If Inspiration Could Solve Climate Change
If inspirational speeches can protect the earth from the dangers of an ever changing climate, the earth would be in pretty decent shape right now.
It would have started to recover on April 22, 1970, the first time an Earth Day was observed. It’s recovery would have continued for 49 and a half years. On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, with man’s carbon footprint near washed away by a tide of fresh cool smog-free air, the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh would mark the end of humanity’s harmful stranglehold on mother nature.
When UN Secretary General urged attendees at the summit to get realistic and down to business, stating: ”The science demands it. The world economy needs it”– the Earth would be on the verge of getting a clean bill of health.
The remaining polluters would be a few factories in China and the folks with the classic non-electric vehicles. These remaning pollutants would vanish as soon as the ever inspiring US President Barack Obama took the stage and said “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”
With a hail and a hoorah the Earth would be as clean as the day before man discovered fire– clean enough to eat off of.
Sadly inspiration is only affective if it mobilizes the vast majority of polluters. That can only happen if its quick and easy, or imperative… imminently imperative to the survival of mankind.
This is why meteors don’t concern me. I have faith that in a time of desperation, humans will pull together and deflect the rock that is playing a game of chicken with our planet. Then I’m sure as good humans, we would get back to killing the earth and each other.
Global warming is occurring quickly, but not quick enough for the masses to truly concern themselves. On a scale of importance, I’m sure feeding one’s family, maintaining one’s health, and the score of the Monday Night Football game often rank well ahead of saving the planet to the average person.
So when will the world’s leaders and common citizens get on board? When will the inspiring save the earth speeches mobilize people of all countries to work together to solve years of neglect for the planet’s well-being? When will polar bears be able to enjoy large luxurious fields of ice to live on and prosper?
Well I suppose that depends on how inspiring and serious our leaders can be. My bet though would probably be the day after it’s to late.
American health care reform: America not ready for Obama
Nov. 4 2008 was a historical day that will forever be in the history books as the barrier breaking election, but why?
At the time it looked to be the end of a heavily divided era in American politics. Most of the world was thinking good riddance to bad leadership. With a well read, well spoken, and heavily ambitious president, there would accountability in the White House. The goal will become to bring Americans together not to draw battle lines between the right and the left.
America has been in dire need of health care reform for years. According to the National Coalition on Healthcare 18 percent (46 million) of Americans under the age of 65 are without any type of health insurance. To me this seems more like a national crisis than a democratic initiative.
Protest after protest at town hall meetings across America gives the impression that the government has plans to take over every aspect of the lives of American citizens. It has become a cavalcade of shouting and drowning out any information the town hall meetings intended on clearing up. Religious fanatics are shouting the democrats judgement day will come. The crowds reciting the pledge of allegiance in attempts to drown out any information being relayed. Those of whom clearly don’t know what the word indivisible means: “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” They scream as they turn the debate into a divisive screaming match.
Of course it’s also good to meet this weeks Joe the Plumber: William Kostrick. This man loves the country so much that he thought to bring a loaded gun to a town hall meeting with Barack Obama in Portsmith, New Hampshire. I can’t possibly understand what this man hoped to accomplish. If someone brings a gun to a debate, then that’s a pretty good indication that person doesn’t plan to listen to any arguments.
I would love to imagine the conversation between Kostrick and a sane observer.
Kostrick: “F**k Obama. He can’t control my life. No to death panels.”
Sane Observer: “Well I’m not sure you have all the facts. In fact I don’t think anyone does. Let’s listen to what the President has to say, then think about how this plan can be improved if necessary.”
Kostrick: “F**k you. You F**king commie. I’ll bust a cap in your ass!”
Sane Observer: “Oh, I see you have a gun. Never mind, I’m going run off somewhere. I can’t afford to be shot without any health care.”
President Obama and his staff are attempting to reach the people with these town hall meetings. The majority of Americans seem to agree that something has to be done to health care. After all they voted Obama into office and this was part of his platform. Imagine that, a politician doing what he said he would do if elected–weird.
It’s as though Americans don’t want to be talked to at there own level. Perhaps we need another ‘Decider‘ in the White House. Someone who ignores popular opinion and does what god tells him to do.
Now I respect that these yahoos coming to the meetings with the sole intentions of making a disruption are the vocal minority, despite the claims that one lady said to Obama that these people were the silent majority.
I sympathise with the US president because he’s trying to do what many want there politicians to do– listen to the public. This only works if the public listens to the government. Clearly many are using these debates as a tool to make there public appear so divided over this issue that this plan cannot work in America. Public health care may work, though not without some problems, in Canada, England, Germany, Sweden, etc., but not in America.
Americans don’t want the fictitious death panels that private citizen Sarah Palin is up in arms against. They can’t handle the idea that no matter what a citizen’s health can be taken care of. The invisible hand should take care of the motivated and punish the lazy. At least that’s what this small group of loud, uninformed, hyper conservative, easily terrified people want the public to believe. Oh, and of course the insurance companies who have enjoyed the advantages of being near unregulated essential service for decades.
Although that may be true for this small eardrum busting group. But I can think of at least 46 million individuals who couldn’t possibly disagree more.
To Hate is to Love Nancy Grace
The American news media machine is often a forum for the loudest, angriest, and most narrow minded. Those who are eager to shout their opinions regardless of any factual evidence overshadow any attempt at a rational and well thought out news broadcast attempt.
Names like Bill O’ Reilly, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity have made their careers on creating any and every conceivable way to convince people that we are in grave danger– Americans are in danger of communists in our borders. There are terrorists waiting to attack little Suzie in the playground because of an unnatural and unmotivated hatred for the western way of life. Gay marriage will cause a chain reaction that can only result in the apocalypse.
This spewing of verbal venom can be viewed as the ramblings of deranged individuals. So why are these people given airtime? It’s simple really. These rantings are hard to ignore and… well… fun to watch.
I try to stay away from this far fetched and borderline insane personalities. However, one night I tuned into CNN at watch a whole episode of Nancy Grace. From there I was hooked.
Nancy Grace is just as loud mouth and obnoxious as the rest of the ’shout’ broadcasters. There is a key difference that sets the Grace apart from the rest– rather than forming an opinion, she will usually take something that anyone can agree with and will just try to out-shout anyone.
In one broadcast there was a story of an American father who killed his family. This is a horrific tragedy. How horrific is it? Watch Nancy Grace. She will literally spend an hour show letting us know. ”This man should be locked away for life!”. ”He’s a bad person!” . ”What is wrong with him!?” ”This man should not be allowed to have children!”
This kind of reporting is in no way news or insightful, but it’s sure as hell fun to watch.
If this lady was on the subway with me shouting like that, well I’d probably try to switch cars. On the TV with graphics, it’s an awesome way to unwind.
Watching this crazy lady make a career of convicted alleged criminals is like watching a car crash. It’s awful, it’s despicable, it’s impossible to turn away.
‘Short’ time for Shorts
Like any good Canadian, I hate weather. Not cold weather, hot weather, rainy weather, just weather.
Always having to put up with all the conditions this planet has to offer is what bonds us as Canadians– with the exception of the Vancouverites… Vancouverins.. Vancouvish… Vancouver dwellers. However the winter rain and dreariness in Vancouver is a fair trade off for snow.
To date this spring I have had numerous regrettable occasions where I dawned shorts only to have the weather take an unexpected drop.
I imagine this is an experience people across the country can relate to. Pulling out and dusting off the summer wear that have been on their off-season vacation provide a mild form of excitement. This is often followed by a trip to the mall to pick out some new summer wear.
I had some friends from Florida come by to visit a few weeks ago. It was their first Canadian experience. The weather average: about eight degrees all weekend. My friend Kat shouted out a one point while waiting in line for a Kensington Market bar: “God its spring! Haven’t Canadians gotten the memo?”
I found myself defending the Toronto climate, while cursing it when among other Canadians.
I take comfort in knowing the good weather must be on its way. My shorts are all warmed up now.
So I fear not. I know soon enough it will be too goddamn hot to go outside.
Let’s all Fear the Swine
Get off the streets! Wear a mask ! Fear thy neighbour! It’s a pandemic!
The World Health Organization announced yesterday the Swine flu is at a pandemic alert level of 5 out of 6. This means at least two countries had cases of human-to-human contact. A full blown pandemic is imminent according to the WHO.
So what does this mean for the average person? Well it appears to me that these warnings are there to both get all governments on board with taking precautions and to scare the crap out of individuals so everyone takes precautions.
Is panic really the best way to go about containment? Now, with the exception of Mexico, the world is full of leaders telling people not to live in fear, whereas the opposite message is coming out of the WHO. US VP Joe Biden further gave mixed signals by saying that he is telling his children to avoid public transit and air travel on NBC’s today show.
Now I feel it is my responsibility as a concerned Canadian citizen to remain calm and treat those with a cough as a leper.
I remember these mixed signals with SARS. Living in Toronto, I was on the tail end of the full blown scare. Tourism died, but on the upside I went to the kick-ass Rolling Stones concert ‘SARS stock’– as it was informally dubbed.
Fear, though effective in providing a stern warning, doesn’t really help us out as a community. If the economy isn’t struggling enough already, we should now board up our windows and sit with a loaded shotgun in the basement? There must be a better way.
Not being a doctor or a pandemic historian, I realize that certain excessive precautions may be taken. What seems like overkill may be necessary.
I’ll do my best to take the recommended precautions, but I can’t put my life on hold for something I can’t control. This is a time when we need to solve the problem as a global community. Instating a ‘fear’ policy may weaken our ability to act together.
I’m reserving my tickets for yet to be created ’Swine fest’ concert.