NCAA Football.

The real deal.

The Ohio State University is up tonight as is USC.

Check it.

What's this? A world stagecraft coup for the PM ? Look at the front of the National Post from last night, puffing things up:


The ve...

I hear his son thinks Rob Ford is “too radical even for me.”

What a surprise.   And keep in mind, this is a supply ship that's run aground in the Northwest Passage -- these are the very ships that keep communities in the High Arctic alive.

Just a week or so ago it was a cruise ship, and it entered our waters undetected .   How is this possible?

Imagine when terrorists figure out how to get through and southward, undetected.  Or they spill toxic materials into the Beaufort Sea, also undetected.   "Use it or lose it," eh?   Then maybe we should bite the bullet, purchase and re-flag some used Coast Guard vessels from other countri...

Ignatieff said yesterday that he is convinced that whenever an election arises, Canadians, by a majority will choose to come back to the Liberal party, or as he calls it, the "big red tent." After seeing him perform during the summer, I believe he can get a government. What I'm less sure of is if a majority is possible. In Canada, with support being divided between the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Bloc and Green, we might not be seeing another majority for a long time. Parties will have to learn how to cooperate, like in the U.K. There can't be any more Stephen Harper bullying tactics. I am expecting more coalitions negotiated after elections.

BADDECK, N.S. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Wednesday he's out to earn a majority government in the next election and...

I still wouldn't have a 50,000.00 USD earring.

Then again I am not an NFL player with many million dollars.

It is reported widely that Kendall Langford, who plays defensive end for the Miami Dolphins, lost one of his earrings at practice the other day.

2.5 carats; 50 K.

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, blog was offline for a bit. (For geeks out there, I now have a company managing my blog for me and we we're moving from a shared hosting service to a virtual private server - I should have less down time in the future - very excited). Sadly, in that time there have been a bunch of fascinating developments on the census. As some of you may be aware a new poll by EKOS emerged today that has the Liberals and Conservatives dead even. More interesting however is how the census is playing a key role in the shift: In seeking an explanation for these movements, we need look no further than the government's ill-received decision to end the mandatory long form census. Not only does the shift of the highly educated support this conclusion, but a direct questio...

The newly released RCMP report on the long-gun registry strongly claims the program is necessary for keeping police officers and the public safe. The report only adds to the already substantial amount of evidence and support for keeping the registry.

The CBC, in the video below, presents details about the RCMP report, the most revealing being that a vast majority of police officers are in favour of it and that there has been a reduction in long gun homicides since the registry's creation.

Excerpts of the RCMP report include:

"81% of trained police officers agreed registry is beneficial"

"Homicides by long guns are down 10% since 1995 (when the long gun registry began)."

don't give him the co-ordinates for Stornoway.

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, blog was offline for a bit. (For geeks out there, I now have a company managing my blog for me and we we're moving from a shared hosting service to a virtual private server - I should have less down time in the future - very excited). Sadly, in that time there have been a bunch of fascinating developments on the census. As some of you may be aware a new poll by EKOS emerged today that has the Liberals and Conservatives dead even. More interesting however is how the census is playing a key role in the shift: In seeking an explanation for these movements, we need look no further than the government's ill-received decision to end the mandatory long form census. Not only does the shift of the highly educated support this conclusion, but a direct questio...

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, blog was offline for a bit. (For geeks out there, I now have a company managing my blog for me and we we're moving from a shared hosting service to a virtual private server - I should have less down time in the future - very excited). Sadly, in that time there have been a bunch of fascinating developments on the census. As some of you may be aware a new poll by EKOS emerged today that has the Liberals and Conservatives dead even. More interesting however is that the poll shows the census playing a key role in the shift: In seeking an explanation for these movements, we need look no further than the government's ill-received decision to end the mandatory long form census. Not only does the shift of the highly educated support this conclusion, but a d...

A few weeks ago I published a post entitled Some Thoughts on Improving Bugzilla. The post got a fair bit a traction and received a large number of supportive comments. But what was best, about the post, about open source, about Mozilla, is that it drew me into a serious of conversations with people who wanted to make some of it reality. Specifically, I'd like to thank Guy Pyrzak over at Bugzilla and Clint Talbert at Mozilla both of whom spent hours entertaining and conversing about these ideas with me, problem solving them and, if we are really honest, basically doing all the heavy lifting to transform them from ideas on this blog into real changes. So in this post I have two things to share. First is an update on progress from the ideas in the last post (which will be this post) as well a...

A few weeks ago I published a post entitled Some Thoughts on Improving Bugzilla. The post got a fair bit a traction and received a large number of supportive comments. But what was best, about the post, about open source, about Mozilla, is that it drew me into a serious of conversations with people who wanted to make some of it reality. Specifically, I'd like to thank Guy Pyrzak over at Bugzilla and Clint Talbert at Mozilla both of whom spent hours entertaining and conversing about these ideas with me, problem solving them and, if we are really honest, basically doing all the heavy lifting to transform them from ideas on this blog into real changes. So in this post I have two things to share. First is an update on progress from the ideas in the last post (which will be this post) as well a...

That according to Pierre Trudeau in 1967. And, I would suggest, neither does the CBC.

The CBC has been twisting itself in knots trying to justify why it "outed" Lori Douglas, associate chief justice of Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench (family division).

Justice Douglas had the misfortune of having a husband who, back in 2003 at least, didn't quite get the concept of discretion when it came to one's (private) sexual relationships and practices. As a consequence she has now been cast into the spotlight by the CBC for what are personal choices that have absolutely no bearing on her performance as a judge.

Is she a good judge? I have no idea. But she is not automatica...

The new EKOS offers quite a bit of intriguing information . Here's a few things that stick out:

- LOWEST Conservative total since 2008 election.

- highest Liberal total since the spring, still not great, but much improved.

- noticeable dropoff for the NDP. Now polling in the single digits in Quebec,mirroring what Harris Decima found just last week. Registry?

- Greens actually 3.5% ahead of NDP in Quebec, only 4% behind in Ontario

- Liberals gaining in Ontario, at both the NDP and Conservative expense.

- Liberals at 39% in Ontario. Haven't seen this level for some time, represents big seat swing

- Conservatives losing...

The asbestos industry in Quebec has become a national embarrassment. The health risks from this mineral have been known since the early 1900's and ultimately led many countries to ban the mining or use of asbestos. Not so in Canada where the federal and Quebec governments continue to actively support an industry that kills in those third-world countries and elsewhere where a ban does not exist.

According to the World Health Organization, asbestos-related illnesses result in as many as 107,000 deaths a year . And since Canada produces about 10% of the world's asbestos (virtually all of which is exported), 10,000 of those deaths could...

You want someone to blame for those extra crazy editorials the Sun has been cranking out these days? Apparently, you can blame Mark Bonokoski (or praise him, if you're a fan of semi-literate ranting).

Also, the...

And I’m not alone: The poll by Forum Research Inc. released Wednesday shows voters like mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi’s promise to give them the right to recall – and that support for the idea is widespread across the city and across supporters of all the candidates. That idea also seems to help raise Rossi’s support, pushing him up from previous polls where he was behind the four other major mayoralty candidates and into third place. “This is huge,” Forum president Lorne Bozinoff told the Sun Thursday. “(The recall idea) is popular across the entire city and it is popular with supporters of all the candidates not just the two candidates in favour of it.”

Sometimes it's not the friends you keep, but your enemies.   This week's column by public security analyst Gwynne Dyer discusses the situation in Somalia and how the US and its allies missed an opportunity to reconcile with one significant branch of Islam .   Somehow, the long warring tribes in Southern Somalia managed to get along under the rule of law and there was however briefly economic prosperity.   Perhaps even a hope of reuniting with the northern part of the country, the rather prosperous Somaliland (which operates as a de facto country but is almost totally unrecognized, not eve...

1. Bloc MP Carole Lavallée is upset with Stephen Harper :

Allez explo...

This according to Charlie Angus commenting on Saskatchewan MP Garry Breitkreuz's statement that "[Police chiefs] won't admit it, but it appears they don't want Canadians to own guns. To that end, they need a database that will help them locate and seize those firearms as soon as a licence or registration expires."

Well Charlie, you nailed that one at least the "whack job" bit.

Now I have been opposed to the gun registry from day 1, not because I disagreed with the premise (You have to register your dog for Pete's sake, why not a lethal weapon?) but  because I disagreed with the criminal sanctions associated with fai...

It’s only one poll, and some of the regional shifts/swings seem dramatic, which may be the signs of a very volatile electorate, but we now have a virtual tie in the newest E

Bye bye apple, hello pot is what you can say about neurotic pain. A new study shows that herbal cannabis helps with neurotic pain. The study gave people with the neurotic pain either a placebo with 0% THC (most common chemical in Marijuana), 2.5% THC, 6% THC or 9.4% THC. It showed a significant reduction in neurotic pain for people taking 9.4% THC against the people who took 0% THC. Now there were some side effects, some of which included headache, dry eyes, burning sensation in areas of neuropathic pain, dizziness, numbness, cough. Some even said that it helped with sleep. I think that the U.S should at the very least legalize medical Marijuana. Which by the way 80% of Americans agree with. Currently though Obama is against legalizing even medical Marijuana.
...

"Everybody understands the military will need this equ...

"Liberals pull even with Tories: EKOS poll."

Some highlights :

A swing to Liberals in Ontario, this week anyway, closer in the previous week.

...

Lawrence Martin has an excellent column today on the need for democratic reform as an electoral plan from the Liberals: "Where is Ignatieff's plan to restore our democracy?" Can't say that I disagree with any of it, except that it'll need to have a more populist, mind-grabbing appeal. Access to information reform is not exactly primo vote-getting stuff.

The abuse that our system is vulnerable to with its unwritten parliamentary conventions and customs has been more than amply demonstrated. Laws that need to be tightened up are there for the listing.

Bring. It. On. At the appropriate time, of course....

Geologists exploring western Newfoundland have discovered a fossil belonging to an amphibian that live about 325 millions years ago. ( cbcnl )

The 12 to 15 centimetre long bone is the first find of its kind in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Gulf News quoted Dr. Liam Herringshaw, one of the researchers, who explained why:

"In terms of land animals, there's almost nothing. Partly because most of the rocks are too old, there are no dinosaur-bearing rocks on the island of Newfoundland," he said. " This would seem to be the first evidence we've g...

Wikileaks’ founder is again being framed for a crime he didn’t commit in Sweden. You can read how I know he didn’t commit a crime there, here. The co-incidental timing of the charge with Wikileaks largest release of top secret American documents, is too great for people to brush off. The CIA or whoever orchestrated this is counting on the smear tactic sticking even after it’s formally discredited. == Also, Atwood is taking on the Prime Minister, so of course Blogging Tory Stephen Taylor comes to Harper’s rescue. The result? Very amusing. ...

Quite the party town.

I cannot make this story anymore salacious than it already is so here is the cut and paste from the WINNIPE...

With Iggy rightfully taking to task Harper's neglect of Canada's second largest province , it brings up an obvious question in the minds of political watchers such as myself: what does this signal about the Conservative's electoral strategy?

With polls showing the party in the mid-teens, and websites like 308.com , DemocraticSpace and Canadian Election Watch showing the party stuck between 6 and 9 seats (down from 11 they have currently), and no relief in site, Harper is probably asking himself,...

Oilsands polluting waters: study; Toxic metal content exceeds guidelines

Calgary Herald Example thereof is that "The Alberta government has disputed the suggestion that the province's lucrative oilsands industry is adding significantly to the load of heavy metals...

And speaking of "We are acutely aware that this new direction may be (the) last opportunity to kick-start a stadium in Hamilton," Pan Am Games Organizing Committee chief executive officer Ian Troop said in a statement. "Our venue development work for the stadium is hard up against an immovable deadline for test events in 2...

Is that you know how to dance.

Wait, that's not it, that is a burn from an 80's dance song by and you should be too coz it is your money that the teams, whether community owned like the Green Riders, or privately owned like the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who, btw, are threatening to move if the...

More troublingly, however, according the very members of the NDP caucus to whom Layto...

Ever cognizant that his wants and needs are the only ones that count the current representative on Ottawa City Council from Bay Ward, what's his name, decided to run for mayor of your capital and then when he realized he was going to get beaten like a rented mule moved back to his old stomping grounds and became one of a dozen or so candidates in that precinct.

But he really wants to be the NDP candidate and, then, of course, MPP for Ottawa Centre so even if he wins Bay Ward he is going to desert his constituents sometime in the new year for the bigger prize.

The bigger prize of course will involve defeating man wonder Yasir Naqvi and that ain't going to happen.

What colour is the sky in your world, Mr. Alderman?

...

On August 27, 2010, the consortium developing the Hebron oilfield offshore Newfoundland and Labrador awarded the project's front-end engineering and design contract to WorleyParsons.

ExxonMobil is the lead partner on the project.

Under the contract, ExxonMobil may, at its discretion, award WorleyParsons with the project's Engineering, Procurement and Service contract.

According to the project timetable , the consortium are anticipating project sanction in early 2012.

- srbp -

...

...

To wit: Residents were asked to identify who they’d vote for, or are leaning towards voting for, among the current candidates for the October 25, 2010 Mayoral election. Among decided or leaning voters, 34% chose Rob Ford (up from 26% in June, 2010) compared to 22% (down from 29%) who picked candidate George Smitherman. Candidates Rocco Rossi (15%, up from 10%), Sarah Thompson (14%, down from 17%) and Joe Pantalone (11%, down from 12%) were trailing and 4% of residents selected someone else. Ladies and gents, we have a race.

Charlie Angus is right.

The Harper Tories are playing politics against rural NDP MPs.

And they will continue to do so whether they vote with the Harper Tory government's fake private mem...

The Conservative government likes to talk the talk about economic diversification and sustainability, but when will we see any real action? We need to strive for that balance of supporting the pillars of our current resource-based economy while at the same time transitioning to a more sustainable way of living. It is no easy [...]

This is totally absurd. Honestly. For the love of God: the new network hasn’t even broadcast 60 seconds of content, and it’s already generating historically humongous levels of hysteria, histrionics and hyper-ventilating (I love alliterations, guilty as charged, etc.). Get a grip, Maggie! Among other things, I have never seen a media launch generate so much useful, and free, P.R. Never. Right about now, I can picture Kory Teneycke grinning, can’t you?

Not to steal Galloping Beaver’s thunder, but I think this bears repeating: Abousfian Abdelrazik, a Montreal man who was stranded in Sudan for six years, has been given the green light to sue the federal government and Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon. In a written ruling released on Monday, the Federal Court gave Abdelrazik the right to proceed with the lawsuit, which is seeking $27 million in damages… and a bit more: “The government was arguing that individuals could not sue for torture and they were also arguing that there was no legal duty on the Government of Canada to protect Canadians detained abroad..” So apparently, the Conservative government was arguing that Canadians are on their own if they get into trouble abroad, whether they’re innocent...

Harper today has gone into attack the coalition mode again, just like late 2008. Except this time the coalition doesn't exist. But, once again Harper doesn't focus on facts, rather trying to use the world of make-believe to lower Liberal support. The truth is that there is no coalition being planned. The new Harris-Decima poll gives the Conservatives only a ten seat lead (117). There is every possibility that the Liberals could gain a government on their own during an election. After the election, then there might be talks. But right now, no party is focused on a coalition, just getting its own support up, which so far, has worked for the Liberals. We'll see if Stephen Ha...

Thanks to Dr. David Schindler's most recent study , the Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (R.A.M.P.) has received considerable attention by the media. I did a post on R.A.M.P.'s deficiencies a few months back, so I thought I'd provide insight into how the program informs provincial policy and the implications if it is as flawed as experts say .

In 2009, Alberta Health Services (AHS) released a stu...

Even from Russia I can see the change in the tone of the election. From a strong National Post piece to some top new members of the campaign team, the Rossi campaign is gathering steam for the final few miles. Rocco is the viable, sensible alternative!

Sometimes it seems as if Gus Portokalos' brother wound up running the Newfoundland and Labrador government.

While Gus wanted to put window cleaner on everything, Gus' imaginary brother in the provincial government likes to throw money at it.

The most recent example is a fund set up with a research centre at Memorial Uni...

À quoi bon, en effet, un projet de loi pour modifi...

I've been watching this online petition today, which is growing at quite an impressive rate. The goal is 100000 signatures, and it's already a third of the way there. By my calculations today, it is growing by over 1000 people per hour so far today alone. Give it a look and consider signing and/or spreading it around. Apathy is the enemy:

Canada: Stop "Fox News North"

Prime Minister Harper is trying to push American-style hate media onto our airwaves, and make us all pay for it. His plan is to create a "Fox News North" to mimic the kind of hate-filled propaganda with which Fox News has poisoned U.S. politics. The channel will be run by Harper's former top aide and will be funded with money from our cable TV fees!

One man stands in the wa...

"Certainly Sarah Thomson seemed to be showing a little fatigue, having to ask moderator Paul Bedford on at least two occasions to repeat the question. Could the end be near? Her unlikely candidacy, buoyed so far by some influential Tory help and the fact she's the only woman in the race, may finally be coming apart at the seams." (NOW Magazine, Enzo Di Matteo, Aug. 31) "But where was Smitherman when Walnut Hall, the Georgian rowhouses on Shuter right in his ward, were allowed to fall into disrepair and had to be leveled after a section collapsed? Or for that matter, when One Gould toppled a few months ago, seemingly another victim of owner neglect?" (NOW Magazine, Enzo Di Matteo, Aug. 31) "I think Rossi's idea of asking the province for the power to recall any pol...

James Bezan, MP, has put out this Gosh Awful big on the long gun registry , in a weak apeing of Dale Peterson . A few notes:

1. A spot can be 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or an epic minute, but your 4 minute ad is a yawn, Mr. Bezan. Figure out your message, and make it fit.

2. Ads need emotional, not rational, appeal. This ad was about you talking. It should have been about guns. Show me the guns. Show me attractive people, smiling, with their guns.

3. Sound editing. The sound of the wind in the trees makes your ad scratchy and cheap sounding. If you can't afford or understand how to edit out the sound, shoot somewhere quiet, indoors, like (j...

If it weren't for the war in Iraq I might be persuaded to actually like this guy. Sorry about the knighthood, the EU Presidency, etc., Tony...


Mr. Blair characterizes "my friend" Mr. Chrétien as "a very wise, wily and experienced old bird, great at international meetings, where he could be counted on to talk sense, and, as Canadians often are, firm and dependable without being pushy. All in all, a good guy and a very tough political operator not to be underestimated...."

...

...who in today's Toronto Star , reminds pollsters, journalists, and Canadians generally that the debate over the regulation of firearms in this country is not one that divides urban Canadians from rural ones nearly as much as it divides along gender lines . For years, the press has painted this as an urban/rural issue when there is a far greater cleavage, between men and women.

And she (rightfully) pulls no punches when it comes to apportioning blame, should the gun registry be effectively dismantled by Parliament next month.

Your move, Jack Layton....

The latest flashpoint in the long-standing conflict over the loss of Canadian corporations to foreign buyers is over p...

"it "appears" that Gerry Breitkreuz wants to sell Canadian women of child-bearing age overseas as a way of reducing the federal deficit."

Who knew! ;)

More digestion of the Conservatives purposeful "framing" of the next election- a majority or a coalition. While I believe some of the arguments have merit, I also think the main impetus for this stark contrast present isn't really addressed.

I think the main reasoning behind the "stark choice" theme is primarily a self interest consideration. The next election will be Stephen Harper's fourth as leader of the Conservatives. Harper has kept the conservative coalition together, no surprise, power tends to bind like glue. However, should Harper fail to get a majority in the next election, the obvious questioning of his leadership will begin, people will pon...

U.S. as it promised said it would create tougher sanctions on North Korea. North Korea has still continued to try for nuclear weapons while everyone continues to try and stop them. Sanctions are the best way to stop North Korea from getting a nuclear weapon. The U.S and many other countries should continue to toughen it's sanctions until North Korea stops. All countries should continue to try to stop North Korea and any other nations from getting nuclear weapons, but they should practice what they preach and get ride of their own nuclear weapons.

The sanctions will hit eight North Korean "entities" and four individuals, targeting the trade in arms, luxury goods and narcotics.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last month that US sanct...

From yesterday's Ignatieff Liberal caucus address :

"We're up against the toughest and most ruthless machine in Canadian politics, never forget that for a second."

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested fugitive Andrew Parsons on Tuesday night.

Following up on a tip and surveillance, RCMP officers found Parsons in a Marystown house where he was hiding along with a woman from Ontario who allegedly had come to the province to assist Parsons.  Parsons ran from the house.  Officers chased him into nearby woods where he was cornered with the help of police dogs.

Parsons escaped custody on Saturday but the police waited until Sunday to issue a news release notifying the public.

Parsons is scheduled to appear i...