54th anniversary of birth !!!!! ( Yep 5 exclamations points - hahaha )

     Another birthday has come, thank God. First off I want to thank Janet for always making this day special, Angela & Alan for being fantastic kids & to my sister, Linda, for always being there. I look forward to every birthday. Most of you know the health issues I've had and have moved beyond, you can certainly understand why.

     I laid in bed this morning, after deciding not go for the 6km+ walk early, but rather later in the day. I was thinking about all the people & things I have to be thankful for, grateful for. Even things that, on first sight, look bad, even painful, turned out to be nothing near what I imagined, the brain is a funny thing.

     I saw a man put up a fantastic battle against cancer for two years, his family & friends doing everything they could. 

     The cancer took the man away from us, but it did not win. It did not win, the man did. He physically left this world, true, however, his spirit will live on. It will live on in his family, friends & I mean a lot of friends, like WOW (800+ there), including me. Did I know him well, unfortunately, no, and I regret that. 

     I learned more about this man at his "Celebration of Life" that I had in the over 10 years of working with his wife & being near neighbours. His friends said his life was like a toggle switch, on or off, no such thing as a dimmer. That has struck a chord very deep in me, & will change my life. So this man will live on, not only in his family & friends, but in folks that wish they would have made the time to get to know him better, folks like me. So on the outside, it was very painful to see someone you love go through that much pain, losing her best friend, her husband and yet see the impact he has had on so many even after he left us.

RIP Sir, RIP.

     Another moment that looked so bad at first site was the rearranging of my hours at work. This was part cost cutting ( thanks Brad W.) & filing is some time gaps in coverage. At first site, $250 a month ($3000/year) was not a real big shock, something I can workaround. As most of you know I've always had more than 'one iron in the fire' as it were, so I had no issues with being able to make this up. 

     

     The change in hours ( was 6-2, now 7-3) was looking to be more painful. This is when I operate my business. This had the potential to cost $1000+ a month now, NOW it's an issue. 

     After getting mad & pissed I stepped back at took a long look at what it really meant. All it meant was I am going to change the way I operate, for now, that's it. The 'job' is fixed, no growth, nada. BUT A & A has huge potential when I put in the time, now is the moment to put in the time. So again, on the outside first glance, pissed off, mad, loyalty is BS, all that. Now....  now I have a different feeling about it, I look at it as a blessing.

      Congratulations to Angela & Robert on setting a date. Oct 13, 2017. You do make a fantastic couple & great parents. I wish nothing but the best for both of you.

     Congratulations to Alan, Michelle & Ava with the arrival of Connor into the Johnson clan. 

     It's funny how I always bug Malcolm Sr. ( Janet's dad) at family gatherings, giving him a nudge in the ribs, Hey You, ya you, this is all your fault. You know that right??  He shakes his head every time. 

     Welcome to the craziness Connor.

I've been a little bit revitalize over the last month and a bit, taking 6km walks in the morning (4AM), really feeling alive. You should try it, sorry, you must try it. The day works out sooo much better. 

That's enough for today.

I want to thank Janet, my family and way, way more friends that I thought I would ever have, for the birthday wishes & love, it really does mean so much to me, I'm am blessed. 

You may take away my money, my house, my cars, all my possessions, but no one can take away my commitment or my passion for what I believe in. 

Carbon tax

Why do this at all?

If China, Russia & several other countries around the planet aren't making any effort to reduce carbon emissions, how is our measly little Canadian effort going to fix anything? I find it amusing that, let say in the year 2200, someone is going to stand up and pat Canada on the back for saving the world because 200 years ago we stated taxing the citizens.

I also understand that one volcano will put more Co2 in the atmosphere in a few days that man could ever possibly emit or save.   

If the gov't were serious about creating & making green energy more affordable, as well as usable in our climate, start investing in research at home. Get the money by cutting off some of the funds we hand out abroad. 

I guess it could be viewed as a 'make work project' as well. One guy to collect the money from the province, another guy to put in the gov't bank, another guy to write a cheque back to the province, a provincial guy to put it in their bank, another guy to write cheques to all the folks in the province that file income tax, and a few other guys to make sure the first guys are doing their jobs.

 I can see how that will be revenue neutral. 

The cap & trade system sounds brilliant as well. 

So if my emissions are too high, I can buy credits from someone that has a lower output. How does that fix anything? I just keep buying credits, sending out more co2 & pass the buck onto the consumer. 

There is alot more to all of this, but I'm really just trying to figure it for the layman ( me ) as it were. I don't understand much of this plan, but on the outside, it's just another way for a gov't to take more money. ( They are a bit addicted to tax's ) I guess someone will have to "follow the money" to sort this all out, because one thing for sure, it maybe 'revenue neutral' for the gov't, but is sure as hell going to cost you & me. 

Bruce

I think some if not most of the folks are missing the point on the Provincial jail food article.

My issue has more to do with Brad Walls comments than with the issue itself. We, has in the people of this great land Canada, have come up with a list of crimes & the punishments that, when convicted, you will receive. From a stern talking to all the way to life in prison ( they call it that I don't )

I have yet to figure out any rhyme, reason or how the sliding scales work for each but that's another days rant.

Yes, we all agree, don't like the food, stay out of jail. However, it's not that simple, and this is where Brad missed the point.

If the inmates were complaining about taste, quantity, or variety of the food, well I would not see a problem. Brads comments that "I looked at the menu, they have a good choice' or " I've eaten the company’s food at other venues across Saskatchewan and it was pretty good" is not indicative of what they serve at the jail.

The image used is supplied by the Government, so take that for what it's worth. And I can tell you that the food would be of higher quality if they knew the premiere was dining at the jail tonight.

So my point being is that we created the law's & punishments. When we send someone to jail we become the wards, Brad being a part of the gatekeepers . We have, under the human rights code, to provide these people with enough quality food to sustain them.

We have all seen movies from the 18th or 19th century where inmates were given gruel or food with bugs mixed in, we're way past that I would hope.

Brad is right about going to jail, and the menu, but that does not speak to the quality of the food. As this is not the first complaint about the company Compass that supplies the food, maybe someone should look a bit deeper, and that would be what Brad should have said.


Bruce

AH that makes sence

Do I hear the awakening  of the sleeping mass’s?  Minions , sorry, Citizens, you will complain bitterly to your friends, neighbours, countrymen and even your cat, however, nothing will you do, so change cometh not. 

The threshold for fines is right in that sweet spot, where, if fined the average person will complain, but pay, no matter HOW stupid the “crime”. 

An few examples: 

The City of Saskatoon passed the snow clearing bylaw several years ago, now they’re going to enforce it on the minions, sorry, I keep doing that  …  Citizens!! What kind of gov't enacts laws that they don’t enforce until it's convenient for them?  

To be honest, I would be willing to bet that most of you thought you would have been fined for the last few years had you not shoveled. OOPS, nope, guess not. Just a test to see if we would 'follow the law', now their mad, and ready to pounce. 

Odd, it is, that a dog, sitting in your home, never leaves your property, needs a licence, just because it exists. If you dare try to hide your 'family member' from the Gov't, $350 fine for you + $20 for the licence, when they check to see next year and you forgot to licence Fido, your family member, well that's another $250 fine.  

   

So, a bit of perceptive.

My good friend would like to get outside for some exercise, go for a quick tour around his neighbourhood as it were. However he can't, so he stays home.  

Why you ask, well it's winter, he's in a wheel chair and some folks don't shovel there walkway. Wait, you say, doesn't  Saskatoon have a bylaw that states you have to shovel your walkway shortly after a snow storm?   

Why yes, yes it does, well sort of. It was passed several years ago, but they decided to start enforcing it this year, a few weeks before spring. 

Seems like a good bylaw, why did they wait to enforce it? No idea. 

What other bylaws are on the books but are not enforced? That's a good question? 

Should there be a list?  No. All bylaws on the books should be enforced or removed, period.

OK, back to your friend & snow cover walks.

Of course.

You seem upset about it, not a good bylaw?

Bylaw is fine, however..... 

My point. If I fail to shovel my walk now, I "may be subject to a $100 fine", I can live through a few fines, hell the hockey games on, duh. And really, some asshole neighbour has to complain first and as we all know, that would take a lot before someone would get involved.

"fail to licence my dog (cat) may be subject to a $350 fine"

So, it seems, that the CoS thinks that a taxpaying & productive member of society's mobility, is less important on the fine scale that a dog's right to exist & reside in my house. 

I really think the fine amounts are completely backwards. 

more to come   

Sad day for democracy when you have to ask your employer for this.

"According to the union representing Saskatchewan's nurses, they’re scared to speak up."

"Health Minister Dustin Duncan says his office is considering the request." ( a letter of protection assuring nurses that there would be no reprisals)

Is the Saskatchewan Government kidding with that response? I really hope so. Brad Wall should be shaking his head and should put a stop
on the health ministers comments.

Union or not, nurses or ANY other staff should not be afraid to speak up, weather they like or dislike the program. Has that what the Saskatchewan Party has done
to unions and workers in this province?

We do have a constitution in this county called Canada, which guarantee's rights and freedoms of it citizens, which maybe some of you have forgotten. One of
those rights is freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication.

I get tired of hearing 'the front line workers' like this, don't like that ect, ect. The health care system that we more than enjoy in this province and country is not totally
run buy the front line workers, all the workers need to be heard, all of them.

Is the LEAN program working, I have no idea. Having been in the hospital far more than my fair share in the last four years, the way I was treated and cared for was
fantastic and I would hate to see it go down hill just to save 58¢ per person in Saskatchewan.

Stuff costs money... hospital stuff even more. Everyone pays a bit, and we all get the benefits.

I don't understand why this is such a hard concept for some.

Thoughts??

CKOM's story here