Reader Tips

So there was a break in an attempted murder of Kurt Westegard, motoon artist.

Assailant is alive and in custody, but wounded. allegedly connected to al shahab

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2010/01/update-on-kurt-westergaard.html#readfurther

Comments now open!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/paranoid-style-is-in-again/article1416113/#comments

The 'yutes' of France are lighting up the neighbourhoods once again. The usual suspects doing the usual thing,and as usual, the politically correct CBC do their usual reporting.---http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/01/france-violence.html#socialcomments

Lets keep the muslim stories coming!!!!!!!!!!!

Crazed Saracen guns down 5 people in a shopping mall in Finland then caps himself and his ex girlfriend.

I wonder if he screamed "Allah Ahkbar" before he started blasting away.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091231/ap_on_re_eu/eu_finland_shooting

Excellent choice to start the new year, Vitruvius!

Washington Post voted new addition to the Royal Ontario Museum worst bulding of the decade heh. Not that i'd ever read the Wapo just saw it on a news ticker..I walked by it when the structural frame was going up - reminded me of Berlin circa May 7, 1945.

Someone forgot to tell security that Christians don't bomb planes...

"Orlando-bound flight diverted because of 'suspicious' Christmas ornament"

An Orlando-bound Northwest Airlines flight was diverted to Nashville Friday morning after a suspicious item was discovered on board the plane. The item: a Christmas ornament.

"A suspicious item was found and out of an abundance of caution, the pilot decided to divert to Nashville," said Delta Air Lines spokesman Carlos Santos, whose company recently acquired Northwest. "Fortunately it turned out to be a harmless article."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-delta-flight-diverted-20100101,0,7383762.story

What happened to my post?
It was up and now it's gone.

You accidentally posted your comment to the Symposium page, Oz, not to the Reader Tips page, and there it was dramatically off topic, so I unpublished it for you. You are, of course, welcome to publish that comment here in Reader Tips, where it will be on topic.

If you'd like a textbook example to start the new year of why fewer & fewer people give any semblance of legitimacy to the MSM anymore, just read this column by the WaPo's David Broder, entitled 'No drama' Napolitano can go far. Warning: Vomit alert before you click on the link!!

I apologize for my mistake, Vitruvius.

Rare Tortoises Could Stand in Way of California Solar-Energy Complex

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/01/01/rare-tortoises-stand-way-california-solar-energy-complex/

The Sierra Club and other environmentalists want the complex relocated to preserve what they call a near-pristine home for rare plants and wildlife, including the protected tortoise, the Western burrowing owl and bighorn sheep.

"It's actually a good project. It's just located in the wrong place," said Ileene Anderson of the Center for Biological Diversity, a Tucson, Ariz.-based environmental group.

The dispute is likely to echo for years as more companies seek to develop solar, wind and geothermal plants on land treasured by environmentalists who also support the growth of alternative energy.
[SNIP]
The site has virtually unbroken sunshine most of the year, and is near transmission lines that can carry the power to consumers.

We should start a fund to tie up all the proposed "green" energy sites with environemtal impact studies.
There a few things more satisfiying then using the Left's own tactics against them.

Maybe we could stall implementation of wind farms and solar farms until the companies that build them dry up and blow away.
They're hurtin' and I'm luvin' it.

Thanks, Oz; it's a mistake we all occasionally make.

Oh no!
Not ANOTHER airplane diverted because of a member of the religion of peace.
This time on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Frankfurt that was forced to land in Montreal!

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/744768--toronto-man-jailed-after-fight-on-airliner

I think you'll all enjoy seeing these stunning photos from the Boston Globe.

First, Dave Brown and Dana Chatwell get a settlement from the Province of Ontario for (allegedly) abandoning them. Now, more of the grease is getting removed, and we can get a better look into our 'law' enforcement.

What other good things may come out of the illegal occupation in Caledonia....?

Judge rules Fantino must face allegations
Published On Fri Jan 01 2010

A Superior Court judge has ruled OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino must face allegations of trying to influence municipal officials by means of threats.

Judge David Crane's decision overturns a ruling several months ago by a justice of the peace, who argued Caledonia activist Gary McHale's attempt to lay a private charge against Fantino did not meet all the elements required for the charge.

McHale received the court ruling Thursday afternoon.

"We have set the standard for private citizens' rights to lay criminal charges against government officials," he told The Canadian Press.

McHale has led a number of rallies decrying what he calls two-tier justice in the policing of an aboriginal land occupation in Caledonia.

In September 2008, McHale filed an order of mandamus stating Fantino should be charged under Section 123 (2) of the Criminal Code of Canada, which constitutes "influencing or attempting to influence a municipal official ... by means of threats" as an offence. This was in response to an email Fantino sent in April 2007 to Haldimand County Council telling the mayor and councillors not to attend McHale's rallies.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/744842--judge-rules-fantino-must-face-allegations

Re the fight on an Air Canada flight to Frankfurt from Toronto, with Khodr Ahmad pleading guilty to disturbing the peace and being jailed for 30 days, the TorStar reports:

"Police did not know what caused the fight. The assault was not investigated because the victim decided against charging the suspect."

Is this wise under the circumstances?

Obama is experiencing the worst first-year popularity slide of any US president; ever wonder why?

Here, in wonderful detail, Victor Davis Hanson provides some interesting reminders.

mhb23re
at gmail dot calm

Thanks for the song Vitruvius. It was soothing after my wife and I wasting an evening watching the movie Inglorious Basterds. I paid $30 dollars for a movie that was not worth $3. Hows that for a Reader's Tip?

Journo at The Gazete thinks it was

The Decade When We Became Too Connected

'Too connected'?
Yup, I am sure the media types wish they could turn back the clock to a time when the populace did not have a choice.

Robert Sibley, of The Ottawa Citizen, thinks it bad that people can connect with others and exchange ideas and information.

I guess he longs for the days when we had nothing but his media's drivel, lies and bias. Tough.

Interesting, that he holds up an iPod touch as an example. One of those is my companion when traveling. No more hotel rooms with a sicking Idiot Box and a G&M tabloid holding me hostage.

Just two hundred bucks and no monthly fees connects you to the world. Along with email and virtually free phone calls (Skype). Open, free WiFi is commonplace. Perhaps broadcast, blanket coverage wireless is in our future. Kool.

well Ken Kulak @ 12.42, if you can save anyone 30 bucks and say why this flick is a piece of shit, then please do.
It's easy enough to simply google "Inglorious Bastards" and find a write-up regarding it, but why is this 2 hours YOU will never get back?
really.
M.

Ken, I generally can't stand Tarantino movies but really liked this latest one. What about it did you not enjoy?

Though I often find Michael Savage too far over the top, I think this rant echoes a lot of the thoughts expressed on SDA the past few months!

As usual, the commenters at CBC News provide many views akin to those one might find in a psych ward. Regarding the attack of the Danish artist, here's one:

mean old cat wrote:Posted 2010/01/01
at 11:26 PM ETUn-common-sense said - What was wrong with the cartoons?
I thought that they were funny and really got a point across.

It is forbidden in Islam to depict the Prophet Mohammed.

If you are a Christian, imagine Christ being depicted as a pimp. Christendom would be horrified. While it may be difficult for many in the West to understand Islamic cultures, is it really in anyone's best interest to INSULT their faith? Is it really in anyone's best interest to insult anybody's faith?

Religion is the primary driving force of humanity, and whether you are Christian, Jew, Muslim or other, other peoples faith deserves respect.

Unfortunately Kurt Westergaard showed blatant disrespect for Islam. He profoundly insulted more than 1 billion people, and is now a target for what is considered by Islam to be a just death sentence.

I may get thumbs down, but the truth is the truth and sometimes it's a bitter pill to realise what we have brought upon ourselves, just like Kurt Westergaard is realising now.

BBC report on attempted murder of Danish cartoonist

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8437433.stm

Robert W. I disagree with you on this topic of disrespect for the religion of islam, profoundly.
It's... a line in the sand.
Their religion, isn't only, "their religion", it's a way of life that THEY say encompasses all of their being, all of their daily life, all of their customs and traditions, all their politics and finance, their daily washing, what direction they face while taking a pee, all their family life, everything about them. that they seek to impose on us. Their willingness to keep slaves, to do their dirty work... I cannot respect this/them.

In their minds, in their religion, (which is not really separable) we are not given the option of opting out, of not partaking in their thinking. While we choose to not partake in their 6th century thinking, it is not for us to apologize or to make amends, it is for them, to seek a way of having what they are selling, (islam) more salable, more attractive, more worthy of respect. I fail to see how a cartoon of their prophet brings their way of thinking into the modern world, yet I fail to see how it offends them so. After all, if their prophet is such a wonder to behold, why the thin skin Mo?

Do they demand respect from the sword? or to earn respect with understanding? It is clear that Islamists think we will respect them from a position of fear, while many of us think of them as tribal outcasts...
Kurt Westergaard is not a member of their religion, he is Danish, he need only respect what it is to be Danish, not muslim.
I am a christian, I choose to believe in J.C. without reservation, however when the leftists amongst us poke ridicule or "disrespect" at me/us I do not threaten them, nor kill them. It is for God (or to a non-believer)... for fate and karma to decide what shall be the consequences. It's not for people to decide to defend God's honor, and to hack my head off for his sake.

The truth is, they seek to impose on us "their truth", not "the truth", but their truth, and all of our lives they seek to control with that. That is the difference, and the difference is as you mention, profound.
it's late, g'night.

Ritual murder, human sacrifice and blood offerings to Allah the moon-demon: http://seanrobsville.blogspot.com/2009/12/human-sacrifice-in-islam.html

Vitruvius
Nice choice for the start of the year, I don't often get a chance (enough time or connection speed) to listen to your postings but I do love the eclectic choices even when I can't listen to them, Christmas choices were just as good.
Thanks, S Novym Godom

Posted by: marc in calgary at January 2, 2010 3:29 AM

marc, I don't think your disagreement was with Robert W; I believe he was quoting a loony CBC blog entry from "mean old cat wrote", onwards.

Some quotation marks or italics would have made the entry clearer to understand, but - from what I've seen - THAT type of entry isn't quite consistent with Robert W's postings here... :)

mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm

Thanks, mhb, for the link to Victor Davis Hanson's article on Obama.

Further to comments Hanson makes, Obama could benefit from this tidbit of advice from Robert Fulford's column in today's National Post:

"If you are asked to say a few words, always say 5% fewer than requested."

http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=72a38ade-9221-48db-aa6e-1ab190f71863&p=2

In Obama's case, probably 50% fewer would be more to the point ...

Charles Krauthammer hits the nail on the head again re Obama’s utterly inadequate response to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s attempts to blow up 300 people over Detroit:

“This is all quite mad even in Obama’s terms. He sends 30,000 troops to fight terror overseas, yet if any terrorists come to attack us here, they are magically transformed from enemy into defendant.

“The logic is perverse. If we find Abdulmutallab in an al-Qaeda training camp in Yemen, where he is merely preparing for a terrorist attack, we snuff him out with a Predator — no judge, no jury, no qualms. But if we catch him in the United States in the very act of mass murder, he instantly acquires protection not just from execution by drone but even from interrogation.”

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/01/02/charles-krauthammer-war-there-s-no-war-here.aspx

Robert and marc, sorry to get back a little late to this thread. Some of us older guys need our sleep.

The movie "Inglorious Basterds" deserves an "A" for props, as the equipment, uniforms, etc were very accurate.

However, the movie could not decide if it was a serious story or a ludicrous comedy with splashes of blood and gore.

In my opinion, it ranks with "Blazing Saddles" and does not come anywhere close to, for example, "Platoon".

We sat down to watch what we thought was to be a Hollywood version of some true event during WWII and were treated instead to what we thought was one of the most disgusting films we have ever seen.

We would have walked out except for the fact that we were in our own home and it was da* cold outside.

Rex Murphy on why Time passed Obama by:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/why-time-passed-obama-by/article1415232/

Islam: a cannibal; every year, all year.

"Poor people. Just remember the 8:1 rule. Radical Islamic terrorism will kill from 8 to 10 Muslims for every non-Muslim in order to maintain control over the population. In Iraq the pattern was the same."
...-

"Starting the New Year with a Bang

Nearly a hundred civilians have died as a suicide bomber blew up a volleyball game in Pakistan. Al Jazeera reports:

A suicide bomber has killed at least 88 people and injured dozens more in northwest Pakistan.

The attack on Friday at a volleyball tournament in the city of Lakki Marwat was one of the deadliest Pakistan has seen in recent months.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but officials say the attack could be in retaliation to local tribal efforts to combat the Taliban.

Poor people. Just remember the 8:1 rule. Radical Islamic terrorism will kill from 8 to 10 Muslims for every non-Muslim in order to maintain control over the population. In Iraq the pattern was the same. Thousands of Iraqis, nearly all of them Muslim, were killed by al-Qaeda or other militant groups. So when you hear the argument that terrorism exists because “they hate us”, remember that it is all about POWER. The WSJ has more details. It was a truck bomb which blew the victims, some of them just kids, dozens of feet from their original positions.
(more…)"
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/

Hey Ron, I left a note to the writer of that piece of whining drivel at the Ottawa Citizen. Letting him know that its to late we don't need the lies from them any more. I do doubt very much he will "get it"

We would have walked out except for the fact that we were in our own home and it was da* cold outside.

Posted by: Ken (Kulak) at January 2, 2010 9:58 AM
And I'll bet you have one of those goofy machines installed on your TV. (:-)

Great link, batb, to the krauthammer article; he's a great read. And VD Hanson is a gem, too; he hits the nail on the head 99.9% of the time.

Great quote by fulford, too, although Maobama could reduce his word reduction by 90%, likely, as it's all the same regurgitated drivel from his other speeches. And - as we noted in copenhagen - even the europeans are laughing at him, now.

mhb

We would have walked out except for the fact that we were in our own home and it was da* cold outside.

Posted by: Ken (Kulak) at January 2, 2010 9:58 AM
I'll bet someone has one of those goofy boxes from above next to their TV. (:-)

I read the Ottawa Citizen article. I agree with his assertion that the lack of knowledge about Western Culture is troubling. I disagree that our wired world is the cause. The death of the classics can be traced back to the 60's and the universities. The war on the wisdom of dead white guys started there and was then transmitted to the public school via teachers and education bureaucrats. History turned to Social Studies and I, for one, was taught very little about our cultural or political heritage. Now that all of our institutions has been ignored, ridiculed and corrupted by the hippes, the young have turned to alternative sources of learning - peer learning.

I am not sure this author is of the progressive bent but there are complaints from the left about modern technology. Their anger is not the destruction of learning or western culture but that the void was filled by alternative media. Blogs and such allow for knowledge transmission that bypasses the MSM and its PC approved message. I have no doubt that events like the internet-inspired Climategate and its impacts on the 'Grand AGW Plan' will prompt a sustained attack on the 'unregulated and dangerous' Internet.

What happened to all the comments here?

Ken, some sort of techy glitch this morning with the comments...? thanks for that regarding Inglorious Bastards, I liked Blazing Saddles when I was 16... but now, not so much. :)

Robert W, mhb@9.20 am politely points out that I have erred regarding your commentary...

Canadian “*David Suzuki says he wants anti-Kyoto politicians thrown in jail.”

Suzuki and his MSM partners, including the CBC, must be brought to account in a criminal court of law for their roles in the AGW fraud.
…-

“Prisoners used to shovel snow-bound US capital

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US capital paid prison inmates to shovel sidewalks, crosswalks and bus stops after the biggest December blizzard in the city’s history, the Department of Corrections said Thursday.

Two work crews comprising some 20 prisoners convicted of minor offenses were deployed around the city December 18 and 19, along with two prison guards to watch over them, DOC spokesman Michon Parker told AFP.

Each inmate was paid 7.50 dollars per hour for their work, he added.

The December 18-19 snowstorm dumped 60 centimeters (24 inches) of snow on the city, the heaviest on record in the month of December.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100101/od_afp/usweathersnowprisonoffbeat_20100101000544
…-

“*David Suzuki says he wants anti-Kyoto politicians thrown in jail. How did environmentalism become this totalitarian?

Terry O’neill, National Post Published: Thursday, February 07, 2008″

http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/david-suzuki-says-he-wants-anti-kyoto-politicians-thrown-jail

AGW Red-Green Alert: TO needs yer help.

Git offen the streets: "Calling the alert activates additional support services to help get homeless people in from the cold."

Big Daddy State is adding the adjective, "extreme", to its SOS.
...-

"Extreme cold weather alert in effect in Toronto
By THE CANADIAN PRESS"

"During the alert, 168 shelter spaces are added in the city, shelters relax service restrictions and street outreach is increased to warn people that extreme cold weather can be life-threatening and to take homeless people to a warm place."
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/01/02/12326076-cp.html

Big Busybody Daddy State is everywhere on the prowl.

"“They did find someone inside the tent.”"
...-

"Man sets up tent on Rideau River
By TERRI SAUNDERS, QMI Agency

OTTAWA -- It must have been a chilly way to welcome in the new year.

Firefighters and police raced to the Rideau River shortly after 9 a.m. Friday after receiving word a passerby had noticed something in the water near Riverside Dr. and Walkley Rd.

When they got to the scene, crews did see something dark on the surface. Fearing a snowmobiler might have gone through the ice, water rescue teams began to make their way towards the object.

As they got closer, they realized the land rises up at the part of the river and there is a small island not far from shore. It was then they also realized the object wasn’t a snowmobile.

“They noticed someone had set up a small tent there,” said Ottawa Fire Services Platoon Chief Larry King. “They did find someone inside the tent.”"
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/01/01/12325026.html

Marc, I thought I had made it clear what was from me (only the first line) and what was from the CBC News commenter (the rest of it). Of course I disagree with him absolutely.

What should be MOST interesting to all of you though is the level of agreement of the commenters at CBC News regarding the Danish cartoonist story.

Unless there's suddenly a huge influx of SDA folks over there, which I doubt, it appears that even the Extreme Lefties in Canada are getting fed up with the violence coming out of Muslim Extremists these days.

Some examples:

"Is Islam a violent religion? Until I see a sustained peace movement coming from within the global Muslim community, my suspicion is that there is more than a kernel of truth to this assertion...." 282 Agree 8 Disagree

"The time has come to teach Muslim society about free speech!" 220 Agree 10 Disagree

"But, but, but,,, I thought Islam was a religion of peace. Oh that's right it was spread by the sword, they still kill you if you leave the religion. Wake up people it's only getting worse. By the way, good shooting officers." 173 Agree 10 Disagree

"Depicting Muhammed is forbidden in Islam. Insulting someone's faith is not a good thing. Insulting the faith of more than 1 billion resulted in a Fatwa against Westergaard...." 34 Agree 120 Disagree

"I'm sure now this cartoonist can appreciate that pissing off 22% of the world's population, really isn't so funny after-all." 11 Agree 209 Disagree

Folks, something important is occurring here. I think what's going on is that our Leftie brethren are FINALLY understanding that THEIR freedoms are now at stake. Sure, the ultra-PC crowd will always side with suppression of free speech and the hard core Muslims will join them on this issue, but other than that they have no other supporters.

Uh-oh, if the comments continue to be anti-Muslim, the CBC will have to ramp up Canadian's sensitivity training. It'll be Little Mosque on the Prairie 24/7 until attitudes improve.

fine then Robert W. ... the coffee's on. :)

I've read some of the commentary there, a good number of them still believe that Islam is being held captive by the lunatic fringe. I differ in my opinion.
Still as you say, many there are seeing the threat to their right of freedom of speech. The recent change to blasphemy law in the Republic of Ireland has me aghast too..

Robert W., I agree,and what is even more telling is that the cbc is still not posting a large percentage of the unPC comments.There is an apologist that goes by the moniker Ground Zero who gets his comments up sometimes every few minutes,while mine which are definitely not similar do not make it. Canadians are waking up,still it is a slow process with the CBC as our natioal news source.

Very interesting year-end reprint in the New Yorker on an investigation into US health care that doesn't focus on the private/public dichotomy, or the company insured/self insured one, but rather the patient-centric approach vs. doctor-centric. The data, outcomes, and conclusions may surprise many:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/06/01/090601fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=all

The Parallel Universe of the Leftard Mind

The Rex Murphy article that 'batb' referred to is WELL worth a read. So are the comments. Here are a couple of gems:

"Time is well known for it's Republican bias."

"Love Rex. He's Canada's Dick Cheney but armed with a huge thesaurus."

And the absolute classic:

"Obama did not get anywhere near a free ride from the American media, let alone those who consider themselves his followers."

Wally, I scoured that Danish cartoonist story for comments from "Ground Zero". Couldn't find any. When you see another one from him, could you please click on his moniker and then post the link [of his profile and collective comments] here or e-mail it to me: a1 [at] pocketpollster.com

Thanks!