Poof. There goes the fifteen point lead! I hope this Prime Minister gets a lot of sleep. He's going to need it mightily in light of the recent release of a Strategic Counsel poll -- followed by one from Ekos -- which demonstrate that the Conservative lead has evaporated.
Kind of puts quite a damper on politicians celebrating in Vancouver and Whistler.
Somewhere, Warren Kinsella has a grin as big as all outdoors.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Wow! What A Broadside.
And they say that lunch in front of the television can be boring...not today. There I was right in the middle of a joint federal-provincial announcement to turn household agricultural waste into biomass energy when suddenly POW: no sooner had the word Copenhagen come out of the reporter's mouth and Quebec Premier Jean Charest let go a volley against those who criticized him for his remarks in Copenhagen.
My first reaction was one of astonishment, immediately followed by amusement. But then came a strange reaction -- I wondered if his remarks were fair. I'm told that some people are upset allegedly because the Quebec government was misrepresenting the federal position at Copenhagen; others say the federal government was allegedly doing the same thing regarding the Quebec position. A real case of he says, he says! Who knows what the truth really is but I would sure like to know what is what.
In any event, we learned two things from this spectacle. First, we found out the answer to Peter Mansbridge's question. Boy, the Prime Minister sure as hell has changed from four years ago. In spite of the look on his face, he maintained his composure and did not rise to the bait. (To his credit, Charest blasted away in both languages thereby allowing the PM to respond in English if he so chose to.)
The other thing we learned is trivial in nature. We found out that Ron O'Dowd will never be either prime minister or premier. Had I been on the receiving end, I would have blasted back with as much fury as I could muster. Say what you like about Stephen Harper but at least you have to admit that he is a bigger person than yours truly.
My first reaction was one of astonishment, immediately followed by amusement. But then came a strange reaction -- I wondered if his remarks were fair. I'm told that some people are upset allegedly because the Quebec government was misrepresenting the federal position at Copenhagen; others say the federal government was allegedly doing the same thing regarding the Quebec position. A real case of he says, he says! Who knows what the truth really is but I would sure like to know what is what.
In any event, we learned two things from this spectacle. First, we found out the answer to Peter Mansbridge's question. Boy, the Prime Minister sure as hell has changed from four years ago. In spite of the look on his face, he maintained his composure and did not rise to the bait. (To his credit, Charest blasted away in both languages thereby allowing the PM to respond in English if he so chose to.)
The other thing we learned is trivial in nature. We found out that Ron O'Dowd will never be either prime minister or premier. Had I been on the receiving end, I would have blasted back with as much fury as I could muster. Say what you like about Stephen Harper but at least you have to admit that he is a bigger person than yours truly.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
About To Blow It On Scanners...
I share Stephen Harper's view that I'd rather not be blown out of the sky on my next flight. But in the rush to put the finger into the hole in the dike, Canada, the United States and other countries have not taken the time to think things through.
Hence the rush to purchase and install scanners in airports. I think Time Magazine hit the nail on the head when it reported the following:
"MILLIMETER-WAVE SCANNER
This uses radio waves to generate a detailed image, which has raised some privacy concerns. The TSA has 40 of these machines stationed at 19 airports, mostly reserved for passengers warranting extra security. It plans to field nearly 900 by 2014. Would it have detected the explosives on Flight 253? Probably"
Probably? Probably! Simply not good enough. On to the next option:
"BACKSCATTER X-RAY
This emits low-intensity beams that highlight organic compounds like explosives and drugs. The TSA has ordered 150 of these machines. Privacy concerns could be addressed by placing the security officers reviewing the images in a room away from the scanner.Would it have detected the explosives on Flight 253? Yes"
Hello! Enough said.
Hence the rush to purchase and install scanners in airports. I think Time Magazine hit the nail on the head when it reported the following:
"MILLIMETER-WAVE SCANNER
This uses radio waves to generate a detailed image, which has raised some privacy concerns. The TSA has 40 of these machines stationed at 19 airports, mostly reserved for passengers warranting extra security. It plans to field nearly 900 by 2014. Would it have detected the explosives on Flight 253? Probably"
Probably? Probably! Simply not good enough. On to the next option:
"BACKSCATTER X-RAY
This emits low-intensity beams that highlight organic compounds like explosives and drugs. The TSA has ordered 150 of these machines. Privacy concerns could be addressed by placing the security officers reviewing the images in a room away from the scanner.Would it have detected the explosives on Flight 253? Yes"
Hello! Enough said.
Prorogation: Not Buying What The Prime Minister Is Selling.
Boy, is this Prime Minister ever resorting to flimsy excuses: it's OK to prorogue because Chrétien did it -- twice. Sorry, but that doesn't cut the mustard.
Perhaps one day, some day far off, it will finally dawn on our PM that his is a minority government. Last time I checked that meant that his party can't command the confidence of the House of Commons without at least one opposition party propping up his government.
Yes folks, that also should work in reverse -- it may be legal but it certainly isn't legitimate to prorogue when your government can't, on its own, sustain itself on matters of confidence.
That's why Harper has got it wrong.
Perhaps one day, some day far off, it will finally dawn on our PM that his is a minority government. Last time I checked that meant that his party can't command the confidence of the House of Commons without at least one opposition party propping up his government.
Yes folks, that also should work in reverse -- it may be legal but it certainly isn't legitimate to prorogue when your government can't, on its own, sustain itself on matters of confidence.
That's why Harper has got it wrong.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Sorry, Good Friend.
Dear Blog,
Sorry for abandoning you for so long. I do feel guilty -- it's almost as if I've cheated on you. That wasn't right, running elsewhere to fight battles among many people who just aren't interested in really hearing what you have to say.
Don't get me wrong. I'm right some of the time but I've also been full of shit on more than one occasion. Yes, my ego is as big as everyone else's but time for some humble pie.
And now to business:
Canadians thirst for leadership. They aren't searching for the "next" dictator but then again, neither are they interested in the "next" patsy. We know precisely what we've got with this Prime Minister and where he's going, for better or worse.
That seems to be sufficient for most voting Canadians. I feel truly sorry for them. That's certainly not what I'm hoping for in the next prime minister. I'm looking for a leader who puts his own political interests second to that of the nation; I want a guy running the operation who feels it right down to his balls that this country, as we have traditionally known it, is going to hell in a hand basket and that he bloody well better do something about it, and quickly; I'm pulling for someone who is not merely content to take "direction" from the Canadian people; I'm with that fellow over there who knows when and how to draw the line in the sand, and more importantly, why.
Spring will be our hour of reckoning. I'm tired of being disappointed.
Sorry for abandoning you for so long. I do feel guilty -- it's almost as if I've cheated on you. That wasn't right, running elsewhere to fight battles among many people who just aren't interested in really hearing what you have to say.
Don't get me wrong. I'm right some of the time but I've also been full of shit on more than one occasion. Yes, my ego is as big as everyone else's but time for some humble pie.
And now to business:
Canadians thirst for leadership. They aren't searching for the "next" dictator but then again, neither are they interested in the "next" patsy. We know precisely what we've got with this Prime Minister and where he's going, for better or worse.
That seems to be sufficient for most voting Canadians. I feel truly sorry for them. That's certainly not what I'm hoping for in the next prime minister. I'm looking for a leader who puts his own political interests second to that of the nation; I want a guy running the operation who feels it right down to his balls that this country, as we have traditionally known it, is going to hell in a hand basket and that he bloody well better do something about it, and quickly; I'm pulling for someone who is not merely content to take "direction" from the Canadian people; I'm with that fellow over there who knows when and how to draw the line in the sand, and more importantly, why.
Spring will be our hour of reckoning. I'm tired of being disappointed.
Monday, November 2, 2009
So Many Heads And No Available Crowns...
What a sight for sore sighs...three men who would be king, each of them without access to a most coveted crown. The Prince of Wales and Camilla have arrived in St. John's. (We all have a pretty good idea of how long Charles is likely to wait.)
But what of the other two pretenders of the realm? Prince Stephen fancies the idea of lording it over all he surveys but so far, Canadians have thought otherwise. Three cheers for reasoned common sense!
And what would be a royal reunion without the aspirant to the throne of the Rock. Prince Danny has already issued a few choice proclamations -- just ask any and everyone who happens to be smarting in the land of the fleur-de-lys. (I'll bet they're more than willing to light Danny's fire!)
In short, it requires an expert of the highest calibre to correctly fashion crowns for what could potentially be extremely swelled heads.
Break out the ermine robes, sceptres and champagne. The royals are in for a hell of a good time.
But what of the other two pretenders of the realm? Prince Stephen fancies the idea of lording it over all he surveys but so far, Canadians have thought otherwise. Three cheers for reasoned common sense!
And what would be a royal reunion without the aspirant to the throne of the Rock. Prince Danny has already issued a few choice proclamations -- just ask any and everyone who happens to be smarting in the land of the fleur-de-lys. (I'll bet they're more than willing to light Danny's fire!)
In short, it requires an expert of the highest calibre to correctly fashion crowns for what could potentially be extremely swelled heads.
Break out the ermine robes, sceptres and champagne. The royals are in for a hell of a good time.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Ultimate Topper In Hypocrisy!
I have to say one thing about the Obama Administration. They sure know how to deliver a message with a sledgehammer. (Has Barack taken a page from this Prime Minister's playbook?!) Recent Canadian history has confirmed that this approach, more often than not, leads to mixed results.
But there was Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Pakistan, plainly stating publicly that she believes that officials in that government, its armed forces and intelligence service (ISI) have more than a little idea where Osama Bin Laden is.
I have a pretty good idea where Bin Laden is also -- but guess what, it isn't in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. My strong suspicion is that he is sitting comfortably smack in the middle of one of our most reliable allies...he is likely under protective custody, which may or may not be officially sanctioned.
Somehow I suspect that I'm not the only person in Washington D.C., Ottawa, or elsewhere for that matter who happens to have come to that conclusion.
But there was Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Pakistan, plainly stating publicly that she believes that officials in that government, its armed forces and intelligence service (ISI) have more than a little idea where Osama Bin Laden is.
I have a pretty good idea where Bin Laden is also -- but guess what, it isn't in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. My strong suspicion is that he is sitting comfortably smack in the middle of one of our most reliable allies...he is likely under protective custody, which may or may not be officially sanctioned.
Somehow I suspect that I'm not the only person in Washington D.C., Ottawa, or elsewhere for that matter who happens to have come to that conclusion.
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