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