Offensive Radio Station Advertising

I gather all signs are not down yet.. saw one today near a busy intersection.. bad that it's still up

Continual Challenge of Middle East Peace

I support a two state solution with agreed upon boundaries, Jerusalem likely the capital of both states, a border based on 1967 with agreed upon variations, and a just 'settlement' of claims of people displaced in earlier conflicts.

After 60+ years surely both Israelis and Palestinians should find a way to make real long lasting peace.

Shareholder Primacy Sometimes GOod Thing

Don't know too much about it but there are groups of mutual funds which make decisions on where to invest based on what I have heard call an 'ethical screen' where they don't invest in companies that pollute, discriminate, make weapons, aren't fair to employees etc.

In Canada a good place to start finding out more is www.socialinvestment.ca. A very interesting and informative site.....

It's Started (for me) Big Time

As indicated in an earlier blog I run a personal income tax return preparation service in Canada's National Capital area (although I do have clients from several other places in Canada).

The active 'season' runs from mid-February to end of April. Well it started with a 'bang' today...seven appointments with material for 10 returns.

But it's my most interesting time of the year..........................

Another Thing That 'Bugs' Me - Banks' Primary Stakeholders

Isn't it interesting that institutions such as our chartered banks are tightening up credit when consumers and small businesses need it the most. Weren't the chartered banks the ones who advertised encouraging people to borrow money? Did they not encourage people to acquire credit card?

Don't the banks also have lots of publications saying how wonderful they are to their customers? They also tell everyone who will listen that they are wonderful workplaces. A look at the diversity of their current workforce suggests that they have been good at developing a workforce that accurately (or at least partially so) reflects the diversity of the workforce in the early 21st century.

But you know if you look beyond the spin, and see how they are doing financially one finds the following:

1 Banks are generally still posting large profits despite the 'recession' for the rest of us.
2 The 'fine print' in most credit contracts still gives them the right to request immediate repayment of all outstanding credit
3 Many of the activities at 'customer appreciation' days are funded by local branch employees

In reality the primary bank stakeholders are the shareholders. Customers like ourselves as well as bank employees are no where near the top of bank executive's priorities. Bank public relations officials will disagree undoubtedly but when you compare bank lending and othe practicess, actions do speak lounder than words.

Our banking system is one of the healthiest in the world.... they do lots of good community and other activities. But we should remember that they do this in their corporate self interest...

Second Blog Today

Two Blogs in One Day.. Oh Oh....

Want to mention social networking... in particular Facebook. I think social networking is the 'wave' of the future. People developing and maintaining relationships is a good way to 'get things done'...I have joined many groups via that site lobbying for positive changes in society and how our respective levels of government deal with problems.

If you haven't tried it, hop over to facebook and have a look...all I tell folks is don't take EVERYTHING you see on facebook to be the 'gospel'

The Problem with Organized Religion

I am a practising liberal Reform Jew. I applaud all the various faiths in the world for what they each preach... all of them have 'sacred' text that urge all of us to do good things to other people.. in other words 'treat everyone nice'.

Yet throughout history there has been so much religious and other wars because adherents of one particular faith have demonized other faiths (see my earlier post on demonization).

I guess you can say the problem is not religion itself but some people who call themselves 'true believers' have done horrible things to people of other faiths throughout history.

Awful Radio Station Ads

Those of you in the National Capital region of Canada may have seen some horribly offensive and sexist ads for a new radio station. I have joined a social network site's action group to try to get these ads removed from both public and private property.

The ads are totally inappropriate in an age of increasingly greater recognition of gender equality issues.

Demonization

You know it seems that many of the problems in the world today (and throughout history) are caused by demonization. If one thinks of major human rights violations in the 20th and 21st centuries (and likely many centuries earlier), much of it originated by the perpetrating group being subjected to 'demonization' of the group who would become victims of human rights violations.

Horrible genocides have resulted from extreme demonization.

This is one reason why I find it very difficult to 'tolerate' or 'accept' comments that even remotely hint of demonization of others. One thing that I think prevents real progress for 'peace' in the Middle East, for example, is statements by various political/educational/religious leaders that demonize another group. But the MIddle East is not unique. Look at what happened in Europe in the Nazi period; Rwanda in 1994; Sri Lanka right now; Zimbabwe; Balkans in the 1990's etc. etc.

Another thing that 'bugs' me

How come in my community when there is freezing rain (or other bad weather) our school boards, in the interest of safety of students, cancel school bus transportation? This means parents have to make other arrangements to get students to school.

Presumably if the roads are unsafe for school buses, they are unsafe for smaller vehicles such as cars. Yet in almost all cases where buses are cancelled, the boards announce that schools are 'open'.

In a part of the world where weather can be problematic at some times of the year, I wonder how to resolve this one... unsure how but it does 'bug' me....

A Positive Item

The Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council has 'reprimanded' a particularly opinionated talk show host on our talk radio station for making serious anti-Islamic remarks on a recent show.

It was wonderful to see the Council issue a strong statement criticizing this host's attitude towards people who disagree with him.. this is the host I was talking about in an earlier blog.

Another thing that 'bugs' me

Not all witnesses have spoken but news reports out of that inquiry in British Columbia regarding the tasering and death of that Polish man at Vancouver airport, are quite upsetting to me and I'm sure many others. Just heard today one witness said no police officer applied first aid when the man was in distress. Clearly something went terribly wrong that day.....

What 'Bugs' Me??

I have lots of things that 'bug' me.. here is one (others to follow in different times in different blogs)

Our country's treatment of Omar Khadr. We are the only western country not to repatriate our citizens from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The current government line in this issue is flawed from the start.

Other child soldiers have been and can be 'rehabilitated'.. why not apply the same standards to Mr. Khadr?

It's not his views that count.. it's basic fairness.

Talk Radio Station Bias (cont.)

Further to my earlier rant.... one of this station's talk show hosts seems to have found a new law in this country. When he hears a view that he strongly disgrees with he just hangs up the phone. Seems like he thinks there is a law prohibiting some people from disagreeing with him.

Of course everyone knows there is no such a law... but such is talk radio....

Credit Card Interest Rates

With lending rates of large financial institutions so low these days, it is horrible that banks and other credit card issuers charge such high interest rates. They have for years encouraged folks to use credit cards (sometimes with short term low interest rates) and then 'jack up' their rates... some to over 28%. Awful!!!