Rushing to New Lows

In the most recent attempt to politicize and trivialize the Virginia Tech tragedy, Rush Limbaugh has opined that the shooter must be a liberal. He railed against the rich so this apparently this makes him a liberal. Rush took great pains to say he wasn't drawing any conclusions about this but was merely stating a "fact."

Rush some more facts: to quote a fat drug taking radio conservative: "There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods, which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up. What this says to me is that too many whites are getting away with drug use.

Too many whites are getting away with drug sales. Too many whites are getting away with trafficking in this stuff. The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too....We are becoming too tolerant as a society, folks, especially of crime, in too many parts of the country....

This country certainly appears to be tolerant, forgive and forget. I mean, you know as well as I do, you go out and commit the worst murder in the world and you just say you're sorry, people go, "Oh, OK. A little contrition."... People say, "I feel better. He said he's sorry for it." We're becoming too tolerant, folks. "

Rush thinks Rush should be in jail. I'm not saying he should be in jail but I am just stating a fact.

Rush it is also a "fact" that Timothy McViegh - remember the Oklahoma City Bomber - was a Republican and a member of the NRA. I'm not making any observations here just stating a "fact."

The evil are not liberal or conservative. Shame on you for trying to make points.

Rush you're a boob and a bigot. Start (or continue) popping pills again. I'd rather a catatonic boob than a radio host trying to whip up a slipping audience so he can sell some more ads. Do us all a favour and shut up!

Canada Gored on the Environment - An Inconvenient Goof

The reality is that the Conservative Environment Program is a pile of crap. Its a remarkable flip flop and a poor sales job. Very little credibility

However, Al Gore should shut his trap in being critical of it. While its nice he's raising the awareness of climate change, he is a pure mouthpiece. How about some inconvenient truths Al buddy. We all heard about your $30,000 utility bill. How about your record on the environment as Veep?

It mostly feels like you're campaigning for President or the UN or something on the backs of our governement's policy. I'm guessing you didn't read it and are basing your critique on feedback from others.

Al - nice try but Butt out.

Those Flicking Liberals

The latest provincial government program aimed at reducing electricity use uses the theme "Flick Off." The font is such that it leaves little to the imagination. A clever double entendre. Its raised quick an uproar. A couple of thoughts:

a) getting additional publicity is not a bad thing. One to the plus side.
b) Premier Dalton says that it was a good way to communicate with young people. It is, however, a good way to alientate older people - who are probably less environmentally concious to start with and should be a primary target. SUV drivers. Big house owners with lots of light switches etc. Two to the minus. Too flicking clever by half.
c) people who get offended should cool it and get a flicking life.

The problem is clearly being clever and funny without giving a thought to the audience for the program. More flicking government waste.

Alec Baldwin and I Agree

Poor Alec is getting roasted for yelling at his ten year old on voicemail. Bad divorce and custody battle but that's not why I'm posting. I rarely agree with the left wing wingnut but I recently heard a quote with which I agree unequivacally.

'If I never acted again I couldn't care less'

I couldn't agree more.

Rantman has thicker skin than CBC reporter

If anyone cares to comment on any of these postings feel free. I may respond with words but I will enjoy the debate. Unfortunately that was apparently not the case for a CBC radio reporter in British Columbia. He sent a critic of his reporting a box of chocolates smeared with dirt and raw chicken. I've expressed disdain for several things about the CBC and will certainly now watch any anonymous free candy. As seems reasonable, CBC fired the gentleman but our great Canadian court system yesterday said that reporters who try to poison their critics shouldn't be fired. Perhaps they should be made to write for the Sun? That's ridiculous. He crossed the line and should be out of a job.

Stephane Dion - Can't we all just get along?

Well Mr Dion has msde a deal with Elizabeth May of the Green Party. He won't run someone against her and she won't challenge him. She'll also say that she thinks he'll make a darn good PM - better than Steven Harper anyway. If Mr Dion does me a nice favour maybe I'll say the same thing - well maybe not. Even Liberals are having trouble saying it lately. a significant case of buyers' remorse - Perhaps Iggy and Rae weren't so bad afterall.



On the other hand, maybe Dion has a point. Our system is really inefficient. We could have all the leaders sit down in a room and trade ridings.



"Look you guys did well in that riding and my candidate is really a wingnut - you can have it. I get this one - your guy was once accused of tax evasion anyway - and you say I have nice hair."



"Ok that works for me. Now in this riding you guys won last time but we generally poll well there and my brother in law is running. You can have that one. Oh and take the picture of me in that ridiculous tight outfit in Vietnam from your website and stop making fun of me about my makeup artist, psychic image consultant that taxapayers are paying for."



They could save us that whole election process. There might be some ridings that we need to do a poll to figure it out - DOOHHH that would be an election. What if we just did phone polls?

Stephane you may think you're smarter than the rest of us but making the decisions for us makes everyone but Elizabeth May think you'dbe a worse PM than Steven Harper and that's really saying something.

The Obameter

Well given the discussion earlier I thought I would introduce the Obameter - our tracker of Obama's current status. You'll forgive me if my rankings are inconsistent. I have really only a superficial knowledge of American Idol so can't really promise good analogies.

If anyone has a good graphic I'd appreciate it too.

Current setting - Taylor Hicks - not right at the front but showing some talent and in the race.

Barack Obama - Kelly Clarkson or Sanjaya?

It occurs to me that this extended US presidential primary season is not dissimilar from an American Idol season. Several contenders with varying degrees of ability and good looks are competing on a national stage for glory and approval. They all get somewhat famous and the winner is not always acknowledged as the bes choice. Simon might be Bill O'Reilly. You can see at least a bit of a parallel.

The question, then, is where does Barack Obama fit. He's clearly the new kid on the block with the least experience. He's raising almost as much money as Hilary - the judge's clear favourite so far. Sanjaya got lot's of votes and lasted longer than anyone expected. Mr Obama is being criticized as being (in the words of one commentator) "all hat and no cattle." Much style and little substance. At a health care forum recently Mr Obama admitted he did not yet have a fully formed policy stance on health care. You might not go to a forum if you had nothing to say other than its good to be healthy and we're working on a policy. Sanjaya too was thought to have little talent but great hair. Mush of his popularity was due to the dislike of the process and the frontrunnign contenders (tough to tell if this is Idol and singers or primaries and Hillary isn't it?).

Ms Clarkson is described as growing into the role through the process. It will be interesting to see if Obama is Sanjaya and flames out eventually due to a lack of depth or grows into the role and wins like Ms Clarkson. Maybe he'll be the VP candidate (not unlike the tours that follow the coronation in Idol). Much phone voting (polling) remains and we'll see where it all comes out. I expect Simon might find Hillary too polished without enough real feeling.

I'm also not sure which of the processes actually works better. They might actually not be that different in the end.

Another Sharp Criminal Mind

One wonders how people can be this dumb.

A man in Florida drove a van into a house. The homeowners saw the man flee. Police arrived to investigate. They find the car and a single shoe.

While the police are still there, a man walks up to join the crowd gawking at the crash site. The van remains stuck in the bathroom. The new observer is bloodied and is missing a shoe. Police note that his injuries are consistent with what they've seen when people hit a steering wheel in an accident. The man denies being the driver but the van is registered to his home address and the shoe fits him. In the paraphrased words of the late Johnny Cochrane - "if the shoe fits you must convict."

Why in God's name would you go back to the scene of the crime if you are still trying to get away with it? Maybe he left the six pack in the back seat and hoped to slip it away un-noticed?

Is Lord Black Unique?

In his newly released biography of Richard Nixon, Conrad Black suggests that Richard Nixon isn "uniquely sleazy" and that perhaps, therefore, history shouold be kinder to him. I'm not sure what was funnier:

1) that this would seem a credible and complimentary ode to Mr Nixon

2) the fact that I accepted so easily that it is likely true.

His relatively unique misfortune is that he got caught.

Da Dude is Dumb Dumb Da Dude is Dumb

I expect that John McCain thought he was being funny. Like old Ronnie Reagen with his we'll commence bombing shortly joke on live radio. A questioner asked him about Iran and his response was something like:

Remember the old Beach Boys song Bomb Iran, Bomb Bomb Bomb . . . heh heh heh.

It would in a general context be innocuous (although a stretch to say its funny - and I doubt he made it up - probably played by a cover band at the most recent neo-con fundraiser) but he's running for President and there is high tension with Iran. Not productive and not terribly smart. Like John Kerry saying it was good that his audience was in school so they weren't getting killed in Iraq.

Reminds me of the old Phil "i look creepy regardless of how my hair is cut" Spector tune

He tried to make a joke about dropping nukes, Da Dude is Dumb Dumb Da Dude is Dumb, somebody told he name is John Da Dude is Dumb Dumb Da Dude is Dumb

Cat Scratch Feeble

Apparently either the cat scratch fever or the years of rock and roll partying have addled the brain of ole Ted Nugent somewhat. He's a gun rights advocate and board member of the NRA - him and Chuck Heston grabbin a six pack and heading out shootin stuff from the pick up. He's now ranting against the call for increased gun control in the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech this week.

His contention is that events like Columbine, Virginia Tech and even the Amish school happen because the victims don't have guns. Let's cover the Amish thing first Ted

a) it was an elementary school - do we want them carrying guns - or their teachers?
b) the Amish are pacifists and wouldn't carry guns if they could more freely.

That aside - do we really want people in high school and at University carrying guns around?

1) How many more arguments would escalate into shootings? No mass murders but many many more individual shootings?

2) To use Ted's approach, let's look at examples. He highlighted that there were no heavily armed people at Columbine or Virginia Tech and that we should consider the result. Let's look at an example where more people are armed. How about Baghdad? We surely need escalation.

3) With better gun control, a chronically depressed kid with a history of suicidal thoughts might not have gotten a gun in the first place.

The events this week were tragic. I find it hard to believe that having more people carrying guns around at school would have done a lot to prevent it. I also wonder about escalation. Remember the shooting in Utah recently where an off duty officer pulled his weapon and was worried about getting shot by other cops.

No Ted. I'd rather take my chances.

He's a Nepo-Con Now

Well w's buddy Paul Wolfowitz is in a bit of hot water now. Get's a job leading the World Bank and amongst his first actions was approving a big raise for a a female companion. Kind of like making Monica Lewinsky Secretary of Defence isn't it? Paulie Paulie - you're making good money and have powerful friends. If you're diddling her get her a job somewhere else. Maybe White House intern? Maybe Dick has some pull at Haliburton? NOt the best judgement but when you're convinced your smarter than everyone else maybe don't believe you'll get caught??

Better luck next time.

Been away

No excuses. taking courses, coaching hockey and basketball. missed ranting and will do better.