Saturday, December 12, 2020

In the name of political correctness

 

In the name of
political
correctness
by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East
As the world economy, politics, culture, and communications face a growing wave of globalization and new economic and social challenges that are likely to continue for a long time, ethical challenges for journalists have also gone global, taking on new dimensions.
As we are living in interesting times marred by pandemics, economic and not to be ignored societal challenges, the journalistic profession is certainly facing a new world full of surprises.
As the challenges mount and information and data envelop us with the inevitability of an exploding volcano, the so called establishment's elite journalists operate out of their protected world; in their ivory tower. From this seemingly untouchable place of safety, they tend to interfere with increasing frequency in the political field, seemingly working to undermine the due political process. They are becoming imperial in trying to impose their unelected views on the public and shamelessly attempting to undermine the democratic political process. Unelected and free of any responsibility, they act in the name of a false political correctness. These days it is difficult to distinguished between the "Fake News" and the "Elite Fake News" promoted by syndicated journalists to push their own agenda.
Instead of abiding by ethical principles when they are challenged, they take immediate refuge in the defence of the freedom of the press. This subterfuge must change drastically because they are an important part of society, and the journalistic profession must sooner or later get rid of the weeds and seriously pursue the business they were meant to do.
There is a very real and immediate need for an overview of the code of ethics that applies to journalism, and an even more dire need for the strict application of those ethics to ensure that practitioners abide by them in real life. In today's society, journalism and the use of journalistic ethics are more important than ever.
The number of ways journalism can impact society and the lives of people around the word is infinite. However, the impact can quickly be turned from a positive to a negative, thus losing public trust in the media.
Journalists must believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.
The ethical principle seek truth and report is particularly important, especially today. We are living in an era where lies are spread for political and social gain no matter the situation it puts others in. As journalists it is a duty to inform the public of accurate information in order not to tarnish the good name of a person, organization, or event.
Being accountable and transparent in journalistic work is possibly the most important principle to follow to ensure a journalist will not break any other principles. If someone does not understand the context of something said, it can ruin the mentality or meaning for the rest of the work.
Most stories have at least two sides. While there is no obligation to present every side in every piece, stories should be balanced and add context. Objectivity is not always possible, and may not always be desirable (in the face of brutality or inhumanity for example), but impartial reporting builds trust and confidence.
Journalists should do no harm. What they publish or broadcast may be hurtful, but they should be aware of the impact of their words and images on the lives of others.
Now let us have a look at some unfortunate events that have taken place in Canada in the last few years where journalist have influenced the political process in this country.
You may well remember the Mike Duffy affair, which was brought to light by one of his former journalist colleagues, Robert Fife. The timing of Fife's revelations was particularly interesting, because it seriously influenced the people's faith in the Conservative government of Prime Minister Harper, as the news broke just before the election was called. At the end of the affair, and after millions of taxpayer dollar had been spent on an investigation, Senator Duffy was cleared of all charges. The same journalist brought the SNC Lavalin affair to light, just before the last election in 2019. This, too, influenced the election; the country ending up with a minority Liberal government.
These are clear cases of political interference from the media in the electoral democratic process, in influencing the vote of Canadians.
Currently, there are many other examples of these kinds of Journalist "influencers" blatantly interfering in politics and showing bias in their reporting of the news.
For example, just days ago Robyn Urback a Globe and Mail columnist wrote and article entitled: "Anti-vaxxers have found their useful idiot in Conservative MP Derek Sloan". Of course the Globe and Mail was completely silent on the characterisation of an elected MP as an idiot by one of its rising stars and politically correct journalists. Even if you do not agree with the action of an MP, you do not have the right to call him names. Furthermore, the implication is that he is an idiot because he sponsored a petition, which does not mean support, in case the journalist would like to be informed in parliamentary procedures. This shows the journalist's own bias and reveals a possibly ill-informed opinion funnelled to the public. In publishing such blatantly biased and opinionated material, is the Globe and Mail abiding by ethical standards in journalism?
The question of the day is: Are the media trying to run a parallel government in Canada? You decide.

Homelessness a human rights disaster

 

H

omelessness a human rights
disaster
Written by, Sharleen Cainer, BSW RSW
You might remember a month or two ago, where the Toronto Homeless folks went to court in an attempt to have homelessness declared a state of emergency. Certainly, for the individuals who are experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets of any Canadian city, particularly in winter; it is a state of emergency at the highest order. Having lost all you have in the world due to factors that you may or may not have control over is a state of emergency in everyone's mind, except in the minds of the court. Historically, before the pandemic days, January 2019 to be exact. The Toronto city councillors addressed a motion regarding homelessness and human rights brought forward by Kristyn Wong-Tam that specifically addressed homelessness.
Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Lost)
That:
1. City Council declare homelessness a human rights disaster akin to a municipal emergency.
2. City Council affirm housing as a human right and our commitment to take appropriate measures to address homelessness as a human rights crisis. 3. City Council request the Provincial Government to apply to the Federal Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (known as Public Safety Canada) to establish an intergovernmental table to address housing and homelessness in Toronto with the following terms of reference: a. establish a formal table with Provincial and Federal ministers to meet with the Mayor, City Manager, and appropriate senior City Staff to determine a work plan and 6-month strategy development framework in no less than 30 days; b. identify the unaddressed low-income housing support gaps, including those of mental health and addictions, that may contribute to homelessness in Toronto; and c. establish what programs, supports, and services can be provided by the appropriate levels of government to prevent homelessness upstream and provide the current population with accessible options for dignified, supportive housing.
You may be wondering why I am bringing Toronto City Hall to you. I have two reasons. Durham Region has not discussed the issue to this extent even though Durham Region suffers the same grievances. There was one small step forward with the motion. Part 1c was carried forward. Toronto council agreed to:
c. establish what programs, supports, and services can be provided by the appropriate levels of government to prevent homelessness upstream and provide the current population with accessible options for dignified, supportive housing.
Fast forward to right about now, the pandemic hits and homelessness abounds. Now people are arguing the right to live in a tent in a park. They took their case to court, the city lawyer arguing there was no reason that people could not just stay in shelters. The judge weighing the arguments, stated We are just going to have an endless series of one might say, roundups, and very unpleasant bulldozing of tent cities and so on. Is that really in the public interest? We're bouncing a problem down the road, rather than trying to find some medium here." Supreme Court Justice Paul Schabas came back two weeks later with a ruling that stated "the group had not met the standard of establishing harm to the public interest that would justify suspending the city's ability to enforce its bylaw". Justice Schabas went on to say that he was not directing the city to enforce its bylaws and to remove encampments in city parks," stating "That will be up to the city." Justice Schabas may not be directing law enforcement to remove the encampments, but he was most certainly ensuring that the city would not be held back from acts of aggression against those who are sheltering themselves in tents on public park lands.
Last week in Hamilton, homeless people were bulldozed off the park land where they were experiencing the existence of homelessness living. Guidelines from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) are recommending that cities do not clear encampments during the pandemic individuals are going to be housed in appropriate housing units. Two doctors who are championing the cause in Hamilton are quick to point out that "appropriate housing units are not available. The Hamilton doctors (Hamsmart doctors Jill Wiwcharuk and Tim O'Shea requested) that the city please, stop dismantling homeless encampments for the duration of the pandemic until people could be moved to appropriate indoor space. An appropriate space would be one where all required services and amenities would be attainable. Much like the argument regarding the Beaverton project, there are no available services.
The position taken by many unsheltered is that they need to be located close to where their services and resources are located. The Beaverton project, which is a spin off from the Samac Project has no services located in Beaverton. The Samac Project had many services on sight or close by. Too often officials while calculating the checks and balances forget to include a needs assessment. The needs assessment will collect data from the individuals requiring the service. For example, when sending a pump to an African village, the needs assessment tells me how many people require water so therefore I know how big a pump I need to send. One thing we know about Homeless people is that they are particularly good at targeting what they need. The reason why many refused to stay in hotels is that the hotels were in isolated areas and too far for them to access their established services.
Last September 2019, the case in court put forth a requirement that the court make a ruling on homelessness by using the Emergency Preparedness criteria to gain access to emergency preparedness funds for the purposes of sheltering the unsheltered. In the fight against homelessness, the advocates put forth the following points.
- Comply with obligations under International Human Rights law to take all appropriate measures to address homelessness as a human rights crisis.
- Declare homelessness a human rights disaster and seek assistance from the province under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
- Request the province establish an intergovernmental table tasked with addressing the housing and homelessness crisis in Toronto.
- Convene an emergency meeting with federal and provincial representatives to develop an urgent plan of action.
- Request that the Office of Emergency Management take immediate steps to augment services for homeless individuals and seek the support of the Red Cross.
In a discussion I had with a city Director of Operations for the Emergency Preparedness Plan I learned that the scope of Emergency Preparedness Planning does not include emergencies that are the result of systemic or social issues. Homelessness is declared a social and systemic issue. What has developed is that the Federal government has come forward with RHI, the Rapid Housing Initiative. There is approximately $25 million on the table for Toronto and the GTA to submit proposals in order to access this funding, which is for temporary, emergency, immediate, modular and micro homes. The land use can be leased, owned, rent to own, and so on. The innovation on this project is really positive and very generous. The Federal government seems to have bypassed all the infighting and just declared a need to house. One step forward for us.

HOW WOULD YOU TREAT YOUR OWN MOTHER?

 


HOW WOULD YOU TREAT YOUR OWN MOTHER?
W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
It was 1949 and I was making rounds at the Massachusetts General Hospital with Professor Edward
D. Churchill, an original thinker who taught medical school students and residents the importance of science
in surgical practice. The X-ray showed a small mass in one lung in a very frail elderly lady. If it was a benign lesion, an operation might kill her. If it was malignancy and we did not operate, it might end her life. After much discussion, Professor Churchill asked a question I’ve never forgotten, “How would you treat your own mother?”
I told this story to Diana while discussing the number of people dying in seniors’ homes due
to COVID. What treatment would we want for our family members?
It’s reasonable to expect more infections in seniors’ homes this winter. Vaccines are on the
way and hopefully they will help end this nightmare. But in the meantime, loved ones will die.
So, prevention must be practiced, including refraining from gatherings, wearing face masks
and complying with social distancing rules. There’s no guarantee to evade the virus, but these
steps will decrease risk.
Yet, for loved ones in these group residences, this is not enough. In addition to these structural defences, we should help them ensure that their natural biological defences are as robust
as possible. Unfortunately, this first line of defence has not received due attention.
There’s an avalanche of information about fighting the virus from pharmaceutical companies,
institutes of health, university-based labs, and expert researchers around the world. We are
counting on these groups to make breakthroughs in medicine that will cure diseases and protect us from future pandemics. But where are the common-sense messages about good oldfashioned prevention and protection that come naturally from our immune systems?
In fact, you can find the ingredients for a strong immune system if you go looking. But there
are no mega-million-dollar budgets to push this information to you on the nightly news or in
commercial advertising.
COVID-19 is caused by a viral infection. So look at the research on the prevention of viral infections for guidance on how to care for your loved ones.
Doctors of orthomolecular medicine specialize in nutritional supplementation to maintain health. They deserve attention for two reasons. One, natural remedies don’t kill people and if
these approaches show results, then they should be a priority in treatment. Two, research by
these scientists, including published clinical trials, continues to prove the efficacy of natural
supplements for both the prevention and treatment of disease.
So how do we protect our loved ones? Dr. Damien Downing, a British allergist, has written on
vitamin D deficiency in relation to viral infections. He recommends 4,000 international units
(IU) daily for three months and then 3,000 IU daily in order to reduce risks of contracting viral
infections and to prevent disease from becoming severe leading to death. This is because
vitamin D enhances immunity, decreases inflammatory responses and acts as an antioxidant.
Other research shows that the addition of zinc 30 milligrams (mg) daily also beefs up immunity and eases inflammation. Magnesium at 400 mg daily eases the constriction of arteries
caused by viral infections.
Finally, don’t forget vitamin C, 1,000 mg three times a day. Split the dose because vitamin C
is water soluble and some is lost in the urine. It has been shown for decades to be a potent
antiviral agent. So for our loved ones, we would insist that these four safe, inexpensive vitamins and minerals be given. Afterall, you can’t replace your mother.

WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE

 


WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE
My husband and I have three beautiful daughters ages 10, two,
and one. We do not communicate at all, and I feel as though I am
dead. My husband keeps telling me he does not know how to love
or communicate with someone, because he was never shown it
as a child. I’m sick of hearing it.
He is 40 and I am 34. We have been married 13 years this September. He is a great guy, but
I cannot go on “living alone.” I take antidepressants to cope with how I feel. We have not made
love in over three months, and when we tried last week, I just could not do it and asked him to
please get off me.
I do not believe a man can go that long without it, so now I think he is cheating on me, on top
of everything else. I don’t know what to do anymore, and I don’t have any answers.
When I ask my mom, I get, “You knew what he was like when you married him. You made your
bed, now lie in it.” I’m too young to feel this way, and I (we) need help badly.
Ariana
Ariana, your mother tersely stated the issue. You are no longer satisfied with a man who is as
he has always been.. You should have had no expectation he would be different after the wedding,
because people don’t change easily. They are not like Mr. Potato Head.
We could give you a litany of relationship tips, but they won’t work because people quickly revert to the personality they developed over decades.
Your husband did nothing wrong, but you did. That is why you want to claim innocence and
accuse him of cheating. Often when we suspect another, we unwittingly admit what we have
been thinking about. Do you see cheating as a steppingstone to finding your next husband, or
are you simply accusing him as a way to get out of your marriage?
You didn’t leave when your first child was two or five or seven. Things were working well enough, that in a recent period of two years, you had two more children with your husband.
Have you been hoping each year he would turn into someone different? Or is there more to
your connection, and you are at a temporary low?
That is for you to decide.
We don’t agree with your mother when she said, “You made your bed, now lie in it.” That statement says there is no allowance for us to correct our mistakes. Perhaps you thought your mistake would only affect you, but now it is affecting others.
The thing is, none of them made a mistake. Don’t point a finger at your husband and say it is
his fault. He is a man putting up with a wife he didn’t know he wasn’t right for. He has an equal
right to wish you were still the woman he married.
Mistake correction is never fun. It’s a messy business because life doesn’t have a backspace
or a delete key. So consider this. You can’t continue to be the same woman, doing what you
have always done, acting with no real thought behind your actions. You need help, counseling,
to understand how you got to this point.
You would like a solution without repercussions to you, but that is not possible. You don’t need
drugs for what you did because medicine has no power to fix this. That is like saying, “I don’t
want anyone to know I broke my leg, so I will take painkillers instead of getting the bone set.”
If you decide to leave the marriage, don’t handle things in a way that makes them worse.
Remember your husband also needs to recover from what happened. A woman married him
who didn’t love him for who he is.
Wayne & Tamara
Email us at DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Joe Biden's collusion with Google


 Joe Biden's collusion
with Google
Larry Klayman files suit against ex-veep over removal of YouTube videos
By Larry Klayman
    This week, yours truly, the founder of both Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch and a former prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department Antitrust Division, arranged to take the video deposition of Joe Biden and his campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, who illegally interfered with the YouTube channel of Freedom Watch Inc. after I, many months ago, threatened to bring the presidential candidate before a citizens grand jury over his and his son Hunter's illegal activities in Ukraine and China during my weekly radio broadcast, "Special Prosecutor with Larry Klayman," on Radio America Network.
As a result of this interference, Google/YouTube, doing the bidding of and attempting to curry favor with Biden and his campaign – who they have put their money on to be the 46th president of the United States – removed all of my and Freedom Watch's public-interest YouTube postings for the last many years. Only after I threatened Google/YouTube through its attorney at Williams & Connolly, not coincidentally also the law firm of the Clintons, with suit were the postings restored. However, damage to my personal and professional reputations had already occurred, as it created the false impression that I had done something wrong.
I therefore filed suit against Biden and his campaign over this interference in Florida state court in Palm Beach County, and the case remains pending.
Previously, Freedom Watch and our brave and fearless client Laura Loomer, who now is running for Congress in Palm Beach County, had also filed a class action antitrust lawsuit against Google/YouTube and other big tech companies, which is headed to the Supreme Court. We did so long before the belated civil complaint filed early this week by my alma mater, the Antitrust Division, where I was on the trial team that broke up the AT&T monopoly during the Reagan administration. In the compromised filing, Attorney General Bill Barr, aka "Blowhard Bill," and the Department of Justice did not ask for the break-up of the Google monopoly as had occurred with AT&T, but only restrained and politically compromised cosmetic measures to increase competition among search engine providers. The suit frankly falls short of the relief needed and is too little too late, given all that is happening with regard to discrimination against conservatives, people of faith and President Trump. Freedom Watch will be intervening in this government lawsuit to advocate for a total break-up of Google.

Clearly, Blowhard Bill Barr's Justice Department lacks the courage to take strong action, as has been the case since he was appointed by President Donald Trump to succeed the equally worthless former AG Jeff Sessions. In filing this case now, Barr was simply trying to take the proverbial monkey off his back over criticism that he has not seen fit to indict former FBI Director James Comey, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the "love birds" former FBI Special Agents Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, former Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, or Obama intel agency czars James Clapper and John Brennan. To top all of his cowardly conduct off, Barr has declared the Obamas, Clintons and Bidens "off limits" and thus above the law.
Why is Blowhard Bill so cowardly? The answer is really simple and obvious. The deep state intel agencies have so much dirt on him, as they do with the overwhelming majority of public figures in the cesspool of the nation's capital, that to do anything substantive would result in "unacceptable blowback" for the attorney general.
This is the modus operandi in our body politic today and why, as I pen in my latest book, "It Takes a Revolution: Forget the Scandal Industry!" We the People must now rise up and take care of business. Time is short, and there is, as I wrote last week, no political messiah on the horizon. Even if, by the Grace of God, The Donald is reelected, the court jesters, fools and criminals in Congress will block his initiatives every step of the way. And, the ethical and moral decline, which has nearly hit rock bottom, will continue, as the fabric of our body politic has been infected with socialist, communist radical and racist ideology, thanks in large part to our so-called educational institutions.
We the People must therefore take it upon ourselves, seizing the moment, as fearless as our Founding Fathers, and wage a forceful but peaceful revolution. If we are physically attacked by the radical left, however, we must be prepared to defend ourselves to the end with our constitutional Second Amendment rights.
My having sued Joe Biden and his corrupt presidential campaign is just one battle in this war the citizenry must now rise up and win. Please order my book "It Takes a Revolution: Forget the Scandal Industry!" and enlist in our modern-day continental army, Freedom Watch's Justice League at www.freedomwatchusa.org. And, also enlist in a new public-interest group I have founded with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, "America's Sheriff, Inc.," by going to www.americassheriff.org. America's Sheriff was conceived of to protect our crucial law enforcement officers, so necessary for the safety and well-being of our families.
The Father and his Son are with us. Now we must return the favor and save Their greatest creation for mankind, the United States of America, before the money changers and criminals of the left burn down the Temple and nothing is left but ash.
We the People will show our resolve and means to fight and win this war with the left if we "forget the scandal industry," turn off cable news and get to work now, before it is too late!

VACCINATE NOW OR ELSE...


 VACCINATE NOW OR ELSE...

By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

  Life is funny.  We go around wearing this big badge of pride over our rights and freedoms when in reality we have none.   We are divided by political ideology that in part is one of the same.
What once started by the people for the people today has become nothing short by the people for a few people.    Look all over the world.  Money, power and greed are the global characteristics of law and order that are held by few in the name of the  best interest of the masses.
Today we are facing one of the worlds biggest social transformation in human history.   Traditionally, governments ruled by law with direct consequences related to the infractions.   This system of governance has failed as our legal system is not about retribution, fairness or justice but about manipulation, wealth and social status/race.
We are facing this day one of the worst kind of wars.  A war that has been brewing for centuries.   I say that this COVID-19 attack was not a mistake but a direct attempt to control the masses by design.
China, the last of the true communist countries for centuries has slowly taken over one industry at a time.  Today, they control the world.  Under Trump, the Chinese felt threatened.  They felt the threat within their own borders as the uprise for pro-democracy was surging.  Since the COVID attack.  No more uprise in China.  No more issues with social disobedience.
COVID-19 is  a phantom enemy that we still do not understand.   Just this week a miracle vaccine was introduced to the world.  A vaccine that to date has very little side effects known or at least made public.   This new form of vaccine has very edge cutting technology that include NANO technology.  A technology that has been in the work for at least 50 years.  A technology that has all kinds of applications including the ability to trace, control and manipulate it’s environments.
As it stands all governments of the world have opted for shut downs in the hope to combat COVID.  It has helped... but far from being the solution.   Then now, we the world population are set to trust a vaccine.
They say that in Russia they have freedom and choice.
“That under communism they are given choice.  The problem is that they  are only given one and the freedom to choose.”
This is what is happening to us.   How far will government have to go to utilize the same thinking when it comes to this vaccine?   After all, the virus is a world threat.  What is to say that this is the beginning of a new world order.  YOU ARE TOLD WHAT TO DO IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC HEALTH - NATIONAL SECURITY.
You are given one choice and that is to be immunized.  If you fail to choose it.  You will be deemed an risk and health hazard and be sent to government run facility until such time as you die from the disease or immunize.
You think it is far fetched?   As it stands we have given the right for the government to shut down our businesses.  Given them the right to tell us how to celebrate events and what to say and how to say it.   Under the act the government is operated was designed for acts of wars.  Not for control of the masses to cover for the negligence of our government.  It is their duty to keep us safe.  Not our duty to surrender our rights and freedoms to compensate for their incompetence.
What is to say that this new vaccine is not the beginning of a new world social order.  Technically if you do not get vaccinated you many not be able to return to work.  You may not fly.  You may not be allowed access to government offices and chosen facilities.
Prepare yourself for Immunity Passports implanted inside your body.  This sound completely absurd, but is it?    The Politicians are really angered they cannot over rule the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to force the people to be vaccinated against their will, with the experimental COVID-19 vaccine.  So the politicians have come up with a solution. It is called ‘DENIAL OF SERVICE’.  They are prepared to deny you access to:   All forms of public transportation, Banking, Shopping, Medical facilities, Travel mobility between Provinces or cities, Attendance at schools, Colleges, Universities, Government access, Fed., Prov., Municipal, Public entertainment events, Work access, Driver license, Trade Certification and much more.
Eventually you will have no choice but to volunteer to take the vaccine or end up in a government operated detention facility with others sick and holding out on taking the vaccine.   This leaving you exposed to COVID-19 until you die or submit.
You say that is crazy talk?   Look at what is happening now.   Facebook for example is now in the practice of censorship.  This is the message you get if you post something that they do not approve:  FALSE INFORMATION FOUND IN YOUR POST - Independent fact-checker at USA TODAY say information in your post is partly false.  To stop the spread of false news, we’ve added a notice to your post.
Organizations like CNN spreading bias information.   Who are these global corporations that attempt to control our thoughts and emotions.  
Some have publicly noted that this vaccine will hold bio/chemical agents that could make it easy for world government to monitor control and alter human bahaviour.   China for the longest time has practice through their artificial intelligence program.   Mass cataloguing of it’s population.  If the theory over the vaccine stands true.  This could mean that with the right technology government can detect who has been vaccinated and who has not.  Where people come and go.    For the longest time globalist have talked about one world currency.   Just this week Bill Gates released a statement on how in the next 50 years “we the people are to become part of the technology’.  Implying that we will not use anymore credit cards, cell phone and or computers.   That it will all work through micro chipping and or similar nano-tech devices.   The cry is real.  VACCINATE NOW OR ELSE.
Can you afford to risk it?  Can you afford to take it?
Remember no choice in this case is the choice.

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Empty Plate

 from Wayne & Tamara


Empty Plate
   I'm a 31-year-old female, in my last year of college, and working part-time in my field. I think for the most part I'm fairly attractive, funny, and nice, but I seem to have trouble with men. My last long-term relationship was three years ago, and since then, I've just had a mess of casual dating relationships.
I do think I'm a great catch, but I have some self-esteem issues that may be holding me back. The biggest one being that I'm very petite. I'm an inch over five feet, and I have a teeny athletic frame. Therefore, I do not have the typical woman figure. No breasts, no hips, no long legs. This makes shopping for women-like clothes difficult, and I know good clothes can definitely increase self-esteem!
I also do not look my age. I'd say I look five or six years younger at least. So, I've always been the “cute one” or “little sister” type. This overall image of myself hinders my personal relationships, I think.
I feel men aren't instantly attracted to me because of this. I'm the friend, never the girlfriend. I just don't know how to change these thoughts. When I look at myself in the mirror, I know I look as good as I can. I work with what I have, but I guess I don't feel sexy or womanly.
I've also had trouble with friendships. Don't get me wrong. I have my close friends, but I'm not good with meeting new people and forging friendships from those meetings. I'm not good at small talk. When I do try to do it, I feel so fake.

At this age, a lot of my friends are married, have homes, and babies, and their lives are the complete opposite of mine, so I feel really unconnected to them. I also feel like there is a shortage of single people, because when I do meet new people I connect with, everyone is in a relationship.
Being in a relationship really does make people act different. They don't go out as much without their partner, so it's been trying to keep a close relationship with many of my girlfriends. It's frustrating. Small talk with females is far more difficult than small talk with males. Well, at least males I'm not attracted to. When I am attracted to a guy, I can't really talk to him without feeling totally awkward.
The industry I work in also makes it difficult to form certain friendships. I work in construction as a project coordinator. I love my job! And yes, there is an abundance of men working in construction, but most are men I don’t want to be friends with. The ones that are a little extra special are already taken. I feel my career choice keeps me from feeling ultra-feminine, but I love what I do.
I was hoping you may be aware of some good self-help books. I've read a lot but haven't found any to be all that useful. Or perhaps you have some words of advice.
I know I'm a great catch, but so far no one has tried to reel me in. The only men that seem to be attracted to me and who, I guess, I'm attracted to at first, are the unavailable ones. Whether it be because they aren't ready to commit, or they have a girlfriend, or they are looking at me on the side, either way, it's bad news. I'm no side dish. I want to be the main course!
Sandi

Sandi, you are in a male-dominated industry and can’t find a man. That’s painful and discouraging. At this season of festive meals, we’ll see if we can come up with the right recipe for you next week.
Wayne & Tamara
Email us at DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com

People in Pain Need Protection from False Pot Promotion

 


People in Pain Need Protection from False Pot Promotion
 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones

            What’s the worst kind of pain? At the top of the list is debilitating chronic pain that, despite painkillers and other treatments, is unrelenting day after day. Chronic pain gradually destroys the soul. A study of suicide cases between 2003 and 2014 found evidence that as many as 10% of cases involved chronic pain. Now, with the availability of marijuana for medical treatment in Canada and most US states, is new hope being corrupted by false advertising?
No one should suffer pain that can be safely managed. The addition of medical marijuana as a treatment option has helped many. But despite heavy regulation, there are unscrupulous entrepreneurs ready to make a quick buck, and they are banking on your trust. What hurts, is that they are taking your money while also betraying your hope for pain relief.
            People enduring chronic pain have probably heard their doctor say, “You have intractable pain and there is no cure.” Given new availability of medical marijuana, it should not be surprising that many have wanted to try it.
            Chewable gummies are particularly attractive because they are so easy to take. You can find dozens of products online marketed as “300mg CBD Gummies”. CBD is short for cannabidiol, derived from the hemp plant. Hemp contains less THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana plants. While research continues, there is substantial evidence that CBD can help with both musculoskeletal and nerve pain.
            But the marketing and labeling of these gummies is a despicable mess.
            Let’s focus on the dosage. Getting the dosage right for any medication is important, and for hemp or marijuana it can be tricky. So, it’s good advice to consult your doctor. Don’t rely on the misleading information found on websites promoting these products. Typical dosages for CBD can range from less than 10 to more 300 milligrams daily. That’s a big range. Finding the dosage that meets the needs of different people usually means starting with a low dose and gradually increasing by about 5 milligrams daily until the desired effect is achieved. Most research to date suggests it’s safe to take up to 1,500 mg daily.

So back to those CBD gummies. It is very important to know what dose is in a single gummy. We shopped around to find out.

            Misleading and downright fraudulent information abounds. Dozens of products mislead consumers into thinking there are 300 mg of CBD per gummy. Not true. This is the total CBD in each bottle of 30 gummies. Other products falsely state on the label “300 MG Per Gummy” when in fact there are only 10 mg in each gummy. Indeed, a single gummy at 300 mg of CBD is an extremely high starting dose! Just two gummies would be 600 mg of CBD. It’s absurd. A phone call to these producers confirmed the outright error, and yet, these products remain on the market. Some companies have received warnings, but seemingly with no consequence.

For unsuspecting consumers seeking pain relief, this amounts to gross negligence by producers and regulators alike. Product websites show people cured of pain. But there’s scant information to clarify dosages and guide consumers on how to use this kind of medication in the treatment of pain. How can this be allowed by health authorities?
P.T. Barnum, the circus promoter, said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Entrepreneurs make a lot of money with such deceptive slick promotion. How many people in chronic pain with limited funds are fooled by ads about quick relief of pain and are still suffering. It’s shameful, and people in pain deserve better.
If readers have experience in easing chronic pain with CBD gummies, contact us.

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Durham Regional Council


Durham Regional Council
 Written by,
 Sharleen Cainer, BSW RSW
This week, on November 24th, 2020, Welcome Home for Less will be presenting a plan to the Durham Regional Council with the intention of providing the region with immediate shelter for the unsheltered. We have talked about this project for some time now. The Council has agreed to grace us with their presence by showing a faint interest in Welcome Home for Less' plan to bring micro hubs to Durham Region.

I would like to introduce you, the community to the full executive compliment of Welcome Home for Less. We are a group of entrepreneurs who run our own businesses and we are experts in our own fields. We work together on the Welcome Home for Less project to address a wide range of concerns that we would like to neutralize.  1). We feel there is a great need to educate community members and local leaders. Although it appears that everybody knows something about everything, it is apparent that a lot of people know nothing about anything.  The council has a dedicated and published agenda to irradicate homelessness since 2009, but the numbers are not decreasing, they are increasing at an alarming rate. WHFL has a mandate to bring an updated understanding of the impending difficulties that stem from the systemic and social ideology which is in full force and quietly creating homelessness. 2). WHFL has mandated itself to create a charitable organization where the full executive compliment dedicates personal time to volunteer hours for the sole purposes of interceding, for the common with those who are struggling to maintain basic quality of life. The executives of WFHL have been on the street, interviewing people, providing for their basic needs, and giving free professional counselling 3). WHFL has mandated itself to develop several protocols for affordable housing for everybody who wishes to participate. The concept is not only about immediate micro hubs, module housing but to develop and design a quality product. WHFL is for everyone who wishes to establish and maintain their own sustainable home.  In this time of increasing homelessness, WHFL has created an immediate and sustainable product for housing the unsheltered. 4) The fourth initiative is the primary reason for the existence of Welcome Home for Less. WHFL has mandated itself to create sustainable, affordable, liveable communities that include the reduction of the carbon footprint, sustainable gardening programs, and food security. Welcome Home for Less is dedicated to the creation of a sustainable community.

Becky Big Canoe, the creator of Strong Woman Lodge, which is an organization whose mandate is to create training opportunities and housing initiatives for Indigenous women. Strong Woman Lodge works in partnership with Welcome Home for Less using the concepts and principals of the Two Row Wampum Belt for the establishment of appropriate Indigenous life.  We work in partnership to ensure Indigenous concerns are recognized and respected.  Ms. Big Canoe fulfills the role of liaison between WHFL and the Indigenous entities who wish to engage with us.

Bianca Metz, owner operator of The Giving Tree Family has created a structure by which she teaches community members the art of living a sustainable life in a Tiny home. She is an expert in living off grid, creating sustainable garden programs, and ensuring food security. Ms. Metz works with WHFL to help educate our clientele in shifting from consumerism towards the minimizing of consumerism. The Giving Family Tree is dedicated to the engineering of double purpose space use and improved quality of life for all who engage in this alternative and rewarding lifestyle.

Helen Sardaro is the COO of Welcome Home for Less. Her legal background provides the logistics and ensures Welcome Home for Less operates within all zoning laws, and legal requirements. Ms. Sardaro works in collaborations with all the executives of Welcome Home for Less, and liaisons with the governing bodies who engage with Welcome Home for Less.

Sharleen Cainer, the author of this weekly column, the CEO of Welcome Home for Less, and owner operator of Resolutions Unlimited, has created an innovative concept of sustainable community living at a fraction of the cost that has historically believed to be necessary.  Ms. Cainer is a social worker who has been in private practice since 1989. With an established and proven track record in clinical counselling and community development in the many regions of Canada, Africa, and the UK, Ms. Cainer conceptualized sustainable communities with the use of modular units to create affordable units.  The concept of Welcome Home for Less has come into partnership with the collaborations of our expert business owners.

The executive leadership at Welcome Home for Less had agreed some months ago to volunteer many man hours to focus on the creation of micro hubs for the immediate sheltering of the unsheltered. The numbers of unsheltered had began to sore in the months gone by. We have danced, waltzed, entertained, educated, and quite literally fed the people of the region by taking food to the streets. We now have the ear of Durham's Regional Council.  
 

God's plan: Save America by destroying current government


 God's plan:
Save America by destroying current government
Larry Klayman envisions John Galt-like scenario out of Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged'
By Larry Klayman
     In her famous book "Atlas Shrugged," written in 1957, during a time in the country's history when it was thought that communism was on the rise – today it truly is – Ayn Rand created a character named John Galt, who, along with other powerful people, checked out of society when a corrupt government, in exercising dictatorial powers, dumbed down our body politic by falsely making all people "equal," that is, reduced to mindless moronic zombies. The goal of John Galt and his followers was to deprive a corrupt government of their expertise, in effect allowing the United States to be taken down to ground zero, in order that someday it could resurface to recreate the vision of our Founding Fathers on July 4, 1776 – a free, capitalist nation where individual achievement thrived.

This indeed is what is on the near horizon for the United States of America today, with the pending presidency of the brain-dead Joe Biden and vice presidency of the evil leftist witch Kamala Harris. Given Biden's deteriorating neurological health – it has been reported that he has suffered multiple strokes – and perhaps nefarious "Clintonesque" fatal deeds by those on the left, I predict that Biden will be dead within six months, at which time a total socialist/communist takeover will be in full swing. This will also be furthered by a likely Democratic takeover of the U.S. Senate, given that election fraud is relatively certain to again take place in the Georgia run-off in a few weeks. New laws, putting in place a socialist/communist gulag, will be enacted, and We the People will be living under a tyrannical government that even far surpassed what Ayn Rand and George Orwell in is book "1984" predicted would come to pass someday.

This week, in one of the few times that I glimpsed at a Fox cable channel, I turned on Maria Bartiromo who, during her morning show on Fox Business, confronted Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona. Maria, the only honest real conservative left on the Fox channels, asked Biggs why Republicans had done nothing many months ago when it was apparent that mail-in ballots and other dishonest means were going to be used to steal the election from President Trump. In response, the congressman looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Later, after several seconds of silence, Biggs was forced to concede that the television host was right.

What Biggs did not say, but that which we all know to be true, is that the Republican establishment is not just a bunch of hapless felonious clowns, but they, from the get go of the Trump administration, wanted to see the president gone. He is not their cup of tea to put it most mildly. Now they have all but succeeded.

All of this means that We the People have no government that will preserve and protect that shining city on a hill once described by our greatest modern-day president, Ronald Reagan. What we have is a filthy bunch of moneychangers, feeding at the trough like pigs in excrement, squealing all the way to the bank of power and money. And, they have put in place a federal judiciary, bought and paid for yes men and women of the lowest order, who will look the other way to the corruption of those who put them on the bench, just as did the yes men on the Court of King James under King George III.

In short, do not expect any federal or for that matter state court, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to bail us out of the nosedive the nation now is enmeshed in. But, just as in "Atlas Shrugged" and John Galt, now that the country is on the verge of total destruction, not just physically but also ethically and morally, the time is right for patriots to reenter society and save the republic. I am convinced this is God's plan. He has done this before, destroying civilizations only to have others in his image rise up in their place.

We the People need to understand that there is a higher order to the nation and the universe that the corrupt, degenerate felons and stooges that occupy space in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals and courts around the country. And, as we face a socialist/communist takeover, remember that we must now forget the scandal industry, turning off the likes of the two-faced Fox News and Newsmax, the latter of which is owned and run by a CEO who has given $1 million dollars to the Clinton Foundation. With God's divine guidance and grace, We the People will rise up to save the republic.

I have a plan on how this can be done in my new book "It Takes a Revolution: Forget the Scandal Industry!', available at Amazon.com and all major online booksellers.

And, finally, before your read my book, be inspired and motivated by the Declaration of Independence, our nation's loadstar, which begins by proclaiming to the tyrannical king and the world:

"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. … That whenever any Form of Government, becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government. …"

That is the road God has again paved for us going forward. And we will prevail!

PROUD CANADIAN REDNECK




 PROUD CANADIAN REDNECK

By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

  Now before you CNN watchers get all huffy and puffy.... Let’s put this in perspective.   I am not calling myself a redneck.   My beloved government treats me as one.
By dictionary definition a redneck is: Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States. Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker (especially regarding Texas, Georgia, and Florida), hillbilly (especially regarding Appalachia and the Ozarks), and white trash (but without the last term's suggestions of immorality).
  In other words.  A humble some what ignorant person with a good heart and down to earth qualities.  Someone that has rooted believes and family values, country and faith over anything else.    The type of people that in the past have sacrificed during world wars for the betterment of the freedoms we exercise in modern society.
  With this said, my government makes me feel like a red neck as it takes my good heart and soul and discards it in the name of some equality that does not seem to exists.   How are we to be equal when there are so many obvious differences.  How are we to believe in a God when we allow so many Gods to force us to accept their believes.
  Here in Canada we are a confused people.  Something started under multiculturalism to educate rednecks has now turned into a tool to oppress rednecks and anyone that opposes submission to acceptance to foreign culture and traditions.   Crushing the good hearts and souls of those folks... rednecks that build this country.
   Good people coming together recognizing that our cultural difference  and what each brings is what won wars.  Segregation through force compliance only divide us as a people and create classes of people within the races.  Was that the purpose of multiculturalism?
Don’t think so.
Today under the Liberal governments attempt to help people the government is practicing open segregation.  Segregation by definition:
Racial segregation in the United States is the segregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation in the United States along racial lines. The term mainly refers to the legally or socially enforced separation of African Americans from whites, but it is also used with regard to the separation of other ethnic minorities from majority mainstream communities.
If you go under the government of Canada web page. https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#businesses  Under sub heading Targeted support: Supporting Black business owners and entrepreneurs through the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund. We are supporting Black business owners and entrepreneurs through the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund that will provide loans of between $25,000 and $250,000.
This initiative is part of the Black Entrepreneurship Program, in which we are investing up to nearly $93 million.
It continues:  Under-Indigenous businesses. Relief measures for Indigenous businesses. Supporting business through the pandemic and into recovery.  Supporting the Indigenous tourism industry. Indigenous peoples can also access all other benefits.
Is this not segregation?   Is this not  the legally or socially enforced separation of African Canadians and natives from whites?
How are we to all go around our lives pretending everything is alright when our own government practices segregation.   As a redneck are you not insulted that special privileges are being given to one race over another.   Are the Italians, Hispanics, Middle Easterners not insulted by such actions from the government.
Furthermore why is it that the government makes the assumption that Black entrepreneurs and Native folk have some sort of handicap.   Do we not live in a free and democratic society where we are rewarded by our efforts and our accomplishment and not by hand outs and charity.
Why does the government feel  as they have to belittle these two races in such way.  Why is the government practicing racism in the name of good intentions?
As a proud Canadian redneck.  I find this insulting.   Remember when I say Canadian redneck I am in reference to those in Canada that come from a slew of races that only purpose is to live free and happy.  To contribute to this great country and not to sit and expect to be accepted and or given handouts.  
I would find it highly insulting to turn to the government web page and find.... A section entitled.  Euro/Italian Entrepreneurship Loan Fund.   It would make me feel on the one hand....   Why does the government feel I have a handicap that I need help.  On the other. Wooo hooo.  I get in front of the line over all other races.
Is this the Canada we rednecks fought for and sacrificed during world wars?
The bigger question is... Since these special services are for Black folk only.   Does it not imply NO REDNECKS apply?
Not even the natives!!!
What a pandora box.... the government on the one hand cries inclusion and tolerance and by it’s own admittance it segregates in the name of assistance.
We the people of this nation are being mislead.   I wonder sometimes about the motives and intentions.  Then I look at the character and intellect of those leading us and one kind of feels compassion as we the rednecks have more common sense then he/she that is supposed to be leading us.
Look at this COVID fiasco.  No one know what it really is other then a virus.   We are forced to give up our civil right without knowing the true causation and act out of assumption and scientific hype.
Careful of your government as it is as redneck thinking as the most humble amongst us.  TRUST BUT QUESTION.

Reset of the economy and climate change

 Reset of the economy and climate change


by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East
   In Canada there is more and more talk about a reset of the economy, using the excuse and opportunity of the Covid-19 pandemic. The politicians of the major political parties are more or less accepting of the idea and the elite media journalists are joyfully praising the advent of a new economy combined with a new social order meant to save the planet.

Obviously whoever tries to challenge them on reasonable and scientific grounds becomes an outcast and labeled as a "FAKELIST". Well, where there is smoke there is fire.  Let's start with the so-called genuine plan entitled "The Great Reset", drawn up by the World Economic Forum (WEF).  Lead by economist Klaus Schwab, the WEF organizes an annual conference in Switzerland for high-profile political and business figures.

The plan explores how countries might recover from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Full of good intentions and new ideas we are heading for an uncharted future. There are people who fiercely oppose the ideas advocated by the WEF and more people, especially politicians, including our Prime Minister, who enthusiastically embrace them.

The social media is exploding, conspiracy theories of all kinds are flourishing, the establishment media is exalting and fuming at the same time and the politicians, mostly lawyers and political scientists, are talking nonsense relying on chosen courtesan scientists. Welcome to the new middle ages with a spike of communism as appetizer. Furthermore, because we are increasingly living in a virtual world, welcome to the virtual punishments. Burning at the stake on Facebook and Twitter or banishment to the gulag of the Star, the Globe and the CBC of whoever dares to challenge the establishment elaborated globalist doctrine.  

So let us land in the best country in the world to live and raise a family, and see what is going on, and what the plans are for keeping it the same in the future. At this point the pandemic rages with a renewed intensity in the country and the provincial and federal leaders seem to be quite disoriented yet proud of themselves. They seem to have suddenly discovered the colors, becoming new renaissance artists in coloring maps and establishing elaborate pandemic rules based on heavenly inspiration. Are they living in an imaginary euphoric world, not realizing that the economy will soon collapse and they will be responsible for the hardship of future generations? Never mind. There are similarities to be found in ancient history; when Emperor Nero played the fiddle while Rome was burning. Our feet are to the fire and the show is on, but where is the water?

Let us come down to earth and see what the recently proposed Bill C-12 Canadian Net Zero Emissions Accountability Act legislation is about. It seems to be the main preoccupation of the present federal government; to build the new economy and the future of Canada on renewable energy, primarily wind and solar. Only that when there is no wind or sun there is no energy, and that does not depend on political decisions but on Mother Nature.

The legislation, C-12, essentially fulfills a Liberal election promise to be more aggressive at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and to get Canada to net-zero emissions by 2050 at any cost.
Reaching "net-zero" by 2050 would mean that emissions produced 30 years from now would be fully absorbed through actions that scrub carbon from the atmosphere, such as planting trees, or technology, such as carbon-capture and storage systems. The Liberals have promised to plant two billion trees but are silent on nuclear, the real no carbon emitting energy source.  Never mind. The sun will continue to shine upon us until its nuclear power becomes extinct in the next billion years. Maybe in the future some wise and imaginative politicians will have plans to save the sun, you  never know.
"Climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of our times," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters with glowing confidence.

The trouble is; we are far better at setting ambitious targets than we are at meeting them and we have the pandemic and the immediate economy to deal with.

If all of this sounds familiar, it's likely because a not-dissimilar bill, the Climate Change Accountability Act, was put forward by the federal NDP and passed in the House of Commons a decade ago during PM Stephen Harper's second minority government. If it's not familiar, that may be because the bill had the dubious honour of being the first one killed by the unelected Senate.

In the intervening years, Prime Minister Harper withdrew Canada from the Kyoto Protocol, whose 2012 target we were destined to fail on, and then committed Canada to a 2020 target, now also missed, under the Copenhagen Accord. So again, we have high expectations, a lot of ink splashed about by a trumpeting elitist press, and a lot of bureaucrats doing Sisyphean work for this latest incarnation of unachievable climate accountability legislation.
The proposed bill also reflects a kind of new revolutionary thinking of reverse perestroika. It prescribes that the Commissioner of the Environment & Sustainable Development "must, at least once every five years, examine and report on the Government of Canada's implementation of the measures aimed at mitigating climate change, including those undertaken to achieve its most recent greenhouse gas emissions target as identified in the relevant assessment report." The first such report would land around 2025 and could well arrive even sooner. So in essence we have a revival of five year plans all accomplished on paper with glorious reporting by a government subsidized press and visual media of the completion, tactics refined in the former communist countries. Instead of going for progress we go back to a sad past experiment, having learned nothing from historical experiences.
On top of this Canada is also obliged under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to submit a biennial report on climate action progress relative to our 2030 target by the end of 2021 and annual inventory reports.  Here we go again, giving more non-productive, glorified work to bureaucrats paid by the taxpayers in a truly new globalist driven world with our Prime Minister in the lead.

He proudly told the New York Times Magazine in 2017 that Canada could be the "first postnational state", adding with confidence, that "there is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada".

All of this focus on an underworldly vision, when the primordial focus should be on the immediate future of ordinary citizens' quest to work and put bread on the table for their families.

At this time of challenges, governments at all levels should have a concrete plan and start executing it in order to contain the economic disaster that we are facing right now.
It's only fair to expect immediate and positive action from provincial and federal governments to lead us out of the pandemic darkness. Ultimately, the accountability for the governments' actions or inaction will be judged by Canadians themselves. Hopefully, we will still be living in a democracy.

Is this too much to ask?  You be the judge.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

What Steak Lovers Should Know About Plant-Based Meats

 


What Steak Lovers Should Know About Plant-Based Meats
 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
We live at a time of growing choices regarding food substitutes. But how good are these new products when compared with the old staples? Think of margarine versus butter. Or more recently plant-based meats versus the real McCoy? Was William Shakespeare right when he wrote, "A substitute shines brightly as a King, until a King be by"?
A report from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University provides plenty to chew on. Deciding what to do isn't just a personal decision. It also involved implications for our planet.
    According to researchers at Tufts, sales of meat alternatives increased 30% in 2018. This increase is expected to continue since plant-based, meatless "meat" has become available at several fast-food outlets. But how good are these products?
    Nicole Negowetti, a clinical instructor at the Harvard Animal Law and Policy Clinic, says, "These new plant-based meat products are designed to replicate the taste, texture and chemical composition of meat."
    The point is, producers of these new foods are trying to fool us.  They want consumers to have the impression they are eating meat, when in fact they are not. As Negowetti says, whether it's meat from a cow, pig, or any other animal, meat is muscle which is essentially protein and some fat. Meatless manufacturers are extracting these proteins and fats from plants and combining them to mimic the characteristics of animal meat.
    It sounds simple, but there is more to the story. Nicole Blackstone, assistant professor in the Friedman School's Division of Agriculture, Food and Environment warns, some of these meatless products are so highly processed that they bear no resemblance to their sourced plant foods.  Particularly those produced manufactured on a large scale are often highly processed and include in novel components.
    For instance, to achieve the colour and meatiness that blood gives to red meat, producers have found a way to grow heme iron in soy plants. This is the type of iron found in meat and an essential element of blood production. So, what about the health risks of this scientific replication? For the moment Blackstone says we don't know the answer.
    We do know that beef-mimicking hamburgers are similar in calories and protein and lower in saturated fats. However, many meat alternatives are higher in sodium than regular meat.  Higher sodium intake can lead to higher blood pressure, causing hypertension.    
There is one major benefit to eating substitute meat. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in six North Americans develops food poisoning every year from a variety of food products. Unlike regular meat, substitute meats are far less frequently the cause of E. coli or Salmonella infection. In addition, manufacturers do not have to add antibiotics to these products that can trigger superbug antibiotic resistance. Nor do these products contain hormones. Negowetti says, "The key question is, can substitute meat products be the tool to help people decrease their intake of real meat? Global red meat consumption is increasing, and factory farming of animals is known to be devastating to animal welfare and environmental sustainability. I am calling for a broader interpretation of 'healthy' to include planetary health."
Different studies and producers report that a typical meatless hamburger uses 75-99% less water and has about a 90% smaller carbon footprint compared to a regular burger. According to a Nielsen survey, 62% of North Americans say they would replace meat-based protein with plant-based protein.
Negowetti claims the bottom line is that people will buy alternative meat products if they are delicious and cheap. This would also benefit out planet.
What would Shakespeare say today? Possibly, "A substitute shines brightly as a King, even when a King pass by."

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SHUT DOWN - LOCK DOWN DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT EXACTLY COVID IS?


 SHUT DOWN - LOCK DOWN
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT EXACTLY COVID IS?

By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

   Come on people wear the dam mask.   At the least it gives everyone else a false sense of security.   The more I read reports and studies the more I come to conclude that governments of the world have no clue on what COVID-19 truly is other than a killer virus.
     What I can’t wrap my mind around is how it is that we have failed to learn from the first wave.    Now it seems to be fashionable for hospital to cry wolf over the lack of resources and beds... DAH... One would have thought that after the first wave we would have made the appropriate changes to be sure we be ready for the next wave.
No instead we are sitting ducks.  It is easier to close down businesses and pass out fines then to get to the root of the problem.
Until today we still don’t truly know true essence of transmission.  We are under the assumption that it is person to person.   NO one has yet been able to confirm it beyond a shadow of a doubt.   
Governments go for the easy kill and just tell people to stay indoors and self isolate.   Is that the real solution?
 Personally I believe that the virus is airborne (Airborne transmission is defined as the spread of an infectious agent caused by the dissemination of droplet nuclei (aerosols) that remain infectious when suspended in air over long distances and time.)
Not so much person to person but person to surface to person.  I also believe that the virus is being spread through our water supply.
They tell us that the virus has a life span and can only life for a short period of time on particular surfaces.  I believe that to be wrong also.
A study from Canada showed the ability to detect COVID-19 in raw sewage...if so does this mean the virus can live through our sewage systems?  If so then the fumes from the sewage carry the virus?
We will never know.  All we know for sure is that our civil liberties are being taken for a perceived (own good).
I don’t see this ending with a vaccine.   I see this becoming more complex.  I see large number of people being forced to go to camps.  The virus will become mandatory and anyone opposing will be removed from society.   Another scenario, I see is that the true essence of the vaccine will become known.  
You must remember that the active agents in these vacines are extremely powerful and can ideally be DNA manipulators.
No other vaccine in history has managed to change the make up of the host in such way in order to be effective.
Now that we in Durham region facing our second shutdown.   Should we not be preparing for the third wave?    While we endure this rise in cases we should be learning from our experience so we can cope with any future waves.
I know one thing.  Many local businesses will not be able to endure the shut down.  As it stand we have lost many and there is no real help on it’s way.
As a community we need to stand together and all do our part.
If wearing a mask is the answer then wear it.   If anything protect yourself from another's infection.
We live a dream in a nightmare world as we awaken to the realities of COVID-19.

Regulated and self regulated professions a need to review


 Regulated and self regulated
professions a need to review

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East
Regulated and self regulated professions a need to review

A regulated or self regulated profession is controlled more or less stringently by provincial and territorial (and sometimes federal) law, and governed by a regulatory body. About 20 per cent of jobs are in regulated occupations. In general, two main types of occupations are regulated in Canada; regulated, self regulated professions (for example, doctors, nurses, engineers and lawyers); and apprenticeable (Skilled) trades (for example, plumbers and electricians).

There are close to 100 regulated and self regulated professions in Canada. Each province and territory has its input in the regulation and self regulation. In order to practice engineering everywhere in Canada for example, you need to have a licence in every province and territory; so 13 licences.

This obviously creates and economic and bureaucratic barrier to developing a healthy economy in Canada. Interprovincial barriers in trade professions as well as in other areas of economic activity do not serve the interests of Canadians. The rules for regulating or self regulating the professions and trades in Canada are antiquated, belonging to the last century and must be fundamentally revised in order to keep up with modern times and eliminate such covert and masked inequalities between Canadians.

Canada, as a country which receives many immigrants, most of whom have valuable foreign qualifications that are sorely needed in this country, is not living up to their expectations. There is an obvious disconnect between the federal government responsible for immigration and the provincial governments responsible for professional licensing. It can be challenging for newcomers to Canada to get the professional designations they need to work in the same position they worked in before immigrating. Many workers in healthcare for example face these hurdles, as do some professionals in non-healthcare fields such as accounting, law, and engineering, among others.

Difficulties and delays in securing the correct credentials to practice your profession in Canada can result in financial, emotional strain and loss of qualifications if they are not working in their profession and also a loss for the country which might have a need in that profession.

It is cause for concern, therefore, that labour productivity in this important sector of the Canadian economy is quite at the bottom for labour productivity among Canadian industries.

Several studies have been made, such as the Task Force on Access to Professions and Trades in Ontario in 1989 and the Competition Bureau of Canada: Self-Regulated professions- Balancing Competition and Regulation in 2007.  They pointed out the problems in the field and made recommendations, but essentially very little has been done.
Research conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) confirmed the worrisome state of Canada's professional services sector. The OECD stated that Canada's best opportunity for growth in labour productivity is reducing regulation in professional services. OECD has shown that countries such as Australia that have streamlined and improved their regulatory regimes have seen significant payoffs in terms of productivity.

Much of the productivity problem that plagues Canada's professions may be due to regulators not considering competition issues, or considering them inadequately amounting to protectionism. This approach must be reconsidered and revised when  considering regulatory schemes, in the new context of the very different Canadian and World economy that exists today. There is also an increasing issue in enforcement and prosecution of malpractice in protecting the public safety due to a lack of dedicated resources.

Normally, competition in a free market system protects both consumers and service providers better than any other alternative. The regulation will be most effective when it imposes minimal restraints on competition but effectively protects the public. Regulatory bodies and governments must identify opportunities for improving necessary regulations and eliminating unnecessary ones so that Canadians can benefit from the best combination of regulation and competition.
The professions, especially the self-regulated ones, (meaning that they have been given some powers that normally only governments hold), may put in place restrictions that have the force of law. At the same time, these organizations have potentially conflicting concerns and interests; their own and those of the public. This is all the more reason to ensure that competition, from which both professionals and consumers benefit, is protected.

Regulators-comprising provincial and territorial governments, and self-regulating organizations-must evaluate regulatory decisions through a balanced, evidence-based assessment, taking into account the numerous channels through which regulation can be beneficial or harmful to consumers of professional services. To this end, the governance structure of each profession must ensure broad representation.

Most professions maintain substantial entry qualifications, coupled with continuing education requirements. However, these qualifications are noticeably uneven across the country.  The education qualifications are a particular point of contest.

One sour point is the restrictions on entering the profession, mostly for foreign trained individuals, which are based on very restrictive and sometimes irrationally narrow educational requirements. This can be the role of the federal government which in collaboration with competent academic authorities would be able to negotiate and sign an agreement for the mutual recognition of educational degrees with foreign countries. This will eliminate a barrier and a claim that the Canadian degrees are always superior to any other foreign degree.

The regulated and self regulated professions will still maintain the right to establish examinations specific for licensing purposes applied equally to all, Canadian and foreign trained. This will bring equity to the licensing system and eliminate any suspicion of discrimination.

There is an opportunity now, for both federal and provincial governments to act; to review and promote strong, effective and modern regulation and self regulation by applying competition, productivity and human resources analysis to this vitally important sector of the economy and eliminate any restrictive barriers which might undermine the Canadian economy and recovery after the pandemic.

 It is time to act. What do you think?

Sunday, November 15, 2020

WELCOME HOME FOR LESS Homemade Solutions DRAWING THE LINE

 


WELCOME HOME FOR LESS
Homemade Solutions
DRAWING THE LINE
Written by,
Sharleen Cainer, BSW RSW
Last week was an eventful week for Welcome Home for Less. We staged a small rally to elevate the understanding of the needs of the underhoused, unsheltered and the vulnerable sector of the population.
Homelessness and the unsheltered seems to be the marker, or where we draw the line, about when we decide that something must be done, must be addressed, and must be accomplished. Global News was there to cover the rally and it sparked some interest which we wanted to carry forward to the Regional Council, who had invited us to present our concept. We are bringing forward our modular emergency housing to take care of the unsheltered by this winter.
Apparently, city hall does not have administrative staff on Friday's. How do we know that? We know this because right before they left for the day, they cancelled the meeting we set up with them for Monday. Their automated response indicated that they would return urgent emails. We sent two emails, that yielded the same automated response for both, that they will respond to urgent emails only. I am supposing the agenda of the meeting is not so urgent for them. I would say it is not a good look when hundreds of constituents are without shelter while they utilize 3-day weekends.
I explored the issue of declaring homelessness as an emergency under the Emergency Preparedness Act. The problem with this strategy is that homelessness is considered a systemic or social issue, which the emergency preparedness act does not address. There was a court case last month in Toronto, where a group of homeless individuals rallied to petition the court stating it is their constitutional right to have a home in hopes of creating a precedent. They case did not go in their favour because of it that being a social, systemic issue.
When Toronto went to court to argue the point of an impending disaster that was escalating due to having reached the breaking point on several fronts, they introduced The Province of Ontario Emergency Response Plan defines an emergency as depicting "a situation, or impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property or other health risk". An especially important and pivotal point of this legislation is that "Should these situations threaten public safety, public health, the environment, property, critical infrastructure and economic stability" there are ways to engage emergency preparedness. The government has strategically created an emergency plan that lets them off the hook for the emergencies they create through their polices and the systems they institute.
Let us review a little history here. The GM plant enjoyed a love hate relationship with Oshawa for over 100 years. There were many veterans that returned from war and began working at the GM plant. In those times, a man was expected to go to work and be able to support his family. That ideology was supported by the wages that were earned. A wage at GM could house and feed a family. As the cost of living rises, and the wages are not reflective of a cost of living, people then begin to worry and act. Between labour strikes and large bail outs for GM, I am very sure it is safe to assume that GM did not come out on the losing end. There was over a billion dollars that was received by the company over time.
Those of us who remember the Free Trade Agreement may recall that it was initially introduced as The Free Trade Agreement between the USA and Canada. I wrote a paper at that time stating it would become an agreement between Mexico USA and Canada. My thesis was that the United States, who strategically sits in the middle of both Mexico and Canada would begin to declare bankruptcy for their Canadian plants and move to Mexico ( I got a D on my paper by the way). This all takes money of course. One of the first company to fall was Massey Ferguson. They had a deferred tax of $30 million when they went to Mexico. General Motors closed their doors some years later after receiving a large bail out of over a billion dollars.
General Motors opened their plants in several Mexican locations in May of 2020. Up until relatively recently, as in a few years ago, there were very few rules and regulations in place to protect workers. Now, the Mexican workers have labour laws and unions that reflect the laws and rights of those in North American unions.
So, what makes the move to Mexico so attractive? Minimum wage is somewhere between $4.50 and $5.85 an hour depending upon where in the country the plant is located. General Motors packed their bags, went to Mexico, opened up shop with full compliment of staff for a fraction of what they paid to workers here, after they received a spectacular bail out.
Each industrial job that was created by GM, had a spin off of nine other jobs. Oshawa has a population of 300,000. The total number of jobs lost to the Oshawa voting public because GM left was approximately 18,000. This is an unprecedented number, and the death of individual bank accounts was a slow decline for many. Then all of a sudden there is a world pandemic, and the beleaguered of Oshawa then began to fall off the bottom rung of the ladder.
The Emergency Preparedness legislation needs to change so as to incorporate the systemic and social issues that are created by the governing policies that lead directly to the state of homelessness. The sheltering systems are understaffed, overfilled, and outdated. They cost an inordinate amount of money that could be better utilized and better serve the public. Welcome Home for Less has been invited to present an innovative plan to the region that will reset and address the needs of the unsheltered on the streets. We have requested to be rescheduled on November 17th, 2020. Please address comments or concerns to welcomehomecontained@gmail.com