Rational Radical

At the end of 2009, I wrote about an amazing young woman, Sophia Gran-Ruaz, whose charity gives young arrivals at GTA shelters gift bags to ease their transition.

Now I would like to direct your attention to another amazing group of young-ish people who melt my jaded, cynical heart…I saw one of them–EMILY PILLOTON – Senior Editor–on the Colbert Report last night and checked out her site, Project H Design.  She is also part of inhabitat, which I hope some people will check out and spread the word about.  This link gives you a list of the very admirable people working for the organization. I am duly impressed…

I’ve believed in global warming for years and know for a fact that many of the scientists, politicians or media agents opposed to the phenomenon are in the pockets of the oil/energy industry.  However, this link will take you to an article by a highly respected commentator/author, Andrew Cockburn, who provides compelling evidence that the global warming crisis is a farce with nefarious intentions behind it.  Read the article if you dare.  (Warning: It’s somewhat long; you can also read the article in the COMMENTS section below.)

Now, I normally find the use of “gay” offensive when used to insult a person/thing and find it even more offensive when people who use it in that manner say, “but it has nothing to do with gays, so why do they find it insulting/offensive?”  No, I’m not overly PC and no I’m not even gay.

But I always find ignorance offensive.  And people who do not understand how “gay” and “fag” can be very offensive when used the way they usually are, are truly ignorant of them impact of history and language. And they are not very smart, either, to not be able to at least comprehend the problem with these terms.

They are the same people who say, if they’re not black, “But my black friend says, “nigger” so why can’t I?”  For the record, I use the term “nigger” regularly, but not to refer to a black person in an insulting manner and not as in “Yo nigga,” because I myself am not black. But I digress.

The point is, my use of the term “gay” in the headline is ironic, as I hope is evident if you read the story in the Comments section below. In short, once again professionals–psychologists in this case–have to come out (no pun intended) and stress that you can’t “cure” gays, nor is there anything to cure.

By the way, one of the funniest attempts to “cure” gays came when it was discovered that gay men, on average, have less testosterone than straight men. The “solution”?  Pump the gay men full of testosterone.  The result?  A bunch of extremely horny gay men! (Testosterone is the hormone linked to sexual urges in both men and women.)

I’ve written a number of times before about the infamous “bathtub sisters”, aka “Recent Arguments for the Death Penalty by Drowning.”  Since this is Canada, of course they will be released early, despite murdering their mother and showing absolutely no remorse.  Yes, folks, these two sociopaths will be going to school with you or someone you love very soon, and you will never know who they are. Read the Comments below to get the most recent update on this sick story.

The Tamil protests continue in Toronto and I have to give credit to a) the Tamil community for their persistence—even if I dislike their disregard for the people of the city/country that has accepted many of them as refugees and saved their lives, b) the police for their restraint, and c) many of the citizens of Toronto/GTA for their tolerance of all this (to a degree).  In the Responses section, I have pasted many comments from one of my most valued readers/contributors, Lily, along with my own responses/comments.

Below are two stories that have nothing in common except one thing: Most people who read them lack the critical and reflective thinking skills to be able to consider various sides of the issues.  Most people employ “Black and White Thinking” and can take only one or the other side.  There unfortunately isn’t that much information available on each story so I can’t say one way or the other.  But I can at least contemplate the various complexities of each case.  Can YOU? (The Responses section contains each story)

Ottawa rules mom must leave –But she is all smiles yesterday, reunited with daughter for first time since February

RENÉ JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR

Eight-year-old Eugene Kim puts on a brave face on her last day of school in Canada. A grassroots campaign in the Davenport neighbourhood continues as Eugene’s mother is set to be deported Saturday to South Korea. (April 21, 2009)

Beer magnate goes free in date-rape case —

Verdict reflects problem with he-said, she-said testimony

RENÉ JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR

Businessman Frank D’Angelo, right, accompanied by his lawyer, Gary Clewley, leaves court April 21, 2009 after being acquitted of sexual assault.

I make a very good salary and work damn hard for it.  The more I work, the more I make.  Sometimes I work 80 hours/week or more, often straight through the night; I frequently go for weeks sleeping only 1-3 hours/night (my average is probably 4-5 hours/night) so that I can work but also have a life.  That’s the nature of my work and what I need to do to ensure that I remain at the top of my field.  Fortunately I love most of what I do.

I’ve literally worked my entire life since I was 10 years old and paid my way for almost everything (everything since 18; until then, I didn’t have to pay for accommodations but paid for everything else).  The tax I pay is more than most people make as a salary because I don’t make enough money to be in that elite group that pays very little tax.  That’s my full disclosure before presenting the next few headlines, which are expanded on in the Comments section below.

People are bitching about the minimum wage increasing to $10.25 next year, thinking people who earn this have hit the big time.  Are they crazy?  And others claim that such a “lucrative” minimum wage will prevent people from trying to attain better jobs.  Well, guess what: Some people cannot attain better jobs.  And somebody has to do these jobs, so why try to ensure that these people live in poverty? Even $10.25 will keep people in poverty, so why are these idiots demanding that it stay at $9.50 or $8.75?!

But even worse are the stories below:

1) Universities shelling out top dollar for top staff

As universities struggle to cut costs during a recession, there is one area where it could be too costly to cutback: Salaries for top staff. Hundreds of employees, dozens of deans and numerous professors at University of Toronto, Ryerson and York are paid more than $200,000, with some making near $500,000, according to the official salary list released yesterday.

[This is ridiculous. Professors get paid silly money, trust me.  But just as with teachers, I think professors do provide a very important service–if they are actually trying to teach, rather than doing the necessary evil of teaching one or two courses per term while they would rather hide out in their research labs.   But I can’t stand the excuse that crazy high salaries for admin staff are necessary to attract the top minds because these top minds have all come up with great business plans: Keep jacking up tuition, charge students for little things here and there to milk them for everything they’ve got (e.g., Ryerson students have to pay tuition for the entire year up front, or face penalties, whereas other students can pay per term), hire contract instructors who get paid half of what professors receive, etc.  I’m sure many competent admin people would work for far less, especially in this climate.]

2) Ex-premier,

Mike Harris, hits corporate jackpot: In an industry scrambling for financial help, Harris gets his largest pay package yet

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris has hit the jackpot in his post-political career as a corporate director at auto parts giant Magna International. Harris, who sits on the boards of at least six other companies in addition to Magna, got $669,740 (U.S.) in total compensation as lead director last year, according to the company’s public filings, up significantly from $441,750 in 2007.  As lead director, Harris attended 27 board and committee meetings last year, down from 43 in 2007.

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, which held almost one million shares of Magna at one time, withheld support for the board’s directors for three years over issues regarding its independence and its approval of huge compensation packages for Stronach, the company’s chair. Teachers argued there was “no justification” for the pay. Canadian Business magazine ranked Magna’s board as one of the “worst” in the country in 2007.

[Politicians get crazy pensions because they lack job security.  What the fuck?!  This is what the worst premiere in the history of Canada–the evil asshole of the century who ruined Ontario–gets as his compensation.  And many other politicians get similarly sweet deals, which can help explain some of their unethical and immoral actions (follow the money trail…)]

3) Sabia got $21M golden handshake from BCE

MONTREAL – Michael Sabia received a $21-million golden handshake from BCE Inc. when he departed the telecom company last summer, before accepting his controversial appointment as head of Quebec’s pension fund manager. Sabia’s package from BCE (TSX: BCE) included severance equal to three years’ salary and short-term incentives exceeding $9 million, according to a regulatory filing of BCE’s proxy circular.

He also received $1.25 million related to BCE’s abandoned privatization attempt, $3.1 million incentive pay, $2.9 million in accelerated vesting of stock options and $729,000 in salary until his departure July 11.

Since turning 55 in September, Sabia began to receive an annual pension of nearly $969,000.

[I’ve got nothin’….just shoot me now]

4) 588 TTC workers on big-bucks list — 200 more employees join workers paid $100,000 or better

That number includes 21 station collectors, the people who staff subway fare booths.

[I know this is due to overtime, but what the fuck?!  They volunteer to work overtime; this isn’t imposed on them, like it is with most workers, many of whom don’t even get paid for their extra work, let alone double-time pay or pay and a half.  And many ticket collectors are rude, unhelpful, incompetent, etc.  Hire more people who dropped out of school to sit around in a booth all day, rather than letting these yahoos collect double-time pay for doing something a trained monkey could do!  Oh yes, and fuck you Giambrone!]

I’ve already written about that idiot, Palin, elsewhere, but this article sent as a comment by Fight the Power! deserves its own page to keep people abreast of each and every new revelation about someone poised to become the second most powerful person in the world!  When Bush Sr. took on Dan Quayle as VP–one of the few politicians who could make Bush Jr. seem intelligent, as revealed by this list of his infamous quotes–the “joke” was that he did so to ensure that no one would ever think of assassinating him: not even America’s enemies would want a mentally challenged buffoon with his finger on the Armageddon button.

Unfortunately, these days too many of America’s fanatical enemies wouldn’t mind such a scenario (line up those virgins that await me…).  And too many Americans are just as ignorant and mentally challenged as Palin and thus will forgiver her many transgressions and complete lack of judgment.  Nevertheless, I will keep posting…

A ‘first dude’ with muscle – Todd Palin’s involvement in Alaska state matters, including ‘Troopergate,’ called ‘very troubling’

When Alaska’s former public  safety commissioner was summoned to a sensitive personnel meeting in the governor’s office here, he sat down to discuss the matter not with Governor Sarah Palin, but with Todd Palin, her husband. When the contract terms between the state and the Public Safety Employees Association were reached, an internal government email was copied to Todd Palin. And when a visiting official sought an urgent meeting regarding the state’s native corporations to discuss their priorities and voter perceptions, he got the meeting – with Todd Palin. These are just some examples of Alaska’s self-named “first dude” having his fingers in the middle of government business.

Many of the documents provided yesterday to the Star were ones that had been copied to his private email, fek9wnr@yahoo.com. Long-standing suspicions about Todd Palin’s role in his wife’s administration, beginning first when she was mayor of Wasilla, then as governor of Alaska, may burst into the open in the state investigation into the so-called Troopergate Affair. Todd Palin has been subpoenaed by the investigation into whether Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, abused her power in the firing of the former public safety commissioner Walter Monegan.

Monegan says he was fired because he would not dismiss Alaska state trooper Mike Wooten, who was involved in a messy divorce with the governor’s sister.there is evidence someone in the governor’s office may have pushed to deny workers’ compensation benefits to Wooten. The prosecutor, Steve Branchflower, said the meeting between Monegan and Todd Palin took place in the governor’s office in January 2007, shortly after Sarah Palin took office. “The involvement of Todd Palin in state matters is very troubling,” says Stephen Haycox, an expert on Alaska culture and politics at the University of Alaska. Haycox says there is no state precedent for such a role for a spouse. “Todd Palin holds no elected office,” Haycox said. “He has been appointed to nothing. But it is consistent with Sarah Palin personalizing her responsibilities in office.” The retired state prosecutor hired to probe the circumstances surrounding the firing of Monegan said

Monegan said he told Todd Palin the previous administration had already investigated every allegation and disciplined Wooten, and he saw nothing new to warrant further action, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That upset Todd Palin, he said. “She (Palin) is not telling the truth when she says neither she nor her husband pressured me to fire Trooper Wooten,” he told ABC News. “I was called to her Anchorage formal governor’s office to talk with Todd Palin about an issue that was a private family matter.” When he told Todd Palin nothing more could be done, he got a follow-up phone call from the governor. “When Sarah later called to tell me the same thing, I thought to myself, `I may not be long for this job,’” he said. But he refused to budge and was fired.

Palin told ABC News last week that Monegan was fired for poor job performance. Critics of the Palin administration in Alaska portray Todd Palin as something of an “enforcer,” the guy who would do much of the dirty work in matters when it would be inappropriate for the governor to get her hands dirty.

The Republican presidential campaign of John McCain continues to portray him as part of a two-fisted reformer package from Alaska on the party ticket. Yesterday, McCain told supporters in Florida that Americans are going to “love” Todd Palin, whose victories in Ironman snow machine marathons mean that nothing in Washington will scare him.

Many of the emails showing Todd Palin’s involvement in state matters, including those provided to the Star, were obtained by Andree McLeod, an Anchorage activist and former Palin associate. She is appealing a decision by the state to withhold some 1,100 emails in her freedom-of-information request. At the heart of McLeod’s challenge is Governor Palin’s use of a personal yahoo email account for government business, a practice McLeod says allows her to circumvent government transparency. McLeod’s challenge was launched well before McCain tapped Palin as his running mate. “We were promised open, honest and transparent government by Sarah Palin,” said McLeod. “Clearly, these (personal) emails show we are receiving anything but open, honest and transparent government.  “Sarah Palin is being reckless and careless in using a personal email account for public business. She does not respect the role of governor. I don’t know if it is ignorance, or disdain, or ineptitude, but the respect is not there.”

In March, Frank Bailey, Palin’s director of boards and commissions, emailed Tara Leavy, a department head in the commerce, community and economic development ministry, apologizing for not getting back to her more quickly because “Todd was calling about something else.” Todd Palin was copied on an internal governmental email last April detailing the terms of an agreement between the state and the public safety employees association.  In April, he was on an email list from the governor’s deputy press secretary about a gossip item they were worried might be destined for the Anchorage Daily News. The governor’s husband later learned the item was really about his wife’s opponent.

On the one hand, people with mental disorders such as bipolar disorder (manic depression) should not be discriminated against nor stigmatized.  On the other hand, many times people with severe mental disorders such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders cannot or do not recognize how serious their illness is and do not comply with medications.  More important, too many times people with mental or personality disorders–or worse, those who do not have a “real” disorder–blame their bad behaviours on the supposed disorder when there are other causes.

The following story is possibly such a case.  The bus driver appears to suffer from bipolar disorder but he was reportedly caught smelling of alcohol!  Also, there are far too many cases of psychiatrists–or worse, simple GPs!–misdiagnosing people with certain disorders due to incompetence or a desire to treat them with medication.  Read on:

The medical history of a former school bus driver charged with impaired driving was laid out in detail in court yesterday, as the defence tried to explain Jerry McNeill’s erratic behaviour. McNeill’s psychiatrist, Dr. Leslie Kiraly, took the stand in a College Park court, and said his patient suffered from bipolar disorder, evident through bouts of depression, mild mood swings, and “hypomanic” episodes. “When one is having an episode, they often do things that are out of character for that person,” said Kiraly.

McNeill, 59, was arrested in July 2007 and charged with impaired driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and failure to undergo a roadside breath test. He was pulled over by police after he picked up nearly 40 children from a water park in Toronto’s east end and drove them down the Don Valley Parkway. Kiraly said the disorder could lead to driving fast, and rapid and garbled speech – behaviour that police officers at the scene have told the court they witnessed. “People have rapid speech, which can be garbled and sound slurred, but it’s of a different quality than being intoxicated,” said Kiraly. “But to the untrained ear, it may be similar.” But he said there was no medical explanation for why arresting officers said they smelled alcohol on McNeill’s breath when he was arrested. “I can’t explain medically the smell of alcohol, if he didn’t have a drink,” said Kiraly.

When asked by defence lawyer Michael McLachlan if someone in a “semi-manic state” should operate a vehicle, Kiraly said that it was possible, but dangerous. “In general terms, people who are not well should not be driving,” he said. “But if you are hypomanic, it’s a liability.”

As bad as Harper, Harris, Mulroney, Chretien, Rae, Jackobek and many other Canadian politicians have been with respect to scandals, they are nothing compared to the evil scum that have ruled the US for many years.  I don’t think Dumbocrats are much better than the Republicons but I can’t believe that the average US voter is ignorant enough to have elected the same gang of evil-doers twice in a row and are seriously conidering doing it again; not to mention that they let those Arguments for the Death Penalty run the Senate at times as well–again, this is where the Dumbocrats have also proven that they can perpetrate immoral, unethical and illegal scandals as well as any dictatorship.

Sadly, about the only “mainstream media” you’ll see cover such scandals are foreign papers, the Daily Show, the Colbert Report, and sometimes Keith Olbermann.