Politically Revolting

2012-01-26T15:49:00.000-08:00

"Our demographics also constitute a threat to the social programs and services that Canadians cherish . . . We have already taken steps to limit the growth of our health care spending . . . We must do the same for our retirement income system." — Stephen Harper, at Davos, 26 Jan 2012.

Contrary to what we believe in as a community

2011-12-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

The title of this post is the argument Jason Kenney used to justify Canada's new, bigoted policy of not allowing a veil to be worn during the taking of the citizenship oath. Today he applied a masterful stroke of doublethink, somehow managing to imply that freedom from (presumably the terrible tyrannies of a piece of cloth) was more important than freedom to (wear a piece of cloth as cultural/religious symbol of faith).

"This is a matter of pure principle," said Kenney, while attacking the freedom of religion and expression which serves as the very basis of Canadian culture. Apparently the Conservative party's "pure principle[s]" include intolerance for diversity. Surprise, surprise.

No exaggeration, I'm ill

2011-12-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

This is the first television I've ever seen that has upset my stomach. If you ever were worried about justifications for the CBC's existence, spend 10 minutes of your time and be convinced that the private media in Canada MUST have competition.

Sun Media: "We must have the ultimate goal ... we couldn't care less ... we're all children of the same god."

Actually the first politically revolting thing I think I've linked to.

Confuting disagreement with your racism with racism = the new high for the political right.

Patronage Problems?

2011-12-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

This struck me as a likely to slowly develop, but perhaps prove interesting, story. A Stephen Harper appointee is under fire for not recusing himself.

Conflict of interest?

Rex is a fossil (fuel fan)

2011-12-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Rex Murphy's Dec. 1 rant is a load of populist crap. Rex argues that Canada should not take drastic measures to reduce its carbon footprint because the tar sands are small potatoes compared to the emerging world's pollution. This is analogous to saying you aren't going to stop kicking your victim in the ribs unless your friends stop kicking him in the head.

Rex seems like he's just putting in his time these days.

Run Down of the Air Canada situation

2011-11-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Tyee ran an excellent piece on the Conservatives' latest anti-labour move.

Well now,

2011-11-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

The question wasn't so much whether or not the Conservatives could stick to their deficit reduction plan, it was a matter of when they would fall so far off track that creative accounting would not be able to cover it up.

They have decided to go for the band-aid strategy. "Forget what we told you before the election. Europe screwed us. We're only human. Don't worry. Canada will get more of the short end of the stick than most countries."

2011-10-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

A Sad Day

2011-08-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Jack Layton has passed away.

We can only thank him for the lessons from a life well lived and wish his family well.

An Oldy but a Goody

2011-07-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

Found this old article in the Toronto Star.

It rather speaks for itself.

Boycotting the UN

2011-07-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Canada is boycotting the UN.

This would be comical if it was not so stupid.

North Korea's So Se Peong is currently the president of the disarmament comittee, okay comical in and of itself. However, the position is granted on a rotating basis. It is quite rightly, by the same rules via which we ask countries like North Korea to disarm, their turn to chair.

The decision to boycott (which is not supported by any other country) is political grandstanding and bound to be harmful to Canada's reputation. If we do not accept the rules as they are what right have we to ask others to do so?

2011-07-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

"We also have a clear purpose, and that is to stand for what is right.

"No longer does this country just go along with everyone else's agenda. We know where our interests lie and who our friends are." -Stephen Harper

Here is the Conservative philosophy in a nutshell; "what is right" is "where our interests lie and who are friends are". Fuck reason, human rights, diplomacy, the developing world, and peacekeeping: we're Canada eh?

Regarding the Riot in Vancouver

2011-06-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Watching coverage of the riot I became disgusted with media portrayals of "heros" in the crowd.

Citizens confronting rioters were guilty of a massive error in judgement and should not be congratulated or complimented. Public officials should condemn their actions.

Firstly there is the obvious fact that the stores and cars they were defending were insured. Even beyond that: it is not worth risking person on person violence for the sake of replaceable goods. It's not being a hero, it's being irresponsible, and it's being part of the problem. Think before you participate in and encourage the escalation from vandalism to confrontation.

On the other hand some people stepped in to stop person on person violence or to help the injured. To those thanks and admiration are certainly due.

Great investment.

2011-06-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

So the Conservative budget is loaded with tax credits for active living. These are the nonrefundable sort. The sort that apply only to those who make a good deal of money (enough to pay taxes, the more taxes the more they help). Which would be great for our kids if not for some facts: like those offered in a recent study on health gap between the rich and poor.

This is just 1 reason why the credits won't in fact do anything but get the rich richer... but Harper is a smart guy, he knows.

Not Good.

2011-05-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

I think that this has been a victory for populism. The NDP's "victory" is all well and good until you realize that the party now has LESS power than it did before the election. Pyrrhic much? There was only one winner last night: the Conservative Party.

Now all I can do is hope that they keep in line with standard political behavior and NOT do all the things they've promised.

Anything But Conservative is Democratic.

2011-04-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Just like the the coalition, just like a contempt vote, strategic voting is democratic. More so now than ever; Stephen Harper has come right out and guaranteed that his party, if given a majority, will cut the federal per vote funding.

Unless they are first or second in your riding there is no longer a reason to vote for the party you like best. Hell, even if your mother is running in your riding there is no longer a reason to vote for the candidate you like best.

I am done with having a passive voice. I, for one, will vote actively, strategically, and happily AGAINST the Conservative party.

Fun site, lots of yummy Harper quotes

2011-04-03T08:08:00.001-07:00

http://unseatharper.ca/harper-quotes.php

Screw May

2011-03-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth May is launching a media campaign to have the media allow her a spot in their media coverage of the election (which is all the debate actually is) of course this is being covered by that same media; they're mediating the mediation of the mediated, if you please. They're mediating the mediation of the mediated, if you don't please.

Boy, focusing on the issues that matter sure is gonna be easy come what may about May in May. I think same said media ought to stick to its guns and ignore the Green Party completely, but that's beside the point.

Sure having at least a seat would be a good rule for being allowed into the debate, or winning a seat once, ever, maybe, and generally I think we should respect the concept of democracy enough not to think it under threat each time a politician (or May be a wannabe politician?) says so. Thanks for joining that train May, I thought you reasonable until the media consortium became your coalition. Whatever May and I think is irrelevant though, because whatever rules the "media" choose to follow they can, that's the business. Of couse the May's media campaign, whilst no longer focused on may, is getting alot of free help. And then the movement will build and then the consortium will give in to popular demand, which they probably were doing in the first place. Now I need to go purchase something to mediate this headache.

Boogey Man

2011-03-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Harper's First Day Dance: Things to note

Canada can lead a military mission whilst a federal election campaign takes place. We cannot however count on the economy surviving this exercise of Democracy?

Canadians do not like it when the opposition plays politics with the economy. This election will be all about the economy?

Coalitions are undemocratic? Really? The fact that the PM will lie to Canadians about what is and is not legitimate is pretty undemocratic. Oh well. The Liberals rolled over on that one anyway, Ignatieff has sworn off it. Harper responded by saying that the Liberals will form a coalition, that it is part of their "hidden agenda". I guess he's worried that the Liberals will cross out the word "not" from their commitment not to form a coalition.

Interesting Moment with the PM today

2011-03-15T16:26:00.001-07:00

said it wouldn't do to play politics with the economy, it would be irresponsible to call an election. Two sentences later he was playing politics with the disaster in Japan. Come to think of it... just who plays the most politics with the economy? Just one of his more obviously "evil dictator" comic book like moments of ridiculousness.

Just a couple of articles

2011-03-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

Firstly this: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/03/01/weston-conservative-raid.html

technicality? yes, they're called laws.

misunderstanding? HELL NO.

Now I personally want to hear more about this:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-sidestep-semantic-row-over-use-of-harper-government-on-federal-documents/article1933498/

did the liberals in fact employ the same practice? lazy ass reporters. Now I've got to find time to check. Not that repeated use lessens the wrongness of a practice.

2011-02-25T10:00:00.001-08:00

"There's going to be a new code on Parliament Hill. Bend the rules, you will be punished; break the law, you will be charged; abuse the public trust, you will go to prison." Harper

This was in regards to the opening of the public prosecution office which has just charged his party with what looks like elections fraud. The office was opened in the same year that the alleged offences took place.

My own personal take: I find the counterpoint campaign by the conservatives offensive. They're calling it an accounting issue, as though that in any way changes the fundamental illegality or as if white collar crime is a lesser issue. Go figure.

Okay straight up lie catching

2011-02-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

this video of question period clearly demonstrates exactly how truth oriented our current government is. Firstly watch this:http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/1221258968/ID=1567707575 (which I'll be updating as soon as the damned CBC catches their internet feed up to their live feed).

Consider what our friend says following the 29:24 comment here: http://www.cpac.ca/forms/index.asp?dsp=template&act=view3&pagetype=vod&hl=e&clipID=5041 from Pat Martin raising the question of bed bugs... and then tell me that being a conservative politician these days does not mean lying professionally.

Direction

2011-01-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

check this CBC article out: Budget watchdog slams federal cuts plan .

Nevermind that the government won't tell the watchdog, that they appointed, what's in the works financially.Remember transparency: that pillar of the Conservative platform in the last couple of elections?

Nevermind that the government is clearly (to be fair this is purview of governments generally) being dishonest in its estimates.

No, let's look at the most interesting # in that there article: the bureaucracy has grown by 14%; at the fastest rate in Canadian history, since these Tories came to power. If you're an actual conservative (note the small "c") and you're thinking that the Conservative party of Canada is your best choice you've either been hoodwinked, or, since you're reading this and still supporting them: you're now being willfully ignorant. This state is distinguishable from that in which the Conservative party prefers Canadians: it allows for a modicum of self determination. So if you're determined to be a fool good for you ... I guess.

Reactivating

2011-01-18T05:58:00.000-08:00

I have been busy. There are myriad reasons why I have not kept up with overtly political writing. Naturally they are all bunk.

Can there be any reasonable excuse for pulling back our political activity (even on the minor scale I engage in)?
Does the personal being the political offer an out?

I don't think so. I think (and I'm probably qualified to say it) I have disengaged out of frustration. I'd like to stop compounding my errors.

A List

2010-04-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

Cover up (at least) of torture under the guise of national security
Misplaced national security documents (ha)
Illegal lobbying
Anti-abortion stance
Removal of the word equality from the Status of Women Canada's mandate
Bigotted withdrawal from international declaration of indigenous rights
Largest budget deficit in the history of Canada
Abuse of prorogation
Contempt of Parliament!!!

What is this a list of?
Just a few of the events occuring under this Conservative government's rule, whilst they are presumably on their best behaviour (having a minority).

Afgan Independence?

2010-04-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

Karzai accuses the USA of wanting a puppet government. Months later he says there will not be a spring offensive by the US forces unless the people want one. The USA's response is that this is disturbing talk...

No Debating It

2010-03-24T03:57:00.000-07:00

Conservative's do not want to reopen the debate on abortion because their position on the topic will not garner votes. Or maybe there is a good reason ... that they aren't mentioning ...

Really? Freaking really?

2010-03-01T05:12:00.001-08:00

Harper and Obama bet a case of beer over the Men's Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Game. Harper won his bet and will be receiving a case of beer. Of course it is not from a Canadian owned brewery, but hey we're America's chum(p) right?

Way to rally nationalistic sentiments Mr Prime Minister.

PS: STOP DRINKING CANADIAN IT IS AN AMERICAN OWNED COMPANY

Snake Oil

2010-02-06T04:32:00.001-08:00

http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/bernard-prijent-pfizers-inside-man/Content?oid=1503474

Problematic? Yup. Explain this one Cons. Oh oh we didn't know, the extent of umm exactly how badly, to what extreme we were, ummm appointing a shill.

Infotainment?!

2010-02-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Okay maybe I am being a little crazy here but when the hell did infotainment become a good thing.

Twice (and I do not watch much TV) on the TV in the last two days I have heard it used with positive connotations. Once was by a bloody product pushing car company in reference to their great in dash "infotainment" systems.

The word has been usurped, commercialism has taken a lesson from minority groups and is now owning the very words used to mitigate and criticize its influence.

Aaaahhh.

Raving

2010-01-29T06:03:00.000-08:00

You would have to be raving mad to support the Conservatives. This was the point I was trying to make earlier at http://www.informedvote.ca/.
To repeat myself because I think it is a question that bears repeating: Small c conservativism is dead, big C conservative values are hidden, why support the Conservatives?

CBC's chicken to say it so far

2010-01-23T11:59:00.001-08:00

But I am confident that the totals for the rallies today are gonna be well into the five digit range. I would estimate the Halifax attendance to be somewhere betwixt 300 and 400.

Police=Gang

2010-01-23T04:33:00.000-08:00

I know this is flogging a dead horse. I assume most people recognize the fallibility of any human being and are intelligent enough to realize that there are no exceptions when it comes to law enforcement.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/22/bc-vancouver-police-apology-wu-injury.html

I am going to reiterate that the policing policy and tradition and status quo in this country are shamefully ill regulated.

I shudder to think of the reaction the press would have given to the police beating the crap out of a guilty man who had NOT resisted arrest. I doubt the police would have retracted their lies.

And what the hell is with the protectionist BS, they don't know where the statements saying that Mr Wu resisted arrest came from? Gee um maybe the cops who were there, and if not double WTF? Look if the cops aren't willing to throw their own members to the ground and beat the shit our of them when they are the criminals then they have no legitamacy.

For Sale 1 Republic

2010-01-22T05:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone in the market for a world dominating military power?

Now you can have one of your own. Thanks to the recent supreme court decision on "corporate personhood" the United States of America is officially more capitalist than democratic. Not that corporations did not wield inordinate and innappropriate amounts of power prior to the decision, the decision that they had the right to fund in a limitless manner any political candidate they chose. But now it's official.

The USA is for sale.

Canada should look at granting refugee status to US citizens because the USA is no longer a democratic state, and the police powers and the new rulings should qualify any one with a net worth below $2,000,000 as a political refugee.

That bloody long in coming piece

2010-01-19T05:28:00.000-08:00

on the populism inherent in the Conservative government's refusal to look honestly at Criminal Justice Policy is out and about at www.informedvote.ca.

Specifically the URL of my article is http://informedvote.ca/2010/01/18/populist-party-stephen-harpers-conservatives-criminal-justice-policy/.

HELLO STEPHEN

2010-01-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

Let's play a game.

Foaming Flaherty

2010-01-16T04:55:00.001-08:00

Ha, anyone see Flaherty answering the charges of the Parliamentary Budget officer (that pesky one the Conservatives appointed to the invented post while they still were playing at accountability). Virtually foaming at the mouth as he insisted that the Government could handle his management if Page could not.

Ridiculous, he met the assertion that his numbers were off by reiterating the same numbers, oh and by the way yeah that CONSERVATIVE DEFICIT isn't going away even by his questionable accounts.

Really Canada is anyone out there dumb enough to believe the assertion that this fiscal mismanager is going to be able to pull us out of debt without cuts or more taxes?

Dalhousie: Ignatieff Conversation

2010-01-13T04:14:00.000-08:00

The most exciting thing about Micheal Ignatieff's talk Monday at Dal was that I now appear on the home page of the Liberal Party of Canada (http://www.liberal.ca/). I'm farthest to the right and closest to the bottom (in the picture).

Despite the ridiculous claims from the Toronto star that "[t]he questions were remarkably good" the questions were unremarkable softballs.

The tone for the whole thing was pretty clearly set when the first question was asked. It regarded Mr Ignatieff's feelings on prorogation and was asked by the fellow organizing the anti-prorogation rally here in Halifax. Whew as the liberal website says that's "tough".

The rest of the day was a rehash of Liberal pseudo policy, which to be fair is an entirely valid amount of policy for the Opposition to put forward when no election has been called. It does make for boringly repetitious stuff to report on though.

Of course Liberal sympathy can be expected from the University crowd, Ignatieff played into this a bit with reiterated promises to prioritize education and the move towards a knowledge based economy. Much more willing to get specific on the attack (again as he should be) he drew attention to Conservative government cuts to the Canadian Council on Learning, which quietly occurred just before the new year.

In any case non-event as may be expected.

A very self deprecating but jovial style speaker Mr Ignatieff wasn't really put to the test here.

A thought

2010-01-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

As in: a thought is all it takes to see through the Conservative accusations that looking into the Afghanistan detainee issue is disrespectful of the military.

It is extremely disrespectful of the military to suggest that their conduct won't stand up to close scrutiny.

I for one think that our troops could not have acted differently given the abuses of power occuring higher up, they were denied the knowledge and ability to do the right thing. Did Generals act inappropriately? Possibly. Individuals make errors. The military heirarchy is as political as any other. Did our men and women on the ground enmasse commit war crimes? No one is suggesting that - except the Conservatives in order to cover up their own actions.

I know I know

2010-01-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

long time no see right. Or: long time nothing to see here. Well as the saying goes: "I'm back nananananananananana". Should be one or two articles forthcoming at http://www.informedvote.ca/ but first I've got bust their poorly formed bodies past Tamir Birk the editor there, then I'll post the link to'em here and Bob's your uncle (who doesn't have an Uncle Bob).

What else is new? Micheal Ignatieff speech to attend tomorrow. Info to follow.

Prorogation, hardly worth talking about. The only good thing about it is you know the real wackjob-never-gonna-change-hardball-wrong-wing-nuts by the fact that they can argue in favour of this move by Harper.

please ignore this

2010-01-09T05:30:00.001-08:00

RPTVPDBS4TFT

Sorry folks,

2009-11-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

Top notch post in the pipes. Coming in a day or two.

Under the microscope: Conservative Criminal justice and populism, aka anti-intellectualism. I argue that if you have half a brain (like me) or a whole one (that's you reader) and you vote Conservative you are a bad person. It's convincing, mostly because I let high up Conservatives make the argument for me.

COMING SOON!!!!

On a related note

2009-11-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Doublethinking memory holing government:

What was it you told us before about the what you had and had not been informed about regarding the Afgan detainee situation?

To all I suggest taking a the time to check out: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/At_Issue/ID=1337433032

Harper

2009-11-12T04:51:00.000-08:00

Laureen that is. Aren't you tired of being a stereotype. I mean hard working woman with a stay at home husband rises to power and is now the leader (http://conservative.ca/) of the Conservative party, and the prime minister to boot: "Laureen Teskey Harper (born 1963) is the wife of Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada since February 6, 2006 and Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada". Boring old hat story. It's almost predictable that the leader wrecking our country graduated from Oilfields High School. Oh wait, isn't it Stephen that runs everything?

Okay maybe this post is motivated by my abhorrence of those who butcher the English language, look at that sentence up there, look at the singular form of the tab under which a plural number of people are listed. Maybe I don't like that she changed her name after her husband became Prime Minister.

How is one supposed to know that Laureen is not our Prime Minister and the Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada? Is it because under the tab "Leader" her name is placed below his? That's all we have to go on really.

Or maybe they assume that everyone knows that a cat lady and PAC mom, transformed into such of late (political expediency much) is stereotypically going to be the stay at home wife. Unless we follow through and check out her bio (http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0013131). Accomplished? Yes. Dumbed down for political purposes? Yes.

Aren't you tired of being a stereotype?

I have to ask how a woman who is "'very liberal-minded in terms of equality for women and equal opportunities for women in the workforce'" (her cousin Saville in http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0013131) feels about her husband's attack on pay equity (Bill c-10 back at the beginning of the year).

I don't know if it is true that within the party "she is nicknamed the'secret weapon'" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laureen_Harper), but one must ask if that makes Harper the exposed weapon.

Speaking of tired stereotypes.

Sorry

2009-11-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

I've been unfaithful to this blog, I will probably continue to cheat right on through the end of exams about a month from now.

Thus

posts will be shorter and sporadic
I will be meaner and more to the point
Randomness will rule as I jump from topic to topic in my internet and academic life

For example:
check out http://www.ted.com for a bunch of really smart people laying out their best ideas in formats even shmucks like me can understand (this one is going up permanent like on the links sidebar).

Or check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDy2eWtTj8 for what an expert on crime has to say about just how well the criminal justice system, society and government in general takes care of us.

Soft Post

2009-10-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well now this is going to seem like a bit of a filler post and in truth it is, school's crunching.

However: There is much good about the fact that there are websites for each of the major political parties. There needs to be some applause to all of them for taking advantage of this technology. They have even done the right thing in making policy information readily available, conflagration of intent and content becomes a difficult task for other parties when an informed voter can find out exactly what it is each group means to say.

Much as trying to figure out where the truth lies in Canadian politics feels like running into a wall these websites are something comparitively soft to run into. Maybe if the trend continues, if more dialogues, more arguments, more positions are publicly stated and debated democracy can flourish in the (ever evasive) participatory direction.

Jack

2009-10-25T06:38:00.000-07:00

Tried out the "Join" links today. Liberal and Conservatives were as expected; fill out a form, standardized stuff.

The NDP had the form but they also had a looming Jack Layton "Yes Jack! I want to be part of it!" (actually that's from the sign up page's header). I don't agree with the one man political shows that all of the parties in Canada seem to take as their model. However this is a bit much. Firstly it's taking things far enough that I am starting to get a dictatorial impression (like Harper). Secondly if you're gonna have a one man show make sure he doesn't look like a used car salesman, or self promote with the same classless arrogance.

Shiny Party

2009-10-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

To say that I am looking at the three party websites is true. To assert that they are the same party on the political spectrum wouldn't be too far from the truth either. Give or take a few points from any of them and voila. No one is advocating for a major change in policy.

Their websites are the same!! Almost exactly the same layouts, attack ad features on the first page, overconcentration on leaders, and under concentration on explaining policy. Their collective party should be called the "we think the average voter is stupid party", or if they give us just a little more credit than I think they do maybe the "shiny party".

Site of the Battle

2009-10-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

I will be taking a look at each of the major political party websites. I am psyched. I want to do each justice so I'll take my time.

Preliminarily I must say that we have a ridiculously egocentric leadership in Canada. For example under their droplink tab for "Leadership" the NDP has one link "Jack Layton". Must be lacking for leadership. Of course the Liberals don't bother with such shenanigans, their first droplink tab is outright called "Micheal Ignatieff" and has no fewer than six links, all about, you guessed it. Ah now the Conservatives are refreshing "Leader" fair enough, excepting their inability to grasp the plural form. "Stephen Harper" and "Laureen Harper", really?

It's my bedtime, I am not going to get into the various travesties I have touched upon. Suffice it to say that the next few days will be very educational. Oh and look for yourselves I'll be putting the links up on the sidebar, everyone should take a look around (depressing as it may be).

Good Conversation

2009-10-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.informedvote.ca is growing quickly. I have had the fortune of running into a rather well spoken right wing nutjob there. Ha, my wife pointed out to me the venom with which us lefties and the righties spit out our vulgar versions of the positions of our opponents. Perhaps we should cut that out.

Let me tell you it gets alot easier to cut it out when having a discussion with level headed individuals. This is somewhat in relation to the previous topic. We must after all have dialogue to progress in our understandings of the world. Name calling, essentially reverse sloganeering, is never going to be a suitable form of intelligent dialogue. I am not talking about little jabs, though ideally even these unconstructive slips would dissappear, I am talking about full blown ad hominem attacks. We must not only be willing to listen, we must be willing to encourage each other to speak. Even if something disagreeable is said, are we not better off for better knowing someone else's conceptions?

I think the solution here starts young: Why is conflict resolution not the #1 priority in our education system?

We adults certainly should see the use in a policy along these line. Lawyers and a legal system designed to own conflict point to this (perhaps paramount) flaw in our society. Now I am not saying there is not place for either. I am merely pointing out that on the whole it is a rather odd set up, especially when we expect our kids to "get along". Do we mean they should get along as long as we're around? No, we mean they should now how to deal with conflict in a manner most satisfactory to all of the parties involved. So why do adults still need adult supervision?

Hell's Yes I support our Troops

2009-10-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

I got into an online conversation with an army engineer today (playing poker, he was kicking my ass). I told him I supported him and all of our troops one hundred and ten percent. Than I asked him if he was cool with that "even if I disagreed with certain missions". You know what he said?:
"I fight for free speech."

PROUD NOT TO BE AN AMERICAN

Hey go to http://www.dnd.ca/, follow the links to tell our troops you are glad that they're doing their thing.

By the way if there is a better argument for proper and democratic deployment of a nation's forces than this nation's proud military tradition I can't think of it. Let's keep that tradition alive and vote for a party that will follow the populace's will, namely not being the aggressor.

Harper and the memos

2009-10-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so what I would like to point out is that the explainations for the story at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/10/16/stephen-harper-afghan-detainee-torture-allegations.html are quite simple: 1. Harper government ignorant of critical information or 2. Harper government ignores critical information.

I don't think I will take this issue further, research it yourself. If you intend to vote Conservative be sure to work on your arguments in favour of torture.

Just a note on torture (cause the occasional nut believes it is justifiable) the REPUBLICAN WAR HERO candidate in the last presidential election took a stand against its use. Now I know that is not an argument, but people who think torture is reasonable seldom bother with such things as logic.

In essence Governments get away with torture at our own risk.

Stop this government, it is putting us at risk.

oops

2009-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was supposed to comment on Global Warming. It's a blog thing apparently. Anyhow I was cramming enough communications information into my head to write an essay. Umm on the bright side I submitted the essay electronically so no paper.

Why the hell do we use paper anymore? That's my revolt for the day... no paper.

Are we our institutions?

2009-10-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Forget the other search engines (who uses them anyway). Are we our institutions? This Canadian Identity that is so illusive, is it tied to our country's governmental structure? Perhaps cultural institutions like universities are indeed an excellent place to look when trying to locate, well, culture.

First I must point out that what I mentioned earlier in reference to wikipedia's take on our country is an important distinction. I am wondering whether or not there is a Canadian identity that this country lends to its citizens, not whether there is an identifiable Canada, not the identity that the citizens, landscape, etc have imbued the country with.

The institutions we have are empowered and empowering edifices of our society. I must say I think that the freedoms we have, in comparison to most countries in the world, the positive freedoms, like the possibility of obtaining an education and a gainful job (minimum wage is freaking important) to love who and what you want, the freedom to be healthy, are many and worth protecting. We can probably also take our common identity (the freedom to be something is the Canadian part, being it is all individual) from our negative freedoms. Taking a page from a kickass Canadian writer (Atwood) the freedoms from that a nation gives its citizens say alot about what it means to be one of them.

More later I'm still banging out essays.

Canadian tired

2009-10-13T06:03:00.001-07:00

Well it's the information age so I am gonna type canadian into a few search engines and see if anything character defining emerges.

The first on the list of search engines to try... Google of course

Google's first suggestion= Canadian Tire: hurrah an American owned sells just about everything whilst claiming to be for the handy and practical printing their own money store. I should probably stop. This is probably as close to Canadian identity as I am gonna get.

the second= Wikipedia page: hey at least Wikipedia knows how our government works, unlike 60% of Canadians it correctly named our head of state (the queen, don't you watch cbc?). I like the definition by relationships to neighbouring and fathering states. Seems like as good a place as any to start but the point of this exercise is to unmask the character of Canadians not to personify the country (Earle Birney has done that and done it well).

third= the CFL: Oh good our national sport, no wait one second...

fourth= Molson Canadian: American owned shitty beer. I am Canadian, an American owned shitty beer company is not. Be a real person drink microbrews or Moosehead (it's middling but it is the only major brewery that remains in Canadian hands).

You know what's cool? Just about everything after these first up on the search, Canadian Coastguard, literature, patents and universities. But I am running out of time (I have 2 essays due at one of those Canadian universities) so in lieu of this promising late breaking search development I will return to the bottom of the "canadian" google page in the future.

Canadian Identity

2009-10-12T17:05:00.001-07:00

On the www.informedvote.ca website the most recent article (and one of their most commented on ever; with a whole 3 comments) the issue raised was one of Canadian identity. Is there one? Do we have a culture distinct and distinguishable? Multicultural isn't on the scantron for the what is Canadian culture questions. Tolerant might be.

Yeah, TOLERANT. We give to anyone who asks, we allow lots of immigration right, we're peacekeepers right?

We give to those that can make us mostly through lobbies, I am not taking this one further its ridiculous.

We allow immigration because without it our population would decline. Gee aren't we charitable letting people into a country with such a high population to land ratio already...

Peacekeepers? Not anymore we're not.

So TOLERANT isn't gonna cut it. Over the next few days I'll run a few more ideas up the flagpole and see if anything goes with the Maple.

Devalue

2009-10-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

A Nobel prize?

Thank god the people that earn them don't need them. The people that earn them know they have done worthy things.

Throttling

2009-09-11T04:04:00.000-07:00

The internet service providers intend to become the self appointed regulators of said media. I stongly suggest that you check out the site openmedia.ca and do something about it. Specifically check out there "stop the throttler" campaign.

Antitheists

2009-07-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

Look, in insisting that people not talk about something, anything, you are advocating censorship. Don't do that.
This position is particularily repugnant to me because it just makes no bloody sense. In trying to convince people of the unbelievability of something they believe in you must assume that they are willing to be reasonable. When the people whom you are trying to convince by your own argument show no evidence of reason in relation to the topic you are as much making the effort to convince them out of faith (they have demonstrated no willingness to change their minds) as they are believing out of faith.

Everyone can believe what they want. A world where this is not the case could not have given birth to such a ridiculous concept as Antitheism.

Micheal Jackson...Really?

2009-07-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

What did the cbc teach me today?
The biggest internet event in history is now the Micheal Jackson memorial coverage.
Micheal Jackson who we are supposed to remember not for his eccentricity.

Question: Does no one see the irony of the biggest internet event in history being centered around celebrating the life of a pedophile?

The CBC

2009-06-25T04:29:00.000-07:00

Gosh darn it report something. Not that the poor bastards haven't been caught off at the knees by government's unwillingness to increase funding (American auto giants are apparrently more important canadian institutions then this former bastion of our democracy).

Hearsay is the new standard of reporting.

Thanks but I can get internet posts and updates from the internet.

I mean really right now that's how they report on the big stories, that or taking them from the press pools of the Associated press. The rest of their "news" is feel good filler or localized tragedy.

My wife likes to watch last nights National online over breakfast. It's doing nothing to aid my digestion.

2009-06-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

Okay hiatus much?

Let's get started.

Saying you are not a sexist person does not mean you are not a sexist person. Having some conservative relatives has shown me first hand that they seem to think that merely denying being bigotted, while handing out "The Bell Curve" as a gift, equates to not being bigotted.

Point and case every politician who's ever been caught making a bigotted comment. "Tarbaby" and "Smile girls" come to mind as recent examples. And let's not just blame them for this shamelessness and let's not just blame their parties for not having the guts to kick them out. Let's blame the people who implicitly support bigotry by electing bigots.

2009-04-02T05:15:00.000-07:00

Obama's government is doing the traditional Democrat thing to do and sweeping the US ruling class's war against democracy under the rug. Renaming things does not change their nature. But for some reason it works.

-It is a war against democracy because democracy works only when citizens have enough knowledge to make informed decisions.

-Misinformation, labelling Others and "RaRaRaing" aside the actual war (now called contingency operation) is a war against democracy through increasing privatization of military operations.

-In a democracy the state is supposed to have a monopoly on force.

-Clearly the state does not have a monopoly on force in situations where it hires that force.

The USA as an entity has always been about as governed by the people as a corporation is run by its employees.

Dialogue: the Real Thing.

2009-03-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

The statement of my Prime Minister about to be discussed may be old in internet terms but its implications are still ringing in my ears. So I’ll post it as the first example of what I am referring to when I say we need to get beyond the dominant dialogue.
Recently Mr. Harper made a statement that had some people up in arms. Now, seeing as this is clearly a site with a liberal bent (emphathetically not capital L), Harper bashing may be preaching to the choir, but don’t tune me out just yet.
The statement was in reference to the tax credit for said home renovations. He said "In my experience it works like this. If you own a home and you have a wife, you will probably be doing home renovations this year." Sure there’s the casual sexism that the media jumped on. “Ahah women whose realm is the home make men work on renovating it.” I am glad that this was recognized and brought to the attention of the public.
But that misses the point. Oh don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s right to assign the role of domestic duty to women. I don’t believe men are necessarily better suited to building and renovating.
I, in discussing the stupidity of the unapologized for gaff with my wife, brought these things up. And got educated. “He’s not talking to women.” she said. Hmmm, well I’ll be damned he wasn’t. The leader of our country (and citizens of both sexes) was addressing only men. As if only a man could own a home. As if only a man (with our more logical brains) cared about taxes, or money.
In his defense you could argue that it was “(his) experience” he was sharing. Yeah, but he was sharing it with the boys. Just like a good old fashioned son of an oilman could be expected to. I am a well off, white, Canadian male but I don’t think that our leaders ought to be justifying nationwide policy with personal anecdotes. Or sexist jokes. Given the Conservatives’ record of cutting and slashing and destroying pay equity programs I think there’s good reason to start being scared, and that’s just one attack on one minority (it would hardly be fair to make one post large enough to include them all). Male or female, minority, or not you must acknowledge that we have a government with policies that aim to undermine the rights of our fellow Canadians. These policies come from ideologies unacceptable to most of us.
Shrug? It’s not that bad? Doesn’t affect me much? Bigotry is a slippery slope; let’s regain the heights while we can.

Prime Minister Harper's Elevator Etiquette

2009-03-24T09:58:00.001-07:00

In my building it takes forever to take the elevator from the ground floor to the 22nd story where I live. And due to the nature of my days I make that trip six or seven times. So I think it may just be excusable when I hit the door close button when others are on the way to get on (you can hear them coming around the corner). Sure it’s a self interested, dastardly thing to do. But I want to get to the top floor as quickly and easily as I can. I don’t like waiting for the stops at each of my fellow passengers destinations. On top of that there is the string effect. Where one person just makes it and they hold the door for someone else down the hall etc. I know it would be the best use of the elevator to have a full load each time. But that just is not what is best for me. Besides I can always pretend that I was hitting the door open button, instead of the door close, if they do happen to make it on.

This is what your government is doing to minorities. Through bigoted thinking, bigoted action, and just general bigotry. Don’t fall for their shrug “oops couldn’t help it” as the elevator slides shut. When they take away funding for pay equity programs and back out of signing long fought for documents recognizing the rights of aboriginals everyone knows what’s going on. When that door closes in your face, it’s because they hit the door close button. And yeah, I am one of those well off white boys who would be on board, but that’s one door I am sure as hell going to slam an arm in front of. Because, don’t be fooled fellow passengers, one day you’re going to just about make it too.

In the beginning

2009-03-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

"This is slavery, not to speak one's thoughts." Euripides.

Well I think it is best to awknowledge in this first post that I am not all that bright. I don't think I have had an original thought yet, if I had that would have been my first post. Other's have without fail said anything I have to say louder and more eloquently. But I won't be a slave.

So when something is a lie I will call it a lie.

"Where is the justice of political power if it executes the murderer and jails the plunderer, and then itself marches upon neighboring lands, killing thousands and pillaging the very hills?" Kahlil Gibran, "The Voice of the Poet".

That is the lie of the powers that be. That their rule is just. They justify it with elections so they can claim that we govern ourselves. They justify it with dreams, American dreams, which have as much grounding in reality as their name implies. They justify it with wars against imagined enemies, minorities, the poor. Well justification needs grounding, which they just don't have. Indeed those in political power have not even succeeded in executing the murderers and jailing the plunderers. Rather they have succeeded only in maintaining and extending their own power networks. No I am not a conspiracy theorist, I believe in Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.". Why would any ruling class take action that was not to their own benefit. Election laws favour those with the most funding. The first tenet of capitalism is that acting in self interest is right. And so of course laws and governments have developed to the benefit of those in power, those with the most money. That's what you get when you mix capitalism with democracy. Oligarchy.

It's time for the rest of us to stop being stupid. The 200+ year experiment which we'll label the military/prison industrial complex has failed. Class inequity has reached the level that it must be dawning upon the population of the world that the system of capitalist democracy does not work for any but a few.

And that's why I am politically revolting.