Sunday, August 13, 2017

Society Conflicts

Awaiting my doctor's appointment a few weeks ago...among a few others in the reception area...a man sat with his daughter (about 8 years old). Father was constantly rapt with his Cell Telephone, reading and texting. Young daughter tried to converse with him ~ Dad was too busy to respond to her. She tried 2 or 3 times to gain his attention ~ but 'No Way' did he have time for her. When, leaving her chair and trying to pick up a magazine, he ordered, “SIT DOWN!”
To what is our Society becoming?

Daily occurrences are saddled with “me, me,me and my CT”
.
Ignorance of signs denoting “DANGER” at the local waterfalls in our
 escarpment areas...even ignorance of fencing...some visitors choose not to obey.
I fully agree with fines levied against those who ignore the signs (although to me the fine should be greater than $130.) In a few letters to “Readers Write” daily in The Spec, I strongly endorse that when rescues involving our skilled firemen and service people, said persons should pay the full amount of the rescue costs incurred.
A recent bulletin from Niagara Falls, N.Y. reports:
Too many on-river are getting too close to falls! An American police marine unit that patrols the Upper Niagara River says too many boaters and people on personal watercraft are getting too close to the brink of Niagara Falls. People put their lives at risk when they ignore buoys and warning signs on the river. This summer there have been 10 incidents involving the venturing of boaters into dangerous waters! Some were stopped near Goat Island close to the brink.

Speed Limits on our highways are frequently ignored.
...and the list is endless!

Many months ago, I wrote about Road Rage...centered around a women who passed me with excessive speed on the four-lane Walkers Line near the QEW (2 lanes running in each direction). Sharply, she cut in front of me, forcing me to stop! She had a BIG BEEF about my driving interfering with her over-the-speed-limit she was executing in rush hour. She was livid! Banging on my side window, she angrily stated she was going to report me to the police...copied down my licence plate number...and then returned haughtily to her vehicle...she'd left her driver-side door open in her haste to make accusations...of course, traffic had to slow down to veer around her opened-door vehicle.

Are We Living in the Fast Lane of Today's Society?
Leaving farm life behind to further my education...moving to Toronto, so many years ago, seemed that 'this' was the fast lane! What an adjustment! Soon, it became 'the norm'! Yet, over the years where I've lived and worked, I've seen many changes. Today's Society alarms me! Technology may be the cause which to many of us is a big change...and we endorse this while still keeping our life and family principles in place.

Colloquials
Years ago, contractions were intoduced into our vocabulary as shortcuts: you'd, isn't, where's, etc.
These past 2 years, new words were invented and now in usage: e.g. adventus, brood patch, bug-eyes, Chi-town, garden apartment, Linus blanket, scritch, spooge, throat sing...and numerous more.

A recent cartoon illustrated 'Teenager Language':
Buh...ull...tex'ya...and so many other words understood by them.
A World of Their Own” reminds me of their communication.
Often I see teens hanging out near malls, parks...and fill their idle time
with other 'techies'...There are jobs available (however few of interest to them).
Community Services welcome assistance for those in need
and I'm certain that during the school year, these rendered services
give students 'credits' toward their year's achievement!
Donna Clarini from Hamilton states and offers a solution: “All the problems with young people today stem from not serving in compulsory military service. Discipline, hard work and respect are missing”.

.A Beef of mine is the usage of 'Alphabet and Numerals':
The alphabet are letters from a, b, c, to z;
The numerals are 0 (zero), 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
You have heard of the “400 series of highways” in Ontario..in referencing them:
the 400 is easy; and the 401 is not 4 oh 1, the 403 is not 4 O 3, nor is 4O7 correct!
They should be: Four Zero One...Four Zero Three...and Four Zero 7
Most Ontarions get these wrong!
In watching sports games, half of the announcers calling the game(s) will get it right (using baseball as an example)...3 Balls and Zero strikes...yet others state, re the count of 'balls and strikes' against batters: 2 and O. Even Dr. Phil gets it correct! Why are Canadians so lazy???
Because, like sheep, we follow others who err!

Positives and Negatives
Your positive actions combined with positive thinking results in success.
(Jenn Proske)
Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.
(Hans Selye)

The Smart Ass
One day, a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old...and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. To everyone's amazement, he quieted down.

A few shovels later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw! With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing....he would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off...and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was stunned with amazement as the donkey stepped up over the well ledge and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you...all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to 'shake it off and take a step up.' Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stooping...never giving up! Shake it off...and take a step up!

The donkey, later came back and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him.
The gash from the bite infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL: When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass,
it always comes back to bite you
(Thank you, Tom for submitting the foregoing parable)

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...August 11, 2017
Comments appreciated: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca or inezkate@gmail.com

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