How did we ever live without cell phones?
Dear Editor:
Roger Berrett of Shawnigan Lake (Herald letters, Feb. 21), I hear you. My wife and I are also snowbirding in Mexico and are at the mercy of the damn cell phone.
My wife has accepted the need for the contraption while I have not and when I see the majority of the human race looking ardently (talk to me, please someone) at the screen while walking, running, shopping and yes driving, I have to wonder, how did we get along before this intrusive gadget came to be.
And, to continue on here, I too have had the unpleasantness of dealing with the Canada Revenue Agency, while down here, attempting to sort out tax issues. They insist in the use of “My Account”, to communicate with them, using computers and cell phone and involves a lengthily sign in process where you have to give up your first born and after three tries you are locked out.
I was padlocked and took the approach of the hell with you if you don’t want to talk to me, and ignored them for a period of time. Wrong! They then tormented me with collection notices until I complied with the information they were after.
The moral of the story is one must accept technology advancements or you are left in the dust... I guess.
Paul Crossley
Penticton
Computer service incredibly frustrating
Dear Editor:
Isherwood needs help getting rid of Anti Norton which is interfering daily with his computer. I had my credit card number changed after Norton used it without my permission.
I have tried to phone them to cancel, but to no avail as I don’t want Anti Norton service.
On Wednesday, Norton shut my entire system down ordering me to shut the computer down completely and restart while its reprogrammed. Finally I got through to my service provider who informed me they are not affiliated with Anti Norton.
Tom Isherwood
Olalla
Agrees with opinion of letter writer
Dear Editor:
Kudos to Jackie Frederick and her letter to the editor (Herald, Feb. 22). She said it all very well and I can attest to the fact that she has been a long supporter of junior hockey.
Merle Waite
Penticton
A tribute to Collin: toughest guy I know
Dear Editor:
I’m a retired school teacher and have been a member at the YMCA in Rutland for 33 years, going there just about daily for my swim and workout.
Twenty years ago, I met a young lad working for maintenance in charge of cleaning and sanitation.
His name is Collin Morrison.
Over time, we became friends going to Dairy Queen for lunch and at times munching homemade beef jerky and shooting the breeze.
Collin always did a great job and earned everyone’s respect and friendship.
Collin has a disability and gets a pension, but he’s willing and able to work and make a contribution to society. His Mom Madelaine also works at the YMCA as a volunteer on Tuesdays.
Last year, while helping his brother Scott move, their van was struck on an icy mountain highway and Scott was killed.
Collin was severely injured spending many months in hospital and rehabilitation.
For many days, he was not able to process the news of his brother’s death. He underwent many surgeries, endured neverending pain and agony, but prevailed and soldiered on.
The community stepped up and raised funds and made Mom’s home wheelchair accessible.
Lifeguards Stan and Bill and maintenance chief Chuck gave the members frequent updates on Collin’s progress, and we could see there’s no quit in this silent hero, who’s an example for the unbeatable human spirit.
But fate wasn’t done with Collin yet. More slings and arrows. His Dad passed away, leaving Madelaine and her son with more grief and agony.
In one of our conversations, Collin told me that he’s persevering for her sake, as she lives for him. Hope eternal. Every breath he takes gives Mom more oxygen.
For the rest of us, let’s walk in his shoes — while he wishes he could — and put our troubles in perspective and quit our moaning and show gratitude for what we have.
A year later, Collin is continuing his comeback. Still wheelchair bound, he’s at the Y working out with a personal trainer to learn to walk again. No time to talk. While watching Collin do his thing, Mom looked at me and said, “He wants to come back to work, you know.” I’m not surprised. Collin’s the Livinator, the toughest guy I know.
“I’ll be back, baby. Hasta la vista.”
Michael Fischer
Kelowna
Drivers might be part of the problem
Dear drivers of Penticton:
I have been reading your letters to the editor complaining about the new bike lane design in our town, and I must say, I find your concerns to be rather amusing.
You see, a number of you seem to be struggling with the concrete barriers that have been installed to protect cyclists. You complain that they are difficult to navigate, that they will cause accidents, and that they will prevent emergency vehicles from passing through.
Well, let me ask you this: if you are such bad drivers that you can’t avoid hitting a cement lane divider, then perhaps you are precisely the reason why those barriers need to be there in the first place. If you can’t navigate a simple barrier, how can we trust you to safely share the road with cyclists and pedestrians?
And as for your concerns about emergency vehicles, I think it's safe to say that a fire truck or ambulance driver who can’t avoid hitting a stationary object probably shouldn’t be behind the wheel in the first place.
So let’s cut the nonsense. The fact is, the new bike lane design is meant to protect vulnerable road users from dangerous and reckless drivers. If you find it difficult to navigate the barriers, then perhaps you should take a closer look at your own driving habits and ask yourself whether you are part of the problem.
Chelsea Terry
Penticton
Justin Trudeau fails to unite Canadians
Dear Editor:
Justice Paul Rouleau has just delivered 2,000-plus pages of hot air on Justin Trudeau’s use and in my humble opinion the abuse of the Emergency Act.
Yes, Rouleau did say that the use of the Emergency Act was justified. But so much hot air and double talk in this decision that I think it is time for Justin Trudeau to get in a hot air balloon and fly away into the wild blue yonder.
Rouleau also said there was a failure of federalism. A failure of federalism is a failure of government and in this case the trail of that failure leads right to the door of the PMO office on Wellington Street in Ottawa.
Yes, Trudeau is a failure who has failed and continues to fail to unite Canadians. Instead of reaching out to a significant number of Canadians he engaged in divisive name calling, he restricted information and misinformed Justice Rouleau at the inquiry.
Pierre Poilievre goes as far as saying that this was an emergency created by Justin Trudeau.
First Reading from the National Post summarized it all: "Inquiry says emergency Act justified (but only because Canada was too broken)" and "Trudeau now says that he is sorry he called truckers a Fringe Minority."
In my humble opinion, saying sorry is not enough. That hot air balloon is patiently waiting.
The patience of many Canadians like myself is wearing thin.
Wayne Martineau
Fraser Lake
