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.

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.