A week or so ago a friend and I were leaving the Bay, and heading towards an escalator that would lead us down to street level. When we approached the escalator, there were two small boys, one of about 2 and the other around 4. They were attempting to get on to the escalator - by themselves. The four year old was able to negotiate the moving stairs but the two year old struggled a bit but then managed to just sit down to ride the escalator. My friend and I were horrified. We wondered aloud where the parents were, until we got to the top of the escalator and all was revealed. Oh, there they were. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ESCALATOR, LOOKING UP AT THEIR CHILDREN.
We stood behind the boys as we travelled downwards, and upon reaching the bottom one would have thought that Mum or Dad would have come forward to rescue the youngest. But no. He reached the bottom of the escalator, still sitting and then struggled to stand up, leading my friend to exclaim loudly 'Watch your fingers!' Fortunately, the four year old clearly had a brain and assisted his brother. Obviously, their parents were far too busy with the other two children they had, plus the large stroller and the complexity of the choice between using regular double doors or a revolving door.
POINT: If you are a slack-jawed, mouth breathing, troglodyte - DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN. You don't deserve kids and kids certainly have done nothing to deserve parents like you.
Rant the Second
Today I was at a pedestrian controlled crosswalk at a T intersection near my street. I pushed the button and waited for the light to change. Flashing green to solid green. Cars go through. Fine. Solid Green to Yellow. Another couple of cars go through. Idiots but, okay. Yellow to RED. I start walking and an SUV goes through in front of me. If I weren't loaded down with a bag of cat food and a giant bag of litter, I would have given the driver a clear view of both of my middle fingers and quite possibly leapt on to the back bumper, climbed over the car and punched him in the head.
POINT: The next person to run a red at that intersection when I'm crossing will most likely hit me because I WILL JUMP IN FRONT OF YOUR VEHICLE AND THEN SUE YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOUR SORRY SUV DRIVING, YUPPIE ASS IS WORTH. Pay attention to lights, asshole. And that goes for cyclists too. Just because you're on two wheels does NOT make you exempt from traffic laws. And don't come crying when the SUV driving yuppie hits you either, because no one will care.
Rant the Third
Gordon Campbell, the Provincial government of BC and upper management of BC Ambulance Service has been screwing the paramedics of BC up the ass for months now. Why? Because these hard working men and women want decent working conditions (read: rat-free stations; an actual station rather than an HOTEL ROOM etc), sufficient staff for all cars so that they are able to respond in a timely manner without been overly tired and stressed, and a wage that is in keeping with the work they do. How many of us would be willing to respond to calls for help from the lower East side of Vancouver, regardless of the wage we were being paid? Not many. The only interest the City of Vancouver or the BC government has in the lower East side at the present time is making sure that it's hidden in time for the 2010 Olympics. And yet, paramedics in downtown Vancouver are there on a daily and nightly basis, risking their health to help the downtrodden. Cops and Firefighters are down there too, but they're getting paid a much better rate. I guess that's because they're both an Emergency Service, which according to Gordon Campbell and his cronies, BC Ambulance Paramedics are NOT. Does this sound right to you, dear reader?
POINT: As the wife of a paramedic, I see first hand how hard my husband and his fellow paramedics work. I see the stress they deal with, trying to help people on what could be the worst day of that patients life. Despite what the government is trying to tell the people of BC, paramedics are not on strike just for the money. They're fighting for equality. They're fighting for the jobs they love and for the people of this province. BC paramedics have been accused of not caring about the citizens of BC. That is such bullshit. They ARE citizens of BC and if they didn't care, paramedic is probably not the career choice they would make. While everyone is freaking out about H1N1, who do you think is showing up at the doors of people who might have it? Not Gordon Campbell, that's for sure. The only person Gordon Campbell cares about is Gordon Campbell (and maybe his bartender - cheers, Premier!).
I'm siding with the paramedics, and not just because I'm married to one. God forbid myself, my family or any of my friends should ever need to call for an ambulance but if they do, I'm so grateful that that essential EMERGENCY service is there. We should all be fighting for the rights of a service that this province NEEDS. As for Mr. Campbell (and any idiot who voted for him), here's hoping none of you need an ambulance either - god knows, none of you deserve the help.
