Rob Ford and the TCHC

I can’t say that I’m a fan of Rob Ford.  He demonstrated in his campaign and in some shallow decisions since his election that he is a knee jerk conservative with very limited vision.  But credit where credit is due.  Sometimes knee jerk, no nonsense decisions are warranted, and in the case of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation a swift kick in the butt is a totally justified idea.  Reports of spending abuse that is likened to corruption in a Third World country is a disgrace to both taxpayers and government.

The kind of conservative outlook that Mayor Ford represents has its place in politics.  In the case of the Wisconsin teachers conflict in the states, there is probably no doubt that a conservative attitude towards a union dominated public service has some merit.

The problem is that conservatives of this sort, though useful in some situations, seem to only have one size brush.  The tendency is to paint everything with a paint roller, without consideration for subtlety or alternative perspectives.

Anyway, credit where credit is due.

Costa Rica #2

I’m finally home but really only have two days before heading out again for the weekend.  I’m hoping that my life will resume at some level of normalcy starting next Monday.

In the meantime, let me give a few more impressions of my visit to Costa Rica.  I can’t stress enough the ways that I was impressed by the country ad people.  There was a positive glow throughout my entire stay, eminating from a population that was cooperative and friendly.  It was as if someone had convinced an entire country that they had a personal stake in projecting a friendly, warm feeling.

An example of this was when we finished a difficult hike to a waterfall at one of the National Parks.  As we came in, it started raining and we got a bit wet, although the temperature was still comfortable.  We headed for a small roofed snack bar and ordered some cervezas for refreshment.  Imperial Beer in Costa Rica is good quality and cheaper than soft drinks or bottled water.  The owner came out to greet that large group of foreigners and about ten minutes later appeared with a huge pineapple platter simply as a courtesy.  He stayed and joked with us for a while, then went back to his business.  The gesture was simply one of good will and friendship.  We encountered similar displays almost everywhere that we went.  These people know how to make you feel welcome and your business appreciated.

They are also very proud of their country’s accomplishments.  One guide proudly told us that a recent emphasis on education has resulted in a 98% literacy rate.  He also spoke of the country’s “socialized medicine” that insures all people get needed medical attention.  Costa Rica is not a communist country, but would probably be regarded as a social democracy, with a majority of people taking their duyt to vote very seriously.

Investment in social programs and in the infrastructure necessary to support the country’s booming tourism industry is possible because of one very important decision.  Costa Rica has not had an army since 1948.  The money that many countries pour into military budgets is available for government projects aimed at helping and supporting their population.  There is a strong local police force and other federal law enforcement, but no military.  We’ve seen the result of that decision before.  After WW2, both Germany and Japan were forbidden to maintain an army.  This resulted in freed up funds that made these two countries the most profitable economies in the latter part of the 1900’s.  Costa Rica seems to benefiting the same way from this wise decision.

I would recommend this country as a destination for vacations.  The only drawback is that the weather in the mountain regions is unpredictable.  As we were told many times, “This is a rain forest, you know.”  There is a dry and wet season, but we were in the interior during the “dry” season and got quite a few days of downpour.  The interior valley where San Jose is located and the coastal beach areas are a little more predictable.  It is the kind of travel location that I would look forward to revisiting.