Prehistoric Frank and Gordon

Frank and Gordon the Bell Canada beavers, who have been making a nuisance of themselves during the Olympics as TV Ads, have a prehistoric relative.

The Jurassic Beaver.

Now wait a minute mammals weren't supposed to be co-existing with Dinosaurs. Well there goes another hypothesis.

Jurassic "Beaver" Found; Rewrites History of Mammals

See science, unlike religion which is faith based, can admit its mistakes. Science is not infallible, unlike the Vatican. Or the Bush Administration.

"The Bush administration rejects the scientific method," said Lewis Lapham, the editor of Harper's Magazine and author of the recent book "Gag Rule", which looks at how the U.S. government suppresses dissent and stifles democracy. The United States is entering into an era where faith is more important than fact and dissent is considered betrayal, he said. When it comes to research, the current administration has gone well beyond the traditional practice of politicians fudging the numbers to get the results they want, Lapham noted. "If science doesn't prove what it's been told to prove, then they (the Bush administration) believe it has been tampered with by Satan or the Democratic Party," he said.

In fact science is based on the idea of hypothesis, a thesis. Which is not a fact but a theory that arises from the existing facts and observations. Such theories change when facts change.

And while Frank and Gordon claim that the Beaver is Canada's national animal, giving us our distinct national character well that is about to be revised too.

Cause the Jurassic Beaver was found in China.

I particularly like this quote about how mammals evolved during the Jurassic, it has a certain ironic meaning in this age of theology over fact, morality versus reality. The whole family values issue can be seen in light of evolution, which is probably why the fundamentalist Christians go cuckoo over it.

The discovery shows that early mammals and their relatives were experimenting with different lifestyles from the start, rather than waiting for the decline of the dinosaurs before diversifying.

Yep we mammals are all about experimenting with Lifestyle choices. Unlike the Dinosaurs, or patriarchal religions. And we know what happened to the Dinosaurs. And Frank and Gordon, 'two male mammals in an ambigous relationship', are still around.

Original Press Release


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Time to Nationalize CN

CN has reported a record number of accidents, Duh Oh, this past year.

Number of CN derailments jumped in 2005: report CN derailments rise 35 per cent

As I have reported here, it's because CN our once national railway was privatised.
It is fast becoming a North American monopoly and it sacrificing public and worker safety for the bottom line. Under the direction of its American CEO. Earlier this week, CN reported a record profit of $1.56-billion for 2005.

According to a Globe and Mail report Monday, railway mega-merger speculation may be back on the agenda. Regulatory concerns prevented a merger between Canadian National Railway Co. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. in 2000. But CPR President Robert Ritchie told reporters that after a six-year hiatus, the CN-BN pairing could re-emerge, or another combination involving CN, reports the Globe. Ritchie added that CPR's philosophy is to work as a network industry and not isolate itself into two systems, which would probably be the end result of further consolidation. That would produce too much angst on the part of customers, which would lead to negative regulation, he told reporters.
Numerous co-operative agreements between railways have been signed in recent months on shared trackage, with aim to ease congestion. The big question is whether regulators could in future scenarios be persuaded that mergers would clear the way for railways to reduce freight rates and improve service.One theory holds that freight rates would fall in a more efficient freight network with fewer territorial players.

CN is still looking at swallowing up more of it's competitors south of the border. Which will not reduce freight rates, contrary to popular opinion, and given its past practice will only mean further speed ups, reduced staffing and more accidents as CN pushes just in time delivery for the bottom line.

Julian calls for public inquiry into Canada's rail safety

Burnaby - Peter Julian, MP (Burnaby-New Westminster) and NDP Transportation Critic, called on Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon to exercise his power under the Railway Safety Act

and conduct an inquiry into the safety of Canada’s railways.

“The former Liberal government’s last attempt to deal with this matter was to ask CN to develop its own proposals,” Mr. Julian said. “With a significant increase in accidents and fatalities, the Conservative government should take meaningful action now.”

Railway safety track records have been steadily declining in recent years. Between 2000-2004 there were 11.67 accidents per million train-miles, by 2005 the number of accidents increased to 13.04. Fatalities have also increased significantly.

“We know that many derailments in BC and Alberta have been linked to the length of trains,” Mr. Julian said. ”We also know that there have been a number of violations of the Railway Safety Act, some of which railway operators have readily admitted to. The Conservative government must urgently and immediately take up the responsibility for the public’s safety from their Liberal predecessors.”

Privatization, deregulation, self regulation, all the neo-conservative solutions that the Liberals introduced in the ninties as they Reinvented Government have failed. The privatization of CN has put public safety at risk, lead to massive layoffs, and put public money into private pockets. Its time to put CN back under workers and community control to renationalize it. After all its making money now, rather than losing it as it did relying on taxpayer subsidization.




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Canada Out of Afghanistan

A new poll shows that Canadians who have not been consulted on our troops going to Afghanistan are opposed to further excursions by our military to do America's dirty work.

I like this headline from Reuters Poll shows Canadians oppose Afghanistan mission which is far stronger than this whimpy one from CTV
Most Cdns. uneasy about Afghan mission: poll

America's invasion of Afghanistan was a detour on the way to Iraq. It was an after thought, as quick as they got in they got out. Rolling on to Bhagdad their real objective, cause Georgie Porgie was gonna kick some Saddam ass for threatening his daddy.

But in spite of Canadian opposition to our continued involvement in Afghanistan, the Harpocrite government in Ottawa is going to continue to put our troops in harms way. Without any democratic debate in the Parliment. Just doing what the Liberals did. Feds pledge Afghan commitment, NORAD expansion

And why are we doing this, Gordon O'Connor Defense Industry Lobbyist and Minister of Defense tells his Defense Industry pals yesterday;

Where Are We Now? Staying the Course in Afghanistan

Two weeks ago, I attended my first NATO Ministerial Meeting. I told my Alliance counterparts that Canada remains committed to NATO and that we'll be a strong and engaged partner, particularly in Afghanistan.

We've never been a nation that shies away from its responsibilities. We will shoulder the burden. We will stay the course in Afghanistan.

Together with troops from other countries, the Canadian Forces are making a real impact in Afghanistan. All over the country, buildings are being rebuilt. Refugees are returning home. Marketplaces are bustling. And little girls once again attend schools.

Yep little girls get to go to school in newly liberated Afghanistan still dressed like this.






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Disisng Canada's CEO's

I like it. I like it a lot. Todays column in the Ottawa Sun. The Sun of all places. Dissing Thomas Acquino and his private club of Canada's wealthiest and self indulgent elite. The Canadian Council of CEO's. Michael Harris spares no punches. How to run Canada into the ground




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What Debate?

So is there going to be a debate on the Third Way which is still a mote in Ralphs eye?

Medicare advocates stage protest at legislature
Opponents of Alberta's proposed 'third way' health care system protested on the steps of the legislature Thursday on the first working day of the spring session. Even before the protest got underway, health minister Iris Evans was confronted by demonstrators who grilled her about the 'third way.' Klein has declined to release any details of his proposed health reforms, though he has indicated it will involve a role for private and public medicine. Evans ensured the protestors that the government isn't planning to do away with public medicine. "I want you to just hear that at the start but then come and we will talk."

Talk about what? There is no bill there is no legislation. And Evans maternal patting of protestors on the head is disingenuous.

Evans sees private health services within a year

Pay for faster health access, Evans says

Yeah let's talk about that Iris. As I said here the Third Way will not be debated in public, in the legislature. It will be snuck in the back way through orders in Cabinet.

EDITORIAL: Lots of questions
Edmonton Sun, Canada - 9 Feb 2006
Near the end of her editorial board meeting with the Sun yesterday, Health Minister Iris Evans was asked about the timeline for implementing the government's so-called Third Way health-care reforms. Evans said she hoped the changes would be in place within a year.

I have to agree with this guy about the whole Third Way legislation discussion which isn't happening.

We need more medical doctors and fewer spin doctors when it comes to health reform.
– Paul Hinman is Alberta Alliance leader and MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner

I know, I know frightening when even the right wing rump party challenges the PC's, Party of Calgary, about its intentions.



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Coal=Cancer

Ya gotta love King Ralph here he is saying that Alberta will Cure Cancer. Cure Cancer. Let me repeat that folks Cure Cancer.

I know people refer to the current oil boom as the Alberta Miracle but this is taking that miracle business a little to literally.

And then King Ralph goes and says in the same breath that we are going to expand our extraction of Coal and make sure we export it and use it more.

Ahem Coal causes cancer, it's from the sulpher dioxide byproduct of incomplete combustion.

Oh yeah he said clean coal. But there is no clean coal being used in Alberta or anywhere in Canada or North America for that fact.

Melchin told the audience that his province is eager to develop clean coal technology and it's working with Texas on a zero-emission coal-fired plant, which is expected to start generating electricity in the United States by 2012.Melchin pushes clean coal in Ontario

Aha this must be the wink, wink, secret new energy source George Bush has been talking about. Bush: Energy technology breakthroughs imminent

So I guess we are going to cure cancer in Alberta with clean coal. And that would be a miracle.

This is clearly Klein's swan song his legacy sitting of the Alberta Legislature.Praise Klein and maybe he will quit Which must be why he has these goofy notions of Curing Cancer and Creating Clean Coal. Yep it really is time this goofus retired.

Half of Albertans want Klein to retire soon; a party poll was reported saying 30 per cent of members cite his departure as key to renewal



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Wishful Thinking

The headline reads;

Alta. backs away from privatized health-care system

Throne speech focuses on cutting wait times, slashing cancer rate

EDMONTON -- The Alberta government signalled Wednesday that it's backing away from any plans to privatize health care

But the photo attached tells the real story.

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TANSTAAFV

TANSTAAFV-There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Vote.

Same Sex Marriage and Missile Defense, two issues that will now face the Canadian parliment as Free Votes. Be still my beating heart. Parliment will now have the Conservatives allow its MPs free votes,though how it intends to force the other parties not to whip their votes well thats a horse of a different colour. And the difference between a Whipped vote and Free Vote is......nada, nothing, zippo.

In the past sitting of the Parilment the Conservatives voted en block on issues, no significant variance amongst them. Ok one or two voted for SSM and then Stronach crossed the floor, because of the shunning that such Free Voters got from the rest of the party apparatchiks. But on Bil C-48 they voted as one,it was a budget bill after all, which is why Stronach left . On other less contentious and media watched issues everyone on that side of the house in the Official Opposition voted as the one. See How'd They Vote?"

So then what is this sacred cow the Conservatives have embraced this oh holy of holies the Free Vote? It is the last vestige of the Refrom Party that dwells in the Conservative Party, sort of like the vestigious reptilian portion of our brain. Once upon a time it was about the Reform Party doing politics differently, being a Party that allowed its MP's to vote on behalf of their constituents following their consulting with their constiuents. The last MP to do so was Chuck Cadman, who remained the last Reformer standing on principles. The rest moved to political pragmatism and expediency to gain power. Chuck's constinuency has elected an NDP member to replace him, not a Conservative!

In todays Conservative autarchy the Free Vote is, as the Bard said, much 'ado about nothing.'


With apologies to Robert Heinlein who wrote : TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) One way or other, what you get, you pay for.


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This Wasn't An Election Promise

Tories to re-open missile defence debate So now that the Harpocrites are going to ressurect this dead issue, will it be long before we are sending troops to Iraq? Hey they wanted to do that to, despite their protests to the contrary during the election. Now where did I put that Conservative election campaign policy guide the Blue Book. Oh yeah here it is, hmmm let's see.....Nope not here. Unlike the Red Book where Liberals broke promises, the Conservatives are keeping promises they didn't make.

OTTAWA (CP) - Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor says he's willing to reopen the controversial debate on ballistic missile defence if the United States extends another invitation.

However, the minority Conservative government would eventually put the question before the Commons and since all three opposition parties have opposed the idea in the past, the concept is likely dead before it starts.

"It would really, ultimately, be up to a vote in Parliament," the minister told reporters Thursday.

His comments came as a former Pentagon official was in Toronto urging Canada to spurn missile defence and instead lead an international charge against space weapons.

Phil Coyle, an assistant secretary of defence and senior weapons tester at the U.S. Department of Defence from 1994 to 2001, said missile defence is seductive but unworkable.

"All you get is a scarecrow defence."

And to think some Blogging Tories pooh-poohed me when I predicted this because Derek Burney one of Harpers key post election advisors has been outspoken in his promotion of BMD/US Canadian joint Missle Defense.


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Teachers Win Right To Free Speech

The 'democratic' state reveals its true authoritarian nature when it comes to mediating labour struggles. It is ALWAYS on the side of the employer. Now the B.C. Teachers union has won a landmark Free Speech case. The howls will arise on the right, you know those folks who are currently eating everything Danish, and defending the right to publish stupid cartoons. They will complain about activist judges, blah, blah. But the point here is that when the State is your employer you have to watch out for them gagging your right to free speech as has occurred in right wing Alberta. In B.C. this case is a victory for workers against the State. B.C. teachers can talk shop with parents, government disappointed
VICTORIA (CP) -- B.C. teachers are legally entitled to talk shop with parents despite a court challenge by their employer. The Supreme Court of Canada refused Thursday to hear an appeal of an earlier B.C. Court of Appeal ruling that allowed teachers to talk to parents about their concerns during parent-teacher interviews.




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