gratitude

It's thanksgiving weekend. It's a time for turkey and cheesy radio shows about the things we're thankful for. Today I figured, "Hey, I'm cheesy, how about I express my gratitude for stuff?"

So here goes.

Today I took my cat to the vet. He's been showing signs of an infection and I want him to be OK. But I don't have a car so I usually hold off on these things. I did so last time and he literally came within hours of death. I don't always treat Luna really well, mostly cause I'm a yuppy who likes to focus on himself (i.e., sit at the computer and write blog entries while he meows that he's bored). But I really love him a lot, and so perhaps his traumatic experience at the vet today was my way of saying "thanks for being so sweet."

My roomie Heather brought Luna with her when she moved in a few years ago, and it is her that I attribute Luna's peaceful demeanor. I'm thankful that she came into my life, and that we're better friends now than we were during the year she lived with me.

I've had several room mates throughout my years here on Gower Street, and they've all been great. The guy I first moved here with was Dave, and perhaps the close proximity during both our first time living away from our parents kinda drove us apart near the end. But I know that we both still care deeply about each other, and that we'll always be friends. And I'm very thankful for that.

Two other room mates in particular stand out to me. Tristan and Alain. These are both guys with big minds and big hearts, and I can always count on them to help me out when I'm going through tough times. They're definitely two of my best friends and I wouldn't trade anything for them. They travel a lot and bring to me a world view that keeps me sane as I live my life in the same place I was born during a time of global change.

Two other guys that I've made important connections with are Chris and Joey. Chris is on the other side of the world, but we often find ourselves going through similar emotional situations at the same time. Chris's artful penmanship puts things in a unique perspective that I value deeply. Joey keeps everything real for me and shows me what unabiding love looks like. The world loves Joey, and to have a special place with him is pretty brilliant.

And of course, there's Luke, who was my friend in high school and will be my friend at the grave. Perhaps that is all that matters in this friendship, but even better is that we share common interests and an excitement and optimism about the present and the future. I learned my attention to detail from him, and with his help have developed my ability to articulate my thoughts in a meaningful way.

I'm thankful for the women in my life. Because I am a male of the species, I am sorely lacking in a vast component of perspective that women seem to have on life. Because my hormones often go haywire when I'm around women, it's difficult for me to connect with many of them on the level that I would like. So for this I am extremely thankful for the few that I've had the profound honour of sharing an intimate relationship with.

There are three that come to mind, and they were the most long-standing. First is Holly, whose name implies her cuteness. She is sweet and serious, and dedicated to what she believes in. She'll always be my high school sweetheart, and we've remained friends even though I had a hard time getting over her (which I made sure she endured with me).

I spent one fifth of my life with Nora. She was there while my parents were living away, at my sister's wedding, and with me when I was kicked out of the band. Together we have endured some of the most intense struggles that we'll ever experience. She taught me how to care for others I don't know, and communicated her experience of the world in such a way that I learned how to connect with my emotional intelligence. I attribute much of who I am and what I'm proud of to the times we went through. We'll always have an important connection.

Most recently, of course, was Jenn. She introduced me to Alain, was there when I got my big job, and supported me while I bought the house. It is from her that I learned to true power and freedom of honesty in a relationship and from her that I have learned how to direct my life and constantly push myself to go further. We will probably be living miles away from each other for most of our lives, but I have in Jenn a best friend that will last forever.

Then there's my family. It is becoming clearer and clearer that our personalities and life experiences are dictated profoundly by our genes as well as our environment, especially in the early years of our lives. My mom and dad are beautiful, intelligent people who knew the importance of raising their children well.

My mom brought to my life a deep commitment to raising happy children who were well educated and balanced in life. She was a primary school teacher who has touched the lives of hundreds of children yet still devoted the lion's share of her energy to caring for me and Andrea. She has had many difficult struggles in her life, and most people will never know this because she continues to smile and laugh and care. I know that as I continue to grow and find my way in life, she will only become more of an inspiration and guiding light for me.

And what a choice Mom made in marrying Dad! I always kind of knew this, but as I'm finally far enough along my path to start looking back on my life with perspective, I can see that I have in my own father a man with the kindest heart I have ever known and probably ever will know. Quiet, considerate, and perpetually (it seems) pleasant, my dad is very much the rock of our family. I suspect he is the only one who knows all of our secrets. My regret is that I don't know as much about him that I would like, but he has expressed he felt the same way about his dad, so we're working on ending the cycle together.

Finally, there's my sweet, loving, caring, beautiful older sister, Andrea. I'm a dreamer, and I think a lot of this is thanks to the knowledge that I can go into the clouds and always know that if I fall, my sister will be there to catch me. No matter what. So much of who I am was inspired by her dreams that she shared with me when we were young. My passion for music, my interest in space, my desire to find truth - they all have roots in spending time with Andrea and learning what it is that can be accomplished in this life. I am inspired by her choice in a husband that matches her so well and seems to bring balance to her chaotic, brilliant mind.

It doesn't end there, of course. I am extremely fortunate to come from an extended family full of loving, intelligent, wonderful people. I was born and raised on an exceptional island where the culture is rich and minds are sharp. I am coming of age during a time of great historical importance, and I can watch it all happening on the Internet. I am thankful for these things.

It looks like we might be having some tough times for the next while. There is a great deal of tumult in the world, and it's beginning to touch almost everyone. It is during these difficult times that it is imperative that we keep perspective on what we have and who we are. Look to what it is that you're grateful for and remember that they are your roots. They are what give purpose to life, and they are innumerable.

why harper is winning.

While I still hold out hope that my party of choice - the Liberals - will win this Canadian election, it is likely that Stephen Harper and his Conservative party will retake the PMO. And he achieved this despite the fact that only about a third of Canadians want him in there. There are several reasons for this.

A few months after Harper became prime minister, it became clear to the mainstream media that he was a very strategic man. Every move he makes is calculated, and he maintains control over the actions of his government by restricting media communication and demanding that most decision making comes directly from the PMO.

His rise to power can be attributed in part to his efforts to "unite the right." During the Chretien years, the right-leaning political parties were weak and fractured. The Reform party was doing reasonably well, and the Progressive Conservative party (the party that was in power when Canada was formed in 1867) was on life support.

Harper made headlines with a soundbite from a speech in which he pleaded that "The West wants in" which appealed to Alberta's and its neighbours' feeling that they were being ignored by Ottawa. He could see that forming a party that represented the people of a province that was about to boom with oil would be a powerful and effective thing.

Many Canadians are appalled at the cuts that Harper has made to social programs and minority rights. On many occasions Harper has reneged on direct promises, and has blatantly reversed his stance on various issues to suit the political climate of the day.

Now, while upon even brief analysis it is clear that Harper cannot be trusted to keep promises or support the less fortunate in our population, there is wild support for him primarily in the west. Why is this? It seems counter-intuitive: these are our fellow Canadians, and we know there are good people over there because as Newfoundlanders we've sent them half our population.

The reason that Harper's leadership resonates with Albertans is because the policies he has enacted are ones that seemingly "get government out of the way" of people's lives. In other words, by ending social programs, people's tax dollars are no longer going to support people who can't support themselves and citizens are not forced into standardized (read: low-quality) services like education and health care.

Alberta has no provincial sales tax, a low unemployment rate, and high wages. This is a recipe for independent-minded folks who have at their finger tips a vast array of options on which to spend their money. There is a large population in many major centers, and due to sheer numbers there are plenty of services offered privately.

It makes no sense to many people that if a person can afford high-quality health care, for example, they cannot access it. If a person has the means to send their child to a great school, they should in no way be restricted from doing that.

Whatever one's opinion of this point of view, there are a lot of people who do not wish to give money to a government that cannot (perceived or otherwise) provide as high quality services as they can afford themselves.

Harper believes this (one assumes) and panders to those who agree. His calculated self-image and actions as PM have managed to trick those who do not closely follow the circus that is politics. Or, at least one third of them.

Take heart, at least, in the fact that we remain a left-leaning country who mostly care deeply about social justice, fairness, and equality. We are just having trouble focusing our message (four opposition parties!) as Harper was able to do.

why i'm voting

In a couple of weeks, on October 14th, I'll head to Gower Street United Church to pay tribute to a belief system that I am a part of: democracy.

We fight monumental battles all the time.  We were asked in grade school not to litter, to recycle our bottles and cans, to not waste water.   Use your resources wisely, purchase organic products, boycott animal-testing companies.

But what if I like to let the water run the entire time I wash my dishes?  What if I want to flush the toilet instead of letting my human waste sit in the bowl until the next use?  What if it makes me feel good to drive an SUV that I worked hard to purchase?  I thought this was a free country!

The frustration felt on all sides of the issues about saving the world and improving society is palpable and understandable.  Some people see the potential for change if we could all just band together and make real adjustments to our lifestyles.  Others see so many pressures to alter their habits as frustrating their efforts to make a living and enjoy the things they have.

So, do we do nothing?  Do we maintain the status quo?  The answer is 'no.'  But the solution that requires us all to dramatically shift our mindsets simply cannot happen.

Or can it?  It all comes down to how long it takes.  My view is that we _are_ dramatically shifting our habits, it's just happening over a period of time that makes it difficult to see.  This change is obscured by the scale at which we are extracting resources, polluting the environment, and populating the Earth.

But as we increase our connectivity and reliance on each other globally, we are beginning to talk seriously about issues that affect us all.  The number and strength of global initiatives being initiated and attended by influential people is rapidly growing.  Our ability to pinpoint and stifle the roots of big problems is improving, and we moving away from blanket solutions such as throwing wads of money at corrupt governments who benefit from the crises.

Our growing population and prosperity is causing an increase in materialism and disease.  But this is a temporary effect.  We are, in fact, seeing a reduction in armed conflict.  We are seeing vast movements toward sustainable living.  Life expectancy is increasing and will continue to do so as the standard of living and care improves globally.  We are moving away from large families, and global population is going to plateau at around 9 billion people.

This is the future that is too often hidden from our view.  The fear that is propogated by sensationalist media encourages us to stick with what we know is safe enough, and we fear change.  But the difference today is that WE have become the media.  We control the message with blogs, forums, open-source communities, and social networking.

We have access to so much information that any individual can be as well informed as any head of state.  And in our system of democracy, we can be confident that our vote goes to the best possible choice for leader.  We know more collectively than we realize, and we can trust our selection.

So.  You have a choice on October 14th, and that choice is whether you vote or not.  I'm choosing to vote, and the good news is that I can leave work at 3pm to do so!  If you don't know who to vote for, take a few minutes to assess your views of the options and go with your gut.  It's as easy as that.

for the children

Today, Stephane Dion announced that if the Liberals are elected into power, they would offer a comprehensive child care program. In essence, the Liberals want to make quality child care affordable for all Canadians.

The previous Liberal government, under Paul Martin, had proposed a child care plan as well, but it was scrapped by Stephen Harper's Conservative government. He instead offered $100 a month to families per child. Then he taxed it.

Those who support Harper's view believe that parents should take care of their own kids instead of placing the burden on society. This laughably short-sighted and devastatingly ego-centric.

I suspect that these same voters are the same who approve of pumping our tax dollars into building prisons, persecuting as many criminals as possible, and fighting the "war on drugs." These voters don't see why they should "have to take care of someone else's brat" (actual cbc.ca reader comment).

But they're missing the point. A standardized, wide-ranging child care program ensures that every Canadian child is well fed, well socialized, and well educated. That way, when they grow into an adult they are prepared to contribute to society in meaningful ways rather than forced to resort to crime to fulfill their basic human needs and desires.

If you want a peaceful society but don't want to pay for social services, at a minimum you should support the development of the children that will one day be running your country.

why i don't trust polling data

I'm not one to follow "polls" when it comes to elections, however difficult that might be for an obsessive news-reader.  I simply don't think they're accurate - and thank goodness for that.

My problem with constant polling data is that it can skew people's opinions about candidates when the only information it provides is "who is voting for whom."  I simply don't think that is good basis upon which to make a decision of who to vote for.

Even worse is shoddy record of accuracy.  Again and again during the US primaries, polls were at times radically at odds with actual results.  They seemed to get better as the election went on, but there were still noticeable discrepancies.

There are some possible reasons for this unreliability.  The one most discussed is the number of "cell-phone only" voters who are generally not polled.  This is because (so I've heard) some or many states have laws against unsolicited calls to mobile numbers.  As well, generally if you're receiving a call on a cell phone, you are on the move and probably don't want to spend a few minutes responding to a(nother) poll.

The thing is, this is a pretty specific demographic.  "Cell-phone only" (as opposed to "landline only," for example) voters are generally 35 or younger.  Not to mention they have a certain income brack and education level.

Now, polling companies have very complex systems for eliciting and analyzing data.  They likely consider factors such as the likelihood of certain demographics lying about their choice or not even voting come election day.  I would like to know how often they update these metrics.  For example, a few years ago "cell-phone only" voters probably likely to have a high income and good education, whereas now you're likely to see more low-income earners having only a cell phone because it's cheaper than a landline.

And the "cell-phone only" factor is only one of the issues with polling data.  What about people who screen their calls using caller ID?  What about people who are on the "do-not-call" lists? Perhaps the pollsters take this into account, but that would be a pretty complex algorithm just to elicit two percentages (red vs. blue).

So while I yearn to have up-to-the-minute status updates of the candidates' standings, I really don't think I can take this information seriously.  And that's great, because right now McCain has taken a slight lead over my man, Obama...

the next premier

With the Hebron deal announced, Premier Williams has fulfilled all he needs to have a lasting positive legacy. The next direction for our province is to use our wealth to fulfill our values.

Danny has secured for Newfoundland and Labrador its financial future, and he ends his leadership at the end of this term (my prediction), he will have put us undeniably on the right track.  Our next leader should keep in place the policies that maintain our fiscal footing, and focus his or her legacy on using that money effectively.

As prosperity begins to show its effects in the province, we are starting to see an increase in spending power and consumer choice as well as crime and drug use.  Generally these two indicators are considered the symbolic good and bad results of economic improvement.

But there's more to life than that.  We have wanted fiscal freedom for a long time - that's a common goal.  Now that we have it, what do we want to do with it?  Buying stuff and fulfilling vices are short-term joys that often deteriorate our well-being over time.  They're also easier and more fun to accomplish quickly.  To have a long-term, high quality of life we need to foster a culture that endorses it.

So what are the principles we should follow in order to achieve this goal?  Some we already value in our province: good humour, strong communities, and pride in our people.  Others are less universal, but still popular: hard work, long-term planning, and education.  We have a deep pride in where we're from and display a genuine hospitality to visitors.

Will we maintain these values?  They may be strong now, but as more and more people move to the major centres of the province, we become more anonymous.  Our doors are closed to each other more often due to the fear of home-invasions.  Tourism is a major industry here thanks in part to our beautiful scenery, but our financial gains are won through an industry that produces some of the most harmful pollutants in the world.

Our next leader should be chosen based on their commitment to moving quickly to the next phase of our growth as a province.  The groundwork laid by our current government is very solid, and to continue our primary focus on developing resource-based industries would be narrow minded.

We've financed the trip and packed our bags.  Now all we need to do is chart the best course.  And that should be based on values we all cherish and goals that benefit the entire province now and into the future.

Une entante formidable

France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, recently visited England to meet the Royals for the first time. While his wife garnered more attention than he, some interesting political developments began to take shape.

The Prime Minister of the UK, Gordon Brown, echoed President Sarkozy's desire to strengthen relations between the two countries.

What kind of benefits can such a relationship, if indeed strengthened, bring to the two nations and to the world?

...

What kind of benefits might come from improved relations between the two nation-states of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7315649.stm