Something About Health Care

NDP Leader Jack Layton says that he is going to meet with the Prime Minister to discus private health care in Canada. The Globe and Mail quoted Layton as saying: "The first step has got to be for them to agree that we actually have the growth of private, for-profit medicare and medicine in this country which clearly we do." Isn't it funny how the rise in private health care has come under a Liberal government? In his final election campaign, Jean Chretien used private health care to scare people from voting for the Conservatives. He claimed that if a Conservative government was at the wheel we would have to deal with a two-teir health care system. Do you remember Chretien's debate with Stockwell Day during that election? Day actually brought in a cardboard sign that read "No Two-Tier." Chretien focused his entire campaign on stopping the Conservative's and their two-tier "hidden agenda." It's pathetic that during every election the Liberal's will slam the Conservatives for their ideas and, when re-elected, welcome those same ideas with open arms.

Something About Snow

It was snowing in Nonsan yesterday! More specifically, it was snowing in my school! As I sat down to plan the day's lessons and drink my coffee I happened to scratch my head. At that instant white flakes came falling from the sky! More specifically, white flakes came falling from my head. It's bad enough that I turn 31 in a couple of weeks, now I have my first bout of dandruff. What's next? Alzheimer's?

Something About Scooters

Scooter are very common in Korea. While I may go weeks or months without seeing one in Canada, it only takes a couple of minutes driving before one of these pesky machines passes me on the street. In Korea the rules of the road are that if you ride a motorcycle you need to wear a helmet. Not so with a scooter. The only time I ever see a helmet on someone riding a scooter is when I'm on the highway heading into school. Even then they don't where regular motorcycle helmets; they resemble more of a construction hat. It's not uncommon to see two people riding a scooter at the same time (both without helmets), even when the second person is a child. The most people I've seen on one scooter was four. There were two adults with one child at the front and one facing backwards on the rear. The thing looked like it was about to tip over. Today I saw the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. It was raining outside and I passed a scooter on my way into school. The guy had one hand on the handle and the other holding an umbrella. It was so funny, I really wish I had my camera. My day ended with a not so funny experience with a scooter. Not only do people ride scooters on the road but they also ride them on the sidewalk. I stopped at a convenience store on the way home from work, and when I stepped out of my car I swear a scooter missed me by inches.

Something About Blogs

Last month I decided to start a dream blog. It seemed in principle to be a relatively easy thing to do: every morning I would write about my dreams. Well, it isn't as simple as I thought it would be. It's one thing to remember a dream you had, but it's another to actually try and explain it. Pretty much, my dreams don't make much sense. I still continue to dream every night but they are too complex to put in print. I scrapped the dream blog idea and made a blog dedicated to the television series Lost. Like Seinfeld, Lost is a "water cooler" type of show. After watching an episode I immediately want to discuss it with someone. The problem is that I only know a few people who watch it. Besides my director, the only other people I know who watch the show are Doug's family. The blog, Lost in Thought, will be updated every Thursday night Ontario time.

Something About Spit

On my way to the doctor's this morning I did a quick "hork n' spit" on the sidewalk. The unusual part was that I didn't see where it landed. I checked my shirt but couldn't find it. Oh, well. I headed up to the doctor's office, gave my id card to the nurse, and had my blood pressure checked. I then had my prescription filled at the pharmacy and walked to the train station. While in the station washroom I took a quick glance at the mirror; low and behold I had a big wad of spit front and center on my shirt. This experience may just end my 20 year "hork n' spit" habit.