The Good Old Days

Shortly after my son was born in 1996, my wife and I spent an obscene amount of money on a high end analogue hi-8 camcorder. It has a superb picture quality... but over the years we have watched with dismay... as the price of digital video cameras, most recently those with internal harddrives... dropped to rockbottom low prices.

Strangely enough... it seems we may have inadvertently made the smart choice after all.

To begin with, the hardware and storage media — magnetic tapes, disks, whatever — on which a film is encoded are much less enduring than good old film. If not operated occasionally, a hard drive will freeze up in as little as two years.

Similarly, DVDs tend to degrade: according to the report, only half of a collection of disks can be expected to last for 15 years, not a reassuring prospect to those who think about centuries.

Funny how that works out sometimes.

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RELATED: A kinder, gentler time...

When we didn't poison our children.

“Every time there was a story about a toy recall, I got flooded with orders,” Mr. Voake said. “This year stacks up as preposterous. I’ve never had a year like this, and I hope I don’t have another one.”

Mr. Voake said he had made more toys this season than at any other time in his 34 years in the industry. Some holiday orders will not be ready until March.

More murder, please

I've always been curious... what exactly, do you think Jack Layton would have to say to these guys... when he drops in to negotiate his "peace settlement"?

-- CAIRO, Egypt -- The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq called on militants in a new audiotape Saturday to kill Sunnis who have joined forces with the U.S. to battle extremists in the war-torn country.

The message was posted on the Internet on the final day Eid al-Adha, a four-day religious holiday for Muslims marked by the sacrifice of cows, sheep, goats and bulls.

Religious holiday, huh?

In the 47-minute audiotape, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi called on militants in Iraq to kill members of the Awakening Councils — mostly Sunnis who once fought against the U.S. but have since turned their guns on extremists — instead of slaughtering animals to mark the holiday.

Holy day, human sacrifice... who couldn't get jiggy with that?

Hey Steffi...

The primary purpose of any military force is to break stuff and kill people... what part of that... do you not understand?

-- OTTAWA -- Canada's Afghanistan mission must dramatically scale back troop size and shift to training and other non-aggressive roles if it's to win Liberal support for an extension, says Leader Stephane Dion.

And he's not alone.

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A warm welcome to readers of Canadian Cecilia... all three of you. Apparently, warm fuzzy-bunny 'CC' has her nose out of joint... yet again.

Anyway, let's take a look...

ar·my [ahr-mee]

1. the military forces of a nation, exclusive of the navy and in some countries the air force.
2. (in large military land forces) a unit consisting typically of two or more corps and a headquarters.
3. a large body of persons trained and armed for war.

Now, pottymouth 'CC' seems to think a standing army is some sort of Christmas ornament... you know, nice and sparkly... but please don't touch. A nice accessory when you're having a parade... but what the hell are you doing giving them guns?!?

Anyway, when CC's not pissing all over the mother of a dead Canadian soldier... she's got way more important stuff to talk about.

Good grief.

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UPDATE: The French step up

Nicolas Sarkozy, the first French president to visit Afghanistan, signalled that French troops would not pull out of the country any time soon. He told Mr. Karzai that France has a long term political and military interest in Afghanistan, Mr. Karzai's office said in a statement.

"We did not want to give the signal of a withdrawal, which would have been a detestable signal at a time when we see the ravages that terrorism can do to the world," Mr. Sarkozy said on France-Info radio.

And Australia's in as well...

"We will be, as I said before, in this country, Afghanistan, for the long haul, and it's important for us to be here in partnership with countries from NATO," he said. He said he would be encouraging other countries to continue or expand their commitment to Afghanistan.

Hey... better late than never

-- KABUL, Afghanistan -- Echoing pledges by the leaders of France and Australia, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi emphasized his county's long-term commitment to Afghanistan in a meeting with President Hamid Karzai on Sunday, the presidential palace said.

One job posting I've just gotta see...

"The city is also planning to form a monkey squad that will rush to..."

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Is nothing sacred?

Apparently... if you're a jihadi... the answer is no.

-- RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Police arrested a group of men planning to attack holy sites around Mecca during the just-completed annual Muslim pilgrimage, the Saudi Interior Ministry said Friday.

“Security forces have foiled a plot to carry out a terror attack on holy sites outside Mecca with the aim of confounding security forces,” Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki told The Associated Press.

Capitalism 101

There are rewards and there are pitfalls...

I started a small cash business on the playground, and was doing quite well for myself until the dreaded parent-teacher conferences brought some slight discrepancies to light.

It seemed that some little assknob had decided to cut in on my action with his own red pen.

Religion of Piece(s)

Ringing in the holy day Eid al-Adha.

-- SHERPAO, Pakistan -- At least 50 people are dead in Pakistan today after a suicide attacker detonated a bomb packed with ball bearings and nails amid hundreds of holiday worshippers at the home of Pakistan's former interior minister.

The bomber was praying in a row of worshippers when he detonated the explosive, provincial police chief Sharif Virk said.

Authorities say at least 100 others were injured in the blast.

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RELATED: Those wacky Iraqis

Residents said the bomber parked his car outside one of the two dozen liquor stores in the area and walked away before setting it off, apparently using a timer or remote control.

A passing Chevrolet Suburban took the full impact, and its passengers were likely to be among the three dead or the 27 people wounded, according to the Iraqi

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LAST WORD: Europe not immune from terror

-- BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Fourteen Muslim extremists were detained Friday on allegations they sought to free an al-Qaida sympathizer imprisoned for planning a terrorist attack on U.S. air base personnel, Belgian authorities said.

Security was heightened across the capital, at airports and subway stations out of precaution, officials said.

Taliban Jack has a plan

Canadian troops have started to severely kick Taliban ass... so, of course... Jack-be-nimble thinks we should ramp up the charm offensive...

Layton said the new direction should be attaining peace through negotiating a ceasefire with all sides, and that Canada should be focusing on aid and reconstruction.

Boy Jack, there's a strategy.

These guys are settin' boobytraps to kill Canadian soldiers... and all you can come up with, is... "Why can't we be friends?"

Amazing.

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RELATED: Hey Jack, negotiate this...

Among cases reported in the document are:

· The "castration" of the former Afghan president, Najibullah in 1996. The Taliban "dragged his body behind a jeep for several rounds of the palace and then shot him dead".

· The 1998 massacre of 600 Uzbeks in the province of Faryab. "Western aid workers... said civilians were dragged from their homes, lined up and shot."

· After the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998 the Taliban indulged in the "frenzied killing of shop owners, cart pullers, women and children shoppers". Women and girls were raped, and 2,000-5,000 civilians, mainly ethnic Hazaras, were massacred.

· The public execution in Yakaolang of at least 170 civilians, mainly from humanitarian organisations. "According to Amnesty International, eyewitnesses reported the deliberate killing of dozens of civilians hiding in a mosque."

Other reports include accounts from refugees and human rights groups of the beating of infants, killing of children and hanging of bodies from lampposts.

I say... let's stick with what's working.

If I'da known how easy it was...

I'd have created my own religion a long time ago...

"To put that in perspective, the cultural gap between Senegal and Kenya is as dramatic as the chasm that separates, say, London and Tehran."

"Imagine singing 'God Save the Queen' in Farsi, and you grasp the enormity of the gaffe."

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RELATED: Hey, what about Pastafarianism?

"Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster."

"It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him."

More religious booga-booga...

Which, surprisingly... has absolutely nothing to do with cartoons or soccer balls...

"Coca-Cola uses all these Orthodox symbols in a blasphemous way by placing images of Coca-Cola bottles inside the pictures," the complaint said, according to Russia's Ria Novosti news agency.

"Some images are deliberately turned upside down, including the crosses," it said. An inverted cross is considered to be one of the symbols of Satanism.

Good grief, people... could you not just say a prayer... and move on?

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UPDATE: In local news... a decision from on high

Alrighty... let's spark up those bonfires.

After yanking The Golden Compass from its library shelves for review, a Toronto-area Catholic school board has decided to make the removal permanent.

A committee struck to review The Golden Compass had proposed moving the book to the young adult section of school libraries, but the trustees rejected that proposition and approved a ban instead.

For those who missed the original brouhaha... a little background.

Published in 1995, Pullman's The Golden Compass has returned to the public eye because of the new blockbuster film adaptation of the fantasy tale that hit theatres this month.

The book, voted the best children's book in the last 70 years by readers around the world earlier this year, has drawn high praise and condemnation.

Technorati Tags: The Golden Compass, Halton Catholic District School Board, book burning

Paging Phil Fontaine

Every year, the United Nations ranks countries around the world using the Human Development Index, a measure that compares life expectancy, literacy, education and standard of living.

The index typically ranks Canada near the top.

But after hearing comments from aboriginal leaders that Canada's high ranking ignored the plight of their communities, Cooke and his fellow researchers decided to use the index to get a rough idea of how the gap between aboriginals and non-aboriginals has changed between 1990 and 2001 -- and how Canada compares internationally.

They found that not only did Canadian aboriginals score the highest of the four countries studied, they were virtually tied with New Zealand for making the most progress in catching up to the mainstream during the study period.

Today, meanwhile, in the never-ending race to reaffirm that... violent protest is a legitimate political solution... the Ontario fiberals bent over and grabbed their ankles, yet again.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant... today summed up the Liberals entire philosophy of his government's dealings with the native community... by handing over Ipperwash Provincial Park to the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

Said Bryant... "We're all in the same canoe."

Geez, Michael... you really think so?

You might just wanna ask the townspeople of Caledonia how they feel about that.

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RELATED: Of course, let's bring race into it...

Mr. Simon, and all of his fans, would like to hear an apology, especially since it smacks of stereotyping," added the National Chief.

I love it... the guy who "kicked somebody with a skate"... has hurt feelings.

(h/t reader John)

C'mon guys...

What were you thinking?

"I was stressed from exams and looking for something to give everyone a laugh," Lee said.

"I did it in the middle of the night. It lasted a couple of days. Someone pushed it over but I rebuilt it. Then they sent a bulldozer..."

You've gotta keep this sort of thing where it belongs... in the classroom.

"Visiting lecturers will address technical aspects of flogging, restraint, and role-play."

Nice work...

If you can get it...

Police have charged a Toronto convenience store owner with fraud in connection with a $5.7-million “insider” lottery prize win.

Hafiz Zulqarnain Malik, 60, of Mississauga, Ont., is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and one count of theft over $5,000.

He was released on $60,000 bail after a court appearance Wednesday, then refused comment on the case.

It looks like this sort of thing is a lot more common than you might think.

Lotteries across Canada have been under scrutiny ever since a scathing ombudsman’s report blasted the OLG for not cracking down on retailers who collected “tens of millions” of dollars in jackpots between 1999 and 2006.

And you thought...

"Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots" was a pretty cool Christmas gift...

The disc - part of an Egyptian-made series - is on sale in West Yorkshire, where three of the July 7 bombers lived, and is aimed at youngsters from the local Muslim community.

Introduced by a cute cartoon chicken, it contains three songs in Arabic which are illustrated with a video story.

But any impression of its being an innocent music DVD is immediately dispelled by a song with English subtitles about two children who lose their mother when she blows herself up in a suicide bomb attack.

(via DMB)

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RELATED: Israel says...

"You like it rough... yeah, sure...we can do that."

Hamas offered Israel the truce a day after 13 Palestinian militants, including two top commanders, were killed in a wave of Israeli air strikes in Gaza.

Israel launched the raids in response to daily Palestinian rocket attacks.

Short and sweet

I just received (and I'm guessing this is some sort of mass-mailing) a Merry Blogmas email (well, a strange picture) from the Honourable Garth Turner.

He obviously doesn't read my stuff.

Gonna find out...

Who's naughty or nice...

"The security officer at the mall said Santa Claus has been sexually assaulted," police Detective Lt. Thomas Michael said of the weekend complaint.

Sandrama Lamy, 33, of Danbury, was charged with sexual assault and breach of peace. She was released on a promise to appear in court on January 3. Police quickly found and identified Lamy because the woman was described as being on crutches, said Capt. Bob Myles.

(via reader Mike)

Note to Lunatic Left

Be careful what you wish for.

-- WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg police say an officer was forced to shoot and kill an armed man when efforts to subdue him with a Taser were unsuccessful.

One of the officers fired his Taser, but for some unexplained reason it did not work properly. An officer was then forced to use his service pistol.

More details from the Globe and Mail.

So far this year, Winnipeg police have pulled out tasers 160 times: 65 times the suspect complied after seeing the taser, 50 times a suspect was hit with the taser's probes, and 45 times it was touching the body and used in stun mode.

They do not keep statistics on the number of times a taser fails to work.

I'm from the government...

I'm here to save you...

It is the sort of question politicians dread but, under Japanese rules, are unable to ignore. A member of the opposition asked the government what its policy was to deal with UFOs.

The document revealed that Japan has not yet planned what to do should aliens arrive here.

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RELATED: Speaking of alien life forms

(via DMB)

Cops bag Xmas Card Killer

It's official... Kitchener Police have charged the suspect they arrested, for an earlier, separate assault... for the brutal murder of an elderly man.

-- KITCHENER, Ont. -- A Kitchener man has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of 74-year-old Hunter Brown, who was killed Saturday as he delivered his Christmas cards.

Several hours after releasing details of a similar assault Monday on a man who was shovelling snow just a few streets away, police arrested and charged a suspect in that assault.

On Tuesday evening, Waterloo Region police charged the 22-year-old with murder.

Technorati Tags: Hunter Brown, Kitchener, mental illness

Yeah, let's lock up Latimer...

For a decade... but this fruitcake's gonna get a hospital vacation... while they tune up his meds.

-- KITCHENER, Ont. -- Police in Kitchener, Ont., have arrested a suspect in an assault on a man shovelling snow, which may be linked to the killing of a 74-year-old man delivering Christmas cards.

Hunter Brown was attacked on Saturday afternoon with what police describe as an “edged weapon” and was left to die in a neighbour's driveway next to a pile of Christmas cards.

Police say a similar attack took place Monday, in which a man shoveling his driveway was approached by a man who made a "negative reference" to God.

Not too many details yet... but this is starting to sound like a very familiar story.

If you're mentally ill and you need medication to function safely in the real world, then somebody... parents, family or a social worker... should have to step up and be legally responsible for making sure you take your meds.

If someone can't guarantee that one simple fact... people who can't distinguish fantasy from reality, just shouldn't be out in the larger world.

It's not worth the life of a single Hunter Brown.

It's that simple.

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RELATED: Or a single Brian Smith

Ontario's Conservative opposition leader took the government to task Thursday over the release of a man found not criminally responsible in the shooting death of Ottawa sportscaster Brian Smith in 1995.

Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman called on the province to re-evaluate the release criteria of the Ontario Review Board, the panel that gave Jeffrey Arenburg an absolute discharge, citing media reports that said the board found there was a 24-per-cent chance Mr. Arenburg would reoffend.

Mr. Arenburg, a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, is under arrest for allegedly assaulting a U.S. border guard last week.

Not criminally responsible?

How about we rename this not socially capable?

Because somebody... sure as shit... has to be criminally responsible here.

Technorati Tags: Hunter Brown, Kitchener, mental illness

Somebody explain this to me

Thank you, National Parole Board...

Mr. Latimer has served seven years in jail for the second-degree murder of his severely handicapped daughter, a killing he has steadfastly described as an act of mercy.

Meanwhile, on the same day, another panel of the parole board met and agreed to release a violent offender whose random, unprovoked attack left a young woman, Ji-Won Park, permanently brain-damaged.

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FROM THE COMMENTS:

One of my twin daughters is severely mentally disabled such that it is unlikely that she will progress beyond the mental age of a one month old baby.

Although only 15 months old, she is already having medical problems such as severe curvature of her spine and one hip which will likely dislocate itself over the next few years.

It isn't news anymore...

It's some sort of poorly written puppet show...

"The next time your script includes a tour stop for the Spice Girls, fire somebody."

I despair, these days, of learning anything useful from the television news cycle. Too often Lloyd, or Lisa... is dramatically laying out some tired, old dog of a story... that hit the blogosphere days, or even weeks ago.

The recent "storm of the century" nonsense was especially maddening.

While big city news anchors were repeatedly pulling out their hair over the end of the world... people around here were making sure they had gas for the car and a fresh spark plug for the snowblower.

Before the snow had stopped falling, my neighbour... who also has a 700 foot setback from the road... had blown out his driveway AND MINE.

And that whole Karlheinz Shitbag farce... good grief.

If anybody actually has the goods on Brian Mulroney... and the Fiberals are making all sorts of noises like they do... charge the man and let him have his day in court.

I knew we had indisputably reached the apogee of assininity... when both CTV and Global (and no doubt other stations I missed) also ran big stories last night on " how to shovel your driveway."

That really is a pathetic commentary on how far this once proud country has fallen.

If we actually need step-by-step instructions on how to use our shovels... and that's the message we're being bombarded with on a daily basis... it is truly time to roll over and die.

Break out the party hats...

And pour yourself another drink... and I'll turn on the Obituary Channel.

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Oh no, Canada

What... we don't have enough real criminals in this country?

Bruce Montague is a good, honest, simple man. He is persuaded that he is right and that, therefore, he must win under the law.

He is the sort of man Henry David Thoreau was talking about in his On the Duty of Civil Disobedience: those "heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men," who "serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part."

Go here to offer your help.

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RELATED: Both sides now...

The double-edged immigrant dream

Police have arrested a labourer from Ecuador in the killing of a Mississauga housekeeper this fall. Figueroa is originally from Ecuador but had been living in Toronto. He was planning to leave for South America in a few days, English said.

Jocelyn Dulnuan was found dead in her living quarters at a mansion on Doulton Place on Oct. 1. Dulnuan, 27, came to Canada in November 2006, seeking work to support her fiancé and child in the Philippines.

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Politically Correct Pablum

The gutless Globe and Mail tries to pretend the big story here... is a change to the way the votes are counted.

-- SOUTH AFRICA -- A compromise has been reached in which votes for the top six leadership positions (president and the rest of the executive) will be counted by hand and the other 54 positions on the ruling council automatically.

To find out what miniscule details the Globe chosen to omit... you have to click over to the Times Online.

From the outside it looks as if South Africa's miracle is over. Jacob Zuma, the former Deputy President who was charged with rape and may soon be charged with corruption, is about to become President of the African National Congress and is likely to be the next president of South Africa.

Thirteen years after the peaceful handover of power, the rainbow nation is threatened with a very nasty storm.

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RELATED: Education, education, education

-- WASHINGTON -- At an hour when most people here are sleeping or sinning, the worshipers of the Spiritual Warfare ministry gather in the cold sanctuary of a neighborhood church to battle evil.

He could always...

Make a case for it... the next time he appears on Oprah...

The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term "Nigga" for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's online database reveals.

"While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, 'nigga' is almost universally understood to be derogatory," Boulton wrote to Wayans' attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application.

Cox and other representatives of the actor did not respond to interview requests about the registration.

Belleville's own answer...

To Howard Stern... CJBQ - 800am - The Lorne Brooker Show...

Poor ol' Lorne isn't having much luck stirring up public outrage over the unwillingness of doctors in the Quinte Healthcare area to perform abortions... so he's decided to go for a softer target...Brian Mulroney.

I thought I'd give Lorne a little feedback...

lorne...

where do you get off passing public judgement on brian mulroney?

not that i'm gonna defend anyone taking bags of cash for dubious purposes... but doesn't brian mulroney at least deserve the same sort of judicial process and protections as pig farmer cum homicidal maniac willie picton?

regards...

neo conservative

The answer I received over the airways was something like, "He's not guilty of anything... he's just a horrible liar"... which mostly sounds like a possible libel defense.

You've just gotta love how Lorne winds it all up...

"He's guilty of being Brian Mulroney... which some people might consider a crime in itself."

Good grief.

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UPDATE: Whew... that's a relief

Lorne has just announced on air that he isn't pleased with my pseudonymous communication (he's calling it a nasty email)... and by gawd, he wants names...

"It's not like I'm gonna send CSIS after him."

Geez, Lorne... you're the guy that chose to read the email out over the radio... it's not I was gonna send Luc Lavoie after you.

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Alrighty... looks like we're back onto the deplorable lack of abortions in the Quinte Healthcare area.

LB: "What would happen if a woman came in and needed an "emergency abortion"?

Well, Lorne, call me crazy... but I'm pretty sure the answer isn't...

"A group of doctors would stand around and watch her die."

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RELATED: Speaking of lefty outrage...

Whatever happened to Marion Boyd?

(via FFOF)

Technorati Tags: abortion on demand, Lorne Brooker Show, Quinte Healthcare

Yet another chance...

For "the community" to step up and do the right thing... just don't hold your breath.

-- TORONTO -- Fitawrari Lunan was nervous and apprehensive in the days before he was tracked down and assassinated by two gunmen, and police need to know why if his killers are to be caught.

"He had some kind of baggage with somebody," Toronto Police homicide Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux said.

"Obviously, if he called someone and said, 'I'm worried because of X, Y, and Z,' I need to hear from them."

Having your "yellowcake"...

And eating it too...

The delivery of the nuclear fuel has removed one of the most significant practical sanctions against Tehran, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus.

Russia's foreign ministry said it had received assurances from Tehran that the fuel would not be used anywhere but at Bushehr. The foreign ministry statement urged Iran to stop enriching uranium, saying there was no longer any need.

But a senior Iranian official said his country would not halt uranium enrichment "under any circumstances".

Hey, Vlad... have you forgotten who we're dealin' with, here?

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RELATED: They want it all

Washington says Iran has no need to continue its own nuclear programme now that Russia has started delivering fuel to the Bushehr power plant.

But Tehran says it will not stop the uranium enrichment process despite the threat of further UN sanctions.

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Timmy gets totalled

Where is your god now?

Canadian forces were involved in a major offensive Sunday that cleared Taliban insurgents and a weapons cache out of an area 40 kilometres west of Kandahar City.

No Canadian or coalition troops were injured during the one-day mission, called Operation Sharp Sword.

Officials confirmed that 41 Taliban insurgents were killed during the mission.

Another horrendous outbreak...

Of foot-in-mouth disease in the Canadian Muslim community...

"Presently, what Israeli forces are doing to Palestinians is worse than the Holocaust of World War II."

Oh crap... here we go again.

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RELATED: Well... no mincing words here either...

At least 300,000 people have turned out in Gaza City for a rally to mark 20 years since Hamas was founded. Waving green flags and banners, crowds of Palestinian men, women and children filled a large square for the event.

In a defiant website statement, Hamas's leader in exile, Khaled Mashaal, vowed the group would not renounce violence.

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LAST WORD: Ayatollah, my ass...

Kids will be kids... if you let them.

-- TEHRAN -- Iranian police have closed down 24 Internet cafés and other coffee shops in as many hours, detaining 23 people, as part of a broad crackdown on “immoral behaviour” in the Islamic state, official media said on Sunday.

Sarkari told the official IRNA news agency that police had inspected 435 coffee shops in the past 24 hours, and 170 had been warned.

The report did not make clear whether they were all Internet cafés, which have mushroomed in Iran over the past few years and are popular especially among young people.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say... given the choice... kids would choose high speed internet over suicide bombing... 99% of the time.

Go figure.

It's my party... Part II

Shafman also said the party hosts will receive a free Taser if 10 devices are sold during their party. She hopes to get the parties going nationwide, sending out representatives and attending the parties herself when possible.

(via BSB)

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RELATED: Taser Party... Great White North Edition

"Stand back ladies... this is a job for professionals."

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Another Icarus Moment

Yet more indisputable proof that humanity isn't nearly as smart as it supposes.

-- LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Two reservoirs that supply drinking water to parts of the city have been shut down and will be drained after a rare sunlight and chlorine reaction tainted the water with a cancer-causing chemical, utility officials said Friday.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plans to drain 600 million gallons from the reservoirs, the Elysian and the Silver Lake, early next year, said a water department spokesman, Joseph Ramallo.

The reservoirs will be out of use for three to four months amid drought conditions.

The Big Chill

Now what?

If I write about censorship will the censors censor that? All in all it’s much safer to write about daisies. Such pretty flowers. Daisies. White, purple, yellow, pink. So pretty.

And freedom of speech may soon be pushing them up in this country.

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RELATED: Salim Mansur speaks up

Then there are Muslim organizations -- such as the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) -- in free societies such as Canada. Their deafening silence in condemning Muslim violence against Muslims and non-Muslims alike is revealing of their true nature.

These are front organizations for global radical Islamism making apologies for their ideological brethren, and directing polemics against the West for victimizing Muslims and undermining Islam.

Moreover, they are fraudulent in their claims of representing Muslims in general as the CIC does. The fact is, on the contrary, most Muslims in Canada and elsewhere in the West left their native lands to escape from unmitigated cruelty, heartlessness and hypocrisy of Muslim rulers and religious leaders.

(via SDA)

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LAST WORD: And then there's this...

"We don't hear things like, all B.C. farmers should hang their heads in shame or that this is a great day of shame for white Canadian farmers across the nation, or that perhaps if we ban farming, these tragedies would never happen."

Which unfortunately, doesn't quite pass either the sniff... or the logic... test.

Dr. Amita Handa may want to consider the obvious fact -- obvious, that is, to anyone who hasn't had their brains drycleaned by the post-modern university system -- that the reason "you don't hear anyone talking" about "banning farming" after the Robert Pickton trial is because the tenets of pig farming do not encourage one to feed human flesh to pigs.

A Sad Statistic

Statistics Canada says 100,039 Canadian women had an abortion in 2004, the last year for which statistics are available. Another 337,072 did not have an abortion.

According to the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization, about 40% of pregnancies in development countries -- including Canada -- are unintended. Both organizations say 28% of all unintended pregnancies in developed countries end in abortion.

This thing goes human to human...

It'll make SARS look like a sprained ankle.

Authorities in Pakistan have announced that country's first reported cases of H5N1 avian flu in a cluster of family members which may have involved human-to-human transmission.

The WHO spokesperson said investigations are still underway to try to determine how the various people became infected, but some human-to-human spread is possible.

"We can't rule it out," WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl said from Geneva.

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RELATED: Speaking of emergency measures

Blogging will be light for the rest of the day... gotta lay in some food, fuel and entertainment... just in case the weather fairies are right about this impending storm.

Too easy to get socked in when your driveway is 700 feet long.

Later.

The first thing ya know...

Ol' Jed's a millionaire...

Iraqi oil production is above the levels seen before the US-led invasion of the country in 2003, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The IEA said Iraqi crude production is now running at 2.3 million barrels per day, compared with 1.9 million barrels at the start of this year.

That's apparently about 3% of of daily global demand... restoring Iraq to being one of the world's largest oil producing states.

It's my party...

And I'll fry if I want to.

-- BRANDON, Man. -- The Brandon police department is investigating allegations that some of its officers agreed to Taser people at a party, simply because they were curious about what it would feel like.

The Brandon Sun quoted unnamed sources as saying the Taser was brought to the party by an on-duty officer who hadn't been drinking, and that it was used by an officer on at least one willing, curious civilian with no lasting effects.

According to one account, the newspaper says, more than one person was Tasered, including off-duty officers.

**********

UPDATE: Gotta say... I'm just shocked

Amid a countrywide controversy over police use of Tasers, a coroner's jury has recommended Toronto's front-line officers be equipped with the high-voltage weapons.

Yesterday's recommendation, one of 12 made at the inquest into the 2004 police shooting death of O'Brien Christopher-Reid, caught family and police by surprise.

A Muslim woman weighs in

An interesting take on the Aqsa Parvez story from an unlikely venue... the usually exquisitely politically correct CBC.

Meanwhile, the mullahs and Islamists are busy dismissing the idea that Aqsa's alleged murder had anything to do with religion. They are circulating rumours on-line that she had a black boyfriend, that she was sexually promiscuous, that she was a drug pusher.

I had no idea that this sort of thing had been going on. As a Muslim herself, the author of this article is obviously closer to the goings on within the community.

The friends and classmates of Aqsa, who aren't concerned with political correctness, have said without hesitation that Aqsa was abused and threatened at home because of the religious fanaticism of her family.

They have said she was killed because she wanted to be herself.

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"In fact not one single Muslim I know agrees with what he did and we all pray that God bless this little girls soul and may God keep her in his mercy and bring her the justice she deserves after suffering through what was done to her."

LAST WORD: Michael Coren has his say

Only a bigot would argue that every Muslim was violent or opposed to Western freedom. But only a coward or a liar would argue that there was not a profound and deeply worrying link between conservative Islam and myriad acts of terror, intolerance and hysterical anger.

It is not I who say this but the countless Muslims who take to the streets at the drop of a cartoon to scream for blood and war; or the Muslims who preach jihad in North America and Europe, where they enjoy open societies founded on Christian enlightenment.

They may represent a minority, but the harm they do is incalculable. This dysfunctional venom does not come from Christian, Jew, Hindu or Buddhist and fatuous relativism will only blind the foolish.

It is time for free discussion in this free country, whether it offends or not.

And what... pray tell... is the deal with Turkey?

Anyone?

Toronto the Not So Good

I have a friend who works for the Toronto Ambulance Service, so this particular factoid surprises me not at all...

Away from the glare of a media press conference, Humber River Regional Hospital, on orders from the provincial health ministry, quietly released the worst death rate of any Toronto-area hospital.

Humber's rate is the second worst in Canada. Only Kitchener's Grand River Hospital fared worse, with a rate of 142.

Global news is also reporting two home invasions today... with one victim in hospital in critical condition.

**********

UPDATE: Toronto Hit Parade

Two gunmen stormed a Scarborough townhouse and methodically searched for Fitawrari Lunan, ignoring his terrified friend and her 8-year-old son before finding their victim and shooting him, police said yesterday.

"They were aggressively hunting through the house," Toronto Police Homicide Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux said.

Lunan, 25, remains on life support in hospital with more than a dozen family members at his side.

Nuclear Explosion

-- OTTAWA -- The head of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has resigned in the wake of the fiasco that shut down the Chalk River nuclear reactor and prompted a worldwide medical crisis.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper accepted the resignation of Michael Burns today.

You really wanna impress me...

How about making a set of car keys that comes when they're called?

-- SEOUL -- South Korean scientists have cloned cats that glow red when exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Remember "black light" posters from the seventies? That's what this makes me think of.

Three Turkish Angora cats were born in January and February through cloning to include a gene that produces a red fluorescent protein that makes them glow in the dark.

Oh my gawd... that's brilliant

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Okay... everybody just settle down

It's only a ninety minute drive... to Toronto the Good.

Having an abortion in Quinte area hospitals isn't just difficult, it's impossible. "There's nowhere," said Bill Sherlock, manager of the sexual health department at the local health unit.

No doctor here will perform an abortion, said one physician, and a Quinte Health Care official said none of its four hospitals perform the procedure.

Spokespeople for Quinte Health Care and Kingston General Hospital are close-mouthed about policies on abortions. "We have had no abortions performed at QHC in the 10 years that QHC has been in existence ... as far as I know," said hospital spokeswoman Susan Rowe.

People often characterise abortion as a matter of "personal choice" but forget that physicians should be able to choose as well.

When it comes to ethics, the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, the regulating body of doctors in this province, leaves it up to the individual doctor to decide if he or she will do the procedure, with the proper training.

"That's a matter of personal choice," said Trenton's Dr. John Bonn, a former registrar at the college in Toronto.

He said the reason why a woman could not get an abortion in this area is because doctors here simply don't want to do it.

"We don't have a physician in the community who is willing to perform therapeutic abortions," Bonn said.

Well, cry me a river.

**********

UPDATE: Canadian Cecilia calls me "misogynistic"

Wow... talk about a big... fat... softball.

*

Sure, prevention... that's easy

Let's just set up a National Crazy People Registry...

"Disabling the gun registry is a big step backward. They say it cost a lot of money. Well it's going to cost a helluva a lot more to just pull it out," he said. "They want to go after the perpetrator after the fact."

"Well, we want to see some prevention, before something happens."

Yeah, me too... but until we refine that "seeing into the future" technology, that may be a little tricky.

If only we had more of that magical two billion dollar fiberal "fairy dust".

**********

RELATED: Resolved: That "need" is the only criterion

"I agree. There is no need in today's world for a citizen to own a gun."

Having come to agreement that "need" is the threshold for a citizen's right to own a firearm, the discussion is ready to move forward.

Announce to your friend that you are ready to accompany them to their home. You will begin with an inspection of the kitchen, and from there, will work your way through their house, tagging each possession you believe they do not need in "today's world".

Don't forget the garage.

Oh yeah... just for the record... both Marc Lepine aka Gamil Gharbi and Kimveer Gill used registered firearms.

Let's address the real problem here.

Frankenfish

While Steffi freaks out about global warming half a world away... there are real problems surfacing here at home...

Fish farming as it's currently practised in Canada is destroying wild salmon stocks and threatens to completely wipe them out within four years in one area of British Columbia, according to new research.

“If there are only a couple of farms, only a couple hundred thousand fish in the water, we probably wouldn't have a problem at all. But now we've just got millions and millions of salmon in net pens that aren't supposed to be there and it's really changing the dynamics of disease.

Apart from the massive environmental impact, this enterprise is also gonna scar a lot of peoples lives.

A 2002 report from B.C.'s auditor general found that wild salmon are worth more than $600 million to the provincial economy. Recreational and commercial wild salmon fisheries provided nearly 4,600 jobs.

Now... back to your global warming booga-booga.

See, here's the part you're not seeing

THIS IS NOT WAZIRISTAN, BRO:

Too many so-called spokespeople in the Islamic community just don't get it.

There is absolutely no way, not one possible way... NOT ONE, YOU FREAKS... to justify strangling a 16 year-old girl.

-- Mississauga -- Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Alnadvi, Imam director of the Al-Falah Islamic Centre in Oakville, denounced the killing and said there were other problems the teen was facing.

But Mo, you're not really talking about the problems Aqsa Parvez was facing.  You're talking about... and incredibly... attempting to justify... why Daddy Dearest killed his own daughter.

"Some information that I am gathering is that the issue was bigger than the hijab. That was one of the issues. But this girl, she refused to stay at home and she was out of the home and there was the feeling that she was going in the wrong direction because she was living with other people."

THIS IS CANADA:

Mohammad, buddy, here's what you and your friends seem to be missing... this is not some primitive village in the tribal hinterlands of Pakistan.   We don't even execute people like Clifford Olsen, or Paul Bernardo... never mind defiant teenage girls. 

UPDATE: El-Mo decides to start over 

Mohamed Elmasry, President of the Canadian Islamic Congress... after initially stepping on his dick... by characterising the murder of Aqsa Parvez as a "teenager issue"... has hastily reissued a less inflammatory statement.

"In the sombre light of the recent tragic death of our community’s 16-year-old sister and daughter, Aqsa Parvez of Toronto, our national organization is taking immediate educational measures to ensure that such sad ending of a young life never happens again among Canadian Muslims."

Way to audible, Peyton. (via FFOF)

FROM THE COMMENTS:

Ahmed says... "In conclusion, I do not accept what *some* scholars are claiming, nor do I accept what *some* terrorists are doing, and in my book, that doesn't make me a bad Muslim, because after all I believe in peace and equality for all humans, and in my book I believe that makes me a better human!"

"I consider any and all mischievous actions as bad, not MUSLIM bad, not CHRISTIAN bad, not JEWISH bad, JUST BAD!"

Well, Ahmed, I see the overall point you're trying to make here.  You do get that characterising strangling a teenage girl as a "mischievous action" is gonna upset a few folks, right?

Concerned Victoria, BC mother...

Pulls young child from primary school... after discovering heinous conspiracy...

The school choir sings Christmas carols and students are learning arithmetic by counting Christmas stockings, she said.

"We found out that it was everywhere. I got the parent newsletter for December and Christmas was in everything."

**********

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"Most of the kids at my public school were Jewish, but we still did the Christmas thing."

"I don't think any of them were too traumatized, it's like they knew they were Jewish or something."

Details of the long rumoured...

And much anticipated Liberal Party merger... are just now starting to leak and much like a dirty diaper... this thing stinks to high heavens.

Not that Bill Gates is...

Gonna be eating Kraft dinner... anytime in the near future.

-- AMSTERDAM -- The Dutch government has set a soft deadline of April 2008 for its agencies to start using open-source software — freely distributed programs that anyone can modify — the Netherlands Economic Affairs Ministry said Thursday.

Looks like people are starting to realise that monopoly, like monoculture can have some pretty serious consequences down the road.

Government organizations will still be able to use proprietary software and formats but will have to justify it under the new policy, ministry spokesman Edwin van Scherrenburg said.

Linux, here we come.

From the people who brought you...

Thomas the Lead Coated Engine...

China's food and drug safety agency has revoked the licence of a company responsible for making tainted leukemia drugs blamed for causing leg pains and partial paralysis among dozens of patients.

The investigation found that the drugs were contaminated with vincristine sulfate — another cancer-fighting chemical — during production, the drug safety agency's statement said.

Investigators did not say how the contamination occurred.

Disposable?

I guess you could try thinking of it as recycling.

-- HONG KONG -- The case of a Korean girl given up by a Dutch diplomat and his wife in Hong Kong seven years after adopting her has sparked outrage among social workers and expatriate Koreans who are struggling to find a new home for her.

A South Korean consular official in Hong Kong said the couple, who adopted the child when she was four months old, had handed her over last May into the care of Hong Kong authorities.

This puts me in mind of the current Hollyweird craze... where obscenely wealthy celebrities pluck African waifs from obscurity to the regal trumpeting of the stargazing media.

The South China Morning Post reported that the couple had adopted the girl while they were based in South Korea, believing they could not have children. The wife later gave birth to two children, the report said.

Sad.

**********

RELATED: Speaking of "not so happy endings"

Seems there's a little discord in La-La Land.

-- VICTORIA -- For the first time, suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among young people in British Columbia.

Kelli Kilpatrick, director of the unit, said the majority of youth who committed suicide -- mostly by hanging -- were heading toward their 19th birthday.

So, what's up with British Columbia... that famous refuge of aging hippies?

There's a hint at the bottom of the article...

It also said too many young aboriginal people died unexpectedly, with alcohol being was a risk factor in most of those deaths.

Shsssssh... not so loud.

Dion supporters...

Excited about latest scientific breakthrough...

Using genetic engineering, scientists at Tokyo University say they have successfully switched off the rodents' instinct to cower at the smell or presence of cats - showing fear is genetically hardwired and not learned through experience, as commonly believed.

Or... just call me crazy...

You could avoid... using crack.

UPDATE: One small correction

In an earlier post, I pointed out that Mohamed Elmasry, President of the Canadian Islamic Congress, was being uncharacteristically silent on the Aqsa Parvez murder.

It turns out ol' Mo does indeed have something to say...

"I don't want the public to think that this is really an Islamic issue or an immigrant issue," said Mohamed Elmasry of the Canadian Islamic Congress. "It is a teenager issue."

Well... thank goodness we cleared that up. Damn teenagers... somebody should just, well... uh... 

UPDATE:  Oops... here comes another little tweak

United Muslim Women of Canada's Anisa Ali said the public shouldn't assume that honour killings only happen in the Muslim community. She said honour killings are not limited to Islamic countries like Pakistan, Jordan, Syria and Afghanistan.

I've gotta say, Anisa... we're a little old-fashioned around these parts. Trotting out the venerable "all the other guys are doing it" defense... well, that just might not be your best move here.

UPDATE2:  CAIR-CAN weighs in

A spokesman for the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) said he is dubious of opinions that the girl's death resulted from a clash of cultures.

"Teen rebellion is something that exists in all households in Canada and is not unique to any culture or background," CAIR-CAN's Sameer Zuberi said in an interview. "Domestic violence is also not unique to Muslims."

LAST WORD: I'll have the Spinbot Special 

Who knows how many hours it took for the obviously unapologetic weasel-wordsmiths at CTV news, to come up with a way to report this story... without actually using the word "strangle." To quote (and I wrote it down, so I wouldn't screw it up) talking-head Lloyd Robertson...

"Her neck was compressed, to the point she couldn't breathe."

Good grief. 

FROM THE COMMENTS:

'neck compression' - makes it sound like some kind of yoga exercise. Nice.

Army of the suddenly politically correct...

Refocuses attention on "Broad Strata Daughter Strangling" issue plaguing Canadian society...

"The strangulation death of Ms. Parvez was the result of domestic violence, a problem that cuts across Canadian society and is blind to color or creed."

Maybe times are changing... but I remember my sisters being grounded, not strangled... for this sort of thing.

RELATED: "Broad Strata" of society... That sounds so familiar.

We now cross live to the set of CSI Toronto, where filming is underway: * Sgt. Warren Bollard: (staring in bewilderment at an intricate graph) "I just can’t find any common denominator!" "It seems as though these 17 men and teens have absolutely no point of commonality at all!"

UPDATE: A voice in the wilderness Tarek Fatah... 

and I've said this before... is a very brave man.

"In my mind this was an honour killing," Tarek Fatah the founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, says adamantly about what he calls a blight on Islam. Make no mistake, says Fatah: "This has happened before" and will again.

Fatah says these murders have been covered up. "Sometimes they involve a balcony and they say it's suicide and other times they just don't find the body."

Funny, I must have missed...

All the... "Headless bodies litter London streets" stories in the British press.

-- LONDON -- The government said on Wednesday it would ban the sale of samurai swords because the weapons had been used in a number of serious, high-profile attacks.

“In the wrong hands, samurai swords are dangerous weapons,” Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said.

Of course... "in the wrong hands"... so is a Toyota Corolla, or a cast-iron frying pan.

I can hardly wait for next week's bold... "National Length of Pipe Registry" initiative.

**********

RELATED: Speaking of legislating sanity

"You mean, taking gopher rifles away from farmers isn't gonna solve the problem?"

"Does this mean we get our 2 billion dollars back?"

Technorati Tags: samurai sword, Farmer Bob Rifle Registry, suckass political correctness

U.N. explodes into action...

On climate change.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told reporters... "it may be too ambitious" to set targets for greenhouse-gas emissions in the draft text of an agreement aimed at replacing the Kyoto Protocol to stop global warming.

Now, how could that be possible? The United Nations has such a stellar record of solving all the world's ills.

Delegates from about 190 nations, now holding high-level meetings, are split over whether targets should be set now or later. Mr. Ban recognizes the divisions.

"Frankly speaking, realistically, it may be too ambitious if delegates would expect to be able to agree on target of greenhouse gas emission reduction," he said.

"But, as I told you, some time down the road we will have to agree on that."

I don't know... it sounds as though Steffi may have got to him.

**********

NEWSFLASH: "Act Right Now or Die" warns Moon.

Apparently Ban Ki-Moon has an evil twin...

"We are at a crossroads: one path leads to a comprehensive climate change agreement, the other one to oblivion."

I'm so confused.

Technorati Tags: Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations, Bali Conference

Speaking of civilian casualties

No, sorry.... if you looking for an endless litany of NATO "war crimes"... I'm sure you can find that over at Liblogs... I'm referring to the devout ministrations of the Taliban.

-- KARAWADDIN, Afghanistan -- The Nawa District, largely out of the Afghan government’s or the American military’s reach, lies on a transit route for insurgents who travel between Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan.

Each patrol was a foray into villages regarded as Taliban sanctuaries. Each began with tension and the possibility of violence. But the Taliban did not confront the heavily armed paratroopers, and within minutes the mood of the patrols shifted.

Once the villagers realized that the platoons were accompanied by medics, they pushed forward sick children and pleaded for help.

Not the kind of story you ever hear them discussing over at Rabble... is it?

The Taliban exist openly here.

To limit the influence of the government and prevent it from achieving even its modest development goals, the villagers and the Afghan and American authorities said, the insurgents have sacked schools, threatened teachers and students, scared off private contractors and sharply restricted medical care.

That's some Religion of Peace.

**********

RELATED: The Wacky Will of Allah

Three car bombs have exploded in the southern Iraqi city of Amara, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 100, police say.

Two bombs exploded in a car park packed with labourers waiting to travel to work, and a third detonated as people gathered to inspect the damage.

Most of the dead and injured are said to have been caught by the third blast.

Nice.

You see how they sucked in the bystanders, who rushed over to help the wounded from the initial blasts?

There's a traffic jam at the Gates of Nirvana this morning.

Did anybody else see Iggy...

Do his fake rage thing... demanding to know where Stephen Harper got his nuclear engineering degree?

It had to be the lamest piece of political theatre I've seen in a very long time...

The Liberals had threatened to refuse to give the bill the unanimous support necessary to bypass the legislative process.

Yeah, just like they were gonna vote down the budget... in their dreams.

I can't imagine what sort of points these guys thought they were gonna score... with their threatened "let's block diagnostic tests for cancer patients" strategy.

But in an unusual sitting of the House of Commons Tuesday evening, all of the political parties agreed to fast-track the legislation through the House and Senate.

Yeah.

Another shining triumph for Steffi and the fiberals.

**********

FROM THE COMMENTS:

"I saw Ignatieff yestrday on CTV stating that HE was not going to sign off on this unless it was proven safe and passed muster."

"Then he corrected himself and stated something along the lines of the leader of the Party doing so."

and...

By the way, what did the Green Party have to say about all this and did they vote for cancer patients or protection against earthquakes?

**********

RELATED: The Dippers want in...

Nothing like screwing with a tax cut to improve your poll numbers.

-- OTTAWA -- Canadian shoppers may not get the benefit of the GST cut to 5 per cent on Jan. 1 if the implementation bill containing the measure is stalled by opposition stalling tactics, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Tuesday.

Apparently frustrated by the continuing debate over the measure, mostly headed by the NDP, the finance minister told reporters after question period that the Jan. 1 date for cutting the GST from 6 per cent to 5 per cent was in jeopardy.

I didn't even realise...

That George Carlin was still alive...

"New Rule: Just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you Spiritual. It's right above the crack of your ass. And it translates to 'beef with broccoli.' The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant."

"You're not spiritual. You're just high."

Gotta have priorities, I guess

MAYBE THESE GUYS ARE JUST REALLY BUSY:

As of 8:30 tonight, not a single word from the Canadian Islamic Congress on their website... about the 16 year-old Muslim girl who was apparently strangled by her father over her refusal to dress up in hijab. 

You'd think somebody from an Islamic Organisation would want to try and get out ahead of this public relations nightmare... but that, seemingly... is just not the case. 

The good news is... you can still get a deal on the CIC's cool, "Support Our Troops, Bring Our Kids Home" t-shirt. 

AND YET AGAIN: Once again, a very special welcome... 

To readers of infantile, foul mouthed, proggie brown-noser Canadian Cecilia. Remember Cecilia is all about "respect and support" for the downtrodden... as long as you're not the grieving mother of a dead Canadian soldier.

Make sure you check out her greatest hits.