Day 8: Ban strollers on public transportation

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 8: Ban strollers on public transportation

Occasionally you will read a rant on this blog, and today is such a day. One of my pet peeves is strollers on buses. If it were up to me, I would ban them.

While I understand that parents and their children need to get around, during peak hours strollers should not be allowed on a train, bus or streetcar. 

I was on a bus the other day, on my way to the doctor's office, when a woman pushed her stroller onto the bus. The thing was so big it blocked two seating spaces. She didn’t say anything, but she indicated that I and the woman next to me should get up and move. Neither of us gave any indication to do so. Why should we, we had paid for our seats while she had only paid for herself, not for her stroller.

Everyone who came onto the bus after her had to squeeze past her enormous stroller. I secretly hoped that someone would trip and fall over her stroller and sue the TTC. That would teach them a lesson.

Bikes are not allowed on the bus or streetcar, they have to be secured on a contraption in front of the bus.

Why can’t the TTC implement the same rule for strollers?

People who haven’t seen a stroller in a few decades might be surprised in the difference in models between now and then. So, take a look at a stroller 1979 and a stroller of 2019 …

 

People who travel by car and have never taken a bus or streetcar have no idea what a nuisance those things are.

Then there are the kids. Some are way too old to still be in a stroller, others are quite young but have a voice that would stop a train. There was this boy, he couldn’t have been more than a year old with a cellphone, looking at a video. When the mother took it away from him to make a call, he started screaming like he was being murdered. A baby with a cellphone I thought … what is this world coming to?

And believe it or not, it got even worse. In the waiting room of the doctor’s office, I saw a toddler with a tablet. Whatever next … a baby with a laptop!

But back to the annoying strollers. When will the TTC do something about these things? My guess is, we paying passengers, can complain until the cows come home and the TTC will turn a deaf ear. Something will have to happen, to someone who matters, before these damn strollers will be banned on public transportation.

Day 83: This makes my blood boil

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 83: This makes my blood boil

In 2010, I started this blog on the recommendation of a friend. I struggled with a number of issues, I needed a place to vent, and according to her a blog was the perfect place to do it.

While the majority of my posts are neutral, or even humorous, every now and then a venting post pops up. Today is one of those days.

I read on Facebook the other day that Kim Kardashian had another baby. Only she didn’t give birth to this one, she used a surrogate. The price of the baby $45.000

This, in my opinion, this is the most despicable thing any human can do and this makes my blood boil on so many levels.

It’s not like Kim can’t have children. She had two, so why a surrogate? Did madam not want to ruin her figure with a third pregnancy? Was she scared of the labor? She claims that her doctor said that another pregnancy would endanger her health, but that’s just bollocks. If a third baby endangers the mother’s health, then just don’t have a third baby, it’s as simple as that. But some people just never have enough. 

Put yourself in the place of the surrogate. This woman must have been so desperate for money that she agreed to have a baby for another woman. Then imagine the agony as that baby was snatched away from her. And for what … a lousy $45,000. She should have asked for $45 million. With a net worth of $175 million, it’s not like madam can’t afford it.

How such a thing can be allowed in our society is beyond me. Call it what you want, this is human trafficking at its dirtiest. Why are the rich allowed to get away with this?

In my opinion, someone like Kim Kardashian shouldn’t be allowed to have children in the first place. Bash me if you like, but she is a slut. Imagine for a moment 'her' kids growing up and going online.  This is what they will find …

And it won’t just be her kids finding these pictures, it will be their friends and peers as well. ‘Her’ kids will be so proud of her. 

Another thing I don’t understand is how anyone can just have a kid or multiple kids with no questions asked. Think about it, a license is needed to drive a motorized vehicle, to carry a firearm, go hunting, go fishing, or flying. A license is also needed if one plans house renovations, to keep a dog, or if a professional such as a doctor, a teacher, an electrician or a plumber wants to practice their trade. One even needs a license to get married. But apparently, they buck stops there. Once married the couple, whether rich or poor can breed to their heart’s content. If they can’t afford the kids, they get welfare from the government with no questions asked or no warning not to have any more kids. No, they can keep on breeding and collect cheques.

With $175 million to her name, Madam K won’t be collecting any welfare cheques but that doesn’t justify having a third kid. Why can’t she accept that she can’t have more kids or be happy with the kids she has? Why use a surrogate.

And she’s not the only one. Other women who used surrogates are Sarah Jessica Parker, Tyra Banks, Jordana Brewster, Nicole Kidman, Lucy Liu … do you see a trend here? All women who had to watch their figure for the sake of their careers. They are despicable monsters!

And it's not like they are going to raise these kids themselves. No, a nanny will do that. So you honestly see Kim Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker or Tyra Banks going get their hands dirty on changing diapers? Do you think they will get up at 3:00 a.m. for a feeding? No, that's what nannies are there for. So why have these kids anyway?

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Day 55: Children and Electronics

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 55: Children and Electronics

A few days ago, I was on a bus in downtown Toronto when a woman with an enormous stroller came on board. I found this annoying, to say the least. Strollers take up a lot of space on a bus and are a danger to passengers. It’s bad enough that these strollers are allowed on a bus, but in my opinion, should be banned during peak hours. Bicycles are not allowed, so why strollers …

To further my annoyance, the toddler in the stroller was watching a video game on an iPhone. When a call came in the mother took the phone away from the toddler to answer it. The kid immediately started screaming and thrashing about.

I wasn’t the only one who sat and stared at this kid and his mother. He couldn't even walk or talk and already his entertainment came from a cell phone!

Then yesterday I noticed a picture on Facebook. A ten-year-old was holding a tablet, a three-year-old was busy with an iPhone, and dad was asleep next to a baby. There you have it readers, today’s modern family. 

Is this what today's parents are like? They don't buy toys for their kids anymore, they don't play with their children anymore, they shove an electronic device in their hands to keep them quiet.

If I find it annoying, the experts are of the opinion that cellphones at a young age can cause damage to these young bodies.

The rate of MWR absorption is higher in children than adults because their brain tissues are more absorbent, their skulls are thinner, and their relative size is smaller. Fetuses are particularly vulnerable because MWR exposure can lead to degeneration of the protective sheath that surrounds brain neurons, they report.

Multiple studies have shown that children absorb more MWR than adults. One found that that the brain tissue of children absorbed about two times more MWR than that of adults, and other studies have reported that the bone marrow of children absorbs 10 times more MWR than that of adults.

https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20140819/children-cell-phones#1

Another article talks about the damage cellphones have on children’s eyes. https://tinyurl.com/zeomtm2

Other than the possibility of causing harm I can only wonder how these kids will grow up. Experts all agree that regular toys benefit children in a number of ways. Take those toys away and what will happen? Will a lack of physical toys influence their motor skills? 

https://www.howtolearn.com/2013/10/developmental-benefits-of-toys-for-young-children/

Soft toys teach children sensitivity. Stuffed toys may develop a love for animals. Blocks can lead to a love for building things. Combing a doll's hair might produce a stylist or beautician. And as the child grows up, will he or she develop a love for books and in the process learn how to write with correct spelling and grammar? Will they have any kind of an imagination?

While most people enjoy playing computer games, how young is too young to play these games?

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Oh, this blows!!!

Hi, my name is Holly, and I’ll be your guest blogger for today. Unlike other bloggers who have humans write a guest post for them, I am a cat. So, whatever comes next is from a cats’ perspective. I thought I should share the following with you because I’m really, really upset.

It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Toronto and I’m not allowed to go out on the balcony. Why? One word … birds.

It all started about three months ago. A pair of finches came to check out the balcony and apparently liked what they saw because soon after they started building a nest. One of them deposited six eggs in the nest and shortly afterward six chicks were born. I didn’t care much about them because I couldn’t get to them anyway, but I could wait. 

Those chicks would grow, in due time they would leave their nest and when they did I would be ready. I’ve never caught a bird before, but come on, with six birds to choose from, I was bound to catch one.

As it turned out, I didn’t get any of the little suckers. They flew the nest while I was still sleeping. I didn’t know this at first, but during the course of the day I didn’t see the parents fly in and out anymore, nor did I hear the little ones chirping. I had missed my chance and let me tell you, I was disappointed.

As luck would have it, two or three weeks later the two finches came back. This time they didn’t have to build a nest, they used the old one, and before long there were five eggs in it.

As soon as the chicks hatched I resolved that this time I would catch one. If I had to sit on the balcony day and night, eat and sleep there, this time they wouldn’t pull a fast one on me. So I waited, and waited, and waited.

The parent finches flew to and fro, bringing food for the babies and day by day they grew. Yesterday I noticed that the babies were getting ready to fly off. They were getting too big, the nest was getting too small, and they were getting restless. Yes, soon I would have a bird for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If they weren't quite a meal, then an appetizer. 

And would you believe it, while I used the litter box today, one of those babies flew away. I could have kicked myself. All that time waiting, and now that I had turned my back for two minutes, I missed one. Never mind though, there were four more.

Unfortunately, Conny (my owner), had noticed too that the babies were getting ready to fly off, so what did she do … she closed the balcony door. Not the glass door as such, but the netting. Now I couldn’t get out!!!

I had to do something. I had to come up with a plan. Clever me, I didn’t have to think long, I would turn on the charm. I positioned myself by the balcony door and sat there for, I don’t know, five, ten, fifteen minutes. When she didn’t come to open the door for me, I looked over my shoulder and gave a soft meow. Usually, that does the trick, but not this time. She either ignored me or she wouldn’t let me out. So I meowed a little louder, with more feeling, but still nothing. When I meowed again, she said “No Holly, you can’t go out today. The birds are about to fly away.”

But that’s the whole point, I tried to say. I have to be out there so when they fly I can catch one. She shook her head and walked away. Oh for the love of all that’s good and decent, why was she doing this to me? Oh, this blows!!!

www.connymanero.weebly.com

A rather upsetting letter

I received a rather upsetting letter yesterday. My doctor, of over 15 years, is retiring. Not because of her age, but because to stay home with her children.

Not only is her retirement a huge inconvenience for me and all her other patients, I also find it upsetting that a woman just throws away her education. An education that took several years and over $100,000.

Fortunately, I am not her mother. If I was I would take her to task and point out that if she wanted to get married and have babies, she should have realized this a little sooner. I would also insist that she pays back every cent I put in her education.

I knew trouble was coming the moment I saw a diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand. Two months after she got married she announced she was pregnant, followed by a year’s maternity leave.

When she came back to her practice, she announced she was pregnant again and off she went to another year of maternity leave.

When her year was up, and she was expected to come back, she announced that she would take an extra year off. Standing in for her was another doctor who I didn’t particularly like. I only put up with her while waiting for Dr. X to come back.

Unfortunately for me and all her other patients, she’s not coming back. She now made the formal announcement that she’s going to stay home and have more babies.

Well, one thing is for sure, if they get measles or whooping cough, at least she won’t have to take them to a doctor.

Is she the only one? Far from it. I've seen it time and time again. Young women, full of dreams and ambitions when they leave high school. They go to university and become doctors, lawyers, accountants or any other type of professionals. Then they meet a man, their biological clock starting working overtime and before long they flush it all down the drain to get married and have babies.

It makes me bloody mad. Smart woman, an education that cost thousands and for what …

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Who receives your donation?

The Salvation Army has a long history of donating to the needy.  But who are the needy and what qualifies them to be on the receiving end of your donations?

Recently I wrote to The Salvation Army on behalf of a friend who is definitely needy.  She is a young woman, who lost her job, and battles a number of medical issues that prevent her from working outside her home.

She doesn’t sit and watch the world go by, she puts her writing talents to good use and earns a little money with freelance writing.  A little being the operative word here.  She works from early morning until deep into the night and even then has to rely on friends to make ends meet.

Having visited The Salvation Army’s website, I sent an email to the contact person and asked if my friend qualifies for their help. 
The reply I received asked me a couple of questions:

Was my friend pregnant?

Did she have children under the age of 18?

Did she have an addiction?

My answer was “No” on all counts, to which I received the prompt reply that my friend did not qualify.  To say that I was stumped would be putting it mildly.  Do only pregnant women or women with young children qualify for financial assistance? 

I dug a little deeper and came across two women whose situation puzzled me even more.  One is a mother of five with a sixth on the way.  The other has three children and can’t wait to have a forth.  By their own admission, they are addicted to babies.  They state that a baby is a gift and should never be refused.

Naturally, I wondered … why have children if you can’t provide for them?  And if you can’t provide for the children you have, why have another?  “Oh, The Salvation Army sends us money” they both admitted.

Needless to say, my wallet will remain firmly closed when The Salvation Army asks me for a donation.  I don’t support selfish women who could go out to work but prefer to be on welfare and receive donations.  The days that women had kids by accident are long gone.  These days they have options. 

As for the question if my friend had an addiction … no, she does not.  Why would The Salvation Army ask me that?  Does the fact that an individual is addicted to alcohol, drugs or gambling qualify him/her to receive money? 

Maybe we should all have a good look at charitable organizations and research how the donations are used.  There are undoubtedly organizations that are honest and help those who really deserve help.  But there are just as many, if not more, who take our money and use it for less honorable purposes.

Instead of giving to charitable organizations maybe we should have a look around us at people who need financial assistance and extend our help on a one-on-one basis.  When we give privately, we know exactly who receives our money and what it will be used for. 

Thank you for smoking

This is not an anti-smoking but a pro smoking message. You don’t see that one every day, do you? It’s true though, I’m as pro smoking as they come and if you stick around I’ll explain why.

First let me say though that I am just sick and tired of the smokers bashing. Just this morning I read three articles, urging pregnant women not to smoke. Oeh it’s bad for the baby.
Please, give me a break. I smoked when I was pregnant and so did all my friends and we all had healthy babies, who grew up to be healthy adults. Compare that to the kids of today. They’re allergic to this and allergic to that, they have asthma and as soon as a chilly wind blows they’re sick. Whimps I call them.

Many will say that smoking is bad for you. That it ruins your lungs and gives you cancer. Oh yeah, well I saw a doctor the other day and he stated that I had textbook lungs. “You are a walking non-smoking advertisement,” he told me. When I stated that had been smoking since I was sixteen you could have knocked that guy over with a feather.

But since we are on the subject of things that are bad for you ... what about car exhaust fumes and fumes from airplanes? A long time ago I read an article that stated that each time a plane passes by, the fumes are equal to 82 cigarettes. Hm, what do the non-smokers think of that?

And what about all the other stuff? Everybody happily smears deodorant under their arms, while medical textbooks state that the aluminum in deodorant sticks causes breast cancer.
Then there is hair dyes and cosmetics. Take a look at the ingredients folks, some of them are known to cause cancer. But do people care? ... no, they want to look good.

Some will say that if smokers want to light up that’s their good right, but that they shouldn’t bother others with second hand smoke.
Phoe-lees, second hand smoke. Back in the day when I was a teenager and went to clubs, you could cut the smoke in those places. And did anyone die of cancer? Nope, my friends and I are still very much alive.

Then there is the statement that smokers cost the state money. How so? I’ve never been to the doctor or a hospital with smoke related problems and neither have those that I know.

If you want to point a finger at people who cost the state money, what about those who drink? Some get all liquored up and get in their car. By doing so they cause accidents resulting in: material damage, hurting someone to the point that he ends up in a wheelchair, or killing someone.
Alcohol is also the leading cause for domestic violence.
Not to mention that more than one job is lost because of alcoholism.
Now how much money does that cost the state? If the drunk loses his job and ends getting employment, guess who pays for that ... you do! Unemployment insurance is deducted off your paycheck and goes to those who don’t work.

And that’s not all. Alcohol leads to high blood pressure, high blood pressure leads to strokes and heart attacks, and of course strokes and heart attacks lead to death. Not to mention that alcohol also causes liver cancer. But do bottles of beer, wine and spirits carry that message with a gory picture, nope. On the contrary, alcohol is packaged in attractive bottles and commercials are made, advertising that drinking is cool and fun.

What about junk food? Mountains of junk food are gobbled up each day, making close to half of the North American population overweight, with some being downright obese. Does anyone give them a dirty look? No, on the contrary, we’re supposed to feel sorry for them.

Then there is the sun. What’s wrong with the sun, you might ask ... skin cancer dear, ever heard of it? Some give me a dirty look when I’m smoking a cigarette, then they take off as much as is legally allowed and go and roast themselves in the sun. Skin cancer ... they don’t seem to care about that.

Let’s face it, this anti-smoking campaign was started by the cancer society who made itself billions of dollars in the process. Who heard of the cancer society twenty five years ago? Nobody, if they were there, they got no attention. And look at them now ... the richest ‘charitable’ organization.
While working for a consulting firm I saw statements (this is not hearsay, I saw those statements) of the cancer society in Colorado and Ohio. Both of them collected $1.3 million dollars in 2008. And that was just two states. Image what the cancer society rakes in over the whole of North America. We’re talking billions. Have you ever wondered where all that money is going?
Do you think they will ever reveal a cure for cancer? Of course not, the donations would dry up and then what?

And last but not least ... think of your taxes. If indeed all the smokers were to give up the habit, your taxes would sky rocket. Do you have any idea how much money goes into the tax coffers courtesy of cigarettes? Billions of dollars. Not just millions, but billions!
So if you come to think it, instead of picking on the smokers, shouldn’t you be thanking them?