Flight of the Conchords

I have tremendously enjoyed a new series (to me anyways) on television called "Flight of the Conchords" featuring a quirky yet hilarious New Zealand musical duo's explots in NYC. These guys make me laugh.

Mulroney responds to Canadians

Brian Mulroney sued Canada and walked away with $2.1 million in a settlement that included testimony wherein Mulroney claimed to have limited dealings with Karlheinz Schreiber. Yesterday, we learned from Karlheinz Schreiber that Mulroney orchestrated the $300,000 in cash payments while he was still PM.

Mulroney's response:

House Speaker Milliken rules in Mulroney Schreiber Affair

According to CP wire story, the Speaker of the House of Commons issued a rare warrant compelling Karlheinz Schreiber to appear at a Parliamentary committee hearing Thursday to discuss his business dealings with Brian Mulroney. But he’s getting no help from Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.

Has the family gone overboard?

Two of the most enduring characters in the history of Canadian children's programming, Rusty the Rooster and Jerome the Giraffe, are being removed from their retirement home at the CBC.
The children of actor and Friendly Giant creator Bob Homme, were angered by the CBC's recent treatment of the loveable puppets and have e-mailed The Globe and Mail, asking for assistance in tracking down a video of the recent Gemini Awards, which included a skit showing Rusty, Jerome and other stuffed stars now living in a retirement home after their shows were cancelled.
From friends, Ms. Homme had heard about her dad's puppets appearing in the mock clip, where a narrator described them as sitting around, drinking, smoking and having sex.
Rusty and Jerome were not shown engaging in any salacious behaviour. Personally, I believe thatwhat former puppets do in the privacy of their retirement home is none of her damned business.
Maybe she has "other plans" for the puppets...

Why is the RCMP killing so many people in custody?

So another man has died after being tasered by the Mounties in British Columbia. This is outrageous - there needs to be a ban on taser use by police in Canada. And for the cops to continue to deny any link between tasers and deaths is as ludicrous as the tobacco execs claiming no link between smoking and cancer...unbelievable.

This is an issue ripe for a Royal Commission.

Ukraine Remembers - The World Acknowledges 75th commemoration of the Holodomor Famine Genocide 1932-1933

Ukraine Remembers -The World Acknowledges
75th Commemoration Of The Holodomor 1932-1933
"Induced Starvation, Death for Millions, Genocide"
Light A Candle of Memory, Saturday, November 24, 2007

"With due respect, I call on all Ukrainians and all people of goodwill regardless of their backgrounds to light on November 24 the candles of memory of the Holodomor victims on all our planet.Bring the flames of truth to every nation and every country. All your candles will help form a single candle which we will light in November 2008.
This candle will become an eternal and ever burning symbol of our grief for the millions of starved brother and sisters, of our unity and our faith in the unconquerable strength of the Ukrainian people. Our duty is to unite the efforts and make everything possible to ensure that these tragic pages of history will be never forgotten. Ukraine to Remember! The World to Recognize!"

Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine

Had Enough?

The good folks at the Huffington Post have created a posterboard for the GOP here and here. This is what I imagine a Canadian one would look like:

Broken Kyoto Promise
Appoints unelected Senator
Mulroney-Schreibergate
Income Trust Broken Promise
Tortured Afghan detainees
RCMP Taser Disasters
Broken Child Care Promise
No reduction in Wait Times
In-out funding Scandal
Broken Kelowna Agreement

Had enough?

Lavoie-speak

Brian Mulroney's spokesman Luc Lavoie is seen swallowing himself whole on Dan Cook's blog here.

My favorite quote, "there never was any money. And to think otherwise is really to not know Mulroney. He is too smart to do something like that. It is just too dummy. It is too damn stupid."

Oh yeah and he did take the cash...

Even the Post knows this doesn't pass the smell test

From Lorne Gunter in today's Post:

"a couple of quick questions about aspects of this case that have always troubled me: For instance, what part of taking $300,000 in cash, in hotel rooms, from a shady arms dealer, without any documentation, seemed like a good idea at the time?
Even if we forget the source and location of the payments, and allow that they were entirely above board, the optics are self-evidently awful.
Mulroney spokesman Luc Lavoie has referred to the payments from Mr. Schreiber as a "retainer." OK. What law firm or lobby group accepts such large-sum cash retainers, particularly without issuing a receipt and signing a contract that lays out the nature of their services?
There can be little denying Mr. Mulroney took the money. Even Mr. Lavoie's attempts to characterize it as a retainer is an indirect admission. Mr. Mulroney is now just trying to find a classier name for it.
What's more, the former PM paid tax on the money, albeit six years after the fact and only under a sort of amnesty policy offered by Revenue Canada. (And, if anything Mr. Schreiber says is to be believed, the tax was paid only after a bribery scandal involving him broke in Germany and he refused to give Mr. Mulroney a document stating that at no time did the former prime minister "ever solicit or receive" payments from some of the same accounts Mr. Schreiber had allegedly used to make questionable payments to prominent Germans.)"

Don't F*&# with Santa

OK - they've done it. This time the nanny state has gone too far!

I feel like there must be a petition or something to stop this lunacy. To what am I referring?

In Australia, there is a movement to ban Santa from saying "Ho, ho, ho." WHAT? That's right, it may be scary for some kids. Give me a break! I think the elves should start ordering a couple of extra tonnes of coal this year. Unbelievable!!!

Mulroney-Schreibergate: "This is bigger than Airbus"

More explosive allegations on Mulroney-Schreibergate in this morning's paper. Karlheinz Schreiber told reporters yesterday that he has new details to expose about his relationship with if and when he is called to testify at the public inquiry announced this week.
Schreiber said the scope of the inquest must look all the way back to 1979 for the truth to come out.

"The whole thing is much broader than only Airbus and it starts already at the beginning, in the early '80s, when the situation was that Brian Mulroney
intended to become the prime minister and needed help," said Mr.
Schreiber.

He went on to say:

"There are other revelations I intend to make in front of an inquiry which really made me very nervous when I heard about them. You will understand that I want to leave quite a few important things for the inquiry."

Schreiber's affidavit was made public last week and dropped three bombshells:
1)Schreiber claims that he struck the deal with Mr. Mulroney to deliver three cash payments totalling $300,000 on June 23, 1993, three days before he stepped down as Prime Minister;

2) that he spoke with Mr. Mulroney in Zurich in 1998 about a close advisor's request to "transfer funds [...] to Mr. Mulroney's lawyer in Geneva related to the Airbus deal"; and

3) that he wrote a letter for Mr. Mulroney to present to Mr. Harper in July, 2006, asking for a probe that would clear the air surrounding the Airbus affair.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
Mr. Schreiber yesterday explained his version of how he knew about the July, 2006, meeting at Harrington Lake between the current and former prime ministers.
Mr. Schreiber claims he was contacted through an intermediary -- "someone important and close to Mr. Mulroney" -- requesting that he write a letter for an upcoming meeting with Mr. Harper.
"He needed urgently a letter because he was going to see Mr. Harper at Harrington Lake for a couple of days with his family and that will be the time he can speak with Mr. Harper about the whole case," he said. "But Mr. Harper is very concerned about the relationship between Mr. Mulroney and myself after this show ... with The Fifth Estate [where he revealed the $300,000 cash payments]."

10 Questions for Brian Mulroney at the judicial inquiry

Here are some questions I'd like to ask Mulroney at the judicial inquiry into the allegations levelled against him:

10. Hey Brian, why the long face?

9. Did you declare to Canada Customs that you were bringing over $10,000 in cash back with you after received it in an envelope in New York? If not, why not?

8) Were the payments made in small, unmarked bills?

7) Did you receive any other cash payments while you were Prime Minister? If yes, what for?

6) Did you receive any other cash payments after you retired as Prime Minister? If yes, what for?

5) When you said during your 1990s court case that you had no dealings with Mr. Schreiber, how do you explain the three meetings with (3) $100,000 cash payments?

4) Why didn't you pay tax on the cash payments until they were made public years later?

3) Why is an inquiry involving cash payments made to the Conservatives considered a vendetta?

2) Will you reimburse the Crown for the use of Harrington lake residence for meetings dealing with at best non-government affairs or worse schemes for cash payments for ...?

1) Do you believe that Canadian taxpayers should be on the hook for the $2.1 million settlement that you obtained on false pretenses?

How many weeks for Ukrainians to form a government?

From slow to bizarre to absurd, Ukraine is still unable to form a government. Today President Viktor Yushchenko said that passing the stage of discussions among politicians and proceeding to forming a coalition is Ukrainian politicians' main task. Yushchenko expressed concern "I cannot see the politicians who would offer mutual dialogue," Yushchenko said. "The impression is that the elections are over, 'martial law' is canceled, but the people who were elected to the parliament once again propose war."

Pressure on Harper increases to call full judicial inquiry

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion accused Mr. Harper and his staff of "gross negligence" for not acting months ago on "tremendously serious allegations that call into question the very integrity of the office of the prime minister."

Front six pages of Globe on Mulroney-Schreibergate

Umm...after many months of cajoling and prodding by Liberals, the MSM has finally decided that it will no longer be bullied by lyin' Brian. PM Steve is trying to distance himself, but it looks like he won't be itching for a fall election any time soon with this millstone around his neck.

This is great news for Canada's Veterans

Colonel Pat Stogran is an excellent choice to be Canada's first veterans ombudsman.

Given the current weak non-representation of vetarans' issues by New Brunswick's Greg Thompson, the appointment of Stogran, a retired colonel who previously served as field commander of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Afghanistan in 2002 is indeed welcome news.

Stogran is vowing to "go to the wall" for those who have served in the military as he prepares to begin the job of addressing their concerns. "I view my role strictly as the veterans' champion," Stogran told CBC News. "I take on veterans' causes and go to the wall."

Sounds a whole lot better than the BS we have come to expect from the Tory Minister.

Will PM Steve have a real independent review of Mulroney Scandal?

Reuters reposrts that PM Steve has announced an investigation today into the serious allegations of improper dealings between Karlheinz Schreiber and former PM Brian Mulroney.
Harper said that he will appoint an independent third party to look into allegations that Schreiber has made against Mulroney.
"The allegations do touch upon Mr. Mulroney's term of office," Harper said, adding that they stem from "nasty litigation" between Schreiber and Mulroney.
He said the independent person would advise him on the proper course of action to take in light of the allegations, including whether to launch a full inquiry, which Harper had previously ruled out.

Why doesn't PM Steve launch a full public inquiry like the cons so salivated for with Gomery? I would suggest that there is a former judge jonesing for an opportunity to be a media whore with some time on his hands...

More Mulroney sleaze

I had to take a shower after reading this update on a certain former Conservative PM in a story called Schreibergate.

The Liberals may be on to something here

Let's see if former Fisheries Minister can reel in the big one...

CP reports that the Liberal Opposition is calling PM Steve a hypocrite for refusing to investigate cash-stuffed envelopes delivered in hotel rooms to his Conservative predecessor Brian Mulroney.
Harper has rejected Liberal calls for an inquiry into those 1990s cash transactions, saying he doesn't believe in launching witch-hunts against political opponents.
Why then, the Liberals ask, has Harper already earmarked $1 million to sift through every public opinion research contract awarded by the previous Liberal government?
Liberal MP Robert Thibault got it right:"It's full hypocrisy," Thibault said in an interview.

Canadians deserve the truth about this scandal including the apparent contradictions in Mulroney's Airbus settlement...

There were no mobile chemical weapons factories

Well, as America is considering attacking Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program, it is important that the Bush gang which has brought us $100 per barrel oil, based their claim that Iraq had WMDs and the major justification for that armed conflict on flawed "intelligence reports" of a wannabe German refugee and as 60 Minutes discovered, Alwan also worked at a Babel television production company, where he stole expensive equipment before finding his calling working for a cosmetics company.

So, let me get this straight, the entire justification by the Bush administration was a hoax that was unverified by German intelligence agency. Somebody should send W (and PM Steve for that matter) hunting with Cheney before any more American and Canadian boys and girls gets themselves killed...

Live from NY, it's Barack Obama

Cell phone jammers

This is an interesting device that wields an incredible amount of power. I wonder if someone will invent one that blocks annoying ringtones only.

Tale of the tape in Saskatoon Northwest

Let's compare the candidates in Saskatoon Northwest, using only info from their websites (and their links):

Sask Party - Serge Leclerc - Serge received a precedent setting Canadian National Pardon in the year 2000. This Pardon, enforced by an Act of Legislation, honours his outstanding life change, present citizenship, and legally exonerates him from all past criminal convictions and especially social stigma as today he has no criminal record of any kind!

"His time at a maximum security prison at 19 only increased his reputation and business contacts. For the next 15 years LeClerc was in and out of jail.
He was finally busted in the Eastern townships of Quebec with a $40 million drug lab. LeClerc was back in prison."

NDP - Ken Winton-Grey -Ken works as a technologist in the Sleep Disorders Centre at Royal University Hospital. He is also a union boss, serving as"President of Service Employees International Union Local 333."

Liberal - Ryan Androsoff - Ryan has experience at all levels of government and currently works with Trident International, helping businesses recruit skilled labour to meet the demands of a growing economy. Ryan was most recently employed by the World Bank in Washington, DC, and focused on initiatives to make international aid more results focused.

Ryan worked for the Minister of International Cooperation and helped coordinate the Canada’s response to international events, including democratic programs for Ukraine during the Orange Revolution and participating in Canada's on-the-ground response after the 2004 Tsunami disaster.

I boldly pick Ryan Androsoff as the best candidate to respresent the people of Saskatoon Northwest.

Nova Scotians are truly in their debt

While Mark Warner and Brent Barr are apparently not appropriate candidates for the Conservative Party, former Nova Scotia Finance Minister Greg Kerr is, and, deserving of a visit from the Prime Minister .


Some of Mr. Kerr's background:

* when the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives took office in 1978, the provincial debt was less than a billion dollars and the then Liberal Government of Gerry Regan ran a surplus of $14 million.

-- for most of the next 15 years, Greg Kerr was the Minister of Finance (Premier Buchanan took on the role himself in the first two years) and then-Premier Donnie Cameron shuffled him out in 1991.

-- under Greg Kerr's watchful eye, Nova Scotia's debt grew to more than $8 billion and every year NS ran deficits running from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars. It was considered a "good news story" if, in his budget address, Greg Kerr said he anticipated a deficit of, for example, "only" $40 million (which, always turned out to be double or more).

-- in June 1990, the lid blew off the Buchanan Regime with the testimony of Michael Zareski before the Public Accounts Committee. Zareski accused Kerr of ensuring that he got final say on all hiring at the Upper Clements Theme Park, a government created project in his riding. -Daily News: June 28, 1990; Chronicle Herald: June 27, 1990

-- 1994: The Waverley Village Commission claimed that Greg Kerr had abused his power in August 1992 when he was the Acting Minister of Municipal Affairs by granting an exemption to Tidewater Construction to open the Waverley quarry without a public hearing. - Daily News: February 2, 1994

Hat Tip to G-mac

Perfected: The Ann Coulter Song

A Funny take on Coulter's over-the-top comments.