Many of us have read the DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. It seemed to have riddles within riddles. This book, by William F. Mann, walks us through the secret mapping of the new world which was the real treasure the Knights Templar are supposed to have found in Jerusalem during the Crusades. The beliefs of the Templars were kept secret and most who knew them were wiped out by the French Kings who coveted the supposed riches. The riches were never reported to be found and rumours and myths have been circulating about them for more than 1,000 years.
Mann recounts the actions and deeds of the descendants of those Knights who call themselves Freemasons, a society whose symbols are the compass and the square, who treasure building knowledge and geography as part of their rites. It introduces many of those Freemasons who have kept the secrets alive within their meeting halls.
The map system was used by people hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus every thought of sailing to the West. In 1398 the Scottish Prince Henry Sinclair sailed to what is now Nova Scotia and together with his Knights set up a “Grail” settlement for those fleeing the Roman Catholic Church and the French monarchy. The story is that in Arcadia, later Acadia, they wanted to make a settlement for the descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene known as the Holy Bloodline. This settlement was to be called New Jerusalem because the coastline of Nova Scotia is a mirror image of the coastline of Israel and thus the City of Jerusalem.
Templar Meridians spends much time listing co-incidences of geography and names and relating them to the knowledge and aims of the Freemason society. These are not fantasy writing but supposed facts which the authour has learned and provides proofs of.
It is an interesting discussion of many areas and people here in the New World over a period of many years. The history behind the stories is given in detail. The city of Washington DC and, indeed, the whole American system of government is said to be rife with Freemasons and their ideas.
Of local interest is a chapter which talks about the Church of Our Lady in Guelph suggesting that the short-lived Emperor Maximilian von Hapsburg of Mexico was the true financier of the cathedral style church. John Galt donated the prominent land and his friend Upper Canada’s first Catholic bishop Alexander MacDonnell was the conduit for the money.
Galt’s company, the Canada Company, planned to build a European style city complete with squares, broad main streets and narrow side streets which would result in a variety of block sizes and shapes. It was a Baroque plan with streets radiating from a focal point along the Speed River. It is said that the foundations of the church were made for a building six times as tall as the one currently there. The plan and building were started in 1827.
The very strange part of the story is that John Galt was a Scottish Presbyterian and likely a Freemason – not a Roman Catholic. In 1827 Upper Canada was strictly an Anglican preserve and Roman Catholics were still denied basic civil liberties there. In fact, the British parliament did not pass the Catholic Emancipation Ace until 1829.
If you enjoy a romp through pseudo history and mysteries of this kind, you will certainly find this an interesting read. It’s quite different from what we were taught at school.
Archive for August, 2009
The Templar Meridians
Sunday, August 30th, 2009Two Points of View
Sunday, August 30th, 2009 In the local media this week there have been articles about people, including the Mayor of Waterloo, going to Lesotho to help those with AIDS/HIV and the orphans and other survivors to cope with the epidemic. She had gone with Dr. Anne Marie Zajdlik to work in her clinic because she has a nursing background.
Mayor Halloran was inspired after hearing Dr. Zajdlik speak about her medical clinic Tsepong in Hlotse (pronounced Clots-e) which has used the Bracelets of Hope campaign with the aim of freeing one country in Africa of AIDS. The 5,000 bracelets were made by a group of women called the Inina Craft Agency in South Africa. Students and Guelph residents have sold these bracelets over the last few years for $5 each raising $25,000 for the clinic. Since then more bracelets have been made and are being sold at events and fairs around Guelph and Waterloo Region.
Much was made of the character of the African people who have all gathered around the orphans while shunning those who contact HIV/AIDS. The children who still run and play and laugh and smile through their lives were also highlighted. The stories compared Canadian children with their safe, worry-free lives and good medical care to the unfortunates of this world.
This whole enterprise is a wonderful outpouring from our region to help a poor country with a very limited medical system and bring care to those suffering and dying. I own a few of those bracelets and they are getting a bit old and need to be replaced. I think I will do that the next time I find them on sale.
The Rotary Club of Guelph has a number of projects which contribute solutions to people in Africa. Together with CEDA the club sponsors projects to help build pipeline systems from wells to villages so that there is water on tap in the central square for everyone. Another project is the continuing stocking of libraries to help people to learn to read and write. These are practical ways of letting the Africans learn and grow within themselves so that they can live better lives. One of the past projects taught local Africans how to care for pigs and chickens. At the end of the training each participant was given an animal of their own to care for in the hopes that they would become better farmers.
The second article was one written by a professor from the University of Waterloo which counteracted all the wonderful humanitarianism of the HIV/AIDS project with some cold hard facts. This gentleman has lived and worked in Africa for many years and is quite familiar with the people. He says there’s nothing wrong with the way they live. Women are the mainstay of all home and village life. Children are raised communally and the society itself is self-sufficient. It is true they don’t have the modern conveniences which we assume are necessities of life. The children go outside and are free to wander anywhere in their village. They need not worry about being run over by vehicles speeding though town. They never sit in front of a television or a computer for hours on end. They have every opportunity to interact with people around them. Parents do not need to have panic attacks when children are out of their sight. Trust is there that others will keep an eye on them and all will be safe and well. They are free to smile and laugh and enjoy themselves unlike our children who are kept on a very tight leash. So much for the myth of safe, worry-free Canadian children.
The history of countries like Lesotho and others is where the problems lie. Small enclaves like it are located within South Africa with no access to sea ports and very little outside influence. About 100 years ago following a war with white settlers, the mountain country of Lesotho lost most of its farm land and it’s King. In order to survive, the majority of men went to work in the mines of South Africa and lived away for years at a time so women became the backbone of society. When apartheid collapsed the miners were sent home to a country with no jobs, no manufacturing and very few resources. Many of these countries have tried to get the Chinese and others to help them set up manufacturing plants and create jobs for their people. Education is a priority for those growing up in Africa.
The professor’s contention is that there also is a need for champions and fund-raising campaigns which will help these countries find productive employment for their people and that way all the other things like education, medical care, modern infrastructure, etc. will follow. China and India are prime examples of this in action. Where is the campaign which surfaced some years back to make the developed world stop charging exorbitant rates of interest to pay back loans which benefited developed countries’ industries?
After reading all this, I sit here wondering what is the right thing to do? Where should we start? How can we provide the most valuable assistance?
It all reminds me of a book called the Poisonwood Bible which told the story of a Christian missionary who spent years starving his family so that they could all go to Africa and teach the “heathens” how to live. One of his biggest expenses was to take large quantities of plant seeds with him so that they could teach Africans how to grow food crops. Of course, he didn’t bother to find out that in Africa they have weeds call poisonwood trees which North American plants have no resistance to. His crops died year after year, as did his efforts to convert the locals to Christianity, because he would not believe that rules change from one place to another and that people adapt to the locale they live in.
Have you thought about what you can do to help others? How should you help them? What should be done first? Or have you just thrown up your hands and decided not to help anyone because most charities are keeping a lot of money for the administrators and not the needy? Your comments are always welcome.
The Golden Goose
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009If you owned the Goose that lays Golden Eggs, which would you insure the Goose, or the Eggs?
Believe it or not you already own that Goose! It’s your ability to earn a living. Your ability to buy food, clothing and shelter for yourself and those you care about. If you are earning $40,000 a year and have another twenty years to go until retirement you are worth $800,000 to yourself and your plans even if you never get a raise. What would happen if you didn’t earn that money? Would some of your plans have to stop? No retirement? No vacations? No house?
I’ll bet you own a car and you always insure it. Well, it might get in an accident and be written off. Out of every hundred cars on the road in Canada sixteen will be complete write-offs – a few more if you live in the Toronto area. But you’ll still insure it, right?
If you own a house I’ll bet its insured against fire, isn’t it? Out of every one hundred Canadian homes eight will have a fire and you wouldn’t want to not be covered, would you?
Remember your most valuable asset – yourself? In Canada today statistics say that three out of every four people will get cancer. Because of our medical system, which is very, very good by world standards, those three people will likely live many years after diagnosis but they will have to miss time from work during treatment. They may not be able to contribute to their financial futures for some time.
Your best defence is to have disability and/or critical illness insurance to help see you through any downtime during your working years. If you believe that your work disability insurance is perfect and all you need, I’d like to sit down and review your policy with you. If you don’t have your association contract, I can show you a sample of what such documents contain. Most often there is a cap on the amount of income you can receive.
If you earn $40,000 a year and your disability coverage says that you are covered up to two-thirds of your pre-disability earnings that sounds good – $30,000 right? Often though such contracts also say “up to a maximum of $2,000 per month” which is $24,000. Did you know that you could purchase the difference in coverage and be a lot more comfortable if you happen to be on of those three out of four?
Be sure to insure your most valuable asset.
Connections
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009Is there any one who you’d like to meet? Someone who you would like to learn from? Who could fill your mind with a hundred new challenges? All you need to do is ask and we’ll see what we can find. Sometimes it’s a business connection which will help you in your business life. Other times it might be a chance to talk to someone you admire or would like to have as a mentor.
That’s what Connections is about. Ask for those you need to connect with and the whole group will search through their contacts to fill your needs. That person will undertake to introduce you and from there you can ask away and make the connections that will fill your life.
If you are the one who knows someone, all that is asked is that you let me know and then help to put the two people together over a coffee. There is a lot of satisfaction in helping out someone else and you never know when it will be returned to you in some way.
TSAR
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009Have you ever read any of the spellbinding novels which have Lord Alexander Hawke his bigger-than-life, dashing, war hero, spy as their central character? New York Times best selling novelist Ted Bell has written another electrifying story, this time based in Bermuda using Nonsuch Island, a nature preserve – one of the 123 islands which make up Bermuda – Powder Hill and many other spots familiar to those who have travelled to this paradise way out in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean.
A secretive group of twelve has taken control of Russia after the resignation of Vladimir Putin and is threatening world peace by trying to resurrect Imperial Russia and regain control of it’s old satellite states. Having become wealthy through contacts with the Russian Mafiya, they have gained control of the Kremlin.
There seems to be a mysterious “someone else” who is pulling strings around the world and has access to the dozen oligarchs. There are hints about a Nobel nominated Russian who has designed a computer for the masses and an air ship which works on air circulation, like fish gills, rather than fuel. He operates a company called TSAR, Technology, Science and Applied Research. A very interesting acronym for a Russian to use.
Trouble is happening all over the United States starting with an explosion which kills every single person on death row in a North Dakota prison along with their keepers and those who were protesting the execution of one convicted killer.
In Miami another explosion kills the mostly Russian glitterati attending the birthday party of an illegal immigrant Chechen General who was responsible for the bombing of Moscow apartment buildings, a cinema and hostages taken at a Russian school.
It takes Alex, his friends and commanders from MI6 along with his American security agent friends, to make sense of these seemingly unconnected events. They must recreate some of the Cold War spy apparatus from the 60’s to quickly learn what is going on. He forms a group dubbed Red Banner and bases the group in Bermuda because it is halfway between England and America.
The action is mysterious and exciting as they work their way to a spectacular conclusion. If you enjoy a good spy novel with an updated, current version of James Bond with smarts galore you’ll find this a great read.
Be sure to check out the other Hawke novels, Spy, Pirate, Assassin and Hawke by the same authour.
China or Porcelain, my dear?
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009Porcelain, which comes from an Old Italian word meaning cowry shell, is really a type of glass. If we heat kaolin clay and mulite to a temperature of 1200C to 1400C (2192 F and 2552 F) we get a tough, strong and translucent body. Some other properties of porcelain are elasticity, hardness, glassiness, brittleness, whiteness, translucence and resonance.
In English speaking countries it’s usually called china because it was the Chinese who first made porcelain into shapes and useful objects. As early as the 10th century the Northern Song celadon produced beautifully glazed decanters in the shape of dragons. There are examples found much earlier that of the developing artistry around making porcelain objects. The earliest being from the Shang and Eastern Han Dynasty’s around 100 – 200 AD.
I mentioned kaolin which is really a silicate mineral, usually white and mined all around the world. Other materials found in porcelain are feldspar, ball clay, glass, bone ash, steatite, quartz, petuntse and alabaster. If you’re curious about what all those are you could look them up on Wikipedia or in your printed encyclopaedia but they are essentially ground up rock and stone.
Shaping the clay is the real art of china making. Often the clay is placed on a wheel which is kept spinning with a foot pedal while the potter uses his or her hands to pull the clay to create the desired object.
When fired at high temperatures clay does not need glazing to make it impermeable to liquids and any glazing done is for decorative purposes while making it resistant to dirt and stains. Glazing is usually done with iron-containing minerals.
Decorations are made before glazing using pigments like cobalt and copper or after glazing using coloured enamels. That’s how they make the beautiful designs called cloisonné. That is what makes each piece distinctive and attractive.
In Europe there are three main types of porcelain manufactured. The first type, Hard Paste, is formed form gadolinite, quartz and alabaster fired in excess of 1350 C (2462 F) degrees. Today feldspar has replaced alabaster allowing the pieces to be fired at lower temperatures.
The second type is Soft Paste which was an attempt to duplicate Chinese clay and actually mixes china clay and ground-up glass called frit. Sometimes soapstone or lime has been mixed in but this mixture suffered from high rates of slumping in the kiln at raised temperatures creating a lot of waste, so other minerals of the feldspar group were added for strength and durability.
The Third type is called Bone China and although originally developed in England to compete with imported porcelain it is now made worldwide. There is a story that a Jesuit missionary returned from China with a mangled story of how porcelain was made. In China, clay was said to form the bones of the paste while the flesh was provided by the refined stone. Somehow this got translated as using bone-ash to make their porcelain. When it was tried, people found that adding bone-ash to the paste produced white, strong, translucent porcelain. Traditionally made English bone china contained two parts bone-ash, one part china clay (kaolin) and one part china stone (feldspathic rock). Your parents or grand-parents may have had collections of English bone china teacups. They have been prized around the world.
In Dresden and Meissen in the German state of Saxony around 1705 the Austrian Emperor Augustus the Strong employed the scientist Tschimhaus and his pharmacist assistant Bottger to produce porcelain. Through experimentation they created red stoneware which was like the red stoneware of Yixing (ee-shing) in Jiangsu province in eastern China. Later on the Saxons created the first hard, white European porcelain. They also discovered a way to fire at very high temperatures and achieve translucence porcelain which was so fine that light could shine through. Their production was very ornate and very strong. They were noted for using cherubs in their work with candlesticks and clocks as delightful ornamentation.
There have been many uses for this hard durable product from dolls and jewel boxes to building materials, usually in the form of tiles. In 2006 Italy, the global leader, produced 380 million square metres of ceramic tiles. That gives you an idea of how much is used around the world as many other countries produce porcelain too. An example of porcelain use is in the Dakin Building in Brisbane California which uses porcelain panels and glass to make up the outer shell of the building. Today we make table, kitchen, sanitary and decorative wares as well as objects of art and building tiles for floors and walls using china. Porcelain has a high resistance to electrical charge and is an excellent insulator. Dental porcelain is used to make false teeth, caps, crowns and veneers. Did you realize that dentists are creative artists too?
Next time you run across porcelain you may remember how it is made and think about the many uses to which it is put. Our world would not be the same without it.
Chelsea Swan Tureen 1752
Northern Soong Porcelain
Your Credit Score
Sunday, August 16th, 2009
If you’ve ever tried to get credit you know that there are places where lenders go to find out if you pay your bills or not. The two in North America are TransUnion and Equifax. You can find out yourself for free and review what’s listed before you go to the bank or mortgage company. It can save you 4 – 8% interest every year on major loans and as much as 20% on those credit cards. Does it matter? You bet it does!
In your browser, Google either company to get your own credit score but be careful to go to the Canadian site rather than the American one. It is not unusual to find items have been put against your name when you know nothing about them. For example, there are probably thousands of John Smiths and Rene Simards in Canada. Then there’s John Smith Jr. and John Smith Sr. and John Smith III. It’s not too hard for an error to be made. Who should check it? You should!
Does every consumer have a credit score?
No. There are certain situations where a credit score cannot be calculated because one or more of the following has occurred:
- Your credit report does not contain at least one account
- A remark on one of your accounts references a person who is deceased
- The Social Insurance Number on your credit report matches a SIN in the government Administration’s “Death Claim Index”.
How is the credit score calculated?
To calculate a score, numerical weights are placed on different aspects of your credit report and a mathematical formula is used to arrive at a final credit score. Your credit score is based on many factors of your credit history and payment behaviour. These many factors may include, but are not limited to:
- How are you paying your accounts
- How much money you currently owe
- How long your accounts have been open
- What different types of credit you use
- How much credit you use compared to the amount of credit you have available
- How often and how recently you have applied for credit
The credit industry uses various types of credit scores to assess risk for different types of credit. For example, a creditor may use one type of score when assessing risk for a credit card account, and another type of score when assessing risk for a mortgage account.
How often does the credit score change?
Credit files continually update with new information from creditors. Your credit score is calculated based on the information contained within your credit file at the time the credit score is calculated. Therefore, your credit score can change every time the information in the file changes.
How do inquiries impact a credit score?
An inquiry is recorded on your credit report every time you, one of your creditors, or a potential creditor obtains a copy of your credit report. A common misperception is that every inquiry decreases your credit score a certain number of points. This is not true. Typically, the presence of inquiries on your credit report has only a small impact on your credit score, while certain types of inquires have absolutely no impact on your credit score. Inquiries have less importance than delinquencies, balances owed, and the length of time you have used credit. Inquiries are usually more important on your credit score if you have a limited credit history.
How can the credit score improve?
First, you should review your credit report for accuracy. If you find any information you believe to be incorrect you should contact the credit bureau and/or your creditor(s) to dispute that information. The correction of inaccurate information on your credit report may have a positive effect on your credit score.
Second, maintaining a good credit standing and continuing to exhibit responsible credit behavior are the best ways to ensure you are presenting the most positive picture of your credit worthiness. Improving your credit standing and your credit score is not a one-time-fix; you must change how you view and handle your credit over time.
Your Detailed financial history
While a credit report can be considered your detailed financial history, a score is an objective summary of that information. It represents your creditworthiness as a number. Numerical weights are placed on different aspects of your credit report and a mathematical formula or computation is used to arrive at a final score. There are literally thousands of score models used in the credit industry which consider different variables for different types of credit. Credit bureaus offer several different types of scores in their product portfolio, appealing to the vast array of creditors and credit applications in the country.
Credit scores are one of the primary tools a creditor uses when determining the risk in lending money to you. Creditors use scores, among other things, to determine whether or not to grant you credit and, if so, how much credit and at what rate. Creditors will access and consider your credit report, which can provide further proof on a given part of a score that could affect their final decision. However, as most credit decisions are made very quickly, it is a credit score that is most often used.
***Always take the time to make sure that old lines of credit are cancelled. That will raise your credit score all by itself.
***A useful tip is to stay on top of what’s being charged. Call your credit card company once every six months and ask what the best credit card rate is today. If it’s better than yours, ask for that rate. Have no loyalty. Points mean nothing if you’re being charged 28.99% interest instead of 7.99%. Why are you using a store credit card to get something worth $5 for the privilege of giving them 20% on your balance owing? Wise use of credit is fine and the responsibility is yours.
Interruptions
Sunday, August 16th, 2009Susan Froetschel has written a most interesting mystery, murder and survival novel using Alaska as a background. This book looks at some human “green” ideas.
First there is the austere beauty of Sitka, Alaska and it’s environs. Gorgeous descriptions of forests, ocean and islands where very few people have ever been before. Preserving this pristine wilderness is an important goal of the main character Marcy James. She is a main organizer of a petition to keep a highway from being built through the fishing community.
The second type of “green” is, of course, those who see tourists travelling through their area bringing progress and greenbacks. Making life easier and the “good life” more accessible. Bringing everything that is in the lower states to their paradise.
This seems to be a political battle being waged in town hall meetings, newspapers and the town council until one night when Marcy comes home to find her cat dead, blood on her mirror and a note below; “GO! Marcy: Leave town. The cat was easy. Children are, too. Don’t call the police. They can’t protect you. A flight leaves this evening.”
In the meantime, her 12 year old son, Gavin, decides to help out by following the engineers’ surveyor to a deserted island to see if he can learn what their plans really are. He heard a conversation and wondered why the road people would be surveying an island which didn’t seem to lead to anywhere that the road was supposed to be going. He and his friend decide to follow the man to see what is going on in a very remote part of Alaska. Worse still he doesn’t tell his parents where he’s going and just leaves a note.
What follows is a frantic search by Marcy, her husband Davey and their friends to find the boys. There are some very horrible turns of events in the wilderness. Not what you’d expect, not danger from the wilderness or the weather which the boys take in their stride, but the danger from humans is very real.
After becoming separated, Gavin searches for his friend only to find a dreadful scene and must make his way home alone. People are dead , the mystery gets deeper. When Gavin finally reaches home he finds his Mother being threatened and he must hide to keep safe and be able to tell what he knows.
This novel is a page turner. The setting is well described and the characters are set in a natural environment where they must have all the survival skills which our ancestors possessed.
Financial Tips
Sunday, August 16th, 2009Is a tax refund more important than having money to meet an emergency or unexpected expenses? Many people seem to find money to put in their RRSP or even borrow to invest but they can’t find any money to put aside for savings. Having three to six months expenses set aside is vital to keeping your life on an even keel.
What if you break a leg, need an operation or your boss offers you a better job but only if you go back to school to upgrade your skills? Could you continue to pay your bills and eat and clothe yourself and your family? Is seing another movie, or having another beer or coffee more important than taking care of your future?
One hundred dollars a month is $3.33 a day. That’s not so hard to find is it? Is there something you could go without that would let you have a cushion against things which do happen. Cars do break down, people have small accidents which put them out of commission for a month or two.
All the people who are working have no excuse except not putting enough importance on taking care of their future. If you’re one of those who can’t live beyond your paycheque, it’s time to take control. This is the second most important part of a financial plan. Give me a call or email and we’ll discuss what you can do to make sure that you are able to take care of anything as it comes up in your life.
Race Against Time
Sunday, August 9th, 2009By Stephen Lewis
One of Canada’s most famous Human Rights fighters has been writing, speaking and living his beliefs all his life. What words do you use to describe such a person of action? Gifted? Driven?
Stephen Lewis’ grandfather was an activist in the Jewish Bund in Russia and the Jewish Labour Committee in Montreal. His father, David Lewis, was the federal NDP leader. So, it seemed natural that Stephen entered politics and became leader of the NDP party in the province of Ontario. His strong speaking skills were honed as he told a story each day about a disadvantaged Ontarian during an election. He spoke about how better legislation would help them. Under his leadership, the party became the official opposition. But that’s only one facet of the man.
Before becoming a politician, he had been an indifferent scholar and in the 1960’s took a job with Socialist International. While there he received an invitation to a conference in Ghana. Instead of coming back home, he spent a year working, traveling and teaching in various places in Africa. This became one of the most important times in his life.
On returning to Canada, there was the political career instigated at the suggestion of Tommy Douglas our Canadian social and human rights hero which lasted 15 years and then he was chosen as Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations by Governor General Jeanne Sauve and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. During this time he also became a familiar radio personality on CBC’s Morningside with Peter Gzowski.
After a stint as Deputy Director of UNICEF, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, he was appointed Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. In 2005, he wrote his book Race Against Time to sum up his Massey Lectures which had been presented at Universities all across Canada. He writes about the huge gulf between the promises of the international community and their actions in responding to the pandemic in Africa.
He contrasts the vast numbers of people dying from AIDS against the multi-million dollars promises which somehow didn’t arrive or were calculated from industrial and commercial deals which do not benefit the sick, the dying, the orphans, or the few people left to take care of those who remain. But more than this the book talks about the truly heroic women of Africa who are the mainstays of those who survive and those who don‘t.
Lewis created the Stephen Lewis Foundation and uses the proceeds of his book sales to finance the helping of people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.
One of the things he encourages when he speaks across the country and worldwide is the Grannies for Africa movement. In Africa, many grandparents find themselves struggling to live and raise their own or other’s grandchildren. The whole generation of their children are gone or are too ill to do the job. Stephen Lewis encourages us in the developed countries to form small groups of grandparents whom he can put in touch with individual Africans so that they can help and support those in need directly.
This book is not a tear-jerker but a paean to the women of Africa who are shouldering the biggest part of the burden in this crisis. The authour is trying to turn a light on what is and is not happening. He hopes to inspire us to look at the crisis and find our best ways to help out.
Do you think this is not relevant to you? With all the talk of pandemic preparation and world wide fears of an H1N1 flu crisis, we should remember what has happened in Africa. How we didn’t really step up to the plate in time to prevent many, many deaths. How we haven’t prevented the famines and wars which have come about because of the breakdown of society. How governments dithered and equivocated about all the wonderful things they were doing while the educated flower of Africa started to die off and the infrastructure of a whole continent started to disappear.
Everyone is talking about having enough vaccine to take care of our citizens if there is a serious outbreak but here in Canada, our First Nations people are being struck down while we run into government bodies that won’t send in the vaccine because it would mean that alcohol would be needed to sterilize needles. They actually fear that sending this rubbing alcohol to dry reserves would have the locals getting drunk on it. How much confidence does that give you that when your family really needs help, it will arrive in the way and at the time that you need it? I don’t suggest paranoia, but we need to keep an eye on and constantly monitor what is happening here and around the world so that help is effective, empowering and encouraging.
