Once upon a time there was a cute little Chev Cobalt. Donna liked to drive her Cobalt, although random accidents like rear-enders and deer that run up from behind and jump do tend to happen.

One day Donna’s dad kindly took it in to a GM dealer for routine maintenance and under-warranty repairs. When the Cobalt was returned to Donna’s dad it had damage caused by careless employees who managed to have an accident en route to the drop-off point. The dealer/owner was sorry and apologized, promising to fix the damage at no cost and also would provide a rental vehicle, again at no cost.

The next week, Donna’s dad took it back to the dealer to have the damage repaired — and returned home with a black Cadillac, which Donna felt completely lost in. Driving it was like driving the lead car of a funeral procession. When the car was reportedly repaired, the Cadillac-Cobalt swap was completed. However, the swap was greeted with news that the Cobalt was not repaired properly — much to the dismay of Donna, her parents, and the dealer/owner. In fact, with every opportunity to look closer at the vehicle, mounting evidence of carelessness and incompetence abounds.

This week, after a successful getaway at a music camp, we’re back on our quest to see the poor little Cobalt repaired properly. Concerns remain — what underlying structural problems might exist which made it difficult to repair/line things up properly? How can we take their word that the vehicle is structurally sound, considering this track record? How come they skimped and utilized used car parts? Why so careless when they were the reason it needs to be fixed in the first place? Why do I have to endure follow up survey phone calls and emails for the original maintenance work when this is still ongoing?

Tuesday, we get a second opinion on what needs to be done. After that… I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I just know that I’m mad…. and I don’t get mad often. This can’t be a good thing.

Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko” was featured on CBC Newsworld’s “The Passionate Eye” tonight.  So here is my movie review.  Actually it’s only a partial movie review… I only saw the last half-ish or so.  And not really a review — more of a recommendation to watch it if you haven’t yet.  And technically it’s a documentary and not a movie.  So far this blog post is going really well.  LOL

But Michael Moore’s look at the American health care system (comparing it to other countries throughout the world including Canada, the UK, France, and even Cuba) is truly eye opening.  It makes me glad to be in Canada.  It makes me vaguely interested in moving to France.  (If you watch it, you’ll understand why!)  But also makes me question why the Canadian (Ontario, even) way of doing healthcare is… so… incomplete.

I’m grateful for good insurance through my employer… I do recall days where I didn’t have any.  And I’m grateful for essential coverage through the provincial government… again, especially for times when I didn’t have anything else to fall back on.  But why is everything about money?  Healthcare should be an example of something that is solely about quality.  I know that, at present, I’m not informed enough to contrast and compare with specifics and hard, cold facts.  But I’ve had just enough firsthand experience over the years to know that the healthcare workers don’t get what they deserve or need (at least not the good ones!) and often enough neither do the patients.

Anyway – watch the film.  Think for yourself.  Ask questions.  Covet change and work toward that change.

It’s the start of April and in southern Ontario, and many other locations in the eastern part of North America, we’re getting snow.  Some people talk like this is a strange thing.  But it’s not really.  It’s just an unwanted thing.  It isn’t uncommon to see snow for a few days in April and even into May.  I don’t really consider it a freak thing.  It maybe doesn’t happen every year, but I’ve seen it happen enough times in my life that I don’t complain too much about it.  I don’t like it… I don’t hide that, but I accept that it happens.

One thing that really does not fall into the category of accepted things would be the Blue Jays fans at the SkyDome (I know, I know… the Rogers Centre) tonight for the season opening game against the Detroit Tigers.  So, the dome is closed and the natives are stressed out by the snow, but throwing things on the field???  Seriously?!???  How old are we??

1)  The home team was well in the lead for the entire game… even if the come-from-behind speciality of the Tigers seemed a possibility at one point.  So why are the home team fans even thinking that this is an acceptable thing to throw objects out on the field?  What point does this make other than “We’re ignorant, rude Canadians who are ungracious hosts to the visiting team?”

2)  Even if people are ridiculous enough to counter by saying that, somehow, this is “part of the game”… how is also potentially endangering the home team members seen as something worth risking?

3)  Then there is the booing… how was booing the visiting team after throwing things at them making anything better?  I mean, sure, the Tigers were able to break the momentum of the Jays by taking that break from the field.  But it’s within the rules of the game to do what they did, and there was a legit concern.  And then booing after the announcer said not to throw things on the field?  Oh grow up!

4)  And my favourite… the stupidity of (hopefully only a few) fans could have cost the Jays the entire game.  Way to go there… the massive lead almost lost because people don’t know what kind of conduct is appropriate in public?  Or how to be civil to guests in your “home”.

What a loss of respect we have for humanity.  How easily it flies out the window in the name of “sport”, when there is nothing sporting about the behaviour at all.  (See my unwritten blog post about why I don’t like hockey too much because of the fighting, etc.)

For somebody who is considering following baseball again this year after a long (long, long) hiatus, this was a disappointing start.  And the Jays played well.  Way to go Jays!  But yah, the fans at that game should apologise to the Tigers.  And most importantly, shape up for the rest of the season.  I sure won’t be going to any games if that’s the way it’s going to be… besides the players, it’s not safe for the fans either.