Tommy Douglas: “Hello? It’s Your Cousin, Loser.”

” . . . It’s important for each and every Saskatchewan citizen to phone their relatives in Alberta and make sure that publicly in Alberta the Canadian perspective around community responsibility for health care remains at the forefront of what the policymakers are doing.” – Saskatchewan Health Minister John Nilson

Those would be same relatives who left Saskatchewan’s glorious utopian system behind in search of… what do they call it, again … ?
Oh, right – Not Saskatchewan”.
David Maclean asks how long it’s going to be before some intrepid reporter asks Nilson ” whether it is at all appropriate for a minister of the crown to organizing political campaigns in other provinces. “
(Via Dust My Broom.)

Dog Show Rage

This from a friend, via an email list;

Yesterday at the World Show in Argentina rabid Dogo fans did not like the BOB selection made by the Judge. They went after him with knives(Saturday the crowd favorite who lost went up to the Judge in the ring and punched him in the nose). Two men, standing at ringside, threw two canisters of tear gas into the Dogo ring causing panic and many injuries. (The site was set up like The Garden). Many, especially Americans, thought it was a terrorist attack. You can just picture owners and handlers trying to get to their dogs to get them out of the building. To add insult to injury the police shut the main doors, locking in many people who, in panic and pain, went through the plate glass windows to get air. Many people were taken to the hospital, many dogs went to the vets, some dogs had bad eye injuries as well as lung involvement and a few dogs died at the scene.
The FCI banned the Argentinean Dogo from shows for two years and took away all awards given during this weekend. Too little too late, in my opinion. They were aware of the danger before the show but did nothing about it. Since the dog is the country’s favorite they allowed them to enter for $20.00 per entry instead of $120.00 like the rest of the dogs so over 100 were there. The fanciers are like rabid soccer fans. The FCI then went on to finish the show after airing out the building late that afternoon (under the threats of more violence) with over half the entry missing, not the proper thing to do, IMO.
We were fortunate, our handler had just returned to the grooming area so was able, with a little help, to get the dogs out without harm to their eyes, nose or lungs, she was not as lucky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“In the meantime the judge is back home safely. I think he will not forget this adventure. At home he told another judge how all this started. At the moment he announced the BOB, the losing person gave order to his dog to attack the judge. Luckily he is quite a sportive man and could jump on the judges table to protect himself and then it went on as described ….
I know this judge because he also had judged xxx some years ago and usually participates at all the shows in Austria. He is a Dogo breeder himself and the president of the Austrian Dogo club.

I went to the World Show in Rio De Janeiro last year – for a show of its size and distinction, I have never seen such a mess. Poor organization, overheated dogs dying, blatantly political judging. And I was at first astonished – then relieved – to discover that there were armed guards overseeing the show site, and that my hosts (whose personal kindness and hospitality was unmatched) had in their employ their own armed driver.
This story doesn’t actually surprise me much.

Go For The Bronze

Monte Solberg responds to Adam Radwanski’s Post column;

Adam, your point seems to be stylistic. You seem to be saying that it was politically unwise of me to say anythings critical of “the new Canada”, and that patriotism has a long history of getting people elected, and when will conservatives figure this out. Fair enough. I concede that waving the flag is a good strategy, but it’s also dangerous when you truly are concerned for the future of the country.
The problem with liberalism today is that it’s all about strategy, and politics, and doing whatever it takes to get elected. But sometimes doing what it takes to get elected is so completely at odds with I think is right for the country that I would rather dive head first into a wood chipper than pretend that I’m okay with how things are. Somebody once pointed out that the opposite of love isn’t hate it’s indifference, and it’s true. Adam, me and my fellow conservatives are not indifferent to Canada. We think Canada can be so much better than it is today.

Brat Camp: The Winner Gets A Life

I’m not generally a fan of reality TV (I’ve never seen an episode of Survivor or The Apprentice), but I did catch Brat Camp last night.
It was fascinating stuff, despite the bawling teenage drama queens. One thing I did notice right away – nearly all the parents of these “out of control” (spoiled rotten) teens were well into their late forties or fifties. With Stats Can reporting that the average first time mother is now over thirty years old, one wonders if the combination of affluence, fewer (or no) siblings, and the “maturity” that one gains with age and experience (read: too much exposure to child rearing experts on afternoon tv) may not prove to be a recipe for indulgence.
It’s going to be interesting to watch these brats – and brat is the word for them – deal with the 40 or more days of winter survival camp before them. (They can earn their release after 40 days, but not before. Some students have spent as long as 3 months.) It will be equally interesting to watch the reactions of the bleeding hearts and child psychologistas over the coming weeks.

Sudden Decline In China’s Oil Consumption

A couple of years ago I caught a mention that China was full of “empty office buildings” – due to rampant speculation that was racing far ahead of the economy. I have no idea if it was accurate – it’s just that I was reminded of it by this;

A sudden and mysterious drop in China’s oil consumption helped to push down the International Energy Agency’s estimate on Wednesday of global demand for this year.
After growing 11 percent in 2003 and 15.4 percent last year, China’s overall oil use declined 1 percent in the second quarter from the comparable quarter a year earlier, the agency said.
The drop is the latest in a series of unclear and often conflicting indications about whether the Chinese economy is still growing strongly. Top officials of the agency said in interviews they believed that the decline was temporary and that they expected Chinese demand to rebound in the second half of the year, but added that world oil prices could take a heavy blow if Chinese use did not increase.

Curious.

Embrace Hollywood

“Democrats need to embrace Hollywood because this is where they need to come to learn how to tell a story.” – Michael Moore*

The June 5 edition of Variety reports that a movie deal is in the works about the 21-year old lapsed-terrorist’s life. Paramount Pictures has even enlisted the Oscar-nominated screenwriter Keir Pearson to turn Abdurahman’s story into a script. The movie will reportedly find a feel-good lesson in Abdurahman’s journey from bin-Laden�s training camp in Afghanistan, through Guantanamo and Bosnia to Toronto, Canada, where Khadr, having allegedly renounced his terrorist ways, now resides with other members of his family.

For his participation in the project, Khadr will be generously rewarded: The National Post, quoted by Daniel Pipes, reports that Abdurahman – the “good son” of the Khadr family – could earn as much as $500,000 when the movie debuts sometime around 2006. Daily Variety, also quoted by Pipes, suggests that the deal may be worth in the “mid- to high-six figures.” The producers hope Johnny Depp will star in the lead. Vincent Newman, president of Vincent Newman Entertainment, who bought the rights, is quoted hailing Khadr’s “a classic black sheep story – a story about the rebel of the family.” Khadr meanwhile has reserved the rights to develop the screenplay. Variety notes that “it appears it will follow the storyline that makes him look best….”

More

The Lesser Reported Summer Makeover Tour: Punjabi Politics

Celebrating diversity on the west coast….

“The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) was founded in 1984 in the United Kingdom as an international branch of the All India Sikh Students’ Federation (AISSF) with centers in several countries, including Canada. The ISYF is a Sikh organization whose aim is to promote Sikh philosophy and the establishment of an independent Sikh nation called Khalistan. In the pursuit of their goal, the ISYF does not hesitate to resort to violence. Since 1984, its members have been engaged in terrorist attacks, assassinations and bombings mostly against Indian political figures, but also against moderate members of the Sikh community opposed to their extremist ways. The ISYF collaborates and/or associates with a number of Sikh terrorist organizations, notably Babbar Khalsa (BK), the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF).”

All that, and the company of Liberal Party candidates, too!

Ujjal Dosanjh’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Let’s see what our intrepid Canadian “investigative” reporting industry has been up to in the latest Gurmond Grewal “undeclared cheque cashing scandal”…
In the mainstream media equivalent of McDonald’s buying and reselling the Whopper[tm], the Globe and Mail “reports” that they are viewers of the CBC .

The RCMP is investigating complaints that contributors to Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal’s 2004 campaign have not received tax receipts for their money, CBC News reported last night.
“This is really strange and unusual,” said Barj Dhahan, a campaign contributor. “We have one of our national parties and one of its candidates is accepting political contributions and there’s no receipts. So it raises a lot of questions.”
The Vancouver businessman told the CBC he gave Mr. Grewal a cheque for $600 for his 2004 re-election campaign. Mr. Dhahan said he never received a tax receipt.

Camille Bains is just as diligent in repeating the story for Macleans;

Barj Dhahan, a Vancouver businessman, said the Mounties planned to take a statement from him on Wednesday. Dhahan said he contributed $600 toward Grewal’s campaign on Dec. 27, 2003, and has had about a dozen phone conversations since February with staff at the MP’s constituency office about a receipt.
[…]
According to Elections Canada, a campaign contribution can be made directly to a candidate but receipts must be issued and funds must be deposited into the campaign or riding association account.
Dhahan, along with his associate Sarup Mann, met Grewal in his office on Dec. 27, 2003, the day both men made $600 contributions toward the MP’s re-election.

(And several months before Elections Canada revised their rules to require the issuance of tax receipts, but why dwell on minutiae?)
To their credit, CTV quotes Dhahan’s “associate” Sarup Mann;

“I have nothing against Gurmant, he’s a friend of mine, said Sarup Mann, who says he wrote Grewal a cheque for $600 and never got a receipt.”

… and finds a not-so-irrelevant tidbit of information that neither CBC, the reselling Globe or Macleans bothered looking into.

But, he is also on the executive of the Liberal Party’s Vancouver South riding association, Dosanjh’s riding.

How many “investigations” has the media broken about Grewal so far – only to see him cleared? Is anyone else losing count? And why are mentions of criminal investigations into Tim Murphy and Ujjal Dosanjh over the tape affair being omitted from recent reports?
One wonders if the RCMP would be knocking on the door of Inky Marks today, had he obtained proof of the offers allegedly made to him to cross the floor that included taped participation by the PMO and Health Minister.
Update – Brent Colbert wonders if someone has been playing the “long con”. Where the Cash-Filled-Envelope Party is involved – anything is possible.

Harry Potter And The Half Wit Judge

J.K. Rowlings has a very clumsy publisher. Her Harry Potter books have a habit of slipping out of their boxes at an alarming rate, sometimes stolen, sometimes found in fields – always mere days before their official release dates.
You’d think people would catch on.

A gagging order has been issued by a Canadian court after a handful of lucky Harry Potter fans snapped up the new book ahead of this Saturday’s release date.
JK Rowling’s highly anticipated sixth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was inadvertently sold to 14 people at a supermarket near Vancouver. Its contents have been kept a tightly guarded secret and the subject of mounting speculation. Even publishers and critics have been barred from glimpsing a copy until it is unveiled at midnight parties being held at bookshops across the globe this Friday night.
The offending shop quickly realised its mistake and whipped the wizardry tale off the shelves.
“It was an inadvertent error on behalf of one of our staff,” said Geoff Wilson, a spokesman for the Real Canadian Superstore.
Justice Kristi Gill at the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered customers not to talk aboaut the book, copy it, sell it or even read it before it is officially released.

The injunction notice
So, there we have it.
It’s not enough that the courts in this land feel they must shield Canadians from testimony at “public” inquiries. It’s not enough that they protect the identities of virtually every sex offender who is clever enough to assault members of his own family.
Now the courts are using gag orders to help book marketers generate hype.

Even Harry Potter and his gang couldn’t have conjured up a better potion for a marketing campaign than the accidental leak of the latest Potter book from a suburban Vancouver store, a marketing expert says.
[…]
“Not in his magic spells could he work one this effective,” said Lindsay Meredith, a Simon Fraser University marketing strategies professor. “My straight-up hunch is this is some of the best damned PR I’ve seen in a while. They didn’t pay a penny for it and it’s way more powerful than advertising.”

Nope. The taxpayers did.

Blood Feud

[I’m well aware that I’m covering this topic rather heavily at the moment. There are over 50 dead Britons who are demanding we do. Deal with it.]
Belmont Club is following developments in the investigations in London.
In a preceeding post titled Two Points Of View;

“The feud is eternal.” Hence, the Jihad, unlike the war waged by the West, can never be surrendered. Only the West can surrender. But blogs like In a State of Flux, though guilty of Ledeen’s indictment of narrowness, are an important indicator that the feud is becoming symmetrical. Western citizens are still focused on the ‘larger issues’ but personal loss and anger are making the war less abstract. They want to find particular people who attacked them on specific occasions for the purpose of visiting upon them individual punishment. For many, the war is no longer business, it’s personal.
One route to victory, the ugly route, is to match the entropy within Islamic societies with a corresponding entropy within the West. The rising resentment against Islamic immigrants in Europe and the growing willingness in the West to see Islam and even Muslims as the enemy, are all early signs of the transformation of war into a corresponding blood feud. One of the constant themes of the Belmont Club is how this development is undesirable because it will, at the limit, result in the destruction of Islamic society and make us all murderers. The alternative route chosen by President Bush, but only half-heartedly pursued by mainstream politicians, is to decrease entropy within
the Islamic world by making those countries functional, modern and free so that the “blood feud” concept becomes as anachronistic in Riyadh as it is in Cleveland.

He sees a glimmer of hope in an Afghan village.
updateAustin Bay discusses post-bombing polls showing a hardening of British attitudes.

Overheard This Morning In The Dentist’s Chair

whiiiiiiiiirrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrriiiiirrrrrr
Dental Assistant: “So you were in Mexico.”
Dentist: “Yes. We’ve been there three times. But it’s changed so much.
whiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrr
Dentist: Everything is so expensive now.”
Dental Assistant: “Oh, I know. It’s like they noticed all the tourists and got smart.”
whiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrr
Dentist: “Have you been to Hawaii?”
Dental Assistant: “Yeah. We were there last winter.”
whiiiiiiiiirrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrriiiiirrrrrr
Dentist: “I could use a little suction here…..’
schloshloshloshlosh…
Dental Assistant: “It was soooo humid, though…”
whiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrr
Dentist: “Well, it’s the tropics.”
whiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrriiiiirrrrrr……
Dental Assistant: “Oh I know – it gets humid here, but it’s not the same – they have a wet humid.”
Dental Assistant: “Ours is a dry humid.”
Me: “cackgorglegorglehack….. ”
Dentist: “Are you ok?”

Higher Being

When someone sent me a congratulatory email this morning about my ascention to Higher Being status on the TTLB Ecosystem (where SDA is currently ranked #5), I decided to take a look at the details and try to figure out what in tarnation is going on – because it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
It appears that the Blogging Tories homepage is enhancing linkage stats, somewhat artificially. Every time I write a post, the BT site automatically links back to it – at the moment there are over 460 such links (To complicate matters, for reasons unknown, one of my posts from last year insists on having it’s own ranking on the system. I’ve emailed NZ Bear about it.)
So, that’s what’s likely going on. Not sure what to do about it, but perhaps the best solution is to find a way to delist Blogging Tories member aggregator page from the TTLB system?

Mohammed Bouyeri

Over the past few weeks I’ve heard Canadian media sanitize this incident. According to some news outlets, Theo Van Gogh was murdered by an unnamed “deranged youth” who “pinned a note” to his chest..
They rarely mention that he used a knife.

Witnesses described how the man shot Van Gogh again from a distance of about half a metre. He then produced a large knife and cut Van Gogh’s throat before plunging the knife into his chest. He then took a smaller knife from a bag he was carrying and used it to pin a letter to Van Gogh’s body.

To place Bouyeri in the larger context of the Dutch experiment in multi-culturalism, this Chris Caldwell piece from The Weekly Standard in December 2004. (The second page seems to have gone offline – I’ve got a bit of it here);

Muslim immigrants had begun to scare people long before Pim Fortuyn, the charismatic populist, turned himself into the country’s most popular politician in the space of a few weeks in 2002, by arguing that the country was already overloaded with newcomers. (Fortuyn was assassinated by an animal-rights activist in May of that year.) Already in the 1990s, there were reports of American-style shootouts in schools, one involving two Turkish students in the town of Veghel. This past October, newspaper readers were riveted by the running saga of a quiet married couple who had been hounded out of the previously livable Amsterdam neighborhood of Diamantbuurt by gangs of Muslim youths. There were incidents of wild rejoicing across Holland in the wake of the September 11 attacks, notably in the eastern city of Ede. The weekly magazine Contrast took a poll showing that just under half the Muslims in the Netherlands were in “complete sympathy” with the September 11 attacks. At least some wish to turn to terrorism. In the wake of the van Gogh murder, Pakistani, Kurdish, and Moroccan terrorist cells were discovered. The Hague-based “Capital Network,” out of which van Gogh’s killer Mohammed Bouyeri came, had contact with terrorists who carried out bombings in Casablanca in 2003. Perhaps the most alarming revelation was that an Islamist mole was working as a translator in the AIVD, the national investigative service, and tipping off local radicals to impending operations.

(update – a reader found the “missing” second page).
Quoted from Peaktalk, where there’s much more;

One of the absolute benefits of the Van Gogh trial is the fact that in Mohammed Bouyeri we have pure, unrefined jihadist material at our disposal like we have never had it before. The 9/11 hijackers perished together with their innocent victims, many hardcore al-Qaeda and Taliban members have been killed in Afghanistan, the al-Zarqawi division in Iraq is decimated regularly, a number of the Madrid bombers equally perished to the afterlife, and there�s no sign of the London attackers as of yet. What we have been able to incarcerate so far in my opinion is second-tier material, a number of the residents of Gitmo have started talking and some of them have even been released. Not so with Bouyeri, who is likely to remain behind bars forever, silently. And although he won�t say anything and refuses to co-operate, just by observing him we can paint a pretty scary picture, one that reminds us again of what we’re actually fighting.

Of course, Canadians can rest assured that our government is working very, very hard on our , while “gauging feedback from ethnic communities on dealings with border security officials”.

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