older and funnier. and reused for the Godfather.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JW7YLPED0wc

first time people heard Chaplin on film.

Greenwar, warmongers sued. Al Gore next ?

http://www.expatica.com/es/articles/news/Estate-owners-sue-Greenpeace-for-alarming-prediction.html

Cyd Charisse, a former co-star of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, has died in Los Angeles aged 86.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7460370.stm

A Muslim guy got arrested for bringing a handgun on a plane in Calgary. Oops, did I just commit a hate crime by identifying the truth that he's Muslim!

I'm so sorry, please don't flog me with a web maple leaf!

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/021434.php

the christian woman killed her only teenage daughter yesterday to court while shw was crying and explain how she did kill her daugher having and knowing jesus told her not do crime
sorry christian guy sorry no hate crime for us

I was wonder people who need gun for bird hunting how they travel

Northern Ireland has a new Environment Minister;

[Responding to the criticism, the new Environment Minister said: "I am not convinced and I don't think that there is any firm evidence to show that all climate change is due to CO2 emissions.
>
> "I think we have to make sure we do not allow the agenda for NI to be dominated by the people who can sometimes be described as green fanatics."]

In Ireland. In Europe. The Kyoto hot-bed.

http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news/WILSON-VERY-HAPPY-WITH-HIS.4174657.jp

British MP do not think the science is settled either.

And was it not Europe who pushed Kyoto in the first place !?

[The “apocalyptic visions” of environmentalists are not justified by the evidence about global warming, according to a Midland MP.

John Maples (Con Stratford) told the House of Commons he did not believe scientists really understood what was happening to the earth’s climate.

He sounded a note of scepticism in a debate which highlighted the lack of consensus among Britain’s politicians about the environment.]

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/politics-news/2008/06/10/midland-mps-sceptical-over-cause-of-climate-change-65233-21054435/

MERKEL SUPPORTS BUSH PLAN FOR CLIMATE SUMMIT

What ?
And;

EU SUPPORTS BUSH'S CLIMATE STRATEGY: NO NEW CLIMATE DEAL WITHOUT CHINA, INDIA

What's happening to Kyoto ? Simple;

HERE'S WHY: FACTORIES CLOSE, SUPERMARKETS EMPTY AND JETS RUN OUT OF FUEL

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jun/12/oil.spain

For a decade, Gore Suzuki hide the pain part - aided and abeted by the media.

In further news on the Human Rights front, Stephen Boissoin has nailed his colours to the mast.

His letter here:
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/letters/I_stand_behind_my_2002_letter.html

and the Advocate's lead editorial here:
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Rights_commission_remedy_flawed.html

Very often, the most powerful word in the English language is "No".

Sometimes the best way to get the attention of a Maverick is to hit them over the head with a two by four.

[Sen. John McCain called yesterday for an end to the federal ban on offshore oil drilling, offering an aggressive response to high gasoline prices and immediately drawing the ire of environmental groups that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has courted for months.

The move is aimed at easing voter anger over rising energy prices by freeing states to open vast stretches of the country's coastline to oil exploration. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, nearly 80 percent said soaring prices at the pump are causing them financial hardship, the highest in surveys this decade.] Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/16/AR2008061602731_pf.html

Cheaper gas is on the way. ~http://dollargas.us/~

the christian woman killed her only teenage daughter yesterday she was crying in court while she was explaining her crime to judge that how she did kill her only daugher having and knowing jesus told her not do crime

sorry christian guys this is not hate crime
this is only the true story

as tommorrow when any body get arrested
police made new prision cell
Muslim criminal 1 person
Christian Criminal x
Jewish criminal y
Hindo criminla z
comonist criminal a
sic criminal b
budism criminal c
report of police is now has adjective before word 'criminal'

police come to scene of each crime
first important question police may or will ask
criminal is guss what?

-could you tell me what religion you practise?
-second when you did crime did you talk to your prophet too to get permision?

-how about people who do not believe any of those religion

-I was wonder people who need gun for bird hunting how they travel?

Now I know why hrc point out some people for slandring is sterotype in Islamphobia

Story in B.C. Surrey Leader.
~http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/19988789.html~

Oh hi folks, it's Vitruvius here. I don't want to take responsibility for deleting comments here at Kate's blog, unless I see something really egregious, 'though I'd like to do so in the case of comments that are non compos mentis, but, in stead of that, could y'all please just do me a favour and not respond to townns? Thanks.

Can we say to these group christian criminal Nooooohh
any way try not to be a criminal
----
crime:
A Canadian government employee of Environment Canada was arrested Wednesday for criminal breach of trust with respect to a leak of the Conservative government's green plan days before it was due to be made public.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested the unidentified male employee following a complaint from Environment Canada's security department. The department alleges that a secret draft copy of the government's regulatory framework, Climate Change Section of the Eco-Action Plan, had been leaked to the media prior to being released officially to the public.

"An employee who violates the terms of their workplace security clearance, including the release of secret documents, may be subjected to legal consequences, including criminal charges," said Superintendent Stan Burke, officer in charge of the RCMP's financial integrity division. There was also concern that if the details were leaked, securities laws could be compromised if stock trades were made based on privileged information.

Environment Minister John Baird was forced to reveal details of the government's climate change plan on April 24, in an opinion piece published in the media. The move came after a copy of a speech describing the plan was faxed by mistake, a day earlier, to an opposition Liberal party member and environment critic, David McGuinty. It is not clear whether the police action Wednesday was related to that incident.

The RCMP stated that the matter remains under investigation and, as such, no further details would be released at this time.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Canadian_government_employee_faces_criminal_charges_in_leak_of_environment_plan

-------
http://criminalreview.ca/
The accused Hughes had seriously injured a cat at his girlfriend’s apartment and they decided to kill it to end its suffering. The girlfriend told the accused to break its neck. He instead decided to strap a weight on top of it and stick it in the microwave.

Cruelty (which means causing unnecessary pain and suffering)? One would have thought so. The trial judge, however, acquitted:

The accused told Sara Kons that he thought the cat would die faster in the microwave. In cross-examination two years later, he agreed that it may be more humane to break its neck than to put it in the microwave. It is not clear that he knew that at the time. It is not clear whether or not Mr. Hughes is correct when he says that.

I am left with this. Mr. Hughes was drinking that night. He accidentally injured the cat. He admitted up to it. He called out for Sara Kons. He was told to kill the cat. He chose a method, (arguably not the most humane, but with no evidence supporting that argument) and killed the cat by putting it into the microwave. The purpose of his act was to end the cat’s suffering, not to cause suffering.

look at these words and I have to admit I pull a blank on what they are saying. The principle of parity does not preclude disparity? After all, the qualification “where warranted by the circumstances” could mean just about anything. And the “one example” the Court uses isn’t very helpful. Apparently the Court of Appeal incorrectly compared this case to P. M. (emphasis added):

But in that case the pornographic materials were not posted on the Internet; they were sent only to two friends of the abused child’s father. Having disregarded L.M.’s wide distribution of the materials, made possible by the Internet, the Court of Appeal failed to demonstrate any real similarity between P. (M.) and the case at bar. Consequently, this attempt at achieving parity in sentencing, based as it was on an incorrect analogy, was itself inappropriate.

A Barrie-area teenager’s license has been suspended after he was pulled over for driving 239 kilometres per hour in an 80-kilometre zone.

Huronia West OPP were on a routine patrol at 1:50 a.m. today when they saw a black 2000 Lincoln LLS travelling north on Highway 26, north of Barrie. It was travelling 159 kilometres over the posted limit, OPP said.
---
I Am Now a Criminal in Canada

http://www.wanderingheretic.com/2008/06/14/i-am-now-a-criminal-in-canada/
----

http://criminalmindsatwork.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html

---
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/probablyuncalledfor/blog/2008/06/09/The-least-hardened-criminal-in-all-of-Canada

Vit...Who????

And Cyd had some set of gams on her....grrrrrr

Virtruvius, suddenly I feel a bit of patriotism commin on. ~http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQc1_NpfXBc~
Mabe we complain too much and don't stop to think of how much this country has granted. I know I am grateful for the freedom that our English Common Law brings and for the Fathers and Grandfathers who sacrificed so much so we could all enjoy those freedoms.

Yeah, it was sad to hear about Cyd Charisse's passing away today, Justthinkin. It was only ten days ago when we at SDA LNR featured her and Ricardo Montalban dancing the tango Orchids in the Moonlight from the movie On an Island with You, featuring Xavier Cugat and his orchestra.

Yesterday, for the first time this year, as measured by my SDA analyzing software, the total size of the SDA comments, measured in kilo-bytes, exceeded the number of comments. It was a high point in comment long-windedness ;-)

"Yesterday, for the first time this year, as measured by my SDA analyzing software, the total size of the SDA comments, measured in kilo-bytes, exceeded the number of comments. It was a high point in comment long-windedness ;-)

Posted by: Vitruvius at June 18, 2008 2:36 AM "

Vit....are you saying we are long-winded and only adding more CO2 to that horrible AGW?? Gawd...I gotta get off the graveyard shift...heh

And speaking of graveyards....time to tune in some George Norrie(sp?) and Coast-to-Coast.

I see Porky Martin has a new gig. He is going to save a rain forest the world of global warming and the natives of Canada. This a$$ h0le is ttill being payed by taxpayers to play his silly games around the world .. That is truly sad.

Did Chinese Gov't Cause Earthquake With Nuclear Bomb?

http://thecanadiansentinel.blogspot.com/2008/06/did-chinese-govt-cause-earthquake-with.html

Boxun News, a Chinese-language Web site based outside China, reported that an unnamed expert has claimed that there was a nuclear explosion near the epicenter of the Sichuan earthquake, based on witness reports and the discovery of concrete rubble believed to have come from an underground military installation. The news of this nuclear explosion has raised questions about the cause of the earthquake.

Could it have been an attempt at a distraction from the Communists' troubles leading up to the Olympics? I note that the earthquake pretty much diverted media attention from the massacres in Tibet and brutal crackdown activities in China.

Aaaannddd...for all those who said there would be no slippery slope...tonight on Showcase you can watch a show called "Big Love". It's about a polygamist and his 3 wives.

Ezra Levant on The Michael Coren Show

http://www.youtube.com/user/sdamatt2

Video clip of Mohamed Elmasry on The Michael Coren Show saying that all Israelis over the age of 18 are legitimate terrorist targets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQm8oEw2F5E

Roger out on the request Vit, but the temptation is STRONG!! ;) Especially the atrocious grammer.

Aye, too bad about Cyd Charisse. A stunningly beautiful lady who could dance like like most of us breath.

Grrrrrr........

errrr grammar.

Well ain't embrassing! ROFL!

Louise Arbour is a disgrace.
Stand with Vic Toews.
Repeat: Louise Arbour is a disgrace.
...-

"Tory minister calls Arbour 'a disgrace'
Toews refuses to withdraw remark referring to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' comments on Israel
David Akin, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

One of Stephen Harper's senior cabinet members called Louise Arbour "a disgrace" on the floor of the House of Commons yesterday."
http://tinyurl.com/637l9u

'High time elected members of Parliament started calling sleazebag appointees to corrupt international bozo organizations "disgraceful."

The whole Librano-infested maze of patronage appointments to bogus, money-sucking organizations like the present-day UN is totally disgraceful...and a few other words come to mind which probably wouldn't make it through the filter.

ENOUGH. And you go, Vic Toews. 'Sounds like you've taken Tom Petty's song to heart:

************************************************

Well I won't back down,
No I won't back down;
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down.

No, I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down,
gonna stand my ground,
...and I won't back down.

...Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out;
...hey I will stand my ground,
and I won't back down

Well I know what's right, I got just one life;
in a world that keeps on pushin' me around,
I'm gonna stand my ground,
...and I won't back down!

*************************************************

MSN has a long piece on global warming "myths",

here are the first few lines,

... ... ...

MYTH
The science of global warming is too uncertain to act on.

FACT
There is no debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming.

... ... ...

it goes on like this for the equivalent of about 6 pages!

And not a word on ice cores and other evidence that does not support their propaganda piece...

RIP, Cyd Charisse.

What a class act she was: drop-down-dead gorgeous dancer who could hold her own with Fred Astaire (of course, he was such a gentleman, pretty much any woman he danced with looked good).

At 86, she'd had a good kick at the can. 'Hope she and Fred and Gene are cutting the rug in Heaven!

Question:

Can a person be considered a "religious bigot"(a term I have heard being used to describe Mark Steyn)if one criticizes all religions?

In other words, if one is not favoring one religion over the other, how can it be bigotry?

Smokin'

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7YWBOfsXsDA&feature=related

June 17, 2008 Live@5:30 CHCH TV

LIBERAL Senator Larry Campbell gets angry during TV debate & tells Radio/TV host Bill Carroll:

"....why don't you go back to Scotland, that's a free country too..."

www.cfrb.com/shows/498625#clips

Castro is looking good. It's almost like it's still 2006.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7460449.stm

The Slimes puts up this wherein they attempt to cut down a giant genius of a man, Charles Darwin.
The Slimes follows those who slag William Shakespeare saying Shakespeare was not the author of his works; no, the real author was Sir Windy Blather, Esq.
These levellers cannot abide that one man can ever stand above the crowd.
It's said that we humans stand on the shoulders of giants. Indeed we do. Two of those giants are Charles Darwin and William Shakespeare.
BTW, Darwin did not "discover" natural selection.
...-

"Darwinmania!
New York Times ^ | 17 June 2008 | Olivia Judson

In a week or so, the trumpets will sound, heralding the start of 18 months of non-stop festivities in honor of Charles Darwin. July 1, 2008, is the 150th anniversary of the first announcement of his discovery of natural selection, the main driving force of evolution. Since 2009 is the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth (Feb. 12), as well as being the 150th anniversary of the publication of his masterpiece, “On the Origin of Species”

But hold on. Does he deserve all this? He wasn’t, after all, the first person to suggest that evolution happens. ...his grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, speculated about it towards the end of the 18th century; at the beginning of the 19th, the great French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck made a strong case for it. Lamarck, however, failed to be generally persuasive because he didn’t have a plausible mechanism — he could see that evolution takes place, but he didn’t know how. That had to wait until the discovery of natural selection. Natural selection is what we normally think of as Darwin’s big idea. Yet he wasn’t the first to discover that, either. At least two others — a doctor called William Wells, and a writer called Patrick Matthew — discovered it years before Darwin did."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032727/posts

kingston lad: Here is bigotry from MO & Al.
Had to omit some words as the *%##@^# pc filter may not allow them to pass through.
...-

"By Joe Kaufman
FrontPageMagazine.com | Wednesday, June 18, 2008"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2032710/posts

expect a more moderate response than a bomb

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7460522.stm

Must read from Ezra Levant.
Go Ezra.
...-

"Red Deer Advocate to Lori Andreachuk: we're not your propaganda organ"
http://tinyurl.com/4mpauh

In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former vice president’s home energy use surged more than 10 percent, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.

“A man’s commitment to his beliefs is best measured by what he does behind the closed doors of his own home,” said Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “Al Gore is a hypocrite and a fraud when it comes to his commitment to the environment, judging by his home energy consumption.”
http://newsmax.com/insidecover/gore_home_energy/2008/06/17/105394.html

At batb,

I also read how Vic Toews called out Mme. Arbour and was very happy. Perhaps the Liberals will keep harping about it and all her past will be dredged up (being a shill for Pal-Arabs, some messy stuff about Rwanda, allegedly).

Go Vic.

Check out Ezra Levant's column of today, and the Red Deer Advocate editorial of today.

The Alberta HRC, which ruled that Rev. Boissoin was no longer allowed to make 'disparaging remarks' (?) about homosexuals - to anyone - for the rest of his life, and was to publish his apology in the Red Deer Advocate newspaper for holding such 'evil views' has been confronted by the Red Deer Advocate. They refuse.

Their editorial states:
"The galling presumption of the rights commission to subvert a newspaper’s own judgments over whether, when or where it should publish coerced opinions offers a window into its dangerous thinking"

And:
"Now, the rights of Albertans to publicly express views that they honestly believe are being constrained not by criminal law, but by fear of being hauled before a rights commission and the certainty of accumulating massive legal bills to defend themselves.

More egregiously, the rights commission not only wants to censure hateful speech (a laudable goal), but to pre-emptively deny some Albertans the right to express their legitimate views on certain topics.

The commission forbids Boissoin from writing “disparaging remarks” about gays — a phrase that has dubious legal weight — and forbids him, in advance, from writing critically about Lund’s involvement in this case.

This is called prior restraint. It’s an abomination in any free and democratic society"

Good for them. This is the people standing up against totalitarianism.

FIRE. THEM. ALL.

Bernard Goldberg, Russert Took Media Bias Seriously

In 2001, my first book, "Bias," came out. It was an insider's look at bias in the media. Not one network news correspondent would have anything to do with me. I couldn't get on any of their morning news shows to talk about the book (which was a national best seller), or their evening shows or their weekend shows or even their middle-of-the-night news shows. No one in network television wanted to discuss the issue, no matter how many Middle Americans thought it was important.

Russert was the lone exception...

National Review interview: Shackled Warrior, Israel in bondage

Caroline Glick: The true lesson of the Holocaust is that nations and individuals have a responsibility to distinguish between good and evil and to support good and fight evil. Israel’s struggle against its neighbors, who refuse to accept it as a sovereign state just as Europeans refused to accept Jews as individuals in the 20th century, constitutes a moral challenge to Europe. And since Europe has refused to discard its moral relativism for moral choice, Europeans project their own moral blindness and weakness on Israel.

Bernard Goldberg (via Charles MacDonald, 10:31 a.m.):

"Russert was the lone exception..."

'Not surprising. Though his sympathies lay with the Democrats, Tim Russert gave everyone, that I could see, a fair shake.

He will be sorely missed. (I wonder if his son Luke is going to take up his mantle...big shoes to fill...Reading this morning: 2 Kings 2: 1, 6-14 about Elisha taking up Elija's mantle; it's been done...)

Is The MSM Getting Touchy about Bloggers?

Apparently so .... Cross Posted at DMB and sourced from Internet Evolution ...
"The Associated Press has stirred up controversy this week by essentially spewing on open conversations and information sharing on the Internet." Story by Nicole Ferraro.

The AP is lashing out it seems .... how many of their stories have been busted by bloggers?
How much critical attention can the take?
How much does the loss of business at their prime customers affect their own business?
How much do they hurt?

Stand with Minister Kenney.
Stand with Israel.
...-

"Canada moves toward membership in international Holocaust task force

LINZ, Austria - Canada is set to become a member of an international task force dedicated to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive."

"Jason Kenney, secretary of state for multiculturalism, describes the task force as a critically important educational and human rights platform.

"Canada is a champion of human dignity and we think it is critically important to be engaged in efforts to educate future generations about the Holocaust," Kenney said"
http://tinyurl.com/4zgvv8 (viacanoe)

happy days at CBCpravda

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/18/fed-court-enviro.html

too bad taliban jack cant relate the shutdowns at oshawa to this crap. maybe buzz will get the message to him.

this is what happens when your saddled with any minister from quebec

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080617/couillard_mother_080617/20080617?hub=Politics

hope he doesnt come to the stampede for a pi$$up this year.

note that he is not christian, hindi ,buddist or jewish.

http://www.qr77.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1012594

look out Kate, he was heading for toontown.

In addition, Mr. Fortier last year obtained a total of $233,000 in donations from 385 donors who all respected the maximum legal donation of $1,100, including a who's who of the business sector....Mr. Fortier also received donations from Hélène Desmarais, a member of the family that founded Power Corp.; Bernard Lamarre, formerly of SNC-Lavalin; and Ian Greenberg of Astral Media.

It looks like the bagman is really bringing in the grease. The Cons chose their guy well - it's too bad that he never had to face a single voter to get his gig, influence, and hand on the till.

Not a single, solitary one. An unelected Conservative party bagman bringing in a half million - on name alone.

Now, what type of individual would ever suggest that positions in government are for sale? Or that a Conservative Party of Canada would do something that would even make the Libranos pause for the optics? Who would suggest that?

http://tinyurl.com/5rcxww

HRC's alive and well in Britain. Take a wild guess as to which "victim group" is using them
=====================

It seems too lunatic to be true. But here a hair salon boss reveals how she was driven to the brink of ruin - and forced to pay £4,000 for 'hurt feelings' - after refusing to hire a Muslim stylist who wouldn't show her hair at work

[...]

The extremist Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir later admitted that it had 'advised her'.

Meanwhile, Sarah Desrosiers is wondering how to raise the £4,000 she has been ordered to pay Bushra. She has spent her savings on her legal battle and simply has no money left.

'I am a one-woman band, and am already in debt due to the set-up costs of opening my own salon,' says Sarah. 'I dread to think how many haircuts I'm going to have to do to earn the £4,000 I have to pay Bushra. This has, without doubt, been the worst year of my life.'

http://tinyurl.com/3v8bh6

hardboiled:

Who would suggest that? Whining liberals depressed about their sorry financial state. Note: Fortier has not done anything illegal. In stark contrast of course to the preferred liberal way of collecting money...

I don't suggest it, I state it.

Fortier's not having done anything illegal is moot.

He is an unelected bagman appointed to cabinet - for nothing more than the fact that he is connected to cashflow.

And democracy - and the notion of accountability to voters of a riding - is meaningless. This ain't 'conservative'. This is a buy-in to government.

Barbarism and civilization co-exist.
...-

"[School]Board use of psychic blasted
Allegation of sex abuse stems from 'vision' of letter V"

BARRIE -- The mother of an autistic girl says the public school board was "completely unprofessional" to formulate a theory that her daughter was being sexually abused based on a psychic's perception.

Barrie resident Colleen Leduc wants an apology from the Simcoe County District School Board, which called in the Children's Aid Society (CAS) to investigate.

According to the board, the case is still under investigation, although Leduc says it was closed.

Leduc immediately pulled her 11-year-old daughter, Victoria Nolet, out of Terry Fox Elementary School in north-end Barrie.

"I have trust issues now," Leduc said. "What are they going to concoct next week?""
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/06/18/5910691-sun.html

That's rich! Accountability to voters in a riding??? The abstention party (and hello Paul Martin) epitomize a complete lack of accountability to voters. And the point is not moot. If/when he runs for a seat in the next election, people can decide for themselves...

hardboiled,

as much as we'd all like to see every politician "elected and accountable", I'd rather they all just be honest and open.

Fortier's 'position' is unique. To say he's a bagman is derogatory. At least the contributions are public.

Questions about PWC can still be asked in the Commons.

hardboiled - it would be nice if you would understand the notion of 'accountability' in our Westminster style of government. It includes not only elected government officials, but ALL government officials, the majority of whom, in our government, are appointed.

The fact that you consider the only tactic of accountability to be 'elected' ignores that an election itself doesn't always mean that the individual has behaved in an accountable manner. You incorrectly link the two: election and accountability.

Chretien was elected; he didn't behave in an accountable manner. Same with many, many others in govt - elected people who abused the taxpayer's trust and yet, were re-elected.

Therefore, your insistence that the only measurement of accountability is by election and not valid by a govt firing the individual - is a false claim.

I repeat, there are other ways of holding govt officials to account, such a firing them. Indeed, this is often more successful than an election. The Harper govt has done that to a fair number of unelected officials. Are you going to claim that because we have such a proponderance of appointed to elected govt officials, that our govt is almost totally unaccountable?

As for your relentless vicious slurs against Fortier (bagman), I think you should justify them. It seems to be very personal with you. Name-calling is easy but the problem with name-calling is that it ignores facts. Bringing in donations is hardly a violation. So, what's the real beef?

Bruce Bawer, Put out More Flags

Dutch school officials order two boys to remove Dutch flags from their backpacks because Moroccan students might find them "provocative". A Swedish high school sends two girls home for having tiny Swedish flags on their sweaters; another bans national team shirts from class photos lest the flags on the shirts seem "xenophobic". In England, prison officers are directed to stop wearing English flag pins – and a black dustman is instructed to shed a bandanna featuring St. George's cross – for fear Muslims will cry "racist".

Call it vexillophobia (vexillum, of course, being Latin for "flag").

Militant Muslim leaders have exploited it, but they didn't create it: for that, blame multiculturalism for so effectively training Westerners to trash not only their own freedoms but the totems thereof...

so, what's the real beef? Posted by: ET at June 18, 2008 1:31 PM

Factual statements are not 'vicious slurs'.

Our topic of interest - the unelected bagman Fortier - fund raises aggressively from the private sector on behalf of the Cons. He then transfers substantial amounts to the party. Ergo, he solicits cash and turns it over to another. Hence the phrase 'bagman'. Is this form of solicitation the same as 'door knocking' or basic fundraising?

No. It is levering institutional and professional linkages to gain access to corporate interests, as well as access to the monied persons who possess substantial economic influence. But for these connections, our bagman would be of far less use. Access to government and getting the 'ear' of officials is explicitly implied through this. It is the very nature of the process. Now, I have not stated that any of this is illegal, nor that anything illegal has occurred. I state that but for our bagman's connections to the targetted demographic of Con support (Quebec business, large corporate interests), Fortier would be just another guy on the street.

Instead, despite being a political loser (he was rejected by voters in 2 previous elections), he is appointed to the Senate, given a 1.6 million dollar office budget, makes $300k per year, and controls tens of billions of dollars in government spending. That's bull. It doesn't matter if he is wealthy now, or took a pay cut to get the job. Getting appointed to the job of spending taxpayers dollars is bull.

And it is an abuse of the notion of voters electing their representatives. Someone pointed out Paul Martin as an example of accountability. And I agree - accountability within government is a serious, seriously bad joke. Backroom deals, party machinations, and even riding level shenanigans all undercut our freedom, and erode the notion of accountability and equal treatment of all Canadians by their government.

Now, from your tone ET, it looks as if you defer to positions of eminence and authority. Titles must really impress you. Stay on your knees, and keep repeating the dogma of a party. It'll keep your insides all fuzzy and warm.

And hey, he solicits and return cash to a political party using connections and influence, and he has failed to gain a seat through election.

Res ipsa loquitor, he is an unelected bagman. Capiche? It ain't personal. It's the ethics, optics, and sheer balls of it prosecuted by a 'conservative' party that pledged to change the way Ottawa works.

That is my real beef.

(I go with puddin's reasoning - but sadly - that's as likely as Taliban Jack grabbing an uzi and joining combat ops in Afghanistan)

hardboiled, the term 'bagman' is not a factual statement but a descriptive opinion.

No, it is untrue that Fortier 'transfers' the sums he raises to the Conservative Party. The money raised doesn't go to him directly; he doesn't touch it; therefore, he can't transfer it. It goes directly to the CPC.

Raising funds, an action done by all political parties, is the same - you get someone calling a donor and asking them to donate. The donation goes to the party, not to the caller. Remember, Fortier as an individual can also only give the limit of 1,100. Try to get some facts into your personal rant, hardboiled.

Second, your insistence that effectively, no-one with any business or political connections has the right to raise money for a political party is ridiculous. Why shouldn't a successful Canadian businessman or professional have the right to raise money for a political party? Would you ban people who are successful in their profession from participating in political actions? Why?

Now, he wasn't elected. Does that make him an unsuccessful person? Paul Martin was elected; does that make him a success - either in business or in politics?

Again, your insistence that the only criterion of any right to work in govt is that they are 'elected' means that over 3,000 of the directly appointed officers in our govt, are, according to you - 'losers' and totally unaccountable. All these other appointees control large sums of money; receive high salaries and are unelected. You seem totally disinterested in them. Your focus is always and only on Fortier. Why?

No, hardboiled, don't start into trivial ad hominem with me. Stick to the issues. See above.

Why aren't you frothing about the unelected and appointed govt officials in our govt? You don't say a word. You reserve your hatred for one person. Fortier. That suggests that it's a personl beef rather than an objective analysis.

Scientists advocating for action are overselling the predictive capabilities of climate models
But what does it mean to say that some weather events are “consistent with” climate model predictions? The implication of such statements of course is that models are reliable and offer accurate predictions that have been borne out by experience. But unfortunately, the real answer is that saying that any recent weather events are “consistent with” model predictions is an empty statement.

All of these claims of consistency between recent weather and model-based predictions might lead one to ask, in principle, what observations of weather events would be inconsistent with predictions from climate models. Guess what? It turns out that nothing that could be observed over a time period less than a decade or more — short of abrupt and unprecedented climate change, like an ice sheet advancing on New York — would be inconsistent with climate model predictions.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2008/06/17/overheated-claims.aspx

Scientists advocating for action are overselling the predictive capabilities of climate models
But what does it mean to say that some weather events are “consistent with” climate model predictions? The implication of such statements of course is that models are reliable and offer accurate predictions that have been borne out by experience. But unfortunately, the real answer is that saying that any recent weather events are “consistent with” model predictions is an empty statement.

All of these claims of consistency between recent weather and model-based predictions might lead one to ask, in principle, what observations of weather events would be inconsistent with predictions from climate models. Guess what? It turns out that nothing that could be observed over a time period less than a decade or more — short of abrupt and unprecedented climate change, like an ice sheet advancing on New York — would be inconsistent with climate model predictions.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2008/06/17/overheated-claims.aspx

State socialism has succeeded in outlawing the family in Canada. Your children and you are now the property of the collective State.
Justice Suzanne Tessier was appointed by Conservative Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson.
...-

"Court overrules father's grounding of girl

MONTREAL, June 18 (UPI) -- An appeal will be filed in a Montreal court after a Quebec judge overruled a father who grounded his 12-year-old daughter for dangerous Internet use.

The lawyer for the father, who can't be identified to protect the girl, told The Gazette newspaper that Justice Suzanne Tessier overstepped the court's bounds last Friday when she ruled in favor of the girl's [mother's] legal challenge and said she would be allowed to go on a school trip her father had forbidden because of misbehavior."
http://tinyurl.com/6p3zqu (upi)
...-

"The Death of the Grown-Up
By Jamie Glazov"
"FP: What is your book’s main argument?

West: The organizing thesis is that the unprecedented transfer of cultural authority from adults to adolescents over the past half century or so has dire implications for the survival of the Western world. In other words, what I call the death of the grown-up is not just about sophomorically bad music or babyishly dopey movies (although it's about that as well). Having redirected our natural development away from adulthood and maturity in order to strike the pop-influenced pose of eternally cool youth--ever-open, non-judgmental, self-absorbed, searching for (or just plain lacking) identity--we have fostered a society marked by these same traits, which are usually associated with adolescence. This may not have seemed to matter much in a country at peace (when I began work on the concept), but it becomes potentially fatal to a country at war with a foe that is wholly intolerant, rigidly doctrinaire, and globally expansionist."
http://tinyurl.com/5hzuqc (frontpage)

Since you bring so much emotional baggage along ET - you seem to have a hard time staying on topic. Let's bullet point your statements, and see how far you've strayed.

"Fortier as an individual can also only give the limit of 1,100. Try to get some facts into your personal rant, hardboiled." - I don't see where I made mention of any limits - nor accused him of exceeding it. Please refer to the post to where I have.

"No, it is untrue that Fortier 'transfers' the sums he raises to the Conservative Party. The money raised doesn't go to him directly; he doesn't touch it; therefore, he can't transfer it" Literally correct - my use of the phrase transfer is not literal. But for the actions of Fortier, are such substantial sums raised. Thus, he is by proxy, the conduit, initiator, and reason why such substantial sums are raised. In the abscence of his direct participation and persona, less funds would be gathered.

"Now, he wasn't elected. Does that make him an unsuccessful person? Paul Martin was elected; does that make him a success - either in business or in politics?" - please point to the relevant part of my postings (now, or previous), that challenge or characterize Fortier as 'unsuccessful'. He is a failed political candidate, that is fact. Could he become successful political candidate, likely. He'll be dropped into a safe Con riding. Please clarify.

"Again, your insistence that the only criterion of any right to work in govt is that they are 'elected' means that over 3,000 of the directly appointed officers in our govt, are, according to you - 'losers' and totally unaccountable." Please point out where I made statements that offer persons a 'right' to work in government, or that they are losers. I said that Fortier is a political loser. That is fact. Might he succeed if he tries again? See above. Until then, he is a political loser. And factually, the PMO controls over 5,000 direct appointments, not 3,000.

"Why aren't you frothing about the unelected and appointed govt officials in our govt? You don't say a word. You reserve your hatred for one person. Fortier. That suggests that it's a personl beef rather than an objective analysis." - Hatred is a strong word. Please point out in my post, or any previous postings, that I have made personal commentary on Fortier, with respect to either himself directly - his family, or anything other than the factual statement that he is an unelected bagman.

You seem totally disinterested in them. Your focus is always and only on Fortier. Why? - I am not 'disinterested' in a larger process, I state that a direct install into the largest single ministry by spending in the government is egregious. That's not to say other appointments are right or wrong. I have not commented on that. I may. Please cite where I have now, or in the past, shown disinterest or interest in that group.

No, hardboiled, don't start into trivial ad hominem with me

'Frothing' is an emotive word. Ad hominem indeed. How about speaking to fact? It would be a great improvement.

hardboiled -what emotional baggage do I have? Kindly be specific. And, I'm am on topic; I refer specifically to your comments on Fortier.

Your definition of Fortier as a 'political loser' is that he wasn't elected. The term 'loser' is derogatory. Why do you wish to paint him that way?

My point was that all the other officials in government, both civic and political, who aren't elected - are they 'losers' because they were appointed rather than elected? You haven't answered that.
You also haven't acknowledged that there are more ways to achieve accountability, and sometimes more functional ways, than relying on an election. Think of Martin, Chretien, Rae and many others.

You accuse him of raising large sums of money is strange. What's wrong with that? Please explain what's wrong.

Your description of Fortier as a 'political loser' and 'bagman' are offensive and derogatory comments. You don't seem to 'click' that the term 'bagman' is personally derogatory.

The definition of bagman is:
" a person who on behalf of another collects or distributes illicitly gained money; broadly : an intermediary in an illicit or unethical transaction".

You are, by the use of this term, openly declaring that he is engaged in illicit and unethical transactions. Yet you acknowledge that he hasn't done so. Therefore, your insistence on calling him by this term is deliberately personal and ad hominem.

"Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit. It cannot, like adultery or gluttony, be practiced at spare moments; it is a whole-time job."

W. Somerset Maugham

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research: Energy Guzzled by Al Gore’s Home in Past Year Could
Power 232 U.S. Homes for a Month; Gore’s personal electricity consumption up 10%, despite
“energy-efficient” home renovations http://tennesseepolicy.org/main/article.php?article_id=764

"Rights commission to review Internet hate laws"
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=35cbe8bc-216b-4a77-9a7b-07ee7a69cd14

Not sure if it'll work, but here's the Google News link to all 17 stories on this:
http://news.google.ca/?ncl=1222830655&hl=en&topic=t

Socialism's Red-Green Show as learned by CBC.
Mao Stlong say, goody, goody. You wan $12-$15 billion? You wan $40 billion?
It's Lib-Green's Into-Outof economics; out of your pocket; into Mao Stlong-China's greedy green maw.
...-

"If these details are confirmed when Dion unveils the plan Thursday, the carbon tax will provide between $12 billion and $15 billion in revenue to the federal government in the fourth year of its implementation."

"In another development Wednesday, Elizabeth May, leader of the federal Green party, unveiled a carbon tax proposal, which also speaks of significant tax cuts to make up for the pain of higher cost of fuel, food and manufactured goods.

May's plan would bring in an estimated $40 billion in new federal tax revenue, since it would include new taxes on gasoline for cars, trucks and buses."
http://tinyurl.com/5p4lmv
...-

Meanwhile, back at Citoyen's caucus: Infamous words from McCallum: "Well I don't know,".

"Finance critic John McCallum told reporters the MPs intended only to vote for a study of the tax, but was pressed on why a study was needed if Mr. Dion had already established his policy.

"Well I don't know," he responded."

"Liberal MPs urge review of party's carbon tax plan
Tories claim it shows split within Dion's caucus"
http://tinyurl.com/65togs (NP)

"AP Explains Why It Will Ignore Iraq Now That News Is Better

An unbylined Associated Press report yesterday, at least as carried at MSNBC, acknowledges improvement, and then explains why it's not going to get much future coverage from the wire service as long as things stay that way:

BAGHDAD - Signs are emerging that Iraq has reached a turning point. Violence is down, armed extremists are in disarray, government confidence is rising and sectarian communities are gearing up for a battle at the polls rather than slaughter in the streets.

Those positive signs are attracting little attention in the United States, where the war-weary public is focused on the American presidential contest and skeptical of talk of success after so many years of unfounded optimism by the war's supporters.

But is the public tuning out because they are "war-weary," or are they tuning out because are so tired of hearing and seeing over-the-top negative stories? Significant levels of positive news have been lacking from Iraq for so many years that the likely expectation is that any news will be bad news.

Jim Taranto's more succinct take at the Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web is this:

Don't expect to read any more about it (good Iraq news) from the AP. After all, you're just not interested.

Once again, AP decides what the relatively disengaged will see based on its own set of priorities, which apparently do not include a responsibility to inform the public in a consistent matter."
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4lxkq5 (newsbusters)

Posted by: ET at June 18, 2008 3:56 PM -

Fortier is an unelected Conservative party bagman. Soliciting (relatively) large sums of money from specific interest groups, within a specific region, creates of tighter communication and effectively, influence.

From the definition you provided, broadly : an intermediary in an unethical transaction.

I consider a cabinet posting repayment for that very favour - bring home the green. It buys leverage into parties. Because, in the absence of the $dough$ and influence - Fortier would probably be doing something else.

To me, that is unethical. It is that simple. The fact that he brought enough green and the right connections to get a straight appointment directly into cabinet says it even more.

You ignore having a point by point discussion based upon fact. There is no reason to continue. Stick with the paid Conservative staffers who post, and enforce and enhance your world view. Cognitive dissonance can be painful.

My point was that all the other officials in government, both civic and political, who aren't elected - are they 'losers' because they were appointed rather than elected? ======> to clarify - I refer to Fortier's loss as an elected official as a 'political loser', as in he's lost the election, not meant that appointed positions in government are 'losers'.

They get a great win for sucking all the right places of the political parties.

Liberals push porn at your expense.
...-

"Liberal Senate amendments strip government of
power to deny film tax credits"

"Senator Francis Fox said the Senate will send the bill back to the Commons after deleting sections that would allow the minister of Canadian Heritage to deny tax credits to films that don't meet public policy standards."
(canoenews)
...-

Liberal Senator Francis Fox:

"Close to Charisma: My Years Between the Press and Pierre Elliott ... - Google Books Result
by Patrick Gossage - 1987 - Biography & Autobiography - 271 pages
Today Francis Fox tear-stains the House by announcing he signed as husband for the abortion of a married woman.* He runs from the Chamber. ...
books.google.ca/books?isbn=088780148X..."

Can't you guys take your personal arguments
somewhere else?

I have appreciated both of your various comments over the years but, for the love of God, in this case please take it to another another venue!

The only one who wins a Pi**ing contest is the skunk.

"And the Wheels Stopped Turning

By Jürgen Habermas

European governments are at their wits' end. It is time for them to admit it -- and let the public decide about the future of the European Union.

…and everything comes to a grinding halt.

The farmers are upset about falling global prices and the new regulations constantly coming from Brussels. Those at the bottom of the social ladder are upset about the growing gap between rich and poor, especially evident in a country where both groups live in close proximity. The citizens despise their own politicians, who promise the world but who lack perspective and do not (cannot) deliver."
http://tinyurl.com/4q9v5y (spiegel)

CanP's rebels are Islamic Taliban murderers.
...-

"36 rebels reported killed by Canadian, Afghan troops
By The Canadian Press"

as of 643 EST .

no news on CTV(tass) on Dions Green Shift

http://www.ctv.ca/canada

yet CBCpravda is onto its fifth story. it Tass ignoring it or has CBCpravda stepped up as the personal spokesman for the liberal party.

The "out" clause for the globalwarmites: no mea culpae, no lawsuits, no apologies from the warmites. Gaia has come to the rescue.
GoreSuzy, at al, are saved by the O-Zone.
...-

"Ozone Hole Closing could Ease Effects of Climate Change (global warming)

A Columbia University study just published in "Science" concludes that the projected, full recovery (closing) of the ozone hole over Antarctica during the second half of this century could significantly affect climate change in the Southern Hemisphere and therefore, the global climate"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2033010/posts

Oh, for gawd's sake, hardboiled, just shut up. Your act is old. You never have been a fiscal conservative, you just play one on the blogs. Give it up, and go back to whatever it was you kicked before you found SDA.

Glad to hear Francis Fox's erections still very much on his mind!

Oh, for gawd's sake, hardboiled, just shut up. Your act is old Posted by: Yukon Gold at June 18, 2008 9:58 PM

Partisan echo chambers are boobs on a chicken Yukon. I extended the discussion far beyond its' useful life, but I feel passionate about it.

Moreso - reflexive partisan support is as injurious, and dangerous to Canadian citizens, as the moonbats, socialists, and victim machines the bureaucracies create.

It's good to keep your mind open.

If there's a politician in the room, it's good to keep your hand on your wallet.