Californication in Ontario

On Elsa (or On The Millennium Falcon, if you ask my son ;) ) & Driving

2015-05-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

“She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.”

This month I’ll be passing the two-and-a-half year mark of owning my 1986 BMW E30. She has affectionately been named Elsa, given her German heritage. However, my son refers to her as the Millennium Falcon. Why , you might ask? He’s a major Star Wars fan and one day he proudly informed me that I was the Han Solo to his Luke Skywalker (his mom was called Darth Vader – which I had NOTHING to do with, BTW! I swear! LOL)

We’ve passed some milestones along the way:

- 250K, 300K, 325K, 350K, 375K, & 400,000 km coming soon!

I looked back at my four month review post... a lot has happened and I’ve definitely transitioned to pretty much a full enthusiast/gear head.

For me this car is not just a car – I consider it an extension of me. Without this vehicle, I wouldn’t have a life or job. She is a tool, an instrument and a testament to good engineering and worksmanship. She’ll be 30 on September 6 – born in the Munich plant in roll over month for cars for the next model year, hence why she’s an ’86 model. I have found it very rewarding to spend time under her hood and body working away. It has helped enhance the experience, even with times of frustration.

Other than having my rear calipers replaced last year, since the initial work on the car to get it certified, Elsa has been under my loving care, with the help of her former owner, and my best friend – Alex.

Since that first post, I have performed the following services, sometimes with help.

- Oil Changes – switched to synthetic a few months in, now doing them about every 12-15K km.

- Valve Clearance checks every 30,000 km (Have done this five times, and no need for adjustments yet)

- Bi-annual tire swaps

- Replacing Spark plugs (Have done this 3 times)

- Timing belt, water pump, crank seal at 265,000 km with help from Alex

- Front wheel bearings

- Brake servicing

- All rear bushings – Subframe, trailing arm, drop links and rear strut bearings. At the same time, replaced rear inner brake lines, and 3 differential seals (the output seals and the input seal) – again couldn’t have done all this without Alex’s help – you’re the best bro!

- Removed rusted out resonator and had Alex weld in a replacement elbow

- The second timing belt under my ownership –a job I completed solo.

- Removed steering rack to replace the lower steering linkage

In the last 2.5 years, my expenses have roughly been as follows:

10% was cost of the car
Almost 60% of my expenses has been fuel – I drive A LOT. ;)
34% has been servicing, repairs and expenses. This figure includes regular maintenance, repairs, insurance, and licensing fees. When I worked it out against a car payment on a new car I found that even with an almost 30 year old BMW, I’m still winning by at least $100 a month.

But what about the driving experience, you ask? Amazing! If you have never driven a rear wheel drive car as a daily, it’s great. Totally different feel, and I’d argue a better one. Even for being close to 30, this car drives like a dream. Elsa is omfortable to sit in for a long haul, very well mannered on the highway or street, very predictable handling (even in our Canadian winters with the help of a little extra weight in the trunk). I do believe that having this car the last three winters has really improved my driving skills – it’s very different from the FWD VWs I had been used to.

Although Elsa isn’t a major power house (her M20 engine only puts out 121 HP @ 4250 RPM), she’s got some good low end torque (170 Ft/lbs @ 3250 RPM), which makes her fun for city driving. Pop her into third when merging on the highway and that straight six delivers power pretty quickly. And within speed limits, she also pretty fuel efficient – my 2.5 year average is 7.7 L/100 KM, which translates to just under 37 MPG UK (about 30.5 MPG US)

It is also nice to drive a car without all kinds of bells and whistles – no ABS, traction control, etc – meaning, there is less stuff to potentially break/fail. Even the windows and sunroof are manual, and not even A/C to worry about. Back then, you could order up a very basic BMW.

My personal feeling is that many drivers have become dependent on the technology in their cars – here’s the fact – you may have all this technical wizardry, but don’t forget that despite this, your car’s contact with the road is the four tires. If those or your driving skills are lacking, there is no technology that can save you.

Once the tires have lost their grip, all bets are off. The take away is that you need to really know your daily vehicle and know what the limits are. I see far too many people on a wintery day travelling far too fast for the conditions, yet people blame the weather. We live in a country where we can have snow and ice up to 6 months a year in many areas – blaming the weather is not an excuse. DRIVE TO THE CONDITIONS. If you’re driving through a blizzard, doing 120 km/h may not be the wisest thing to do.

The following review really captures a lot about the E30:

Another amazing thing is conversations she starts. I've had around two dozen people offer to buy her - I even had a police officer pull me over one day outside Beaverton - because he was scoping my car! Even more people have started conversations, especially former/current owners and BMW/car enthusiasts. I'm often complimented that she looks to be in pretty good shape (which she is... except for a wired up muffler LOL).

What does the future hold for Elsa? Well, I plan on keeping her on the road as long as possible. I’m hopefully eyeing a possible engine swap, either for a younger M20 Eta or something newer – this will depend on my fortunes in the next couple of years. Stay tuned for more on Elsa!

Thoughts on Sterling

2014-04-30T09:58:00.000-04:00

***NOTE - I do not in any way agree with what Sterling said/did. Want that CRYSTAL clear.

Somethings I came across and heard yesterday - a bit of devil's advocate if you will.

1. Shaq posted a pic on Instagram (now removed) mocking a disabled fan's selfie. Isn't this discrimination too? Why is Shaq getting a by this? Granted, not racism, but still discrimination and in poor taste.

2. From what I understood, the recording of Sterling could likely be illegal - interesting to see if the woman gets charged with anything.

3. I doubt this was Sterling's first time uttering such things, but I heard an interesting observance yesterday on the radio. It's likely people around him, including players and other employees of Sterling in the Clippers organization, knew he had racist views. But until yesterday they were quite happy to take a paycheque from him (and still are, since he still owns the franchise).

4. Although the NBS made a big stand on this, basically Sterling is being nailed for a thoughtcrime and this becoming a problem in society - people being nailed to the maximum for a thought/belief. Even Mark Cuban noted that this could be the start of a slippery slope. Who's next? Also related, Sterling got pretty much no due process. The commissioner confirmed it was him, and basically acted unilaterally.

5. It'll be interesting to see the inevitable legal battle if the NBA presses Sterling to sell, since private property rights are held pretty highly in the USA especially. Can the NBA really act in the way the commissioner is hoping? I don't think the legalities are as cut and dry as they think.

6. Although they fined him the maximum allowed, honestly, $3 million is peanuts to this guy. The team alone is estimated to be worth $575 million, and Sterling has a personal worth of $1.9 Billion. He probably made more than that during the press conference ousting him. Plus if he does have to sell and get the estimated value, he'll have made nearly 50 times what he invested into it (bought for $12 million in '80-81).

The Rise of Facial Scanning Surveillance

2013-08-22T10:40:00.005-04:00

Read this today: Facial scanning surveillance becoming a reality in the U.S., new documents reveal

So, readers, having read that, are any of you even remotely concerned? I know I am.

What scares me is that the definition of "bad guy" could get very slippery. In a way it already is.

I think the following from Skyfall is a very accurate quote:

"I'm frightened because our enemies are no longer known to us. They do not exist on a map. They're not nations, they're individuals. And look around you. Who do you fear? Can you see a face, a uniform, a flag? No! Our world is not more transparent now, it's more opaque! It's in the shadows."

You could get detained because you "look like" someone. And if its false, will the authorities apologize, and what if such a detention affects your life/career? What then?

Yet we are almost blindly accepting these things. That's even scarier. All this is being done in the name of "security", but ask yourself, what are we potentially giving up? I'm not sure I want to know the answer.

Somalia and the Monitoring of BMI in Toronto Schools

2013-08-19T09:59:00.001-04:00

Canadian Woman abducted and abused in Somalia freed.

I saw comments about her being a do-gooder. I didn't get a do-gooder vibe from this. She's a journalist and was hoping to try to make a name for herself. From the article, she obviously knew she was going into a dangerous situation and it was bad luck they were the ones who got abducted (the article referred to two NG people they were actually after). Somalia is a total basketcase country, and her treatment doesn't surprise me. What this also shows is that most countries don't give a damn what is happening there, because this stuff happens and it seems that backroom deals are the norm. Honestly, Canada and Australia should have gotten together and sent commandos for them. The only deals these scumbags should get is a bullet. At some point, the kidnappers would realize that doing this will not be worth getting shot for.

Toronto Schools to do study on BMI in schools

Since when did monitoring weight become the school's job? What's next? What the kids are taking in their lunches? Could be the start of a slippery slope of prying into other aspects of student's lives.

Zimmerman Not Guilty - Good Call!

2013-07-14T13:30:00.000-04:00

What did I tell you last year? If the state of Florida pursued the 2nd degree murder charge, they were going to lose. Surprise, surprise!

I predicted this verdict from day one. Go read the definition of 2nd degree murder in Florida - the prosecution didn't come close to proving it. Hell, in some ways they made the case for Zimmerman's aquittal. They played so much of his interview footage, he didn't even have to take the stand. The additional bonus for the defense was that those statements couldn't be cross-examined.

I'm not saying (nor ever said) what happened was right, but there is blame to be put on both men. Unfortunately, Martin payed with his life. But he wasn't the innocent faced kid portrayed initially either. He had some history with drugs and violence. Not to mention the media spin on this whole case? Remember that famous hoodie pic - total media bias. That picture was years old, and Martin looked considerably different. Plus he outsized Zimmerman and was in better physical shape. Photos of Zimmerman that were used were older and made him look more sinister. The media bias in this case was appalling.

I'm glad the jury saw past the media circus and delivered the right verdict based on the evidence & law... not emotion.

From the comments I've read in the last twelve hours, I'm glad that some of the people commenting aren't lawyers or judges. It's scary how ignorant of the law and the process people are. You want someone to blame for the verdict, go to the prosecution lawyers. They couldn't make a case. This entire trial was politically and racially motivated. Fortunately, the jury was able to see through that sideshow and deliver a proper verdict.

Jason Collins Comes Out - Big Deal! NOT!

2013-05-01T18:43:00.001-04:00

Call me weird or whatever, but I couldn't get the big deal they made about it on the news - it was the leading thing in the pre-CTV national news ads the other night. So, are we supposed to be impressed? He likes guys, big whoop. Move on. I like women, no one is giving two craps about that!

Why am I supposed to care about his sexuality and why is it big news? As long he's not diddling kids, raping anyone or committing bestiality, WHO CARES!?

Certainly not leading news by any stretch. I hate how "celebrities" have become leading news items. Remember the whole Tiger Woods saga? That dominated newscasts for at least a couple of weeks when it happened. Sports star cheats on his wife multiple times, gets caught. Or any story about Justin Bieber and his antics lately (or the antics of any star... Lindsay Lohan, And this is important for me to know because...? I doubt anyone can seriously answer that question. Says a lot about our society and values that we've allowed "celebrities" to take up so much media spotlight.

Lake St. John Flood 2013 - Picture Update

2013-04-24T17:55:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

About an hour ago I paid a visit to the control dam on the St. John Creek , just west of the Black River at Switch Road. As you'll see from the pics below, the water from the Black River side of the dam is flowing right over. At this point, there is still a 3-4 foot drop from the high side to the St. John Creek side, so there is still room for the water to rise in Lake St. John. However, we have yet to hit the levels seen in the 2008 flood.

The control dam at 16:40 today.

The view from Casa Miitel slightly later

Flooding on Lake St. John!!!

2013-04-23T19:57:00.001-04:00

Well, things really do change during the course of a day!

The water level on the lake had gotten higher over night, but was below my break wall this morning.

However "At 11:48 this morning the acting mayor, Marilyn Brooks with the support of Ramara’s Community Control Group, declared a state of emergency due to flooding in the north end of the municipality." - according to the township webpage at: http://www.township.ramara.on.ca/

Being the Lake Association president, I also maintain the Association's blog page at http://lakestjohn.blogspot.ca/

Just received a pic from the Stegmans who are across the lake on the southside, and their lake side yard is underwater:

Stay tuned for more developments and pictures!

To those in the area affected by the flooding too, stay dry and safe!

Travels with BMW - the 4-month review

2013-03-10T17:10:00.001-04:00

Four months ago I said good bye to Fahrvergnügen and my fourth VW, a 1999 MkIII Jetta after the reverse gear decided to unexpectedly quit on me.

And I said hello to the company that produces The Ultimate Driving Machine - BMW - specifically a 1986 325, previously owned by my best friend, Alex. I'd already had plans to purchase the vehicle this spring, but I wasn't prepared the drop the minimum $4-500 for a used transmission for the Jetta. In a switch, Alex and his family had gone from being a BMW family (all three drove one at one point), to a VW family. Me, the long time VW driver was going over to BMW. My buddy had bought a 2003 TDI Jetta Wagon, and hadn't driven the 325 much since then.

For me it was a good fit - small sedan, used, affordable, and even with a 2.7L 6-cylinder engine - fuel efficient. And I was still keeping with the German engineering to which I'd become accustomed. I'd had a little experience driving a BMW, but this was my first ownership and long time driving experience with one.

Alex was storing the car at his cottage and came up with a battery and some other odds and ends for the car. With some help from my son Karu and I, we soon had the battery installed, and after two cranks, the BMW roared to life. We had to create an ad-hoc hanger for the muffler, as the original bands had rusted out, so a couple of s-hooks and chain stood in. Not long after, I took the car on its first journey to Gravenhurst to drop off my son. Within that first day, my love for the car began.

For a 27-year old car, it is still in amazing shape (partly owing to not having been a winter driver) and drives amazingly. At highway speeds it is a capable and comfortable cruiser - once I shift into third gear, nothing else matters! :) The engine always sounds commanding and you feel like you have total control of the road. Being an older car, there are few bells and whistles. BMWs of yore could ordered basic to fully loaded. This particular example was bare bones - 5 speed transmission, manual windows and sunroof, power mirrors, power locks. No A/C, ABS, or any kind of traction control gizmos. But again, this was the kind of car I craved - uncomplicated yet capable.

The interior is laid out very well. All the gauges are easily readable, controls are in logic places. It is also amazing that there are sensors on this car that many current vehicles still do not have. An overhead display can tell me if brake or headlights (hi and low beams) are out, if the engine oil, coolant or washer fluid is getting low. The seats are very comfortable, and being in the car for a longer period of time isn't torturous.

This particular BMW was designed for efficiency and was also known by the "Eta" moniker which stood for efficiency. This rear wheel drive car had a lower number rear differential, 2.93, to make the car efficient, especially on the highway. I've been averaging around 7.7-8.0 L/100KM, which brings us into the mid-30 MPG range, which I found particularly interesting for a car of that era.

Within a few days, the car visited my mechanic Egon. He too remarked the car was in very good shape and only needed new brakes & rotors and a fan resistor pack for it to pass inspection.

Since I took ownership, the only real problem I've had was the starter going bad. Otherwise, owning the car has been a routine and happy experience. Every time I'm behind the wheel, I'm looking forward to the trip. I do admit I had some trepidation going into the winter, as I had very little experience with rear wheel drive. However, some searching online found some tips, especially adding some weight to the back of the car. This took the form of a large patio stone. In slippery conditions, I do find the car is tail happy, but it is very controllable with the right amount of steering and throttle input. Through the winter, I've had few issues driving and have felt very confident.

Maintenance so far has been easy - oil changes are easily done without having to jack the car. I did check the valve clearance at New Year's and changed the spark plugs - again, with a little research pretty mundane tasks. I plan on tackling the timing belt and water pump soon. Just today, I finally solved the niggling problem of only having my speakers work on one side of the car - now all four work properly!

Although owning a car this old might not be everyone's cup of tea, I'm enjoying the hell out of it! It's also been fun getting approving looks, especially from newer BMW drivers and fellow E30 owners and positive comments all around, even from my students. I think Ferris Bueller said it best...

Teachers Who Do Bad Things

2013-03-09T20:38:00.001-05:00

Being a member of the Ontario College Teachers, one of the things we get quarterly is a magazine called "Professionally Speaking". When I started receiving it, I noticed the blue pages, which comes under the heading "Governing Ourselves" and it deals with issues including disciplinary matters. I came to calling this particular section of the blue pages "The Teacher Tabloid". When a new issue arrives, I quickly turn to The Teacher Tabloid to read about the latest in bad things other teachers have done.

Something I've noticed over my years of teaching - there seems to be a disproportionate number of cases involving inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. There have also been many stories in the media, both Canadian and stories from the States. I just read about an ongoing in case in Toronto involving an 18 year old student who claimed to have been sexually abused by a music teacher while in grade 5. In the latest issue there were 15 cases - 7 directly dealt with inappropriate relationships, 2 dealt with possession of child pornography, and 1 dealt with an inappropriate situation (with criminal ramifications) not involving a student.

I constantly shake my head, in particular, when I read about such cases. I really wonder where these teachers heads were at. Honestly, when did you think that having an inappropriate relationship with a student was a good idea? Where was that censor in your head that should have said STOP - you're risking your reputation, career, and possible freedom by pursuing this. Not to mention becoming a pariah in the media and having all of it be stapled to every job application you ever make after.

Seriously, if you have a thing for students, do yourself and the teaching profession a favor. DON'T BECOME A TEACHER! And seek some help, for heaven's sake. Those of you who are teachers and are maybe on the fence about it - take a hard look at yourself and what you're doing. Really think about it. Is that time you want to spend with that student really worth the things outlined above? If you're answering anything but "No, its not worth it." - reconsider your career choice.

However, one thing I have noticed in various media coverage of such stories - there is a definite difference between a story involving a male teacher vs. a female teacher. Based on my empirical evidence, female teachers get treated very differently by the media. Men are characterized as slimebags for the most part, while for whatever reason, female teachers caught in an inappropriate relationship get a much easier ride. Read comments on websites and you see the same thing. If the female teacher happens to be relatively attractive, invariably you get the comments like: "Where was that teacher when I was a student" and the like. I've often wondered why this is, since it's the same crime, just different sex of perpetrator. If anyone has any insight, please comment below.

POS Cars and Why Do People Buy Them???

2013-02-21T12:18:00.002-05:00

On my way to work today, I drove past a guy driving a 1st Gen. Neon and I felt such an overwhelming amount of pity that this poor guy has to drive around daily in a POS like that. My ex-mother in law owned one, and having driven it, I can certainly call it a POS and probably one of the worst cars I have ever driven. I was also struck that my BMW E30, probably about 15 years older has better engineering and build quality than many cars built today or in the last 10-15 years. Especially domestic cars. I can't believe that Detroit has been pumping out a regular amount of crap for decades... BUT PEOPLE STILL BUY THEM!!! I see some people with bumper stickers saying I should be buying a domestic vehicle. Why should I when most are overpriced crap? For the quality level, honestly, big three auto workers are overpaid. Even my Mexican made VWs were better.

Having grown up around European cars my whole life and having driven many different vehicles in my years behind the wheel, it amazes me that people will live with substandard vehicles, especially when they are commuting, sometimes up to a couple of hours a day to and from work. And I'm talking all aspects from build quality down to ergonomics.

Don't get me started on engines etc. Obviously the Europeans know something we don't, considering a large amount of their car market is diesel. Yet we can only pick up a handful of diesels on this side of the pond (although this is changing, thankfully) - again thanks to POS products from the domestic car makers who ruined the diesel market.

I bet part of the road rage we have out there is because people are frustrated with or hate their rides. If you drive a POS, do yourself a favor and drive a better a car. You might pay more for it, but if it makes your commute a better one, you owe it to yourself. Honestly.

Just a ridiculous education protest... :(

2013-01-11T09:56:00.002-05:00

Well, anyone following education news for the last several months in Ontario knows about the problems, especially with Bill 115.

I personally didn't agree with the law - it took decades of collective bargaining and destroyed it. However, the reaction from the public teacher federations, ETFO and OSSTF have been lacking as well.

In recent days, it was announced that elementary teachers were going to stage a one day walkout, which was to have happened today, but the Ontario Labour Board ruled it illegal, and it was cancelled.

Having the protest, especially barely a month after a legal one in December was ridiculous. All this trouble has only lost my profession even more support from the public.

However, I also take issue with the Labour Board - did they really have to take until 4am today to rule on this??? I'm no lawyer, but since we were no longer in a legal strike position anymore, the decision should have been easy. Not to mention that some boards still decided to either close schools or not run buses.

Hello? Most snow days aren't officially called until 6am. Even at 4am this morning, there was still plenty of time to get buses running for elementary students today. Ridiculous.

I've tried very hard to stay out of the political crap when it comes to teaching. As a supply teacher on both sides, I'm actually a member of both feds. I was upset when ETFO did the one day strike last month - I was told I had to participate, even though I work on both sides of the fence, and the elementary side only accounts for 20% or less of my work. I was told I couldn't work, even on the secondary side that day, which I felt was incredibly unfair.

There needs to be some big changes in education in Ontario. Supply/Temporary teachers get the shaft, no benefits or job security - out of work up to 3-4 months of the year. Most boards in the last few years have been hiring teachers almost exclusively on a temporary basis. Add to the fact that we have a HUGE over supply of teachers right now. The government and the Ontairo College of Teachers needs to regulate the number of people taking education degrees. In the last few years, Ontario has been overproducing approximately 7600 more teachers than needed every year. Seeing up to 200 teachers apply for one position is not unusual.

I hope with a new Liberal leader and/or new election that there will be some positive change and peace in education in Ontario... we desperately need it!

And Breaking news: OSSTF has said it will be cancelling its planned protest next Wednesday! :)

More School Idiocy - Deaf Boy Not Allowed Sign Name, which "looks like a weapon"

2012-08-29T17:54:00.001-04:00

I saw this article on The National Post website this morning and it made me burn something fierce:

Deaf toddler’s ‘name sign’ too offensive for school, so they’ve told him to change it

If you read the article, you see what the sign gesture for his name looks like. I've shown it to several people today. Nobody thought of a gun. Not one.

How some stupid are some school board administrators these days? Honestly?

A friend made a really great comment on this on my FB:

"Why do we, as a culture, have to bow to everyone else when everyone else finds something to be personally offensive. It's become a cheap tactic to hold power over other people -- and I find THAT to be offensive."

I totally agree with this. When idiotic crap like this happens, people NEED to stand up and say very loudly that they won't tolerate this garbage anymore. This was probably the decision of either one or a group of self-righteous pricks who think by doing this they are some how "protecting the kids" or some other nonsensical social engineering PC claptrap. It has to stop!

Watch Out Criminals - People In Toronto Want To Ban Your Guns!

2012-08-13T22:33:00.000-04:00

I was reading in the paper that a poll was done by Forum and of those polled, 75% in Toronto want a handgun ban.

My question is how do these people honestly expect that to happen and actually work? At best its going to be a feel good gesture that will accomplish NOTHING. But it will play well with those who fear guns and think that saying guns are banned will mean its so. I'd almost guarantee a gun related crime within hours of such a law passing.

Apparently people don't understand that such a law is worth about as much as the paper it would be written on.

Toronto can pass all the laws it wants, but the regulation and licensing of guns is a federal matter, and federal law trumps local law. They can't honestly expect to take legal guns from their owners - there is no justifiable cause, unless some firearm law has been broken.

The people causing the gun crimes - criminals - aren't going to leave them at the city limits of Toronto and certainly won't be surrending them to the police.

And the police just can't start randomly searching people or their homes either. Constitutional rights come into play.

Enforcement and other programs are the answer here, not knee jerk pointless laws that will do nothing.

Post Denver Thoughts on Guns

2012-07-22T13:36:00.000-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-moyers/watch-living-under-the-gu_b_1691100.html

A friend on my FB called this "brilliant". I disagree. I love how when a singular lunatic does something like this, the NRA and gun owners as a whole get blamed. Moyers is trying to score cheap points. Some of the "facts" in his editorial are dubious at best and have some pretty heavy historical distortions. The whole incident is tragic, but to paint all gun owners with the same brush is pretty low and offensive to me, as a gun owner. Canadian laws are different, mind you, but I have taken the required courses, filled out my paperwork, been checked out by the authorities. There has always been a gun in my home since I was an infant, and it has never been raised in anger or malice towards anyone, ever. If people didn't have guns, or anything that could be considered a traditional weapon, they'd fashion their own, or resort to their bare hands. If someone wants to kill, they will. No laws on earth could ever hope to stop that. He was right on one point, violence is ingrained in humans, not to mention most animals. But its the humans that cause these things to happen, not inanimate objects. And to cast blame at gun owners, who are mostly law abiding people is shameful and disrespectful to the victims.

Bottom line: Its not the majority of gun owners that are the problem here. They are responsible about their guns, whatever type they happen to be. It is a very small number that cause a problem. Deal with them, and the criminal element. That is where the problem really lies. But its easier to go after legal gun owners, because they have nothing to hide and are an easy target.

Banning guns isn't going to make the problem go away. You are just taking them away from people who didn't cause a problem in the first place.

Most gun owners have shown that they can be trusted owning them. If someone shows they can't, then they should be taken away, no question. I don't have a problem with people owning any type of gun if they are responsible about it.

People ask why should it be allowed? Why not? Its people's private money and if they want to spend it on guns, so what? If they aren't hurting anyone, there is no harm. Last time I checked we were a supposedly free society. By all means, have regulations, courses, permits etc prior to owning them. Education is never a bad thing. Not only that, it is an industry and keeps many people employed as well.

As an aside, I was introduced to guns at a very young age. I was taught the proper handling and respect that they deserve. When I was young, we had a .22 in the corner of the living room, loaded. I never once touched without permission or treated it as a toy. Guns themselves aren't bad. Shooting a gun, although not a necessary skill for most people, does have benefits.

I found the following from 2008: http://gunowners.org/op0302.htm

Some of it I think is somewhat subjective, but some of the benefits I agree with from that page are (I've adding the bolding):

"1) It is a Fun Sport. No fancy excuses or rationalizatio n here, the shooting sports are just plain fun. Whether shooting inside, using your BB or pellet gun, or outside plinking at cans, target shooting, or cowboy action shooting, it is great fun. However, as important as words are to good communication, this "fun" element of the shooting sports cannot fully be described. It must be experienced! So, grab a friend and go the closest shooting range and "taste and see" for yourself.

2) It is a Safe Sport. Though the instruments of this sport can be dangerous, in reality when compared to other individual or group sporting activities (football, basketball, tennis, swimming, driving, biking etc.) the shooting sports are quite safe.

According to the National Safety Council, Injury Facts, 1999 and a 1991 Harvard Medical Practice Study:

You are 100 times more likely to be injured in a swimming pool than by a gun.

You are 31 times more likely to be injured riding in a car than by a gun.

You are 1,900 times more likely to be injured by an "iatrogenic" error than by a gun ("iatrogenic" error is medical speak for a doctor or hospital injuring you accidentally).

And, with the growing number of gun safety/training programs, the number of injuries are declining and are at an all time low. This is in contrast to the fact that the number of firearm owners in America (as a whole) is on the rise.

3) It is a Family Sport. This is a sport that almost every family member can enjoy together. It is also a sport that boys and girls, or men and women, can participate in together. Granddad and grandson, father and daughter, great family memories lasting a lifetime are made here. Why not start making some of your own, now!

4) It is an Individual Sport. You can also shoot by yourself without any assistance from anyone, if that is your desire. Here, you have time to think and enjoy solitude. Time to grow in your marksmanship abilities at your own pace.

5) It is a Lifetime Sport. Shooting can begin early and continue through most of an adult's normal life span. And, with the expansion of high-tech gadgets available today, many disabled individuals can excel in some of the highest levels of competition.

6) Its Training: Builds Physical Discipline. In an age of the "couch potato," this sport can help build many physical disciplines that are not only healthy but enjoyable. Increased strength, stamina, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills are just a few of the physical disciplines acquired in the shooting sports that apply, not only to this sport, but to all of life.

7) Its Training: Increases Mental Discipline. To the surprise of many, the shooting sports are primarily mental sports. Experienced marksmen think sport shooting is 90% mental. Concentration levels are sharpened and expanded. Multiple problem solving activities involving logic, mathematics, and creative thinking (thinking "outside the box") are needed and employed to succeed at any level of the shooting sports. This is truly a "thinking man's" (and women's) sport.
8) Its Training: Advances Personal Responsibility . Personal responsibility is taught throughout the shooting sports to advance both safety and skill development. The shooting sports also cultivate personal responsibility because they are a foundation for both security and liberty in any family or nation.

"Liberty means responsibility . That is why most men dread it." -- George Bernard Shaw

13) Its Training: Provides Enhanced Educational Opportunities. Another little-known fact is that the shooting sports are some of the most popular events in the Olympics. 17 Olympic events (10 for Men and 7 for Women) in four Olympic disciplines (rifle, pistol, running target and shotgun) were held during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and are scheduled in the 2004 Athens Games. This is why several universities and private trusts have monies allocated providing scholarships for young marksmen, male or female.

14) Its Training: Is Conducted in a Friendly and Helpful Environment. The people involved in the shooting sports are some of the most helpful, honest and "salt of the earth" kind of folks you will meet. Most are friendly people who are both able and willing to help you improve in any aspect of this sport.

15) Its Training: Promotes the Values Needed for a Safe, Courageous and Self-sacrificing Society. Character development is always necessary and good. The shooting sports can help you overcome fear, grow in patience and think of others as you would have them think of you ("Golden Rule" and "Good Samaritan" character traits).

"Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords." -- Theodore Roosevelt (America's 26th President)

Note: A parent added to the above by stating: "It's affordable, you learn to overcome peer pressure, to laugh at yourself and learn from your mistakes, you become a 'good sport', learn how to set goals and achieve them, and you meet new people. "

Some Post-35 Thoughts

2012-07-07T15:45:00.002-04:00

First off, I'm not going to lie. I have been either too busy or have lacked the motivation to blog. Not that there aren't plenty of things to blog about - I just haven't damn well felt like it!

Yesterday I turned 3... no big hoopla or anything. Had to work last night, but you gotta make the donuts somehow, right? I find as I get older I really don't care as much about my birthdays. To me, age is a number. Its your attitude and outlook that really determine your age.

Since my last missive, I did finally get my interview with the Canadian Forces... so far so good! I passed for pilot and armour officer and am patiently (if not feeling a little antsy) waiting for my medical stuff to come back from Ottawa. But as many advise to those wanting to joing the CF - "Hurry up and wait." So I continue to wait. I did see two F/A-18s fly over my house yesterday, and I dearly hope that is a sign!

Some things that have been in the news over the last few months that are worth blogging about:

The Zimmerman Case: I certainly don't dispute that Treyvon Martin got shot and killed, but I think the prosecution is barking up the wrong tree trying to get him for second degree murder. I think if they push only for that verdict, they are going to lose. Certainly a case can be made for manslaughter, if George Zimmerman did not act in self-defense. Even top legal minds like Alan Dershowitz have questioned the zeal for the second degree murder charge. We shall see.

Obamacare: Made it past the US Supreme Court, but they did say that it certainly is a tax, despite what Obama and others have said. Also, the bigger problem is that yes, this will increase access to medical care. Unfortunately, there won't be a corresponding rise in resources. Unless numbes are turned around, the US is facing a doctor shortage reaching past 60,000 within the next 2-3 years. So anyone expecting this to be the end-all-be-all solution to US healthcare had better rethink that.

The LA Kings won their first Stanley Cup! They were the 8th seed in the Western Conference coming into the playoffs, and almost tied the Oilers for shortest trip to the Stanley Cup. They were certainly fun to watch. Of course, for the die-hard Leafs fans like me, there is always next season! But with new coaching and player aquisitions, I think the new season, barring any labour unrest, will be a much improved one.

Just a small sampling for now. Have to get back into the habit of writing.

Enjoy the weekend, True Believers!

Great first Monday of 2012!!!

2012-01-02T17:10:00.001-05:00

Hey everybody... had a great first Monday of 2012. Woke up this morning after a good sleep. Had a good breakfast with my personal coffee blend! Was really feeling the day! The sun was out and I went out to shovel the new snow from last night. Went into town and had an AWESOME workout at the Y. Pushed it all to the limit. Had a sauna and shower, and am now at work. Don't have to do much tonight, as the outside conditions are too snowy and icy, so no patrols outside tonight! Got one more shift tomorrow, then off until Sunday!

Feeling that this is going to be a great year! Going on Wednesday to get my Forces application going, and saw something really cool on their website. This year, it looks like they are taking pilot applications. My eyes lit up huge! When I was a kid, it all I EVER wanted to do! I know I scored well on the aptitude test, so I'm hoping it was good enough for me to be considered. If I can get in AND get that profession, I will be OVER THE FUCKING MOON!!!

I know that many people had a not-so-great to downright horrible 2011. Something in the bones says its going to be a WAAAAAAY better year for all and I hope that this energy that I'm feeling gets around to lots of people!

Found this online PDF book of Twitterable Inspirational quotes... http://avalok.posterous.com/twitterable-quotes Going to use some for my Twitter... some good ones for today:

Don't wait until you can get it right- instead, take the first step- get it going and tap into the magic.

Set your goals high and do something everyday to move forward.

Got 2 minutes? Take the time to visualize your perfect day- then go live it!

Get out there and make your dreams happen!

And one from J. Michael Stracynski, creator of Babylon 5... Never surrender dreams!

Was listening to music this morning, and heard the song Bush Leaguer by Pearl Jam... its a pretty catchy tune... doesn't really have much to do with today's blog entry, but the last lines seem appropriate somehow...

I remember when you sang
That song about today
Now it's tomorrow and
Everything has changed

Let's go out and change tomorrow!!! Have a great day and a greater year, Constant Readers!

Santa and Mrs. Claus welcome on the TTC!

2011-12-09T12:34:00.001-05:00

Well, it appears that the TTC aren't as uptight as people in Kingston. According the TTC website:

"December 8, 2011
Santa Claus, accompanied by Mrs. Claus, will visit various subway stations next Tuesday, December 13. This is an annual Christmas season event at the Toronto Transit Commission.
You can see Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at Bloor-Yonge station at 11 a.m. Santa will hand out candy canes, wishing TTC customers and employees a very Merry Christmas and a safe and joyous holiday season. Santa and Mrs. Claus will then make their way to several subway stations in the downtown core, spreading holiday cheer.
This year, Santa will be performed by TTC Corporate Communications Director Brad Ross. The role of Mrs. Claus will be performed by TTC Communications Advisor Jessica Martin.

PHOTO OP
What: Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus spread Christmas joy on the subway
Who: Santa and Mrs. Claus
Where: Bloor-Yonge Station, southbound mezzanine level
When: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 11 a.m."

Hurray for the TTC!!!

The Assault on Christmas

2011-12-08T10:16:00.001-05:00

I was listening to my favorite talk radio morning show this morning, The John Oakley Show on AM640 Toronto. They were talking about a ban on Christmas decorations on school buses in the Kingston area. I found more info and found that the ban has been in place for several years apparently, but still, stuff like this really grinds my gears!

The one article I read is here: Santa booted off the bus.

I understand the fact that we want to be inclusive of other cultures... but why is it that Christmas cannot be included in that? It was interesting that during the radio show, two Muslim listeners called in, both of whom have happily embraced Christmas since their arrival in Canada. And there was not a single voice who agreed with this ban. Taking a read of comments from the above mentioned article bore out the same... people were upset, and no one agreeing with it.

Read almost any store flyer and Christmas trees now have the generic titles like Holiday tree or Pre-Lit Tree. Another radio commentator on the Charles Adler show a couple of days ago had a really novel idea. He only shops at stores which refer to Christmas as Christmas in their flyers. Any store flyer that uses generic terminology he boycotts AND mails a written letter to informing them of the reason he isn't shopping at their store.

I honestly think that people from other cultures really aren't that insecure about their own beliefs and I don't think they really care about it... and if I'm wrong, please leave a comment on this blog. I want to hear from everyone reading this. What do you think?

10 Years since September 11, 2001 - my personal recollections

2011-09-11T14:27:00.001-04:00

I woke up this morning on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States to a world that looked remarkably similar. The sun was shining, the sky was clear... a beautiful September day. Ten years ago, I was a student at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. It was the start of my third year, and I was excited because it was the first day of my second year World War II course. I had been on the waiting list for it, and was pretty positive I'd get in. I had been told to go to the first class and speak to the prof. The second half of my second year was particularly rough, as my father had passed away in February. I thought of him often in the days following September 11 and wondered what his thoughts might have been.

I had awoken to the sounds of CBC radio. They had reported the first plane strike, but at that point information was very sketchy. From the sounds of the report, it had sounded like a small plane had hit it, not a full fledged passenger jet. CBC continued with their regular programming, at that point unaware of the severity of the incident. I got up from bed and prepared breakfast. My now ex-wife wasn't a breakfast eater, so I usually prepared it myself. I moved to our living room and turned on the morning news as was my custom most mornings.

At that point, the world turned on its head. One plane strike had turned into two, and this was no longer a 10 second soundbite on CBC radio. I remember being transfixed by the news reports, saying very little. I sat, and ate but it was a surreal experience. By this time, it was clear that this was no accident. By the time I had to leave for my class, the Pentagon had also been hit. We were both very upset, and I promised to be back as soon as possible.

Arriving at the school, I ran into people I knew. The attacks had put the entire school in a buzz of talk and activity. I arrived at the lecture room and everyone was talking about it. Of course, some of the reports were still varying widely as to what was going on. The prof came in. His name escapes me as I write this... Dan something or other. He was a young professor, barely in his 30s. He was visibly upset too. He quickly dealt with the class business and sent us on our way so we could continue to see the coverage. On a positive note that day, I did get into his course.

I returned home quickly. During the ride home, the situation had become even worse. Another plan had crashed in Pennsylvania and by this time, the two WTC towers had collapsed. The images on the TV were frightening and disturbing. Video was surfacing of people who had thrown themselves from the building, the debris and ash covered streets of New York, the bewilderment and horror on people's faces.

I had considered packing up the car and driving to the border to see if help was needed in New York. Maybe there were survivors and others who needed help. However the media was advising that the border to the US was closed. I had felt a strong need to help and now felt more than a little helpless. US airspace had been closed as well. I remember how eerie the silent skies were. Many flights flew over Peterborough, and for a couple of days after, the skies were silent.

In the days and weeks that followed, we learned of the insidious nature of the attacks and people mourned. I remember attending another class at Trent, US History, and despite the current events, the professor, Dan Azoulay (great lecturer, but horrible prof) made it absolutely clear that the attacks were not going to derail the lecture schedule he had laid out and that we were not going to spend much time talking about it. He turned out to be a real ass in our tutorial groups and by the end of the course, he was widely despised and was not rehired the next semester thanks to our student evaluations of him.

I remember that November 11th was particularly poignant that year and it was unusual in the sense that most November 11ths in this part of the world tend to be gray and rainy. Not in 2011. It was another sunny day. I attended the main service in downtown Peterborough and it was very well attended.

In the years since there have been other terrorist attacks, and the mastermind behind them, Osama Bin Laden, is now dead, buried somewhere at sea after a US Navy SEAL raid earlier this year. It is perhaps poetic that Bin Laden was killed in the 10th Anniversary year of the attacks.

The world too has changed. I watched the documentary 102 Minutes That Changed America, and the memories of that day came flooding back. I was unable to stop my tears for some time during the broadcast. I read a National Post article, and the closing paragraphs resonated with me (read it HERE):

"During the four decades of struggle against Russia, the Cold War was the frame in which the West saw itself. Our shared consciousness had a purpose — though not one that we would have chosen.

With the crumbling of communism after 1989, the West lost that frame and lost a sense of its own meaning. In his perverse way, bin Laden had something right: He saw the signs of decadence and corruption.

Today, as it continues to fight a resourceful enemy, the West finds itself in an uncommonly weak position. It took success for granted too long and borrowed too much against it. Most of the democracies now suffer from disastrously wrong-headed national budgeting, a persistent economic slump and politicians driven to distraction by partisanship.

For the first time since 1945, the way of life invented by the Enlightenment shows serious signs of cracking. Incredibly, its future as the intellectual engine of mankind is in doubt. With the help of the external threat from radical Islam, we may have reached one of those places where a civilization finds a way to revive itself or quietly accepts that it has permanently lost its way."

The world certainly has changed since September 11, 2001, and not necessarily in good ways. The Western world needs to take a long hard look at itself and decide what is going to happen next... will we, as Fulford suggests, revive ourselves, or will the decades of decadence and corruption finally seal our fate?

Please say a prayer or whatever it is you do to remember those who died, not only in the attacks, but also the brave service men and women of many nationalities who have given the ultimate sacrifice to combat terror.

PS - I welcome anyone reading this post to respond with comments, particularly how you remember September 11 and how it has impacted your life.

Ryan Dunn - True Jackass and his Dogpiss Award!

2011-07-23T08:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday during a conversation thoughts turned to Ryan Dunn. There hasn't been any real press that I've heard since his accident and subsequent death. A quick websearch proved something - Ryan Dunn was a REAL jackass. And he also deserves a Dogpiss Award.

For those unfamiliar with the reference, check out the closing pages of the Stephen King Novella "The Body" (AKA Stand By Me) in the book Different Seasons (page 447 of the original hardcover). King quotes a phrase "If you go out alone you're a hero. Take somebody else with you and you're dogpiss."

In case readers are unaware, Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of TV and film's Jackass series, died in a spectacular car crash in his Porsche GT3 along with a production assistant from Jackass 2. Dunn had also notoriously posted pictures of his night of drinking on the Internet. The two died when the Porsche hit a tree in Pennsylvania. Investigation revealed that Dunn had a blood alcohol level of 0.196%, twice the legal limit for that state. Speed was also likely a factor as Dunn had been driving between 212-230 KMH (132-140 MPH).

I just don't understand this tendency, especially with famous people. Here is a guy who had more than enough money to pay for a ride home, yet gets trashed and kills not only himself but another person as well. Fortunately, this true Jackass move only killed the car's occupants, but could have been considerably worse.

Ryan Dunn, for driving while drunk and dying, you have not only proven you were a real Jackass, but a Dumbass too. And for taking the life of a friend, you also earn a Dogpiss Award.

Why DePape Did it.

2011-06-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1005119--why-i-did-it-senate-page-explains-her-throne-speech-protest?bn=1#article

I can't believe the Star actually wasted ink and bandwidth printing this crap.

It just goes to show that she is rather ignorant of how the political system works. She claims that 60% didn't vote for Harper. Well by that rationale, more people voted against having the NDP or the Liberals as our government. It also bears mentioning that we have three main political parties, plus many other smaller ones, which fragments the vote. On top of that, not all registered voters voted. It is highly unlikely in such a scenario that any one party could manage more than 40%, maybe 45% of the vote. And just remember, when we last had majority governments under Shawinigan Handshake Chretien, he never topped out much above 40% either. Lefties and Liberals get very upset when their side doesn't win and suddenly the system is "broken", "unfair" or whatever. Funny, I don't remember the Conservatives making a fuss back when they got kicked to the curb in the early 90s. They accepted the loss, and worked hard to bring their side of the fence together under one banner and making a comeback.

Not to mention her ignorance as well of government programs. Health care is primarily a provincial matter, and in actual fact, health transfers from the federal government have gone up since the time of Paul Martin. And the spending of such money falls in the provincial sphere, an area that Harper has no control over. So she's misleading on this point. But why? Because she doesn't know or she's been mislead by others or deliberately providing misinformation?

And she showed her ignorance again using the "Arab Spring" as some kind rallying cry... these are countries that have NEVER had a democratic government and have had to fight for their right. Not to mention the fact that their protests became quite violent as well.

And yes, our system isn't perfect, yet Ms. DePape seems to think it is... but I remember what Churchill said... "Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

Changing Education Paradigms

2011-06-07T13:10:00.000-04:00

Just saw this video (sorry, Blogger won't let me embed it): http://www.vimeo.com/24489852

This has been one of those game changing videos for me. Amazing and very true.

I loved the bit on ADHD... my own thoughts: I believe it exists, and I had a professor in teachers college who had a pretty remarkable opinion: That it is a modification in how our brains work, and that it is likely happening on a genetic level. Considering all of the various technologies and the multitasking required to operate some of them, I think (and so did she) that ADHD is a modification on our brains that allowed people to to do these multiple tasks better. Ever see an ADHD kid playing a video game? Some people watch and say "How do you do that, its so fast?" or "How do you keep track of it all?" And why can't everyone do it? Because not everyone has caught up yet. Not in a good or bad way, they just haven't. Considering the massive advances in technology in the last 30 years, its no surprise that some are still feeling left behind.

I made it all the way through public school, high school, college and university with virtually no support at all (this was a time when real knowledge of ADHD was in its infancy) and I did it and still do it without any kind of medicinal aids. I think the speaker on the video hit the nail on the head about drugging kids up. ADHD can be managed without medication, but it does take work and effort. It seems that nobody wants to find solutions anymore, just quick fix solutions that make problems go away. And ADHD is certainly NOT a problem, at least not in my eyes.

I certainly applaud the speaker in this video and I certainly agree with a lot of his ideas regarding education. The paradigms in education certainly need to change. As a supply teacher, I meet many different students, in many situations and to a very large degree we do certainly turn off students to education. However, it is hard considering the demands of the ministry of education, the school board and the curriculum to keep everyone turned on. The mindsets of the higher ups still dwell on the older ideas of education, and unfortunately, I find it to be a bit of a trap as well. Its very easy to hang on to those old notions, because everyone around you is doing it too. If anyone has any suggestions how to make change, on a large scale, lets do it, please? Its easy to make changes in one room, but all the rooms need to change too.

Political Stunt

2011-06-06T09:19:00.000-04:00

Read this last night and was frankly appalled...http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/06/05/kelly-mcparland-cancel-the-election-results-brigette-depape-is-not-happy/

Not that I have any problem with someone voicing their opinions about the government, but this was a stunt, plain and simple. When you work as a Senate page, behavior like this is NOT appropriate. It is not a stage to voice your own personal political beliefs or statements. If she has a problem with the election, then she should work in a campaign next time. Around 15 million people voted in the last election and picked Stephen Harper and his Conservatives to be our majority government, not to mention a major shift in Canadian politics, selecting Jack Layton and the NDP as the opposition. I know many people like DePape who are still grumbling about the election results. Tough luck, sweets.

I was also disturbed by the fact she had a press release ready and someone there to schedule interviews. Clearly an attention getting stunt. And now she apparently even has Michael Moore on her side... *ROLLS EYES* Like Michael Moore gives a shit about Canadian politics. He likes to claim he's in it for the little guy, but really, other than make a tremendous amount of money from his so-called "documentaries" (in reality, thinly veiled editorials) and being a shit-disturber, what has he ever really done for the little guy? He likes to get his own picture and name in the papers and that is about it. I've never heard of him really giving back to the little guy. Much like DePape, Moore is an opportunist of the first order.

Ms. DePape should be ashamed of herself for using her position as a page for something like this. She deserved to be fired. The unfortunate outcome of this is that it will likely become harder for young people to be involved in programs like this. I hope she thinks long and hard about what the ramifications of her actions will be on fellow students.

Let it go... and let it start to heal & The Other Holocaust

2011-05-12T12:50:00.000-04:00

Today, in Germany, accused war criminal Ivan Demjanjuk was convicted by a German court. Read the article at : http://www.680news.com/news/world/article/225230--john-demjanjuk-convicted-at-war-crimes-trial-in-germany-but-ordered-freed-pending-appeal

This man has been hounded by "Nazi hunters" for the better part of three decades. In previous trials it was shown that much the evidence against him was manufactured, including a SS ID card, shown to be a KGB fake. The above article also notes that "There was no evidence that Demjanjuk committed a specific crime. The prosecution was based on the theory that if Demjanjuk was at the camp, he was a participant in the killing — the first time such a legal argument has been made in German courts."

I find this particularly disturbing, that was convicted, despite no evidence of a specific crime being committed. As with his previous trials, the evidence appears weak at best. Demjanjuk has maintained that "he was a victim of the Nazis — first wounded as a Soviet soldier fighting German forces, then captured and held as a prisoner of war under brutal conditions before joining the Vlasov Army, a force of anti-communist Soviet POWs and others that was formed to fight with the Germans against the Soviets in the final months of the war."

German forces did push captured soldiers and those living in their occupied territories into service, many into the "Waffen SS" divisions, which were primarily made up of non-German soldiers. My father was also pressured into service in German-occupied Estonia. After the war, exception made was for Waffen-SS conscripts sworn in after 1943, who were exempted due to their involuntary servitude, which Demjanjuk falls into.

What I don't understand is why they still hound this man, despite the fact that the evidence is far from conclusive or sound. What do men like the Simon Weisenthal Center's Efraim Zuroff hope to gain from this? It has been almost seventy years since the end of the war. What is the purpose of continually pulling the scab off this major wound? Its is time to let it go and let the wound start to heal.

And before I get hate mail on this, I'm not saying for one second that the Holocaust should be forgotten. It is an important part of history, and needs to learned, along with other genocides.

To get on my history teacher pedestal for a minute, along with the Holocaust, greater attention should also be paid to what I like to call "The Other Holocaust" - the war crimes of the Soviet Union, the millions that were killed during their regime, not only during the Second World War (estimated at a MINIMUM of 30 million) but the years before and after - conservative estimates put their death toll at a MINIMUM of 60 million, almost certainly higher. Yet, it is an area of history that has been largely ignored, partially due to the secrecy of the Soviet Union, and their status as a "victor" of the Second World War. I've seen some texts that refer to their take over of eastern Europe as a "liberation", yet you will find very few in those countries that they crushed in their march to Germany calling them "liberators". The Nazis were not the only ones guilty of atrocities in those dark, and we should recognize the fact that fact, instead of sweeping it under the carpet of history.