tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74841462024-02-28T07:40:24.703-08:00Voice of tReasonVoice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-28771662941613809922022-11-23T18:11:00.000-08:002022-11-23T18:11:43.675-08:00Last<p> This might take a while. This might take some edits. This might not ever get published. </p><p><br /></p><p>This is The Note</p><p><br /></p><p>2021-12-16 I asked the love of my life, Marianne Dawn Gayowsky, to take me to the hospital. This was the third time I decided to, or consented to, go to hospital emergency for a mental health crisis. I asked her to come with me, and insist on staying with me (COVID time) because I'm a poor advocate for my own heath.</p><p>She did.</p><p>As usual, we waited hours. When I finally spoke to the folk who were there for un MH patients, I was exhausted and sub-crisis. They asked if I was suicidal. I said yes. They asked me of I had a suicide plan. I said no. </p><p>"So you're suicidal, but you don't have a plan. Cool-beans. Go home and do what you do."</p><p>I did.</p>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-90794651012142197982022-11-23T17:51:00.000-08:002022-11-23T17:51:19.489-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Context and Intent<br />
<br />
Do people not understand context and intent, or do they pretend they don't?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fCPladHZhKytq5T4vAliwg--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-uploaded-images/2020-06/a0ce7340-b707-11ea-b63f-57619e8f109c" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="NASCAR releases photo of noose in Bubba Wallace's garage" border="0" height="200" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fCPladHZhKytq5T4vAliwg--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-uploaded-images/2020-06/a0ce7340-b707-11ea-b63f-57619e8f109c" width="150" /></a>I know how to tie a noose. I have since I was a kid. I've tied hundreds of them, not because it's a useful knot, because it's not (I know and have used many useful knots) but because it was an idle hands thing, like doodling.<br />
<br />
The noose I tied, from a handy bit of string, rope or wire, was never a racist symbol, because I never intended it to be a racist symbol.<br />
<br />
<br />
So now, let's talk about the noose in Bubba Wallace's garage. I see a lot of posts, defending it as just a useful knot. (it isn't)<br />
<br />
So, imagine... I tie a noose in a bit of handy rope. Not a problem. But then I hang it at a black co-workers work station.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Context:</b> The long and aweful history of lynching blacks. </li>
<li><b>Intent:</b> Knowing the context, I do it anyway. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-18701212049180891192017-12-22T11:41:00.000-08:002017-12-22T11:43:25.629-08:00The Trump Brain-trust<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is something to behold. A denial within a denial, a lie within a lie. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But honestly, who of us can really remember what we said months ago, or minutes ago, for that matter?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Just perfect. <br />Dutch journalist to new US Ambassador: you said there were 'no go zones' in Netherlands, where are they?<br />Ambassador: That's fake news, I didn't say that<br />Journalist: We can show you that clip now.<br />Ambassador: Err 😳🤥 <a href="https://t.co/8ohIOzmYAc">pic.twitter.com/8ohIOzmYAc</a></div>
— Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunny_hundal/status/944158714835107840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-30012290666188629582017-02-07T21:32:00.001-08:002017-09-27T06:49:17.675-07:00Donald Trump's Inevitability<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How will The Donald's presidency end? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A successful 4 years? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A successful 8? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Few people, with any kind of functional intellect, believe he'll complete his first term, or even his first year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some suggest the possibility of assassination. Of course it's possible, but in today's security environment, it's remarkably unlikely. But who would be the would-be assassin? Naturally, Trump's supporters might think it would be radical islamists. That's a daft suggestion. Trump is the best recruitment tool radical islamists have ever had. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe it will be a hard-line leftist, railing against the hard-line right. Possibly. After all, crazy people are crazy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speaking of crazy people, I think Trumps most serious threat will come from his own, special base. He's spent months courting the lunatic fringe, with unkeepable promises. When the unkeepable promises go unkept, who do you think will feel the most betrayed, the most disenfranchised, and the most armed? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A presidential assassination would be the worst possible outcome. It would throw the USA into turmoil, even a death spiral. It would actually be worse that a two-term Trump. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trump is a crooked bastard, so impeachment is the logical outcome. However, the Donald would never suffer the humiliation of being FIRED. He already knows it's coming (unless he really is as delusional as he seems). He'll resign. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donald Trump will declare "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" after bragging that he's achieved more in a few months than any full term president ever has, and <b>resign </b>in a blaze of his own, deluded glory.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeNWrESjwYocxegjf1-vcLNcpJ7Tgm2VNIc_-sRulq5JjbGs8dlPvru0S-CSUp9FzjiY95TGLreFl2udDdRC0-MT0ZxwSaFgc5UHBcnoTWEib-l73wnefhZUfxxPCwEP-Q1WwVw/s1600/trump+walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBeNWrESjwYocxegjf1-vcLNcpJ7Tgm2VNIc_-sRulq5JjbGs8dlPvru0S-CSUp9FzjiY95TGLreFl2udDdRC0-MT0ZxwSaFgc5UHBcnoTWEib-l73wnefhZUfxxPCwEP-Q1WwVw/s320/trump+walking.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-23364934926002433192015-02-16T19:29:00.000-08:002015-02-16T19:29:29.572-08:00 Kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was never a fan of Bruce Cockburn, but I've always liked this line. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cockburn was always political and I appreciate that. I'm an old punk. I do political. I don't do folk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cockburn's politics were undeniably left leaning. I'm a centrist but I often find myself leaning - slightly - left in the current Canadian political environment but there is this thing, by which I cannot abide, be it on the left or the right. i.e. anti-scientific neo-luddism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Case in point: Greenpeace and their remarkably adamant, yet ill-informed opposition to GMO technology, specifically <span style="color: yellow;">Golden Rice. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greenpeace makes the standard, boilerplate arguments against the technology: "un tested", "big corporations", "<b>better solutions</b>" ad nausium. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The "better solutions" argument is the most insidious. What better solutions? Show us where Greenpeace has solved, or started to solve, the tragic problem of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Approximately 250,000 to 500,000 malnourished children in the developing world go blind each year from a deficiency of vitamin A, approximately half of whom die within a year of becoming blind. The </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="United Nations">United Nations</a><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> Special Session on Children in 2002 set a goal of the elimination of VAD by 2010.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Has Greenpeace made a dent in this, while busily destroying test fields for publicity? How many children have died from VAD during a Greenpeace antiGMO demonstration? How many children have died from VAD while you read this? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight. </span><br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-81986271419895712952014-11-19T21:45:00.000-08:002018-01-11T08:02:19.485-08:00ALS Ice Bucket Challenge <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I just saw that, in Canada alone, the ALS ice bucket challenge<a href="http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=494918&playlistId=1.2109132&binId=1.1147261&playlistPageNum=1" target="_blank"> <span style="background-color: white; color: black;">raised $16.2 million</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started thinking (surprise) and bouncing a few numbers around in my noodle. I think it's a reasonable guess that it took about 1 litre of potable water per dollar raised. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's, conservatively, enough drinking water for 43000 people for a year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not that ALS isn't a worthy cause. I'm not even talking about the pop-culture moment that was the ice bucket challenge. It's the cost that I'm having trouble reconciling.</span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-80080517833090475952014-09-29T06:56:00.000-07:002014-09-29T06:56:50.897-07:00ISIS vs ISIL - Subtle Propaganda <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I always search for what people mean beyond the words they choose, I notice a trend in the speakers who prefer ISIL over ISIS (not absolute of course but hear me out)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Arabic the name is "Al-Dawla Al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham" and the confusion seems to be a translation issue with al-Sham.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"al-Sham" refers to Damascus, or "Syria", in more modern terms. If they meant the Levant, they would have used "Bilad al-Sham" or "greater Syria", in more modern terms. Either way, though, S is for Syria <i>in modern terms</i>. As I don't claim to speak a word or Arabic, this is the information I've gleaned from reading a few scholarly articles on the matter. I am happy to receive comments from people who speak Arabic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But here's the thing with using ISIL and the importance of language in public communication - I've observed this term is more commonly preferred by right-wing commentators. There is hidden ideology here as the Levant would include Israel and suggesting a direct threat to Israel helps beat the drums of war in certain circles.<br /><br />Evil, by any other name, stinks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State or Daesh - in the big picture, the name is irrelevant. There is no redemption for these animals. Just always pay attention to what <b>your</b> leaders say and what they might actually mean. The most civilized society can always be one good propaganda campaign away from going to hell. </span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-4097658789184532832014-06-08T20:48:00.001-07:002014-06-08T21:00:01.722-07:00Basically, the problem with Hudak's plan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eliminating 100000 public sector jobs.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, fine, everyone likes using the civil service as a political punching bag. So Tim opens his campaign with the 100K kill plan before jumping into the 1M job plan. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The million job plan has already been well debunked by economists so let's think about the job cuts. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first, one may be forgiven for thinking about a massive cut to public service as a great savings. Maybe it is but thing about it like this;</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100000 fewer tax payers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100000 fewer</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> consumers</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">100000 more people competing for jobs you're chasing</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">good plan, huh?</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-15207128144993511132013-03-08T22:35:00.000-08:002013-03-08T22:42:16.244-08:00Garneau vs Harper - The Curriculum Vitae Wars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just using the convenience of Twitter to encapsulate a few comparisons of Marc Garneau's job-related experience relative to Stephen Harper's. Please let me know if I've left anything out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Business: @<a href="https://twitter.com/marcgarneau">marcgarneau</a> Board of Directors, UTS Energy Corporation. @<a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">pmharper</a> mail room clerk <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23cdnpoli">#cdnpoli</a><br />
— Voice of tReason (@V_of_tReason) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_of_tReason/status/307889571318870016">March 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Aerospace: @<a href="https://twitter.com/marcgarneau">marcgarneau</a> Astronaut. @<a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">pmharper</a> mail room clerk <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23cdnpoli">#cdnpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23F35">#F35</a><br />
— Voice of tReason (@V_of_tReason) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_of_tReason/status/307889993320374272">March 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On National Defense: @<a href="https://twitter.com/marcgarneau">marcgarneau</a> Naval Captain. @<a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">pmharper</a> mail room clerk <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23cdnpoli">#cdnpoli</a><br />
— Voice of tReason (@V_of_tReason) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_of_tReason/status/307890502735380480">March 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Industry: @<a href="https://twitter.com/marcgarneau">marcgarneau</a> engineer. @<a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">pmharper</a> mail room clerk <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23cdnpoli">#cdnpoli</a><br />
— Voice of tReason (@V_of_tReason) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_of_tReason/status/307890728531533826">March 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On Recognition of Service: @<a href="https://twitter.com/marcgarneau">marcgarneau</a> Officer & Companion, Order of Canada. @<a href="https://twitter.com/pmharper">pmharper</a> .................??? <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23CdnPoli">#CdnPoli</a><br />
— Voice of tReason (@V_of_tReason) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_of_tReason/status/307892733312380928">March 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
I see a pattern here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-39747934145883251542013-02-05T20:54:00.000-08:002013-03-18T10:06:42.653-07:00Do Canadians Hate Gypsies?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
The Jews, The Gypsies, The Freemasons... all have something in common.<br />
<a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/01/25/roma_refugees_canadian_billboards_in_hungary_warn_of_deportation.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: yellow;">Roma refugees: Canadian billboards in Hungary warn of deportation</span></a><br />
The Roma<br />
This bullshit is driving me batshit!<br />
My son's Roma great-grandmother escaped Nazi-occupied Romania, with her children. As the family story goes, she "flirted with the guards" at the boarder. I don't even want to speculate as to what "flirting" meant when it came to getting your children past a check-point.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRdrLiTgCmVfRDnyH-STy0mXWlxa1PGCdxuw8XeoeoviRir9PN4b8L-gTjq4w9t94bAzBEoNuG6RjVYxynv1OjIGbB8-U_O9M-GVs356ULFSpczZrzVek7mNW7g09Rpb2l_Lo1A/s1600/Jason+Kenney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRdrLiTgCmVfRDnyH-STy0mXWlxa1PGCdxuw8XeoeoviRir9PN4b8L-gTjq4w9t94bAzBEoNuG6RjVYxynv1OjIGbB8-U_O9M-GVs356ULFSpczZrzVek7mNW7g09Rpb2l_Lo1A/s200/Jason+Kenney.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Kenney - Minister of Immigration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jason Kenney and his boss, Harper, and his boss Levant, seem to think that the long oppressed Roma don't deserve refugee status in Canada... the Roma are living the dream in Europe. Sorry, I'm not so convinced.<br />
<br />
What has changed since my son's great oma escaped?<br />
<br />
Her courage = My son's existence.<br />
<br />
Jason Kenney can just fuck off<br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-30075549801835137982013-02-05T06:55:00.000-08:002013-04-11T22:51:41.420-07:00What's Wrong with Homeopathy?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a fine example of a Homeopathic "remedy".</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boironusa.com/products/borax/" style="background-color: yellow;" target="_blank">Borax by Boiron USA</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcAdBhYMXaQUMeiQuCAR-3m4asccS3rTj0ggUOImIGrr4-aJCAbRWhiupvxPKkSxRXzbWWRy9nfprT5EGGEDdI5F3VP4mfXYNvM2iQObRd0Rjw2nbG0SGGUTIuQvatn-5R9Et5A/s1600/Borax+30c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcAdBhYMXaQUMeiQuCAR-3m4asccS3rTj0ggUOImIGrr4-aJCAbRWhiupvxPKkSxRXzbWWRy9nfprT5EGGEDdI5F3VP4mfXYNvM2iQObRd0Rjw2nbG0SGGUTIuQvatn-5R9Et5A/s320/Borax+30c.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By it's own unashamed claim, the amount of "active ingredient" i.e. borax (boric acid) in this product falls in a range of "3X to 30X - 3C to 30C"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does that Mean Dr VotR?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means that the concentration of "active ingredient" in this product is somewhere between One part per Million and One part per Novemdecillion. Or between "almost none" and "if it was there, we couldn't measure it anyway".</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This product is a sugar pill. All it's homeopathic friends on the shelf next to it are sugar pills. How much are you willing to spend on sugar pills?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think what a lot of people don’t understand about the homeopathic theory is the astronomical numbers these dilutions represent. This product claims that its concentration of borax is between 3C and 30C. The size of that scale is enormous (One to One Septendecillion). Again, to reiterate, they are openly admitting that they have absolutely no idea how much borax is in this product other than it’s less than 1ppm.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The claim is generally made that, through the process, the water develops a memory of the “active ingredient”. The water memory concept is peculiar considering there are several billion people pooping in the same finite global aquifer daily. I would rather not have my drinking water remembering that. Also, if the water remembers the borax and then the water is evaporated off the sugar solution to leave the sugar tablet behind, then where did the memory go?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One last thought on the profitability of the Homeopathic industry...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found boric acid for sale online for $3.24/lb. That amount should dissolve nicely into a saturated solution with about 8L of water at room temp. At a 30C dilution, you could turn that amount of boric acid into...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 litres of “medicine”. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And they say big pharma’s profits are obscene.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
<u>UPDATE</u>:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a point I originally missed. Boiron often lists the concentration (dilution) of their ingredients in both "X" and "C" numbers and they are always the same. X is 1 part per 10 and C is 1 part per 100. ie 2X=1C, 6X=3C, 8X=4C, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This again indicates that this company has no idea what it's doing or what it's selling. Why are you buying it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-82222178946426071072013-01-17T07:12:00.000-08:002014-10-15T08:07:10.893-07:00Just Thinking on Corporate Welfare<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I estimate, roughly, that if an individual lived solely on social assistance from ages 18 to 65, he would receive about $330000.00 . Of course, that's not an absolute cost to the system as a good chunk would come back in taxes, but let's just use it as a hallmark.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, when the government hands out vast sums of money to private enterprises in the guise of "economic development" we can develop a rough standard by which to judge the efficacy of that use of public money. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example: The Harper Government (formerly "The Government of Canada") <span style="color: yellow;"><a href="http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=5234"><span style="color: yellow;">announced</span></a> </span>a $400 million investment in the venture capital sector (not in manufacturing, research, service or any other direct employer, mind you) to somehow stimulate the economy and create jobs. The announcement offers no indications of how, if ever, success will be judged. <span style="color: yellow;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's try this. If a life time on welfare is worth $330K then this $400M investment should, at the very least, provide a <b>lifetime</b> of employment for more than 1200 Canadians. Any less would be an abject failure. As the government never seems to put any mechanism in place to report to us on such success vs failure - it's evil to put such a burden on the free market - we'll never know where our money went.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't like my numbers? Over simplified? Fair enough. Compared to no number at all, my back-of-an-envelop musings are <i>infinitely</i> superior, because that's basic math.</span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-57309269941997022812012-12-20T05:05:00.000-08:002012-12-20T07:28:07.511-08:00Ounce of Dumb Equals...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know the expression, "an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure"?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does it make sense to you? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what doesn't make sense to me...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm off today to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A. This is a prudent move on my part because I work with equipment that handles cash and is touched by a lot of people. The interior of this equipment is inexplicably packed with sharp edges. As such, it makes perfect sense for me to do all I can to reduce my risk of contracting a communicable disease through the various cuts and scratches I receive on a daily basis.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's got to be worth a truck-load of cure, right?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, neither the public health system nor my drug benefit provider see this simple truth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have good benefits through work (for now) but they will not cover the prescription for the vaccine. Though, should I happen to contract Hep A, I believe that the drug expenses would quickly outpace the 2 x $65 cost of the vaccine shots.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, I have to take this vaccine to a clinic to get the shot. This $25 cost is not covered by OHIP, though I'm quite sure a dose of Hep A would make me rather a larger drain on the system than that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, why don't private insurers and the public system wish to pay for this very minor, preventative expense? There's only one answer that I can come to... gambling. Both the public and private providers are gambling that I will not get sick. They are saving a few bucks today and hoping I will not cost them thousands in the coming years.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How nice for them to have the luxury to play that game. I, however, do not. There is only one of me so if I catch a very serious disease, I can't really look forward to long term, advantage play to tip the odds back in my favor.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I'm off to get jabbed, in the arm and the wallet. I'm sure the high-rollers will appreciate my contribution to their pot.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-76644630704549253742012-12-17T09:50:00.001-08:002012-12-17T09:50:17.176-08:00How Safe Stupid Are You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just how <strike>safe and secure</strike> <b>stupid</b> are you, anyway? It's a pretty complex question but here are a few hallmarks with which you can begin your personal assessment. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I must warn you though, you may begin to get the feeling that you are such an absolute moron that you are no longer fit to continue sucking air with the rest of humanity. I bare no responsibility for what you decide to do with this revelation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2001, a small group of extreme fanatics were able to hijack 4 commercial air liners, using only box-cutters as weapons. As we know, the results were horrific. Since then, as an air passenger, you are not allowed to take something as benign and harmless as nail-clippers with you onto an airplane. </span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seem reasonable?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later in 2001, Richard Reid failed to detonate a small explosive, hidden in his shoe, on the flight from Paris to Miami. Since then, as an air passenger, you must remove your shoes and have them X-rayed before getting onto your flight.</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seem reasonable?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2006, another small group of extreme fanatics were arrested before they could execute a plot to make and detonate liquid explosives on several commercial flight. These men did not make it as far as the airport and their plan, if you are familiar with chemistry, was only barely feasible. Since then, as an air passenger, you are restricted from bringing liquids onto your flight. This includes water, coffee, shampoo, aftershave, baby formula, etc.</span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seem reasonable?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, failed to detonate an underwear bomb on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Since then, as an air passenger, you and your children must submit to a scan that allows complete stranger to see your naked bodies before you can get onto your flight. Many security experts have stated that this scanning equipment is unlikely to detect a device like the one Abdulmutallab attempted to use, yet, in the name of safety and security, passengers are happy parade naked in front of a group of security officers. </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seem reasonable?</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Almost every year in the USA since the 80 (and with disturbing frequency in the preceding </span><u style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">2 centuries</u><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">), there have been shootings in schools with an absolutely sickening loss of children's lives. Yet you believe that gun control is an unconscionable violation of your basic human rights. In fact, you will fight tooth and nail to resist even the suggestion of tighter restrictions on gun ownership. </span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Seem reasonable?</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">After considering these several points, are you starting to see the hypocrisy in the strange stance that anything is ok in the name of security <i>and</i> anything is ok in the name of gun ownership? How do you feel about your rights? More importantly, how do you feel about your children's rights?</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Of course, you are a law abiding gun owner, just like the majority of the the perpetrators of the above massacres were, before that first shot. As a matter of fact, you might even justify your gun-loving position by saying many of these massacres might have been mitigated if more people were carrying guns. Well, let's do the math... </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How many lives might have been saved in Newtown CT if there were a dozen more liberty loving patriots with guns in that school? How many would have been saved if there was just one less?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">
Feel stupid yet?</span></span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-78161197028116344302012-11-29T16:30:00.002-08:002012-12-07T20:55:49.376-08:00Brains, the CFIA, XL Foods and Criminal Neglegence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WARNING: contains science</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this week, a <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/114836691/CFIA" style="color: yellow;">memo</a> to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff, working at the XL Foods - Brooks facility, was obtained and published. This memo instructed inspectors to not only pay extra attention to meat for export (especially to Japan) but to ignore domestic product.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: red; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 25px;">"ensure that non Japan eligible carcasses are not inspected for spinal cord/dura-mater, OCD (other carcass defects) and minor ingesta, (Ignore them).”</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much has been made of the "<span style="line-height: 25px;"><span style="color: red;">minor ingesta</span></span>". Essentially, this refers to fecal matter which is the contributing factor to E-coli contamination. It was E-coli contamination that caused the closure of the XL Foods facility at Brooks Alberta as well as the largest meat recall in Canadian history. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">E-coli is serious. E-coli makes people sick. However, not to diminish it's significance, E-coli bacteria can be killed by the heat of cooking and it is very rarely a fatal bug; typically only in those with already compromised systems.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xxa8IKPzC4Ni84k8jtSpV-SNaIZlsu83sy2Ot7vP5bAIR9gifXJEoR0Cr0BdmQOK-7yi44wkJtStcw_M_UnyUmbACQZoiiA6n7S-btqiEPn5mwgKMuyrge1yvQo80qDBdv7rjg/s1600/BSE+brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xxa8IKPzC4Ni84k8jtSpV-SNaIZlsu83sy2Ot7vP5bAIR9gifXJEoR0Cr0BdmQOK-7yi44wkJtStcw_M_UnyUmbACQZoiiA6n7S-btqiEPn5mwgKMuyrge1yvQo80qDBdv7rjg/s200/BSE+brain.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;">Bossy's brain on Prions</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What should have garnered a bit more attention is the part about "<span style="line-height: 25px;"><span style="color: red;">spinal cord/dura-mater</span></span>". You see, it's in this matter that we find the prion... a nasty little misfolded protein that is responsible for B<span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">ovine Spongiform Encephalopathy</span><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"> in cattle (mad cow disease) and new variant </span>Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in humans.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0ijw4ylJVsWtQ3XcwjN_2CF-N86-l9AIPpTtxt8hGFLbyCKBMPg3mMHoe46Y9O5JxEUgl-d3KEdpAdAxwdPDrBKU6qzpUk6s957SarfhJvzUy2JjBIFvIi8_88bq8jQCEVzmMg/s1600/VCJD+brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0ijw4ylJVsWtQ3XcwjN_2CF-N86-l9AIPpTtxt8hGFLbyCKBMPg3mMHoe46Y9O5JxEUgl-d3KEdpAdAxwdPDrBKU6qzpUk6s957SarfhJvzUy2JjBIFvIi8_88bq8jQCEVzmMg/s200/VCJD+brain.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;">Your brain on Prions</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is particularly serious because vCJD is <b>fatal with no known cure</b> and, this is key, prions are <i>not</i> destroyed by cooking or freezing.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me reiterate; this is a threat that cannot be mitigated by the most fastidious food handling techniques in any domestic or commercial kitchen. This is not a tummy bug, this is not a case of the poops, this is death.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The instructions contained in this CFIA memo are not about fiscal prudence, nor just careless or callous. These instruction are criminally negligent and I expect them to be treated as such, lest madness prevails. </span></span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-83743431171320362752012-11-06T14:42:00.000-08:002012-11-06T14:42:43.348-08:00 A Few Last thoughts on @WoodworthMP (for now)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stephen Woodworth (Kitchener Centre) is a fairly regular user of <a href="https://twitter.com/WoodworthMP"><span style="color: yellow;">Twitter</span></a>. As such, he often responds to questions from us common folk. You'll note I use the word "respond" rather than "answer". Mr Woodworth responds to questions with questions or criticism of the question and the questioner. These cute little rhetorical games he likes are no more that a beginners' clinic in logical fallacy. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have found that he tends to favor my smart-ass questions with responses, over my straight and serious questions. This is frustrating as I tend to go smart-ass after my serious questions have continually suffered the old <i style="font-weight: bold;">deny and deflect. </i>I have a theory... If I'm being a smart-ass, in a sense, I'm building his straw man for him. It is that smartassery that he holds up as the core of the matter so he can knock it down and again avoid the subject. A lazy debater uses logical fallacy so what does it mean when a debater seeks out pre-made fallacies?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't know if Woodworth's heart is even in the game anymore. After all, one can only get so much life satisfaction out of being a back-bench bobblehead who's only purpose is to rubber stamp the dreams and desires of a megalomaniac. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stephen might already be considering a move to a more fulfilling career. If I may, I would strongly suggest against high school debating coach.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-32829295235819559832012-10-20T17:06:00.000-07:002012-10-25T18:53:44.147-07:00Delisting the Grand River. C-45 & the NWPA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Again, we are to suffer more Trojan horse legislation from Harper in the form of C-45. Again, an odious omnibus bill of over 400 pages, described as a budget implementation bill. And, yet again, just like in the spring, the bill contains all kinds of legislation with little or nothing to do with the economy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This round contains the decimation of the Navigable Waters Protection Act. Vast tracts of Canadian waterways are loosing their protection from indiscriminate damming, bridging, filling and other forms of obstruction. I'm going to talk specifically about the Grand River because this is the area in which I live.</div>
<br />
<span style="color: cyan;"><a href="http://assets.wwf.ca/custom/wwfca/riversatrisk/grand.html?gclid=CP6W3ObVkLMCFROe4AodhG0AJg">From the World Wildlife Fund regarding the Grand River</a> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: magenta;">after years of restoration and improved water management it is now recognized as a Canadian Heritage River and is one of only two Canadian rivers to receive the prestigious International Thiess Riverprize. Half of all fish species in Canada can be found in the watershed where fly fishing alone contributes more than $1 million to the local economy each year.</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With the new legislation (Bill C-45, Schedule 2 (section 331), Part 2, Line 26) only the river from the dam in Brantford to it's mouth at Lake Erie is still protected by the act. All points north are no longer protected. This huge section of river is part of several conservation areas and home to various communities, recreation areas and small businesses. It also flows through a number of federal ridings and I'm quite sure your Member of Parliament would love to hear from you and find out what your views are regarding the future of YOUR river. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For your convenience...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>David Tilson</strong> (C) Dufferin - Caledon</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Telephone: 613-995-7813 </div>
Fax: 613-992-9789 <br />
EMail: david.tilson@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.davidtilson.ca/">www.davidtilson.ca</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Michael Chong</strong> (C) Wellington - Halton Hills<br />
Telephone: 613-992-4179 <br />
Fax: 613-996-4907 <br />
EMail: michael.chong@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.michaelchong.ca/">www.michaelchong.ca</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Harold Albrecht</strong> (C) Kitchener - Conestoga<br />
Telephone: 613-992-4633 <br />
Fax: 613-992-9932 <br />
EMail: harold.albrecht@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.haroldalbrechtmp.ca/">www.haroldalbrechtmp.ca</a> <br />
<br />
<strong>Peter Braid</strong> (C) Kitchener - Waterloo<br />
Telephone: 613-996-5928 <br />
Fax: 613-992-6251 <br />
EMail: peter.braid@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.peterbraid.ca/">www.peterbraid.ca</a> <br />
<br />
<strong>Stephen Woodworth</strong> (C) Kitchener Centre<br />
Telephone: 613-995-8913 <br />
Fax: 613-996-7329 <br />
EMail: stephen.woodworth@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.stephenwoodworth.ca/">www.stephenwoodworth.ca</a> <br />
<br />
<strong>Gary Goodyear</strong> (C) Cambridge<br />
Telephone: 613-996-1307 <br />
Fax: 613-996-8340 <br />
EMail: gary.goodyear@parl.gc.ca <br />
Web Site: <a href="http://www.garygoodyear.com/">www.garygoodyear.com</a> <br />
<br />
As each of these fine gentlemen are members of the Conservative Party of Canada, I might suggest that you ask them if they have even read the massive piece of legislation upon which they are about to vote.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While you are expressing your concern, you may also want to bring this issue to the attention of the</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.grandriver.ca/"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Grand River Conservation Authority</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
400 Clyde Road, PO Box 729 Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6 </div>
(519) 621-2761 / 1-866-900-4722 <br />
<a href="mailto:grca@grandriver.ca">grca@grandriver.ca</a><br />
<br />
The last suggestion that I'll leave you with is to forward this info to any local businesses you know of that operate on or around the river. Significant changes to the river will definitely affect their livelihood.<br />
<br />
This is pretty important stuff. Please take notice. </div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-45784668945238596222012-08-24T07:09:00.001-07:002012-08-24T07:21:23.076-07:00SNC Lavalin - Let's React to the Numbers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Canadian+goods+destined+Iran+nuclear+program+slip+through/7130772/story.html"><span style="color: red;">Federal government grants licence for new nuclear reactors for first time in three decades</span></a> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(And who looks like the prime bidder?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's run the numbers...</span><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The CANDU reactor division of AECL developed world leading technology, payed for and owned by you and me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harper sells CANDU to SNC-Lavalin (known for their world leading <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/two-former-snc-lavalin-executives-charged-with-corruption/article4364648/"><span style="color: red;">corruption </span></a>) for <b>$15 million.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harper pledges <b>$75 million</b> to SNC-Lavalin to complete development of the newest CANDU reactor. We're still paying for it, we just don't own it any more.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new reactor contract at Darlington is estimated to be worth <b>$20 Billion.</b></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, SNC Lavelin gets a nuclear energy company, built with public money, gets paid $60 million in public money to take it and is immediately the prime bidder on $20 billion contract, again paid for by public money. What's the gain for the people? I'm sure SNC-Lavalin with pay a pittance in corporate taxes at some point... maybe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this the free market at work? Seem to me that this private company sure does benefit a lot from public money while the government pats itself on the back for it's fiscal management.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you want to complain about welfare moms? Run the numbers for me. How many welfare moms would have to have how many babies over how many years to suck this kind of cash out of the Canadian economy? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure there are some more social programs, environmental programs, health programs and so forth that we can eliminate to help ensure SNC-Lavalin's continued profitability and to enshrine Stephen Harper as Canada's number one econo-MISSED. </span></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-37261050076866729042012-08-17T19:39:00.000-07:002012-08-17T20:10:11.723-07:00Grey Power Auto Insurance - BS marketing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I drive. I drive a lot. I have driven a lot as my career has found me <i>on the road</i> for many years. Right from the first time I saw one of these <a href="https://www.greypower.com/home">Grey Power</a> ads, promoting better insurance for old people, they have annoyed the hell out of me.<br />
<br />
I see old drivers, I bob and weave to avoid old drivers. I've cringed and held my breath as an old fart in a Buick narrowly misses a pedestrian with the right-of-way.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkThOe6ToKVaDg2jhGs1OF29tI0_rn2yXaAzoViMkAKq2NhSfYy5unjIyLNpf10NtZWb1Le9LqU7F5hUe9TF6-qJRAQrxTMW51lOnn0j1knIkDbOASY6RsjimM2OrJnOTmdREIQ/s1600/grey+power1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkThOe6ToKVaDg2jhGs1OF29tI0_rn2yXaAzoViMkAKq2NhSfYy5unjIyLNpf10NtZWb1Le9LqU7F5hUe9TF6-qJRAQrxTMW51lOnn0j1knIkDbOASY6RsjimM2OrJnOTmdREIQ/s200/grey+power1.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A remarkable feat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A few weeks ago, I was behind a little old darlin' in a Camry (decided to trade in the Buick Century, I guess) at a light. We were both waiting to turn left (T intersection, no on-coming traffic). The light turned green, she and I began to move into the intersection to make our turns. She suddenly stopped during this tricky maneuver - I dunno, maybe she thought she saw the Kaiser. So I stopped, to avoid the collision. She proceed to finish her turn, into the outside lane. Not the inside or immediate lane, as is appropriate and legal. I turned into the immediate lane and then was very nearly side-swiped by the same old darlin' as she drifted left into my lane. Again, I avoided the collision.<br />
<br />
So there, her good driving record and her lower-than-mine insurance rates were preserved by my reaction times.<br />
<br />
You're welcome<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-53090323398694080982012-07-10T09:13:00.000-07:002012-07-10T09:13:28.855-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2uJMLr03XQ9jBEU09ZicABpE5Q2Lce-Qn6v3vtgXsHi4RT3w0R2RSSlPCpd0lW5DfPlmwmVmz7mp6PDf7WjspQE15inR4pm9261N6_AaPu_VIPULh3nhDjmXGTNwNjUTRLwGwA/s1600/plague.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2uJMLr03XQ9jBEU09ZicABpE5Q2Lce-Qn6v3vtgXsHi4RT3w0R2RSSlPCpd0lW5DfPlmwmVmz7mp6PDf7WjspQE15inR4pm9261N6_AaPu_VIPULh3nhDjmXGTNwNjUTRLwGwA/s1600/plague.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-17896733177239695382012-07-05T22:09:00.000-07:002012-07-12T18:47:59.984-07:00Brief Conversation With Stephen Woodworth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7w-ZN1SZ5TIVIP7C6fZb2UQFfM98exPccv-7i-56rFV55cYPba7dU1ZhUaEdyQKqDea5Nivq3fgNrFIEY7HgTiBoqaYtwNoQYKtGzuAAW12wH6EP1NJ7j-fNMmKM2GBvBg8PiQ/s1600/trojanhorse3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7w-ZN1SZ5TIVIP7C6fZb2UQFfM98exPccv-7i-56rFV55cYPba7dU1ZhUaEdyQKqDea5Nivq3fgNrFIEY7HgTiBoqaYtwNoQYKtGzuAAW12wH6EP1NJ7j-fNMmKM2GBvBg8PiQ/s200/trojanhorse3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canadians Deceived</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back on June 2nd, I had the privilege of being an organizer, with<b> </b></span><a href="http://leadnow/" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: cyan;">leadnow</span></b></a><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> for the protest against the Omnibus Budget Implementation Bill, a.k.a. Trojan Horse Bill, a.k.a Matryoshka Bill, a.k.a. C38. Across Canada, we gathered at our Conservative MP's offices to ask them to stand against this affront to democracy and to stand for Canada and their constituents. Many showed up but in the end, we failed. The bill passed and Canada is certainly not a better place for it.</span>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 19px;">My MP, </span><a href="http://www.stephenwoodworth.ca/" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><span style="color: cyan;">Stephen Woodworth</span></b></a><span style="color: white; line-height: 19px;">, came out to speak to us. I give the man full credit for that (although, admittedly, he was running a small and completely unrelated event at his office that day). He answered some questions, primarily with talking points. He did relay a theme though and, if you'll forgive my paraphrasing, this is what he was saying.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;">Essentially, Stephen stated that he could not vote against the budget because he was elected by the people of Kitchener Centre to represent them as their Conservative MP. To vote against the budget is to vote against the party and to vote against the party is to vote against the constituents who elected him.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Here's what I'm not buying; to state that the </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">people have spoken, one time, last year and that is that</i><span style="line-height: 19px;">, is pretty disingenuous. This runs with Harper's repeated statements that any objection to his policies are invalid because he was elected to a majority government (I like to call this the "date rape defense"). If the opinion of the people only matters on election day, then maybe we need to have elections a bit more often.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>I like elections but we know a chap that doesn't care for them...</b><b> </b></span></span><a href="http://changorant.blogspot.ca/2011/03/only-aspiring-dictator-could-describe.html"><b><span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Only an aspiring dictator could describe an election as wasteful. Only a willing subject could believe it.</span><span style="line-height: 14px;"> </span></span></b></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">So, one vote, one opinion, carrying an elected official through a full term may seem like a weak argument but it gets weaker, specifically with Stephen Woodworth. You see, he is already pushing his own, personal agenda in parliament. His </span><span style="line-height: 19.2px;">motion M-312 regarding the legal definition of the </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">beginning</span><span style="line-height: 19.2px;"> of life is a thinly </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">veiled</span><span style="line-height: 19.2px;"> attempt to reopen the abortion debate in Canada. Though Woodworth, a devout Catholic, insists that this is not about abortion but rather about </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">modernizing</span><span style="line-height: 19.2px;"> a "400 year old law" (here in a 145 year old country, if anyone is paying attention). This personal axe to grind on Woodworth's part in contradictory to the Harper </span>Government's™ official stance on the abortion debate. Yet, Woodworth is quite willing to stand up for his own ideology on this matter, despite the fact that it was not, in any way, a platform issue during the election.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, this all begs a very simple question... Stephen, who do you represent?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-41173182804027016022012-01-22T23:21:00.000-08:002012-01-22T23:24:01.620-08:00the Oil Industry is Losing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
This just occurred to me:<br />
Intense lobbying in Europe - Insane accusations by the likes of Joe Oliver - <a href="http://www.ethicaloil.org/"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">EthicalOil.org</span></a> - TransCanada Pipelines trying to circumvent the President of the United States of America - Media campaigns - Buying political influence - etc...<br />
This is it! This really is it. <b>The oil industry is in its death-throes</b>.<br />
<br />
Think about it. We've been educating and educated about the inherent environmental dangers of fossil fuels for decades. None of this science came under serious attack until the last several years. Now, we see science characterized as a liberal plot. Environmentalism is nothing more than an attack on the economy.<br />
Never have we seen such financial might brought to bear on garnering political favor or swaying public opinion as we've seen recently from the oil companies.<br />
<br />
Yes, they have more money and more influence over government that the silly, little voting public. Yes, this is as daunting as it seems. And yes, <b>they are losing.</b><br />
<br />
Like so many armies in so many wars, they are throwing everything they have into this final offensive. It will get ugly. There will be casualties. But they already know that they have lost. So sit tight because this last big flare will burn itself out soon enough. It might take a decade or it might take a generation, but it's over.</div>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-31603242463432137372011-11-23T22:04:00.001-08:002013-02-05T06:03:50.987-08:00Operation Clementine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oh my darlin' Clement resign.<br />
<br />
It's time. You stole from Canada. You lied. You cheated. You covered your cheats with lies. Then, you tried to erase the evidence and failed. The evidence is now out in public and your last ditch tactic is the Bev Oda defense.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJx33pwVW1zNq8WIRLjLpRjvwSUMkIm3GaGa9BA6EC2fwDsQZWzWp5kJpz7riJZELNF7v-dgvSQc-dpyH2OLIQWdmFlZoPJhiZcoABgt7EwqGAnMURg7SVYgNZbTRmuEZbxFeww/s1600/operation+clementine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJx33pwVW1zNq8WIRLjLpRjvwSUMkIm3GaGa9BA6EC2fwDsQZWzWp5kJpz7riJZELNF7v-dgvSQc-dpyH2OLIQWdmFlZoPJhiZcoABgt7EwqGAnMURg7SVYgNZbTRmuEZbxFeww/s320/operation+clementine.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Clement (right dishonorable) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's time, Clement resign. I'm here to help. To keep the concept fresh for you, I'm sending you a case of clementines. I hope you will enjoy them, they are always a treat. In case one case is not enough and other Canadians want to help, I'll just remind everyone of your mailing address.<br />
<br />
Tony Clement<br />
House of Commons<br />
Ottawa, Ontario<br />
K1A 0A6<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.tonyclement.ca/contact-tony/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc;">Other mailing addresses are available here.</span></b></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Clementine/264146946966530"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow - a facebook page :) you know you wanna!</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
...update :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGAhReFuDUU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a class="twitter-hashtag-button" data-related="V_of_tReason" data-size="large" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?button_hashtag=OperationClementine">Tweet #OperationClementine</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script></div>
</div>
</div>
Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-77180042161613501082011-10-28T11:18:00.000-07:002011-10-28T11:19:27.068-07:00Why do They Hate History?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here we go again. Conservative Senator, Nicole Eaton is purposing that we drop the beaver as our national symbol in favor of the polar bear. She reasons (if one can use the word reason here) that it’s time to trade in a “19th-century has-been for a 21st-century hero.” I hope that I need not elaborate upon the many reasons that the beaver is the symbol of Canada. Any grade school kid can explain it to you if you don't know.</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5RYiJmtMjAMujj00DPDOkHLg5BTYCQLN0Yxi1JnTdjWMB3rU_mt7E9sJux0TZc8tfjchOkYSnRD_W7j-5D8qxyQePvcFYuTZ8rYN7gpoiepz98N9MOG8DniIaIyLsFhp4YhtA/s1600/beaver+to+victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5RYiJmtMjAMujj00DPDOkHLg5BTYCQLN0Yxi1JnTdjWMB3rU_mt7E9sJux0TZc8tfjchOkYSnRD_W7j-5D8qxyQePvcFYuTZ8rYN7gpoiepz98N9MOG8DniIaIyLsFhp4YhtA/s320/beaver+to+victory.jpg" width="217" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Move along, no history to see here.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But now it seams, as the neo-conservative war machine gears up, they believe we need a more aggressive symbol. Ironically, when the US proposed that the polar bear be placed on the endangered species list and trade in its products be banned, Canada vehemently disagreed. After all, if our government acknowledged the plight of the bears, those tar sand loving Tories might have to concede the effects of climate change on the arctic. We can't have that now, can we?</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VSJ80l0lIuJeR5XEhEvJZIo1qDNQNObmgff5i-UVLEI9izcIOFFXNIxiK-BrMLYWEB5CH9wZv3-du201v9RgkESLL8rAHNnz2LAzf5V5iarweOVelBboM8Agx66USc3TVlLKCA/s1600/ww2teethintojob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VSJ80l0lIuJeR5XEhEvJZIo1qDNQNObmgff5i-UVLEI9izcIOFFXNIxiK-BrMLYWEB5CH9wZv3-du201v9RgkESLL8rAHNnz2LAzf5V5iarweOVelBboM8Agx66USc3TVlLKCA/s200/ww2teethintojob.jpg" width="136" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Hey, if that little guy in the tree<br /> were a bit tubbier and <br />had a cheaper hair piece...</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, alas, if this senator gets her way, it will be the beaver on the endangered list. Of course, if there were justice in the world, the senate would be an endangered species.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, if the beaver must go, then I would humbly like to offer a suitable replacement, guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of mortal men.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Mad Cow</b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEjyHEQSa1qkiVuK4A1UEEYVqY2Xk4ful33ZQCm35K9slSXo9w_xKlqHZLOyYrakZDSVE-mtJKX_qac7CiwPjKc8SUwCRnrrpUMyB9sVkkj4LfcXYuQTMiaRARRqSQXn-ypFtkg/s1600/mad+cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEjyHEQSa1qkiVuK4A1UEEYVqY2Xk4ful33ZQCm35K9slSXo9w_xKlqHZLOyYrakZDSVE-mtJKX_qac7CiwPjKc8SUwCRnrrpUMyB9sVkkj4LfcXYuQTMiaRARRqSQXn-ypFtkg/s1600/mad+cow.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7484146.post-23864943819115863322011-10-27T22:35:00.000-07:002012-07-10T20:27:35.368-07:00Evidence? We don't need no stinking evidence!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />A paraphrase of a paraphrase of a paraphrase. But who cares? We live in time where facts are stupid. We have a democracy that has been hijacked by ideology and <a href="http://changorant.blogspot.com/2011/02/conservatism-polulism-why.html">populism</a>. <br /><br />Case in point, the omnibus crime bill, aka The Safe Streets and Communities Act. Of course we want safe streets and communities. Of course we've all been touched by crime. Every one of us has been robbed abducted and murdered!</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, strangely, the evidence doesn't support this anecdotal hysteria. It seems that we are at a point where our crime rate is lower than it has been since 1972. But still, <i>accepted wisdom</i> dictates that society only gets worse with time, therefore, the records must be wrong. Well, yes, according to our government. Like with every insane conspiracy theory, if the facts don't support, invent new facts. It seems that there is this mysterious cloud of "unreported crime" that no one knows about but we must deal with it and vigorously punish it. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And deal with it we will! To the tune of.... SOME MONEY. See, therein lays another problem. The government won't tell us what the new bill will cost. But hey, who cares, as long as it puts the alleged perpetrators of unreported crime in jail.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's get back to that <i>annoying evidence</i> thingy, shall we? </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're enjoying the lowest crime rate since I was a pre-schooler.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Judges maintain that mandatory minimum sentences remove their ability to deal in justice on a case by case basis.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sociologist and criminologists, through decades of study, state that this "tough on crime" approach does not curb crime nor do anything to prevent it.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Statisticians can demonstrate that the crime rate is at an historical low.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's the clincher! <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/10/17/pol-vp-milewski-texas-crime.html">The State of Texas has found, through trial and error, that this type of crime legislation is deeply flawed, ineffective and costly.</a></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, there is no place in justice for evidence. That is the Harper mantra.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-----</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those who care, the actual quote from the book, <u>The Treasure of the Sierra Madre</u> <i>by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Traven">B. Traven</a></i></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">
</span></div>
<dl style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.2em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; text-align: left;">"All right," Curtin shouted back. "If you are the police, where are your badges? Let's see them."</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; text-align: left;">"Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don't need badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned <i>cabrón</i> and <i>ching' tu madre</i>! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you."</dd><dd style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; text-align: left;"><br /></dd><dd dir="rtl" style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 1.6em; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Again, I apologize for confusing the issue with facts</dd></span></span></dl>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">
</span></div>Voice of tReasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03603509189853204721noreply@blogger.com0