Family makes the world go around
The Eriksen Family Boxing Day Reunion moved from Keady to Williamsford for the first time in over a decade of its existence, interesting seeing how the arena has been transformed from a hockey to curling only facility, with a very slim hall to hold the dwindling numbers as they are. I believe the reason for its move partly belongs to the fact that there are only a few skaters, such as myself, who continue to use the ice at Keady and no the majority of the family curls and does not skate, which makes sense, sadly as I would have thought Canadians skated too. As the numbers dwindle down, not only for the skating, but the fellowship of family with missing members and lost ones every year, makes you recognize what you have before you have it not.
But I think this thought is exactly why family makes the world go around.
Regeneration, the renewal, reformation and restoration of family, is a part of life and can be a family activity in of itself, where parents pass along the love of one another to the children, who find others to love, though which others are made, to which these new parents repeat the cycle all over again. To each thing there is a season, we need not remain always sad and depressed over these changes, as happily winters become summers eventually, to which we become glad and optimistic, instead we should enjoy the winters for the reasons behind these seasons are of the mystery of God. I may not curl, but I can enjoy others doing so, in their way and mean of activity and recreation, just the same we should view the family, its creation and regeneration, in all of its sensual and emotional entities combined.
Christmass time asks us to give as Christ did
Every year it never fails, an unkind act done to another human during a time in which all of us need to be more sensitive to our very own graceful blessings, that surely we should be thankful for. Instead of recognizing how we fail others we should unite with in the need to bridge the gap of misunderstanding, we look at how we can pass others by through conquering and dividing any possible chance of communication with them. Perhaps the drive to stay alive financially makes people fight to gain more in their last fiscal quarter of the year, giving equates to losing whereas taking equates to winning and the world loves winners.
How is it that at Christmass time it is asked of us to give as Christ did, yet despite all the tales telling us otherwise, we find ways to do the opposite?
Basically, the same reason we naturally do wrong instead of right, sin, even for those who are saved, is as strong in all who belong to the total sum of humanity. Like the right to accept or reject the eternal life given to each and every one of us, we accept or reject the act of doing what is right or wrong every day in every way, instead of asking for help to accept the eternal life and do what is right here on earth, we continue to just live as we live without help and without the love God through Jesus has shown us. The act of love portrayed within the Gospels of the Bible between the Books of Matthew, being Jesus' life, to Mark, being Jesus' baptism, Luke and John, being Jesus' death, resurrection, and His ascension into heaven, though parts of all these events can be found in each, is what needs to be passed on to others like the gift tis.
Tis a wonderful life as Canada and America captain their comebacks
Third quarter numbers are in for the North American economy, expressed at an annualized rate, real gross domestic product expanded 0.6% in the third quarter, whereas comparative data shows real gross domestic product gained a bullish 2.7% in the same time frame. Now even though we did not see that one per cent annualized growth Governor Mark Carney and the Bank of Canada were prognosticating, Canadian exports may still rise as we see the natural resources portfolio continues to be marketed internationally with great entrepreneural acceleration and proposed extraction building upward, this kind of forward action only comes from a recovering to rebuilding market which it has been. weakening Though current markets on those commodities have weakened, with metals, minerals and oil dropping in recent days, the slowdown in global economic growth from both Asia and of course Europe should not hurt, but possibly help, North America as it stages its comeback, especially in the area of being fiscally puritanical, restraintive and austere.
Just in time for Christmas, North America becomes Bedford Falls, with each of Obama, Timothy Geithner, and Ben Bernanke, John Boehner, Harper, James Flaherty and Carney sharing the roles of George Bailey, Henry F. Potter and Clarence Odbody at different times and sometimes all at once.
Interestingly, these men, especially on the Canadian side of poltiical business, have worked their best to injure and insult any investment in safe and secure areas for the majority of Canadian investors such as the housing and real estate market here in Canada, expecially in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa and Toronto. Luckily with the holyday season in full swing early this year, Canadians kept on buying those gifts and spending more than usual, quickly using those savings they made throughout the last three quarters and driving consumer demand on up to save the quarter for Canada. The overvalued dollar has lead to a deficit in trade and tourism exports, add that on top of the Canadian record level in personal debt, plus the once hot, now cooled down housing market the federal Tories froze with stricter mortgage rules, with an American $16.4 trillion borrowing limited fiscal cliff around the corner, people must be wary that the Bedford Falls they know when they fall asleep New Years Eve may just become Pottersville come New Years Day.
End of the world as we do not know it
If you are feeling quite fine, then you may not yet know that 2012 has been the year that held a treasuretrove for both cataclysmic or transformative eschatological beliefs that has been lead chiefly by the Mesoamerican or Mayan long count. This popular cultural phenomenon, in conjunction with the internet, has already taken on a life of its own with the new found traction given to it by popular culture, the mainstream and social media. Any recent natural events with drastic or abnormal results now took on a special interest, as survivalists began came out from their woodwork, espoused their beliefs and invited others into their underground and sheltered existences, fear, doubt, and uncertainty took hold of its captures.
My own honest opinion is that, like the Mayan calculations, academia has unfortunately missed a step, or perhaps lost an importanat note, thus did not get it right on the date, nor perhaps the event itself, for many of these emotional doomsday scenerios that involve some kind of rational astronomical observations.
Christians, using the New Testament from the Holy Bible, sometimes also try and figure out this great mystery of humanity. Looking for a special code, cause or conspiracy, instead of simply reading the good book for the knowledge of God and to learn how to live, these believers up the ante to know the future they can not see. But rather than read into the future by starting at the Book of Revelation, perhaps those interested would be much better off beginning in the Book of Matthew, at Chapter 24 Verse 36, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
Maple Leaf Forever after the first 100 days of power for Marois and the Péquistes
The first 100 days of power for Pauline Marois and the Parti Québécois in government seems to have left separatism in a bit of a bind, flipping and flopping through the current session of the assembly. Though it will likely stay in power for quite some time, it has lost much confidence in itself during these uncertain days of minority government in Québec, so much so that it can not even properly support its own legislation with the gusto, but still gumption of past Péquiste administrations. Charbonneau Commission into construction industry corruption, alleged stemming provincially from the Parti Libéral du Québec and its supportive municipal governments, allows Marois and the pro sovereignty PQ to move forward towards a cleaner and clearer mandate, depsite only getting past their recent budget, that controls spending aggressively and achieves the fiscal effect of a zero deficit situation, even cutting their plan to use public funds in support of secession from the nation state, by one vote.
But, while protecting the Canadian styled education, energy and health care provisions and services, which have become the standard norm, this separatist government, which still wants to strengthen their watered down language bill recently, has already tried removing the Canadian Maple Leaf flag from the Assemblée Nationale du Québec with a proposed bill that also was defeated.
Problem here is, two thirds of those Québécois who supported the separatist against the federalist option in the election this autumn, were polled online and also viewed it as an important source of personal or collective pride. If 66% eligible voters in Québec are in favour of an institutional symbol of nation unity of the Confederation, then why does the Parti Québécois wish to remain in the minority of Québécois opinion in their attempt to remove said flag and symbol from the National Assembly? I believe the call for independence remains low as Québécois know Canada is the future, the wiped out federal Bloc only become an option for protection of regional interest in Ottawa whenever given electoral support and thus the fall provincial election of the Parti was simply a cleaner and clearer replacement alternative of a dirtier governmental engine!
Keep the colour of our own Greyt County Grey please and thank you
Seems that the new council in Grey County needed the Y Factor Inc. from down south in metro T.O. to find our X Factor, that being the united voice of our own people and populist friendly politicians from the past, who still have the heart and soul of the county on their minds, deep within our very own wintry rural hinterland. As Howard Greig, a man of experience being the former Grey County warden in 1993 and 2000, Chatsworth Municipality mayor, Sullivan Township reeve, deputy and councillor since 1982, stated most appropriately at the inaugural meeting, poll the public on the popularity of the new logo over that of the old. By polling at the least, or by referendum at the most, Greig’s wise suggestion to hear the voice and vote accordingly rings true.
He is right, proving once again he has his finger on the pulse, where politics has been since the incorporation of the county and continues to be properly read and written locally by our lawmakers, with hope through a reversal of this decision, that it will remain our tradition politically.
The question remains, who knows Grey County better, those here at home who see a beautiful county, naturally blessed with a light blue big sky, bright green trees, deep blue waterways, auburn tanned valleys and ash grey mountains. Or, another Toronto made and approved edict to purposefully “Colour it your way”, perhaps an open invitation by those outside to start turning it fifty shades of grey. It may be their way, but at the end of the day, it is your choice, so please respect our voice.
Rocket scientist challenges for Liberal leadership against rock star
Joseph Jean Pierre Marc Garneau, the Liberal House Leader and Member of Parliament for the electoral ditrict riding of Westmount—Ville-Marie, decided to blast off Wednesday, as the rocketman tried his best to catch up to his rival the rockstar Justin Trudeau, from next door as the MP of Papineau. Recognizing his only major point to create some conflict and contention would be with the economy, Garneau has already made it his centrepiece of his campaign, veering wide right to cut off Trudeau. They both collide on the point of energy and the environment, as each favour a conditional Northern Gateway Pipeline takeover by Chinese government owned oil interests, will continue to do so in the future on many other points we are sure.
Both men share a burning ambition to lead their party and the nation, however both honourable in their quest, as valiant, faithful and just leaders forget their Shakespare, particularly their Caesar.
Deciding who will play Julius and who will be Brutus will be the Canadian public at large, to be read the middle class, who are more busy trading in stocks and bonds to get by with cash, rather than carbon. Though a call to progress forward by Garneau, beyond the Harper throwback to our colonial past is great, the problem for the nation right now is can it find the capital, means and ways to do it, or in all likelihood so to regain its lost confidence. This is the place where a Trudeau plays the part of the archetypal candidate, one who can bring that confidence back through his youthful outlook on life, love and laughter as only Canadians can, maybe the Canadian people need a leader who can take on serious political matters with a self deprecating act of humor, not only for the votes, but perhaps just for laughs.
