My comments on newspaper articles (Part IV)

Newspapers all over the world encourage their readers to submit their own comments on their articles published on the Internet. What follows are ten of my comments that those papers published in 2008. My comments on the abbreviated articles are typed in bold type.

Lindsay Buziak, a real estate saleswoman in Saanich, British Columbia, received a phone call on February 2, 2008 from a woman with a strong foreign accent asking Buziak to show her properties in the $1-million range. The woman allegedly told Buziak she intended to buy a particular property that day. Later, Buziak reportedly received a phone call from a man who said he alone would meet with her. That evening, emergency crews raced to the home after receiving a 911 call at 6:15 p.m. The call came from outside the house. The caller asked the police to check on Buziak. The caller then entered the house through an unlocked door and found her body upstairs. Buziak died from multiple stab wounds.

I am very concerned about the welfare of women real estate agents going into homes for sale on their own. This incident isn't the first time this has happened in Canada. It seems to me that if a female real estate agent gets a call from a man or shows up and only a man is waiting for him, she should back off and wait until another agent shows up as backup.

Posted on February 7, 2008

On August 2008, two young brothers died after being sucked beneath a load of grain and smothered on a farm in northwestern Alberta. The incident happened about 160 kilometres northeast of Grande Prairie. Calvin Wurz, who would have turned 8 on Monday, and his 6-year-old brother, Kody, died Wednesday evening. The boys were atop a grain trailer being unloaded by a family member. At some point it was realized that the boys, at least one of them anyway, was trapped in the grain. The unidentified family member soon realized a second boy was also missing and quickly determined that he, too, was inside the large bin. These types of trailers have a chute underneath. It comes into a hopper and at the base of the hopper there's a sliding trap door that opens to unload these trailers, so they unload very rapidly. They were able to extract the boys through the chute at the bottom of the grain trailer about five minutes after they went in. Bystanders tried to revive them, but the boys were pronounced dead by emergency medical officials who arrived on the scene. It's not uncommon for children to be on top of such farming equipment, watching as the grain is unloaded. Sometimes safety isn't given the attention that's required.

I don't blame the boys for sitting on top of the grain trailer. I blame those that were operating the trailer. Just because it has been done before, doesn't make it any safer. If the boys wanted to sit on top of the trailer, a rope should have been attached to each of them which would prevent them from falling into the hopper. I should add that sitting on top of a load of hay that is being transferred from one place to another is also risky. It's fun, of that there is no doubt. I know; I used to do it when I lived on a farm as a child. But if the load tips, the child can be dashed to the ground and worse yet, be hit by a car following or an oncoming car. It's time for farmers to get smart. If they keep these practices up, they will continue to lose their children.

Posted on August 29, 2008

A posh golf course in British Columbia's Lower Mainland denied membership to non-English-speaking players in August 2008. The private Vancouver Golf Club, which opened nearly 100 years ago in Coquitlam, B.C., rejects potential members who don't speak English. The club's general manager, Brent Gough, has said that the policy is designed to ensure all members are able to understand the club's rules. Gough told CBC Radio that the policy was introduced a few years ago after prospective members – in particular East Asian immigrants – started applying with the help of translators. "We ask them to go away and take language courses and reapply."

Denying membership in a private club to non-speaking citizens because they won't be able to read the Rules is absurd and a very lame excuse. What they should do is put the Rules in a computer and when a foreign-speaking citizen seeks membership, translate the Rules into his language and print them and hand them to the new member. The private club knows that is feasible but naturally, they know that would mean that they would have to then accept the foreign-speaking citizens into their club and that isn't really what they want to do. I hope the club is brought before the Human Rights Tribunal and fined heavily.

Posted on August 30, 2008

Tanned, dirty and hungry, two men who spent three months crossing the Pacific on a raft made of plastic bottles to raise awareness of ocean debris finally stepped onto dry land. The pair left Long Beach, California on June 1, 2008. Their 9-metre vessel had a deck of salvaged sailboat masts, six pontoons filled with 15,000 plastic bottles and a cabin made from the fuselage of a Cessna airplane. Without a backup plan, the two used a satellite phone to get in touch with Roz Savage, who was crossing the Pacific solo in a rowboat and happened to be in the same area at the time. Savage, who was heading from San Francisco to Hawaii, was in dire need of water after both her potable water makers broke. When the three met up, Savage got onboard the raft, Paschal speared a mahimahi and the three dined together. Before parting, the men gave Savage a water maker and she gave them some of her extra food. Food wasn't the only problem the men encountered on their trip. The raft encountered storms that tore it apart during the first two weeks. Some of the bottles that were supposed to help the raft stay afloat started to sink. Eriksen and Paschal had to anchor the raft 160 kilometres off shore and rebuild it before setting sail again.

I really admire people like those named in this story for their courage and willingness to risk death to prove points. Some people will say it is stupid, especially if people like those in the story perish during their trips. We can learn from their experiences because sometime in our own lives, we may find ourselves somewhere in an ocean with a small boat or raft to cling too because our plane has crash or because our ship has sunk. From the experiences we have learned from others, we might survive. Meanwhile, I hope those in this story survive their adventures.

Posted on August 29, 2008

Greyhound bus riders will likely face airport-style security measures such as baggage searches and luggage screening as the union representing drivers tries to avert potentially deadly clashes with weapons-toting passengers. The proposed measures follow the stabbing and beheading of a sleeping passenger on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba in 2008 and an incident in which a 30-year-old man was charged with assault, uttering threats and possession of a weapon during a Greyhound bus trip from Fort McMurray to Edmonton, Alberta. Jim Higgs, spokesman for the Amalgamated Transit Union, said the union will push for the improved security measures, including restricting carry-on luggage. He said recent searches done at major bus depots have unearthed plenty of guns and knives in carry-on luggage. Starting this week, bus depots at major cities, including Vancouver, will post a list of prohibited items, including guns, knives and contraband, that aren't allowed on board the coach, he said. Passengers found with these items could be arrested Mr. Higgs said drivers do their best to scrutinize passengers, which has resulted in removal of knives and stuff; the people have put them underneath the coaches. But now we have to go one step further and restrict the carry-ons. He added that in rural areas, all luggage should be checked, especially if passengers are only going on a short journey lasting two or three hours.

I think the bus company's proposal that all passengers be prohibited from bringing carry-on bags into the bus is nonsense. If a maniac intends to kill someone, he could do it just by bringing a small knife on board the bus, a knife that is concealed in his jacket pocket.

Posted on September 1, 2008

Canadian combat engineers in Afghanistan perform one of the most dangerous jobs on the battlefield, clearing paths and roadways of mines so infantry and support convoys can safely move through the area. They also scour the countryside and civilian vehicles hunting for explosives that not only kill and maim soldiers, but innocent Afghans as well. Many of the highly trained engineers have faced multiple roadside bomb attacks and booby traps. Recent deaths bring to 93 the total number of Canadian soldiers who have died during the Afghan mission.

Canada's armed forces in Afghanistan are vital not only to that country but to Canada as well. Much of the heroin brought into Canada comes from that country. What we should be doing is helping the farmers of that country find an alternative crop to grow in their farms. It must be kept in mind that the terrorists derive much of their income to buy arms from the sale of heroin in that country. Canadian forces along with the armed forces of other countries must help fix this problem.

Posted on September 1, 2008

Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility announced in July 2008 that they will charge cell phone customers not covered by calling plans, 15 cents for each incoming text message. Bell's text-messaging charges took effect Friday while Telus's kick in Aug. 24th. Both carriers have said the charges won't apply to spam text messages. Industry Minister Jim Prentice says the Conservative government has no intention of interfering with the day-to-day business decisions of private companies. He said, "I would encourage consumers dissatisfied with existing plans to seek alternatives.” Lawyer Peter Shams of the firm Saint-Pierre, Grenier welcomed Prentice's announcement but says it doesn't change anything. Shams says it's unacceptable that customers have to pay to get out of their cellular contracts or upgrade to an unlimited text messaging plan if they want to avoid extra fees.

It would be similar to a breach of contract on the part of companies that breach their contracts with their customers. The only way you could avoid paying the text receiving calls would be to turn off your cell phone. But then that would create even a greater problem since no one could communicate with others who have cell phones. The proposals of those two communications giants were no different than if gas stations charged you extra money for driving onto their property to buy gas.

Posted on August 9, 2008

The devastated brother of a man shot and killed by RCMP on a northern Saskatchewan reserve has asked that the Mounties who shot him to be pallbearers so they can "finish the job and take him to his grave." Walter Haineault said on September 4th 2008 that he is serious about the invitation for Mounties from the village of La Loche to carry the coffin at Monday's funeral on the nearby Clearwater River Dene First Nation. "They're the ones that shot him," Haineault said. "I'd like them to finish the job and take him to his grave, not just leave it for us to clean up their mess."

If I was shot by the police and the shooting was unwarranted, I would rather have my friends carry me to my grave rather than the cops who shot me. I do however appreciate the irony of the proposal. Personally, I would rather have the cops faced with the problem of having to dig my grave with short-handed shovels. Now that would be irony that would be enjoyed by all my friends.

Posted on September 5th 2008

Jemley argues that as one of only a small number of Arabic linguists with top security clearance, he could be forced to violate international law by participating in the interrogations of terrorism suspects. It was something he hadn't considered when he enlisted in 2005 and was handpicked to undergo two years of intense training due to his adeptness with languages. Jemley's case is the first to deal with the issue directly. The CIA has admitted it uses acts such as waterboarding. There's evidence that Guantanamo detainees were subjected to programs such as sleep deprivation, intimidation with dogs and sexual humiliation. If these tactics are torture, thereby violating international law, Jemley argues he could be prosecuted for war crimes if he participates.

I don't like the idea that this man volunteered to get language skills training for free and then says that he didn't know at that time that he may be called upon to ask questions of suspects while they are being tortured. Admittedly, I accept the premise that he is right in objecting to being used in that manner but to complain after he has taken the course; is gross. If we permit him to stay in Canada, he will reap the benefit of his training in the US on his language skills at the expense of the country that trained him. My message to him is: "Go back and face the music and also pay for the training you got."

Posted on September 7th 2008

The gap between funding for high schools versus grade schools – which the elementary teachers' union pegs at about $711 per student – could spark the first labour strife in Ontario schools since the McGuinty government took office in 2003. Elementary teachers point out high school teachers get a whole 75-minute period off each day, compared to their 40 minutes of ‘prep time.’ The elementary teacher’s union even posts a provocative stopwatch on its website clocking its members as having worked 115 hours and 19 minutes more last year than their high school colleagues. High school teachers point out they have to teach up to 200 kids per year, not the same cozy class of 25 all day from September to June. If you want to teach high school, you'll need a four-year degree to get into York's faculty of education because you have to be a specialist in at least two subjects, while elementary applicants need only a three-year degree. This is just because high school teachers need a deeper knowledge of their subject of specialty. The Ontario government is holding labour discussions with provincial unions and has offered a 3 per cent raise over each of four years for any union that agrees to a basic deal by Nov. 30, which Catholic and French-language teachers' unions already have done. But the public school union has so far rejected the offer.

Elementary teachers don't need a raise. These elementary teachers already get $90,000 a year and for two months of the year they can holiday or take a second job. For them to claim that they should get the same pay as high school teachers is gross. Why should a grade one teacher who teaches her students how to add get the same pay as a grade twelve teacher who teaches calculus to her students?

Posted on September 6th 2008