Consider, Life

The Reason

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“Christ is the reason for the Season” has made its debut, this being the season for the brief yearly appearance of this piece of ‘everybody knows’ …….untruth.

If one feels the need to have a god as the reason for the period of celebration surrounding the winter solstice and new year, then proper attribution would be to Mithras.

Mithras was a Persian god from the Zoroastrian pantheon, where he was a helper and assistant to the power of Good against the power of Evil. In the fight against Evil, Mithras slew a bull created by the Evil Lord and it was from the blood of this bull that all life sprang all.

Over time the cult of Mithras [Mithraism] gradually detached itself from Zoroastrianism and developed a mythology and rituals of its own.

Originally Mithras was subordinate to the Lord of Good [the Sun-god], but with the passage of time he came to be regarded as a peer to the Sun, and finally identified with Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun.

The cult of Mithras came to Rome in the first century BCE, and quickly gained a steady following and was widespread throughout the Roman Empire in the first century CE. Mithraism peaked in the third century CE, before being suppressed with all other non-Christian cults at the end of 4th century; a suppression that resulted from the triumphant rise of the Christian cult and its graduation from ‘cult to ‘religion’.

Faced with the threat posed by the advantage Mithraism enjoyed in the hearts and minds of the populace as a result of Mithraism’s solstice/year end/new year celebrations, the Christian cults found themselves in need of a yearend celebration.

An astute marketing decision and….the birth of Jesus was celebrated on December 25th, which strategically fell between the winter solstice and the yearend/new year.

There are those who have searched the Bible to find passages that they could interpret and use as evidence that the Bible proves Christ was born December 25th.

The problem is that the Christian gospels were clearly written as theological documents in the context of early Christianity rather than historical chronicles and their authors showed little interest in an absolute chronology of Jesus or in synchronizing the episodes of his life with the secular history of the age.

The only thing that these arguments have proven is that one can use and interpret the words of the Bible to ‘prove’ anything you want to have the Bible provide ‘proof’ of.

I do acknowledge that although the timing of celebrating the birth of Christ on December 25th, between the winter solstice and yearend/beginning of the New Year, lies with Mithraism – a cogent argument can be advanced that the reason for the existence and nature of the Season flows from the Christian churches and religions.

Looking back to the end of the 4th century/beginning of the 5th century, the point where Christianity triumphed, outlawed all other religions in the Empire and graduated from cult to religion [“A cult is a religion with no political power.” Tom Wolfe] we can examine the development of the Christian churches and religions and the interaction between the Christian churches and religions and the Season to see how the behaviours of church and religion shaped the character, the heart, the essence, of the Season.

Looking today around the world, around Abbotsford, at the Christian churches and religions you see astute shepherding is more in evidence today than it was at the end of the 4th century.

The cultivation of cash flow to provide salaries sufficient to attract pastors with the capability to enhance the growth of congregations, the Christian churches, the Christian religions and their wealth [properties, buildings, investments, bank accounts] .

The streets of Abbotsford provide abundant testimony as to how Christian churches and religions have, over the centuries, shaped the character and spirit, the soul of the Season. The Season of Greed.

Consider, Life, Media

How many more?

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Watching another report about a memorial or ceremony for/about Amanda Todd, the teen ‘bullied to death’, raises the question of how many other teenagers will suicide as a result of the media coverage of all the accolades and fame Amanda Todd’s suicide garnered her?

Not that many months ago the media was focused on one community’s efforts to prevent a recent teen suicide triggering future teen suicides in the community; suicides as in more than one. The community’s concern arose from the knowledge that the suicide of one teenager will set in motion thoughts in surviving teens that lead to a cluster of teen suicides in the future.

The media’s report focused on this knowledge, and the evidence linking the suicide of one teen with future suicides among the surviving teens.

If a simple teen suicide serves to trigger future teen suicides, how many suicide deaths will the message, intentional or not, we are sending via media coverage of Amanda Todd’s suicide cause in the future? Deaths that will occur not only in Vancouver, but around the world as Amanda Todd’s death became a cause celebre for media worldwide.

Want worldwide fame? Want your name all over the local media for days, weeks, months? Want people to speak of what a wonderful person you were and what a tragedy your loss is? Want your father to get a tattoo to memorialize you? Want a memorial held at the Red Robinson Theatre in memory of you? Want to make a video and have it go viral on the internet? Want not only 15 minutes of fame, but for the 15 minutes to be extended?

No problem!

Simply, make a video, post it on line, off your self – and let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.

There exists ample knowledge about the psycho/socio/bio (psychological sociological biological) nature of the realities, interactions and thought processes of teenagers vis-à-vis suicide. We know that the behaviours of the media, society and individuals with respect to Amanda Todd’s suicide will inspire other teens around the world to seek fame and immortality through suicide.

Now this may not be a pleasant reality, but it is reality none the less, one of the profuse dark realities and unpleasant truths that people and societies work hard to ignore by refusing to see or burying their heads in the sand.

But: Reality does not care what you want to be fact, reality does not care what you believe to be fact, Reality simply is what IS.

The question is not whether teen suicides will result from media coverage of Amanda Todd’s suicide and the ongoing circus that resulted as people strove to get aboard the 15 minutes of fame parade float.

That there would be future suicides triggered was an unavoidable reality, the when and how many were dependent on whether behaviour in reaction the Amanda Todd’s suicide was deliberate and considered – or our usual thoughtless reactionary denial of reality knee-jerk rote response.

Unpalatable perhaps – but Reality none the less.

 

Federal, Provincial, The Economy

Government Budget Pronouncements

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The Yin……….

Hysterical, hysterical federal Conservative anti-Mulcair fear mongering.

Or, when you don’t want the public to pay attention to your fiscal and policy debacles, point your finger elsewhere and scream FIRE!

Adding irony to the hysterical black humour of the Conservative’s American style hysterical  fear mongering attack ads is the fact that, as this latest Conservative “look out – it’s the Bogyman’ fear mongering campaign was getting underway, the federal Conservative finance minister was announcing that this year’s deficit would be at least $5 billion higher than the Conservatives had previously guessed.

Listening, truly listening, [with the thinking inherent in true listening] to the federal Conservative ads designed to stampede Canadians into hysterical panic over a – potential – $20 billion NDP carbon tax, provides evidence of the level of hysteria, panic and fear the Conservatives feel lest Canadians begin to scrutinize the actual outcomes of Conservative policies.

I say ‘potential’  tax because the fact is that while a carbon tax is part of the NDP platform, the NDP have no plan or course of action laid out to implement a carbon tax; much the same way that, while a balanced budget is part of the Conservative platform, the Conservatives have no plan or course of action laid out to achieve a balanced budget. Which is why the Conservative’s mythical future date for achieving a balanced budget continually moves farther and farther into the future.

The question of whether we can afford Mulcair and the NDP becomes moot when you consider the actual financial ‘achievements’ of the Conservative government.

A Conservative government that a few short years after inheriting a $14 billion a year surplus and a federal deficit reduced to $457.6 billion by the actions of the prior Liberal government, has rocketed the federal deficit past the $600 billion mark on the last weekend of November 2012. A precipitous climb with no trustworthy evidence to suggest the Conservatives over promised, under delivered, balanced budget will ever materialize under the direction of a Conservative government.

The reality is that the reasons for Canadian hysteria, panic and fear lie in the behaviours and policies of the federal Conservatives.

The un-spun Reality is that we cannot afford Harper’s Conservatives.

We just cannot afford them.

……and the Yang.

Pray that Clark is Lying.

If Christie Clark is actually serious about balancing the budget next year, come hell or high water, it is time to consider voting green or to run for the legislature as an independent.

The right always likes to trot out the bogyman of irresponsible NDP spending to scare voters as is currently happening in Ottawa.

And while Adrian Dix has demonstrated a worrisome lack of understanding of, or connection to, the financial realities of the province and its citizens Premier Clark’s promise to balance the budget next year borders on the insane.

Insane: utterly senseless: an insane plan.

Consider these givens: the 2012/13 budget called for expenditures of $43,869,000; the deficit for 2012/13 has been revised upwards to $1,470,000 which is 3.4% of the budget; the rise in the deficit is mainly a result of falling provincial revenues, revenues that are realistically not going to recover for the 2013/14 budget year; the promises Finance Minister Mike de Jong has made concerning the return to the PST means provincial sales tax revenues will suffer a significant reduction next year (on top of the $300 million HST repayment to Ottawa); the cost to provide the same services next year as were provided this year will be higher – particularly health costs which are rising faster than costs in other areas; the rationing of mental health services has already resulted in the deaths of British Columbians as a result of the lack of sufficient services; the increases in Justice costs (police, incarceration etc) will necessitate cutting more funds from the rest of the budget.

Balancing the budget for 2013/14 will require cutting 3.4% (+) from next year’s budget.

Given the realities of the way the province spends its money most, if not all, of the cuts will have to come from healthcare and education.

Yes you could make cuts to social services, family services and related programs…..but the hard facts are that cuts in those areas do not result in any savings. Rather they result in higher costs to the government in other areas of the budget such as Justice.

Trying to avoid cuts to health and education by making cuts in other areas, areas that tempt politicians and the public because they seem ‘easier’ than cuts to healthcare and education, will inevitably force even deeper cuts to be made to education and health.

Given the level of wilful denial, of self imposed blindness, embraced by both voters and politicians in British Columbia –  Pray that Clark is Lying.

 

I Spied With My Little Eye..., Thoughts

Paper Nation

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Driving through historic downtown Abbotsford my attention was caught by the name of a new addition to the shops on Essendene Avenue, Paper Nation. I assumed that the name meant it was a scrapbooking store.

Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won’t come in.  Alan Alda

If fate had not intervened my assumption would have had me seeing  a caterpillar and missing the butterfly.

I was on Essendene because I wanted to run into Strung Out on Beads. The only parking spot I could find was on Pauline Street which meant I had to walk past Paper Nation on my way to and from Strung Out on Beads.

Approaching the Paper Nation sandwich board on the sidewalk outside the store on my return journey to my car, I decided to pop in and take a look around.

I pushed open the door and stepped into……..Greeting Card Bliss.

The cards, Oh The Cards.

I have added Paper Nation to my Wellness Recovery Action Plan for those black days when I need a laugh, an injection of the light of humour into my mind and life.

As I sampled from one greeting card display spinner to another, the smile on my face kept growing. I am not sure what other browsers in the store thought as my card sampling brought forth laugh after laugh.

I can say that owner Bryan Heidinger was pleased by my laughter.

I have been accused of having a sense of humour that is somewhat askew. What can I say?I am a fan of Monty Python and George Carlin.

“Now that your Birthday is out of the way we can focus on what is really important…..My Birthday.” or “You shouldn’t dwell on how old you are. Be positive. Focus on the fact most people are dead at your age.”

While I enjoyed a sampling of the pointed wit cards, the cards on display and available are not limited to those with an acerbic edge.

There are cute cards, funny cards, sentimental cards, friend cards, beautiful cards, flashy cards…………. All manner of cards, including some I spotted by local artists.

There is an interesting array of scrapbooking supplies. And there are classes. And although I am not into scrapbooking myself, observation and conversation suggests that owner Bryan Heidinger is a valuable resource for those who are scrapbookers.

I was impressed enough by my visit to Paper Nation that as I was leaving I asked Bryan if it was alright if I wrote about my visit. He is waiting on business cards but gave me a fridge magnet.

**greeting cards – decorative papers – stationary – scrapbooking – card making – classes**

You can visit the website at papernation.ca or facebook at facebook.com/papernation………… but to really appreciate the store – a locally owned store – and its owner you need to drop in.

P.S. I had intended to be disciplined and merely browse, but the varied items and cards available caused me to Shop. I blame Mr Heidinger, who had stocked the store with a few items that forced me to Shop.

Municipal

Bleeding?

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“ We’re just bleeding,” said Councillor John Smith.

Please……bleeding is what happens when you knick yourself shaving, when you slice open your jugular you are Haemorrhaging.

When Council’s desperate, no price to high to to avoid the embarrassment of having an arena with no hockey team, added the Heat to the fiasco that was (and is) the Great White Elephant (AKA the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex), Council sliced open the City’s financial jugular.

The debacle thus created has caused the City to haemorrhage – not bleed – millions, multimillions, of dollars every year down the twin financial black holes of the Abbotsford Heat and the AESC.

And suddenly after three years of ever increasing multimillion dollar losses it is “This just dismays me.” and “We have to deal with this issue. It’s killing us.”

A pity Councillors chose to ignore and run roughshod over those who dared question the divorced from reality assumptions, promises and numbers Councillors sold to taxpayers. If you look at what the ‘naysayers’ were saying, the current financial quagmire is what the ‘naysayers’ predicted would happen.

Mayor Banman’s statements on this matter do show he fits right in at City Hall. Only in Abbotsford City Hall would those nasty ‘naysayers’ who dared predict the City of Abbotsford would haemorrhage tens of millions of dollars, be used to obscure that it was Councillor’s egos that brought about the Heat/AESC financial debacle.

“There are solutions but moaning and groaning and crying about it won’t make it better,” said Banman.

“ Moaning and groaning” Mayor Banman?

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” George Santayana Reason in Common Sense (volume one of the five-volume Life of Reason)

It behoves us all Mayor Banman, to remember that the Heat were City Council’s “solution” to an empty Arena and that Council’s ‘solution’, in addition to the multimillion dollar yearly direct subsidies to the Heat, drains yearly multi-million dollar operating losses for the arena out of the City treasury and taxpayer’s wallets.

Remember because taxpayers and the City cannot afford another Council solution to the issue of the Heat that drains millions of dollars more out of the taxpayers’ pockets year after year.

“There are solutions….” The accuracy of the financial forecasting by the ‘naysayers’ on the cost to taxpayers of both the AESC and the Heat suggests a solid understanding of the fiscal and marketing realities of the Heat and the ASEC.

An understanding in alignment with that of the ownership group of the Heat: the only solution to losses incurred by the Heat is to have someone with deep pockets – currently the taxpayers of Abbotsford – on the hook to cover the losses.

It is clear Heat ownership saw nothing millions of dollars of red ink in having the Heat playing in Abbotsford since the ownership of the Heat would not purchase and move the team to Abbotsford without City Council’s agreement to cover the losses for a decade.

As to the likelihood of City Hall finding a way to stem the multimillion dollar haemorrhaging……. I would not consider a nearly 50% [(3905 – 2653)/2653 = 47%] increase in per game attendance to be: “A relatively small number of new fans were needed to secure the franchise success,” he (Mayor Banman) added.

Additionally Mayor Banman’s 3905 fans per game as break even requires an average price in of $38 per seat. Given that the most expensive seats are now only $42 and that tickets can be had for $15…..3905 is low.

He (Mayor Banman) also said ” Critics need to accept the arena and Heat supply fees are done deals and join efforts to solve the problem.”

I, and other ratepayers, are highly motivated to solve the problem

Which is why we support going to court and having the agreement with the Heat declared illegal (which it is) and therefore void, putting a stop to multimillions of dollars flowing out of taxpayers’ pockets into the pockets of Heat ownership.

Staff and politicians may not find this to be a welcome solution [in light of the fact that while protected from the consequences of incompetent actions, the consequences of illegal acts are a different matter], but for taxpayers it would end the haemorrhaging of taxpayer dollars.