HAITI...VOODOO CURSE.

When most of us think of 'Voodoo' we think of powerful evil spells often portrayed by rag dolls being pierced by pins.

In fact, we are told by experts that Voodoo in practice consists of more good than evil.

Voodoo is described as a black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and Southern US and brought to the West by those unfortunates caught up in the Slave Trade of the 1700s and 1800s.

I was surprised to find that one can purchase Voodoo spells on-line...again, mostly good ones such as those seeking happiness and good health.

The centre of Voodoo has always been Haiti... population slightly under 11 million and sharer of a Caribbean Island with the equally populated Dominican Republic.  In Haiti the spelling of 'Voodoo' is Vodou.

Even if Voodoo or Vodou is a practice consisting of more good than bad -  the Island Nation of Haiti has most certainly been Majorly Cursed. 

Since discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492, Haitians have suffered death and destruction on an unimaginable scale, it has gone from occupation to occupation, one revolution to another, one failed presidency to the next culminating more recently - 2010 - in a massive Earthquake that took the lives of upwards of 250,000 poor souls.

Most recently we have seen as many as a thousand more Haitians die at the hands of number 5 of 5 strength hurricane Matthew.

While citizens on the mainland were warned to flee the Atlantic coast and go inland - no such warnings went to the poor folks in Haiti...they had no-where to go and since the Earthquake, have been living in tents and paper shacks. No protection whatsoever against the 240 mile an hour winds of Matthew. 

'So okay Galagher, Haiti is cursed - call it Voudo or whatever, what is your point?'

My point is - and I have made it in a past Blog but given recent events it is well worth repeating - how can we in the Americas - especially us in North America -  look ourselves in the mirror knowing that a close neighbour is living in such dreaded conditions.  More to the point, how can we expect to make a positive contribution to the world at large if we are helpless in the face of a small nation on our doorstep living in hell?

In my earlier blog, I set-out what needs to be done so I will not fully repeat myself in that but I will remind everyone of the failure of two personages who could have made a difference - but didn't...- America's own Bill Clinton and Canada's Michaelle Jean.

First Michaelle.  Plucked from the obscurity of French Canadian broadcaster Radio-Canada she was appointed Governor General Canada - arguably the least qualified person to ever assume that role.  When her term ended in 2010 she was appointed United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti.

I viewed the latter appointment as being quite appropriate since Jean had immigrated to Canada from Haiti in 1968.  She would therefore be expected to have an innate loyalty to her country of birth and the contacts she made during the 5 or 6 years as Governor General of Canada would no doubt be invaluable to her as she set about helping her former countrymen.

The fact that she remained based in Canada was somewhat puzzling but I chalked that up to the fact that she might be better positioned to work from there rather from the earthquake torn Haiti. If you don't need to get your boots muddy - why bother.

Anyway her term a Special Envoy was for 4 years but hardly a year in - she up and quit to take the position of Chancellor at Ottawa University.

So much for her commitment to help her former countrymen.

I could not nor do I believe you would be able live with that on your conscience.

But our next personage an even a bigger failure than was Jean...is no other than Bill Clinton.

I say that because compared to Clinton - Jean is very much small potatoes.  Bill Clinton on the other-hand is likely the most connected person throughout the world.  The Washington Post reported in 2014 that the Foundation he founded in 1997 had during that period raised in excess of $2 Billion Dollars. Money and Influence just seems to attract to that guy.

So when he too was appointed a UN Special Envoy to Haiti in 2009 - it was accompanied by great fanfare.  When the massive Earthquake struck a mere year later - again the media was awash in stories that thankfully Clinton was on the scene and would make a big difference to the ongoing lives of Haitians.

My review of the Internet shows that Clinton's term as Special Envoy was a bust.  And recent reports from Haiti in the face of Hurricane Matthew confirm this.

I am not for a moment criticizing either Bill Clinton nor Michaelle Jean for failing to make a difference - in fact it is doubtful any one person or even a large group of people could make a difference inn such a backward State as Haiti.  But I am disappointed at their apparent lack of commitment. 

Why didn't they 'jump up and down' and demand that North America - through the United Nations ..Or Not - get peacekeeping troops on the streets of Haiti to bring about law and order and keep those troops there for however long it takes - that is to say, at least 20 years or more to allow for an educated class of Haitians to takeover?  

Our own Government is currently on the lookout for peacekeeping opportunities in far away Africa which almost by definition would be guaranteed to fail.  Why not look under their very noses and bring about peace and prosperity in Haiti which is not only doable but long overdue.  

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher' 





  

THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER

That is the sum paid to Judas to betray Christ.

I hope that the Reporter who recently revealed his off-the-record, locker room banter with Donald Trump is equally compensated for his treachery.

I really mean it since if this character has a modicum of conscience he will need something to sooth his guilt.

But I am not here to concern myself with this bozo - rather I am here to give you an update on my feelings toward Donald Trump.

In short - I think, and I now hope, that he will fail in his bid to become President.

He has been accused of not considering women his equal and as a result of the recently released tape, this has been confirmed in spades.

Had it not been for his mouth ...

But thankfully for us his mouth did him in - even if the circumstances surrounding it - stink.

So that leaves Hillary the last man standing - so to speak.

If I was an American - Readers will know that I would never vote for her - and now I have discounted The Donald as well.

As a self-professed Libertarian - it would seem likely that I would then vote for this third party - but I would not.

Libertarians stand for isolation in the USA at a time when the world is going to hell in a hand-basket. Nuclear Proliferation is out of control and Terrorists Attacks are occurring at least daily.  Russia has gone rogue, and China is flexing its mighty muscles.  

Now is not the time for the US to turn its back militarily.

And the Green Party is just a nuts as the Rest of the World's Greenies.

No thanks.

If I had to vote - and I would - None of the Above - would be my preferred selection.  

A pox on all their houses.

How the US got to a point where this is all it has to offer for their top Political Spot is a mystery.

Sadly - not only will America suffer the price after November's election - but so too will the entire world.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

PENCE FOR PRESIDENT !!

We have all heard the big criticism... 'isn't too bad that there are not better candidates running for President than Hillary or The Donald".

Well Tuesday eve we saw one who appears to stand head and shoulders above them both - I am speaking of course of Indiana Governor and Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Mike Pence.

If only Trump had handled Hillary in their Debate the way Pence handled his Democratic VP nominee.

Makes you wonder if Trump would promise to resign immediately upon being elected...allowing Governor Pence to become Prez in his place - would that guarantee a Republican victory?

A fairy-tale I know but it would be so much better than what the US and indeed the World have before them now.

And speaking of that - I finally got to watch 13 Hours yesterday - the appalling account of the storming of the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. The Ambassador there had been calling for greater security for weeks and even at the time of the attack was still asking for help... help which was but minutes away at a CIA stronghold. 

Hillary Clinton - his ultimate boss, was the intended recipient of his multiple requests.

When I first learned of this tragedy, mention was made of the numerous requests for beefed up security but I did not for one moment blame Clinton for what resulted.  I figured, like in most bureaucracies - someone screwed up along the line and the Ambassador's requests never reached and/or were never allowed to reach the Secretary of State.

But I was soon realized from her cover-up that she was in it up to her arm pits.

Had it been me or you, we would have come out immediately and said, we screwed up and innocent men have paid with their precious lives.  As Secretary of State, I am going to leave no stone unturned until I find out who is/are responsible in my Department for this tragedy.

And we will make certain that this never happens again in our proud American History !

Rather than doing that, Dear Hillary's immediate public response was to say, it was a 'spontaneous attack resulting from some obscure American video unflattering to Muhammad'.

Upon saying this, she then immediately texted her daughter to say it was indeed a planned Terrorist Attack and that it had nothing to do with the non-descript video.

But her biggest mistake was yet to come. Shortly after the Attack - which she continually referred to as an Assault, she appeared before a Committee of Congress and had this to say:

"With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided that they’d they go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?" 

I could not believe it!  I tried to put myself in the place of the families of the Ambassador and his handful of bodyguards who all perished in the 'assault' and wondered what they must be thinking - all the while knowing their dead love-ones had continually sought help from the Secretary of State's office in the lead-up to this Terrorist Attack.

How Hollow her statement of 'What difference at this point does it matter.'

And yet the Progressives give their unconditional support to Hillary!

And, although I would much prefer Pence to either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton - I'd take Trump over Hillary any day of the week.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Okay Galagher ...Now That The Polls Are Out ... Do You Still Think Trump Won Monday's Presidential Debate?

Note: I forgot to mention that during the Decade plus that our Progressives have been in power their Green Energy fiasco has more than doubled our Debt ...from $140 Billion to over $300 Billion. What a disaster and from Hillary's own mouth - if elected she will impose the self same mistake on all of America. 


No I do not.

Polls done scientifically can usually be relied upon - especially if there are several and they confirm one another's findings.

The Polls show that Hillary bested Trump... it does not mean Trump lost the debate, it means more importantly that the folks considered Hillary to be the winner.

Ergo - She won.

And not by much, since the Polls show her to have advanced only by a couple of % points - but it was enough to blunt The Donald's recent rise.

In the final analysis this Debate has the potential of signalling the end for the Republican chances to regain the White House.

And whereas Hillary - post debate, went about her campaigning as if she won the biggest prize since she married Slick Willy, Trump on the other-hand went about with a Hang-Dog defeatist countenance. 

I still believe Hillary did herself no favours in the Debate - a pundit summed it up very well when he said you have to put yourself in the position of an American Voter listening to her platitudes and meaningless Gruel -  to realize that through all her verbiage she had nothing to offer anyone other than the most Progressive - that is to say, the most out of touch. 

And Trump, to his discredit let her get away with it almost at will.

Let me offer one key instance as an example:

Dear Hillary promised that if elected, she would make the United States of America the Mecca and Envy of the World in the matter of Green Energy.  It would save the Planet - she said, and create oodles of high paying jobs etc etc.

Trump stood spell-bound.

I can tell you from our own Provincial (State) experience that this is all Hog Wash.

We too had a Government which came into power over a Decade ago - making the same stupid promise.

Instead of gaining jobs - we lost hundreds of thousands - industry / business could no longer compete and fled to jurisdictions which were not handcuffed by the Green Energy Nonsense.

Power rates tripled.  An Audit for the relatively brief period - 2008 to 2014 (6 years) confirmed that our power users paid $34 Billion Too Much.

Power that could have been obtained via H2O or Nuclear at 4 to 6 cents per Kilowatt Hour was costing the taxpayer 80 some cents per kwh being paid to the Greenie Energy Producers - via Wind Mills and Solar.

Homeowners are going without heat - ours is a cold climate - because they simply cannot pay the exorbitant cost of electricity. 

To make matters worse, our Government had the temerity to brag that they were making money hand over fist by selling surplus power to neighbouring States - such as New York and Michigan.  What it did not say was the fact that they were selling it at something around 20% of its cost.

To put it into perspective - let's say at a hamburger stand it cost $1.00 to make each hamburger and that they then sold it for .20 cents and bragged that they were making a profit.  Losing .80 cents per burger would not see them last in business for long.

Not only that, on occasion - our Government has even been forced to pay jurisdictions like New York / Michigan to take the excess power off our hands.  

Going back to the Burger analogy - it would mean giving away say .25 cents per Burger that costs a Dollar.  What nonsense ... and yet this is one of Dear Hillary's fondest ambitions.

It is not over by a long shot - but if in the next debates - Trump does bring Hillary up short for her Whoppers - such as the Green Energy Debacle above - it will be over - and this past Monday's Debate was the beginning of the end.

As I see it...

K.D. Galagher'

ONE BRIDGE TOO MANY

So dear reader - we have me experiencing a heart attack two years ago which in turn resulted in the discovery of 2 fairly large aneurysms plus a defective valve to boot. 

I am calling my attack .. a Great One - given the follow-up discoveries and given that my first checkup in the summer of 2015 confirmed that everything was working A-OK.

My two Stents were working fine and my aneurysms were not growing.

I was feeling well and life was good.  I also dropped a fair bit of weight and was in the best of health save for the above issues.

About 6 months after my checkup though I noticed that my pulse, which had always been strong and steady, was for some reason beating erratically.

Like a man - I kept this to myself thinking that over time it would resolve itself.

But at my June 2016 annual checkup they too found that my heart rate had become inconsistent. The previous year's results were checked which confirmed that the change had come about since that time.

I asked the technician if she would be notifying my Cardiologist about this new discovery but was told that it would be up to me to do so. (Her work apparently was focused entirely on the state of my aneurysms). This seemed strange to me but I was now determined to find out what was causing the irregular beats.  

It was at this point too when I started to have thoughts of A Bridge Too Many.  I had taken everything to date in stride... my heart attack, two stents, two aneurysms and a defective valve.  The addition of an irregular heart beat was just one development too many even if it turned out to be nothing serious which I suspected it would.

But it was then that I went back to calling my heart attack Good ...not Great. 

When I got home, I told my wife the good news about the aneurysms not growing and also about technician confirming my unsteady heart beat. I also shared with her that this heart attack business was starting to wear a little thin. I called my Cardiologist to see if she could determine what was going on.  I had great faith in her, liked her very much and found our visits most enjoyable.  If she told me I had nothing to worry about - that would be good enough for me. 

Sadly though, when I called her office, I was advised that she was on leave. They suggested that I contact my family doctor to see if he could provide me with a diagnoses.  This advice also seemed a little strange since I would have thought the Heart Institute would be in a better position to discover what was going on with my heart than my GP.

But I was not going to let this drop.

I went to see my family Doctor who also expressed puzzlement as to why he was being asked to get involved.  He took my pulse and found it to be erratic and asked me if felt light headed etc.  I told him that other than being a little tired - I felt okay.

My G.P. said he did not think I had anything to worry about but to be safe, ordered a series of tests done.  In due course,  I was back before him with my test results in his hand.

He told me the tests confirmed the erratic beat but that they did not indicate any serious concern.  Again though to be prudent, he said he would forward the results onto the Heart Institute for expert review.  

This seemed like a roundabout way to get back to where I thought I belonged ... but at least it got me back.

I waited about a month to get before the appropriate specialist - a very nice chap by the way who had the ability to convey bad news while all the time smiling.  

Prior to going in to personally see him - I was given an ECG to provide a up-to-date report on how my heart was beating.  I took the report into my meeting with the Specialist and sat quietly as he read the results.

The following is more or less what he told me in layman's language:

A blockage in my heart was causing the erratic beats for which there are three (3) stages. The first is not considered serious, the second is considered serious and with the third - one's heart stops.

"Where did I fit in" I asked.  "You sir are a two (2) plus plus.

Big Smile....I Smiled Back, but upon a minute's reflection - it struck me that this didn't sound all that encouraging.

I stopped smiling.

To cut to the chase, he prescribed a Pace Maker and said it would make me fit as a fiddle but to bear in mind its battery life is guaranteed for only 10 years. 

Ten years sounded sufficiently down the road enough for me and besides all that it meant was I would simply get the battery replaced ... no big deal.

My Smile returned.

I was more concerned though with how long it would take to have the Pace Maker installed.

We'll  get you in within three (3) weeks ...

Seemed a bit of a wait but thankfully I was only at 2++ and not the dreaded 3... or is 2++ really another way to say 3 ?

There goes my Smile again.

This coming Monday I go in for the procedure.  It is done on an outpatient basis and is a very common occurrence.  

I am glad I persisted and am not for one moment criticizing anyone in regard to my care.  It has been first class.  If it appears otherwise - it is really my heart that has let me down and in reality - I have let it down.  Too many fries and milk shakes.

My advice to you is to take care of your body and its parts and by doing so. they will take care of you. 

Or you can get a Pace Maker that is guaranteed for at least 10 years.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

p.s.  Procedure successfully completed and I have a new lease on life.  Moral of the Story...if you have a 6th sense that something is not right ...go with your instinct...you seldom go wrong.  KD

Gallagher...Who Won Last Evening's Presidential Debate?

Good Question.

I know that I am in the midst of a two-parter Blog but it would be remiss of me to delay writing about the last eve's Presidential Debate of the Century.

Okay - back to the question.

Short answer...I do not know.

I say that because often debates are not won or lost in the doing but are determined by which side has the best Spin Meisters.  And, I suspect Hillary will have a big edge there - plus most of the Media trying their best to depict her as victorious.

In the final analysis though it will come down to the Polls ...as it always does.

But, for the record, here is my analysis:

• Clinton won the first half;
• Trump won the second half;
• Hillary looked the more Presidential throughout;
• But the edge goes to Trump simply because few believed he could go toe to toe with his more experienced opponent.

So by a slim margin, I believe Trump came out on top.

So now we leave it to the above-noted Spin Meisters to work their magic....and in the meantime, we await the Polling Results over the course of the next few days which in the final analysis will determine the real winner. 

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

ONE BRIDGE TOO MANY...

Today's title is taken of course from the 1977 British - American Epic Film concerning World War Two Operation... Market Garden.

British, American and Polish forces went behind lines in 1944 to capture a number of bridges leading to the final one at Arnhem, The Netherlands.  It was one bridge too far resulting in the British Airborne losing 80% of its 10,000 crack troops. 

My Bridge, on the other hand, is not one of steel and concrete; rather it pertains to my Heart.

Permit me to explain.

Two years ago this month, I was cleaning up some paper work from a Rally two other couples, with my wife and I, had organized on our Capital Hill seeking the Government's support to come to the aide of Christians who were facing genocide in the Middle East.  The Rally  took place on a Saturday ... and two days later - on the Monday morning, at 9:10 am, just 10 minutes after my wife Anne had left for work, I began to feel some pressure ...(no pain) in my upper chest but did feel pain on my left side through to my left shoulder-blade.  I also experienced pain up through the left side of my face. 

I was suspicious that I was having a heart attack although admittedly, I had never had one before. 

I took 3 baby aspirins and laid down.  And after but a few minutes, half the intensity of my symptoms disappeared.

I decided to drive to my doctor's office located in a clinic but 5 minutes drive from our home.  I told the receptionist that I thought I may - or may not, be experiencing heart trouble.

She soon had me before one of the clinic's nurses who, after berating me for having driven to the clinic, placed some nitroglycerin under my tongue.  

"How did I feel" she asked - I told her the balance of my symptoms had miraculously disappeared.

She went to find an available doctor - my own happened to be off that day. 

The Doctor checked me out and opinioned that she did not think I had nor was having a heart attack.  I thanked her profusely and made for the door whereupon I ran into the Nurse.

"Where are you going" she asked - "home" I said - "No you are not" she responded.  "I am a former Registered Nurse from the Heart Institute and I can tell you - you are having a heart attack".

And not only that, "an ambulance is on route to take you to the nearest Hospital".

While waiting - I called Anne.  Bad news and Good news I said, - I am off to the hospital for fear I may be having a heart attack but not to worry, the Doctor does not believe I am...having a heart attack that is.

Silence on the other end.  "Anne...you still there?"

Finally Anne responded, "I will meet you at the Hospital".

Oh, No, I thought - what have I gotten myself into.

To cut to the chase - I was having a heart attack and for the next three days made the Hospital my new home.

Two Stents later - I was discharged but the story does not end here.

I was soon back to meet with "my Cardiologist" for a recap of what had occurred and what my post hospital treatment would consist of.

My Cardiologist informed me that in dealing with my recent heart attack it was discovered that I had an aneurysm located on major artery leading from my heart.

More tests were ordered and included an MRI.

I was by now calling my heart attack the Good Heart Attack since had I not had it - the aneurysm would have gone undetected. 

In due course I was back before my Cardiologist who informed me that the recent MRI had found not 1 but 2 aneurysms along with a defective valve.

Good Heart Attack was now replaced by Great Heart Attack.

She explained to me that the aneurysms averaged 4.8 in size ... (I am not totally sure but assume we are talking about millimeters). She went on to say that if and when they reached 5.5 in size, they would be operated on to repair them. 

She then let slip that most aneurysms burst at below 5.0 that is to say roughly the diameter of my two. 

I ask her what was I missing in this - if most burst at below 5.0 and both of mine fall into that classification - why wait until 5.5 for repair?

She calmly explained to me that my case would be different because she would be monitoring my situation closely in the hope that the major restorative surgery would not be necessary. (apparently some aneurysms stop growing) 

Needless to say, I was happy with her explanation since who in their right mind would want to undergo major surgery if it can be permanently avoided. But it still left me somewhat unsettled.

We are now about to encounter my Bridge Too Many.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'