Please remember to always be respectful while commenting on my posts and responding to other commenters.
- Location:home
- Mood:
awake - Music:the beating of my own heart
I've talked to several of my friends who say they never vote, don't have time, don't think it makes a difference. But nothing, NOTHING could be further from the truth. Nothing.
Its the one any only thing our government can't control.
So take 4 minutes out of your day and watch this. And then realise it takes less than that to vote. Way less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vtHwWReG
And check this out. There are countries out there who actually shoot people for simply voting. Shoot. They die to whisper their voice. And we just toss our voice away like it's a gum wrapper. Nothing is wring with them. Something is wrong with us.
I must also inform you that the majority of voters are middle/senior age. Change that. Be heard. I have started this email and it takes a second to pass it on. Let's change the stats. Vote. Please. (you'll get time off too!)
If you don't vote or haven't voted, take the chance. I don't care who you vote for because that is your voice. No one can tell you you don't have a voice. You do. And this time around, send this to five friends and tell them to send them to friends and so on, and so on, and (you get the picture).
See you at the poles. If you need info to find out where to vote reply back. I'll help you.
I'm signing my own name because (besides actually writing this) I care about you and hearing your voice. You can put yours down as well, but please leave mine there. Change what you want, but pass this on. Its probably too long anyway. But don't forget to include the you-tube link. If you've seen it you'll know what I am talking about.
Jennifer Mahlberg
Melissa Humeniuk
Yesterday the media consortium decided that the Green Party would not be given a forum in the debates. Three of our national party leaders REFUSED to take part in the debates if she was given a forum. This kind of juvenile behavior on behalf of our leaders is shameful. Whether you are voting Green or not, all Canandians deserve a voice in the debates. I think we can agree on that much. I would like to post a message from the Green Party here and request that you do what you can to be sure that this sort of "Old Boy's Club" incident never happen again in the future...
Most importantly, you should phone, fax or email the party leaders who kept Elizabeth May out of the debate. Make them accountable for this outrageous, antidemocratic act.
Stephen Harper:
Conservative Party of Canada
Election Headquarters
#1204 - 130 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5G4
Toll free: (866) 808-8407
Phone: (613) 755-2000
Fax at: (613) 755-2001
Email: pm@pm.gc.caJack Layton:
Canada's NDP
300 - 279 Laurier West
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5J9
Phone: 613-236-3613
Toll Free: 1-866-525-2555
Fax: 613-230-9950
TTY: 1-866-776-7742
Email: Layton.J@parl.gc.caGilles Duceppe:
Bloc Québécois
3730, boul. Crémazie Est
Montréal (Québec) H2A 1B4
Téléphone : 514 526-3000
Télécopieur : 514 526-2868
Email : Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca
Constituency Office
1600 - 90th Avenue SW
Suite A-203
Calgary, Alberta, T2V 5A8
Telephone: (403) 253-7990
Fax: (403) 253-8203Constituency Office
221 Broadview Avenue
Suite 100 (Main Office)
Toronto, Ontario; M4M 2G3
Telephone: (416) 405-8914
Fax: (416) 405-8918Constituency Office
1200 Papineau, # 350
Montreal, Québec; H2K 4R5
Telephone: (514) 522-1339
Fax: (514) 522-9899
Hill Office
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario; K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-4211
Fax: (613) 941-6900Hill Office
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 995-7224
Fax: (613) 995-4565Hill Office
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 992-6777
Fax: (613) 954-2121
You can visit http://demanddemocraticdebates.ca to sign a petition to pressure the Broadcast consortium to make sure that Green Party leader Elizabeth May is included in the leaders' debates. You can also let the broadcast consortium know of your disagreement by contacting them at:
John Cruikshank, Publisher, CBC news
(416) 205-6300
Robert Hurst, President of CTV News
416-332-5000
Troy Reeb, Senior Vice President of News Canwest Global
(416) 967-1174
Pierre Dion, President, Groupe TVA Inc.
514-526-9251
Ronald Cohen, National Chair, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
P.O. Box 3265, Station D Ottawa, ON K1P 6H8
613-233-4607
Glenn O'Farrell, President and CEO, Canadian Association of Broadcasters
P.O. Box 627, Stn. B Ottawa, ON K1P 5S2
613-233-4035 ext: 326
Talk to everyone you know about this important subject and make sure they get involved in supporting the Green Party's fight. A complaint has been filed to the CRTC and Legal proceedings to overturn the decision have already started. These initiatives can only be strengthened by your support. The Green Party has retained the best lawyer in Canada in this field to represent the party in court. The Green party is legally and politically required to be in these debates.
We urge you to act immediately to right this wrong.
PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY, PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO A FRIEND.
Anyway, speaking of knitting, I just read this fantastic post from the Yarn Harlot's blog about Canada and random things that are great about living here. In that spirit, I would like to invite you to read it and tell me what you love about living in Canada.
Canada is not a perfect country. We've had our ups and our downs. We've had moments to be proud of and moments that cause us to hang our heads in shame. I think what I like the most about Canada is that we are humble people, yet we are proud. We love our country but don't begrudge others the pride they feel in their own country. We celebrate our strengths and acknowledge (and even occasionally deal with) our weaknesses.
So, slightly belated happy birthday Canada! Its been a wonderful 141 years and may we have many many more.
To our American neighbours - have a wonderful 4th of July this week!
"We got some really unfortunate news today. Someone
complained about us and we were essentially shut down for
the immediate future. Our vendors still fall under Regina’s
anti-panhandling laws despite the fact that they now sell a
publication. In order to keep distributing the magazine, they
have to apply for ‘tags’, which are reserved for citizens in
‘good standing’. Failure to produce a ‘tag’ can result in up to
a $5000 fine and we don’t want our vendors to take that kind
of risk."
...
"As for the future of the magazine, we are both rather
shocked right now and don’t have a clue what we are going
to do. We will refrain from making a comment at this time,
but we will keep you updated as we learn more."
The kicker is that these people actually contacted the city in advance of their organizing and publishing their first issue and was told that everything was good and above board. In my city, panhandlers are handled differently from buskers. No one wants to push away the buskers, or the people peddling their paintings and what not. It's the people who are getting something for nothing that irks us here. So why are these people, who are selling a magazine being pushed back into the shadows? There is a huge problem in this country with people who are trying to help themselves. These people should be encouraged! This magazine near SOLD OUT with the first issue.
Someone told me once that "Regina people care". Of course we were talking about the general condition of the appearance of the city and not about caring about people. Is that what this is? Is it to sweep the problem back under the carpet? Are the homeless disturbing the denial that the citizens of Regina are in? Are they detracting from the appearance of the city?
I am very saddened that the "powers that be" have effectively shut down this magazine, the vision of my friend and the others who have founded the magazine, and the potential assistance by way of self-esteem that this might have given the less fortunate in Regina.
In school I had a typical white European education on the history of Canada. I did know that white European people settled in Canada and forcibly eventually claimed the land of their own. I know that the First Nations peoples originally inhabiting my country went to live on places called reservations. I knew that their schooling, should they choose to go, was paid for (although I didn't quite understand fully how that system worked and it isn't as simple as it sounds) and that they didn't pay PST. I really knew very little, from a First Nations' perspective, the history of our country and the skeletons it had in its closet.
Through the last few years I have taken an interest in these things. At first I read a book written by a white man about how our culture has come about creating the disaster we are living in today and it gave me a better understanding of why the First Nations people have had such a hard time. It also gave me a better understanding of why they never should have been forcibly assimilated in the first place. From there I took an interest in some other First Nations stories. I learned that Amnesty International has cited Canada for ignoring the plight of missing First Nations women in our country. I have learned through overhearing the stories of the destitute and downtrodden as they wandered into my friend's place of business in our capital city. My eyes were pried wide open when I watched Elijah (Elijah Harper's story) on television. My heart aches for all that these people have gone through at the hands of our European ancestors, the government they formed, and the churches they had carry out these laws.
Today my country's elected Prime Minister issued an apology to the First Nations people for the horrors they endured in the residential schools, yet the reservation system still exists and, though we have forced them to assimilate, they cling to what little they have left of their culture on these reservations without access to decent water. From as early as the late 1800's they were torn from their families, sent to residential schools where they were forced to speak in English - even to one another, abandon their own spiritual teachings in favor of Christian ones, and learn the "white man's" way of life. They were abused emotionally, physically, and sexually. Some of them perished before ever leaving the schools. Once they were turned loose from the clutches of the church run residential schools, they were expected to live a productive "white man's" life, although they weren't allowed representation by a lawyer nor a vote until the mid - 1900s. They never learned parenting because they were taken away from their own. They dealt with the horrors they had endured with drugs and alcohol (as do many people of any race who have gone through such a thing). And their own children learned from them, and again from the schools they had been forced to attend. Yet, somehow we wonder why they live their lives the way they do. Of course, this is a generalization. There are some who have "assimilated" just fine and are living their "white" lives, still struggling in the corporate world to be taken seriously because of the state of their culture - a state that the "white man" has imposed upon them.
As I read the article of our Prime Minister's apology, I chose to take a glance at the comments. To my dismay I realized that this apology was going to do very little to create peace amongst the races in our country. There were very grateful comments from some First Nations people, and some very negative ones. There were some supportive comments from white people and some very negative ones. I have to wonder if an apology is enough. I was horrified to see comments like "Scottish people were forced to assimilate in the UK, should they be asking for an apology?" and comments about the slippery slope our Prime Minister has just put us on.
Someone else brought up a question as to where the church was in all of this apologizing? Both the government and the church had a hand in what went wrong. The government legislated the assimilation and the church carried it out with a heavy hand. They are joint and severally liable for this. Where was the church in the group of people gathered in the legislature today? Where were God's people to answer for the behavior carried out in God's name? Is it that our Prime Minister speaks for the church as well?
About the comment regarding the Scottish people, and all similar comments about cultures being forced to assimilate, facing similar horrors, and losing their cultures worldwide, I feel that just because everyone does it, doesn't make it right and doesn't exempt it from apology. Its a step. I still feel it is a small one, but a step nonetheless. Looking at the plight our First Nations have been subjected to, when I saw the Amazon tribe that had never been contacted, the only thing I could think was "For the love of God, please leave them alone."
What can I say?
The dream is over
Yesterday
I was the Dreamweaver
But now I'm reborn
I was the Walrus
But now I'm John
And so dear friends
You'll just have to carry on
The dream is over
- John Lennon
Someone I know recently asked me a couple of questions regarding my experiences as a victim of domestic violence. I sort of answered her but my answer was colored by other issues. Since, I have had a chance to think about those questions. “How did you cope and get over it? Does it still haunt you?”
Please note that I am writing this from my point of view. Others may not share my views and each of us have our own stories to tell, our own experiences to share, our own opinions on what our aftermath brought for us. I like to think that every person on this planet is unique, and given that, no two stories are identical. No two people deal with their challenges the same way, or even look at them the same way. I am NOT claiming to be a spokesperson for victims of domestic violence. All I can share with you is what I personally went through and what challenges I personally faced in the wake of leaving my partners.
Yes that’s right. I said partnerS. I went through this not just once, but twice, no matter what others out there choose to believe. Both experiences were very different. The first of them was rather tame compared to the second, and perhaps that is part of how I allowed myself to get into that situation again. I hold no fear from the first offender, nor did I feel (at the time) that it was even necessary to press charges.
Some people out there feel that the story for a victim of domestic violence ends at the point when they finally walk out that door, suitcase in hand. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Even if the offender is done his reign of terror, there are other issues that a victim of domestic violence has left to contend with.
I have to think about the word “cope”. Did this person originally asking the question mean “get over it” or is “get over it” a completely separate question? I found this definition for cope. “To contend with difficulties and act to overcome them.” That’s a pretty loaded question that has a really long answer. I think I am still contending with difficulties and every day I am alive I am acting to overcome them. The way I see it is that you have two options. You can let it get the better of you and lie down and die or you can continue to live your life. Continuing to live your life doesn’t mean that you have “gotten over it” though. That is a long time coming for me. It isn’t just getting over the violence that needs to be done, there are many other challenges that a victim of domestic violence faces once he/she has walked out that door.
Just walking out that door is excruciating and a decision that takes an enormous amount of courage and strength. This is for many more reasons than just the fear of your partner. There are many other issues involved here. Issues of self-esteem, issues of ending your relationship and continuing your life alone for awhile, issues of children if you have them (which poses many many more challenges), issues of friendships broken and the loneliness that comes from no one quite understanding what you went through.
First, if you have chosen to, you need to deal with the police. Victims of domestic violence are notorious for pressing charges or even only going so far as calling the police and then taking it all back. This has made the authorities extremely frustrated in dealing with the victims and so we take a back seat to all other victims of crime. In
So there you are, outside of your jail cell of a home, back in the world, trying to reintegrate yourself with your family and friends that he has alienated you from. Some believe you, some don’t. Some are so angry with the offender that you need to do damage control, just so they don’t make the situation worse. Half, if not all of your common friends have abandoned you, either because they don’t believe you or because they don’t know how to deal with the situation themselves. Your own friends? It may have been a long enough time that they just don’t relate to you anymore. Some of them may have seen it coming and you need to deal with “I told you so” from them. Others have their own ideas about what went on and may even think that perhaps you deserved it. “You know how she can be.” Then there are those that make the situation about them and need you to help them deal with what happened to you.
And you? You got out, so you are a survivor. Yet you still need to tell yourself every day that it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t bring this on yourself. You are worthy of love, you are worthy of happiness, and you are worthy of friends and family who care about you.
But where are you dealing with this? Did you have to move away from all that is familiar and comfortable? Are you in a
Here’s an interesting piece of information regarding custody and domestic violence. A girl I know left her violent husband. They had children together. The court ordered that he had visitation rights, because if the child has never been hurt the domestic violence cannot be considered in the custody proceedings. Know what that meant? That meant that despite all her begging and pleading, her ex got to know her new address. One night, he broke into her house and beat the living hell out of her. Custody is a fun thing to deal with should you have children in an abusive relationship.
Every day I am looking over my shoulder because I still believe him to be dangerous, even ten years later. My heart stops every time I see someone who looks like him from the back or from the side, or from a distance. I walk with my head down if I spot one of his friends walking down the street, for fear that he would be able to locate me. I have unlisted my phone number and I have made special arrangements for my son at school. But every so often, I wake up from a nightmare that he has found us. Yes, he haunts me. Until I hear word of his demise, I will continue to fear him.
How do I cope? I keep waking through life. One foot in front of the other. There are only two options, keep walking or die. I did not get this far to give up now. Even the day that I left that is how I felt. I am a survivor. I am out. And I keep walking, because what else is there to do?
- Stir Fried chicken on rice
- Chicken Korma with basmati rice and naan bread
- Steak and baked potato
If you want to do the meme, find it under the cut.
I have very limited time. So, I am enlisting your help. It isn't going to take up much of your time, just some brain power. I have no idea what to call such an event. Any ideas you guys can throw my way would be greatly appreciated.
Yeah, CRA DOESN'T want to talk to you, which is why they don't use zero and haven't told anyone that you can get off the telephone wild goose chase by pushing an entirely different button on the phone.
They likely think it is funny when you wonder whether your complaint/question applies to any of the topics they have just given you options for. They are laughing hysterically while they have their EDOs and their regularly scheduled coffee breaks in the knowledge that there are millions of people on the phone trying to figure out which option to pick so that eventually, maybe they will have the option of speaking to a RLP. Meanwhile you are listening to the options, then your kid tugs at your pant leg and, crap, you didn't hear that option. Now you have to wait until the option list is done so hopefully they will give you a "To hear these options again, stand on your head and cluck like a chicken while juggling red cherry (not strawberry) jello with your toes." option, just so you can hear them all again.
Of course, while you are listening for that you are duct taping your child to a chair in the living room so that you hear all the options next time, but of course you miss it again.
Finally, you manage to hear one that "might" apply to the information you are looking for and now you have to give them information from your prior year before they will talk to you. As you flip through the pages for that, getting increasingly angry, you can hear that your child has loosened the duct tape from his mouth...you don't have much time left before he comes to bug you again. There it is! You enter the amount from line 150 of your last tax return.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT?!
Ok, the above situation is getting me all riled up just typing it. But there is a way to avoid all that. A way that is super secret and they will never ever in a million years tell you.
Press *
I miss you and I love you, Daddy.
"We are offering a JOB with a salary starting from 000 up to $8 per month.
Only for Canadians.
Requirements:
You need to have at least one bank account in Canada.
visit us at
http:// www.gnu-budget. com
Thank you."
Think I should take the job??? Some people should not be allowed to breed. I think this is the one of the funniest spam messages I have ever gotten.
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c3n0byte and brielle128. All writing in this thread is copyright of these two writers. Tell your friends, everyone. It would be great to have more in on the challenge.
