I'm very tardy...

Hi folks!

Sorry I haven't posted lately, life has been getting in the way of posting.

For those of you who were wondering about Caitlin, she's doing better.

The fundraiser is....

...are you ready?

... OVER $17000.00!!!

Thanks to everyone for your support.

A thank you letter from her parents can be found here.

I have more stuff, hopefully I can find time to get it down soon.

And to my sister Norma, I didn't forget your birthday...I'm just waiting till I have time to talk. Hows 3:00 a.m. Sunday, June 15th for you?

Talk amongst yourselves...

DJW

Caitlin Update

Sunday, February 17^th dawned with a glaze of ice everywhere and our collective hearts dropped.

Would any one come to the fundraiser?

Weeks of planning and arranging, media involvement, a ton of food, hundreds of auction and raffle donations and countless volunteer hours may be thwarted by Mother Nature.

What to do? Plod on; one dollar raised is better than nothing.

I arrived near 1:00 pm, to find the set up in full swing. Youth rock band loading in downstairs, hall decoration done, and raffle/ auction items being set out. Musical acts upstairs were getting set up, and lists were being made.

At 1:45 the people began arriving, sloshing through the ice and water, and each bringing a smile as if they knew what was about to happen. By 3:00 pm the hall was at capacity.

The spirit was electrifying and contagious.

About 3:30, the guest of honour arrived, and the already charged air exploded. She had been released for a few hours, and had to return to Mac to continue her treatment.

People sang harder, played harder and poured their hearts out.

And they emptied their pockets. The 50/50 winner donated his winnings back. The head shave alone raised over $500. Auction proceeds exceeded $1000

While an arbitrary goal had been set, by the end of the day, with more donations to be counted, over $8,000.00 had been raised.

Far beyond what could have been imagined. And there is still more coming in.

A huge event for a girl with a huge spirit resulted in a huge response with huge results.

To those who gave, what ever it was; time, money or gifts, thank-you.

An old saying, “Many hands make the work lighter”, may not be strong enough to describe what happened here.

DJW

Fundraiser for Caitlin

What does a 4 year old do to deserve cancer?

That’s what the people around little Caitlin Hutson have been asking.

Just after Christmas, while others her age were playing with all the neat stuff Santa brought, normally bubbly Caitlin was undergoing a battery of tests at McMaster’s Children’s Hospital in Hamilton.

The diagnosis is Nephroblastoma, or Wilms tumour, a rare form of cancer of the kidney’s affecting mostly children under eight. The cancer had already consumed one kidney and was attacking a nearby artery. Early in January, Doctors removed the affected kidney, but couldn’t get the cancer on the artery. That will have to be treated with Radiation and Chemotherapy. Caitlin has been fitted with a port to inject the drugs through, and a body cast so the rambunctious four year old won’t wiggle during radiation.

An experimental treatment is proposed which costs $1600 and OHIP may not cover it.

They are thinking about it.

They’ll get back to us.

And now family and friends step up. People have taken extra shifts for her parents so they can be with her. A fundraiser has been put together; hall, entertainment, prizes all donated. At least one Uncle will shave his head at the event to raise money for her treatment. The event will be held on Sunday, February 17^th at South Brant Legion, Branch 463, 72 King St. North, Oakland from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Adults $10, children 12 and under $5. Donations of cash or prizes may be sent to 34 Kitchener Ave., Brantford ON N3S 1A4

Caitlin had to use the bathroom the other day, and when she was lifted up to be carried, she defiantly said “No, I can do it myself!”

It’s that kind of spirit that we could all use.

DJW

Toronto's Gun Problem

A column by MARK BONOKOSKI of the Toronto Sun caught my eye today, mostly because I agree with him. He points out that a total ban on handguns in England has resulted in, you guessed it, a rise in gun crimes there.

Below is a copy of a letter I've sent to both The Sun and The Star.

Toronto ’s gun problem is just that, Toronto ’s gun problem. Not Ancaster’s, Flin Flon's or St. John's, TORONTO . It deserves a made in Toronto solution.

Now, as a citizen and driver in Ontario I am subject to random sobriety tests, seat belt checks and safety compliance. If I attend certain public buildings I must pass a metal detector.

So, if I am found in certain troubled areas of Toronto , why should I not be subject to weapons checks?

The idea of outlawing handguns has been brought up many times before, particularly after the tragic shooting of Jordan Manners and the Jane Creba shooting a few years back, and it is always the same: a political, knee-jerk reaction to a chronic, localized problem. To penalize all of the population for the actions of a few is similar to keeping the whole class in for recess because Johnnie pulled Susie’s ponytail; you’re punishing the wrong people.

Outlawing handguns and seizing the property of private, law abiding collectors WILL NOT STOP criminals in Toronto from using illegally obtained weapons to commit crimes. When they find the weapon that killed Hou Chang Mao, it WILL NOT be a legally registered weapon owned by the person or persons that fired it.

At what point do the rights of the few (specifically criminals) outweigh the rights, safety and security of the general public? Let’s have random weapon searches in Toronto , and elsewhere if needed. And when some bleeding heart lawyer jumps up and plays the rights card, have him or her spend a week in Jane/Finch, unarmed.

I am reminded of a slogan I’ve seen on T-shirts and bumper stickers:

‘IT’S THE CRIMINALS, DUMMY, NOT THE GUNS’

DJW

Why Can't We All Just Get Along.

News Item...

... The City of Hamilton and CUPE Local 5167 are at odds and there may be a municipal strike over the issue of the use of casual labour.

The City wants to use more casual labour to augment its overall workforce. This enables them more flexibility in staffing, helps keep labour costs down, and gives the taxpayer more value. It also solves the question, "What do we do with Snowplow Operators in July?" It's not that much different than a factory using a temp agency.

The Union wants several things on this issue: wage parity; vacation entitlement; fewer 'casual' positions (= more permanent positions); and more.

First off, wage parity.

Both sides are guilty here. Equal work should be equal pay. We can all agree on that.

Here's your however; if you don't like the wage offer, don't take the job. If enough people turn down the job, the wage will have to be reviewed.

Vacation entitlement. What the Union would have you believe is that these casual workers are slaves, chained to their jobs with no days off and no compensation for their drudgery.

Not true.

These people receive a percent addition to their pay in lieu of benefits and vacation. They do not get un-paid vacation, they get vacation pay every pay. It's up to them to set it aside. They can save it for when they are off.

Use of casuals. The City wants more. The Union wants more casual positions turned into permanent jobs. Ok, the onus here is about 25% City and 75% Union.

The City gets a slap here for not balancing the work, but not too hard because it wants to provide value. Remember, these are tax dollars, and more tax dollars spent on wages, is less for other services, programs and needs.

The Union? Well, they are willing to hijack an entire population, cause inconvenience for all, by demanding more full time jobs. I digress, if you don’t like the terms of the job offer, don’t take the job. These casual workers are not tricked or lied to, they know it’s a temporary or seasonal position, and may not lead to full time, permanent work.

So it boils down to this; The City needs to be fair to its workers and needs to be responsible with what it has, public money.

The Union needs to be realistic, demanding full time jobs is unfair to the people who pay them, the public.

The Casual Workers? If you don’t agree to the terms of the offer, don’t take the job.

DJW

Living Vicariously

I apologize in advance, Mirriam-Webster's on-line Thesaurus has no synonym for vicarious.

As a child, I lived vicariously through games and role playing.

As a young man, I lived vicariously thought my heroes.

As a parent, I live at times vicariously though my children.

Now, as a middle aged man, I can live vicariously through others, and steal their ideas when it comes time for others to live vicariously through me.

Case in point are my friends, Jane and Rob, whose latest adventures in setting up a company out-of-country are being documented in detail and with Rob's descriptive flourish on a daily blog. http://janeandrob2.blogspot.com/

For more fun with Rob and Jane, try this one http://janeandrob25.blogspot.com/

Happy reading!

DJW

The chicken fought fowl, but it didn't ruffle my feathers.

Got me a real bargooon today.

We were shopping at one of those discount grocery stores ( I won't say which one, but it would be pretty basic to figure it out), when I spotted a deal.

A ten lb. box of frozen chicken legs for $10.00!

Thats, like, a buck a pound! <-{college math grad}

I figured in my head that that would do a number of meals, so I snagged a box. I scurried home with my prize and when I opened the cardboard box, I got even another surprise.

The legs were frozen in a single plastic bag. Together. In a block. Cube-ish. To add insult the legs were intertwined like some cruel Chinese Puzzle.

A five kilogram frozen Chinese Puzzle.

With aid of some salt, cold water for the chicken, warm water for my hands, a hammer and a wooden spatula ( I'll replace it M.D.B.), I subdued the frozen squab and was the victor!

I'm passing on this tale with some advice: if you don't want to be a chicken sculptor, and don't want to cook fifteen 1/4 chickens at once, look in the box.

I'm only telling you 'cuz I give a cluck.

DJW