Perspective

I was speechless for most of yesterday.  The election results left me ricocheting from numb to anxious to forlorn disbelief.  Fixating on the future right-wing Supreme Court, the inevitable repeal of Obamacare, the futility of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

I shed more than one tear during Hillary’s concession speech, imagining what her victory speech would have meant to millions of women and girls.  Thinking how capable a public servant she is, how competent and steady she would be at the helm.  How furious she must be about how she was brought down.  

Hillary was as gracious as anyone could or should be in her position, considering (nasty woman, and other invectives).

Late afternoon, this blog landed in my inbox.  And I did feel a smidge better after reading it.  I don’t agree with all the sentiments expressed, but it made me remember how hopeless I felt when Reagan was elected (when I was 13!) and when W. was elected (both times).  

We will all survive this.  

http://waitbutwhy.com/2016/11/its-going-to-be-okay.html

Yoga toes

My Pilates instructor Pam noticed my toes are in a perpetual clench. (Ever notice that when someone tells you to relax a specific part of your body, it is impossible to do?  Or is that just me?)

And my feet are always sore.

Pam recommended “yoga toes”, which I had never heard of.

Just got them yesterday, and already I can tell they are revolutionary. They stretch and relax your toes and feel divine.  My feet are noticeably less sore.  Here’s the version of yoga toes I bought from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01FHRHR0G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And here’s an article I found on the benefits of yoga toes, if you want to learn more about them.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/417926-are-yoga-toes-good-for-you/

Canada’s broken health care system

I work every day with health care providers and administrators in Canada’s health care system. They are smart, hard-working, compassionate, well-intentioned public servants.

That doesn’t mean the system is working. It’s not. And it’s going broke.

Many of those well-intentioned public servants are exhausted. Demand, as we all know, exceeds supply in our system.

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information:

In 2015, total health expenditure in Canada is expected to reach $219.1 billion, or $6,105 per person. It is anticipated that, overall, health spending will represent 10.9% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP).

I encourage everyone who is even moderately interested to read Neil Macdonald’s piece on Canada’s health care system.  It’s bang on, and full of insight:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/health-care-baby-boomers-macdonald-1.3833563

 

 

 

 

 

Melancthon wind facility

Drove by this windmill farm yesterday.  Super cool.  133 wind turbines have the capacity to produce 545,000 megawatt hours each year.   See YouTube video below.

But local residents complain the turbines are affecting their health – incessant noise.  I’m curious to learn more.

 

This landed in my mailbox yesterday

Canada’s example to the world.  Absolutely.

There is still some work to be done, however.  For example, Canada’s Supreme Court decided in 2010 that suspects do not have a right to legal counsel while they are being interrogated.

https://releve.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2010/2010scc35/2010scc35.htm

I think this is why no one has ever proposed a Law & Order: Canada spinoff.

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