Wil's Rant

Hubble Telescope:

It would appear that the Americans are reconsidering their decision to not service the Hubble telescope. Apparently this is due to the overwhelming protests worldwide from scientists. The Hubble is generally considered to be the best astronomical instrument ever created and has added more knowledge of space than any other single endeavor. The original decision to scrap the Hubble service missions was taken as a result of Bush's assertion that the new focus would be on putting men on Mars. It seems crazy to me to scrap something that generates real science now in favor of something that may be achieved in twenty years. Of course that's just my opinion. I'm sure that the genius' advising Bush know what's best for all of us.

U.S. Military Sure to Capture Bin Laden Within Year:

U.S. spokesman states that they are sure to capture Bin Laden within the year. He also states that they will launch a new campaign in the spring along the Pakistani border. This will extend into Pakistan if necessary. One problem, Pakistani officials say this would violate their rules should the U.S. conduct operations within their country. I doubt this will slow the Americans down much as they have generally shown very little regard for the wishes or opinions of anybody else. Another empty campaign promise perhaps? Lets hope so. The situation over there seems to be getting more complicated by the second. Anyway you cut it, this one should prove very interesting. Come on American elections, Bush really needs to go before he starts a world war. While I don't think George senior was particularly stupid, it isn't the first time I've heard of intelligence skipping a generation.

Next Stop Mars:

It would appear that the Russians agree with... well pretty much everyone as to the potential to send humans to Mars anytime soon. Yuri Koptev of the Russian Space Agency states that Bush's plan is plainly not feasible for several reasons. The main reason is Bush's contention that the Americans will build a ship capable of servicing the space station, go to the moon, and go to Mars. The Russians feel that this would be a serious mistake as each of these missions is quite different and would require different ships. The Russians feel that the real reason for this ambitious plan has mostly to do with gaining popularity for Bush in the next election.

It would be great to see humans go to Mars. However any serious plan would have to come about as the result of long term planning and research, not from the political aspirations of one whose future in politics seems quite limited as a result of all the recent falsehoods.

China's Internet Gestapo:

The Chinese have stepped up their attempts at controlling the internet. The government has laid a series of charges against people who are using the internet to promote democracy. The Chinese have long tried to keep a lid on this type of unauthorized use of the internet. The Hacker organization Cult of The Dead Cow has been engaged in a campaign to strike back at this kind of censorship of the internet. They specifically target countries like China who try to restrict its use for freedom of speech. I strongly support their efforts in this regard. For many years China has been a very dangerous place for individuals promoting political reforms, many have died in the attempts so far. While many advances have been made there recently, lets hope that some of these old habits are overcome soon.

It's time that all the worlds leaders start to consider their peoples as more than idiots to be deceived at the drop of a hat. The people of the world are ready to be told the truth by their representatives. Here's hoping they will all get the message sometime soon, while we still have a world to care about.

9/11 Conspiracy Theories:

Anyone else catch the CBC's Fifth Estate tonight? The show focused on different conspiracy theories regarding the 9/11 hijackings. One of the theories examined essentially states that George Bush was aware ahead of time about them. It showed several instances where George outright lied about his knowledge of the attacks. According to the theory they allowed the attacks to take place in order to justify the war on Iraq. Sounds pretty crazy until you examine some of the facts. Most notably is Bush's response to a question about when he became aware of the first attack. We all saw him being informed of the second on television while he was in a classroom. He answered that he found out about the first attack while waiting to enter the school. He stated that he viewed the first attack on television before entering the school. Oops, the video of the first attack was not known about until the day after the attack. On the day of the attack only the second attack was known to have been videotaped.

I don't really know what to make of any of it. One things for sure, this will definitely warrant more investigation. I also would very much like to read the book, hopefully translated, The Big Lie written by a French author and currently a best seller in Europe. I really hope the book is wrong, if not, this may become a long term problem the likes of which the U.S. has never seen.

Microsoft Again:

It seems that Microsoft is about to take a hit within the European Union. The European Commission is expected to rule against Microsoft in a case similar to the American anti-trust suit. They are expected to fine them much more severely as well as ordering restrictions on their unfair trade practices. In Europe the case revolves around Media Player and Microsoft's' binding of it to their main operating system.

The tide seems to be turning for Bill Gates. Add these latest developments to the growing discontent worldwide with Microsoft and perhaps sometime in the future we can expect to be able to deal with them on a more equitable basis. Microsoft has for too long held us all by the throat. Improvements in Linux as well as Apple are helping to close the gap. I know my next computer will absolutely not be a Windows box as it would appear that no amount of customer dissatisfaction will make any difference to Microsoft. This demonstrates the real flaw in such a vast monopoly: They don't have to care about you and I. Now my only real decision is whether my next system is going to be Apple or Linux. I have heard about a few other operating systems but these two seem to be the main contenders. Any other suggestions? Let me know.

Artificial Life:

More evidence is being reported as to flaws in our artificial insemination techniques. It would seem that artificially created mice develope abnormalities. These are suspected to be caused by the solution in which they are created. It is unknown whether these flaws are also present in human IVF embryos. Behavioral faults, anxiety, and learning problems have been discovered so far. This is further evidence that we are only just beginning to understand the creation process and as such we would be well advised to take a slower and more well thought out approach to this subject.

Child Executions:

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to rule on the constitutionality of child executions in the U.S. This is being examined under the cruel and unusual punishment clauses of the constitution. Frankly, it's about time. Amnesty International argues against it as they state that a child can be rehabilitated and as such should be given that chance. I'm not sure that all children can in fact be rehabilitated, but I'm not convinced that it really makes any difference. I simply have a moral problem with killing children. This does not overlook the fact that a child can be every bit as monstrous as an adult. I also wonder how much of this monstrosity is the result of environment and how much genetic. I have heard good arguments for both. I would imagine a child whose mind is more damaged by genetics might be much harder to repair. In any case it will be very interesting to hear what the court decides.

Sean Sends This Comment on Earl:

Thanks to Sean for the following response to my concerns about Earl:

very interesting assumption...probably hinges on an individual's particular fight or flight instincts. Me myself, I wouldn't approach the situation either...that's what I pay taxes for. This poor girl is going to lose in either case. Your friend Earl very well could have intervened and gotten shot in the neck. He'd have been hailed as a hero but would also have a mean crick in the neck for the rest of his life. At least this way the police in Toronto will be much more aggressive in response to distress calls. Kudos to Earl. You just can't help cowardice. Better to live like a donkey than die like a lion, or so they say.
Sean 01.26.04 - 12:02 am |

My Response:

Your problably right Sean, hadn't really thought of it that way. When I usually think of pedophiles I think more in terms of Mike Jackson than Rambo. I still think he might of sent his wife and child to safety and at least tried to get the attention of the other people around. Crowds have been known to be quite hostile to someone they know to be a child molester.

Wil

American Intelligence?:

I can't help but wonder where the Americans are getting their information from. Reports describe the sources as Iraqi ex-patriots. Are these the same ex-patriots who provided all the quality information on Iraqi W.M.D. These individuals have proven highly unreliable which shouldn't come as any big surprise. The American Intelligence Experts recognized this and informed their superiors of this fact prior to the invasion of Iraq. That did not suit Bush's political agenda and as such didn't slow down the war effort one bit. I suspect this new intelligence is the same and Bush knows full well. This won't stop him one bit however, I'm sure he will continue with the new war preparations. The sad part is he might be right, however it's the same old boy who called wolf story. We don't believe you anymore George. If it turns out you were right now makes no difference, because we all know you lied to us about Iraq. Its like the old saying " A relationship born of deceit is better lost than lived" , I think we'd all be much better off if we lost our relationship with you George.

Good God they're At It Again:

So they figured out what happened to all the weapons of mass destruction. Apparently Saddam had them shipped to Syria. So what comes next folks, let me guess, more beating of the war drums perhaps? Certainly would solve that duel problem of the Syrian backing of the Palestinians, and any reluctance on the Syrians part to join the great fight against terrorism. I can't tell you whether history will show that this all worked out great or not. I certainly can't argue that good ol' Saddam had to go. I just wish the American government would be more honest with its people and demonstrate a lot more wisdom regarding international politics. I also wouldn't mind if George W. showed much more caution in the application of force.

Earl Mcree of the Ottawa Sun:

In Friday Jan 23, 2004 edition of the Ottawa Sun Earl talks about an experience he had while working for the Toronto Star. The article was about freedom of the press but what struck me is story he related from his past. Earl tells us about his experience in a park in Toronto where he witnessed a man sexually assaulting a little girl. He describes several calls to the police about the matter and how they did not respond until after the man had left. He goes on to describe the Toronto police's efforts to prevent him from printing the story. In the end his paper supported him and the story was printed.

My problem with the story, He describes in detail how he watched this happen for more than 30 minutes while waiting for the police and did nothing. That's right folks, more than 30 minutes watching a man assault a little girl without even uttering the word stop. From my standpoint this is every bit as much of a crime as the person committing the assault. What is even worse is the fact that Earl doesn't seem to realize this as he tells us the story. Perhaps this is part of the reason for the cops attitude towards him. I think most Men in the same position would have taken a more direct intervention once notifying the police. Shame on you Earl, you could have stopped this assault and did nothing. This little girl must now live with the results of your inaction.

Canada's Belinda Stronach:

Finally, a fresh face in Canadian politics, and a woman no less. I can't say I know much about her views, but a few points can be made. Canada will be a much better place with a stronger female presence in politics. Worldwide woman are not represented anywhere near strongly enough. The job done by the men leaves a great deal to be desired, so why not give the ladies a chance. Women, in general, are not driven as much by ego as men. As such they are more inclined to make rational judgments than knee jerk reactions. I really can't say whether she would be any better or not, but something definitely needs to change and she might be a good start.

The opponents are already starting with the bullshit. Labeling her Barbie is just the start. I for one find this offensive. So far as I can tell Belinda appears to be a very intelligent woman who probably has a whole lot more to contribute than a doll. It reflects very badly on the men when the best rebuttal they can come up with to Belinda's campaign is a Barbie add. Come on guys. Lets break with tradition and make your campaign about the issues and intelligence instead of the mindless name calling that we are all so very tired of.

Microsoft and Spam:

Looks like good ol' Bill Gates has come up with several ways of dealing with the dreaded spam. I'm sure his favortite is the plan to charge e-mailers for different classes of e-mail. It goes something like this: Once a client has received their e-mail, they rate it. Ones they like will be free to the sender, ones they don't will get a back charge depending on they degree of dislike. So I imagine that everyone will have to use Microsoft for their e-mail and set up appropriate accounts with them. As well, I'm sure there will be a fee for this service. Not bad, Bill will get you coming or going with this one.

I think I much prefer the random pattern generator style of spam removal as I imagine this would be more of a one-time fee type setup. Anyway you cut it, it would still be much better for everyone if laws were made along the same line as telemarketers who are supposed to stop calling you when notified that you don't want the calls. In the spam world this type of notification only ensures that you will get many more spams.

Welcome:

I wanted to take the opportunity to welcome all the international readers who are beginning to view this site.
In the last week we've had readers from the Netherlands, Asia, Europe, Australia, as well as the U.S. and western Canada. I hope you enjoy the site and feel free to comment on what you read. I will publish comments on the site as I see fit, so please let me know if you would rather not have your comment posted or if you do and you would like to remain anonymous. Simply click on the comment button to add your wisdom, or contradict my views. I always welcome a good debate so don't be shy and have fun with it. If I choose not to include the whole comment I will make note of this fact, and the fact that the entire comment can be viewed by going to the comment site.

Thanks Again
Wil

Global Disease:

Yet another new sickness is feared to be spreading rapidly. The Avian flu is the latest of the previously unknown bugs to strike. This is only a small sample of what is to come. We have become truly a global world in that whatever strikes one region quickly can spread world wide and this fact is making disease experts more and more nervous. Combine this with the damage to our ecosystem and our weakening ability to fight disease naturally and you have all the ingredients for a very ugly situation. I still feel that this globalization plan, as it has been applied, is a devastating failure in virtually every way. We would be well advised to properly develope macro-economies in order to minimize the affect humans have on the ecology (less transportation,energy,fuel, preservatives, and pesticide).

This is another example of our lack in determining the true cost of our actions. If companies were forced to include all costs associated with their products many of the prices would be much higher. Factor in clean-up, contaminated waste disposal, damage to the ecosystem and all the other hidden costs and suddenly it would be much cheaper to buy from your neighbor than from someone on the other side of the world. Of course this wouldn't make the big businessmen happy. Then they wouldn't be able to take advantage of slave labour rates, and easier environmental laws that exist in the third world. We must all realize that many of histories richest men have become so because they were able to identify some weakness of someone, somewhere and were able to rape and pillage gleefully and profitably until someone finally made it illegal. Greed is apparently an essential ingredient in the recipe for success in a capitalist society. I only wish the wealth obtained from this sort of business was passed along to the people who usually have to pay the price for it, the native peoples of any given area.

Search for W.M.D.:

Secretary of State Colin Powel now admits that there is a possibility that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Stunning admission considering that what Saddam once had was given to him by the U.S. The Americans didn't have a problem with this, or with their use against Iran. The problem only arose when they realized they couldn't control Saddam. Dick Cheney also informs us that the full search will take "some additional, considerable time". Not to worry though, I'm sure the Americans will take as much time as is necessary to ensure we're all safe. After all, they are the world experts in chemical and biological warfare. I'm very glad they never got around to giving Saddam any of the really nasty stuff they have safely stored. By all reports, some of these would take less than a thimble full to kill all of us. Oh well, I'm sure we're safe. The American record on Intelligence, safety, and the wise application of their technology and might should easily make us all sleep well.

Ontario Drop Out Rate:

Looks like kids are dropping out or are expected to drop out at an alarming rate. According to studies this is because of the change from a five year system to a four. My problem with these studies is that you can't trust the figures and conclusions without knowing the procedures and variables used to get them. I can't help but wonder if any of the cuts lately might be a factor. Many students become easily bored with the day to day curriculum and use the extra curricular activities for motivation. Perhaps a little oranizational improvements and increased funding the numbers might drop. I actually liked the five year system as grade 13 in high school is much cheaper than the equivalent in university. In grade 13 I only had to buy my books as opposed to the thousands of dollars it would have cost me at university.

Child Executions:

Amnesty International is urging all nations to ban child executions. I wouldn't think that this would be as large of an issue as it is. I also wouldn't think that this would require as much debate as it generates. Whether one believes in the death penalty or not surely we shouldn't be killing children. According to Amnesty, who is the most prolific child executioner in the world? Answer: The United States!

Same Sex Marriages in B.C.:

According to reports all commissioners in British Columbia have been ordered to perform same sex marriages or resign. This one isn't quite as easy to decide as others. While I support people's right to choose their own lifestyle, this doesn't give that same right to those commissioners. However those same commissioners are public employees who are obligated to perform their duties within the law of their jurisdiction. While I don't envy those persons caught in this dilemma, I think I will have to side with the authorities on this one. Should they allow the commissioners to chose not to marry same-sex couples, this could very well lead to a situation where a person attempting to legally marry under the existing legislation to be unable to find someone willing to perform the ceremony, thereby violating their rights under law.

Sharon:

Once again the grand bully of Israel is in the news. We will recall that the latest round of violence in Israel got under way with Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount. This enraged Muslims and re-started the suicide bombings. More than 800 Jews and 6000 Palestinians have now died and the numbers mount.

David Appel has been named in Bribery charges in Israel. In the charge Sharon figures prominently. Not to worry, this is not slowing Sharon who states that he has no intention of resigning. While it comes as no surprise that Sharon has so little regard for pesky, annoying laws, I hope very strongly that he will be shown the light. Perhaps this might come, as prosecutors are currently examining the case to decide whether to lay charges against Sharon himself. One can only hope.

U.S. National Guard:

It would appear that the grand war on terror is taking a toll on the men and woman who must ultimately implement it. A National Guard survey states that the number of people planning to leave the service is at a record high. Apparently, having a war whose reasoning has been repeatedly shown to be false leaves a bad mark on Morale. With all the beating of the war drums coming from the White House its amazing that anyone can hear themselves think, much less think about the real reason they are there. Can't say I much blame anyone for wanting to get the hell out of Dodge.

Cloning:

It would appear that I'm not the only one having a problem with some of the cloning practices lately. I don't however agree with this article in that it suggests that the media stop even reporting claims by these guys. This would be a mistake, how else are we going to find out what the mad scientists are up to.

Internet Predators:

Yet another young girl ( 13 Years Old) has been lured by a man reportedly 37 years old in Edmonton. Her mother had been monitoring her internet activities and discovered the scheduled meeting. Unfortunately, she did not find this out until after the girl had been assaulted. Police did manage to find the girl with the man and charges have been laid. While the article does not mention whether she was willing to be assaulted, this really makes no difference as she was only 13.

The internet can be a very dangerous place indeed and as such parents must be extremely diligent in monitoring their kids if they are going to be able to prevent things like this.

Microsoft and Mikerowesoft:

Apparently Big Brother (Microsoft) has seen the error of their ways and decided to negotiate in good faith with the teen who mimicked their name. I guess the publicity generated by their actions has made the lad somewhat of a celebrity. Unfortunately Microsoft waited for all the bad publicity to be generated before they decided to take the more subtle approach. Hard to understand why Microsoft would worry about this at this point as I find it difficult to imagine their reputation growing much worse.

Diana, More Bizarre Yet:

Yet another witness has come forward in regard to Diana's crash. This woman is reported to have been a passenger in the car driven by the previously reported witness. She describes the presence of the so far mythical white Fiat, and the crazed driver of said car.

To recap: First we hear of the driver who describes the accident and who reports suggest was further proof that it was in fact an accident. I took exception to these reports as, to me at least, the statement seemed to raise more questions than answers. Then another occupant of the same witness vehicle reports that she had seen the white car which, from her description, came up from behind them and then alongside. This would effectively have placed the white car between Diana's and the wintnesses at the time of the accident. To me, at least, this suggests that the white car may very well have been involved, without even considering evidence taken from the Diana's car (the white Fiat paint on the side of the car). Add to this fact that the white car was supposedly never found. The witness also reports the reason she had not come forward prior to this was due to the fact that she was in fear for her life. Apparently the look on the Fiat drivers face was what led her to this fear. Call me crazy but I would think by all this that this is taking on, more and more, the makings of a murder investigation. I've never heard of an accident witness fearing for their life prior to this. Kind of makes you wonder what happened with the original investigation to have missed this much!

Jackson Spectacle:

After Mikey's hearing the other day he found the inner strength to entertain the crowd. I don't exactly think I would be dancing if I were in his shoes. Guilty or innocent, the charges against him are very serious. Considering the charges involve the potential sexual molestation of a child, I hardly feel that dancing is called for. This demonstrates his lack of concern for the nature of the charges. It also may show his inability to grasp reality. By trivializing this matter he shows a lack of respect for the proceedings as well as any individuals who may have been victimized in this fashion in the past.

Human-Cow Embryos?:

It's all becoming clear to me now. The reason for developing human-cow embryos. It's to compliment the stunning success in atrificial insemination. In some cases, during the atrificial procedure the fertility drugs cause women to have multiple child births. This can be taxing to say the least not to mention the increased incidence of defects. Solution, the new improved cow-human mother. Think of it, a woman with perhaps six or eight udders as opposed to the restrictive 2 they must suffice with now. Now the woman could feed eight mouths at once. Hold on a minute, she couldn't possibly hold eight children at once. Not to worry, a simple gene splice with an octopus should fix that. The new improved cowmanapus would be able to have,milk and hold eight babies at once.

Hold on a minute, wouldn't all these improvements to the woman not make the men feel left out. What could we possibly give the men eight of to make up for this? As well the improvements to the cows would also bring advantages. Imagine cows with human heads. No more herding required. Simply add one or two improved models to any heard. They could act as translators as well as giving cownsell to the others. In addition they could calm the regular cows at time of slaughter. I imagine the conversation going something like this. " No Hector those aren't gunshots your hearing, and that's not blood your smelling. Farmer Jones is making a new recipe and the noise is simply Bessy having one of her spells. Now everyone stay calm and everything will be over quickly." The benefits go on and on.

So there you have it, I just had to think of things in a rational manner for it all to make sense.

Back to Dalton:

What is great about good ol' Dalton is he never fails to give us things to write about. CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes last night spoofed his apparent consideration of selling the LLCBO. Brilliance at work again, The LLCBO earns a reported $ 650 Million to $ 850 Million profit every year. I predict he won't be around long enough to see the damage this does. Oh Yeah, that's right, they privatized Ont. Hydro to save us money too. I suspect the real reason for hydro's change was to hide the mismanagement that has occurred up to now, and to unload the responsibility for the cost of fixing a very long line of mistakes. This cost will now be passed on to us in a much more visible fashion.

Cloning:

Oh my God, this just in kids. Apparently a scientist just implanted a human cloned embryo into a woman. Where to start. It was my understanding that scientist had not perfected the cloning process and as such they could not be sure that any child born of this procedure would not be disabled. This amounts to knowingly producing a child that will be malformed or will have some other handicap. Without discussing the actual ethics of cloning at all, this strikes me as criminal. I sure wouldn't want to be that child. Face it folks, if we can't even figure out what to do with our garbage we shouldn't be toying with the processes of life. I read yesterday that some fool had combined a human and a cow in what is thought to be a viable embryo. What possible reason would anyone have for doing that. Most scientists are professionals with the highest level of ethics. However, there ought to be laws to stop people like these guys.

Flu Vaccine:

News out today that a U.S. study has found that the flu vaccine is in-effective. According to the report only 2 % more people became sick without the vaccine than those who had been given it. Considering the overwhelming cost of this program it would seem to be a waste of time except in very high risk patients. I would also be concerned with potentially weakening a persons immune system by preventing their bodies from having to fight it off naturally.

Algonquin College Student Teacher Sex:

The college is studying new regulations forbidding student-teacher sexual relationships. Apparently the staff members fail to see the ethical questions involved and their union is currently opposing the firing of a teacher for this conduct. I would have thought this would be a no-brainer. Simply put, it is un-ethical for a Prof. to have relations with one of their students as this is unfair, at least, to the other students. However, should an overwhelming attraction exist between a student and their prof. why wouldn't the student simply withdraw from the course allowing them to continue the relationship in an ethical fashion?

Diana Inquiry:

Reports out today that a new witness has come forward to Diana's crash. The witness is reported to have been directly in front of Diana's car at the time of the accident. The witness stated that he observed the car braking, and then swerving into the pillars. The suggestion has been made that this further supports the accident theory. I have several problems with this one.

First, why are we only finding out about this witness now.

Second, how accurate a witness can this be when they were supposedly in front and would have to have observed all this in their mirror, or by turning their head on what surely must be considered a very dangerous road.

Third, what caused Diana's car to brake this hard in the first place.

Fourth, having had to brake this hard, what caused them to go into the pillars as surely the car was in good repair and would have remained straight even while braking very hard.

I do not find that this clears anything up at all and frankly raises even more questions.

Photo Radar:

Ontario is planning to re-instate the photo radar system. We have heard many views on this. An O.P.P. officer interviewed on CHRO today suggested that this would increase Ontario's highway safety. According to my information this is not correct. In fact just the opposite. According to my sources many of the people speeding along the 401 are driving BMWs and other luxury cars. With the photo radar system when you are fined you do not receive any demerit points and your insurance rate does not suffer. For a wealthy individual, this is no deterrent as they are fully prepared to pay the fine in order to save time. When being ticketed by a police officer you get demerit points and your insurance rate does suffer as they can prove who was driving the car. This is a deterrent.

Dalton Mcguinty has stated publicly that the reason for this re-instated is to generate revenues. I don't have any problem with this, as excessive speed is dangerous to all. However this should not take away any of the police enforcement. As well, the public should be clearly informed as to the reason for the re-instated, instead of the false reasons which we are being stated. Road safety will not increase by their use and the public should be made fully aware of this.

Ontario Hydro:

According to reports, Ontario is re-thinking its plan to eliminate coal fired plants by 2007. This is due to concerns as to whether we will have sufficient power without them. We must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a large percentage to save the planet. Coal fired plants must go, the sooner the better. Unfortunately we are not hearing anything about environmentally sound hydro generation projects. Many systems exist that would help in this regard, but there are no major projects underway to implement them.

We hear regularly about the high cost of such systems. This only makes sense until we evaluate the true cost. If the cost of the damage to the ecosystem, disposing of waste, clean-up and the like were examined the true cost of Nuclear, coal fired, hydro-electric, and other fuel-burning systems would very quickly make environmentally friendly generating systems the most economical. As well, the more green systems we use the lower their cost will become. Keeping this in mind, the answer to the question is clear. Close the coal-fired plants!!

Copps to Switch Parties:

Apparently Sheila Copps is being forced out of her riding by the efforts of Paul Martin. Not surprising as she dared oppose him for the Liberal Leadership. However, what I don't understand is her quickness to change parties. This doesn't say much for the integrity of her beliefs. I strongly support the re-uniting of the Conservative party in Canada, as we definitely need a viable opposition to the Liberals. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and are government needs balance to properly represent us. My concern stems from the apparent lack of backbone amongst politicians and further erodes my faith in their stated beliefs if the are prepared to switch parties whenever convenient.

Budget Cuts:

We are constantly bombarded with reports of cuts in order to balance the budget. Many of the cuts are to programs worthy and needed. While I support the need for a balanced budget, there is another way. Perhaps our governments should concern themselves more with eliminating waste and in-efficientcy within their own departments starting at the top before eliminating programs direly needed by Canadians. They might want to pay a little more attention to the Auditor-Generals yearly report for starters. This regularly identifies waste on a colossal scale. Governments must clean up their own messes first before they due further damage to desperately needed social programs. We are one of the most heavily taxed nations on earth. Surely we can afford to help the less fortunate, repair our roads, repair our health system, equip our armed forces, etc., without having to increase taxes or cut other programs. Perhaps a little less perks for politicians would be a great place to start, and a lot more accountability for the funds they already control.

Getting elected should not be the equivalent of winning the cash for life lottery. Politicians should not receive a full pension after only 5 years service. A pro-rated system would be much more equitable. Many officials share these views, perhaps we should consider this when voting.

Man Mauled By Lion:

For some unknown reason A man in Buenos Aires jumped into a den of lions. Apparently when the lions didn't bother with him he taunted them until he was mauled. Go Figure.

Fans Show Support:

Mike Jackson fans are planning a show of support for him at his trial. I don't know whether he is innocent or guilty. Other then those involved in the allegations no-one really does. While I have enjoyed his music in the past, I sure wouldn't want to have shown my support if he finally ends up being guilty of sexually assaulting children.

Sea King Training:

Sea King pilots headed for the Persian Gulf are now getting a little extra training. According to reports the pilots will now receive extra training in ditching in the ocean and landing with only one engine. Considering their record one might assume this would be the first training they receive as opposed to the last. Officials can't understand why they are losing power.
Big Tip: It's called Old Age.

U.S. Army War College:

According to one Prof. at the college the U.S. Invasion of Iraq was a strategic error. Ya Think!!! Nice to see someone showing some actual intelligence in the military community. But alas the trend is not widespread.

As reported in New Yorker Magazine ( Dec 2003 Issue) by Seymour Hirsch Under-Secretary of Defense Stephen Cambone appointed Lt. General William Boykin as his chief advisor. Boykin has given many addresses to various groups in the U.S. Of particular interest are comments he has made to various religious groups. Among them are statements to the affect that the current Muslim nations are being driven by Satan. As well Satan apparently wants to destroy the U.S. and its Christian Army. Muslim Nations hate America, according to Boykin, because America is a nation of believers. However, not to fear, as Bush was not elected but he was appointed by God. Wow.

Where do I start with this one. I was under the impression that the American army contained individuals of many faiths, apparently now you must be a Christian to apply. I was also under the impression that Americans didn't hate all Muslims only the terrorist variety, another error on my part. It would appear that American ignorance is not restricted to the common folk but has now climbed to the highest levels of government. Big Surprise. While I have always been aware of the slanted view of the world prevalent in the U.S. it is now taking on truly terrifying proportions.

Amateur Hockey Violence:

Why is it that people associated with sports get away with committing crimes that the rest of us get punished for. CTV reports on an incident that happened in B.C. A player was involved in a fight, when a referee intervened he too was assaulted. As the refs were trying to get the player off the ice, his coach got involved and also assaulted the ref. It was reported that in this particular organization the number of refs dropped in one year from 33 to 12, any wonder. The offending player was suspended for 2 months, the coach for 3. Thankfully, they will both be back in time for the playoffs. This is virtually no deterrent at all. As well it does not address the fact that criminal acts were committed by both. Advances have been made along these lines but nowhere near enough as is demonstrated by this incident.

I would definitely not allow my kids to participate in a sport where assaults are committed without concern, often with a weapon ( a stick). Assault with a weapon is a serious crime and demands much more appropriate a response, yet we witness it at the professional level all the time. When I played hockey I accepted the risks involved with the sport. However I don't feel that being assaulted with a weapon should ever be one of these acceptable risks.

Insane Facts:

In the U.S. before they execute you by lethal injection, they swab your arm with alcohol.

George Carlin

Canadian Justice:

Recently I heard a report that there are more persons waiting in jail for trial in Canada than there are persons who have been convicted and are serving sentences. In addition there are many cases where the person has waited longer for trial than there expected sentence upon conviction. Technically a person who has not been convicted is in fact an innocent person under the law. That means that in Canada we have more innocent people in jail than we have guilty people. Does anybody else see any problem with this. Considering the number of people serving sentences for non-violent crimes, this would appear to be a travesty of justice. While I don't recommend releasing violent suspects into the population, surely there must be a better way. Perhaps allocating more funds to the courts might not be a bad idea.

In a recent submission I suggested that tougher penalties for youth crime might also be a good idea. This alone will not solve the problem of youth crime and street violence. According to the experts, the problem is in fact not that simple. Studies have shown that tougher sentencing alone will not make us any safer. In the U.S., the laws and penalties are much more severe than in Canada, including the death sentence. Yet there crime rate is no better than ours and in fact in many places much worse. The problem must be addressed on a much broader scale and must include outreach programs, social programs, athletic programs and community involvement. Generally speaking, educated, well adjusted teens are not the ones committing the crimes. Our focus must be on producing these type of teens in our society instead of maladjusted, restless teens with no productive outlet for their passions.

Microsoft Again:

Tip to Retailers and Manufacturers:

It is my impression that manufacturers and retailers of computer equipment are obligated under law to sell items which at least have a chance of working as advertised. Knowingly selling anything which does not fulfill this obligation is fraud. In other words, any person buying any hardware equipped with Microsoft's latest releases are in a position to sue not only Microsoft but the manufacturer of the equipment as well as the retailer that sold it to them. It might be much easier to pressure Microsoft through the retailers than to go after them directly. Retailers are totally responsible for the quality of the products they sell under the law. This would make a real beauty of a class action law suit. Almost makes me wish I had gone into law.

Mail-in-rebates:

I will not buy anything that offers a mail-in-rebate. Companies offering them are fully aware that the average person will either not bother or will forget until the offer expires. Recent figures suggest that 80% of rebates will never be applied for. Companies, aware of this fact, find this a great way of advertising very low prices when in fact they will, in the end, not be forced to honour them. Why should we have to deal with the manufacturers at all. I shop from a retailer so that they will deal with them, not I. My recent comments to a Future Shop manager, " you deal with these reps all the time, you either hand it to them or mail it in yourselves. It is your job not mine, I will pay the lowest price at the cash or I will not buy it from you at all." Funny, he didn't take me up on it. Go Figure.

Welfare in Ontario:

I read an article lately which talked about a young woman in Toronto. It appears she was caught cheating on welfare in the recent past. This resulted in her obtaining a life-time ban for receiving welfare in the province. As a result she gassed herself and her young baby in her car. They are both dead. The resulting inquest recommended that this rule be changed as it is inhumane. It was further recommended that the welfare rate be increased, as it is impossible for a person to survive on current rates, and that this fact caused the cheating in the first place. I can't help but to agree. If this country can afford a four-hundred and fifty million dollar penalty for canceling the Sea King replacements then certainly we can afford to feed and house a young single mother and her child. We should all feel shame about this matter, as we let it happen.

Canadian-Syrian Arar:

On CTV Question Period today a woman fom British Columbia called in. She made the comment that if Arar was so afraid of Syria then why did he retain his Syrian citizenship. Clearly spoken by a fool who has never had to run for her life. In this country very few of us ever has. Many peolple come to our country to escape death and torture. Simply because they do come here doesn't mean they hate their country, only the current regime. These people often hold out hope that one day things will change and that they might be able to return to their homeland. This really shoudn't be that difficult to understand. Again, awareness and understanding is the path to enlightenment. While I fully support this woman's right to her opinion, it scares me to think that this level of ignorance, as to the plight of other peoples, still exists in Canada.

American Foreign Policy:

While watching a program recently I was able to make a few observations. The program dealt with U. Of Toronto's Citizen's Lab. Their mission was to help repressed people by increasing their security and communication problems. A very noble endeavor. However, one of the persons interviewed made a couple of points worth noting. While the intent of the lab was good, internet access was definitely not a priority. He said that he had spent a great deal of time setting up systems which proved totally useless. His mistake- he never asked the people he was trying to help what they needed. As a result his efforts had been wasted.

Perhaps we can extend this lesson to current American policy. The American people often believe that they are helping to bring the American Way to the developing world. This thinking is flawed for the following reasons.

First: They don't act on what those same people think they need, only what Americans need, on a take it or leave it basis.

Second: While they think that an American style government is what they need, they never take the time to find out what kind of government those same people want.

Third: Not every country in the world wants to become a little America.

Fourth: They always act out of American interests instead of acting in a manner which those same peoples consider to be in their best interests.

America: You must learn to act in all our interests and not simply your own if you truly want to be the leaders of the free world.

American Missile Defense Plan:

A Canadian National Defense report suggests that this plan would not prove as effective as the Americans would have us believe. According to the report this plan would not be able to stop cruise missiles or unmanned drone aircraft. I'm certain this plan would in the end cost trillions of dollars to implement. If in fact the missile defense plan is so limited, I can't understand the rush to execute it. I also can't understand the true reasons for wanting to. The most serious threat regarding missiles in fact comes from the U.S. They have by far the most missiles of all kinds as well as the most drone aircraft. The concept that no one might ever pose any threat to the U.S. is a scary one. Shudder to think of a world were the Americans could do absolutely anything they want without any threat whatsoever from anyone. Their record shows the brutality with which they treat the little guys and I can only imagine the result of even more invincibility. Whatever happened to the concept of balance of power. Again, the Americans have not demonstrated anywhere near the wisdom necessary for a nation which controls this much power. Lets just hope that they don't send us all down in flames by the time they finish. Their adherence to U.N. resolutions in the past has for the most part only occurred at their convenience and they regularly disregard the wishes of the rest of the world. Perhaps I would have a little more faith in them if they showed some respect for U.N. resolutions. Alas, thus far they have shown very little. The American act unilaterally almost always. They show very little concern for anyone other than themselves. The small efforts they make in this regard I suspect they do so as not to frighten their own people.

Please Paul Martin, think very carefully before you sign us up for this plan. By the time they finish they won't even have to send the troops in. They will simply blast opponents from space. This will make them have even less regard for the rest of us.

Canadian Street Violence:

Teen swarmings are on a serious rise in most Canadian cities. In Toronto the shootings continue practically on a daily basis. Reports of a shootout between police and a suspect in T.O. left one man dead and a police officer wounded. The situation appears to be quickly growing out of control. If this is going on in Toronto, how long before it spreads nationwide. Even in privileged Ottawa this is becoming a major problem. We must take back control of our streets. I suspect this will never happen until the law punishes much more severely minors who become involved in this violence. As an alternative we could always submit their applications to the American Army were they might vent these tendencies. Never seems to be any shortage of people to kill there.

Note:

My problem is with the American government, not its people. I suspect their biggest crime is their foolishness in believing anything their leaders tell them, much the same as in Canada.

Wil

Gay Marriage:

I fail to understand all the protests in Canada and the U.S. over the right of gay people to marry. In my view, what two consenting adults do in the confines of their own bedroom is their own business and nobody else's. The state has no business making these kinds of decisions for us at all. Consider the thought that should we allow governments to make these kinds of decisions for us, where will it end. They may one day be making these same decisions for the rest of us and citing these types of rulings as precedent. Governments should focus on the problem of people hating each other as opposed to people loving each other. Problems are not created out of love but out of hate. So what's the problem!!!

More on Diana:

Seems there is some question as to the accuracy of the blood tests done on Diana's driver Henri Paul. Apparently British investigators have suspected all along that the blood that was tested for alcohol did not belong to the driver. According to the reports the blood that was tested contained extremely high levels of carbon monoxide. So high in fact that anyone having this much in their blood wouldn't have been able to walk much less drive. According to reports this blood was never DNA tested to confirm that it had in fact come from the driver. Interesting that we are only hearing about this now. This whole episode has stunk right from the beginning, and apparently the stench is only going to go up.

Israel and Palestine:

An independent group in Europe has come up with an alternate peace plan for the troubled region. Known as the Geneva Accord its authors include many ex-politicians, and the like. The plan has been praised far and wide for its fairness.

As could be expected, the only ones not in agreement are the current politicians in the area, and of course the U.S. This lends credibility to views that the Israeli politicians don't want peace. It has been suggested that they will never truly accept peace for fears that without a common outside enemy, internal strife in Israel would effectively rip it apart.

This does not do justice to the great Jewish people. These people have withstood more hardship than virtually any people in history. They deserve peace as do the Palestinians. It is arguable that the current strife in fact has been created by Sharon.

This amounts to yet further proof that sitting politicians and businessmen are acting only in their own interests without any real regard for the best interests of their people. As usual it is the people who pay for the shortsightedness of their leaders.

People of the world absolutely must start paying much closer attention to their elected officials actions, and elect those individuals who demonstrate concern that spans a greater length of time than the next election. We blame politicians for their falsehood and complain bitterly when lied to. However the final responsibility is ours if in fact we allow them to do this. We the people must become the watchers, and must act politically to make our leaders tell the truth. While a true democracy likely doesn't exist on the planet, we may act within the existing system to make our voices heard, and to make our leaders accountable.

History will record the actions of Bush, Sharon, and Tony Blair. That they will be seen as bullies and thugs, as they are so quick to label others, seems without question. The rest of us will only be viewed as fools for letting them get away with it.

American Elections-Ralph Nader:

Ralph Nader is planning to re-run in the next presidential election. He didn't place very well in the last one and will likely not place well in this one. This is very unfortunate, as Ralph has an un-equaled record of working for justice and ethics in business. I can't say I know much about his political views.

However I don't think that would stop me from voting for him if I were an American. This is due to the simple fact that we would be more likely to hear the truth from him than from any politician I've ever heard of. Ralph's record speaks for itself. The American people owe him a great deal, although its likely most of them don't even realize this. As well, should he ever have an actual chance of getting elected, I suspect the big American corporations would be damned scared. I know it won't make any difference, Ralph's too honest to have any real chance, but I for one would love to see an American president of his caliber. Good Luck Ralph.

Atlantic Salmon:

It would appear that farmed salmon contains higher levels of toxins than there wild counterparts. Big surprise. Apparently we're not as good at managing the environment as mother nature. But not to fear, the Canadian government assures us that this does not pose a problem as there is only a slightly higher risk of getting cancer. I know I'm relieved. Supposedly, so long as we only consume one meal per month of the farmed variety we shouldn't suffer any ill affects. Unfortunately there is no way for the consumer to tell if in fact they are eating the farmed or the wild variety as there are no regulations requiring any one to inform you of which one you are eating.

I think the officials should all demonstrate their safety by publicly eating this fish every week. Come on guys show some leadership. When we see you all eating this every week for a year, I am sure our faith will be restored. I am also sure they trust their own guidelines regarding allowable toxin levels for human consumption. Apparently it is not considered dangerous until we grow a new arm out of our foreheads and our eyes glow a lovely shade of green. Dioxin pate anyone?

Aboriginal peoples have protested farmed salmon for years due to the affect it has on wild stocks as well as the overall damage to the environment they cause. As usual there complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Perhaps we might want to listen next time before it becomes a serious issue as opposed to responding only after it becomes a major problem. There are not that many people who conduct themselves with an absolute reverence for nature. I for one would like to see native peoples paid a lot more attention on these matters. After all, who else can we trust to consider the long term affects of things as opposed to only considering the results of the next election.

It would be great to elect an individual who shared their dedication and honesty in these matters as a leader. Perhaps we should keep their protests in mind when we consider mining and drilling for oil in the far north. Its likely we won't until a major disaster happens. They also protest the use of pipelines as many species will not cross under or over them and the caribou may shift their migratory route as a result. Its time we take these issues much more seriously as this is the legacy we leave our children.

Technology:

Toshiba has come out with 2 to 4 Gig harddrive less than 1 square inch in size.Very cool.

Police Tactics and Investigation:

Dedicated to my friends Julie and Gilles Leclair and to the memory of Bev Leclair.

A significant percentage of persons charged by police and subsequently convicted have proven to be innocent. In today's world this is hard to understand, given the technology at their disposal. In the U.S. a large number of people have been executed only to later learn that they were innocent. How can this be.

While I'm sure the vast majority of officers are honest and have a great deal of integrity the are restricted by funding. This creates an environment were they are strongly motivated to come to some quick conclusions, often at the cost of accuracy. Investigations cost a great deal of money. Usually in life the simplest answer is in fact the right answer. But not always. Police must be allowed to spend the necessary time and money to conduct good investigations. Perhaps if they were to spend less money trying and jailing people for things such as petty pot possession this might free up the money to properly investigate major crimes. Considering the huge resources committed to minor drug crimes, this would seem a no-brainer.

Particularly stunning is the Saturday version of the show Cops. We regularly watch as cops sets up these little sting operations for possession. We watch as some fool approaches to buy one or two grams of pot. We then witness as a very big muscular cop comes flying in, tackling and slamming to guy to the ground often resulting in injury to the poor fool. I was under the impression that the officers were required to use reasonable force to make the arrest. From the police's actions you would think that they were stopping the biggest threat that the U.S. had ever known, rather than some completely harmless individual who could probably be arrested simply by walking up, putting your hand on them and telling them that they were under arrest. I have witnessed this so many times that I can only assume that the problem is systemic.

To treat someone in this fashion does not do the officers reputation any good whatsoever. When they abuse their power in this fashion they become worse than the criminals that they are supposed to be protecting us from. Abuse of power is criminal. Is it any wonder that the police have become so separated from the rest of us that they cannot foster any goodwill in the inner-city communities. They regularly broadcast these actions with total impunity. Am I the only one who sees these actions as criminal? Almost every week we see this and yet we never hear so much as a single complaint about their actions.

It's a sad state of affairs when the police, while making their arrest, are committing greater crimes than the criminals they are trying to arrest. Its even sadder when they do it on national television for all the world to see, and the rest of us watch without ever realizing that the police are in fact simply acting as bullies.

I am certain that there are many officers who feel as I do witnessing what we all have. Police have a sacred trust and they MUST learn to treat people with respect, as opposed to being bullies, in order for the rest of us to consider them our friends as opposed to the enemy.

Quote of the Day:

You can love me or you can hate me, but never forget me.

Unknown Author

Missile Defense Plan:

Apparently Canada is mulling over the decision to join up with the American missile defense plan. Can't say I know enough about the plan to make an informed opinion on it and I suspect the Canadian Gov't doesn't either. However I think we can make some observations based on what we do know.

First, I don't trust anything the Americans say, particularly when their diplomacy so often is conducted at the end of a gun.

Second, I fail to see the need for such a system, especially when considering that they are stomping out of existence rogue states at the drop of a hat.

Third, the Americans follow their own self-interests with very little regard for the well-being of others. Their history shows this repeatedly and is really very hard to argue.

Fourth, I would be very reluctant to even further involve ourselves in the American military machine as sooner or later someone strong enough is going to take exception to their actions and we will be pulled in along with them.

Fifth, if the Canadian Gov't deals with this issue like they dealt with the Sea King replacement program, they will likely come to a decision sometime around the year 2025 instead of the Oct. 2004 deadline.

Sixth, Chretien stayed out of the Iraq campaign and its looking very much like he made the right decision despite all the words out of the White House.

Seventh, Canada must play a leading role in the global peace process and to further ally ourselves with them would seriously harm our credibility in this regard.

Eighth, the U.S. has a history of knee jerk reactions to things and doesn't demonstrate the wisdom necessary to properly use its power.

Nineth, in the scale of history it wasn't so long ago that they were attacking us.

Tenth, oh hell, I better stop here before this becomes a book. I think you get the picture.

Note: The Americans have been a friend to Canada in the recent past and hopefully will continue to be so. But true friends don't always have to agree on everything, and by disagreeing the friendship can grow stronger. I hope the Americans have the wisdom to understand this and stop taking such great offense anytime someone has the parts to disagree.

Microsoft Again- Will it Ever End:

Gibson Research Corp. reports that Microsoft will no longer provide free support for their software. Never ceases to amaze me. So let see if I've got this right. First they sell you software full of bugs and security vulnerabilities, then they charge you to have them fix it. Wow, how can I get a part of this. Is this being done, as with their messenger service, because they are trying to make the internet safe for all us simpletons, bullshit people.

In other words it has now become even more profitable, hence they are actually motivated, for Microsoft to sell you damaged goods. This is absolutely incredible. I would't have thought it possible for Bill Gates to become even more un-ethical. How wrong I was.

Note to Bill Gates: I strongly support your recent charitable acts. ( Bill Gates Foundation) and the work you are doing therin. However this does not excuse your blatant money grabbing. This leaves a very bad taste in my mouth, and wish you would at least let me open my mouth before you try to stick anything in it. Linux anyone?

Environment:

Reports out today that the worlds consumption levels at an all time high. This applies on a per capita basis, in addition to increases caused by a larger global population. Despite this the general level of satisfaction has decreased.

This seems to be a paradox. Higher personnel consumption, one might think, would lead to a higher quality of life. This doesn't seem to be the case. As well the higher levels of consumption are placing an even greater demand on the environment, to an unsustainable level.

Combine this with the fact that should we reduce our consumption the business class will suffer and a recession may result. What is the solution to the riddle?

On the one hand we must reduce personnel consumption or at least shift its focus to renewable forms. On the other it must be done, within current capitalist structure, in such a manner as to sustain the business environment.

I don't know of any simple solution, and no one fix is going to solve everyone's concerns. There are however some steps that can be taken to help.

Unfortunately governments and business must work together to save the planet and at the same time restore the quality of life for all, rich and poor alike.

Firstly governments must initiate programs that support, assist and take a leading role in developing environmentally friendly programs. Through tax incentives, grant programs and R & D, create a very strong push for things such as fuel cell production, wind energy programs, solar programs and the like. This creates business as well as saving the planet.

Governments must remember that when corporations were first conceived, they were allowed because they had to demonstrate that by their creation they were serving the community in a manner which couldn't be achieved without them. Over the years this has changed. Corporations now exist primarily to increase profits. This is exactly opposite to the reason they were allowed in the first place. They were allowed to make possible the creation of hydro. phone , fuel supply etc. networks which couldn't be achieved without them. This purpose still exists and as such they should be allowed to continue. However we must revert to the founding principles of the whole concept of corporations in that they must demonstrate how the community as a whole will benefit by their creation and not just their shareholders. This would effectively put the power of the corporations back into the hands of the people where it should have always been.

The formation of a corporation should not be an automatic right for an individual. Corporations enjoy a privileged position as their shareholders do not assume liability for their actions. Hence the reason that their formation should be a privilege not a right and they should have to prove their benefits as a whole before they are issued a charter.

Great advances are being achieved along these lines. Corporate directors are coming under increasing scrutiny and are starting to be held accountable for their actions. As well governments are starting to support and thereby advance the formation of more environmentally friendly systems. But it is not enough and not fast enough. Primarily because those same governments receive a great deal of funding by those same corporations, who strongly resist any attempts to undermine their profitability.

We always view our governments as the powers to deal with, but in fact money controls the government. Politicians must walk a fine line between the demands of the people and the demands of the corporations providing the funding. In the end the funding wins. Hence the reason to remove some of the corporate power.

It would be great to live in a world where the will of the people is the most important factor in shaping government policy. If politicians were less restricted by corporate desires they might be more inclined to tell the truth as opposed to keeping us in the dark while meeting with corporate execs who in fact control our world.

Your Comments and Feedback:


I have received a lot of feedback about the content of this site. It has all been very positive so I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has commented. The whole point of the site is to have fun, generate dialogue, and hopefully as a result expand my own awareness on these issues by listening to the comments and insights provided to me by the readers. I truly appreciate the interest and comments I have received. If in the process I offend anybody I apologize but in fact that's great. By offending I generate more feedback and I just might learn more in the process. So bear with me, and continue to let me know what you think.

Thanks Again,
William Smith

Note of the Day:

Its become appallingly clear that our technology has surpassed our humanity.

Albert Einstein

Stalking:

A friend of mine has recently become the victim of a stalker. Police officials have told her that short of being caught red-handed there is little they can do. Even if he is caught red-handed the result would have very little affect. Punishments for simple stalking are small and would tend to just piss him off. Any stalker, even an apparently harmless one, is a very disturbed individual, and represents an extremely real danger to the victim. Ladies, do not take this litely in any circumstances, and always be prepared to defend yourself if you are the victim of this. The police can do very little until after the guy has hurt or killed you.

Iraq-WMD:

Can you believe it, reports out that the Americans faked the threat levels regarding weapons of mass destruction. Hard to imagine a politician actually blatantly lying to there own people. But in Bush's defense, he may be actually stupid enough to believe his own press.

Space:

The Indian government planning to send a craft to the moon. I am very anxious to see someone land another craft on the moon, this mission intended only to orbit. Would be interesting to see the remains of the previous American Lunar missions. This would finally put to rest all the conspiracy theories as to how the Americans had faked them.

Princess Diana:

Reports yesterday that Prince Charles upset about Scotland Yards involvement with the new inquiry. I would have thought that he would support efforts to finally put this matter to rest. Reports say that he feels there involvement lends credibility to the rumors. I know that if I were in his shoes and I was Innocent of any role in her death, I would want as many agencies as possible participating in order to completely clear my name. Not to suggest that he was involved, but his words are clearly demonstrating his lack of foresight and perhaps the concept that this man might better to be involved running a McDonald's than Acting as King of the British Empire. Apparently intelligence sometimes skips a generation.

Genetically Modified Foods:

Yet another glowing report on the use of genetically modified foods. It would appear according to U.S. studies that GM foods use ever more herbicide and pesticide than normal. Combine this with comments by the likes of David Suzuki, that there use is premature and the end result cannot be predicted for 50 years, leads me to believe that they should be completely banned. Considering our record on the environment one might imagine governments world wide would be very reluctant to allow their use.
I for one don't feel comfortable with the thought of feeding this to my children. I would strongly suggest anyone reading this think twice as well, and keep it in mind the next time elections come up.

Global Warming:

Scientist now say that over 1 million species will disappear before the year 2050 because of global warming. This represents more than one-third of all species. This is the scariest prediction I have yet heard.

Even more scary is some of the comments we've heard lately concerning this. On the news in Ontario some people have suggested that this might be bad for the rest of the world but for Ontario this would be a good thing.

Big News Flash: To anyone who feels this would be a desirable effect. Consider drought on a scale never seen by humans. Consider thawing of the perma-frost releasing an unprecedented amount of greenhouse gas. Consider rising water levels all over the globe. Consider the death toll world wide by our shortsightedness. Consider the conflicts which will break out as humans become more desperate to survive. Consider the even greater profits multi-nationals will earn as they capitalize on that growing desperation. Consider the possibility that the global ecosystem may not survive this drastic a change in what might normally take millions of years.

Oh Yeah, this is a good thing. Comments of this type are irresponsible, ignorant, and damn dangerous as there just might be people out there as stupid as the person who made them, and who might believe it.

Current Events:

Micheal Jackson: One Word- psychotherapy

Brittanny Spears: Two words- who cares?

Madonna Giving Spiritual Guidance to Brittany: Oh Yeah, first thing that comes to my mind when thinking of Madonna-Spirituality? Wasn't aware that the KAMA SUTRA was now considered a religion.

Microsoft Internet Keystone Cops:

Once again Microsoft is breaking new ground in stupidity. I attempted today to update my Media Player. Mistake!!! I have an extensice music CD library all of which are legally purchased and have had for years. In fact I do not possess so much as one illegally obtained song on my computer. Despite this fact Media Player will not let me play any of my music because it is not AUTHORIZED. I have now removed this edition of media player, should have known better.

Big tip Bill: Perhaps you guys should focus on the software and not your self-appointed internet policing as frankly the software alone leaves much to be desired. Maybe once you get the hang of programming you might expand to something more. In the meantime, entering into the world of music is really not working for you from my perspective. Perhaps wading into the music business is a mistake as you don't seem to be able to get it right. Oh, I get it, perhaps this is Compak's fault. Funny thats what Compak says about you.

I wouldn't have any problem with your efforts if you could get it right. Alas, tis not to be. While I don't support piracy it would seem that being exposed to piracy might be better than not have anyone buying any CDs at all. I very much enjoy being able to listen to my legally aquired music on my pc, but your latest version of Media Player prevents me from doing so. I guess you've solved the piracy problem by driving lawful listeners away in droves. Bravo.

Another fine example of Microsoft putting our needs ahead of their own. Hang on a second, weren't they in the business of solving the needs of their customers. Go figure.

Stop Killing Each Other For God's Sake:

Over history more people have been killed in the name of God than for any other reason. This is not exclusive to any religion but seems to be the most common denominator of them all. Am I the only one who has a problem with this?
Let's Assume that I believe in God( my actual beliefs are irrelevant to this conversation). I have a fundamental problem with the concept that God wants me to kill anybody. I would think that a being powerful enough to create the universe wouldn't require me to hand out justice in this fashion. I would also think that it wouldn't want me to kill simply because someone holds different views to my own. I may not agree but I can at least understand why someone would kill to protect their land, or country, etc, but this religious killing baffles me. Is it just a convenient excuse for killing? Might not the punishment of being refused the light of God upon death for all eternity be sufficient punishment for any crime. Should not our main focus be to stop the monstrous acts commited by criminals. This has nothing to do with religion.

A God of Love would not be pleased by religiously motivated killing. He would wish us to find understanding and care for each other as was supposed to be the founding priciples for most religions. He would wish us to evolve to the point where there would be no killing.

Whether you believe in God or not all life is sacred. I for one would rather never be in a position to decide on a humans life or death as I have nowhere near the wisdom to make such a judgement.

We must kill to eat and thus to survive. This doesn't mean that we must enjoy it. It also doesn't mean that we have to kill humans. Killing of humans must be done only as a very last resort for survival and the act of killing represents a failure in our ability to evolve. Monstrous humans must be dis-armed and made safe for the rest of us. In very few instances must this involve killing. In fact the arguement could be made that there is never any real reason to kill other than as an on-the-spot self-defense or defense of another.

The world must learn to heal itself. When the factors which create monsters in the first place are eradicated the prevalence of deviance will go down significantly. When justice is equally applied and violent criminals are made safe the sress levels that create the violence will disappear.

We are on the threshhold of doom or blossom. How we approach these issues will determine the fundamental course of the next 200 years as without major changes in our evolution we are not likely to survive as a species.

Whether you believe in God or not, its time to change the very nature of the way we think about things.

Not That I Hate Americans:

Quite the contrary in fact. The average American has no idea of the true role its government is playing in world affairs. They are subjected to a media campaign specifically designed to convince the commoners that the goals and policies of their government have only the noblest of intentions, help the less fortunate,world peace, help the little guys, etc. In fact historical record proves that this is not the case. American involvement in Central and South America has benefited military industry more than anyone else and has left the area in a shambles. The same can be said for the middle east. The people are led to believe that this is being done for their benefit but in fact American self-interest is, and always has been, the main priority here.

The American corporation Bechtel figures prominently in many of its charitable acts in other countries. It is interesting to note the who's who that makes up its board of directors and the privileged position it holds in international bidding whenever the US is involved. Note how quickly Bush denies any privileged position it holds. History does not support his denials.

American politicians must recognize the fact that a true charitable act is not done for the benefit of the giver but for the benefit if the recipient. Most of the nations of the world recognize this conflict and it is the major source of the resentment the U.S. fosters in the world by its actions.

Most Americans due not accept this basic fact. Primarily due to the fact that they are very rarely ever exposed to the full truth of their governments actions. In fact it is not only the media but the very educational system which prevents this enlightenment. American text books are specifically designed to show Americans in their best light, often at the cost of historical accuracy. This is so prevalent as to make most texts actually useless as a source of true history. The result is that you get graduates who are extremely biased about history and thus are unable to make a true evaluation of anything.

True knowledge must by definition be objective. Without all the facts, nothing of value can be actually learned. For Americans to take their place as the great leaders of the free world they must first educate themselves about their own history and the mistakes of the past and present. This will never happen until their government shows sufficient respect for their own people and tells them the truth.

The U.S. holds a very special place in the world. Firstly due to their raw power, but also due to the principles upon which it was built. The average American supports the actions of their government because they believe that its acting on the same principles they hold dear. The people are generous, giving, and truly wish their government to act on their behalf while holding true to their beliefs. If their government acting in reality as they all believed the world might truly be a much better place.

The people of America are ready for a government which actually reflects them as opposed to one hellbent on keeping them in the dark. Their government must become as great as the ideals that its citizens support.

American's Scare The Hell Out of Me:


American military strength is truly staggering. It can be witnessed in many recent examples in such a manner that it is hard to imagine any one country being able to put up much of a defense. They are quite plainly the strongest nation on earth.

A friend of mine mentioned that he had read in a poll that more than 60% of Americans believed that the earth was created approximately 6000 years ago according to the bible. Now I'm no expert on the bible, couldn't tell you weather it says this or not. I don't really think that's the point.

The point is this. It is quite clear from a great variety if scientific evidence that the earth has existed a great deal longer than this. So lets look at it from a religious standpoint. I know that the earth has been here much longer than 6000 years. Assuming that God created everything, I'll assume he created the dinosaurs or at least their bones. If he only created their bones than one must wonder why he would do this. Is this some type of cosmic trick to keep are simple minds occupied.

I think it much more likely that they did in fact exist until about 70 million years ago. It seems much more likely that if the bible is in fact truly the word of God than we have mis-translated it or have failed to decipher its true meaning.

And therein lies my fear. So much power in the hands of a country that could have that many people whose beliefs will fly so directly in the face of known reality. Please somebody educate these poor souls before they kill us all.

Lip Smacker Update:

Count Loyd ( CTV NEWS) made it through about 5 minutes last night without one single smack. Brought tears to me eyes. Nice to see a little of those old school manners still exist. Thanks Loyd

Computers and Microsoft:

I have a real problem with computers and Microsoft. Is it just me, or is there something wrong with a company selling a product knowing full well that many of its features don't work and may in fact not work for years. This seems to be a common practice with Microsoft.

Software coming from Microsoft is regularly shipped out with so many flaws that its hard to believe they don't know about them at the time of initial release. If a car, for instance, was sold with this many defects I'm quite sure that a class action lawsuit would be started very quickly. Why then does Microsoft get away with this. When I purchase something I expect it to work very well right from the start and not after I've spent a great deal of time and effort to download all the patches and try to figure out why its not working. This is the sellers job not the purchasers.

The explanation that the software is very complex does not cut it. Combine this with the closed text and in most cases the problem is not fixable by the user without purchasing the developers copy.

Microsoft should stop this practice immediately, selling flawed software, or make the code available to us so that we could repair it ourselves. Failure to do either one in my view is criminal and if I was an attorney I would launch such a lawsuit myself just for the fun of it. Any takers?

Combine this with my experiences with Compak computers and its enough to make anyone walk away never to return. I purchased a Compak Presario computer which has a system save partition (Compak specific). This feature has not worked from the start and judging from 3 years of updates they are fully aware of this. This feature has a problem with multiple hard drives (another patch-doesn't work) and continues to be a major problem as this is the primary back-up component of the system.

Leads me to believe that their pre-release debugging leaves a great deal to be desired and these systems should have been recalled.
Particularly delightful is the fact that support for this system is now ending and they still haven't fixed the problem.

I have spent what now must be nearly 100 hours with their support personnel on the phone particularly in the beginning. This translates to thousands of hours over 5 years re-booting and debugging a system that should have worked from the start. In addition their support personnel pleaded ignorance of these problems rather then telling me that they were aware of the problem and would update me when possible. 3 months later I received a softpak from them with fixes for most of the problems. This means that they have effectively wasted all my time trying to solve problems that they were working on. Again honesty in business goes a long way and Compak's lack of it ensures that I will never have anything to do with any Compak product ever produced and if I had the resources I would sue to recover this lost time and productivity as well as the full purchase price.

Computers are expensive and as such it is bewildering to me that hardware and software manufactures can get away with this. In fairness I can not make this observation about other computer manufacturers that I am experienced with. Both E-machines and Hewlett Packard don't seem to have anywhere near the same number of problems and have worked well with much less heartache.

Again Compak was aware of these problems and chose not to disclose them, Wasting my time and money!!!

We are not all simpletons and manufacturers would do well to keep this in mind the next time they try to feed this kind of bull.

Lip Smacking:

What is going on with tv journalists these days. There appears to be a new trend, smacking of the lips before, during and after every few words. As much as I enjoy sitting there listening to the sounds of someone eating while I sit watching someone eat this is not the place for it. This seems to be a very popular and growing trend. Watching the news makes me feel as if I'm listening in on the conversation of a bunch of little old ladies drinking tea and eating cookies.
This habit is both unprofessional and for me at least almost impossible to watch. Is this because they're trying to speak so fast they can't catch there breath. I think not! Often we are treated to the sound prior to the uttering of so much as one word.

Big Tip kids: Please try to reverse this trend. I for one now use this habit as the deciding factor as to how long I watch any given show. Generally by the second smack I change the channel.

Upside: Because I change the channel so often I'm now exposed to many more news reports than might otherwise be the case.

Downside: It is becoming so prevalent that I very rarely watch an entire segment before changing stations.

Yesterday's Most Prolific Smacker: Sandy Rinaldo: CTV News

Politicians:

Ontario Preem Dalton:

This man must think we are all idiots. He has pretty much set a new record for most campaign promises broken in the shortest period of time. He blames this primarily on the unknown budget deficit. People, this is bull. I absolutely refuse to believe that this man took over the province without having any of his advisers inform him of the state of finances. In other words, he knew full well that the province was running a deficit and how much. This means that all his promises were outright lies. The only other conclusion one could come to is that he is an ever bigger idiot than he thinks we are. I did not vote for him, and I for one will work in any way possible to ensure that he doesn't get re-elected. People may not have liked Ernie Eves' policies but I found the honesty refreshing in a politician.
I much prefer to hear bad news when its true than good news which is bullshit.