Sunday, January 08, 2006

Yes Colby Cosh there is such a thing as Ukrainian Christmas


Following in the grand tradition of Ayn Rand's model citizen; Ebenezer Scrooge, Colby Cosh says 'Bah Humbug' there is no such thing as Ukrainian Christmas except in Western Canada. He obviously missed my blog posting of the other day from the Ukrainian Encyclopedia.

You know you're definitely in the Prairie Provinces when...

...on January 6, you hear a talk-radio caller mention that he lives out of town but that he "came home for Ukrainian Christmas."

Are there any readers who happen to know when and how Christmas is observed in the contemporary Ukraine? I have a sneaking suspicion that they've adapted to the Gregorian date over there, and that "Ukrainian Christmas" has become an indigenous tradition of Western Canada.

Well Colby check this out, three major pagan festivities have seen their revival in the Ukraine, The Feast of Winter Solstice aka Ukrainian Christamas (both Catholic and Orthodox) , Ukrainian New Years (Malanka) and the Feast of St. John otherwise known as Summer Solstice, and in the Ukraine known as Kupalo an ancient pagan fertility ritual. Ukraine celebrates both the Catholic Christmas in December and Orthodox Christmas in January. And the Christmas break for school children extends over this entire period.So no these are not figments of the imagination of Ukrainian Canadians and would be Shumka dancers. Yes Colby there is a Ukrainian Santa Claus and he is known as Saint Nick.


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Frum Hates Canada

The weasal that came up with the Axis of Evil and then got turfed from the Bush inner circle, David Frum, is once again bashing Canada.

Love these rightwing expats who go south and make a name for themselves in the Conservative movement and feel obliged to attack their homeland to make some easy ca$h.

Good summary of the article by Tart Cider is here,
Frum's Folly with a link to TC's comprhensive reply to Frum, who published his comment in the Post.

And this comes from the right in Canada. Yep its tough not to be liked in both countries, but I guess that's what you get for being Canada's Lord Ha-Ha.

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Scary Thought

Here is a scary thought this guy replacing Ralph Klein.Outgoing Encana CEO to replace Ralph Klein? Though it is getting tough to be Ralph in Alberta when everyone in his party is saying leave already. Tougher than being Ralph (Goodale) in Ottawa.

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Chavez supplies American Indians with oil

Now this is another lesson that the Petro Boys in Calgary could learn from. Instead of King Ralph giving out million dollar checks to Clinton for Hurricane relief. Cheap oil to subsidize the poor in America would be a political and economic hammer against American protectionism, and of course a way of getting around the softwood lumber lobby in the long run.

Venezuela to expand discounted fuel sales to Indian tribes in Maine (Venezuela-US-Fuel)


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Another Conservative Endorses the NDP

Strategic voting is the hot topic in the last weeks of this election as yet another of the Blogging Tory's accepts that their only hope in winning even a minority government is if the NDP gain seats at the expense of the Liberals. Buzz is not going to like this outcome.Strategic Voting now working in favour of the NDP

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Someone Should Tell Warren

Warren Kinsella insisted early on in this election campaign, well bitched and moaned actually, that Canadian political blogs have little or no impact. He compared our humble blogosphere with the American one that led to the outting of Dan Rather and le affaire Trent Lott.

Except that the American blogosphere is populated by more journalist bloggers, an extension of the MSM and politcal operatives of the two politcal parties that dominate America. Also America has a larger population than Canada and finally most Canadian political bloggers really got started between the last Federal election and this one.

So for all Warren's groaning early on in the campaign about how little influence Canadian political blogs had, all that has changed and he seems relatively quiet about how ineffectual we are. After Klander and Stamp, Income Trusts, etc. etc.
Or it could be because he got that nice new election blog job at Macleans with his pal Paul Wells.

As I said in my critique of Warrens blog pessimism, since the begining of the election the blogosphere has done exactly what Warren said it wasn't doing, influencing stories in the MSM and the election. As this article shows;
Weblogs make difference in campaigns



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Things I Hate


You link to a graphic and it does this.

Animal Quiz

Badger
What Is Your Animal Personality?

brought to you by Quizilla


A tip o' the blog to Socialist Swine for this quiz link

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Werner Patels Voice of the Conservative Party

Well Herr Patels of Alberta Avenue, the mulipleblogpersonalityszhioid is at it again. This time he is not only using the Royal We or Editorial We but is completely identifying with the Conservative party. He has published the following on his blog, defending the indefensible the Tory Tax Increases.

And he says 'our ' as if he speaks for the Conservative party. If so they can have him. He is a one man marching band of bad PR for whomever he supports. I wonder if he still is hoping to get nominated as an Alberta Liberal provincially?

Taxes would be far lower under a Conservative government

OTTAWA – This evening [January 6], CBC’s The National ran a so-called “Reality Check” alleging the Conservatives would raise taxes.

This report is not just misleading; it is false:

Taxes would be drastically lower under the Conservatives than under the Liberals.

Our tax plan will include cuts to the GST, and large cuts to personal income taxes and business taxes.

Under our plan, all Canadians will pay lower taxes.


Note to readers this is actually an official press release from the Conservative Party of Canada and should not be construed as being anything written by Mr. Patels on behalf of the Party or in any way associated with Mr. Patels.

Except that being lazy he posted it verbatim on his web site.

"Our plan" does not refer to any plan Mr. Patels may have for the future of Canada.

On the other hand he may now be in such a far out funk that he actually thinks that he is speaking on behalf of the party by publishing 'our' press release. If so the secretary will disavow any knowledge of his activities.


See:
Gotcha!
Thanks Herr Werner

A Confused Alberta Liberal


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Kate Kinsella Warren McMillan

Its getting scary out there in the blogosphere when two of the biggest self promoters and mouths that roar actually say exactly the same thing on the same day.

I am speaking of Kate from Small Dead Animals and her doppelganger Warren Kinsella. Or perhaps they were just seperated at birth. Cause they had identical posts on Friday.


Kate:

January 06, 2006

It Must Be Friday

Updated - (and Im moving this item back up to the top)

Another day, another scandal. And all coming at such a inopportune time.


Warren:

Fri. 6 Jan., 2006

It's Friday, Why I Must Be In Canada!

Oh look! Another police investigation launched during a national election campaign, this time targeting a former aide to the nation’s most powerful elected leader!

If this is Friday, I must be in Paul Martin’s Canada!



And then they had identical picture posts. As the saying goes small minds seldom differ.


Kate:

The Enemy Is Everywhere

I'm beginning to suspect the Conservatives have recruited small children...


martinandscaredchildren.jpg




Warren:

January 6, 2006 -



(CP – Special) Unidentified child (top right) reacts to hearing “come Hell or high water,” “transformative change,” “essentially,” “very, very important,” “fundamentally” and – most recently – a sitting Prime Minister actually commenting on the merits of an ongoing RCMP investigation: “offensive.” Another unidentified toddler (top centre) slips into a self-induced coma after reading all two pages of Liberal campaign platform. Scott Feschuk, bottom right, channels Paul Wells for his next English-only blog entry.


So you see when I said Warren had gone to the far right....I was well, right. He and Kate think the same; PM bad, Liberals bad, Harper OK!

kate2.jpg

Like siamese twins seperated at birth.


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