Roger Clemens - Baseball - Criminal Misuse of Funds

So whose telling the truth ? Roger Clemens or his former steroids
trafficcing trainer....What's four and a half hours of TV time worth ?
On multi networks internationally....
How many American taxpayers dollars have been pissed away on
the bound for nowhere Congressional Hearing that happened today
and the investigation that led to it ?
And the hearing today was less about baseball's performance enhancing
drug problems and more about who's telling the truth - and more to
the point - who is telling lies to American politicians !
The American economy is in the toilet - the rich are okay but people
are losing their homes - the homeless in the states are a concern that
grows in numbers daily....
Sound familiar ? Sounds an awful lot like the kind of investigation that
we witnessed here in Canada over the relationship, financial and
otherwise between former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and
and German man-about-town Karl Heinz Schriber....
In an environment where I beleive the truth is a truly rare commodity -
the voting public sits on its hands and allows our politicians to waste
astronomical amounts of our money chasing ghosts...
Will we never wake up ?
Roger Clemen's arrogance is only surpassed by the arrogance of the
American politicians who chose to fund and participate in this unholy
charade !
I think there should be hearings into those who dared appear on
camera and insisted on having their say in this collossal waste -
and anyone who is proven to have ever misled a government
committee, told a mistruth, or heaven forbid, ever lied in
conducting the business of Congress - should themselves be
punished....would there be anyone left ?
The public has to wake up and start making their feelings
known...In both Canada and the United States - the voting public
has to start insisting that government come under an increasingly
critical eye. I'm no expert, but I get the sense that the Americans
are buried under the size of their government(s)....I am absolutely
convinced that there are billions and billions of untraceable budgets
allocated to departments within departments with no measurable
contribution to the health of our society. They exist only to make
it difficult to track government waste.
Our democratic system is in desperate need of overhaul - a dramatic
overhaul - and the Clemens/Baseball and Mulroney/Skybus inquiries
are all the proof we need that this is true !
With healthcare becoming a luxury that most Canadians must view
as a threat, with our educational systems in absolute disarray,
with Old Age Security reduced to little more than a joke - and
with our roads, sewer and water systems in disrepair, we have to
demand more from the people we elect to represent us, locally,
regionally and nationally....They have to get the message -
stop wasting your time and my money on nonsense, and start
delivering value for the hard earned money I have no choice but
to surrender with every paycheque I cash.
By the way - I have never been a Clemens fan - but he looked
really bad today...sad thing is...someday soon he'll be able to
look back at all this and laugh...." I'm Roger Clemens - I have fame
and money - they couldn't get OJ Simpson so there's no way they're
touching me."
Sad...

Things I Miss

Charlene's upstairs, Ceiladh the border collie is under the
end table in the TV room watching the golf on TV,
Jazz the Llasa Apso is sprawled on the floor at my feet in
the office and I'm just glad to be home.
We left for Chile two weeks ago today and there is a lingering calm
I feel now - back in my "space." It's a familiar space, a space
that's warmer having had the luxury of being reunited with
our two wonderful sons, my youngest son's beautiful new family,
having spent time with Eli's parents and sisters, and Matt's friends
from Fort McMurray, Basil, Madonna and their daughter Jodie.
I'm tired, but it's a good tired ...and there are elements of this
feeling that I hope never fade.
Chile was an interesting experience. Where do I start ?
Being a stranger in a foreign land in which a different language
is spoken is difficult. But to a person, in Chile, they seemed to
understand that our graceless efforts to communicate were at
least well intended - and they seem to have a healthy sense of
humour.
It was a wonderful trip...it was hot...every day. Air conditioning
was limited to a mall and a rented 13 passenger Hyundai.
We ate, we drank, we danced and talked...usually the day
began sometime closer to midmorning than early in the
day - and usually it ended sometime ...well...before sun-up...
it varied by individual but it was not unusual to be having
supper at midnight.
My memories will be of a catholic wedding in Spanish -
a beautiful bride in a beautiful dress and Matt and his
best man, Tyler in the front of the church before a
priest who seemed in tune with the needs of those
present....I will also remember the generosity and
warmth of Lilly and Luis - and the laughter...always an
excuse to laugh...I'll remember gin rummy, tossing the
football and losing at ping pong ( Tyler will remember
tossing the football and winning at gin rummy and
ping pong...Gawd that sounds awkward ), instant
coffee and rum and lamb...and salt...and the laughter.
I'll remember watching the Super Bowl in Spanish,
and not letting American Airlines' destruction of my
prized Martin guitar spoil it all.
It must have been a tremendous strain on Luis and
Lilly, Matt's father and mother in law. They surrendered
their home to us, entertained us, chauffered us all
over the place - night and day - all the while organizing
a wonderful wedding and reception...but always with
grace and a smile.
I miss our sons, I miss our new extended family, and
all the new friends we made, and I miss the excitement
and anticipation that led up to the trip...but all that's been
replaced with a terrific sense that all is right with our
world...all the important pieces are in place and though
the volcanos may steam and burp fiery lava - we
are very lucky and must appreciate the blessings that are
ours.
Til next time...

Welcome to Chile

The food is good, the drink is plenty, family is gathered, laughter fills
the air -and the big event - the wedding is tomorrow. Still lots of
scurrying about trying to get last minute things done - and all the
talk about heading out to fight the hordes at the 60 percent off sale
at the Jumbo Mall in Temuco is forgotten...get something done and
remember something else that needs to be tackled.
The aproach to things here in Chile is one I very much appreciate.
Getting here is the trick....thought we had it all worked out...American
Airlines from Halifax to JFK...JFK to Santiago...Air Chile to Temuco...
I won´t get too involved here...but tired from 20 hours or so in transit
is not the time to find that the Airlines has smashed the crap out of your
Martin guitar...heavy sigh..thank you American Airlines...we´ll be talking
upon my return.
That having been said - Chile is wonderful - 44 degrees the first day we
spent in Pucon an hour down the road in the shadow of one of three
active volcanos in the area....it´s quite a sight to be driving down the
road toward a towering, snow-draped mountain spewing steam...
Our hosts, the parents of the bride have been phenomenal...Lilly and
Luis have gone out of their way and their hospitality has been
over the top and unending....
I don´t want to monopolize the computer - so I will leave you with..
it´s been a great trip and despite not tanning before we left - my
only real miscue to date has been to redefine "belly burn" one afternoon
at the beach....one week still to go...
Ciao for now...