Bad night.

So my last call tonight was not any fun at all.

I can't get into details but when it was over my supervisor knew my relief was at base and made me code 7 for my return trip to the base. What that basically means is that I am untouchable to Ambulance Dispatch. So I could see you get hit by a car and the only thing I have to do is report it as I drive by (I'd probably wave at you though). This doesn't happen very often and it was very kind of him to do.

So when I left work I was planning to go to Mark and Krista's because Jaci is babysitting; but I really didn't think being around kids was such a good plan. So anyway on my way home I knew I had some Weight Watcher points left (12 actually) and stopped off to get some comfort food. Specifically the spicy chicken tortilla foldover thing from Taco Bell ("Good to Go"). This thing is AMAZING! I'm not a huge taco bell fan but WOW did they ever do it right this time.

Coincidentally, this little goodie cost, wait for it, 12 points! But just to be sure Chewie and I were out for an 8Km 90 minute walk and we are both tired.

So the hope is the comfort food, good walk, and decent nights sleep will make me cheer up (and of course cuddles with Jaci when she gets home).

Nighty night.

Is Big Brother Watching?

Of course he is. In today's world of advancement and technological convenience (ATM and Interac to name a couple), everything is "traceable". Our lives are so much more an open book than they were even ten years ago that it not only boggles the mind to think about, it can quiver your very foundation.

As examples. Most people have the internet. Unless your computer is physically removed from the connection you are vulnerable to a hacker; or the government. Digital phone service sends everything over (usually) fiber optic cable which means that your words are converted to a code and then unscrambled at the other end. It's easier to listen in there than on an old fashioned wire tap (so I'm led to believe).

Every time you power up the cell phone, use your bank/credit card, log onto the internet, start a newer top end car you can be tracked. So what's the big deal right? If you're not doing anything wrong you have nothing to hide right? Why all the hullabaloo?

Now I know some of you are thinking along the lines that "If the authorities want to listen in on my phone they need a court order." Law enforcement has to convince a judge that you are probably doing something illegal before they can turn the microscope on to you. Not so.

Case in point. Last week a Detroit judge ruled that the United States Government's federal wiretap program was unconstitutional (the White House received an immediate stay pending an appeal). The White House says it needs this program to fight terror. What's the program? President Bush initiated it after 9/11; I'll give you a highlight.

If the US Government believes that at least one party in the phone conversations might have links to al-Qaeda or another terrorist organization; they can and will tap your phone......without a warrant. This is a very dangerous idea and a very slippery slope to start on. This program scares me. I'll show you why.

The first amendment of the US Constitution says that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech". Which means that in the United States you can say whatever you want, whenever you want, to whomever you want; no matter how dumb it is.

The fourth amendment says "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Those amendments were made into law in 1791 and they are still supposed to be in effect. So where does the US President get off violating them? Particularly when his oath of office makes him swear to "serve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States". It is because of this constitution and the legal system's devotion to it that has made the U.S. a democratic stalwart.

So what does it say about the U.S. when it starts to ignore that which it has held most holy?

Luckily Canada isn't yet at that point. However, were I an American citizen I would be outraged.

The "War on Terror" must be fought but not at the expense of the basic rights of the citizenry. I don't mind waiting longer to get on an airplane. I don't mind being restricted on what I can bring to an airport. I don't mind required more documentation to enter the US (like a passport). I do mind the government that listens in on my life just because they THINK that I MIGHT have a LINK to SOME organization they don't like.

How many governments can you think of (past or present) that were able to function as a true democracy where their citizens were afraid to send an email or pick up the phone for fear of Big Brother. Me neither.

What truly, truly frightens me is that the US government will not only continue to get away with this, but that Big Steve up in Ottawa may get some of the same ideas in his head.

If you still aren't concerned about this, then all I can do is apologize because I must not have explained it well enough. This is grown-up table scary stuff.

If you have doubts, see for yourself in one day how many times you do something that might be traced were someone so inclined. It's an eye-opener.

Sleep well.

Smoke what?

There are many in Hamilton who have heard of the "Up In Smoke Cafe" on King St in downtown Hamilton. This was a licensed business that also had a restaurant license. What's the nature of the business? Pot. Marijuana. Weed. Mary-Jane. Wacky-tabbacy. While they didn't sell pot, they sold all sorts of pot paraphernalia and allowed it's patrons to smoke pot whilst enjoying a coffee and a hash brownie.

Now you may be asking yourself: Isn't that illegal? YES IT IS! I know it, you know, the owners of the cafe know it , EVERYONE KNOWS IT. But the city of Hamilton allowed this business to open, allowed it to get a restaurant license that clearly states it is a "cannabis cafe" and allowed it to renew the license. Nevermind the legalities, the arrests made, and everything else. What are they thinking?!? I don't know...Do you?

The police have finally been able to arrest the owner who is currently sitting in the Barton St Jail and the cafe is currently closed. Hopefully for good.

Now I know that there are legitimate medical reasons for smoking a doob, and if you are one of the few who have that prescription, puff away. I also know that there are millions in favour if legalizing this substance (I'm not one of them) and one of they key arguments is that it doesn't do any real harm to the body. Not in the way that cigarettes or alcohol do and they're legal.

Bull. I'm no biochemist but even I know that ANY chemical that enters the body and creates and altered state of mind is not good for you.

Next time you see a rally legalizing pot, take an informal survey. How many regular users make more than 50k a year? Or have completed a post secondary education?

The hippies of yesterday have grown up and the pot they smoked is chemically much different from the pot that is smoked today. That's fact.

If that cafe is allowed to reopen then what's stopping someone from opening a liquor/beer store that caters only to minors? Oh that's right, that already exists, only they call it a cab company.

So much to do, so little PM.

Understand that I am no Steven Harper fan. I was a very vocal anti-Harper enthusiast during the last federal elections (but not necessarily anti-Conservative mind you). Since his election he hasn't been doing too bad so I know that soon I may have to eat some crow regarding my predictions. That is not however the point of this missive.

Our Prime Minister has been getting slammed in the editorials for not being at the International AIDS conference currently being held in Toronto, and for Canada not living up to it's commitment (read previous governments commitment) for funding/medication. So what's up with that? Where was the PM?

He was not on vacation as Tony Blair was and remained on during the recent British security scare. Our boy Steve was up north. Very north. He visited CFS Alert (Canadian Forces Station) which is so far north that to see the Northern Lights you have to look south (not kidding either). He was also visiting other parts of the Canadian north to re-assert Canadian sovereignty over the land and waters.

This is relevant because with global warming and the gradual melt of the polar ice caps, the Northwest Passage is not going to stay as desolate as it has been. The international community has to know that it's Canadian territory up there and it will be patrolled and defended if need be by our Armed Forces. The PM's visit was also to "show the flag" to the Arctic peoples and remind them that they are not forgotten. All very useful stuff and if you are going to visit the Arctic, of course you are going to do it during the summer. Nobody "visits" during the winter.

But what about the international AIDS convention? Was our government represented? Yes it was, in the form of Mr. Tony Clement, who is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Perry Sound-Muskoka. Oh yeah, he is also the Minister of Health.

Call me crazy, but I think the PM has it right here. It is the Minister of Health's job to represent Canada at an international AIDS conference and the PM's job to assert Canadian sovereignty. There is nothing wrong with these priorities.

The PM can't be everywhere doing everything. That's why he has others, like ministers maybe, to be there for him. Particularly if it is that ministers baliwick.

So to wrap up. I'm giving big Steve a tentative B plus so far. As much as it pains me to say it, he's doing OK, certainly better than the previous.

Thanks for reading.

Coffee coffee everywhere.....

So I am developing issues with Tim Horton's. It is not NEARLY as great as most Hamiltonians make it out to be. The thing is, they almost have a monopoly on the Hamilton business; don't mistake that for having the citizenry over a barrel. We do that ourselves.

It used to be that Tim Horton's made a good cup of coffee, at a good price, and they had some yummy doughnuts. The drive through was a rare novelty. Owners had some independence in their decision making (ie size of doughnuts) and the way their product was made and presented. Some bakers would make their doughnuts much larger than others and therefore earn the gratitude and the cult like following from fatties like myself.

Over the past few years, Tim Horton's has had their prices go up, and their quality go down. They are sacrificing what made them great for the sake of diversity. Now instead of a dozen different menu options, their are dozens. Soups, sandwiches (which keep getting smaller), chili, coffee's, teas, cappachino's, and the list goes on ad nauseum. Their doughnuts are now made on an assembly line, flash frozen and then shipped to the receiving stores (and I don't care what they tell you, there IS a taste difference). They are smaller now too, although head office only repeats the "standard size" mantra.

Working downtown, I know there are still places to get a really good cup of coffee; Tim Horton's is not one of them. Granted, many can't distinguish taste because they load the coffee up with cream and sugar whereas I drink mine black. I assure you, a difference exists and my tastebuds scream the difference to me. Now from Tim Horton's, I drink only tea and sometimes hot chocolate; and not often at that.

So how did this particular rant come about? Thanks for asking and I'm glad you did. I was on my way to work last night (overtime - WOOHOO!) and I stopped to get gas at the ESSO beside the firestation across the street from McMaster. It used to have a McDonald's in there but they have changed it to a Tim Hortons, where they recently added a drive through.

I was the ONLY customer at the counter (which isn't very big) and there were two girls behind the counter; and one drive through window. I waited 3 MINUTES for my presence to be officially acknowledged. In that time they served two drive through customers, almost a third. Know how I know I waited three minutes? There's a counter by the drive through window because (I assume) head office HATES making drive through customers wait.

I even asked the girls behind the counter why I waited three minutes while the two of them served the one window before I got a "hello". I even specifically asked "What's the rationale behind making the counter customer wait while you both race to serve the drive through?" Know what one of them said? I'll tell you and I am NOT making this up.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. Do you want to come back when the manager is here?" No thanks, but luckily this is the last gift certificate I have.

The point I am trying to get at (albeit very roundabout like) is this. We as citizens have granted Tim Horton's a monopoly and we have not held them to the standards we came to expect in their meteoric rise to power. Instead of making a cup of coffee at home and bringing it with us, we HAVE to have our Timmy's in the morning and during the day; even when we KNOW it isn't a great cup of joe and usually isn't even a good one. I for one don't bother with them anymore.

I leave coffee at work and I make a pot at the beginning of each shift. I'm even going to let you in on a coffee secret that was shared to me by a worker of the former Bay Side Cafe (best coffee anywhere - closed because there are too many Tim Horton's around). She told me that if your coffee pot is clean, and your water is good, it doesn't make much difference what beans you put in, you will have a good cup of coffee. Too good to be true? It isn't.

I don't know why all these changes happened. Likely to increase the profit margin, once the masses were hooked. Like a pusher, they give the good stuff for cheap and once you're hooked, you keep buying whatever they sell.

Not me.

Not anymore.

So that concludes my rant about what is grinding my gears today. Thanks for reading and if you fins a place that makes a good cup o'joe, lemme know! I'm all ears. Just don't try and tell me it's a Tim Horton's.

Tip of the Day

So Monday night I get a call at work to take an old lady to the hospital. She wasn't grievously ill, but she did need medical intervention. So off we go. We sat with this lady in the ER at an undisclosed location for....four....and....a....half....hours. During this time some of her family came to visit, being two of her daughters and a granddaughter. Her husband was also there (he was a fighter pilot during WWII).

During our stay the family decides they are going to make a trek to the closest Tim Horton's for a coffee run, and they kindly ask Darren and I if they can get us anything; to which we gratefully decline. One of the clerks at this ER thinks we're nuts because we didn't take them up on their offer.

I tried to explain to her that it's against policy to accept a tip while she tries to explain that it's not a tip, it's a free coffee. So here's what's running through my mind. This is a family of professionals who all appear to make a decent living, the three bucks it'll cost to buy Darren and I a coffee doesn't even qualify as a drop in their bucket. But what if that same family was on a very strict budgeted fixed income. Where they make only have two or three dollars a week to spend as "mad money", than coffee becomes a whole new issue.

I also asked the clerk, what if they were known millionaires and they offered her a crisp new 100$ bill for doing her job, would she take it? She says "of course not - that's different". Is it though?

The dictionary defines a gratuity as "something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service;". EMS is not a customer service business; my wages are paid by tax payers who have a right to expect prompt, professional, and knowledgeable service. It's my job to get to the patient as fast as can be done safely, provide rapid transport to an emergency department, and to provide care while enroute.

Now if you look at a waiter/waitress job, their job is to take your order and bring your food. They can certainly take pains to go "above and beyond" and I'm sure we've all had examples of restaurants at both ends of the spectrum. The point is that they can earn a tip with their job performance and theirs is an industry where tipping is not just encouraged, it's almost required. On a side note, I have HUGE issues with places that add a 15% gratuity to your bill in advance, but that's another blog.

If mine was an industry where we were allowed to receive tips what you would find is when going to calls where we think people can afford a tip, they get better service. And that gentle reader is a very dangerous and slippery slope in my line of work. At my job every patient is to be treated the same, regardless of circumstance.

I tried vehemently (as only I can) to explain that the kindness is not in the tip, but in the offer. She didn't get it. But that's ok; I understand it.

Cheers!