The state of the Liberal leadership today ...

So now that Stephane Dion is the new Liberal leader, expecting to be Prime Minister of Canada, we have yet another Quebecker in charge. We'll be asked to vote for someone who is a citizen of another country, France, and owes his 'other' allegiance to the "nation" of Quebec.



Any Canadians out there?



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The state of Vancouver's Stanley Park ...

Many areas of Vancouver's jewel have been devastated by three major storms in a row. It is estimated that 3,000 mature trees have been downed with more to come because of safety precautions.

... Meanwhile, in other news, the Aquarium expansion goes ahead with the removal of 32 older trees to accommodate a large sit down restautant on the site ... do fish sit?

The state of the Vancouver Canucks today ...

from the NHL ... (the No Hit League)
- Marcus Naslund, the 6 million dollar man has one assist in the last 12 games.
- Roberto Luongo, the over 6 million dollar man has let in 10 first shot goals.
... it goes down from there.

The state of Vancouver AM radio today ...

AM radio CHMJ - 730 = All traffic all the time.
AM radio CKWX - 1130 = All news all the time.
AM radio CKNW - 980 = All advertising all the time.

Miss America - The F@$&%# up state of pageants

Miss America tested positive for cocaine. She has been carousing in New York City's bars and drinking martinis before she turned 21. She was caught doing a glue-faced tongue kiss in public with Miss Teen America, the other All-American party girl. Miss Teen America is a spokesperson for MADD!
Donald Trump is the co-owner of the Miss America pageant. Mr. Trump went into a meeting with the perfectly round-breasted Ms. Conner this morning expecting to terminate her reign as Miss USA.
But he said the meeting showed him someone with “a good heart” who had been caught up in a “whirlwind” in New York. Evidently he couldn't say, "Miss America, you're fired!"
The Donald's hair was not mussed.

Monica Lewinski or Bill Clinton couldn't be reached for comment.

72 virgins - finally revealed

Here are pics of the first wave of 72 virgins that extremist radical muslims can expect to meet in their heaven after doing a suicide bombing ...






... counts as 2
... now you know why they wear those veils ... and who said they had to be female virgins anyway?

Rocky VI, could life be any better?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the ring .... Sylvester Stallone appears, at 59 years of age, to battle glove on glove with yet another villain. Will he wear boxing shoes or bedroom slippers? Will he have a mouth guard or simply leave his teeth in his corner? Will he wear a jock strap or a hernia belt?
Who will the villain be this time? The sleek Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed or the daunting Dolph Lundgren as Russian Ivan Drago ... no wait, Stallone won't have Lundgren back because the Kyokushinkai karate champion broke his ribs while they were shooting Rocky IV when Sly thought for a minute there that he was a real boxer. And anyway we LIKE Russians now.
They'll need a serious enemy for this one ... Someone fearsome. Ba-ad. A real boogy-man.
Eminem? ....... Nah, talks too much, we need the star to say the lines.
Hannibal Lecter with a starched white napkin and a glass of Chianti in his corner? ....... Nah, too literate for Rocky.
Mike Tyson, sheeez, scary, all teeth and wimpy voice, licking his lips, taunting Rocky. Whispering so Sly has to cock his ear and come closer. ...... Nah, too much like cannibal Hannibal.
Hey, what about Kim Jong Il, the North Korean President, bill him as the Pyongyang Pugilist against Rocky's Atomic Fists! ....... Nah, watching anyone smack that cartoon head of Jong's around would just become a comedy. Too much fun.
Hmm, let's see ... a woman maybe? Yeah Syd, that's IT! They're running for President now, they gotta take their lumps too. Hillary Clinton fits the bill, she's cool, she's nasty, some think she already murdered that guy in the White House ....... Nah, she'd beat the hell out of Stallone in the audition! Too dangerous for our hero. And the stunt doubles would refuse to do it.
Of course we'll have Talia Shire back as Granny Daisy Moses. (she's in with Francis Ford Cuppola, you know, and that means the Mafia) And Burgess Meredith again as the trainer. Yeah, I know he's dead but we're not giving him lines, he'll just have to sit there looking glazed. Again. Call his mortician.
.......
I got it. I got it! Saddam Hussein! He's available. He's mean. He's tough. Everyone hates him. They could have Saddam enter from a hole in the center of the ring, all full of dust and dirt, spider-web beard and all! He's a natural Weapon of Mass Destruction. It's a win win situation. (Well not for Saddam) But it'll work! He's the anti-Santa Claus. Elton John singing Rocket Man! Fireworks and tracers overhead. That green film from the '91 war. A terrorist section in the bleachers! Stealth Bombers in the night. And when Rocky knocks him out, we'll have him fall exactly like that Statue in Bagdad! Just ... friggin' ... perfect.

opponents?


Hmmm, but why do I feel most of the hot money would be on Saddam?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/10/17/entertainment/main950482.shtml

reprint from Oct, 2005

Pot vs the billionaires

MARIJUANA is DANGEROUS? This interesting essay goes on to make points for the benefits about marihuana and it's proven uses applicable to our modern society. Doug Yurchey's article makes many valid points while enlightening us on the history of pot.

"Pot is NOT harmful to the human body or mind. Marijuana does NOT pose a threat to the general public. Marijuana is very much a danger to the oil companies, alcohol, tobacco industries and a large number of chemical corporations. Various big businesses, with plenty of dollars and influence, have suppressed the truth from the people."

Yurchey brings many facts to light; including -

• - That the Encyclopedia Brittanica was made of hemp pages for 150 years! - Rush out to that used book store and grab a set of Britannicas, there are at least 5000 pages to most of them, and they can be had for about $20, got to be a years worth of smoking there, and 'higher' learning too.

• - Rembrandt, Gainborough and other famous painters used a hemp linen for their canvasses! - Could that be the true explanation of Mona Lisa's mysterious smile?

• - Hemp was the primary product for most textiles and fabrics until the 1820s and the introduction of the cotton gin. - And we all know that drinking too much gin has caused way more problems than marihuana smoking.

• - Don't believe the recent Popular Mechanics political hack about 9-11? No? Neither do we, but there was a time, in February, 1938 that you COULD believe that magazine, they said hemp cultivation and production do not harm the environment. And used USDA Bulletin #404 which concluded that hemp produces 4 times as much pulp with at least 4 to 7 times less pollution.

• - Hemp cultivation could easily produce enough pulp paper for all the newspapers in the world without cutting down a single tree! And hemp paper doesn't go yellow with age! - And who would toss it in the garbage or wrap fish in it? (except for flavouring) You'd read the news and settle in for a nice smoke of the Editorial Page to contemplate the world situation.

• - Ninety percent of the hauser shipping rope was once made from hemp! - Now there's one big l-o-n-g Bob Marley!

• - Marijuana smoking actually lowers cholesterol and expands blood vessels! And THC has a positive effect on asthma and glaucoma. - You'll be able to breath easier and see where you're going. If you wanted to go anywhere, of course.

Doug Yurchey goes on to explain the conspiracy involved to destroy the cultivation of hemp and the ongoing media manipulation to poison our minds about it's value, all because of threats to other businesses. Check out the link.

http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2006/12/09/the-marijuana-conspiracy/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.world-mysteries.com%2Fmarijuana1.htm&frame=true

Knock, knock.
"Who's there?"
"It's Dave, let me in."
"Dave's not here."
etc. in fun ...
with apologies to Cheech and Chong.

How to spy in Canada

So this spy guy got caught. He only had an Ontario birth certificate that belonged to someone else, and a drivers licence. During his court hearing in (where else) Montreal, he admitted being a Russian spy and said he was ready to be deported. Federal Court Justice Pierre Blais issued a deportation order for the man. He also agreed to keep his identity secret. He says revealing the man's identity could endanger his family. Where IS his family? In Canada? Russia?
Sheeeez, we've come a long way down since countries used to SHOOT spies or at least put them in jail for many years! (Sam Carr and Fred Rose each got 7 years after being convicted of spying in the Igor Gouzenko case, in the United States, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg got the death penalty and an accomplice got 30 years)
So you can come here, spy on us, and if you get caught you just tell us you want to go home now and we comply.
Gawd we're soft.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061204.wrussianspy1204/BNStory/National/home

False Creek Urgent Care Center

The Urgent Care Center opened today despite an earlier warning by BC Premier Gordon Campbell about the Canada Health Act. After a secret meeting between owners of the clinic and Campbell, it was allowed to go ahead.
I don't know about you, but anything that Gordon Campbell is involved in makes me feel scammed. There's always a secret agenda that we find out about later. Example - Gordon saying he wouldn't touch BC Hydro but then effectively bypassing it for private hydro power to make money for his buddies.
Well this time I can imagine how it went down - - -

Dr. Mark Godley: - Hello, Gordon.
Premier Gordon Campbell: - Hi Mark, you heard me blasting you in the media, didn't you? About the Canada Health Act?
Dr. Mark:- I did, Gordon. You know we got a ton of lawyers in this, all investors by the way, we can obfuscate forever.
Premier Gordon: - You won't need to. I had to say something though, you know how it goes. Present that caring image. But the public forgets, just say Maui and they only think of shark bites now. So what's the problem, Mark?
Dr. Mark: - Well so far so good. We've got a great cross section of doctors too, all practicing in regular public hospitals as well as our clinic, you know, duel practice, duel pay. Emergency ward guys too, they'll be spreading our news, telling patients how bad it is in public facilities. You've done a great job there too, Gordon, cutting all that regular hospital funding. Especially closing an emergency room! We gotta thank you for making us look great.
Premier Gordon: - Preplanning is everything, Mark. Next we're going to cut the Alzheimer's patients down to one meal a day, how would they ever know?
Dr. Mark: - Brilliant. Gordon, but with Adrian Dix keeping this all in the media, we're worried about showing good first quarter profit. We want a top money zone very quickly, to show that the public WANTS to pay extra for health care. So we're looking for ways to cut our costs, don't want to save on bandages or stuff like that, we need nice white ones for appearance, you know. But the hundred ninety-nine dollar evaluation fee only goes so far. People who are sick will pay it, they don't know the difference between halitosis and thrombosis but it don't look so good when the patient only has a zit!
Premier Gordon: - I have a great idea for you. Listen to this; Why don't we use the BC Medicare system to do your accounting for you at public expense?
Dr. Mark: - Wha? How would that work?
Premier Gordon: - Wow, I can actually hear the excitement in your voice, Mark. See, how about we tell you to BILL your patients THROUGH the BC Medicare plan, that'll make everyone think we're being vigilant about Care Cards, then we'll insist on auditing you. Presto! Our audit done, your accounting done. All with taxpayer's money.
Dr. Mark: - Brilliant! Easy to see why you're top pineapple around here, Gordon.
Premier Gordon: - Okay, make sure you bitch about it though. Meanwhile we'll think up some bad stuff about Dix.
Dr. Mark: - Great. Hey, any way we can get in on those dozens of pneumonia cases on the Downtown East Side? Three of 'em have died without us getting a nickel. We charge $3000. to fix anything above a cough, you know.
Premier Gordon: - Nah, you don't wan't to do that. Those people don't even HAVE Care Cards, besides, they're all dirty looking too, would scare off your rich marks, er, I mean clientelle.
Dr. Mark: - Yeah, you're right, we don't want to start taking in cans and bottles to pay for treatment.
Premier Gordon: - If they weren't out there all night collecting the cans and bottles they wouldn't GET pneumonia, would they? Bye Mark.
Dr. Mark: - Bye Gord'.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=33ea6503-4f99-4b78-b422-19f64ed7a90d&k=15047

Reporting - such as it is.

Did you notice that the candidates for the Liberal leadership now meeting in Montreal are ALL evading the question of Quebec being a nation within Canada?
It'll be interesting to see the TV coverage by various reporters on this very hot issue. We have NO investigative reporters in Canada, much less any with the guts to ask a simple question of these shining hopefuls; the question of course is - What is your position on Quebec being recognized as a nation? Watch how the news stations cover this 'leadership' convention WITHOUT asking that question which would influence Canadians from sea to sea to sea. (Of course ALL the media is purposely ignoring the questions STILL waiting about the corruption of the former Liberals)
And they're meeting in Montreal which should tell you something right away. Recent polls show that none of the candidates would get half the votes of Harper for Prime Minister. Is it because the rest of Canada now view the Liberal party as the QUEBEC party?
Anyone out there who will let Canadians know something about these bozos who pretend they're leaders?
Anyone willing to rock the boat?
C'mon, just one.


UPDATE: French Quebecker Stephane Dion is the ?winner. And if able to push Stephen Harper aside in a next election, will be the third Liberal French Canadian to become Prime Mister of Canada.
Someone sent me this opinion about the leadership race ...
Re supporting the new Liberal 'leaders'.
If you look in the dictionary under "Corruption" it might say - Liberal; any member of that political party; A French Canadian politician; A provincial Liberal - (BC Premier Campbell); any Quebec based Prime Minister of Canada; a perpetual liar; a personal opportunist; see Chretien, Martin.
Q - Which Liberal Bozo do you support to lead Canada?
A - None of the above.
Yet another Liberal sidling up to the Canadian trough. Watch for the siphon going directly into Quebec's slush fund.

UPDATE2: And now the the opportunist part of the Quebec French Canadian comes out that many Canadians knew nothing about; That Stephane Dion is a FRENCH Citizen! Western Canadians are asking how they could vote for a Liberal Leader to become Prime Minister of Canada with a duel loyalty to France?

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Quebec should go it's own way ....

.... and stop using Canada to sponge off. Harper is trying to say they are a nation WITHIN Canada. What kind of deal is that? Liberal leader hopeful Michael Ignatieff (who has been AWAY from Canada for 30 years) is saying he would recognize Quebec as a nation. Then is BC a nation? Is Yukon a nation? Do we all have equal status? It seems not. It seems that we are always treading lightly so as not to offend Quebec when the offensive idea to all true Canadians is that they are coddled and babied constantly so they don't cry and threaten to leave again!
Leaving is just fine with many Canadians. Quebec should go if that's what they truly want, however some things should be explained to them before they do go. And we as Canadians should ALL back up these points:
- Quebec will no longer send MPs to Ottawa. In the last referendum they believed they would STILL have votes in OUR parliament AFTER leaving.
- Jobs currently held by Quebeckers will be terminated and offered to Canadians. Including RCMP and all government positions.
- All Quebec-Canadian passports will be revoked and relinquished. They also believed they would retain Canadian passports!
- Any current monies paid to Quebec under equalization payments will be immediately terminated. Quebeckers believe Canada will still pay their welfare and family incomes as before.
- French will no longer be an equal language in Canada.
- Canada's military will remove itself from Quebec. In the last referendum, they actually sent out orders to OUR military that they would become Quebec's military and should pledge loyalty to their new country!
- Canada will no longer have any obligation to buy from or support any Quebec industry in competition with Canadian industries.
- All input from Quebec will be considered foreign and viewed as such.

The Liberals' believe in having a French-Canadian leader of Canada, and that has only been undermining our true Canadian identity in that the purpose has been to let Canada pay for the infrastructure to build Quebec's separate nationhood. Jean Chretien purposely did NOT educate Quebeckers on the true nature of them separating in that last referendum as his secret agenda was to ALLOW the separation. He wanted to be considered the Father of his country. It didn't work then but we would be rid of the parasitics now if it had.
Many say, if they need to go, let them but the services and nature of an economic relationship with Canada will be immediately lost.
All things have not been equal in Canada, Quebeckers have enjoyed an exalted position. It's time they should go it alone and let the rest of us forge a new Canada where all are equal and proud of our united country.

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/index.html

UPDATE: Michael Chong, Cabinet Minister resigns over Harper's actions on Quebec.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=692b134e-c712-44c5-83ae-bff78fc1a071&k=49129

British Columbians kick ass

The announcement of Justin Morneau from New Westminster as the American League's Most Valuable Player in baseball brings to mind how well British Columbians are doing on the world stage of sports. And how well we have done in the past. Our athletes from this sometimes obscure corner of the continent rise as the cream in whatever sport they try.
Larry Walker, from Maple Ridge, was an MVP in the National League in '97 . Jason Bay of Trail was an All Star and Rookie of the Year in 2004. Sandy Robertson gave us a taste of bigger things in the fifties when he played pro with the Vancouver Capilanos.
Most are aware of Victorian Steve Nash's double MVP awards in the NBA. Well, after all we did invent basketball.
Racing driver Greg Moore from Maple Ridge was Indy Lights champion and won the US 500 in a Champ Car until his tragic death in 1999.
The list of BC hockey players in the NHL would go on and on, beginning with Vancouver's John Ferguson, the first BC born player to make it to the NHL, and to the Montreal Canadiens no less, and in 1972, as Assistant coach of Team Canada, he helped lead us to that thrilling and historic 4-3-1 victory over the Soviets. And we can credit many more BCers who followed, including perenniel star Steve Yzerman from Cranbrooke and Cam Neely from Maple Ridge for doing us proud.
Gareth Rees, from Duncan played rugby for Canada 55 times including the first four World Rugby Cup finals.
Silken Laumann won Olympic Silver in '96 for rowing and Nancy Greene-Raine skiing out of Rossland won Gold AND Silver in 1968 and was voted Canadian Athlete-of-the-Century!
Who doesn't know Burnaby's Christine Sinclair and her flashing style in making Canada a powerhouse in women's soccer?
Terry Fox and Rick Hansen will endure forever in our hearts and minds as they made their respective marks on the world with their athleticism, undaunted by adversary! Cancer research owes much to the Marathon of Hope and Terry. Rick Hansen won 19 wheelchair marathons before tackling his Man in Motion 25,000 mile world tour.
Brian Walton won a Silver Olympic in 1996 in Cycling's grueling 100 lap point race and multi medals in many other competitions.
Doug Rogers won silver for us in 1964 Olympic Judo and many more medals and championships.
Our Lui Passaglia holds almost ALL records for kicking in professional football. Ted Hunt, another early BC Lion, had not played any competitive football until his first pro game! He was named Rookie of the Year in 1958,
George Athans and George Athans Jr won world championships in diving and water skiing.
My own small experience goes way back to the Western Sports Center gym on Hastings street. Full of old time boxers, Lenny Walters, who won the U.S. Amateur Featherweight Championship in 1951, wrestlers and weight lifters training in that basement weight room, and then there was Doug Hepburn, with his wrapped gimpy leg, breaking world records long before he won World Championship Gold and became known as the Strongest Man in the World!
BC athletes are the best, have been the best and continue to inspire hopeful BC athletes to grand accomplishments.

Julian Lennon - Saltwater

Two musicians share a universal thought about the state of the world today with their beautiful music - Listen to Julian's warning through his eloquent lyrics ... "What will I think of me, the day that I die?"

Music Video:

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

Saltwater lyrics here -
http://www.julianlennon.com/Fire/discography/helpyourself.htm
copyright Julian Lennon

Ozzy Osbourne - Dreamer

Ozzy cares about the world too. Dreamer, written and performed by Ozzy, is a tender plea for us to care. Meaningful words, apropos to the times. Ozzy at his very best, "A better place for those who will come after us, this time"

Ozzy Osbourne Dreamer lyrics is the property and copyright of Ozzy Osbourne.
Dreamer lyrics here -
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/15/ozzy_osbourne/dreamer.html

It's not too late to start your own groundswell.
Earth needs your voice too... Talk about it.

EXXON

Oil industry giant Exxon Mobil Corporation exceeded their own expectations today by announcing that its third-quarter earnings shot up to $10.5 billion - the second-largest quarterly profit ever recorded by a publicly traded U.S. company.
Did you read that right? TEN AND A HALF BILLION! Dollars. US.
And they said all summer that they weren't price gouging at the pump!

ps: Exxon already holds the first largest profit record.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102600328.html

pps: Hope our greedy Canadian banks don't see this.

Political dogs?

Someone called Liberal Belinda Stronach a dog? Conservative Peter MacKay says it wasn't him. Someone taped a voice in parliament talking about a dog. Or was it a talking dog? Belinda says Peter should apologize. Peter barked, "No, it's over." Hockey Pit Bull Tie Domie wasn't commenting. Mrs. Domie said she knew where there was a bitch in heat.
The Canadian Kennel Club wants clarification on the breed.
Arf!

BC Ferries - Queen of the North

Check out our blog entry of May 26, 2006, 'BC Ferries Scenario'. Seems we weren't that far off.
Use Technorati search on this page.

The Garth Turner lesson

There is a lesson in Garth Turner being thrown out of the caucus of the Conservatives. Something you need to consider as a voter come the next federal election in Canada: The fact that no matter what a member of ANY political party promises his individual constituants, he won't be able to deliver anything but what his bosses have planned.
He can say, "I will do this for you. I will do that for you." But we should know that he has absolutely NO say in what he can deliver for your vote.
It seems that Turner is gone simply because he blogs things about his own party and what he thinks they are doing. Honesty and public information seems to be a no no. Has been for a long time.
Chretien controlled everything in the Liberal party from his office, down to what a Liberal answered when someone said hello. The Conservatives are simply more of the same.
Ever felt more powerless?
Me either.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061018/turner_suspended_061018/20061018?hub=CTVNewsAt11

Garth Turner's blog;
http://www.garth.ca/weblog/

Reporters killed in Iraq

So far in the Iraq war, 118 journalists and reporters have been killed.
Most recently British journalist Terry Lloyd, a reporter for the ITN network, as well as Lebanese interpreter Hussein Osman and French cameraman Fred Nerac who were unlawfully killed by US army in Iraq on March 22 2003, a British coroner has ruled. Their clearly marked news vehicle fired on by US tanks. After being caught in a cross fire between the US Army and Iraqi forces. Wait a minute, aren't the Iraqis supposed to be on the US side anyway?

One could almost see something going on here. Like how many of these dead reporters were 'embedded' with US troops? We all know that embedded reporters don't really report what is happening in recent wars, they only report what they see when they are allowed to see anything at all. And even then, would an embedded reporter tell the world what was going on if it went against those he was travelling with?
Reporters Without Borders releases reports periodically about such things, it would be interesting to see who was embedded and who was not.

The coroner told the inquest: “In my view I have no doubt that the minibus presented no threat to the American forces as, firstly, it was a civilian vehicle, and secondly it stopped and turned around to pick up survivors and was facing away from the American forces. It was obvious that wounded persons were getting into the vehicle. If the vehicle was perceived as a threat then it would have been fired on before it did a U-turn. This would have resulted in damage to the front. There is no such damage.

The IFJ, the world's largest journalists' group, has organised a global campaign over the mystery surrounding a number of media deaths, starting with the United States military attack on the Palestine Hotel, a media centre, in Baghdad on April 8th 2003 in which two journalists died. On the same day the US attacked the Baghdad office of Al Jazeera, killing a reporter. Last year a court in Spain which had issued an arrest warrant for three American soldiers over the killing of cameraman Jose Couso in the Palestine Hotel had to abandon the case because of non-co-operation by the United States authorities. The IFJ has accused the United States of "callous indifference" over media killings, criticising its failure to produce credible reports, always exonerating its own personnel whenever they are involved and refusing to respond to appeals for independent and inclusive investigations.
"So long as the United States remains indifferent and refuses to explain the actions of its soldiers in these killings there will be speculation about deliberate targeting of media staff," said White.

ITN's editor in chief David Mannion said: "I would also like to say something that I know Terry would have wished me to say. "Independent, unilateral reporting, free from official strictures, is crucial; not simply to us as journalists but to the role we play in a free and democratic society."

Yep, there's something going on here.

http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/78362/

http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.php/WorldNews/2006101307journalist-army

Marijuana combats Alzheimer's - cool

There's new evidence that marijuana smoking prevents Alzheimer's disease. THC, the main ingredient in pot, blocked the formation of Alzheimer's plaque in sufferers' brains better than current Alzheimer's drugs in a study in California.
Kim Janda, director of the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine, said the findings offer 'evidence that THC possesses remarkable inhibitory qualities.'
Janda said the study found that THC blocks the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which hastens the formation of plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
Not to mention the costs, about $200. for a pharmacuetical pill, about $5. a joint for the 'natural' cure. Alzheimer's affects over 4.5 million people in the US.
So now there is hope for old aunt Mary Jane to enjoy her remaining years playing canasta in a roach induced bliss instead of the frightening fog of dementia. Besides, her friends might think she's cool.
And there is no truth to the rumour that the Worm Institute is in Janda's Mom's basement.
So the head-to-head is this:

Pharmacueticals = Doctors knowing your business - Pharmacists condescendingly counting out your pills - Personal information going to USA through American companies handling your medical records - remembering where your pills are - huge costs - hoping no one will know - having to write your name on your bathroom mirror.

Marijuana = Available on any street corner - no records - who needs to look for pills? - great THC content in BC Bud - cheap - who cares who knows? - fun to watch Merry-Go-Rounds.

Advantage - Mary Jane.
Cue up the Stones new CD for Grandma.

CBC construction, your trees or theirs?

There is always a huge uproar when someone cuts down old trees in Vancouver. I think there's even a bylaw now to stop you from doing it. Even on your own property.
However, it seems CBC can do it with impunity. A few weeks ago they chopped down several old pines, on the very edge of their property. They are building two new high rise condo buildings where the parking lot was.
Now they are planning to build a new studio facing Hamilton street, where the plaza is now.
Today crews arrived and demolished several more beautiful old trees bordering their site. They went into a chipper and were gone in less than an hour.
These trees looked like they were on CITY property. Check out the pics.
Did those trees belong to CBC or YOU?

Judging by the construcion plan of their new studio, they would have been well off the area of construction. Why couldn't they have worked around them or why couldn't the architect plan for them in the design? Maybe he's somewhere in Toronto and like the previous blog item about Sears building, has no idea what Vancouver looks like.



Our lives are a little poorer because of lazy designers.

Architectural bitch

Sears building on Robson and Granville streets. (formerly Eatons)
Architectural design - West Coast Washroom.


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Border Guards? Oh Canada.

So if someone wants to attack Canada, all they have to do is tell us they are coming? And our "border guards" will rush off somewhere and hide? Seems like it.
When they shut down the border with Washington State yesterday, it was because they were told that a murder suspect was on his way to Canada on his motorcycle and might try to slip into the lineup with other bikers returning from the yearly Oyster Run. This event attracts about 15,000 riders. Not all from here.
So ... er, if this bad guy was trying to slip into the Canada, why weren't the RCMP stationed there too? Wouldn't someone just ask for ID from the bikers and if they knew the guy beside them? Wouldn't the 'guards' be alerted by California plates on the bike? Even if this bad man had a gun and our customs officials didn't, would he be likely to shoot someone with RCMP there and rush off into the Great White North? Hmmm, logic is unexpected.
Evidently, earlier in the day a car with California plates ran the border. No one said anyone went after that guy. No one even said they got a plate number. Why wasn't the US Border Patrol at their side watching? They know how hard it would be to extradite they guy once he got here.
And if this here bad guy was trying to 'slip' into Canada, wouldn't he try to be meek and mild, and deceptive? Did they think he'd come through with guns blazing ala Arnold Schartznegger?
Seems very smelly to me.
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee .... well, unless you are a bad guy, then we run for cover.

Published by Netscape Anchors on www.netscape.com

Maher Arar - weird case or what?

So Maher Arar was returning to Canada from Tunisia. Maher Arar is a Syrian-Canadian. He changed planes in America. The RCMP had Maher, his wife and children on a watch list. His children at the time were 6 months and six years old. The Americans stopped him, decided from the Canadian information that Arar had some kind of terrorist leanings. So they sent Arar, on a PRIVATE jet, to SYRIA. Where Arar was tortured for information.
A couple of odd things here. Who owned this private jet? Hmmm, probably the CIA? Who else?
Can CIA planes just go to Syria to deposit prisoners illegally arrested? What did the Americans expect from Syria? Put aside whether you think Maher Arar is guilty of something or a terrorist or not and consider this.
So he gets to Syria, they extract 'information' under torture from Arar, and then they SEND this info back to America and Canada!
What?
Is Syria America's Middle East Guantanamo? Does Syria do the torturing for America? The two countries call each other names daily. Is that a ruse? Is Syria an American partner? What does CSIS and the RCMP do in all this? What exactly IS Syria's relationship with the West?
I can see some American officials sending Arar to Syria just for some weird sadistic pleasure. But they did it and expected to get information from Syria.
Weird or what?

Islam vs Everybody

Muslims are upset over Pope Benedict XVI's remarks when he quoted from a conversation that took place in Ankara in the year 1391 between Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on Christianity and Islam.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached," the pope quoted Manuel as saying.
Now Muslims are being furiously stirred up over the quote. They want him to retract his remarks. Is another aspect of Islam to deny the fact of history?
They say that western clerics and politicians are "hostile to Islam." Like duhhh. Does anyone need to know WHY this hostility to Islam is growing worldwide? They say the pope's remarks hurt the feelings of Muslims worldwide and is creating a gulf between religions.
Who IS creating that gulf? Muslim extremists who are killing innocents worldwide? Or people who are faithful to Islam but never utter a condemnation of the extremists savage actions? Doesn't executing someone who sponsored a school for little girls in Afghanistan serve to create a gulf between Islam and the rest of the world?
Will they put out a 'hit' on the Pope for this? Someone has already started bombing Christian symbols in Gaza City. Maybe ask Salman Rushdie where his safe house is. Muslims don't seem to like fiction either.
Many are beginning to believe that WW III has started and it is Muslims against the world.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=112932

UPDATE: Sept 18 - MOGADISHU, Somalia -- An Italian nun who devoted her life to helping the sick in Africa was shot dead by two gunmen at a hospital Sunday in an attack possibly linked to worldwide Muslim anger toward Pope Benedict XVI. Sister Leonella, 65, was shot in the back four times by pistol-wielding attackers as she left the Austrian-run S.O.S. hospital at lunchtime. Sister Leonella had lived in Africa for 38 years. Her bodyguard was also slain.

Tony Parsons' new face

I wondered why he was away so long. Slow healer I guess.

Prediction - Aquarium - Done Deal

The Vancouver aquarium wants to expand. Again. The last expansion was opposed by many. It went ahead anyway. This time they aren't even going to ask for public input. They say it'll give bigger pools for seals and sea lions. Like we need to capture them when we can simply walk 100 yards to see them in Burrard Inlet. The Aquarium now hosts convention dinners. What's that got to do with fish? I guess they served fish-farmed salmon. Ugh.
This time they'll cut down another 32 more trees for their expansion. Want to bet it'll go ahead no matter what the public or Lord Stanley wants?
Done deal.



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News items of the day

Some current headlines;

- President Bush announced that terrorist 'detainees' will be given Geneva Convention status.
Isn't this great? And of course the terrorists will now adhere to the same rules on their side.

- Katherine Harris won the Republican vote to run for the Senate in Florida. You remember Katherine, she counted the votes when Bush stole the presidency from Al Gore.

- Fast food restaurants being planned for prisons. Oh boy, McDonalds' fatty salads for prisoners. It's not cruel and unusual punishment, is it? Is it?

- Jewish man tossed off Air Canada Jazz flight for praying. After a pilot got locked out of his cockpit on a recent Jazz flight, oi vey, we should all be praying?

- Motorist jailed for blowing up speed camera. Shouldn't we chip in for his bail and defence?

- August death total in Bagdad morgue triples. Sheeez, what are those people in the morgue dying of?


Ah, the universe is unfolding as it should ...

unravelling?

Drugs - the correct sentencing

JAKARTA, Indonesia. An Indonesian appeals court sentenced four Australian drug smugglers to death, even though prosecutors who filed the petition were only seeking life behind bars, a court official said Wednesday. Scott Rush, Tan Duc Than Nguyen, Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman were originally sentenced to life in prison for trying to take heroin from Indonesia's resort island of Bali to Australia last year. Those sentences were reduced to 20 years after their lawyers appealed.In response to an appeal from the prosecution, the Supreme Court ruled that the men would face a firing squad, said Mulyadi, a Supreme Court official who attended the Aug. 16 and Aug. 31 appeals hearings. "The Supreme Court sentenced them to death," he told The Associated Press. The results of final appeals by Martin Stephens and Michael Cjugaj also increase to the death penalty. Three more drug smugglers have since been convicted, and sentenced to death by firing squad.

When are we going to get with the program and stop coddling the scourge of our sons and daughters in Canada? Cruel and unusual? Drug dealers destroying the lives of Canadian youth is as cruel and unusual as it gets. The death sentence seems like a great deterent to me. Actually even humane, firing squad is quick and easy. And the Indonesians make no exceptions, beauty queen Schapelle Corby, the jail's only other Australian resident, and a convicted marijuana smuggler, is serving 20 years for marijuana smuggling, described by her lawyer Mr Ilham said: "She gets more beautiful every day." Too bad.
Do we get the message? Probably not.

Youth Wrestling - creepy or what?

A company called Go Sports Entertainment has been turned down by Langley Township council in BC, on an application to use a warehouse in the district as a studio to film youth wrestling for television. Turned down because of the lack of parking spaces.
Hmm, get this: They film 'youth' wrestlers from 13 to 21, according to an article in the Langley Times, a BC community newspaper. And they BUS in children from all over North America to watch the performances! Up to 350 of them.
Now this is not that wrestling as you see in the Olympics, which builds magnificent character and where the hard training may reward the contestants with a medal. This is called, by CEO Graham Owen himself as "Cirque du Soleil meets WWE and the matches are 100 percent predetermined." Choreographed violence?
What?
I love Cirque du Soleil. But see my post on this blog about WWE on July 6 titled, WWE - rasslin' at its best to read what I think about WWE.
WWE is all about fakery, disrespect, total violence and demeaning women. In my opinion, the guy who watches it is a 63 year old pipe smoking guy who still lives in his mother's basement and the only hard thing in his pants is his gun.
So why do we want children to learn ANYTHING about this form of (ugh) entertainment? Don't you find something ominously creepy about this? Children wrestling, children watching, sold to PPV TV for what purpose? What type of person would PAY to watch this childrens' violence? Who knows. And what parents would allow their children to be bussed there to attend this malevolence? What are we teaching these youth wrestlers? To emulate WWE RAW? Is MatRats really KidVid?
Let's hope the parking stall issue was only a convenient reason for Langley to disallow Go Sports Entertainment the facility. Creepiness as a reason probably wouldn't have done it.
Shudder.

http://overthetoprope.com/index.html

Air Canada - Brokeback Airlines?

The crew of an Air Canada passenger jet was forced to break down the cockpit door in mid-air after the pilot locked himself out when he popped out for a minute to use the toilet at the back of the Air Canada Jazz aeroplane. The bizarre incident occured with 30 minutes to go of an internal flight from Ottawa to Winnipeg.
Hmmm. And it seems, aside from being funny, a little troubling. Apparantly this pilot was talking on an internal microphone to the First Officer IN the cockpit during the incident.
Hmmm again. Couldn't the First Officer have simply unlocked the door? Were they angry at each other? Was the First Officer afraid of the pilot? Why wouldn't he open the door? Was the First Officer having too much fun steering?

Pilot - "Let me in, Bruce!"
First - "No, you never let me steer."
Pilot - "Just open the door."
First - "Sure sure, you're always nice when we're alone, but in public, oh no, you ignore me then."
Pilot - "I won't ignore you anymore, just OPEN THE FRIGGIN' DOOR."
First - "If you're going to swear at me like that ...."
Pilot - "Bruce, this is embarrassing, the passengers who aren't terrified are laughing."
First - "So I'm a laughing stock am I?"
Pilot - "Sheeeez .... Anybody got a screwdriver?"
First - "You won't find one, they're not allowed. Terrorists could use them."
Pilot - "Bruce. please open the door."
First - "No, you could be a terrorist."
Pilot - "Just undo the lock, I promise I won't be mad."
First - "I can't reach it, I'm busy steering."
Pilot - "We'll say the lock got stuck. I'll let you land. "
First - "Promise?"

The troubling thing is that Manon Stuart, spokeswoman for Air Canada, when explaining the 'event' said, "We investigated the incident and the crew followed standard operational procedure."
What? They have a procedure for when the pilot locks himself out of the cockpit? Is it in a manual somewhere? Rule 5A? Just under Parachuting?
I'm not sure if it's funny or not?

Hushmail - Hooray for integrity!

During the pursuit, enticement and capture of John Mark Karr in Thialand to bring him to Colorado to answer for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, the US investigators asked a Canadian company, Hush Communications to reveal private emails from a Hushmail client that could have implications in the case. Hushmail refused to give out any information without a Canadian court order.
As we now know, the Boulder DA's office had nothing at all to even charge the delusionary Karr with the crime, they were fishing for info.
In America, the US goverment can go into your email, your ISP company, collect information about you and the Homeland Security Act prevents your ISP company from even telling you that they have given out information about you.
In Ottawa, there are talks going on within our own government to further mimic American sneakiness. Prey it doesn't happen.
Kudos to Hush Communications for resisting the pressure.

Hushmail offers secure and private email accounts. Some are free. Check it out here ...
http://www.hushmail.com/

Quotes apropos to the times

Vegetius - c. 375
.... Let him who desires peace prepare for war.
De Rei Militari

Adolf Hitler - 1889 - 1944
.... The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one.
Mein Kampf (1933)

Sir Winston Spencer Churchill - 1874 - 1963
.... The British Empire and the United States will have to be somewhat mixed up together in some of their affairs for mutual and general advantage.
House of Commons (1940)

Christopher Dawson - 1889 - 1970
.... As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy.
The Judgment of the Nations (1943)

Osama bin Laden - 1957 - 2004?
.... We are seeking to incite the Islamic nation to rise up to liberate its land and to conduct jihad (holy war) for the sake of God.
al-Jazeera, (1999)

Pope John Paul II - 1920 - 2005
.... Social justice cannot be obtained by violence.Violence kills what it intends to create.
Address to workers (1980)

Senator Robert M. La Follette
.... Before the war is ended, the war party assumes the divine right to denounce and silence all opposition to war as unpatriotic and cowardly.

Theodore Roosevelt
.... Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official...

Voltaire
.... It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Dick Cheney
.... There comes a time when deceit and defiance must be seen for what they are. At that point, a gathering danger must be directly confronted.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
.... The next war ... may well bury Western civilization forever.

George W. Bush
.... Our enemies ... never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.

Some things make ya just wanna throw up

Well the Bank of Montreal, trying to disguise itself as BMO, announced their THIRD QUARTER profits - 704 million dollars.
TD, not mentioning that they are the Toronto Dominion Bank, with a straight face mimicked BMO closely with a 790 million dollar third quarter profit.
RBC, which some of us old timers used to know as Royal Bank of Canada, before they got so embarrassed by their profits, grinned in the finest greed tradition as they rose to 1.18 BILLION dollars in profit. Also for only ONE quarter of the year.
I'm not waiting for Scotia Bank or any others. (Excuse me a moment, I have to run back into the bathroom)
One wonders how Canadian banks still fend off American banks coming into Canada for a competitive share, perhaps because the government gets paid off somewhere?
Sickening, isn't it? And this is only one quarter of the year!
Who's got their hand in YOUR wallet?

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Survivor - playing the race cards

The 13th season of the reality tv series "Survivor", filmed on the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands - will start with teams split according to race. The host of the CBS show, Jeff Probst, said that being on the show was a social experiment and this will "add another layer" to the experiment. They will be Black, White, Hispanic and Asians. Against each other.
Another layer! Are you serious?
Anthropologically speaking, there are three races, the Caucasoids, the Negroids and the Mongoloids. Hispanics would usually be classified as Caucasians. Well whatever.
So does this mean if I am black, I can now cheer for my team, the Blacks, to murder dem bums the Whites? Can Asians yell at the ineptitudes of the Hispanics with glee as gai jin dumbells? What will those good ol' boys from Texas be calling the black people? "Come on Caucasoids, win the game against the Negroids! Jolly goood shot there White man, right between the eyes."
I think not. This is going to go way past the Marquis of Queensbury rules.
The slang dictionaries don't even start to list the terms available, and now, with this TV show of race against race, those who watch can legitimately cheer the 'sport' on while innocently shrugging at their own terminology. Or terminological inexactitudes, as Richard Nixon might have put it. I decline to ponder the possibilities for team names.
So we're having a segregation of races now. No token blacks on the white team. No whites in Harlem. Hispanics stay out of the Forbidden City.
The potential for race war is endless.
But wait, it's only a TV show. Set up, written and choreographed for sure. Why else would people pick the 65 year old school marm over the Navy Seal to kill the alligator? And they have 300 people on set location for the shoot. And rehearsals. And alligator wranglers. And Kraft services just out of camera range ... oops, you're not supposed to know any of this.
"CUT! Now Billy-Bob, you can't call him a F%@#$ N*&$%!, and Chang, NO Machettes on set, you've been told that. Alejandro, what are you smoking now? Can we roll again? No that's not what I meant!"
A social experiment.
Sure.
Hmmmm.

Mattresses

All those who will never buy a Sleep Country Canada mattress no matter how much they advertise, put up your hands .....

Astronomers - be fair, be fun

As International Astronomers meet to redefine our planets this week, some are worried about the status of our tenth planet.
Officially designated 2003 UB313, it was originally discovered in October, 2003 by Caltech's Michael Brown, Chad Trujillo from the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii, and David Rabinowitz from Yale University.
They are also deciding if Pluto is to remain classified as a planet. Recent addition 2003ub313, now more affectionately named Xena, is slightly larger than Pluto. Xena's sidekick moon has been dubbed Gabrielle.
If Pluto stays in, then Xena must be included. The scientists are thinking that Pluto's satellite moon, Charon, might also be classified as a planet, even though it is small enough to be a 'Pluton'.

Well we need fairness in your decision, Messrs Astronomers, and a little lightness and fun in our immediate galaxy. If Pluto stays in, and Charon adds in, then Xena and Gabrielle MUST stay in.

There are thousands of amateur skywatchers here on Earth, peering into the glinting blackness above, who couldn't bear to have Xena and Gabrielle parted again. A single orbit takes those two worlds 560 earth-years! It's not about mimicking a tv show, it's about imagination and putting a little fantasy into science to make it more interesting and perhaps enticing to casual observers.

I, for one, would feel better if the names become official and knowing that Xena, the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle, her loyal companion are out there together .... forever.

Safe Injection Site

Isn't keeping our Safe Injection Site open a no brainer?
Why is the Conservative government waiting to see if they can get away with closing it without losing politically?
There are now fewer people going to detox, fewer people likely to acquire AIDS, fewer people likely to die of overdoses, fewer people likely to be shooting up in your lanes, fewer people will drop needles for children to walk on.
The test of this idea is overwhelmingly successful. There have been over 4,000 referals for counseling. It has been watched with interest all across North America. It is NOT funded by the federals. That happens locally and it is endorsed by the Vancouver Police.
So what's the problem?
Keep it going.

Picton trial

Isn't this what we thought?
The Willie Picton trial is about to commence by year end. They've dropped 20 murders from the list, choosing to prosecute only 6 at first. One can understand this tactic from the prosecution because if something goes awry in the first trial, they'd have backup charges. And they say the trial of 26 murders would be much too complicated for jurors to keep track of. Not to mention that the charges are first degree murder, which means the prosecution must prove Willie Picton, by himself, murdered those poor girls and had that intention when he lured them there. No one else is charged as an accomplice yet no one believes Willie carried out these horrific crimes on his own.
However, they are now discussing reasons for keeping the trial procedings away from the public. Secret. They SAY because the publicity could influence those future trials.
WE say it is a good way to keep it closed forever. The secrecy COULD be because someone may be desperately afraid of the consequences of the testimony of witnesses. Witnesses who COULD reveal names and information that COULD implicate certain prominent people who should never be mentioned in connection with the Picton party house and the tragic deaths of so many women.
It has been said that many visitors to that party house, which is allegedly said to have been full of drugs and prostitution were prominent members of greater Vancouver society; doctors, lawyers, executives, even policemen, judges and perhaps mayors? Speculation and rumours? Sure.
We hope media lawyers are strong on this one and argue for complete public access to the whole trial.
If it is conducted in secret it will be bad for truth in justice and can only lead to more speculations, rumours and suspicions.
Hell, we suspect already!

It's back!

The bubble machine is back at Thurlow and Davie.
Long live the bubble machine!

WW III

Some powerful and knowledgeable people have said we are in the opening stages of World War 3. There is turmoil and underground wars throughout the world. We are living in dangerous times.
Iraq is at the heart of the present problems. And all because George Bush wanted to avenge his father's humiliation at the hands of Saddam Hussein. The best thing that could happen today would be to reinstate Saddam and depose George. Not so silly. At least Saddam was able to control his own population. Perhaps he understood them.
We have the military might of the USA being defeated as we speak. Their generals are all of the same breed. Fighting an open war, tank against tank, soldier against soldier. Battlefield strategy, Patton style. The hierarchy clearly defined.
But that is not the kind of war that goes on today. These generals attend Senate committee meetings daily and their message/realization/outlook plunges into gloom. They can't figure out the enemy. The can't even identify the enemy! But these enemies of democracy have got it figured out. They learned the lessons well when the communist Viet Cong drove America from Viet Nam. America, in spite of the spin, seems to be losing in Iraq. With a far more dangerous Iran waiting to join in.
The American military has already been driven out of Lebanon. Yet they expect the Israelis to progress against Hezbollah. This kind of fighting is abnormal too, Hezbollah has no country, what ever they do in Lebanon they are winners in the minds of the people, most of whom hate America. And in general the consensus in the Middle East in that Israel must be obliterated.
In Afghanistan it is the same situation. A fight against a mysterious enemy who is slowly taking back their country in spite of the free world's efforts. The Russians were driven out of there.
Indonesia, Pakistan, India, the Phillipines, Africa, all face a similar plight.
It seems to many that the coming war is about Muslims against the rest of the world. WW III may be beginning, and the outlook for a world democracy is dim and bleak. The World Trade attack. The London subway attack. And who knows what lies in wait from insidious people already resident in the free democracies. Invisible people waiting for their call to arms. How do you fight against a citizen who walks up to you with a grenade in their belly and has just pulled the pin?
We cannot understand their thinking and motives. Because we live in a better world.
But we need to figure them out, and soon. Our better world is vulnerable right now.

UPDATE: Aug 7 - It seems that the Lebanese government has a major decision to make; that being whether they accept Hezbollah as their military arm or not.
If they do not, it is time that they made their intentions clear. They must condemn Hezbollah as a foreign organization making war within their borders. If it is not their intention to be part of that war they should join with the Israeli Defence Force in ejecting these foreigners from their homeland.
If they do back Hezbollah, as they seem to be tacitly doing, then it is time they accepted that they are at war with Israel and suffer the consequences without crying innocence. Those results might be the same as America inflicted on Iraq in the 1991 war, the complete destruction of their infrastructure.
Lebanon cannot play the fence sitter here. Either ask the UN for help in recovering their country or let it go completely to terrorists.
The option seems clear.

Today in history - - - July 28

1945 - An Army B-25 bomber lost in the fog crashed into the side of the Empire State Building in New York City, killing 13 people.

The Empire State building did NOT fall down.

Vigilante justice

All across Canada it is well known that the law abiding citizens are fed up with judicial justice. Having the worst criminals walking through courtrooms like McDonalds' Drive-thrus is about to be unacceptible. Our children and our future are at stake.
Drug dealers now frequent the corners of every major city in Canada as well as most of the small towns. The people know who they are. The police know who they are. Vancouver was even written up recently in a British tourist magazine as being infested with homeless beggars and drug dealers everywhere. People cautioned about coming here. Not a good thing for 2010.
Yet it goes on and on. People have been calling for tougher sentences for years, to a deaf ear of the justice system. To a deaf ear of the judges who seem to care more for the perpetrators than the victims.
Finally in one small community in New Brinswick it went too far and the people took action against these insidious criminals who were addicting their children to crack cocaine, among other lethal drugs. They burned down a crack house and prevented the fire department from putting it out. And they beat the bad guys badly enough to force them to leave their island.
It was vigilante justice well done. Applauded across the country by frustrated parents everywhere. Something they surely have wanted to do.
It had to start somewhere. Those New Brunswickers say the purge of drug dealers in their community isn't over yet.
Maybe the purge of drug dealers in Canada is just beginning.

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Jamie Graham - in context?

It seems like a lot of the media is now selling a better story than the real story. The 'target' story is growing by the hour and now Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham is supposedly 'under investigation' for a threat. This is great stuff for the media. Or is it?
Chief Jamie Graham admits he left a shooting range target sheet on the desk of a city manager with a note saying "a bad day at the range is better than the best day at work." Now it is being reported that the target had hits in the head and heart.
But when that target sheet was shown on TV, the only two hits on the sheet were WAY off the center, and at the very outside edge. Showing clearly that it was a bad day at the shooting range.
If it had been a picture of Chief Graham falling off water skis, with that same comment, it would have simply said that the water skiing pastime, even while falling in, is still better than a sweaty day at the office.
One wonders if the media likes their manufactured controversial story with a political bent much better than the facts. Isn't it an obligation of the news media to get it EXACTLY right?
Take another look at that target before buying into media stuff.

UPDATE: Now CKNW's Bill Good is reporting that target as "bullet riddled", nice going Bill, has a way better media pull than what it really was. Damn, you used to be able to trust 'NW. The next thing they'll tell us is that the desk was shot up too!

Today in history - - - July 24

1989 - The Exxon Corp. estimated that its cleanup of the Alaskan oil spill would cost $1.28 billion.

Understandably, they said they would have to raise their gas pump prices to cover the costs.

NOT understandably, Shell, Chevron and all the others ALSO raised their prices, even though they had NO costs at all. Is there better evidence that oil companies were gouging us even then?

WWE - RAW rasslin' at its best

Apparantly TSN is forsaking WWE RAW (rasslin', I can't bring myself to say wrestling) because it got NFL Monday Night Football instead. Good for credibility. Broadcasting RAW, in spite of its ratings, leaves a sports fan wondering what they are thinking?
I watched a RAW event one time a few years ago. (I was innocently flicking past, really) I forget who the actors were, but there were a couple of things of interest. Although probably only to a teenager who just torched his cat for fun. They had this steroid muscle guy come in toward the ring at the end of a huge ramp through smoke and purple lights while his opponent waited. The approaching purple guy joked about going to visit his opponent's father in the hospital who was suffering from cancer! He went on to say that he was glad the man's father had cancer and he even stole the old man's watch while he lay helpless! (NOT kidding) Then when the other man erupts in (fake) rage and runs up the ramp, our purple guy finds a hammer somewhere and slams him in the head with it! (please, this is true) Out cold. All to frenzied cheers and jeers!
Then in another 'match'. One guy is rasslin' for pride? He volunteers to put his 'hos' up for the prize! He parades these slutty dressed women into the ring, about 8 of them if I recall. He lost to the challenger who took possession of the 'hos' and paraded them off to a harem room somewhere. Assuming that some ex-steriod eunuch rassler would be looking after them of course.
All this went on before screaming teenaged boys. (I guess they screened them all to make sure no boy had a father in hospital with cancer) Of course all this stuff wouldn't influence adolescents' attitudes toward women or violence. No.
Well I can't blame the actors/rasslers from taking part in this. Most of these guys would be back at the gas station, stealing cars or raising pit bulls without this employment.
I think it is Mr. McMahon (as he prefers to be called, striving for respectability. No one ever calls Vince 'Vinnie'.) who controls it all. Even to the extent of suppressing film footage showing the rasslers rehearsing their lines. And he makes sure it is delayed one hour to edit out any of the clear misses of forearm smashes and foot stomps to the head. To be fair Mr. McMahon even calls them 'scenes'.
Its Jerry Springer on steroids. ( at least Jerry admits it's all a big joke)
Ah, violence at its best.
But nothing to do with sports.

Rescue - Why?

Is there any real reason that the Canadian government should charter ships to go into a war zone to rescue as many as 20,000 'Canadians'? Since when did we have an obligation to collect people who chose to go there for 'vacations' or other reasons? This is not Dunkirk.
On closer examination would we find that these Canadian citizens are carrying Canadian passports of convenience? Are they Lebanese who have come to Canada, bought their citizenship, and immediately returned to their home country for whatever reason?
In most cases of stress in countries a government warns their citizens to stay away from dangerous areas. In the case of Lebanon, this has been ongoing since 1975! So if they have returned to do business for whatever reasons, the Canadian taxpayer should make no effort to rescue these people. Lebanese Canadians should simply go north, out of the potential danger zone and leave the country at their own expense.
Having them on radio and television criticizing our efforts is ridiculous and insolent. They should stay here at their chosen home or tough out the situation wherever they are. Canada needs to review its process of doling out passports to people who do not embrace Canada as a place to live a privileged life. If it is your new home, come here to contribute, not to have a safe base.
Canada, love it or leave it, but don't use it.

We told you so ...

David Emerson signed the softwood lumber deal with the US. ONLY Emerson and Harper are supposedly happy with it. It could be because Harper wants it settled when he visits President Bush soon?
The BC Government sent Emerson it's concerns that the deal was NOT in British Columbia's interests. In plently of time for him to be aware. He should have been keyed on BC needs anyway. There were four major items we were unhappy with. Emerson went ahead and signed a bad deal. The American lumber lobby against Canada gets to keep one BILLION dollars of our money.
BC is the largest lumber producer in Canada. Emerson told us how effective he could be for British Columbians when he crossed over from the Liberals in his lust for power. Emerson is from BC. Everyone said how good he would be for BC.
Sure. Some believed it.
We didn't. Check out our previous comments.
David Emerson, like many BC MPs before him, became a traitor to his home province. Sucking up to Harper and the Americans for his illusions of grandeur. David will say, we had to get some kind of deal. No we didn't, we had one called NAFTA.
We told you so ...


UPDATE: Alberta has now joined with British Columbia and Quebec in showing its dissatisfaction with the lumber deal and threatening legal action against it. Makes one wonder just what Emerson was up to or whether he even communicated with anyone?

Our peregrine is back

We live in downtown Vancouver. We used to face south looking toward False Creek. One day we noticed a Peregrine Falcon using another highrise building as a hunting vantage point and we began watching him for hours. Almost every day. Sometimes striking off the ledge and disappearing in a flash of wings, at other times returning with a pigeon meal. And he'd stay on the ledge to dine. He wasn't nesting up there but possibly somewhere close by. One time we even saw two of them on the same rooftop ledge, but only that once.
Then a construction of three new highrises at Hamilton and Smythe and our peregrine disappeared.

We moved within the building and now faced south, looking out toward Burrard Inlet from near Robson Street. The other day I saw something soaring just over the top of the Vancouver Library building offices. Thinking a young Eagle without the white plumage. No, not large enough. Perhaps a Red-Tailed Hawk. I have seen one passing unhurriedly through the city in overlapping circles. No, the tail was too long and no red. Peregrines don't often soar. I have even seen a couple of black Turkey Vultures visiting from Grouse or Seymour mountain or Simon Fraser, casually checking out the city. And occassionally a Raven braves the ire of crows to get where he's going.
The bird suddenly folded his wings and dropped quickly but quit after a second or two. I knew he was 'our' falcon right away. His prey had taken cover.

I followed his flight with binoculars and he took a high position on the red S of the Scotia bank building. Spent time preening, then peering at whatever far below. Then he was gone.
I was thrilled to see him again. If he's the same one. Or she.
So look upward once in a while and you might catch a glimpse of one of the most magnificent birds to ever grace a sky. Right here in downtown Vancouver. If you do, watch him for a while, even be late getting back to work. Some things are worth it.
Amazing.

Soccer stadium

Any truth to the rumour that the owner of the Whitecaps has large land investments on the downtown east side which are not worth much but would be worth many millions more if a stadium was built down there? Another hmmm.
Couldn't they expand Swanguard Stadium by simply building another seating bleacher OVER the existing parking lot? No more land would be used, the parking lot could still exist, and Swanguard would double it's capacity.
Or, why not play in BC Place? It is already a world class venue.
Or, couldn't they build a great stadium south of Exhibition Park race track right on the waterfront? Bring back that great view that everyone loved from old Empire Stadium? The parking would be already available so it would take no additional land.
Hmmm.

Gaza & Israel

Palestinian militants BURROWED under a wall separating Gaza from Israel and kidnapped an Israeli soldier. Israel is pissed about this of course. The Gaza militants have demanded that Israel release all the women and youths held in Israeli jails in exchange for the hostage. Oh, they added, and release all the MINERS too.
Can there be a sense of humour here?

Canucks hockey

Blockbuster trade?
They're making it sound like we got a bundle for Bertuzzi. Hmm ... maybe not.

Alex Auld - 33w - 26l - 6 otl. GAA 2.94 vs Roberto Luongo - 35w - 30l - 9 otl. GAA 2.97
Neither has playoff experience. Auld has the better stats, he's a lot younger, makes about 6 million a year LESS and played in our MUCH tougher division.
Advantage - Mike Keenan.

Bryan Allan, young, up and coming defenceman in the Chris Pronger style vs Lukas Krajicek. Maybe even up for the trade but why trade him at all?
Advantage - ?

Todd Bertuzzi became a 'throw in' for nothing in return. Dave Nonus was under political fear to get rid of Bertuzzi. Keenan knew that. Nonus should have waited almost until the season began to trade Bertuzzi. We give up Bertuzzi's 5 million to get Luongo's 6.5 million, meaning we'll still have to let Jovanovski go. Where? To Florida of course.
Advantage - Keenan.

The sixth round draft pick we got? Keenan traded someone the next day for another sixth round pick.
So now we'll get the spin. The same as when we had two of the best players to ever lace up for the Canucks, Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilney and they told us we were 'rebuilding'. Remember? We got that slackard Mark Messier about then too.
No wonder so many fans at GM Place cheer for other teams.


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CBC hockey

Well, the CBC is pre-empting The National news for an American reality program. It seems they pre-empted Hockey Night in Canada for ... what WERE they doing in that final game between Edmonton and Carolina?

Bob Cole : Oh, there's a penalty!
Harry Neale : Yep. That's a penalty shot!
Bob Cole: Hooking, Harry.
Harry Neale: Elbowing, I think.
(Harry checks his notes on Shakespeare quotes on hockey)
Harry Neale: Shakespeare once said, 'To be or not to be' is it against the Leafs or not to be?
Bob Cole: They had too many men.
(Camera moves in on a player's nostrils, ala film noir ... )
Harry Neale: Is it against Detroit?
Bob Cole: Offside.
Harry Neale: Cross check.
Bob Cole: McGoo has his hand up.
Harry Neale: He's waving to our producer, it's his birthday. Happy Birthday.
Bob Cole: I want to thank our crew for all the hamburgers they bought us over this ... Was that a goal?
(Camera CU on nostril snot)
Checking TSN for coverage.


UPDATE: The Americans cancelled their program.

Canadian MPs

As we are often considered a political blog, we feel we should be commenting from time to time on individual MPs running our government in Ottawa. So we start by having something to say about our current Environment Minister, Rona Ambrose .......

















..... Wooooo.

Nudity vs violence

Tamara Hoover, a Texas school art teacher has topless pictures on the web. Posted there by her partner. She is a skinny blonde who wouldn't have much to show even if you could see it. But in Texas, this is serious. She's about to lose her job. Oh no, not another teach in trouble with nudity?

Better to have little Billy's room plastered with pics of Stallone beating someone to a bloody pulp, or Arnold blasting a hole right through a body, than a photo of a female art teacher.

This kind of explains the growing attitude of disdain towards women down there and the violence among young boys, doesn't it?

None o' that neked stuff here in Texas, folks, we're a whole 'nuther country.

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Humpback whales

Humpback whales are the most commonly known species of whale to many.
We have whale watching tours off Victoria BC. And who has ever gone to Hawaii without at least seeing their spouts on the blue waters. Or been on a catamaran when a humpback 'mugs' the boat, swimming directly beneath it at close range. Or when one 'breaches', taking the observer's breath away with the huge splash. The gentle behemoths are loved by anyone who has ever seen or heard them.
World wide, when commercial whaling was stopped about 20 years ago, their numbers were down to 20% of their world-wide population. Since then, they have only recovered slightly. They are still red listed.
Japan has recently stated their intention to begin slaughtering more than 50 humpbacks a year. Resuming whaling without the International Whaling Commission's permission. They currently slaughter each year over 1000 minke whales and fin whales. The Norwegians about the same. The Japanese are using a loophole in the regulations and say they will take them for 'scientific research'. We all know they will be slaughtering these wonderful creatures to feed the lust for whale meat and oil that oriental people want to consume for whatever reasons. Similar, one suspects, to eating Bengal tigers to improve sexual prowess. (no evidence anywhere to support this silly theory)
The Japanese murder whales with special grenade tipped harpoons. The creatures dies a horrible prolonged death. Liken it to a human being murdered with firecrackers implanted under your skin.
This needs to stop. Whales have no threats to humans on this planet. They are benign beautiful creatures.
Let your voice be heard by at least signing a petition on the following website;
http://wspa.org.uk/index.asp

Other actions you could take would be to let your feelings be known to Japan, Iceland and Norway by urguing them to abandon whale meat and preserve a wonderful part of life on our planet. And tell everyone you know about this misguided Japanese lust for whale meat. You could also picket your local Honda dealer. Cause them to put pressure on their OWN governement.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,5-2006280068,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1090214.ece

Guardian Angels - why not?

The consensus seems to be about even on the reception to the Guardian Angels coming in to Vancouver. Yes or no. It seems however, that most people are not really familiar with what they actually do.
The Guardian Angels are not trying to be a police force or a vigilante group, beware of the motives of people who tell you they are. They are simply being on our streets to be eyes and ears for our Vancouver police. Their intention is to help people like drug addicts, the homeless and perhaps prevent injustices to those most vulnerable. IF a situation arises that needs police attention, it will be handled by Vancouver Police Department, hopefully responding to what a Guardian Angel sees or hears.
In previous incarnations, a lot of Guardian Angels' activities were put down in many cities. (they were here from 1983 - 1988) This resistance is often from police forces themselves, protecting turf, hesitant of anyone nosing into their business. However, patrolling our streets seems to have no downside when we know there are just not enough police to do the job. Surely anyone who frequents the downtown core often enough can see drug dealers on almost every corner. Transactions go on within sight of community policing offices! There aren't sufficient resources for VPD to be everywhere. Law enforcement should welcome them, we know the criminals won't. We're hoping the Guardian Angels will establish a rapport with VPD.
In some cases organized crime took their own actions against the Guardian Angels. Founder Curtis Sliwa was actually attacked in a locked cab by a hitman and only escaped with his life after being shot several times. The hit was allegedly ordered by Junior Gotti.
Surely having someone out there on the side of law abiding people can only be a good thing. The situation in our town is only becoming worse. Our police need all he help they can get.
Welcome them to Vancouver.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Sliwa

http://www.ganglandnews.com/column336.htm