Archive for July, 2013


Washington DC – the beauty of a city

Filed under: TRAVELS — Leave a comment
July 13, 2013

I have visited Washington DC several times to visit family. Once summer 2001 and then twice in 2002. When the situation had changed in the inner City and most of the famous landmarks and wonderful museums, like the Smithsonian. Much more restrictive checking of purses upon entering. I also at that time did some research at the Library of Congress and obtained a temporary library card. It had been a long and arduous process. I love Washington DC especially old Georgetown, with its old brown stone houses, some from the 17th century. And the shady old walkways along the canals. I stayed at that time near Dupont Circle, historic District in NW Washington, one of the best areas, an easy walk to the Washington Zoo, the Smithsonian National Zoo. One of the landmark Zoo’s in the world. [ http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ ] Admission was free. At the time of my visit I had been lucky enough to also view a couple of new born baby animals, a most adorable little playful elephant, and several tiger cubs. What a treat ! Georgetown is fantastic with its indoor international markets and the little Cafe’s and boutiques. I would love to re-visit, but I think it will never be the same. Near the home we stayed (an old greystone house) it was also an easy walk to Dumbarton Oaks Park

[ http://www.doaks.org/gardens ]. Very enjoyable end educational experience. 

What I liked best about this city are the many international book stores, one just around the corner to read newspapers in the Cafe and buy books. They even had editions of ASTERIX & OBELISK in French.

I put together one video of images of locations in the city and also Alexandria and Baltimore Harbor, that we visited. I have many more pictures, but some still in print. Followup later. 

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Smoking in the Work Place – TCPL Resources

Filed under: LIFE STORIES — Leave a comment
July 6, 2013

 

Smoking in the work place 24/7. What does the World Health Organization say about this ?

“As a matter of social justice, human suffering related to work is unacceptable. Moreover, appreciable financial losses result from the burden of occupational and work related diseases on national health and social security systems, as well as from their negative influence on production and quality of products. All these adverse consequences, which are economically costly to employers and to society, are preventable through measures which have been known for a long time, and which are often of low cost.”

During the 1980s heavy smoking had still been allowed in the work place, despite of the fact that inside the high-rise downtown Calgary buildings (oil companies mostly) Warnings were posted inside the elevators: SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED. Think about it.

What does it feel like to work daily in such an environment: You arrive at 8 am in the morning at your workplace, either office space, or as in the Computer & Data Processing departments more often than not ‘cubicles’, meaning low partitions and one large area shared by many. Then once many smokers have lighted up, as a non-smoker you start inhaling the deadly fumes.

Within a few hours you start trembling and feeling like your body really wants it, but your brain does not. That is what we call ‘secondary smoke inhalation addiction’. What follows: chronic allergies, respiratory problems. I had my first sinus surgery in 1983 following extensive tests to all sorts of allergens, TOBACCO bringing out the worst reactions.

Bottom-line: At TCPL (Trans Canada Pipelines) Resources I made a few comments on this, the situation was well known to the company. Eventually during the oil industry downturn following the years 1985 I got laid off with a Micky mouse severance pay of $14,000 (after 7 years in the Calgary oil industry, no pension), while the heaviest smokers on my IS project team stayed.  As per TCPL Resources, this process can be referred to as their own little version of “social justice”. 

[s.a. http://renataveritasopinion.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/tcpl-resources-trans-canada-a-history/ ; http://renataveritasopinion.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/secondhand-smoke-tcpl-resources-ltd/ ; https://renataveritashistory.com/2013/07/03/trans-canada-pipelines-tcpl-resources/ ;

SMOKING CAN KILL – the Lung Association British Columbia : [http://www.bc.lung.ca/ ] [ http://www.ilo.org/safework_bookshelf/english?content&nd=857170157

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