• Some Quotes and Links Summer 2022 Since closing OIRF in June 2018, my employment status and work has been described as “supposed-to-be-retired” and I have happily continued regular – if shortened – working hours in my tiny home office. For now, I offer my sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your recent emails and phone calls. My 101 year old mother is approaching the end of her life and although she is now in a care home I remain her primary care giver. [...]

  • May 2022 These have been dramatic times. The pandemic seems to be easing until the next scare-tactic takes over the media narrative, the war in the Ukraine, the terrible loss of life to senseless shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX along with out of control politics and economics leaves each of us wondering how we can regain control of the craziness. Every day I remember that comment overheard at one of my online conferences that the only difference between a conspiracy theory and a conspiracy is usually only [...]

  • Birthdays, Philosophy & Exit Strategies With the culmination of the 101st Birthday celebrations and activities for my beloved Mom Catharine, I’ve once again found myself wandering through the newsletters and ever changing information about the virus, the vaccines and the possible resolutions for the health of our families and patients. I’ve stated it before that without a doubt, this is a unique time in history – for conventional medicine, so-called alternative medicine, politics, economics and society as a whole. I am not so prideful and [...]

  • March 2022 There was a night recently where thoughts whirled and sleep escaped me. Rather than stew in frustration, I did a “Carolyn” and just sat at my computer in the early hours of a new day and wrote – just notes and thoughts and an attempt to make sense of recent events. It is certainly a turbulent and highly charged time in history. As I’ve mentioned before, I believe this is the time of millennial transition that many expected in those first few years of this 21st century. [...]

  • Rhetoric, Politics, History and Points to Ponder 09 February 2022 These are interesting and maddening times, are they not? But times of change – those moments of Kairos – are certainly never easy to participate in. In recent weeks I’ve had several reminders of the past and of the history that have once again compelled me to put my fingers to the keyboard and “spit it out” as the old saying goes. On the day I began writing, I was filled with optimism. In spite of the promise that [...]

  • January 2022 In a way, so much of the year 2021 was depressing and frustrating, and represented a time when as a people and as practitioners we simply had no control over the events and consequences of the pandemic narrative. I closed my 2021 messages on what I hope was a strong note of optimism. I have come to the understanding that this is the way of our “new reality”. We have come through the transition from pre-pandemic life and have arrived into the present situation that we must [...]

  • December 2021 During these final days of 2021 it is difficult to believe and understand the ongoing challenges of the p(l)andemic that have now extended into two years. My interest and curiosity about the history and background of our field has bored many during my lectures, but I still believe Sir Winston Churchill’s words: “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Today, most people hear the news on TV and whether they like our current political leaders or not, are beginning to wonder “what [...]

  • November 2021 In a talk by Melissa Spas (who serves as the Director of Education and Engagement for an organization called the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving) she commented that “the dominant expectation of our economy is scarcity and competition, and the shadow side of scarcity is greed.” Scarcity, competition and greed – does that ring true for the pandemic situation we are currently facing? Biblical scholar Marcus Borg uses the term “domination system” in his writings, which he says refers to “what is commonly called ‘systemic injustice’ [...]

  • Early and Post Tx, un-Vax’d and Post-Vax, 5G October 2021 Intro Comments In all the many years I have looked at vaccinations, I have had one straightforward and strong message: Vaccines should never be mandated or required, especially for children. Immunization should always be individually chosen and only after consideration of all aspects of the vaccine – informed consent of the individual, parent or caregiver. The choice for each person to receive a vaccination, should be undertaken under the unbiased (non-peer or dictated) advice of their trusted health practitioner [...]

  • September 2021 Let me begin with a brief explanation and apology. The weeks of August and early September have been life transforming. My Mom and I managed to safely make our road-trip trek to Edmonton and back home only to find that it will be our last vacation or “escape”. Our Prime Minister called a snap general federal election to be held today (Sept. 20); new outbreaks of COVID have intensified even though nearly 80% of the eligible provincial population has received at least one jab; Health Canada changed [...]