BEAR, MISSING IN ACTION

Bear is going to be blog-invisible for a little while. No, I'm not going to be going on a holiday. I'll be right at home. 

But I'll be busy.

I don't know if all you have heard about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. Basically, thousands of people are saying, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this any more." (That line is from the 1976 movie Network; the script by Paddy Chayefsky and direction by Sidney Lumet.)

There are many situations to which people are objecting. They're mad about the collapse of civil society, and the banks messing with the government "bail-out" money (taxpayers money that went, apparently, into profits and handouts, rather than helping the people who had put money into banks and were supposed to be helped.) There are a lot of other issues as well, including the misuse of power by police, and the failure of government to effectively handle problems facing the nation.

In North America, this process began on Wall Street the same day as my birthday. Slowly alternative media picked up the story, then mainstream media were embarrassed into following the events.

Here is one of my favourite pictures on the event.

Responses to the "occupation" have been very different.

In New York, billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has sicced the police on the protesters.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa handed out 150 ponchos to protesters in the rain. Yesterday, seven of 15 members on that city council voted in favour of a motion calling the protest "A peaceful and vibrant exercise of First Amendment rights." The motion goes to final vote next week.

Which in a way, is making the protesters point. If there is difficulty, maybe its being caused by the politicians.

So far, the event has spread to 147 cities. In Barcelona, the activity has been going on since May 15, with major demonstrations almost every day.

And now, even to Canada, that quiet little backwater best known for it's chronic politeness.

Saturday, October 15, is going to be a nation-wide solidarity protest in Canada, supporting the Occupation of New York. It will be happening in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. And it will be happening in smaller cities, too, like River City.

So, Bear is going to be busy helping get things ready. Our first planning meeting was Wednesday night. Hastily called, primarily through Facebook, 52 people met in a church basement to consider options. Bear is helping with communications (which probably won't surprise any of you who are regular readers).

As I said, I'm going to be busy. If we do it right, it will convey a powerful message, and be a good time.

See you when the "fun" is over. Or we take a break.

Blessings and Bear hugs until then.

TAKING RISKS — HOPEFULLY SURVIVING

Sonia (over at Gutsy Writer) got me thinking about this topic a few days ago. I had some questions for myself. 
  
What does it mean do take risks?
Why should I take risks?
What kinds of risks could/should/would I take?

I've taken a lot of risks in my life. Changing jobs; changing careers; moving across a country for work; walking into burning buildings with nothing more than an inch and a half (diameter) fire hose; getting married; having children; writing, broadcasting and blogging; upholding unpopular beliefs and ideas. In each case, these were things I did because I thought they were the right thing to do. A couple of those proved to be really bad (two were health destroying); the vast majority were good, and I'd do them again.

Even though I'm hitting retirement, I don't expect my attitude will change much. I'm probably a bit old for walking into burning buildings and having more children. I'll probably spend more time upholding unpopular ideas, in a time when democracy, human rights, co-operation, citizen action, and faith are all under attack, particularly in North America.
   
I'd love to have you come along. And if you're coming along, I really hope you will chat with me about what you and I are thinking.

Do we have a deal?

LAMENT FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2010

Two very different events, contests of a sort, are making news today.

On one hand, the FIFA World Cup of Football (or Soccer) continues in South Africa. The defending champions, Italy, and the highly favoured French, have been knocked out of contention, along with the United States. One of today's key matches pits England against Germany. The quote that hangs in the air comes from Bill Shankley, a former Liverpool manager. "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure them it's much more serious than that."

On the North American continent, leaders of the 20 major industrial countries, the so-called G20, are meeting in Toronto, Canada. Their presence has be marked by large, peaceful protests, but also violent and destructive action by anarchists. In the midst of talk about global banking and economic reform, and the possibility of a second recession, ordinary people on the street are asking, "What about us, and those even less fortunate? What about safe food, clean water, pure air, effective health care — especially for women and children?" Real matters of life and death, or things perhaps "much more serious than that."

Holy God,
Holy and mighty,
Holy, immortal one,
Have mercy upon us.

A PAIN IN THE CHEST (AND POSTERIOR)

Friend Gutsy Writer noted I had been in hospital for some heart tests related to chest pains. And out of concern she wanted to know what's up. I was going to do a long comment in reply, then decided, "What the %*$%@, why don't I just do a post on the thing and be done with it." This may, or may not, be of any use to anyone, but here goes.

First and foremost, I have had a long history of chest pain. So the last time I was in hospital, the good doctors set me up with a specialist to do a very thorough checkout of the situation. And my heart is in very good shape, thanks very much.

But GW wanted to know more about the benign, recurring chest pains. What you're about to get is far more than you ever want to know. But as a medical ethicist I do these things with precision.

The culprit in this case is something called costocholdritis. (That's pronounced: COST-oh-con-DRY-tis.) Ain't that just a mouthful?

Explanation. Our ribs are attached to our spine at the back and the upper ones are attached to our breast bone (sternum) in the front. There is a fair amount of connective tissue in the front. (Dani, or some other nurse can fill indetails, if need be.) Anyhow, that connective tissue can become inflamed -- like a swolen knuckle or sprained ankle. These things happen.

Problem: Because of the location of the pain, it's hard to tell when I'm having a costo attack or a heart attack. So I get into the ER. They want to know if I have a history of heart problems. I tell them, "No, but I have a history of costochondritis." They do all the stuff to see whether I'm having a heart attack; ECG monitor, blood tests, iv lock, etc. When all that checks out, they move me from the ER "front line" to ER observation. And in due course, they try something else. Morphine helps the pain, but there are other things which are more helpful (and frankly, I really don't need the morphine -- it's a waste of good drugs). There are several anti-inflammatory iv meds which will change the condition virtually in the snap of a finger. And after a while, if things are OK, they send me home.

I have anti-inflammatory meds that I take regularly, which help deal with the problem. But sometimes those aren't enough, so I have to go to the hospital. Hence I suffer both pain in the chest and pain in the posterior (because I have to go to the hospital). In some ways it's kind of a waste of medical resources. But the doctors keep telling me to come back if I'm having problems, because sometime it might just not be the costo.

Anyhow, spring has sprung, and I'll be out walking. My family doc and I have worked out an exercise program for me, and I've already started working on that. My sense is that the stronger (more physically fit) I become, the less chance I'll have for recurring costo.

As long as I don't have a physical fit in the process. ;)

BASIC ECONOMICS

If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeeping becomes your downfall.

If you understand this, you are smarter than the average North American. (Of course, being smarter than the average North American is not a difficult accomplishment.) Especially if you're comparing yourself to some merchant bankers who have gone broke -- by a few billion dollars.

Does that mean there's no accounting for bankers? Perhaps (a least a few of the bankers).