betsy

Now seriously, do you think this is a big conspiracy to brainwash kids into becoming left-leaning adults. Why wouldn't I suspect that? Just look how Hollywood and the media sell ideas and their own sets of values...and society's lapping it all up!

I understand about some kids being shy or not used to being with other kids. Here we have what we call a "play group." Care-providers and parents are welcomed to bring their children to socialize and play. But let's face it...it's not rocket science to throw children together and encourage play. I do not mean to belittle ECE grads...but really, I would say that this certificate is over-rated! Understandably, since this is a politicized issue...and the oppositions are trying to sell the idea. Care-providers can provide the utmost care and proper stimulation to help and encourage all aspects of developments in a child....whether they have this ECE certificate or not....as long as they have the basic knowledge of child development (and some training), and PRACTICAL UNDERSTANDING of children. As for a teacher who needs to be told that children should be dressed up for the weather....one wonders if there's any adult in charge anymore in some of these classrooms! In another school, my husband picked up my after-school kids and complained to me about what he saw in the yard. It was a mild winter day...and kids were playing in the slush puddles. A teacher was there in the yard with them and just letting this happen. My grade 1 kids were soaking wet! You know what happened when I called the school to complain? The response was "Oh, they should know better than to play in the puddle. If there is any complaints, it should come from their parents." I angrily shot back and said, "well I am their babysitter...therefore I am their guardian. I am speaking for the parents!"

Yes, why would they just want to shift gear now....making all the years of efforts (not to mention lives) for nothing? Darfur is no better than Afghanistan. Besides, at least with Afghanistan....it is to the best interest of the world that we fight for its democracy. It had been a training base for terrorists under the taliban rule. Let the UN deal with Darfur. Much as it would seem ideal to be seen as the protector of the worlds....we cannot realistically do it all.

The Vatican's hardly been "quiet" about it. They set up a website specifically to counter the claims made by this work of fiction, and now one of their Cardinals is saying they should sue the producers of the movie. As Shakespeare (and Mary Tyler Moore) said: "Methinks thou dost protest too much." I was relying on a news report from CTV newsnet stating that the Vatican isn't saying anything. Guess they're wrong?

And I would not support any Canadian government who would pay Canadians to sterilize themselves! If we can afford to support and give aids to foreign countries...we can then more than support our own population! If it comes to choosing which ones to support...I would rather we continue producing children and support our own! Just think....if countries in Europe as an example, follow the sterilization program you suggests, how would they face China's hordes if it ever becomes aggressively hostile?

As for the environment....how sure are we that this thing such as "global warming" is actually caused by man? For all we know the world is just going through its natural cycle. There were indications that same thing happened in ancient history. How reliable and accurate are the information datas and research findings propelled by special interest groups?

Canada's population is miniscule compared to third world countries. How will you get powerful countries to control their own population growth...while other countries continuously multiply? Do you mean pay people in third world countries to sterilize themselves?

As for food, let's face it...soon practically all the foods we eat will be tampered with. There will be no such thing as "natural" food in the near future. "Organic" is in question. Though pesticides and/or chemicals are not being used....how do you control the ones that come down with rain and seep to the ground? Franken-food is unstoppable....unless you grow and raise your own. Even then, where do you get the seeds, the calf, the chick? I am leery of fresh vegetables that looks "fresh" for weeks! It's common to encounter asparagus...or broccoli that have that firm, green look....until days later, you feel certain parts mushy, and yet they still look green! What chemicals make them last that long? I say your body system needs to evolve with the way our food is evolving. It's the only way to build up natural "immunity" against these types. Whether you like it or not, you'll be facing and consuming these foods. That's one reason why I still drink tap water.

The Vatican's been quiet about it.. ...not wanting to add to the publicity, I guess. However, one alleged priest so far called for a boycott. Now why would he do that...didn't he see from previous experience(s) that this only rouses curiousity even more? Could this lone alleged priest be in the payroll of the hollywood blitzing and hyping machine? I'll bet that all this "fussing" is pure part of the grand scheme to sell the movie. All purposefully created and spinned to create a "controversy" that actually doesn't exist. I bet majority of Christians didn't even give a hoot to disect it....until now, when it had become a good conversational piece. Of course, the copyright lawsuit greased the wheels even more.

ASSUMING the incident reported above is accurate, I could only say that racism aside, there is one glaring fact that reflects badly on the principal. For someone holding such a position...he terribly lacks diplomacy and tact in dealing with people. Refinement is obviously not one of his qualities. And obviously, he is not a good role model, not only to his students...but also to the other employees. So there's no need to wonder about the abrasiveness of the lunch monitor. Someone ought to lecture this man that being abrasive and telling a parent (no matter what race they belong to), "if your child eats like pig..." is not only going to put the parent in an automatic defensive stance...but also inviting an adversarial response.

To me, Da Vinci's Code on Jesus/Magdalene is just like The Omen's take on the anti-Christ. This movie is nothing more than another thriller meant for entertainment.

"LIBERAL PLAN = $500 PER CHILD The math: the $11 billion over 10 years the Liberals proposed means a whopping $500 per year for each of the over 2 million children 0-5. The entire amount could go to bureaucratic "infrastructure" or wages and not result in a single "space," far less a "universal high quality system." The majority of daycares report VACANCIES averaging over 8%, according to the "You Bet I Care!" study and others. This calls into question the whole "shortage" claim. MOST DAYCARE NOT "HIGH QUALITY" Also, the "quality" of the majority of regulated daycare is "minimal to mediocre" according to the "You Bet I Care!" study, the OECD, and others. Improving it would require improving allowable staff:child ratios that are worsening since the study was done with up to eight one-year-olds per staff in Quebec. But the daycare lobby refuses to discuss this—their own research. Instead they falsely claim that government regulation assures high quality care and developmental improvements for children. " Link to CRRU site and Caledon Institute Report by Ken Battle: http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=84050 Link to "Finding a better way on child care," by Ken Battle, Michael Mendelson, and Sherri Torjman: http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=85041 ---------------- It's the Liberals who attempted the "vote-grab" in their last-minute desperate bid for survival! All I can say is to remind you that for 13 years....not a single childcare space was created under the Liberals. Come to think of it, maybe they really did not create a single more childcare space since they know perfectly well that there's no real shortage!

Did anyone see a CPAC show with Carolyn Bennett, Monica Lysack and REAL Woman rep? I didn't hear about that but some mothers from other forums are angry about it. Apparently Bennett and Lysack...and the host ganged up on a guest, likened the show to a Jerry Springer-style. Can someone fill us in what exactly happened? This is an example how media is interfering and manipulating to sell whatever they support. "Goldhawk live on Sunday CPAC,, childcare debate but no parents with small children!!! News for Sunday Comments for this issue are on Smalldeadanimals blog... CPAC's call-in Goldhawk Live program Cross Canada, this Sunday, from 8pm to 9pm, February 26. Carolyn Bennet,Diane Watts REAL Women of Canada, Monica Rysech of Child Care Advocacy Association and a representative from the Conservative Party will be on as well. I have contacted Goldhawks assistant to ask to be on the show to represent the real parents, here is what I wrote..." http://choiceforchildcare.blogspot.com/200...-childcare.html

Like the nitwittery of Bennett going on national television to flap her lips and spew her ignorance! Why do you think that debate the next day was heated up the way it did? It was her comment! Same, if not more insulting, than the "beer and popcorn" ccontemptuous comments directed at parents! Sure, she toned down and spinned that controversial comment the next day. Same old Liberal back-tracking liars! Nothing's changed! Actually it only got worse. At least Martin had some brains.

I looked it up. "The smell can be extremely repulsive to Westerners" it said. Yes. It's made with very tiny shrimps. It smells of strong anchovies....gone bad. When I was new in Canada it never occurred to me about the effect of the smell to others. I was sauteeing it when I noticed my two housemates going to each and every room....they looked seriously worried and there was some sort of urgency as they were "searching". 'What's happening?"I asked. "We're looking for a dead rat." they replied. We had a good laugh after we've realized what was causing the commotion. But recently I think they've done something to the product that gets imported to foreign countries to minimize the smell. The ones I occasionaly get do not have that kind of stink anymore.

Boy, it's a good thing he didn't bring the traditional condiment called "bagoong". That should've cleared out the cafeteria fast! As for the protests...that's over-reacting imho.

Dion just said today on MDuffy that Unesco deal is just fine. Nothing wrong with it.

John Tory on MDuffy regarding McGuinty: He is a fierce attack dog who went on incessantly attacking Harper even through the media. He doesn't get along well even with other Premiers.

If they want to send their kids to school of course they need to be immunized; otherwise other kids are at risk. Warwick, the other kids that already had immunization are at risk? I thought the un-immunized children were the ones at risk that's why they got turned away from school....

Carolyn Bennett is pointing at the wrong direction if she wants to be over the top on her talk about mass production of future criminals! She should be looking into the Liberal and NDP way of thinking and methods of so-called "deterrence." I would only be happy to relate to you of idiotic ideas that came from these gov-funded agencies with ECE certificates! It is laughable...but at the same time makes you wanna cry because you know this is not a joking matter!

This universal daycare is nothing more than a desperate vote-buying tool of the Liberals in their death throes. Now, it is nothing more than another tool to criticize and find fault with the new government in the Liberal's life-after-death struggle.

Duffy jokingly referred to a feedback commenting the educational system is so entrenched with NDP-leaning teachers and so-called "educators" that they'd want to get hold of children as young as possible so they can be moulded to the NDP way of thinking. Of course the NDP strategist side-stepped this comment and didn't answer...switching instead to the well-rehearsed over-used line of reasoning.

And that isn't taught at home? What is social skills? What is "interaction". You'd be surprised to know that these are just packaged words for simple manners, courtesy and intermingling with others....and you'd be surprised to know that as far as interaction goes, children had the natural instinct to get right into it! These ECE grads should probably concentrate more in teaching kids how to dress up and button up! I cringed when I see kindergarten kids running around outside in the middle of winter with coats undone flapping about....with a teacher only a few feet away! It used to be "children in Kindergarten are prepared for grade school". Kindergarten is what the universal daycare is. So with universal daycare...what happens to Kindergarten??? Just a same-old extension of the babysitting club?

But then again....who are we to interfere? As for milk, I cannot tell them they're doing the wrong thing. One claims about steroids in milk (who knows what more).

I should add that this are what I call from the "tea-tree oil" crowd. Another parent (an avid user user of tea-tree oil) also think that milk is not good for her children. Both are getting their source online.