Cancer...don't answer.

My mother used to say that I shouldn't worry about diseases so much when I was a child. "By the time you're old enough to get that...they might have a cure." Not exactly words of wisdom but it kept me from worrying and it turns out that it's a little bit true.

My mom died in 2000 from cancer. Lymphoma. Now I'm hearing the word nanobees in relation to this disease. Cancer cells can be destroyed by bee poison, you know, the kind in stings. So they've created microscopic 'balls' on which they attach 'pins' in each one is bee poison. It's injected into the cancer and kills it all. Fantastic. It is just started being used now and might be available in two years for all. Maybe Mom was right about that one, if I get cancer, maybe they'll be able to cure it...destroy it.

And then there's Multiple Sclerosis and the shunt put in the blood vessel which has a lot of people up and walking who couldn't even move before. Unfortunately, they've also had some deaths caused by the shunt. But I think they seem to be on the right track and will find a way to make it work.

Two years ago, my dad passed away from Lewey Body or Dementia, they were never quite sure which it was. Both are types of Alzheimers. It's not too long ago but already they're saying they think they have a medicine that will remove the plaque from the nerves of the brain.

So both are too late for my parents but maybe my mother left something for me to look forward to. Maybe I'll be cured of cancer and Alzheimers both and be able to live a lot longer.

If Only I Had...

A few years ago, my room mate began watching The Antique Roadshow, both the American and British versions. Although I was usually reading a book when it was on,  I would look at interesting things and wait for the appraisal before going back to my book.

I started to wonder if I had anything antique that was worth anything. Well, there was my pendant that my parents bought for my birthday in the sixties, with all sorts of symbols, it's supposed to bring positive energy to the wearer. I didn't suppose it was worth anything, even though it's in pristine condition.

But it did make me think of some postcards I'd had as a child. My grandmother's neighbor, Mrs. Golder, came to her one day and said, "Earlie, I have these postcards my grandkids used to play with, they're too old now but your grandkids are the right age." So that is how I got all these postcards from 1900-1914. I loved those cards as a child but when I moved out east, I didn't take them with me. I thought they were all gone and I wistfully wondered what they would be worth as antiques.

In 2008, I visited my Dad in BC. I mentioned those postcards and he said he still had them. What? My step-mom Shirley and him went through all their drawers and found all those postcards. I was ecstatic! Now I would have all sorts of money. I mentioned this to Dad, too and he told me there was all sorts of those postcards for sale everywhere, at most, they're worth about three dollars. Disappointment. But never mind, I wanted those postcards.

Back in Ottawa, I showed them to my room mate. He found a couple of postcards with very early motorcycles that might be worth a little and there is one photo of the Prince Of Wales mistress, who was an actress, worth about one hundred dollars. But I've decided to keep them. I read the writing on the back and found that E.S. Golder and his friends are the first generation of car crazy guys. They are constantly writing about the new invention, the motor car. It's too interesting to give up.

Then there were the old coins my mother had. We have a money museum in Ottawa and I've seen one coin we had two of. Both Ming Dynasty coins. They would have been worth millions but as befits 17th century coins, both had been worn away by handling over three hundred years. Still, it would be nice to have. My mom thought she could get a lot of money from it and sold it years ago. Dad says she got next to nothing.

But one thing I really wish I had now belonged to my room mates family. They were shipbuilders in Ireland and a 18th century shipbuilders tool kit had come down the family. I would love to see it. But alas, my room mate's brother sold it years ago.

So now I've run out of things I wish I had. But I'm going to keep everything and pass it on. Maybe they'll be more lucky.

Oprah-Zombies And Other Media-Induced Female Frenzies

I don't know why it is, but it seems women are more likely to be influenced by the media. Especially the show-biz media. You see women walking around and they look ordinary but they're not, they're Oprah-zombies! And their goal is to save the world by saving themselves. Meaning that they're going to wham you with their self-esteem and do all they can to help their children be superstars of life.

Now, don't get me wrong. You may as well be all you can be but I find that women will believe so much that they are told, that it leaves me gasping in wonderment. In fact, I find those ladies with all that self-esteem to be totally unmerciful towards others who may not be the same as them. What does this have to do with believing what you are told. Well, Oprah said this was good, to have self-worth would bring about great changes.

It has, but not always in a good way.

Take men, for instance. They will never say that so-and-so celebrity is a special person and you need to listen and learn from them. NO. Men will say, "This is a free country. Nobody can tell me how to think or what to think." Good for them, I say. We need men to keep a country free. Men will stand up for their rights to think and act as they will. Whereas women, at least Canadian women, will want to know what is right or best. And for that they turn to show-biz media and Oprah.

At least the Oprah-zombies aren't as bad as the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies who don't seem to believe that weaker women shouldn't be allowed their democratic right to walk down the street without fear of being savaged. What about hemophiliacs or arthritics? Why shouldn't they be able to say what they want without the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies threatening them?

I think the solution for women adherence to show-biz media is to teach very plainly while they are still children, the rights and obligations of every citizen of a free country. How it's almost a duty to stand up for those who oppose you opinion because in a free country all are entitled to their opinion. If no one stands up for others rights then we have a system where oppression of everyone's opinion becomes possible.

Just like the women who use the justice system to solve their problems. If nobody tells the truth and we let innocent people sit in jail then what's to stop the police from picking up anybody they don't like.

So hopefully, media-induced female frenzy is just a passing thing and our children will be taught about freedom and not Oprah's dream for a better world. A free country is the best world we can hope for.