Writing Another Article

I really do enjoy writing articles on here, dear reader. Oh sure, they can take some time for me to do but it also can help me determine what I should or should not be thinking at the time about the matter which is the subject of my article. I find that to be quite useful for me in reaching decisions in my state of life. 

Many of my articles these days are much more personal than before. The reason for that should be obvious to you:  I have gone through an unbelievable health issue in my life. As I found out, not too many medical people know about what hit me at all. Many people who are struck by this disease don't even make it once struck by it or, if they do, there is no guarantee that the person will survive very well. Remarkably, I understand that I have recovered from this relatively unknown illness that struck me so suddenly in quite a good state. I feel very blessed for that.

It has taken a very long time for me to feel better. I spent several months at the beginning of my recovery in bed, unable to move around very much. I know that my illness has put tremendous pressure on my wife and children who have done such a great job helping me recover. They have done so marvellously for me that I will always be grateful to them. I am also very grateful to all of the wonderful people who have contacted me over this time to help me get better.

I just felt like writing this at this time, dear reader, because I feel so happy about what my life is now and how well I have recovered through the help of so many people. I just had the need to let you now know it. There is a reason for me to be in the state that I am right now. However, I do have to admit though that I do not know what it is. So please excuse me, dear reader, if I keep on doing a whole bunch of things to help improve everything in which I am involved to complete my duty.

Now, let me get back to news issues which I believe are important for everyone.

EDDIE'S ROLE AS MAYOR

Oh, I never really knew this at the time it seems. I now understand the basis of how Eddie Francis acted as Mayor of Windsor. I wonder if it is unique compared with how other mayors around the country act:

"I never viewed my job at the city as being mayor, I viewed my role at the city as being CEO of a $1-billion corporation." says Francis. "That skill set has helped me and has allowed me to bring strengths to compliment the strengths of the existing team at the WFCU." (Gord Bacon, AM800 News, June 2, 2017)  

In that article, he also made this claim:

"He helped credit union's board develop a five-year-strategic-plan and he says it's been a source of pride for staff. 

"Some of the great and exciting projects that we've launched over the last two-years, and some of the things that we're looking forward to doing in the next couple of years will allow us to continue to offer the best products, the best services, and be able to give back to our community," Francis said. "It's something that we take great pride in doing."

Well, I do not understand exactly what this means considering the following. I read this in the Credit Union September 14, 2016 news release:

"Net income from operations before final allocation to the total loan loss provision, unrealized gains and income tax for 2015/2016 totaled $5.034 million compared to the previous year total of $5.05 million."

That was impressive except when one looks at their financial statement, it said:

"Net income from operations before final allocation to the total loan loss provision, unrealized gains and income tax for 2015/2016 totaled $5.034 million compared to the previous year total of $5.05 million.  However, your Board of Directors on a recommendation of Executive Management adjusted the provision for losses on loans by an additional $4.35 million, which resulted in a net income before unrealized gains and income taxes of $684,000."

Hmmm.  I wonder what the profit will be this year after taking into account whatever the loan losses are now.

I also just happened to see this role for the former Head whom Eddie replaced at the bottom of the Windsor Star story written at the City Desk on June 1, 2017 without mentioning the name of the person who actually did the writing:

"Former CEO Marty Komsa assumes the role of executive adviser strategic planning…"

I am not sure why he is assuming that position or what that job is. I also wonder what his payment will be for doing so.

PHYSIOTHERAPY, AND OTHER, NEEDS

A great deal of thanks is owed to Dr. David Wonham for the speech that he made that gave out information about possible medical problems being caused over a weekend for one particular issue but which may apply also to other ones:

"When an elderly patient doesn’t get up and moving immediately after a hospital procedure, “things go to hell,” says a retired Windsor surgeon who is pleading with officials to provide more physiotherapy on weekends and holidays. 

“Ideally, a hospital should run seven days a week. Unfortunately on weekends, things slow down,” Dr. David Wonham said of the current situation in area hospitals, where he claims patients may miss therapy because of reduced weekend and holiday staffing." (Brian Cross, Windsor Star, May 31, 2017)

He made another interesting comment to justify why it makes sense to have staff on the weekend coming in:

"The problem is only going to get worse as the population ages, said Wonham, 80. He said if hospitals devoted more staff to weekends and holidays, it would end up being cost-neutral because patient stays would be shorter."

To be realistic, with the age of the population growing longer, we are going to see more medical concerns for elder people.  Just take a look again at the top of this article to understand what I mean. 

I do congratulate Dr. Wonham for taking such a tough position on this matter. Fortunately, Chairman Martin Girash must have understood the concern raised since he made this comment:

"He said Wonham’s presentation was “very important” because it brings public attention to this issue. The LHIN has assigned a staffer to rethink how rehab and restorative services are delivered. He noted that hospitals are one of the only health services open around the clock seven days a week.  

“We need to think in terms of this same level of activity on a weekend, if a person needs it, as during the week.”

It will be interesting to see what the outcome is. Fingers crossed for a great one!

TOURISM IN WINDSOR

Well, the number is supposedly growing much higher. If it is, how significant is the growth:

"Tourism agency says more Americans are visiting Windsor 

"It's slow and steady. We didn't expect that there would be a big spike," [TWEPI CEO Gordon Orr] explained. "What you have to do is ... be constantly messaging and marketing to them. We've got to remind them why they want to come over, and a lot of Americans still don't understand the exchange rate." (CBC News, May 31, 2017) 

Come on now. Our tourism numbers are not so good and just do not seem to be growing higher very quickly at all even with these very attractive exchange rates, for Americans especially:

"Orr said the number of American tourists peaked at about  nine million after Casino Windsor opened in 1990s. The low point came following 9/11, with only about three U.S. million visitors."

Seriously, our numbers seem especially low. When one US dollar is worth around $1.35 Canadian, I would have thought that this should attract Americans to come over here in huge numbers! I wonder why the numbers are still down so much and why we are not doing more in the US to get them to come here.

This article in the news just bothered me about this subject:

"Tens of millions of dollars flowed into bars, restaurants and hotels over the 10-day tournament according to Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island CEO Gordon Orr, who added he expects there will be long-term impacts too. 

"We know first-hand when people come and experience our area for the first time, they go back to their respective cities and their families and friends and they tell their story about a positive, memorable experience they had in Windsor, and that's going to be the best marketing of all," he explained." (CBC News, May 30, 2017)  

Doesn't he know what the real numbers are for the people who came out to the games and how low they really are:

"With a sellout guaranteed for Sunday, the tournament will get close to operating at nearly 90 per cent capacity.

That would put the tournament in the middle of the pack compared to Memorial Cups going back to 2012." (Dave Waddell, Windsor Star, May 26,2017) 

DOES LEGALIZING MARIJUANA MAKE SENSE

I honestly do not have the answer to this question. Really, is it any different to a question that could be asked about whether "legalizing" the purchase of beer and alcohol so easily now makes any sense at all either? It also may well lead to legalizing other products as well.

Here is an excerpt from a story in the news about opposition to the legalization of marijuana by the Canadian Medical Association Journal interim editor-in-chief:

"The interim editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal is pleading for the defeat of a federal government plan to legalize marijuana, fearful youth will have easier access to a drug that damages their developing brains. 

“Simply put, cannabis should not be used by young people,” Dr. Diane Kelsall writes in an editorial published Monday in the journal. “It is toxic to their cortical neuronal networks, with both functional and structural changes seen in the brains of youth who use cannabis regularly.” 

Bill C-45, if passed, would make marijuana use legal for adults aged 18 and over. Yet current research shows the brain doesn’t reach maturity until around age 25, Kelsall notes in the editorial. 

A Canadian Pediatric Society position paper on the effects of cannabis on children and youth cites such serious potentially harmful effects as: increased presence of mental illness, including depression, anxiety and psychosis; diminished school performance and lifetime achievement; increased risk of tobacco smoking; impaired neurological development and cognitive decline; and a risk of addiction. 

The nine per cent risk of developing dependence over a lifetime rises to 17 per cent if marijuana use started in the teen years." (Brian Cross, Windsor Star, May 29, 2017)

It will be very interesting to see what happens as the debate on legalization moves forward.