Wil's Rant

By the homefront I mean my actual home. Recently, I wrote about the persecution that I have suffered at the hands of a couple of federal employees at Revenue Canada that resulted in the end of my marriage. There has been a change in that situation. The change concerns the status of my relationship with my now ex-wife, we are legally separated. Having become separated has removed virtually all the tensions and stresses that we had been living with. The result, we are now getting along better than we ever have, literally. We both agree that we must continue with our separation for the time being. It has to do with personal growth. We both realize that we have a need for this separation, each for different reasons, but at the same time the same reason. I need to work out some of my own problems without the distraction, and excuses, that a relationship provides. My wife/ ex-wife needs to do the same thing, just for different problems. So we have decided to continue with our plans but are calling it a break as opposed to the total end of our relationship and the effective burning of our past. Strange, but true. Effectively, in a very short period of time we have both managed to evolve in our relationship to the next level. I find the whole concept extremely refreshing. For all intensive purposes we agree that this is something we both need and our relationship has actually grown stronger. So far, we have managed to turn a very difficult situation into a good thing for both of us and in the process given each other new hope for the future. I could call it rebuilding our relationship but that doesn't do it justice. We are not repairing a flawed relationship, we are creating a new one free of the poisons that were effectively destroying us both with the advantage of already possessing an in-depth knowledge of each other. This has made the whole process much, much easier on everyone, especially the kids.

Just when I thought the incidents of school killings couldn't become more horrific, along comes this dementoid in Colorado. It's not enough to hear about school kids taking out their anger and rage on each other by committing mass murder against totally innocent other kids. Now we have adults going into schools, taking hostages, sexually assaulting some, if not all, of them and then killing one or more and then himself. At least in this case the sicko is dead.

What a reflection of the times we all live in. I fail to see the difference between this creep and any other indiscriminate killer such as terrorists. Both target innocents. Both will use any excuse to justify their apparent need to hurt, maim, and kill. Do they have legitimate reasons for their anger? Absolutely! Does this justify their actions? No Way! Any nation who has entered into negotiations with the U.S. in good faith only to be patronized, lied to, threatened, have it's citizens tortured, and have their national interests just plain stomped on, have very legitimate grievances in my book How we respond to such treatment says more about us than our oppressors.

The U.S. administration flaunts itself as the leaders of the free world and the champions of democracy. I beg to differ. No nation who signs onto the Geneva Convention only to completely disregard it's rules and enact legislation that excludes said rules under certain conditions, can be a champion of democracy. The U.S. asks itself why so many people in the world resent them, if not hate them. The answer lies in the treatment they have received at the hands of the U.S. Torture does not for good friends make. I believe it was Sophocles who wrote in Oedipus Rex " moderacy in all is best". It's time for at least one American Administration to live by that tenet.

She was a 12 year old Border Collie and husky cross breed. She was mostly black and grey and we had had her since she was 3 months old. Living in the country as we do was paradise for this dog. She was never chained or penned and had free range of our property and she patrolled it and always watched over our kids. During the last year she was developing hip problems, which we think led to today's events. This morning our kids went out for the school bus and found her dead on the road. She had been hit by a truck. It wasn't pretty. She has never had any problems on the road in front as she has always been trained to stay on the property. We think the sound of the tractor trailer may have spooked her. Combined with her failing hip, we think that she may have faltered in her attempt to cross the road. It's really the only thing that makes any sense. This was one very smart dog, as almost all border collies are. She has never even come close to being hit before. Most people who saw her thought she was a wolf. She will be very, very missed.

It's just been that kind of year. Some times we all have bad days. This whole year seems to have been like that On the upside, I don't think she suffered. By all signs, she died instantly. I only wish that I could have spared the kids this particular image.

More and more reports are coming in describing the global heating trends. The latest describe the incredible rate at which the Arctic ice pack is melting. Another reports suggests that the Earth is at it's warmest in a million years. Scary enough in itself but even more so when we consider that we have hardly peaked yet. All the factors which create the warming continue with very little in the way of serious improvement. There are a great many who are working to change this but the question remains will the rest of us listen in time to stop the inevitable destruction to come.

Another heroic woman has been killed in Afghanistan for the simple reason that she dared work to further women's rights there. It seems clear that a much larger portion of the populace there must support the woman's movement if incredibly brave people such as she was have any chance of safety whatsoever.

More bad news from the Iraqi front. A U.N. report is saying that torture in Iraq has increased since the U.S. invasion. Not exactly a shining endorsement for all the " good work" the U.S. has been doing there. Not exactly a big surprise but the report doesn't take into account the actions of American soldiers who have done the same thing, some with orders to do so, some without. I any case, so far the improvements in Iraq have been far overshadowed by the deteriorating levels of security and peace for the Iraqi people.

Even Colin Powell is now expressing concern for the way the U.S. is alienating pretty much everyone else in the world with the actions they have taken and have threatened. Perhaps there is still hope for the eventual evolution of the American administration, whatever the party, when senior officials and veterans start telling the truth.

A good example of this procedure can be seen in the alleged threat to Pakistan should they decide not to join the war on terror. Not exactly the way I would choose to go about gaining allies, but a pretty good example of American foreign policy at it's finest.

It appears that saner heads have prevailed in the Turkish Writer case. Thankfully she has been aquitted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. We can only hope that her aquittal is a sign that the judicial system in Turkey is beginning to see the lght and will allow greater freedom in the future.

Jail time for insulting the Turkish identity in a book. That's exactly what's going on right now as yet another Turkish writer is brought up on charges. Perhaps the Turkish authorities have yet to recognize the positive benefits of allowing freedom of thought and expression. Too bad! Of course we in the U.S. and Canada are only marginally better as can be seen by the outrage over anyone who dissented with the George Bush opinion immediately following the 9/11 tragedy. In the U.S. they were called traitors and Un-American. I don't really see the difference between Turkey and the U.S. at such times.

Apparently the world's populace has learned something from all the ass-dragging in the U.N. that led to the atrocities in Rwanda. People around the world have come out to protest the lack of anything substantial being done about the genocide going on in Darfur. Perhaps there is still hope for us after all.

It's refreshing to see that not all the nations of the world are submitting to unfair and one-sided relationships with the developed nations. The U.S. in particular has long used it's military and economic might to extract what resources and advantages it can in defense of it's "national interests" at the cost of any real advantage to the under-developed nation. Now the western nations expect those same countries to comply with environmental standards that they themselves got rich ignoring. This alliance of non-aligned nations seems to me to be the logical evolution of global democracy in response to the virtual untouchability of the U.S.

It seems that the American administration just doesn't get it. The fact that control of the media is anything but a democratic process. Many people have been complaining about this for years to no avail. The feds continue to force media compliance and failing that they just go ahead and buy their allegiance.

If that's not enough, Bush continues to argue the moral correctness of using torture to get information from terrorists. He doesn't seem to understand that the best defense against terrorism is to be viewed as an objective, moral, decent, and honest democracy with the fundamental desire to help those in need. Most Americans feel this way, they just don't recognize that their government is lying to them and everyone else. Most unfortunately, the rest of the world does.

To tell you the truth, I didn't catch his speech so I can't make any clear statement about the words in question. The parts I have read don't sound very good. If they have not been taken out of context, I don't understand what he may have been trying to accomplish by quoting old emperors who will only anger the Muslim community. There has been so much good work by those attempting to bring the different religious followers of the world together in the common purpose of peace that it seems quite irresponsible for a public figure to incite this kind of response without very good reason. Again, I don't know all that he said that day or why but at this point in time, did we really need this?

Bush just doesn't get it. I managed to sit through about three sentences of his big press conference. Just long enough to hear him express his concern for the soldiers who might not use necessary force when interrogating terrorists for fear of prosecution for war crimes. Unbelievable! Can you imagine American forces uses restraint for fear of prosecution for the same crimes which the U.S. so often criticizes others?

Once again a monster has opened fire on innocennt students in Montreal. I fail to see the difference between this guy and any of the terrorists who commit suicide bombings. Both are acts of hatred and rage against something, does it really matter what the reasons are, that are directed against people who have done them no wrong. Does it mean that they both don't have valid reasons for what they have done? No. In many cases the murderers have very valid reasons for being angry. What they don't have is the right or justification to take out their anger on innocents much less those actually guilty of some offence against them. If that means we have to tolerate injustice until the general populace recognizes it and moves to correct it then so be it.

There is another downside to all the extremism and terrorism beyond the obvious death and destruction. As more and more countries are experiencing a rise in terrorism we must ask ourselves where it all leads to. At it's worst it would lead to total chaos and likely the end of modern civilization as we know it. Perhaps not a terrible thing for the planet in light of the last few years but there is much that is worthy that will also be lost. Not the least of these would be the internet, the best tool for democracy, free speech, freedom as a whole, and education that has ever been invented. We in the West must recognize our own contribution to the overall loss of faith in the democratic process which results from administrations which are anything but credible and ethical. Democracy and Justice hold no meaning if not combined with honesty and ethics. If we choose to elect those who will manipulate the media at a master level to totally circumvent the truth, than we are as responsible as those same leaders. All citizens of all countries should consider it their sacred duty to follow the developments, become as well informed as possible and use that information to make our decisions, and watch our elected officials like hawks and hold them accountable. Failure to do so dooms us all. I can't imagine an informed public actually electing someone like George Bush. Peace and harmony are achieved through understanding and compromise, not military might. While it is true that in the past many have died to preserve our freedom, the world is in a different place today. We have yet to evolve to the point where we can live safely with the knowledge and capability to destroy ourselves. Faith and at least the perception of honesty and integrity must be restored to the Western democratic process if we are to survive to turmoil of our times. Only then might other cultures find something worthy in our system. Failing that, they might at least respect our choice to live in a democratic state. As it stands, I think we most resemble a bunch of ignorant fools who are so blind to our own failings that we criminally try to force our beliefs and system down the throats of everyone else

I'm not sure George would view it this way but he's had one good effect. The Bush administration has so thoroughly blindsided Americans that the U.S. is probably the best example of how to circumvent democracy and destabilize the entire planet in the process. This is not being lost on the rest of the world as more and more nations are taking exception to the Americans heavy handed approach to their " National Interests" with a total disregard for anyone else's interests or rights. The only time we see any regard along these lines is when Bush wants something and then he is all promises, many of which he will never fulfill. A more honest desire for world peace and equality, especially along economic lines, is called for fro America's leaders.

So the positive result? That would be the rise in the level of global awareness and unity which is following the world's reaction to the Bush administration's actions so far. It's just unfortunate that the U.S. isn't setting an example that people might want to emulate.

We hear about these kinds of mistakes all too often. That is when a worker, be it doctor, nurse or other, makes an error which sometimes results in death as it did in this case. The folks at the Cross Institute have taken an unusual approach. They have, in fact, admitted their error right from the start. None of the usual passing the buck or arguing about whether it was their fault or not. This has made an extremely unfortunate situation much more bearable for the woman's family who now don't have to deal with the long process of finding out what happened and who's responsible. An error occurred and a woman died. The staff at this facility have handled the matter in the most responsible and professional manner possible. How refreshing! Despite this incident, I would seek treatment there if necessary. A horrible tragedy for the family, but at the same time a great example of how a hospital should deal with this type of mistake. Canadians as a whole should take note, not just the medical community.

I've decided, in light of recent events, to travel to the North in search of higher paying work for a couple of years. I expect to be able to continue with my posts and maybe insert a few pics of the trip along the way. Now that I've bought a new laptop to play with I'll be posting more often again So it's goodbye to Ottawa on Oct. 15 and headeing North West.

A lot's happened. It started with an un-ethical Revenue Canada worker who damn near destroyed my business. Suffice it to say, my wife did not share in my desire to fight this agent instead of just doing what she wanted and trying to right the wrong later. The result, the end of my 15 year marriage and damn good grounds for a lawsuit. The agent effectively issued what amount to court orders seizing all my funds. These orders totaled, originally, $ 22,000.00. The actual value of my debt? $ 1700.00. When confronted with this fact she responded- " I got your attention didn't I?" Got my attention! This woman has damn near destroyed my life because I dared complain about her. In any case, they have finally relented and backed off. Too late to save my marriage. I guess it wasn't all that strong to begin with.