendation to the new House of Assembly Management Board.

Instead of the two volume handbook maybe it would of been much simpler if they just read commandment #8.

Today in NL History

October 14.1942,the German Submarine U 69 sank the S.S. Caribou. 137 passengers and crew die. On that day in my hometown Channel,Port Aux Basques we had 21 widows and 51 children without fathers. More on the tragedy here,click here ...........

The Premier quoting FDR.

During the premiers victory speech he quoted Franklin D. Roosevelt saying, "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." For the Home Support workers in NL and their clients i hope the Premier keeps his word. If the Premier does not keep his word on providing for those who have little i might remind him of another quote from Franklin Roosevelt. A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.

From VOCM NEWS TODAY......
Womens' Group Calls for Female Lieutenant Governor
October 11, 2007

There are calls for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to appoint a woman as the next Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women says since 1949, 11 men have been named to the post. Council president Leslie MacLeod says that's almost 60 years of male leadership and it's time to open the door for the other half of the population.

I doubt if leadership comes to mind when most think of appointments such as the Lieutenant Governors to the province. I suspect if you ask 100 ordinary people on the streets of this province today to name the current one, the majority would not be able to do so. Maybe the CBC or NTV can actually try that and see. I do, however, agree with the status of women council that it's turn for a female role. On that thought i wonder who would be fitting for the position? Sister Kathrine Bellamy? Mary Walsh? Anyone think of a few who might make a good Lt. Governor?

Grief Counseling Provided to the Liberal Party just hours after the recent tragedy.

All the worlds a stage.

A sunny day in the community today. I expect a big turnout and long lines at our polling station here in Cape Ray. So im suggesting only those that are voting liberal go and cast a vote today. Anyone voting PC can go tomorrow. This will make it much easier for all.

When it's all said and done

To me elections are not about choosing parties that you can trust but choosing individuals you can have respect for. Im 51 and have voted in every Provincial,federal and municipal election that i have been eligible to vote in. For a while i did not feel like voting at all because of the recent scandal in MHA spendings and it was disheartening to hear some of the things it was spent on. I suspect our voter turnout will be the lowest in years tomorrow because many in the province have become disillusioned with the whole democratic process here. I have followed the election process through the news online,tv,radio and blogs. When it's all said and done i can only come out of it with respect for a handful. Hopefully tomorrow Lorraine Michael and Simon Lono will be two candidates who are elected in the province. I also witnessed the worst display of arrogance by any MHA in our history when Tom Rideout declared he won't repay a controversial bonus of $2,875 until he retires or looses his seat. Hopefully that comment will follow him long after he leaves politics. Rideout will keep his seat tomorrow because the majority of voters will vote for the party and not the individual they could have respect for. Maybe its time for the people in this province to ask that all who are elected tomorrow attend a seminar in ethics at Memorial University before they take their seat at the legislature.

Irony on the eve of an election

Here's a shot of my community, Cape Ray, on the eve of a Provincial Election. Last population count,343. Elections come and go, governments change but for the most of it, Cape Ray remains the same. We know eventually it'll only consist of a few seniors and the retired American that drops by each summer after picking up a bit of cheap property. A few election posters dot the landscape, the two candidates took the time to go house to house to give their pitch to the few votes available here. I doubt if the turnout here this time around will be 50%. Most know it won't make a difference who forms the next government for our community. A few years back i took the time to serve on the community council and at that time we actually thought we would get a shot at clean drinking water for the community. Here most have a few wells and there is a local spring where residents fill buckets to use as drinking water. Back around 2002 under a Canada/NL Infrastructure Agreement where the governments would pay 2/3 of the cost we actually thought it was possible. Of course we hit a snag when $30,000 was needed for a study. We couldn't come up with $10,000 on our end. The irony of it all was at the time our country was giving Afghanistan $100,000,000.00 to help them develop, to give villagers clean drinking water. This past summer at our community celebrations several of our young people could not attend. They were serving their country in Afghanistan! Our young people of Cape Ray are helping to bring democracy to a foreign land and even better, a bit of clean drinking water while back on the home front their parents still go to streams to fill up buckets.

Can someone help the Tin Man find a Heart?

looks like the Tin Man is not impressed! I doubt Ross ol by'e if someone was out to impress you when they decided to take a stand to better the lives of Home Care Workers and the clients they serve. Actually,i'm not out to impress you as i post my Blog today. You see Ross, our world does not revolve around you but your world, where ever it is ,lets call it OZ, for the sake of an argument, Affects us! After reading todays VOCM news i can only shake my head at you and all those that live in OZ.
Health Minister Not Impressed
October 5, 2007

The Minister of Health isn't too impressed with what he calls the short notice given by some home care agencies that they can no longer take new clients. Home care providers say there is something wrong with the system when people can make more money and better benefits at a coffee shop. A group of fifteen agencies from across the province, part of the Employers' Council, have announced they are not taking any new clients because of a serious lack of staff, money and training. Health Minister Ross Wiseman says home care is still available for new clients as some agencies are not with this particular group. As well, people do not necessarily have to go through an agency. Sandra Noel of Compassion Home Care says there is a misconception that home care is nothing more than making tea and playing cards with the patients.

2 dollars an hour...that's what one personal care home operator in the province says he gets to care for each of its residents. Boyd told VOCM Open Line with Randy Simms, he's been corresponding with government for years about the situation, but has gotten nowhere.

CRISIS,CRISIS,CRISIS,CRISIS,CRISIS,CRISIS,CRISIS....

Once again a cry is given. Will anyone in government respond?
From the VOCM Newsite.

Crisis in Home Care Industry
October 4, 2007

The home care sector of the Employer's Council says the industry has reached a crisis situation. The 15 professionally managed care operators say they can't do it anymore and are no longer taking new clients. Ann Whelan says agencies are getting at least a half dozen calls each day for new service but no new applicants for positions. Whelan says the industry is undervalued by government. She says when people can make more money with benefits at a local coffee shop than providing a key role in the health care system, something is wrong.

Fellow Bloggers,what's happening with the NL blog roll list the past day or so?
I know cream always floats to the top but i suspect we might also have a problem with it?????

October 3/2007

It's a nice sunny day here in Cape Ray! Our youngest Granddaughter visited us early today and she got outside to play in the garden. Still a few flowers left and she got a few handfuls to carry home. Our local PC Candidate Colin Short dropped by and we had a chat. I told him what my issues (Home Care Workers) are in the upcoming election and he did take the time to listen and said he would bring the matter up. I hope so! Thats about all i can do. Four years and the present PC government did not listen to our pleas so i have my doubts if they'll listen now or even care. Will let get back to something better! My granddaughter, here are a few pics of her in the garden this morning if your interested.

Back in 2003 weeks before the Provincial Election a group of Home Support workers in our area met with NAPE representative, Fred Oates. With the election just weeks away we tried to get our voice out to those who might help. Each party released a statement saying if elected,they would listen to us. Negotiate fairly with us. Years later we see no changes. Out of the group that met with Mr. Oates i doubt if one quarter are still working in Home Support. Some left for Alberta while others travel to Nova Scotia to do the same work for better wages.We have two candidates running here in Burgeo & Lapoile and i have only seen one addressing the matter for Home Support Workers in the district.The liberal incumbent Kelvin Parsons has bought the matter up while the other candidate for the PC party has not taken the time to look at this issue concerning many of the people he wants to represent in our area. Hopefully when the Big Blue Bus arrives on our end of the island the PC candidate might actually know that Home Support Workers exist and be part of the solution by forwarding on our message to Premier Williams.