Not as in Madonna is barely covered . . .
Here
Canadian, Conservative and Sour. Satire, Cynicism, Snark and Sarcasm is Often the Best Medicine............... Stephen Harper's Favorite Blog
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Lemon: He "Gets" My Three Favorites...
Guess Who?
Al Gore has been making the case lately that television, in particular, is one of the main agents of our social decay, that TV and the rush for ratings have pushed aside serious matters, deflected the intellect of North America toward the trivial and the inconsequential and away from the enduring and profound
Al Gore has been making the case lately that television, in particular, is one of the main agents of our social decay, that TV and the rush for ratings have pushed aside serious matters, deflected the intellect of North America toward the trivial and the inconsequential and away from the enduring and profound
Friday, June 29, 2007
Evening Lemons Report Duff June 29
Duff on Day of Action, Newfie Separation
HQ of Shawn Brant - Are Rosemary Thompson of CTV and Rosemary Barton of CBC the same person? Both in Deseronto and both wearing red. So confusing that the dude on CBC Newsworld early referred to his own CBC reporter as Rosemary Thompson. Ooops.
Question as they air film of 'warriors' in camo and face masks. If they have all that surplus energy to push buses across tracks and pull trees down, why can't they get up the energy to go to college and get a job?
No one in the media refers to Brant et al as terrorists. I guess this proves terrorism works.
Duff still wants to give credit to Fontaine - who wants more education funding when no indian has ever had to pay for a university education in Canada and no white person has ever had his or hers fully paid for by the FedGov.
Long media conference with the real hero for Canadian aboriginals, Jim Prentice. He still not to get any credit.
Duff with Shawn Brant - Duff knows where this fugitive is, why doesn't the OPP?
Doesn't mention that Brant has absolutely no official role within the First Nations nor his local band. He is an outlaw terrorist from the USA. He should be in jail. He says he ready to go, are the OPP ready to take him?
Duff speaks to more Indian representatives who speak for no one but themselves. The U of T prof calls for more healing circles and smoking of sweetgrass. The TV star appreciates being on TV again. So far the panel is kinda like the Gilligan's Island crew - The Professor, the TV star and all the rest.
Hooray - Patrick Brazault from Aboriginal Peoples Congress - whatever that is - calls for end of the Indian Act... FINALLY an indian wants to get rid of this patronizing and racist legislation.
I get it - three apples (who Duff calls role models) speak for the poor people in northern communities.
Big Julie speaks over pictures of masked "warriors" burning tires - where's David Suzuki - I thought he loved the native savage, live clean on the land sorta thing?
Duff shows Layton and Dion - says he can't deliver Kelowna Accord until he's PM. Fact is he sure could...
Helena Gorgeous, Alexa McDuhna and Ruby Dulla. The Pin Ups.
Duff says that the Grits carry the blame and Dion is stretching when he says that it's CPC fault. Dulla blames the CPC in response to Duff's comment that it's Grit fault. She has some great points on the things that the Grits never did. Duff responds that Grits are sanctimonious in trying to lay blame on anyone else. Go Duff Go (although Newman woulda been more vicious).
Helena Gorgeous blows up Ruby real good.
Can't wait for Duff to deal with Newfie separation - as far as I'm concerned, they can leave tomorrow. I'll just buy my fish somewhere else. Oh. What's that? They don't have any fish?? Oh, well I'll just buy my oil somewhere else. What's that? They're almost out of oil?? Darn.
Timmy and Scottie - last chance for a naked oil wrestling match.
On Jeff Simpson, the reserves are too small to survive. Newfie at MUN wants to separate, Cape Breton wants to separate.
Scott goes on about dignity - what the hell would Scott Reid know about dignity?
Scott goes to the Kelowna thing, Tim slaps him with the "you guys put no money in it and let the aboriginals down."
Tha tha tha tha that's all folks for another political season.
Nice way to finish... Indians on the warpath, Newfies and Cape Bretoners on the separation path, and Dion in the wiener line at a BBQ near you.
Today, out of sheer kindness, since it's the end of the season and to do my part to help reconcile the divide between us and the Indians - 6/10
HQ of Shawn Brant - Are Rosemary Thompson of CTV and Rosemary Barton of CBC the same person? Both in Deseronto and both wearing red. So confusing that the dude on CBC Newsworld early referred to his own CBC reporter as Rosemary Thompson. Ooops.
Question as they air film of 'warriors' in camo and face masks. If they have all that surplus energy to push buses across tracks and pull trees down, why can't they get up the energy to go to college and get a job?
No one in the media refers to Brant et al as terrorists. I guess this proves terrorism works.
Duff still wants to give credit to Fontaine - who wants more education funding when no indian has ever had to pay for a university education in Canada and no white person has ever had his or hers fully paid for by the FedGov.
Long media conference with the real hero for Canadian aboriginals, Jim Prentice. He still not to get any credit.
Duff with Shawn Brant - Duff knows where this fugitive is, why doesn't the OPP?
Doesn't mention that Brant has absolutely no official role within the First Nations nor his local band. He is an outlaw terrorist from the USA. He should be in jail. He says he ready to go, are the OPP ready to take him?
Duff speaks to more Indian representatives who speak for no one but themselves. The U of T prof calls for more healing circles and smoking of sweetgrass. The TV star appreciates being on TV again. So far the panel is kinda like the Gilligan's Island crew - The Professor, the TV star and all the rest.
Hooray - Patrick Brazault from Aboriginal Peoples Congress - whatever that is - calls for end of the Indian Act... FINALLY an indian wants to get rid of this patronizing and racist legislation.
I get it - three apples (who Duff calls role models) speak for the poor people in northern communities.
Big Julie speaks over pictures of masked "warriors" burning tires - where's David Suzuki - I thought he loved the native savage, live clean on the land sorta thing?
Duff shows Layton and Dion - says he can't deliver Kelowna Accord until he's PM. Fact is he sure could...
Helena Gorgeous, Alexa McDuhna and Ruby Dulla. The Pin Ups.
Duff says that the Grits carry the blame and Dion is stretching when he says that it's CPC fault. Dulla blames the CPC in response to Duff's comment that it's Grit fault. She has some great points on the things that the Grits never did. Duff responds that Grits are sanctimonious in trying to lay blame on anyone else. Go Duff Go (although Newman woulda been more vicious).
Helena Gorgeous blows up Ruby real good.
Can't wait for Duff to deal with Newfie separation - as far as I'm concerned, they can leave tomorrow. I'll just buy my fish somewhere else. Oh. What's that? They don't have any fish?? Oh, well I'll just buy my oil somewhere else. What's that? They're almost out of oil?? Darn.
Timmy and Scottie - last chance for a naked oil wrestling match.
On Jeff Simpson, the reserves are too small to survive. Newfie at MUN wants to separate, Cape Breton wants to separate.
Scott goes on about dignity - what the hell would Scott Reid know about dignity?
Scott goes to the Kelowna thing, Tim slaps him with the "you guys put no money in it and let the aboriginals down."
Tha tha tha tha that's all folks for another political season.
Nice way to finish... Indians on the warpath, Newfies and Cape Bretoners on the separation path, and Dion in the wiener line at a BBQ near you.
Today, out of sheer kindness, since it's the end of the season and to do my part to help reconcile the divide between us and the Indians - 6/10
Lemon: Emily Litella on Crustaceans Blocking Roads
"What is this big fuss about crustaceans blocking highways and carrying guns and so on. I know their shells are hard and they're prickly and everything but, they'd get out of the way in a hurry and scuttle their little spiny bodies into the ditch the minute a car started driving into them and flattening a few."
"Umm, Emily, it's not "Crustaceans", it's "First Nations".
"Ohhhhh, well then, never mind."
Tribute to Gilda Radner.
"Umm, Emily, it's not "Crustaceans", it's "First Nations".
"Ohhhhh, well then, never mind."
Tribute to Gilda Radner.
Lemon: Time to Govern Truckers
Every day I drive the 427 and every day I wonder what is flowing through the veins of many of the truckers that pass me when I'm going 120 kph plus.
This week the 401 has been closed three times due to tractor trailer rollovers. And I watch in wonder and awe as I see jalopy-condition dump trucks and garbage trucks weave in and out of traffic going at least 130 kph.
This report was released in the USA yesterday:
I know that George Carlin said that there are only two types of drivers - those going slower than you (effin idiots) and those going faster (effin maniacs).
But large trucks need to have a governor on their engines that limit their speed to the speed limit.
This week the 401 has been closed three times due to tractor trailer rollovers. And I watch in wonder and awe as I see jalopy-condition dump trucks and garbage trucks weave in and out of traffic going at least 130 kph.
This report was released in the USA yesterday:
This is over 40,000 wrecks involving tractor trailers a year. Some of the types of accidents in decreasing order of frequency were leaving the lane/running off the road, side swipes, roll over's, and head on collisions, among other types.It is only a matter of time until we have another major crash that kills a dozen or more people.
I know that George Carlin said that there are only two types of drivers - those going slower than you (effin idiots) and those going faster (effin maniacs).
But large trucks need to have a governor on their engines that limit their speed to the speed limit.
Lemon: Fontaine Futile Leader
Yesterday we posted on Duffy wrongly giving credit to head of the First Nations, Phil Fontaine, for progress in Native land claims.
We described Fontaine as a Liberal toady who had done nothing to improve the plight of Canadian aboriginals during his time in office except he happens to be in office at this time.
He did establish today's "Day of Action" and today the 401 and the Via / CN Rail line is shut down by the OPP and native terrorists. Fontaine said that he wanted the protests to be peaceful.
Meanwhile, criminal fugitive Shawn Brant announces that his band of terrorists have guns and know how to use them. It seems that he is prepared to be a martyr for his violent cause.
Will Fontaine be a martyr for his peaceful cause?
Will he go to the barricades and demand that Brant and his terrorists surrender their arms, and move off the public travel ways?
Will he confront this criminal and put his life on the line to defend his cause?
Of course not, he's just another well-paid indian bureaucrat who likes the perqs but not the responsibilities.
We described Fontaine as a Liberal toady who had done nothing to improve the plight of Canadian aboriginals during his time in office except he happens to be in office at this time.
He did establish today's "Day of Action" and today the 401 and the Via / CN Rail line is shut down by the OPP and native terrorists. Fontaine said that he wanted the protests to be peaceful.
Meanwhile, criminal fugitive Shawn Brant announces that his band of terrorists have guns and know how to use them. It seems that he is prepared to be a martyr for his violent cause.
Will Fontaine be a martyr for his peaceful cause?
Will he go to the barricades and demand that Brant and his terrorists surrender their arms, and move off the public travel ways?
Will he confront this criminal and put his life on the line to defend his cause?
Of course not, he's just another well-paid indian bureaucrat who likes the perqs but not the responsibilities.
Lemon: OPP Does Indian Terrorist Job For Them
Feel less inconvenienced because the OPP is blocking the 401 instead of the Indian Terrorists?
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Evening Blue Lemons Report Abbreviated June 28
I started to live blog Duff this evening, but gave up when I saw there was nothing to write about.
Duff's ongoing terms of reference was to credit Phil Fontaine for the progress in land claims settlements.
Jim Prentice, he did not mention.
Phil Fontaine has been a toady of the Liberals since he succeeded the coon cums and starblankets of the past.
He just happened to be in the job at the time.
No progress during his long reign was seen until the CPC assumed government and they got a Minister of IANA that knew what he was doing.
Thanks to Brian Laghi for confirming that it was Jim Prentice to thank for this, not Phil Fontaine.
I thought it fascinating that Martha Hall Findlay was anxious to bring Paul Martin's Indian solution, just pay them off three days before an election call, was the answer. She is a true Liberal, brown to the core.
My CBL colleagues today dealt well with this issue today:
Here
Here
and I did one a while back, here.
Duff's ongoing terms of reference was to credit Phil Fontaine for the progress in land claims settlements.
Jim Prentice, he did not mention.
Phil Fontaine has been a toady of the Liberals since he succeeded the coon cums and starblankets of the past.
He just happened to be in the job at the time.
No progress during his long reign was seen until the CPC assumed government and they got a Minister of IANA that knew what he was doing.
Thanks to Brian Laghi for confirming that it was Jim Prentice to thank for this, not Phil Fontaine.
I thought it fascinating that Martha Hall Findlay was anxious to bring Paul Martin's Indian solution, just pay them off three days before an election call, was the answer. She is a true Liberal, brown to the core.
My CBL colleagues today dealt well with this issue today:
Here
Here
and I did one a while back, here.
Lemon: Is anyone brave enough to do the most desired "Separated at Birth" in History
I don't have the stomach for it, but did it anyway.
Lemon: "It's a fine line between a 69 and what I shot today"
The difference between a 69 and an 82 is not a fine line, it's a freeway.
That's thirteen three putts, or six plus balls hit OB.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Lemon: Link Addition - The Nexus of Assholery
I welcome Patrick Ross to my Ripping Read links.
He's got an opinion and an attitude.
Good on him. Give him a read.
He's got an opinion and an attitude.
Good on him. Give him a read.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Evening Lemons Report Duff June 26
Duff says today soup to nuts.
Scottie Reid and Alex McDuhna must be on at the end.
Duff does cover Comuzzi joining the CPC. PMSH slams Dion's obsession with Environment at expense of economy.
Joe C - Duff says long line of Grits who have joined Tories. Joe says that PMSH right - broad base and wide appeal of CPC very important. Joe says was no deal.
Joe says Dion lied about this.
Duff asks why were some Grits allowed to stay who voted for the budget but you were kicked out. Joe says he hadn't even voted when he got kicked out - Dion never returned his calls. Duff says many Grit MPs say that Dion has moved party too far to the left - are there others that are going to defect? Joe says big movement of Grit supporters in Thunder Bay to CPC.
House Leaders: Peter Van Loan, Geoff Regan, Mumu Davies - Regan says growth in support for Steffi. NDPer once again has shorts in knots because other two parties can get people to cross floor but never once has anyone crossed the floor to the pathetic group that are the NDP. Even the Green's got Dion support.
Is there a realignment on philosophy by MPs - PVL says this is natural as CPC becomes national governing party. Says division continues in Grits - Iggy vs Dion, Kennedy Supporters vs Dion, Duff says that Regan always smiles every time Iggy stands up. Mumu Davies says NDP the strongest opposition party. Bullfeathers. They never need to be accountable for anything they say - get to be eternal poseurs. Says Bev Desjarlais was never booted out of caucus (bullfeathers redux). Van Loan is much better on camera than stuck in a chair next to Ralphie Hedgehog.
Pauline Marois proclaimed as head of the PQ. Regan gives commercial that separatists are dead - forgets to mention that PMSH is responsible for this. Van Loan reminds everyone.
CPC MPs telling friends that three CN lines will be shut down between Toronto and Ottawa/Montreal. Duff interviews Shawn Brant - the terrorist American maybe-Indian Mohawk (remember Ward Churchill). Won't leave home because police looking for him. Likely also slowing down highway. Can't wait til Shawn stands in front of a tired Semi driver trying to hand out a leaflet. Video show his warriors preparing weapons of war.
He wants uncompromprised and unconditional support. Also shows fights between indians and pale faces. And he wants mutual support? I support throwing his sorry ass in jail and I bet so will every other person who gets inconvenienced. Pathetic.
Head of Cdn Railway Association - How do RRs respond? Says only a localized incident - how is shutting down this RR line a localized incident?? Cares less about his passengers & customers than about the terrorist indians who want to shut down his railroad.
McGrath, McKinnon and Benoit. Roxie says Minister Prentice working very hard cleaning up Grit DIANA disaster. When I was in NWT everyone kept talking about Diana. Diana this, Diana that. Finally figured out it was Dept of Indian and Northern Affairs.
Fife and Weston - Says everybody hoping for a peaceful protest - suurrre. Thats why Duff is promising full media coverage. Both say hotheads could burn themslves if they screw this up.
Okay show - only about 1/2 was mindless chatter, which is better than usual. Give Duff 5/10.
Scottie Reid and Alex McDuhna must be on at the end.
Duff does cover Comuzzi joining the CPC. PMSH slams Dion's obsession with Environment at expense of economy.
Joe C - Duff says long line of Grits who have joined Tories. Joe says that PMSH right - broad base and wide appeal of CPC very important. Joe says was no deal.
Joe says Dion lied about this.
Duff asks why were some Grits allowed to stay who voted for the budget but you were kicked out. Joe says he hadn't even voted when he got kicked out - Dion never returned his calls. Duff says many Grit MPs say that Dion has moved party too far to the left - are there others that are going to defect? Joe says big movement of Grit supporters in Thunder Bay to CPC.
House Leaders: Peter Van Loan, Geoff Regan, Mumu Davies - Regan says growth in support for Steffi. NDPer once again has shorts in knots because other two parties can get people to cross floor but never once has anyone crossed the floor to the pathetic group that are the NDP. Even the Green's got Dion support.
Is there a realignment on philosophy by MPs - PVL says this is natural as CPC becomes national governing party. Says division continues in Grits - Iggy vs Dion, Kennedy Supporters vs Dion, Duff says that Regan always smiles every time Iggy stands up. Mumu Davies says NDP the strongest opposition party. Bullfeathers. They never need to be accountable for anything they say - get to be eternal poseurs. Says Bev Desjarlais was never booted out of caucus (bullfeathers redux). Van Loan is much better on camera than stuck in a chair next to Ralphie Hedgehog.
Pauline Marois proclaimed as head of the PQ. Regan gives commercial that separatists are dead - forgets to mention that PMSH is responsible for this. Van Loan reminds everyone.
CPC MPs telling friends that three CN lines will be shut down between Toronto and Ottawa/Montreal. Duff interviews Shawn Brant - the terrorist American maybe-Indian Mohawk (remember Ward Churchill). Won't leave home because police looking for him. Likely also slowing down highway. Can't wait til Shawn stands in front of a tired Semi driver trying to hand out a leaflet. Video show his warriors preparing weapons of war.
He wants uncompromprised and unconditional support. Also shows fights between indians and pale faces. And he wants mutual support? I support throwing his sorry ass in jail and I bet so will every other person who gets inconvenienced. Pathetic.
Head of Cdn Railway Association - How do RRs respond? Says only a localized incident - how is shutting down this RR line a localized incident?? Cares less about his passengers & customers than about the terrorist indians who want to shut down his railroad.
McGrath, McKinnon and Benoit. Roxie says Minister Prentice working very hard cleaning up Grit DIANA disaster. When I was in NWT everyone kept talking about Diana. Diana this, Diana that. Finally figured out it was Dept of Indian and Northern Affairs.
Fife and Weston - Says everybody hoping for a peaceful protest - suurrre. Thats why Duff is promising full media coverage. Both say hotheads could burn themslves if they screw this up.
Okay show - only about 1/2 was mindless chatter, which is better than usual. Give Duff 5/10.
Lemon: Where's The Comuzzi Story?
Well, it doesn't appear on the CBC homepage (at 4:24 pm EST)
Remember Garth Turner joining the Grits? Was a big story.
How about Bill Casey's leaving the CPC Caucus? Big Story.
Maybe it's only news when it's something that can be spun negatively against the CPC.
Naw, can't be. That would show CBC bias.
Remember Garth Turner joining the Grits? Was a big story.
How about Bill Casey's leaving the CPC Caucus? Big Story.
Maybe it's only news when it's something that can be spun negatively against the CPC.
Naw, can't be. That would show CBC bias.
Lemon: Linc Day
A link to a great Linc...
Yesterday was the fortieth anniversary of him being elected as the first black member of Parliament.
He has been an airman in the war, a civil rights advocate, a teacher, a mentor, and a representative of the Queen.
Last week, I had the honour of giving him a hand. He was leaving a show (Vida - Danza Cuba) at the Royal Alex, with his nurse. He's in a wheelchair but still has a solid grip, clear eyes and a clear voice. I was proud to help him get a cab and get into it. He mentioned that no one in the crowd knows how difficult Cuba is for Cubans.
No one else I think, except us, knew we were in the company of greatness.
One of the kids asked, "Is he the Lincoln Alexander the highway is named after?"
Here's to Linc.
Yesterday was the fortieth anniversary of him being elected as the first black member of Parliament.
He has been an airman in the war, a civil rights advocate, a teacher, a mentor, and a representative of the Queen.
Last week, I had the honour of giving him a hand. He was leaving a show (Vida - Danza Cuba) at the Royal Alex, with his nurse. He's in a wheelchair but still has a solid grip, clear eyes and a clear voice. I was proud to help him get a cab and get into it. He mentioned that no one in the crowd knows how difficult Cuba is for Cubans.
No one else I think, except us, knew we were in the company of greatness.
One of the kids asked, "Is he the Lincoln Alexander the highway is named after?"
Here's to Linc.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Lemon: Suzuki Don't Know Crap About Compost
From PTBC Per Kooky:
"This form of composting is great for officeworkers, apartment dwellers, or students who don't have the space or ability to have a backyardcompost bin."I know I would love to share my place with thousands of nematodes. From an Expert:
“Worms produce a significant amount of greenhouse gases. Recent research done by German scientists has found that worms produced a third of nitrous oxide gases when used for composting.”
Got MSM Mixed Up With SSM
My Inspiration...
The question bigger than what atheists think about SSM, I think, is how many members of the MSM disagree with SSM?
Was impressed this weekend that both a Toronto Sun Conservative columnist and one from The Star (who has some bizarro-world political affiliation) came out of the closet.
These announcements have no effect on my positive respect for one of these women, nor my lack of respect for the other.
The question bigger than what atheists think about SSM, I think, is how many members of the MSM disagree with SSM?
Was impressed this weekend that both a Toronto Sun Conservative columnist and one from The Star (who has some bizarro-world political affiliation) came out of the closet.
These announcements have no effect on my positive respect for one of these women, nor my lack of respect for the other.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Lemon: The Dion Perplexing Paradox
Angelo Persichilli of The Sun, offers the most laughable perspective on Steffi's claim of victory this spring.
I believe Dion is telling us that the alternative he could offer to Canadians was worse than an "incompetent and dishonest government."
Lemon: Whence Afstan
Peggy Wente has an interesting piece in the Globe yesterday. She interviews "Rory Stewart", someone seemingly unbiased politically, but very aware of the staus went, quo and possible in Afghanistan.
His conclusion (my summary) is that Afstan is a country just out of the stone age, with a population having no awareness or interest in democracy.
An argument can be made on continuance based on two factors. (a) It is far better to confront and tie Al Qaida's and the Taliban's shorts in knots in Khandahar than in Kitchener or Kansas, and (b) it is valuable to not allow Afstan to act as a save haven and grad school for terrorists.
We need to stay there for this, if for no other reason.
His conclusion (my summary) is that Afstan is a country just out of the stone age, with a population having no awareness or interest in democracy.
In Mr. Stewart's view, there's not much difference between the illusions of the American neo-cons (who imagined that once Iraq embraced democracy the rest of Middle East would follow suit) and the illusions of the enlightened policy consultants and aid workers from CIDA or the UN. "Colonial administrations may have been racist and exploitative," he writes. "But they did at least work seriously at the business of understanding the people they were governing."The thing is, does the impossibility of trying to compress two centuries of societal evolution mean that this war should not be fought or a rush to civilization not attempted?
An argument can be made on continuance based on two factors. (a) It is far better to confront and tie Al Qaida's and the Taliban's shorts in knots in Khandahar than in Kitchener or Kansas, and (b) it is valuable to not allow Afstan to act as a save haven and grad school for terrorists.
We need to stay there for this, if for no other reason.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Missing pregnant woman found dead.
Breaking news on CNN. The body of the missing pregnant woman has been found and her boyfriend has been charged with 2 counts of murder. What will the pro abortion group think of this.
Lemon: I knew I'd find something like this...
provides neutral commentary in The Star on the Grit's mischievious Kyoto Bill.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Lemon: The Grit Messes PMSH is Blamed For
The Liberal Party is like a rat - very difficult to corner and most dangerous when it has been so trapped.
The CPC has been the governing party now for 17 months. It came in with a very short list of platform priorities but since these were accomplished, has been forced to face the wrath of the Opposition, it's pet puppy media and various marxist imps, not for it's own mistakes and flubs, but for those of the previous governing Liberals!
Here's a list of links that describe these:
Kyoto: A post at the Phantom today describes how the Liberal (and current Dion) plan would have been much more harmful for the environment than that of the CPC
Afstan Detainees - Damian Penny in May: Former prime minister Paul Martin gave approval almost two years ago to then-defence minister Bill Graham to negotiate a detainee transfer agreement with the Afghanistan government, according to government documents obtained by CanWest News Service.
Income Trusts - This had to be done, but the Liberals were too chicken to do it. Even "The Garth" supported Flaherty's action.
Native Land Claims - holdup on settling land claims is a product of the former Liberal government
Atlantic Accord - Martin Did it, and Dion Denied it.
RCMP Corruption - The cozy relationship between the RCMP and the Grits was reported here.
The CPC has been the governing party now for 17 months. It came in with a very short list of platform priorities but since these were accomplished, has been forced to face the wrath of the Opposition, it's pet puppy media and various marxist imps, not for it's own mistakes and flubs, but for those of the previous governing Liberals!
Here's a list of links that describe these:
Kyoto: A post at the Phantom today describes how the Liberal (and current Dion) plan would have been much more harmful for the environment than that of the CPC
Afstan Detainees - Damian Penny in May: Former prime minister Paul Martin gave approval almost two years ago to then-defence minister Bill Graham to negotiate a detainee transfer agreement with the Afghanistan government, according to government documents obtained by CanWest News Service.
Income Trusts - This had to be done, but the Liberals were too chicken to do it. Even "The Garth" supported Flaherty's action.
Native Land Claims - holdup on settling land claims is a product of the former Liberal government
Atlantic Accord - Martin Did it, and Dion Denied it.
RCMP Corruption - The cozy relationship between the RCMP and the Grits was reported here.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Lemon: Toronto Council Vote Not Unanimous
The Star says it was.
But it wasn't.
Seven councillors did not return from lunch for the vote.
I'm sure this was approved by the Mayor.
We're waiting for the polling results to see who they were, but commie councillor from Cabbagetown/Regent Park Pam McConnell was one of them.
We will report on this when info is available.
Unless Miller hides it.
But it wasn't.
Seven councillors did not return from lunch for the vote.
I'm sure this was approved by the Mayor.
We're waiting for the polling results to see who they were, but commie councillor from Cabbagetown/Regent Park Pam McConnell was one of them.
We will report on this when info is available.
Unless Miller hides it.
Lemon: Williams the Newfie Liar
Driving home this aft, the mayor of St. Johns was on Adler. He went on and on about Stephen Harper lying to Newfoundlanders.
But of course, PMSH isn't but the mayor's beloved Premier is. I posted on his lies, I think, yesterday.
Meanwhile I got an email from a loyal Newfoundlander that I'm posting (and editting for self protection).
But of course, PMSH isn't but the mayor's beloved Premier is. I posted on his lies, I think, yesterday.
Meanwhile I got an email from a loyal Newfoundlander that I'm posting (and editting for self protection).
Danny, Global Oil does not behave like a monopoly cable system. You got rich by working over bureaucrats for your cable system. Oil isn’t like that, oil resources are global and quality human resources in the oil business are as scarce as the oil itself and they can move, which they’ve now done, away from St John’s, thanks to your intimidating bargaining tactics.
Danny, you can try to deflect your incompetence on Ottawa and Harper but the fact is, the Atlantic Accord is still intact. You were given another option which is richer. You are not obliged to take the new option; you can keep the old option. It’s your choice. But now, what you’ve done with your attempt to obfuscate your own incompetence is to make everyone in Ontario realize that the Federal largess raises the per capita revenues above that of the “have-province” Ontario, the very taxpayers who are underwriting the Atlantic Accord program. This new awareness could very well end the days of compassionate equalization that have made our Confederation work.Following is the editted part (note I will delete comments that might be speculative or misconstrued. But I assure you, when the story is released, it will be dynamite):
Danny, I know that there are strong rumors around the country that news is about to pop ...You didn't read this here first...
Lemon: Conrad Black Comment
I first encountered this bigger than life 'aristocrat' when I read Peter C. Newman's The Canadian Establishment.
Learned of how he became heir to Bud McDougall's fortune. Never heard that this acquisition from Bud's widow has been questioned.
Knew about his bleeding of the Dominion Store pension fund - it became a model that even the Liberal government of Canada used.
In the TV snippets I have seen, he appears to me as a contemporary version of the great English kings - a huge head, imposing mien, firm jaw.
I do have a one degree of separation that revealed a lot about Conrad.
When I was in Calgary over 20 years ago, my girlfriend was receptionist at an energy company that Conrad owned. Unfortunately her brother stopped in for a minute, dressed in his construction attire, to drop something off to his sister on a day when Conrad was in the office.
Conrad had her fired that day without severence.
That speaks volumes about Mr. Black.
Learned of how he became heir to Bud McDougall's fortune. Never heard that this acquisition from Bud's widow has been questioned.
Knew about his bleeding of the Dominion Store pension fund - it became a model that even the Liberal government of Canada used.
In the TV snippets I have seen, he appears to me as a contemporary version of the great English kings - a huge head, imposing mien, firm jaw.
I do have a one degree of separation that revealed a lot about Conrad.
When I was in Calgary over 20 years ago, my girlfriend was receptionist at an energy company that Conrad owned. Unfortunately her brother stopped in for a minute, dressed in his construction attire, to drop something off to his sister on a day when Conrad was in the office.
Conrad had her fired that day without severence.
That speaks volumes about Mr. Black.
Evening Blue Lemons Report June 20
Sorry - tuned in late - what did I miss?
Jack Layton doesn't agree with Stephen Harper. Likely the best possible thing.
Duff has Siksay, Kenny and Dom Leblanc from Shediac - has anyone ever been in Shediac? Great lobster, not much at anything else including politicians. He has a job because his father Romeo gave up his job so that Jean Chretien could get an easy seat and as a reward was appointed Governor General. Duff says David Miller is looking to be a Federal Politician (it's not a well kept secret that Miller wants to eff up Canada the way he effed up Toronto) and how he pandered and caved in on the yellow ribbon decal on fire trucks thing.
Jim Peterson resigned - so another by-election for Martha along with Bobby Rae. Liberals . . . No sacrifice is too great so long as you use it to benefit another Liberal and receive perqs down the road
Kenny waiting for Garth Turner to announce he will run in a by-election.
Siksay says that he can't wait to see all the Leader Candidates pushing each other out of the way to be the first to stab the last place in Dion's back that Iggy hasn't already plunged a knife into.
Liberal Senators Kill Term Limit on Senators!!!
This is an outrage. These Grit Bag People have no dignity, no value to Canada, should all be fired.
PMSH said, in rejecting of terms for less than 45 years it has defied the house, the party leader and the people of Canada. Reform will come with or without them.
Open up the constitution and kill the senate. Ideally, kill the senate pensions.
Meanwhile, kill SQUABBLIZATION. Tell Lorne from Sask to take a hike - he was begging at the Senate today. The stupid pleading to the senile.
Flaherty says no big deal the three LOSER Provinces complained, pissed and moaned. Why do the territories even have a seat at these meetings - there are more people within a solid three iron within my place in Toronto.
Chuck Adler was on Duffy on yellow ribbons. He was great on this - the commie councillors didn't show up for the vote. Miller said that he changed his mind when three more Canadian soldiers were killed today. What! Soldiers have to die for Miller to support them? Dirtbag, corrupt, sleazy socialist.
NEVER, EVER, EVEN IF YOU'RE HIGH ON HEROIN AND HE PROMISES YOU A FREE HIT, EVER VOTE SOCIALIST!!!!
EVEN IF THEY BUY YOU A SKIDOO IN DECEMBER.
EVEN IF THEY ALLOW YOU TO KEEP 10% OF YOUR INCOME - NEVER VOTE SOCIALIST.
A VOTE FOR MILLER IS A VOTE FOR LENIN!!!
Duff says that Sask Party running ahead of NDP. Bye Bye Lorne, don't let the door smack you in the back of the head when you leave office.
Travers on Newman. He goes on, and on, and on... I wonder if Susan Delacourt is really Travers in a wig... Has anyone ever seen them in the same place at the same time? They say the same crap eternally. General thought is that the former Leader Candis want to be incumbents but don't want Dion to win...Newman says, if the Liberals are running to lose, than they're really dumb.
Pretty good 40 minutes. Glad (it appears) the session is over.
Will take up the pen in the fall when the hill-billies are back to work.
Thanks for all of you that read this spring - especially those who commented.
I'll continue to look for embarrassing moments in the absence of the old pale faced farts.
Jack Layton doesn't agree with Stephen Harper. Likely the best possible thing.
Duff has Siksay, Kenny and Dom Leblanc from Shediac - has anyone ever been in Shediac? Great lobster, not much at anything else including politicians. He has a job because his father Romeo gave up his job so that Jean Chretien could get an easy seat and as a reward was appointed Governor General. Duff says David Miller is looking to be a Federal Politician (it's not a well kept secret that Miller wants to eff up Canada the way he effed up Toronto) and how he pandered and caved in on the yellow ribbon decal on fire trucks thing.
Jim Peterson resigned - so another by-election for Martha along with Bobby Rae. Liberals . . . No sacrifice is too great so long as you use it to benefit another Liberal and receive perqs down the road
Kenny waiting for Garth Turner to announce he will run in a by-election.
Siksay says that he can't wait to see all the Leader Candidates pushing each other out of the way to be the first to stab the last place in Dion's back that Iggy hasn't already plunged a knife into.
Liberal Senators Kill Term Limit on Senators!!!
This is an outrage. These Grit Bag People have no dignity, no value to Canada, should all be fired.
PMSH said, in rejecting of terms for less than 45 years it has defied the house, the party leader and the people of Canada. Reform will come with or without them.
Open up the constitution and kill the senate. Ideally, kill the senate pensions.
Meanwhile, kill SQUABBLIZATION. Tell Lorne from Sask to take a hike - he was begging at the Senate today. The stupid pleading to the senile.
Flaherty says no big deal the three LOSER Provinces complained, pissed and moaned. Why do the territories even have a seat at these meetings - there are more people within a solid three iron within my place in Toronto.
Chuck Adler was on Duffy on yellow ribbons. He was great on this - the commie councillors didn't show up for the vote. Miller said that he changed his mind when three more Canadian soldiers were killed today. What! Soldiers have to die for Miller to support them? Dirtbag, corrupt, sleazy socialist.
NEVER, EVER, EVEN IF YOU'RE HIGH ON HEROIN AND HE PROMISES YOU A FREE HIT, EVER VOTE SOCIALIST!!!!
EVEN IF THEY BUY YOU A SKIDOO IN DECEMBER.
EVEN IF THEY ALLOW YOU TO KEEP 10% OF YOUR INCOME - NEVER VOTE SOCIALIST.
A VOTE FOR MILLER IS A VOTE FOR LENIN!!!
Duff says that Sask Party running ahead of NDP. Bye Bye Lorne, don't let the door smack you in the back of the head when you leave office.
Travers on Newman. He goes on, and on, and on... I wonder if Susan Delacourt is really Travers in a wig... Has anyone ever seen them in the same place at the same time? They say the same crap eternally. General thought is that the former Leader Candis want to be incumbents but don't want Dion to win...Newman says, if the Liberals are running to lose, than they're really dumb.
Pretty good 40 minutes. Glad (it appears) the session is over.
Will take up the pen in the fall when the hill-billies are back to work.
Thanks for all of you that read this spring - especially those who commented.
I'll continue to look for embarrassing moments in the absence of the old pale faced farts.
Lemon: The Riley Report - Who's Out of Touch
Susan Riley of the Ottawa Citizen is just as partisan Liberal as is Susan Delacourt of The Star.
There must be something in a name.
This morning Riley tried to show that PMSH is out of touch because of the CPC's sponsorship of NASCAR. She managed to include a little crack about PMSH being a homo-phobe and anti-women, but otherwise it was almost indistinguishable from the one Delacourt did yesterday.
According to Riley, PMSH is chasing such a tiny niche: stock car races in Canada attract only 5,000 to 10,000 spectators. . . create hierarchies of exclusion. . . We know you don't care if women vote for you. We already figured that you aren't serious about arresting climate change -- not if it interferes with anyone's carbon-intensive hobby.
But who's out of touch? NASCAR's poll revealed that there are 6 million NASCAR fans in Canada, and that 40% are women. And women?? Not all of them are members of the UofT Women's Faculty Club, and not all of them like effete little nerdish college professors. Some like big manly men with a muscular, no-nonsense style.
There must be something in a name.
This morning Riley tried to show that PMSH is out of touch because of the CPC's sponsorship of NASCAR. She managed to include a little crack about PMSH being a homo-phobe and anti-women, but otherwise it was almost indistinguishable from the one Delacourt did yesterday.
According to Riley, PMSH is chasing such a tiny niche: stock car races in Canada attract only 5,000 to 10,000 spectators. . . create hierarchies of exclusion. . . We know you don't care if women vote for you. We already figured that you aren't serious about arresting climate change -- not if it interferes with anyone's carbon-intensive hobby.
But who's out of touch? NASCAR's poll revealed that there are 6 million NASCAR fans in Canada, and that 40% are women. And women?? Not all of them are members of the UofT Women's Faculty Club, and not all of them like effete little nerdish college professors. Some like big manly men with a muscular, no-nonsense style.
June 2007 Golden Lemon Award
I first discovered Dr. Pielke et al in April, but it's time to recognize them asThe Golden Lemon Award winner for June 2007.
These esteemed scientists have taken on an awesome responsibility to use their knowledge to respond to the flood of misinformation on Climate Change spewed by the Gores, Suzukis and IPCC's of the world.
Congratulations, Doctor, for doing what needs to be done and gaining the admiration of CBL readers.
Lemon: Bad Leadership and E-Squabblization
Ian Macdonald of the Gazette has a good, but inaccurate, piece today laying the problems with the E-Squabblization (tm) mess in the East at the PM's feet and designating the situation as a problem of leadership.
But even with a name more common down east than Smith or Jones, Ian doesn't understand East Coasters. I grew up there and am a willing refugee so have a different perspective. He doesn't appreciate that Maritimes & Newfies have convinced themselves that they are an aggrieved people.
He doesn't know that they are washed in the idea that they were given the crappy end of the stick by confederation, that things were just fine during their golden era before they built that damn railroad and when the ship mast business was booming.
They resent that their best and brightest (I don't consider myself one) left home, moved west and have become the Maritime Mafia - controlling a hugely over-represented portion of C suite jobs in big companies. (Purdy Crawford and Ced Ritchie come to mind). Or that their kids are working in Northern Alberta.
They resent that the media ignores news important to them unless it impacts Ontario. They are sick of the urban-slick Ontario/Quebec CBC "talent' (except for Rex & Cherry who they love). They wish that their home-spun common sense and good nature would be valued more than celebrity noise.
They are angry that NHL games start an hour (or an hour and a half) later.
And that ain't the half of it. They like and follow demagogues that get in the face of those they consider opponents (Smallwood, Robichaud, Tobin and now Williams).
No, Ian, it wouldn't matter if PMSH offered the East a chicken in every pot at Christmas, they would still complain.
But even with a name more common down east than Smith or Jones, Ian doesn't understand East Coasters. I grew up there and am a willing refugee so have a different perspective. He doesn't appreciate that Maritimes & Newfies have convinced themselves that they are an aggrieved people.
He doesn't know that they are washed in the idea that they were given the crappy end of the stick by confederation, that things were just fine during their golden era before they built that damn railroad and when the ship mast business was booming.
They resent that their best and brightest (I don't consider myself one) left home, moved west and have become the Maritime Mafia - controlling a hugely over-represented portion of C suite jobs in big companies. (Purdy Crawford and Ced Ritchie come to mind). Or that their kids are working in Northern Alberta.
They resent that the media ignores news important to them unless it impacts Ontario. They are sick of the urban-slick Ontario/Quebec CBC "talent' (except for Rex & Cherry who they love). They wish that their home-spun common sense and good nature would be valued more than celebrity noise.
They are angry that NHL games start an hour (or an hour and a half) later.
And that ain't the half of it. They like and follow demagogues that get in the face of those they consider opponents (Smallwood, Robichaud, Tobin and now Williams).
No, Ian, it wouldn't matter if PMSH offered the East a chicken in every pot at Christmas, they would still complain.
Lemon: The Philosophical Bankruptcy of Humanism
Western society, having its wellspring in emigration from lands with little tolerance, has developed as the most tolerant place that has ever existed in the known universe. Western societies, and the Judeo Christian value systems that are inherent, are pretty much the only societies that offer pluralistic environments where everyone within can be expected to be treated humanely and are offered an unlimited chance to thrive.
Outside of countries born from Judeo Christian values, only Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore stand out as places that offer economic, educational, security and social opportunities for its residents.
There are no countries that are not democracies that offer similar well being and freedom to its citizens. There is not a single Islamic country, not a socialist country, not a developing nation that offers similar benefits to its residents. Indeed, of the 200 odd members of the United Nations, the societies that offer such wealth of life to their residents can almost be counted on a person’s fingers and toes.
People are evidencing their approval of Judeo Christian societies with their feet. People are lining up to move to the Canada, the UK and the United States. Turks are flooding to Germany, Moroccans and Algerians to France, Albanians to Yugoslavia, Angolans to South Africa. No one is rushing to live in Syria, China, Iran, Indonesia or Russia. Before long, Israel’s population will be more than half Muslim.
Judeo Christian Values are where it’s at. But many in our western society, for reasons known only to themselves, are fleeing away from and denying them to accept a value system that believes in everything and nothing: humanism.
The value systems that have produced the most successful and most admired societies in the universe are based on the laws of Moses and the principals of Jesus. They are not derived from the Koran, nor do they come from Voltaire, or the so-called founder of Humanism, Petrarch.
Humanists, believers of nothing that they can’t see and blind to the evils that they can, credit this aforementioned fifteenth century poet as being the first modern man and inventor of humanistic thought. This because he was the first person of note to deny the Church and supernaturalism. He wrote fairly decent love poems, was madly enthralled with a woman he never met, and never thought as highly of himself as devotees do today. It looks to a not-too-interested observer that these current day Petrarchian devotees looked long and hard to find anyone that they could pin this dubious “founder” title on, as early in history as they could.
Humanism is a morally bankrupt, bizarro-world collection of meandering thought that assumes that we can, as a basically-good species, objectively look at all things and act accordingly in a rational manner. They think the human race is a fluke of the universe. Humanism accepts naturalism (not nudist camps, but the rights of nature) and rejects all supernaturalism and only accepts an understanding that the essence of humanity relies upon reason and science, democracy and human compassion. This without any evidence that this has ever been a normal, much less accepted, practice of the species whatsoever throughout recorded history.
I have known well hundreds or thousands of humans, and even the most humanist of them seldom act rationally, much less objectively. And most often, the only good they do is to reasonably well polish off a side of ribs and a half case of beer.
Science has brought us the bomb, democracy has tended to replace a single tyrant with millions, reason is permitted to only come from the lips of appointed jurists, and compassion is most often only exhibited by those who strongly believe in the supernatural and a higher being.
As far as basic goodness, I’m sure an especially articulate humanist could rationalize how the basic goodness of mankind (and womankind) can be related to Islamic terrorists, or Rwandan genocide, or the Yugoslavian massacres, or the Inquisitionists, and so on.
Humanists are a bunch of darn do-gooders, and to quote P.J. O’Rourke, “Everybody wants to save the world and no one wants to help Mom do the dishes.”
Jack Nicholson likes Fidel Castro because, as he puts it, “he’s a good humanist.” This speaks volumes about where these 'believers' come from intellectually.
How does this humanist philosophical collection of meandering pseudo beliefs impact on our current society, and even more, our governing representation.
Well, much, maybe most, of the contemporary day-to-day decisions by governments in Canada come from this belief system (if it can be called this). Examples:
Since man (generically speaking, of course) is basically good, then criminals are owed a little nudge back toward goodness and murderers should be able to while away their time with at least a “faint hope” (Of what? Being able to murder again?). Since the pressures of society cause drug / alcohol addictions, then tax dollars must be used to buy needles and wine. The homeless need only a little guidance to find their way from Toronto City Hall to a shelter, but if they want to live outside in the cold, they have a right to this. Public health care becomes a philosophy, instead of an insurance policy to keep us alive, affordably. People who prefer to drive private vehicles and expend fossil fuels are much worse that those who take public transit and expend fossil fuels and electricity generated by petroleum fueled turbines. A pregnant woman, being basically good, is entitled to her convenience, but, an unborn child has no rights at all: embryos and foetuses can be harvested to extend the lives of those basically good people who have lived for a long time. People don’t kill people, guns kill people. No one is better than anyone else, and everyone has a right to anything. New arrivals to Canada must be supported with financial, emotional and institutional support, regardless of whether they need, want or expect or ask for it, because, well, just because.
Under the humanistic philosophy, there is always an external reason for a person’s failure to do something good, or for a person who does something bad there is no personal responsibility for any outcome. PMS, stress, post-partum depression or in the case of a recently resigned Member of Parliament, just general-all-around depression, are all reasons enough to deny personal responsibility for crimes. As if Svend Robinson is Jean Valjean. There is no reward for living a clean, honest, contributing life other than the benefit of paying more taxes to cover the tab.
A Google search yields 912,000 post-something syndromes that allow sufferers to absolve themselves of responsibility for something they did or didn’t do. It just ain’t their fault.
Critics of humanist philosophy are labelled lunatics, whackos, neo-nazis, racists, sexists, enemies of the planet, capitalists, imperialists, homophobes. Or the new perjorative, “Neo-con”. I wear this badge of honour proudly
Outside of countries born from Judeo Christian values, only Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore stand out as places that offer economic, educational, security and social opportunities for its residents.
There are no countries that are not democracies that offer similar well being and freedom to its citizens. There is not a single Islamic country, not a socialist country, not a developing nation that offers similar benefits to its residents. Indeed, of the 200 odd members of the United Nations, the societies that offer such wealth of life to their residents can almost be counted on a person’s fingers and toes.
People are evidencing their approval of Judeo Christian societies with their feet. People are lining up to move to the Canada, the UK and the United States. Turks are flooding to Germany, Moroccans and Algerians to France, Albanians to Yugoslavia, Angolans to South Africa. No one is rushing to live in Syria, China, Iran, Indonesia or Russia. Before long, Israel’s population will be more than half Muslim.
Judeo Christian Values are where it’s at. But many in our western society, for reasons known only to themselves, are fleeing away from and denying them to accept a value system that believes in everything and nothing: humanism.
The value systems that have produced the most successful and most admired societies in the universe are based on the laws of Moses and the principals of Jesus. They are not derived from the Koran, nor do they come from Voltaire, or the so-called founder of Humanism, Petrarch.
Humanists, believers of nothing that they can’t see and blind to the evils that they can, credit this aforementioned fifteenth century poet as being the first modern man and inventor of humanistic thought. This because he was the first person of note to deny the Church and supernaturalism. He wrote fairly decent love poems, was madly enthralled with a woman he never met, and never thought as highly of himself as devotees do today. It looks to a not-too-interested observer that these current day Petrarchian devotees looked long and hard to find anyone that they could pin this dubious “founder” title on, as early in history as they could.
Humanism is a morally bankrupt, bizarro-world collection of meandering thought that assumes that we can, as a basically-good species, objectively look at all things and act accordingly in a rational manner. They think the human race is a fluke of the universe. Humanism accepts naturalism (not nudist camps, but the rights of nature) and rejects all supernaturalism and only accepts an understanding that the essence of humanity relies upon reason and science, democracy and human compassion. This without any evidence that this has ever been a normal, much less accepted, practice of the species whatsoever throughout recorded history.
I have known well hundreds or thousands of humans, and even the most humanist of them seldom act rationally, much less objectively. And most often, the only good they do is to reasonably well polish off a side of ribs and a half case of beer.
Science has brought us the bomb, democracy has tended to replace a single tyrant with millions, reason is permitted to only come from the lips of appointed jurists, and compassion is most often only exhibited by those who strongly believe in the supernatural and a higher being.
As far as basic goodness, I’m sure an especially articulate humanist could rationalize how the basic goodness of mankind (and womankind) can be related to Islamic terrorists, or Rwandan genocide, or the Yugoslavian massacres, or the Inquisitionists, and so on.
Humanists are a bunch of darn do-gooders, and to quote P.J. O’Rourke, “Everybody wants to save the world and no one wants to help Mom do the dishes.”
Jack Nicholson likes Fidel Castro because, as he puts it, “he’s a good humanist.” This speaks volumes about where these 'believers' come from intellectually.
How does this humanist philosophical collection of meandering pseudo beliefs impact on our current society, and even more, our governing representation.
Well, much, maybe most, of the contemporary day-to-day decisions by governments in Canada come from this belief system (if it can be called this). Examples:
Since man (generically speaking, of course) is basically good, then criminals are owed a little nudge back toward goodness and murderers should be able to while away their time with at least a “faint hope” (Of what? Being able to murder again?). Since the pressures of society cause drug / alcohol addictions, then tax dollars must be used to buy needles and wine. The homeless need only a little guidance to find their way from Toronto City Hall to a shelter, but if they want to live outside in the cold, they have a right to this. Public health care becomes a philosophy, instead of an insurance policy to keep us alive, affordably. People who prefer to drive private vehicles and expend fossil fuels are much worse that those who take public transit and expend fossil fuels and electricity generated by petroleum fueled turbines. A pregnant woman, being basically good, is entitled to her convenience, but, an unborn child has no rights at all: embryos and foetuses can be harvested to extend the lives of those basically good people who have lived for a long time. People don’t kill people, guns kill people. No one is better than anyone else, and everyone has a right to anything. New arrivals to Canada must be supported with financial, emotional and institutional support, regardless of whether they need, want or expect or ask for it, because, well, just because.
Under the humanistic philosophy, there is always an external reason for a person’s failure to do something good, or for a person who does something bad there is no personal responsibility for any outcome. PMS, stress, post-partum depression or in the case of a recently resigned Member of Parliament, just general-all-around depression, are all reasons enough to deny personal responsibility for crimes. As if Svend Robinson is Jean Valjean. There is no reward for living a clean, honest, contributing life other than the benefit of paying more taxes to cover the tab.
A Google search yields 912,000 post-something syndromes that allow sufferers to absolve themselves of responsibility for something they did or didn’t do. It just ain’t their fault.
Critics of humanist philosophy are labelled lunatics, whackos, neo-nazis, racists, sexists, enemies of the planet, capitalists, imperialists, homophobes. Or the new perjorative, “Neo-con”. I wear this badge of honour proudly
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Lemon: Of Man and Woman and Woman and Woman
Mark Peters has a great piece on Paul Martin's promise that this could never happen.
Of course, polygamy is common, it's done all the time.
But consecutively not concurrently.
Don't even want to think about what this might mean to divorce laws . . .
Remember the stories of all the couples from the US who came up here to get married, broke up when they got home and discovered that they couldn't get divorced?
Ay ay ay
Of course, polygamy is common, it's done all the time.
But consecutively not concurrently.
Don't even want to think about what this might mean to divorce laws . . .
Remember the stories of all the couples from the US who came up here to get married, broke up when they got home and discovered that they couldn't get divorced?
Ay ay ay
Evening Citrons Bleu Report June 19
Revised title to honour Stephane Dion's Hinglish Lessons.
I'm back to light upon the pasty-faced old white guys for one more attempt to find something interesting to blog about.
For two months the brawdcasts have been as dreery as a January day in Nunavut, except for the mid-day moon, starving dogs and poverty.
Duff - Flaherty wants equal share of pie, the Cadfather, John Crosbie, Bill (who is not gay) Graham resigns.
GRITS WANT BY-ELECTION TO GET RAE IN THE HOUSE!!!
There has been suspicion that Bob Rae wasn't too glad about maybe waiting until Fall 09 to run as an MP in Toronto Centre. Thoughts that he might wish to step down to move on with his life.
Now this tip from Duffy.
Once more, Grits do something to help their friends. Ohhhh to be a Liberal. Just for one day. (Cause I couldn't stand to lose more than one night's sleep.
No word from the other candidate in Toronto Centre, Mark Warner. Rumour is that he's been canvassing hard since February. He's a very solid candidate - world respected trade lawyer, active community volunteer, attended World's AIDS Conference.
Roddy Macdonald whining on Newman about wanting more money. He and The Newfus Doofus really want to be Grit MPs in the old days - double dip - collect pensions and get appointed to a UN Committee in Geneva. I am embarrassed to be a Maritimer and feel disgraced. They want to keep their jobs and continue to collect welfare.
Duff covers graduation ceremony for Al Qaeda suicide bombers (He didn't get his honourary degree there) - notes no-fly list - do they need to be put on the list? Doh. I hope CSIS will carefully program the faces into facial recognition systems. NDP Old Cromartin, is NOT worried about this happening. Says he's more worried about home-grown... Terrorists or Pot, Joe?
Steffi Dion says he's ready to wear pantaloons to win, and that there should be right away a by-election. Assumption that Bob Rae will win - Steffi says he'd like to have someone else in the House to stab him in the back other than Iggy. Says that Harper underminding his himage. Seems he's doing pretty good on his own. Want to know the music of the language so taking Hinglish lessons. Says Mr. 'Arper would be much better dan me to be announcer for Fox Nedwork. Predicts he will win all the debates. Mr. Arper beetwayed the people and some other stuff I couldn't understand. Twust will be key. Says he never broke his word (let's fact check this one - how about on the Fiscal Imbalance?? He stared out okay then became unintelligible again.
Get THIS - it's rich - he will clean up the mess that Mister 'Arper is leaving behind....
Real RICH - think of the 'Arper mess - Afstan Prisoners (LIBERAL MISTAKE), Softwood Lumber (LIBERAL FIASCO), Income TRUST (LIBERAL CHARLIE FOXTROT), Atlantic Accord (MARTIN DISASTER), RCMP Corruption (CHRETIEN"S BUDDY and GANG), KYOTO (Dion Flop).
AND HE WANTS TO CLEAN THESE UP??
He should - he was a key Cab Min when it all happened.
Reminds me of the old Newfie joke about how Joey Smallwood should marry Newfoundland...
Newman brings up Liberal promises broken. Will remove the cap and reput in place Da Atlantic Accord.
Various tributes to Bill Graham.
Van Loan says that won't be in a rush to call a by-election - way too many (and none are Tory seats).
Rick Anderson has a great line, "It's not as if there's enough room for a party on the left, it's whether there's room for three!!"
Newman wonders if NDP hasn't run out of gas - 46 years of doctrinaire socialist clap trap and vote splitting. Have a 17% ceiling and maybe a 10% floor. The consensus is that the NDP are in trouble. Newman brings forward the 3 party split of the left. LeDrew gives Ellie May way too much credit.
Newman says good bye to the panel until the fall. Looks like prorogue tomorrow.
Was glad I tuned in tonight. Got to throw a right jab or two at Steffi in real time.
Will give the old farts a 7/10 for finishing their season with a decent show.
I'm back to light upon the pasty-faced old white guys for one more attempt to find something interesting to blog about.
For two months the brawdcasts have been as dreery as a January day in Nunavut, except for the mid-day moon, starving dogs and poverty.
Duff - Flaherty wants equal share of pie, the Cadfather, John Crosbie, Bill (who is not gay) Graham resigns.
GRITS WANT BY-ELECTION TO GET RAE IN THE HOUSE!!!
There has been suspicion that Bob Rae wasn't too glad about maybe waiting until Fall 09 to run as an MP in Toronto Centre. Thoughts that he might wish to step down to move on with his life.
Now this tip from Duffy.
Once more, Grits do something to help their friends. Ohhhh to be a Liberal. Just for one day. (Cause I couldn't stand to lose more than one night's sleep.
No word from the other candidate in Toronto Centre, Mark Warner. Rumour is that he's been canvassing hard since February. He's a very solid candidate - world respected trade lawyer, active community volunteer, attended World's AIDS Conference.
Roddy Macdonald whining on Newman about wanting more money. He and The Newfus Doofus really want to be Grit MPs in the old days - double dip - collect pensions and get appointed to a UN Committee in Geneva. I am embarrassed to be a Maritimer and feel disgraced. They want to keep their jobs and continue to collect welfare.
Duff covers graduation ceremony for Al Qaeda suicide bombers (He didn't get his honourary degree there) - notes no-fly list - do they need to be put on the list? Doh. I hope CSIS will carefully program the faces into facial recognition systems. NDP Old Cromartin, is NOT worried about this happening. Says he's more worried about home-grown... Terrorists or Pot, Joe?
Steffi Dion says he's ready to wear pantaloons to win, and that there should be right away a by-election. Assumption that Bob Rae will win - Steffi says he'd like to have someone else in the House to stab him in the back other than Iggy. Says that Harper underminding his himage. Seems he's doing pretty good on his own. Want to know the music of the language so taking Hinglish lessons. Says Mr. 'Arper would be much better dan me to be announcer for Fox Nedwork. Predicts he will win all the debates. Mr. Arper beetwayed the people and some other stuff I couldn't understand. Twust will be key. Says he never broke his word (let's fact check this one - how about on the Fiscal Imbalance?? He stared out okay then became unintelligible again.
Get THIS - it's rich - he will clean up the mess that Mister 'Arper is leaving behind....
Real RICH - think of the 'Arper mess - Afstan Prisoners (LIBERAL MISTAKE), Softwood Lumber (LIBERAL FIASCO), Income TRUST (LIBERAL CHARLIE FOXTROT), Atlantic Accord (MARTIN DISASTER), RCMP Corruption (CHRETIEN"S BUDDY and GANG), KYOTO (Dion Flop).
AND HE WANTS TO CLEAN THESE UP??
He should - he was a key Cab Min when it all happened.
Reminds me of the old Newfie joke about how Joey Smallwood should marry Newfoundland...
Newman brings up Liberal promises broken. Will remove the cap and reput in place Da Atlantic Accord.
Various tributes to Bill Graham.
Van Loan says that won't be in a rush to call a by-election - way too many (and none are Tory seats).
Rick Anderson has a great line, "It's not as if there's enough room for a party on the left, it's whether there's room for three!!"
Newman wonders if NDP hasn't run out of gas - 46 years of doctrinaire socialist clap trap and vote splitting. Have a 17% ceiling and maybe a 10% floor. The consensus is that the NDP are in trouble. Newman brings forward the 3 party split of the left. LeDrew gives Ellie May way too much credit.
Newman says good bye to the panel until the fall. Looks like prorogue tomorrow.
Was glad I tuned in tonight. Got to throw a right jab or two at Steffi in real time.
Will give the old farts a 7/10 for finishing their season with a decent show.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Lemon: Linda McQuaig Smacked Down on Coren
McQuaig (Who seems to have adopted the Al Gore policy on truth in book jacket photos) was on Coren tonight, with her radical moonbat ideas appropriately dealt with.
If you missed it tonight, tune in to CTS tomorrow at 2 pm (Eastern) to catch it.
I apologize if I make the impression with the title that the program was an ultimate fighting championship.
I am just using a figure of speech. Michael was very kind, warm and Christian.
If you missed it tonight, tune in to CTS tomorrow at 2 pm (Eastern) to catch it.
I apologize if I make the impression with the title that the program was an ultimate fighting championship.
I am just using a figure of speech. Michael was very kind, warm and Christian.
Lemon: Honouree Honours Honourer with Appearance on Duffy
Initial Lemons Report Here.
Who was the choice for a keynote rip job against the Tories today on Mike Duffy Live by recent Honourary Doctor Mike Duffy?? The Person who awarded him with his Honourary Degree. Bob Rae.
Not a little bit of conflict here.
Rae even had the audacity to mention this award he awarded Duffy...
A real journalist would have refused the honour because it would at least appear to present him as conflicted.
Shame on You, Mike Duffy.
Who was the choice for a keynote rip job against the Tories today on Mike Duffy Live by recent Honourary Doctor Mike Duffy?? The Person who awarded him with his Honourary Degree. Bob Rae.
Not a little bit of conflict here.
Rae even had the audacity to mention this award he awarded Duffy...
A real journalist would have refused the honour because it would at least appear to present him as conflicted.
Shame on You, Mike Duffy.
Lemon: The Facts on Equalization
I'm sure everyone has seen this, but thought I'd post on it anyway.
Canadians (especially those east of Amherst) are being lied to by Danny Williams and Roddy Macdonald. Period.
- The federal government owns the oil and gas off Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, period. That means it is absolute rubbish for Newfoundlanders or Nova Scotians to claim that the offshore is our birthright and a sacred entitlement.
- In 2005, then-prime minister Paul Martin was so desperate to win seats in the coming election that he was willing to agree to just about anything.
- The federal government can and it has unilaterally changed the Atlantic accord. It can also claw back Nova Scotia’s gas royalties and it can thumb its nose at our complaints.
Canadians (especially those east of Amherst) are being lied to by Danny Williams and Roddy Macdonald. Period.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Lemon: My Beloved Cuba . . . "Vida at the Royal Alex"
I've been to somewhere over north and south of twenty countries. But outside of my own, to me, only one matters.
Cuba.
Tonight I was thrilled with a representation of the history of modern Cuba through the eyes of an old woman. The old woman was legendary Buena Vista Social Club songstress, Omara Portuondo.
Cuba is a confusing ruse, difficult enough for regular visitors to understand and impossible for anyone who has not. It certainly can not be discovered by reading a Miami Herald article nor by watching phoney baloney documentaries by Oliver Stone or Michael Moore. Almost everything North Americans see, hear and read about Cuba is incorrect.
But there is one thing of which all can be assured; that Cubans are talented on a scale well beyond their tiny population.
In the past six months I have revelled in Juan de Marco's "Afro-Cuban Allstars" at Massey Hall, to the Cuban Ballet Nacional at Habana's Gran Teatro, and tonight Lizt Alfonso's "Vida" at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Omara is almost 80, and her eyes are as clear and voice as strong as anyone else in the thirty person cast. Even those outstanding performers under the age of ten.
The cast of the performance is entirely female, save brilliant male principal Vadim Larramendi. But gracing the Toronto stage at the highest level of talent, personality and sheer peromance is Vadim's novia in the show, Yudisley MartÃnez. She epitomizes Cuba and exudes the full range of emotions in her dance that her fellows have been forced to survive.
Teh chorus and other principals perform individually and as a group perfectly.
The story shows the life of Vida (Omara) from a small child, through her youth and first love (who is thrown in prison), on to his return and subsequent defection to (assumably) the USA, to her old age.
The performance is fully up to Cuban standards.
Which means it is among the most expressive, passionate and ell performed live shows in Toronto in this or any year.
My rating is the highest:
Cuba.
Tonight I was thrilled with a representation of the history of modern Cuba through the eyes of an old woman. The old woman was legendary Buena Vista Social Club songstress, Omara Portuondo.
Cuba is a confusing ruse, difficult enough for regular visitors to understand and impossible for anyone who has not. It certainly can not be discovered by reading a Miami Herald article nor by watching phoney baloney documentaries by Oliver Stone or Michael Moore. Almost everything North Americans see, hear and read about Cuba is incorrect.
But there is one thing of which all can be assured; that Cubans are talented on a scale well beyond their tiny population.
In the past six months I have revelled in Juan de Marco's "Afro-Cuban Allstars" at Massey Hall, to the Cuban Ballet Nacional at Habana's Gran Teatro, and tonight Lizt Alfonso's "Vida" at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Omara is almost 80, and her eyes are as clear and voice as strong as anyone else in the thirty person cast. Even those outstanding performers under the age of ten.
The cast of the performance is entirely female, save brilliant male principal Vadim Larramendi. But gracing the Toronto stage at the highest level of talent, personality and sheer peromance is Vadim's novia in the show, Yudisley MartÃnez. She epitomizes Cuba and exudes the full range of emotions in her dance that her fellows have been forced to survive.
Teh chorus and other principals perform individually and as a group perfectly.
The story shows the life of Vida (Omara) from a small child, through her youth and first love (who is thrown in prison), on to his return and subsequent defection to (assumably) the USA, to her old age.
The performance is fully up to Cuban standards.
Which means it is among the most expressive, passionate and ell performed live shows in Toronto in this or any year.
My rating is the highest:
According to Now That Anyone Can Marry Almost Anybody . . .
The Ceeb
Incriminating statements made to police by the wife of a B.C. man convicted of murder should not have been admitted at his trial, Canada's top court said Friday in upholding a B.C. court's ruling.[...]
The conviction was based on statements by Couture's wife that he confessed to killing the women before having sex with their dead bodies and burying them.[...]
Said the Court:
"Reliability alone cannot overcome the rule because spousal incompetency is not based on any concern about the reliability of a spouse’s testimony," the ruling said. "The evidence is excluded, not because it lacks probative value but, rather, on policy grounds based on broader social interests."
Now, not for me to judge anyone's spouses competency.
But this definitely would seem to make marriage a new option for suspect / witness relations.
Incriminating statements made to police by the wife of a B.C. man convicted of murder should not have been admitted at his trial, Canada's top court said Friday in upholding a B.C. court's ruling.[...]
The conviction was based on statements by Couture's wife that he confessed to killing the women before having sex with their dead bodies and burying them.[...]
Said the Court:
"Reliability alone cannot overcome the rule because spousal incompetency is not based on any concern about the reliability of a spouse’s testimony," the ruling said. "The evidence is excluded, not because it lacks probative value but, rather, on policy grounds based on broader social interests."
Now, not for me to judge anyone's spouses competency.
But this definitely would seem to make marriage a new option for suspect / witness relations.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Lemon: Duffy? Gossip? Naaahhh...
Here
Cozy little circle isn't it.
Bob probably took note of this - he can always go back to being a professional apologist for government fiascos or get another loan from his brother at Power Corp if he fails at being elected an MP in Toronto Centre.
Duffy has spent more than 25 years covering Parliament Hill and hosts Mike Duffy Live, a talk show that explores Canada’s top political stories. But the 61-year-old Charlottetown, P.E.I., native said his career path wasn’t always smooth.Mike was awarded his honourary degree by Bob Rae, college Chancellor, failed premier and failed Grit leadershop candidate,who also failed Air India victims, Hep C victims and students.
He was fired three times early in his career and made the transition from radio to TV reluctantly, after making sure that he could get his radio job back if TV didn’t work out.
He advised graduates to work hard, think positive and rise above petty office politics.
“The most successful people I know are those who can see the big picture,” he said. “Don’t step into the black hole of envy and gossip.”
Cozy little circle isn't it.
Bob probably took note of this - he can always go back to being a professional apologist for government fiascos or get another loan from his brother at Power Corp if he fails at being elected an MP in Toronto Centre.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Lemon: Planet Shift in Canadian Politics Underway . . .
Blame regionalism, mobility of population, weak leadership, indoctrination by media, or global warming...
But this country is on the edge of a change in political patterns of a kind we have never seen before.
The loss by the conservatives of a Calgary seat, after an underdog won the party's leadership could be at least an indicator that the new population of Alberta might not match the province's population's traditional conservative political allegiance.
Polls are suggesting that the Liberals in Quebec have a terminal illness.
The Maritimes, having seen so many of their best and brightest relocate, appear to have concluded that their preference is to be an eternally Grit supported economic basketcase.
Ontario has grown soft and entitled, and residents of their main city have shown their love for a do-nothing socialist mayor.
We are looking at a planet shift on our horizon.
New regionalism that will fracture our national integrity and one that will result in an eternally fragmented Parliament.
But this country is on the edge of a change in political patterns of a kind we have never seen before.
The loss by the conservatives of a Calgary seat, after an underdog won the party's leadership could be at least an indicator that the new population of Alberta might not match the province's population's traditional conservative political allegiance.
Polls are suggesting that the Liberals in Quebec have a terminal illness.
The Maritimes, having seen so many of their best and brightest relocate, appear to have concluded that their preference is to be an eternally Grit supported economic basketcase.
Ontario has grown soft and entitled, and residents of their main city have shown their love for a do-nothing socialist mayor.
We are looking at a planet shift on our horizon.
New regionalism that will fracture our national integrity and one that will result in an eternally fragmented Parliament.
Lemon: We Need Racial Profiling
Spring is a time that turns a young man's fancy to thoughts of guns.
Recent teen shootings and various other terrible events in Toronto have once again, as the weather warms up, caused a hew and cry about causes, solutions and affects.
Not one, but two governments, both the Millertown and the Province, have formed special panels to evaluate the situation and recommend a course of action to solve this crisis by Mid-July if not sooner. We wrote on this a few days ago.
Yesterday, Judy Sgro, laid the blame squarely at the feet of children that are raised without fathers and the responsibility at the feet of the "community". She didn't ring the politically incorrect button by pointing out that this community was the Jamaican community. Good thing, because this is absolutely wrong and Pastors in the "Jamaican Community", parents and volunteers work desperately hard on this need every waking hour. And their efforts result in almost all young people in the community growing up to live fulfilling lives.
For over a decade, as Toronto has become more welcoming to new residents from abroad, there has risen a shibbolith that statistics which might indicate that there are commonalities among those who conduct sociopathic activity, if these statistics might lead to a conclusion that violent crime is mostly resident in groups such as the "Jamaican Community". It is, okay though, as evidenced by every episode of 'Criminal Minds' to target white, 25 to 39 year old males as being the source of all serial murders.
It is okay, as well, to use racial profiling to target social programs or support more targeted funding or job opportunities for certain groups.
Let's start with the generally accepted premise that we are all, regardless of race, pretty much the same under the skin at birth. But at some point this sameness, due to nurture or its absence, disappears and results in some people diverting focus to pulling out guns and shooting other kids.
There is almost no policy developed (except for abortion, of course) in which evidence is not used as the platform upon which it can be based.
Why should we ignore this principle for areas as important as the killing of dozens of young people every year or the commercialization of life destroying drugs?
Surely all clear thinking members of society would support profiling those conditions that result in this sort of behaviour. And then, once the facts are known, better policies, based on facts, can be implemented.
Or is this just me being a racist.
Recent teen shootings and various other terrible events in Toronto have once again, as the weather warms up, caused a hew and cry about causes, solutions and affects.
Not one, but two governments, both the Millertown and the Province, have formed special panels to evaluate the situation and recommend a course of action to solve this crisis by Mid-July if not sooner. We wrote on this a few days ago.
Yesterday, Judy Sgro, laid the blame squarely at the feet of children that are raised without fathers and the responsibility at the feet of the "community". She didn't ring the politically incorrect button by pointing out that this community was the Jamaican community. Good thing, because this is absolutely wrong and Pastors in the "Jamaican Community", parents and volunteers work desperately hard on this need every waking hour. And their efforts result in almost all young people in the community growing up to live fulfilling lives.
For over a decade, as Toronto has become more welcoming to new residents from abroad, there has risen a shibbolith that statistics which might indicate that there are commonalities among those who conduct sociopathic activity, if these statistics might lead to a conclusion that violent crime is mostly resident in groups such as the "Jamaican Community". It is, okay though, as evidenced by every episode of 'Criminal Minds' to target white, 25 to 39 year old males as being the source of all serial murders.
It is okay, as well, to use racial profiling to target social programs or support more targeted funding or job opportunities for certain groups.
Let's start with the generally accepted premise that we are all, regardless of race, pretty much the same under the skin at birth. But at some point this sameness, due to nurture or its absence, disappears and results in some people diverting focus to pulling out guns and shooting other kids.
There is almost no policy developed (except for abortion, of course) in which evidence is not used as the platform upon which it can be based.
Why should we ignore this principle for areas as important as the killing of dozens of young people every year or the commercialization of life destroying drugs?
Surely all clear thinking members of society would support profiling those conditions that result in this sort of behaviour. And then, once the facts are known, better policies, based on facts, can be implemented.
Or is this just me being a racist.
Lemon: On Equalization - Who Said This?
I don't think they have hurt them more than they have helped them and I don't think there was any bad intention but I do think they have a perverse impact and that perverse impact is to make regions more dependent. They give very little incentive to create greater on-source revenue because those revenue sources are taxed back. So, I think it is fair to say that the programs are well-intentioned, have had minor to modest success but, generally speaking, aren't transformational.
Frank McKenna - Former Liberal Premier of New Brunswick, favorite to be leader of the Liberal Party of Canada whould he ever want to be
Frank McKenna - Former Liberal Premier of New Brunswick, favorite to be leader of the Liberal Party of Canada whould he ever want to be
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Lemon: Disgusted by Fellow Capitalist - Charlie Baillie
Anyone catch Parson Manning's radio show "This I Believe" this morning on the Ceeb?
You can read it here.
Of all the times that I have been really angry about content on the CBC, I doubt very much I have ever been angrier than I was today and definitely never before at a capitalist who was featured on the national network.
Former TD Chairman, Charlie Baillie who is now Chancellor of Queen's University explained how important equal opportunity is for Canada, how every child should have equal access to opportunity and education.
He described how a "spikie" city can attract the brightest and smartest from everywhere.
He even personalized it by describing how providing this equal opportunity would likely not allow his eldest son to return home from his job as Chief of Looting and Pillaging at Goldman Sachs in New York to work in Toronto, nor help his second son return from London where he is saving all the furry friendly world's creatures.
But that equal opportunity could allow his third son continue to work in a job in Toronto with Scepter Funds as the Head of Investing Millionaires' Money into the Pockets of Other Millionaires Sons, and how his daughter could actually get a job in Canada finding the cure for all the diseases that affect poor people.
Tell me, Charlie, this idea of yours of equal opportunity, does this involve every child being born to the the Chairman of a giganti-normous financial institution that charges little old ladies a buck and a half to withdraw their own money?
Does it involve every child having a father who with a phone call and a donation of a million bucks or so, can get their child into MIT or Harvard?
Old, over the hill, elitist buffoon.
You can read it here.
Of all the times that I have been really angry about content on the CBC, I doubt very much I have ever been angrier than I was today and definitely never before at a capitalist who was featured on the national network.
Former TD Chairman, Charlie Baillie who is now Chancellor of Queen's University explained how important equal opportunity is for Canada, how every child should have equal access to opportunity and education.
He described how a "spikie" city can attract the brightest and smartest from everywhere.
He even personalized it by describing how providing this equal opportunity would likely not allow his eldest son to return home from his job as Chief of Looting and Pillaging at Goldman Sachs in New York to work in Toronto, nor help his second son return from London where he is saving all the furry friendly world's creatures.
But that equal opportunity could allow his third son continue to work in a job in Toronto with Scepter Funds as the Head of Investing Millionaires' Money into the Pockets of Other Millionaires Sons, and how his daughter could actually get a job in Canada finding the cure for all the diseases that affect poor people.
Tell me, Charlie, this idea of yours of equal opportunity, does this involve every child being born to the the Chairman of a giganti-normous financial institution that charges little old ladies a buck and a half to withdraw their own money?
Does it involve every child having a father who with a phone call and a donation of a million bucks or so, can get their child into MIT or Harvard?
Old, over the hill, elitist buffoon.
What do you believe in?
An open thread for readers to post those things they really believe in.
I posted mine here.
I posted mine here.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
First Guest Post by ET - The Dubious Rights of Panhandlers
Our spring recruiting drive has resulted in another point of view to join our team. ET is a globally respected academic in a major institution. We welcome this new, opininated and knowledgeable member of the CBL team.
What is panhandling? Someone who stands in front of the corner store, the subway, the bank, the coffee shop, the grocery store, the bus stop – and asks you for ‘spare change for a coffee’. A very few may be dirty and disheveled but the majority are young and healthy. Strange. Are these people really that impoverished? Is that why they are begging?
Or is the truth something quite different, something that our utopian mayor and city council refuse to consider?
The question is, are the majority of panhandlers genuinely impoverished because they are unable to work or are they panhandlers because they refuse to work. Criminal activity such as drug dealing and robberies are economic choices. Panhandling is another economic choice. My colleague at CBL, Nom de Blog, a few days ago presented the argument that crime is also such.
It is a choice for many young men in particular, and some young women, who reject the strictures and demands of a low wage job; they find that they can live their own lifestyle on welfare combined with panhandling. It’s a basic economic activity in large cities, with specific ‘rights-to-beg’ in certain areas, each area jealously guarded by the individuals panhandling that ‘turf’.
For example, the panhandlers in Toronto who 'work the cars', daily, everyday, at the corner of Lower Jarvis and Lakeshore, are young men and women. They ride up on their bicycles to 'work the cars'. It’s their 'turf' and stock in trade.
Let’s consider some of the issues about panhandling.
1) Panhandling is not merely a problem for tourists and businesses; it is a problem for residents, who are constantly harassed by panhandlers.
2) There is a big difference between the legitimately homeless and those unable to work (due to physical and/or psychological problems) and those who make the specific choice to reject work and subsist off the public welfare system and by panhandling.
The legitimately homeless and unable to work are few in number (a survey last year put their numbers at about 800) and, for the most part, they do not panhandle; they do not harass the public.
A survey by the Downtown Business Association of ALL downtown panhandlers revealed that not s single one did not have a place to sleep and eat.
By merging these two very distinct groups, we are creating a situation that is difficult to remedy - because the panhandler is immediately identified as a passive 'victim' rather than an active agent in their own lifestyle.
3) It is a mistake to declare that the panhandler is a victim or protected by the Charter. The appeal to the Charter and 'freedom of expression' of the panhandler is a fallacious argument and should be challenged rather than passively accepted.
Freedom of expression is defined in the Charter (2b) as "freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication".
The key words are 'thought, belief, opinion-and-expression'. That is, begging and asking for handouts has nothing to do with expressing a thought, a belief, an opinion'.
Importantly, the panhandler is not expressing an opinion. He is informing you of his state of life as impoverished. It is actually a request that you do something about his state-of-life. This has moved completely out of 'freedom of expression' and into an action requesting a reaction. That's not covered by the Charter.
Equally, shouldn't these thoughts, beliefs and opinions, if they are about the speaker, be a valid representation of the speaker? The panhandler is lying to the public; he is not legitimately unable to work and impoverished; he has chosen this lifestyle.
4) The real question then becomes - is his 'expression' about himself legitimate? Is he really impoverished; is he really unable to work; is he really dependent on the passer-by for his food?
The answer is - NO. His expression about himself is fraudulent. It is not legitimate.
Does the Charter permit someone to abuse the trust of the public, to present himself as impoverished and dependent, when he is able to work, able to support himself - but chooses not to? Does someone who fraudulently claims to be an aboriginal receive the rights for aboriginals in the Charter? Of course not.
Isn't this an abuse of my rights as an individual, to have someone presenting a false representation of himself to me, and in that action, asking me to do something for him?
5) What about my rights? What about my rights in the Charter to have (2a) "freedom of conscience". My conscience tells me that I must not allow someone to exist in an impoverished state. But, the panhandler is violating and abusing my freedom of conscience because he is pretending to be impoverished when the fact is, that he refuses to work and psychologically abuses me by his appeal to my morality and conscience.
To summarize, shouldn't I be permitted freedom of conscience, such that I make the decision about my charitable acts - rather than being constantly confronted with people pretending to be impoverished and asking for money. What about my freedoms and rights to act as I make the choices - not as these panhandlers present themselves.
Panhandling becomes worse in the summer, as the youth from out of town flock to the city, and 'work the streets' mooching. I'm tired of the harassment; I'm fed up with being psychologically abused by these people.
What about my rights?
What is panhandling? Someone who stands in front of the corner store, the subway, the bank, the coffee shop, the grocery store, the bus stop – and asks you for ‘spare change for a coffee’. A very few may be dirty and disheveled but the majority are young and healthy. Strange. Are these people really that impoverished? Is that why they are begging?
Or is the truth something quite different, something that our utopian mayor and city council refuse to consider?
The question is, are the majority of panhandlers genuinely impoverished because they are unable to work or are they panhandlers because they refuse to work. Criminal activity such as drug dealing and robberies are economic choices. Panhandling is another economic choice. My colleague at CBL, Nom de Blog, a few days ago presented the argument that crime is also such.
It is a choice for many young men in particular, and some young women, who reject the strictures and demands of a low wage job; they find that they can live their own lifestyle on welfare combined with panhandling. It’s a basic economic activity in large cities, with specific ‘rights-to-beg’ in certain areas, each area jealously guarded by the individuals panhandling that ‘turf’.
For example, the panhandlers in Toronto who 'work the cars', daily, everyday, at the corner of Lower Jarvis and Lakeshore, are young men and women. They ride up on their bicycles to 'work the cars'. It’s their 'turf' and stock in trade.
Let’s consider some of the issues about panhandling.
1) Panhandling is not merely a problem for tourists and businesses; it is a problem for residents, who are constantly harassed by panhandlers.
2) There is a big difference between the legitimately homeless and those unable to work (due to physical and/or psychological problems) and those who make the specific choice to reject work and subsist off the public welfare system and by panhandling.
The legitimately homeless and unable to work are few in number (a survey last year put their numbers at about 800) and, for the most part, they do not panhandle; they do not harass the public.
A survey by the Downtown Business Association of ALL downtown panhandlers revealed that not s single one did not have a place to sleep and eat.
By merging these two very distinct groups, we are creating a situation that is difficult to remedy - because the panhandler is immediately identified as a passive 'victim' rather than an active agent in their own lifestyle.
3) It is a mistake to declare that the panhandler is a victim or protected by the Charter. The appeal to the Charter and 'freedom of expression' of the panhandler is a fallacious argument and should be challenged rather than passively accepted.
Freedom of expression is defined in the Charter (2b) as "freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication".
The key words are 'thought, belief, opinion-and-expression'. That is, begging and asking for handouts has nothing to do with expressing a thought, a belief, an opinion'.
Importantly, the panhandler is not expressing an opinion. He is informing you of his state of life as impoverished. It is actually a request that you do something about his state-of-life. This has moved completely out of 'freedom of expression' and into an action requesting a reaction. That's not covered by the Charter.
Equally, shouldn't these thoughts, beliefs and opinions, if they are about the speaker, be a valid representation of the speaker? The panhandler is lying to the public; he is not legitimately unable to work and impoverished; he has chosen this lifestyle.
4) The real question then becomes - is his 'expression' about himself legitimate? Is he really impoverished; is he really unable to work; is he really dependent on the passer-by for his food?
The answer is - NO. His expression about himself is fraudulent. It is not legitimate.
Does the Charter permit someone to abuse the trust of the public, to present himself as impoverished and dependent, when he is able to work, able to support himself - but chooses not to? Does someone who fraudulently claims to be an aboriginal receive the rights for aboriginals in the Charter? Of course not.
Isn't this an abuse of my rights as an individual, to have someone presenting a false representation of himself to me, and in that action, asking me to do something for him?
5) What about my rights? What about my rights in the Charter to have (2a) "freedom of conscience". My conscience tells me that I must not allow someone to exist in an impoverished state. But, the panhandler is violating and abusing my freedom of conscience because he is pretending to be impoverished when the fact is, that he refuses to work and psychologically abuses me by his appeal to my morality and conscience.
To summarize, shouldn't I be permitted freedom of conscience, such that I make the decision about my charitable acts - rather than being constantly confronted with people pretending to be impoverished and asking for money. What about my freedoms and rights to act as I make the choices - not as these panhandlers present themselves.
Panhandling becomes worse in the summer, as the youth from out of town flock to the city, and 'work the streets' mooching. I'm tired of the harassment; I'm fed up with being psychologically abused by these people.
What about my rights?
Lemon: I Love Sheila Copps
The Sun
But our position was valid, as is that of Ms Copps and as was the PM's.
Now a couple of years out of elected politics, Copps is calling them as she sees them, and as far as opinion columnists go, she really knows politics as opposed to the Delacourts' and Simpsons' et al.
Casey claims a loss of up to $1 billion for his home province of Nova Scotia. But he sees no ethical conflict in trashing the Conservative budget and remaining a Conservative. Instead, his firing is met with feigned indignation by mischievous opposition members who should know better. They claim Casey is taking the high road, choosing principle over blind party loyalty.We were pretty aggressive in criticising Mr. Casey in previous posts.
But our position was valid, as is that of Ms Copps and as was the PM's.
Now a couple of years out of elected politics, Copps is calling them as she sees them, and as far as opinion columnists go, she really knows politics as opposed to the Delacourts' and Simpsons' et al.
Lemon: Sierra Club Wants Airports Closed
From Granatstein at The Sun
It would also keep Al Gore and Suzuki anonymous in their mansions and rent-a-protestors from breaking windows in Gap Stores and disrupting the G-8 meetings.
"You're showing progress," said Stephen Hazell, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada. "You can do better." [...] Hazell also said I should look at ways to fly less. He knows it will be tough, still, he believes Canadians will cut back. "I can't believe the airport expansions Toronto and Ottawa built. In 10 years they'll be empty."Now that would better tie our country together. Help tourism. Expand our economy. Make living in Iqalawit more pleasant. At least it would keep our politicians from convening in Ottawa for about 200 days a year and keep coming up with stupid ideas.
It would also keep Al Gore and Suzuki anonymous in their mansions and rent-a-protestors from breaking windows in Gap Stores and disrupting the G-8 meetings.
NDB on Celebrity Entitlements
Nom de Blog
Belinda “Paris” Stronach pulls a Bono. (No need to link, it’s everywhere)
Why is it that from the billionaires from thre Kennedy’s to the Stomach’s want to play fast and loose with tax money paid by the middle class?
Stronach can’t become a Cabinet Minister in the foreseeable future so she has bailed out of Parliament, ostensibly because she wants to spend “more time with her kids.” Did she have more time as Minister of Important Files than she does in opposition? Now she wants to save Africa with our money:
Maybe she wants to buy and be the lead singer for a rock and roll band. Maybe she'll end up competing on "Rock Star"
If she cared about what is going on in Africa why doesn’t she try and resuscitate the good name of Monsanto that the Greenies have smeared? Monsanto makes DDT which kills mosquitoes, the biggest cause of spreading of malaria and a bigger killer in Africa than AIDS. The Greenies managed to convince everyone that DDT was a killer, but that is yet another lack of consensus issue amongst scientists. It is doubtful DDT is a problem , it’s for sure that malaria is a problem
As a business person Belinda could perhaps do some “pro bono” work to have Monsanto supply low cost “Costco” prices of DDT for Africa. Why doesn’t she tackle the problem from her core competency instead of from the Canadian middle class wallet?
Speaking of core competency, she knows Clinton, right? Surely they could make some inroads together on this file.
Belinda “Paris” Stronach pulls a Bono. (No need to link, it’s everywhere)
Why is it that from the billionaires from thre Kennedy’s to the Stomach’s want to play fast and loose with tax money paid by the middle class?
Stronach can’t become a Cabinet Minister in the foreseeable future so she has bailed out of Parliament, ostensibly because she wants to spend “more time with her kids.” Did she have more time as Minister of Important Files than she does in opposition? Now she wants to save Africa with our money:
Maybe she wants to buy and be the lead singer for a rock and roll band. Maybe she'll end up competing on "Rock Star"
If she cared about what is going on in Africa why doesn’t she try and resuscitate the good name of Monsanto that the Greenies have smeared? Monsanto makes DDT which kills mosquitoes, the biggest cause of spreading of malaria and a bigger killer in Africa than AIDS. The Greenies managed to convince everyone that DDT was a killer, but that is yet another lack of consensus issue amongst scientists. It is doubtful DDT is a problem , it’s for sure that malaria is a problem
As a business person Belinda could perhaps do some “pro bono” work to have Monsanto supply low cost “Costco” prices of DDT for Africa. Why doesn’t she tackle the problem from her core competency instead of from the Canadian middle class wallet?
Speaking of core competency, she knows Clinton, right? Surely they could make some inroads together on this file.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Lemon: Rex on the Global Warming Cause
It is, as he always is, brilliant
A couple of excerpts:
There's not much of hesitancy, or deference, or horror of overstatement, in this the high noon of the global warming movement. Global warming as “explanation” is now tethered to the most minuscule of circumstances to the most macroscopic. A group called Pets Across America (which we may assume is not an assembly of climatologists) reported this week that “droves of cats and kittens are swarming into animal shelters nationwide, and global warming is to blame,” and that since “global warming is probably not going to be slowing any time soon” it's best for pets to be “spayed and neutered” now.
This is of course ludicrous to the point of farce. Global warming as a key to randy cats. But it is but one illustration that could be multiplied by a thousand of the now nearly automatic linkage of the most particular or local circumstances to the available “explanation” of global warming. [...]
Global warming has some science at its core. But it has been overlaid with a vast engine of continuous alarmism, propaganda, relentless campaigning, facile projections, and not a little bullying righteousness by some of its celebrity proponents.It is, for all that is shouted to the contrary, more a cause than a science.
A couple of excerpts:
There's not much of hesitancy, or deference, or horror of overstatement, in this the high noon of the global warming movement. Global warming as “explanation” is now tethered to the most minuscule of circumstances to the most macroscopic. A group called Pets Across America (which we may assume is not an assembly of climatologists) reported this week that “droves of cats and kittens are swarming into animal shelters nationwide, and global warming is to blame,” and that since “global warming is probably not going to be slowing any time soon” it's best for pets to be “spayed and neutered” now.
This is of course ludicrous to the point of farce. Global warming as a key to randy cats. But it is but one illustration that could be multiplied by a thousand of the now nearly automatic linkage of the most particular or local circumstances to the available “explanation” of global warming. [...]
Global warming has some science at its core. But it has been overlaid with a vast engine of continuous alarmism, propaganda, relentless campaigning, facile projections, and not a little bullying righteousness by some of its celebrity proponents.It is, for all that is shouted to the contrary, more a cause than a science.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Lemon: Rhetoric 101
The minute a commentator refers to the ground upon which we stand as "The Planet" you know where they stand.
Atlantis Launch is successful
Seven astronauts are enroute to space.
Hopefully re-entry will be just as safe and successful.
MaryT
Hopefully re-entry will be just as safe and successful.
MaryT
Evening Lemons Report Newman Taber June 8
Newman - Activists Accuse Canada of letting down Africa (so). Harper Losing Support in the East (so).
Duff - Tabor sitting in. Progress at G8, Passports, CPC tried to pus through the budget.
Tabor - $60B for Africa. Marxist Anti Poverty Activists - Bono blames PMSH (so)
Parliamentary Harridans on Tabor - Ablonczy gives the standard on-message comments. Looking for results Sgro says that she will personally sponsor as many African women as ballet dancers as want to come providing they work on her campaign. Peggy Nash, the commie from High Park says not enough money. Show footage of a bunch of nekid poverty activists running into the ocean - that's the kinda activism I can buy into, but I'm not sure that naked hippies going for a dip is gonna do anything for AIDs.
Travers on Newman - G8 aid package. Harper growing Foreign Aid budget 8% a year. Travers seems to actually think that the G8 package is on track. Travers says PM did a pretty good job at G8.
Premier of NWT on Newman. Why is there a "Premier" of NWT. A premier for 30,000 people? Almost as bad as PEI. I think the Grits only did the separation of NWT in order to have another Liberal seat. Its high time, since I'm kinda on the topic, for the Atlantic Provinces to merge. Then they'd have to grow up and stop pissing and moaning all the time. But of course the News and Novas don't wanna split their money to NB.
Atlantic Discord on Taber. Casey wasn't punished - he was set free. I say let ALL the News and Bluenosers free. Cancel the upgraded equalization plan. There's what, 4 seats at risk? Calling Newfie Doofus Danny's bluff is probably the best thing that PMSH could do.
Been nothing to report for 15 mins - I'm dozing off.
Reid and Powers on Taber - On budget play says PM only 17% in NFLD. Forgets that's WAY higher than Dion in Quebec. Powers expect that Senate would block the budget in the Red chamber. Reid claims Senate is democratic. Definitely is - for the Grits.
On Newman prediction that CPC might get wiped out in Maritimes - Fantastic - then they won't have to subsidize their noisy and lazy butts.
Liberal Communications Committee on Newman - Delacourt et al slag the CPC as always. Newman asks how dumb are the Liberals in the Senate? They played right into CPC hands. How Dumb Are They? Guy from CP doesn't think they're dumb. Delacourt thinks the CPC ALL WRONG on Senate reform. CBC guy things the CPC should have set 15 years!!! Get real - 15 years is the length of a career... Weston thinks it will catch on with Canadians. Delacourt calls CPC disgusting and smarmy. Newman says that QP is cheapened by responding to a question with a question - who said "It's Question Period, not Answer Period". It wasn't a Tory.
Real weak-kneed day. I actually almost fell asleep. 0/10
Duff - Tabor sitting in. Progress at G8, Passports, CPC tried to pus through the budget.
Tabor - $60B for Africa. Marxist Anti Poverty Activists - Bono blames PMSH (so)
Parliamentary Harridans on Tabor - Ablonczy gives the standard on-message comments. Looking for results Sgro says that she will personally sponsor as many African women as ballet dancers as want to come providing they work on her campaign. Peggy Nash, the commie from High Park says not enough money. Show footage of a bunch of nekid poverty activists running into the ocean - that's the kinda activism I can buy into, but I'm not sure that naked hippies going for a dip is gonna do anything for AIDs.
Travers on Newman - G8 aid package. Harper growing Foreign Aid budget 8% a year. Travers seems to actually think that the G8 package is on track. Travers says PM did a pretty good job at G8.
Premier of NWT on Newman. Why is there a "Premier" of NWT. A premier for 30,000 people? Almost as bad as PEI. I think the Grits only did the separation of NWT in order to have another Liberal seat. Its high time, since I'm kinda on the topic, for the Atlantic Provinces to merge. Then they'd have to grow up and stop pissing and moaning all the time. But of course the News and Novas don't wanna split their money to NB.
Atlantic Discord on Taber. Casey wasn't punished - he was set free. I say let ALL the News and Bluenosers free. Cancel the upgraded equalization plan. There's what, 4 seats at risk? Calling Newfie Doofus Danny's bluff is probably the best thing that PMSH could do.
Been nothing to report for 15 mins - I'm dozing off.
Reid and Powers on Taber - On budget play says PM only 17% in NFLD. Forgets that's WAY higher than Dion in Quebec. Powers expect that Senate would block the budget in the Red chamber. Reid claims Senate is democratic. Definitely is - for the Grits.
On Newman prediction that CPC might get wiped out in Maritimes - Fantastic - then they won't have to subsidize their noisy and lazy butts.
Liberal Communications Committee on Newman - Delacourt et al slag the CPC as always. Newman asks how dumb are the Liberals in the Senate? They played right into CPC hands. How Dumb Are They? Guy from CP doesn't think they're dumb. Delacourt thinks the CPC ALL WRONG on Senate reform. CBC guy things the CPC should have set 15 years!!! Get real - 15 years is the length of a career... Weston thinks it will catch on with Canadians. Delacourt calls CPC disgusting and smarmy. Newman says that QP is cheapened by responding to a question with a question - who said "It's Question Period, not Answer Period". It wasn't a Tory.
Real weak-kneed day. I actually almost fell asleep. 0/10
Lemon: Ellie May Potentially a Disaster for CPC
Check out Joan Tintor's post on "Debt Before Dishonour" It's brilliant.
Ellie May was seen by many (this commentator included) as a huge benefactor for the CPC .
Early on she offered the promise that she would steal Grit and Dipper votes as in the volume that cows emit methane.
We could see a Parliament with the left of centre vote split four ways, leaving the CPC with a chance for a solid majority with popular support in the 35% range.
But no, dammit, her wingnuttiness is proving to be a real detriment to CPC hopes.
But then again, maybe that's her strategy.
Ellie May was seen by many (this commentator included) as a huge benefactor for the CPC .
Early on she offered the promise that she would steal Grit and Dipper votes as in the volume that cows emit methane.
We could see a Parliament with the left of centre vote split four ways, leaving the CPC with a chance for a solid majority with popular support in the 35% range.
But no, dammit, her wingnuttiness is proving to be a real detriment to CPC hopes.
But then again, maybe that's her strategy.
Lemon: The Seven Blunders of Canada
So, the Seven Wonders of Canada are in and once again, no place or thing that I have any affinity for was included as being special.
I guess I'm deprived (though I don't feel that way) because I have never been in an igloo, never paddled a canoe, have managed to avoid Quebec City, only seen Niagara Falls from a casino, was born here didn't enter as an immigrant on Pier 21, and never really looked at the Prairie Skies except when I'd hit a golf ball up into them. The Rockies, didn't mind looking at them, wouldn't want to live there.
Bay St., fancy golf courses, cool bars and patios, gymnasia and the other places I really like weren't even given passing attention.
But I find solace in that when it comes to the CBC rating things, I can hearken back to Dr. Jonson and his opinion of dogs walking on their hind legs, "It is unusual, not in that it is done, but in that it is even attempted".
But what stands out is that 2 out of 7 of the wonders are aboriginal and this morning on the Ceeb they waxed poetic about how "the north defines Canada". I switched channels before they got to the wonder of canoeing on a silent northern lake with only the lonesome tones of a loon as company.
Why does the CBC always somehow want to define aboriginal things as part of "our" culture. I doubt that not many more that a tenth of our population has ever visited a reserve or even shared pemmican with an aboriginal.
Hearkening back (I hearken more and more as I get older) I remember the Global Millennium Festival - for about 24 hours every country in the world got 3 minutes on world wide TV to show their stuff, what they were doing special at the dawn of the age of Sagittarius (or something).
Canada's was three minutes of a couple of Inuit guys sitting on the ice beating a drum . . .
I'm sure that helped our tourism.
There is nothing in the aboriginal heritage or culture that is in mine. Oh, I respect them and their right to exist and have their culture so long as that culture doesn't involve taking over private developments or blocking railroad tracks.
But to somehow suggest that a country largely settled by the Scots, Irish, English, Germans, Ukrainians, Polish, Chinese, Russians, and French somehow share the igloo/canoe aboriginal heritage is preposterous.
But CBC is very good indeed at doing preposterous things.
I guess I'm deprived (though I don't feel that way) because I have never been in an igloo, never paddled a canoe, have managed to avoid Quebec City, only seen Niagara Falls from a casino, was born here didn't enter as an immigrant on Pier 21, and never really looked at the Prairie Skies except when I'd hit a golf ball up into them. The Rockies, didn't mind looking at them, wouldn't want to live there.
Bay St., fancy golf courses, cool bars and patios, gymnasia and the other places I really like weren't even given passing attention.
But I find solace in that when it comes to the CBC rating things, I can hearken back to Dr. Jonson and his opinion of dogs walking on their hind legs, "It is unusual, not in that it is done, but in that it is even attempted".
But what stands out is that 2 out of 7 of the wonders are aboriginal and this morning on the Ceeb they waxed poetic about how "the north defines Canada". I switched channels before they got to the wonder of canoeing on a silent northern lake with only the lonesome tones of a loon as company.
Why does the CBC always somehow want to define aboriginal things as part of "our" culture. I doubt that not many more that a tenth of our population has ever visited a reserve or even shared pemmican with an aboriginal.
Hearkening back (I hearken more and more as I get older) I remember the Global Millennium Festival - for about 24 hours every country in the world got 3 minutes on world wide TV to show their stuff, what they were doing special at the dawn of the age of Sagittarius (or something).
Canada's was three minutes of a couple of Inuit guys sitting on the ice beating a drum . . .
I'm sure that helped our tourism.
There is nothing in the aboriginal heritage or culture that is in mine. Oh, I respect them and their right to exist and have their culture so long as that culture doesn't involve taking over private developments or blocking railroad tracks.
But to somehow suggest that a country largely settled by the Scots, Irish, English, Germans, Ukrainians, Polish, Chinese, Russians, and French somehow share the igloo/canoe aboriginal heritage is preposterous.
But CBC is very good indeed at doing preposterous things.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Lemon: Tips for John Tory
Come out strong and loud behind nuclear energy. It is the only option as far as dependability, safety and level of production.
Develop a plan to provide homeowners affordable solar panels.
Come out strong and loud on Energy from Waste with advanced incineration.
Announce an owned housing program for low income families in Toronto.
Implement a "broken windows" policy in schools with penalties for failure to report to police cases of assault or property damage.
Implement a life choices and leadership program in the school curriculum starting at Grade 6.
Announce that the City of Toronto will not receive a penny from the Province until budgets are approved without increase for three years. After that is achieved be willing to negotiate uploading of social services to the Province.
Develop a plan to provide homeowners affordable solar panels.
Come out strong and loud on Energy from Waste with advanced incineration.
Announce an owned housing program for low income families in Toronto.
Implement a "broken windows" policy in schools with penalties for failure to report to police cases of assault or property damage.
Implement a life choices and leadership program in the school curriculum starting at Grade 6.
Announce that the City of Toronto will not receive a penny from the Province until budgets are approved without increase for three years. After that is achieved be willing to negotiate uploading of social services to the Province.
Evening Lemons Report Newman Akin June 7
Akin is on for Duff - won't bother blogging it.
Newman is back - G8 Reach an Agreement, Babs Mac and Manley on Putin, Environment and Senate. Are the CPCs sunk in Maritimes (so)
G8 agreement - PMSH must have targets, real mandatory enforceable targets. US only behind plan with entire world. Major step forward.
Keith Boag - Targets based upon other countries - Canada is on the list with Japan and Euros. Boag says a lot of effort went into deal - PMSH got his deal for specific targets. Let's see if he gets any credit - NOTHING CONTRADICTS HARPER TARGET PLAN. Says conference went more Bush's way than Merckle's. All impressed how far the Americans have come.
Baird - Great acceptance that Canada in the game and moving ahead. First time for a consensus. Canada on same page as Euros.
It is very hard to think that any MSM commentator won't give Harper / Baird anything but immense credit for this.
Does anyone expect that I might be surprised?
Putin & Harper meeting - PMSH says democratic behaviour a principle of G8 membership and Post-commies have to clean up act, says Putin criticized Canada and the forcing people to live in the Labrador Gulag. Babs says water on stone to bug the Ruskies about human rights, but it is necessary. It's good see Babs back in the public forum. Manley says no one kicking Ruskies out. Babs says the Ruskies are just posing - they know it's a defense system. Speaking of Manley, remember when the Grits had a few people who could speak without appearing like their head would explode?
Baker and Stratton on Senate Reform - simple - George wants life terms for senators so he can lip off in public until he dies without being labeled an idiot, think that he is important (instead of just a Grit political patronage appointment), continue being flown first class all over the world, and getting to live in Ottawa instead of Newfoundland.
Senate Reform is being killed by the non-elected Liberal majority because they were in the bag to get the appointment and they want to stay in the bag until they die. My suggestion? Open up the Senate Chambers to smoking with an open bar, Mcdonalds box lunches on demand, offer unlimited free viagra, and remove all elevators on Parliament Hill. Then let natural selection (Tories drink less) take its course and before we know it - Senate Reform.
Peter Van Loan smacks down Iggy... Wow - where'd this come from? First time I've seen him animated.
The beauty panel" PCL on with Ralphie Hedgehog and MuMu Davies.
Newman questions PVL changing the topic, Ralphie admits that he used to do the same thing.
Ralphie says that the only way that Senate reform can happen is with constitutional reform. If so, then let's open it up and fire all those red asses - elected all the way, screw the entitled provinces and their minimums. Rep by Region - Atlantic, QC, ON, Mansask, Alta and BC - 15 senators each.
Libby from the Numbnutted Dreamers Party laughs that PVL demands that there is no way that the senate Reform Bill needs a reference from the SCOC.
What 75% of the public (according to RTH) DON'T want Senate reform - Senators, their families, Liberals that want to continue to exercise power without having an HOC majority?
Reynolds calls Newfie Doofus Danny Williams a cry-baby - he's too kind.
Newman on Atlantic Accord - that stupid deal that Martin did when he was promising everyone anything they asked for. Casey says he was manhandled by the CPC to vote for bill and was locked in a room. Again, I say - if NL and NS keep up their nonsense, then two things: drop the revised O'Brien deal and push hard on how Martin did a stupid deal at the expense of ON, QC, AB and BC. Wins a lot more seats than it loses.
The Maritimes have a history of, without exception, throughout history, always doing what is in their own worst interest. If they HATE the new deal then it must be a great one.
Ultimately it's demagoguery - Newfies and NSers get their ugly noisy red faces on TV - it's good for their local politics.
Newman agrees that dumping the new O'Brien deal is the best idea - is he reading CBL?
Pretty good show. Will see how the Liberal Communications Network (MSM) report on the G8. 6/10
Newman is back - G8 Reach an Agreement, Babs Mac and Manley on Putin, Environment and Senate. Are the CPCs sunk in Maritimes (so)
G8 agreement - PMSH must have targets, real mandatory enforceable targets. US only behind plan with entire world. Major step forward.
Keith Boag - Targets based upon other countries - Canada is on the list with Japan and Euros. Boag says a lot of effort went into deal - PMSH got his deal for specific targets. Let's see if he gets any credit - NOTHING CONTRADICTS HARPER TARGET PLAN. Says conference went more Bush's way than Merckle's. All impressed how far the Americans have come.
Baird - Great acceptance that Canada in the game and moving ahead. First time for a consensus. Canada on same page as Euros.
It is very hard to think that any MSM commentator won't give Harper / Baird anything but immense credit for this.
Does anyone expect that I might be surprised?
Putin & Harper meeting - PMSH says democratic behaviour a principle of G8 membership and Post-commies have to clean up act, says Putin criticized Canada and the forcing people to live in the Labrador Gulag. Babs says water on stone to bug the Ruskies about human rights, but it is necessary. It's good see Babs back in the public forum. Manley says no one kicking Ruskies out. Babs says the Ruskies are just posing - they know it's a defense system. Speaking of Manley, remember when the Grits had a few people who could speak without appearing like their head would explode?
Baker and Stratton on Senate Reform - simple - George wants life terms for senators so he can lip off in public until he dies without being labeled an idiot, think that he is important (instead of just a Grit political patronage appointment), continue being flown first class all over the world, and getting to live in Ottawa instead of Newfoundland.
Senate Reform is being killed by the non-elected Liberal majority because they were in the bag to get the appointment and they want to stay in the bag until they die. My suggestion? Open up the Senate Chambers to smoking with an open bar, Mcdonalds box lunches on demand, offer unlimited free viagra, and remove all elevators on Parliament Hill. Then let natural selection (Tories drink less) take its course and before we know it - Senate Reform.
Peter Van Loan smacks down Iggy... Wow - where'd this come from? First time I've seen him animated.
The beauty panel" PCL on with Ralphie Hedgehog and MuMu Davies.
Newman questions PVL changing the topic, Ralphie admits that he used to do the same thing.
Ralphie says that the only way that Senate reform can happen is with constitutional reform. If so, then let's open it up and fire all those red asses - elected all the way, screw the entitled provinces and their minimums. Rep by Region - Atlantic, QC, ON, Mansask, Alta and BC - 15 senators each.
Libby from the Numbnutted Dreamers Party laughs that PVL demands that there is no way that the senate Reform Bill needs a reference from the SCOC.
What 75% of the public (according to RTH) DON'T want Senate reform - Senators, their families, Liberals that want to continue to exercise power without having an HOC majority?
Reynolds calls Newfie Doofus Danny Williams a cry-baby - he's too kind.
Newman on Atlantic Accord - that stupid deal that Martin did when he was promising everyone anything they asked for. Casey says he was manhandled by the CPC to vote for bill and was locked in a room. Again, I say - if NL and NS keep up their nonsense, then two things: drop the revised O'Brien deal and push hard on how Martin did a stupid deal at the expense of ON, QC, AB and BC. Wins a lot more seats than it loses.
The Maritimes have a history of, without exception, throughout history, always doing what is in their own worst interest. If they HATE the new deal then it must be a great one.
Ultimately it's demagoguery - Newfies and NSers get their ugly noisy red faces on TV - it's good for their local politics.
Newman agrees that dumping the new O'Brien deal is the best idea - is he reading CBL?
Pretty good show. Will see how the Liberal Communications Network (MSM) report on the G8. 6/10
Lemon: McGuinty Government Ignores Solutions to School Violence
I always put the CBC under scrutiny if for no other reason than I can, because it is a public institution and I hold it to higher standards than private broadcasters. And I have ripped it for obvious cases of bias.
Every now and again, though never in words of support for the conservative movement, they come up with a story that hits home and presents a point of view that needs to be heard.
This morning on The Current, Tremonti interviewed Bruce Miles, a teacher at C.W. Jeffries school where Jordan Manners was murdered a few weeks ago. We wrote last Saturday about how this boy's death was treated by the media.
Since, the City and Province have reacted vehemently - in their usual manner by announcing a whole series of programs so that "this will never happen again" and "he will not have died in vain". Nonsense.
Mr. Miles revealed today that he is still in shock from Jordan's death. He was a boy whom he knew well, whom he genuinely liked, and whose death was entirely preventable.
He described the school system as a blackboard jungle. How rudeness and even assault behaviour against teachers has become the norm. How the position of respect that teachers in society once had no longer exists. He explained how assaults are never reported to the police and the system does not allow any level of discipline to be applied against wayward kids, apparently in the interest of better "safe school" statistics.
Acts of Crime are Being Covered Up in Our Schools On the Altar of Political Correctness.
He also offered his opinion about the Panel on Safe Schools formed by the Toronto District School Board and headed by Julian Falconer. (paraphrased): "They want to have a few meetings over a few weeks and announce that a solution to school violence has been developed. And nothing will be accomplished."
Mr. Miles also described how he ran a program that worked with students to use their "good conscience" to live happy lives and develop confidence. To see themselves as leaders in their groups. And this was working great but isn't seen by the system as something worthwhile.
Kudo's to Mr. Miles for doing his part to restore respect for the teaching profession.
Brickbats to Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne who, when asked to respond, said that it was all the fault of Mike Harris. "We've only been in office three and a half years!" Hopefully, she'll only have five months left to continue her futility.
Every now and again, though never in words of support for the conservative movement, they come up with a story that hits home and presents a point of view that needs to be heard.
This morning on The Current, Tremonti interviewed Bruce Miles, a teacher at C.W. Jeffries school where Jordan Manners was murdered a few weeks ago. We wrote last Saturday about how this boy's death was treated by the media.
Since, the City and Province have reacted vehemently - in their usual manner by announcing a whole series of programs so that "this will never happen again" and "he will not have died in vain". Nonsense.
Mr. Miles revealed today that he is still in shock from Jordan's death. He was a boy whom he knew well, whom he genuinely liked, and whose death was entirely preventable.
He described the school system as a blackboard jungle. How rudeness and even assault behaviour against teachers has become the norm. How the position of respect that teachers in society once had no longer exists. He explained how assaults are never reported to the police and the system does not allow any level of discipline to be applied against wayward kids, apparently in the interest of better "safe school" statistics.
Acts of Crime are Being Covered Up in Our Schools On the Altar of Political Correctness.
He also offered his opinion about the Panel on Safe Schools formed by the Toronto District School Board and headed by Julian Falconer. (paraphrased): "They want to have a few meetings over a few weeks and announce that a solution to school violence has been developed. And nothing will be accomplished."
Mr. Miles also described how he ran a program that worked with students to use their "good conscience" to live happy lives and develop confidence. To see themselves as leaders in their groups. And this was working great but isn't seen by the system as something worthwhile.
Kudo's to Mr. Miles for doing his part to restore respect for the teaching profession.
Brickbats to Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne who, when asked to respond, said that it was all the fault of Mike Harris. "We've only been in office three and a half years!" Hopefully, she'll only have five months left to continue her futility.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
CBL Honoured by Mr. Erl
Everyone that reads the BTs drops in regularly on Mr. Erl. He writes well and is not in the least afraid of making our conservative status quo the status went. He brings forward positions that deserve respect and ideas that we need to develop in our ideology.
CBL was started about a year and a half ago because we wanted to be a part of the movement to oppose the messages of a mainstream media that seemed to live in a bizarro world. We found a home on the Blogging Tories.
We purposefully set out to in a small political way be as curmudgeonly as Henry Louis Mencken, but without the straw hat.
We've posted somewhere around 860 pieces, some have tried to be nasty, some have been a little funny and some bang on the money. Others have been busts.
Early on Hespeler was kind enough to anoint us as BT Site of the Week and we proudly wear this emblem on our sidebar. In the last few months we've learned that very highly thought of people in the highest ranks of the CPC get a chuckle from some of our posts.
In the last month, we have built an editorial team: MaryT (who has been married for fifty years!) adds spice to CBL, BATB is tremendously passionate and erudite as an educator should be and adds a little more citrus, and nom de blog provides a grain of common sensical salt.
I'd like to thank the editorial team for elevating us in the depth and breadth of opinion and observation that we are continually improving.
But for me, of all our modest achievements, the thing I'm most happy about, is to be recognized by a bright new face and voice among the Blogging Tories: Mr. Erl for writing of us in such glowing terms.
Thank you, Erl.
May you, in your blogging future, piss off even more sycophantish liberals than we have.
It is little random acts of kindness like yours that keep us k-boarding.
CBL was started about a year and a half ago because we wanted to be a part of the movement to oppose the messages of a mainstream media that seemed to live in a bizarro world. We found a home on the Blogging Tories.
We purposefully set out to in a small political way be as curmudgeonly as Henry Louis Mencken, but without the straw hat.
We've posted somewhere around 860 pieces, some have tried to be nasty, some have been a little funny and some bang on the money. Others have been busts.
Early on Hespeler was kind enough to anoint us as BT Site of the Week and we proudly wear this emblem on our sidebar. In the last few months we've learned that very highly thought of people in the highest ranks of the CPC get a chuckle from some of our posts.
In the last month, we have built an editorial team: MaryT (who has been married for fifty years!) adds spice to CBL, BATB is tremendously passionate and erudite as an educator should be and adds a little more citrus, and nom de blog provides a grain of common sensical salt.
I'd like to thank the editorial team for elevating us in the depth and breadth of opinion and observation that we are continually improving.
But for me, of all our modest achievements, the thing I'm most happy about, is to be recognized by a bright new face and voice among the Blogging Tories: Mr. Erl for writing of us in such glowing terms.
Thank you, Erl.
May you, in your blogging future, piss off even more sycophantish liberals than we have.
It is little random acts of kindness like yours that keep us k-boarding.
Lemon: More CBC Photoshop Experts at Work
More inadvertent CBC photos. . .The first is titled "climatechange2"
Thanks to an Anon poster. Does the sun really look like that?
Suzuki Shaken by Foundation Audits
Globe
David Suzuki is Canada's most outspoken environmentalist, and regularly lambastes those, such as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whom he deems insufficiently green.
But he's worried that shooting from the lips too often about federal politicians may have made his namesake environmental charity, the David Suzuki Foundation, the target of vindictive federal tax auditors.
He blames a blog for causing this.
Mr. Suzuki is not without his critics. He and his group have been targeted on the right-leaning Civitatensis blog, where readers are urged to ask the government to review the foundation's charitable status.
But here's the fact that makes even THIS criticism of the government partisan:
But in an interview yesterday after a news conference on Parliament Hill, Mr. Suzuki said the foundation has been audited three times.
Hmmm. The CPC has only been in office for a year. Under which government were the audits conducted?
David Suzuki is Canada's most outspoken environmentalist, and regularly lambastes those, such as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whom he deems insufficiently green.
But he's worried that shooting from the lips too often about federal politicians may have made his namesake environmental charity, the David Suzuki Foundation, the target of vindictive federal tax auditors.
He blames a blog for causing this.
Mr. Suzuki is not without his critics. He and his group have been targeted on the right-leaning Civitatensis blog, where readers are urged to ask the government to review the foundation's charitable status.
But here's the fact that makes even THIS criticism of the government partisan:
But in an interview yesterday after a news conference on Parliament Hill, Mr. Suzuki said the foundation has been audited three times.
Hmmm. The CPC has only been in office for a year. Under which government were the audits conducted?
Lemon: What Promises Did Grit Leader Candidates Make?
The speculation that was not made in canada.com on their borrowings and spending...
Anybody wonder now why the Grits are broke?
...Dion borrowed $705,000 from eight lenders, $555,000 of which is still owing. He also raised $953,396 from 1,925 donors. Dion spent $1,689,389 to conduct a nine-month campaign that ended in his stunning come-from-behind victory last Dec. 2. He did not come close to the $3.4 million spending limit imposed by the party.
Dion's $705,000 in loans include $350,000 from Montreal businessman Stephanos Mamdouh, $50,000 from former Ottawa Senators owner Rod Bryden and $50,000 from Stephen Bronfman, a member of the wealthy Montreal family that made its name in the distillery business.
Rae also borrowed $845,000 - all of it from his brother, Power Corp. executive John Rae, except for $125,000 Rae lent himself. He's already paid off $623,478, leaving $221,522 in outstanding loans.
Kennedy, by contrast, borrowed $451,170 from 11 lenders, mostly relatives but including $50,000 from auto parts giant Magna International. His report suggests that he's repaid $195,750 so far.
Kennedy also reports another $311,682 in unpaid bills.
Kennedy . . . said the camps are planning to begin holding twice-monthly joint fundraising events and to launch joint appeals for donations. Kennedy added that the Liberal contest was the "most open and transparent" in Canadian history and campaign spending by each camp was much more frugal than previous Liberal or Tory contests.
Frugal? This is Kennedy's idea of Frugal? No wonder the country was so messed up under their leadership. This would be a gift that keeps on giving, except that these loans may just not be repaid (damn the credit ratings).
Anybody wonder now why the Grits are broke?
...Dion borrowed $705,000 from eight lenders, $555,000 of which is still owing. He also raised $953,396 from 1,925 donors. Dion spent $1,689,389 to conduct a nine-month campaign that ended in his stunning come-from-behind victory last Dec. 2. He did not come close to the $3.4 million spending limit imposed by the party.
Dion's $705,000 in loans include $350,000 from Montreal businessman Stephanos Mamdouh, $50,000 from former Ottawa Senators owner Rod Bryden and $50,000 from Stephen Bronfman, a member of the wealthy Montreal family that made its name in the distillery business.
Rae also borrowed $845,000 - all of it from his brother, Power Corp. executive John Rae, except for $125,000 Rae lent himself. He's already paid off $623,478, leaving $221,522 in outstanding loans.
Kennedy, by contrast, borrowed $451,170 from 11 lenders, mostly relatives but including $50,000 from auto parts giant Magna International. His report suggests that he's repaid $195,750 so far.
Kennedy also reports another $311,682 in unpaid bills.
Kennedy . . . said the camps are planning to begin holding twice-monthly joint fundraising events and to launch joint appeals for donations. Kennedy added that the Liberal contest was the "most open and transparent" in Canadian history and campaign spending by each camp was much more frugal than previous Liberal or Tory contests.
Frugal? This is Kennedy's idea of Frugal? No wonder the country was so messed up under their leadership. This would be a gift that keeps on giving, except that these loans may just not be repaid (damn the credit ratings).
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