Comments for David Swann's Blog

Comment on Join the Call for a Public Health Inquiry by Susan Wright

Susan Wright — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:57:45 +0000

David, you’re absolutely right about the need for a public inquiry and we, the public, must do everything we can to support your ongoing efforts. I’d add one more name to the list–in addition to writing to the Premier and the Health Minister, we should also write to our MLAs. Be they Conservatives, independents or a member of one of the opposition parties, they too need to hear from us on this critical issue.

Comment on The ER Crisis by Ray Blogging

Ray Blogging — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 03:16:19 +0000

I think we need an online survey, forum, blog that is outside of government control as many people are afraid of consequences to the delivery of services for themselves or relatives and they may also be afraid of consequences to their own careers or the careers of their relatives. My sister has a son who has missed 4 months of school waiting for tests and specialists. This is unacceptable. I have heard many other stories from many others. These stories are not being told because of fears that people have. This particular doctor also said, “if you are not satisfied with me as a family doctor, you can seek help from someone else.” we all know how hard it is to get a family doctor let alone a good one and we also do not want to get bumped to the end of the line. Doctors also document and these records are shared. What kind of service or where would one end up in the line if one complained. Many people consider the consequences that may follow if they were to complain and want their identity concealed for these reasons. When I looked around, the government tells people how and where they should complain – Alberta Health Services. We will never get the true stories of the people of Alberta on their concerns with the delivery of services communicating through a government department that delivers the most important service that will truly affect their life or the lives of their loved ones.
I am an educator and my wife is a nurse and I cannot identify myself as I am afraid of the consequences that this may have on myself, my wife, and the delivery of health services for my nephew. I cannot share my email or last name.

Comment on The ER Crisis by HGDreams

HGDreams — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:55:19 +0000

Holy Smoke Dr. Swann,
I have just read “Pulling Through” 4 pages of specific answers to the real issues.
Damn you can be good when you go for it!!!
My only criticism is there is no costing – But I am truely impressed that costing is possible from what you have articulated.
again,

DAMN FINE JOB!

Comment on On MLA Grey Cup Tickets by HGDreams

HGDreams — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:32:33 +0000

I would not have had you decline the tickets, I would have preferred you contribute them to the children of underprivledged parents. Imagine the poor sitting amoung the rich MLAs, how could they be ignored. You may not have gained any freinds in the House, but yoou would have put a face on the dispairities of income amoung Albertans.

Comment on Dr. Stephen Duckett by sheila hogan

sheila hogan — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 03:30:08 +0000

I just read your comments on improving the er crisis. Many of them have promise, but I have serious concerns about your suggestion to get an emergency task force of top tier professionals to get people moving through emergency rooms. One of the major failings of the AHS board was to completely shake up the management structure and to ignore the concerns and input of front line staff. To address the pressing concerns, the front line staff, including front line nurses (the largest professional front line group) must be included in creating solutions. ER nurses, the nurses union, and representatives of all areas affected, including long term care, mental health and acute care nurses must be part of the decision making. The upper echelon have failed us to date. You rightly noted that top down management must be changed, that must start right now in finding solutions.

Comment on Dr. Stephen Duckett by SFriesen

SFriesen — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:27:46 +0000

I am unclear why there is not support by the opposition for Mr. Duckett who came in and took on the impossible task of changing the direction of a healthcare organization sitting idle only because of the short term political strategies of this government. Have Mr Duckett’s actions as CEO demonstrated he was not making the best of really bad situation? If the opposition is openly critical of Mr Duckett, perhaps I have misinterpreted his actions as demonstrating that he was working hard to improve quality through sustainable public healthcare? He obviously was not a great politician but did we just lose a strong leader in an experimental organization that no one is qualified to run? Please consider these honest questions regarding your position and not contribution to the passionate public sarcasm that seems create significant challenge to real debate.

Comment on On the Release of the New Environment Policy by California Hal

California Hal — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:34:42 +0000

CCS News from Alberta, The Netherlands, and North Dakota – POWERnews

OOPS … let us not consider CO2 as a waste disposal problem … it should be use as an energy resource. There are current processes that take CO and add H2 and make synthetic fuel, which we badly need.

This liquid fuel fits our current infrastructure for distribution and is CARBON NEUTRAL! Why put all that energy into disposal of a needed product when it can help solve the worlds energy needs.

Fusion Power Corporation has just the proposal to do this!

The Technology – FPC’s power plant design is based on known ion beam and accelerator technologies using the 1970’s concept wherein beams of heavy ions are accelerated to about half the speed of light before impacting a pellet containing frozen deuterium-tritium. The total beam energy needed to initiate fusion reactions – several megajoules deposited in nanoseconds – can be delivered by the heavy-ion beams using currently known technology, with more energy, efficiency and much higher repetition rates compared to state of the art laser fusion technology. The heat from the fusion reaction will be transferred to a working fluid inside the chamber and will subsequently be used to produce H2 for synthetic carbon neutral fuel production and to produce steam to drive a conventional steam turbine for the generation of electricity. Tritium gas, produced from neutron reactions with the lithium surrounding the fusion, will be captured and used as fuel in subsequent reactions. Virtually no radiation reaches the wall of the reaction chamber so essentially no long-life radioisotopes are produced. Those that are present in the lithium-based coolant material will be scavenged as the working fluid is reprocessed (estimated to be only kilograms per year).

This technology is not truly new, but many elements of it are refined by IP that is covered in a pending patent or is subject to proprietary processes licensed by the Corporation.

Visit http://www.fusionpowercorporation.com for more info.

Comment on “Global Warming: A Real Solution” by Oscilloscope :

Oscilloscope : — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:43:59 +0000

solar water heaters are also energy savers, they help me save electricity bills from each month,~’

Comment on The Kitimat Connection by HGDreams

HGDreams — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 20:02:15 +0000

The Pipeline proposal, as I understand it, is for bitumen to be piped with dilutents to Supertankers at Kitimat. The Supertankers would then transport the raw product to China and the Asian countries for refining.
How does Dr. Swann imagine that he will prevent the loss of upgrading jobs to the lower wages and environmental standards in other countries?

Comment on The Future of Oil & Gas by HGDreams

HGDreams — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 01:02:16 +0000

Start by acknowledging that there is a difference between nat gas and Unconventional nat gas. The ground water issues, from fracturing rock formations to release nat gas, are a shadow economic cost that is not being properly accounted for by the industry, regulators or environmental monitors.

The cost of nat gas has receeded and conversion from coal to nat gas electrical generation is necessary.

EPCOR has sold Capital Power and now Cap Power intends to sell the 30% they have in the LP (limited partnership) which owns almost all of Cap Power’s nat gas generation capacity. Why????
The LP has PPAs (Purchase Power Agreements) which were signed when gas was $15….

Who is making the money?? Maybe a Con or two???

Don’t tell me that this is a municipal issue, this is an issue for all of Alberta and the Oil Sands resource!

Comment on Rethink Alberta should rethink its own strategy by HGDreams

HGDreams — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 17:14:43 +0000

No one seems to recall that EPCOR owned Capital Power, still owns 72% (though Edmontonians gave up thier controlling voting rights), and derive most of Alberta’s electrical generation from coal. A simple decision by visionaries would have us using 55% less polluting natural gas for generating electricity, with the higher cost automatically (Mr. Smith’s hidden hand) encouraging resource conservation.
The issue of carbon reduction through sequestration is a lie!
Sequestration does not reduce carbon production, just changes where that carbon resides – in Alberta’s ground, or in the World’s air !
As an Albertan I know where I would like to dump my carbon.

Comment on “Global Warming: A Real Solution” by Eva Campbell

Eva Campbell — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:47:06 +0000

global warming would only increase if we keep on polluting the environment’;.

Comment on The Kitimat Connection by HGDreams

HGDreams — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:18:43 +0000

Maybe the reason that no comment is the prevelent result of Swann’s Song ( my name for his blog ) is that the Editor is of the same opinion as the DRP, that is this is a forum for the promoters, not the thinkers (disagreable proponents ) . The Pipeline Dr. Swann is in favor of is not an acceptable risk in terms of the environment for many.

Comment on Our Kids are our Future – Why are we Failing to Support Them? by Judy J. Johnson

Judy J. Johnson — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 02:41:45 +0000

I agree Dr. Swann that Alberta’s greatest asset is its children. Governments need to provide adequate resources for the next generation if those youngsters are to eventually build strong, supportive communities that sustain productive lives. A government that forgets its children of today are the hope for tomorrow needs to be replaced. It’s time for a Liberal government with Dr. Swann as our next premier.

Comment on Our Kids are our Future – Why are we Failing to Support Them? by Judy J. Johnson

Judy J. Johnson — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 02:31:39 +0000

I agree Dr. Swann that our greatest resource is our children and grandchildren. Governments need to provide adequate resources for the next generation if that generation is to grow up to build strong, supportive communities that sustain productive lives. A government that forgets its children of today are the best hope for tomorrow; a government that overlooks our most crucial asset, needs to be replaced. The Alberta government’s negligence