How delusional is this guy? The former Hitler Youth compares 'neo-atheism' to Nazism.
Riiiiiight, but then I am always impressed when the unrepentant head of a pedophile ring opens his mouth about the evil doing of others.
14.9.10
"The taming and domestication of religion is one of the unceasing chores of civilization. " Christopher Hitchens
12.5.10
8.5.10
27.4.10
Happy Birthday Hubble! Infinite Wonder For 20 Years.
The Carnia Nebula, some 7500 light-years away.
As always a thanks to Phil Plait and http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/
28.3.10
Quote for the Day II
“New Rule: Stop worrying that crackpots are inserting their dogma into Texas schoolbooks. Sure, replacing Thomas Jefferson with Phyllis Schlafly is troubling, but it’s Texas. The only use Texans have for textbooks is to sit on them so they can get a better view of the football game. The last person to even notice Texas had schoolbooks was Lee Harvey Oswald.” – Bill Maher
Quote of theDay
“Congress passed the health care reform bill. Well, that was easy.” – David Letterman
23.1.10
"The meters are over in the red"
I stumbled across this on youtube, and its a total blast from the past. Not the best Kate Bush song, but IMO her best video.
Definitely look for a very very young 'Dr. House' (its circa 1986) as one of the scientists.
14.1.10
20.12.09
Quote of the Day
The Criterion Contraption is flat out one of the best film blogs out there. Period. The shame of it is that he posts once a month. Maybe. Often much less. Which is a ridiculous pity really, because when he does post he gives us gems like this;
"If you've gotta make a movie, though, there's one other option: work in a genre that studio executives don't pay too much attention to. Take that genre's conventions and turn them up to eleven, so no one can accuse you of not making the movie you're getting paid to make. Put so much bombast into your filmmaking that inattentive viewers won't pay attention to the underlying message, but clever viewers will hear what you want to say. Then you just wait fifteen years or so for Andrew Sarris to let everyone in on the joke.
It's an interesting strategy, and it's one several filmmakers have adopted over the years. The current world-record holder for subversive, poison-pill filmmaking is Paul Verhoeven, for Robocop and especially Starship Troopers, in which Verhoeven spent $100 million of Sony's money to more or less explicitly accuse Americans of being latent Nazis waging endless war against vaginas."17.11.09
11.11.09
Quote of the Day
Q: If you're elected, will you quit porn?
A: Probably, but only because of HD...and gravity.
Porn star 'Stormy Daniels' in response to questions about her bid to unseat Louisiana Senator David Vitter.
A: Probably, but only because of HD...and gravity.
Porn star 'Stormy Daniels' in response to questions about her bid to unseat Louisiana Senator David Vitter.
9.11.09
Happy 75th Birthday Carl
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
– Carl Sagan, 1934 – 1996
– Carl Sagan, 1934 – 1996
1.11.09
29.10.09
Severed Heads Live on Australian TV in 1986
Wow - I bet Tom Ellard wishes that haircut never happened.
16.10.09
Obama's Nobel Peace Prize
“Conservatives say the award represents everything they stand against: black people, foreigners, and peace.” – Bill Maher
15.10.09
"St. Francis’s sermons to the animals must have really stuck, because our furry and feathered friends have at least one of those allegedly unique Christian virtues, according to Frans de Waal. His book, The Age of Empathy, describes “Bengal tigers that nurse piglets, bonopo apes that help wounded birds to fly, seals that rescue drowning dogs, [and] a rhesus monkey [that] will forego the opportunity for food if pulling the chain that delivers it will electrically shock a companion,” writes Andrew Stark in the Wall Street Journal. Humans’ far more complex moral sense is rooted in our self-awareness and the awareness of our place in a social order, but the evolution of that moral sense long predated Christianity."
- Heather Mac Donald at Secular Right
- Heather Mac Donald at Secular Right
8.10.09
Favorite Memo Ever
The attached link is for mature readers only, if you're easily offended or here for further updates on Cam's new baby (I'm specifically referring to you Great Auntie Mertle from Victoria by way of Amsterdam), please don't read it. This is not a link to baby photos! Thanks.
A precis of what you should find at this link:
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a feature length movie based on the animated series, South Park. Prior to its release in 1999, the movie's creators - Matt Stone and Trey Parker - were asked repeatedly by the MPAA to alter the film in order for it to gain an R rating rather than an NC-17. The link is to memo sent by Stone to the MPAA, in response to such a request.
Enjoy, unless you are linking here thinking this is something else - in which case you only have yourself and your grade school english teacher to blame.
p.s. Speaking of baby pictures, Cam, were are they?
A precis of what you should find at this link:
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a feature length movie based on the animated series, South Park. Prior to its release in 1999, the movie's creators - Matt Stone and Trey Parker - were asked repeatedly by the MPAA to alter the film in order for it to gain an R rating rather than an NC-17. The link is to memo sent by Stone to the MPAA, in response to such a request.
Enjoy, unless you are linking here thinking this is something else - in which case you only have yourself and your grade school english teacher to blame.
p.s. Speaking of baby pictures, Cam, were are they?
4.10.09
Hilton - Webb Update! A Father's Perspective
Hello everyone!
Just wanted to let everyone know that on Oct 3rd at 3:59am, Mairi Johannah Webb entered the world, and our hearts (and our kitchen!).
Mom and baby are doing great, Oliver is pleased (more or less) at having a little sister, and the four of us couldn't be happier!
So here's the thing; her name 'Mairi' rhymes with 'starry', and it's Gaelic. And no, neither Haidee nor I has any Gaelic in us, we just really liked the name and so we took it. We're just thieves that way. As for the last name being 'Webb', Haidee and I agreed when we started having kids that all the boys would be Hilton's, and all the girls would be Webb's. So in a way, Mairi brings some balance to the house. And in all probability - to the Force.
As for the kitchen birth thing, it was our intent all along to have Haidee labour in a large inflatable birthing pool at home to maximize her comfort, and to mimic the awesome experience she had with the labour of Oliver at BC Women's Hospital in Vancouver. One of Haidee's women folk friends had one of these labour pools, and were kind enough to lend it to us.
So at 3:00am I was woken up, informed by my wife that active labour was well underway and instructed to start filling the tub. Haidee's Mom began boiling water in pots and mixing it with cold in the sink to add to the tub as we quickly wiped out all the hot water we had in the hot water heater. With all the boiling water and towels, it was looking like we were prepping for our own little-house-on-the-prairie birth scene in our kitchen. Very old-school.
Just after 3:20 Haidee got in the tub, and expressed a concern that it may slow the labour down. We'll chalk that up to confused hormones and wishful thinking.
At 3:30 the doulas arrived. They are non-medical birthing attendants, and frankly were totally awesome, if actually helpful for only a few minutes.
At 3:40 Haidee's contractions are still 5 min or so apart, but getting stronger. When Oliver was born, this stage lasted for about 90 minutes.
At 3:45 one of the doulas calls 9-11 in anticipation that we will need a ride to the hospital. Many of us (mostly me) thought that this was premature.
At 3:59 exactly, Mairi arrived. Everyone was pretty surprised by this, though Haidee managed to be less surprised than the rest of us and caught her before she landed on the inflatable bottom of the pool.
Just after 4:00 the paramedics arrived, letting us know that there wasn't much help they could offer given all the work appeared to have already been done. They were pretty cool about helping me cut the cord though.
At about 4:10 we were all entertained for a solid 20 minutes as the two burly paramedics, and the two doulas used various kitchen utensils (my favourite popcorn bowl, etc) to try to locate and retrieve the placenta and remaining umbilical cord out of the bottom of the tub. You'll have to trust me on this, but it was past 4:00am, we were very tired, and this was even funnier than you think.
Anyway, after a visit to the hospital that included an interminable wait for some necessary shots, etc., Mom, Mairi, Oliver and I are all happy to be home and healthy.
Popcorn anyone?
Just wanted to let everyone know that on Oct 3rd at 3:59am, Mairi Johannah Webb entered the world, and our hearts (and our kitchen!).
Mom and baby are doing great, Oliver is pleased (more or less) at having a little sister, and the four of us couldn't be happier!
So here's the thing; her name 'Mairi' rhymes with 'starry', and it's Gaelic. And no, neither Haidee nor I has any Gaelic in us, we just really liked the name and so we took it. We're just thieves that way. As for the last name being 'Webb', Haidee and I agreed when we started having kids that all the boys would be Hilton's, and all the girls would be Webb's. So in a way, Mairi brings some balance to the house. And in all probability - to the Force.
As for the kitchen birth thing, it was our intent all along to have Haidee labour in a large inflatable birthing pool at home to maximize her comfort, and to mimic the awesome experience she had with the labour of Oliver at BC Women's Hospital in Vancouver. One of Haidee's women folk friends had one of these labour pools, and were kind enough to lend it to us.
So at 3:00am I was woken up, informed by my wife that active labour was well underway and instructed to start filling the tub. Haidee's Mom began boiling water in pots and mixing it with cold in the sink to add to the tub as we quickly wiped out all the hot water we had in the hot water heater. With all the boiling water and towels, it was looking like we were prepping for our own little-house-on-the-prairie birth scene in our kitchen. Very old-school.
Just after 3:20 Haidee got in the tub, and expressed a concern that it may slow the labour down. We'll chalk that up to confused hormones and wishful thinking.
At 3:30 the doulas arrived. They are non-medical birthing attendants, and frankly were totally awesome, if actually helpful for only a few minutes.
At 3:40 Haidee's contractions are still 5 min or so apart, but getting stronger. When Oliver was born, this stage lasted for about 90 minutes.
At 3:45 one of the doulas calls 9-11 in anticipation that we will need a ride to the hospital. Many of us (mostly me) thought that this was premature.
At 3:59 exactly, Mairi arrived. Everyone was pretty surprised by this, though Haidee managed to be less surprised than the rest of us and caught her before she landed on the inflatable bottom of the pool.
Just after 4:00 the paramedics arrived, letting us know that there wasn't much help they could offer given all the work appeared to have already been done. They were pretty cool about helping me cut the cord though.
At about 4:10 we were all entertained for a solid 20 minutes as the two burly paramedics, and the two doulas used various kitchen utensils (my favourite popcorn bowl, etc) to try to locate and retrieve the placenta and remaining umbilical cord out of the bottom of the tub. You'll have to trust me on this, but it was past 4:00am, we were very tired, and this was even funnier than you think.
Anyway, after a visit to the hospital that included an interminable wait for some necessary shots, etc., Mom, Mairi, Oliver and I are all happy to be home and healthy.
Popcorn anyone?
29.9.09
Shorter Pope on Sex Abuse 'We aren't as bad as the Jews'
"The statement, read out by Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's permanent observer to the UN, defended its record by claiming that "available research" showed that only 1.5%-5% of Catholic clergy were involved in child sex abuse.
He also quoted statistics from the Christian Scientist Monitor newspaper to show that most US churches being hit by child sex abuse allegations were Protestant and that sexual abuse within Jewish communities was common."
Riazat Butt, Guardian religious affairs correspondent, and Anushka Asthana
In other words, 'we have a problem, but other religions are worse! Look, a pony!'
He also quoted statistics from the Christian Scientist Monitor newspaper to show that most US churches being hit by child sex abuse allegations were Protestant and that sexual abuse within Jewish communities was common."
Riazat Butt, Guardian religious affairs correspondent, and Anushka Asthana
In other words, 'we have a problem, but other religions are worse! Look, a pony!'
27.9.09
Harry Potter's Headaches - a Scientific Study
It seems that scientists have a love for all things Harry Potter too, going so far as to try and diagnose the young wizard's headaches based on their literary descriptions!
"Although conforming to a basic stereotype, and constant in location, throughout the 6 years of his adolescence so far described they have shown a tendency to progression. Later descriptions include a range of accompanying symptoms. Despite some quite unusual features, they meet all but one of the ICHD-II criteria for migraine, so allowing the diagnosis of 1.6 Probable migraine."
"Although conforming to a basic stereotype, and constant in location, throughout the 6 years of his adolescence so far described they have shown a tendency to progression. Later descriptions include a range of accompanying symptoms. Despite some quite unusual features, they meet all but one of the ICHD-II criteria for migraine, so allowing the diagnosis of 1.6 Probable migraine."
26.9.09
25.9.09
23.9.09
My Cousin Wins Maui Marathon On First Try
"First-Timer, Defending Champion Claim Maui Marathon Titles KA'ANAPALI, MAUI, HAWAII (Sept. 20, 2009) – Marc Collie of Canada and women's defending champion Yoko Yamazawa of Japan each won decisive victories at the 39th Maui Marathon held Sunday, September 20, 2009.
Over 2,600 runners representing 17 different countries were registered in the 26.2 and 13.1-mile events held in Maui.
Collie, 38, took the lead about two miles into the race, finishing in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 15 seconds – more than eight minutes ahead of Gregory Christopher of Kentwood, Mich., who placed second in 2:49:20.
"It was a lot of fun," said Collie, a resident of Cochrane, Alberta. "The marathon's aid stations were great and the volunteers are amazing." This was Collie's first Maui Marathon and he is already planning to return to for next year's event. "I look forward to enjoying a nice vacation in Maui now that the race is over," added Collie, who is staying for a week."
He didin't just win, he won by 8 Minutes! Way to go Marc!
Over 2,600 runners representing 17 different countries were registered in the 26.2 and 13.1-mile events held in Maui.
Collie, 38, took the lead about two miles into the race, finishing in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 15 seconds – more than eight minutes ahead of Gregory Christopher of Kentwood, Mich., who placed second in 2:49:20.
"It was a lot of fun," said Collie, a resident of Cochrane, Alberta. "The marathon's aid stations were great and the volunteers are amazing." This was Collie's first Maui Marathon and he is already planning to return to for next year's event. "I look forward to enjoying a nice vacation in Maui now that the race is over," added Collie, who is staying for a week."
He didin't just win, he won by 8 Minutes! Way to go Marc!
19.9.09
Quote of the Day
A couple of months ago someone asked me what I was up to and I mentioned I was making a documentary about Richard Wagner. “Oh, I would have thought you liked Beethoven,” they said. I was too polite to pick them up by their scruff of their necks and shake them violently back and forth, but I mean WHAT? “Why’ve you got a Norwich City shield on your Twitter avatar? I thought you liked cricket.” “You just quoted Family Guy” – I thought you liked The Simpsons”, and so on and so on. I mean, really.
Another joke. A Jewish boy on his birthday is given a pair of fine silk ties by his mother. He comes downstairs next morning proudly wearing one. His mother looks at him, hands on hips and says, “So what was wrong with the other one?” Imagine if every time you ordered chicken in a restaurant someone said, “Oh, so you hate lamb, do you?”
- Stephen Fry
10.9.09
Quote of the Day
"We (liberals) have spent so much of our time on the losing end of the past 30 years, that the impulse is to fight every battle, and challenge every press release. Moreover, media has uncovered our inner crazy. HuffPo blasts every utterance from Jon Kyl in bold font. Politico reports every feint and jab, like it's the whole fight. I'm not blaming them, they're doing well because they've figured out something about our inner animal.
It's fine for us laymen to indulge that, but I don't want to be led by people who think that outlets (including this one) which weigh in on who "won the week" are some kind of gauge of their actual progress. I don't want to be led by people who think that "getting angry" is a actual political strategy. I want to be led by a killer. A cold, unemotional, professional killer.
I keep meeting lefties who tell me Obama's "too soft" with these guys, and I keep looking at them like they're crazy. I am going to go out on a limb and say that there is something deeper at work here, something beyond the policy fights. I think a lot of us don't just want Obama to be effective, we want him to exact some measure of revenge. It's smart to understand the difference between the two, and moreover, how the desire for one can undermine the other. A section of conservatives love Sarah Palin because she drives liberals crazy. That she drives a lot of other people crazy too, and hence undermines herself, is beside the point."
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
It's fine for us laymen to indulge that, but I don't want to be led by people who think that outlets (including this one) which weigh in on who "won the week" are some kind of gauge of their actual progress. I don't want to be led by people who think that "getting angry" is a actual political strategy. I want to be led by a killer. A cold, unemotional, professional killer.
I keep meeting lefties who tell me Obama's "too soft" with these guys, and I keep looking at them like they're crazy. I am going to go out on a limb and say that there is something deeper at work here, something beyond the policy fights. I think a lot of us don't just want Obama to be effective, we want him to exact some measure of revenge. It's smart to understand the difference between the two, and moreover, how the desire for one can undermine the other. A section of conservatives love Sarah Palin because she drives liberals crazy. That she drives a lot of other people crazy too, and hence undermines herself, is beside the point."
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
30.8.09
8.8.09
5.8.09
Quote of the Day
"You have to believe in God before you can say there are things that man was not meant to know. I don't think there's anything man wasn't meant to know. There are just some stupid things that people shouldn't do."
- David Cronenberg
- David Cronenberg
19.7.09
17.7.09
Quote of the Day
"If you actually come across any strawberry-flavored gum that simultaneously (1) drives women wild with desire, and (2) serves as a contraceptive, well....name your price, sir.." - David Brinn
A price beyond rubies I suspect.
A price beyond rubies I suspect.
12.7.09
Arturo Gatti found dead in Brazil Hotel Room
Here he is in his prime, in the fight that made both him and Micky Ward superstars;
Round 1
Rounds 2-3
Rounds 4-5
Rounds 6-7-8
The amazing Rounds 9-10
Round 1
Rounds 2-3
Rounds 4-5
Rounds 6-7-8
The amazing Rounds 9-10
8.7.09
29.6.09
23.6.09
Quote of the Day
"Watching McCain go after Obama over Iran, is like watching Vinny Testaverde repeatedly throw deep into double coverage. McCain isn't reading the defense. He isn't looking anybody off. He's staring his reciever down. It's all he knows.
He'd do well to remember that the last time he did this, Barry took it back for six. But I wouldn't count on that." Ta-Nehisi Coates
He'd do well to remember that the last time he did this, Barry took it back for six. But I wouldn't count on that." Ta-Nehisi Coates
10.6.09
2.6.09
1.6.09
Quote of the Day
"Tolerance is about warfare--it makes your army bigger than the other guy's army. It gives you access to weaponry that your enemies have seemingly never heard of."
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates
28.5.09
Quote of the Day
"With respect to Guantanamo, I think that the closure in a responsible manner...I think, sends an important message to the world, as does the commitment of the United States to observe the Geneva Convention when it comes to the treatment of detainees."
- General Petraeus
- General Petraeus
27.5.09
15.5.09
The Postmodern Prime Minister
Andrew Coyne takes apart Brian Mulroney's testimony in the Schreiber inquiry;
"It isn’t just that Mulroney didn’t tell the whole truth. He didn’t even tell a partial truth: ie. I met him for a cup of coffee, once or twice, full stop. Because, as Wolson pointed out, he then went on his testimony to describe in some detail the nature of their conversation, including that Schreiber had hired Lalonde to represent him. And he concludes with “that was it.” So this was a partial truth, masquerading as the whole truth. The clear impression was that he had given a full description of what went on at their meetings.
"It isn’t just that Mulroney didn’t tell the whole truth. He didn’t even tell a partial truth: ie. I met him for a cup of coffee, once or twice, full stop. Because, as Wolson pointed out, he then went on his testimony to describe in some detail the nature of their conversation, including that Schreiber had hired Lalonde to represent him. And he concludes with “that was it.” So this was a partial truth, masquerading as the whole truth. The clear impression was that he had given a full description of what went on at their meetings.
As for Mulroney’s pledge that he “would have” told them the whole truth, of what value is that? He says he’d have told his interrogators about the cash if they’d asked: but there was no way anyone else could have known about it. He says he would have given the police all of his documents — his bank accounts, and his income tax returns, the works. But the bank accounts would have had no record of the payments, since he kept them all in cash. And he didn’t declare it on his income tax until 1999. There are no documents anywhere that show any trace of the payments. So his retroactive hypothetical promise that he “would have” come clean is a crock."
How curious to have a PM parsing his language in such a way, where 'the truth' is not the same as 'the whole truth' and where his concerns about how the cash payments would be viewed by investigators are his publicly claimed rational for not disclosing them. In 'Alice Through the Looking Glass', Humpty Dumpty posits "When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less" which expresses the essence of post-modern descent into meaningless relativism. Mulroney is now forced to engage in the same kind of obfuscatorial denial at the inquiry - for him, 'the truth and the whole truth' mean what he says it means, nothing more and nothing less, because if the words mean what everyone else thinks they mean he would be forced to admit he is simply lying.
Corruption of the PMs office isn't something limited to Tories like Mulroney, Chretien's laundry list of shady business dealings never met the smell test either, and in both cases we have a PM enriching themselves unethically in ways that demean the office.
All of which is way of saying that any schadenfreude I feel here for the long overdue comeuppance of Mulroney is not partisan - but is no less sweet.
11.5.09
Quote of the Day
"If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview,"
- the Dalai Lama.
- the Dalai Lama.
30.4.09
On American Exceptionalism
Dan Larison has a terrific post concerning the suggestion that somehow Obama is not an American exceptionalist, and he rebuts the suggestion with ease.
But he goes on to make the case against exceptionalism - something rare to see among conservative authors, and he ends the piece with a terrific quote from Canadian journalist Dan Gardner on why the preaching of US exceptionalism is so 'infantile';
But he goes on to make the case against exceptionalism - something rare to see among conservative authors, and he ends the piece with a terrific quote from Canadian journalist Dan Gardner on why the preaching of US exceptionalism is so 'infantile';
"Now, I don’t want to answer dogma with dogma. Strategic and national interests played major roles in the decisions of all combatants in the First and Second World Wars. They do in every war. It’s a messy world and the motives of nations are seldom simple and pure.
The sort of Americans who cheer for Fred Thompson would agree with that statement — as it applies to other countries. What they cannot seem to accept is that it applies to their country, too. For them, Americans are unique. The United States is unique. And what sets America and Americans apart is purity of heart.
“We are proud of that heritage,” Thompson said in Iowa after citing the mythology of America-the-liberator. “I don’t think we have anything to apologize for.”
Nothing to apologize for. Never did anything wrong in 231 years of history. Nothing.
This is infantile. And dangerous. A superpower that believes it is pure of heart and the light of the world will inevitably rush in where angels fear to tread. And then it will find itself wondering why the foreigners it so selflessly helps hate it so."
28.4.09
Quote of the Day
"It's important for people to understand that in a democracy, there will be a full investigation. In other words, we want to know the truth. In our country, when there's an allegation of abuse ... there will be a full investigation, and justice will be delivered. ... It's very important for people and your listeners to understand that in our country, when an issue is brought to our attention on this magnitude, we act. And we act in a way in which leaders are willing to discuss it with the media. ... In other words, people want to know the truth. That stands in contrast to dictatorships. A dictator wouldn't be answering questions about this. A dictator wouldn't be saying that the system will be investigated and the world will see the results of the investigation."
- George W Bush in the immediate aftermath of the Abu Ghraib photos.
So even George thinks an investigation is appropriate.
- George W Bush in the immediate aftermath of the Abu Ghraib photos.
So even George thinks an investigation is appropriate.
23.4.09
Andrew Potter on Ralston Saul
Andrew Potter's review of John Ralston Saul's thinking on Canadian identity contained this excellent passage;
"The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein liked to say that the trick to philosophy was knowing when to stop asking the questions that lead you astray. Similarly, the trick to being a Canadian is knowing when to stop obsessing over the question of our national identity. By reimagining Canada as a Métis country, John Ralston Saul has almost certainly brought English Canada’s ongoing search for an identity to an end. He has also, inadvertently, revealed how inherently futile the whole exercise has been."
"The philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein liked to say that the trick to philosophy was knowing when to stop asking the questions that lead you astray. Similarly, the trick to being a Canadian is knowing when to stop obsessing over the question of our national identity. By reimagining Canada as a Métis country, John Ralston Saul has almost certainly brought English Canada’s ongoing search for an identity to an end. He has also, inadvertently, revealed how inherently futile the whole exercise has been."
Rush on Torture
"I just slapped myself. I'm torturing myself right now. That's torture according to these people." —Rush Limbaugh
"If somebody can go through water-boarding for 183 times, 6 times a day .... it means you’re not afraid of it, it means it’s not torture. If you’ve found a way to withstand it, it can’t possibly be torture." —Rush Limbaugh
"The idea that torture doesn't work — that's been put out from John McCain on down — You know, for the longest time McCain said torture doesn't work then he admitted in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last summer that he was broken by North Vietnamese. So what are we to think here?" —Rush Limbaugh
Seems pretty self-refuting to me. It's A: Not torture. B. Even if it is torture, it isn't because the guy withstood 183 waterboardings in a single month, and C. It is torture, but torture works!
Rush Limbaugh is the very definition of intellectual dishonesty and rank partisanship. How anybody can take him seriously about anything is beyond me.
As for the US, Obama has a lot of work to do to rehabilitate the country in the eyes of the world. Yes, the US tortured people, No, there was no ticking bomb, and Yes, they did so specifically because they wanted to find/create a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda where there wasn't one.
Its about as disgusting as it gets, and I believe clearly meets the level of war crimes - crimes committed by the highest ranking members of the Bush administration.
How ironic then that the GOP, the very people who pilloried Clinton for lying about a blow-job in the Oval office and screamed about 'the rule of law' would subsequently engage in criminal acts orders of magnitude worse and claim legal cover for doing so.
I smell a truth commission coming - and I suspect that the worst of the abuses have yet to be revealed.
"If somebody can go through water-boarding for 183 times, 6 times a day .... it means you’re not afraid of it, it means it’s not torture. If you’ve found a way to withstand it, it can’t possibly be torture." —Rush Limbaugh
"The idea that torture doesn't work — that's been put out from John McCain on down — You know, for the longest time McCain said torture doesn't work then he admitted in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last summer that he was broken by North Vietnamese. So what are we to think here?" —Rush Limbaugh
Seems pretty self-refuting to me. It's A: Not torture. B. Even if it is torture, it isn't because the guy withstood 183 waterboardings in a single month, and C. It is torture, but torture works!
Rush Limbaugh is the very definition of intellectual dishonesty and rank partisanship. How anybody can take him seriously about anything is beyond me.
As for the US, Obama has a lot of work to do to rehabilitate the country in the eyes of the world. Yes, the US tortured people, No, there was no ticking bomb, and Yes, they did so specifically because they wanted to find/create a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda where there wasn't one.
Its about as disgusting as it gets, and I believe clearly meets the level of war crimes - crimes committed by the highest ranking members of the Bush administration.
How ironic then that the GOP, the very people who pilloried Clinton for lying about a blow-job in the Oval office and screamed about 'the rule of law' would subsequently engage in criminal acts orders of magnitude worse and claim legal cover for doing so.
I smell a truth commission coming - and I suspect that the worst of the abuses have yet to be revealed.
22.4.09
Quote of the Day
"It is human to revel in brutality--race is irrelevant to this fact. It is human to revel in beauty---race is irrelevant to this fact."
- Ta-Nehisi Coates, on the power of poetry.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates, on the power of poetry.
20.4.09
JG Ballard 1930-2009
Most famous for his memoir/novel turned movie 'Empire of the Sun', Ballard was a prolific writer who penned dozens of science fiction novels and short stories over his storied career.
Among my personal favourites were his short stories; The Drowned Giant (a haunting story where a giants body washes up on an English beach and gradually decays), The Garden of Time, War Fever and Dream Cargoes.
Among his novels that I enjoyed the most were; Cocaine Nights, High Rise, Running Wild, Super Cannes, and of course Crash.
His works were often the inspiration for musicians - in particular for me 'Atrocity Exhibition' by Joy Division remains one of the earliest allusions to him that I am aware of.
To have my favourite director David Cronenberg tackle one of his most important novels 'Crash' and bring it to the screen with such impact is a collision of my interests that remains nearly impossible to top.
Without a doubt he will be missed.
19.4.09
16.4.09
Two Great Tastes...
...that go great together, NASA and the Colbert Report!
NASA names space station treadmill after Stephen Colbert
NASA names space station treadmill after Stephen Colbert
13.4.09
Quote of the Day
" You don't have to endorse American Cuban policy, to understand that no one can makes you become a despot. No one makes you lock up artists and intellectuals. No one makes you spend 50 years as the head of a totalitarian state. America didn't make Castro a dictator, anymore than Castro made America embark on a failed embargo policy. Two people arguing can both be wrong."
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
This strikes me as exactly right. The Castro regime is an ugly, vile dictatorship, with its hands soaked in the blood of innocents, and supporting it is wrong - but at the same time, the embargo is a failed policy that does nothing to dislodge the regime and perversely empowers it. Engaging in diplomacy and trade with a nation is not equivalent to endorsement or appeasement, indeed they are often the best (and only) methods for encouraging existing dissent to create the internal sea-change that leads to a better way forward.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
This strikes me as exactly right. The Castro regime is an ugly, vile dictatorship, with its hands soaked in the blood of innocents, and supporting it is wrong - but at the same time, the embargo is a failed policy that does nothing to dislodge the regime and perversely empowers it. Engaging in diplomacy and trade with a nation is not equivalent to endorsement or appeasement, indeed they are often the best (and only) methods for encouraging existing dissent to create the internal sea-change that leads to a better way forward.
6.4.09
23.3.09
Quote of the Day
"The fact that I expected it to be lousy doesn’t make it any less disappointing. So, all of that to find that the whole thing was a three-way mashup of The Matrix, No Logo, and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy?
Ugh." - Andrew Potter echoing my own thoughts on the final episode of BSG
20.3.09
Quote of the Day
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs." - Bob Rogers
Personally I prefer the 'Prince of Nothing' series to LOTR, but otherwise the quote is spot-on.
Personally I prefer the 'Prince of Nothing' series to LOTR, but otherwise the quote is spot-on.
16.3.09
Quote of the Day
"The problem with American foreign policy goes beyond George Bush. It includes a Washington establishment that has gotten comfortable with the exercise of American hegemony and treats compromise as treason and negotiations as appeasement. Other countries can have no legitimate interests of their own—Russian demands are by definition unacceptable. The only way to deal with countries is by issuing a series of maximalist demands. This is not foreign policy; it's imperial policy. And it isn't likely to work in today's world."
Fareed Zakaria on Obama's foreign policy critics
Fareed Zakaria on Obama's foreign policy critics
13.3.09
12.3.09
27.2.09
Quote of the Day
"A federal bank takeover is a bad thing obviously. I wonder though if we conservatives understand clearly enough why it is a bad thing. It’s not because we are living through an enactment of the early chapters of Atlas Shrugged. It’s because the banks are collapsing. Obama, Pelosi, et al are big-spending, high-taxing liberals. They are not socialists. They are no more eager to own these banks than the first President Bush was to own the savings and loan industry – in both cases, federal ownership was a final recourse after a terrible failure. And it was on our watch, not Obama’s, that this failure began. Our refusal to take notice of this obvious fact may excite the Republican faithful. But it is doing tremendous damage to our ability to respond effectively to the crisis." - David Frum
Of all the Republican noise-machine-apparatchiks Frum seems to have the least amount of stomache for spewing partisan cant, and the largest amount of common sense left in him.
That said, I still think he's a tool.
Of all the Republican noise-machine-apparatchiks Frum seems to have the least amount of stomache for spewing partisan cant, and the largest amount of common sense left in him.
That said, I still think he's a tool.
10.2.09
Quote of the Day
"But then, I have no party in a lot of ways — as, in fact, do a lot of Canadians. It isn’t just free marketers who haven’t got a party. Federalists have no party, in the sense of a party willing to defend the national interest against the pull of provincialism and Quebec nationalism. Democratic reformers have no party. Classical liberals (or as Barbara Frum used to call herself, “1950s liberals”), believers in the equal rights of every individual under the Charter — as opposed to group rights advocates, on the one hand, and Charterphobes, on the other — are no less bereft. There’s no party that stands for consumers, against exploitation by producer interests; for the jobless, against restrictive labour laws that prevent them from pricing themselves into work; for taxpayers, against the depredations of rent-seeking special interests; for property owners, against the marauding state. There’s just a vast gap in the Canadian political spectrum, or several of them, while the parties compete to see who can spend the most, devolve powers the fastest, pander most cravenly. Canadians think they live in a liberal, democratic, free-market federation, but there isn’t a party nowadays that believes in any of these things."
Andrew Coyne
Andrew Coyne
9.2.09
5.2.09
28.1.09
26.1.09
Quote of the Day
"Man is a marvelous curiosity … he thinks he is the Creator's pet … he even believes the Creator loves him; has a passion for him; sits up nights to admire him; yes and watch over him and keep him out of trouble. He prays to him and thinks He listens. Isn't it a quaint idea."
-- Mark Twain Letters from the Earth
Which brought to mind the following;
'We will make great pets' - Perry Farrell (Porno for Pyros)
-- Mark Twain Letters from the Earth
Which brought to mind the following;
'We will make great pets' - Perry Farrell (Porno for Pyros)
24.1.09
20.1.09
Quote of the Day
"We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace"
- from Barack Obama's Inauguration speech
When was the last time 'non-believers' were contained within the same sentence as Christians by a US President, except as a contrast? Even Clinton didn't go that far. Know hope indeed.
- from Barack Obama's Inauguration speech
When was the last time 'non-believers' were contained within the same sentence as Christians by a US President, except as a contrast? Even Clinton didn't go that far. Know hope indeed.
14.1.09
7.1.09
6.1.09
Quote of the Day
Speaking of Franken, it increasingly looks like he will win his campaign to be Senator of Minnesota over Norm Coleman.
Here's FiveThirtyEight's take on the defeated Coleman's next moves;
"Let's be frank: Norm Coleman doesn't have much of a future in electoral politics. Defeated Presidential candidates sometimes have nine lives, but defeated Senatorial candidates rarely do, and in his career running for statewide office, Coleman has lost to a professional wrestler, beaten a dead guy, and then tied a comedian. He doesn't have much to lose by fighting this to its bitter conclusion. But it's hard to envision how he'll come up with enough ballots to overtake Franken."
Nate Silver
Here's FiveThirtyEight's take on the defeated Coleman's next moves;
"Let's be frank: Norm Coleman doesn't have much of a future in electoral politics. Defeated Presidential candidates sometimes have nine lives, but defeated Senatorial candidates rarely do, and in his career running for statewide office, Coleman has lost to a professional wrestler, beaten a dead guy, and then tied a comedian. He doesn't have much to lose by fighting this to its bitter conclusion. But it's hard to envision how he'll come up with enough ballots to overtake Franken."
Nate Silver
2.1.09
Quote of the Day
"I can not say this enough- it is untenable for Israel to live under constant rocket and mortar attack, and it is undeniable that the attacks have skyrocketed in recent months. It is also morally reprehensible for these attacks to be launched from schools, mosques, and hospitals, and the use of human shields is disgusting, and Hamas is now reported to be urging the continuation of suicide bombings. Having said that, I can not figure out how the answer is to just blow up said human shields and make dismissive comments about the suffering of innocents and snide remarks about their tennis shoes.
Nothing good is coming of this." - John Cole
31.12.08
Quote of the Day
"The latest twist in this ancient and hopeless struggle is hard to address without equal measure of distaste for Hamas's religious barbarism and dismay at Israel's apparent determination to commit slow suicide." - Andrew Sullivan
24.12.08
18.12.08
Map of Serenity's 'Verse
Oh this show had too much potential to have it end so soon.
Sorry I can't blow up the pics bigger but the link has larger versions.
17.12.08
Intel Dump
It's that time again, here is the flotsam and jetsam that has built up in my files the last few months;
- In the spirit of Kamandi, here's a collection of images from sci-fi where the Statue of Liberty is featured prominently.
- Popular Mechanics investigates that most pressing of questions; 'which Terminator is the toughest'?
- So long as we are immersed in apocalyptic imagery, here is a series of haunting photos of an entire town in Namibia consumed by sand.
- In the category of cool things science can do that God can't, we have 'regrowing a human jaw bone'.
"Scientists say they have replaced a 65-year-old patient's upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen."
Sweet.
- There are those who think that 2010 is a better movie than 2001. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Fortunately the articles is mostly a smorgasbord of trivia about both films that will satisfy the nerdy to the nth degree.
"My God, its full of stars" - indeed.
- Here are the 8 simple rules for women to survive in science fiction.
Rule #1 is 'Keep your panties on'. Seriously. Killjoys.
- In an attempt to recalibrate our notions of good and evil, the boys at Ruthless Reviews have written a defense of Ivan Drago (the Russian boxer in Rocky IV). Is he really the misunderstood hero of the film?
- Here's a list of 20 Things Nerdier than Monty Python. Star Trek is #1. Duh.
- Guaranteed to make you chuckle, the unintentional poetry of Roger Clemons.
- More seriously, here is an article on the future of robot warfare. Sweet ride.
- This exercise video unintentionally caters to those of us who like housewives who wear high heels and crawl on the floor. So. Good.
- From the annals of trivia so remote and obscure you simply must salute, a comprehensive list of what made David Banner 'Hulk out' on the 70's TV show. My favourites;
#3: Thinking of either of his wives
#16: Being hit by a blast of steam while trying to turn off the nuclear reactor that is melting down
#19: Being pushed down a mountainside by a Big Foot impersonator.
#20: Dealing with a pesky operator in a phone booth (I DON'T HAVE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS!!!!)
#24 Being tied up and fed soup by an elderly Japanese woman who doesn't understand ' You have got to cut me loose'!
#52: Locked in a drunk tank with a crazy person who thinks they are Ernest Hemingway who then beats the stuffing out of David.
#71: Wandering into an Army Dump to get the canister of deadly nerve gas that has blinded his friend, only to be caught by a mean MP who knocks off his gas mask and throws him back down the hill, knocking the canister open so David can frantically try to put the gas mask back on before looking up to see that the MP has somehow brought in a crane and is dumping two tonnes of garbage on him.
#106: Being fed poisonous sushi
I could go on, but the ongoing laughter made my brain hurt. Obviously they ran out of even decent plot devices relatively early on in the series.
- I so very badly wanted to go to this.
- Here is the best explanation for the sub-prime meltdown I've yet to encounter.
- Here's a wicked episode of Buckley's 'Firing Line' where he debated the 'evolutionists'. Ah Buckley, always so entertaining.
- Something everyone should know; 'How to kill someone with a Girl Scout Sash'
- An excellent article on the art of film suspense, and another on the film as cognitive theory.
- Here's a combination of two of my most nerdly pleasures; politics played out with 3d6
- How one lone loser gave masturbation a bad name for 300 years. What a jerk-off.
- How medicine is redefining 'Death'.
- As if I didn't have enough stress. This guy wonders aloud about whether or not I deserve my salary. Killjoy.
- The Dutch wrestle with another thorny freedom of speech problem reminiscent of the one that got Theo Van Gogh killed.
- How is Shaq working out in Phoenix? Not bad. Here's a pic of Shaq decaptitating a Trailblazer.
- This is SO. SWEET. A 'Tree of Life' tattoo.
- When you need to have your daiily pulp fiction fix, go here.
- In the Black Sabbath song 'Iron Man', is the titular character Tony Stark?
- More evidence that you should drink more coffee.
- Here are the 50 best comedy sketches of all time.
- Jared Diamond (Guns Germs + Steel) talks about vengeance and human nature.
- The End of the Universe is Coming. Or not.
- 5 Scientists and the laws they created/discovered. Geek trivia.
- Who are the toughest film characters? Amazingly, Roy Batty somehow did not make the list.
- In virtual reality, the Green Lantern Corps has been assigned to guard Darfur. Seriously.
- Why does home court advantage work? Your opponents are tired.
- In the same spirit as Ivan Drago - hero of Rocky 4, I give you; 'In defense of the Empire in Star Wars'. I guess its no surprise that the same people who invade Iraq and defend the use of torture also take the side of the Emperor....
- Odssmakes have Dualla as the most likely final Cylon.
- If Sigmund Freud had built bicycles....
- Philosopher Peter Singer writes on how the religious still haven't come up with a good reason for God to allow suffering.
- Here's an article that ponders one of my favourite subjects, our coming date with immortality.
- Another spiffy David Cronenberg interview.
- William Gibson on; Godzilla, Vancouver and being Canadian.
- From Henry Fonda to Jason Bourne, Slate magazine does a nice breakdown on the history of fight scenes in the movies.
- How is science a religion? Mostly, it isn't.
- More interestingly, does religion lead to disease?
- You know you want it, a dose of 'Daily Spock'. Today mine is;
- From the Libertarian boys at 'Positive Liberty' who are no doubt concerned about Obama's sweeping victory; a defense for political gridlock. Maybe they should pay more attention to what is going in on Canada, where gridlock has sinply left us...gridlocked.
- Last but not least; Caveman Economics. When in doubt, move to the lowest common denominator.
- In the spirit of Kamandi, here's a collection of images from sci-fi where the Statue of Liberty is featured prominently.
- Popular Mechanics investigates that most pressing of questions; 'which Terminator is the toughest'?
- So long as we are immersed in apocalyptic imagery, here is a series of haunting photos of an entire town in Namibia consumed by sand.
- In the category of cool things science can do that God can't, we have 'regrowing a human jaw bone'.
"Scientists say they have replaced a 65-year-old patient's upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen."
Sweet.
- There are those who think that 2010 is a better movie than 2001. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Fortunately the articles is mostly a smorgasbord of trivia about both films that will satisfy the nerdy to the nth degree.
"My God, its full of stars" - indeed.
- Here are the 8 simple rules for women to survive in science fiction.
Rule #1 is 'Keep your panties on'. Seriously. Killjoys.
- In an attempt to recalibrate our notions of good and evil, the boys at Ruthless Reviews have written a defense of Ivan Drago (the Russian boxer in Rocky IV). Is he really the misunderstood hero of the film?
- Here's a list of 20 Things Nerdier than Monty Python. Star Trek is #1. Duh.
- Guaranteed to make you chuckle, the unintentional poetry of Roger Clemons.
- More seriously, here is an article on the future of robot warfare. Sweet ride.
- This exercise video unintentionally caters to those of us who like housewives who wear high heels and crawl on the floor. So. Good.
- From the annals of trivia so remote and obscure you simply must salute, a comprehensive list of what made David Banner 'Hulk out' on the 70's TV show. My favourites;
#3: Thinking of either of his wives
#16: Being hit by a blast of steam while trying to turn off the nuclear reactor that is melting down
#19: Being pushed down a mountainside by a Big Foot impersonator.
#20: Dealing with a pesky operator in a phone booth (I DON'T HAVE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS!!!!)
#24 Being tied up and fed soup by an elderly Japanese woman who doesn't understand ' You have got to cut me loose'!
#52: Locked in a drunk tank with a crazy person who thinks they are Ernest Hemingway who then beats the stuffing out of David.
#71: Wandering into an Army Dump to get the canister of deadly nerve gas that has blinded his friend, only to be caught by a mean MP who knocks off his gas mask and throws him back down the hill, knocking the canister open so David can frantically try to put the gas mask back on before looking up to see that the MP has somehow brought in a crane and is dumping two tonnes of garbage on him.
#106: Being fed poisonous sushi
I could go on, but the ongoing laughter made my brain hurt. Obviously they ran out of even decent plot devices relatively early on in the series.
- I so very badly wanted to go to this.
- Here is the best explanation for the sub-prime meltdown I've yet to encounter.
- Here's a wicked episode of Buckley's 'Firing Line' where he debated the 'evolutionists'. Ah Buckley, always so entertaining.
- Something everyone should know; 'How to kill someone with a Girl Scout Sash'
- An excellent article on the art of film suspense, and another on the film as cognitive theory.
- Here's a combination of two of my most nerdly pleasures; politics played out with 3d6
- How one lone loser gave masturbation a bad name for 300 years. What a jerk-off.
- How medicine is redefining 'Death'.
- As if I didn't have enough stress. This guy wonders aloud about whether or not I deserve my salary. Killjoy.
- The Dutch wrestle with another thorny freedom of speech problem reminiscent of the one that got Theo Van Gogh killed.
- How is Shaq working out in Phoenix? Not bad. Here's a pic of Shaq decaptitating a Trailblazer.
- This is SO. SWEET. A 'Tree of Life' tattoo.
- When you need to have your daiily pulp fiction fix, go here.
- In the Black Sabbath song 'Iron Man', is the titular character Tony Stark?
- More evidence that you should drink more coffee.
- Here are the 50 best comedy sketches of all time.
- Jared Diamond (Guns Germs + Steel) talks about vengeance and human nature.
- The End of the Universe is Coming. Or not.
- 5 Scientists and the laws they created/discovered. Geek trivia.
- Who are the toughest film characters? Amazingly, Roy Batty somehow did not make the list.
- In virtual reality, the Green Lantern Corps has been assigned to guard Darfur. Seriously.
- Why does home court advantage work? Your opponents are tired.
- In the same spirit as Ivan Drago - hero of Rocky 4, I give you; 'In defense of the Empire in Star Wars'. I guess its no surprise that the same people who invade Iraq and defend the use of torture also take the side of the Emperor....
- Odssmakes have Dualla as the most likely final Cylon.
- If Sigmund Freud had built bicycles....
- Philosopher Peter Singer writes on how the religious still haven't come up with a good reason for God to allow suffering.
- Here's an article that ponders one of my favourite subjects, our coming date with immortality.
- Another spiffy David Cronenberg interview.
- William Gibson on; Godzilla, Vancouver and being Canadian.
- From Henry Fonda to Jason Bourne, Slate magazine does a nice breakdown on the history of fight scenes in the movies.
- How is science a religion? Mostly, it isn't.
- More interestingly, does religion lead to disease?
- You know you want it, a dose of 'Daily Spock'. Today mine is;
"Change is the essential process of all existence."
from 'Let That Be Your Last Battlefield', stardate 5730.2.
- From the Libertarian boys at 'Positive Liberty' who are no doubt concerned about Obama's sweeping victory; a defense for political gridlock. Maybe they should pay more attention to what is going in on Canada, where gridlock has sinply left us...gridlocked.
- Last but not least; Caveman Economics. When in doubt, move to the lowest common denominator.
14.12.08
Macleans Article - Inside a crisis that shook the nation
A couple of weeks ago we here in Canada and a nice little political dust-up. If you are interested in a great summary of the events, Macleans has a fantastic piece, linked to the title, detailing the timeline and the people pulling the strings.
What's missing is a detailed account of what was said in the 2 and 1/2 hours that Prime Minister Steven Harper met with Governor General Michelle Jean. Fortunately, I was able to get a transcript of their conversation and have, gentle readers, included it here. (For purposes of full disclosure, I submitted it to the Edmonton Journal but they have - thus far - declined to publish it :-))
***
When Steven met Michelle – by Douglas McLachlan
Governor-General Michelle Jean: Prime Minister Harper, please come in. I was asked to cut my European trip short, you wouldn’t happen to know why?
Prime Minister Harper: Yes your Excellency, I need to you to prorogue Parliament.
GG: Really, didn’t I just deliver a Throne Speech two weeks ago?
PM: Well, yes, but…
GG: All that stuff about working together must have really struck a chord. I misjudged you Mr. Harper. I always took you as a partisan and inflexible man. I was wrong. To get so much done so quickly must have taken real statesmanship, I’m impressed.
PM: Actually, there’s been a bit of a crisis brewing while you have been away.
GG: I know, I know. This economic situation is a global concern. My trip took me to four former Soviet dictatorships with no history of political compromise all governed by multi-party coalitions that, in spite of all their differences and disputes, are stable, effective, focused on the economic... Oh, just listen to me. What do they know? You were able to get our economic response ready in two weeks! That sort of effort puts their messy new democracies to shame. So tell me what is the plan to stimulate the economy that you and your colleagues settled on?
PM: Well, actually, we haven’t got that worked out yet. I sort of provoked the Opposition by threatening to take their funding away. You see I acted like they wouldn’t mind so much if I included a plan to strip civil servants of their right to strike; deny women on the federal payroll pay equity; and change the name of Calgary to the City of Champions. I mean I did say that we would have a government surplus this year – even though we most certainly won’t – so it’s not like I didn’t mention the economy.
GG: Your government actually said all that? In Parliament?
PM: Well everything except the City of Champions stuff, I was talked out of that by Day. That man won’t stand up for anything.
GG: How did the Opposition react?
PM: They threatened to vote it down, which was sort of the plan, but they tricked me. I figured that they would bluff me. I would bluff back. Tensions build. Tempers fly. In feigned exasperation at the brinksmanship I come to you and get you to call another election.
GG: Like this fall when you told me we needed an election because Parliament wasn’t working even though nobody would vote against your government no matter what you did?
PM: Exactly. So I could get a majority.
GG: I can’t say I’m pleased to hear this but…
PM: Oh, it gets better. The Opposition actually got together and agreed on an alternative Government, a Coalition. The Liberals and the NDP put aside their differences and said they would work together for 30 months! I can’t work with my own staff for that long – its nonsense! They had a signing ceremony and everything.
GG: So why am I still talking to you again?
PM: Here’s the kicker. They even get the Bloc to say that they won’t defeat this Coalition!
GG: Come to think of it I thought I saw a letter amongst all these Canadian Tire flyers…
PM: Working with the Bloc?!? That’s my thing! Dion and Layton, they took my thing! I’ve spent years being nice to them and this is how they treat me. I’ve changed my tune now. As of last week the Bloc are a bunch of separatist traitors hell-bent on destroying the country. Well at least in English. In French I’ve been calling them sellouts to the nationalist cause. National Unity politics is a hobby of mine, it’s all about putting the right accent on the firewall…
GG: So you didn’t see this coalition plan coming?
PM: No. Which surprises me a little, given that I’m always taping their meetings, but that Dion is a tricky one. Have you ever looked at him, I mean really looked at him?
GG: Umm. No.
PM: He’s blurry. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.
GG: When did you last get any sleep?
PM: Anyhow, they are threatening to vote non-confidence in my government and ask you to give their Coalition a chance. The vote has been put off once already but they really seem intent on defeating me. It’s right before Christmas and we just put up the tree. So, as I said in the beginning, I really would appreciate it if you could prorogue Parliament.
GG: Let me see if I have this straight. In the midst of a historic global economic crisis you intentionally created a political crisis and now are coming to me so we can have a constitutional crisis. Do you have any friends?
PM: Not really, they get in the way of the scheming. If I get through this I might want to get to know that Layton better. I think this was all his idea. You hardly notice him down there with the moustache. He’s shorter than he looks on television, you know.
GG: People will say I am giving you a free pass.
PM: Call it a cooling off period. A time-out, like in a hockey game, Canadians will understand that.
GG: Ok, I’ll give you your time-out. Think of it as an early Christmas Present.
PM: Thanks. You really are the best. I hope you can forget all the things I said and had others say about your French citizenship and your husband’s separatist dinner parties.
GG: Sure. There is one thing you should remember.
PM: What’s that?
GG: When they call a time-out in hockey, the clock stops running but it doesn’t reset. You are still down a goal. Your caucus colleagues might want to think about pulling the goalie.
Douglas McLachlan is an Edmonton lawyer, former Federal Candidate and father of a three and a half year-old girl who gets a time-out when she acts like she’s in Question Period.
What's missing is a detailed account of what was said in the 2 and 1/2 hours that Prime Minister Steven Harper met with Governor General Michelle Jean. Fortunately, I was able to get a transcript of their conversation and have, gentle readers, included it here. (For purposes of full disclosure, I submitted it to the Edmonton Journal but they have - thus far - declined to publish it :-))
***
When Steven met Michelle – by Douglas McLachlan
Governor-General Michelle Jean: Prime Minister Harper, please come in. I was asked to cut my European trip short, you wouldn’t happen to know why?
Prime Minister Harper: Yes your Excellency, I need to you to prorogue Parliament.
GG: Really, didn’t I just deliver a Throne Speech two weeks ago?
PM: Well, yes, but…
GG: All that stuff about working together must have really struck a chord. I misjudged you Mr. Harper. I always took you as a partisan and inflexible man. I was wrong. To get so much done so quickly must have taken real statesmanship, I’m impressed.
PM: Actually, there’s been a bit of a crisis brewing while you have been away.
GG: I know, I know. This economic situation is a global concern. My trip took me to four former Soviet dictatorships with no history of political compromise all governed by multi-party coalitions that, in spite of all their differences and disputes, are stable, effective, focused on the economic... Oh, just listen to me. What do they know? You were able to get our economic response ready in two weeks! That sort of effort puts their messy new democracies to shame. So tell me what is the plan to stimulate the economy that you and your colleagues settled on?
PM: Well, actually, we haven’t got that worked out yet. I sort of provoked the Opposition by threatening to take their funding away. You see I acted like they wouldn’t mind so much if I included a plan to strip civil servants of their right to strike; deny women on the federal payroll pay equity; and change the name of Calgary to the City of Champions. I mean I did say that we would have a government surplus this year – even though we most certainly won’t – so it’s not like I didn’t mention the economy.
GG: Your government actually said all that? In Parliament?
PM: Well everything except the City of Champions stuff, I was talked out of that by Day. That man won’t stand up for anything.
GG: How did the Opposition react?
PM: They threatened to vote it down, which was sort of the plan, but they tricked me. I figured that they would bluff me. I would bluff back. Tensions build. Tempers fly. In feigned exasperation at the brinksmanship I come to you and get you to call another election.
GG: Like this fall when you told me we needed an election because Parliament wasn’t working even though nobody would vote against your government no matter what you did?
PM: Exactly. So I could get a majority.
GG: I can’t say I’m pleased to hear this but…
PM: Oh, it gets better. The Opposition actually got together and agreed on an alternative Government, a Coalition. The Liberals and the NDP put aside their differences and said they would work together for 30 months! I can’t work with my own staff for that long – its nonsense! They had a signing ceremony and everything.
GG: So why am I still talking to you again?
PM: Here’s the kicker. They even get the Bloc to say that they won’t defeat this Coalition!
GG: Come to think of it I thought I saw a letter amongst all these Canadian Tire flyers…
PM: Working with the Bloc?!? That’s my thing! Dion and Layton, they took my thing! I’ve spent years being nice to them and this is how they treat me. I’ve changed my tune now. As of last week the Bloc are a bunch of separatist traitors hell-bent on destroying the country. Well at least in English. In French I’ve been calling them sellouts to the nationalist cause. National Unity politics is a hobby of mine, it’s all about putting the right accent on the firewall…
GG: So you didn’t see this coalition plan coming?
PM: No. Which surprises me a little, given that I’m always taping their meetings, but that Dion is a tricky one. Have you ever looked at him, I mean really looked at him?
GG: Umm. No.
PM: He’s blurry. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.
GG: When did you last get any sleep?
PM: Anyhow, they are threatening to vote non-confidence in my government and ask you to give their Coalition a chance. The vote has been put off once already but they really seem intent on defeating me. It’s right before Christmas and we just put up the tree. So, as I said in the beginning, I really would appreciate it if you could prorogue Parliament.
GG: Let me see if I have this straight. In the midst of a historic global economic crisis you intentionally created a political crisis and now are coming to me so we can have a constitutional crisis. Do you have any friends?
PM: Not really, they get in the way of the scheming. If I get through this I might want to get to know that Layton better. I think this was all his idea. You hardly notice him down there with the moustache. He’s shorter than he looks on television, you know.
GG: People will say I am giving you a free pass.
PM: Call it a cooling off period. A time-out, like in a hockey game, Canadians will understand that.
GG: Ok, I’ll give you your time-out. Think of it as an early Christmas Present.
PM: Thanks. You really are the best. I hope you can forget all the things I said and had others say about your French citizenship and your husband’s separatist dinner parties.
GG: Sure. There is one thing you should remember.
PM: What’s that?
GG: When they call a time-out in hockey, the clock stops running but it doesn’t reset. You are still down a goal. Your caucus colleagues might want to think about pulling the goalie.
Douglas McLachlan is an Edmonton lawyer, former Federal Candidate and father of a three and a half year-old girl who gets a time-out when she acts like she’s in Question Period.
Canada is NOT a Republic
A survey of over 1000 Canadians reveals a striking lack of basic knowledge about the democracy they live in.
12.12.08
8.12.08
I seem to recall something about false idols...
This story just made me laugh out loud.
Because, you know, prayers work better when you anoint the vehicles first. Or some such thing. I never really got the whole prayer business to be honest.
Because, you know, prayers work better when you anoint the vehicles first. Or some such thing. I never really got the whole prayer business to be honest.
3.12.08
2.12.08
Quote of the Day
“Crito, we ought to offer a cock to Asclepius. See to it, and don’t forget.” - Socrates
The journal Arion poses the question of what to make of Socrates famous last words and as is often the case in philosophical discourse, the meaning we attach to them depends in large part on which philosopher is doing the interpretation.
The journal Arion poses the question of what to make of Socrates famous last words and as is often the case in philosophical discourse, the meaning we attach to them depends in large part on which philosopher is doing the interpretation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
