12.12.12 and its meaning

Today is the last of triple date you and I will ever see.  Sad eh?  Not really.  What does it mean?  Nothing.   Just another date that looks nice and will look even nicer at 12:12pm.   A palindrome as it is called.

Now consider 08.08.08.  That was four years ago and was the last time I would ever have a birthday in that sequence.  Ever!   Sad eh? Yeah, I’ll really miss those numbers.  Oh, consider this also, my birthday is August 8th, 08.08, multiply them by each other and you get 64 which coincidentally, is my birth year. Freaky!

So as you go about your day, try not to pay too much attention to the fact that it is 12.12.12.  It’s hard to ignore as it is on every media and your friends won’t let you forget it.   As I blog,  an ad on the radio beckons me to come on down and purchase a vehicle as today is a monumental day.   Sure, I’ll get right on that.  There are also quite a few weddings today.  Unusual for a Wednesday but it’s not a usual Wednesday, right?  Wrong!  Tell that to your boss.   The good thing about this though is the husbands would never again forget their anniversary, or would they?  So if you can’t escape it the 12.12.12 hype,  then have yourself a Happy 12.12.12, enjoy the palindrome.

Related articles

• Daily Teaching for Wednesday, December 12th (bishopcraig.com)
• Check your Calendars 12.12.12 (bloesem.blogs.com)
• 12.12.12 : Much Ado About Nothing? (nextbigwhat.com)
• Here’s the New York Times Fluff Piece From the Last Time the Date Was 12/12/12 (gawker.com)
• 12.12.12 (lucyfareyjones.com)
• Lucky 12! (avadfan.com)
• Wednesday is 12/12/12. So what? (mercurynews.com)
• 12/12/12: The last sequential date in our lifetimes (wjla.com)
• 12/12/12 – What Will You Do today? (kathryneriksen.wordpress.com)
• Wedding surge for 12/12/12 date (bbc.co.uk)
• What It Really Means
• 
  http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/stories/odd-facts-about-121212
  

My Take On Royal Hoax Gone Bad

Punk’d (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes a joke can have tragic or devastating effects when taken too far or when done without a thought.  Last week’s hoax by two Australian DJ’s were one such joke.   Without the grim results, it could very well have been a classic joke to be remembered and laughed about for a long time to come, garnering hits on YouTube and maybe upstaging Gangnam Style.

This morning, I was listening to a call-in debate on the radio on whether the DJ’s, or hoaxers, should be punished for what they did.  The legal ramifications were discussed.  It is illegal to impersonate the Royals, illegal to air a taped recording without the parties’ consent, etc.  So it seems like this has the potential to be remembered but not laughed about for some time to come.

One caller to the radio station was adamant in her stance that the announcers should not be punished.  She saw it as just a prank, not worthy of sentencing.  The female co-jockey was also adamant in her stance that of course they should be fined to the extent of their crime.  She felt laws were broken and therefore, a price should be paid.  Now I had mixed feelings listening to this.  I am not sure if these announcers should be punished.  I think the fallout is mostly because it was done to the Royal Family.  Would it have been some lesser person, I am sure the views would have been less inclined to heap coals on the heads on their heads.

I readily admit that I’m not exactly warm on Royalty.  I couldn’t care less about the sweet Kate and her Royal husband but that’s another blog for another time.  I do think everyone is entitled to some form of privacy but in the same breath, everyone is fair game for a little prank now and again.  (Seen Punk’d?).   Now, it is a sad thing that someone died because of this prank but the nurse, God bless her soul, did not follow hospital protocol.  It was her fault that pertinent information was released, not the fault of the DJ’s. Sorry.  Yes, they probably should not have aired it but that’s the whole point of the hoax.  They just couldn’t keep a copy for private viewing, doesn’t work the same way.  They probably should not have crossed the line and impersonate the ‘Untouchables’, but that’s also the fun of it.  Think of the Salahis, the couple who crashed a White House dinner.  Read it here.  It would not have carried the same punch had it been your dinner that they had crashed, would it?

So my take?  This is a hard one.  I am straddling the line a bit here.  You have to admit that our society thrive on shock value and sensationalism.    We can’t get enough of it, even with so much Reality TV.   YouTube and other media are forever trying to come up with ‘The Big One’.  The hoax or prank that would be the next big YouTube thing.  Get used to it.  On the flip side, I can sympathize a bit with The Family as it was a sensitive time for them and yes, someone did lose their life because of it, unfortunately.  I am sure it was not the intention of the DJ’s to hurt anyone.  Should they go to jail for impersonation?  Well only if Kim Kardashian also goes to jail for impersonating a real actress.

Just my take, nothing else.

Related articles

• DJs behind royal hoax tearfully apologize for ‘gut-wrenching’ death of nurse (with video) (vancouversun.com)
• The end of prank calls? (bbc.co.uk)
• Vancouver DJs halt prank calls after Australians’ royal hoax (vancouversun.com)
• Watch: Royal Hoax Tragedy: Could DJs Be Charged? (abcnews.go.com)
• DJs Behind ‘Royal Prank’ the Real Victims in Kate Middleton Hoax (celebs.gather.com)
• Royal hoax DJs’ first interview: The full transcript (itv.com)
• DJs ‘heartbroken’ at nurse’s death after hoax (itv.com)

Do you help or take a photo?

With the digital age, there’s a camera installed on almost every device.  Pens, ties, phones, you name it.  Photos tell a story and there are a lot of stories out there to be told.  There are also a lot of would-be-story tellers out there who have dreams of being the next Pulitzer prize winner.  Because of this, people are apt to take a photo rather than assist someone in need.  This was evident again this week when a freelance photographer took out his camera and took a photo of a man who was pushed off the subway platform and into the path of an oncoming train.  The photo showed the hapless man struggling to climb back unto the platform mere seconds before the train got him.  

Now the million dollar question is, ‘Could he have helped or at least offered help?’  Apparently, the victim was struggling to pull himself up but it was too little too late.  In his defense, Umar Abbasi claimed that he shot the picture in the hope that the flash would have alerted the driver of the impending danger.  Sounds kind of farfetched but that’s my opinion.  Maybe he was giving in to his instincts as a freelance photographer to shoot first then ask questions after.  Again, my opinion.

This not the first time a camera-happy photographer has ignored the plight of a victim to get his glory shot.   I once saw an award-winning photo of a starving child in Sudan crawling to reach a feeding center while a vulture hovered close.  He apparently owned up to taking the picture then leaving as ‘that what he was trained to do.’  How cold is that?  The photographer, Kevin Carter, committed suicide some years later at the age of 33.  His suicide note read:  “I am depressed … without phone … money for rent … money for child support … money for debts … money!!! … I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain … of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners … I have gone to join Ken [recently deceased colleague] if I am that lucky.”

We can’t stop at just blaming the photographers.  As a society, we too have the moral responsibility to come to the aid of our fellowmen.  After all, what award can be greater than the personal satisfaction we would feel for potentially saving someone’s life?   Don’t listen to the saying  ‘Take a photo, it lasts longer.’  The feeling of being a hero lasts way longer.  A photo is worth a thousand words but…it’s only words.

Just my take.

Related articles

• New York Post Publishes Photo of a Man Seconds Before Death – Would You? (nicolekraftosu.wordpress.com)
• WATCH: NY Post Photographer Defends Taking Horrifying Picture (huffingtonpost.com)
• Would You Have Taken the Post Subway Photo?: Pulitzer-Winning Photographers Respond (gawker.com)
• NBC TODAY Show – Photographer: ‘No Way’ I Could Have Saved Subway Victim (hulu.com)
• 
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jul/28/gutted-photographers-who-didnt-help
  
• 
  http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-serial-blasts-people-took-pictures-instead-of-helping-out_1565573
  

Sexual Assault Case Tossed Over Technicality

In yet another gross and blatant miscarriage of justice by our Justice system, a case involving sexual abuse of a minor was tossed out based on a flimsy technicality.  Tossed out like dirty dish water.  If there ever was a right time to yell B**L  S**t! this is it. Totally BS if you ask me.

Let’s talk.  In a nutshell, the victim who was just seven at the time of the alleged abuse, which included fondling and oral sex, is now 17.  She went to the cops with a statement of the incidents when she was 14 but a request by the police to speak to the accused, her mom’s ex boyfriend, was refused.  A warrant for his arrest was served but never executed until 18 months later and that my readers, is where the technicality lies.

The presiding Judge tossed the case out because it took too long.  My question is, would he have felt the same way if the victim was his own daughter?  So now we have a child molester and pedophile out there somewhere probably preying on some other kid as we speak, and a girl who was betrayed by the very system that was put in place to protect her and other kids like her,  from this nightmare.  Unfortunately, because justice was never served, her nightmare will continue.   For her, it would not just disappear because time elapsed.  The judge felt that the accused rights were violated.  Well, seems like this judge has his sense of responsibility all confused.  How about the rights of the young victim? Wanna talk about violation?  The perp violated her and you, your honor, violated her further.

A sex crime against a 7-year old is disgusting and disturbing to say the least.  It is reprehensible.  No technicality should exist that would enable the perpetrator to get off the hook once he’s proven guilty.   Granted, this guy was not proven guilty.  The court never got the chance to prove his guilt or innocence.

Injustice and lack of compassion is what this is all about.  I hope that the victim could find strength to make a full recovery from her abuse and subsequent misrepresentation by a toothless Justice System.

Related:

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/girls-sex-assault-case-tossed-177816061.html

Remember The Soldiers? Or Go Shopping?

November 11 is Remembrance Day (Photo credit: Enokson)

On November 11th, the commonwealth countries will show their respect for the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could enjoy the benefits of living in a free world.   It is recognized as a national holiday here in Canada and up until a few years ago, the entire day was set aside to reflect and remember.

A recent editorial in the local newspaper bore testimony to how even a day such as Remembrance day is no match for commercialization.  The editorial was titled “Sunday shopping affected on Nov. 11″.   Sunday shopping affected?  Affected?  Doesn’t that sound to you as if Remembrance day is intruding on one’s right to shop?  Yes, that’s what I got from that also.

I have always had an issue with the new Sunday shopping laws that now allow stores to opening earlier on Sundays to help those who make shopping their hobby.  Read my blog here.  When a holiday as important as this falls on a Sunday, the least we could do is show some respect and observe it to the fullest.  It’s only one day versus how many days some of these soldiers spent in war zones fighting to make it possible for us to go shopping.

Remembrance day is a great opportunity for us to sit down with our kids and tell them stories about the wars.  Children love shoot em up stories with villains and heroes so we could take advantage of this and spin an interesting story for them.  This way,  the fading memory of our soldiers would never be forgotten when we are gone.

The editorial should have been, ‘Remembrance day halts Sunday shopping’.

Just my take, Lest We Forget.

Related articles

• Vets say bar is ‘sexualizing’ Remembrance Day (lfpress.com)
• Remembrance Day 2014: Calls To Close Shops (news.sky.com)
• Why Wear a Poppy (insidehalton.com)
• Sunday Shopping Affected On Nov. 11
• Shop or Family?

Straddling the line between bravery and stupidity.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier #respect #honor (Photo credit: FashionbyHe)

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on the United States with dangerous intent, I read an article that the US servicemen who guard the Tomb of The Unknowns, would not be taking refuge from the storm.  They would instead, treat it like any other day and stand guard, just as they have since 1948.  Bravery? Dedication?  Or just plain stupidity?

Now don’t get me wrong, I admire the brave men and women of the armed forces who fight to protect our countries.  I also take my hat off to the many who died in the wars.   Their contribution is admirable.   Still, I think that these soldiers lives should not be put at risk while their superiors are most likely hiding out from the storm.  I am sure that the dead soldiers that they are guarding would rather they seek self-preservation than guard their remains.  It’s a good show of respect yes, but also a good show of stupidity and misdirected commitment.

I think that if the dead unknowns could talk they would say, “Don’t be idiots, we are already dead.  Do you want to end up like us?  Go run for cover!  We’ll still be here when it’s all over.”  I can understand firemen risking their lives to save the living but risking your life to save the dead?  Doesn’t make sense.

Just my take.

Related articles

• Tomb of the Known Unknowns (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Everything Else In D.C. May Be Shut Down, But Not The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier (businessinsider.com)
• Amazing photo: Sentinels brave forces of Hurricane Sandy to stand guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; Correction: Photo taken in September 2012 (twitchy.com)
• Soldiers Stand Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington during Hurricane Sandy (IMAGE) (americanlivewire.com)
• Amazing photo: Sentinels brave forces of Hurricane Sandy to stand guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; Correction: Photo taken in September 2012 (gds44.wordpress.com)

 

Thursday’s Thoughts: Winnipeg’s Praying Police Chief

A few weeks ago, the City of Winnipeg got its first black police chief when Jamaican born Devon Clunis got the nod for the position.  Devon, who has over 20 years of service, also served as the police chaplain.  Since his selection, his strong Christian faith has been a topic of discussion.

In one of his first meeting with the media,  (A Christian news magazine), Clunis wore his faith on his sleeve and said the following:

EXCERPTS from the ChristianWeek story, New police chief: prayer will play a role in reducing violent crime

– “I’m a little tired of us… being ‘(the) murder capital of Canada,’ ” says Devon Clunis, who was appointed chief of police at the beginning of October. “People consistently say, ‘How are you going to solve that?’ It’s not simply going to be because we’re going to go out there and police it away. I truly believe that prayer will be a significant piece of that.

“What would happen if we all just truly — I’m talking about all religious stripes here — started praying for the peace of this city and then actually started putting some action behind that?” he adds. “I believe something phenomenal is going to happen in our city. I truly believe it’s coming. I don’t think I’ve arrived at this position just by chance.”

– Clunis attributes his success to God. He says he has never asked God to make him a powerful person, but rather he has prayed that God make him a leader who treats people with dignity and respect and who is successful in his endeavours.

– Clunis says at the end of the day, he just wants to give of himself to help the community.

– “God still cares, He’s still involved in our lives,” Clunis says, “and I believe without a shadow of a doubt the only reason that I am in this position is because God is involved in it. Without a shadow of a doubt.”

Yesterday, the media was in a frenzy.  ’Chief urges prayer to fight crime’ was the general headline, his words sadly taken out of context.

Chief Clunis has my support.  I am happy to see a man of strong christian values in his position.  I have seen, read and heard of too many ‘bad cops’ and ‘dirty cops” that I, for the most part, have lost faith in them.   Clunis has given me a reason to have at least a glimmer of hope.

As for using prayer as part of his arsenal, why not?  With Winnipeg the nation’s crime capital, what do we have to lose? And while you kneel in prayer for our city,  don’t forget to say one for Clunis.  He needs our prayers and support and we need him to stay strong in his faith no matter what comes.

Oh, and like him, I also believe that the only reason he’s in this position is ‘because God is involved in it’.

All the best, Chief!  Keep the faith!

Just my take.

 

Related articles

• Winnipeg police chief proposes prayer to help combat crime (cbc.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief says comments on prayer and crime misconstrued (ctvnews.ca)
• Combat crime with prayer urges Winnipeg police chief (metronews.ca)
• Local Hero: Devon Clunis preaches the power of prayer (stjohnscathedral.ca)
• Winnipeg police chief to speak to media (cbc.ca)
• Police chief ‘misconstrued’ on controversial prayer statement (theglobeandmail.com)

DeHORNing The BULLies

The web is abuzz on  the sad and tragic story of Amanda Todd, the 15-year old girl who took her own life after being cyber bullied.   you can read it here.

I did a lot of thinking after I read this story, trying to find how bullying could have such devastating effect on someone, not just Amanda.  (Apparently,  Amanda’s life fell apart after she was coerced into flashing her breasts online).

Amanda’s online indiscretion came back to haunt her in a way that she could not deal with.  It followed her to school and everywhere and she responded the way the bullies wanted her to.  She was the perfect victim.   Not everyone  has the mental toughness and attitude to deal with something like this.  Some would shrug it off and tell the bullies to shove it or even call their bluff.  You want to show my boobs on Facebook?  Go right ahead, who cares?  Amanda couldn’t and didn’t and it ate her alive.

Back in my day, bullying was not an issue.  The word ‘bully’ was used casually as in, ‘Leave me alone, you big bully!’  No one was ever accused of actually bullying anyone.  I was called rude names and embarrassed in front of classmates, heck, even my teacher joined in sometimes.  By day’s end, it was all forgotten until the next bullying.   I was never depressed because of it even though it was rather belittling to me.  My wife confessed that she too was bullied because of her early chest development.  Boys would snap her bra and joined the girls in  taunting her.  Again, it was a distant memory by day’s end for her also.   That didn’t mean it was right back then.

In school, I can’t think of anyone who wasn’t harassed or bullied in some way.  Unless it came down to a physical confrontation, it was never an issue and no one complained, not even the victim.

After the tragic fact,  many questions could be asked.  Why didn’t Amanda stay off the computer after being bullied online? Why didn’t she complain to the school authorities? The police, her parent?  All moot now in regards to this poor girl.

Why is bullying getting so dangerous? Are people more insensitive or are our kids overly sensitive?  I don’t know, I am just asking.  Teens everywhere are killing themselves far too often because of bullying.    Why wasn’t this happening years ago?  What changed?  Were we tougher?   Granted, the internet wasn’t around so if a girl bared her breasts, it ended up being her word against those who saw.

In my opinion, our changed society is playing a big part in providing bullies with ammunition they never had before.   Kids cannot deal with not fitting in and being accepted.  Looks are everything.  Self esteem is held together by a thread that falls apart at the first snag.  Computers have provided a breeding ground for a new form of bullying.  Cyber bullies are preying on unsupervised kids with unlimited and uncensored access to websites.  Parents are proud of their 8-year old’s ability to surf the net without assistance.

So how do we change this?  How do we unarmed the bullies and nullify their game?  Anti bullying laws may not be enough.  We could start in our homes. One thing I noticed is that most of the victims are silent until their final act shouts out the fact that they were bullied to death.  Maybe we as parents need to make ourselves and our home a safe haven that our kids can come to with their issues.   We could provide a strong support team that is available to them 24/7, this way they do not feel like they are alone as in Amanda’s case.  She should have never felt that she was alone and had no one to turn to.  Sadly, it’s only after their death that we tell the deceased that we were there for them if only they had come to us.  Maybe in life we did not give them reason to think that way?  Teaching kids to be strong mentally, with respect for themselves and each other is also a step in the right direction.  Although we sometimes cannot control how our children turn out, our homes are usually where it all starts.

We may not be able to actually stop bullying  but we could prepare our children and help them to recognize and deal with all forms of bullying.  Bullying is wrong!  No one should feel the way Amanda did.  If you are a bully or have the tendencies, please seek help.  If you are bullied, never think you are alone.

RIP Amanda!  You were loved!

Never Alone

Related articles

• For anyone who ever dismissed online bullying. Amanda Todd RIP [Mike Turner] (ecademy.com)
• Den Tandt: We have remedies for bullying: What’s missing is will (canada.com)
• U.S. pre-teen encourages kids to stand up for each other in Amanda Todd-inspired anti-bullying campaign (o.canada.com)
• Teen girl’s death after posting video about being bullied (thesun.co.uk)
• Not alone: Amanda Todd case emphasises the importance of helping victims of cyberbullying (mirror.co.uk)
• #109: R.I.P. Amanda Todd (fittingkeys.wordpress.com)
• 
  http://abcnews.go.com/International/bullied-teen-amanda-todd-leaves-chilling-youtube-video/story?id=17463266#.UIFLmm_A-Bw
  

Politricks

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I must admit that I probably do not pay as much attention as I should to politics.  I used to,  but have concluded that all politicians are the same, more or less.  I usually give political debates close to the same attention as I give WWE wrestlers.  That’s my opinion.

During Obama’s campaign that got him in The White House in 2008, I gave in to the hype that surrounded this historic moment.  A black man on the verge of running the most powerful country in the world? Epic.  As a black man, I could not have been any more proud.  I didn’t care about his political credentials, just that history was close to being created.  As a matter of fact, I did point out the fact that the pickings for the biggest office came down to a fairly inexperienced black man and a guy that should have been enjoying his retirement, not running for president.

I like Obama.  I think he is great for black people in making them realize that dreams do come through and everything is possible.  Forget black people, he’s good for everyone   I however, do still believe that very little separates him from say, Mitt Romney.   They both have their weaknesses and their strengths.  Unfortunately,  weaknesses of any kind is generally not tolerated by the masses.  Obama has made empty promises but that is right in line with being a poli-trickcian.   He has also fulfilled some promises.  Nothing new here.

Should Mitt win the Presidency, which I don’t see happening, I am sure that there will be bright spots in his term..  That’s just how it works.  For all the bad things said about G.W Bush, he was re-elected so he couldn’t have been that bad, right?

Whether I like it or not, politics is important to us all.  In Canada, it is important we keep an eye on our neighbors as we are the first to feel the ripple effect.  Even though in my opinion, there’s never much to choose between candidates, we should all vote and play a part in the selection process.  We should also never underestimate the power of the people.  We put them there, we could remove them also, anytime.  Unfortunately, we always forget that and let ruthless leaders run wild indefinitely.

My prediction is Obama will cruise to another victory.

Don’t forget, this is just my take.  What do I know eh?

Related articles

• A Touchy Topic: The Presidential Election (wavemistress.wordpress.com)

$65 mil to marry daughter? Hmm….

Chinese pastry Gaa Neoi Bing or Marry girl cake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am sorry guys, I guess I wasn’t as much as a family man as I had you believed.  Or maybe I am too fickle and love money a bit too much.  Whatever it is you would like to call me, I accept.  I wasn’t the man I pretended to be.  Well I was, until this morning when I read this.

A Chinese businessman is offering $65 million to any man who would marry his lesbian daughter. All he seeks in the man is that he is ‘kind-hearted’.  You guys know that I’m kind hearted, right? You’ve read all my kind-hearted blogs about the good stuff I do for my family, at least up until this morning, so don’t give me that!  You know I fear God.

As I write this blog, my heart is heavy.  I am about to do what I swore never to do, abandon my family.  My boys, my awesome wife.   All for the love of money.  But it’s not just money, it’s $65 mil! Think of what I could do with all that.  Even in China.  Think of all the electronics I could get.  And all just for marrying a rich man’s lesbian daughter? Piece of cake.  It’s not like it’s his gay son, I would have had to say no to that one.

Ok seriously now, how could I put a price on the happiness my family brings me? I can’t.  I am married to the world’s best woman with three of the most adorable and precious kids out there.  $65 Mil could never give me that.  As the song goes, “Money can’t buy me love”.  Plus, Gigi told her dad that she’s actually married to her partner and has been for seven years now.

Sorry sir, I’ll have to pass.  Thanks for the offer though, you will have to find another kind-hearted man.  Good luck with that, we are hard to find.

65 million quids worth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Photo credit: jef thomas)

Related articles

• Hong Kong tycoon’s offer: $65 million if you’ll marry my lesbian daughter (vancouversun.com)
• Hong Kong Tycoon Offering $65 Million To The Man Who Marries His Lesbian Daughter (thegloss.com)
• Hong Kong Tycoon Offers Bounty to the Man Who Marries His Lesbian Daughter (theatlanticwire.com)
• Hong Kong Billionaire Offers $65 Million Reward to Any Man Who Can Marry His Lesbian Daughter (odditycentral.com)
• Hong Kong Father Offering $63 Million To Any Man Who Marries His (Already Married) Lesbian Daughter! (perezhilton.com)