(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

This appeared in todays newspaper. The wordings of the original letter are in bold, our comments are in italics.

Important update from Toyota Canada. (Good, we do need an update urgently from the horse’s mouth)

There has been a lot of talk about Toyota. (This comes across really cold, it is not the time to be objective, should take the first chance available to apologize, to gain people’s sympathy and respect.)

Here are the facts for our customers. (Yes, the truth, nothing but the truth.)

Your safety remains our number one priority: (point taken, but doesn’t reflect in recent developments.)

          • In the interest of our customers, Toyota has and will continue to thoroughly investigate concerns related to our products and address issues that are identified. (The problem is, how long will that take, e.g. the Prius brake, we know there is a problem, even recall taking place in Japan, but how come this still needed thorough investigations here in North America, and recalls only announced today? Aren’t they the same problem? It gives us the impression that it has to be pushed or cornered before Toyota will act on it, hiding behind the screen of ‘thorugh investigations’.)

          • We will continue to take appropriate measures to remedy any problems, should they arise, and will notify our customers as quickly as possible. (Too little, too late? We are still waiting patiently for the recall of the sticky gas pedal ! So what are we to do in the mean time, just spray it with WD40 ?)

The latest update on the sticking accelerator pedal recall:

          • All Dealers have received repair and Toyota trained technicians have begun to modify affected vehicles. (Yes, we saw that little gadget on TV, is that all we need, then why take so long to come up with that solution? There are expert opinions in the States and England that the gadget may not solve the problem, the sudden acceleration may have something to do with the electronic throttle controls, what are you going to do about that, more thorough investigations?)

          • Our Dealers are here to service your vehicle, many will be working extended hours. (This has nothing to do with the Dealers ! We know they all are doing a fine job, it is their livelihood too that you have affected.)

Toyota vehicles are designed and manufactured with your safety in mind. Our worldwide organization has been mobilized and we are redoubling our efforts to improve and continue to provide our customers with quality products. (We beg to be different with all these problems swirling about. Show us by action, not empty words.)

Since we began selling cars in Canada more than 45 yeas ago, we have been committed to providing you with dependable, quality products. You, in turn, have rewarded us with your loyality and confidence. Our goal is to continue to earn that trust each and every day. (Or continue to earn our car payments 🙂 Again we like to see some concrete remedial examples done to provide quality products.)

For the latest information, please visit our updated website at toyota.ca, contact your Dealer, or our Customer Interaction Centre at 1-888-TOYOTA-8[1-888-869-6828]. (Toyota has the responsibility to provide updates of the situation constantly and regularly, instead of us to call or contact the dealers to find out ourselves. Again providing contact info is not enough with such important issues. Sorry to say, Toyota is not doing a good job in the crisis management.)

TOYOTA

In another news: “I don’t see Toyota as an infallible company that never makes mistakes,” President Akio Toyoda said at a press conference Tuesday in Tokyo. “We will face up to the facts and correct the problem, putting customers’ safety and convenience first.”     (Is this an apology or a condescending response? Is he really taking responsibility here? What do you think? )

All car companies have recalls once in a while, it is understable. But how you weather the storm depends on how you manage the crisis properly.

This may be the beginning of the end of the Toyota Family* !?

*Toyota Family referred to those households where every family member drives a Toyota.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

After all the hard work done for more than a year, finally we have a deal. A deal with Washington to circumvent the “Buy America” rules that have barred Canadian exporters from bidding on hundreds of millions of dollars in economic stimulus projects south of the border.

Beware, this is a Trojan horse.

It comes with a limited warranty and a condition.

A warranty that gives Canadian firms access to state and local projects funded by Obama’s year-old American Recovery and Reinvestment Act only.

It may be too late now to provide much help for Canadian companies hoping to bid on these urban renewal projects. Of the promised $275 billion (U.S.) in infrastructure projects, contracts worth $200 billion had already been handed out to American companies by the end of December, according to U.S. government reports. So we can only bid on the left over.

And then there is a condition that most Canadian provinces and municipalities have to permanently given up their highly-valued right to use government procurement to spur local economic growth by favouring homegrown goods and suppliers.

The question remains, by hurrying to market, are we giving away much too much to reach a compromise with Washington, and gain an inch by giving away a yard?

But all our political leaders are happy, ready to sign on the dotted line.

Is this the best they can wrestle out of the Obama administration? Unfortunately we are not in any strong economic position to bargain; unlike the Chinese, who can play hardball with the American.

Well, what do you expect from a government that closely follows the coattail of Obama. We were not able to fix our own 2020 carbon emission targets, not until two days after the American announced their objective. It was pointed out by some environmentalists; this would lead to a 2.5 percent increase in Canada’s CO2 emissions from 1990 levels.

Our banking system is more superior than the American, definitely with no cancerous sub-prime problem; and yet when the financial tsunami hit, we were pulled deeply into the rapid current by the American and subsequently drowned in this recession, just the same. Our economy relies too much on our neighbour. We are always the poor cousin of the American. And they show us no respect. BTW, Obama is not coming to the open ceremony of our Winter Olympic game. He is sending his vice president, Joe Biden. What do we expect anyway?

But still we welcome the Trojan horse with open arms. Pretty soon, our whole country, all our big corporations, will become the subsidiaries of the American Empire. Then we don’t even have to worry about the “Buy America” policy, we will be sucked into and become part of that family, after all.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

The Grinch a bitter, stubborn man, also a catlike control freak with a heart “two sizes too small,” lives on snowy Mount Sussex, a steep, 3,000-foot high mountain in WhoCareville, home of the merry and warm-hearted WhoCares. His only companions are his pack of faithful guard dogs. From his perch high atop Mount Sussex, the Grinch can hear the noisy demands and inquisitions that take place in WhoCareville. Frustrated of the WhoCares’ trouble making demands, he makes plans to close down the town hall, by means of perogation, to deprive them of their democratic rights of voicing their opinions. However, this triggers an uprising, WhoCares take to the street, to the Internet, to the news media to voice their discontent. He learns in the end that despite his success in shutting down WhoCareville from the WhoCares, The Great Inquisition persists just the same. He then realizes that his job is more than just fame and glory, more than just political skills, more than just ratings, it involves responsibility, decency and democracy . He absolutely hates all these. His heart shrinks another size. Instead of apologizing and recalling town hall at once, he cancels the spring break of the WhoCares.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

The 82nd Academy Award, i.e. the Oscars nominations for motion pictures were announced. The headline proclaimed: Oscars roam from outer space fantasy to earthbound reality with ‘Avatar,’ ‘Hurt Locker’.

Now I am confused, aren’t they all talking about the same war? In that far away planet called Earth, there is a little place called Iraq, with a massive underground treasure of black gold, that caused the big corporation to salivate. Under the disguise of fighting post 9/11 terrorism, with the pre-emptive strike on the illusive weapons of mass destruction (WMD), that “Inglourious Basterd” led us to believe, and plunged into another Vietnam quicksand of deathtraps. It is quite “An Education” for the past 8 years. That’s the “Precious” war that the movies are about, the war that we are pushed and tricked into. That is no “Avatar” fantasy, but all reality.

“A Serious Man” with a single-minded mentality, when his time is “UP”, and vacated the Office, he left everything “Up In the Air”, for others to clean out “The Hurt Locker”. But there are dangerous minefields everywhere, politically and economically. The whole world is in recession. People lost their houses, life savings and their livihood. Hope we won’t ended up in “District 9”-ish ghettos. This is a complete mess that no bomb squads will be able to defuse and clear. We are being “Blind Side”-ed but cannot afford to ignore any longer.

But where is Jake Sully when we needed him?

Oscar Nomination — Best Picture
• “Avatar”
• “The Blind Side”
• “District 9”
• “An Education”
• “The Hurt Locker”
• “Inglourious Basterds”
• “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
• “A Serious Man”
• “Up”
• “Up in the Air”

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

No cell-phones or text-messaging, while driving. This is the law.

Now with my hands freed up, I felt so empty, so restless, where to put those hands? Tied them to the steerling wheel, but one hand is more than enough; put them on the lap, on the arm rest, lean on the window-sill, or stick them out the window? May be I should hold on to something, a cup, the hand bag, a Kleenex or a cell-phone; no, I am not using it, just felt secure holding one.

I was told, keep my hands busy, while driving.

That I can do. For starter, every morning is a chore. I always run short of time. I have to extend my toiletries into the car. On my way to work, I finish combing my hair, put on make-up, lip-sticks, and eyeliners; sometime I have to curl my hair, or even to polish my nails, and floss my teeth.

If I still have time left, I try to relax with a cigarette (as long as this won’t ruin my health too much).

Sometimes I eat my breakfast or may be lunch in the car, then I am ready to work once I get to my destination.

Holding a cup of hot coffee with one hand and balance it between the legs is an acquired technique and an art of acrobatics. Just don’t get scalded by the hot stuff. Sure I can always sue McDonald. But it is not worth the suffering.

But my hands still feel restless, and I am bored too. Sing along karaoke with the radio, drum the beat on the steerling wheel, or wave my hands in the air like a conductor of an orchestra, these sure will keep them occupied.

If nothing works, do the crossword puzzle or sudoku; or even read a book and newspaper, while driving.

Oh, I am suffering from withdrawl. I joined the Cell/Blackberry Anonymous.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

The recession is far from over. President Obama just handed the Congress a $3.83 trillion new budget, a plan that forecasts the government spending a record $1.66 trillion more than it takes in through taxes. God bless the America almighty dollar. Our pocketbooks continue to suffer.

Drastic time needs drastic measures. We have been combing through our family budget with a surgical scapel.

For the food budget, it is a multi-tasking approach. Before grocery shopping, we go through the supermarkets’ flyers for sale items and clip coupons. We changed our diet, eat more vegetables than meat, cooking in bulk and freeze them. We eat more home cooked meals than the packaged frozen food now, and eat less out in restaurants. We have our own patch of garden in the backyard and grow vegetables for own consumption (may be a pig/chicken or two if the laws allowed). We bake our own bread. For the office, we bring coffee from home, less trips to Tim Horton and Starbuck, and drink water instead of juices and pops.

For leisure and entertainment, we cut back too. Instead of going out to movie theatres, we rent movies and watch as a whole family, and play board games more frequently. Instead of buying new books, we go to the library, although the Top Ten List will take a very long time to appear on the shelves, it is worth the wait.

For vacation, we try the new “staycation” way. We take short trips around town or do own designed walking tours, exploring the different ethnic sections of town. These are quite entertaining and educational, actually.

For clothing, we no longer go for the brand names alone. Price comes first. Swap shop may be another option. Also organizations like the FreeCycle Network (http://www.freecycle.org/) are springing up everywhere and quite popular, where people recycle their used clothing to others, free.

We are re-assessing our use of the cell-phones and Blackberries, and wonder why we spent so much on such communication devices. We even consider to cancell the TV cable and newspaper for now.

We ponder joining the Compact movement (or a variation of it), a movement that started in San Francisco a few years ago. Members promised not to buy anything new (except essentials like food, medicine, consumables such as shampoo, underwear etc) for one year. (http://sfcompact.blogspot.com/)

Yes, drastic time needs drastic measure. Frugality becomes our best friend.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Ring-ring-ring.

“Answer the phone,” My wife shouted from the bathroom.

“Let them leave a message, probably just telemarketing,” I shouted back.

Although we are listed in the “Don’t call” list, we still get these calls all the time. I tried not to talk to them at all cost.

But I am the exception.

We are a talkative nation. People carry their cell-phones everywhere, persistently chattering; on the street, on public transport, in restaurants, in theatres, at work, at home, while shopping, even in the washroom (public and private). Or people, with thumbs dancing on their Blackberry, text messaging, 140 words or less, on Twitter.

Years ago, when you saw someone mumbling or shouting to himself on the street, you tried to walk on the other side of the road, a madman, no doubt. But nowadays, if you look closely, it is only someone talking on the cell-phone.

“Honey, the on sale item sold out, you want a rain check? Or something else?”

“Hi, I found this sofa on sale, here let me send you a picture, what do you think?”

Communication of the masses. How convenient.

But research also showed, one in five car accidents are caused by drivers talking on the phone. Pedestrians killed while crossing the road talking on cell-phones.

Hence the hands-free law is in full effect now in both BC and Ontario.

But then there are still paranoia like me. I do have a cell-phone, but I kept it off all the time, and only switch it on when I want to dial out.

Ring-ring-ring.

“Hello, sorry, you get the wrong number.”

“What do you mean, dad, it’s me, your daughter.”

“Oh, I thought you are the telemarketing lady again.”

Hey, I got it. To cure our talkative habit, we should saturate all phones with telemarketing messages.

Or may be not, you will end up chattering endlessly with the telemarketing lady.

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

You yearn to travel. This urge grows proportionally with your age.

You used to believe, with the advance of technology, with the Internet, you can just sit in front of the computer, surf through all these websites, and can enjoy a virtual tour of all the far away wonders of this world, without even have to leave your chair at home.

But not so at all. As you count the number of years and days remaining to be on this earth, you want the real deal, to widen your horizon and knowledge, before your cataract-induced eye-sight, osteoporotic bones or the cholesterol plaqued heart failed you, and to whatever physical limitation you are bound in this later part of life, you just want to travel, to all those exotic places; you took trips and cruises far and near, just to keep yourself busy and the travel agencies wealthy.

You become the accidental traveller.

When travelled by air, as a young man, you always asked for a window seat, to be able to look out of the window, even if you could only see the white clouds. When you were married and have family of your own, you always ended with the middle seat, with wife on one side and kids on the other. But when the kids all grown up, you remained in the middle seat. Who wanted a stranger to sit between you, husband and wife. As you grew older, you tried to claim the aisle seat, more convenient to get up quickly for the washroom. But nowadays, you ended with two aisle seats, across from each other, as wife favours the aisle seat too.

Travel by car is another story. When kids were small. Before each trip, you always asked, “have everyone gone to the bathroom”? And during the summer holidays while on the road, you frequently heard, “dad, I have to go”, and you constantly looked out for an exit with a restaurant or gas station. But now it is wife who reminded you, “did you go to the bathroom”, before any trip. Otherwise you will ended up stopping on the side of the highway, for a quick relief.

So you become the accidental traveller, or is it the accident-prone traveller?

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

Yes Men News — Inspired by the  recall action of Toyota, Canadian PM is recalling parliament. He said the defective problems that led to the necessity of prorogation (a sticky pedal that caused parliament to accelerate and spin out of control) are identified, new designs have been made and he is ready to fix the problems.

Due to the unexpected Perogation Uprising, that spread from coast to coast, across Canada, with thousands of apathetic citizens took to the streets, and the elite opposition parties chattered for propositions to curb the prime minister’s power to suspend and prorogue future Parliament. His party’s rating is dropping. Mr. Harper finally is enlightened.

Extreme time called for extreme makeover.

He sent his ministers travelled all over the country, to photo-op sessions, and to look busy, even to endure with a pie in the face.

He stacked the Senate with Conservative-friendly folks.

In Davos Switzerland, he called on world leaders to embrace an “enlightened sovereignty” that puts the global good ahead of each country’s immediate self-interest. Armed with this new slogan and message (whatever it means), suddenly he acquired a new image, an image that is worthy of a worldly statesman. This time around he won’t be going to the washroom and miss the world leaders group photo-op in Davo.

An election is in the air, don’t you think so?

(Through Rose-Coloured Glasses)

 Steve Fonyo, Jr., is a Canadian who lost his left leg to cancer at age 12. He ran across Canada, from coast to coast, in marathon entitled the “Journey for Lives” to raise funds for cancer research. In doing so, he followed in the footsteps of Terry Fox; but unlike Fox, who had to abandon the Marathon of Hope when his cancer returned, Fonyo completed the coast-to-coast marathon and also completed a marathon across the United Kingdom. He raised 14 millions for cancer research. He received the Order of Canada. He accomplished all these before age 20. But unfortunately for Fonyo, he was on skid row in later life. He got in trouble with the law, convicted several times with drug use, drunk driving, forgery and assult. He suffered from depression. He is now in jail. His Order of Canada was taken away from him. It is a sad tale.

Clara Hughes is a Canadian cyclist and speed skater, and has won multiple Olympic medals in both sports. That makes her one of the few athletes to medal at both the Summer and Winter Games of the Olympics. She is a humanitarian and involved with Right To Play, an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization that uses sports to encourage the development of youth in disadvantaged areas. She is chosen as the Canadian flag bearer in this year’s Winter Olympic. But she was not always a role model. She had her tough time. Her downward spiral started when her parents split up when she was 9. She drank heavy and used drugs at a young age. She was a trouble child, until one day, when she was 16, she saw the Calgary Winter Olympic on TV and was impressed by the Canadian speed skater Boucher. She declared: “That’s what I want to be”. And she never looked back. She met a few excellent coaches and with endurance, dedication and perseverence, she stands proud today for her accomplishments.

Some observations: First half of your life is not as memorable as your second half. It’s your later life that counts. Want to be bad, do it early, before you become successful. Late bloomer is definitely better than early achiever. Somehow people appreciate you better as a rogue who turned gold, not vice versa.