Straight Goods - Canada's independent on-line source of news, analysis, information and fun

First of all, subscribe to Straight Goods. It's the source of information you won't get anywhere else.

Second, Linda McQuaig makes some very good points. We need to invest in social programs that help all Canadians. Linda talks about education and that should be one of the top priorities. The talk is competitiveness, what better way to ensure competition then having an educated healthy population? There was a bumper sticker which once said, 'in a perfect world, schools would have all the money the needed and the military would have to have bake sales'. Well in Canada the latter is true, the former isn't.

Now the talk is a national day care program. I oppose this for a few reasons, one, it will be a typical government boondoggle. In other words a lot of money will be thrown at a ill-thought program and very little resources will go to the people who actually need it. Think ad-scan for the preschool set. Second, there is nothing for parents who choose to stay at home and raise their children. I know that sounds old fashion, but many want to do just that. Why not make it possible for them to do so without punishment?

I have children in post-secondary education, they will get two things when they graduate; one a degree, the second, a large debt load. Great way to start a life. Only in Canada.

Peace

Committee to Protect Bloggers: THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT BLOGGERS ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST CAMPAIGN: Free Arash and Mojtaba

Today, remember Mojtaba Saminejad and Arash Sigarchi. Their crime according to the Iranian authorities was to print the truth and be critical of the government.

Freedom is still precious, their right to think is still an important one. Their freedom to share their thoughts must be protected.




Peace

Girls Gone Wild Invades Canada - Nationwide Tour Kicks off This Monday; Notorious U.S. Series of Naughty DVDs Travels North in Search of the Hottest Women Canada Has to Offer

I was reading my local paper when this article caught my attention. Just what we need in Canada, "Girls Gone Wild". Now we all remember when the female fans of the Calgary Flames decided to flash themselves. I supposed it is to show that you are a liberated person not afraid of yourself or your sexuality.

Here's the reality ladies, your pix will now be part of the public domain. Quicker then you can say, 'My gosh what was I thinking', it's on every computer on the planet. Yes, that a great legacy.

Tell you what, and here is some fatherly advice, keep your shirts down and if the GGW group approach you, instead of showing your breasts, show them the door.

Peace

Yahoo! Sports - NHL - With NHL season on the brink, NHL presents players its final offer

Yahoo Sports had a poll asking the question, will there be hockey next year? I answered, "I don't care". Now I hear that the players have decided to accept a salary cap, although not the amount for the cap. Now the NHL says, 42.5 million or no season. Well, I suspect the players will crumble and accept this. After all, they accepted what they said every day for the past 153 days of the lock-out, so what's a few more million down. 52 million, 42.5 million, it doesn't matter.

Will the League survive, who honestly cares?


Peace

FT.com / Home UK - McDonald�s libel case goes to Euro court

Just appears to be the trial that Will Not Go Away for McDonald's. They at one time thought they could sue activists into silence, at one time a standard act by multinationals. Officially McDonald's won, but the publicity and embarrassment the company went through made it a very hollow victory. You can read more here.

Now the two have decided to appeal their 'conviction' to Strasbourg and according to one news source the two won a reversal of the decision.


Good for them.


Peace

I know everyone thinks that today is Flag Day here in Canada. About 10 years ago the then PM Jean Chretien declared February 15th as 'Flag Day', the day the Maple Leaf was adopted as the flag of Canada.

Truly it is a day for Canadians to stop and consider what a beautiful flag we do have. It is a flag that unites our nation and gives us a feeling of pride.

However, today is another special event, one that was also established by the then PM Jean Chretien. You see today is also "Choke a Homeless Person" day. . It was the day the Poutine wandered into the crowd of well wishers and confronted a person who was heckling him. The man was reminding the PM of the Red Book Promise ( the Liberal's campaign material) to restore funding to social programs. Of course like every other promise given by the Federal Liberals it was quickly broken. Seems this man didn't like what was happening to the poor of Canada and felt he had to say something. Silly fool, doesn't he realize that people like Chretien don't care about the needs of the poor.

As I was looking for the photo, I came across this

article. Keep it all in the proper perspective.

Peace

metronews: news

Let's put the last couple days of testimony into the proper perspective. Both the sitting and the former PM knew all about the purpose of the program, they knew money was ear-marked for the program and they all thought it was a great program.

I'm talking about the Sponsorship program.

What neither of them knew was where the money went.

Just think about it for a while. They didn't know where the money went.

I'm not talking about the coffee money here, I'm talking hundreds of millions of dollars, some of which ended up in the pockets of people who worked for the various ad agencies.


Before the Gormley commission people knew there was something crooked going on.

But the sitting PM, who was the Finance Minister during this period, and the former PM, knew nothing about the money.

Let me repeat, they didn't know where the money went.

Meditate on this, they didn't know where the money went.

So, what do we have, either two of the biggest crooks Canada ever produced, or two of the most incompetent leaders Canada has ever entrusted to run this country.

They didn't know where the money went.

CANOE -- CNEWS - Canada: Liberals cheer Chretien, Martin lauds his service: "and used a briefcase full of golf balls as a devastating stage prop"

Seems M. Chretien likes to use props and make jokes in dealing with scandals. Let's remember a few. There was the APEC summit in Vancouver a number of years ago, in case you forget one of the visiting dignitaries was Suharto of Indonesia. He was a nasty little dictator who invaded East Timor and oppressed people. What he also had was a very delicate condition, he didn't like to be criticized. Now in Canada, unlike his nation, dissent and protest is part of the fabric and protected, allegedly by the Charter. While in Vancouver one of the events was to take place in the Museum of Archaelogy on the campus of the University of British Columbia, a place where Protest 101 is a required course for all freshmen. Many of the students were upset over the fact that a blood thirsty tyrant was coming to their home and decided to protest, calling him all sorts of names. Of course this couldn't happen for reasons that are now unclear, still the result was a lot of students were pepper sprayed and arrested all under orders of the PMO ( Prime Minister's Office). During a press conference when asked about the pepper spraying of Canadians, Chretien laughed it off with "Pepper is something I put on my steak". Gosh what a comedian.

The next time his true comedic genius was on display was at the height of the HRC scandel. Apparently the Auditor General of the day reported s/he couldn't track a billion dollars of money that had been earmarked for the HRC department. The government of the day denied any knowledge of this and said it couldn't be tracked. During the ugly time and let's remember we're talking one billion dollars here, he stood up to address the Parliament and had this big old binder of documents and he started to read all the places the money had gone. He was having a good old time and his then right hand weasel Don Bordreau, a man who had to resign in disgrace by the way, was either giving him the pages or taking it from him. Again, a billion dollars lost of taxpayers money and Chretien thinks it's hilarious.

Now the AdScan, same thing money, lots of money goes missing and to defend himself Chretien uses some cheap props, in this case golf balls to prove his point. What was his point, that the golf balls are not cheap because other world leaders have them. Right. There is one slight point about his comments, and this is it HE DIDN'T ANSWER A FREAKING QUESTION!!!!!

The golf balls are a devastating prop, they sure are, because they should remind all Canadians that money that could have gone to education, or to hospitals, or to fixing infrastructure went to his buddies. You know what, every Canadian should during the next election, chuck golf balls at their local Liberal candidate and ask them, if that's a funny enough prop.

Disgusting. Chretien may be the most corrupt Prime Minister this nation has ever had.

Peace and practice your aim.

Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca

Oh good, he's now off the hook. Former PM Jean Chretien 'regrets' any sponsorship mistakes. After all, it was all done in the name of 'national unity'. Yes all that money that went to Liberal friendly firms was to preserve the Dominion. I guess those were the only firms you could trust, after all you couldn't trust any PQ friendly firms could you.

Just a couple of questions before you leave M. Prime Minister, why did you send your henchmen to cast doubt about the integrity of the Commission? Why have you taken so long to even admit this? You say it is your ultimate responsibility, if so how will you bear this responsibility. Why is it you send A. Gagliano to Denmark after the scandel broke?

Just how much did you know, when did you know it and why didn't you act upon it?


Just answer those questions, okay?


Peace

I was away last week, so I think I missed a lot of things.

Let's get to the news. The Pats win Superbowl xxxix, or 39 for those of us who are roman numeral illiterate. Good game, both teams were very nervous in the first quarter. I don't know what Philly was thinking about regarding clock management. Very bad.

It's very damp and cold today. Miserable weather.

Have to find more for tomorrow.

Peace

Wired News | Sudan: U.N. Darfur Report Does Not See Genocide

Of course it doesn't see genocide. The UN refuses to see genocide in anyplace except Israel. The world, I believe would be relieved if the Sudanese militia and air force would simply kill everybody. You see once they are all dead, it's no longer genocide. Also, dead refugees are easier to deal with; all you need is a couple of front end loaders and a few bulldozers. You dig the pits and push the bodies in and problem is solved.

As well, a negative report against Sudan will only be squashed by the Arab-Muslim bloc. Any aid would be resisted by this group, because the only country that apparently can engage in genocide and be condemned is Israel, and they don't even engage in genocide.

Remember Darfur


Peace

This is the new symbol of courage in the world today. A finger with purple dye, a finger that proves the person attached understood the challenge and the threat and refused to be intimidated. This is the finger of a person who voted in the Iraqi election.

Those who are the angriest today are the terrorists, no sorry, as Suhanna of CBC Newsworld reminded an Iraqi, insurgents. The threatened ordinary citizens that they would kill them, well guess what, millions refused to be intimidated, the last legacy of the Saddam Hussein regime proved to be an empty threat. The other group that are the angriest are the stridently anti-Americans who hate anything and everything that country does. Now again, I do oppose the military operation, it was a sham but this does not mean I can't rejoice when regular people decide to take matters into their own hand and vote. The opposition in Afghanistan thought they could discredit a vote and threatened to boycott that election, however when they discovered that regular people wanted this election they suddenly showed up.

Now many are complaining about the lack of Sunni voters, let's remember that under Saddam, the Sunni were the favoured people. The perks, such as they were, belonged to them. While the Shi'ites in the south and the Kurds in the north were either being gassed or shot, they lived in relative security. Trust me in a couple of months all those Sunni's who didn't vote will be kicking themselves for not doing what they could for their nation.

To the strident Anti-Americans in my country, to those who work for the CBC and suppose to represent what I think, just one word of advice, Shut your traps. Democracy won today.

This does not mean the danger is over, the opposition still has guns and bombs, but it's the start of the end for them. The people, not the armies of the coalition are the ones that defeated them.


Peace

None Is Too Many - A Cause For Canadians To Repent - Anti-Semitism and Holocaust


I thought about the ceremony this week to mark th 60th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz. The message is as it should each anniversary, "Never Again". I wish this was so, but also this week the Sudanese Air Force were strifing civilians near Darfur in violation of a truce. Never again is hollow because the world has witnessed the horrors of Cambodia, the terrors of Rwanda, the silent destruction of the Tibetan people and simply turned the other way.

While one can point the finger at the Nazi's for the Holocaust, let us never forget our duplicity in this manner. Many western nations, including Canada slammed the door to Jewish immigration, and has the blood of no doubt thousands of Jews on our hands. What would have happened if our nation had allowed unrestricted immigration of Jews to Canada? How many lives would have been saved? According to Irving Abella Fredrick Charles Blair who was the director of the Immigration Branch of the Department of Mines and Resources was a Christian and an Anti-Semitic. He is a disgrace to the Name of Jesus! He ruled the department because Makenzie King was also anti-semitic. Remember it was King who thought Hitler was a great person. These two have put the blood of those Jews on the hands of every Canadian.

We were as much involved in the Holocaust as Dr. Joseph Mengele and the Nazi hierarchy.

I invite you to follow this link to learn more.

Let us never forget.


Peace

World Economic Forum - About Subhome
Couldn't let this day go by without saying something about the World Economic Forum in Davos what can be said about this? It gives the leaders of business and the world the chance to mingle, smooze and get their picture taken with Bono to show their grandkids they are actually cool and not a stuffed shirt.

The usual is said for improving the world and remember the membership are the same group who ensure the world does not become a better place for the poor. It is made up of the largest corporations in the world, the ones that have re-invented the sweatshop for example. These are the industries such as Nike that have gone from nation to nation to find the cheapest labour possible. It's these companies that have cut deals with some of the most ruthless dictatorships on the planet, so that their interests are protected.

Now they want to help Africa. Yes Africa needs help. But will corporate World give what it needs, will Pfizer or whoever agree to ship cheap anti-AIDS medicine, will Nestle stop trying to get mothers in the third and fourth world to start bottle feeding?

When that happens, let me know, OK?


Peace

CNEWS - Canada: N.B. won't pay for abortions at private clinic

This, being Canada, is part of the reason why the public health system is failing. Okay, the Federal Health Minister is ordering the province to pay for abortions performed in a private, for profit clinic. Now, this is public money being used to pay for a service already provided in public hospitals.

Keep that in mind, now let's say I decide to open up a private MRI clinic in my province. What do you think the reaction would be? Well easy Dosanjh would have a coronary. He would be screaming that is the erosion of the public system and it is shameful that service is provided for people who have the cash. You know, yadda yadda yadda.

The Health Minister for New Brunswick made a very good point when said:On one hand, he is trying to argue about health services being provided through a public system, but on the other hand, he's advocating for New Brunswick to provide health services through private clinics," the minister said.
So if the issue is trendy, it's okay, if it's not, it's not okay.

Figure it out, because I sure can't.


Peace

ALEXANDRASCOTT

I found about this site Stop Ashlee. Com from the Jim Rome show. It's a petition wants Ashlee Simpson to stop, to stop pretending she's a singer and leave the stage immediately. At last count there was over 212,000 signatures. I don't know about you but that says a lot of about the feeling this singer elicits in the heart of music lovers. I would suggest to Ashlee she return to what she does best, and that is an actress on "Seventh Heaven". This is a good family oriented show that is enjoyable to watch. I understand she's Jessica Simpson's sister and for some reason that got her into the music industry, but really when you're booed by 60000 people + at the Orange Bowl, it's time to move on.

Well, I could continue this negative blog but I want to draw attention to a singer you probably haven't heard and that is Alexandra Scott. She's an unsigned artist who deserves recognition for her ability and her talent. So when you're tired of the congromerate artist of the month, try someone who is real, try Alexandra Scott.


Peace

CTV.ca | 2004 CD shipments make first gain in six years

I honestly am happy for the music industry. They deserve some good news after all the bad news that has been generated in their direction. Of course, most of the bad news has been of their own making, still slow embracing new technology aren't they. I wonder why the numbers from ITunes and Puretracks isn't being included because that is now part of the music purchasing equation. I know over the last year I've bought both single tracks and a couple of albums using Puretracks.com. Are they afraid that even mentioning online music will cause people to pirate. Still they need to get over themselves.

I do agree that much of the inspiration has been the release of some good CD's. Let face it, U2's is incredible and worth every penny it cost and Shania Twain is always good ear candy. I mean she's quite nice to look at and she does a decent job. You will notice no mention of some of the horrors of the past year, like Britney releasing a "Best Of...", or the latest monstrosity from Hillary Duff or Lindsay Lohan. I want to suggest that if the music industry wants to keep this up they should do one thing do NOT offer contracts to a) Paris Hilton, b) the Olsen Twins or c) Donald Trump. None of them have any ability so there.

Just a thought, Ashlee Simpson's tour in support of her CD will probably die either on the road shortly after starting or it won't even get started. I suppose her 'acid reflux' will prevent her from touring. I mean after the SNL and then the Orange Bowl debacle her musical career probably has crashed and burned and there are no survivors.

She is proof that a sound card is no substitution for being able to actually sing.

Peace

Wired News: We're Creative Commonists, Bill

Everyone is jumping all over Bill Gate's remark during his interview that is featured in news.com. The comment from the Wired.com news article was to say that this demonstrates that Bill is a bit out of the loop when it comes to the notion of copyright, or as some like to call it 'copyleft'. The problem is that Bill fails to understand anything but the status quo and really the status quo for intellectual property is being erased, not by the communists, but by individuals and companies who are demanding a total change of the copyright system. The megamedia corporations of which Microsoft is a part of want to change copyright into property. According to traditional law, property is sacred and belongs forever to the owner. Copyright exists only for a limited period of time, a period that lawmakers are trying to change so that it is better for the lobbyists.
At present, when the copyright is complete, the intellectual property becomes part of the public domain that all of us can enjoy without restriction. The megamedia corporations want to lock up their culture forever, if they had their wish.
Which system do you want to live under, one dominated by a few corporations who only care about making money, or one in which culture and media are truly free. If we learned anything, the megacorps only care about their bottom line. It all started with the music industry and while they claim to act in the best interest of the artist, they are only interested in their bottom line. They want the artist to remain in a situation of indentured slavery, selling their creativity for a few bucks.
An extremely good book on the subject is Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig. If you visit his website freeculture.org. It gives a good background to the whole issue of free culture and how the megacorps are attempting to stifle this culture. You can about the time the RIAA sued Girl Scouts for singing campfire songs. If you go into the site you can download legal copies of the book and in various file types as well, from .pdf to .lit for those of us who own Pocket PC's. I'm about a third of the way through and it is a fascinating read.
Everything, including Bill's comments are based upon the Creative Commons, which is a method of protection and freedom for, as the site says, authors and artists. If you are a creative type it may be an interest to you it offers protection and the ability of others to build upon your creativity. It allows the creator to own and do as they will and not to be a part of the megacorps slavery system.

Consider learning more.

By the way, I did order a t-shirt, might as well make it official.

Learn more and free culture.


Peace

Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca

that's right Judy, blame your enemies. You probably made a lot of them. You know Judy there's a little saying out there and it goes something like this: "chickens do come home to roost". You've been pretty quick with attacking the conservatives, in fact weren't you part of the team that followed Stephen Harper around? yes you were and now you're ousted.

What is more interesting is the fact that the person that caused your downfall was Pizza Delivery Guy. You know, there is justice in this universe. And to think your rival gets your job, the guy that announced the end to the "Strippers to Canada", over your head while you were the target of volley after volley from the Opposition. So is that all it takes to get into Canada? send free pizza's to the Minister's campaign office? Well, that news should do well with every other person trying to sneak into the country.

Oh by the way Paul. Yeah, did you sleep well last night? How many more of your loyalists will be joining Judy on the disgrace trail. Let's see, that's two so far isn't it.

Peace

It must have been Kismet this past Saturday night. I was coming back from a restaurant meal, listening to CKLW radio in particular a show called the Movie Show on Radio. The topic was the 5 DVD's you take on the desert island, and as I listened I heard some great movies including my faves such as The Great Escape. Well one of the movies that was mentioned and brought raves was The Princess Bride, yes it is a good movie with excitement, some kissing and great lines. Well, so I get home and turn on the television when one channel, YTV is showing it. I figure after hearing about it again, I got to watch it so I did and is it funny or what. I mean the lines are great. Before I go further, you can read the script here. How can you not like a movie that features lines like Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. You just can't. Look, the movie makes no sense but it is great nonetheless. You have Billy Crystal as Miracle Maxx telling us that a rushed miracle is a rotten miracle. Or near the end when Fezzik, played by Andre the Giant says: Ah, there you are. Inigo, I saw the Prince's stables, and there they were, four white horses. And I thought, there are four of us, if we ever find the lady -- hello, lady -- so I took them with me, in case we ever bumped into each other. Or Vizzini describing two classic blunders: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is "Never get involved in a land war in Asia." But only slightly less well known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line"
. I was thinking of the first classic blunder, and my how things haven't changed have they? There is a land war going on in Asia and it is still a blunder, maybe not the jungles of Vietnam, but the desert and cities of Iraq, but I digress.
An interesting point made on the Movie Show was that the movie actually didn't go anywhere at the boxoffice, but when it was released to video it developed the cult following that has made it a hit. And a hit it is.

I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy, but I've got a lot to blog over the next little while.

By the way, Happy New Year.

Support The Salvation Army's relief for the victims of the Tsunami.


Peace

FrontPage magazine.com :: Why A Jew Supports Christian America by Don Feder

I found this article while surfing the news and may I say Don Feder is right on. He has an interesting quote: "Finally, I believe the safety of American Jews lies with Christian America.

In secular Europe, Jews are beaten in the streets. Our college campuses – dogmatically liberal – have turned into snake pits of anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. The news media, which are so hostile to Christianity, are equally antagonistic toward Israel". This is truly the case in Canada; our's is a secular society and so we allow Islamic fundalmentalist groups at Concordia University to bar Israeli government leaders from appearing. They did this by first rioting and from then on by making threats of riots. The problem is the liberal administration is fearful of the violence. But if they had immediately put pressure on the Islamic groups not to riot, there would not be the problem.

The Jewish population of Canada would do well to follow the lead of this writer's article and support pro-Christian political parties. The mainstream media is worse in Canada, Christianity is viewed as dangerous to rights. Just consider the hostility being raged regarding same sex marriage; those who support the traditional view of marriage are pilloried as being totally out of touch. It is not a question of stifling freedom is having a point of view and yet in Canada if you possess a point of view that is outside of the CBC Toronto elite you are going to be villified.

Freedom of expression means freedom to express views that are contrary. Protect it.


Peace

The name is Francis Tolliver / Twas Christmas In The Trenches

Here's the song that has come to describe that amazing event.

HELLFIRE CORNER - The Christmas Truce - 1914

The spirit of humanity is still amazing. How soldiers stopped killing, not because of official orders but rather because they saw the humanity of each other.

Let's hope the same spirit of peace will fill this week.


Peace be to you all

Green Party of Canada - Parti Vert du Canada

With Christmas almost upon us, we need to remember all the organizations in our various communities who are doing something to deal with child poverty. The question is how many hampers were given to individuals across this nation? I know some groups, such as the Fraser Institute like to complain about the definition of poverty. They do this to claim there are far fewer people below the poverty level. The complain that those who 'inflate' the numbers do so for some personal gain, let me say something, no one 'inflates' the numbers for personal gain. There is none, in this day and age very few people care about the poor, especially with the media. The only time people care about the poor is when the poor interfere with their lives.

I know people talk about the fact the effort to eradicate child poverty is a pipe dream. They will further say there's not enough money to deal with the problem. However, it seems when a company such as Bombardier
needs money, it's always available.

We need to keep the pressure on our politicians and remind them that the goal of this nation is not to solve the problems of private industry, but to ensure no Canadian is left behind.


Peace

Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca

I'm glad Paul is having such a great time with his new best friend Moammar. I mean poor Paul at home he faces questions about his choice of ministers and his view on different issues. He waffles more then the Waffle House and now he's in trouble again. He wanted to take his family to meet his new bestest friend and the best way to take them was on the government jet, yet all those nasty people in the opposition benches got all upset. I mean hey, so it cost a few bucks, it's not like the government is going broke; after all it does have a nine billion dollar surplus. For all that money, surely he can afford to take his family on some vacation.

Oh well, maybe same sex marriage will take the heat off.

Peace

Well, it's been a time hasn't it. I suppose I should give the excuses why I haven't been blogging over the last few days. The question could be asked, nothing outrageous from the Canadian government? Or has Paul Martin been a good little boy?

The answer to both is, no. Outrageous, of course, lots, there is still the Adscandel, which I promise never to forget. As for Paul, well he left the country again, after saying he should have been a bit more focused for his first 12 months. Actually Paul I think the country would be far off worse if you had forcused, but that's only me. Although why don't you get back to fixing the democracy deficit like you promised, or getting to the bottom of the scandel, or dealing with the deplorable state of the Canadian military. Speaking of which, in NATO nations, Canada ranks third from the bottom in military spending, only Luxembourg and Iceland is worse, and Iceland doesn't have a military. Yes, I always want to be better then Iceland.

But the reason why I haven't been blogging is two-fold actually. The first reason is I spent the weekend reading the DaVinci Code. May I say it was an amazing book, I couldn't put it down at all, I just had to read it and finish it. It was that good. Yes I know about the facts regarding the Holy Grail and the Knights Templars, still it makes for good reading. I was interested to learn that you can take DaVinci Tours and see all the sights mentioned in the book. Now that would be worth the money.

The second reason was I spent time installing Windows Pocket PC2003 on my Dell Axim X5. I wasn't sure if it would work, but after some time and the later realization I didn't need to stay up so late trying to do it, I got it up and running on my machine. It is different and there are improvements, although I'm still having problems with my wifi drivers and trying to connect, that may simply take time.

So, now that those two things are done, it's back to blogging.


Peace

I would be remiss not to mention this day, the 24th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. I remember it as a night of sadness and an end of an era. The workingclass hero himself was gunned down by a deranged "fan". The world had added to itself some more sadness.
I want to conclude this blog with the words of his famous song "Happy Christmas (war is over)


So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

God Bless you John, sleep well tonight. We miss you.

 

Big Music Canada Fiasco

This is a great article, especially the last point: "That should read, Canadians demand Ottawa protect them from Big Music". First of all, I do understand politicians will always go where the money is, period. The average consumer, or perhaps a better word the average person who happenes to download music of the Internet is not by definition a wealthy person. Big Music is very wealthy, these clowns can buy and sell politicians at will. They say 'jump' and they get the government to look like a bunch of Jack Russel terriers. Jumping jumping jumping.

Now musicians are jumping into the fray by demanding protection from illegal copiers. Here's another quote: "In fact, the musicians haven’t really demanded anything. The cartel-owned CRIA (Canadian Recording Industry Association of America) is behind the massive PR exercise, having provided the musicians with its own self-serving and completely one-sided statistics with which to con the media and, through them, bring Canadian politicians into line - Big Music's line". this is funny, Big Music has been the enemy of musicians from almost day one. The idea of most of Big Music is to screw the musician out of their royalties. You can go through history, it wasn't just the black artists that got screwed, it was acts as recent as the Dixie Chicks, for example. Now they're singing BM's tune, give me a break. Big music is only interested in big Profit. How do you explain the sad state of creativity now? If the musicians want updates to the copyright law, their demand should be to own the copyright of their music. Most of the time, it's owned by the music companies and they do with as they please.

Let us always remember, Big Music IS the enemy. Keep downloading everyone, it's the one act of freedom you have. Rememeber you're already paying a levy on blank media, so you've paid for the right to share and download. So do it with aplomb. It's your way to liberate music from the chains of Big Music. The enemy is CRIA, RIAA and everyone initial.

Peace

Vancouver Sun: "Ji-Won Park "

If only Ji-Won Park was either a volunteer for the local Liberal candidate or a stripper, she'd have no fears of expulsion. Then again I guess it's hard to go door to door when you're a nearly totally paralyzed after suffering a severe beating at the hands of an assailant. Also, that sort of thing really mucks up dancing around a pole.

Contact your local MP and tell them to get the Immigration Ministry to get this poor woman landed immigrant status.

Peace

CTV.ca | Volpe ends foreign stripper assessment

Just a little life lesson here for everyone, including the Pimp Momma. You see when they start making announcements over you, it means you're done. Here is the case the Minister of another department stands up and deals with an issue that belongs in the case of the Immigration Minister, no more visas. You see, she's getting dragged over the coals and no one in the government is rushing to her assistance. They are announcing changes in policy that impact her department though, while she sits there being grilled. Why? For one simple reason, she is road kill. Trust me, next time Paul shuffles his cabinet Pimp Momma will be on the outside looking in. Everyone in the government now knows that as a fact. Where she resigns or is 'fired' is irrelevent, she is done.

You see it's always a bad thing when they talk about you in front of you, like you're not there, because in their eyes, you're not there. You are done, finished, stick a fork in her mommy cuz this bird is cooked.

Peace

The Globe and Mail: Strippers put Ottawa program at centre stage

The Pimp Momma herself Judy Sgro continues to make herself sounds like a total gnob every chance she gets. Listen to this little beauty: "Ms. Sgro reiterated that she is a supporter of women's rights, but noted that the exotic-dancing industry "has a need, and we have an obligation to fulfill that need whether I like it or not"". thank goodness we have such a minister.

I live near a border community which has from what I can see a fair number of strip, sorry exotic dance clubs. They seem to have enough dancers and yet we have the Minister of Immigration such weird and outlandish statements. I wonder if Pimp Momma reads what she says.

Judy, Judy, Judy. Give up.

Peace

London Free Press: News Section - Sgro defends strippers' right to work in Canada

Far be it for me to question the word of a minister of the crown but, HUH?????

This is beautiful, Sgro is defending the fact she fast tracked a woman, who is a stripper, into Canada because she just happened to work on her campaign. This is hilarious. I have a question, why can't she simply admit she was wrong?

What is interesting is the comment from the law professor, not that Canadian strippers would never do the demeaning things demanded of them, it's rather the quality of the stripper. I mean if true, these young women are teachers, nurses and other trained professionals. Look if they applied as a nurse, they would be turned down, because the medical professional is very protective. I mean, yes they complain about the lack of people, but trust me they don't want to have foreigners coming in to take 'their' jobs. Yet, because these ladies can take their clothes off, a skill most of us learn when we're three, they're allowed in. Because they will humiliate themselves to beer drinking beer bellied louts, who's 'managers' give money to the Liberal Minister of Immigration, they get in.

Judy, Judy, Judy. You were wrong. Admit it, resign will you. You're only making yourself look very very stupid.

You would think, waking up this morning and listening to the news, that a few feet of snow fell last night. In the nearby city, there are accidents on almost all the major roads. Yet a millimetre fall and its chaos out there. Here's an idea to all you drivers, slow down. Don't figure you can go 110 down those 50k roads like you do every other day of the year. You can't. Slow down and learn to drive safely for a change.  

U2 Lyrics - Yahweh Lyrics - Yahweh

I have been spending my time listening to the new CD "How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb" and the very last cut is the one that totally blew me away.

I know the first one 'Vertigo' has been getting all the play and certainly for very good reason. It's straight ahead RAWK that takes over your speakers and hits you hard and fast. It is righteous rock and played the right way.

However it's this last song that got to me. Here is Bono and Co sharing their unique brand of Christianity with the world. Here in North America we think all Christians are like Jerry Falwell and his ilk, mean-spirited hatemongers that have more in common with the Pharisees then Jesus. However the 'religious right' and I won't sully the name of Christianity by adding it to the usual title, don't or at least shouldn't have the market of Christian thought. We have Bono and U2, a third branch of Christianity, one that actually may be closer to the truth then many would want to believe.

The words are those of dedication to Yahweh, one of the names of God as revealed in the Old Testament. The name means "the Hebrew name God. It is usually explained as based on the Hebrew verb for “to be or become,” but it is not easy to translate. “The one who is” or “who causes to be” are possibilities.". The believer is coming to the One who Is and giving him or herself totally to Him, so that Yahweh can make them the person they ought. Just read the first verse of the song:
Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Moving words that remind us that we do have a part to play in the plan of God. But before we can do this, we need to be fit vessels for His service.

May each of us be that fit vessel.


Peace

waving and singing 

Bono and band in action 

From the concert under the bridge in Brooklyn 

some more 

Some more photographs of U2 in concert 

Bono  

These pictures were sent to me of U2's concert in New York City.  

when the first notes of "Vertigo" hit my radio station I thought to myself, 'this is one CD I have got to purchase'. I've been a fan of U2 for going on 20 years and I have never been as excited as I am about this CD. Here the group is returning to the power and unique sound that has been the trademark of the group.

I remember buying "Pop" becoming aware that this is rather disappointing, I supposed it was only part of the wrong turn the group did with the 'Zootropia' tour and subsequent releases. As you know 'Zootropia' was a sort of parody they wanted to play on themselves and the pop culture world in general. But somewhere along the way the parody became themselves and they became rather self-absorbed. I disliked "Pop", in fact of the various Cd's I own, it may be the least played of them all.

Part of my faith was renewed with both the 1980-1990 'Best of.." and later "All that you can't leave behind". It was as if they were coming out of the wilderness and reminding themselves what made them one of the great rock bands of the ages. Now with "How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb" they come back with a vengence and a relevance that seemes to have been lacking. Here we have the vocals and lyrics of Bono, the unique guitaring of The Edge and the back up play of Larry Mullens and Adam Clayton. They are here to say, 'we are not parodies of ourselves, we are still U2'. The styles of the CD do go from the classic hard Rawkin' Vertigo to the soft ballad style of 'Some Times you can't make it on your own'. We must never forget there has always been a sensitive side to the group. They are introspective as well and this a good part of the mix. Perhaps they thought we needed to catch our breath after 'Vertigo'.

But rockers they are and the end the CD with a rock song 'Yahweh', a reminder that this is a band with a conscious and one that plays rock.

Enjoy it, you deserve to.

Peace

New York Daily News - News & Views - Stoolie: Canada pol in mob

Just when I thought it would be a quiet non blogging day there's this.

Thank you former PM Jean Chretien for putting a foot soldier of the Mob into sensitive government posts such as "Public Works" and "Labour", two areas the Mob has been trying to influence for years.

Was this to pay off some sort of debt you owed the GodFather??

Peace.

News | canada.com network

A moment of silence as we remember the political career of Carolyn Parrish. Bow your heads for just a moment.

Thank you.

You know here's a case of a person who didn't know where the line was drawn even after it was freshly painted and it was pointed out to her. I invite you to read the article to refresh yourself about her rather interesting career and the unique ability she had of walking and talking with feet in her mouth.

From early on it was obvious she didn't like George W. Bush, in fact I would say 'hate' would not be too far off the mark. Well she demonstrated her opinion by applying the boot of logic, leather too, to a GWB doll. Now people were crying for her head after that, but what really did it was when she expressed her opinon about the PM. Apparently she had some inside information as to where he was going to spend eternity. It seems Paul doesn't care too much for dissension in ranks. Oh well, so much for the "democratic deficit".

Well she's been banished to the back of the proverbial bus, she now sits as an independent. Now while the name indicates a certain strength of character and ideals if you wanted the truth a better name would be 'leper'. She will be treated like one and shunned like one. She will effectively disappear from the political stage since lepers, sorry, independents have absolutely no political clout. Also since she is not a 'Liberal', she will get no support for her nominations or even get anyone like the PM to sign off on them.

Oh well, enjoy the pension Carolyn, I think that's all you will have coming.


Peace

TheStar.com - Sensible helmet law

A little while ago, one of the MPP's in Ontario put forward a private members bill that would call for the mandatory wearing of bike helmets while riding bikes or going out on roller blades. Since that time the writers in my local paper have been almost unanimous in their criticism of this proposed measure. I can almost imagine the writers turning various shades of either blue or red as they work themselves up in a lather over this perceived violation of their cherished rights and freedoms. Often the writers will warn us of that this legislation is not as innoculous as we all presume it to be. In fact this law will put us on the slippery road to the establishment of a Soviet style Communist regime. We all know from reading our history books that it was only when Lenin ordered all cyclists in Russia to don on a bike helmet that he was able to established the Communist system.

Let me say a few things about this, I am a cyclist and I couldn't imagine going riding without my helmet. The purpose of the helmet is to protect the rider from serious head and brain injury. I started doing serious riding in BC, where it is mandatory and it makes a lot of sense. Not only that but helmets are made of light weight material and have enough air holes to ensure there is proper ventilation of there. Plus kids and adults wearing helmets are very cool. If you question that statement consider this, Alison Sydor wears a helmet. That makes it not only right but very very proper.

Mind you what I don't appreciate is the fact that the government wants to institute fines and all that for those scofflaws who refuse to wear them. That's good, it will either be a cheap ticket for the cops to give out when it's quota season, or unenforceable. I'm sure once the police solve all the murders, rapes and robberies, they'll get right after those nefarious cyclists without helmets.

Again, wear helmets guys and gals it will make you look very cool.


Peace

agt67

This was a wonderful experience for me, to have an email interview with Patricia O'Callaghan and to put it all together in a great issue of my ezine.

I recommend you find and purchase her latest CD, "Naked Beauty", it is wonderful and restores your faith in the music scene.

Peace

G4techTV - The Screen Savers

Let me tell you a little story: a few years ago my family and I were driving through northern Michigan. At night we stopped at a motel to relax and just sleep. The motel had satellite TV and I discovered this channel called "TechTV". I watched 'Max Headroom', 'Thunderbirds' and this other show called 'the ScreenSavers'. I was hooked. A channel that liked the same thing I liked, gadgets, technology and computers. I decided then and there if there was any chance I was going to get this channel. A year later we signed up for satellite. It was the Canadian provider StarChoice. As I went through the booklet I saw it, TechTV!. I immediately ordered that as part of the channels available. Since then I became an even bigger fan. I watched, "The ScreenSavers", "Call for Help", "Robot Wars", "XPlay" and even 'Unscrewed'. Now they had a few Canadian based programs such as re-runs of 'ShiftTV', let us bow for a moment of silence to that now defunct magazine, 'shift'.

Things went well until this spring, when news of merger with it and another channel called G4TV. This came to pass and alas things started to change, the first to go was Leo Laporte, who was both the host of 'the ScreenSavers' and 'Call for Help'. Then all these other shows started to appear like G4TV? Huh? The summer came and there was the promise of even more things, changes changes. 'Call for Help' also got rid of Cat Schwartz, they had Wil Wheaton, which wasn't all that bad.

So the summer came and late in it there was still rumours of change and some concrete news, one was that Leo was coming back with Call for Help, he announced he was coming back, 'Canada!'. The new 'the Screensavers' debuted with Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane and Alex Albretch. Okay it started slow, I mean Alex taking a sledgehammer to a Mac was not cool but they were beginning to gel as a team. Certainly the time Alex kept the thermal cam on Sarah was ummm interesting, you certainly got a good view of her perky nips that's for sure.

Now the news, 'The ScreenSavers' is in hiatus until the end of November and there will be change. There is already the news that Alex, modder Yoshi and Dan are gone! Now we are left to know, just what will those idiots at G4TechTV do next. You see G4 is a gaming network and hasn't a clue. The shows that they brought are stupid. Here's the list of their idiotic shows, G4TV, Players, Arena reveal a level of stupidity that is breathtaking.

I hate to think what will be next.

I'm waiting to pull the plug on G4TechTV.


Peace

Globetechnology

The typical response by Ottawa, slap a tax, sorry a levy on something. Here it is again, Ottawa is attempting to combat the fact that people are sharing files all over the Internet by making us pay a levy for the privilege to hook our computers onto the Internet. Let me say something first of all, if you want to quote what I say, you can, free of charge. That's right my wisdom for not a cent, nada.

The problem is there's already a levy on a lot of things. There a levy on blank cassettes and CD's. I'm sure there's a levy on MP3 players and anything that can play a MP3 file. Now this.

The question that comes to mind, who hands out the money. If the assumption is this is a levy that will be distributed to the owners of the copyrighted material, who is going to see that the right people get the money. Okay, the easy target is downloading music and software. Just send the money to Bill Gates and to Celine Dion, but what about photographs? What about documents? In other words what about the rest. Usually with photographs it's either offered for free or there is a charge to download. There are a number of online companies that sell photographs and you pay for that right.

Now this is interesting: "The committee's premise is that all work on the Internet is someone's property. You can read it or listen to it, but unless there is an explicit legal notice saying the material can be used, you would not be permitted to save a copy to disk or print it out without paying a copyright collective such as Access Copyright." True, but how many people make their material available free of charge. Creative people don't mind making it available for people to read, look, listen or watch thethey do it because they want to. I publish a web based ezine and I receive material from around the globe, from people who aren't looking for financial reimbursement, rather to get their work out into the public eye. Am I an evil person because I share their work, of course not. If I didn't that would defeat the purpose of the exercise. Here is our politicians listening to the special interest groups, read the ones with the money, rather then caring for the needs of ordinary people
Another good site is 'Canada wants an Internet levy -- fight back!'. There is a link to a petition that you can sign and send to Ottawa. Also it is a good idea to send your email to the Heritage Minister Liza Frulla @ Frulla.L@parl.gc.ca
. Let your voice be heard.


Peace and today, thank a Veteran.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh month the guns fell silent over Europe and the horror that was the First World War came to an end.

However its promise as the "War to End all Wars" was broken twenty years later.

Today we remember those brave men who heard the call to defend freedom and took up arms. Many returned, many did not.



In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.




Peace

Solar Terrestrial Dispatch - Leader in Space Weather Forecasting Services

I had just returned from picking up my daughter from work when I happened to look up in the skies. I saw this wisp of something and wondered if it was the northern lights, then I looked a bit west and what a display. The sky was alive with Aurora. It was amazing. I quickly turned off the lights in the front of the house and just stood there. I was mesmerized by the sight, all this shimmering gossamer dancing and moving south. After about 20-25 minutes the front of the aurora reached Orion and it covered the constellation in a gauze of colour.
The Aurora was dancing and shimmering all around me, even straight above me was the aurora. I couldn't believe how much of the sky was covered with it. It stayed the green and then later on, some pockets of red began to appear and move, this was west of my position. I took some pictures but I haven't downloaded them to take a look. It was an amazing display, and from what I read, more of the same tonight. So guess what I'm doing tonight.

Earlier in the afternoon, my wife was complaining that the satellite was kicking out every so often, I think we now know the answer, must have been some solar wind storm.

So tonight all, get out and watch.


Peace.

I've been accused of not being a true blue conservative, you know that was the nicest thing a person has said to me all day. They stated that I gave my comment on the alledged 'faith' of one George W. Bush. I feel he is a charlatan, a man who mouths the right platitudes but it means nothing. He espouses 'Christian' values, however if you listen closely he actually espouses hate. Hate for anyone who isn't like him. That's an odd thing to call 'Christian'. I was watching a clip of the Reverands Jesse Jackson and Jerry Falwell; it was interesting. Falwell was going on about hunting down and killing 'those' in the name of the Lord. What was interesting is that if he wore a beard and had a turban on his head instead of a suit and said "Allah", you would have thought he was Osama. Then again I have a question for him and his followers; when he said 9-11 was God's "punishment" for the feminists and gays that New York City is filled with, is he saying the terrorists were doing God's will? Funny that's what the terrorist said. So how can he be against them when they are simply, by his own comments, doing the will of God.

As I have said in earlier blogs, I am a Christian and I consider myself an evangelical. However I don't believe faith should be used as a means of dividing people. It will divide people that's plain enough but it should never be the means of instilling hatred in people. Bush and the Republican party takes the name of God as justification for their evil ways. They say 'pro-life' when the only time they say that is for the unborn. Once they're born, they're fodder. There is no compassion, they demonize everyone who is 'different'. This is wrong. James said this "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.". This is true religion, maybe if Bush and his ilk practiced it, I would be less dubious of his claims.

Peace

CNN.com - Kerry calls Bush to concede - Nov 3, 2004

Full marks for John Kerry to put the country before any personal feelings or his ego. It's now up to President Bush to pull his country out of the doldrums. In a way it's only fitting, after all most of the mess the US is in, be it Iraq, or internationally, is due to him so now he has to clean it up.

It will be interesting to see what Iraq will be like in four years, a prosperous democratic nation, or the graveyard of many thousands of US troops.

Peace

Yahoo! News - Doonesbury

As a long time reader of "Doonesbury", I was really fascinating to read today's comic. Here is Mark Slackmeyer saying nice things about Richard M. Nixon. Now it's history lesson time everyone, but years and years and years ago, during the
Watergate scandel Mark gave a very interesting editorial. He was working for the Walden campus radio station when he gave his opinion of Nixon. The last panel showed Mark wild eye, pounding his desk, saying "that's guilty..guilty, guilty, guilty". This was in reference to Nixon.

Yet what a difference 40 years does make, Nixon was willing to put aside his personal desires for the nation. Can you imagine Bush doing something like that? Not in a million years, first of all, I think the handlers of both parties would rather litigate then step aside.

What an amazing election, when I woke up some Republican nob was going on about how the President won, yet the Electoral vote seems to indicate one thing, it ain't over guys and gals, so sit down. I think it's good that there is a concern to make sure the decision is the right one. However, let me say this, don't recount this to death, there will be a time when it's over and one side will win. To the other side, get over yourself, you've lost.

Another note of congratulations to all who voted, one of the best turn out in recent years, good going all. You are making a differenece.

I guess we'll just have to wait.


Peace

This is the BIG morning for the Americans. You have an opportunity to make a change in your nation. Personally and I write this as an outsider, I hope you consider the claims of John Kerry and vote accordingly.

As you know from previous blog I now don't support your war in Iraq, your brave soldiers are dying to make the world safe for companies like Haliburton. The war is a sham, an move to gain access to Iraq's Oil field. Period. There is no plan to establish a safe government that will be recognized as legitimate by the people. There is no exit plan and the result will be more death. I had a long talk with a Vietnam Vet and he shared his experience ( 3 tours of duty), he believes Iraq has the potential of being this generation's Vietnam. It is a war he believes the US should not engage in and it will only get bad. I asked him about John Kerry and his opinion following his experience; he said Kerry only voiced what a lot of vets felt about the War.

I would say to my fellow believers, you have been sold a bill of goods. If you listen to people like Jerry Falwell, you are making a big mistake. Republicans have done nothing for Christians; yes I know they push all the right buttons, abortion, private schools, prayer in schools and so on, but you know something, they have done very little. You want to know why, because if they actually did come through with these they would not have your support. They have no desire to do that. They want to keep you on their side and so they paint the Democrats as the devil incarnate when they have no interest in following through. The reason why so many televangelists support the Republicans comes from simply corruption- their money comes from monied interests. Big money has no interest in the gospel of Jesus. There are a number of reasons most of them being Money has always appointed the Gospel. I remind you the message of Jesus was good news to the poor and the Rich hate good news for the poor. Also the Republican Party is filled with bigots. It's interesting to note that in Ohio, the Republicans will have scrutineers ready to challenge the registration of any and all voters. Kind of reminds me of the Nazi's having their Brown Shirts out of polling areas to intimidate voters. It's the same thing. Why are they doing this, because they hate Blacks and poor people. They will intimidate anyone they feel won't be voting Bush. This is wrong. You let people vote. Period. You don't intimidate people you allow them the right to exercise their rights. You can read about it here. President Bush, call off their 21st century Brown Shirts. Let the people decide. That's what a democracy is all about, allowing people the right to choose without fear of intimidation. You might say I'm using that word a lot, well that's the word to be used. Don't you dare President Bush. You allow all people the privilege to vote. Tell your brother to knock off the crap in florida.

Well I'll be watching The Daily Show this evening at 10:00 PM. Should be good.


Peace

BostonHerald.com - Local/ Regional News: Time to turn clocks back

Just one more to add to this day's blog. Remember to set the clocks back before you go to bed. An extra hour of sleep. Whoo Hoo.

We have two cats in our household. This is an early photograph of the two of them. The one in the foreground is Eowyn and she is a muted tortoiseshell. The one at the back is Theo and he's all white. Eowyn annoys Theo. She is a kitten, she has a lot of energy and can't sit still. Theo hisses every so often at her when he's had enough. Eowyn takes no nonsence from Theo. It's rather entertaining at times. 

The scene of my backyard. The joy of trees means the work of raking leaves. It's part of the process of the season and to be expected. I must admit, when the weather is fine and the sun is shining, raking is a wonderful activity. How else can you get so close to nature? Fortunately where I live there is an extensive composting program. Every other week, grass clipping, food and other material is placed by the side of the road for pick-up At this time of year it includes leaves; yesterday I placed 11 paper bags of leaves and they were all gone this morning. Right now I have four packed and I've only just begun. 

while searching through Blogs, I came across this Link. The Internet is 35 years old. Today was the first time two computers at distant locations were connected and communicated with each other. The first act was an email from UCLA to Stanford. I liked what the person interviewed said, they had no earthshaking message, just 'log', 'in'. As Dr. Leonard Kleinrock they weren't prepared for any 'history-making' moment. I supposed they were more concerned whether the whole thing would work or not.

So, from that humble and bug filled beginning, it crashed, and my isn't that prophetic, we now have the World Wide Web, Blogs, Email, Spam, Adware, Spyware and the ability to communicate to anyone who has a computer attached to the Internet. I know I use capitals, I think Wired had decreed that 'Internet', would only be given in regular, not capitalized letters. Still it is a significant piece of communication and I think still worthy of being capitalized.

Happy Birthday Internet. May you grow, prosper and continue to keep us communicating with each other, even if it does mean I still get Viagra ads filling my inbox.


Peace.

bIPlog: Revolution is not an AOL Keyword*

came across this blog while looking at a t shirt from Jinx.com
the place for all your geek wear.

fascinating. take the time to read.

peace

Like a lot of other blogs and bloggers I want to give full props to Red Sox Nation today. It's been a long time between World Series hasn't it. I remember watching the series Baseball by Ken Burns. One of the episodes dealt with the Boston Red Sox. I recall Bob Costas saying, and this may not be an exact quote: 'to be Red Sox fan is to be involved in a Greek Tragedy, you constantly draw your eyes to the heavens and ask the question 'why?'. Certainly since the alledged curse of the Bambino, which started when the owner of the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees after the 1918 World Series. Certainly if one examines the recent and distant history of the BoSox, one has to wonder if there isn't some sort of truth to this talk of a curse. We all remember what happened to Bucky Dent in game six of the 1986 World Series, the ball dribbled through his legs and the Mets won that game, and won the next and thus another Series hope was dashed.

I heard a funny story, and this tells you something about the obsession of Red Sox Nation, on the Jim Rome Show. This fellow recounted the time he brought this girl from school to over to his house. His father was there and so the fellow introduced her to his dad. As they shook hands, the girl told the father that her father was a baseball game, I think she saw all the Red Sox material. He asked who he was and she replied, "Bill Buckner". In the middle of shaking hands, he exclaimed: "Bill F*****g Buckner!!!" and whipped his hand out of her's. Red Sox Nation does not easily forget or forgive.

Yet, all that is now in the past, BoSox fan you have at long last your World Series win, the curse has been broken. You will all remember last night, October 27, 2004 for two things, one the lunar eclipse and two, the night your beloved team finally won the world series.

Sleep well and enjoy Red Sox Nation, you have suffered a lot of abuse, from the hands of your enemies and from your memories. Sleep well.


Oh yes, before I sign off, I came across this quote from the Motley Fools: "Then, the fatality and inevitability that comes with being a Boston Red Sox fan -- our inability to win the World Series since 1918 is cloaked in sports' greatest mythology (the curse of the Bambino) and wrapped in heartbreak".


Also, Wired featured an article about a bet between Mike Elliot and Ted Danson. The wager was that the Men's Soccer team would win the World Cup before the Red Sox win the World Series. Looks like Ted Danson and his charity won finally.

Peace

This is the good thing about blogs, the fact that I can LAUNCH A RANT!!!!!!!. All under a certain level of protection which is afforded me until someone I'm ranting about reads it and realize I am talking about them.

So I went to my regional office to deal with some matters taking place where I work. I didn't go alone we were a delegation. We had been told the information to bring and what sort of presentation they expected. We were also told to be enthusiastic, which I did agree and so we all went.

For the most part the presentation was upbeat, there was a good deal of discussion, some give, some take and some openness. All of which is good, then came my time for presentation. It was going to be a good one as well, worked a few hours on it and had quotes from people like Alan Greenspan and Henry David Thoreau. I figure anytime you can drop a quote from the author of Walden, it's got to be a good thing. So I was reading and discussing when one of the panelists said this is not what they expected. He then proceeded to tell me what they had expected. Now there's nothing wrong with that, after all presentations should be geared to answer the question given. There was only one little problem, They did not ask me to answer that question. In fact that wasn't even to be dealt with!!!!! Understand I wanted to deal with issues but they should at least give me an idea what issues they wish to deal with. It was snarling time.

Then a request was made, and it was one the group needed an answer and we got a flat out 'no'. Again not a problem, however we had the resources in place to deal with the need. It was our funds but they refused to consider the issue. They made a proposal, which was so incredibly asinine that our delegation left with heads shaking.

One question was asked and that was if we were a stand-alone, not tied to their office would we be able to survive, the answer from one of the delegates and this was honest was, if we didn't have to pay so much money and waste capital dealing with the regional office and head, we could. Touche I say.

Well, that's out of my system. I feel so glad. They are still all a bunch of nobs.


Peace

This morning I went to a very interesting church service. It was a seminar that examined "The Christian Response to Israel". What is the response to Israel, certainly a look around would say the response is usually critical and nature of condemnation. Israel it appears can do no right in the eyes of the world.

Yet you have to wonder why the west joins in the condemnation, after all Israel is a modern western democracy that is surviving and perhaps even thriving, an island of freedom in a sea of tyranny. However every step the nation takes for survival and protection is questioned and as I said, condemned.

What is the stance of the church and of Christians, the speaker presented an examiniation of the spiritual response to Israel. Basically we should support Israel, after all, these are the people who gave the Messiah.

It is also the easiest way of blessing, Yahweh told Abraham, "I will bless them that bless you." ( Genesis 12:3). If for no other reason this alone stands true, the way to experience God's blessing is to bless His ancient people. There should also be an understanding that to curse His ancient people is to invite His curse. You look at the nations of the world and you see that.

We should also help Israel, and it is our duty, perhaps the most power verse the speaker gave was Romans 15:27:Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. We owe the Jews much of our spiritual heritage and because of this, the call is to offer support to the ancient people of God. Believers need to stand up against anti-Semitism. We must but before we do that we must examine our own house. Sadly it's very easy to develop an attitude of hatred to the jews. We know the drill, they're rich, they're snobbish and of course the main one, they're the ones who killed Jesus. The last one is ironic because we don't say that to Romans or Italians. After all it was Romans that actually killed Jesus. Yet no one yells, "Christ Killer" at any Italians. We need to repent and rebuke that attitude in our fellowships.

We are also to comfor the Jews. We need to let them know that they are not hated and that there are people who support them.

The Bible says: "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you".


It was an blessing to have attended this seminar.


Peace

Yahoo! Sports - MLB - Hard to believe: Yankees finally collapse!

Talk about getting a monkey off your back. Congratulations Red Sox Nation on the unbelieveable. After years of watching other teams win, the Sox did it.

What they did was simple, they punked the New York Yankees. Here they were the Yanks with a foot on their head ready to kick them into oblivion and yet they get up and deliver the boot to the groin to the Yanks.

This is a first, the only team to win after being down 3-0.

So way to go Red Sox. But you still have one more series before you put that curse to bed.


Peace

CBC.ca - The Greatest Canadian

so the list is out! the top ten finalists for the greatest Canadian, as chosen by you, the viewer, is now posted. It is an interesting list that is for sure. Some surprises that were pleasant, some that I knew would be there, both because it is the CBC and a few because they are great Canadians.

The surprise, Don Cherry. I think this is probably a bit of a 'screw you CBC for tying to get rid of him' vote. Still I suspect this may be an attempt to get the vote CBC really wants and that is that Pierre Trudeau be declared the "Greatest Canadian". Which is a crock by the way. i was surprised to see William L.M. King on the list, yes I know he was the longest serving PM, but he was also a fan of Hitler and was an anti-Semite. Then again that fits the mold of the CBC.

who would I choose? You know a number are great choices, Sir John A. MacDonald, for one, then there's Fredrick Banting, or Terry Fox, who exemplifies courage. I think Tommy Douglas the man who gave us Medicare would be up for contention.

Still I suspect Trudeau will win, after all Wendy Mesley had an orgasm when his name was announced. So tell you what vote early, vote often and DONT VOTE FOR PIERRE.

Peace

I finally watched Farhrenheit 9/11 over the weekend. I wasn't sure I wanted to watch because of my time at Ground Zero.
It is an amazing documentary. I can understand why Republicans hate Michael Moore. the movie exposes the war in Iraq as what it is, a sham. The war is based on 2 suppositions, weapons of mass destruction & a link with Al-Qaida. I do believe Saddam *did* have WMD but he either got rid of them or hid them very well. One problem is that before the invasion there was all these photos of alledged chemical laboratories. so where are they?
Also Saddam was never a religious fundamentalist. A bloodthirsty tyrant yes but a fundamentalist never.
The problem is that brave patriotic Americans are dying to make the profit line of Haliburton secure. I want to state that Rumsfeld, Bush & Cheney should be tried for war crimes.

Peace

I keep forgetting to post this, a couple of sunday nights ago I was outside looking at the stars. As I watched, I saw this one object passing overhead, I knew it wasn't an aircraft since there wasn't any blinking lights. However what was interesting was the fact that the object suddenly got very bright and large. I mean it went from a faint 'dot' to a fairly bright object in a matter of seconds. It then began to fade to the small dot in the same plan.

Let me say that it was not a UFO, I believe it was a satellite, one of the circumpolar satellites no doubt, but a satellite indeed.

As for the brightness, I wonder if it had some sort of solar panels and this was the reflection of the sunlight off them.

Still it was interesting.

Peace

It's seems I've been learning about pain and aches recently. Yesterday I was walking to work, which I normally do when my back went into some involuntary muscle spasms, not there's such as thing as voluntary muscle spasms. Talk about discomfort and pain, not at all nice.

It was so bad I had to go home and put myself straight to bed. I know that at first doesn't sound like a bad thing, after all what's bad about a day off, right? Lots when every move you make hurts, even after the Tylenol and the hot bath.

I did some research and here is what I learned. Another website called it weight lifters back. I must admit I do weight lift and have done it for over 20 years, but this was not the cause of the injury. The first article mentions that while the pain may come directly after the injury in some circumstances it may take a day or two. When I read that a light went on, I spent Monday going up and down a ladder carrying and tossing up boxes of material. I wonder just by the repetition and the hyper-extending myself that this could be the cause? Could be I suppose.

The good news is I'm feeling a little better today, although I have to watch out for the stretching. The bad news, no exercise either yesterday or today, obviously. I had two good runs this week and so it's not nice missing, plus the weight lifting. Ah well, there's always tomorrow.

Peace

The Very Un-Christian Jimmy Swaggart - Christianity.ca

This impresses me, that an evangelical magazine would be critical of Jimmy Swaggart. Let' s be honest Jimmy has not be a great spokesman of Christianity for the last few years. After all his little experience in the hotel room was not good. Now he wants to kill gay men who would look at him with 'lust in their eyes'. Got news for you Jimmy, don't think that would happen anytime soon.

For his defense, he did say he uses the expression, 'i'd kill someone and tell God he died'. You know what Jimmy that expression is very lame and not worth your position. I believe the Bible says something about putting a watch on your tongue. Try it one day, it may work.


Peace

News | canada.com network

this is very exciting news when you think about it, democratic elections taking place in Afghanistan.

What is even more interesting is those who once wanted to boycott them as being unfair want to now get involved and be part of the process. I think this may be due to the fact that the people wanted these elections to take place. It wasn't the Americans, or the Coalition. It was the people who got out and voted that proved these were something the people wanted to be involved in and wanted them to take place.

You have to understand and this is for politicians everywhere, your rhetoric means nothing when the people want to do something, they will do it, so either get with the program and or demonstrate to your people that you are a bunch of jerks.

I watched a re-run of "The Daily Show, with Jon Stewart" today, what a delight. Yes there was the usual barbs against GW but what made it wonderful was the presence of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the leaders of the anti-aparteid movement in South Africa and a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was a delight to hear and what was so good was his truly humanness. There is no pretention in this individual, just goodness. He sees the goodness of people of individuals and reminds all of us that our cynicism can be very shallow. He talked about God and you felt it was not like a Jerry Falwell talking about God, but rather that thre is a true connection between Desmond and the Lord in Heaven.

Peace

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Not such a bargain. One-owner sub in emergency callout: "'You just cannot beat the value of having a submarine that belongs to you, operating in your waters,'"

Rear Admiral Dan McNeil is absolutely right, there is value in having the best equipment possible to patrol your own waters and to ensure the flag is flying. However with one sub on fire and without power and this was it's maiden voyage, you have to wonder.

The joke once was there were more submarines in operation at Edmonton's West Edmonton Mall then were owned by the Canadian Navy. We can add this sad fact, none of the submarines at the West Edmonton Mall ever suffered a fire or lost the life of a crewmember.

God Bless Lt. Chris Saunders and his family.


Peace

Canadian sub fire kills lieutenant: "Lt. Chris Saunders"

I want to take a moment and pause to pray for the family of Lt. Chris Saunders. He was the first of perhaps a few casualties from the HMCS Chicoutimi. As you know a fire broke and and a few crew members have been airlifted due to smoke inhalilation. I believe it was this which ultimately cost Lt. Saunders his life.

While it is not time to make points, perhaps we should stop and remember the HMCS Chicoutimi is one of those submarines leased from the British government for millions and millions of dollars. They were supposed to be a cost saving measure that offered Canada a chance to modernize it's submarine fleet. To say this has been another disaster for the Canadian military would be an understatement. After years of refit and repairs, yes repairs the subs were supposedly ready for sea, however there has been nothing but delays. One article goes on and states that the Chicoutimi wasa so rusty that it was restricted in the depth it could dive to. So instead of going to the max, it was limited. The thing about submarines is they are supposed to go deep underwater. Remember the movie "Run Silent, Run Deep"? That's what they are supposed to do, if they cannot dive deep, then what's the use.

Here is another of the Chretien legacy coming to the fore, a government so cheap to our proud miilitary that they will pass second hand equipment and say its an improvement. It's a shame that not only a crewmember has died, but the sub is still adritf without power in the North Atlantic. I do understand a tug is there towing it to safety, somewhere. But this still begs the question, why. Why did a submarine, after having experienced millions of dollars for refit would catch fire on its maiden voyage, at least maiden under the Canadian flag.

I started with a moment of silence, let me say sorry Lt. Saunders that your life was considered not worth purchasing the best equipment possible for you.


Peace

I got this picture through email recently. I was thinking this is the power of nature. A massive block of ice coming loose from a glacier. This is brilliant. 

Montreal Expos : The Official Site

I wanted to say something about the Montreal Expos, kind of my way to say farewell.

I remember when the Expos came into the league, even though I was living in Ontario I was very excited to think that Canada was getting a team. This was very cool. I believe that year I bought an Expo hat, I was so excited. I followed the team closely through the newspaper. I wore that hat everyday. I knew the Expos played in Jerry Park, or Parc Jerry and it was a small intimate little baseball park. It was wonderful. My fave player was Rusty Staub, le Grande Orange as he was known. When Rusty was made the Expos All-Star Representative, it was like great.

Of course the first few years were horrible, but I believed, then the team got better...players like the Hawk were added. Those were great teams, the years they were in contention. so close that one year.

Then the first baseball strike and the play-off between them and the Los Angelos Dodgers. Yes "Black Monday" is still etched in my brain, Rick Monday's home run. yes I can still see it. Steve Rogers who was actually a starting pitcher was in relief.. the pitch carried over the wall...heart was broken.

But that was not the end of the good years, they contended but that was as close as they came.

Then there was the year they were so close, leading the NL East when baseball decided to go on strike again. Thus ending the Expos perhaps best chance of winning it all. But it was naught.

The rest is history, but what a team, I recall Pete Rose, Charlie Hustle was a member, and the Big Unit. A lot of great players have played on the Expos. And now it is history.

so I say, thank you Expos for all the good memories. And Washington, try not to screw this up!!!!.

Peace