The Christian Right and the Rise of American Fascism
One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists
CIA Home Invasion: Smart TVs and the 'Internet of Things'
Videos Show Blackwater in Iraq Running Over Woman, Firing into Traffic
Pat Buchanan on “Whipped-up Hysteria” Over Trayvon Martin Killing
Monsanto Threatens to Sue Vermont if Legislators Pass a Bill Requiring GMO Food to Be Labeled
USGS: Recent Earthquakes 'Almost Certainly Manmade'
And a Happy Easter to you, too
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
My New Man Purse
Today, Tanya actually asked me to help in the yard. Guess she figured nothing was growing enough that I could kill it where we were working. We finished raking and cleaning the leaves and dead grass under the cherry and apple trees in the back of the yard and also in the strawberry patch. She said if a few plants got pulled out when we were raking it was OK.
We had six small fires going at one time. Good thing the wind was south to north as we suddenly noticed Lucia (to the south of us) had wash on the line. Why neighbours kill each other.
Gardening is in full swing all around the city. Most are raked over nice and smooth and several people are planting something. Not sure what. After school a Grade 10 boy (grandson of neighbour Big Victor) showed up with a small section of diamond harrow and a big cement block and harrowed the kitchen garden for us, pulling the harrow himself with a rope. We will also hire him and several of his friends to do a thorough clean up of the yard next door and then have a huge bonfire. It is a mess as the house has not been lived in for several years and no one looks after the place.
An error in filling out a form caused us some excitement and grief. The error was corrected at no cost other than excess adrenalin. While there may be different versions of what caused the error, it undoubtedly was my fault. I am the husband. Forgiveness cost only two pairs of new shoes, black pumps and white sandals. Which made Tanya so happy, I got to buy a leather man purse. It says Giorgio Armani on it which Andrei says should be translated as Made in Armenia.
I can hardly wait to go into The Swamp at Agribition in my European shoes and carrying a man purse.
We had six small fires going at one time. Good thing the wind was south to north as we suddenly noticed Lucia (to the south of us) had wash on the line. Why neighbours kill each other.
Gardening is in full swing all around the city. Most are raked over nice and smooth and several people are planting something. Not sure what. After school a Grade 10 boy (grandson of neighbour Big Victor) showed up with a small section of diamond harrow and a big cement block and harrowed the kitchen garden for us, pulling the harrow himself with a rope. We will also hire him and several of his friends to do a thorough clean up of the yard next door and then have a huge bonfire. It is a mess as the house has not been lived in for several years and no one looks after the place.
An error in filling out a form caused us some excitement and grief. The error was corrected at no cost other than excess adrenalin. While there may be different versions of what caused the error, it undoubtedly was my fault. I am the husband. Forgiveness cost only two pairs of new shoes, black pumps and white sandals. Which made Tanya so happy, I got to buy a leather man purse. It says Giorgio Armani on it which Andrei says should be translated as Made in Armenia.
I can hardly wait to go into The Swamp at Agribition in my European shoes and carrying a man purse.
 |
| The well dressed European |
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Observations on a Sunny Day
Tanya has gone to Dnipropetrovs'k for the day, leaving me to putter about the house on my own, which I quite enjoy once in a while. She is going to get insulin for Roman and to "check out" the flower market conveniently located near the bus depot.
We buy insulin for Roman that is made in Europe. As Tanya says Insulin made in Ukraine or China (provided free by the health system) is only for people who want to die. We started looking on Monday; only one drugstore in town carries it. They didn't have any so Tanya phoned the best drugstore in Dnipropetrovs'k associated with the Medical Research Institute. They were out of it too but would have some today.
Diabetes is a plague here in Ukraine and in Russia too. I don't know the stats but I know two women who have lost a leg to it, each of whom may lose the other as well. I should look up the stats for Canada. From what I gather, much of the diabetes here is Type 2 ie adult onset and diet related but I don't know that for sure. I do know that regardless, it all seems to be treated with insulin.
There does not seem to be much in the way of an education program in Ukraine for the public or even for the diabetics themselves. Treatment seems to be a standard two injections per day. Glucometers are available in most of the larger drugstores but they are the same price as in Canada and so are the strips at $1 each. Using a glucometer to adjust insulin doses to maintain blood sugar at something approaching normal is totally beyond the reach of a huge percentage of the population.
Even if there were some kind of quality control on domestic and Chinese insulin it would save a lot of misery and likely lives too. There ought to be a special place in Hell for people who traffic in other people's misery (see also The Third Man) and the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who allow it.
We buy insulin for Roman that is made in Europe. As Tanya says Insulin made in Ukraine or China (provided free by the health system) is only for people who want to die. We started looking on Monday; only one drugstore in town carries it. They didn't have any so Tanya phoned the best drugstore in Dnipropetrovs'k associated with the Medical Research Institute. They were out of it too but would have some today.
Diabetes is a plague here in Ukraine and in Russia too. I don't know the stats but I know two women who have lost a leg to it, each of whom may lose the other as well. I should look up the stats for Canada. From what I gather, much of the diabetes here is Type 2 ie adult onset and diet related but I don't know that for sure. I do know that regardless, it all seems to be treated with insulin.
There does not seem to be much in the way of an education program in Ukraine for the public or even for the diabetics themselves. Treatment seems to be a standard two injections per day. Glucometers are available in most of the larger drugstores but they are the same price as in Canada and so are the strips at $1 each. Using a glucometer to adjust insulin doses to maintain blood sugar at something approaching normal is totally beyond the reach of a huge percentage of the population.
Even if there were some kind of quality control on domestic and Chinese insulin it would save a lot of misery and likely lives too. There ought to be a special place in Hell for people who traffic in other people's misery (see also The Third Man) and the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who allow it.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Little Johnny again
The kids filed back into
class Monday morning. They were very excited.
Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on productive
salesmanship.
Little Sally led off:
"I sold girl scout cookies and I made $30," she said proudly,
"My sales approach was to appeal to the customer's civil spirit and I
credit that approach for my obvious success."
"Very good," said
the teacher.
Little Jenny was next:
"I sold
magazines," she said, "I made $45 and I explained to everyone that magazines
would keep them up on current events."
"Very good,
Jenny," said the teacher.
Eventually, it was Little
Johnny's turn. The teacher held her breath...
Little Johnny walked to the
front of the classroom and dumped a box full of cash on the teacher's desk.
"$2,467" he said.
"$2,467!" cried
the teacher, "What in the world were you selling?"
"Toothbrushes,"
said Little Johnny.
"Toothbrushes!"
echoed the teacher, "How could you possibly sell enough tooth brushes to
make that much money?"
"I found the busiest
corner in town," said Little Johnny, "I set up a Chip & Dip stand
and gave everybody who walked by a free sample. They all said the same thing,
"Hey, this tastes like dog shit!"
Then I would say, "It
is dog shit. Wanna buy a toothbrush? I used the government approach of giving
you something shitty for free, and then making you pay to get the taste out of
your mouth."
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Finally, it is April
It is April 1st. Mark Twain says the first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.
I like April. The sun shines longer every day. When it clears up and stops raining at least. It was light at 6:00 am this morning, even with DST.
Flowers start blooming, even if it is only Tanya's crocuses for now, things are so late this year. Lots of her bulbs are sticking up so we will have blooms later. Birds are coming back; there are two more songbirds back. Though I don't know their names it is nice to hear them. Grass is starting to grow; perennials are coming through the ground in other flower beds. Trees are budding out and will burst into leaf after a few hot days.
Somewhere calves are being born. With Victor's death last winter, there will be no more cows on our street as his was the last. But soon the goats will be staked out to graze, with their new babies. I see chickens, geese and turkeys out and about so there will be chicks around soon; there may be some in the market already.
The roads are full of potholes again as repairs of last year have popped lose with moisture and frost and new holes created. Driving to town is a slow process now. Time to put the summer tires back on, too. Maybe when we get back from Prague. It feels like it could still snow.
I like April. The sun shines longer every day. When it clears up and stops raining at least. It was light at 6:00 am this morning, even with DST.
Flowers start blooming, even if it is only Tanya's crocuses for now, things are so late this year. Lots of her bulbs are sticking up so we will have blooms later. Birds are coming back; there are two more songbirds back. Though I don't know their names it is nice to hear them. Grass is starting to grow; perennials are coming through the ground in other flower beds. Trees are budding out and will burst into leaf after a few hot days.
Somewhere calves are being born. With Victor's death last winter, there will be no more cows on our street as his was the last. But soon the goats will be staked out to graze, with their new babies. I see chickens, geese and turkeys out and about so there will be chicks around soon; there may be some in the market already.
The roads are full of potholes again as repairs of last year have popped lose with moisture and frost and new holes created. Driving to town is a slow process now. Time to put the summer tires back on, too. Maybe when we get back from Prague. It feels like it could still snow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)