Smartypants

  The past few days I've been having the same conversation over and over again. And I've noticed I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this particular topic. The discussions have all been about politicians, their education or area of expertise, and does it matter. 

  There are no educational requirements to be a politician. Personality plays a bigger part for the average voter I would think. Canada has had people in power who were super smart but all people talked about was the fact they had no personality....does the name Michael Ignatieff ring a bell?  He was constantly criticized that he couldn't relate to voters. So he was "too smart". Interesting.

  The current leader of Ontario didn't complete high school. That doesn't seem to be a problem for his supporters but has been an issue for those who don't. Personally, I like the idea that anyone who wants to make this country better can, no matter how "book smart" they are. Truly smart leaders surround themselves with great minds who are willing to compromise, listen and share their expertise anyway.

  Many people in their 70's and 80's didn't have much in the way of formal education. Times were tough and money coming in was more important than going to school. Choosing between eating and going hungry wasn't much of a choice. That was the reality of the times for too many. But this generation also believed in serving their country. Should they have been told no because they made different life choices? I don't think so.

  Sometimes politicians fall into a certain job where they have some knowledge. Occasionally a doctor is the Health Minister and an account is in charge of finance. Let's keep in mind though that a journalist was in charge of Veteran's Affairs and an arts major is leading Economic Development. I'm not saying they couldn't do a good job because it's not their area but they are not conventionally qualified for that position. Yet we seem to be okay with that. 

  Education is important. Common sense, the ability to listen and learn is as well. I think the latter is more important in politics than in many jobs. Life experience is, to me, probably what I'm looking for most in my representatives. It might not be for you but it is for me. I can't believe PM Trudeau has ever worried about the cost of gas or grapes being $4 a pound. But I know he understands the challenges of mental health issues because he has dealt with it within his family. If that was my main voting issue I know who I would favor.

  For better or for worse over the next twenty years, we will see less and less politicians who don't have some form of higher education. Mainly because the population is heading in that direction. Right now though let us concentrate on the actions of our politicians and their policies not on whether they have a piece of paper or not. 

  One final note....if you use a persons lack of education to belittle them stop it. It makes you look petty and mean. Not to mention ignorant. No amount of education makes you a kind person. Remember that.

  Ang

With Friends Like These Two....

  When you are friends with someone you have their back. No matter the situation. You can tell them later how stupid they are or what a huge mistake they made but in the moment you are right behind them. But a best friend? You are standing in front of them taking the punches and hiding the bodies. And you know without a shadow of a doubt, they are doing the same for you. So...what if they don't?

  These past few days Donald Trump has said some pretty nasty things about John McCain. While that's not a new thing for him, what's unique is the U.S. war hero and Senator is dead. Yup, he cannot defend himself or do anything else to anger the leader of his party. Yet three days in a row he has criticized and degraded his memory and legacy. This isn't surprising, even to someone who doesn't live there, but Mr. McCain's closest friends reaction is.

  Not one of his closest friends and allies have spoken up. Not one. A few coworkers have but what they have in common is they are not up for re-election till 2022 so they aren't worried about Trump's ire causing them problems with keeping their jobs. It's decency wrapped up in a security blanket. 

  Where is Lindsey Graham? Joe Lieberman? These men were the self-proclaimed "three amigos". How come they aren't counter punching for John's family? Shutting down Trump as soon as he speaks or tweets. Instead, his family is forced to respond and defend the man they should still be grieving for in private. This is the last thing they could do for their friend and they are staying as silent as church mice. Shame on them.

  So why aren't they moving bodies and taking the blows for their fallen friend? The only explanation that makes sense? Fear. They both seem to be scared of Trump and are willing to let him trash their friend if it means they will keep their power. Graham is 63 and Lieberman is 77. Both must have their retirement funds taken care of by now including a hefty federal pension. Lieberman is already retired. Isn't their own dignity and honor worth more than their jobs or standing? Apparently not.

  If your government representatives moral compass is important to you then you should never have voted for either of these two men. They have proven themselves selfish and petty. How could you expect them to defend your interests if they won't do it for their "best friend"? You can't. Keeping their power and position is more important than anything.

  One note to all this that I find important. One is a Democrat and retired. The other a Republican and still in office. It seems that a lack of moral fiber is on both sides of the aisle. 

  The McCain family deserves better. From Trump. From Lieberman. From Graham. Clear evidence we need to be very careful who we call our best friends.

  Ang

Perspective Yet Again

  One of my favorite words is perspective. I truly believe every so often we all need some. You can get it from many sources....friends, family, total strangers. Some get it from death. Others from birth. However you derive it, it's the lessons you take away from it that matter. 

  Yesterday was a day full of it for me. After a tough year health-wise, I happily celebrated my aunts birthday. She is in her "golden years" and would rather not tell her age though on occasion she shares with strangers who compliment her. We had some laughs, reminisced and spent a few hours just being happy she is around for another birthday cake. 

  A few hours later I'm sitting at home complaining about the cold, the kids, the dishes and Trump. Oblivious to things outside of my own little space. Then just when I least expect it, perspective shows up and tells me I'm not the center of the universe. A death in the family clears it all up for me. 

  Should it take something so sad and so unexpected to give me clarity? Of course it shouldn't but we spend our lives thinking about ourselves first. A jolt is sometimes the only thing that can open our eyes. I just wish it didn't have to be such a final one today.

  Ang

Shame On You

  I try to live my life being positive. That there is good in people. More in common than separates us. That sort of thing. And I always think that we Canadians are better than others at showing that. A shining example of how to live and accepting of our fellow human beings. Well, the glow has faded a little on our halo and it makes me angry.

  Thursday evening an eleven-year-old girl went for dinner with her father. When she didn't return at the set time, her parents no longer live together, her Mom grew concerned. After waiting a bit and receiving a scary phone call, police were notified. At 11:30 at night an Amber Alert went out for this child who everyone feared was in trouble. 

  Canada has a state of the art emergency system. An alert can be issued over every tv, radio and cell phone across the country, or in a specific area, in times of danger or missing persons. It is implemented when police or emergency services need the public's attention. It isn't used often and it deserves our immediate attention when it is. This is the system police used late Thursday night.

  What happened next makes me angry, embarrassed, sad and furious. Over three hundred people, 300, called 911. Not to say "Hey I've seen this child" or "I know where the father is". No, these three hundred people called the emergency number to complain about the fact that the alert went out so late at night!!!!

  The complaints included it woke them up, it interrupted their hockey game, it scared them, they own the phone how dare police use it as a tool. Let those comments sink in for a moment. The police were trying to find a child, a child, who they believed was in a very dangerous situation. And people complained about being woken up. Or missing a goal in a hockey game. That tells me every single thing I need to know about them.

  In my opinion, I want every single one of those people who called and tied up the emergency operators to be fined. And not a few bucks but a lot. And I want their names released so their peers can know how callous and self-centered they really are. How they lack basic empathy towards their fellow human beings. I want them scorned and shamed. 

  What have we become when the safety of a child is less important than our sleep? Or our tv or phone? Are we actually at that point? I very much hope not but it seems like some of us are. More than I honestly thought possible.

  The little girl was Riya Rajkumar. Her father murdered her. May she rest in peace.

  Ang

  

  

Sunday Morning Politics

  I've been trying not to write about US politics lately. Not good for my blood pressure if I'm to be honest. But this morning I feel adventuresome so I want to share a few things that I've seen and heard lately that make me either very happy or very confused. Mostly confused.

  Let's start with the positive...Cory Booker. Six or seven years ago I first heard about him and he had just moved into a housing project to see what his constituents had to deal with. It was a bold new approach and when the press spoke to him about it his answers were smart, honest and he had a plan. One he did follow through on. He was impressive then and even more so now. I've waited a long time to hear him say he was running. If I was able to I would donate to his campaign. My fingers are crossed he gets the nod.

  Which leads me to Elizabeth Warren. I like her but she needs to move on. I personally don't think she intentionally lied about her heritage. Like most of us, she believed the family folklore. And if this was a pre-Trump election it wouldn't matter in the least that she was wrong. But she would never be able to get past this faux pas simply because he won't let her. For whatever reason, nothing sticks to him but his relentless attacks and name calling work. Every time. Save your money Mrs. Warren and back my friend Cory.

  Who the hell does this Matthew Whitacker think he is? Talk about rude and disrespectful. He does know he's just the "acting" AG right? After that little performance Friday he better be filthy rich because he just proved himself unemployable as a lawyer. Which means he will be working for Trump very soon. I'm sure he will do well with Giuliani.

  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is everywhere in the news lately. She is definitely a different sort of Congress member. But she is inexperienced and that is showing. I'm not saying that will hurt her within her own party or supporters but it will give lots of ammunition to the Republicans and they will use it. Just the other day a bill she is co-sponsoring had a line in it that basically said we will help you whether you are able or willing to work. Most people are not for helping folks out who simply don't want to work. She needs an experienced team around her to help her focus her words and actions. Missteps or not she may be too socialist for the country at this time. Good luck to her. Keep shaking things up!

  Children are still being separated at the southern border and the numbers are higher than were ever reported. Trump is right about one thing that area is in crisis but it's a humanitarian one and he created it. It says a lot about a country and its policies if this happens. If this was happening in a Middle Eastern or African country the United States would have been the first to condemn it. It's wrong plain and simple. 

  Here in Canada, not much is happening politically. We don't tend to have the same scandals, uproars, and craziness of our southern neighbors. In Ontario, we have our own Trump-wanna-be in Doug Ford. He wants to make cuts to education and privatize healthcare. Both huge mistakes. His arrogance will be his downfall and I will rejoice when it happens.

  Having a political junky son means we talk about politics a lot in our home. He knows so much more than we do about what is going on. One day we will be voting for him! Hopefully so will you.

  Ang

Are Our Kids Making Us Poor?

  Debt is the four letter word we all fear the most. Especially as we get older and closer to retirement. No one wants to enter their golden years with a mountain, or a hill, of debt hanging over their heads. But the sad reality is some will. And it's making many of us very nervous.

  Twenty-five percent of all Canadians retire owing more than $11,000 in non-mortgage debt. Since most people don't have company pensions that is a good chunk of change. Let's not forget many will still have a mortgage too. We will all be living off of less and for many, every penny will count. Making a car payment or even worse a credit card one could really change your standard of living. So why are going into retirement owing more than the last generation?

  I've read many articles written by experts who say the cost of living has never been higher. Houses, cars, repairs....they all cost significantly more. Groceries, hydro, insurance. You name it we are paying more for it. All that makes sense I suppose but we are making more money too on average. The only really "new" costs we have that our parents didn't is the internet and cell phones. Surely our iPhones and wifi aren't causing us to be in serious financial trouble.

  Another know-it-all blamed it on consumerism and our wanting everything right now. This makes a lot of sense to me. I personally don't even want to wait the six weeks for a new sofa let alone saving up to buy a big ticket item. Why can't everything we buy be one-day delivery like Amazon? Asking for a friend.

  But my own uninformed, not researched, no stats to back it up answer is our kids. My parents signed me up for nothing. No soccer, no dance, no hockey, no tutoring, no theater, no nothing. Parents helped you pay for education but only what they could afford. You were expected to work and save for most of it. If you didn't go farther in school well you got a job followed in close order by a crappy apartment in a not so great neighborhood with a few friends.

  Most people I know plan to pay 100% of their child's education. Whether they stay local or not. Many plan to also help them buy their first home. And pay for weddings. Not even gap year travel is off the table. They never taught their kids how to be independent and will be paying for that mistake for years to come.

  Adult children in their 20's and 30's are living in their parents home. Some with spouses and children of their own! Most rent free. I've heard every reason for it from "They are saving to buy a home" to "Jobs are hard to find". But their soon to be retired parents are footing the extra costs associated with their decisions. That explains why some folks are putting off retirement until well into their 70's. They plain and simple can't afford to stop working!

  I'm all for helping my children have an easier financial start to life than I had. I want them to not struggle like we did those first years. But they need to stand on their own at some point. If we don't teach them how to do that we have failed in a big way as parents.

  One thing my kids won't have to worry about is us retiring with a lot of debt and having no money to survive on. We plan on living in your basements, eating your food and borrowing your cars. Seems fair to us.

  Ang

BRRRRRRRRR

  By all accounts, this January has lasted approximately 194 days. And those days were cold. Bitter cold. With windchills that would make a polar bear shiver. Add 100 cms, or three feet, of snow to that and it made for one challenging month. For old and young alike.

  Canadian winters are never easy but I have to admit the older I get the harder they seem. Right now we are experiencing a "polar vortex". I read the definition of it and let me translate it for you....it's too cold for anything that breathes to be outside. 

  My heart aches for homeless people as they try to stay warm after a night in a shelter. Hopefully businesses will have empathy and allow these people to come in from the cold and warm up. There is a housing shortage in our city and I'm sure it's not the only one. These cold nights can easily kill our most vulnerable and we really need to help them long term.

  Everyday things seem more difficult and I find myself putting off things when I shouldn't. Like groceries or getting gas. There is no appeal to pumping gas at -30 and even less to buy groceries when the kids are able to have food delivered 24/7.

  Try to stay warm wherever you are. Limit your exposure. If you can stay home do. Don't worry about pretty worry about frostbite. And remember...binge watching Netflix in these temps is a must.

  Ang