The Anniversary Blog

Happy 12th Anniversary to my dear husband Jim! My how time flies! It seems like yesterday we were just hanging out at the Oak, and baby, look at us now!

Saw Sicko this week. It made me ill. The travesty that is the American health care (or rather lack of care) system is beyond belief. So much unnecessary suffering whilst the powers that be continue to line their pockets with money -- money that is soaked in blood. This seems to be the only kind of money that the politicos, especially in the States are interested making. Iraq anyone?

Michael Moore contrasts the American system with the British, French and Canadian health care systems. All are far better, although he does simplify matters for the masses. Just as I know that our health care system in Canada is flawed, I suspect that there are problems in the British and French systems too. Nonetheless, these seem minor in comparison to what our neighbours south of the border must endure. The real irony of this film is that it isn't about those without health care coverage, but rather about those who are "covered" and yet are consistently denied. Profit, profit, profit people and we just don't care who dies.

We are off to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix tonight. This is what happens when you get older. No sexy foreign films for us! Harry's been all the rage as of late with the release of the final book, about which I may have been spoiled. Oh well, perhaps I will forget. I admire J.K. Rowling for her savvy in parlaying the Potter books into such an empire. However, I cannot help but being saddened by the fact that years ago when asked why she didn't make her protagonist a female, she said that she had long recognized that such a book about a girl wouldn't sell. That is such a tragic reflection on the subtle sexism that women/girls continue to face in our so-called progressive societies.

Speaking of sexism, we have just completed our first week of a civil strike in Vancouver. The city's library workers walked out this week too. The main issue is wage parity. Apparently, the wage gap between library workers who are primarily women and the city's outside workers who are predominantly male, is about 20 per cent. It galls me that this is still happening. It galls me further that folks don't realize that women are still very far from being equal in every way. The uncollected garbage is not the only thing that stinks here.