Another 2 parter...
Picture this - 3 glasses - two full of water and one empty.
Glass A represents private health care currently available in the USA. The vast majority of American citizens drink from this glass and give it a grade of 10 out of 10.
Glass B represents the lack of health care for those 45 million Americans (15%) who have no coverage. Needless-to-say, this group scores their empty glass at zero.
Glass C represents the public health care received by all Canadians. The water tastes salty and the citizens score the contents at 5 out of 10.
In America, the experts ignore the fact that the majority - 85% are pleased with their private coverage and place their focus on the 15% that do without. Their solution is to have a public system set-up - like in Canada - for all Amercans. In effect, to turn the majority's glass of water from a grade of 10 to a 5. Rationing will result as will the lack of Doctors and other key health care providers and so on. Without competition, health care - like the sale of cereals or any other product, suffers.
The 15% though will be pleased since their score will go from 0 to a 5.
In Canada, our so called experts believe our public system is the best in world regardless of the facts which indicate otherwise. They continually shun a private system which would raise the water in our glass from 5 to 10.
But experts and proponents on both sides of the health care issue in both countries have it wrong. They trying to determine which is the better system for delivery of health care - public or private, when they should all be looking at what exactly is to be delivered under either regime.
My solution in part 2...
"Galagher"
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Sports - We Have Gone Off Track Part II
For those of you anxiously awaiting part 2 - you may be in for a disappointment...
Why have sports gone off track?
Because governments have gone off track.
Starting with the Olympics.
From my perspective they have less to do with sport than they do with politics.
Countless billions are spent by the economic elite countries in their quest to buy medals.
A handful of Amateurs are transformed into professionals with government support.
Billions are spent by the Host Country in a bid to outdo its predecessor.
What to do?
First, return the Olympics to Greece. Make it the permanent Host and their costs will more than be repaid via tourists.
Amateurs should not be expected to be in constant training. If they feel it is necessary to do so to win medals - and it no doubt is - that is to be their choice - not their government's. Cut out the departments of sport and return the tax savings to 'you know who'.
If a country does not win a bunch of medals - it is not cause for the gnashing of teeth. Indeed, only a very few select countries really find themselves in the medal race and this is due to their financial prowess. Open it up and give everyone a shot at the podium. To me, it is the sportsman like thing to do.
Return the focus of sport to the population as a whole - children and adults alike.
Authorities in medicine are now saying that children born in this century will not live as long as their parents did due to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. This is the first time in history that such a development has occurred.
We need to get back to basics.
Have sports run via volunteers and community associations. If it was found that some pay was required - hire students which would assist them in completing their studies.
One role that would fall to the government is the return of mandatory phys-ed in the schools. Plus credits should be given to all students who participate in intramural sports.
Plus school sports facilities need to be made available to the general public.
Society will be the better for it.
As I see it.
"Galagher"
Why have sports gone off track?
Because governments have gone off track.
Starting with the Olympics.
From my perspective they have less to do with sport than they do with politics.
Countless billions are spent by the economic elite countries in their quest to buy medals.
A handful of Amateurs are transformed into professionals with government support.
Billions are spent by the Host Country in a bid to outdo its predecessor.
What to do?
First, return the Olympics to Greece. Make it the permanent Host and their costs will more than be repaid via tourists.
Amateurs should not be expected to be in constant training. If they feel it is necessary to do so to win medals - and it no doubt is - that is to be their choice - not their government's. Cut out the departments of sport and return the tax savings to 'you know who'.
If a country does not win a bunch of medals - it is not cause for the gnashing of teeth. Indeed, only a very few select countries really find themselves in the medal race and this is due to their financial prowess. Open it up and give everyone a shot at the podium. To me, it is the sportsman like thing to do.
Return the focus of sport to the population as a whole - children and adults alike.
Authorities in medicine are now saying that children born in this century will not live as long as their parents did due to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. This is the first time in history that such a development has occurred.
We need to get back to basics.
Have sports run via volunteers and community associations. If it was found that some pay was required - hire students which would assist them in completing their studies.
One role that would fall to the government is the return of mandatory phys-ed in the schools. Plus credits should be given to all students who participate in intramural sports.
Plus school sports facilities need to be made available to the general public.
Society will be the better for it.
As I see it.
"Galagher"
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Sports - I Think We Have Gone Off The Track
A two parter.
My grand-daughter enrolled in 'competitive' soccer when she was 12 or so. I don't know why they called it 'competitive' it was anything but - save in the mind of her coach.
This venture into 'competitive' sport cost her parents over $1,000 for the season - fees for the field, pay for the refs, travel costs, fees for this and fees for that. Even in the non-competitive leagues the cost for joining is in the hundreds of dollars.
When I heard this I was dumbfounded. So here I go...
"When I was a kid' - such a sport cost us nothing - save for a pair of $5 sneakers. The field was a free public school field and the coaches and refs donated their time. They enjoyed the fun as much as the players. When and if we travelled out of town - we all piled into whoever parent's car was available.
Children today do not need an excuse to avoid sports - there are plenty of distractions available, starting with the internet. Cost should simply not enter into it.
We came to our various sports prepared - we brought our own gloves, bats, balls, skates and sticks. And we did our own preparation - lining the fields, cleaning the ice and so on.
Everyone took part, at least for the boys. Girls in sports being a recent development. And about time too.
There was Newt, one of our town's few Aboriginals. We never thought of him as different in any way - but we knew he could run circles around the rest of us. He was perpetual motion.
And Covell who had a wicked curve ball. And Dougall. I often played first in baseball and Dougall played Short Stop - I did not often flinch when I caught the ball at first, but I inevitably did when he was the thrower. Smoke steamed off my glove.
When it wasn't organized play - we often gathered for pick-up games - Johnny, Dave, George, Newt, Coop, Randy, Fownsy, the Hamiltons, the Lyles, and so on. Everyone who showed up got to play and no one had a weight problem back in then.
We also had mandatory physical education -Every day. I remember we had a fellow in our class named Glen. He was a farm lad who could kick a football the length of the field. Being on a farm, he never had the chance to play organized games or even pick-up games for that matter. Glen was far too busy working. And much to the chagrin of our coach.
Us townies who did play though did not need the latest in equipment. Old hand-me-downs were quite sufficient or we simply went without. Our parents generation even had less. Fields were not pristine - nor did they need to be. These were just games afterall - not tryouts for the pros. Refs and Umps were simply parents sans the need for 12 levels of training.
Today's kids are lumbered down with so much equipment that he or she can barely move. And the cost for this stuff makes the registration fees look cheap. Why the old 5 dollar runners now cost in excess of many dress shoes.
I mentioned that obesity was not the issue it is today, nor were the rates of diabetes nor were other health and fitness problems evident as they now are. It is not all due to lack of participation in sports but it is a major factor.
We have gone off track when it comes to sports: it needs to be free, universal, and above all fun.
More on this in part 2....
"Galagher"
My grand-daughter enrolled in 'competitive' soccer when she was 12 or so. I don't know why they called it 'competitive' it was anything but - save in the mind of her coach.
This venture into 'competitive' sport cost her parents over $1,000 for the season - fees for the field, pay for the refs, travel costs, fees for this and fees for that. Even in the non-competitive leagues the cost for joining is in the hundreds of dollars.
When I heard this I was dumbfounded. So here I go...
"When I was a kid' - such a sport cost us nothing - save for a pair of $5 sneakers. The field was a free public school field and the coaches and refs donated their time. They enjoyed the fun as much as the players. When and if we travelled out of town - we all piled into whoever parent's car was available.
Children today do not need an excuse to avoid sports - there are plenty of distractions available, starting with the internet. Cost should simply not enter into it.
We came to our various sports prepared - we brought our own gloves, bats, balls, skates and sticks. And we did our own preparation - lining the fields, cleaning the ice and so on.
Everyone took part, at least for the boys. Girls in sports being a recent development. And about time too.
There was Newt, one of our town's few Aboriginals. We never thought of him as different in any way - but we knew he could run circles around the rest of us. He was perpetual motion.
And Covell who had a wicked curve ball. And Dougall. I often played first in baseball and Dougall played Short Stop - I did not often flinch when I caught the ball at first, but I inevitably did when he was the thrower. Smoke steamed off my glove.
When it wasn't organized play - we often gathered for pick-up games - Johnny, Dave, George, Newt, Coop, Randy, Fownsy, the Hamiltons, the Lyles, and so on. Everyone who showed up got to play and no one had a weight problem back in then.
We also had mandatory physical education -Every day. I remember we had a fellow in our class named Glen. He was a farm lad who could kick a football the length of the field. Being on a farm, he never had the chance to play organized games or even pick-up games for that matter. Glen was far too busy working. And much to the chagrin of our coach.
Us townies who did play though did not need the latest in equipment. Old hand-me-downs were quite sufficient or we simply went without. Our parents generation even had less. Fields were not pristine - nor did they need to be. These were just games afterall - not tryouts for the pros. Refs and Umps were simply parents sans the need for 12 levels of training.
Today's kids are lumbered down with so much equipment that he or she can barely move. And the cost for this stuff makes the registration fees look cheap. Why the old 5 dollar runners now cost in excess of many dress shoes.
I mentioned that obesity was not the issue it is today, nor were the rates of diabetes nor were other health and fitness problems evident as they now are. It is not all due to lack of participation in sports but it is a major factor.
We have gone off track when it comes to sports: it needs to be free, universal, and above all fun.
More on this in part 2....
"Galagher"
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