More PMO Censorship

Today on CBC's Politics with Don Newman during the journalist panel, Don blurted out that the PMO has ordered the communications directors for each Cabinet Minister to DELETE reporter contacts from the Ministers Blackberry. Which meme like reminds me of that famous Russian BlackBeria.




SEE:

PMO

Harper

Stalin



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Surprise

The discovery of Mus cypriacus in Cyprus has surprised scientists who thought all the mammals in Europe had already been discovered.


It looks like a Shrew to me...which reminds me of Shakespeare. What was that Shakespeare said...oh yeah "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Another discovery giving still more credence to the premises of cryptozoology.

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The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Jack Abramoff. The guy who brought down Republican Speaker Tom Delay, is the gift that keeps on giving.

It just is not the Republicans week. We had the continuing saga of Foley Fallout. And then the expose of how Karl Rove used f***ing Faith Based Intitatives for political purposes.

And less than a month to the elections. More Republican scandal makes the headlines. Giving new mean to "You Don't Know Jack".

Representative Ney Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in Abramoff Case

Senate blasts non-profits for working for Abramoff
one run by prominent Republican Grover Norquist, ``perpetrated a fraud'' on taxpayers by selling their clout to lobbyist Jack Abramoff

Jewish Religious Right Agency Shuts Down in Abramoff Scandal

"Citizens Against Government Waste has said some highly critical things about open source software in the past. They've also pounced on supporters of the OpenDocument Format along the way. Alas, it seems their close ties to Jack Abramoff have drawn the (unfavorable) attention of Senate staff."

More evidence of less-than-savory ties between Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) and Jack Abramoff.

AP Exclusive: Records suggest Abramoff, Pombo lobbying contacts

Powerful Assistant Not Without Controversy
As the top administrative aide to Bush strategist Karl Rove, Ralston brings the scandal of imprisoned former lobbyist Jack Abramoff right into Bush’s inner circle.

Prosecutors seek 30 to 37 months for ex-Bush aide Safavian


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Abramoff





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USSA

British coroner has ruled that a TV journalist was unlawfully killed by US forces in Iraq in 2003.

Opps, I was wrong.

George W. does have his media opponents 'hit'.

Just like his pal Putin.

After all they share the same soul.


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Last Post

As I reported the other day a cursory check of corner newspaper boxes showed a distinct lack of the National Post in downtown Edmonton.

As an update I checked some more popular spots on Whyte Avenue, to find a few Post boxes still standing.

Like good soldiers of the right on lonely vigil on street corners, the boxes were empty. Popular paper.

Not really they were full of dust and dirt, indicating that rather than overwhelming sales they had not been filled in some time.

Is CanWests local paper the Journal sabotaging the Pest, in true competitive intrique.


Or is it the Post has retreated from the market, heading East. Awaiting the end, watching the going down of the sun and the playing of the epigraphical Last Post.





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National Post



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Icky Salmon Farming

Given the chance to reduce costs regardless of the cost to the environment aquaculture capitalists do the same thing any other capitalist would do, which is crap in their own nest.

Scientist: Canadian Coast Used as a 'Sewer' by Salmon Farmer

"Not having to go to closed containment saves them money. They use the coast as a sewer, basically, so they're naturally not going to like any science that would stop them from making money."Frazer said fish farms have increased sea lice numbers by providing more hosts. And they keep sea lice numbers artificially high in the spring when young wild salmon head out to sea.

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More Lies

Friday the 13th seems to be a bad news day for the Tories. Here is another lie they have told. I wonder what Papa Geppetto would say about Pinocchio Harper.

Environmentalists say they have obtained a leaked draft of the federal government's long-promised Clean Air Act, and they're not impressed.

The bill amounts to little more than a set of minor amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), according to a team of environmental lawyers who studied the draft.

"First they promised a made-in-Canada plan and there is no plan. Then Prime Minister Harper promised a new Clean Air Act. Now we know there isn't one," said Beatrice Olivastri, head of the Friends of the Earth Canada.

"Based on the draft reviewed, this bill is mainly housekeeping and minor adjustments in language. It shuffles air pollution and greenhouse gas provisions to a new section of CEPA."

Olivastri said the bill does not appear to enhance federal regulatory authority to curb greenhouse gases or other pollutants.

See;

Ambrose

Environment


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Dem's Fightin' Words

PM's anti-Israel comment disgraceful: Ignatieff

Finally coming out of his garrett to speak to the masses, well U of T students anyways.You can take the Iggy out of the Ivory Tower but you can't take the Ivory Tower out of Iggy.

So Iggy makes a policy speech punctuated with comments on his comment on Israel and War Crimes. Then he takes questions from reporters on the Harpers comments on his comment.

And he takes out one foot only to stick the other one in his mouth. He now balances his comments by saying both Israel and Hezbollah committed war crimes. And to top it off some of his best friends are Jewish, and they invited him to Israel. Oy vey this guy just doesn't know when to quit.

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Israel

Lebanon

Liberal Leadership Race

Ignatieff

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Lorne Gunter On The Wheat Board

As I have said before the right wing cares less about the nature of a monopoly, just that a monopoly exists and somehow that is unnatural. Of course that's because they think monoplies are the result of mercantilism of the State. In reality as I have pointed out before monopolies are the natural result of captialism. Right Wing former Alberta Report aulmni and CanWest columnist Lorne Gunter attacks the Wheat Board for being a monopoly. Forget democracy, forget its what the producers want, its a gosh darn monopoly.....

It matters not a bit whether two-thirds of farmers want the monopoly to continue or two-thirds want it abolished: There is no moral justification for a monopoly in the first place.

The Harpocrites have taken their attack on the Wheat Board straight from Gunters advice column.

And then he uses the Australian Wheat Board as an example of the success of a dual market.

Australia permits sales outside its wheat board and its producers, whether in the board or out, have seen no loss of income as a result of "dual marketing."

Of course he forgot to mention this result of privatization..... Australian Wheat Board “oil for food” inquiry ends

SEE:

Wheat Board



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They Lied

The Harper government lies....again. This time over the dismantling the Canadian Wheat Board.

Wheat board dismantling on back burner, Strahl says

Gina Teel, Calgary Herald

Published: Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Strahl, also minister of the Canadian Wheat Board, said it's in the best interest of the industry to concentrate on the immediate issues facing the grains and oilseeds sector.

This includes focusing on the World Trade Organization agricultural negotiations in Geneva in April, which will deal with export subsidies and domestic subsidies.

"I've just decided for this spring, and certainly until the WTO negotiations are behind us, that's my priority and that's what I'm working on, and so the Canadian Wheat Board changes are on the back burner," Strahl told reporters.

The WTO has not resolved the farm subsidies issue.


SEE:

Albertans Tax Dollars At Work

Conservatives Attack Prairie Farmers

Which Priority Is This?

The End of the Wheat Board

The Truth About the Farm Crisis

WTO Who Cares?

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Albertans Tax Dollars At Work

NDP Slams Money Spent On Anti-CWB Ad Campaign A million dollar PR campaign by the Ralph Klein gang against the Wheat Board, which the MAJORITY of Alberta and Prairie farmers support...money well wasted for a minority of Reform/Alliance/Conservative party supporters.

Folks whose interests are not those of their fellow farmers but of the social conservative political agenda .

While the Harpocrite government is not allowing farmers any say on dismantilling of the wheat board. Instead they appointed an opponent of the Wheat Board to the board. Ottawa names new director to Canadian Wheat Board

See:
Conservatives Attack Prairie Farmers



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No See-ums

King Ralph is at it again denying reality.....he looks out over the Calgary skyline and sees clear skies as if that means anything....I guess the logic is that if he can't see Greenhouse Gas it doesn't exist.....

Sask., Alberta worst greenhouse gas offenders: report

Alberta, Ontario lead in greenhouse gas emissions

“Those are my critics — I don’t agree with that,” said Klein. “I look at the beautiful air out here, and it’s just fine.” Klein scoffs at dirty Alberta

Oh yeah Ralph wasn't looking at the Fort McMurray sky line...

So how come Saskatchewan is reporting increased acid rain from the tar sands effluent

Oilsands acid rain hazard

Potential for Acid Rain in North SK

Acid rain now damaging soils in Western Canada: study

The study says emissions in the West are rising but doesn't discuss the reasons. One major source is believed to be oil development in Alberta, which is the next province to be mapped for acid damage under the research program.

"Acid deposition in Western Canada has not received as much attention as in the more highly industrialized areas of Eastern North America, but unlike other regions of the continent, emissions of acidifying gases . . . have increased," says the study.

SEE:

Tar Sands

Kyoto

Ambrose

Environment

Green Plan

Oil

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Anti-Kyoto

The New Conservative Government Clean Air Act will not to eliminate Greenhouse Gas emissions, nor even to reduce them. In the topsy-turvy world of the Harpocrites they will take Kyoto and stand it on its head. Emissions will be allowed to increase under their new legislation, just more slowly. Call it the Anti-Kyoto act, and bring on the clowns.....

Oil and gas have flexibility under new green plan
Canada.com, Canada - 22 hours ago
... The Conservative government will create safeguards for Alberta's booming oil and gas industry as it sets pollution and greenhouse gas reduction targets for the ...
Clean Air, or Hot Air? Epoch Times
Industrial world losing sight of Kyoto targets as greenhouse ... International Herald Tribune
Emissions to rise in short term — but slowly, Ambrose saysGlobe and Mail

See;

Ambrose

Environment


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Ed Woods Curse

The angora sweater curse of Ed Wood has struck.....

Hollywood heart-throb Johnny Depp developed an unhealthy obsession with women's clothes while starring in film biopic Ed Wood.

I would never have noticed from his manly roles of late as Pirate Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka......




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Metrosexual







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Battle of Algiers

Is is not just a classic movie, it is a great political movie. It shows that the current so called Muslim Middle East grew out of nationalist, secular, anti-colonial struggles.


Battle of Algiers director dies

Pontecorvo was nominated for two Oscars

Italian film-maker Gillo Pontecorvo, who directed The Battle Of Algiers, has died at the age of 86.

Pontecorvo's film depicted the brutality of both sides during the guerrilla uprising against French colonial rule in 1950s Algeria.

Shot like a documentary, the highly influential film was banned in France for some time, while its scenes of torture were cut in the US and Britain.

Ironic since now this is common practice by the US and Britain in Iraq.

And even more irony......

In 2003 the Pentagon screened the film to officers and civilian experts who were considering the challenges faced by the U.S. military in Iraq, the New York Times reported. A flier inviting guests to the screening read: "How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas."

It is one of those political films that every progressive should have along with the films of Costa Gavas. Who recently co wrote a film on the Battle of Algiers, and has been given an honorary degree from SFU.




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Bush School Summit

In the wake of the plural suicides in the US and Canada involving school children George Bush announced a School Summit on Violence and Security which happened this week.Chaired by the man who ok'd the Bush regimes right to violate the Geneva convention and approved the Admistrations right to use torture.Naked and afraid

Apparently though when it comes to school security in America the children were left behind in the interests of the War on Terror.....

The highlight of the summit seems to have been a rebuke of Bush administration policy by the manager of the Center for the Prevention of School Violence in Raleigh, N.C. He wanted to know why the administration attempted to cut the $347 million allotted for school-safety grants for states this year.


See:

Real Christian Values

The Solution To Columbine Syndrome

Gill


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Bye, Bye Baghdad

Look who wants to 'cut and run' from Bush's failed war.

Army chief declares war on Blair: 'We must quit Iraq soon'
The views of General Sir Richard Dannatt will send shockwaves through Tony Blair's government. The head of the Army is calling for British troops to withdraw from Iraq "soon" or risk catastophic consequences for both Iraq and British society. In a devastating broadside at Tony Blair's foreign policy, General Sir Richard Dannatt stated explicitly that the continuing presence of British troops "exacerbates the security problems" in Iraq."I am going to stand up for what is right for the army. Honesty is what it is about. The truth will out. We have got to speak the truth."


Sure leave Iraq and go to Afghanistan to repeat the mistake.

He understands why Prince William and Prince Harry want to serve on the frontline but has not yet decided whether they will be allowed to fight in Afghanistan.

Harry completes training to become troop leader

See:

Iraq

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