the jimmymac attack!

That was fun! This is what a CNN anchor person said today after interviewing two 'experts' on Iraq. I guess the Iraq war is reality TV for America. It's not fun for the Iraqi people or the young Americans being killed and blown to pieces. But the people running things in the US do not have to face the reality. For them its just a TV show.

During the Ming dynasty in China there was an emperor who ruled for less than one year. It's unfortunate Zhu Gaozhi died at the young age of forty-six in 1425. He was a revolutionary thinker when it comes to social planning. He had the unusual idea that ordinary people should be taken care of. Some bureaucrats balked at his ideas and he responded by saying, "Relieving people's poverty ought to be handled as though one were rescuing them from fire or saving them from drowning. One cannot hesitate." It's a beautiful idea.
There use to be a city on the Persian Gulf called Hormuz. Now the city is gone but the Strait of Hormuz remains today. In 1414 the Chinese Admiral Zheng He sailed to the Persian Gulf city. He found a very wealthy prosperous society. He reported that there were no poor people in Hormuz because "if a family meets with misfortune resulting in poverty, everyone gives them clothes and food and capital, and relieves their distress." It was a rich and prosperous city and they took care of every citizen. Ever notice how like attracts like? Poverty and need usually exist where it is accepted and tolerated. If it's not accepted and a society takes action against it then it does not exist.

* these facts come from "When China Ruled the Seas" by Louise Levathes

Many people do not think money and resources should be spent on helping people living in poverty. They will say that they do not want their tax dollars used to help lazy people who wont work. In Vancouver my very unscientific assessment estimates that about 50% of the population would like to help poor people. The other 50% would like to hire more police and put the homeless in jail. The difference lies in a very fundamental belief about human nature. However no matter what your beliefs about human nature I would argue that the hardline approach is not economically sound. Hiring more police is very expensive and ultimately it also is not effective.
Here are other ways in which the present approach is not only not working but it is also expensive and a waste of tax dollars. The policy of letting poor and homeless and addicts fend for themselves just creates more problems and expense for everybody.
The cost of poverty for us all:
1. Health: People living in poverty have more health problems and cost the health system more. They will use hospital and emergency services much more than other people. For example I am a healthy person and have never been taken to hospital by ambulance. An ambulance call costs the health system at least $1000 a trip. Some people living in poverty will call an ambulance once a month or once a week when they're sick. I'm sure there are many calls every day in a big city like Vancouver. Healthy people use the medical services less and cost taxpayers less. Physical health is directly related to economic health.
2. Crime: In Vancouver the amount of property crime is 3 times higher than in Toronto. Why? Because the drug problem is so much worse. Drug addicts will do anything to get the money for drugs. Cars and houses are broken into every day. Stores and offices and people are robbed every day. This costs people and businesses. It also costs taxpayers because the police must respond to the crime. It costs people and business because bars and security must be put on doors and windows. Private security services are one industry that is doing well in this environment.
3. Housing: You would think having people sleeping on sidewalks would not cost taxpayers anything. It's free accommodation isn't it? This situation leads to the existence of homeless shelters. Shelters are not cheap. To have one person in a shelter for one night costs the government $80. So to house a person this way for one month costs $2400. A person could rent a very nice apartment for that price. Three or four people could be housed in modest apartments for what it costs to keep one person in a shelter.

Housing homeless people or sea creatures which would rather live in the wild. Which should be the priority for Vancouver? It seems housing the sea creatures gets the priority. The Vancouver Aquarium is about to receive $80 million to expand. At the same time people living in poverty and homeless are struggling to try to get a few million dollars to create some more badly needed housing. It's really unbelievable this is happening. Are the people in poverty not worthy of some help? Are the animals more important? I know what I think but actions speak louder than words. What will the city do? Will the people living in poverty ever get the help they need?

Many people will not agree with me but I think our number one priority should be people. What I mean is that our society should make people the highest priority. All of the people. Every single one.
As it is now many citizens are treated like garbage. Dogs and cats are treated better than a lot of people. If a dog or cat were lying sick on the sidewalk someone would come and pick them up and take care of them. In Vancouver there are many sick people lying on the sidewalks.
Every single citizen of our rich country should be taken care of with housing and food. Many people would say they are lazy and should get a job. But sick people sometimes are not able to work. If they are given some help and care many could eventually find work. But it's not an easy thing to do. Most homeless and drug addicts need counseling and medical care as well as homes and food and clothing. It's a big job which cannot be solved quickly or easily. But if we decided to make it the highest priority maybe we could do it. Make it our goal to end homelessness. Make it our goal to end poverty. I think it's possible but it requires a shift in thinking. 150 years ago many Americans thought the end of slavery would be an economic disaster. In fact it was good for people and the economy.
Likewise the end of homelessness and poverty would be good for people and the economy.

George W Bush has been fond of talking about why the terrorists hate the US. He always says it's because of the freedom and democracy that exist in America. I find this thinking of his so bizarre every time he says it. Does he really believe it or is it something his handlers dreamed up? If the terrorists hate America because of their freedom and democracy then why aren't the terrorists attacking Canada, Sweden and Ireland? Why? Because it's not freedom and democracy they hate. It's the American arrogance and imperialism they hate. George W epitomizes the ugly American. Before becoming president he seldom traveled anywhere in the world. He had not even been as far as Canada. He had a very limited, uneducated view of the world. Despite this he is one of those who would readily tell anyone that America is the best country in the world. About 40% of Americans have no health care. Lack of health care is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US. The gap between rich and poor is widening and not shrinking. You would think if it's the best country the life style of the poor would be improving and not getting worse. Anyone who has traveled in American cities has seen the poverty in the world's richest country. If it were the best country the Hurricane Katrina victims would have been quickly rescued and taken care of. They weren't. Every country has problems. That is to be expected. But when the richest country in the world tries to impose their will on others and they cannot even take care of their own it leads to a lot of resentment.
On the other hand I must say I love the US sometimes. Many Americans are good people and they don't agree with George W either. The good news is he will be gone in two years. The nightmare we've endured for the last six years will be over.

In a homeless shelter in Vancouver the light in the restroom is a black light. This kind of light bulb emits a blue glow. They're not very good for actually seeing what you're doing. That is why they are used there. The idea is drug addicts cannot see their veins and so cannot shoot up drugs in the restroom. Some night clubs use them also because of the special effects they create. So when I went in to use the facilities I found out something new. While peeing in the urinal I found out that my urine glows in the dark too. Some things done to deal with the drug addicts and homeless problem are funny they are so strange. Another example of this in Vancouver is the garbage. In most buildings downtown the garbage is locked up. A lot of money is spent on trying to cope with the drug and homeless problem rather than trying to actually help the people suffering.