tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12674705775461527742024-02-19T22:22:06.616-08:00The Chollyer BlogBits and bites about things I'm interested in.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-20001743423320655822015-08-05T18:14:00.000-07:002015-08-05T18:14:26.099-07:00The Politics of Breasts <span style="font-family: inherit;">NSFW WARNING: You should assume any link in this blog is not safe for work.*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ezra Levant spent ten minutes and six tweets <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629078030162501632">decrying</a> the <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629078481624780800">horrors</a> of a <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629078884668018688">person</a> who is running to lead the country having his <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629079149852950529">picture</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629079462269857793">taken</a> with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ezralevant/status/629079816944234496">woman.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That seems like an odd sentence, doesn't it? Of course a man and woman can have their picture taken together!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not so, if the woman is topless. This picture was taken at the Toronto Pride Parade. Toronto, where it's perfectly legal to go topless. Therefore, I can only assume there's outrage at <a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7333/9197654062_8b80605051_b.jpg">this photo</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As an aside, I feel absolutely horrible for this woman. I'm assuming she asked for this picture. I don't know how it got out, but it did. I have no idea what her name is, but I suspect in the coming days I will. She did nothing wrong here and there's a good chance a million people will be inappropriately sexualizing her this time next week.** </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Against my better judgement, I'm going to try and answer the idiotic questions posed by Mr.Levant:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What politician would pose for this picture?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Justin Trudeau</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What strategist would advise it?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I imagine a strategist doesn't advise on every single picture the candidate takes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What point does it prove?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That you consider the female body obscene. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Does this photo court the vote of women? Of moms? Of wives? </span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It might? I don't think that's the point though. I wasn't there, but I would guess the young lady asked Mr.Trudeau for a picture and he gave her one just like he did the topless men. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">What does it say about him? </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">About what he thinks of her? </span></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That he isn't the kind of man who thinks every time a female nipple is visible it's time for a sex act. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">What father of daughters would vote for Trudeau upon seeing this? What mother of daughters? What older brother? </span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ones that don't consider the female body to be merely sexual object for male fulfillment. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is what a frat boy does; what a “ladies’ man” does. Is it what a husband & father does? A leader? </span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes. A woman asked for her picture taken and he obliged and didn't discriminate against her breasts. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seriously.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, seriously. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Media Party clucked when I criticized Trudeau kissing another man’s young bride on her wedding day. There’s a pattern.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">There's a pattern of treating women as </span><span style="color: #222222;">autonomous</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> beings capable of deciding what's appropriate to do with their body.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you were being attacked as unserious, childish, “just not ready” would you pose for a photo that proved that true?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Probably not. Though, this photo does nothing of the sort. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">So there you have it. It's the 21st century and we're still fighting against people terrified of breasts. </span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Though, there's really nothing sexual about the picture, I appreciate that this may land some people in hot water at their place of employment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">**By the by, maybe she <i>wants</i> to be sexualized - and there's nothing wrong with that either. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-86609901722478877862015-08-01T10:22:00.000-07:002015-08-01T10:22:34.181-07:00Making That Writ Drop - WubWubWubWubWubWhile unofficial at this point, it's all but certain that the writ will drop tomorrow and we'll be in a full blown election cycle. 11 weeks of electioneering for your summertime pleasure. If you're looking for writings on how this is <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/paulmcleod/conservative-staffers-will-vet-every-single-canadian-that-st#.ou3wAD5eW">the downfall of democracy</a>, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thehouse/canada-s-longest-and-most-expensive-election-campaign-ever-about-to-begin-1.3172717/stephen-harper-gaming-the-system-with-early-election-call-says-former-elections-canada-head-1.3172869">a mass manipulation of the election system</a>, and how <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/drop-the-writ-understanding-the-benefits-of-an-early-election-call/article25806274/">Mr.Harper is actually an evil genius rigging the system to his advantag</a>e - I'm afraid you won't find that here.<br />
<br />
While it might be a bit presumptuous of me to disagree with the former Elections Canada head, I'm actually pretty pleased with the choice to open up the writ period here. Not because I'm a political junkie, because I could use another month with that part of my brain turned off. I'm really pleased with this simply because it's formalizing the obvious. If anything, the writ should have dropped the morning after the last day parliament sat.<br />
<br />
Candidates have been campaigning since January, really. It started revving up June 20 when the house was out. Since that time, MP's and candidates have been attending every BBQ or community event they could find in hopes of endearing themselves to a few more winnable votes. The dropping of the writ merely formalizes the reality that we're in campaign season.<br />
<br />
While there seems to be a great number of folks happy to decry the timing of the writ (surely not because it's cutting into their vacation), perhaps the disdain would be better targeted toward the time honored and non-partisan* tradition of <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/storyline/tories-make-flurry-of-spending-announcements-totally-almost-4-billion-before-the-election-call">bribing us with our own money</a>. These announcements, that only the governing party gets to make, are essentially taxpayer funded PR for the governing party. As Marshall Jones pointed out on <a href="http://canadalandshow.com/podcast/man-blue-suitezra-wants-attention">CANADALAND: Short Cuts </a>these events are usually useless for the most part. The government member there will stay on script, not say anything new, and it all gets sent out in a press release at the end anyways. The fact that these events even get local media coverage is evidence of a mainstream media wrangled into submission.<br />
<br />
So bring on the writ, I say. We've been in election season for a year and it's about time the facts reflected that.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCawU6BE8P8">In the meantime, I managed to find this video of Stephen Harper trying to decide when to drop the <strike>bass</strike> writ. </a><br />
<br />
*I say non-partisan as this is something every government in the last 100 years has done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-90832741174764152422015-06-30T13:00:00.000-07:002015-06-30T13:00:35.681-07:00Hey Guys! Can We Stop Being Dicks Please? I'm really not an expert on this topic, I just had to say something.<br />
<br />
I shared the title of this post with a friend of mine. He declared my request was like asking a tree to stop growing leaves.<br />
<br />
I don't buy it.<br />
<br />
Here's a story I heard last night from a couple female bike riders:<br />
<br />
<i>Woman 1: I'm going the same speed as a car, and all the time I get guys just yelling at me as I go by "HEY NICE BIKE!" I don't know what they're expecting, that I'll just slam on my breaks to talk to them? I've even had some guys try to slap my ass as I'm flying by. They've never got me, though. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Woman 2: Oh that's the worst. I had a guy actually get me. I was just getting on my bike and he walked by and *smack*!</i><br />
<br />
Well, surely this is an isolated incident, <a href="https://twitter.com/meliss_hughes/status/609755570795622400" target="_blank">right</a>? <a href="https://twitter.com/meliss_hughes/status/609754589999538176" target="_blank">RIGHT?</a>*<br />
<br />
Dudes.<br />
<br />
No, really. DUDES! What the hell?! Who the hell was your father? Your grandfather? Would they approve of this kind of Neanderthism? On the off chance your male family is as dense as you are, here's a better question:<br /><br />Would you watch with approval as someone treated your mother, sister, or grandmother this way?<br />
<br />
Now let me try to answer some of your objections without calling you a neanderthal.<br />
<br />
<i>Y'know, it's not just guys who are assholes! I've met some pretty shitty women too... </i><br />
<br />
You met another person who was kind of shitty? Sounds like there's a lot of them in this world.<br />
<br />
In general, do I think people as a whole could do a better job at not being dickbags? Sure I do.<br />
<br />
I would note though, that while the plethora of douche in this world may not be sex specific - randomly sexually assaulting women in passing seems to be an overwhelmingly male trait.<br />
<br />
<i>I don't get what the big deal is. I'd love it if random women started smacking my ass while I was going about my day. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zE1LbC4Fvs">.....</a><br />
<br />
I'm going to provide the benefit of the doubt and assume your ass is <a href="http://i.imgur.com/da5K7ib.jpg">some glorious piece of man meat that all would want to come in contact with</a> - and we can even set aside the different life you've inherently experienced growing up as a man to the oft-sexualized female perspective.<br />
<br />
Perhaps you should get comfortable with the idea that just because you'd like something to be done to you, doesn't give you the right to do it to others without consent. This is <b>always</b> true - but especially true in sexual interactions.<br />
<br />
<i>Maybe if they weren't wearing...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Nope.<a href="http://www.cardsagainstharassment.com/cards.html"> Stop.</a> You're being a neanderthal.<br />
<br />
<i>So, what's in it for me? Currently, I get to slap women's asses, so if I stop I should get something better, right? </i><br />
<br />
Well, that's a pretty fucked up way to be thinking about it, really. But YES! See if you stop treating women like an object for your consumption and actually get to know them, as independent and unique beings, you might grow as a person. You might learn more about someone else's experience, and learn some empathy. You might become a more rounded person and this may serve you better in both social and professional venues.<br />
<br />
And frankly, if this is the kind of crap you're pulling currently, you have A LOT of growing to do.<br />
<br />
<b>A note to the men who aren't colossal douche bags </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
If you see this kind of shit happening, or even other general stupid comments about women when among men** you gotta step up. It's not good enough for you to simply not engage in such obscene practices. You need to actively stop other men from this kind of garbage.<br />
<br />
It's really not enough to simply not be a dickbag. We need to band together against the dickbags and make it known on every occasion that this kind of business is <b>not</b> okay.<br />
<br />
If you're afraid of a physical confrontation, congratulations you've reached the point of understanding a fraction of the fear women are experiencing currently.<br />
<br />
<br />
*This is nowhere near an isolated incident. These examples I provided are a mere tip of the iceberg. Many other stories, often more horrific, have been shared with me in confidence which I won't outline here.<br />
**A man proclaimed this weekend that "All women are planning for their weddings from childhood. It's in their genetics." No. Not genetics. Not all women. Just... no.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-68022353420315523042015-05-03T13:22:00.000-07:002015-05-03T13:22:04.936-07:00I'm Going to Vote, You Should Too. <i>NOTE: This blog started out as a "here's who I'm voting for and why" and quickly turned into something else, then back into it's original intention. Who I'm voting for is the bottom half, but I hope you take the time to read the rest as well. </i><br />
<br />
Today I start with an oft proclaimed cliche that never really resonated with me until I moved here.<br />
<br />
It takes a great deal of courage to stand for public office.<br />
<br />
This might be the first election where I've sincerely felt this. I've heard it said during <a href="http://blogs.canoe.com/davidakin/politics/the-evolution-of-the-so31-from-happy-thoughts-to-political-mud-fights/" target="_blank">SO31s </a>but it always struck me as a bit of empty rhetoric. I think living in such a small place has really driven this point home as I now happen to have a friend running, another friend's brother is a candidate, a man I've met a couple times through an ex is leading a party, and the woman who will likely be my MLA popped up on my newsfeed one day with a dog she and her husband found. Politics are far more personal here. That's a good thing, for the most part.<br />
<br />
It's not just the grind of shaking hands*, kissing babies, and putting up signs. There's also a significantly more shitty side with people trying to tear that work down.<br />
<br />
In the last week, there have been reports of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/prince-edward-island-votes/jacqueline-tuplin-ndp-candidate-finds-sign-defaced-with-racial-slur-1.3054040" target="_blank">racism</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/McNeilly.NDP/photos/a.603137176483222.1073741828.602206999909573/645999368863669/?type=1&theater" target="_blank">vandalism </a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/beckaviau/status/594277031405301760" target="_blank">outright theft</a>. It's especially troubling that it's smaller parties with no real chance to win who are facing this kind of abuse. To even take the time and energy to go out there campaign for your minority opinion is commendable, so I see no logical reasons for these hooligans to engage in this stupidity.<br />
<br />
I don't want to get too "heal the world" here, but there's over 100 people in the province, with wildly different views on everything from trade to abortion actively trying to persuade the locals to their way of thinking. I don't know if you've ever had a political discussion in a bar, but imagine making that your entire life for a month and potentially a career.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, I think the least we can do is tell these people what we think. So I hope you vote.<br />
<br />
<b>Who I'm Voting For </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Let's get the obvious out of the way. I'm not voting for the Green Party. Campaigns of hope and change are popular, especially given the culture to permeates in this place. They're just not realistic, though. It's always easy for people who have no power to proclaim the purity in which they'll act once they do. This rarely, if ever, holds true. I also have philosophical issues with programs like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income" target="_blank">BIG</a>. It completely plays in to cultural issues that plague the province. If the government will offer you enough money to live and not work, the people here have proven they'll often not work. Locals will build straw men of extreme cases where it may be marginally warranted, but any reasonable person can see the way EI is used. Institutionalizing it provincially is completely misguided in my view.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, having even a smidgen of fiscal responsibility is important to me. In theory, this should exclude all three remaining parties, but easily the NDP more than the others. When 70% of the provincial budget is spent on public servants, perhaps it's not the wisest idea to elect the party in the pockets of the unions? <br />
<br />
And then there were two. Now - this is the part where NDP and Green members well try to dismember my member from me proclaiming that I'm furthering a narrative of "red pill -vs- blue pill" and that's simply not true. Every Islander has a choice. I choose fiscal responsibility. Once either the Greens or NDP decides to start exercising some, they'll certainly become a consideration.<br />
<br />
I started this election process with a simple premise I would tell to anyone who would listen: If both of the viable parties are equally horrible on social issues (abortion, specifically) then why would I also give the keys to the guy who's party has been shitting the bed for the last 8 years?<br />
<br />
Really, the only way I was going to end up voting Liberal this election was if Rob Lantz completely shit the bed this election.<br />
<br />
And he did.<br />
<br />
After seeing the debate performances, including a bizarre diatribe at the end of the education debate, I don't see how any person with eyes could view him as leadership material. Of the 4 candidates he may have (mostly) the best platform (aside from women's rights of course). In fact, there are considerable points to be given for being the one candidate to stand up and say government isn't going to fix all your problems. Yet somehow, of the 4 candidates he comes off as the least authentic, the least sincere, and just generally kinda shady.<br />
<br />
It's not this alone that caused me to change my mind.<br />
<br />
I am yet to be convinced that the Liberal party isn't going to make significant change to abortion services. Even in the CBC debate, it was made pretty clear that *something* was going to change if not bringing the service directly to Island. I think baby steps are better than no steps, so even if that's the case it may have been enough to get my vote. I don't believe we're going to see baby steps though. I think new plans and recommendations will be made. They'll be VERY expensive. In the interest of costs savings, the plan that was previously scrapped (or some version similar) will be instituted. I have no inside baseball information on this, but it seems to be the most logical progression.<br />
<br />
The final reason I'm voting Liberal is because I'm in a swing riding. I live in district 14** and it seems like the NDP candidate is gaining traction here. In the unlikely scenario that this riding actually ends up holding influence on where the power in the legislature resides - it's becoming increasingly clear that voting PC is the equivalent of setting a vote on fire. This is no knock on my local PC candidate, in fact she did swing by the house (while I wasn't there) as did Mrs.Casey.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, I'm voting Liberal. If at all possible, I'll seem as disgruntled as possible while doing it. It's a bit of a question of "Which glass of lime juice would you rather drink?" Ideally, I'd like another option, but I preach far too often about letting the perfect stand in the way of the good as is. It's time to follow my own advice in that regard.<br />
<br />
*Let's not minimize the the shittiness of this part, either. Some people can be downright awful.<br />
**I was SO close to having a cool Hunger Games district number. Guess I have to move.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-51204072852695450602015-04-29T13:48:00.000-07:002015-04-29T13:48:53.710-07:00CFA Take on the Leaders DebateI viewed the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/prince-edward-island-votes/p-e-i-votes-2015-leaders-debate-1.3050809" target="_blank">Leaders' Debate</a> with some excitement as I'd yet to see a PEI election debate as of yet. I was also keenly aware that there was significant ground up for grabs in this debate as the <a href="http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/Decision-15/2015-04-25/article-4124329/Liberals-ahead,-Tories-narrow-gap-as-P.E.I.-election-looms%3A-poll/1" target="_blank">PC are still within striking distance of the Liberal</a> parties and surely there should be fireworks in such a scenario.<br />
<br />
<b>This Democracy is Recorded in Front of a Live Studio Audience</b><br />
<br />
The first thing that struck me as the debate started, before even a question was asked, was that there was a sizable audience for this debate. While this may be something many people have interest in seeing, I still remain unconvinced of how it serves the public good. I'll likely touch on this again later, but having a crowd there to cheer or boo ideas they don't agree with (in fact, the night starts with the host requesting that the crowd bring "spirit") creates a false and statistically non-representative impression of a "public view" on these ideas.<br />
<br />
Let's create an absurdest example:<br />
<br />
-This debate was in Summerside<br />
-One says Charlottetown has had a leg up on Summerside for too long, so they were going to increase taxes on any Charlottetown resident by 10% while reducing the taxes of Summerside residents by 10%<br />
-The audience roars wildly with approval<br />
-Another candidate notes this is incredibly unfair to the Charlottetown residents <br />
-The crowd boo's with disapproval<br />
<br />
In this example, the idea is clearly bad - but by pandering to those in attendance it may leave some viewers with the impression that it's actually a good idea. Conversely, some leaders may shy away from some ideas or tactics as those in the room may lash out in response.<br />
<br />
Additionally, as much as coverage seems to be veering in this direction lately - politics is not a sport. We are not spectators in some meaningless conflict here. We should be active participants in the shape and scope of our democracy, and treating these elections like they're very long horse races is a disservice to the electorate.<br />
<br />
<b>Together, We Can Change Democracy (just don't spend any time actually thinking about this please)! </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Early in this debate the Green party leader Peter Bevan-Baker reiterates and oft-made point from their ranks about the assault on democracy that is whipped votes. If you look at this issue on the surface, you'll certainly find issue with the way operate now. Ideally, my representative would go to the legislature to represent my riding and our interests and not take into account party or political goals as part of that calculation. This is a fine idea, so long as you don't think about it too long. What about compromises? Surely at some point my MLA may need to compromise with another. We get a little out of this bill, they get a little out of the next? Sure that's part of the issue. Still... though...<br />
<br />
The fictional character Will Mcavoy once asked, <a href="https://youtu.be/BJWKccHQFOA?t=4m55s" target="_blank">"You know why people don't like liberals? Because they lose. If liberals are so fucking smart how come they lose so god damn always?"</a> and this would be no different. Let's live in a fantasy land for a moment where the Green party wins a majority government. As promised, their votes are not whipped and with their 14 or 27 seats they would accomplish... well, nothing I imagine. In fact, unless they whip the budget vote I imagine we'd be right back into another election as holding the confidence of the legislature would be a challenge. Hell, let's say you have 90% support for everything you're going to with your team... you're still fucked. The other 13 members of the legislature are going to vote against you on everything, and I do mean everything. You could have 13 PC opposition members and try to pass a bill that proclaims the PC party a great party. Those 13 MLAs would probably vote against it because it doesn't go far enough. "The legislation should clearly have read 'the greatest' party" some member would point out. So sure, you can have this idealistic fantasy about how government should work, but so long as there are still people who are playing the game - your refusal to play it will constantly result in your cause "losing so god damn always."<br />
<br />
<b>Dog-Whistle Politics</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I won't directly accuse anyone of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics" target="_blank">dog-whistle politics</a> here...okay maybe I will. There is no doubt in my mind that Mr.Lanntz was coached to bring up his family as often as he could find a way to work it in. It's no secret that Wade MacLauchlan is an openly gay man and there are some PC voters and other bigoted voters who will be moved by this family connection that MacLauchlan is unable to openly proclaim. By the way... this is bullshit. The fact that there's still some people out there bigoted enough to not be able to handle MacLauchlan mention his partner is atrocious, though I think Premier Wynne had similar issues in Ontario. Anyways, if you're watching or re-watching the debate, or even if you're so hard up for ways to kill time that you read the running diary below, note how often Mr.Lantz mentions his family. This is not by accident.<br />
<br />
<b>A Running Diary of the CBC Debate</b><br />
(Note: I thought I'd have a bit of fun and make a quick running diary of the debate when I re-watched it Tuesday night. Quick was misguided. What follows is 3700 words of marginally coherent thought. I apologize in advance)<br />
<br />
Now that I've clearly stated this is not sports, I'm going to steal an idea from <a href="http://grantland.com/features/a-running-diary-game-162/" target="_blank">one of my favorite sports writers</a> as I realize the best way to actually touch on everything I want to in this debate is to use the running diary format.<br />
<br />
I'll time-stamp for those of you playing along at home, or in sheer disbelief. I'll also be using short form for the leaders as follows:<br />
<br />
WM: Wade MacLauchlan<br />
PBB: Peter Bevan-Baker<br />
RL: Rob Lantz<br />
MR: Mike Redmond<br />
BR: Bruce Rainnie<br />
<br />
Without further adieu...<br />
<br />
<b>0:15 - </b> ...and the crowd goes wild! Really, though, is BR clapping for himself here? Awkward.<br />
<br />
<b>1:13 -</b> BR suggests he plans to stay out of the way and let them fight. I can assure you now, his wish never comes to fruition.<br />
<br />
<b>2:05 - </b>Leaders get 1 minute each to answer their question. After that an all out brawl... or civilized discussion. We'll see what happens. Positions were drawn at random. You'd have known that if you watched Compass.<br />
<br />
<b>2:50 - </b>WM has his opening statement.<br />
<br />
<b>3:30 - </b>I'm considering taking a nap.<br />
<br />
<b>3:40 - </b>I'm full on napping.<br />
<br />
<b>4:00 - </b>PBB notes that Islanders only want some simple basic things. Good honest government, from good honest people - and that would be new and different on PEI. He uses the words "courage" (twice) and "bravery" (twice) and bold to describe voting Green.<br />
<br />
<b>5:15 - </b>RL is speeding through the first 15 seconds. He seems as authentic as a used car salesman. He calls them, "The PnP and the EGaming". Classic local colloquialisms.<br />
<br />
<b>6:35 - </b>MR has a joke only folks here would understand...maybe...because only two people in the audience laughed.<br />
<br />
<b>8:30 - </b>Question: What do you see as the role of government?<br />
<br />
<b>9:10 - </b>PBB is the first to note that gov't just looks after their friends. This is a populist view that will get a lot of play tonight.<br />
<br />
<b>9:45 - </b>RL states that the role of government is to provide core services. In an attempt to become the most popular leader, he pulls a page from the Hudak playbook and explains that sometimes leaders need to explain, "what government can and can not do for them."<br />
<br />
<b>10:40 - </b>MR agrees with RL but also adds that government needs to play a role in innovation, then in the same breath says that government needs to stop picking winners and losers.<br />
<br />
<b>11:20 - </b>WM teaches his 1 minute version of Government Functionality 101. He's going to be different, though. No mention of how. Leadership, though.<br />
<br />
<b>11:55 - </b>BR asks if anyone has anything they want to follow up on. Our group of would-be leaders all talk over each other to make good points. KIDDING! They sit there silently. BR, trying to egg them on adds, "Hand in the air and I'll bring you in." So this debate officially has the same rules as my 2nd grade class.<br />
<br />
<b>12:00 - </b>PBB notes that RL and WM are nice guys, but their organizations are toxic.<br />
<br />
<b>13:00 - </b>WM sounds like a grandfather bragging about his grandchildren as he describes how awesome the Liberal party is.<br />
<br />
<b>14:37 - </b>RL wants to change things. He's the father of two children, you should know.<br />
<br />
<b>15:15 - </b>Question: Would are you going to do to address the epidemic of prescription drugs in high schools?<br />
<br />
<b>15:50 - </b>"Unfortunately we needed to put policemen in our school which was extremely unfortunate." -RL<br />
<br />
<b>16:20 - </b>In the early running for the "Holy shit that's a pure garbage answer" award is MR with his "The PCs locked the doors and the Libs threw away the keys. 3 words Bruce, Education. Education. Education." So... yeah... someone should educate Mike around that really only being one word. Pity applause follows.<br />
<br />
<b>16:45 - </b>WM notes they must have found the keys. MR says not enough. WM mentions alcohol addiction - this is likely the only mention of this issue you'll hear from anyone in the entirety of this election.<br />
<br />
<b>18:00 - </b>I didn't expect to see another challenger for the "Holy shit that's a pure garbage answer" award this early, but PBB does not disappoint! "What we have to do, is offer our youth hope. We have to provide for them a vision of a future where they can live out their lives on PEI. Where they can reach their potential as human beings. Where they will have opportunities for good jobs and raise their families and be happy here..."<br />
<br />
Holy crap. I had no idea. Maybe it's because I'm old and out of touch, but I always thought that teenagers did stupid shit<br />
<br />
A) because they're teenagers or,<br />
B) because they want to get high.<br />
<br />
Now that I understand that they're really just concerned about long term job prospects and if they'll be able to stay on the island with their future family drives them to drugs. All we need to do is give them hope, and these problems should quickly vanish.<br />
<br />
<b>19:10 - </b>MR notes that <a href="http://peireachfoundation.ca/" target="_blank">Reach</a> is great - but that it was parents and the community that did that and it wasn't government. I think this is supposed to be an attack. Couldn't it also be proof that, perhaps, PEI doesn't need the government to solve all of it's problems?<br />
<br />
<b>20:20 - </b>RL has a pretty non-Conservative moment as he notes that these issues are not criminal issues but mental health issues and treatment and prevention needs to be a priority.<br />
<br />
<b>20:40 - </b>WM likes the sound of PBB's "Let's just give them hope" theory.<br />
<br />
<b>21:30 - </b>PBB wants to double down on "Hope conquers all" theory! Okay, okay, I'm riding this pretty hard so let me give you a full quote before I go full out on this...<br />
<br />
"All addictions are an attempt to escape reality. If we can create a reality here on PEI that is hopeful and provides them with the idea that they can find a well paying year round job - that they can raise their families here and not need to fracture families. That's the real long term way of dealing with this. I'm not suggesting there's easy answers to that, but I do think that will really solve this problem at it's core."<br />
<br />
I'm going to accept the premise of the first sentence that an addictions primary function is to escape reality. The problem is the rest of the theory presumes that the reality these kids are trying to escape is that of upcoming economic hardship and not knowing if they'll need to move west when they have kids. That's lunacy. Here's my zero-thought-put-into-it list of things that are more likely:<br />
<br />
-Kids have shitty parents<br />
-Kids have other kids who treat them like shit<br />
-The kids a shitty kid and other kids treat them like shit<br />
-Everyone thinks the kid is stupid - this is mostly because the kid is in fact stupid<br />
-The kid has to spend 75 minutes of their day learning French and they hate it<br />
<br />
I'm sorry, PBB, but hope will not resolve all these issues. Sure, if we lived in a Utopia kids wouldn't ever turn to drugs. However that's not a thing that's ever going to happen so perhaps we can try to work within the realm of reality?<br />
<br />
<b>22:00 - </b>Question: (This is a direct quote from BR) "PEI has 27 MLAs for a population of 140,000. Ontario is a population of 13.6 million people and it has 107 MLAs. By the PEI proportion it would have nearly 700. Would you commit to a process that would see fewer MLAs in the legislature."<br />
<br />
Now let's set aside the fact that <a href="http://www.ontla.on.ca/lao/en/members/" target="_blank">Ontario doesn't have MLAs but rather MPPs.</a> The math here is all wrong! The quick way to do it is figure out how many people per rep there are in PEI (5185) then divide the Ontario pop by that number. The actual number of <strike>MLAs </strike>MPP's if Ontario had PEI scaling would be about 2,620! Anyways - MR thinks it's a good idea.<br />
<br />
<b>23:30 - </b>WM notes that there's a law that requires us to review the boundaries. Then I took a nap. Eventually he said the short answer is yes. I wish he started with that. Also he freaking loves tartans.<br />
<br />
<b>24:30 - </b>PBB thinks we need this many MLAs to ensure we have enough people to run the executive branch. He doesn't appear to care about the number of ministries that we need.<br />
<br />
<b>25:20 - </b>PBB proves why he's last in the polls as he suggests spending 70% of our money on the public service.<br />
<br />
<b>26:00 - </b>RL notes that since we're a province we need to have this stuff BUT yeah maybe we could be a tiny bit smaller.<br />
<br />
<b>26:25 - </b>In the first of many "Wait... what?" moments from MR tonight, he suggests that "We should never be afraid to open up the constitution." Okay. Well... Nope. No, I have no idea what he's talking about here. I've listened to it and the answers before him 5 times and nope. He's just off on his own tangent. Let's see where this goes... "Too many MLAs. Too many MPs. FAR too many Senators." then a bad joke.<br />
<br />
Okay I think I now understand his random constitution bit because he (hopefully) knows that if people agreed with him on the last two points (I assume many don't) the number of seats that PEI has in the House of Commons is directly tied to the number of senators we have.<br />
<br />
<b>28:00 - </b>WM notes that I've gone 4 minutes without taking a nap so a long diatribe about "the gift of jurisdiction" is needed.<br />
<br />
<b>28:30 - </b>RL notes everyone has made good points on this issue and people like taking to their MLAs. It also seems like he opens up the door to municipal amalgamation here too. Apparently it's hard to find people to run for political council.<br />
<br />
<b>29:30 - </b>Question: In what single area are we most lacking in health care and what are you going to do about it?<br />
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<b>29:55 - </b>WM thinks it's pharmacare. Generic drug program! This will especially help with mental health, apparently.<br />
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<b>31:10 - </b>PBB thinks we need far more front line workers. Clearly, this must be an easy task, yes?<br />
<br />
<b>32:20 - </b>RL really thinks he has the crowd here (he doesn't) as he proclaims with conviction "SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE STATE OF HEALTHCARE IN PRINCE COUNTY!" - then he briefly pauses for a moment to bask in the applause. They are in Prince County, after all. There isn't any applause.<br />
<br />
Well... this just got awkward.<br />
<br />
<b>33:23 - </b>Oh! MR wasn't happy with his first entry into the "Holy shit that's a pure garbage answer" award nominations, and thought he could do much better. He gives it a valiant try here with "Well first of all Bruce, let's talk about Stephen Harper.(Pause for the applause.... there isn't any applause)...because we don't have enough dollars in our health care system. We haven't had a premier stand up to Mr.Harper..." I mean, if your solution to everything is going to be to go with your hand out to the feds this is a great answer... but...<br />
<br />
<b>34:00 - </b>RL wants to note that transfer payments have been going up so maybe we should stop complaining about that. This doesn't seem to go over well... So... wait, maybe WM is reasonable...<br />
<br />
<b>35:35 - </b>WM notes it really IS about transfer payments. The extra 12 million is only .3% of an increase! So... yep. I guess the plan really is just to go to the feds with our hands out.<br />
<br />
<b>36:40 - </b>MR wants to double down on that. "We all know how Mr.Harper feels about Atlantic Canadians, he doesn't respect us - and RL should call his boss in Ottawa and tell him to pay us respect."<br />
<br />
<b>37:20 - </b>Memo to Rob Lantz: You don't take that laying down. Here's your answer:<br />
<br />
"Hey, I'm my own boss. If you want to run against Harper you should try running for the feds and I'll focus on trying to find Island based solutions to make Islander's lives better that don't revolve around handouts from Ottawa."<br />
<br />
<b>38:25 - </b>Short Question: What makes you most qualified to be the next premier of PEI?<br />
<br />
PBB: I'm not sure I am.<br />
RL: I was elected before.<br />
MR: I attract good people.<br />
WM: I don't need the job.<br />
<br />
<b>41:35 - </b>Question: How much do your promises cost and how do you plan to pay for it?<br />
<br />
<b>41:45 - </b>Rob Lantz is full of shit here. "We made all the numbers public." No. You made top level estimates public. "17.8 million dollars." Nope. Also not true. It says shit costs 30 million dollars and somehow includes the extra 12 million from the feds. So these next answers you can subtract 12 million from as well. So yeah, everyone's right around 18 million dollars using that logic. The truth is everyone's spending 30 million dollars - except for the Green party which doesn't see any value in "guessing" and no one has the first sweet clue about how they're paying for anything.<br />
<br />
<b>50:55 - </b>Short Question: Will you follow Nova Scotia's lead and ban flavoured tobacco?<br />
<br />
Everyone: Yes (This question was a waste of time, really. Everyone agrees.)<br />
<br />
<b>53:20 - </b>Question: You guys spend too much time together. Which idea from an opposing leader do you think would be wise for government to adopt?<br />
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<b>53:45 - </b>WM likes the suggestions in the Green platform that came from the (Liberal) Craver report.<br />
<br />
<b>54:35 - </b>PBB says how much he likes all these guys. He can't come up with one of their policies they like, though... many NDP suggestions actually. He can't just pick one!<br />
<br />
<b>55:30 - </b>RL tries to suggest that PBB should've picked his policy. Later PBB hits him on this. It's an amateur mistake as part of an overall amateur performance. He eventually says he'd pick whistle blower protection legislation. It just so happens to be in his platform as well.<br />
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<b>58:57 - </b>Here we go! RL is finally going to bring it! "Who can go against whistle blower legislation? My only question Mr.Maclauchlan is what are you afraid of!?"<br />
<br />
And then there was a painfully awkward silence. I can only imagine how RL felt in that moment. I might need to make a call to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU9vTgWCG-k" target="_blank">Doug Williams</a> to try to understand that feeling. <br />
<br />
This is really another great example of why there shouldn't be an audience. The rhythm of answer->applause Bruce answer->applause Bruce had become so entrenched by that point that RL trying to ask WM a direct and marginally tough question was completely out of rhythm. No one knew how to react to this - everyone looked at BR confused as if he should step in. How DARE a candidate ask another candidate a question like that. Do something BR!<br />
<br />
If RL started this kind of attack early on, it would have been expected by this point - but he couldn't risk that either because who knows, maybe the crowd might start boo'ing him if he's going after WM too hard the whole time.<br />
<br />
So here, again, we see the problem with a live audience. These men turn more into theater performers than political candidates.<br />
<br />
I should note, I've devoted quite a bit here to the audience. The sheer act of having an audience isn't bad. US Presidential elections have audiences. When working on a 2003 Mayoral campaign in Toronto I actually sat in the audience during the CITY TV debate. T'was made clear to us that everyone was to remain silent though. It wasn't our job to judge the candidates performance, it's the job of the folks at home. Encouraging participation from the audience like BR did to start this event is another fine example of PEI political amateur hour.<br />
<br />
<b>59:25 - </b>WM clarifies that there's nothing he's afraid of.<br />
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<b>1:00:00 - </b>Short Question: Will you commit to a fixed election date?<br />
<br />
PBB: Absolutely<br />
RL: Yep, and Liberals suck.<br />
MR: Yes and where's the budget btw? Also: Women*<br />
WM: Probably maybe potentially we'll see.<br />
<br />
<b>1:03:30 - </b>Question: PEI is the only province that doesn't offer access to abortion in their own province. What if anything would you do to change that?<br />
<br />
First off, I've already outlined at length that idgaf what women do with their body and if I had my way there *would* be abortion on demand available.<br />
<br />
However, here's one of two questions where I think the PC conspiracy theorists may actually have a point if they want to play the "liberal bias" card against CBC. The presumption of this question is that something should be changed. (Again, I think it should be, but I'm a heathen liberal after all.) This basically sets up anyone who says they won't change things for failure, and of course when RL says that he gets boo'd from the adoring audience.<br />
<br />
<b>1:05:00 - </b>WM is trying hard to convince left voters that he's going to do <i>something</i> but he certainly won't commit to anything as firmly as MR or PBB will. Of course, the later have an easier time since they have no hope in hell of forming a government.<br />
<br />
<b>1:06:00 - </b>PBB notes that the status quo discriminates against poor women, and also brings up other women's health issues that don't get enough play. It's really well played. PBB is an apt politician.<br />
<br />
<b>1:06:50 - </b>MR just tried to make political gains off of a local tragedy... then adds in that it's also cost effective. MR is a completely non-apt politician.<br />
<br />
<b>1:08:00 - </b>PBB notes with passion that governments are not here to make everyone happy but to do the right thing. He, of course, leaves out that the right thing is completely subjective.<br />
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<b>1:08:30 - </b>Question: What industry presents the best opportunity for future job growth and economic performance in the future.<br />
<br />
<b>1:08:45 - </b>Mr says feeding our children. I'm not sure that's an economic sector, but this is the NDP we're talking about.<br />
<br />
<b>1:09:50 - </b>WM also likes food. He also likes Aerospace and Bio Science. He also likes any job, really. Holy crap I need a red bull if he's going to take the full 60 seconds.<br />
<br />
<b>1:10:30 - </b>PBB says agriculture. He provides intelligent reasoning behind his theory. He makes a sound argument. I'm not falling asleep anymore, and he answered the question. Well, it's a low bar but I think PBB just won the debate.<br />
<br />
<b>1:11:45 - </b>RL also knows the names of many other sectors. Then this gem.<br />
<br />
"We can't put our finger on what sector will continue to create growth and jobs in PEI because by it's very nature entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs may never know what their final destination may be but I know that it will be in food and agriculture or in bio science or in IT or in manufacturing but we need to start encouraging that private sector led economy and encouraging our youth to be self starters and make their own jobs."<br />
<br />
That's basically RL's performance at this debate. He was, more or less, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3WDcXNSUzE" target="_blank">Chevy Guy</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>1:16:45 - </b>Short Question: If elected, what would you do to pressure the government of Canada to stop it's plans to end door to door home mail delivery.<br />
<br />
(Here's your second question with a pretty obvious liberal bias)<br />
<br />
WM: We can't do anything<br />
PBB: We can't do anything - but we have so much money we should be doing this. CPC sucks.<br />
RL: Doesn't bother me, really - but (BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR SENIORS**<br />
MR: Elect the NDP that'll show em! Harper is RL's boss!<br />
<br />
<b>1:19:10 - </b>Last Question: What will your party do to ensure that all Islanders have access to post secondary education at a reasonable cost?<br />
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<b>1:19:45 - </b>PBB is clearly tired of this shit, and decides to just start reading from his platform.<br />
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<b>1:21:20 - </b>MR makes a good point! UPEI is the only school in the country that is free (pun intended) from access to information requests! Huzzah! NDP is going to see WTF is going on.<br />
<br />
<b>1:21:50 - </b>WM uses words. Many of them, in fact. I know this, because I started to nap again.<br />
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<b>1:23:30 - </b>PBB agrees with MR. We really don't know if these guys are blowing money or what.<br />
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<b>1:24:00 - </b>RL wants that too. Municipalities too... and then he misses an obvious opportunity to question WM on why when he was former president he doesn't want access to information for UPEI? Hit that narrative again that WM is hiding things? Holy effing amateur hour batman.<br />
<br />
Then there's closing statements - everyone makes me want to nap during theirs so I really have nothing to add at this point. So I tuned in expecting fireworks. There weren't any. There was an academic that could bore you to sleep, a too clever dentist that was entertaining to watch, and two men that more or less failed. I'm going to bed now... hopefully not the one Rob Lantz shit all over.<br />
<br />
* DING DING DING! We have a winner for the "Holy shit that's a pure garbage answer" award! Redmond, not happy with his first two attempts to win the award just pulled away from the crowd with, and I wish I was making this up: "We want to involve as many voices and ideas... and when you don't have a fixed election date you leave a lot of women out..." I mean.... WHAT? <a href="https://twitter.com/beckaviau/status/592818860333629442" target="_blank">This even confused Green party candidates</a>. I know everyone wants the female vote but that is a STRETCH.<br />
<br />
**I mean, really? This I really hope the producers recognize what a colossal failure of judgement it was to have this event in a giant auditorium and then encourage people to show "spirit". This isn't a sporting event, stop treating it like one. If a leader can't even say that he uses email a lot without getting boo'd, clearly this format doesn't work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-17034665825201850732015-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:002015-04-20T09:06:12.714-07:00The CFA Election postAs fate would have it, I will be voting provincially for the first time since 2007 since my many moves resulted in missing Ontario/NB elections. This is the first time I'll be voting in PEI in fact... and it's different.<br />
<br />
In fairness, it should be noted that PEI is unlike any other place I've been before and that must contribute to the differences, but I may ramble about that in another post.<br />
<br />
<b>Platforms just aren't a thing. </b><br />
<br />
Alas - different. For starters - where in the blue hell are the real party platforms? <a href="http://www.liberal.ca/files/2011/04/liberal_platform.pdf" target="_blank">Here's a copy of the 2011 Federal Liberal platform</a>. Page 94 of that document is pretty neat, because it costs everything out. You'll notice the same of <a href="http://www.conservative.ca/media/2012/06/ConservativePlatform2011_ENs.pdf" target="_blank">The Federal Conservative platform</a> where page 65 includes costing, and <a href="http://www.greenparty.ca/sites/greenparty.ca/files/attachments/green-book-2011-en.pdf" target="_blank">The Federal Green platform</a> where it's included on pages 11 and 12.<br />
<br />
Let's look at the PEI versions of these: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.liberalpei.ca/news/2015-liberal-platform/" target="_blank">The Liberal Party</a><br />
<a href="http://anewdirection.ca/platforms" target="_blank">The PC Party</a><br />
<a href="http://greenparty.pe.ca/sites/all/folder/Real_Change2015.pdf" target="_blank">The Green Party</a>*<br />
<br />
We've got a series of press releases where the Liberal staff is too lazy to even remove the "Media Backgrounder" bit, a bunch of links to different documents (none of which include costing) from the PC's, and a Green Party document that does include a handful of estimates which are almost all handouts or projected savings (save for the carbon tax).<br />
<br />
I'm sure there's a union member somewhere yelling at his screen that I'm not including the NDP. Rest assured, I checked both the <a href="http://xfer.ndp.ca/2011/2011-Platform/NDP-2011-Platform-En.pdf" target="_blank">Federal </a> and <a href="http://www.ndppei.ca/platform/" target="_blank">Provincial</a> platforms and both show equal (dis)interest in showing that their math can work.<br />
<br />
In my pursuit of being an informed citizen while casting my ballot I'm left with no information as to how any of these parties intend to balance the budget**. In lieu of this information, should I assume none of them intend to? In fairness, the PEI financial situation isn't atrocious - <a href="http://www.rbc.com/economics/economic-reports/pdf/provincial-forecasts/prov_fiscal.pdf" target="_blank">ranking 5 of 10 provinces in debt per capita and 6 of 10 in debt to GDP ratio</a>, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a party who wants to form government to provide their fiscal plan instead of a mishmash of promises.<br />
<br />
<b>Abortion is a thing</b><br />
<br />
While we're on the topic of "different" <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/prince-edward-island-votes/justin-trudeau-wade-maclauchlan-field-abortion-questions-1.3038470" target="_blank">this </a>still seems to be an issue worth discussing in PEI (and NB in their election). Yes, PEI is one of the few places in the north eastern portion of this continent where access to abortion is a topic of debate. To be clear, when I say debate, I mean the parties with a chance of winning vow to maintain the status quo and those with no chance of winning say they'd make them available here year round. While abortions aren't implicitly illegal on PEI - you'll be hard pressed to find one that's been performed here. <br />
<br />
I should note that Wade's language does seem to try to head-fake left a little on this issue. If you watch the video*** he's asked about the status quo being the government's minimum duty and he states, "That's a starting point and the question of access to medical services is always on our minds...we've got various services where we're looking to make improvements." My instinct tells me this may be the usual bit of electioneering where you campaign left and govern right. The question that would clarify this is, "Can you say, unequivocally that the status quo will remain for abortions on Island if you are elected premier?" If it's truly his intention to maintain the status quo it's an easy yes, perhaps with a mild caveat, but if you get another rambling answer like the video above then it becomes clear that change may be on the horizon.<br />
<br />
<b>PEI's Power Couple No One Talks About</b><br />
<br />
Also different, there seems to be an unseemly amount of political power inside of one PEI household. The two biggest news gathering organizations on the Island are The Guardian and CBC News. The man questioning the premier in the video above is a CBC reporter named Kerry Campbell, and he's married to The Guardian's chief political reporter Teresa Wright. I'm not suggesting anything untoward has gone on yet, but I'm sure the political class also knows that it's best not to mess with a power couple like that. For example, you won't see anyone from the Liberals trying to call out Mr.Campbell on his "Well sure we know your policy and platform but what do you REALLY think!?" question. I imagine getting on the bad side of that household would be a near death-sentence for a political career on the island.<br />
<br />
<b>The Number of Female Candidates</b><br />
<br />
Another issue I've been hearing more about is the lack of female candidates. This is something the aforementioned <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/prince-edward-island-votes/inside-the-p-e-i-campaign-with-kerry-campbell-1.3031029" target="_blank">Kerry Campbell wrote about</a> and was discussed on <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/player/PEI/Prince+Edward+Island+Votes+2015/ID/2664526743/" target="_blank">a panel during Compass </a> as well and noted often when Linda Clements took over the PC nomination in district 15. At some point, can we stop blaming party leaders for their lack of female candidates and start blaming parties or just the populace as a whole? Of course women should be more involved in the process, however that does not mean reinventing the wheel. Simply put - if we demand that leaders not insist on male candidates as nominees, then we should also demand that they not insist on females either.<br />
<br />
I've now gone and made the cardinal sin of talking about gender issues on the internet, so I'll find a ditch somewhere to hide in until the election is over.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
*Kudos to the Green Party for actually tossing it all in one document that's somewhat easy to read.<br />
**In addition to the impression that the PEI Liberal party thinks the only people who care about policy are media members.<br />
***Which is your only option, since the reporter was apparently too lazy to transcribe it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-9710881655128242602015-03-26T23:32:00.000-07:002015-03-26T23:45:56.886-07:00IdiocyEarlier this week, <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/politics/questionperiodlive/qp-live-jason-kenney-legal-case-war/" target="_blank">Thomas Mulcair more or less called Prime Minister Stephen Harper an idiot</a>. That's an exaggeration to be sure. If we were to be more specific he called the argument idiotic.<br />
<br />
Surely, it's not <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh7EnBH7-gg" target="_blank">the most idiotic thing to happen in the house this year</a> but it certainly doesn't raise the level of discourse. Truth be told, <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/politics/stephen-harper-on-the-legality-of-bombing-syria-lol/" target="_blank">Aaron Wherry got there first</a> on hitting back at this line of dismissive thinking, so I won't bother going down that road.<br />
<br />
Instead let's play a quick game. I'm going to outline a situation, and you playing the role of the NDP, will explain to me where you stand on it?<br />
<br />
K?<br />
<br />
Let's go:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There's some really bad stuff going down. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>We would like to do something about it. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The something we're doing may break the law. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Alright, NDP, are you for or against taking action here? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
..</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I guess I'm going to need to be more specific because if we're talking about a pipeline protest, it's entirely probable you support it. In fact, quite a lot of your opposition to C-51 (the "Totally not a Canadian Patriot act" bill) seems to be concern around civil disobedience being labelled as terrorism. Essentially noting that sometimes doing the right thing requires breaking the law. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
K, let's try this again then:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>There's some really bad stuff going down. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>We would like to do something about it. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The something we're doing may break <b>international</b> law. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Oh well this is clearly just a bridge too far. A local environmental protest needs pay no attention to laws or rulings. International terrorist organizations that have been kidnapping and murdering on religious grounds? Sorry, kiddo. We gotta respect the law. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ultimately, I'm no cheerleader for the military action in Syria and Iraq. While there's no shortage of regional nuance, it's ultimately a moral judgement. Essentially, I keep coming back to these questions and can't get past them: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"When was the last time the west got involved in the middle east and it made anything better?" </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"What do you do in the 21st century where you can communicate any idea with ease, with a religiously motivated uprising of violence and general douchebaggery?" </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's a bonus question if you're like me and you've completely given up on getting a restful sleep:<br />
<br />
"Are there dangerous ideas, or only dangerous people and actions?"</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That last one relates back to C-51 as well. The government has made it pretty clear there is, in their view, dangerous ideas. I know slippery slope is a fallacy, but a <i>Minority Report </i>future doesn't seem that far off. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
These are questions for debate and discussion. I hope that there will come a day where these debates and discussions are far more civilized than the idiocy we saw in the house this week. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Really, though. If I told you 4 years ago that the "War on Terror" would become the Canadian topic de jour - you probably could have guessed where the CPC, NDP, and LPC would end up on their policies. So as much as I'd enjoy a thoughtful and nuanced debate around these issues - we voted CPC in with a majority and they can do what they want because of it. Maybe if Canadians were to lose their irrational fear of coalitions, we could try persuasion over bludgeoning again.<br />
<br />
One thing I do know about this "war" is that the goals are entirely unrealistic. You can, perhaps, "degrade" a terrorist organization. To suggest that you can "destroy" it is really just idiocy. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-59917958276135398382012-12-12T15:42:00.000-08:002012-12-12T15:42:14.752-08:00So This Is ChristmasIt comes as no surprise to anybody that Christmas is by far my least favorite time of year (the rant about why is at the bottom of this post). This year, I've decided instead of just being loathsome toward the entire season, I will try to capitalize on all the things I like about it. Below, is a short outline of the things I love about Christmas.<br />
<br />
<b>Social Gatherings (and therefore) A Built in Excuse To Get Out of Any Social Function</b><br />
<br />
Yes, it is the season! People gather as everyone feels the need to come together for different Christmas gatherings. In fact, we moved the date of our Christmas/housewarming/new kittens party due to other gatherings that Ms.Wonderful thought might take precedence. I like my friends, so partying with them is right up my alley! I enjoy fabricated reasons for everyone to get together. If I was capable, every Saturday of the year would be a party at my place... I have swung this idea by Ms.Wonderful and she politely declined. This time of year brings people to that point though. Granted it's not always the same group that will gather, but good times abound. With that said, bad times are easily avoided! Oh you'd like me to come watch your daughter's Christmas play? Sorry, I have Ms.Wonderful's Christmas party that night! Oh you'd like me to come to a concert for the six homeless people on PEI? Sorry, I have an eggnog competition I've already agreed to judge. Speaking of eggnog...<br />
<br />
<b>The Drinking</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
This appears to be the one time of year that it's okay to get drunk on a Tuesday. Christmas is a time of excess drinking, eating, and consumerism. One of these things turns people into fat slobs, another turns them into psychotic Western world brats. The drinking? A few people have sex with folks they probably shouldn't have. No harm, no foul. "You're too drunk for a Christmas party" is something no one has ever said.<br />
<br />
<b>The Goodwill</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Ok, so this one is weird. The goodwill is pretty much bullshit as I outline below in my rant BUT I'm willing to believe. Just like I believed in Santa till I was 19, I believe in the goodwill. Much like Santa, it's mostly fake but who cares. I actually have good will and am not just putting on a show for this shitshow of a Christmas season. So while everyone pretends to be jolly, I'll be joyous in my jolliness being less obscene.<br />
<br />
<b>Why I Hate Christmas</b><br />
<br />
It's a time of complete hypocrisy as we yearn for peace on earth and goodwill towards men while simultaneously trying to box out the bitch who lives on Queen Street to get the last Tickle Me Elmo. In fact, the entire gift giving experience is an absolute joke. It's a time for people to provide others with things they would like them to have. Where people can enforce their beliefs and values on those who are close to them under the guise of the "Christmas Spirit". I would note that my jadedness in this regard likely has a direct relation to the year my mother asked me what I was into, I told her gaming, and she bought me the board game Risk. This along with a tablecloth when I did not own a kitchen/dining room table. No, she thought gaming was board games, and she thought people should have table cloths - and so I sat there like a fool trying to pretend to be grateful instead of horribly insulted. Which brings me to another shit part about Christmas. The pretending that something you've received which is total shit, is not total shit. "Oh, thanks - I've always wanted a <a href="http://divacup.com/" target="_blank">menstrual cup</a>. It's really - really it's great. Thanks!"<br />
<br />
This doesn't even begin to mention the claims to be happy to see people you're really not particularly interested in. "It's always nice to see family" is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard. Unless they live far away, we're able to spend time with family as much as we want. We choose not to usually. In fact, in my early 20's the best part about Christmas was everything after 9pm when those of us that were still capable of staying awake would meet to share the horrors of what just transpired. The shopping is really the crux of it all for me. The stress people put on themselves about trying to find that perfect gift for (whoever) - because it's a delicate line one must walk in trying to find something you can pass off as thinking they would like while still trying to make sure it's something you're willing to stand by.<br />
<br />
Let's not even start on the gift explanations that are inevitable once someone has opened it.<br />
"Oh - a sweater... awesome?..." <br />
"Well I know how you like to wear t-shirts, and I was out and saw that they had sweaters on sale and I thought that was really close to a t-shirt and I know how you like sheep since I used to read ba ba black sheep to you when you were six, and it's made of wool so I'm just sure you'll love it!" Anyways - I hate presents, pretending, and preachers. Also - I hate that my birthday is a week later and is an apparent after thought the whole fucking thing. /rant Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-47125041303305610912012-11-27T18:56:00.000-08:002012-11-27T18:56:57.736-08:00Interactions <br />
<b>Interacting With Children</b><br />
<br />
The other day I was talking to my sister on Skype and she brought the laptop into the other room so I could talk to my nephew. After exchanging pleasantries with me, he let me know that the laptop was actually in front of his computer and stopping him from playing a game. I suddenly had flashbacks to being a child, forced to talk to relatives on the phone. In hindsight, I assume this was done because you must teach young ones that relatives are important and warrant time and attention. I remember feeling like there were far more important things to do, and really lacking any attention, I eventually started to rue the three questions:<br />
<br />
1. How old are you now?<br />
2. How's school?<br />
3. Do you have a girlfriend?*<br />
<br />
I assume this is to show children that we care about them. Truth be told, most adults are not having the conversation with the child thinking there is anything they could learn or grow from. Certainly, children will surprise you at times but to think that there would be a large family gathering and the 45 year old uncle has any legitimate interest in the child is absurd. Yet we all acknowledge that any marginally adult gathering must be tedious and tiresome for a toddler or tween so we try to alleviate it by asking simplistic questions. Although our questions are often thoughtless and trivial the persons being asked have been trained that any pronouncement of the boring nature of conversation is "rude".** I'm especially amused by this aspect of the social exchange where it's rude for the child to express his disinterest because you want to be respectful to those who at least try to hide their disinterest. I even found myself looking at my nephew completely unsure of what to say and asked him, "how old are you now?" I caught myself right away, and would not go down that same road. I tried to ask about his game, compliment his pajamas, try to understand what it was that he was saying (I'm really bad at speaking child). Truth be told, I had no idea what to talk to him about. Having not seen him in more than a year now, I was happy just to see him. Once he had informed me that his video game was waiting, I was happy to let him get back to it.<br />
<br />
I know enough time has passed where I've become the old uncle who's boring and trying to hard to get along with the kids. When my other nephew declined a Skype chat, I realized he was probably just saving both of us the awkwardness of discussion. Sometimes I wish more people, young and old, would offer that courtesy. I caught a glimpse of him early though - so I'm satisfied with the exchange.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Interacting With Religion</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I don't know much about religion. Those that know me well might assume that I do because I would occasionally stand in for my minister while she vacationed. I think all that proves is that I'm very comfortable getting up in front of large groups.<br />
<br />
I heard someone describe the difference between protestant and catholic as catholics believing you need to live a good life or repent for your sins (if you're a douche) to go to heaven. Whereas protestants can be douches but need to believe in Jesus and they get in. I found myself wondering where the faith was where you can't be douche at all. Where's the religion that says, "You killed a dude? Fuck. No. Yeah you're damned. Forever. You don't kill dudes. That's like the highest form of doucebagery." This is where I feel like religion is too often used as a crutch. Instead of finding inner peace with any past malfeasance one may have, they speak to their invisible friend. Thankfully the invisible friend has a visible agent (who you're often giving money to directly or indirectly) who will tell you everything is OK. After all, the idea that this is all part of a preconceived plan is far more comforting than our own choices landing us where we are.*** It's also better to think that a better life is to come with no effort required by you except for blind faith. Just send a couple bucks the church's way (10% of what you earn if I remember correctly) and feel shame for the very natural things that you feel - and a good life will follow. I wish society could just admit what we know in our hearts: Religion is a large-scale morality tale. An overriding theme of many religions is to be good to each other, and not to judge. It doesn't take a person of marginally deep thought to understand how nice a world would be if those two things stayed true. Yet these texts are distorted and redistributed as evidence for moral high ground in hate. I guess I'm just frustrated with that.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySBK2qGr9Eo" target="_blank">Here's a video of a religious man I like. </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Interacting With Myself</b><br />
<br />
So while this post feels unfocused in some ways to me, I feel like it's reflective of where I am in my life. I have a good job and a great partner - and am now left to contemplate what it is to exist in this world with those two desires satisfied. I know I don't want to be a slave to any religious ideology, or to engage in small talk only to not appear rude. It's the more nuanced stuff that complicates my brain. For example, how does one resolve the person they'd like to be, the person they'd like people to see them as, and the person that they are? Personally, I find the third to be an insult to human capabilities. Too many people short change their ability to change. So instead I weigh the person I want to be versus the person I want to be known as. For as much as I may love dancing around in my boxers, I don't want to be known around town as the guy who dances around in his boxers. The idea that you need to lend credence to the sensibilities of others as misplaced as you may see them is something I'm constantly struggling with. I sometimes worry that I'll become like my friends who consider how others view them as the entirety of their character. At the same time I'm so afraid of that possibility that I know I'll never completely give in to the court of public opinion. I believe that if everyone is happy with you, you've done something horribly wrong. There are completely senseless people in this world, after all. The truth is that some would rather be liked than right - but I would rather be right than liked. This paragraph has no concluding sentence but that's because there's no real conclusion to this process. I imagine it goes on forever.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Once answered with "No" the response of "Of course not, you probably have 3" was far too common.<br />
**People may be offended! As we all know, no one must ever be offended at any time. In fact, it's become common for public apologies to be for the offense instead of the act. This in itself could be another rant entirely but I digress. <br />
***I'm sorry, far left friends, the "system" did not cause all of our social issues. Some people are just assholes.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-43671524972029815952012-10-23T18:16:00.000-07:002012-10-23T18:16:53.618-07:00Choices<b>Facebook</b><br />
<b><br /></b>I made the choice recently to get off Facebook. I vowed back in March that if they were going to force "Timeline" onto me, that I would stop using the service. I vowed to go to Google+ as it seemed to still exist in a format I enjoyed. Granted I'd be (at best) the seventh person on Google+ but I was probably the seventh person on Facebook too. Between March and the notification I got a week ago that Timeline would be forced on me, Google+ appears to have switched its format to include cover photos and basically become a carbon copy of Facebook. I'm not particularly surprised, and also not particularly interested in using the service anymore. Alas, I'll probably post outrageous things to Twitter instead and restrict/parse down that list to ensure it doesn't become something carried in media outlets.<br />
<br />
The thing I'm quickly realizing is that we're redefining "necessities" as a western culture. This is a fad because surely at some point there were people that felt like Crocs were a necessity. So as Facebook sees this, they changed from a company that was trying to woo potential users, to dictating terms of use. For example, for a long time I could keep my profile picture hidden to those who were not my friend. That is no longer the case. On one occasion I had to go in and change my publicly listed email address because Facebook had decided to change it to the email they were now providing. Then Facebook told me they were changing the layout again and making "Timeline". That was enough. There is no NEED to use this service and the fact is the service is barely a shadow of what I signed up for 5+ years ago and offers very little of what I found attractive anymore. It's not simple, or clean, or easy to control my information. So I made the choice to leave.<br />
<br />
With all that said, I understand a good portion of my traffic here came from posting the blogs to Facebook, so this is going to become an even lesser known blog. I'm entirely ok with that.<br />
<br />
<b>Another Election</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Americans are faced with a pretty distinctive choice on November 6, 2012. The choice is fairly stark. Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney have exceptionally different backgrounds. Mr. Obama, of a middle-class grandmother who worked in middle management in her adult life. Mr. Romney, with the proverbial silver spoon. His father ran for President, was Governor of his state, and ran a major auto manufacturing company. From the perspective of a relatively centered outsider, I'm flabbergasted to see national polls at a dead heat.<br />
<br />
If I lived in the US, I'd be one of the people you call an independent. Fiscally conservative, and socially liberal. So the question becomes of the man (and eventually, woman). This is not an even remotely close decision. Mr.Romney has changed his mind on abortion, Iraq, Afghanistan, the auto industry, and almost any other subject of any consequence. Mr. Romney isn't a principled man looking to lead the nation to the promise land. Mr. Romney is a man willing to do whatever it takes to outdo his father and become the most powerful man on earth.<br />
<br />
I strongly disagree with the way Mr. Obama has dealt with some of the economic issues his nation faces. Fixing a massive debt problem by borrowing more money isn't close to an effective strategy. However, for the most part the man seems true to his word. There have been a few occasions where he hasn't pushed congress hard enough (see: Guantanamo Bay) but for the most part what's been holding back his agenda is not a lack of political will, but another branch of government. This is a no-brainer for anyone with a brain. There is no reason what-so-ever to consider Mitt Romney to be a trust-worthy individual.<br />
<br />
<b>The Weak Blue Jays</b><br />
<br />
What follows is a rant. It's entirely possible it will contain many curse words.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> </b>Toward the end of the year the Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar painted on his eye black (the spanish version of) "you are a faggot". Toronto is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the entire world, and the Jays responded to this act of intolerance with a 3 game suspension. We all know that the Jays are not dictators in a situation like this and they would need to be mindful of any possible labor actions by the players association. With that said, there was nothing to stop the organization from paying him, and sending him home. Toronto fans should not have needed to see him on the field again, but they did. The Jays took the easy way out, and provided a slap on the wrist.<br />
<br />
For the last two months of the season there was rampant speculation that the Boston Red Sox had interest in hiring the Jays manager, John Farrell. The speculation no doubt came from the organization directly, as they can't have direct contact with Farrell. The media gets some inside info from an owner, and next thing you know they're asking questions of the manager. None of this is extraordinary. The Jays had one year left on their deal with Farrell and if they were going to let him go, it would make sense to have your name out there. The Jays weren't planning on letting him go though. So they negotiated a trade, so Farrell could go there. Great! We got a useful player, right? No... actually not. We got Mike-fucking-Aviles. The man who tied for last in qualifying palyers for OBP in the AL, second last in MLB. By the way, want to guess who was 9th worst? Colby Rasmus. <br />
<br />
So let me get this straight. The Jays hated rival, Boston Red Sox, want something they have, the Sox value him highly... and you give him away for NOTHING!? The Red Sox are a mess, and you're HELPING!? Who the fuck is in charge at Jays headquarters because right now it looks like it might be my nephew who, if you ask nice enough, will let you do just about anything. Show some fucking backbone for crying out loud. They want him, you have him. The answer you're looking for is "no." Even a variation of "no" would be good. How about, "Middlebrooks, or no" or something like "Oh, you seem to be rolling around on the floor bleeding profusely, let me open my bucket of salt and pour it over you, because you're my rival and I fucking hate you. Hell, even if I don't hate you, I know my fan base does - so fuck you. You make us a deal that we win, clearly - or go fuck yourself." I'm sick and fucking tired of this god damn team just rolling over. Make some fucking hard choices instead of the easy ones.<br />
<br />
/rant<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading. <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-26248650050444646792012-05-29T12:36:00.000-07:002012-05-29T12:36:34.186-07:00When you gotta go...I had to go. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sure, I tried to hold it as long as I could, but I had to. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'd received the corporate communication not only about the appropriate times to go, but also the appropriate ways to go. At one point, it even specified to keep the two out of the one hole. How crazy is that? Sadly, not all that crazy. I've worked in places like that before, and there's always at least one person who is beyond clueless. The one that makes you ask questions that you never thought you'd ask before. "Is there any education requirement for this job?" or "Can you really expect a person to keep their elementary school graduation documentation" or "IS there elementary school graduation documentation?" ... Regardless of all of this, I had to go. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I walked through the door and turned to the left. I was allowed to use these because it was a one and not a two. Thank god for that email refresher. There were only two there. Why on gods green earth would any man build this room and only leave two of these here? There's no way a man built this room. Not one chance. Any man would build one, three, or five. In stadium situations it'd be much larger surely, but in those situations all bets are off. If you put 50,000 people into the Dome for a game, and 30,000 of us are men, and 25,000 of us men are drinking, the rooms are massive and no one cares where anyone else stands. There's no room. There's no time. As we stand in the room there's some act of incredible drama connected to sport and we're in such a rush to get back to it that it's a damn good thing we're all standing in this room. Except for Jim. He's sitting down in that little box with a bad case of the twos. You never get the Nachos at the Dome. But I digress. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The room I'm in now only has two to choose from, I could go into the box but that'd be strange... right? If someone else was to come in and I'm just standing in the box and there's no one outside of it, then it looks like I'm either rolling a joint or doing coke. Seeing as how I don't do either of those things, I can't have rumours flying around the office saying otherwise. I can't use the box. I have to stand here and pick one of the two then hope and wish that no other man joins me in here. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Everything is going perfectly. I'm practising my cursive, and then it happens. I hear the door open. This is one of those times where I wish performance anxiety could kick in halfway. If I walked into the room and there were only two and the box was full, I'd be terrified. Who wants to be the second guy? This makes me realize that this probably won't turn out too badly, it's not this guy I need to worry about it's the NEXT guy. That's what I thought at least... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Nope. It's this guy. See this guy has some kind social defect where he wasn't raised to respect another mans space in this room. We all know the rules. You provide space! If there's only two standing spots and there's two or more available boxes, you go to the box and give the man space! I can't be seen to be freaking out though. It's fine. Everything is going to be fine. Maybe he was just raised differently. This isn't worth panicking about. I'll just finish what I was doing, maybe without the cursive, and get the hell out of here. Eyes forward...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The fact that this <i>dude</i> has now half turned his body in my direction can be taken as nothing other than a complete affront on all things we've agreed upon as a civilized people. Who turns <b>toward</b> the other guy? This is feeling like some kind of dream. If this person is ever in any kind of adoption process, either dog or person, I want some say in the matter. Clearly this man isn't right. I'm going to send a follow up email adding additional rules about the box and the turn. This might be the most uncomfortable moment of my life, but I'll carry on. Eyes forward... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm finished now and having concluded the appropriate amount of shaking it out, I need to wash my hands. I feel dirty. What kind of man turns!? I've finished washing my hands and as I turn the little wheel that's needed when paper towel isn't already hanging out, I think about how many people with fully germed hands have touched this wheel. I feel more dirty. I feel violated. </div>
<div>
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<div>
I slowly walk back to my desk. Dignity shaken, but I hold my head high. I imagine that once I left the room this man was taking a two in the one hole. Nevertheless, what he's done to me sticks with me. These people carry on with their lives like nothing's happened. They clearly have no idea what horrors await in the bathroom. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-33957852472640164762012-05-23T09:35:00.002-07:002012-05-23T09:35:06.162-07:00The G20 Reports and a Quick Note For The LeftNearly two years ago world leaders met in Toronto for the G20 summit. Anytime that 20 of the most powerful people on earth (and their staff) are all in one place there is a necessity for a large scale security operation. Citizens of Toronto were aware of this before the summit started as entire sections of the city were being fenced in prior to the dignitaries arrival. Joe Blow Toronto couldn't have expected what was to follow. Anyone who pays attention to world events knew exactly what to expect.<br />
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In both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_G-20_Pittsburgh_summit#Protests" target="_blank">Pittsburgh</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_G-20_London_Summit#Protests" target="_blank">London </a>there were massive protests and massive arrests. In London in particular, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson" target="_blank">one protester died</a> during a confrontation with police.<br />
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On queue, massive protests descended on Toronto, including a small portion of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bloc" target="_blank">Black Bloc</a>. Police responded by arresting more than 1,100 people. Immediately following the summit there were calls for the resignation of Police Chief Bill Blair, and allegations of assault, wrongful arrest, and various breaches of <a href="http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/charter/page-1.html" target="_blank">Charter Rights</a>.<br />
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This past week The RCMP <a href="http://www.cpc-cpp.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx" target="_blank">Commission for Public Complaints</a> and The<a href="https://www.oiprd.on.ca/cms/" target="_blank"> Office of the Independent Police Review Director</a> (OIPRD) released reports in review of the incidents during G20 week. In addition Byron Sonne was <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/15/byron-sonne-not-guilty-on-charges-he-plotted-to-attack-2010-g20-summit-in-toronto/" target="_blank">cleared on all charges</a> in his case where he nearly spent a year in prison without bail. In that time he also <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1178863--byron-sonne-walks-free-but-the-g20-forever-changed-his-life?bn=1" target="_blank">got the gift of a divorce</a> via letter.<br />
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After having read the majority of the two reports, it became clear that there was no shortage of Charter Rights violations two years ago. The command and control structure of our police forces played a large part in this. The officers on the front line knew what they were doing was wrong, and in some cases unlawful. They had objections, but carried their orders.<br />
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The RCMP report was released on Tuesday, and the OIRPD report was released on Thursday.<br />
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<b>The RCMP Report</b><br />
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The RCMP report revealed that two plain clothed Toronto Police officers were arrested as part of the five total arrests that the RCMP completed. This was not made known to the investigator. From page 38 of the report:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>During the interview, as in the arresting officers’ notes, the POU Commander did not indicate that two of those arrested were plain-clothes officers, later stating that he did not believe it to be significant. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>It was only through an inadvertent comment that the Commission was made aware of the incident. </i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
This wasn't the only occurrence of the investigation being mislead by officers. In reference to the incident at Queen and Spadina the investigation notes. From page 39 of the report: </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A similar response was received from the RCMP Liaison Officer in the MICC who indicated that although he was aware that there was an RCMP tactical troop at Queen Street and Spadina Avenue, he was preoccupied with the movement of resources from Ottawa to Toronto. However, an entry on the sitboard at 6:21 p.m. on June 27, 2010, states: “On June 27, 2010, at 1818 hrs, RCMP Supt. . . . (MICC) updated the crowd is still at Queen and Spadina where POU units, and [Toronto Police Service] Mounted Units are monitoring.” A second entry eleven minutes later goes on to note: “On June 27, 2010, at 1829 hrs, RCMP Supt. . . . advises that the crowd is contained, ongoing extraction and arrests.” This suggests that the senior RCMP officer in the MICC was aware of the situation at the time. (...) There is an apparent disconnect between the RCMP POU Commander on the ground, who had concerns with the ordered tactic, and senior RCMP commanders, including the Liaison Officer in the MICC, who either were not aware of the ongoing situation, or were aware but did not have or did not express concern.</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
The RCMP investigation was limited in scope. For example, it was not within the scope of the investigation to determine what intelligence gathering methods were legal. However, it appears as though the report hinted that it might look at this anyways since there was a lack of judicial oversight in this regard. From page 30 of the report: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<i>Given that the resolution did not include any judicial scrutiny of whether the operations were carried out in an appropriate manner, the Commission is considering whether further review of these operations is required. </i></div>
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<b><br /></b><br />
The RCMP report revealed that RCMP officers aren't exactly forthright when being investigated.<br />
<br />
<b>The OIPRD Report </b><br />
<br />
If I was to include all of the relevant quotes from this report, I'd break 30,000 words in this blog. Instead, I'll point you to my <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/canada/comments/tq2jx/g20_police_trampled_basic_rights_of_citizens/c4oro46?context=3" target="_blank">Reddit post</a> for all the quotes and page numbers to substantiate the following bullet points:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>186 People were strip searched with no paperwork to justify it. </li>
<li>Young Offenders were placed in adult cells </li>
<li>The Prisoner Processing Centre (PPC) had obvious flaws brought up previous to the summit, that were ignored/dismissed. </li>
<li>The planing documents for the PPC said it could hold 500+ prisoners, but had no logistical reason for that. The roof partially caved in, and there was a flood of six inches of water. </li>
<li>The mass arrests at UofT were unlawful. </li>
<li>During the unlawful mass arrests at Queen and Spandina (including two Toronto Police Officers) Bill Blair was busy shaking hands with the President of the United States. </li>
<li>The mass arrests at Novotel were unlawful. </li>
<li>Officers either didn't understand, or disregarded the limits of their stop and search authority. </li>
</ul>
<br />
This was essentially a slightly watered down version of martial law. The right to protest was trampled on, and the abuse of police powers was far reaching.<br />
<br />
For trampling on the rights of the citizens, these <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">officers </span>will clearly face severe legal consequences. Actually... that's not the case. In fact, according to<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/2012/05/18/toronto-g20-blair.html" target="_blank"> CBC News</a> the worst that could happen is they lose their job: <br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The charges, which are not criminal, would be laid under the Police Services Act. Officers found guilty could face penalties ranging from having their pay docked to losing their jobs.</span> </span></i></div>
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<br />
I doubt this will satisfy the 180 people who were strip searched without any justification.<br />
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<b>A Quick Note For The Left</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Can we celebrate for a second? If we're going to get on our high horse and profess the need to have programs in place for the less fortunate/downtrodden, shouldn't we also demand that those who abuse these same systems have some kind of accountability? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I understand why the NDP and Liberals need to scream "bloody murder" over the changes to EI. Politics was never about truth, rather perception. Mr. Flarhety's comments about needing seniors and aboriginals to work are especially easy fodder for this. Likewise, the left-leaning sheeple (yes they do exist) will follow along this same line of thinking. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
The rest of us need to get on board with the conservative government for taking steps to ensure that serial users of EI are weened off the system. Better yet, have them shocked off they system. EI is an insurance. If I was to crash my car every 8 months, I'd be paying so much in insurance that I couldn't drive, or I wouldn't be able to get insurance anymore. Our safety nets should be used by people who occasionally need them, not by people who consider them a way of life. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-62496984784969641472012-05-18T05:59:00.000-07:002012-05-18T05:59:10.467-07:00Ten Link Thursdays (5/17/2012)I was going to merge this with a big post on the G20 (which will still be written) but there was just too much information released this week for me to finish it all on time. Instead, here's 10 links on a Friday. As always, no particular order of importance.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Conservatives funneling money to their buddies? Isn't that what we got rid of the Liberals for?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-overrule-officials-to-fund-project-of-bairds-dear-friend/article2429391/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.theglobeandmail.<wbr></wbr>com/news/politics/tories-<wbr></wbr>overrule-officials-to-fund-<wbr></wbr>project-of-bairds-dear-friend/<wbr></wbr>article2429391/</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">BC Primier rejects Dutch Disease exists - calls NDP leader names since she can't argue the facts </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/12/christy-clark-tom-mulcair-the-house.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/news/<wbr></wbr>politics/story/2012/05/12/<wbr></wbr>christy-clark-tom-mulcair-the-<wbr></wbr>house.html</a></span><br />
<br />
3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Undercover Toronto Police Officers were <s>breaking the law </s>arrested. We learned later in the week that being arrested made it oddly unlikely you were breaking the law: </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/mounties-objected-to-kettling-g20-protesters-watchdog-finds/article2431805/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.theglobeandmail.<wbr></wbr>com/news/politics/ottawa-<wbr></wbr>notebook/mounties-objected-to-<wbr></wbr>kettling-g20-protesters-<wbr></wbr>watchdog-finds/article2431805/</a></div>
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4. A man who took an Axe to the head in Afghanistan, clearly outlines why our Government is distinctly uncanadian. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1177442--trevor-greene-from-one-battlefield-to-another" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>thestar.com/opinion/<wbr></wbr>editorialopinion/article/<wbr></wbr>1177442--trevor-greene-from-<wbr></wbr>one-battlefield-to-another</a></span></div>
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5. Baird was honest, honestly dumb: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/Baird+slip+truth/6619807/story.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>ottawacitizen.com/opinion/<wbr></wbr>columnists/Baird+slip+truth/<wbr></wbr>6619807/story.html</a></span></div>
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6. Offbeat: This news still won't change my view on needles: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/needles-hurt-less-when-you-look-away-new-study-shows/article2433086/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>theglobeandmail.com/life/the-<wbr></wbr>hot-button/needles-hurt-less-<wbr></wbr>when-you-look-away-new-study-<wbr></wbr>shows/article2433086/</a></span></div>
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<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
7. The Conservative Government may have sold out our national security: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/05/15/pol-weston-huawei-china-telecom-security-canada.html?cmp=rss" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/<wbr></wbr>news/politics/story/2012/05/<wbr></wbr>15/pol-weston-huawei-china-<wbr></wbr>telecom-security-canada.html?<wbr></wbr>cmp=rss</a></span></div>
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8. This is not going to go away: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/conservative-mp-calls-for-law-to-protect-unborn-from-bullying-151924215.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>winnipegfreepress.com/canada/<wbr></wbr>conservative-mp-calls-for-law-<wbr></wbr>to-protect-unborn-from-<wbr></wbr>bullying-151924215.html</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">9. </span>This can't be right, it makes far too much sense to involve the legal system: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/05/17/g20-police-charges.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/news/<wbr></wbr>canada/toronto/story/2012/05/<wbr></wbr>17/g20-police-charges.html</a></span></div>
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10. This happens every 10 years or so - and we realize it's stupid every 10 years or so: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/16/reverse-sexism-at-simon-fraser/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/<wbr></wbr>05/16/reverse-sexism-at-simon-<wbr></wbr>fraser/</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-69607456982648694242012-05-10T08:50:00.000-07:002012-05-10T08:50:46.868-07:00Ten Link ThursdayTen Link Thursday, where I share ten links from the last week that I find interesting with a quick comment.<br />
<br />
<i>The following is in no particular order</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. It's not that difficult to draw connections between the Bush years and Harper years: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.ottawamagazine.com/society/politics/2012/05/04/politics-chatter-the-harper-governments-war-on-brains/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.ottawamagazine.com/<wbr></wbr>society/politics/2012/05/04/<wbr></wbr>politics-chatter-the-harper-<wbr></wbr>governments-war-on-brains/</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. It seems like some people opposing abortion now have working Uteruses:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1175265--canada-s-pro-life-movement-gets-a-slick-youthful-rebranding?bn=1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.thestar.com/news/<wbr></wbr>canada/article/1175265--<wbr></wbr>canada-s-pro-life-movement-<wbr></wbr>gets-a-slick-youthful-<wbr></wbr>rebranding?bn=1</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. Canadian Science Writers are being given an award for speaking up when they're told to shut up: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/quirks-quarks-blog/2012/05/to-come.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.cbc.ca/news/<wbr></wbr>technology/quirks-quarks-blog/<wbr></wbr>2012/05/to-come.html</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. 30 dollar rooms for rent: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/more-convicts-must-pay-their-own-way-in-prison-toews-declares/article2427572/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.<wbr></wbr>theglobeandmail.com/news/<wbr></wbr>politics/ottawa-notebook/more-<wbr></wbr>convicts-must-pay-their-own-<wbr></wbr>way-in-prison-toews-declares/<wbr></wbr>article2427572/</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. NO PORN FOR YOU: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/09/vic-toews-says-hes-cut-access-to-porn-on-tvs-in-nova-scotia-prison/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://news.<wbr></wbr>nationalpost.com/2012/05/09/<wbr></wbr>vic-toews-says-hes-cut-access-<wbr></wbr>to-porn-on-tvs-in-nova-scotia-<wbr></wbr>prison/</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">You're footing the bill for Mr.Harper's mouth, but the bill is yet to be disclosed: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Government+over+cost+lawyer+defending+Harper+defamation+suit/6594913/story.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.<wbr></wbr>ottawacitizen.com/news/<wbr></wbr>Government+over+cost+lawyer+<wbr></wbr>defending+Harper+defamation+<wbr></wbr>suit/6594913/story.html</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">New poll has the NDP gaining Nationally, but sliding in Quebec: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-broadens-support-into-tory-turf-poll-shows/article2428433/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.<wbr></wbr>theglobeandmail.com/news/<wbr></wbr>politics/ndp-broadens-support-<wbr></wbr>into-tory-turf-poll-shows/<wbr></wbr>article2428433/</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Offbeat: Some people have interesting goals: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/05/09/ottawa-quebec-knight-rides-across-canada-for-valour.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.cbc.ca/news/<wbr></wbr>canada/ottawa/story/2012/05/<wbr></wbr>09/ottawa-quebec-knight-rides-<wbr></wbr>across-canada-for-valour.html</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Stephen Harper opposes OmniBus bills: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><a href="http://openparliament.ca/debates/1994/3/25/stephen-harper-1/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://openparliament.<wbr></wbr>ca/debates/1994/3/25/stephen-<wbr></wbr>harper-1/</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">10. Stephen Harper and his Masters in Economics, doesn't understand economics: </span><br />
<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/foreign-workers-filling-job-vacancies-with-care/article2418460/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/foreign-workers-filling-job-vacancies-with-care/article2418460/ </span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-6780068552622191202012-05-09T05:16:00.001-07:002012-05-09T05:18:18.977-07:00Then There Was SilenceThe Canadian Association of Journalists are <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-government-most-secretive-journalists-say/article2417147/">starting to make a stir</a> about the level of secrecy being displayed by the Conservative Government*. To quote The Globe and Mail:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The federal government was named for keeping information out of public hands on files such as the F-35 program, avoiding questions at media events and for restricting both public and media access to contentious information.</i></span></span></div>
<br />
The article also notes that the Conservative Government almost exclusively communicates with the media by email. As one of the comments point out, the most amusing part of this story seeing the light of day is <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/the-globes-election-endorsement-facing-up-to-our-challenges/article2001610/">The Globe and Mail's endorsement </a>of Mr.Harper. Like many Canadians, The Globe should take these actions as something of a point of introspection. It's not coming out of left field that the Government is withholding information from both the press and therefore public. In fact, it's the reason behind the impending motion of contempt that was only avoided by a vote on the budget. This was the exact reason for <a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/04/28/a-price-must-be-paid-but-by-whom/">Andrew Coyne's endorsement</a> of the Liberal Party in the last election.<br />
<br />
Our citizenship has become so disengaged that the relevance of the media outcry is limited at best. The electorate is far more interested in the anniversary of William and Kate's wedding than they are in having information on how their government is behaving.<br />
<br />
There are those of us that see the light, that feel like people will at any moment wake up and demand accountability from their government. There's little evidence to support this theory. Sure, polling numbers say that the NDP has drawn even with the Conservatives but years away from an election you can hardly count on that. There's an Omnibus budget bill on the way that will pass without much fuss, because after all it's nearly summer and people have more important things to think about than the future of our nation. <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*It's recently occurred to me that anyone discussing or writing about the practices of the current government should withhold from referring to the Harper government. Only recently has this become a thing, but it paves the way to suggest that once Mr.Harper has been removed from power that the new Conservative government would act in a significantly different way. What the Conservative Government has created is a structure of information distribution and governance that citizens should expect to see carried over once a new Conservative leader is installed. The policies of this government are not only Stephen Harper's but also that of the Conservative Party of Canada - a distinction that we should not allow Mr.Harper to have us forget.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-46968813300400760212012-04-29T11:40:00.000-07:002012-04-29T11:40:28.256-07:00A Smorgasbord of ThingsI can't lie, I've always wanted to find a way to work the word "Smorgasboard" into one of my writings. This title seemed fitting as I don't have any thoughts to pontificate about at length. Instead, I offer you bite sized thoughts from my bite sized mind.<br />
<br />
<b>That House</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
This country and presumably others are filled with "that house". "That House" where many people have lived, and there's an entire friends circle that has either grown from or with the abode. In many cases "that house" was an apartment. The physical location was less important than the people that occupied it. <br />
<br />I was at a farewell party to one of those houses last night. People came with stories of the shenanigans which had gone down in the living room. They looked longingly for the table that was once danced upon with some regularity. At other places I've been, there was a fondness for the old McDonalds trash can that was drunkenly acquired one evening on a stumble home. Yet others some come back to wondering if the bong hidden away on the balcony upstairs still has its home in the corner (it did not).<br />
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These places are usually just some combination of brick, wood, steel and drywall, but they hold inside of them a connection to our youth that can't be unchained. The stories we tell in our advanced years will reference back to "that time on ___________ street" and those that were there will know exactly what we're talking about. Those that weren't, will think of their own communal locations. There will be other locations that act as touchstones in our lives, where you bring your first child home or the first home you buy for example. There's something about these first communal houses, though. They are places of community. Places where children learn together how to be adults.<br />
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Anyone who's lived in one of these houses knows that it's not all roses, as heads butt and personalities clash. However, there's little doubt in my mind that it's an invaluable life experience that everyone should have the chance to participate in during their formative years.<br />
<br />
<b>Conservatives on Abortion </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
I must be feeling ill because I felt moved by <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1169031--abortion-will-never-be-eliminated-tory-mp-says">something a prominent Conservative said</a> in the House of Commons this week. It's a kick in the face for those Conservatives who vote as such for social reasons, which I'm certain is why the PMO didn't note if he was speaking on behalf of the government or himself. A copy of the Government WHIP's* statement can be <a href="http://openparliament.ca/debates/2012/4/26/gordon-oconnor-2/">found here</a>, but it's this excerpt that I found myself especially agreeing with:<br />
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<div data-hocid="2811949" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Abortion is a very serious and long-lasting decision for women, and I want all women to continue to live in a society in which decisions on abortion can be made, one way or the other, with advice from family and a medical doctor and without the threat of legal consequences. I do not want women to go back to the previous era where some were forced to obtain abortions from illegal and medically dangerous sources. This should never happen in a civilized society.</span></i></div>
<div data-hocid="2811950" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether one accepts it or not, abortion is and always will be part of society. There will always be dire situations in which some women may have to choose the option of abortion. No matter how many laws some people may want government to institute against abortion, abortion cannot be eliminated. It is part of the human condition.</span></i></div>
<div data-hocid="2811951" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I cannot understand why those who are adamantly opposed to abortion want to impose their beliefs on others by way of the Criminal Code. There is no law that says that a woman must have an abortion. No one is forcing those who oppose abortion to have one.</span></i></div>
<div data-hocid="2811952" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Within the free and democratic society of Canada, if one has a world view based on a personal moral code that is somewhat different from others, then live according to those views as long as they are within the current laws. On the other hand, citizens who are also living within the reasonable limits of our culture and who may not agree with another's particular moral principles should not be compelled to follow them by the force of a new law.</span></i></div>
<div data-hocid="2811952" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>...</i></span></div>
<div data-hocid="2811952" data-originallang="en" style="color: #111111; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: none; text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am sure we all recognize that the issue of abortion raises strongly held and divergent views within and outside Parliament. However, I firmly believe that each of us should be able to pursue our lifestyle as long as it is within the boundaries of law and does not interfere with the actions of others... Society has moved on and I do not <span style="line-height: 18px;">believe</span> this proposal should proceed. </i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">If only an American conservative would have the courage to say the same thing now. </span></span></div>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>HST in PEI </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
The HST is coming to PEI and the Islanders are livid! I was unaware of many of the tax loopholes for the previous PST, and am completely unsurprised that a people who had such a sweet deal (and quickly ballooning deficit) are getting pissed off that their lollipop is being taken away. For example, there was no PST on Tobacco. Certainly there were other provincial taxes, but somehow not the sales tax. Nearly everything to do with a funeral had no PST, along with manicures, pedicures, and salon visits. Needless to say, I think the province was long overdue for a change. However, there's some parts where the government might of actually had it right in the first place.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>The future of health care is in prevention. There's a ton of evidence to show that dollars spent in prevention of illness (i.e. promotion of healthy and active lifestyles) saves in future treatment costs. So when I saw that previously untaxed gym memberships or children's karate/ballet/hockey lessons will now be taxed - I was a little perplexed. It seemed like short term thinking. </li>
<li>Heating Oil amuses me. If you have oil heating, you get a tax break. If you have a wood stove, or electric heating, you have to pay. The government should not be favoring one style of heating over another. Either tax it all the same, or don't tax it at all. </li>
<li>I always thought it was interesting that PEI chose not to tax books. I don't really have a strong opinion on how important that was, but am certainly disappointed to see it go. It's an indirect tax hike on post secondary students, which is not what they need. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
There's also sales tax on an item that makes absolutely no sense as far as I'm concerned: Feminine Hygiene Products. We don't charge sales tax on prescription drugs, glasses, hearing aids, or basically anything that it would be unreasonable to ask a person to go without if they need it. I feel pretty comfortable speaking for women when I say that they need feminine hygiene products. There's no reason this should be taxed, in fact it's incredibly sexist to do so. It's a tax on being a woman, and it's not right.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-35689258388506540332012-04-01T11:22:00.001-07:002012-04-01T11:22:45.652-07:00The NDP Has A New Leader (Professor?)I'll be honest. I haven't read the budget. It's 500 pages long, and I am not one of the fortunate people who get to participate in the lock up*. So I'm going to write about the NDP race in this blog, but I promise to read much of the budget and come back with my thoughts in the next week or two.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The NDP is 100% Committed to Losing the Next Election</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/kady/status/183929362226221057">As reported</a> by Kady O'Malley, the NDP has stated they will not run attack ads. That's not how they work. The NDP also elected the man <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/04/pol-mulcair-osama.html">who publicly questioned</a> if there really were Osama Bin Laden pictures. I don't feel like I need to make much more of a case than that for Mulcair not getting elected the Prime Minister of Canada. Just in case, I'll link you to his speech<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/1221258968/ID=2214962598"> after having won</a> the convention.<br />
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In reference to being attacked, Mulcair called it secondary school behavior and said that they have a different approach. When told it worked with Ignatieff, he said they can't do any worse than his brothers and sisters, something I could never imagine a secondary school child saying.<br />
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Here's the biggest problem: He looks like a professor. We tried that. Well, the Liberals tried that. Mulcair also tried to say that the way to win the election is to get the 67% of 18-25 demographic that didn't vote in the last election. Mr. Mulcair doesn't seem to understand just how distracted this generation is. To cut through the noise, Professor Mulcair will debate policy and not engage in personal attacks.<br />
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To rephrase, Mr.Mulcair's plan to become Prime Minister is to reach out to the demographic watching 16 and Pregnant, Jersey Shore, and Keeping Up With The Kardashians, by civilly discussing policy. I truly wish we lived in a society where this would be a realistic approach, but it's not. It's unrealistic, it's La La Land - in other words it's right in the wheelhouse of the NDP.<br />
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I look forward to the Liberal leadership race, because right now there is no reason to think there's a party capable of beating the Conservatives.<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*One day in my life I WOULD like to be one of the people locked in a room with no cell phone for seven hours while going through a 500 page document. #thingsthatwouldonlyexciteme </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-4143721402210073142012-03-21T11:35:00.001-07:002012-03-21T11:35:10.755-07:00Writers BlockI've been wanting to update this, as I'm trying to stick to my blogging once a week theory.<br /><br />It's just not happening though. Whenever I try to write about anything politics related, I get the feeling of being the man yelling at the freight train running him over.<br />
<br />So for now, this blog will be unoccupied again. Until I can muster up the courage to lose my discouragement about the future.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-79693257055799687532012-03-09T10:40:00.001-08:002012-03-09T10:43:28.317-08:00All This Talk About Food Is Making Me Hungry!<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last 48 hours of my life have been a crash course in a broken food system. </div>
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This is not to say I didn't care about food issues previously. My love has made me quite aware of some of the challenges facing our current food consumption style from the day we met. Since then I've been frequenting farmers markets and trying to ensure as much of my food dollar goes to the people producing it as possible. Supporting local farmers for my meat and veggies along with any other sustenance available has quickly become a part of my lifestyle. On top of this, I've tried to severely limit the amount of money that I'm spending at fast food. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enwU5jIXSlU">This scene</a> from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNFlyolcfm8">Food Inc</a> can best describe why I haven't eaten a nugget in at least a month. </div>
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I sat in at the <a href="http://www.peiadapt.com/">PEI Adapt</a> Conference yesterday and learned a great deal. I brought my notebook with me, as I tend to do everywhere. In the last three months I've scribbled about six pages of random notes about random things as I wandered the Atlantic Provinces. Yesterday's conference quickly saw an additional six pages of notes added. This post is my attempt to pass on what I've learned in the last 48 hours: </div>
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<b>Do You Know What CSA Is? If So, Why Don't You Have One? </b></div>
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CSA stands for Community Supported (or shared) Agriculture. </div>
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With a CSA you give your farmer X dollars at the beginning of the season. "X" will change depending on what you're buying. Obviously, a meat CSA is more expensive than a veggie CSA (per pound). With the money that you give the farmer, they use it for their operating costs. Seeds/livestock, tractors, etc. Many of these farmers even have greenhouses to help them produce some of the more sought after veggies like tomatoes and peppers. After that, at different intervals (some go weekly, some biweekly, others as one time returns) you get a box of food from your farmer. Most farmers just have a set box that has a mix of items. In the early part of the season it's usually greener - but as the season goes on you'll see more carrots and other colorful items crop up* as they come to harvest. Other farmers (like<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jen-Dereks-Organic-Farm/294625606933"> presenter Jen</a>) will have something where you have a mostly set box, but can grab other items as wanted. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone likes broccoli. </div>
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More often than not these are coming from small family farms that are using organic production standards and not the industrialized food model. My love and I will be participating in at least two this year, and I'd encourage you to do so. </div>
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<b>We Can Learn From The South</b></div>
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Dr. Av Singh's discussion outlined lessons that can be learned in the north from our neighbors to the far south.</div>
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In our culture we've redefined innovation as being something new and often technological, and fallen away from appreciating innovative ideas. For something to be an innovative idea, it does not need to be the most cutting edge technology. In fact, the most innovative ideas right now are those going against the trend of technology. As Monsanto is suing farmers for saving seeds, and actively trying to destroy the practice so new seeds can be sold yearly one of the most innovative things a farmer can do right now is save their seeds for the next season. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Innovation can take the form of where you seek your advice too. In Africa, there was nearly an entire generation of farmers killed by AIDS. So the new generation is having to go back two generations for knowledge in this regard. I fear that in our western culture we'd seek scientists and consultants, whereas there's this beauty in farmers that so many are willing to freely share knowledge and information. </div>
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I found this quote Dr.Singh shared form <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/food-ark/siebert-text/1">National Geographic</a> was quite profound: </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><i>Still, storing seeds in</i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"> banks to bail us out of future calamities is only a halfway measure. Equally worthy of saving is the hard-earned wisdom of the world's farmers, generations of whom crafted the seeds and breeds we now so covet. Perhaps the most precious and endangered resource is the knowledge stored in farmers' minds.</i></div>
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Land was briefly discussed, and it was noted that in the south there's significant land acquisition taking place. This acquisition is mostly for the purpose of carbon credits and sprawl. The soil quality doesn't contain any currency, much like our culture. The land is only worth as much as you can exploit it for. </div>
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There were two stats from Asia that I found particularly interesting: </div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">In China and India there are 200,000,000 rice farmers. (Close to 6x the population of Canada) </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">In India, 70% of their milk comes from farms that have 1 or 2 cows. </li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/03/09/pei-singh-small-farms-584.html">CBC reported</a> (or sensationalized depending on your viewpoint), another part of the discussion was that we need to see a shift in our culture to spend more on food. When I asked him how we move people from where we are currently (most don't visit farmers markets, for example) he said two things that stood out to me: </div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">"Food can also be part of our entertainment" </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">"We need to challenge Sobeys and Superstore and let them know that we want real food"</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We should reevaluate the money that we're spending on our entertainment budget (movies, video games, vacations etc) and shift some of that into the food pile. If we do that in conjunction with increasing our social activities over food (dinner parties, pot lucks, etc) we could have a significant positive impact on our farmers, our culture, and our health. </div>
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<b>The Little Hippies That Could</b></div>
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Jeff and Debra Moore kicked things off after a delicious lunch from <a href="http://www.lunchonline.ca/lunchspecials/PapaJoes.htm">Papa Joe's</a>. They founded <a href="http://www.justuscoffee.com/">Just Us Coffee Roasters Cooperative</a>. </div>
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Jeff first outlined how the quality of coffee dropped significantly during the 80's as the big players raced for the bottom in price. Once that happened, people started shifting to other carbonated beverages, namely colas. </div>
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They started a fair trade coffee company. As they put it, they wanted to have a coffee producer that was "...not subsidized by economic and social injustice." They started by traveling around to local food stores and other retailers that would have them giving out samples to anyone interested. People were impressed by the quality of their product, and success was not far behind. </div>
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<i>"The worse industrial food becomes, the more large the opening for local producers" </i> </div>
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They then outlined how small producers have started to lose control over fair trade. As people started to demand fair trade products <a href="http://journalism.smcvt.edu/echo/04.02.08/Naked%20Opinion/Photos/Coldplay.jpg">(thanks, Coldplay)</a>, corporations wanted to look responsible and join on part of this. <a href="http://www.babymilkaction.org/action/nestlefairtrade.html">Nestle famously had under 1% of its purchases as fair trade</a>, but chose to market its fair trade coffee heavily to give the impression it was a fair trade company. As part of this influx of corporations, the fair trade price stayed stagnant for almost 20 years. Furthermore, multi-nationals would use this minimum price (per pound of coffee) as THE price, whereas smaller roasters like Just Us would use this price as the minimum. </div>
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With all that said, Just Us products are now featured in Atlantic Superstores and business is booming with expansions planned. How did they break into the Superstores? "It only takes a couple of people to say something" said Debra. She explained how as few as one or two people would ask at their local store, and sure enough they'd get a call seeking product. </div>
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This couple also had my two favorite quotes of the day: </div>
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<ul>
<li>"Never trust a man who says he's the boss, because you don't know what else he'll lie to you about." </li>
<li>"There's a lot of awareness but not a lot of solutions" </li>
</ul>
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<b>What Did You Learn At School Today? </b></div>
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We need to make better choices with our food. Not only that, but we need to hold our retailers accountable for what they're stocking the shelves with too. If your grocer isn't giving you healthy choices, talk to them! The much better option is to talk to a farmer though. Sure it might be slightly less convenient, but the positives for our culture, your health, and society as a whole are immeasurable. </div>
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*Sorry, I can't resist puns sometimes.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-60411285717078854562012-03-02T11:51:00.000-08:002012-03-02T12:28:28.920-08:00CamericaAt some point in my tweenage years a grown man punched me in the face. My friends and I were playing road hockey outside of his house. While I was in "the penalty box" (aka, the steps of my friends house) this man asked me "What's the matter with you, huh?" as I didn't run away when he came storming out of his home. When my friends saw this cranky man leave his home and come toward us, they instinctively ran. Apparently this "man" had a history of being the neighborhood crank - essentially the local <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_the_Menace_(U.S._comics)#The_Wilsons">Mr.Wilson</a>. He left his home to shoo us off, I stayed on the steps as the egg timer on my penalty hadn't finished, he felt disrespected, and he punched me in the face.<br />
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I ran to my friends house crying with a bloody lip, and the police were called. The man was arrested, and put in the back of a police car. While in the back seat, he laid on his back and kicked the windows, eventually popping one out of place. Months later, an officer arrived at my home and delivered a subpoena to appear in court. The mere delivery of this summons sent tween me back into tears as I apparently hadn't resolved whatever issues I had around the incident. </div>
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In the court room it was explained to the judge that the mans wife had recently had a dental procedure, that the man had drank much of a bottle of wine, and that otherwise he was an upstanding citizen. The Crown wanted a fine (a little over $1000 if memory serves me correctly). The defense wanted community service. The judge didn't even appear to take any time to think about the two options, and provided the man with ~100 hours of community service. I was shaken again. How does a grown man punch a child in the face, and only have to pick up a bit of garbage as a result? This was the day that whatever innocence I had left from parents divorce died. </div>
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My friends and family were all aware of this and many of them found it to be absurd. A grown man punches a boy in the face and only has to pick up a bit of trash as a result? Outrageous. "In America, this would never happen. They'd throw this asshole in jail right away." This was a thought that I heard in some form on multiple occasions. Essentially that the Canadian justice system was broken if something like this could happen. </div>
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I am nowhere near naive enough to think that mine is somehow a unique story. A story like this must happen almost every day in Canada, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation">six degrees of separation</a> would tell us that everyone knows someone (or someone who knows someone) who's been through a similar incident. Perhaps not the grotesqueness of a man hitting a child, but of perceived injustice in our criminal system. Depending on the immediacy of relation they may even have completely emotional view of it. For example, "My brother was hit by a car, has to take pain medication for years, and the guy who did it is running around fancy free." </div>
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So now we're faced with new crime legislation in Canada, that will soon become law. This story, and many like it, can serve to show that there is need for some reform of our criminal justice system. The Conservatives know this and have promised change for many years. </div>
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The only problem with the changes they're proposing, is that they'll only make the situation worse. As outlined by the <a href="http://canada.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2002/rr02_1/rr02_1.pdf">university of Ottawa</a>, the <a href="http://ccla.org/omnibus-crime-bill-c-10/">CCLU</a>, and the <a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1086785--10-reasons-to-oppose-bill-c-10">Canadian BAR association</a> - the legislation which <a href="http://openparliament.ca/bills/41-1/C-10/">passed in December</a> has many provisions that won't actually keep Canadians safer, but instead create more criminals. The bill follows the American blue print, which as their neighbors to the north we've seen fail over and over again. </div>
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This is not a unique Americanization, however. Character assassinations have been frequent from Conservatives toward the last two Liberal leaders. Of course, when Vic Towes was called out for proclaiming family values while being a convicted criminal and adulterer, attacks on character were decried as inappropriate. When I try to think of political candidates promoting family values, only to act in the very nature they decry, I again think of our neighbors to the south. </div>
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Recently, the robocalls scandal has been the flavor of the month. A conservative affiliated robocall company has been accused of making robocalls to Canadians misdirecting them from their voting locaton. Since this issue has become public, Elections Canada has indicated that it's received 31,000 contacts in regards to the issue. A few years ago I read a book by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Raymond">Allen Raymond</a> called, "<a href="http://books.google.ca/books/about/How_to_Rig_an_Election.html?id=Rf7sDfBI5okC&redir_esc=y">How To Rig An Election.</a>" In it, he took actions to try to stop people in liberal households from voting. They did this by targeting the campaigns though, not the voters directly. Conservatives, it seems, found a way to improve his methods. </div>
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When bill C-30 was first discussed in the house of commons, Vic Towes channeled <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpPABLW6F_A">George W Bush</a>, and proclaimed that people can either stand with the government, or with child pornographers. </div>
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In another Bushism, <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/02/17/science-federal-muzzling-scientists.html">scientists are being muzzled</a> by the government. Remarkably as<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/03/02/nature-science-canada.html"> Nature journal points out</a>, America has actually been improving in this regard while we're declining toward bush-era scientific regulations. </div>
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I wrote <a href="http://chollyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/completely-biased-political-post.html">a blog</a> during election season where I noted that the conservatives were trying to convince us that a duck was actually a moose, and that I wasn't buying it. In that light, I'll start calling our country Camerica, as our government has clearly adopted many of the most unsavory themes from American style politics. These aren't just politics as usual in Canada, this is a systematic attack on how our democracy operates.</div>
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Camerica is a place where anecdotal evidence outweighs real evidence, where misdirection outweighs integrity, and the public service needs to be cut back - in every area but communications. </div>
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When I was a tweenager hit in the face by an adult, I lost my innocence about humanity. The Harper Government has now taken away my innocence about governance. The first made me question the public's intentions, the latter has made me question their intelligence. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-5625110148781435332012-02-26T11:51:00.001-08:002012-02-26T12:35:22.195-08:00So it beginsOn Tuesday pitchers and catchers were required to report to Blue Jays spring training in Dunedin Florida. As a long time Jays fan, I have begun to apologize to my loved ones. This morning, as I threw my Jays T-Shirt on, I turned to my love and proclaimed, "Sorry - you're going to need to get used to this." <br />
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Being a sports fan is something that those who are not can rarely understand. As self-reflective as I may be, I can't exactly determine where this comes from. <a href="http://www.globalpolitician.com/25299-sports-narcissism-teams-psychology-competition">Google pointed me to this explanation</a>, but no level of intellectualizing can properly convey exactly what it is to be a sports fan... in particular a Toronto sports fan.<br />
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<b>The Curse Of The Torontonian </b><br />
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Being born in Toronto, and raised to understand that The Leafs are "Gods team" creates an expectation of disappointment. This hockey season has played out like many:<br />
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<li>The Leafs start by winning more games than the fans expected</li>
<li>Their fans/media expect the trend to continue, extrapolating the small sample size to continue throughout the year</li>
<li>The Leafs fall back to where their talent should have them</li>
<li>The fans/media freak out as their new found expectations aren't being met. A media circus ensues. </li>
<li>The Leafs fall even further back</li>
<li>The fans/media proclaim that someone must be fired.</li>
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And this is just the horror of being a Leafs fan. Imagine being a Raptors fan! In existence for more than a decade, a good portion of their ticket/box holders are only doing so because they're required to for their Leafs obligations, American born players don't want to play in T.O. When it's all said and done, there's more players who have publicly asked to get out than there are play-off series won.<br />
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In fact, the only team in Toronto with any "recent" history of winning a championship is The Jays. This is only if your definition of "recent" is "within the last 20 years".<br />
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There are reasons for optimism in Blue Jay Land, however. Legitimate reasons, which is much more than we can say for fans of any other Toronto sports team. So without further adieu, I give you my thoughts on why the Blue Jays have a <i><b>chance</b> </i>at making the post season.<br />
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<b>Blue Jays 2012 Season </b><br />
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As much as any fan over paying for internet/cellphones/cable with Rogers would like to think that the Blue Jays have unlimited resources, they do not. Rogers executives are looking to make money, and Paul Beeston (Jays President) has made it very clear that the payroll will only go up when revenues do.<br />
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This is why paying 8 million dollars for Jose Bautista instantly makes this team competitive. Jose was the AL Leader in: <br />
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<li>Home Runs </li>
<li>Slugging</li>
<li>Walks </li>
<li> On-Base + Slugging (In my opinion the most important stat in baseball) </li>
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For 8 million dollars!!! That's 1/4 of what Alex Rodriguez is being paid. Not only that, but Jose is only in the second year of a 5 (team option 6) year contract. So whatever happens this year, there's a reason for long-term optimism. </div>
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This isn't exactly breaking news, but the Jays year hinges on Bautista. Without him in the lineup, the middle of the order has no teeth. Pitchers can walk the lefties they don't want to face - and pounce on what is a weak collection of batters otherwise. With Bautista in the order, the 1/2 hitters will get pitches to hit since the starting pitcher sure as hell doesn't want to walk men on for Bautista to drive home. This will require some batters who aren't exactly free swingers at the top of the order for the team, which in itself may be a challenge. Even for Bautista, you could see as the year wore on and pitchers were less willing to give him a pitch to hit - he became somewhat more willing to go outside of the strike zone for a pitch to hit instead of just taking the walk that was handed to him. As Anthopolis noted in<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/jays-boss-anthopoulos-holds-court/article2350061/"> yesterday's Globe and Mail</a>, Lawrie may also fall victim to this.<br />
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So I stated that this team has a chance to make a playoff run, but there was a reason I both bolded and italicized "chance". This requires so many things to go right that it can only be labelled as a chance, similar to that of hitting "00" in a roulette game.<br />
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JP Arencebia, Brett Lawrie, and (potentially) Eric Thames are all going to be sophomores this year. <a href="http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-sophomore-slump/">The Sophomore Curse is real</a>, as close to 2/3's of rookie of the year winners regress in their second year. This means that two of these players should be expected to get worse, and potentially one could get better. Of course all three could excel, all three could regress, or any combination. However regression is the most likely outcome for each of these players. Add to this Kelly Johnson's striking out 26% of the time last year, and Adam Lind's strike out percentage nearing 20% - you start to wonder where the runs come from outside of Bautista.<br />
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But IF Rasmus gets his act together, the sophomores don't have a huge regression, and Bautista continues to produce - the offence could lead this team to the playoffs.<br />
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None of this even begins to address pitching, and I fear to dive into that subject as everything beyond Ricky Romero seems like a complete gamble. The only bright side to the off season was the aquisition of Santos, and even that feels like a gamble considering his youth. If that kid is the real deal, fixing some part of the 25 blown saves from 2011 would make a huge influence on the Jays playoff chances.<br />
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There's really only one thing that matters though:<br />
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<b>How Many Games Do We Win? </b><br />
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Vegas has the over/under at 80.5. With a gun to my head, I'd say under. However it's entirely possible that it could be ten games over, especially with an early acquisition of another big bat to protect Bautista. <br />
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<b>Who Wins The Ring?</b><br />
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We will see many prognostications in this regard in the coming month, and none of them matter. There's a reason there's 162 games in a baseball season, and it's because the outcome of seven game series have too many values that could be attributed to luck. Forced to make a decision, I'd gamble on the Red Sox. The psychology of their slow start and finish last year set aside makes them prime candidates for a redemption tour.<br />
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Before I go, I need to get this off my chest...<br />
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<b>Dear Pittsburgh Pirates:</b><br />
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Are you out of your freaking minds? AJ Burnett is a 500 pitcher, which he has been his entire career, and he's made millions of dollars on the expectation that eventually he'll be able to put it all together. Many teams have tried to get this guys head right, and many teams have failed. Why you would bring a cancer like that into your dressing room is beyond me, and why you would put him in a leadership position with all those young players seems even crazier. Whatever lack of success your team has this year I will attribute to AJ. Is that fair? Nope. Neither is what this man has been paid for his horrific consistency over the years. AJ is doomed to failure, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy every time he failed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-63851439204835960992012-02-20T11:33:00.000-08:002012-02-20T11:33:17.466-08:00An Open Letter To Stephen HarperDear Mr.Harper, <div>
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21st century politics seem to be your government's specialty. I'm a Canadian, an extremely proud Canadian. I've been to seven provinces, met many Canadians, and I have a great deal of trouble identifying how exactly your government is promoting Canadian values. </div>
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First, your government accused anyone who opposed a bill that would mandate ISPs monitor all online activity of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/02/13/technology-lawful-access-toews-pornographers.html">siding with child pornographers.</a> Now, you're<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/20/canada-eu-tar-sands"> threatening the EU </a> for labeling the oil sands as polluting. One man's science is another man's inconvenient truth I guess. I also know that <a href="http://www.canada.com/business/World+Economic+Forum+host+Harper+talk+economy/6048709/story.html">the economy is your top priority</a>. This really does create a picture of what your Canada looks like. </div>
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Is it the Canadian way to disregard the science and instead try to protect corporate oil interests? I understand that it's also an attempt to protect Canadian jobs, but at what point would the factual environmental impact of those jobs have an impact on your decision making? For example, if we knew that the world would end in 50 years if we continued production in the oil sands would you continue to protect economic interests? What if we knew that 30% of Albertans would die if we continued production, would the economy continue to take priority or would the health and safety of our countrymen take priority then? Does the answer to the previous question change if it's Quebecers dying? What if it was Africans dying? Would killing foreigners make your economic priority more reasonable? </div>
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Of course, I'm not suggesting that when it comes to the oil sands you don't care about the health and safety of foreigners. <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/980449--harper-defends-asbestos-exports-despite-cancer-risks">Your view on abestos exports</a> has already made it clear that you value the economy over the health and safety of foreigners. </div>
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In regards to your "child pornography" bill - I've yet to see one piece of evidence come from this government outlining previous cases that this bill would have facilitated the capture of child pornographers. It's my belief that until you are able to provide such evidence, you don't have a valid reason to force ISPs to create an infrastructure that will monitor everything every Canadian does online. Frankly, even if you could do so - Orwellian style laws like this don't jive with what I consider Canadian values. </div>
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I'd note that it's some pretty slick politicking though. Bring out a bill that calls warrant-less surveillance "lawful access" and claim to be on the side of "lawful access". It's quite the political score to stand up in the house of commons in an outrage that the opposition is against lawful access in the pursuit of child pornographers. I also have no doubt that there will be a couple of changes made so your government can claim to have listened to the will of the people, but the fact that our ISPs are mandated to monitor everything we do online and provide warrant-less access to you will stay. I guess these are Conservative values, the kind that you try to claim are Canadian values. </div>
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Remember, Mr.Harper - less than 40% of Canadians voted for you. To claim some kind of moral high ground on these issues would be silly. I'm happy that for the most part you do not. In fact, you've made it quite clear that the Economy is what you value most. </div>
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Canadians value much more than profit, though. We value fairness, equity, sophistication in world view, and have an inherent desire to do the right thing. Thusfar, as much as you may like to claim otherwise, the values your government demonstrates are certainly not Canadian values. </div>
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Sincerely, </div>
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A Canadian With Very Different Values Than You</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-15624617531017776242012-02-04T21:13:00.000-08:002012-02-04T21:13:50.129-08:00London's Disappearing Middle ClassThe London ON Catapilliar plant is now closing down. This after the union workers refused to take a 50% pay cut to continue on behalf of the multi-national corporation Caterpillar who <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/business/caterpillar-profit-rises-44.html">earned record profits last year</a>. <br />
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<strong>The Global Economy</strong><br />
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There's speculation that these jobs will be sent to Indiana where the people are willing to work for less. Regardless of where the jobs go, one would assume they're going <em>somewhere</em> because Caterpillar hasn't announced that they don't actually need these parts anymore, but instead that they're managing costs. These jobs and the wages that go with it aren't viewed as people with families and mortgages or even the backbone of a company as many multi-nationals like to claim, no these are a cost that can be reduced on a balance sheet.<br />
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Apple is a prime example of this. 13 Billion in profit on 46 Billion in sales. So about 28 percent of the sticker price of your shiny new apple product is straight profit... but Apple isn't interested in imrpoving the working conditions of the people making these products, nor are we interested in discontinuing to purchase them. People have literally died so that you and I can have an iPhone and a Macbook and so "investors" (See: The 1%) can get their 13 Billion dollars in profit.<br />
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"The Global Economy" often referenced by our political leaders and elder statesmen as the cornerstone of the new world we live in, is essentially legalized slave labor. So much of what we purchase is made in China or Indonesia but we don't have any reason to discontinue doing so since in many cases it's the only way anyone here could have <i>anything</i>. If your only job is working 40 hours a week at Walmart, how can you afford to buy anything anywhere BUT Walmart? I'd suggest going back to <a href="http://chollyer.blogspot.com/2011/11/this-blog-remains-unoccupied.html">my OWS post in November</a> (specifically the "Ignorance" and "The System" sections for further elaboration on this)<br />
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<b>The Liar Economy </b><br />
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What exactly would happen to our economy if we started to enforce monopoly laws, and made things like "<span style="font-size: xx-small;">up to</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">50% off</span>" illegal? I believe in a free market economy where people want or need different things, and make deals where everyone wins. I get what I want, you get my money. I'm nothing short of disgusted by our economy where we advertise deceptively - and so long as it just stays barely within the law, you're good. At a certain point, an organization can completely forgo marketing their product - and instead just start trying to get you to buy emotions. Coke doesn't sell their product anymore. They create advertisements that illicit an emotion. Ideally, a positive one. "Awwwww those polar bears really love each other" - drop a Coke logo over top of it and voila. Coke doesn't need advertising to sell their product - but they market heavily to stop anyone else from getting in this game.<br />
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<i>Right now you drink Coke? Good. Coke is happiness. Continue to drink it. Please don't actually start to pay attention to what you're thinking or feeling, we have pills for those emotions. All you need to know is that this "happy" thing they've told you about in story books as a child can be easily acquired with a purchase of a Coke. </i><br />
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Giving me the illusion of happiness for my money isn't the same thing.<br />
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Some want to call it persuasion - but at some point we can just start calling it bullshit. "Talking Points" are standard practice in politics and corporate communications. What does it say about our society that a standard practice of two of the most influential societal structures of our time has found great success in <i>not</i> answering questions, but instead shifting to these points regardless of the question that's asked.<br />
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Our friends at Caterpillar aren't leaving because they can't afford to have a plant here. They're moving because there's a bunch of people that you and I will never meet who have a shit ton of money, and want more, regardless of the true costs. The Conservatives will tell these people to move west, where there's a whole other group of rich people ready to exploit them. My suggestion: Start your own business. Learn a trade, find some other small business in town that needs help, clean bathrooms, work on a farm - do ANYTHING but work for a multi-national. Sure, you might get a middle class wage for now - but when they can find someone in China to do it cheaper, they will... and soon enough there will be no middle class.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-68491588549270952752012-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:002012-01-20T16:45:33.909-08:00UnionsThis is only slightly longer than a status update surely.<br />
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I just finished reading about how the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/20/toronto-g20-police-association-nobody.html">Toronto Police Union is going to try and block the charges laid against their men</a> for (allegedly) beating the shit out of someone, cause they can during the G20 in Toronto.<br />
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I've been shitting on unions for a long time, in all honesty. This one is great though. The same left-wing people that always maintain to me that it's impossible that a union could ever do something wrong, are faced with this.<br />
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This is why too much power is bad. For anyone. No group, union, business, government, or corporation should have the ability to stonewall the law. They do, regularly. I'd like a list of all the times a police officer has been charged with assault in the last 20 years.<br />
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I imagine the list is so short it's inconceivable to be true. <br />
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Also: These officers going as "unidentified" for so long is also hilarious. Aren't scrap citizens like us often asked to come forward and provide information on a crime? However when they commit one no one knows anything?<br />
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Union mentalities are just as bad as corporate mentalities. The problem is the corporate ones usually result in a greater reduction in the middle class - whereas unions add to the middle class more often than not. Either way, this is a joke. No one is going to face any serious consequences from the G20 herding - and that's exactly the kind of thing that isn't even supposed to be possible in Canada.<br />
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This isn't the Canada I was raised in. This is Harper's Canada. Where 1000 people are arrested over a weekend, the police attack people without cause - and there's no consequences.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1267470577546152774.post-2239925179535680812011-12-21T19:19:00.000-08:002011-12-21T19:19:14.450-08:00Buying JeansThis is my experience of going to Champlain Place to buy pants tonight:<br />
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First off, from outside it looks glorious. One story high (can't be two, it's built on marshland) and encompassing an entire city block, Champlain Place is home for all of Greater Moncton's shopping needs. From what I've heard from the not so locals, it's also a place that people travel from all around the maritimes to shop at.... I'm not kidding.<br />
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When I first walked in, I was greeted with significant signage which explained to me that "Love starts here". It's also on the front page of their website.<br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/mHrL9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://i.imgur.com/mHrL9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was happy to see that malls had cut out the psycho-babble bullshit and just started to give it to people straight: "If you really love these people - you need to buy more shit". Thankfully, there was no shortage of maritime people ready to oblige and prove their love. I was on a hunt for jeans. I'd recently realized that all but one pair of mine had holes in the knees. This isn't a look I mind - however my workplace takes some issue with it. Apparently, the mall was busy. I don't notice this since the busiest maritime mall day doesn't come close to a weekend at the Eaton Centre, so I plowed through the "crowds" and went looking for some jeans. <br />
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I started at H&M because... well the only reason I can think of is that I hate myself. Of course, H&M is the company that sells things at absurdly low prices, and you'll be hard pressed to find any of it made in North America. I'd decided that I would place my morals aside given my lack of pants for work this week. Could I really wear the same jeans all week? Probably... but I shouldn't. I never did find any jeans in H&M that had the appropriate effect on my ass, and therefore I moved toward the exit. It was at this point that I found a black brimmed hat that my love and I had been toying with the idea of. As always, she was right - and I looked pretty awesome in it. I pushed the thoughts of the Chinese workers who made it to the back of my (so-called) mind and got in line. My friend who was accompanying me noted how you really can't find clothes made anywhere but China or Indonesia now-a-days. I thought that would be a good time to start loudly discussing how purchasing decisions are made around price almost exclusively in our modern world - and that until consumers become smarter (*chortle*) or the government takes action (*doublechortle*) then we'll continue to purchase all our goods from companies who keep manufacturing overseas. We will have a massive trade deficit and keep destroying the social fabric we spent the last century creating - but damn it we'll look good and have stuff. That's really what's important. Didn't you see the sign coming in? Stuff is love, and if stuff is cheap (who cares if it's made by slaves or not) we'll all have lots of love. No one in the line of course had any interest in this discussion - as they were browsing the bins near the cash for deals on various socks.<br />
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It was at this time that I realized there were about eight of us in line, and one cash open. This isn't a ratio that works for me, so we left and went to The Gap. I'll admit I never really had the intention of buying anything here, I just wanted to see what fashion atrocities they were shilling this month. Chords, appeared to be the name of the game. As I noted to my friend, "Chords or the pants that are ALWAYS out of style within 18 months of making their come back". Sure, if you want to hold onto the pants for a decade you can get a good run out of them, but otherwise jeans will always be a better option.<br />
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After this, we happened on a store called "Pantorama". I noticed almost immediately that the people in there were either douche bags, or mentally disabled. I'm sure some people think you can't figure this out from an employee just saying "Hey guys", but sometimes you need to trust your gut. Once we got near the "Affliction" t-shirts, my friend said, "We need to go, now." He was right. "I hear if you get too close to those shirts you go blind... from douchiness". I couldn't find any flaws in his logic and left as quickly as possible.<br /><br />At this point, the friend got food and I went to American Eagle. I had decided skinny jeans were the way to go. It appeared that there were three staff members, and what I can only assume was a bitch of a mother trying to find jeans for her sons. The staff showed her the skinny jeans and she shook her head in displeasure as she explained, "The thighs aren't big enough. They have very large thighs. Not that they're fat, no no, my boys are muscular hockey players. Big thighs." When she was directed to try a section over for wider legged pants, her mind changed pretty quickly and said that perhaps these skinny jeans would do. I'm not sure if she was trying to talk up her sons to the young ladies in hopes of finding them a life-mate, or if she just feels the need to explain the thigh width of her sons to all retail people - but one thing was obvious by her verbal and body language: These retail women would have to do her bidding for as long as she required, no matter how nonsensical or idiotic her requests or soliloquies may be. This is potentially the worst kind of person in western society. The one who, unless given some distinct personal gain to be had by kindness toward a stranger, will treat the stranger like shit.<br />
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I brought two pairs of jeans toward the fitting room. I don't want to say American Eagle management at this mall is racist, but I found it telling that the only black employee was stuffed in the back and probably working harder than everyone else in the store combined. I found a pair that fit, and had the appropriate impact on my ass. As I left the fitting area I brought back the pair I didn't want along with the plastic number assigned to me when I entered the fitting rooms. I wished the young lady a good evening and she smiled at me as if I was the first person to talk to her that day then offered me what appeared to be a sincere thank you. I can only imagine the mental abuse that goes along with working at American Eagle... and I hate myself a little right now for supporting their soulless product.<br />
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Then I went to Starbucks. Starbucks I'm sure is just as soulless a corporation as the next one, yet I still find myself gravitating toward the peppermint mocha when needed. Soul sucking corporation they may be, I know enough people who have worked there and rave about their social responsibility that I'm able to trick myself into consuming their product.<br />
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At this point I tried to engage in some retail therapy. See, my mother has been perpetually bitching about not getting enough face time with me. Not enough phone calls. I've made an effort since returning from vacation to make plans with her to have one of these phone calls - and had agreed on this evening to be the time for it. She notified me 15 minutes later than our agreed upon time that this conversation couldn't take place as she had more shopping to accommodate. It is close to Christmas after all, and as the mall had pointed out to me love starts with shopping. If that's where love starts, I'd like to know where phone calls fall on that list. Apparently I was/am hurt over this and managed to fool myself temporarily that trying to fit in with the rest of the world and buying shit to create joy would fix the issue. I proceeded to Game Stop, reached for the new COD game and moved toward the cash. It didn't feel right though. Was I really buying this game because I felt like it was worth sixty dollars and I'd get my monies worth out of it? No. I was buying it because my friends had it - wanted me to buy it, and I wanted some kind of acceptance since clearly my family wasn't going to be providing it to me on this day. Once I realized this, I found myself verbalizing my thoughts. "No. Fuck that. No no no. Fuck this shit. Fuck it" and I put the game back. My friends looked at me as if I'd grown two additional heads. I wandered through two more outlets (pun intended) looking for something to purchase that I could justify as wanting and needing while feeling normal about fitting into our socially accepted retail therapy. It didn't happen.<br />
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I returned to H&M which only had two people in line. I got the hat, stood there and ignored those around me while I looked through the bins of socks. I paid and the cashier wished me a happy holiday as I left. I found myself feeling nothing but disdain for her. She'd done nothing wrong, and I was ready to throw a shirt rack at her. I was disappointed in myself for this childish emotional response and left.<br />
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This holiday season I've tried to be more merry. Christmas as an exercise in consumerism and religion absolutely disgusts me. There's something to carry with us throughout the year in the messages of "Peace on earth" and "Goodwill toward men" though. As such I have tried to grab on to those themes. I don't think I did a very good job tonight, really. Tomorrow is another day, though.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0