Thursday #1

It's not often I agree , and even gush, over somebody else's opinion. This is one of those times. Thomas Walkom, of the Toronto Star, has nailed this one so well he would win the nail-driving contest at my Brother-in law's stag in the local barn. Here is the story, it is his opinion about the lopsided and illogical changes to the EI that benefits no one except the priviliged - the autoworkers. There is not one person who thinks that EI is working properly: from the people who would abolish it to those who would give it on demand for ever to anybody who wants it. This venerable insurance programme has been corrupted by politicians of all stripes and now is a minefield to wander through when you are most vulnerable - unemployed. So when there are thousands running out of benefit weeks, every week, and overwhelming the Social Assistance offices what does Harper and his neocons do? Give out more weeks to those who have only collected less than three times in the last ten years and have not, currently, claimed more than 35 weeks. Bizarre, silly and divisive. The NDP and the Bloc, who are keeping the Cons in power, and btw saving Iggy from a thrashing at the polls, are nuts. I wrote to most of the NDP caucus two days ago and asked them to examine this discriminatory change and guess what? No one answered, Jeez even Norlock has a better record than that!

If the local candidate is only worth 5%?

If the local candidate in any election is only worth about a 5% increase or decrease in the final numbers (and this is a bedrock of belief amongst pundits and pols alike) how can a story like this gain traction? This story, published in the "Hill Times" quotes spokespeople from Harris-Decima as saying, "The next election will be fought on a riding by riding basis." Kinda of a contradiction. Fighting the election riding by riding assumes that local candidates will be important to the election. Not!

If local candidates are going to be important let's look at what we have here in NQW. An incumbent who has been pasting the riding with cheques and cut ribbons and costing us a fortune on nonsensical free flyers - "householders", that arrive on what seems to be a weekly basis and two parties that have not announced who their candidate is going to be. The Libs have a nomination race with two no-names announced so far and a couple more in the wings, but nobody with "gravitas" yet. It appears that this will be a nomination fight by proxy - who can snag the biggest endorsement; round one to a man who lives in the riding but teaches in Kingston. Andrew McFadyen, from Warkworth, has been endorsed by someone who the average voter may have trouble remembering - Christine Stewart, an ex Chretien Minister. The Dippers haven't had a press release yet to announce a replacement for Russ Christianson, it is believed to be Will Lambert from Port Hope, but he had better start to get out this summer to the BBQs just to introduce himself.

Are you atwitterin' and shakin' just waiting for Iggy?

A couple of bits of local stuff first. This is all we have to show for a promise of $29 million - a drawing. But we can have more. On Thursday at Vic Hall the consultants and, presumably, the full Council will be there to present another prep session for the yokels with a presentation from the consultants. Hopefully they have more than a Power Point presentation and are prepared to face the first full session of questions from a yet to be convinced population.

One of the stimulus programmes is called the "Community Adjustment programme" and is based on the level of unemployment in any area. The premise being that if there are unemployed people there should be a programme to put them back to work. Well in its wisdom the County of Northumberland has discovered this programme (I guess that's why we pay Bill Payett the big bucks) and has decided to apply for some funds and hopefully use them to put people back to work. But in an obscene corruption of the guidelines the County has applied for funds to build a new landfill cell at the Brighton Dump. How many people will be put back to work by doing this, it a highly mechanised project and all of the heavy equipment operators and sewer workers are already back to work, so how many unemployed workers will benefit from this application?

Decision day for Iggy. Today is the day that opposition leader Michael Ignattief will declare if the Libs will vote non-confidence. He has backed himself into a corner and twisted himself around more than a ripe pretzel [enough enough - ed]. Locally no signs of heated campaign emails. the dippers all received an email from the party prez saying that an election could be coming send us more money but no serious stuff yet. Pundits figure Iggy on backing down, my money is on Bloc MPs not being around for the vote and Iggy not getting his numbers. National News Watch has put up the first of many stories to come about Iggy's moves, this one (in French) says that 'reliable sources' say no election!

A stimulating essay bound to be dismissed by the blockheads who will first read who wrote it! here An essay by Ian Brown of the G&M about the relevance of traditional Marxism in todays reality.

"Democracy isn't voting it's the counting!" Tom Stoppard from the play "Jumpers" Iran has certainly played up to that quote. All week the West has been trumpeting how close the election is and now the 'official' results claim that the incumbent has won by a thumping majority. Here's the first commentary on the numbers in the Iran election,

And the experts said it would not happen. In this era of biometrics and enhanced passport identification all was supposed to go smoothly at the border. But this story tells of a woman who was pulled aside and asked to strip because of her name. Canadian Border Officials will not explain the case or issue an apology but does admit that the woman was mixed up by an identical birthdate of a criminal in the system. So much for the enhanced stuff when the bullies at the border still rely on old technology!

Well worth the wait. Rented, in what must be the bargain of the year - $3.99 for two nights from Blockbuster, "Gran Torino" Clint Eastwood's latest movie. Nominated for an Oscar but not arriving anywhere near the podium, this movie is a traditional bad guy redeems himself to good guy. I enjoyed it but then I always enjoy the hokey complete tale.

What an interesting take on the state of affairs

This article from the G&M is very interesting (to me anyway) it should be required reading for pundits of all stripes. Article here

Snouts at the trough

Is anyone else getting offended at the number of people speculating upon the common good. Lists of potential Senators are being tossed around like lottery winners' tickets. Even if you like the idea of an appointed Senate, each one costing $150,000 plus plus, turns some noses. An unelected Senate is a throwback to to the class riddled, House of Lords at Westminster, where chinless wonders affected by years of inbreeding strut their stuff and sit in Pater's seat. Totally unrepresentive and devoid of the knowledge needed to govern common folk. Just look at the recent spat in the Island of Sark where the two richest men on the Island didn't get their slate elected in an exercise of democracy, the first in 400 years, and promptly shut their businesses down and destroyed the island's economy. That's the same attitude as in an unelected Senate - feudalism!

Today, a patrician of the G&M - Lawrence Martin, another man elevated to the stratosphere by the quality of his thinking (or so he implies) makes his list. And even more offensive than his punditry, to progressives, is his number one choice - Mike Harris. Read the article here

Just to change the subject, there is no place to escape the snow, but I'd rather be here to enjoy it!