Things That Really Bug Me

It is a crime to deny the Holocaust happened and if you do so you will be charged and possibly go to jail.
In Turkey, on the other hand, it is a crime to acknowledge the genocide of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in 1915. If you even mention the word you will be charged with "insulting Turkishness" a legal catch-all used by the state to stifle dissent.
When even the Pope and the top Orthodox cleric in Turkey are afraid to say it, is it appeasement to Muslims? The genocide is well documented as is the Holocaust yet two standards prevail. Now Turkey wants to join the European Union and for the moment Turkey's denial has hurt its chances. For the moment France is standing firm that acknowledging the genocide should be a condition for membership and the French parliament has recently passed a bill making it a crime to deny the genocide. Turkey is kind of pissed at that and it remains to be seen whether France will stand pat or cave. The Pope knows to be careful lest he start riots just like the Danish flag flap of last year, freedom of speech has gone the way of the dod bird. Why is this so?

My Sweetie, on his return flight from Athens last month told me of his seatmate who was returning from a middle eastern country that shall remain nameless. Said seatmate tells that he was out walking and made the sign of the cross, which Greeks do quite frequently, when he was arrested. He was questioned for hours for his "crime". What was his crime, what did he do, did he rob someone? Nope, he insulted Islam by making the sign of the cross.

The tiptoeing around Muslims must end and we, and by that I mean all Christians, must demand that we are treated with the same respect in their countries and they demand from us in the west. Will it happen? Do pigs fly?
Now really, it's back to the knitting.

Canadians Do The Heavy Lifting

This week our Prime Minister Harper was in Riga, Latvia begging other countries in NATO to help more in South Afghanistan. Two more dead Canadian soldiers are coming home this week.
The countries that are not pulling their weight are Italy, France and my country of birth, Germany. These nations have "cherry picked" their duties and are in areas that are not nearly as dangerous as the areas where Canada, Britain and the US operate, according to Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of defense staff.
Three years ago John McCallum, then Canadian defense minister with our governing Liberal party said,

If, as allies, we fail in Afghanistan, we will fail it's people, we will fail the international community and we will fail our alliance and our vision for the future.

Three years later, in my opinion, we have already failed. NATO is obsolete.
And now, it's back to my knitting.

More Finished Stuff

This cute little hat is for my sweetie to keep his noggin warm on those cold winter mornings that we all know are coming. I mean, if it's minus 40c in Calgary, how long can our current heatwave last? This is Toronto for God's sake and it's winter. Bring on the cold.
At the same time I managed to finish one sock with the other one cast one. Of course now I'm looking for something else to cast one since I can't just have two things happening at once, there have to be at least three. I got a delivery of beautiful navy blue Merino this week from Knitpik so I will be looking for a sweater pattern. That should satisfy my knitting buddies.

Finally Something Finished

It's been a bitch, but finally I got something finished. These gauntlets were finished last week but were too long so I had to open them up and rip back and inch. This is the old picture but trust me, one inch shorter works better. I know have 5 more projects on the go and just started a toque for my sweeties. I also bought 3 new knitting books and a couple of new magazines. This obsession has to stop.

The Toronto Transit Dilemma

Occasionally I need to drive into downtown Toronto for medical treatments and most recently every day for 9 days when my Mom was hospitalized. The parking lots that are available are incredibly expensive, some charging as much as 5 bucks for half an hour.
Our city fathers want us to use public transit instead of our cars so there has been discussion of how to get people out of cars and into public transit.
I offer a few suggestions although my hopes are not very high that it will help. I did email my local councillor who said she'd pass my suggestions on to the appropriate authority.
For myself, a person with some disability, working escalator are at the top of my list. I have taken the subway on occasion and discovered to my horror that the escalator weren't working and had a huge flight of stairs to climb. Try doing that one step at a time when there are hundreds of people right behind you pushing and shoving. Washrooms at subway stations would be really nice especially clean ones. I understand that there are a couple of stations that have them but they are so pathetically filthy that no one wants to use them. I haven't needed to but I feel sorry for those that do. My biggest peeve though is reserved for those individuals who think the buses, subways and streetcars are they private dining room. Not only are the odors emanating from food packages offensive at times but the litter that they leave behind is downright gross. I really understand why transit ridership is down but do the powers that be?
Nope, they don't get it really but in order to boost city coffers they are now considering a new parking tax, kind of an anti smog tax if you will to discourage people to drive their cars.
I'm actually one of the lucky ones, I have a disability permit and can park practically anywhere without getting a ticket or getting towed, but in the name of conservation I tried transit a few times. Won't be doing it again any time soon.

The View From Here?

We have this newspaper delivered on Sunday mornings, but because this was a particularly busy morning I simply didn't get the chance to see it. I had a friend, who I hadn't seen in 9 years here for the weekend and middle grandson here for breakfast. After my friend left I still didn't get a chance to look at the paper, I needed to tidy up the house because Mom's doctor was making a house call and I'm kind of anal about what people think about my housekeeping. So it wasn't until I was standing in the grocery store lineup a little while later that I actually saw this headline.
My first reaction of course was, my goodness, they've found my blog, at the same time giving my had a shake. When I got home and read the article I discovered it was about those god awful condo's that been sprouting along the Gardener Expressway like weeds. I don't know if any of my readers have driven that route for a while but I have and when you come around a particular curve at Yonge Street it almost feels like you can drive right into someone's window. It's weird actually and I can't for the life of me understand anyone wanting to live there. It's like little rats in cages. So much for Mayor Miller's much taunted waterfront.
And here I thought it was all about me.

Rant Number Two

A number of things I have read recently kind of stick in my crow, that happens frequently and since there is no one at home that will listen to me this is my outlet.
I have written frequently about my dislike of the Burka, that horrible garment that covers women from head to toe and have always felt that this garment excludes any kind of interaction with me. I have smiled at women wearing these things but cant say if they smiled back.
The security issue of course is the biggie here and in today's Toronto Star
a story of a jewel heist where one of the couple was in full burka. The store owner thought they were coming to shop and buzzed them into the store and ended up being robbed. Of course his security video won't reveal the face will it?
Meanwhile just recently in Montreal a local Y, with windows facing the street of a Jewish district was asked to cover it's windows because the young religious men walking by could see women exercise in skimpy outfits and it might upset them. The Jewish community paid for the frosting of the windows, but what about the rights of people exercising to look out and enjoy the view while their on their treadmill? Doesn't count, we must not upset the sensibilities of young men. I have a friend who says "if they cant control themselves, castrate them" but I think that's a tad extreme.
Nice to know it's not just the Muslims that like to control their wives by the manner of their dress, as this story from the Jerusalem Post
shows.
On more story but I can't find the link now concerns again the Jewish comunity, this time in Los Angeles, Venice Beach I think it was, where the ultra religious want to string up fishing line all around town, which symbolically creates "indoor" space. Why would they do that you ask? Well, if they are symbolically inside, then they are not outside. Their religion doesn't allow them to be outside on the Sabbath so really, they want to cheat. What's the point of that?
That's it for today kiddies.

Free Hugs Campaign. Inspiring Story!

A good friend send me this via email and I just had to share. You may have seen it already, but what the hay.

Time For A Rant

There hasn't been one for a while, mostly because I got really tired of politics and the state of the world, but that all changed today when I heard the news the Holland is moving to ban the Burqa . You can also read more about it here.
What is amazing about this story is that less than a month ago a Muslim Cleric in Australia compared women who are not covered to meat. His coment was someting along the lines that women who do not wear a hijab are like "uncovered meat" and shouldn't be surprised if they get raped. You can read about the good cleric and also his excerpts of his spech.
Of course there are countries such as this one
where even being covered can get you assaulted.
Make up your own mind, I did. The good people of Australia had a chance to deport this character some years ago when he was spewing hate but he always talked his way out of it by saying he was "misunderstood". What really worries me is that the freedom of speech that the west allows is gonna come back to bite us someday.

The phone just rang and that gave me my second rant of the day, buy am I lucky. Got a call from Primus Canada, you know the telephone poeple, offering to save me 200 buck a year if only I switched my phone service to them? I asked where they were calling from and was informed that Primus Canada was calling me from India! I informed the gentleman that really no, I was not going to do business with a company that can't keep it's business at home, not even for 200 bucks. Call me a fool.

Oh yes, one more. Today I am pretty proud of our Prime Minister who clearly spoke to China's abysmal human rights record. It is about time a Western leader has the guts and courage to choose morality and ethics over economic interests. Personally I've been boycotting Made inChina for a long time. And now, I'm going back to my knitting.

I'm knitting a square, eight by eight to be exact. This is a request from a knitting blogger and the story is heartbreaking.
This is just a small thing to do that might make someone feel better.

"No visible sign of exterior plumbing"

That's what the offspring said, so I guess it's gonna be a girl. Of course ultra sounds can make mistakes, I'm told it's only 75 percent accurate so really, we'll just have to wait and see. I know this, she will be one spoiled little girl with three big brothers to watch over her.

Wednesday that question will be answered for me, do I knit pink or blue BABY sweaters! Yup, I'm going to be a grandmother again come April. I really do think I'm too old for that since I already have three grandsons. Jay is 21, Bradyn is 19 and Cassidy is 16 and I thought that my one and only offspring would have had enough. Obviously not, because the happy couple in this picture are going to present me with number 4 come April.

It will be interesting times for sure because my offspring loves to travel and that will be curtailed somewhat, I think. Wouldn't put it past them though if they drag this kid half way around the world. For my friends who want to keep up with The Offspring check out his blog.
I'll let everyone know on Thursday if it's blue or pink.

I am sitting here in my chair feeling decidedly sorry for myself today. I am battling a cold, sneezing, fever and feeling downright miserable. Mom is battling her shingles feeling just as miserable. This is a sad household right now, the only one in good health is my sweetie. So this rose is cheering us up somewhat. I picked it from the garden yesterday, this is November for goodness sake but this rose doesn't know that.
Isn't it gorgeous?

This is voting day in Toronto, the municipal vote and I'm having hard time deciding whether to drag myself out there to do it. It probably won't make a bit of difference anyway since our incumbent NDP leaning mayor seems to have the downtown vote locked up. My councilor here in my area, who has never responded to my concerns, looks like a shoo in again too, which really pisses me off. This city has deteriorated under this mayor and his minions but I doubt that my one vote will count for much. Maybe later I may get out and vote, but right now, I'll just sit here and feel sorry for myself and look at my pretty rose.

Some of my knitting buddies were interested in my projects but none are finished. These are all works in progress.

The gauntlets are half finished and the socks have been hanging around for a while. I will get back to them soon.

This sweater is just about finished, the only thing missing are the sleeves. They will knit up quickly the chenille yarn is quite thick. I did the front and back in just over 6 hours.

This little baby blanket is crochet, mostly because it's easy and I don't have to think a lot. No fancy pattern but it still looks good. I have until April to finish it. That's when my latest grandchild will make an appearance. I guess I'll be knitting baby clothes too but don't know what colors. I wish I knew.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae 1872 - 1918

There are some things I believe in strongly and one of them is Remembrance Day. Every year I end up buying 3 or 4 poppies because they tend to fall off my jackets. I think they design them that way actually so you keep replacing them, but that okay, I don't mind. It is money I give gladly to help keep the Legion Halls open for our veterans.
Today surfing the web, as I am wont to do frequently, I came across this little gem out of Edmonton about anti-war activists appropriating the poppy,for their own purpose. They are selling their white poppy with peace written in the centers. I think this is wrong and offensive. They have the right to demonstrate anytime they choose in this country only because brave men and women fought for that right on their behalf. That's just my view.
For my readers who are knitters, I promise to post pictures of my finished projects real soon, honest.

Does this sound familiar? Christians in Britain are wondering if force is necessary to protect their religious freedoms? Seems that they feel threatened by Muslims who say they are only radicalized because they feel under threat? Okay, so everyone threatens violence and then what?
This whole thing came about because a worker at British Airways at Heathrow was prevented from wearing a crucifix. There seems to be a double standard when Sikhs can wear a kirpan, that's a knife for god's sake. I hope this lady sues big time, after all a teacher's assistant sued for not being allowed to wear the veil in class. I am a bit ambivalent here, I lean more toward being agnostic, but there must be one rule for all. Threatening violence in unacceptable for all but I do understand it. Christianity is under siege.

Just when I thought things would get better here at home now that my "Sweetie" is back from Greece and Mom safely home from the hospital things actually took a turn for the worse. I had finally gotten East York Community Care to see things my way and arrange for in-home physio therapy and things looked good when Mom got Shingles.
Now doesn't sound bad does it? Actually sounds like the stuff you put on roofs, but shingles is actually incredibly painful and itchy and can create all sorts of other problems including blindness. It started innocently enough Saturday morning with a couple of itchy spots mid back and by Monday morning had spread completely around to the front of her body and included huge fluid filled blisters. I got her to East York Emergency Department, and once again had a positive experience there. We were in and out in just over an hour with a prescription for an anti viral medication. Problem is, it might not work well, seems there is a 72 hour window of opportunity and I suspect that Mom didn't tell me the first symptom of the illness, which is headache, on time. She did admit later that she'd woken Thursday night with a bad headache, which is unusual for her. So we hope for the best, the pain she says in almost unbearable and she keeps asking for tylenol. This is from a woman who until the age of 82 had rarely if ever taken any drugs. She is so sad, I am so sad and I am overwhelmed. If this is what old age is like, man I don't know if I want to go there.

The goal of the west is that all should live under democracy. It is a goal that not all in the world share. I think in Afghanistan and Iraq it is not possible and will not be so in our lifetime. It is the mentality of the people that does not allow that to be so. For example, in Germany 49 percent surveyed said that they were unhappy with democracy with a higher percentage of former east germans being unhappy. In fact only 27 percent of former east germans are happy with democracy. You can read the whole article here. The trend seems to be that it is the countries of the former east block that are the unhappiest with democracy and that makes me wonder why.
Speaking to my cousin, who lives in the former east he tells me the reasons from his perspective. Yes, they are free to move about and speak their mind but when you have no work or the society you live in has become meaner, that freedom means nothing. He claims under the communist system everyone was friendlier because they were all "in it together". I remind him of relatives who had been arrested turned in by their own relatives and he glosses over that as an aberration. Funny about memory, we only remember that which we choose to. He also forgets having to line up for food with "food stamps" which were worthless if there was nothing left by the time you got to the front of the line and having your family home confiscated for the greater good.
Back to Afghanistan and Iraq, democracy would be nice but it cant be forced on them.
If only 27 percent of eastern block countries are happy with democracy that they actually wanted, how many would be happy if it was forced on them? Let's stop trying to force it on Afghanistan and Iraq.

Just imagine, you get bitten by a mosquito and you get the West Nile Virus, if you live in Ontario you can't sue the government for getting sick. Can you believe it, the government will NOT take responsibility for eradicating every mosquito in Ontario just to make sure you don't catch the virus. Wow, what is the world coming to when you can't count on your government to take care of you? Does that mean we actually have to be responsible for ourselves for a change and maybe use bug repellent or some such thing?

The Saturday G&M is usually one of my favorite reads. It is a paper that I savor for the whole weekend, but his weekend past, I tossed it in the recycling bin before finishing it. Why you ask? Well it was because of this article trashing a Canadian Soldier who died in Afghanistan. Why would they do this, can't they let him rest in peace? I guess anything to sell papers.

I generally don't watch Rick Mercer mostly because it conflicts with Strombo, but last night I caught the tail end of his "chat" with our Prime Minister.
You have to watch this little video clip, sleepover at 24 Sussex Dr., it is just hilarious. Actually Harper is funnier than Rick Mercer if you can believe it. Let me know what you think.

My mother comes from the former East Germany and we still have relatives living there. Before the wall came down my mom made a trip to visit these relatives. Because these people were raised under the communist system their lives were very regimented by the government in terms of their freedom of expression, mobility, religion and even the type of music or radio stations they could listen to in their home. This is just to explain why I have an aversion to any kind of government control on my person and believe strongly in personal responsibility, so hearing this story on the news last night kind of blew me away. How long before our government does the same to us? Where will it end people?
New York City wants to monitor people with diabetes and if their blood sugar is out of line, they will receive a visit from Public Health to berate them on their lifestyle choices! Huh, is that not an invasion of privacy? Is this ethical? I don't know, but I do know that other diseases are not treated this way. Can you imagine someone with Aids, for example, being visited at home by Public Health and asked to discuss their lifestyle choice? They'd never get away with it would they, there's be screaming about discrimination. But people who smoke, drink or happen to be diabetic from maybe eating junk food, allow the government to control them. Where will it end?