Ignore the Elephant In the Room

But not this one.

There are ten words and terms that Muslims do not want to hear: The Clash of Civilizations, Secular, Assimilation, Reformation, Jihadi, Moderate, Interfaith, Freedom, Religious Freedom and Tolerance.

This is a bit rich coming from a largely secularised culture which demands the Catholic Church change but I digress. Islam has presented itself largely as a culture resistant to change, rigid in its interpretations and violent in its actions and words. This is not to suggest all Muslims are violent. However, considering the demands of Muslims within Western countries and places like Pakistan, the failure or unwillingness to discuss these terms point to one thing: that Islamic fundamentalism is an impediment- a very negative one- to a culture many of us know and enjoy.

The Clash of Civilizations: how could one better phrase this? When women are wearing burqas while other women have a more "liberal" form of dress, that is a clash. These women have set themselves apart from the predominant culture to appease a misogynist rule.

Secular: In countries where heterogeneous populations have cultural, linguistic and religious differences, the "live and let live" attitude of no state religion has by and large worked, even if some bristle at it. After all, Christians have had to adapt to things they find unamenable. Should they be alone in this adaptation?

Assimilation: not of the Borg kind but of the "blending into your surroundings" kind. People who deliberately set themselves apart will always be an outsider. They will never have a linguistic, cultural or communal union because they don't want to. Inevitably, children of immigrants will pull apart from the cultural leanings of their parents or grandparents. Why stop what is going to happen anyway?

Reformation: if kernels of goodness exist in Islam, then let a reforming of its more rigid standards must happen. This can only occur within the Islamic world.

Jihadi: a Jihadi is "a holy warrior". Despite the efforts of the Islamic PR groups, the West has yet to see how a Jihadi struggles internally, not externally through violence. It is in the Koran to lash against its enemies and not in a spiritual way.

Moderate: again, reformation must come from within the Islamic world. A moderate, less violent and less rigid approach to matters eases tensions in the community at large. One can disapprove without lobbing a fire bomb.

Interfaith: I, too, have problems with interfaith dialogues but only on a theological level. If nothing else, we can be civil, using whatever common ground other religions and groups may have for the betterment of the community at large. If the Muslim community wants benefits only for them, that is selfish. Why should other "interfaith" groups appease them but the Muslims do nothing in return?

Freedom: free will determines what we do and who we are. If Islam is based on the absence of free will then it points to fearing God rather than loving Him with one's whole heart. If one stays on the straight and narrow path because they fear physical violence where is the altruism?

Religious Freedom: this allows Muslims and everyone else to live in Western countries unhindered. Is Mass celebrated in Saudi Arabia? Christmas? Is there violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Vancouver? Perhaps I've been away too long but I've never heard of suicide bombings in Canada.

Tolerance: again, tolerance exists because we allow differences not because we halt one for another. Not everyone observes Ramadan just as not everyone observes Lent. I wouldn't remind non-Catholics to fast from red meat but I have observe Ramadan because of one person? I don't think so.

The failure to accept these terms as a part of ongoing dialogue (as if we need that because adults should know the proper way to treat people in the first place) means that some people want something for nothing. This is unacceptable.

I've Got Even More Mail!

I don't think these posters are the offending Anonymous but they were good enough to leave their thoughts which I will gladly share unedited.

The first:

It appears that you are unfortunately out of touch with the popularity
and reasons for Earth Hour, and quite arrogant to boot. It is not designed to
prevent pollution, as if one hour a year could possibly make a difference. It is
simply a unified global statement for people to come together in proof that they
care about the environment. If you read up on any of it, you'd know this.In the
same way thousands of people march every year for Breast Cancer - we understand
that the concept of walking will not cure the disease. It is not a trend, but a
genuine collaborative effort to bring awareness, respect and results. Something
you obviously know little about. What a shame that you think you are so
enlightened and witty.

I know why Earth Hour is popular. Enviro-celebrities like Al Gore (whose 9,000 square foot home is hardly the beacon of simplicity and ecological good sense) tell people that this hour is a way to help the environment by reducing energy and (I suppose to make it more plausible) to bring awareness of environmental problems. This one hour is meant to mollify masses whose daily practices are less than "green" and this will make them feel good about themselves. Once a year, they can do something which they have been made to believe is environmentally sound and they then cannot care for the rest of the year. That's not raising awareness; that putting a pacifier in a baby's mouth.

Turning off the lights for one hour and then turning them back on really is childish. The typical incandescent light bulb (the newer, "greener" light bulbs contain mercury which is dangerous to you) is a 60 watt bulb. It takes a 300 watt surge to turn on the light for just a 60 watt bulb. Leaving that one light on would allow the energy intake to go to 60 watts, instead of a whopping 300 watts. Turning the lights on and off repeatedly also diminishes the life of the bulb, making it less effective and eventually causing it to burn out. People should be measuring the lumens (light output) that a light bulb gives. Fluorescent light bulbs light up due to the phosphorus in the lining of the bulb. It takes a while to heat up to a desired light output. The phosphorus eventually diminishes over time, making it less fluorescent. In short, the act of repeatedly turning on a light bulb is more energy-consuming than leaving it on for however long you need it.

As you say, Anonymous #1, "as if one hour can possibly make a difference". You're right. As I said before, people will be lulled into a false sense of altruism, an altruism that is not founded in fact. Wouldn't it be better to calmly explain to people how to not waste their resources than to tell them this one hour of sitting in the darkness is empowering (not the energy kind, mind you)? The North Koreans sit in darkness all the time. No one looks to them as an example of fine ecological behaviour. Furthermore, if you want global action against pollution and so forth, stop buying Chinese goods and put sanctions against Russia (i.e.- Chyornobyl, Gazprom, Magnitogorsk). In Canada, we have serious pollution concerns but they are not scratch on what China and Russia have done to the planet.

Breast cancer and other ailments under the ribbon rainbow are also a trend. Yes, I'm aware cancer exists and that it's terrible. Do we need to wear ribbons? What thinking, feeling person doesn't know about cancer and how horrible it is? Are we that bereft of common sense that we need some coloured piece of fabric on our lapels to remind us what a monster this disease is? You will never, ever get an argument out of me how this disease so horrible but if you think wearing a pink ribbon (made in China) will translate into a cure then forget it. All cancer sucks. Let me know when there is a cure.

Anonymous #1, you are trying to tell me that merely going through the motions somehow translates into action. It doesn't. Dare I paraphrase Saint Paul, works without love are going through the motions. If the environment is so important then every day should be "Earth Hour".

My mum thinks I'm enlightened and witty. I suppose that's all that matters as nine times out of ten I don't have to eat Christmas dinner with anyone else.

The second:

I think the only sucker here is my vacuum cleaner. It about creating
awareness and an excellent reminder that we should be turning lights out when we
leave the room, or when they are not in use. I think the fact that you've
blogged about it proves my point : creation of awareness. I know many people who
are now more conscious regarding their energy use (or abuse) since this
"Stunt".

Anonymous #2, the creation of awareness in this case is a waste of energy itself. We beaten about the heads with "green power" but rarely are we informed how serious things are in North Korea. Not to detract from the issue at hand but I don't need celebrities who use more energy than the average person to tell me to be "green". You're right, though. We should turn off lights when we are not using them for long periods- all the time. Turning your lights and appliances off for one hour and then turning them right back on again points to just one aspect of silliness in this farce known as Earth Hour.

Apparently Earth Hour didn't take in the western provinces of Canada. Calgary barely noticed Earth Hour and Manitoba Hydro reported an eight percent spike in energy consumption. Some people are buried under snow and are worried about floods so I doubt Earth Hour made much of a difference to people who might lose their homes.

Just saying.

Start of the Week Post

British MP George Galloway will have to deliver his address via video as an injunction that would have allowed him into Canada has been denied in federal court. Good. Freedom of speech is a right that few countries- even Canada- afford to its citizens (just ask Ezra Levant). It shouldn't be abused by envelope-pushing attention-seekers, particularly ones who support Hamas and other terrorist organisations. If Galloway truly wanted to reach people, he would have gone on Youtube and spluttered about his love for the Jew-hating Hamas. He wanted attention and I don't think we should give it to him just because he is standing there.

South Korean president Lee Myun-Bak has decried any military action, no matter how slight, against North Korea's proposed launch later this week. The fears of ratcheting the tension between the two Koreas must be brooked. Proposed sanctions will not work, as they have not in the past. President Lee must prove to the North Koreans that he is not like the previous administration which had been criticised for its lax attitude toward them. The crisis will never end until it comes to a head.

Finally at least a few Khmer Rouge who perpetrated acts of indescribable cruelty might face justice. A court heard how Kaing Guek Eav, the warden for Cambodia's most notorious prison, Tuol Sleng, oversaw atrocities within its walls. The Vietnamese routed the Khmer Rouge in 1979. What took everyone so long to bring people like Kaing Guek Ev to justice? Surely the UN was on top of such things.

You should hear it here: tens of thousands of Spaniards march at a pro-life rally. Pass it on.

Great Britain proves once again why Ireland was right in bucking it decades ago. Apparently, more than 100, 000 Britons have downloaded a certificate of de-baptism. First of all, once you're in the club, you can't ever leave it. You're in it for life. Another sign the Irish dodged a bullet is the state of the Church of England. If the Archbishop of Canterbury is worried that the biased BBC is snubbing Christians he shouldn't have let his church become so irrelevant. Just saying.

Oh- and I still haven't gotten a response from Anonymous. I did get a response from someone who found Anonymous' comment absurd, though.

" .. judge not lest ye be judged .."
Exactly my point. The Left's most
effective tactic.

Oh, preach it, brother! If I had a dime for every time someone used some sanctimonious claptrap to defend their shaky ground, I'd be quite the social butterfly encrusted with rubies, I would.

On Kenney's "multiculturalism" later.

I've Got Mail!

This kind of poster never fails to amuse me.

(Usual language warnings apply.)

Wow. Judge not lest ye be judged eh? What a fucking bitch.

Okay, Anonymous, if you can tell me why you turned off your lights and appliances, how it impacted the Earth for the better and how long you left your lights and computer on (especially after the magical hour you were convinced to abandon modernity), only then you can tell me how I was- if I may infer- judgmental.

I will wait for your reply. If don't get a reply whenever I post, I will let the good people who read this blog that you have declined to enlighten me.

Earth Hour

We have to save the Earth and we have to save it now.

We are asked for Earth Hour to turn off all of our lights and other electrical appliances in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

So, tomorrow night, turn off your lights, your computer and any other appliances you have on. Look out your window and count how many people don't turn off their lights. Sure, they might claim that this Earth Hour is "a compete scam" and "not at all helpful to the environment" but they'll get the message when you give them the scowling of a lifetime. Wait out the darkness with a scented soy candle (the lemon one is especially nice). Then, when the egg-timer goes off, turn everything back on. Get on your computer and blog to your online friends how you helped the planet. Leave your computer on for a while in order to communicate with those whose own Earth Hour is delayed due to different time zones. Enjoy a pot of coffee (non-fair trade) or several. Make sure the porch light is on, as well, for safety reasons. Are you watching TV? You should. Maybe- just maybe- there might be something good on while you are surfing online for free MP3s. The waiting, as you know, is the most difficult part. Leave the lights on in your bedroom in case you have to run in and grab off the shelf the latest copy of whatever millionaire Al Gore has out these days. Stay up for a while and make sure you've exhausted all avenues of Earth Hour discussion, ranging from using one sheet of toilet paper to the fresh produce farm you probably won't visit because you hate bees. Make sure to schedule another online chat with your Internet buddies for tomorrow night.

Do it. Do it for the Earth.

Cuddly Monkey Time

If this baby Francois Langur born in Australia’s Taronga Zoo isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen, then I don't know what to say.

Gaze upon this cuteness and tremble!

For more cuteness, go here.

Big Baby

The honeymoon, it is over.

Four months after the American electorate voted in a self-absorbed political amateur, Obama faces a rather mammoth task of rebuilding a fast dwindling economy. This is certainly no feat for a socialist, but, regardless of his nanny-state leanings, the Chosen One has promised to make everything right. When asked by the ever-smooching CNN why he didn't express "outrage" at the start of the AIG crisis (keep in mind- they were one of his biggest supporters during the election), Mr. President "icily glared" at the offending reporter.

He glared. Icily. At a reporter of little faith.

Why is anyone surprised? This was predicted months ago. A political amateur whose chief abilities include propping up his supposed greatness (but not bowling) and ignoring his allies can't expect that even CNN will always be on his side. Not wanting to look like idiots for having backed a disaster and not being able to cover up everything that goes wrong during the next four years, CNN is going to expect their misplaced faith rewarded. Let me know how that works out.

No, it is not "uncharacteristic" for the Chosen One to make gaffes. Remember the "lipstick on a pig" and "don't worry- we'll pull through this economic crisis"?

If it helps, a Special Olympics bowler has promised to outbowl Obama.

Now that's something to look forward to.

A Strange Boycott

You couldn't make this up. Saudi women are boycotting lingerie stores until they start hiring women.

Women in one of the most repressive states in the Islamic world have decided that discussing their underthings with salesmen who may very well be perverts is just too much to bear and, as a result, will no longer frequent undergarment establishments until the absurd policy of not hiring women for such positions is gotten rid of.

It is well-documented that women in Islamic countries face unbelievable forms of discrimination. Where, if I may ask, are the women's groups? Where is NOW, or NACSOW?

Role Reversal

This time, a Saint Bernard is saved by humans.

A Saint Bernard pup, Duke, found himself stranded and eventually frozen on a golf course pond. Firefighters had free the poor beast and haul him to shore.

How fates shift!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Today is the feast day of Saint Patrick, the bishop responsible for much of the evangelization of Ireland (let us not forget Saints Columba, Bridget and Brendan who discovered North America). Often this feast day is confused with the causes of Irish nationalism and drinking. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and Nigeria. Nothing says: "Happy Saint Patrick's Day" like jollof rice.

But this day has so much to offer (like this, for example)

It is also the feast day of Saint Gertrude of Nivelle, the patron saint of cats. Cats- according to some people- offer so much, like cuteness, music or humour. You decide.

Saint Joseph of Arimethia, who took Jesus' body from the Cross, also shares this feast day.

It's Gary Sinise's birthday, National Boxing Day in Thailand and Return of the Larks Day in Latvia.

So next time you raise a glass of real beer (not Molson or other American swill) to the house band who performed "Black Velvet Band", remember this day is not just like any other.

End of the Week Post

Christopher Pauchay, the Aboriginal man whose daughters froze to death on the Yellow Quill Reservation and whose penal fate was deemed inadequately dealt with by a “sentencing circle”, was finally sentenced to three years. Why bother? Why even waste time trying the man if in the end he will only spend the collective age amount of years of the people he killed? I, for one, am tired of hearing the tragedy of treaties meant to defraud people out of an existence (which was unethical, if not criminal) and residential schools, hence the need for some cockamamie “sentencing circle” which bears no reflection on any historical, sociological or moral customs of any of the Aboriginal cultures in Canada (the existence of this so-called sentencing circle only serves to preserve some remnant of “white guilt” a self-congratulatory bleeding-heart feels while hugging a random Aboriginal “activist” and which ends up being inadequate and inefficient in dealing with criminal and anti-social behaviour). Such arguments are morally and intellectually dishonest and beside the point. At the end of the day, a grown man refused to deal with his alcohol problem, preserve the lives of his children and accept the guilt he should have felt. Why is there no legal system that holds not only the accused but the lawyers and judges accountable for their actions? There should be no reason why Mr. Pauchay, a serial drunk, is allowed to walk free after a year or two in prison (no one really serves a full sentence these days) and, similarly, there should be no reason why a lawyer or judge should not be held accountable for such a minuscule dealing of justice. I imagine we’d hear of stiffer sentences if judges were scared of facing mobs angry that a predator was given a very light jail sentence.

As a side note, winds blowing at twenty miles per hour combined with a temperature of minus forty degrees Fahrenheit can cause frost bite in two minutes. It is possible in extremely cold temperatures for even the eyeballs to freeze. Mild hypothermia causes shivering and goosebumps but can treated with extra warm clothing, physical activity and carbohydrate intake. Extreme hypothermia causes muscle rigidity and cardiac and respiratory failure. Immediate core re-warming can save a life.

*** I am not a doctor. I got this information from a book. Consult a medical professional for advice. ***

North Korea is threatening South Korea and this time I think they mean it. Why the West prefers to sit on this or ignore it altogether is beyond me. North Korea is threatening to blow South Korean airlines out of the air. South Korean air routes pass parallel to the DMZ giving the North Koreans whatever sick reason to fire missiles at planes carrying innocent travelers and killing them all. For someone who has traveled those routes and for those who are flying or will fly, this is extremely unnerving. Why is the press not all over this the way they were when Hamas was getting hammered over its repeated rocket assaults on Israel? I imagine there is no political angle they can take with this, hence, silence.

Speaking of media silence, the new Camelot couple is running the risk of being called “cheapskates”. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife bestowed up the Obama family children’s books and clothes, a penholder made from the HMS Gannet and a commissioning paper of the HMS Resolute and a leather-bound biography of Winston Churchill. In return, the Brown children were treated to toy helicopters bought at the White House gift shop (I didn’t know they had one, actually) and a DVD set of classic American movies (I’m not sure they would play in Great Britain). Far be it for me to question the value of a gift but surely something of great historical interest or even something fun could have been handed it out. Yes, I realize it’s not the monetary value of a gift that counts but really! Some of the best gifts I’ve gotten were what some might consider “cheap”. Hand-made cards with big-eyed caricatures and a box of Nutchos to remind me of Christmases past meant (and mean) a lot to me. Enough about me. What do the fawning masses think? I mean- had George Bush or even Stephen Harper done this, everyone would have called them skinflints and ran report after endless report about their cheap-skatery. For a man who made one point seven million dollars American in 2005, Mr. President gave less to charity than “Dubya”, who made less money but gave more to charity***. I guess the recession has really hit some people in the gut.

*** I obtained this fact from Peter Schweizer’s Makers and Takers, and he got it from Dennis Conrad’s “Obama’s Income Put at $991,296”, Associated Press, April 16th, 2007.

Proposition Eight. What’s the point? One could argue the immorality of homosexuality, the effect such couples have on children or how marriage is being distorted. One could even argue that the gay lobby had so much time to legitimately sway public opinion their way and didn’t so they, therefore, have no one to blame but themselves. One could point out how gay people DO have rights not enjoyed in some parts of the world such as the right to live, own property, hold down jobs, congregate, form social and political groups, vote and even marry (but not each other). One can point that marriage is really a privilege that is not afforded to everyone, i.e., the very young, mentally ill and relatives (except in Canada where people can marry their cousins to which I resound a very emphatic EEEEWWW!). One can even point out how votes- everyone’s votes- can become null and void simply because a minority objects to it. Democracy, where is thy sting?

The Canadian Human Rights Commission wants to enforce a "contempt-of-court" charge if the "accused" disobeys an order. Oh please. First of all, it would have to be a real court and HRCs are hardly courts of law but kangaroo courts and therefore don't count. The man in question may be head-cheese but I wouldn't hold him accountable to a brownshirt witch-hunt fest.

The Rest....

I saw this on Small Dead Animals. I might buy that there are flaws in capitalism but none so obviously apparent as the gaping flaws in socialism and communism. An MIT student, in all her well-meaning vigor, has produced a washing machine/bicycle contraption. If you've ever washed clothes by hand or pedalled uphill on your bike, you might understand why this device can be construed as child slave labour. Why not encourage people to give freely to nuns who are motivated by the love of God to work in places with terrible poverty and strife? Why not set up infrastructures to make things easier for people, like roads, clean water and electricity? Why not stand up to governments that repress their own people? Why outsource when you can hire local people to work for fair wages? If someone from MIT can make some tiring clothes-cleaning bike contraption, surely it must have crossed their minds to make the bigger picture brighter as opposed to construct some experimental thing someone might see on Mythbusters (that show is awesome, by the way).

Just saying.

You know it's bad when Gorbachev criticises you. Putin (who, let's face it, still runs Russia) has driven Russia to its limit, at least economically. It remains to be seen if state-run news agencies will tow the line or end up as other journalists have.

Syria's Assad wants to reach out the the US. This is just another sign that the current administration in the US might just be a tragic mistake. After all, Obama wants to "engage", not pressure a dictator into respecting the rights of its citizens. And after relations are normalised with Syria, then what?

I will now lighten the mood with funny animals.

Is someone skimping on the good cat food?

A rather disappointed cat.

Space odyssey.

And peace. Or something.

Out of Love

Europeans are showing signs of buyer's remorse with the new American president. With the recession, the "Buy American" policy, the missile defence system and the Afghanistan troop situation, Europeans are starting to realise- however slowly- that they cheered for the wrong man. The European Union has one of the lowest birthrates in the world. They have the highest expectations, too. They don't want to deal with another George Bush whom they felt was too brusque. I'm not sure how anyone can reassure them given their perennial implacable nature. There are strikes, rising immigration woes and an insufferable arrogance toward anyone not "continental". Obama will not bring the "hope and change" they would gladly strike for. They backed the wrong horse.

Whoops.

Why Pop Psychology and Liberalism Should Never Mix

Oh please! Sarah Palin was too attractive that she cost McCain the election? Where do we start with what's wrong with all of this?

Governor Palin must have people running scared if they are still attacking her long after the election. Could they be frightened that after four years of an elitist socialist president with more experience patting himself on the back than leading a country, the American electorate could vote for anyone, even (gasp!) Sarah Palin?! Oh, heaven forbid!

What was the point of comparing Governor Palin to Angelina Jolie? Were both women equal in physical appearance and brood size? Mrs. Palin looks after her own kids while Miss Jolie has nannies for each of her multi-cultural spawn. And Governor Palin has never made a crappy film. Not that I'm accusing Angelina Jolie of making bad films (or am I?) or anything. I will be watching her father in all his delicious evil on 24. This season is turning out really well.

Maybe the popular press just can't hide its misogyny any more. Will we ever see the day when a male press flunkie slaps his female counterpart on the bum and tells her to run to the kitchen and get him some pie? Who knows with the way things are going. I thought men were supposed to get their own pie. I guess not.

*** I would like to make it clear that I have nothing against pie or those who make them.***

Extremely Important

Gao Zhisheng, a Chinese human rights activist, has been abducted, possibly by his own government. Please see here how you might affect change in this situation.

Whither the Middle-Class?

Shouldn't a task force on the middle-class actually have someone from the middle-class on it? I mean- they will be taxed back into the Stone Age, I think it's only fair to have some input from them.



Not that I'm accusing the Obama administration of being elitist, money-stealing snobs or anything.

And Then There's This Guy...

I want to hear again how Obama- whose wealth of experience is "community organization"- is going to face down the Russians. I want to hear how his silken charms can melt the heart of a totalitarian state that has its own journalists killed. A leader with real intestinal fortitude would just build the missile defence system and say to hell with Putin and his hand puppet, Medvedev. Obama, on the other hand, wants to talk.

This is why we don't hand over reins of power to an amateur who longs to build a nanny state because he thinks he knows what is good for everyone else.

As long as CNN is more concerned with Michelle Obama's fat butt and what thousand dollar designer dress is covering it, only bloggers will stare agape at this imminent train wreck of an administration.

I still want to hear why people voted for Obama and how he will magically bring "hope and change" to everyone and everything.

The Defeat of Bluntness

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's extremely frank claim that the Taliban cannot be defeated is being dissected as I type. Is he being practical or simply defeatist?

It is true that the Taliban terrorists (not insurgents as a true insurgents rise up to revolt; the Taliban have had their iron grip over Afghanistan since the late 1990's) cannot be defeated by the mere presence of foreign forces. As long as the Taliban operates either within Afghanistan or Pakistan, there will always be fresh forces being provided with fresh arms to kill or maim international troops (it is interesting to note that the Taliban was aided against the Soviet invasion by Jimmy Carter, who now fancies him an engineer of peace). Humanitarian works such as bridges, medical clinics and schools for girls (who were not allowed to be educated under the Taliban) might sway the populace into a more politically or socially moderate mindset.

That can all be undone, however, if the Taliban is allowed to regain a foothold or if those who are currently running the Afghan government do not operate under a system of checks and balances. Canada, of course, cannot- and should not- be the permanent policeman in Afghanistan but while it is there, it must be vigilant and work for a more stable country. One hundred and seven soldiers died for that cause. Mr. Harper's words (on CNN, the lackey network, no less) must point in the direction of victory and hope.

Captain's Blog

William Shatner- Captain James T. Kirk himself- revealed in a letter to a fan that he would like to be Prime Minister of Canada. Taking this with however big a grain of salt you wish, how would the captains in the Trek universe (and their second-in-commands) rate?

Kirk: being transplanted from his home and native land for quite some time, Captain Kirk might find himself in Michael Ignatieff's position- a Canadian-born American with lofty goals playing second-fiddle to a more familiar face. While Kirk's devil-may-care attitude may win sway with green-skinned ladies, it won't work at G-8 conferences where there are no green-skinned people, period (I checked). Spock may be popular in Alberta, though, and his logical approach to matters might reduce certain political amateurs to tears. Chekov could be a problem if he toes Russia's line on Arctic supremacy. Nothing says "problems in the cabinet" like wayward Russians, whom we cannot show weakness in front of.

Picard: many Canadians might balk at yet another Frenchman as PM after the disastrous Trudeau and Chretien years but Jean-Luc Picard is continental French so he might just ignore Quebec altogether. His Shakespearean tones will be a most welcome euphonic change to the overly-drawled vowel sounds usually heard in the House of Commons. "I will NEVER raise taxes!" An empty promise has never sounded so lovely. His second-in-command, William Riker, is a native of Alaska, the freak state. Given the irrational reception of Governor Sarah Palin, Riker might well be immune from the Palin Syndrome (marked by misogyny, irrational fears, unfounded rumours and inability to wear knee-high boots) because he is a man. And can you imagine if Picard has Worf as Minister of Defense? That would be AWESOME! Threaten us now, bin Laden!

Sisko: Benjamin Sisko is like Shaft but more intergalactic. His chief engineer is Irish, which can only be a good thing. His security officer, however, tends to turn into something resembling maple syrup after a while. What would happen if a visiting diplomat mistook him for actual syrup and served him over pancakes? Trade agreements have been lost over less awkward things.

Janeway: Kathryn Janeway might look nice in a dress and even resemble Katherine Hepburn but if the Palin Syndrome is any indication of things, people just don't dig chicks in charge (don't look at me like that).

Archer: Jonathan Archer, of the last (so far) Trek incarnation, has a few things in his favour. He has a cuddly beagle, a smarter uniform with a cap to match (much more functional than some god-awful multi-coloured unitard that futuristic people are supposed to wear), a holographic friend to help him on his way and an intergalactic rawness some might find charming (hey- we put with Chretien, didn't we?). His second-in-command might draw in the Alberta AND supermodel vote. His chief engineer might rub some people the wrong way as some Canadians can't distinguish anyone from the American South or why they don't like them. However, the security officer is from England and- if Captain Picard has taught us anything- things sound nicer with a British accent.

Now, go out and vote- or something.

Didn't See That Coming

Activists- mainly from the one-sided Amnesty International- are "shocked" at Hillary Clinton's stance on human rights in China. Why? This woman wants to normalise relations with North Korea. Not only does North Korea's human rights record seem unworthy of discussion, Indonesia has some how been elevated to the status of "moderate" despite the Bali bombings and the killing of Indonesian schoolgirls.

Speaking of North Korea, analysts say it is going to test-fire more Tapdong missiles. I wonder what North Korea could want this time.

The failure to properly incarcerate human filth who torture the mentally disabled or freeze their children to death doesn't leave the average Canadian with faith in the justice system. All we need is ONE system that adequately punishes perpetrators of crime and helps victims recover. Is it too much to ask?

Finally! It's really refreshing to hear someone else talk about how poor writing, planning and character development really mess up what was once a watchable show. Those were the days....

Know When To Fold 'Em

President Obama's all too brief visit (five hours) to Canada in order to blow smoke at Harper discuss with Prime Minister Stephen Harper issues of mutual international interest might have stoked the dying embers of love from some of the more fluff-headed of his groupies but in the end proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt.



Harper remained his clear-headed and cool self to Obama's hem-and-hawing to the ever-loving media and gushed poetically about his "love" for Canada, the typical reaction of an American socialist who has never had to wait for six hours in a Canadian emergency room because he can't find a family physician (also has never had to shovel his drive way). Harper explained in the simplest words he knew to CNN's Wolf Blitzer how Canada is not completely drowning in the greed-induced recession and refrained (wisely so) from giving America any advice in stemming the oncoming tide of poverty. Obama, eager not only to rob Americans of their money in social programs that won't work and to bulk up support for a war in Afghanistan he hopes will be his grand military legacy, smiled and poured on the silken charm that some believe got him the highest office in the land.



Had Mr. Obama studied physics instead of "community organization", he would know that once up, there is nowhere left to go but down.

The love affair can't last forever.

With Little Effect

As much as the press tries to bulk up public confidence in the Obama administration, it is doubtful Hillary Clinton's trip to Japan will have any effect on North Korea.

First of all, North Korea is a patrilineal dictatorship run one of the most morally corrupt people on the planet. Famines wipe out the North Korean populace while Kim Jong-Il and his military attaches eat well. Indeed, one of the chief complaints of North Korean refugees is dental problems, their teeth having fallen out due to malnutrition. Psychological problems are also a concern. Their cousins to the south should be attentive to these health problems as they may one day have to deal with them on a grand scale.

Secondly, North Korea has never adhered to any treaty, promise or law. Clinton's anger over North Korea's launching of missiles falls flat. Of course it is illegal to fire missiles. That has not stopped it before.

Third, North Korea rattles its sabre when it wants something and gives nothing in return. Any aid given to it by South Korea, the US, Japan or even China ends up in the hands of a rag-tag military and not where it is needed.

Fourth point, North Korea has yet to admit its full complicity in kidnapping not only Japanese citizens but South Korean citizens, as well. The fate of these people is largely unknown. As no one can enter North Korea and North Korea has no track record of honesty, anything could have happened to them.

Professor Sung-Yoon Lee outlines the problems dealing with North Korea here.

Why Hillary Clinton can even think she can make headway with the North Koreans when the South Koreans have been largely unsuccessful is beyond belief. Why she thinks she can- or should- normalise relations is just morally repugnant. What more can be said about a country that props up a father-son/cult-of-personality regime and where people starve to death?

A Very Good Reason Not to Repatriate Omar Khadr

This image says it all.

WARNING: this image is extremely shocking and graphic. If such things bother you, beware.

No terrorist should be granted refuge in Canada for any reason.

Surprise, Surprise

The Chosen One, whose stimulus package can only be described as mortgaging America's future for some socialist pipe-dream, has taken a dip in ratings. I thought it laughable when his approval rating went up before he was even inaugurated but chalked it up to the ridiculous pop-psychology experiment of congratulating a kid for doing nothing in an effort to boost his self-esteem. The dip shows the American public's confidence in him is waning. They may very well be waking up to the fact that they voted in a complete amateur instead of scrutinising his every move and word. Yeah, well, reap what you sow.

And now for one of the most satisfying smackdowns in television history. On Monday evening on the Michael Coren Show, viewers witnessed what I suspect many of them waited for for a long time. Ezra Levant, former editor of Western Standard, defended his decision (there are quite a few of them, actually) to print an edition of his magazine with the allegedly offensive Mohammed cartoons. Andrea Calver, a self-styled social activist (READ: unemployed busybody), accused him of vilifying Muslims. What followed was a thing of beauty forever. Mr. Levant called her- and I quote- "a clown".

Now a quote from me: it's about DAMN time. I respect Mr. Coren's right to have guests of opposing views on his own program. However, this should never include people as rude, pompous, self-righteous and completely obtuse as Miss Calver is. If one has ever watched the show, one would see that she interrupts people, never answers a question outright, sputters absolutely unfounded nonsense and then finishes with smug little smirk. This woman has defended some of the most odious offenses in the Western world simply by being too proud and stuck-up to see where liberalism has failed- sharia law, anti-Catholicism, abuse of women, censorship and fanaticism. Seriously. She is usually on the show on Monday evenings. Watch her worm out of answering a simple yes or no question or curl her pouty little lips up when some injustice happens to someone less liberal than she. If her self-righteousness doesn't bother you, than you are stronger than me.

Saint Paul Miki (Feast Day)

(A statue of Saint Paul Miki on the cross; the photo was taken at the Twenty-Six Martyrs Shrine in Nagasaki, Japan)

Today marks the feast day of Saint Paul Miki and the other Japanese martyrs who along side him.

Christianity took root in Japan with the arrival of Saint Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary from the Basque region of Spain. He arrived at Kagoshima in late August 1550 and moved on to Hirado to evangelise. Christianity started to flourish in this secluded country. Indeed, the first Christmas Mass was celebrated in 1552. Other missionaries such as Father Cosme de Torres and Brother Luiz de Almeida spread out as far as Nagasaki converting Japanese people and building churches.

At the time, Nagsaki was the only port open to the West. The Japanese authorities- namely Lord Hideyoshi Toyotomi- were hostile toward Christianity and Christians, even Japanese ones.

It was this world Saint Paul Miki and his friends were born into. Saint Paul Miki was born into an affluent family. His father was the military leader Miki Handayu. Saint Paul Miki was called to religious life and entered the Jesuit order in 1580. He continued his evangelist mission, even as he marched to his death after Lord Hideyoshi passed an edict against Christianity. He was martyred on Nishikaza Hill on February 5th, 1597.

Christians were persecuted and forced underground until 1873.

Here is the sermon Saint Paul Miki delivered from his cross. He makes it clear that though he is Japanese, he is also Christian. He wants to convince those witnessing (or partaking in) his death that he is not a foreigner- whom the Japanese feared at the time- but a Japanese like them whose only crime it was to accept Christ.

A bas-relief sculpture of the twenty-six martyrs killed on Nishizaka Hill. Inside the building is a church and museum with artifacts relating to the missionaries and martyrs.

These statues stood in front of Urakami Church in Nagasaki. They are of Saints John and Cecilia respectively. They were scorched but not wholly destroyed by the atomic bomb.

What remains of Urakami Church after much of it was destroyed by atomic bomb dropped on August 9th, 1945.

Urakami Cathedral as it stands today.

(information retrieved from A Guide to Pilgrimage Sites and Churches in Nagasaki, published by Nagasaki Bunkensha. The photographs were taken by me.)

Holy Smokes! It Was How Big?!

The "titanaboa" that once slithered in the rainforests of Colombia was 13 meters (42.7 feet) long and weighed 730 kilos (1,600 pounds).

How would prey escape such creature?

The Cracks Beneath the Surface

Not even a month into his presidency, Obama has performed the way one would expect an inexperienced civil servant with a completely undeserved sense of importance would perform. Now remember- his experience consists of being a “community organizer”, a law lecturer who has neither written anything substantial nor added insight to existing laws, and a senator whose sole achievements are arriving on time and voting against a measure countering one of the most pernicious acts in the land. Now, it appears Obama- the “Chosen One”- is buckling under the pressure. Take the economy, for example. Now, to be fair, it wouldn’t be a cakewalk for any politician but handing the reins of fiduciary power over to a champagne socialist is like giving control of a bus to a monkey (with the exception of Curious George). The stimulus package, which some believe is just some hype to print money that won’t actually help, has already bothered America’s neighbour to the North. The “Buy American” policy didn’t work in the Thirties and will only put Canadians (and probably more Americans) out of work. Whither the love affair? I have no doubt in my mind that Obama will pass the “Buy American” resolution in the stimulus bill no matter how hard he tries to sell his “disgust” and will blow smoke at Harper when he comes for a visit this February. His efforts to backtrack after hearing the outrage in Canada (and the EU) only shows the grave insecurity he possesses. Way to bulk up the confidence of a nation by flip-flopping, at least in words. How will Obama stoke the flame of love with Canadians after he reduces them to poverty? I don’t know. It’s hard to love a man who took all your money and then walked out on you. Not that any of this would matter because no one in the Great White North voted – or ever will- for him.

Then there’s the failure to vet his non-tax-paying aides, Biden the idiot, Pelosi, the girl-Biden, whose outrageous claims of five million jobs lost a day can’t possibly be correct even in Zimbabwe, the land-brokering deal of Kashmir and the money for eugenics programs overseas because the size of your carbon footprint can be determined by how black or Asian you are (don’t look at me like that- if it was up to me, it would be fair-trade, not eugenics). And let’s not forget the ingratiating apology to the very Muslims who hate the West and who have completely forgotten how the US has done so much good for the Islamic world that they should be embarrassed to even lift their heads and shout “Allah Akbar!” In fact, the US has done so much for the world that people should welcome them and their precious money wherever they are.

I don’t know what offends me more- that Obama is such a complete glory-hound or that people can’t (or won't) see what a total fraud he is.

(sigh)

Speaking of brain-trusts, the very thought of stopping Sarah Palin from doing anything is just anathema to me. So you could imagine my surprise when I found out that some extremist group wants to rid the world of Sarah Palin because she hunts wolves. First of all, I don’t approve of hunting wolves, or any other animal, unless it is necessary. I also don’t approve of giving anyone a carte blanche to wipe out a species because their ancestors may have walked the land before anyone else built a bungalow on it, nor do I approve of people who, under the guise of protecting the environment, are actually doing more harm than good. Enter Ashley Judd. There is a reason why she is an actress and not a scientist working for NASA. In fact, if she did work for NASA, one might say: “Hey! We should listen to her because she sends guys to the moon!” Instead, her claim to fame is a string of crappy movies with hunky, brooding and/or fantastic actors in them. For her or Matt Damon or any other leftist Hollywood celebrity completely divorced from reality to even think they have the requisite knowledge or moral compass to tell others how to live is just appalling. If the real world needs help drinking excessively, doing drugs, yelling at their kids, hating the country that made them disgustingly rich and getting away with crimes, then we’ll let you know. When will there be an act of government for them to lose ninety percent of their earnings and property? It’s socialism, baby, and it’s fair- at least for the people who pay eight bucks to watch their self-congratulatory crap.

As for the masses who cannot define a reason or articulate their intense dislike for Sarah Palin but slag her behind the cyber-mask of anonymity, there is a way to vent your misery: walk up to her and tell her what you think of her. You’ll be met with one-hundred and ten pounds of niceness or moose-wrestling fury. If you can put aside your crippling cowardice and give your displeasure some actual volume, only then will you know cloying magnanimity or Kryptonian fury.

And yeah- she knows how to rock a pair of knee-high boots. How many mothers of five can do that? Soak that up, why don’t you?

A Very Important Announcement

JIN'S ALIVE!

They better not try to kill him again.

A Moment For Pause, A Time For Disaster

I remember saying something like this would happen but few would listen. When Obama (not if) gets the "Buy American" clause in the US stimulus bill passed, thousands of Canadians could lose their jobs.

Now- why would Canadians like Obama? Do they enjoy being out of work?

Oh Boy, Canada....

A school in New Brunswick has decided not to make its students sing the national anthem, "O Canada". Some parents were bothered by it.

Two words: leave Canada.

Now, stand for your national anthem.

A Word...

Much has been said on the subject of Bishop Richard Williamson and his re-introduction into the Church. Pope Benedict XVI and the Church have taken a lot of heat from the popular press (the same press that finds Obama's every work-out astounding but not his lukewarm stance on Iran). People need to understand precisely what is at issue instead of running off with half-baked conclusions.

The Second Vatican Council opened in 1962 and closed in 1965. It "liberalised" some things without changing the core values of the Church. Some issues at point were the use of the vernacular instead of Latin in some parts of the liturgy (form of the Mass), a more active role for the laity (people who attend Mass) within the Mass which meant that the priest now faced the people and there were more responses, and Nostra Aetate (Our Time)- a document that stated Christians shared a common spiritual seed-ground with the Jews and that the Jews were no more to blame than Christians are for Jesus' death.

Many traditionalist Catholics have great problems with the Second Vatican council. They blame it for the extremely lax attitudes in the Church now. It is true that liberation theology has watered down things to the point where some churches might as well be the United church. The strumming of guitars, the eye-sore architecture of modern church buildings, the clamour of middle-aged former nuns to be priests in some completely unrecognisable blunder of a "Mass", the "Catholic = nice" theology schools teach instead of lives of the saints, the absurdity of "inclusive language" in the liturgy- all of these dishearten Catholics who long for the days when being Catholic meant something. Consider Catholicism a plate of thick, juicy Alberta steak with PEI garlic-smashed potatoes, a small side of broccoli florets (have to eat your folic acid!), washed down with a good micro-brewery beer (any Canadian beer will do as the Jesuits opened the first brewery in the country) and followed by a nice slice of key lime pie. Now, take away the steak, half of the potatoes, the beer and the key lime pie. What are you left with? The broccoli and the parsley. Nobody eats the parsley. Once you've taken away all the spiritually and culturally distinctive aspects of the Church, there isn't much left.

Now enter Richard Williamson, himself a convert to Catholicism. He was ordained a priest by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, an ultratraditionalist with some rather stringent views on the Second Vatican Council (among other things). It was when Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated Williamson and three others as bishops did the Pope excommunicate them. To be excommunicated means to be cut off from the Church. The excommunicated individual (while still a Christian as nothing can undo baptism) cannot receive Communion or any of the Sacraments. He certainly cannot say Mass. Because Williamson participated in this consecration without the Pope's permission, he was punished. The Pope has the authority given to him by Jesus as he is the successor of Saint Peter. Because Williamson was consecrated against orders, he is not technically a bishop (he is called that, however). Furthermore, his re-introduction means that he can now receive Communion, not exactly assume a position of great standing (see an explanation here).

The ties between the Church and the Jews have been tenuous (see here). Pope Benedict XVI's views have been made clear here. The dialogue has been put at a stand-still due to Williamson's re-introduction. While it is understandable that the rabbinate would be hurt, to sever ties over what is fundamentally an internal and unrelated matter would be premature and counter-productive. Williamson was excommunicated because he disobeyed the Pope, not for his obnoxious and erroneous views (I'm not going to brush up the Holocaust here because there are thousands of reputable sources to prove that it's not only a fact of history but a deplorable chapter in the book of humanity). Many Catholics hold rather strange views but that is not a reason to excommunicate them. Furthermore, the re-inclusion of Williamson is an internal matter decided on by the Pope. However wrong it may seem to some, if they examine the history and the reasons behind it they will understand. For the media or the rabbinate to demand anything is intrusive and insulting. The Church has survived as long as it has because it hasn't "followed the leader". None of this matters, anyway, as the Church is a constant whipping boy for anything. The Church could re-excommunicate Williamson and it would still be seen as weak or noxious. Whatever.

The dialogue must continue. Williamson certainly doesn't represent the Church or Catholics with his insane views.

What else can be said?

Tuesday Post

Hamas, the other darling of CNN, fresh from its aching defeat (yet another one) and resuming its tunnel runs and construction, has killed a human-rights worker it claims worked for the Israelis. I'm not sure why these people deserve a state. These people don't, either.

I remember calling the "Chosen One" - or Obama, as he is usually known- an appeaser. I was called a lot of names for that (didn't understand why). I was right, though. It's good that the new president lets those who hate the country he leads feel they can talk to him whenever they hate the West for no good reason.

Two more reasons why Obama's decision to close Guantanamo Bay are disastrous ones.

The First Few Fumbles

Just as he promised, Obama lifted the ban for funding foreign abortions. The economy is not too in the red to fund eugenic procedures in Third-World countries, nor is it left wanting for nanny-state bailouts, drug and medical procedure discernment or freeing terrorists from the stone coop the last president put them in.

None of this matters, of course. The rock star president, as he is dubbed by a few wags, is cocooned by an adoring and apparently shameless mass of fools, press members and world leaders who need this particular useful idiot. Nothing is more important than Obama walking, Michelle’s upholstered designer’s dresses and the utterly ludicrous notion that the election of this “black” president will not only magically erase all wrongs but nothing at all will go wrong. Where do these notions come from? Is it a naivety willful or willing? How can an entire nation completely forget that this guy has no scruples or talent other than aggrandizing himself? Remember the speeches (lackluster in the opinions of some), the Lincoln train-ride, The Audacity of Bullcrap Hope dedicated to the black Muslim father who walked out on him and his affluent caviar-communist white mother? How can no one see right through that?

No one elected a man of character or experience. They voted for a poster.

Posters don’t stay up for long.

I Am A Survivor of Oceanic Flight 815

Now that I have your attention, please go here.

The Next Four Years

How will the next four years go?


(Setting: there is a global meeting somewhere in Europe; a crowded room with foreign dignitaries, select news personnel and the new president who is now working his charms on some EU diplomats. A Fox news reporter tries to get the president's attention for a quick sound byte.)

Obama (to EU diplomats): I spoke to Ahmadinejad. He seems like a reasonable guy. I think he was pleased about my offer to fit his nuclear reactor with American technology.
Fox Reporter: Mr. President! Mr. President!
(Obama wearily turns to his attentions to the reporter)
Fox Reporter: Mr. President, if you please, a word. How does it feel to be the first African-American president?
Obama: (clears his throat) Well, you know, Marsha...
Fox Reporter: Jeanine.
Obama: Jeanine (sorry), I feel like the culmination of history.
Fox Reporter: (furrows brow) That doesn't make any sense.
Obama: It's as my great hero, Martin Luther King, once said: "I have a dream- a dream where Gotham City is free from corruption."
Fox Reporter: Wasn't that Batman?
Obama: (taking a swig of a drink) Maybe. I have a lot of heroes.
Fox Reporter: I see. Well- how do you feel your presidency will be viewed? Aren't you worried that political pundits will jump on your every move?
(Obama reaches for a bottle of water on a nearby table and opens the top. He pours the contents on the floor. Immediately, the entire CNN news team gets on their hands and knees and laps up the water. The Fox Reporter is stunned, staring at this agape. Obama doesn't bat an eyelid.)
Fox Reporter: O....kay.... Very well, Mr. President, enjoy the rest of the evening.
Obama: If the caterers are serving pie, I'm sure I will.
(Later on that evening, Obama is in the men's washroom, ready to relieve himself.)
Obama: Man, those martinis will go right through you! I should tell Michelle to lay off of them.
(Obama is interrupted by a camcorder-carrying fan. He tries to compose himself.)
Obama: Hey! What the hell?!
Camcorder Fan: Oh, wow! Obama is peeing excellence! (sigh) This is the best day of my life!


And that is how the next four years will go for President Obama. Not only will he prove charming and be able to get entire news agencies to ignore any deficiencies and irregularities, he'll also be afraid to go to the bathroom. His kidneys, as a result, may suffer. I've been called many things on this blog but never will it be said I don't worry about the man's kidneys!


As for the other end of the spectrum....


(A seasoned CBS news reporter sits down to interview Alaskan governor Sarah Palin)

CBS Reporter: Thank you for being with us, Governor.
Sarah Palin: Well, I'm just so darn glad to be here. Thanks for havin' me.
CBS Reporter: Governor Palin, let me be frank for a moment- do you really think you are qualified to run for the highest office of the land?
Sarah Palin: Gosh, that's a loaded question. I believe my experience as the governor of an energy-producing state and my willingness to work with others proves that I am ready for the task. If the American people have faith in me, then I'm willing to try.
CBS Reporter: (taken aback) Faith? As in religious faith? Could the American people have faith in someone who can't withstand kryptonite?
(The CBS Reporter dangles a piece of kryptonite on a chain in front of Sarah Palin, who flinches. The CBS Reporter puts it away.)
CBS Reporter: What if the Molemen attack us? What then?
(Sarah Palin incinerates the CBS Reporter with her heat vision. She rises from her seat.)
Sarah Palin: I must go. My planet needs me.
(Sarah Palin, sans cape, flies away.)


And that is how the next four years for the governor will go.
You might say: "There was no need for Sarah Palin to incinerate the reporter with her heat vision." But I ask you: wasn't it a merciful thing to do? I mean, when the CBS reporter wakes up in the morning, she's just a reporter. However, when Sarah Palin wakes up in the morning, she has the power of Krypton in her moose-wrestling arms. We should all be so lucky. And- quite frankly- she is more likely to take down General Zod than sell out the human race to slave away in zinc mines.

I think we know which side we should be on.

Yet More Tension

North Korea, having been removed from the terror watch list and will soon be dealing with a less "hard-line" president, has threatened South Korea once more. South Korean president Lee Myun-Bak has taken a much more stern approach to North Korea and for this whoever runs North Korea has threatened "retaliatory action".

None of this is surprising. North Korea has never given South Korea any reason to trust it, only to fear it. North Korea keeps its people frightened with illusions of South Korean and American invasion (as well as starved for food, medicine and information). North Korea also ratchets up the tension whenever it wants something and it may just get that from an admittedly pro-appeasement American president.

None of this would matter if South Koreans are happy having a separated Korea. Refugees from North Korea and senior citizens who remember a united Korea still hang on to the dream of being one country and giving human rights to the voiceless masses but reunification means for most South Koreans an economic downfall and mingling with a culture divorced from their own. If this is so, then the South Koreans should pull out of the six party talks, cut off aid and bulk up their military budget. The war is still not over.

One former North Korean agent believes that a kidnapped Japanese woman may still be alive in North Korea. These claims are not uncommon. If the Iron Curtain is ever lifted in North Korea, many kidnapped Japanese citizens may be found.

Sad News

Ricardo Montalban and Patrick McGoohan, two fine human beings and actors, have passed away.

Here is an example of Ricardo Montalban putting Kirk in his place. Ahhh, sweet vengeance!

And Mr. McGoohan was never a number, though he played one on TV.

(sigh)

Hhmmm...

A study determined that Australians are lacking in what is deemed proper workplace manners. According to the study, Australians talk too much, ask too many personal questions, refer to their bosses by their first names and cuss. Britons, Americans and Japanese were far more "sensitive". I have no idea where someone gets off being so forward but whatever. Rudeness is a stench and I guess some people like the smell.

In my experience, Koreans proved to be loyal and friendly co-workers. The biggest beef was the lack of communication, which improved after foreign (anyone not from Korea) teachers complained. Korean co-workers were also the most helpful, even in non-work related matters. I rate that as awesome.

In the service department, the Koreans and Japanese are the best. They actually had people in department stores present just to bow to you. I've never found Americans or Quebecois in the service department rude. I have friends who declare that the British and Russian service departments are lacking in both manners and human warmth.

Hhmmm....

On the Front

Some people don't know which side their bread is buttered.

These South Korean protesters demand the removal of US troops which have been stationed there since the "end" of the Korean War (please read this). South Koreans have enjoyed a love/hate relationship with Americans. The Americans are big and brash but bring in English-speaking skills (which- believe me- the South Koreans will pay handsomely for) money and, more importantly, security. The second the Americans leave and the overwhelming exodus of South Koreans to anywhere but the Korean peninsula comes to a chaotic and cacophonic crescendo, the Chinese and Russian-backed North Koreans will steamroll over. There will be a united Korea, just not the one many envisioned.

My advice- keep the Americans there. They bring Doritos and heavy tanks.

There is also word that new president Obama- whom North Korea (whoever is running it these days) is eager to deal with- will keep North Korea as a low priority. I suppose the incoming socialist has bigger fish to fry with public dollars.

Chinese parents of children poisoned by milk products reject the government's attempt to ward off an uprising. I find it funny that people living in a totalitarian regime think they can make their government accountable. Not the ill children, though. That's horrible.

Surprise, surprise. Sixty-one ex-detainees at Guantanamo have resumed terrorist activities. I guess someone owes Mr. Bush an apology.

In yet another surprise, Israeli troops find one huge gun at a mosque. Human life isn't sacred, promises aren't sacred and houses of worship aren't sacred. How is anyone to deal with someone who would hide a rather large weapon in a place where God supposedly is? If this had been a Catholic church and the IRA was hiding weapons, CNN would be all over it and we would hear how Catholics- in all their backward and demented fervour- are ruining the world.

Upset that Pope Benedict XVI's decision to include a prayer for conversion during Easter week Masses, Italian rabbis are pulling out of a celebration of Judaism. This is a mistake. Discussion cannot continue without the necessary parties. The olive branch has been extended by the Church to the "offended" parties. It would be wrong to refuse it over what may be to an outsider a "procedural matter". Furthermore, no external or internal party should re-define or change the Mass. I can live without Tridentine Masses or Latin (not that I have a problem with either, per se) but the language and the form of the Mass should stay the same and not be altered because of some trend or discomfort rooted in political correctness. There is no hatred or hostility, only a need to keep tradition.

Just my thoughts.

From the Start

A new year brings with it a new post, plus some.

And what a week it was!

Sid Ryan, Ontario CUPE president, has apologised for what he now calls an ill-worded analogy of Israel to Nazi Germany. Never mind how utterly wrong he is about the entire Israel/Hamas conflict or drawing very erroneous parallels of Israel with Nazism (he wouldn’t be the first to make such a ludicrous claim), should he or any union member overstep their purview and direct public opinion to their own? What does the conflict in the Middle East have to do with Canadian union members being fat and overpaid? I wish someone would apologise for that.

Israel, relentless in its mission not to eliminated by Hamas (whose mission it is to destroy Israel and all Jewry, sells humanitarian aid to its already poor droves of would-be suicide-bombers, faux-tography enthusiasts and producers of anti-Semitic children’s programming, hides amid civilians, bombs Israeli citizens and drives out Christians), still can’t get a break from the liberal media or unsympathetic countries whose populations border on the restive (don’t worry- neither can Sarah Palin whose great misfortune is that she isn’t a Kennedy or a Biden. Yay, hope and change!). Israel, upon close examination, has been quite restrained now and even before this current conflict. CNN runs story after story of the poor downtrodden Palestinians killed or maimed by Israeli bombings but neglects to correct itself when taken by someone who always seems to have a dead child handy, or even asks Hamas what happened to Palestinian civilians who end up dead for non-Israel related reasons. Israel has listened to other countries pleas for a ceasefire but won’t do anything yet. The last time it has relented to a ceasefire Hamas had the opportunity to re-arm and start bombing Israel all over again. Arab states and Iran are keen on seeing Israel gone but are not willing to help the Palestinian sandbags who try to cross the border (especially not Egypt). A whole lot of fingers are pointed at Israel but no one lends a helping hand against people who are more than happy to kill children to get what they want.

Speaking of CNN, celebrity doctor Sanjay Gupta has been offered the plum position of Surgeon-General. See what happens when your network is in the tank with a presidential candidate? It pays to kiss up.

The parents of five year-old Phoenix Sinclair want the public to pay for their appeal. Convicted last month of first-degree murder, the parents, Samantha Kematch and Karl McKay, expected to be charged and tried for a lesser charge, like manslaughter. To illustrate the likelihood of the couple getting an appeal, it is important to understand the nature of their crime. Phoenix Sinclair was beaten, neglected, forced to eat her own vomit, made to sleep in a cold basement often without clothes, emotionally abused and shot at with a BB gun. God willing, there will never be an appeal.