Trust is leaning out a window on the 4th floor of a burning building, holding your toddler in your arms and … letting go.
This situation played out in Germany yesterday. A father throwing his son from a burning building to the waiting arms of rescuers below.
Is that trust? Is that love? Is that courage?
All I know is I don’t think I could have done it. Jen and I talked about it. If it had been either of us, we would have jumped holding Zacharie, hoping that our body would break the fall.
I don’t know if that would have been the right decision. We both might die.
In this case, the father made the right choice, his son survived the fall. 9 others, 5 of them children, did not.
That, my friends, is trust.
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Want to know why more Americans don’t vote? It’s too damn complicated.
Prior to a general election, there is a selection process to determine which candidate will appear on the ballot for a given political party in the nationwide general election. Political parties generally hold national conventions at which a group of delegates collectively decide upon which candidate they will run for the presidency. The process of choosing delegates to the national convention is undertaken at the state level, which means that there are significant differences from state to state and sometimes year to year. The two methods for choosing delegates to the national convention are the caucus and the primary. [source]
Not only different by state, but different by year?
In Canada, we do it the same way, every time. We elect a local representative, an MP. The party with the most elected MP’s forms government, the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister.
When political parties in Canada choose their leaders, they do so at a convention, just like in the US. But in the States, any registered voter can vote in the lead up to these elections, in Canada only registered party members vote.
Caucuses were the original method for selecting candidates but have decreased in number since the primary was introduced in the early 1900’s. In states that hold caucuses a political party announces the date, time, and location of the meeting. Generally any voter registered with the party may attend. At the caucus, delegates are chosen to represent the state’s interests at the national party convention. Prospective delegates are identified as favorable to a specific candidate or uncommitted. After discussion and debate an informal vote is taken to determine which delegates should be chosen.
There are two main types of primaries, closed or open, that determine who is eligible to vote in the primary. In a closed primary a registered voter may vote only in the election for the party with which that voter is affiliated. For example a voter registered as Democratic can vote only in the Democratic primary and a Republican can vote only in the Republican primary. In an open primary, on the other hand, a registered voter can vote in either primary regardless of party membership. The voter cannot, however, participate in more than one primary. A third less common type of primary, the blanket primary, allows registered voters to participate in all primaries. [source]
Confused yet?
The Canadian system works better because, frankly, it’s simpler. We have one election for our national assembly that also picks our PM.
In the States you have to vote in primaries, not all held concurrently, then you’re called back months later to vote again. When it comes to voting for local representatives in the national assembly, you do that at different times too. Not to mention the times you’re voting for judges, sherriffs, dog catchers, referenda and propositions.
The power may be in the hands of the American electorate, but it’s a little bit of overkill, don’t you think?
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Today is the day before Lent, the Christian season remembering Jesus’ 40 days and nights in the desert being tempted by the devil. [wiki]
During this time, you’re supposed to go through your own personal torture by “giving something up for Lent.”
Back in the day that meant leaning down your meals and a lot of fasting. Since today was the last day to use up fattening groceries on hand, that usually meant pancakes. Hence the Pancake Tuesday title.
Mardi Gras translates from the french to fat tuesday. Again, a reference to the last chance to have the good stuff before “giving it up for Lent.”
How Mardi Gras turned into plastic beaded necklaces in exchange for a quick flash of boobies, I’ll leave you to discover on your own.
Jen and I aren’t religious, we’re not giving anything up for Lent, but we do love us some pancakes. So, instead of boobies - let us show you our pancakes!!
Jen rocks her stacks old school - plain butter and syrup.
Me? I like ‘em special, so I made a syrup with a squoosh of Aunt Jemima, a handful of frozen berries, a pat of butter, a cinnamon stick and orange zest.
Wow. Yum.
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Since cavorting with Team Blogger at CBCs Test The Nation a few weeks back, I have added most of the team to my roll and have been impressed with the Canadian blogosphere.
Today Mighty God King tackles Super Tuesday, and I’m buying what he’s selling.
As a candidate, however, Hillary Clinton is, bluntly, terrible. It doesn’t matter how intelligent and capable and even charming she is; she comes into the presidential election with slightly less than half of the electorate utterly unwilling to vote for her. [source]
Hillary was on Letterman last night, and while she was my girl, I couldnt watch. Fake smiles, speaking in cliches, she reminded me of Chretien. A political pro. So caught up in her own campaign bullshit she can’t see what’s really going on. She’s lost. She has no charisma, just talking points.
Then there’s Obama. I’ve long lamented style over substance, but as MGK puts it, this style is starting to get some consistency.
the overwhelming feeling of all us foreigners towards America right now as regards Obama can most accurately be described as jealousy. Great statesmen are rarities in any nation… every so often a nation gets a truly amazing leader, someone all the other countries look at and wonder “why can’t our leaders be like that” - a Churchill, a de Gaulle, a Trudeau, a Mandela. [source]
If you didnt see the remix Will.I.Am did of Barack’s speech in Iowa, watch it now.
Yes, Canada’s flag may be red and white, but today you can colour us green - with envy.
The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?
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