570News Blog: Kate Stockmann

Last night, the memorial to fallen firefighters at Queen’s Park was vandalized.

 The moron’s threw black paint on the monument and wrote anti-government slogans with red spray paint.

Why? The men and women honoured by the monument sacrificed their lives saving others. They made something of themselves.

 You don’t make an effective political statement by dishonouring honourable people and ticking other people off. However, these vandals did a great job at letting everyone know they are complete losers.

I’m willing to bet the idiots that defaced the memorial will amount to nothing. This will be the most noteworthy thing they ever accomplish.

 I think they should have to apologize to every single person related to every firefighter named on that memorial.

Show some respect.

Kate

I love oatmeal. It’s become my new favourite food.

It’s perfect for a mid-afternoon snack, energy boost before a run or comfort food when you’re feeling sad.

Not only that, it’s low in fat and has lots of fibre.

 My favourite is maple and brown sugar flavoured. I think because that’s what mom kept in the pantry.

Funny how a packet of oatmeal-goodness can make you feel so warm and fuzzy!

Kate

Now that spring is here, running season for me has begun in earnest.

Well, maybe not that earnest. I’m signing up for both a 5k and a half marathon this year. I’ll be running each race with one of the other ladies from the news room.

 I’m a great distance runner. I can go forever without getting tired. The problem is, I’m the tortoise not the hare.

 I’ve come up with every excuse in the book to avoid running sessions with the girls. It’s embarrassing having people wait for you.

Although, if you watch fitness shows on TV, having someone push you is the best way to get results.

As we say on our station ball team, it’s time to “man up.”

Kate

The entire world has been gripped by the story of Elisabeth Fritzl, the Austrian woman held captive by her father for 24 years.

 She was kept in the cellar of her family’s home the entire time and had seven children with her father.

According to media reports,  her mother believed she had run away to be with a cult, occasionally abandoning babies on her parents door step with notes saying she could not care for them.

 How did she not know? Even if she truly believed her daughter had run away, did she ever wonder what her husband was up to in the cellar, and why he guarded it so fiercely?

She must have known something was amiss. Maybe she had no idea of the horror of what was down there, but surely, in 24 years, she had a suspicion.

She may be as much a victim in this as her daughter, but I can’t help feeling angry with her. She could have called the police, had them investigate what her husband was guarding down there.

In two decades, surely she suspected something.

 Kate

I was walking to work the other day, and this young guy rides past me on a bike.

He was wearing pants about 5 sizes too big pulled down so you could see his underwear.

 I know, for some people this is a fashion statement. But seriously, how can you not be embarrassed?

Those rappers on TV are at least wearing expensive, designer undies. One could make an argument that they want to show them off.

 But when you are riding a bike in downtown Kitchener with your Walmart-specials hanging  out,  worn so thin they could be saran wrap, all you’re saying is: “hey I haven’t bought gotchies since ‘97.”

Since when was that cool? Pull your pants up.

 Kate

Pop star and Disney darling Miley Cyrus is in trouble with fans for posing for racy photos.

The Star of the Hannah Montana series says she thought the pictures taken for Vanity Fair were artistic but is now embarrassed by them.

Ya think? You have a 15 year old girl covered by only a sheet with her back exposed. That’s not art, that’s child pornography.

What’s worse, her “handlers” and family were at the photo shoot and loved the pictures at the time. 

Pardon me for being graphic but for argument’s sake lets say that same picture was taken in a dingy basement with a digital camera by a family member and posted on the Web. Someone would be doing hard jail time for it.

I’m shocked celebrity photography Annie Leibovitz took the picture. I would have thought she surely would have been sentitive to the fact she was photographing a child.

Kate

I’ve been on a “green” kick for a while now, being a big fan of Waterloo Region’s Green Bin program.

There’s a new program of sorts circulating around the web: The 3 Minute Shower.

Apparently, showering for 3 minutes uses as much water as a person in a third world country uses for their entire days activities.  That include bathing, food and drinking.

I’ve been feeling really guilty about the length of my showers ever since I read that. I’ve tried to keep my showers to 3 minutes.  But between the shampoo, conditioning, soap and shaving I just can’t do it.

 It’s my own shame that I just can’t be more efficient in the shower. Some people I’ve read about can even get their teeth brushed in those 3 minutes.

I’m going to keep working on limiting my shower time, and I challenge you to do the same.

 Kate

Today in the Legislature,  Liberal backbencher, David Orazietti is proposing a bill that would make it okay to apologize. That’s right, we need permission for that kind of thing.

 Right now, under the law, if a doctor for example makes a mistake and says they are sorry, it can be used against them in civil court.

Orazietti’s Apology Act will allow people to say they are sorry without worrying it will be used against them.

 The Ontario Medical Association, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and patient’s rights advocates all support the measure.

People feel remorse, it’s only natural. I’d like to think most people are good people and would like to express that remorse. But in our lawsuit-happy society, the legal system twists that into an admission of guilt.

I hope this bill passes. It will bring a little humanity back into the world.

Kate

The weather this week is supposed to be in the double digits every day!

 Even though these temperatures come with a bit of rain, I’m still excited for the warm weather.

For the first time in a long time, I went for a jog outside this past weekend and it felt great!

It’s amazing how a little exercise and sunshine can improve a person’s outlook.

I hope this weather is here to stay and we won’t relapse into winter.

Kate

By law, cyclists have to use roadways and are not permitted to ride their bikes on side walks.

 Presumably this is to prevent injury and upset to pedestrians using side walks.

I would never describe myself as a math wizard, but two equations have me thinking politicians should take a second look at this legislation:

1) bicycle + pedestrian = minor injury, possible broken bones

2) bicycle + automobile = major injury, possible death

A lot of cyclists are little kids. If everyone just paid attention to their surroundings, we could save lives.

 Kate