Coming out!

Hi gang,



I used the "gay defense" this past week here in Lagos. A friend of mine was being harassed by a bar girl over at the iconic Pat's Bar in Victoria Island and was getting a bit frantic. These ladies can be very persistent, particularly as one gets to the end of the month and with Christmas coming up. Anyway, as she was annoying him, I slipped my arm around his waste and said "He's mine", my friend's response was to put his are around me.



She freaked. Homosexuality is illegal here in this very religious nation. I was accused of denying her ability to "love the man" and somehow being against God. Well, God and I separated a long time ago and I am not to concerned but I didn't get into that with her.



Here is a picture of my new "friend" Thomas, a Swede who has forgotten more about Fibre Optical Cable than I will ever know.
















Now onto other things...




Great article on vaccination foolishness in Wired magazine. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/10/ff_waronscience/

As many of you know this is one of my "0 to rage in 5 seconds" subjects - scientific ignorance is as offensive in a modern society as is illiteracy or innumeracy.


Another button of mine that can be pushed is about evolution and "scientific creationism", here is something on one of my inspirations, Richard Dawkins - notice the "idiot" evangelists stupid and crude attempt to link an understanding of the reality of natural selection to faith.


http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/11/25/darwin.dawkins.evolution/index.html



Heading back to Canada in just a week and about done with the African experience. Looking forward to doing some work in a more Canadian climate and spending much more time with the WGG and my sons.


BTW now that the African adventure appears to be winding down, there may be a Prague 1/2 Marathon Blog relaunch - just in case you are interested....



All the best,


Paul

Health Care from a country that has less than none!

Hey gang,

Back in Lagos again and this time I am going to tell a slightly gross personal story. It involves bodily fluids, and, alas solids, but also is about health care and it is an important story.

As you know, I am often amazingly offended when some politician from the United States (always Republican) rails against the Canadian Health Care System (CHCS - didn't know we had an acronym) as an example of what Americans don't want to have.

Forget my usual argument that we live longer by an average of 3 years.

Forget my usual argument that we pay less per capita by $4.00 per year for health care.

Instead, let me tell you a little story. I went to see my Doctor for my annual medical last week. We spent some time talking about my health, including the fact that I had just turned 50. Michael, my Doctor, was his usual thorough and professional self and, as usual, blood was drawn, weight was taken, all basic orifices examined (oh happy day!) and I was then to be sent off to specialists for a CT scan (back problem related to a run in Ottawa back in May) and a Colonoscopy (I am 50 - at 40 other things were included, best left unsaid).

So, I arrive in Nigeria last night and there is a message from my Doctor's office, less than 3 business days since the exam. I have an appointment for my colonoscopy on the 25th of November. Wow - that is less than 3 weeks after the exam for a totally optional and completely preventive examination! Now, the problem isn't the doctor, it is me, I am in Nigeria until the 16th of December and, boy, those Christmas holidays sure put a kibosh on things! Well, guess what, I call and I get an appointment for the 17th of December for the consultation and early in January for the actual exam! Good lord - I am being forced to make such sacrifices because of our "socialist medical system" .

Here is the cool thing. Usually Colon cancer doesn't show up into later life. I am having this exam, free of charge, at a time which I run little risk of having the disease but around the time the precursors to it (polyps and flat tumours) may start to show themselves. They can deal with both during the procedure and if no symptoms are in place I won't need another one for 10 years, if they see something, they can likely deal with it on the spot, and I don't have to deal with it again for 5 years. Doing this now costs some money, dealing with this if I were to have colon cancer would cost a lot more. Preventative medicine saves money but the only way people will engage in this sort of preventative regime is if it is covered by a SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. Focus on health rather than health care!

Sorry, American Cousins, to use such offensive language. Still, did I mention: WE LIVE LONGER THAN YOU AND WE PAY LESS FOR THE PRIVILEGE!!!!

Plus we still have a Queen - a real advantage over the idiot you just got rid of, but I digress!

OK - to wind this down, I want you all to really look at this video on the human cost of the lack of health care in the US. Please, don't focus on us here in Canada, we are fine, focus closer to home:

https://video.pbs.org/feature/87

Hey, American Cousins, get with the program!!!


Paul

Coming at you from Edmonton!

Hi bloggerets!

I am in Edmonton with the WGG visiting her family for the weekend. Just wanted to get a quick blog update out there before I head back to Toronto as the next few days will be busy. I am home tomorrow, entertaining a friend from Nigeria on Tuesday and Wednesday, spending some quality family time on the weekend and then flying to Lagos for a month on Sunday. Whew! I am tired just thinking about it.

OK so, stuff to update you on.

US Health Care. They don't have a clue. They need this. Why do they think that Canada, the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, France, Germany - hell, all of Europe, can do this and they can't. I am confused. Still the Congress passed a bill, a step forward, but we aren't there yet.

Training. Have made a tentative restart in training after my summer of back injury and travel to Nigeria. Kept swimming all summer and have been doing some treadmill walking over the past couple of weeks, so far no back issues., so am now viewing the Chicago Marathon of 2010 as a likely race return. Having my annual medical on Wednesday and will update you all after that.

H1N1 - just get the damn vaccine will ya? This is not a debate it is an rabid panic. Just get it, you and yours will be fine.

Hamlet at St. Andrews - my son James is in Hamlet at St. Andrews College between November 26th and 28th. I will not be able to be there so if any friends of mine feel like going in my sted, the box office number is: 905-727-3178, extension 260, tickets are $20 CAD and the performance will be exceptional - trust me.

Guess that is it for now, boys and girls.

Update you from the road to Lagos!

Paul

I am in love with my car (and my Mum)!

Hi everyone,

Got a brand new car last week - the lease was up on my Avalon and I decided to go with another Toyota - my third Camry, but this one was a Hybrid.

Good lord, what a car. I leased a Camry Hybrid with the leather and navigation package, blue tooth hands free phone system and an snow tires plus rims. Cost approximately $15,000 less than my Avalon and it is such a better car. It gets 800 km per tank of gas - that is approximately 50 MPG, the Avalon gets 23 a regular 4 cylinder Camery gets 27. I get into the car, my phone trains instantly and I hear phonecalls through the stereo and the steering wheel is my microphone. I have XM satellite radio, an iPod interface, a 4 CD changer, GPS Navigation and more bells and whistles than you can imagine with respect to data collection on the Hybrid Drive system. Did I mention that it gets 800 km per tank of gas!!!! Oh, yeah, and it has a rear view camera for backing up and parking.

Hey, it ain't that hard to support sustainability! In fact, if you accept the fact that the North American car manufacturers have been in denial for a number of years, and are now paying for it, you can make a difference, save some money (I get a $2000.00 rebate from the government), and get a great car for a lot less than expected.

Now, as to the Mum thing. Well, my lovely mother Marina, celebrated her 75th birthday on Halloween. Mum has had a rough year with the loss of a brother and a sister-in-law, but she is a trouper. Here is a photo taken of her, my sister Heather and I on the day itself. Happy Birthday, Mum!















That said, I will conclude my first blog here in November but promise to be back with you in just a couple of days. Stay well, bloggerets!

Paul