Wow. It's been too long since I wrote anything here.
In the wake of the recent election I've thinking a little too much about the weirding of America.
What are people thinking? Or perhaps -- are they thinking at all?
Prime example: the economy was in free fall so they elect a guy who promises change. He spends two years doing everything he can to bring America out of the free fall, while also making small steps toward bringing them out of the dark ages of healthcare. So what do the people do? Why they shackle him with a congress that will make it virtually impossible to do anything for the next two years! If that's not mindless knee-jerk reactionism I don't know what is.
The problem seems to reach deep into the American psychi, ripping apart that area of the collective thought process that should naturally be able to see truth and supplanting it with lies that are told with no other goal than to consolidate power and destroy "The Enemy". Even when the enemy is our own best interest.
I think a lot of the blame rests squarely with the media. Specifically the consolidation of the media into smaller (yet larger and more powerful) blocks owned by people with political agendas. No one within the mainstream media seems to be able to deliver the news in an unbiased way. In journalism school they taught us that you report all sides of the story and eventually the truth will be out. Just doesn't happen. Even the public tv and radio shows seem to have opted out of the business, deciding to play along with the rest.
The only ones who don't fear saying whatever they want are the last ones you want to hear from. Crazy right-wing conservatives who scream nonsense and perpetuate lies and conspiracy therories. And unfortunately a majority of Americans seem to like what they say.
I even know some otherwise smart people who believe strange things like 911 was an inside job. Please: there is just no way to cover up something that big. Hell, Nixon couldn't keep his nastiness secret during a time when it should have been easy. The truth is people can't keep secrets. They are compelled to tell someone.
Frankly, someone needs to grab America and start bitch-slapping some sense into it.
Before it's just too late.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Cross-Border Misconceptions
While Canadians are painfully aware of the general American public's woeful lack of knowledge concerning all things Canadian I have to point out that misconceptions cross both ways on the border.
First off, not all American's own and/or carry guns. Recently my sister and her family decided to drive to Tennessee for a little road trip and she confessed an underlying fear that they would be robbed. I do not personally know anybody in the States that owns a gun. Mind you, I don't go asking my neighbors if they have any either. In fact, I know lots of people in Canada who own guns and regularly use them for hunting. Now I will allow for the fact that Tennessee is not California and things might be very different there then where I live, but the fact is I have lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 15 years and have only seen guns in stores.
Which leads to another misconception Canadians have about America: violence is everywhere. I have never seen a single act of violence of any kind (though I once did stop a guy from taking some old lady's shopping bag -- but that's another thing). I follow the news and I understand that people are involved in acts of violence every day all over the Bay area. But it never touches me, so for all intents and purposes it is a rare creature. Most of the violence appears to me to be within ethnic classes and neighborhoods -- black on black, latino on latino. It's sad, but it's true.
Americans are ignorant about anything other than America. While this may be true in some parts of the States, it is not true where I am. Some of the smartest, most informed people I know are American. And though there are large gaps in education from region to region, state to state, it is unfair and foolish to think of Americans in general as being ignorant.
I think that misconceptions are tied closely to stereotyping. Where it is easy to create a image that fits either it is equally difficult to find a person who fits specifically.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
First off, not all American's own and/or carry guns. Recently my sister and her family decided to drive to Tennessee for a little road trip and she confessed an underlying fear that they would be robbed. I do not personally know anybody in the States that owns a gun. Mind you, I don't go asking my neighbors if they have any either. In fact, I know lots of people in Canada who own guns and regularly use them for hunting. Now I will allow for the fact that Tennessee is not California and things might be very different there then where I live, but the fact is I have lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 15 years and have only seen guns in stores.
Which leads to another misconception Canadians have about America: violence is everywhere. I have never seen a single act of violence of any kind (though I once did stop a guy from taking some old lady's shopping bag -- but that's another thing). I follow the news and I understand that people are involved in acts of violence every day all over the Bay area. But it never touches me, so for all intents and purposes it is a rare creature. Most of the violence appears to me to be within ethnic classes and neighborhoods -- black on black, latino on latino. It's sad, but it's true.
Americans are ignorant about anything other than America. While this may be true in some parts of the States, it is not true where I am. Some of the smartest, most informed people I know are American. And though there are large gaps in education from region to region, state to state, it is unfair and foolish to think of Americans in general as being ignorant.
I think that misconceptions are tied closely to stereotyping. Where it is easy to create a image that fits either it is equally difficult to find a person who fits specifically.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
American Health Care -- time to draw the line on capitalism
It's the strangest thing to watch the American news media try to cover the health care debate. It seems so straight-forward to me. Maybe because of my Canadian background. It's like they just don't get it.
My company (which is the same as saying my business partner and I) pay our HMO (fancy name for health care provider) around $1,500 a month for my wife, son and I. Yes, I typed that correctly -- one thousand five hundred dollars per month. That is $18,000 a year for those of you too lazy to do the math. Looking a little closer at that number I figure that if I worked 8 hours a day, 5 days a week every week of the year (which I assume many poor people might very well do), I would be working about 2,080 hours per year. Divide that into how much I pay for health care and you get $8.65 per hour.
Um ... California's minimum wage is $8 per hour, and that is higher than most States.
Man, that is totally whacked.
And wait ... there's more! That $18k comes with co-pays. Yep, every time I go to see my doctor I pay $20. If I go to emergency it's $100. And it's $100 a day for a hospital stay. All to a maximum of $3,000 a year.
Now let's look at the debate. The health care providers are working a hard as they can to stop the Obama administration from getting the government into the health care provider business. They are waving around flags that say stuff like unfair competition and warning people about how terrible it will be for them if they go the route of universal health care.
Excuse me but aren't these the people who are sucking people dry? Why the hell would anyone give them any serious consideration in the matter. I don't think there is any inalienable right to make money off of the sick and dying. Somewhere America has to draw the line on capitalism.
My company (which is the same as saying my business partner and I) pay our HMO (fancy name for health care provider) around $1,500 a month for my wife, son and I. Yes, I typed that correctly -- one thousand five hundred dollars per month. That is $18,000 a year for those of you too lazy to do the math. Looking a little closer at that number I figure that if I worked 8 hours a day, 5 days a week every week of the year (which I assume many poor people might very well do), I would be working about 2,080 hours per year. Divide that into how much I pay for health care and you get $8.65 per hour.
Um ... California's minimum wage is $8 per hour, and that is higher than most States.
Man, that is totally whacked.
And wait ... there's more! That $18k comes with co-pays. Yep, every time I go to see my doctor I pay $20. If I go to emergency it's $100. And it's $100 a day for a hospital stay. All to a maximum of $3,000 a year.
Now let's look at the debate. The health care providers are working a hard as they can to stop the Obama administration from getting the government into the health care provider business. They are waving around flags that say stuff like unfair competition and warning people about how terrible it will be for them if they go the route of universal health care.
Excuse me but aren't these the people who are sucking people dry? Why the hell would anyone give them any serious consideration in the matter. I don't think there is any inalienable right to make money off of the sick and dying. Somewhere America has to draw the line on capitalism.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
North America -- the New New World
I've been thinking about trading blocks. No, I don't mean trading my blocks for someone else's, I mean like the European Union, where a number of countries get together to expedite trade and whatnot. Other than the occasional bit of infighting and squabbling, it's worked out pretty good for the EU.
So let's look at North America. What a trading powerhouse we could be! If we could just stand back and look at the possibilities. Canada with it's tiny population and huge amount of natural resources, the United States with all that stalled industrial potential, and Mexico with so many people in need of labor. It's the trifecta of trading partners. Could any three countries bring the same potential to the table? It's doubtful.
I say open the borders and let the trade flow. Suddenly we have a Southern border that can be managed as far as immigration goes. And hell, what's the difference between a Canadian and an American anyway. Not much say I (being both). And statistics show that the Latino population will soon outnumber every other population anyway.
Let me know what you think of the idea.
So let's look at North America. What a trading powerhouse we could be! If we could just stand back and look at the possibilities. Canada with it's tiny population and huge amount of natural resources, the United States with all that stalled industrial potential, and Mexico with so many people in need of labor. It's the trifecta of trading partners. Could any three countries bring the same potential to the table? It's doubtful.
I say open the borders and let the trade flow. Suddenly we have a Southern border that can be managed as far as immigration goes. And hell, what's the difference between a Canadian and an American anyway. Not much say I (being both). And statistics show that the Latino population will soon outnumber every other population anyway.
Let me know what you think of the idea.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Culture Wars: Canada vs. America
For those of you who are not big X-Men fans you might not be aware that Wolverine -- the berserker, self-healing mutant with metal claws that extend from his knuckles at will, played by Hugh Jackman -- is a Canadian.
And that's started me thinking about how Canada effects American culture.
Those of us raised in Canada are pretty used to the idea of protecting Canadian culture from the nasty influence of America. Hell, Canadian content has been mandated in the Canadian media since the days of Trudeau.
But when you really start looking at it, you might find yourself asking whose culture needs protecting from who (from whose?, from whom? -- sorry about the grammar folks).
I suggest we have it backwards. American culture has been so heavily influenced by Canada and Canadians that you would have a very different America with it.
And I'm not just talking mounties and maple syrup her guys. I mean backbone, hard core America.
Where would America be without, say, Disney? What!? That's right y'all. Disney may have been born in the States, but his parents were from Canada. So no parents, no Walt, no Mickey Mouse, etc.
Not scary enough for you? How's this: the Man of Steel himself, perhaps the greatest of all superheroes -- half Canadian. Joe Shuster who co-created the super dude with Jerry Siegel was born in Toronto.
Star Trek is opening this weekend. Now where would that franchise be without the Bill Shatner (yes, Canadian) or even Scotty (James Doohan was another).
Like funny movies? How about Jim Carey, Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd, Howie Mandel, Catherine O`Hara, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Leslie Nielsen, Martin Short, Matthew Perry, the late Phil Hartman, and Rick Moranis -- Canucks one and all. Heck, do you like Saturday Night Live? Lorne Micheals, the creator and producer was born in Toronto.
Maybe you watch 24 Hours every week? Keifer Sutherland is the son of Canadian born Donald Sutherland and in fact attended school in Canada from the age of 5 until 15.
The fact is I could go on and on about the influence of Canada and Canadians on American culture. The reality is that without Canada, America would be a different place indeed.
Gonna go watch Wolverine kick some butt now.
And that's started me thinking about how Canada effects American culture.
Those of us raised in Canada are pretty used to the idea of protecting Canadian culture from the nasty influence of America. Hell, Canadian content has been mandated in the Canadian media since the days of Trudeau.
But when you really start looking at it, you might find yourself asking whose culture needs protecting from who (from whose?, from whom? -- sorry about the grammar folks).
I suggest we have it backwards. American culture has been so heavily influenced by Canada and Canadians that you would have a very different America with it.
And I'm not just talking mounties and maple syrup her guys. I mean backbone, hard core America.
Where would America be without, say, Disney? What!? That's right y'all. Disney may have been born in the States, but his parents were from Canada. So no parents, no Walt, no Mickey Mouse, etc.
Not scary enough for you? How's this: the Man of Steel himself, perhaps the greatest of all superheroes -- half Canadian. Joe Shuster who co-created the super dude with Jerry Siegel was born in Toronto.
Star Trek is opening this weekend. Now where would that franchise be without the Bill Shatner (yes, Canadian) or even Scotty (James Doohan was another).
Like funny movies? How about Jim Carey, Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd, Howie Mandel, Catherine O`Hara, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Leslie Nielsen, Martin Short, Matthew Perry, the late Phil Hartman, and Rick Moranis -- Canucks one and all. Heck, do you like Saturday Night Live? Lorne Micheals, the creator and producer was born in Toronto.
Maybe you watch 24 Hours every week? Keifer Sutherland is the son of Canadian born Donald Sutherland and in fact attended school in Canada from the age of 5 until 15.
The fact is I could go on and on about the influence of Canada and Canadians on American culture. The reality is that without Canada, America would be a different place indeed.
Gonna go watch Wolverine kick some butt now.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
This blog is about being a Canadian American.
On the surface that may sound kind of redundant, seeing that the differences culturally can often blur. But for anyone who is both a Canadian and an American, there is a very real and distinct difference.
It becomes most apparent in the irony that when I am in Canada I am thought of by friends and family as being an American, while home in America I am the authority of all things Canadian. It can make for a strange kind of identity crisis that has even managed to migrate to my born in America (but still a registered Canadian) son.
I have to admit though that the ignorance levels are not altogether equal though (sadly). Frankly, the majority of Americans seem to be blissfully unaware of even the most simple facts about Canada (though I have also met many well informed Americans who would make the average Canadian look like a buffoon when it comes to world politics). That's not to say that Canadians are superior to Americans in any way. The reality is that Canadians are raised in the shadow of America and everything that goes along with that. "The Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not." said Social Credit Party member Robert Thompson during the early 1960s.
What it means is that Canadians have to pay a lot more attention to the giant who lives next door, for obvious reasons. Americans on the other hand almost seem to think that Canada is of little consequence -- which in reality is so far from the truth that it should send an Arctic chill up the average American spine.
You see I've been doing a little bit of research. And when you start to look at the numbers it becomes extremely apparent that there is no other country in the world that is more important to America than Canada. In fact, if America stopped doing trade with everybody except Canada, we would likely do okay. Take Canada out of the picture and you would have some pretty serious problems trade wise.
According to the CIA Factbook Canada accounted for 21.4% of all exports and 15.7% of all imports. The U.S. Census Bureau has a page that goes back month-by-month showing international trade information going back to 1998. I took a quick look at the trade totals going back through the 2009 until first part of 2007 and Canada was responsible for over half of all of the trade the U.S. does on a consistent basis. That's a lot of trade folks.
Oh, and nobody does oil with America like Canada does. Last year Canada accounted for almost 17% of oil and 18% of natural gas imports.
And according to the U.S. State Department, The United States and Canada share the largest energy trading relationship in the world.
So I think you can see my point about the importance of the Canadian/American experience.
Oh, and then there's the culture thing ...
Enough for now. I'll be back with some more stuff later.
On the surface that may sound kind of redundant, seeing that the differences culturally can often blur. But for anyone who is both a Canadian and an American, there is a very real and distinct difference.
It becomes most apparent in the irony that when I am in Canada I am thought of by friends and family as being an American, while home in America I am the authority of all things Canadian. It can make for a strange kind of identity crisis that has even managed to migrate to my born in America (but still a registered Canadian) son.
I have to admit though that the ignorance levels are not altogether equal though (sadly). Frankly, the majority of Americans seem to be blissfully unaware of even the most simple facts about Canada (though I have also met many well informed Americans who would make the average Canadian look like a buffoon when it comes to world politics). That's not to say that Canadians are superior to Americans in any way. The reality is that Canadians are raised in the shadow of America and everything that goes along with that. "The Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not." said Social Credit Party member Robert Thompson during the early 1960s.
What it means is that Canadians have to pay a lot more attention to the giant who lives next door, for obvious reasons. Americans on the other hand almost seem to think that Canada is of little consequence -- which in reality is so far from the truth that it should send an Arctic chill up the average American spine.
You see I've been doing a little bit of research. And when you start to look at the numbers it becomes extremely apparent that there is no other country in the world that is more important to America than Canada. In fact, if America stopped doing trade with everybody except Canada, we would likely do okay. Take Canada out of the picture and you would have some pretty serious problems trade wise.
According to the CIA Factbook Canada accounted for 21.4% of all exports and 15.7% of all imports. The U.S. Census Bureau has a page that goes back month-by-month showing international trade information going back to 1998. I took a quick look at the trade totals going back through the 2009 until first part of 2007 and Canada was responsible for over half of all of the trade the U.S. does on a consistent basis. That's a lot of trade folks.
Oh, and nobody does oil with America like Canada does. Last year Canada accounted for almost 17% of oil and 18% of natural gas imports.
And according to the U.S. State Department, The United States and Canada share the largest energy trading relationship in the world.
So I think you can see my point about the importance of the Canadian/American experience.
Oh, and then there's the culture thing ...
Enough for now. I'll be back with some more stuff later.
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