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.

MORE CHANGES, INCLUDING DISASTER

I'll start with the simple.

I decided, at the end of my last post, to "try to get myself looking presentable." As if such a thing were possible.

But, by pre-arrangement, I am using a picture of me snapped by Genie's daughter, Holly, at Paris and Beyond. Now this is a good picture!

But there are bigger things than me. Much bigger.

One of my first discoveries, upon waking, was that Japan had experienced of a massive earthquake and tidal wave (tsunami).  I saw the pictures of the tsunami hitting village and city alike, rolling over and sweeping away everything that stood before it.

I remember a reporter picking a porcelain doll out of the detritus at the Sendai airport. There was wreckage from  all over — construction materials to cars. And I wondered. Was this doll owned by some little girl? Is she alive or dead? Did she treasure this doll? Will it ever get back to her?

Perhaps the most frightening thing for me was the ongoing story of nuclear reactor failures, and the threat those failures pose — for Japan, and the rest of us. How big is the radioactive plume? How far will it spread? What will be the consequences of Japan's electrical industry? How will this affect other nuclear installations? (I've seen a story that Germany is shutting down any pre-1980 nuclear plants for inspection; there is question of whether any of these will reopen.) And what lies ahead for children, even un-born children, who were caught in the wrong place during this nuclear disaster?

It is said the Japanese people are both stoic and resilient. They will rebuild. At the cost of a few trillion dollars, perhaps.

HIROSHIMA REMEMBERED

Friend and fellow journalist Jim Taylor has an interesting and challenging piece on remembering of the use of the first thermonuclear weapon. That, of course, was at Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. His comments can be found on his blog, amongst other places.

For me, two points were of particular interest.

1. Once you let the genie — any genie — out of the bottle, it's very tough to get it back in.

2. Hiroshima legitimizes international terrorism, by primarily targeting civilians.

It is not a horrific read, but neither is it comfortable.

I encourage you to take some time to consider it.

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.

CHRISTMAS (P)RESENTS

Since I try to be an ethical person, I make of point of giving credit where credit is due. In this case, it's all Sonia's fault (more or less).

If you don't believe me, you can check here current piece on gift buying, or an earlier piece on a similar theme.

Christmas, I'm told, is the time of year when we spend money we don't have, buying presents we can't afford, to impress people we don't like. Or words to that effect. That's really bah, humbug!

I was reflecting on Sonia's second piece about people who "have it all." I wouldn't say I have it all. I would say I have WAY TOO MUCH (a problem which plagues our entire family, and much of most of our nations). And I am desperately trying to unclutter my life. I'm seriously focusing on simplicity. Besides, like many people, our economic resource base is shrinking in today's "interesting" economy.

This year, I'm going to "re-gift" some things I got last Christmas, that I haven't really opened.

Basically, if I need something, I buy it, when I need it. If I need an extra shirt, I'll get it from the Salvation Army or the Mennonites. There are a number of things which will work wonderfully if I sew a missing button on them. (I"ll wait until after my eye surgery to try that.)

I recall a tape to which both my wife and I listened a number of years ago. One of the notes was that, if you want to have a happy occasion, buy yourself the present you really want. There are only two things I want. One is a beautiful Celtic ring -- silver with a green stone -- modestly priced. The other is a brown leather vest. I like vests because they have so many pockets, and I tend to carry lots of different (small) things with me -- easier in a vest than in a brief case.

This year, we are consciously giving donations to groups and individuals which/who need some help. Community projects, friends going through a bad time, etc. We're giving some things to our kids and grandkids, too. (Or actually, some things to each other that we can do with the grandkids.)

I think we have far too many unfortunate, overblown expectations about presents, and mind-reading, and present-giving. As if, somehow, it's Christms so we have to give somebody something. If you look at Christmas, for example, God's gift was a person, not a gold watch for everyone in Bethlehem. If you know something that would really brighten someone's day, get it. That's great. But if you're just guessing -- skip the thought.

Kahlil Gibran, in this book The Prophet makes the observation that we give very little when give of our possessions. It is truly when we give ourselves that we really give. So what would happen if we thought, instead of giving a present, we decided to be a present to someone? What form might that take?

Back to you, "gutsy" Sonia.

A "POINTED" TALE

Once upon a time in Britannia, there were three different kinds of creatures with spikes or spines for protection.

There were Hedgehogs . . .


there were Porcupines . . .


and there were Echidnas.


All three groups were given the opportunity to travel the world, explore new places, and see if they would like to settle elsewhere.

The Hedgehogs, after considering the matter, declined the invitation.

The Porcupines and Echidnas, however, agreed enthusiastically.

So off they went.

The first stop, to re-provision the ship, was Canada.

The animals look around as saw beautiful forests and lakes.

"Let's go check it out," said the lead Porcupine. So they did.

When the ship was ready to leave, there wasn't a Porcupine to be found anywhere. So the ship left without them. (Frankly, the Porcupines thought that was just fine.)

After a number of stops, the ship finally reached Australia. The Echidnas looked about. Hot and muggy in some parts, showy mountains in other parts, and a desert in the middle. They were not terribly impressed.

"Where to next?" asked the chief Echidna to the captain. The master of the ship replied, "This is the end of the line, matey."

So, one by one, the Echidnas disembarked.

That's why, to this day, you have Hedgehogs in Britain, Porcupines in North America, and Echidnas in Australia (and thereabouts).

Is this story true?

Don't ask me -- what do I know? I'm just a Bear. The only thing I understand is to stay away from critters with pointy things one them.


(Oh, yes; and see what happens in/to my brain when I take my dog for a walk?)
√

REMEMBRANCE DAY

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918), Canadian Army.

McCrae died of pneumonia on January 28, 1918, while still commanding No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in France. That may have been the same hospital at which my uncle died the previous spring, a victim of wounds suffered in the Canadian offensive at Vimy Ridge.
√

STILL FIXING HOUSE

There is an ancient Chinese saying (and this one is apparently legitimate) to the effect that, "The man who finishes his house, dies."

At this rate, I'll live forever.

There are some people, however, who are not doing so well. Some have succumbed to the A/H1N1 'Flu. For more information, you can check the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO).

INFLUENZA UPDATE

We're not hearing nearly as much about the H1N1 'flu these days as we were a few weeks ago.

Well, it's still out there, and it's still a problem. But it isn't an international disaster, yet. Over 11,000 cases confirmed, in 41 countries, with 85 deaths.

I've done an update on my "Bears Noting" Blog, which is where I'll continue my updates on A/H1N1. If you're interested in the details, you can get them over there.

IF SWINE FLU, DOES THAT MEAN PIGS REALLY CAN FLY?

The Bear has had a busy week or so. Two of the ethics bodies on which I serve had meetings, one of which was an unscheduled event. And in both cases, the H1N1 influenza outbreak made it on to the agenda. (Surprise?)

For those not familiar, a quick review.
a) The Influenza A virus strain of subtype H1N1 was the variety responsible for the so-called "Spanish Influenza" of 1919-1920. Millions of people died, world-wide. The H1N1 variety that is back now, is in a different form. The current form has bits of human, swine, and avian flu in it. Yes, it has "mutated" or "evolved." Calling it 'Swine Flu" is a serious misnomer, and really confuses people.
b) As in the 1919 version, this variety seems to target otherwise healthy people in the age range of teens to 40s.
c) While it has become a scourge in Mexico, other countries are seeing far less of a problem. In Canada, when I last checked, there were about 30 confirmed cases of this new H1N1. (That's compared to 4,000 to 8,000 Canadians who die in a "normal" year of the regular, seasonal influenza and complications, with 20,000 to 40,000 being hospitalized.) Those people tend to be babies, the elderly or those who already have significant health problems. The interesting thing to note is that, in comparison to the 1919 disease, this year's H1N1 appears to be a MILDER form of the illness. -- at least thusfar.
d) There is a lot that is going on behind the scenes. Not much of it is being made public, because officials (rightly) do not want to cause public panic. As someone who helped prepare part of the pandemic plan for our health region (which covers a huge geographic area), I have been checking on the status of the situation. Operations are falling into place exactly as planned. People apparently know what to do, and are following the necessary steps.
e) There has been talk of a vaccine (thought that, again, is being played down). A vaccine could probably be developed in about six weeks; it would take six months of testing to prove the vaccine is safe and effective. But doing that is extremely expensive. Is developing a vaccine worth it, if this flu outbreak can be handled effectively in other ways?
f) A couple of thoughts about prevention.
• Be vigilant, but don't panic. Just because you or your kids have bit of a sneeze or sniffle doesn't mean anyone has this flu. Bed rest, lots of fluids, and checking temperatures is the best solution, initially. If things get worse, check with doctor or hospital. You have to be the judge, of course.
• Washing your hands regularly and sneezing or coughing into your elbow (not your hands) are two key ways of preventing the spread of this disease. I know that sounds incredibly low-tech, and some media were reeeeeealy slow to take that seriously, but you can trust the Bear on that one.

(Some medical people, like nurse dani, may want to say more. Pls. be my guest.)

I have yet another ethics meeting (with a different group) this coming Tuesday. You can bet H1N1 is going to be on the agenda. (Bears know about these things.)

As for me, I'm going about life as normal (or as normal as possible, considering I'm a bear trapped in a human body).

Ciao for niao.

ADDENDUM: PLEASE NOTE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS IN IN CANADA DURING A "NORMAL" 'FLU SEASON HAS BEEN CORRECTED AFTER A QUERY. See "comments" below for more statistical information.

Footnote: The title for this post is adapted from a comment by my mate in Brisbane, Australia. Why is it that the folks in OZ have all the fun thoughts?

THE GLOBAL, BLOGGING VILLAGE and ITS IMPORTANCE

A delightful soul calling herself "A Woman of No Importance" had some thoughtful ideas to share. And where thoughtful ideas are shared, and the Rob-bear comes across them, well, . . .

She began by sharing thanks for those who had expressed concern about hurting friends. then she observed:

The world is getting smaller and smaller, mes bloggy chums, supported by our love and growing friendship and admiration shown and shared across our blogs, writings, and feelings, (Oh, my male followers are slipping away, whooooosh, there they go.)

My response was to assure her this is one male reader, was "bearing" with her and wasn't "slipping away, whooooosh," when she talked about "the global village," as per Marshall McLuhan -- to whom I referred in my post "I WRITE THE STORIES (2)." In his Understanding Media, McLuhan observes "the globe has contracted, spatially, into a single large village." (xii)

So the "Woman" is right on: "Indeed, the world is getting smaller and smaller, mes bloggy chums, supported by our love and growing friendship and admiration shown and shared across our blogs, writings, and feelings." Our global villageness is expressed in our concern for things like Grizz's mishap and the far more serious accident of Braja, her husband, Jahnu and their driver. (The Grizz is the Woman's son.)

In our "global village" live no more than a wire apart. It's as easy as leaning your head over the back fence and chatting up your neighbour.

Any woman -- any person -- who recognizes these very important realities is not "of no importance."