Tree Man #2

Here's an update to Tree Man. He has been undergoing treatment for his condition.

Tree Man!

This is an amazing story of a medical mystery - a man growing 'roots' out of his hands and feet.

The welts spread across his body unchecked and soon he was left unable to carry out everyday household tasks.

Sacked from his job and deserted by his wife, Dede has been raising his two children - now in their late teens - in poverty, resigned to the fact that local doctors had no cure for his condition.

To make ends meet he even joined a local "freak show", parading in front of a paying audience alongside victims of other peculiar diseases.

Although supported by his extended family, he was often a target of abuse and ridicule in his rural fishing village.

But now an American dermatology expert who flew out to Dede's home village south of the capital Jakarta claims to have identified his condition, and proposed a treatment that could transform his life.

Changing My Last Name to Aardvark

I've found the winning secret for my next big announcement - Aardvark is my name!

Candidates whose names top the ballot tend to do better in local elections.

Bruce Hallsor, president of Fair Voting B.C., said most voters usually have three or four names in mind going into the voter booth, and then look down the list for the rest, starting at the top.

"If you are near the top of a ballot, or near the bottom, you have an advantage over people in the middle," he said. "It's not fair to favour candidates."

My name was #6 - right in the middle!! Now I know why I lost. It wasn't my relative inexperience, my little known name in the town, spending 3 weeks away in Africa during the campaign or the power of incumbency. It was my name or its position on the ballot! Change that and I'm a winner! ;-)

Coffee With Jesus

With Christmas having come and gone, it is time to reflect a bit. How did we do at keeping Jesus at the center of Christmas? Was He an 'add-on' or did we encounter Him in our interactions with friends and family? Did we hear him afresh through the familiar carols? In the midst of gifts, did we pause and 'give space' to be thankful for the gifts we have every day from the hand of Jesus? This little vignette gives is a humorous reminder of how NOT to pray.

Is This Really Worth 15 years in Jail?

BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi journalist thrust to instant fame when he threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush will go on trial this month on charges that carry up to 15 years in jail, a judge said on Monday.

Investigating judge Dhiya al-Kenani rejected new allegations by the journalist's family that he had been tortured in custody, charges that were levelled after a brother was allowed a first prison visit.

What Makes it Seem Like Christmas?

Here are the results of those responding to my poll by the same name as this post title.

63% said putting up the Christmas Tree
27% traveling to see the family
22% wrapping presents
4% arguing over white lights versus coloured

For me, it would have to be traveling to see and/or 'spending time together with the family'.

Merry Christmas - Mr. Bean Style...

Tracking Santa Claus

Here's the latest video of Santa being tracked by NORAD...

Miracles

Boy's recovery a 'blessing'

In late August, my second cousin's grandson, Joel Corbin, was left in a coma after a man drove a truck into a Maple Ridge restaurant..



If you're up for reading a miracle, 'here's the rest of the story'.

We're grateful to Jesus!

Nuts #2

Not just the union position is nuts...Here's the execs!

General Motors Corp Chief Executive Rick Wagoner's salary and other compensation rose 64 percent in 2007 to about $15.7 million. In 2007, GM lost 39 billion.

Ford's CEO - In 2007, he received39.1 million (extra signing bonus). In 2007, Ford lost 12.7 billion. At least Ford has been putting a plan together to restructure. As of yet, they have not taken any cash and are the only one (of the big three) still leasing cars.

Chrysler does not release any details as it is a private company.

I suspect GM and Chrysler may 'merge' or one of them go under permanently. Ford might get through intact, but leaner.

Nuts...

Since the rest of us will be taking a 'pay cut' by having higher taxes in the future to pay for their jobs, this Canadian Auto Workers statement is unbelievable, ridiculous, crazy and downright stupid!

Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian autoworkers don’t feel pressure to agree to further wage concessions to bolster General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC, union President Ken Lewenza said. “I resent the fact that wages are even getting any discussion because in Canada, 7 percent of the cost of a vehicle is related to wages,” the Canadian Auto Workers chief said today in a Bloomberg Television interview. The rest of the garbage is found here.

This article is from January of last year: With the Canadian dollar at par, CAW hourly wage and benefit costs of $75 to $80 an hour are $5 to $10 higher than the $70 (U.S.) to $80 figures in the United States, Mr. Stanford said. Higher productivity in the Canadian plants more than compensates for what now is a cost disadvantage here, he said.

Politics - Kid Style

Here's what it really looks like with all the coalition fiasco of the past month...

Wimpy Swede

Swedes are often criticized as being 'soft' hockey players. Check out the newest Swedish Canuck. He can score and he can take care of himself!

Cold snap could put a dent in beetle population

Let's hope that we keep the cold going for awhile yet.

The Arctic freeze is cold enough to freeze flesh, but not enough to decimate pine beetles.

The cold snap that‘s numbing the Okanagan should kill “some” of the tree-slayers – as long as temperatures stay cold through next weekend, said Lorraine Maclauchlan, an entomologist with the Ministry of Forests in Kamloops.

“If it stays this cold for a number of days or a week, you‘ll start to see some mortality. It depends on how cold it is,” she said Tuesday.

BC needs it!

It's Just a Billion

With projected deficits, bailouts and hand-outs being batted about, the next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether and how you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money. I got this in an email recently (thanks Debbie.)

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in one of it's releases.

A..

A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.

A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.

A billion dollars ago was only roughly 46 hours ago at the rate our federal government

is spending it.

We're Having Winter!

After 8 inches last night in Courtenay, we were issued this warning (see below) this morning. Not bad (good?) for the first day of winter! The picture is from just south of us at Cook Creek Intersection with Hwy 19.

Let's do a poll on snow depth - HOW MUCH SNOW IN YOUR AREA? Please put it in the comments section.

Warnings

East Vancouver Island
7:36 AM PST Sunday 21 December 2008
Snowfall warning for
East Vancouver Island issued

An additional 5 to 10 cm of snow for areas of the south coast are expected today and tonight. Higher amounts over localized areas are possible.

This is a warning that significant snowfall is expected or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements. (More info here)

Responding to Reality in the Comox Valley

The Comox Valley finally has a place other than a tent in the bushes for the homeless to go when the weather turns particularly nasty and the Salvation Army shelter is full. This was in our local paper.

The Northgate Foursquare Church has agreed to open their multi-purpose room to as many as 30 people under certain climactic conditions, such as when the temperature dips below -2 degrees C with sleet, freezing rain or snow.

"The truth of the matter is that BC Housing stands prepared to come in and build something," said Wilson. "What they do require is a commitment, and usually for a municipality a commitment means property.

According to Wilson's report, factors contributing to the problem locally include a lack of high-paying jobs -- the average household income in the Valley is 18 per cent below the provincial average and 22 per cent below the federal average -- and the lack of new rental stock being built.

He noted that over the last 20 years, zero units of affordable rental housing have been built by anybody at all, other than affordable housing for seniors. You can read the rest Here

It is great to see social service providers and our church responding to meet needs that are in our community. However, in my opinion, these articles highlight the need and challenge to our city council and mayor to be PROACTIVE:

1. Attract industry. Do what it takes to become a more business friendly climate. Go after businesses and 'sell' the Comox Valley. Find out what the barriers are and move to change them. The best guard against homelessness and unaffordability is a well paying job. We need more than service industry jobs.

2. Meet with builders and anyone necessary to encourage building of rental stock. I suspect this will needs some liaising with the provincial government on a regulatory level as well.

3. Work with anyone, and do whatever the city can, to help affordable housing be built.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas?

Being good stewards of our environment is the responsibility of everyone - paticulary if you are a Christian. Not only that, a 'green' Christmas can also be a less expensive Christmas! Here's some suggestions that I got in my email box - many which we already do. #4 is pretty challenging when you have 20 guests at the house...

1. If you put up Christmas lights, choose energy-efficient LED lights and turn them off during the day. While a 50-bulb incandescent strand of Christmas lights uses 250 watts, an equivalent 70-bulb LED strand uses only three watts. Turn the lights off at night.
2. When shopping for gifts and groceries, bring along a canvas bag to carry your purchases and try to choose items that have little or no packaging.
3. Wrap gifts in recyclable wrapping paper or use reusable gift bags or wrap in the comics section or regular newspaper.
4. If you’re hosting or organizing a holiday party, use cloth napkins and glass plates. Avoid using disposable napkins, plates and cutlery.
5. After the holidays, reuse gift boxes, packaging and wrapping paper when possible, and recycle what cannot be reused – contact your local government to find out what items are acceptable in your blue box program.

A Leaf Blower Jussi Would Love...

My friend,Jussi,is building a jet engine of sorts at his house. He is so creative and it is so cool! I think it would go great on his ride on mower. However, until then, here is an application that might work too...

The 'B' Word

I've been following the bailout request from the Big Three automakers for some time. You can see how their math works here.

Now, the bailout is being delayed. The new 'B' word being floated is Bankruptcy at least for GM and Chrysler.

Today, The Bush White House floated the idea of an “orderly bankruptcy” for General Motors and Chrysler. The “B” word. Yikes. The concept is a little fuzzy. But most experts think it would involve GM and Chrysler actually going to Bankruptcy Court to File Chapter 11, with the government providing either the Debtor In Possession financing for the companies, or guarantees on the money after Treasury Secretary Paulsen twists the arms of some banks who have gotten upwards of a trillion dollars from Treasury and the Federal Reserve to loan the companies $15 billion-plus.

Initially, I was not for bankruptcy. But when you begin to research this, you realize that it might have to happen in order to make necessary changes. Banruptcy does not mean disappear necessarily. It gives protection to re-organize into a sane business plan that is sustainable long term. The problems of these companies did not start this past fall. They problems only became highlighted. Depending on whose figures you use, when you factor salary and benefits in, the car 'worker' makes anywhere from $50 - $70 per hour! These workers at the Big Three are simply not productive enough.

To the right is a picture of one copy of Ford's 2007 master contract governing their relationship with the employees.

They use all kinds of silly rules to try not to work. Here's some excerpts from a former 4th generation GM employee on this point.

Simply amazing...
For instance, I had an employee who punched in his time card and then disappeared. The rules were such that I had to spend hours documenting that this man was not in his three foot by three foot work area. I needed witnesses, timed reports, calls over the intercom and a plant wide search all documented in detail. After this absurdity I decided to go my own route; I called the corner bar and paged him and he came to the phone. I gave him a 30 day unpaid disciplinary lay off because he was a “repeat offender”. When he returned he thanked me for the PAID vacation. I scoffed, until he explained: (1) He had tried to get the lay off because it was fishing season; (2) The UAW negotiated with GM Labor Relations Department to give him the time WITH PAY.

Another employee in the plant urinated on the feet of his supervisor as a protest to discipline. He was, of course, fired…that is until the union negotiated and got his job back.

One afternoon I was helping oversee the plant while upper management was off site. The workers brought an RV into the loading yard with a female “entertainer” who danced for them and then “entertained” them in the RV. With no other management around, I went to Labor Relations for assistance. As a twenty five year old woman, I was not about to try to break up a crowd of fifty rowdy men. The Labor Relations Rep pulled out the work rules and asked me which of the rules the men were breaking. I read through the rules and none applied directly of course. Who wrote work rules to cover prostitutes at lunch? The only “legal” cause I had was an unauthorized vehicle and person and that blame did not fall on the union workers who were being "entertained” but on the security guards at the gate. Not one person suffered any consequence.

If you have the stomach for it, you can read the rest of it here.

Morning People

I'm sure that this is what you non-morning people wish on us morning people...

Renos!

Sometimes while doing renovations, we have discovered strange things from the previous owner's 'fix-its'. If you've ever renovated, you'll identify with this...

Sound Smarter #2

Again, to help us all sound smarter (even if we're not), I am presenting the weekly 'Sound Smarter'!

NEW WORD: Alacrity (uh-LAK-ri-tee)
MEANING: Quick, cheerful enthusiasm
INSTEAD: "Matt's a go-getter isn't he? I really like him"
SOUND SMARTER: "Matt's tendency to approach every task with alacrity makes him a great guy to work with."

All who describes an actual situation (not contrived) that they use this in before next Wednesday (24th) will have their name entered into a draw for a $5 dollar Starbucks or Timmy's card...

Describe the situation and how you used the word in the comments section to be eligible.

Consequences?

This video reminds us that our action have consequences, even if we aren't aware of it all the time...

Do You Love Cats?

If you love cats, you might not want to watch this...but it's pretty funny!

Make Sure You Have Good Travel Insurance

If you're traveling abroad this Christmas season or beyond, make sure that you have good travel insurance. This commercial tells you why!

Why Women have Lower Car Insurance Rates

In this season of snow, men can sometimes claim to be the better drivers. That may be true, but often we have an overriding 'stupid' gene that seems to trump the good driving...

Pastoral Foibles

Sometimes in ministry you have many experiences that cause you to laugh or have people laugh at, I mean with, you. At our Coastlands Unit Christmas party we somehow got on to the topic of things we have mistakenly said from the pulpit or been involved with in various church settings. Here’s a sampling…

One shared how early in ministry, while nervously closing one of their first sermons, they gave an altar call. Feeling flustered and nervous, they then mistakenly invited the youth to come and ‘give their lives to Satan’.

Another shared how they were preaching a sermon about praising the Lord and the importance of it in our lives. They were passionately waxing on how praise should be something that is in every part of our lives and said something to the effect of, ‘even let your hooters praise the Lord.’ The congregation just dissolved in laughter. The speaker was confused at first because in their country of origin 'hooters' meant a horn, nothing more. ‘nuff said.

Another shared how a parishioner told how they dealt with their cats when the cats were disturbed. She went on to say that she had the ‘gift of kitty tongues”. She told the person that she would speak in these kitty tongues to the kittens and they would totally calm down. Interesting…

Another shared how they were preaching at a youth retreat. It was a ski retreat and they were using the illustration of challenging yourself to be a ‘black diamond’ Christian, i.e. really living life on the edge for God. That was good, but then they went on to tell the kids to not be a ‘whanker’. They couldn't figure out why the kids were snickering and giggling. Apparently, they had worked in an environment where this term meant someone that was not doing so well because they were lazy as they started in the new profession. By the way, if you don’t know what ‘whanker’ means, I’m not going to tell.

Another told how while they were preaching, they slipped and fell down the stairs of the platform. They really banged their wrist when they fell. They dusted themselves off, got up and continued preaching. While they were preaching, they watched as their wrist swelled up. At the end of it all, they found out it was actually broken!

One shared how in a passionate prayer meeting with about 40 people, they prayed that God would help them that when ‘we come to the fork in the road, we don’t fork off’ . This person is an immigrant and with the accent, the ‘fork’ did not sound like ‘fork…’

For the ultimate foible, watch this..

Iggy #2

Michael Ignatieff
born in Toronto, 1947
Occupation: History Professor - Well educated intellectual.
Supporter of war in Iraq


First Impression: He seems angry. He looks and talks like he's ticked off at someone. He lecture and finger points like a mad professor. People criticize Harper for being 'cold', but this guy seems mad. I'm not sure if it is the bushy eyebrow or his constant grimace, but he does not look happy.


Suspect Views on Human Rights?
Ignatieff has argued that Western democracies may have to resort to "lesser evils" like indefinite detention of suspects, coercive interrogations,^[24] targeted assassinations, and pre-emptive wars in order to combat the greater evil of terrorism. (wikipedia)

Proud Canadian?
Critics also questioned his commitment to Canada, pointing out that Ignatieff had lived outside of Canada for more than 30 years. When asked about it by Peter Newman in a Macleans's interview published on 6 April 2006, Ignatieff apologized for referring to himself as an American

Willing to Lie to Influence People?
When asked about it by Peter Newman in a Macleans's interview published on 6 April 2006, Ignatieff apologized for referring to himself as an American and said: "Sometimes you want to increase your influence over your audience by appropriating their voice (it's okay to lie to curry favour??), but it was a mistake. (wikipedia)

Support for Israel?
On Wednesday 11 October 2006, Ignatieff described Israel's attack on Qana during its recent military actions in Lebanon as a war crime. Susan Kadis, who had previously been Ignatieff's campaign co-chair, withdrew her support following the comment. Other Liberal leadership candidates have also criticized Ignatieff's comments. (wikipedia)

Top 5 gifts under $25...

In these challenging economic times, it is important that we do our best to stretch our money as much as we can. Now, more than ever, it is important to not overspend and overstretch out budgets. Here's the top 5 gifts UNDER $25!


Simply Colors Personalized Long-Sleeve T-shirt This is a Canadian company that does a great job on a unique product! Kids love the bright, fun colours and having their name or favourite image on the punchy, personalized shirts (there are 10 colors of shirts, 17 different fonts, 24 ink colors and 34 different illustrations which means the sky’s the limit when it comes to the creative process) Custom-design at mass prices—you ‘simply’ can’t go wrong.(from $16.90, available from www.simplycolors.ca)

BRÄDA laptop support

If you're like me, you can't resist using your laptop in bed, ignoring pesky thoughts of impending carpal tunnel syndrome. This laptop lap desk has a sturdy, heat-resistant surface and a pocket on the side for your cell phone or MP3 -- perfect for web surfing or e-mailing in a non-desk environment.

($19.99; Ikea; www.ikea.ca)

Diaper Dude Diaper Bag

This is the option for the man that doesn't want to carry a diaper bag with pretty flowers and lace. It looks a bit more like your classic 'man-bag' rather than a pack to carry diaper wipes, diapers, and lilac smelling cream and bottles of breast milk.

1500 Live LadyBugs - GOOD BUGS!

Ok - I'll admit that getting bugs for Christmas is a little odd. For the gardener on your list, this is a great gift. For under $20, you can get these bugs to help out in their garden. Rose gardeners in particular will appreciate the aphid eating Lady Bugs... check out Amazon for details.






Perfect Solutions Shower Clock with Radio

For the music lover or the techno geek, this could be the gift you need! You can pick this up at Sear Canada website. With a full AM/FM radio and a clock, they can sing along to your heart's content and still be on time for work!

Iggy #1

Well, Michael Ignatieff is now the leader of the Liberal party. He came back to Canada in 2005 with a well respected record in many realms. Like Stephen Harper he is supposedly a brilliant man. Like Harper, he is a strategic politician.

The media (and Ignatieff) are now trying to say he was not really in favour of the coalition. (My thoughts on this here.) He was 'reluctant' in his support. However, he had a choice as an influential and leading voice in the Liberal party to take a different tack. He still SIGNED HIS NAME to the dotted line in support of the NDP - Liberal - Traitor coalition. If he thought it was bad for Canada, he should have said so then. His words now are, "coalition if necessary, but not necessarily coalition". Gimme a break. What do you really think, Iggy?

I have been encouraged by his offering to work with the Prime Minister. However, let's be clear. This is not because he loves Harper or thinks this is the right thing for Canada. He can read the polls and realizes that Canadians are incensed at the prospect of this coalition taking power. He realizes that this would result in the annihilation of the Liberals in an election. This 'olive branch' on the part of Mr. Ignatieff is simply smart politics.

In any case, he is an upgrade for the Liberal party in terms of leadership. He will be a much more formidable opponent for Harper and the Conservatives. Tomorrow I'll have some more facts and commentary on the man they call, "Iggy".

How Old Are You?

Here's a little trick to correctly guess someone's age... Here's the instructions to give them.

"Write down the number of the month you were born in. (We'll use July as an example, so write 7), Multiply that by 2 and you'd get 14. Add 5 to that, multiply by 50 and then add your age. Subtract 365. Add 115." The only part of the calculation to be revealed to the 'psychic' is the answer. From that you can guess the month someone was born in as well as their age. In this case the answer would be 739. You can now tell them that they were born in July and that they are 39 years old.

Try it on yourself first then give it a whirl on someone else. They'll be impressed at your new found prophetic abilities. :-)

We Have a Boy!

Just got a text from Rich that he and Amy have a new baby boy - Josiah William born at 5:15 AM this morning weighing in at a staggering 10.5 lbs! More updates as they are available!

How Does God Answer Prayer?

We have talked and prayed about responding to homelessness and the need of the disadvantaged. Last year, on a very snowy night, we took the girls out to check under the bridges and in some other spots to see if there was anyone we could help with blankets, coffee, food or whatever we could. We couldn't find anyone, as by that time, the Bridge (i think) and St.George's had opened up all night to get people off the street - if only to have a place to sit and drink a coffee.

It was encouraging to hear the impact of that simple walk in the snow on our daughter, Alaina. She has a very tender heart for the needs of others. We've talked much about and pray for God's help in responding to social justice needs (prayer for Congo, homeless, needy, etc.). However, we hadn't really talked about the issue above specifically since.

Tonight, while I was braiding Alaina's hair, she says, "Dad, I think that we need to go out again if it gets cold and snowy to check under the bridges. People will need help" We talked about how people are going out even now (yea, Miranda!) and how great that is.

On top of that, I then was able to talk with her that hopefully that won't be happening this year, because our church family is responding. It is awesome to know that Pastor Scott and our church council, in response to a need in our community, have willingly opened up the church as an emergency cold weather shelter with beds and safety this winter. I've heard that around 15 people from Northgate have volunteered to help out at the shelter. I honour all for taking this step because it took money to make some facility upgrades, as well as a commitment that we will alter our schedule to accommodate this when necessary.

As God has answered our prayers for ideas and solutions to help others, as usual it seems that He responds by having us be part of the solution. I am reminded of the following quote

God answers sharp and sudden on some prayers,
And thrusts the thing we have prayed for in our face,
A gauntlet with a gift in it. Elizabeth Barrett Browning:

We (Northgate) have been given the gift of being able to join God in doing some small part of seeing people 'restored'...and my children get to see again the goodness of God work through the people of God... responding positively to needs in the world.

Facts You Need to Know

Ever had that moment in a Trivial Pursuit game where you just wish you knew the answer? Tired of looking like a fool when someone pulls a fast one on you due to your lack of knowledge?

As someone who read encyclopedias as bed time reading, I can not only sympathize with you, I feel it is my duty to give you some facts YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Here's my contribution to making the world a better (and smarter) place. :-) (Okay, maybe nerdier...)

1. What sets the 1908 Olympics apart from all others? A. Motorboating was an Olympic event. Wow, what skill...

2. The average female opossum has 13 nipples. How many possums did some Nimrod have to count to get the 'average'?

3. Kanakoloka is the Hawaiin word for Santa Claus. I'd love to go to Hawaii this Christmas and try it out!

4. Quebec is twice the size of Texas. And Quebec still gets a cheque from the rest of Canada?

5. It's illegal in Indiana to open a can of food with a gun. Wonder how many times this happened before they had to make it illegal?

6. 23% of American couples sleep in separate beds.

7. Men can read smaller print than women, and WOMEN CAN HEAR BETTER. That's why a man can read the small print on the newspaper but still can't hear his wife. It's also why you need to take your husband shopping with you - He CAN READ THE PRICE.

8. How do you say Merry Christmas in Japanese? Merii Kurisumasu. Now try and say it. That almost sounds made up, doesn't it - but it's not!

9. In 1965, the average CEO earned 65 times what their factory workers did. In 1999, 419 times! For perspective, if a worker made $40,000, the CEO make over 16 million! That must really build the team feeling.

How Smart Are You #2 Answer

This was from Tuesday. Scott Gaglardi correctly guessed the answer!

Here is the answer,- Thom waited until nighttime and then left through the magnifying glass room.

How Smart Are You #1 Answers

Here is the answer to the questions on Monday...

1. Today is January 1; Johnny's birthday is on December 31. The day before yesterday, he was 9, yesterday he was 10, this year he'll be 11 and next year he'll be 12.

2. The four men were pallbearers carrying a body in a coffin.

No one got #1, Alison and Laura were pretty close...good job!

How Smart Are You #2

One day, Thom found himself trapped in a room with two doors. Behind the first door was a room made of thick glass that would magnify the heat of the sun to fry whoever went in. Behind the second door was a fire-breathing dragon that would do the same.

How did Thom escape unscathed? Put your answer in the comments section!

Don't google the answer, cheater people! Answer will show Wednesday evening.

Sound Smarter

In this season of office parties and family get-togethers, it is imperative that you do your best to 'put your best foot forward'. Let someone else be the life of the party and wear that lampshade. Let someone else drink too much and say or do silly stuff that ends up embarrassing them later on Facebook. You can be different. 'Yes you can!'

If you want to advance in your work, or get that date you have been hoping for, you need to sound smart! Even if you're not smart, you can at least sound like it. So, if you're ready for the corner office or just want to make her knees turn to jello at the sound of your smartness, just pay attention. Because here, in the spirit of giving and sacrifice, for you my reader, here's a new word for you to use. Your life can be different:

NEW WORD: Cavil (KAV-uhl)
MEANING: To quibble or nit-pick
INSTEAD: "Well, I guess that is for the jury to decide"
SOUND SMARTER: "I hate to cavil, darling, but I'm fairly sure that the man you just hit was riding a Segway, not a scooter."

I'll try and get one daily for the next week or so.

How Smart Are You?

A couple of riddles for you.... Put your answers in the comments section. Winner announced Wednesday...

1. The day before yesterday, Johnny was 9 years old. Next year he'll be 12. How is that possible?


2. Five men were leaving the church together when it started to rain. The four who ran got wet. The one who didn't move stayed dry. How?

Advent Conspiracy

In this season of Christmas - which for many has become pressure-packed, busy, time crunched, with people spending money don't have to buy gifts people don't need (and often don't want), this video - Advent Conspiracy is inspirational! Their website is found here.

Coaltion? What Coalition?

The suspending of Parliament has probably saved the Liberals from being decimated by the anger of Canadians. The coalition is beginning to implode and will probably be done totally before the end of December...

Some Liberal MPs already deserting coalition

Poll Results Show Conservatives Winning PR war

Dion leaves door open to propping up Tories

Support for Tories Up

Dark Days Get Darker for Dion

Who's Got a Mandate?

The Coalition keeps saying that 62% of Canadians voted against Harper in the last election and does not have a mandate to be Prime Minister (based on the 38% Cons received.) This kind of argument is just silly.

Who's Got a Mandate?
2008 Election:
82% of Canadians voted against the NDP
76% of Canadians voted against the Liberals
90% of Canadians voted against the BLOC

• 1993 Election Prime Minister Chretien - 59% voted 'against' him
• 1997 Election Prime Minister Chretien - 62% voted 'against' him
• 2000Election Prime Minister Chretien - 59% voted 'against' him

Predictions...

Now that Parliament has been suspended by the Governor General, it will be interesting to see how this all works out. This will give everyone space to step back and breathe. We still have to deal with the issues though - just with a bit less emotion.





"The House the Coalition Built..."


Conservative voters have to deal with the fact that the Prime Minister, with seeking to cut off public funding for all parities, threw a controversy for the Opposition to rally around. It seems that he is almost unable to be non-partisan.
Having said that, these are the facts:
1. The NDP was plotting for some time with the traitorous BLOC members - the issue is not the economy, it's power.
2. The 'economic statement' was not the true issue - the funding cut and a lust for power was. If you actually read the statement, it contains a great deal of info and strategy to deal with the economy. Jack Layton just wants the chequebook of Canada.
3. Stephane Dion vowed not to go into a coalition with the NDP.
4. BLOC is founded on the principal of leaving Canada and will do nothing to benefit Canada except by accident. Yet, the coalition has given them virtual veto rights over anything important.
5. The coalition has no plan. They claim that they will need a couple of months to put one together. Where then do you get the $30 billion stimulus number? Did they pull that out of a hat or spin a roulette wheel?

When they come back, the coalition (if it still exists) will have to decide if they still want to defeat the government. I have a hunch that they won't...yet.

They'll pull back from the abyss until after the election campaign in May. With a new leader who'll be better at that than Dion, they'll have a much better chance of beating the Conservatives. Look for them to pull the pin almost immediately to get the post convention public opinion 'bounce'.

Here's my thoughts: If the Harper government falls in late January and goes on to win a majority, he's safe. If he doesn't come out of this with an election and majority this spring, the knives will begin to come out for him. Without a majority, even if he survives these current shenanigans and continues as a minority government PM, I believe that he'll be gone by next Christmas.

And here's the crux of the matter: If Harper cannot get a majority against a leader like Dion, it is doubtful that he'll be able to do so against an Ignatieff or Rae. It's easy to be the guy in charge when you are a "6" out of 10 on the leader scale and your opponent is a 2. However, when people have the option of another "6" or "7", will Harper be able to hang on? Will he be able to overcome his perceived baggage of 'controlling' 'cold' 'mean' 'overly partisan' etc.? I don't think so. I hope so, but I don't think so.

A Lighter Distraction- Bring This To Canada!

Ok, I've been writing some intense stuff over all the political stuff going on. Amazon has a new way to read books. If you know me, I LOVE to read - magazines, newspapers, blogs, and books (currently 8 beside the bed). While traveling, I often have 4 or 5 books with me which is very heavy to carry. I am excited to see this come to Canada:

Amazon says:
Three years ago, we set out to design and build an entirely new class of device—a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to wirelessly download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers. The result is Amazon Kindle.

We designed Kindle to provide an exceptional reading experience. Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both "lefties" and "righties" can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

Check this out - It's amazing. Books and technology come together!!

Unfortunately, it isn't in Canada yet (and the price needs to come down)

A CLEAR CHOICE

OUR CHOICES OF WHO TO SUPPORT:

CONSERVATIVE

LIB - NDP - TRAITORS

Liberal, NDP, Bloc Coalition: It is becoming clear that these men have no plan, no clue, are being fiscally destructive, and bound (in writing! ) to consult with and satisfy separatist traitors on matters that will affect all Canadians. These guys are prepared to sacrifice the progress (fiscally) that all Canadians have worked so hard on the last 12 years. They want to not only run a deficit - but one with a plan (if you can call it that)that will destroy our finances - and quite possibly the unity -- of our nation.

National Post: The incongruities of the coalition are becoming more apparent by the day. We have no idea how Mr. Dion is going to come up with a stimulus package more quickly than the massed ranks in the Department of Finance, who are toiling to complete the next budget in time for the end of January.
There are no details of what will be in it, beyond the fact that it will cost $30-billion, a figure TD Bank chief economist Don Drummond says will drive Canada into a structural, prolonged deficit. It sounds very much like the coalition has not worked out what the country needs — it has merely picked a big number and will now decide how to spend it.

Globe and Mail:

But Mr. Dion said leaders could not say when stimulus details would be revealed, or how much the plan would cost, arguing they do not yet know when they would take power and have not seen the country's hidden fiscal details.

National Post Harper speaking: Mr. Speaker in an internal letter today the BQ leader says the coalition the will take control of control of the administration of the federal state. We will have the creation of a mechanism of permanent consultation empowering the BQ on every matter of importance notably concerning the adoption of the budget."This Prime Minister, this government, this party has never and will never sign a document like that."

If these things concern you, please click here to let your MP and the leaders of the 4 parties know .

LUST

A bit of a long post, but the facts need to be put out there...

DURING THE ELECTION HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID:
Layton, London Free Press, October 12, 2008 -

Layton dismissed Liberal leader Stephane Dion as ineffective, criticizing him for helping to keep Harper in power.

“If Stephane Dion’s not ready to do the job of Leader of the Opposition, he’s not ready to do the job of Prime Minister and that’s where I come into the picture,” said Layton, his voice drowned by cheers.

Dion, Liberal press release, October 11, 2008 -

Mr. Dion criticized NDP Leader Jack Layton for his proposal to put a $50 billion, job-killing tax increase on all Canadian businesses large and small. “Mr. Layton’s $50-billion tax on Canada’s employers and job creators means you won’t get that raise you need to make your mortgage payments. It means you’re going to be looking for work while your job is shipped overseas,” said Mr. Dion.
“It means tough economic times for each and every Canadian, regardless of what Mr. Layton is trying to tell you.”

Duceppe, Globe and Mail, October 10

On the issue of Mr. Dion not understanding a question Duceppe, "acknowledged that Mr. Dion should have answered the question.

"Nowadays, there is more pressure on Francophones to speak English well than there is on Anglophones to speak French well. I think there is a double standard. That being said, I believe that yesterday he had understood the question correctly, that it wasn't a language issue but a content issue. He (Dion) didn't know what to say. And that is a whole other problem," Mr. Duceppe said."

You get the point. Say one thing during an election. Do the opposite after an election. Jack Layton now is happy to serve in the government of a man he said is incompetent. Layton is happy to 'be in bed' with traitors (BLOC) against Canada. Dion now believes that separatist are not to be defeated, but strengthened and placated. Dion now believes that NDP economics are smart. Duceppe is playing on their LUST to feed his LUST for power. At least he has been consistent for 12 years. He'll sell his party's vote to whomever will advance Quebec's interests (according to BLOC interpretation)

Here's the only thing that has changed. An absolute LUST for power.

A picture is worth a thousand words... All smiles, handshakes and 'buddies' now

No one voted for a Liberal NDP coalition. If they wanted to have one, they could have worked together during an election and brought it to the people. In fact, they were clear that they would not form a coalition government.

If they have a new vision (together) WHICH IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ANY WERE ELECTED ON that they cobbled together in the last week, the people deserve to put it to a vote.

Here's my solution. Harper and Conservatives prorogue Parliament until Jan 31. Then, present a full budget that outlines the plan for the nation's economy. Call a vote of confidence. They lose. Go to the GG and ask for an election. I believe that she would have a hard time refusing. That will be almost 4 months since the election, the government will have demonstrated a willingness to work with the suggestions of the oppostion and would rightly ask the GG to have the people decide if they want the Liberal Socialist Traitor Coalition vision to rule the country.

Dating in the Millar Home..

Although we have three daughters, I don't plan on having to deal with the issue of dating for 10 -15 years. That being said, we know that it is very challenging to be and maintain purity in a world that does not put much priority on personal purity. We are not naive enough to believe that our daughters will necessarily do everything exactly as we put down below. Regardless, we are encouraging our girls to leave typical dating alone until the following things are in place:

First - Wait until it is clearly evident that they are ready. That is, wait until it would be appropriate to be married at whatever age you begin dating. In other words, 16 is too young to be dating. (I could write a lot on this point alone). Second, trust the judgement of people that you know love you and have your best interests at heart. Third, get to know potential partners in non-dating group activities so that you can see the real person in action, not someone putting on a false front to impress you. Fourth, don't ever bother to date someone that would not be appropriate to be married to (that is, does not share your values or has totally different goals). Finally, when it is appropriate to begin to date, have strong boundaries in your life - and not just in the phyical realm. However, if you develop self control in that area, it will spill over into every area of your life. This will be a great help in your life.

That's not all, but it is the short version - and I don't think you have time to read the long one.

However, IF they do date (okay, okay when you date girls), this story below is a great example of purity in the 21st century

CHICAGO — Won't kiss on the first date? How about waiting until marriage?

Chicagoans Melody LaLuz and Claudaniel Fabien shared their first kiss Saturday at the altar.

The two teach abstinence at the city's public schools and practised what they preached to their teenage students.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the couple had never kissed and that they had never been alone together in a house.

A friend of Ms. LaLuz says wedding guests cheered and stomped during the two-minute smooch between the 28-year-old bride and the 30-year-old groom.

Ms. LaLuz and Mr. Fabien say they have no worries about how they will spend their honeymoon in the Bahamas.

I'll bet they don't... :-)

Who's Playing Games?

With all the dust-up in Ottawa over who should be the government (wouldn't it be novel to be the one elected 6 weeks ago?), there has been a definite slant to make this all the Conservative's fault. They need to take their share of the blame, but come on! As my 89 year old Grandma says, "It takes two (in this case 3 or 4) to fight." On that note, political writer Andrew Coyne has some tongue-in-cheek commentary (see below) on the current political powder keg in Ottawa that is a bit more the other side of the story that is not being widely reported.

Faced with the unreasonable and extreme proposal that they raise funds in the same way as the Conservatives have been doing for years — by asking people for their money, rather than taking it from them — they really had no alternative but to seize power. What on earth were they supposed to do? Revamp their moribund fund-raising organizations? Find a message and a leader capable of motivating large numbers of Canadians to click the “donate” button on their websites? Get off their collective duffs? What were the Tories thinking?

No. No, the sensible, restrained, pragmatic thing to do when threatened with the loss of subsidy is to take down the government. The sober, reasonable, moderate thing to do in this time of economic uncertainty is to provoke a constitutional crisis — to cobble together a coalition without a prime minister or a program, propped up by a separatist party, and demand the governor general call upon it to form a new government, replacing the old one we just elected. It’s been six weeks, after all...

While this laissez-faire, do-nothing government contents itself with spending more than any government in the history of Canada — 25% more, after inflation and population growth, than at the start of the decade — and pumping tens of billions of dollars into the banking system, what Canadians demand is “stimulus.” And stimulus, we all know, in a sophisticated, 21st century economy, can be delivered in only one way: by hiring large numbers of unionized men to dig holes in the ground (see “infrastructure.”) Loosening monetary policy doesn’t count. Tax cuts don’t count. It only counts as “stimulus” if the government spends it.

Again, the commentariat is as of one maddened mind. How could the government be so blind? Can it not see that unemployment has soared to 6.2%? Why, that’s four-tenths of a percentage point above its recent, thirty-year low. And what about Canadians’ fears of losing their home, what with the proportion of mortgages more than 90 days in arrears standing at an all-time record 0.2%? Okay, it’s an all-time record low, but still. When will it realize there’s a Depression on? Or coming? Or quite possible, certainly, in other countries.

Apparently the Liberal and NDP have succeeded in cobbling together some form of coalition that they will try to present as an alternative government. If this goes through, we are living in the USSR someone said...Union of Socialists and Separatists against the Right