Tonight I posted a non confrontational and very polite comment to Sarah Palins facebook site.  What did i get for my efforts well. Firstly you won’t find the comment it has been removed, and I’m now banned from commenting on her facebook site.  Could I argue that a breach of free speech?

 As a non American i have no recourse on that, but isn’t it interesting, that someone who advocates American rights is practicing censorship on her own site.  

To all of you who may read this.  Let me give you a couple of facts upfront so you will understand where I am coming from.

I am not an American Citizen. I’m a New Zealander.  I come from one of those first world counties that has ‘socialized’ healthcare.  Are we a socialist country no.

Nor are the other two first world countries that have state run health care.  That would be the United Kingdom and Japan.  Both part of the G8 and highly advanced first world countries.  In all three countries I’ve had to use the healthcare system that is provided and have no complaints what so ever. 

For the sake of honesty I was treated for Cancer in Japan and are still under there care.  And other than a small contribution to my care which was high paid back given the extra cost cancer incurs they have given me the best and rapid medal care.

When you as the average hard working American look at this heath care debate can I ask you to do something please.  Think about what is the motivation behind the people telling you to oppose healthcare reform.

You may be a full red state republican, and I can well respect that.  Everyone is allowed to think and vote as they want.  That is one of the foundations of democracy world wide.  We also have the well earned right of free speech. 

However please don’t allow our wonderful right of free speech to say that everything everyone says is true.

With a little bit of research and listening to both sides of the story it should become apparent that those who are opposing healthcare are also the same people getting money from them. 

No one is asking anyone who is true Republican to become a Democrat on this issue.  What I would like to suggest thou is that if you are interested in healthcare you find out all the facts, then decide what you want.

As someone who was born in the free world and lives in the free world I personally see this reform as something you desperately need.  America is the only free world country that does not offer its citizens the basic right to health care that the rest of us know we are entitled to.

Maybe you can look at it the way we do.  Healthcare is a basic right we are entitled to as citizens of our free democratic counties.  Why not add it to your constitutional rights!  That would be a great addition and model to other countries.

Also if you don’t reform your healthcare are the insurance companies keep making billions of dollars off you, who is to blame?   There is only one person to blame for that, and its not Obama, its you as an individual for not investigating your real options.

And my last comment.  The death panels that Sarah, Betsy and co have invented to scare you with.  Well think about this.  They are suggesting a government run death panel, which is complete lies.  What they are not saying, is what happens when an insurance company says they are not going to cover you for medical bills.

America already has death panels.  They are called the board of directors for every medial insurance company in America.  They currently decide who gets healthcare and those who don’t.

Hopefully its not a complex choice after that fact.

d

Just caught the tail end of a documentary on New Zealand and its sea’s.

It was great timing as it reminded me of who i am and where i am from.

We may be the youngest country on earth and its really easy to dismiss us, and you know what, thats fine.

Coming from where i do, there is a green that is really green and a blue that really is blue.  You want to see clear blue skies.  Come down under, they are so blue they hurt the eyes.

And to see real green come and see where there is pollution just how green can really be.  You have already seen vista’s of snow white mountains in the cinema.  Trust me, that was just a taste.

come down under and see what its really about.  I know I’m going back.

Where the hell did American get the idea that state provided heath care was a form of socialism.

Have they not actually looked outside there borders and seen that all the other 1st and 2nd world countries bascially have state run healthcare.

And apparently according to the statistics we have better health care for all, costing less.  Umm does anyone else but me see an issue here?

I have so many things to say here coming from a ‘socialist’ provided health care system, lived in three other countries were as a law abiding tax payer i got that same service.

And if you doubt me I now live in Japan and have been treated for cancer under there health care system.

To any american who wonders.  My question.  Who benefits from your current health insurance system  You or the health insurance companies.

These are the same companies that can deny paying, delay paying or only part pay.  Now who is losing out here, you or me.  I pay the same amount of tax and receive outstanding health care (trust me a few round of chemo and you get to know whats going on), or you the american public who can’t leave jobs for lack of health insurance, or just don’t have it.

Also whats going on the health insurance opponent who is turning around and asking for donations to his health care as he lost his job.

Come on, prove to us that you really are not that stupid.

Seem to be two very disconnected items.

I haven’t said much on the blog for a while, but having watched this women in action for the last week since she resigned as governor has really got me wondering.

During here swan song speech she made two things really obvious.

1.  Will the main stream media stop making things up.

2.  Leave her and the new governors family out of politics.

You know what almost fair enough.  But what does she do on her facebook account a few days later.  She makes a statement saying that the Obama administration wants to put her down syndromes child in front of a ‘death panel’.

Two things here Sarah.  Firstly you criticize the media that you hate so much, yet bring your child Tring into the argument.  Who is putting whose family into the media.  If you were so concerned about the media and your family why bring Trig into it.  Or was it a way of making a statement that would not be considered for its complete hierocracy.

Second Sarah, you made a statement about death panels which has been proved to a complete lie and yet you made a statement about it.  Okay you didn’t make it up yourself, but you certainly perpetrated the  made up story.

Just these two very simple items put together must make anyone wonder how honest are you really.  you say one thing when it suits you and the opposite when it suits you.

I will not use this blog to slam republican or conservative readers as that would immediately dismiss my arguments as just left wing crap.

I’m not actually an american so there a no direct affects to me on what happens, but i do object to just plain out stupid comments, and Sarah, the next time you want to make a political statement, how about ask all those people righting for you to check if you aren’t opposing your own position, or just saying something that is a total lie.

You asked for the media to stop making up stories.  How do you feel when they report on the stories that you have made up, or repeat knowing stories that are made up.

Just got back from a long weekend in Singapore.  Decided to go there awhile back to see an old great friend.  And since it was a long weekend why not.  Tonto went off to Doggy Day care hotel (and appears to have had just a good a holiday as me).

Weekend involved arriving and then what was supposed to be a day touring the city and ended up with me back at work!

Rest of the long weekend was brillant.  Dinner friday night at the Satay market, a total taste extreme.  Saturday golf at Batam island (in Indonesia), Sunday by the pool taking it easy, and Monday sightseeing, mainly Santosa island.

got in a foot reflexology involving fish from Turkey eating off all the dead skin, quick an experience!  Ended all up with a trip on the Singapore flyer which was a great view experience and final cool down in the pool.  Wow, being on holiday is so tiring!

Something I was looking for after having Tonto arrive was someplace that could take care of him when I was away. I looked around for to see what I could find and did find a couple of places that also had english websites.

One I found was called Dog Inc.  They are quite close to me down by the Tama River and also do pickup and drop offs.

As I knew in July i would be off to Singapore to catch up with an old friend I approached them in May to firstly book him in. Its a long weekend so I wanted to make sure we got a reservation.  I also wanted Tonto to be comfortable with them so he spent his first day there in May, also got a full bath session and trim. 

Well he came back really happy and wonderfully trimmed.  He went back a few weeks later and didn’t want to get out of the car as his friends were still in there.

He was off today again, and must have figured out that the phone ringing and 9:30, plus the short leash meant doggy day care was on up. He couldn’t wait to get out the door and after saying hello to Yamada-san just jumped straight into the car.

Tonto is back now with his updated summer fur cut and again just wanted to jump back into the car to keep playing with his friends.  Now he is a very worn out little dog fast asleep after a very busy day!

If you have a dog in Tokyo Japan and want to give them a break from staying at home I cannot recommend Dog Inc Japan enough.  He comes home so happy along with a little back of pics showing just how busy he has been. 

The place is run by the wonderful Yamada-san who is fully bi-lingual so there is no problem with language.  His last own personal dog also comes from ARK Japan.  (I will write more on them later), and when you met him you will just know there is a love of our K9 friends.

Its been a while in the works but footsteps.co.nz is no longer mine.  I was asked a few months ago if I wanted to keep using footsteps.co.nz.

I replied back that I wasn’t that interested as footsteps had been with me for a very long time and also had quite some significance to me.

If you know the story of footsteps in the sand I the why sometimes there was only one set you will understand part of the story.  The reason I choose footsteps.co.nz was for many reasons.  That story and also my own belief that we when we travel we take photo’s and leave only footsteps.

When asked by the Linmark team if i would consider it I set some very strong conditions, and I’m really happy to say they met them all.  They are not a huge corporation after the all essential profit to shareholders.  They are a wonderful team of people dedicated to the education of children and focused on under privileged children.

There would be no great profit for me selling the domain, and if you are interested it was sold for 1$, which I’ll collect one day when I am back.  What convinced me was seeing the site they had and were also registered as footsteps.org.nz.

I’ve loved having footsteps.co.nz as my domain name as the name defined a lot of what i believe in.  Now thou it seems right to me giving it to a wonderful cause.

We reached a good agreement and my old email of xxx@xxx.co.nz will still work forever as that was a condition of the transfer.  They will also kindly provide a note on there website to help you all get back here.

Why Tonto.co.nz.  well it was just a name i thought was fun, and reflects a new interesting part of my life.

Footsteps has been very special to me and I will miss it, but I gave it away for a very good reason.  If my old domain name helps anyone parent in New Zealand find a way to help the education of there child through the services offered by the organisaiton now using my old domain, then i am very happy.

David

Ingredients

1 Dog

1 Tea Tree Dog Shampoo
1 Tea Tree Dog Conditioner
1 Shower
1 Dog Towel
1 Large Fluffy Towel Various Dog Treats.

Firstly lure dog into shower room with a couple of the dog treats. You will get some filthy looks on closing door as dog is not entirely stupid and knows what’s coming next. Divert attention and filthy look with another dog snack. Set water temperature lower than human temp, it will be to hot otherwise. Wet down dog.

Be prepared to be unpopular. Proceed to shampoo, lather, rinse conditioner and repeat rinse. (clean out shower drain as it will be full of dog hair!). Use dog towel and dry off dog. This generally always is welcome as its a big huge rub feast.

Once dog is loose in house again prepare tv remote control, something nice to drink. Sit on sofa with big fluffly towel over lap. Lure dog with extra doggy treats – trust me this will be so easy. Once dog is on lap engulf in fluffy towels and wrap up dog. Kick back on sofa and enjoy a nice hour of nothing TV with dog on top in towels.

Steam for at least two hours. You will know the dog is done when it decides to squirm out of the fluffy towel, timing will depend on level of doggy dryness and length of time you are in the kitchen. Finish off with a little grooming session and some nice Tea Tree grooming space. Serve.