Making a difference

Many things happen in this world that seem to have no logic. Needless deaths are at the top of this list. As a parent, having to bury your child is about as bad as it gets. Everything you thought important becomes very trivial, for some, the reason to live becomes too hard to bare. For others a great cause is started bringing family and friends close together. It is these causes that make our lives more fulfilled.
One great cause is called"purple day" in Toronto, raising awareness for epilepsy. The CN Tower is lit in purple and a group of people that have dedicated themselves open the Toronto Stock Exchange. I want to take a moment to say congratulations to my big brother Hank, who has taken up this cause and drives it year after year. Believe it or not, there are dogs that are trained to know when someone is having an epileptic attack and help that person before an accident happens. These dogs are really amazing to be able to sense this, and to have one must be very comforting to people who have this affliction. This year two were donated to needy families.
But really what I want to say is how great it is to make a difference, and Hank, you and everyone who are helping you are making a difference! It makes me very proud to be your brother. You are one out of 7 billion and counting that is trying to make a difference.

It's the Pet Generation

Are we so susceptible that the care of our pets exceed that of our own species? We all know how bad humans are at treating animals on this planet, how many are becoming extinct because of us. But the treatment of cats and dogs goes beyond anything we do for ourselves. There are wars breaking out in subdivisions over the unleashing areas and of cats being allowed to roam freely. Do we need to raise these predators at such a high degree? Yes, they are predators and yes they go outside and attack many other animals that do not have the protection they enjoy. The worst of it is that most of their kills are just for fun, as most pets are so well fed they do not eat what they kill.
Maybe that is what it is, killing for joy, or the notion that these pets can and do kill "just for the fun of it". Sounds like we want company in this area, as that is what we do on a regular basis. But when is it enough, when are there too many pets to be a health problem. These animals create a lot of waste, and we all have to deal with that, not just the pet owners. Pet"owners", maybe it's "owning" a pet or another living thing that is the draw. Because we all know that trying to"own" our kids gets nowhere. Whatever the case, with 7 billion and counting we all can't have these pets as they will eat us out of house and home!
But please, pick up after them! PLEASE

Reinvent Jobs

The speed at which we are going, is making more and more jobs obsolete. It's happening faster right now then it ever has. Even during the first industrial revolution things did not go nearly as fast. Maybe when electricity became widespread, but outside of that the path we are on now is like none before.
I propose we start organizing new jobs for everyone. Job sharing, outsourcing, and community kind of jobs will all need to be rethought. We need the happiness meter to move up, we need things to do that matter. Like organizing and sharing resources in you local neighbour hood, you could have the gardeners, the composters, tool bins for sharing, water resources, snow removal and well pretty must all these tasks need to be professions soon so we can survive. Growing food by the neighbour hood will cut way back on the logistics now being used to move goods. 3-D printing is going to take a whole bunch more as well, so new kind of jobs will be needed, as well as a good government sponsored barter system to make the transition easy and fair.
I really think some kind of capitalistic and social governing system needs to be put in place. One with out the other has shown to only create conflict and favouritism. Combined and enforced with everyones input. We have the means now, do we have the will? No amount of greed will stop this, I think this change is barreling toward us now and if we are lucky, we may even be partly ready for the change when it slams into us.
Used to be you tried to think globally, now more then ever we need to think locally. Reach out and say hi to your neighbour, I think soon we will have to be closer to each other, more helping and less aggressive. There are 7 billion out there, and we need to get along.

Shhh, it's a secret

If ever there was a secret, it's with regards to gardening. When you look at all the things they want to sell you it can become overwhelming in a hurry. Has there been a better industry to reinvent? Just how many implements are needed? This is a big racket for sure, and every year the newcomers feed this bottomless pit.
How so? Well every grocery store and hardware outlet have a section for gardening. The big food stores close off a section of their lot just to get in on the action. And the books, my goodness not many bargains here. It would seem everyone has a secret to share with you, for a price of coarse. It's all in a day I suppose, the economy has to chug along, and we really do love blowing money on something, might as well be this.
I'm entering my 2nd year in full tilt gardening, and already I feel like I too could write a book. It would be about what not to buy, and how little it takes to grow some food. No green thumb needed. It's hard to be cynical though, working the soil in the spring is simply the best thing there is to do, well maybe the 2nd best thing lol.

More Snow

Sorry, but no amount of extra winter can get me down today. Trays are set up, lights are hung, heating pads turned on, tomorrow I start my garden seeds! And I just can't wait to get my hands dirty and start growing my "Garden 2013 Edition". This for sure will affect my blog for the rest of the season, I'm thinking of making the title,"The Ironic Gardener" as I have gone crazy with planning this years garden.
Not sure why it took me this long to grow one. I farmed when I was a teenager for a few years. Loved it, but hated the 24x7 care of animals. Growing the crops, making hay, putting in silage, that part I loved. Driving the tractor all day, getting a great tan. No, there is nothing quite like it.
Shoot ahead 40 plus years and I'm growing crops again. Becoming vegan made growing my own food all the better, it becomes such a passion, and rewarding. The "blues" just float away.
I will be posting pictures and sharing my experience with anyone willing to read up. Because growing food, well it's just about the coolest thing you can do for yourself, your family, and the environment. Getting together with neighbours and sharing food with each other, imagine many different gardens, all growing something different, sharing the chores, rotating crops and doing organic gardening. I'm very lucky to have had the time to research and do the work necessary to plant this, and want to share it with everyone I know. Spring, it can't come fast enough.
7 billion, learning to garden, and counting!

Blondes, are they really having fun?

The ironic opposite is always front and centre. Case in point, does having blonde hair make life more fun? Having spent years in the hairdressing world I'm inclined to think, it better be as the pain and price of being blonde is high. And it always seemed that the darker ones hair was, the more they wanted to be blonde. This is not just white people, African Americans are equal to this in their pursuit of straight hair. They of coarse have the worlds most curly hair. We just hate the way we are and are always looking for "a fix" to make something we are born with different.
Is this trend something that has always been? Or has it come out only in the last 100 years or so. Do we have so much time and money now that pursuing these changes is all we have to do? The professionals will tell us it's all in our heads, and then book you for next weeks session.
It is always the pursuit of that one thing, whatever it is, that drives us to try to be different. Yet leaves us more or less the same.

Sport Brawls

I think that I'm missing something, I for some reason do not like seeing sports players fighting. I understand it, at least the competitive side of fighting where someone just "looses it" and needs to push someone around, but bare knuckle brawls do nothing for me. I fail to see the "sportsmanship" in this activity. It seems not only senseless, but primitive. Maybe all those beer commercials depicting how dumb males are is true.

The one great thing about the NFL is this kind of behaviour is not tolerated. I have many times cited this as being because these players all have gone to college or university and are a little more civilized then Hockey. Yet what they do is "but heads" and tackle opponents with as much force as possible. 

The real problem as I see it is that the professional players and franchise owners have all gotten bigger then the game. This is why I'm having trouble watching them anymore. The money is getting out of hand and the pressure too great for "good sportsmanship" to survive. 

But why are so many players so dirty? If they are "growing the game" then respect for their fellow players should be present. But somehow this is viewed as weak, and not doing what ever you can to "win". In both football and hockey hit's to the head is becoming an epidemic. But this is learned from minor leagues, coaches that feel they "must win" at all costs to keep their positions. They train the players to"finnish their hits" and to follow through, never back down. If you want to make sports safer, this is where you need to start. 

I loved hockey growing up, and football and baseball. But I was shown the door when I refused to be unsportsmanlike, I would not or could not throw at someone, or hit someone from behind. I just can't see how that was fun, and today I can't watch hockey as that is what is shown, the fights. Was it fun watching that player get knocked out the other day? Guess I'm just not mean (or man) enough.

7 billion "beating each other senseless" and counting.

The opposites are digging in

Have you noticed how hard people are digging in of late? Not unlike Republicans and Democrats. The faster our world gets the more these apposing worlds stay apart. The more we know about how the environment is in trouble, the more we abuse it. It's like quitting smoking, just thinking about it makes you smoke more, well it sure did for me!
We have the technology to do away with many of these things, but this technology is coming at us so fast we can barley grasp it before it changes again. Is there any way we can slow down?
I find the online university courses as a good start, at least after you graduate you don't become redundant, you can continue to keep up with the latest. But all our vices are what's wrecking the planet. Flying in an airplane for example, how can this be good for the air we breath? Anyone with any amount of intelligence can see this, yet fly more we do! I put it to you that this is the same as the smoking analogy, the thought of not flying somewhere makes us want to do it more. And I firmly believe price is not the problem. If you make it more expensive then inflation kicks in because no one will stop it. I'm always wondering why sport teams are only playing one game and then flying to the next. Wouldn't it make more sense to play 2 or 3 games then move on?
I read today that a campaign to stop windmills in Australia has taken the stance that you get sick from being close to them. And as it turns out just by suggesting this people got sick, but only where the campaign was highly publicized.
You can see the point I'm making. It will take a gigantic initiative to undo the problems we have, yep, I think we're fucked!
7 billion, smoking like mad, and counting

Are you kidding me?

It was a sad and frustrating day to read the news, you have to wonder how we have survived this long when some countries do the things they do.
There is no scientific proof of any kind that "shark fin soup" is good for us in any way, yet both Japan and China almost defeated a UN ban on the killing of 3 of these endangered predators. Have any of you seen how they kill them? I mean these animals have nothing for us to eat, so they cut the fins off and dump the rest in the water. Just like the ivory trade, take the tusks and leave the dead animals to rot.
I just cannot wrap my head around the fact that educated people still think it's okay to do this to our environment. Then in China local farmers were pumping dead pigs in the river, and this river was a source of drinking water for millions. The reason? China has stopped these dead animals from entering the food chain. It was apparently okay to butcher and sell this meat even though the animals had died of some disease before going to the butcher. Yikes!! Another great reason to be a vegan for sure!
The final bit today is about the hacking that is going on. The most amazing thing that has happened to this world was the birth of the internet, the free access to information world wide for all. Yet this will become a thing of the past as hacking by, well almost everyone, will bring an end to this incredible achievement. It is so ironic that there are so many willing to wreck havoc on this planet for nothing more then giggles and a few dollars. You may say that I cannot comment on another culture, that these people have a right to do these things. Maybe when our planet only had 1 or 2 billion people on it did it not matter so much, but we have the knowledge and there are 7 billion of us that brings this up for scrutiny. They all have to give their heads a shake. Wake up people.

Being a Bully

I follow the tech industry every day, and the more I follow it the more it becomes the same. There is so few "new" ideas out there one wonders how it became the industry it is. There is always a leader, and everyone who wants to be a leader. And they pull no punches when it comes to bashing them.
Then it's country's, like Korea. Here is this tiny speck of a nation that screams and shouts threats to the world, their leader reminds me of Carmen from the TV show South Park. He is young and has way too much time on his hands, so he tries to be a bully. I have a bomb, I have a bomb and you can't stop me, na na na naaaaaa na.
So the courts in New York struck down Mayor Bloomberg's effort to ban the sale of these huge soft drinks. This was the first real effort at attacking obesity, and what happens? Already another state has enacted a law that would make this kind of thing never happen. Look into my eyes, drink more sugar, eat more fat, have bigger servings, yep a real bully response to someone doing something right.
Then there is the Catholic Church. How can this religion stand up to all the abuse it bestows on it's people? Priests that pray on young boys, no women allowed, all they do it seems is pay off the law suits as they come. It just stays business as usual! Yet all I see is all this new reporting on their election of a new leader? The bad stuff, they just sweep it under the rug. That women are not eligible? No one will notice. In my view they are anything but representative of what God or Jesus is!
Do we as humans really want to be better? Do we really want to be "civilized? No we are just too "ironic". If it's good, bash it. If someone has a good idea, hate it. It seems to be our nature, stand up for everything except what is good.
7 billion "ironic humans" and counting.

Spring up

This week I will be starting my garden, but wait the snow is still on the ground! Well I made myself a promise to grow everything from seed this year, and so the tomatoes get started now and soon a few others. When I moved back into the family home I decided at the last minuet to grow a garden. It was a trial and error kind of thing as I had never really grown one before. I had pretty good success and we lived off of it for a few months. Being a vegan motivated me to get into this and it has consumed me.
But now after reading and experiencing this wonderful pastime I'm prepared to really do well this year. I have my worms cranking out the compost, and will be starting an outdoor compost pile as soon as it warms up. I've decided to raise all my beds and grid them out as in "Square Foot Gardening"(Google it) and have everything going vertical rather then all over the place. Growing food has to be the most rewarding thing you can do, and with all the help on line it is far easier then ever to do this.
We only have 3 in the house but I plan to grow for 10. At last the local food bank will now accept fresh produce. I want to give back and giving this kind of food makes me feel real warm and fuzzy. Please check with your own local food bank to see if they to will accept fresh produce. People living on this kind of help do not get the nutrition they need, as they end up with dry goods to eat. Getting good nutrition to these people in need is vital. So if like me, you are growing a successful and large garden, please share it with those that need.
I thank you! Miles

The end of an era

The first time I openly weeped at the passing of a legend was when Steve Jobs died. the only other time I felt like that was when my mother passed, and who doesn't feel that way when your mom goes! But I still feel that way, He was like one of the last rebels, a holdover from "the in your face" 70's movements that were happening then. He made me giggle, because he just didn't care what anyone thought. There were so many like that back then, Bob Dylan, John Lennon to name just a few.
But who are like that today? Who can I follow and laugh with, who are the mavericks of today. No, I really miss him as he was one of the last, everyone else is too political, too concerned about saying the right things, not stepping on toes. I've even mellowed the last few years, kids will do that to you, but even that didn't deter these great revolutionists.
No I think it's the end of an era where all these great people have gone, and no one to replace them.

Women's Day, 2013

I had to Google this to be sure it was the right day, as there was only one or two pieces in my news feed about this most important day. One suggested that the world was ready for women to lead, as they have now shown the ability to do so. Really? Finely?
It baffles me as to how far men are willing to go to stop women from being equal. There is so much work that needs to be done to enshrine their rights. Half of the world is Muslim where being a women is a lower ranking then a camel. Then there are the churches, if you read my last piece you know how I feel on this one. So are men saying women are not fit to talk to god? Or to lead a congregation? This is the main reason I do not like religion, they are ALL hypocrites in that the men reserve the power for themselves. As a man I feel shame in this, that the very thing we need to live and continue our existence is treated with so little class. Because men are larger and stronger physically they treat women like, well like shit! This has to stop, men need to get over themselves, join and nourish this very important relationship.
Do we really want to save the planet? Do we really want to be the superior beings we are pretending to be? Then let women run things, they have a better touch on sensitive issues. It's for certain men do not. All men are doing is making things worse, they continue to rape this planet like they treat women," it's mine and I will do as I please with it." Men are barbarians most of the time. If you live in North America the biggest events are fuelled with alcohol and sport teams that are trying to mane the opposition. This draws more interest then the fact the planet is overwarming due to mens inability to see the damage they are doing. Get me a beer honey, the second half is about to start. Little do they know that the second half is already well on the way!
Happy Women's Day

Legalize Everything

Logic would suggest that if we could have anything we wanted, we would want was not available. To have what everyone else has is to be so yesterday, no they want Shark Fin soup, because so few can actually get this, or Elephant ivory because that to is hard to get. If drugs were in our supermarkets like coke, pot, LSD and the like would we abuse them? I don't think so but for sure we would use them. Here kid, smoke this and then you will eat more, or snort this and you will eat less. haha
But really, it's like the keystone cops out there when it comes to drugs. There is no way that they will make any headway in this war. And really, who are these people that tell us what we can or cannot have. Legalize it all, and this world would be a far safer place with a whole lot less criminals dealing in this stuff. Not to mention the money that would pour into the government pockets as well as the savings  from law enforcement.
It is likely we would need a few more hospitals to cope with the bad trips, but then at least professionals would be helping instead of some backyard hack with an adrenaline needle. The people that keep these things illegal are nothing but a bunch of nosey do gooders trying to enforce their view of what is right. I would bet each and every one of these people would but catnip for their cats. And we all know that no one knows the answer to what is right, but insist they do.
Nope, I think we need to legalize everything.
7 billion, stoned out and counting, or at least trying to. lol

The Catholic Church

First off I want to wish the retiring Pope the best and hope he gets to enjoy his final years alive on this planet. Because I'm sure he was not enjoying running the church anymore. For many years all these guys had to do was travel around and let people kiss their hands, say a few words to the thousands that came and go to the next gig. Truly, the Pope was a rock star long before there were rock stars. So what happened?
The answer is so simple it just "slaps you in the face" when you see it. Women are the problem, the answer, and the solution. First, if the priests could marry, little boys would be not abused, second, if women were in decision making places these priests that did do this would be hung by their you know what!! How can these men think that what they are doing is going to get any message out there?
No I think not many Cardinals want this job anymore, and if they do they will be too old like the last one and not have the insight or stamina to do what is needed.
It is so "ironic" that this church would rebound and be so popular if they let"women be equal" and participate it's scary. But like most men, they think they know best, no wonder priests don't get married! Can you imagine the arguments and torture that would ensue. lolol

It's a Movie

Darwin was the first, but lately I think we are getting closer to what it's all about. I can't help but wonder who is in control of the switches.
Evolution is a funny thing, mutations happen but they are baffeling as to why or what controls them. Are we all in a reality show with one team against another? Or is it a movie with no end? There are many times I see it all with an "LSD"mindset, like it's all a Python kind of thing. Are our genes just software code? Many times in my life I have felt this, that we are being manipulated to no purpose but some ones entertainment. People who make you laugh are the biggest stars, because in the end laughing at ourselves is the only thing that really feels good, besides sex of coarse!
7 billion getting off, and counting

Being Vegan

Of all the things we talk about, what we eat is something a bit more disturbing to many then the warming of the planet. I have a theory that if we were to stop eating meat, many men would feel unwanted or not needed. After all many of us use the term"bringing home the bacon" and well what would we bring home if we stopped eating it?
I've often wondered if we started eating meat because men were showing off to the women what they could do for them, and the women obliged us so not to hurt our feelings. Because really, we do not need to eat dead animals.
Another thing occurred to me, we don't plant vegetable gardens because so many put a low priority on eating them. They know they can't raise animals in the backyard so do not think of growing veggies. Instead they grow grass, another thing the women oblige us on so not to hurt our ego's. "look honey at the beautiful grass I grew". Yep we the man for sure! How it became so fashionable to have a green lawn is beyond me, maybe if the women stopped being so obliging we would stop doing these stupid things, and get more resourceful with the property we own. Grow some food, and you will fell better about yourself and the planet.