the daily snivel
And another thing: Rob complains about more stuff.
Although I have for many years been something of a creature of the night, preferring late hours and later mornings whenever possible, there are many facets of staying up and howling at the moon that frankly suck. In particular, I've become increasingly intolerant of late night talk shows. Yes, I'm talking to you, Messrs. Letterman, Leno, and, yes, even you, my dear old companion of the wee hours, Conan O'Brien. I'm tired of opening monologues, that have long ago stopped being funny and simply become predictable. I'm even tired of "desk bits," though Pimp-Bot and Triumph the Comic Insult Dog will always have special places in my jaded old heart.
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks that the formula for late night talk shows has gotten stale -- in fact, downright moldy. Have I become such a curmudgeon that all I see are the same old guests making the same circuit of shows, pitching their latest movie or album or book or claim to fame? Is there no other soul who tires of empty banter with the band leader? Not a wretch out there who is weary of the bland, barely topical jokes?
Personally, I think that I've been spoiled by the Daily Show, which has just set the bar so high for me that the others cannot compete. The Daily Show is ruthless in making you laugh at the headlines, versus merely laughing at a typo in a headline. While all talk shows have an interest in keeping the humour bland and inoffensive, the Daily Show pokes fun at those in power in what I would call a fairly non-partisan way. While much mirth is made of the Bush Administration, you get the sense that if the balance of power were to shift, the jokes would as well. That said, the jokes are also fair. People out there of all political stripes really do and say things that make you want to rub your eyes in disbelief and shout, "Whaaaaa?" The Daily Show takes on the worst of mass media by pointing out the sins of omission propagated by journalists (who have abdicated their responsibility to being diligent investigators and critics of conventional wisdom and instead work hard to not offend the large media conglomerates they work for), and the commisions by politicians. John Stewart taking on Tucker Carlson and telling him that his show was hurting America because of its partisan hackery and its worship of knee-jerk reactionaries rather than honest intellectual debate -- which was a bigger part of the overall decline of American discourse.
I also have to say that I'm generally disappointed in Conan O'Brien lately. His show used to be my favourite. I thought it was clever and original and was the source of oh so much goodness, including his coinage of "Krunk," the perfect word to sneak in to a scene when the network censors won't let you swear (such as when the flaming car goes over the cliff, you shout 'Kruuuuuuuuunk!' as you go over). I've watched it considerably less since Andy Richter left, however, though one thing that I've seen puncuate more and more of his monologues is fat jokes, and that never makes me laugh. I mean, I think there are all kinds of reasons to laugh at people, but Conan has become downright nasty in his attempts at humour. Every night he has some quip about Ruben Stoddard or Star Jones being heavy, and I don't laugh. I change the channel. It's true that I myself am 40 pounds this side of sexy, but even if I were as thin and svelte as my efforts in the gym will one day leave me, I still wouldn't laugh because it's cheap, nasty, humourless taunting. The audience always groans and Conan invariably then makes a weird face and shrugs off the flop but he does it again, night after night.
And then there's Jay Leno, who like too many others is so bland in his humour because of the fact that he doesn't want to offend anyone, least of all the corporate masters who own NBC. I mean, at least Letterman will bite the hands that feed, thinking, "I don't care -- that's CBS' problem." Whenever I watch the Tonight Show, which is inevitably a brief and tortured affair, the main source of laughter is the forced, nasal guffaws of band leader Kevin Eubanks. I think a fundamental term of his contract is that he has to laugh whenever Jay finishes a sentence with that tell-tale, desperate pause for gratification. Jay's Michael Jackson jokes are thin and repetitive, akin to Conan's harping on fat people, as are his continuing, ad nauseam cracks about Al Gore being dull and Hilary Clinton being a bitch, as though such dated zingers are actually such a miraculous source of comic energy that they can propel you for five years. His endorsement of Arnold Schwarzenegger for Governor of California wasn't so much the last straw (because everyone has the right to their stupid opinion), but rather the penultimate chapter of a long series of disappointments. The smug, frankly Republican tone taken by Leno since then does make me roll my eyes, however, as it is clear this millionaire knows who is looking out for him. If I wanted to watch an unfunny Republican, I'd watch Dennis Miller.
Nope, I'll definitely take the Daily Show. It has set the standard, and no one else is in that league, sadly. Jon Stewart doesn't always attract the big name guests, but his guests are always worth listening to, particularly when they're not there flogging a new book or movie. Jon is an astute interviewer who asks pointed, insightful questions based on what must be careful research. He has a lightning wit, and will doggedly probe a question that bothers him when talking to a guest, but at the same time can think on his feet when something doesn't go as planned and still turn it into a great laugh. He even kept me smiling during the 2004 Presidential Election, when most of North America was very unhappy with the results.
On the bright side, I went out with a friend from school today to this weird, culty restaurant run by the devotees of mystic leader Sri Chimnoy, and as she dug into her vegetarian potato skins, she pulled out a kidney bean and said, "Look -- I found a leader bean!" For all the television that I now rue, Simpsons references still make my day.
Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks that the formula for late night talk shows has gotten stale -- in fact, downright moldy. Have I become such a curmudgeon that all I see are the same old guests making the same circuit of shows, pitching their latest movie or album or book or claim to fame? Is there no other soul who tires of empty banter with the band leader? Not a wretch out there who is weary of the bland, barely topical jokes?
Personally, I think that I've been spoiled by the Daily Show, which has just set the bar so high for me that the others cannot compete. The Daily Show is ruthless in making you laugh at the headlines, versus merely laughing at a typo in a headline. While all talk shows have an interest in keeping the humour bland and inoffensive, the Daily Show pokes fun at those in power in what I would call a fairly non-partisan way. While much mirth is made of the Bush Administration, you get the sense that if the balance of power were to shift, the jokes would as well. That said, the jokes are also fair. People out there of all political stripes really do and say things that make you want to rub your eyes in disbelief and shout, "Whaaaaa?" The Daily Show takes on the worst of mass media by pointing out the sins of omission propagated by journalists (who have abdicated their responsibility to being diligent investigators and critics of conventional wisdom and instead work hard to not offend the large media conglomerates they work for), and the commisions by politicians. John Stewart taking on Tucker Carlson and telling him that his show was hurting America because of its partisan hackery and its worship of knee-jerk reactionaries rather than honest intellectual debate -- which was a bigger part of the overall decline of American discourse.
I also have to say that I'm generally disappointed in Conan O'Brien lately. His show used to be my favourite. I thought it was clever and original and was the source of oh so much goodness, including his coinage of "Krunk," the perfect word to sneak in to a scene when the network censors won't let you swear (such as when the flaming car goes over the cliff, you shout 'Kruuuuuuuuunk!' as you go over). I've watched it considerably less since Andy Richter left, however, though one thing that I've seen puncuate more and more of his monologues is fat jokes, and that never makes me laugh. I mean, I think there are all kinds of reasons to laugh at people, but Conan has become downright nasty in his attempts at humour. Every night he has some quip about Ruben Stoddard or Star Jones being heavy, and I don't laugh. I change the channel. It's true that I myself am 40 pounds this side of sexy, but even if I were as thin and svelte as my efforts in the gym will one day leave me, I still wouldn't laugh because it's cheap, nasty, humourless taunting. The audience always groans and Conan invariably then makes a weird face and shrugs off the flop but he does it again, night after night.
And then there's Jay Leno, who like too many others is so bland in his humour because of the fact that he doesn't want to offend anyone, least of all the corporate masters who own NBC. I mean, at least Letterman will bite the hands that feed, thinking, "I don't care -- that's CBS' problem." Whenever I watch the Tonight Show, which is inevitably a brief and tortured affair, the main source of laughter is the forced, nasal guffaws of band leader Kevin Eubanks. I think a fundamental term of his contract is that he has to laugh whenever Jay finishes a sentence with that tell-tale, desperate pause for gratification. Jay's Michael Jackson jokes are thin and repetitive, akin to Conan's harping on fat people, as are his continuing, ad nauseam cracks about Al Gore being dull and Hilary Clinton being a bitch, as though such dated zingers are actually such a miraculous source of comic energy that they can propel you for five years. His endorsement of Arnold Schwarzenegger for Governor of California wasn't so much the last straw (because everyone has the right to their stupid opinion), but rather the penultimate chapter of a long series of disappointments. The smug, frankly Republican tone taken by Leno since then does make me roll my eyes, however, as it is clear this millionaire knows who is looking out for him. If I wanted to watch an unfunny Republican, I'd watch Dennis Miller.
Nope, I'll definitely take the Daily Show. It has set the standard, and no one else is in that league, sadly. Jon Stewart doesn't always attract the big name guests, but his guests are always worth listening to, particularly when they're not there flogging a new book or movie. Jon is an astute interviewer who asks pointed, insightful questions based on what must be careful research. He has a lightning wit, and will doggedly probe a question that bothers him when talking to a guest, but at the same time can think on his feet when something doesn't go as planned and still turn it into a great laugh. He even kept me smiling during the 2004 Presidential Election, when most of North America was very unhappy with the results.
On the bright side, I went out with a friend from school today to this weird, culty restaurant run by the devotees of mystic leader Sri Chimnoy, and as she dug into her vegetarian potato skins, she pulled out a kidney bean and said, "Look -- I found a leader bean!" For all the television that I now rue, Simpsons references still make my day.
Scram, you ghouls!
Well, Terri Schiavo passed away today. May that poor woman finally rest in peace.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 If you're too lazy to say it yourself, let someone else.
The theory of the entire greeting card industry put into practical use by me. Here's a great post from the ever-astute Fafblog on that nefarious "culture of life."
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
The New Adventures of LifeMan!
ZOOM! Up in the sky – is it a bird? A plane? No, it’s LifeMan, protector of all things good and politically expedient!
“Look there, old chum!” says Life Man scannin the world with his super-secret lifemovision! “Down at the ReddiMart – it’s my arch-nemesis, Dr. Prescripto, and he’s endangering the unconceived!”
“This looks like a job for LifeMan!” says me!
“Here you go, children!” cackles the evil Dr. Prescripto. “These are birth control pills… with them you can have rampant promiscuous premarital sex without getting prrrrregnant! MWA-HAHAHAHAHA!”
“Stop right there, Prescripto!” says LifeMan. “Sperm cells may have only half the soul of a fetus, but there’s billions more of them – making your reckless war against unwanted pregnancy a cosmic genocide!”
“Maybe so, LifeMan, but you’re powerless to stop me!” says the evil Dr. Prescripto twirlin his mustache!
“Hardly, villain!” says LifeMan blastin the baddie with his zealotzap ray! “I’ve staffed this pharmacy with good, decent people who won’t give your sperm-murdering pills to anyone!”
“Noooo! Foiled again!” says Dr. Prescripto explodin in a puff a smoke.
“Now to take down the threat of Masturbatron – and the nefarious menstruation cycle!” says LifeMan.
“LifeMan, you have to help me!” says a little Muslim boy runnin up to us. “My father is being tortured to death by soldiers who have occupied our country!”
“This looks like a job for LifeMan!” says me!
“It sure does, little friend!” says LifeMan. “Police, please arrest this boy. He may have information vital to national security.”
LIFEMAN! ZOOM!
Returning to the Land of the Living
My site went down unexpectedly today when a hard drive crashed at directNIC (my webhost), and so for a spell you probably saw nothing at all, or a page indicating that bigjuicybrains.net was "under construction" (my most hated combination of words, saying absolutely nothing about a website except that its creator is a moron, since websites are always under construction). Now, thankfully, everything seems to have been restored from their backup tapes, though I'm going to have a look around and confirm this.
I also have to apologize for my sparse posting. I've been busy and a little down lately. I spent a lot of time watching the implosion of the US Republican Party as it embraced the worst of the evangelical wingnuts in their ghoulish efforts to "save" Terri Schiavo with distortion, bile, and a perversion of the checks and balances of the constitution that has backfired so terribly on the opportunistic politicians that they're carefully backing away from their "culture of life" stances and slanderous invective of a week before. I'm glad that the end is now in sight for that poor woman. I hate to think what would happen, particularly the violence that might ensue, if this drama and grandstanding and executive sabre-rattling persisted for much longer.
Otherwise, I've been feeling a bit blah about school, and also feeling a bit lonely in the girl department, though these concerns are but wisps against the broader backdrop of the world. But after a long and restful Easter weekend, I am sure to have my outrage batteries freshly charged and ready to rant again.
Sunday, March 20, 2005 I also have to apologize for my sparse posting. I've been busy and a little down lately. I spent a lot of time watching the implosion of the US Republican Party as it embraced the worst of the evangelical wingnuts in their ghoulish efforts to "save" Terri Schiavo with distortion, bile, and a perversion of the checks and balances of the constitution that has backfired so terribly on the opportunistic politicians that they're carefully backing away from their "culture of life" stances and slanderous invective of a week before. I'm glad that the end is now in sight for that poor woman. I hate to think what would happen, particularly the violence that might ensue, if this drama and grandstanding and executive sabre-rattling persisted for much longer.
Otherwise, I've been feeling a bit blah about school, and also feeling a bit lonely in the girl department, though these concerns are but wisps against the broader backdrop of the world. But after a long and restful Easter weekend, I am sure to have my outrage batteries freshly charged and ready to rant again.
Indiana Jones and the Culture of Life
I've been reading, quite unhappily, about the tragedy that has befallen Terri Schiavo, a 41-year-old Florida woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state for 14 years. Almost 40 percent of her brain has been replaced with cerebral-spinal fluid (CSF), which is to say that much of her brain is now liquid. She is incapable of consciousness, awareness, or speech. She is incontinent and only able to survive by virtue of a feeding tube that provides nourishment. Her husband has power of attorney and is convinced that she would no longer wish to be kept alive, but her parents insist that she should be kept alive, hoping she will improve one day, and a legal battle has raged in the courts for years. Finally, this week, a judge ordered that Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, could have the feeding tube removed. The US House of Representatives went so far as to attempt to subpoena Michael and Terri to "testify" before Congress, a stalling technique that would have prevented the feeding tube from being removed because of a rule providing that harming or preventing a person called to testify from testifying would result in a federal charge of contempt of Congress. This despite the fact that Terri Schiavo cannot speak and is not ambulatory.
Now the party of "small government" and "states' rights" is seeking to pass emergency legislation that would allow Ms. Schiavo's parents to apply to federal court to keep her alive, throwing out precedent from the state courts and stacking the deck against Michael Schiavo as the cynical right appeals to its "pro-life" base by intervening in the sad case of a family that is not at peace, and desperate parents clinging to the false hope that brains can grow back.
What I don't see is the outrage over several other cases where feeding tubes have been ordered removed:
Let's be clear on this. When Bush was Governor of Texas, he signed a law into being that allowed health care providers to end life support measures if recipients were unable to pay and recovery was medically determined to be unlikely. There was no outrage then, nor does there seem to be any now, or whenever poor people cannot afford to keep their families on life support indefinitely, even if those family members are infants. Meanwhile, Congress is also insisting that the budget will not go ahead until legislators slash funding to medicare which practically guarantees that more such cases will end in the cessation of interventions to keep people alive. At the same time, this celebration of the culture of life has reached the pitch that Mr. Schiavo and the judge who ruled in his favour are not receiving death threats from those life-loving evangelicals.
So what's left behind the chilling power grab from the judicial branch of government in the Schiavo case except crass opportunism?
Not to mention that Tom DeLay, who has taken such a personal interest in this case that he's actively expressing contempt for Michael Schiavo, is also benefitting from the distracting this brings from the mounting ethical problems that are threatening to bring down his career if they stay in the spotlight any longer.
Me, I think this is a sad case. If my higher brain centres were replaced with liquid, and I couldn't feed myself, speak, think, remember, be aware of the outside world, or even go to the bathroom, I wouldn't be wished to be kept in that state indefinitely. To do so now in the case of Terri Schiavo only satisfies the short-term political interests of a hypocritical and cynical elite who have no interest in making health care universally accessible (and who might thus ensure that people like Sun Hudson and Spiro Nikolouzos aren't forced off life support because no one has the money to sustain them). And I think it's positively ghoulish and hypocritical for the government to expend such energy to interfere now, when people in the US and around the world are dying senselessly from poverty, aggressive war, and treatable illness.
Let the poor woman leave this world with what little dignity remains after this feeding frenzy.
An update from Digby as the House and Senate vote in favour of the Frankenstein-ian bill to "save" Terri Schiavo:
Thursday, March 17, 2005 Now the party of "small government" and "states' rights" is seeking to pass emergency legislation that would allow Ms. Schiavo's parents to apply to federal court to keep her alive, throwing out precedent from the state courts and stacking the deck against Michael Schiavo as the cynical right appeals to its "pro-life" base by intervening in the sad case of a family that is not at peace, and desperate parents clinging to the false hope that brains can grow back.
What I don't see is the outrage over several other cases where feeding tubes have been ordered removed:
Sun Hudson, a six-month-old boy with a fatal congenital disease, died Thursday after a Texas hospital, over his mother's objections, withdrew his feeding tube. The child was apparently certain to die, but was conscious. The hospital simply decided that it had better things to do than keeping the child alive, and the Texas courts upheld that decision after the penniless mother failed, during the 10-day window provided for by Texas law, to find another institution willing to take the child.
Where, I would ask, is the outrage? In particular, where is the outrage from those like Tom DeLay, who referred to the withdrawal of Terry Schiavo's life support as "murder"? If it's appropriate to Federalize the Schiavo case, what about the people being terminated simply because their cases are hopeless and their bank accounts empty?
Sun Hudson is dead, but 68-year-old Spiro Nikolouzos is still alive, thanks to an emergency appeals court order issued yesterday. However, his life support could be cut off at any moment. A nursing home is willing to take him if his family can show that he will be covered by Medicaid after his Medicare runs out. Otherwise, the hospital gets to pull the plug.
The Texas cases contrast with the Schiavo case in two ways:
1. Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state, but isn't terminal. The two Texas patients were terminal but not vegetative. It seems to me that the distinction between a patient who is aware and a patient who isn't aware is the morally relevant one, while the disctinction between a death that is sure to occur soon and a death that is sure to occur eventually is morally irrelevant. (Try pleading as a defense to a murder charge that the victim had a terminal ailment.)
2. Terry Schiavo's husband has decided that she would have wanted to die, and the courts have upheld his view against the view of her parents. The mother of Sun Hudson wanted her child to live, and the wife and children of Spiro Nikolouzos want him to live. So while the Schiavo case is an intra-family dispute, the two Texas cases pit the families against health-care institutions motivated at least in part by financial considerations.
...
But the notion of letting the health-care providers decide, after doing a careful biopsy of the patient's wallet, strikes me as pretty damned outrageous. And it seems to me that the Right-to-Lifers ought to agree, though apparently anti-abortion groups had no problem with it when Gov. George W. Bush signed the Texas Futile Care Law.
...
What I can't figure out is how someone could be genuinely outraged about the Schiavo case but not about the Hudson and Nikolouzos cases. Perhaps Mr. Bush, who says he thinks there should be a "presumption in favor of life," can explain that to us.
Let's be clear on this. When Bush was Governor of Texas, he signed a law into being that allowed health care providers to end life support measures if recipients were unable to pay and recovery was medically determined to be unlikely. There was no outrage then, nor does there seem to be any now, or whenever poor people cannot afford to keep their families on life support indefinitely, even if those family members are infants. Meanwhile, Congress is also insisting that the budget will not go ahead until legislators slash funding to medicare which practically guarantees that more such cases will end in the cessation of interventions to keep people alive. At the same time, this celebration of the culture of life has reached the pitch that Mr. Schiavo and the judge who ruled in his favour are not receiving death threats from those life-loving evangelicals.
So what's left behind the chilling power grab from the judicial branch of government in the Schiavo case except crass opportunism?
ABC News has obtained talking points circulated among Republican senators explaining why they should vote to intervene in the Schiavo case. Among them: "This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited..." and "This is a great political issue... this is a tough issue for Democrats."
Not to mention that Tom DeLay, who has taken such a personal interest in this case that he's actively expressing contempt for Michael Schiavo, is also benefitting from the distracting this brings from the mounting ethical problems that are threatening to bring down his career if they stay in the spotlight any longer.
Me, I think this is a sad case. If my higher brain centres were replaced with liquid, and I couldn't feed myself, speak, think, remember, be aware of the outside world, or even go to the bathroom, I wouldn't be wished to be kept in that state indefinitely. To do so now in the case of Terri Schiavo only satisfies the short-term political interests of a hypocritical and cynical elite who have no interest in making health care universally accessible (and who might thus ensure that people like Sun Hudson and Spiro Nikolouzos aren't forced off life support because no one has the money to sustain them). And I think it's positively ghoulish and hypocritical for the government to expend such energy to interfere now, when people in the US and around the world are dying senselessly from poverty, aggressive war, and treatable illness.
Let the poor woman leave this world with what little dignity remains after this feeding frenzy.
An update from Digby as the House and Senate vote in favour of the Frankenstein-ian bill to "save" Terri Schiavo:
By now most people who read liberal blogs are aware that George W. Bush signed a law in Texas that expressly gave hospitals the right to remove life support if the patient could not pay and there was no hope of revival, regardless of the patient's family's wishes. It is called the Texas Futile Care Law. Under this law, a baby was removed from life support against his mother's wishes in Texas just this week. A 68 year old man was given a temporary reprieve by the Texas courts just yesterday.
Those of us who read liberal blogs are also aware that Republicans have voted en masse to pull the plug (no pun intended) on medicaid funding that pays for the kind of care that someone like Terry Schiavo and many others who are not so severely brain damaged need all across this country.
Those of us who read liberal blogs also understand that that the tort reform that is being contemplated by the Republican congress would preclude malpractice claims like that which has paid for Terry Schiavo's care thus far.
Those of us who read liberal blogs are aware that the bankruptcy bill will make it even more difficult for families who suffer a catastrophic illness like Terry Schivos because they will not be able to declare chapter 7 bankruptcy and get a fresh start when the gargantuan medical bills become overwhelming.
And those of us who read liberal blogs also know that this grandstanding by the congress is a purely political move designed to appease the religious right and that the legal maneuverings being employed would be anathema to any true small government conservative.
Those who don't read liberal blogs, on the other hand, are seeing a spectacle on television in which the news anchors repeatedly say that the congress is "stepping in to save Terry Schiavo" mimicking the unctuous words of Tom Delay as they grovel and leer at the family and nod sympathetically at the sanctimonious phonies who are using this issue for their political gain.
I found you, only to lose you.
Oh, the bittersweet mixture of sorrow and joy within me today as I discovered the pure, concentrated bile that is Things I hate about my flatmate, a blog about the fury and rage that can build within you when you have an inconsiderate person living in the house. The joy, the thrill, of finding someone who knows my pain. And then the crushing disappointment to see that the final post was made last week, as the anonymous poster has moved out. It's like Alanis said: "It's meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful wife. And isn't it ironic? Don't ya think? A little too ironic? Ya I really do think." Ah yes, a muse for the ages.
Anyway, it's the best thing I've read all week, so have a gander and treat yourselves to the incomparable archives.
Here's one example:
Anyway, it's the best thing I've read all week, so have a gander and treat yourselves to the incomparable archives.
Here's one example:
Last night at 1am I was woken by the door bell ringing, and was greeted by my flatmate apologising because she claimed to have lost her keys, again..
Before I left this morning, my flatmate asked to borrow my keys so she could get a new set cut, and casually mentioned that hopefully someone will return her keys because she had her name and address on the keyring. "Are you serious?" I said disbelievingly. "Yes, after loosing them last time, I thought it would be better if anyone who found them had enough information to return them". I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her stupidity is just to great for me to tolerate. "So, you know now that someone might have the keys to our apartment, and know where our apartment is... right?". "I guess so". "Do you think that might be a problem?". "Umm, maybe..". Oh dear, this bitch has no idea where I'm going with this. "OK, you're staying here today. You will not leave this house. I will put a new lock on the door."
Today's reason my flatmate pisses me off is she lost her keys which had her name and address on them, and didn't understand this was a problem.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury of the Court of Public Opinion
It cannot be over-emphasized that the purpose of a criminal prosecution is not to obtain a conviction. It is to lay before a jury what the Crown considers to be credible evidence relevant to what is alleged to be a crime. Counsel have a duty to see that all available legal proof of facts is presented; it should be done firmly and pressed to its limit but also done fairly. The role of the prosecutor excludes any notion of winning or losing; his function is a matter of public duty than which in civil life there can be none charged with greater personal responsibility. It is to be efficiently performed with a sense of the dignity, the seriousness and the justness of our judicial proceedings
(Boucher v. The Queen, [1955] S.C.R. 16 at pp. 23-24).
Below, Steve Gilliard discusses a former US prosecutor who has now been promoted to an hour-long CNN show in which she launches into tirades against the rights of the accused with the outrage of someone firmly convinced that people aren't charged with crimes unless they're guilty. This is an abhorrent attitude in someone whose involvement in the criminal justice system is limited to reading the Ottawa Sun (or the Toronto Sun or the Vancouver Sun... or, The [your city here] Sun) with its tabloiod coverage of crimes, courts, and uppity types what believes in rights fer peoples. It is an absolutely unacceptable and deplorable attitude to be taken by someone whose job it is to prosecute offences.
CNN, in a desperate attempt for ratings, has given former Fulton County prosecutor Nancy Grace an hourlong show on Headline News. Did they give the beautiful and sane Rudi Bahktiar a show? No, they move her to CNN after years of overnight purgatory. But they give the Fulton County avenging angel her own show which is so unhinged that it is marvelous, high freakish comedy.
Grace's story is tragic, in that her fiance was murdered, and that drove her to become a prosecutor, where allegations of her lack of ethics surfaced. Anyway, with her blonde hair and desire to smite any criminals, regardless of actual guilt, drove her to Larry King, then Court TV, now Headline News.
If you called Grace a crazy bitch, that would be an insult to crazy bitches everywhere. No, she's Judge Roy Bean with tits. I mean, if she could hire some Custer Battle types, she'd have given Scott Peterson the drumhead courtmartial and execution he so richly deserved. I mean, she would drag him out of the court room and shoot him on the courthouse steps, and toss his lawyer, Mark Geragos, a beating for defending him as well.
In Grace's world, guilty as charged isn't a conclusion, but preordained. Defendents are people waiting to go top jail or worse.
We're not talking Law and Order here, where Ben Stone wrestled with his conscience on a weekly basis over whether tis better to let ten guilty man go free than to convict one who is innocent. Real people's lives are affected when winning takes precedence over doing justice.
I believe firmly that the integrity of the justice system rests on both sides -- prosecutors and defence -- being diligent and honest and courageous. However, prosecutors are the gatekeepers of the system. They are vested with tremendous discretion to proceed or stay on charges, or withdraw them altogether, based on the weight of the evidence presented to them by police. The accused and his or her defence counsel are in a much more reactive position. If the Crown isn't going to go along with a fair settlement, or listen to an argument to the contrary, you must commit to trial if the rights of the accused to full answer and defence are to be preserved. Now, my sister is currently articling with the Crown Attorney's Office, and I think she's going to be a fantastic prosecutor for precisely the reason that she is very sensitive to the risks of wrongful convictions. She took the same innocence project class that I'm taking, worked with real clients there and here at the Clinic, and is perceptive, honest, and critical but fair. She's seen the best and worst of other Crowns and the defence bar in her region, and I'm perfectly willing to believe that there are some sleazy defence counsel out there. And I'm pleased that my future firm apparently has a widely known good reputation. I admire the work she's doing so far, and regret that we won't be able to duke it out much in court because of the need to avoid the apparent conflict of interest of having a brother and sister as representing the defence and the Crown on a given case.
And then there's someone like Nancy Grace, who has been tainted by personal tragedy and uses the legal system as a personal weapon. It's pitiable but inexcusable. I'm glad that she's been reduced to a talking head, but sorry that people might continue to listen.
Part of my grumbling today extends to the hand-wringing and soul-searching that followed the Air India verdict here in Canada. From all accounts, the accused were acquitted because the judge could not believe the testimony of the star Crown witnesses, and because the RCMP and CSIS (the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service) bungled the investigation so badly. Now some people (though mainly those who write headlines, it seems) are doubting the integrity of the judicial system and, again, acting as though being charged with an offence necessarily equals guilt. Although the crime was indeed a heinous one -- an airplane bombing in 1985 that killed over three hundred people -- convicting the accused on a weak and inconsistent case would also be tragic. One of the accused released the following statement on a website after the verdict:
"Our family deeply sympathizes with the families of those that died in this horrific tragedy," it said. "The anger and sadness that the families are going through because of today's decision should be directed towards the RCMP and Crown. They had given these families a false hope of justice by proceeding with a case without merit."
I don't pretend to know what really happened, or who is guilty or innocent. But there were serious problems with the case and we cannot convict on that basis. I am glad that many in the Sikh community, who were strongly affected by this case, are calling for an investigation into what happened, and why there are so few answers, rather than suggesting that the courts have failed them. The threshold for conviction should be a high one, given how many Royal Commissions of Inquiry have been convened in Canada over the past 15 years to examine why so many people have spent the best years of their lives in jail for crimes they never committed.
By Jove, I think he's got it!
I'm pleased to say that I'm really nailing the driving thing at this point in my lessons, which really has me encouraged and even more enthusiastic about hitting the road than I've already been. I had to impose a gap in my lessons over the past month because of trial preparation, and then a lesson was cancelled because of the freak snowstorm we got two weeks ago, and then I got deathly ill and didn't want to subject my instructor to having to sit in a car with me for two hours. Last week, after nearly a month of being unable to drive, I was a bit rusty for the first half hour or so of putting along in the standard, and as much as I enjoyed being back on the road, it made feel discouraged to make a few novice mistakes again like wandering in the lane if something caught my attention (especially shifting), and on one occasion I neglected to put the car back in first gear at a stop sign. My most horrifying error was making the mistake of slipping the car into first gear when I was attempting to shift into third while on the Vanier Parkway. The car slowed, the engine roared, and there were cars all around me. Fortunately, one thing that has stayed with me is that I keep my cool, solve the problem, and proceed safely when things like that come up. Once upon a time, little mistakes used to cause me to panic, and keep me rattled for some time afterwards, increasing the risk of making more mistakes.
Today, however, I was driving extremely well and with great confidence. I was shifting with ease today, and did my starts and upshifts perfectly, without stalling or lurching the car. We drove on the freeway for about half an hour for fun, and I was changing lanes smoothly and cruising along in fifth gear quite ably, chatting with the instructor casually all the while. I'm also pleased to say that I was parallel parking without difficulty again (what can I say, I'm a natural!). Best of all, after all the frustration and heartache brought by my baffling inability to back into a parking space, I was backing into parking spaces flawlessly today. My evaluation scores are continuing to rise across the board, and I know I'm going to be a fantastic driver before long. My progress has been slower simply because I don't have the means to practice outside my lessons, but I'm absolutely improving each time I get out onto the road.
Which is good, because a study released last week of side-impact tests showed that compact cars as a class perform horribly in high-speed side-impacts, and I'm planning on buying a Toyota Echo once I have my licence. So the better I internalize my Young Drivers of Canada "Collision Free Club" skills, the less my peril of dying a terrible, terrible death.
Friday, March 11, 2005 Today, however, I was driving extremely well and with great confidence. I was shifting with ease today, and did my starts and upshifts perfectly, without stalling or lurching the car. We drove on the freeway for about half an hour for fun, and I was changing lanes smoothly and cruising along in fifth gear quite ably, chatting with the instructor casually all the while. I'm also pleased to say that I was parallel parking without difficulty again (what can I say, I'm a natural!). Best of all, after all the frustration and heartache brought by my baffling inability to back into a parking space, I was backing into parking spaces flawlessly today. My evaluation scores are continuing to rise across the board, and I know I'm going to be a fantastic driver before long. My progress has been slower simply because I don't have the means to practice outside my lessons, but I'm absolutely improving each time I get out onto the road.
Which is good, because a study released last week of side-impact tests showed that compact cars as a class perform horribly in high-speed side-impacts, and I'm planning on buying a Toyota Echo once I have my licence. So the better I internalize my Young Drivers of Canada "Collision Free Club" skills, the less my peril of dying a terrible, terrible death.
Update on the Bell Canada fiasco
One of my nieces was sent this message from Bell Sympatico following her complaint about their recent, foolish, advertising campaign. Bell has quietly pulled the offensive ads and is issuing apologies to those who complained:
What's left, however, is a public apology from Bell. The lawyer in me doubts they're inclined to do so, on account of the fact publicly admitting wrongdoing just opens the door to bad press and (worse) lawsuits. Nevertheless, this is the next big goal and rabble.ca has an article discussing how you can contribute to the effort.
Me, personally, I'm not satisfied yet. Progress has been made but it's a very lame response on the part of Bell. I'm still signing up with Rogers high-speed internet next year, ya bums, unless you give me a good reason not to!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
This email is your feedback to our recent add [sic] campaign.
I appreciate your letter advising us of your concerns about recent advertising for Internet parental control, a Bell Sympatico security service.
First, I apologize for any offence the material caused. We have pulled it from distribution, effective immediately. The material was simply inappropriate.
We remain committed to addressing the important issue of Internet security in our advertising, our community investments, and our products and services. You may be aware that, we are a founding member of the Media Awareness Network and the Be Web Aware national awareness campaign. This initiative provides Canadian parents with the information and tools they need to help their children experience the extraordinary benefits of the Internet while protecting them from the risks. We also provide substantial financial support to Cypbertip.ca a national tipline for reporting child sexual exploitation on the Internet.
We strive to achieve very high internal standards for our advertising at Bell Canada because we believe we are more than just a business. As a leading Canadian corporation, we recognize and embrace our corporate citizenship obligations.
In this case, we made an error in judgment and for that we apologize. We are reviewing our advertising standards and the rigor of our approval process to minimize the chance that this will happen again. Rest assured, Bell is committed to advertising that reflects accepted community standards.
Thank you for sharing your views with us. It enables us to learn and do better in the future.
Regards,
Charlotte Burke
Bell Canada
===============================
What's left, however, is a public apology from Bell. The lawyer in me doubts they're inclined to do so, on account of the fact publicly admitting wrongdoing just opens the door to bad press and (worse) lawsuits. Nevertheless, this is the next big goal and rabble.ca has an article discussing how you can contribute to the effort.
Me, personally, I'm not satisfied yet. Progress has been made but it's a very lame response on the part of Bell. I'm still signing up with Rogers high-speed internet next year, ya bums, unless you give me a good reason not to!
Great moments in cloning
A central feature of my late grandmother's home was an orange tree that she grew from a seed. It was six feet tall and older than I was, and festooned with brilliant, succulent dark green leaves that smelled of oranges if you rubbed them between your fingers. The tree always had a prominent place in the sun, and in the summer it would go outside in the enclosed sun deck, where it would flourish in the intense daytime heat and light.
The last year of her life brought a decline in my grandmother's ability to attend to small things. She had to sell her house and move to a retirement home that winter, and only shortly before she died. I had moved out by that point, as she badly wanted to see me be independent, and but came back to visit as often as I could. One crisp night in late autumn, I'd visited and realized that no one had moved the orange tree out of the sun deck. I looked outside and saw it, leaves all wilted and black, looking as dead as a tree ever managed. In a panic, I ran it back into the warm house in the hopes that it might recover, but things seemed grim.
Because our grandmother was in no condition to look after her beloved tree, my sister brought the tree to her mother-in-law's house, as she had a tremendous knack with plants, and it was believed that if anyone could tend to the tree and restore it to life, she could.
And, wouldn't you know it, she worked a miracle. By spring, the tree was sprouting new branches and leaves and looking wonderful. The large branches could no longer sport leaves, but shoots would grow out of them that could, and it seemed very healthy and happy overall. The tree became extremely important to me after my grandmother's death, as it reminded me of her life and her capacity for love and nurturing. I've had it in the seven years since she passed away, and have strived to keep it happy and healthy. I've had quite a bit of luck, though I find that it always takes a spell in the winter and loses a great many leaves. Apparently it drops leaves when it receives too much water (or not enough), and I suppose the cold changes its metabolic needs.
Still, I worry that one day my luck will run out and it will lose one leaf too many. The tree will never fully recover its past splendor, as too much of it died when it froze. That's why I've decided to clone it. By that, of course, I mean I took a cutting and am now attempting to coax it to root and became a new tree that can grow alongside its parent, while having no dead sections. Last week, when I took so much time off, I got the chance to do a little puttering around the house, and since I had to go out to buy cold remedies anyway, I made a stop at the hardware store and bought some rooting hormone. The rooting hormone is actually a chemical that encourages cuttings to grow roots so that they can support themselves and develop into independent plants.
A week later, my cutting is still just a little green stick, but the important thing is that it is green, and I'm hoping that the coming weeks will see it begin to develop its own root system and begin growing into a proper little baby tree. The coming weeks should also bring renewed warmth and sunshine as spring gradually returns, and hopefully this will encourage it as well. I'll keep you posted.
Friday, March 04, 2005 The last year of her life brought a decline in my grandmother's ability to attend to small things. She had to sell her house and move to a retirement home that winter, and only shortly before she died. I had moved out by that point, as she badly wanted to see me be independent, and but came back to visit as often as I could. One crisp night in late autumn, I'd visited and realized that no one had moved the orange tree out of the sun deck. I looked outside and saw it, leaves all wilted and black, looking as dead as a tree ever managed. In a panic, I ran it back into the warm house in the hopes that it might recover, but things seemed grim.
Because our grandmother was in no condition to look after her beloved tree, my sister brought the tree to her mother-in-law's house, as she had a tremendous knack with plants, and it was believed that if anyone could tend to the tree and restore it to life, she could.
And, wouldn't you know it, she worked a miracle. By spring, the tree was sprouting new branches and leaves and looking wonderful. The large branches could no longer sport leaves, but shoots would grow out of them that could, and it seemed very healthy and happy overall. The tree became extremely important to me after my grandmother's death, as it reminded me of her life and her capacity for love and nurturing. I've had it in the seven years since she passed away, and have strived to keep it happy and healthy. I've had quite a bit of luck, though I find that it always takes a spell in the winter and loses a great many leaves. Apparently it drops leaves when it receives too much water (or not enough), and I suppose the cold changes its metabolic needs.
Still, I worry that one day my luck will run out and it will lose one leaf too many. The tree will never fully recover its past splendor, as too much of it died when it froze. That's why I've decided to clone it. By that, of course, I mean I took a cutting and am now attempting to coax it to root and became a new tree that can grow alongside its parent, while having no dead sections. Last week, when I took so much time off, I got the chance to do a little puttering around the house, and since I had to go out to buy cold remedies anyway, I made a stop at the hardware store and bought some rooting hormone. The rooting hormone is actually a chemical that encourages cuttings to grow roots so that they can support themselves and develop into independent plants.
A week later, my cutting is still just a little green stick, but the important thing is that it is green, and I'm hoping that the coming weeks will see it begin to develop its own root system and begin growing into a proper little baby tree. The coming weeks should also bring renewed warmth and sunshine as spring gradually returns, and hopefully this will encourage it as well. I'll keep you posted.
Quack, quack
Well, the doctor I saw today says I'm just fine, which somehow does not fill me with confidence given how rotten I feel. My head is still hot, achy, and dizzy, my tonsils are redder than a baboon's bottom, my lungs have less room for air what with all the yellow phlegm they've been accomodating, and although I've come into the Clinic to get some essential work done today, I've been suffering the whole time and exposing everyone to my infectious plague germs.
In fact, I don't feel the slightest bit better and I think it would serve that doctor right if I just died.
That'd show him.
Speaking of primates (however loosely), I think it is vitally important to remind you not to mess with them, in case you had an outstanding grudge with that know-it-all chimp from Every Which Way But Loose, or BJ and the Bear, or the evil monkey in Chris Griffin's closet. Remember: you know that horrible burning rage inside your brain that makes you want to take revenge on those have wronged you? That's a lingering vestige of your monkey brain. However, primates are all angry monkey brain. They are also much stronger than humans and literally capable of tearing you limb from limb, what with the exceptional upper body strength which they possess (and that we lack, thanks to our bipedal locomotion). They also have remarkably good cause to hate all humans.
Why do I bring this up?
I'm not trying to make light of this horrible mutilation, but rather draw an important lesson: Primates. Monkeys. Apes. Don't mess with 'em. And don't make them wear rollerskates.
Thursday, March 03, 2005 In fact, I don't feel the slightest bit better and I think it would serve that doctor right if I just died.
That'd show him.
Speaking of primates (however loosely), I think it is vitally important to remind you not to mess with them, in case you had an outstanding grudge with that know-it-all chimp from Every Which Way But Loose, or BJ and the Bear, or the evil monkey in Chris Griffin's closet. Remember: you know that horrible burning rage inside your brain that makes you want to take revenge on those have wronged you? That's a lingering vestige of your monkey brain. However, primates are all angry monkey brain. They are also much stronger than humans and literally capable of tearing you limb from limb, what with the exceptional upper body strength which they possess (and that we lack, thanks to our bipedal locomotion). They also have remarkably good cause to hate all humans.
Why do I bring this up?
CALIENTE, CALIF. - Two chimpanzees broke free from their cage at a California animal sanctuary Thursday, chewing off most of a 62-year-old man's face and biting his wife.
...
The couple, who had brought a birthday cake to Moe, were standing outside his cage when two other chimps in an adjoining cage, Buddy and Ollie, attacked.
Sanctuary officials say they don't know how Buddy and Ollie escaped from their cage.
Hospital officials say St. James Davis is in critical condition with massive injuries to his face, arm and leg. His testicles and a foot were severed and he will require extensive surgery to re-attach his nose.
His wife, LaDonna, was bitten on the hand while trying to save her husband.
I'm not trying to make light of this horrible mutilation, but rather draw an important lesson: Primates. Monkeys. Apes. Don't mess with 'em. And don't make them wear rollerskates.
Give it to me straight, doc
Well, it's my third day of being a sick bastard, languishing as I am here with a continuing fever, sore thoat, and congested lungs. I stayed home on Tuesday and Wednesday but had to briefly go in to the Clinic because I'm on the committee that is deciding who to hire as summer students, and we needed to meet today to make our final decisions because offers of employment will be made tomorrow. However, I'm feeling no better and in fact seem to be doing a little worse, making me think that I'm also coming down with bronchitis and strep throat, so I'll be seeing my doctor first thing tomorrow morning in the hopes that antibiotics will set me straight. In the meantime, it's more bed rest, History Channel, popsicles, and hot and sour soup for me.
In fact, so long as I don't turn out to be the victim of some horrible superbug, this won't be so bad a rest.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005 In fact, so long as I don't turn out to be the victim of some horrible superbug, this won't be so bad a rest.
If it bleeds, it leads
Ah, my precious vultures in the media have caught the scent of sexual controversy in the air and have entered into the fray about Bell Sympatico's ignorant and misogynistic attempt at humour in its advertising. Unfortunately, I don't subscribe to The National Post so I don't have access to the whole article, but here's a snippet:
If anyone does have access to the full story, please let me know. Perhaps it is as easy as just going out and buying today's edition. I shall see.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Internet security campaign excises private parts, leaves customers incensed Bell Canada insists it was just a joke. But a flyer depicting a textbook image of the female anatomy with certain body parts cut out is being decried as offensive by feminists and Bell subscribers, some of whom are threatening to drop the service unless the telecommunications giant issues a public apology.
The flyer, part of a multimedia ad campaign to highlight the Bell Sympatico Internet service and parental controls, was mailed out to households in Ontario and Quebec late last week. It shows a diagram of the female body with the breasts and pubic areas scissored. Part of the advertisement reads: "You'll do anything to protect your kids from inappropriate content. So will we."
If anyone does have access to the full story, please let me know. Perhaps it is as easy as just going out and buying today's edition. I shall see.
People say "confined to bed" like it's a bad thing...
All I can say is that my body enjoys finding ways to remind me that I'm overdoing it. All those long days and short nights have earned me a rather nasty case of the flu and I'm home, sick and short of breath, on this very snowy day. I came home last night with a terrible headache and a serious case of the chills. I went to bed shivering, and had feverish dreams all night, thinking about whether I'd be able to make it out of bed in the morning. Luckily, this last winter storm buried the city in snow and forced the cancellation of my early morning driving lesson, so I decided to stay in bed with my nice, toasty, cuddly cat, and watched history documentaries and Memphis Belle on the History Channel. All in all, a splendid day of rest, and one that was badly needed.
Then I got some great news via a phone call from the Legal Clinic -- I've been offered a part-time summer job as our web designer, so that we can finally get our anemic and elderly website accurate and up-to-date. This is a wonderful opportunity that I'm truly looking forward to. I couldn't come back this summer as a caseworker, since I'm graduating and all (and summer employees must take the Clinic Course as division leaders in the coming school years), plus I'm going to be busy with my Bar Admissions Courses in the summer. But this way, I can gradually wean myself off my beloved Clinic (unlike my poor older sister, who experienced a terrible sense of loss when she left last spring to begin Bar Admissions and her articles), still see my friends, and remain involved. I might even get to carry an interesting file or two and generally help out in the Criminal Division.
Not to mention that a summer job means money, and while money can't buy me love, it can buy some very satisfying substitutes.
Then I got some great news via a phone call from the Legal Clinic -- I've been offered a part-time summer job as our web designer, so that we can finally get our anemic and elderly website accurate and up-to-date. This is a wonderful opportunity that I'm truly looking forward to. I couldn't come back this summer as a caseworker, since I'm graduating and all (and summer employees must take the Clinic Course as division leaders in the coming school years), plus I'm going to be busy with my Bar Admissions Courses in the summer. But this way, I can gradually wean myself off my beloved Clinic (unlike my poor older sister, who experienced a terrible sense of loss when she left last spring to begin Bar Admissions and her articles), still see my friends, and remain involved. I might even get to carry an interesting file or two and generally help out in the Criminal Division.
Not to mention that a summer job means money, and while money can't buy me love, it can buy some very satisfying substitutes.
Freedom Bacon
The world's mightiest superpower, or petulant baby? Or can it be both? After Prime Minister Paul Martin heeded the wishes of the majority of Canadians last week and announced that Canada would not take part in the expensive failure to weaponize space (aka the missile defence program), Condileeza Rice has announced she is cancelling her visit to Canada in April. With the US administration sulking at the latest nation to exert a little backbone, can "Freedom bacon" be far away?
From the Daily Kos:
From the Daily Kos:
In one of the most childish and immature US foreign policy decisions recently, ("freedom fries" was the winner in that category prior to this), Condoleezza Rice has reportedly delayed her scheduled April trip to Canada due to this country's decision last week not to participate in the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) program.
The ripple effect created when Canada said 'no' to signing on to U.S. missile defence seems to have penetrated deeper south of the border than first believed.
CTV News has learned that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was so displeased by Canada's decision to opt out of the program that she's postponed a planned visit to Ottawa in mid-April.
A senior U.S. State Department official, who was on board a London-bound flight with Rice, confirmed to CTV News that the cancellation of the Canadian visit was a direct consequence of Martin's decision.
Washington State Department spokesman Adam Ereli took a softer line, saying there's still discussion going on about the timing of the meeting, and that "it'll happen when the stars are all aligned in the right way."
They're now consulting astrologists? Well, that sounds quite familiar, doesn't it?
Apparently, the US administration doesn't appreciate the fact that Canada actually has leaders who think things over and occassionally even listen to the electorate which does not support participation in BMD either:
That could take a very long time, reports Clark. He adds that it wasn't just that Martin opted out of the American plan but the way in which he did it.
Martin has sent signals in the past that he was in favour of Washington's missile defence program.
"I think our sovereignty depends on our being at the table when discussions are taking place about the defence of North America," he said about a year-and-a-half ago.
And last fall, Defence Minister Bill Graham made statements indicating it would be a serious mistake for the government not to be at the table with the Americans on the issue of missile defence.
But on Thursday, Martin announced: "BMD is not where we will concentrate our efforts. Instead, we will act both alone and with our neighbours on defence priorities outlined in (the) budget."
Further proof that thinking about things is not allowed:
Chris Sands of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies says that the result of Martin's backtracking on the issue could have negative consequences for Canada-U.S. relations.
"The one thing with Bush, the one thing you don't do with him is double-talk him. You tell him what you think," he tells CTV News.
Canada has now told him exactly what we think, so what is the US administration complaining about now? Oh. That's right. Because Canada does not agree with Bushco about BMD, our thinking must then necessarily be wrong.
Remember Paul Cellucci? US ambassador to Canada who told us last week that Canada has given up its sovereignty because we stuck up for our sovereignty? He weighs in now with this:
Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, says American anger and astonishment at Canada's decision runs deep.
Prove it Cellucci. Is that some kind of threat? And is delaying Rice's trip to Canada some kind of retribution? Frankly, was see that as a bonus. If she's so miffed about visiting us now because we made a decision to protect our sovereignty and independence, we'd rather she stayed home.
Meanwhile, back in fantasy land:
"Bush is very frustrated with Canada and the way Canadians are making their decisions, about everything from Iraq to missile defence," says Clark, adding that consequences of Martin's decision could impact trade areas such as softwood lumber.
Ummm, hello United States of America? The softwood lumber dispute has been going on for decades and guess what? Canada won at the WTO. What are you going to do? Invade and cut down all of our trees?
Dwight Mason, former chairman of the American section of the Canada-U.S. Permanent Joint Board on Defense, said one impact will come next year when the Norad agreement comes up for renewal.
"The decision to opt out of missile defence is an abandonment of some Canadian sovereignty," he writes.
Please. I'm asking nicely now. Can someone please explain to me how choosing to stand up for our country's policy decisions equals giving up our sovereignty? I've misplaced my copy of 1984.
What was it Rice had said during her confirmation hearings? Wasn't there something in there about practicing more diplomacy? Maybe that meant practicing diplomacy only with countries that agree with absolutely everything you believe in...or else. Yes, that must have been it. I guess I misunderestimated what US diplomacy this time around was supposed to be about.
It's like living with an abusive spouse: "I promise I'll change! I promise it will never happen again! I promise to do things differently next time!"
Smack.
