Wondering what happened to the Voice Writing Contest entries? There’ll be more information on that in next week’s issue of The Voice Magazine, suffice it to say that we’re now in the process of contacting some of the winners and making sure all the t’s are dotted and the i’s are crossed. Or however it’s supposed to go.
Meanwhile, in Alberta, once again we’ve moved to slightly stricter disease control measures. Alberta has the twin distinction of having the highest per-capita case load and the strongest dissension toward doing anything about it, right up to almost the highest levels in our provincial government. It’s almost like the two things are related.
I’ve been lucky enough so far to not know anybody who’s been taken down by COVID-19. Not officially, anyway. I do have one family member who passed in the last couple months from lung related issues, and another who recently had a stroke – a blood-flow related issue. COVID-19, incidentally, is most known to cause problems with blood clots and with our lungs. But perhaps that’s just coincidence.
I just have a hard time understanding people who are so incensed by being asked to wear a piece of clothing, and to generally stay home or at least away from other people. I can understand those who fear not having money to pay their bills because they can’t work—that makes sense to me, but why try to claim that the problem is attempting to protect ourselves from a public threat rather than the government not providing proper support to those who are forced to suffer because of that threat? I get that you need to pay your bills. Why get so angry at the government saying “Stay safe” instead of angry with them for not saying “Here’s some help while you do.”
As to what to say to the people who try to claim it’s some sort of government conspiracy to get more control over us, I have no clue other than, “Why would they bother?” I mean, really, what’s the benefit to whatever mysterious cabal must exist to demonstrate that they can make us all wear masks or avoid working? “It makes us dependant on government!” is the occasional rejoinder. Again, to what end? Is there really a future out there where it’s thought people might choose to disband government entirely, and that that would be a good thing, but it can’t happen if people rely on the government for assistance? I don’t think so. Besides, I’ve talked to some politicians. Generally, I find they’re neither smart enough nor patient enough to create a plan that doesn’t reach it’s end point before the next election cycle starts.
Honestly, I think it’s people trying to justify that they just don’t like the situation and don’t want to have to live in a reality where it’s happening. Kind of like paying taxes to receive services. And for Albertans, why not? We were able to ignore that ugly taxation for services reality for a quite a while with our oil and gas bonanza, why should a diseased reality be any different. They also don’t like the idea that there may be some issues that good ol’ nose-to-the-grindstone individual work-ethic can’t solve. Unfortunately, there’s little time to indulge these people anymore. Sooner or later when reality and ideology clash, reality wins. I think we’re very close to reaching that point here in Alberta.
In the meantime, this week in The Voice Magazine, our feature interview is with our own Chef Corey, there’s more to him than just recipes, and now you can find out what! Plus news, course reviews, lists to keep you amused, articles that might leave you bemused, recipes that deal with foods culturally fused, scholarships so your wallet’s not so bruised, events you can schmooze, and more—you can’t lose! Enjoy the read!