Christian Conservative

Dinner with Doug Finley!!!

2012-01-27T13:29:00.003-05:00

Looking for something political to do next Thursday evening? How about dinner with Senator Doug Finley in Guelph?

That's right, he'll be the special guest speaker at Guelph's Annual Sir John A Dinner on Thursday Feb. 2nd. Tickets are $90, a portion of which will be tax deductible.

Contact the Guelph EDA at 226.706.5530 ASAP to book tickets! More info can be found at http://www.guelphcp.ca.

Sent from my Blackberry

"CIANO - Time to WIN" - Platform Launched!

2012-01-03T09:34:00.000-05:00

Today, Richard Ciano's "Time to Win" campaign launched his platform for reforming the Ontario PC Party, laying the roadmap for rebuilding the Party to enable it to win once again. Give a listen to Richard's platform intro message, and then check out the platform for yourself here!

"Ciano - Time to WIN" - Successful Launch!

2011-11-11T11:24:00.002-05:00

For those of you who missed the event live, you can catch the launch of Richard Ciano's campaign right here, thanks to YouTube.

All the best Richard! It's time to win, together!

"CIANO - Time to WIN" - LIVE FEED of Campaign Launch

2011-11-09T13:06:00.002-05:00

As the various campaigns for PCPO Executive get underway, I'm gonna come right out of the gate and throw my support 100% behind RICHARD CIANO for PCPO President!

I met Richard a number of years ago, and I firmly believe he's the guy that can reorganize the Party in a manner that can, you know... ACTUALLY WIN AN ELECTION. His campaign slogan is spot on... "Ciano - Time to WIN".

He's launching his campaign today in Richmond Hill, and for those who can't attend, they're going to broadcast the campaign launch LIVE online... and we're hosting it RIGHT HERE! Check out the LIVE FEED below of the campaign launch event, scheduled to start at 7:00PM TONIGHT, Wednesday November 9th.

For more information, or to sign up for updates, or to join the team, check out his website at TimeToWin.ca.

My Blackberry Playbook review

2011-10-18T17:08:00.003-04:00

It sucks. [END REVIEW]

Okay, maybe I should elaborate a bit more... try reading here, for just a SMALL sample of what I, and it seems many other, PlayBook users are going through.

Multiple users, all getting the same problem. When you first power on the unit, and get it on the wifi and then register your new account, it wants to do an immediate update. Sure, fine I think... and that's where the problems begin. Not just for me, but for MANY users.

Once the update process begins, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET OUT OF IT. If it fails, you have to reboot, and then after the reboot, it gives you two options: A) Try again, or B) Power off. That's right... it's TRY AGAIN, or NOTHING. So... I'm now on my SEVENTH attempt. I kid you not... MY SEVENTH. This time, lo and behold, it managed to complete the download of the update... after taking I don't know, an hour or so to download 300MB.

The power button on the thing SUCKS too. When it powers down the screen, it takes a couple of tries to press the power button "just right" to get it back on again. Flimsy is the word that comes to mind.

All in all, I've had the thing out of the box for four some-odd hours, just trying to get it past the initial setup portion... AND I'M STILL NOWHERE WITH THIS THING. At the moment, it's nothing more than a rather stylish looking PAPERWEIGHT.

An expensive, but stylish, paperweight.

Bottom line thoughts thus far... NOT READY FOR MARKET.

OOPS: McGuinty's OntarioWay = WRONG WAY

2011-09-29T14:37:00.001-04:00

A picture really CAN be worth a thousand words...

The Liberal FAILBUS is BACK!!!

Dalton McGuinty's "Jedi Mind Trick" on Ontario

2011-09-28T11:22:00.001-04:00

But the question is, will it work... AGAIN?

OLP Website DOWN

2011-09-08T14:43:00.001-04:00

LOL... EPIC FAIL guys...

(Ontario Liberal Party's website @ 2:35pm, Sept. 8, 2011)

Why leftist ideology will NEVER solve our social problems

2011-08-27T11:01:00.002-04:00

It's rather ironic that this post is going up today of all days, the day of Jack Layton's funeral in Toronto. But someone left a comment here on the blog today, once again fundamentally misunderstanding my views on helping the less fortunate in our society, and once again calling into question my faith for being a "Conservative".

Anyway, I responded with pretty much what I'm about to say, but then thought that with what's going on today, I'd post it for my general readership too. (plus, it's been a while since I last posted anything of substance, so I figured it's time to stir the pot again)

For all of you out there, my long time readers, long time haters, and those of who who've just stumbled across the blog for the very first time... Did you know that I acutally SUPPORT INCREASING welfare benefits? And did you know that I STRONGLY SUPPORT a strong social saftey net? And I do so based on my firm convictions as a CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE... as I'm a Christian FIRST, and a Conservative SECOND. And the two, despite what many on the left would have you think, are NOT mutually exclusive.

Where I fundamentally disagree with those who are on the left, like the late Jack Layton for example, is they way that most folks on the left envision the solution to these problems. Most of them (and I recognize that I'm making some significant and non-encompassing generalizations, I know) believe that by simply throwing more money at the issues, we'll be able to solve these significant and long-term issues. A large number of them also incorrectly believe that the way to get this money is to over-tax hard working people, thereby "leveling the playing field" as it were.

Personally, I think this is a REPREHENSIBLE philosophy, and only ENCOURAGES more of the same behaviours that are the root cause of SOME (but obviously not all) of the problems we face. In essence, it's a a fundamentally Communist perspective... take away from those who have, in order to give to those who don't. The problem with that perspective is that there are many of those who don't "have", who in fact COULD "HAVE", if they weren't repeatedly making bad choices.

For example, I've worked in front line healthcare, working daily with folks who are on social assistance. Of course, many of them VERY legitimately, who have conditions that prevent them from being able to provide for themselves. (see related ASIDE below) It's really sad to see the generational welfare families, who've figured out how to "work the system", and have taught their children how to do the same... kids who have now grown up with a "sense of entitlement", and have no desire nor inclination whatsoever to get themselves off the system. They look to the state for EVERYTHING, and blame all their problems on society in general, rather than looking to themselves and learning the benefits of hard work to improve their own lives. It's a desperately sad and vicious cycle, one that will be IMPOSSIBLE to break if we just keep throwing more money into the system.

(RELATED ASIDE: I remember one guy who really WANTED to provide for himself but just couldn't... was in a wheelchair, and had numourous conditions that prevented him from holding a job, because his body wouldn't co-operate with any kind of consistant schedule. So what did he do? When he was in good health, he'd spend a lot of time doing voluntary work, like sorting at the local Food Bank, and in general just trying to give back to the society that was supporting him. Had a GREAT attitude, and didn't convey any sense that he felt "entitled" to Government assistance. Now THAT's someone who more than deserves our support!)

So, I've come to the conclusion, as have many other Conservatives, that it's ONLY when we revamp the entire system, and get the "freeloaders" off the system, that we'll then have more money available to actually increase benefits to those who are genuinely in need. You see, I'm focused on the ROOT CAUSES of the problems we see, not the SYMPTOMS... but I percieve that most folks on the left are focused on the symptoms, not the solutions. Of course, most of them will turn around and say that the REAL root cause of our problems is the dreaded evil of "capitalism"... at which point I just roll my eyes, once again.

You see, I wouldn't call myself a "capitalist"... we just live in a capitalist society. AS HAS MOST OF THE WORLD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME. You know, the general principal of "If a man shall not work, he shall not eat." Which, interestingly enough, is a Biblical principal too.

Now of course if a man CANNOT work, then OBVIOUSLY we need to support him or her in our society. For the record, I want to HELP solve these issues, to "Do unto others as I'd have them do unto you", as the Lord Jesus taught us. But I have a fundamentally different perspective from those on the left as to HOW we need to go about solving them.

That doesn't make me an evil person... it makes me a "Christian Conservative". I'm just someone who wants to see the lives of ALL his fellow countrymen improved, without having to pay too much in taxes, of course.

RIP Jack Layton - 2011

2011-08-22T09:54:00.000-04:00

My wife called me this morning to let me know of the passing of one of Canada's great politicians... Jack Layton.

While I may have disagreed with many of his positions, no one could ever doubt the sincerity of what he believed. His voice was a clear and articulate one for the left, and the loss of his voice is a loss for all of us in this great nation.

My thoughts are with his family today. RIP, Smiling Jack.

Dear SW Ontario Ford Dealers

2011-07-27T16:49:00.000-04:00

Just sent this in to Ford Canada. Will post any follow-up I receive.

Good day,

I am seeking to track the owner of a dealer plate that was a member of a Ford F-150 truck convoy travelling westbound on the 401 last night around 9:30pm between Guelph Line and Hwy 6 North. As it was a fleet of 4-5 new F-150's, I am assuming the plate belongs to a Ford dealer in Southwestern Ontario.

The plate number in question was 204 DLE, and though the driver of this plate was not directly involved in my incident last night, he/she was the trailing member of said convoy.

Last night, this convoy was travelling in a tight pack in the far left lane, and was at times impeding the flow of traffic. That is, of course, when they weren't travelling recklessly at over 130kmh.

At one point, due to the other cars around, I was forced to move over into the left lane, at which time the incident I am reporting occurred. It was at this time that your drivers became hostile, for the apparent offence of having briefly disrupted their convoy. They boxed me in, the lead car (a beige Pontiac Transport) kept slamming on their brakes to force me back over to the right, and an F-150 severely tailgated me, flashing his/her high beams at me. It was during this time that the Transport driver flipped me the middle finger. Once I finally got back over, the team ROARED past me at well over 140kmh, potentially even over 150kmh, which as you well know could have resulted in the impounding of these vehicles.

This was some of the most unprofessional driving I have ever seen of a dealer, and I am expecting the team in question to be disciplined for their reckless actions, which endangered not only my safety, but their own, along with all the other drivers on the road last evening.

If these were not Ford dealer employees, then I apologize in advance. If, however, they were employees or contractors for a Ford dealer, then I await your response indicating what action will be take against these individuals.

Thank you for your time.

Ibbitson: A Primary system for Liberal Leadership?

2011-07-09T13:51:00.001-04:00

John Ibbitson put forward a radical idea today for renewing the Liberal Party in his Globe & Mail article... how about opening up the Liberal Leadership process to an open and national primary system? And you know what? I honestly think that's a GREAT idea!

Most of my readers will know, of course, that I'm a card-carrying Tory, and that I'm committed to the DESTRUCTION of the Liberal Party of Canada... IN IT'S PRESENT INCARNATION, that is. Fundamentally, on a vast majority of the issues, I actually fall more to the left side of the Conservative Party... other than key SoCon issues of course, but I'm actually a lot more "Red Tory" than most people realize. (for example, most long-time readers will recall that I'm not a big fan of "small government"... I'm more a fan of "SMALLER Government", but do think that the Government should indeed be in charge of more sectors than my Libertarian friends do...)

All that being said, I do believe that Canada needs a true "centrist" option, but one that's NOT powerful enough to be able to form a Government on it's own. I think having a smaller rump of a party, say 20-40 seats, that could be a governing partner on either side of the political spectrum, would be a healthy thing for Canada. The problem is that the current LPC doesn't really care about the issues, they care only about POWER... and as such, spends more time trying to score political points with issues, instead of articulating an actual VISION that keeps the Party consistent. (one of the reasons I hate the current LPC so much is that they have the political consistency of JELLO... wobbly, slippery, and impossible to nail to a wall) So an idea that will force the LPC to actually define a more consistent VISION, even one that changes with the changing of it's leadership, (instead of changing on an issue by issue, week to week basis) could be beneficial to Canadians. (And it might help to end the trend of mindless peons who simply vote Liberal because their families have ALWAYS voted Liberal, because people would actually have to start THINKING before they vote for their "default" family option...)

This idea might actually lead to a true "centrist" Canadian party, instead of a leftist/statist conglomerate of special interest groups that Canadian voters soundly rejected in the last election. Imagine... average voters, who want to have a say but don't want to pay a membership or join a Party, being able to pick the "vision" from a field of candidates that most closely aligns to their own. It would result in LESS power for the special interest groups that currently hold the Liberal Party hostage, and create a more "Canadian" centrist party than currently exists. Because you see, right now the Libs think that only what they deem as "Canadian values" are the only values that are legitimate... this would end that notion, because real CANADIANS, and not special interest groups, would be telling the LPC what "Canadian" values really are.

As a result of that, their platform would be RADICALLY different than their most recent offerings. It would be a more realistic reflection on what Canadians are actually thinking, and not what the various LPC Grand Poobahs try to LECTURE Canadians on how they should think. (by the way... how's that strategy working for you guys these days?) Hey, if the regular Joe Canadian was able to have a say like that, they may even come up with a vision that I'd be willing to vote for! (Of course, I'm talking about when Harper retires after his FOURTH CONSECUTIVE MAJORITY MANDATE!

Of course, you all know why I like Harper so much... clearly RIGHT, but pragmatically so, and as such able to make decisions for the good of the WHOLE COUNRTY, not being held captive to the influence of one or two special interest groups. He lines up with my vision of the country perfectly... someone who's clearly "conservative", but can govern a nation filled with people of ALL political stripes. Yea, I'm hoping he sticks around for a few terms.

But back to the Liberal Party... I actually voted for them in 1997. NOT for the LPC of course, but for my LOCAL candidate. I'd met him a number of times, and he more closely aligned with my vision and values than the "used car salesman" that the Reform had put forward, or the "dead man walking" that the PC's had put forward. (plus there was that whole "get your act together before I vote for you guys" attitiue that I had for both parties on the right back in those days...)

So personally, I'm a fan of Ibbitson's idea. Just imagine with me for a few moments... various candidates with truly differing visions, travelling around the country from province to province, with different provinces voting on different days, weeks apart like in the US primaries. Have two "divisions" of provinces, with the smaller ones slated to go first, and the three most populous ones later in the process, to ensure that the Big Three don't get to decide who the leading candidates are before the rest of the country has had their say. Instead of having set dates within each division, have a randomly assigned order every cycle, so that you don't get a PEI or New Brunswick always going first, and thus avoiding a perpetually and overly important New Hampshire or Iowa primary. This would also ensure that no one of the Big Three gets to set the agenda for the other two, which would certainly NOT be helpful to national unity.

By having such a process in place, and allowing ANY Canadian to have their say, it would not only renew the Liberal Party, but it would have a profound impact on the other parties as well... the Conservative Party would thereby define themselves with a truly "RIGHT" vision, and the NDP would more likely define themselves with a truly "LEFT" vision. Once the votes are cast in the General Election, Canadians will have more clearly indicated where they want the country to go, and opening up the potential for true coalition governments that would likely more accurately reflect the political will of the people.

For the record, it would actually be NICE to have a real CHOICE when it comes to voting... because right now, I don't have much choice at all. If I don't want to vote Conservative, I don't have an option... there's no way I'd give the NDP the keys to 24 Sussex (though I do think you're a nice guy and all Jack...) and I know the current Liberal Party would simply continue their pattern of social destruction that started way back in 1968. (fortunately, I've got it easy these days, with Harper in charge... cause I actually WANT him to be leading the country. As for the next leader? Who knows... a Mike Harris or Bernard Lord sure, but a Kim Campbell, a Jean Charest, or maybe a Libertarian? Not a chance!)

And I'm being serious here guys... this isn't some nefarious post, secretly wishing that they take my advice and completely destroy themselves... this is an honest evaluation of the idea. It's an idea that I'd very likely partake in... and if I don't like the result of the Leadership contest, I've still got the Conservatives as an option! But I think such an idea would offer real CHOICE to Canadian voters, and would allow for an open, honest, and regularly renewed Liberal Party of Canada. Which is, if I'm correct, what they're aiming for this time around. Well, at least that's what many Liberal voters are hoping for... but as for the current crop of Party insiders, I'm not holding my breath.

GOODBYE KOODO!!!

2011-07-06T13:12:00.003-04:00

Well, being an IT guy, and being the resident cell phone expert amongst my friends and political circles, people ask me for advice on who's got the best deals for cell phones. And invariably, for average usage folks, I've always spoken well of Koodo... low cost, and great value for what you get.

BUT NOT ANYMORE!!! Thanks to their low cost, or rather, cheapskate billing practices, I nearly ended up getting a collections black-eye thanks to the folks at Koodo... because THEY never bothered to send me an electronic bill, which is what I'd signed up for! You see, their way of doing things is that instead of sending your monthly e-bill to your e-mail, which is what I "thought" I was signing up for, you actually have to go and register on their website in order to get access to the e-bill.

The real kicker is when you cancel your account (which I'd done, because it was an Election 2011 campaign phone)... you'd think they'd send you a final invoice in order to get their money, right? WRONG!!! All I got from them was a PAST DUE notice, and a threat of getting sent to a collection agency! How's THAT for "Customer Service"???

Funny thing is, if they'd just sent me the bill, paper or electronically, they'd have had their money MONTHS AGO!!! (say, May 3rd?) Instead, cause of their backwards billing processes, they've had to wait an extra two months for their cash, AND have gone and lost me as a customer, AND a whole whack of folks to whom I'll be making recommendations in the future!!! Did I mention that I've already steered two people today away from Koodo?

Plus, I seem to recall that there's a campaign coming up soon... guess who's NOT going to be getting our cell phone contract! And likely this post will influence a few other campaigns to go elsewhere too!

WELL DONE KOODO!!!

UPDATE: Oh the power of the blog... got a response:
"Looked at your account & from what I can tell the issue seemed to have been that your bills have not been received by you. I can see that they were sent to Canada Post with your address that we have on file. As long as our records are correct I don't have a ready answer why they haven 't arrived even prior to the CP strike. Because of privacy and security concerns we don't email invoices and I don't think anyone else does. Since you were set up to receive a paper bill no email notifications were sent out. I also see that you called and now have access to your bill through our self-serve site. Disappointing that it took us this long to solve things, but I think we have learnt from the experience and will make a few reccos to our team. Thanks for your feedback! Bernard from the Koodo Team"

Thanks for the reply Bernard... you're right, I never got a bill, not even once, even though I paid the extra $2 a month for them. Guess I need to call back or a credit?

CPC Convention '11 - Ottawa

2011-06-10T20:01:00.000-04:00

"A Strong, Stable, National, Conservative Majority Government... I still love saying that." The Right Hon. Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper

Listening to the PM right now, giving his Convention speech. My "Live Blog" report...

It's a happy night indeed, and it's a proud "Thank You" speech to EVERYONE who had a hand in May 2nd's victory... And a "Standing O" for all the volunteers who worked so hard for the last nearly decade to get us to where we are today... like Mr. Harper just said again, "A Strong, Stable, National, Conservative Majority Government".

"My friends, we are moving Canada in a Conservative direction... And Canadians are moving with us." HEAR! HEAR!

"Today, we have the LOWEST Federal tax burden since John Diefenbaker." LOUD CHEERS

Protecting Canadians instead of the rights of criminals... APPLAUSE

Passing our Tough on Crime agenda within 100 days... LOUD CHEERS

"We will put forward legislation to scrap the Long Gun Registry"... LOUDEST CHEER OF THE NIGHT, and a Standing "O" for good measure

No more appeasing Dictators with our votes in the UN... another LOUD CHEER, maybe louder than the Long Gun one, and another Standing "O"

Scrapping Per Vote Subsidy gets another cheer.

"We are a united Party... Not a Party of Entitlement"

"We know that we serve at the pleasure of the Canadian people... and that belief is at the core of who we are as Conservatives."

"Friends, the honeymoon with the NDP will pass... In fact, I don't think any honeymoon could end faster than one with the NDP."

"Conservative values ARE CANADIAN VALUES"... CHEER, LOUD APPLAUSE, FASTEST STANDING-O OF THE NIGHT

"We didn't come here to do politics... Our Party has been called to a great purpose... To bear a bigger load..." To be a LEADER in the world."

"God Bless you, and God Bless Canada!"

And with that, the PM wrapped things up. A GREAT speech, one that I think sets a great and positive tone for the years of Governing that are to come. It's gonna be a GREAT RIDE!!!

Sent from my Blackberry

Change Ahead - The Ontario PC Convention

2011-05-27T18:22:00.002-04:00

If you can't make it to this weekend's Ontario PC Convention, HAVE NO FEAR! They're webcasting it LIVE right here... www.changeahead.ca!

And keep your eye on my Twitter feed, @ChristianConsrv as I'll be liveblogging/tweeting the event!

Canadian Government Funding Blasphemy

2011-05-19T14:05:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: The band and the record label have voluntarily withdrawn the album, and have returned the taxpayer funding for the project. They're intending to re-release the album in a non-taxpayer funded format... as is their right. It's still a piece of blasphemy, but now I simply pray for their souls. :END UPDATE

In a word, DISGUSTING... the Canadian Government has (perhaps unwittingly, I'll grant that) provided over $14,000 to fund a punk album that openly mocks Islam, running the risk of riots from coast to coast.

Oh, did I say "Islam"? I meant "Christianity". (now watch how fast the Left goes from righteous anger to excusing religious intolerance... in 3, 2, 1...)

So, now that it's open season for Government funding on faith, does that mean someone can now apply for funding from the Government of Canada to openly mock Islam's "prophet" Muhammad? I think we all know the answer to that... ABSOLUTELY NOT, and that's EXACTLY how it ought to be. Free speech is one thing, but TAXPAYER FUNDING for things that openly mock the faith of others IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, regardless of who's faith is under attack.

There is only ONE acceptable answer to this... the funding needs to be revoked and/or immediately repaid to the Government, and the bureaucrat who authorized this expenditure MUST BE CLEARLY DEALT WITH, with a clear and public apology for his/her insensitive and idiotic decision. A clear message needs to be sent... RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IS UNACCEPTABLE IN ANY FORM WHATSOEVER WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS NATION. And if they refuse to apologize... FIRE THEM.

AND... I fully expect ALL PARTY SUPPORT FOR THIS. Your first chance to do the right thing, Mr. Opposition Leader.

My CPC Seat Prediction was... 162

2011-05-07T11:08:00.000-04:00

And my friends thought I was nuts... who'da thunk I'd guessed TOO LOW. Final result: 167.

Post-Election review hopefully coming early next week, once I've caught up on a few things.

Are Liberals behind Layton smear? My Two Cent Theory

2011-04-30T11:08:00.000-04:00

Okay, before my "fans" start finger pointing and saying that the Layton smear-story was from us, I thought I'd insert some logic into the discussion, and list some of the MANY logical reasons why this story DIDN'T come from us.

1) It came via SunTVNews. That in and of itself should tip people off that it's NOT from us, because it's too close to home, as it were. Think about it... with many folks accusing SunTV of being nothing more than a Tory puppet, any "scandalous" story from them will AUTOMATICALLY be assumed to be from us. Therefore, we'd give something like this to ANYONE but SunTV, to mitigate any potential fallout.

2) It came via SunTVNews... why on earth would we give a "scoop" like this to SunTV, right after they bit us over the fake Ignatieff photos? Yea... once bitten, twice shy. We'd take it somewhere else.

3) I'd love for ANYONE to show me ANY kind of electoral math where this story even POTENTIALLY helps us... cause it doesn't. There is NO WAY WHATSOEVER where the Tories are helped by this story... NONE. The "values voters" are already ours, so we don't gain there. The story smacks of a smear job, and we're suspect because it came from SunTV... we get HURT, not helped.

4) There's ONLY ONE PARTY that could in any possible way be helped by this story... and that's the Liberal Party of Canada. The story smacks of a "Hail Mary Pass" to save the furniture... NOT something the guy in the lead pulls out of his hat. One of my friends had suggested that it helps the Bloc more, but I disagree, because I don't think they have the sources and contacts on the ground in Toronto to be able to dig something like this up.

5) Further to #4, if this does cause some folks to reconsider their new found support for the NDP, where will they go? That's right... BACK to the Liberals. Again, this story helps the Liberals, NOT the Tories... hence, it's not from us.

Other thoughts? You'll note I'm not posting a link to the story itself, as I'm not in favour of pushing it whatsoever... but I AM interested in finding out the motivations of whoever passed the story on to SunTVNews.

NOTE: Due to the nature of this story, comments will be moderated... so play nice.

The landscape is shifting

2011-04-21T10:08:00.000-04:00

And I'm not just talking about the political EARTHQUAKE in Quebec, where now THREE pollsters, CROP, EKOS, and Nanos all show the NDP in either first or second place... AHEAD of even the Bloc!

No, I'm talking about the reality on the ground in local ridings. An interesting and almost unheard of phenomenon is going on... there are Liberals in our campaign offices.

No, not spies... long-time Liberals, who are showing up one after another, taking signs, putting up signs, stuffing envelopes... WORKING for the local Tory candidate.

I was briefly in the Guelph campaign office of Marty Burke, another place where this is occurring. There seems to be two major factors driving it... dislike of Michael Ignatieff, and an extreme dislike of Frank Valeriote, the local MP. (even amongst his own extended family... the Italian vote isn't rock solid Liberal anymore!!!)

I've been hearing the same story from contacts in other ridings too... where traditional Liberal voters are "crossing the floor" to support us. And you know what the number TWO comment from them is? (with Michael Ignatieff being number ONE)

They quote Mr. Harper... "It's time for a MAJORITY."

FUNNY: Iggy's "Old Spice" Ad

2011-04-14T14:42:00.000-04:00

LOL... I wish I could pull stuff like this off. A GREAT roast on Iggy that's been put out there, in parody of the "Old Spice Guy" ads!

LINE OF THE DEBATE goes to... LAYTON!!!

2011-04-12T23:34:00.000-04:00

No question about it, Jack Layton had the line of the night with this barb he threw at Michael Ignatieff, over his lack of attendance in the House of Commons.

And now we juxtapose: "Kissing Babies"

2011-04-08T21:17:00.002-04:00

Harper:

Ignatieff:

New CPC Ad: "OUR COUNTRY"

2011-04-05T14:22:00.000-04:00

WOW... just possibly THE BEST political ad I've ever seen!!! Way to go CPC!!!

Micheal Ignatieff's Contempt of Parliament

2011-04-05T12:42:00.001-04:00

In an ironic twist, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has today called on Prime Minister Harper to show contempt for Parliament!

Yes, you heard that correctly... Michael Ignatieff actually WANTS the Prime Minister to do something that would be in contempt of Parliament! First, Iggy falsely accuses the PM of acting in contempt, and with his Opposition allies forces an election over his false accusations. But today, he's flip-flopped on that position, and now wants Mr. Harper to directly interfere with a report from an independent Officer of Parliament, and usurp the prerogative of the House of Commons by making her report public before the House has had the opportunity to see it first.

Which is it, Mr. Ignatieff? You can't have it both ways... you can't falsely accuse him of contempt, and then actively encourage him to do something that would in fact BE an act of contempt. That's what we call "Hypo-Grit-cy".

The ironic thing is, if he hadn't forced this unnecessary election, the AG would today be issuing that report that Mr. Ignatieff so desperately wants to see...

Frank Valeriote makes ANOTHER website mistake

2011-03-31T15:57:00.001-04:00

First, the website address on his signs was busted... this time, it's an ethical issue on his MP website... check below. Can you see the mistake? Can you see the violation of the rules for MP's websites?

Did you spot it? No? Here's a hint... what Party does Frank belong to? NOW YOU GOT IT!!!

MP's websites are NOT permitted to display the partisan political logos of the Member's party... that's a no-no. Frank got caught doing the same thing a few years ago on his 10%ers too, as seen here...

Sorry Frank, better luck next time... in the meantime, make sure you get your web guys to pull the logo ASAP. We'll be watching.

Get your Iggy, your Jack, and your Gilles on with "The Coalition Collection"!

2011-03-29T22:55:00.000-04:00

The Libs were offering "Iggy Eyebrows" for people who donated online (no, seriously... they really were!!!), and now guess what? The other two Coalition partners have joined in! Get your Layton Mustache now! Get your Gilles hairnet too! Collect all three to complete your "Coalition Collection"!

Shamelessly stolen from Stephen Taylor, the new KING of wearable electoral fashion!

"The Last Liberal" - Inside the Liberal War Room

2011-03-29T19:40:00.002-04:00

Almost forgot about all these videos... but this last one is SOOOOO appropriate right about now!!! If you remember the final scene from "The Last Starfighter", here's a more modern interpretation... in the context of Ignatieff and the Liberal election campaign...

PM Stephen Harper performs piano with 10-year old Youtube sensation Maria Aragon

2011-03-29T19:29:00.001-04:00

Love his line... "and no religion too... I'm gonna get in trouble for that..."

Another Liberal talking point gets TRASHED

2011-03-28T16:33:00.001-04:00

Oh, so Ignatieff is claiming that Harper tried to form a "coalition" back in 2004, is he? Let's hear the truth from their own mouths instead, shall we?

Let's turn our attention back to those heady days back in September of 2004, shall we? Then Prime Minister Paul Martin had struck the Gomery Commission, who's mandate was to look into allegations of corruption relating to the Liberal Party of Canada in Quebec. By September of 2004, explosive testimony had already been heard, and there was fear that Martin may seek to force an election before Justice John Gomery had a chance to complete and issue his first report. The Opposition Leaders discussed the situation, and decided together not to form a coalition, but to ensure that Prime Minister Paul Martin could not engage in any underhanded manoeuvres to force a new election prior to Gomery's Phase I report being tabled. The Opposition leaders, then being Harper, Layton and Duccepe, were simply ensuring that the Liberals could not sweep the AdScam scandal under the rug, and that the Canadian public would be able to see the full report before any election.

That's right... there was no coalition. Just an insurance policy to prevent Martin and the Liberals from sweeping their corruption under the rug.

But I guess we ought to thank Mr. Ignatieff for reminding us of about what was going down in the Liberal Party back in 2004... scandal, corruption, kick-backs, money in brown paper bags, and if I recall correctly, the Liberal Party of Canada handing the Canadian taxpayer a cheque for $1.14 MILLION DOLLARS... a fraction of the missing money that AdScam stole from us. Where did the rest of it go? We still don't know.

Any ideas on that Iggy? Oh, right, never mind... you weren't around back then.

(Side Note: Mr. Duccepe called Mr. Harper a liar this week... suppose he's going to apologize, now that his own statement has come to light? Yea, I don't think so either...)

HOW THE COALITION WILL MAKE MICHAEL IGNATIEFF PRIME MINISTER

2011-03-28T09:37:00.006-04:00

According to Liberal MP David McGuinty

Here's the scenario... on Election Day, Mr. Harper wins with the most seats, but falls just shy of a Majority. The Governor General asks him to form a Government, to see if he can maintain "the Confidence of the House".

Considering that the Opposition Parties just voted non-Confidence, the likelihood is VERY HIGH that they will NOT grant Mr. Harper the "Confidence of the House".

So what happens in that result? The Governor General will then, according to Constitutional tradition, approach the Leader of the SECOND PLACE party, and ask him to seek the "Confidence of the House" by forming a Government.

That's right folks... THAT'S how the Opposition parties are planning to make Michael Ignatieff the Prime Minister, even if Stephen Harper wins the election without an outright Majority.

Don't believe me? Then listen to Liberal MP David McGuinty, as he lays out that very scenario for CBC's Evan Solomon...

There you have it folks... if Stephen Harper does not win an outright Majority on May 2, the Opposition Parties will ensure that they wrest power, and anoint their anointed Leader, Michael Igantieff, as Prime Minister.

Because don't forget... THE COALITION DEAL IS STILL IN FORCE!!! This was their plan all along... wait until the Budget came down, drop the Government, fight an election campaign, and then take power by ANY MEANS NECESSARY, since they already had the framework in place.

There's only one way they can disprove my theory... for Michael Igantieff to publicly withdraw his signature on the Coalition Accord.

OOPS - Anyone checked out FrankValeriote.ca?

2011-03-27T21:49:00.004-04:00

If you're going to put your website address on your election signs... YOU THINK YOU'D MAKE SURE IT WORKS FIRST!!!

Guelph Liberal Candidate Frank Valeriote's team have been proudly putting up their election signs in Guelph for the last two days, with their website address, FrankValeriote.ca (UPDATE: link severed, see below) proudly displayed, as seen in the picture here posted by the UoG's Young Liberal Association...

However, has anyone bothered to look and see what's posted on that site? I'll bet you at least a few dozen people have... and what, you ask, might they find there? Some words of encouragement on why they should pick Frank to be Guelph's MP? Maybe some policy positions of the Liberal Party? Maybe a photo of Frank posing with his leader, Michael Igantieff? (on second thought, scratch that last one... why would he hang that millstone around his neck...)

How about NONE OF THE ABOVE? I present to you, Frank's website as of this very moment!

And just in case, I also checked out Valeriote.ca, which some voters may mistakenly assume is the website, based on his signs...

Nope, not that one either! Sigh, poor old Frank... right out of the gate, and falling flat on his face. There's a real sense of irony in his slogan too... "Doing the right thing". #FAIL

UPDATE: Took them a few days, but they FINALLY got things working... therefore, to ensure that I'm not driving any traffic his way, the above links have been severed. ;-)

Election concerns of kids

2011-03-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

True story from a friend's dinner table tonight, when discussing the prospect of a Federal Election. Concerned about a possible Green Party win, my friend's son asked the following:

"Will the Green Party take away my meat?"

Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla seeking to "gag" nanny

2011-03-23T07:27:00.000-04:00

Yea, I'll bet they they do... Ruby Dhalla and her family are trying to legally "gag" their former nanny, right on the eve of yet another Federal election.

You know, I'm not in the least bit surprised... when your re-election hopes are fading as fast as Dhalla's, I'm sure you'd be willing to try just about every trick in the book.

Which makes me wonder what antics are we going to see the Liberals pull in their other "at risk" ridings... Mississauga South, Ajax-Pickering, Guelph, Brampton West, Kingston and the Islands, etc., etc...

The Truth About Tim Hudak

2011-03-17T15:41:00.000-04:00

As we all know, the Ontario "Working Families Coalition", (a union funded Liberal front group) has launched the first negative salvo in this year's provincial election. (because the Liberals know they'll get killed by the media for saying the things the WFC is saying)

Well Tim Hudak and the Ontario Tories aren't going to let them spread their falsehoods without a fight... they've launched The Truth About Tim Hudak, a website dedicated to countering the union funded smear campaign.

Cause a little light of truth is just what the doctor ordered to counter this plague on our province.

Ontario's "Working Families Coalition" explained

2011-03-16T09:55:00.002-04:00

Everything you need to know about how the "Working Families Coalition" actually works...
More money for unions means more donations to the McGuinty Liberals, and more attack ads from WFC. Which results in getting the McGuinty Liberals re-elected, which means even more money for the unions. Which means more donations to the McGuinty Liberals and more attack ads from WFC... you get the picture.

You know what they say... FOLLOW THE MONEY.
Your money, their friends.

You can break the cycle at October's ballot box.

"Working Families" launch attack ads: Obviously Unions don't need any more money!

2011-03-14T13:33:00.006-04:00

Once again, a third party Liberal front group is taking the dirty attack shots at the Opposition, seeking to mitigate any flack that the Ontario Liberals might get were they to run these ads themselves.

We're all familiar with the expression, "It takes a VILLAGE to raise a child". But they seem to misunderstand that statement, thinking that it actually means, "It takes a UNION to raise a child".

Well, my thought is that obviously, there should be no problem with implementing a full scale public sector wage freeze after the next election... BECAUSE THE UNIONS OBVIOUSLY HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH!!!

At a time where business are struggling, and scraping by trying to avoid laying people off, what do we see the unions doing? Blowing wads of cash, all in an effort to keep the guys who are giving them a sweet deal in power. Ever wonder why McGuinty only implemented a NON-UNION Public Sector wage freeze? THIS IS WHY... to keep the fat cat union leaders on side.

Once again, we have McGuinty and his MPP's refusing to actually govern, refusing reign in the exponentially growing demands of their union cronies, in a reprehensible and desperate bid to stay in power. That's right, they're spendingYOUR MONEY, in an effort to keep THEIR FRIENDS happy.

But Ontarians get it this time... they're getting SICK of these whining unions demanding more and more money, at a time when many families are facing layoffs, wage freezes, and even wage rollbacks. Ontarians get that we're STILL in the midst of an economic crisis, and that we simply CANNOT afford to give in to the unions demands anymore... a truth that the unions simply don't want to, or simply can't, comprehend.

In 1995, Ontarians understood this... and they ushered in "The Common Sense Revolution" to deal with the union caused economic crisis we faced. Thanks to the "Working Families Coalition", they're only setting the stage for Ontarians to cry out for some more "Common Sense" to come to the rescue at Queen's Park.

VIVA LA COMMON SENSE REVOLUTION!!!

Will the Opposition even ALLOW an election? THE 2008 COALITION ACCORD IS STILL IN FORCE!!!

2011-03-12T14:41:00.006-05:00

We all know that the Opposition plans to take down the Harper Government soon after the Budget is released. But here's a scary thought... will the Opposition parties even ALLOW the Canadian public to decide who gets to govern them at the ballot box?

Everyone seems to be forgetting one important detail... the 2008 Opposition Coalition Accord is STILL IN EFFECT. The signed document, which has yet to be revoked by any of the signatory Parties, had an inbuilt expiry date of JUNE 30, 2011!!!

Can anyone tell me what today's date is? That's right, today is March 12, 2011... the Accord is still in force for another three and a half months!

Don't believe me? Then take a look for yourself!

So I guess the big question that Canadians need to ask is will ANY of the Leaders of the Opposition Parties publicly withdraw their support for the Accord before the upcoming confidence votes?

Kid faints at Harper event... NOW THE REST OF THE STORY

2011-03-11T19:11:00.005-05:00

Bet some of you have seen the footage of the kid who fainted at today's Harper event, as seen here.

Bet the media didn't show you this, what Harper did afterwards...

WOW... goes and checks on him, and then decides to hang out for a bit! The better I get to know this guy, the more I like him!

UPDATE: Of course, the Young Liberals at the U of Guelph think that videos of fainting kids are HILARIOUS... sick.

Editorial Cartoon: Absent Liberal MP's

2011-03-10T16:11:00.002-05:00

Gotta love it...

Hill Times: WHO is leading the Liberal Party?

2011-03-08T20:08:00.001-05:00

The Hill Times made a MAJOR faux pas today in this article...

"As Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff (Toronto Centre, Ont.) pressed Mr. Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) again in Question Period..."

Really? The Liberal Leader is the MP from TORONTO CENTRE, you say? Well, just WHO might the MP for Toronto Centre be, you might ask?

None other than Bob Rae.

Was this just a simple editing error... or is there something more to it? ;-)

Well played, Green Party of Canada

2011-03-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

I think this was an excellent strategic move on the part of the Green Party of Canada... also an excellent strategic move to NOT have Lizzy May doing the narration.

With many people's current feelings towards these type of ads, I think this will get them some positive feedback, so long as their TV ad placement is well thought out and in sufficient rotation.

Iggy "Goes Negative"... and falls FLAT

2011-03-04T08:16:00.004-05:00

Well, so much for his promises to "take the high road". Iggy has officially flip floped on "going negative", trying to personally insult Harper during a press scrum... but his flip flop, well, flopped. And then backfired, HUGE.

The CPAC Twitter feed reported this from Iggy's scrum on Tuesday...
"PM’s answers on Elections Canada charges make him the “Charlie Sheen of Cdn democracy”"

Seriously Iggy? The "Charlie Sheen of Canadian democracy"? Does that even make any sense? I mentioned the statement to a few folks, and they just all screwed up their faces, trying to figure out how on earth that even makes any sense!

Except a few of us have made an altogether different connection between Harper and Charlie Sheen than Iggy was trying to imply, thanks to Sheen's new favorite word... "WINNING!!!" That's right Iggy, looks like Stephen Harper IS the "Charlie Sheen" of Canadian politics...

"WINNING!!!"

You kinda gotta feel bad for Ignatieff... he tries to "go negative", and he can't even manage to do THAT right without screwing it up!!!

Another Tory ad blitz underway

2011-02-28T16:01:00.001-05:00

Is there any doubt that we're ready to go to the polls if the Opposition forces an election?

And once again, leading off with a GREAT positive ad...

...followed up by a hard hitting ad on the insane tax policy positions of Michael Ignatieff.

I do take issue with the Bev Oda CIDA decision

2011-02-21T15:24:00.000-05:00

Please insert a "NOT" between "do" and "take" in the above title, and then read this well thought out post from a former Liberal staffer.

Any Liberals still hankering for an election?

2011-02-14T20:26:00.001-05:00

Here's a couple buckets of cold water on that idea... First, there was EKOS, with the CPC at 37% vs. the LPC at 24%, a 12 point spread. And now we have IPSOS, with the CPC at 39% vs. the LPC at 25%... a freaking 14 point, Valeriote de-electing, cusp of majority spread.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled lives.

Unauthorized use of an MP's e-mail account?

2011-02-13T08:36:00.001-05:00

Humm... did Justin Trudeau violate any rules with this "prank"? ;-)

(FULL DISCLOSURE: As the IT admin, I do this to people ALL THE TIME to remind them to keep their workstations locked down... nice one Justin! Though your subject matter was in VERY poor taste...)

"Glory, Glory, Man Uniiiii-ted!"

2011-02-12T17:32:00.001-05:00

Sports post today... eat this one Manchester City!!! Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (FYI, Man United happens to be my HOMETOWN TEAM) scores what could go down in history as his most specatcular goal EVER today, to lead ManU to a 2-1 win against their crosstown rivals, ManCity.

Now accepting applications for my next Internet Provider

2011-02-01T09:47:00.001-05:00

With the big players in telco industry seeking to kill the innovative online spirit of the average Canadian customer, I am now currently shopping around for a new ISP. My requirements are as follows:

- At least 80GB of data usage
- 12MB download, 1MB upload speeds
- Reasonable price point, which SHOULD no more than $50 per month

As a Network and Systems Administrator, I have a better idea on what these services ought to REALLY cost... and believe me folks, we're ALL being WAY OVERCHARGED. I've always managed to talk them down in their pricing, or get them to do things like credit my modem rental charge for the year, in order to compensate for their overcharging. But with their recent moves to further REGULATE our Internet usage is unacceptable.

That being said, I do recognize that there are a few ABUSERS of the current systems, who's abusive usage affects the rest of us with slowdowns, etc. The ISP's should be going after them DIRECTLY, instead of punishing the rest of us by forcing us to curb our own usage. Of course, I've never even gone over 75% of my "allowance", but that's beside the point. When I sign up for Internet, I want to be able to USE my Internet. With more and more services becoming available online, ISP's like Bell and Rogers ought to be finding ways to ATTRACT more customers, by offering more COMPETITIVE packages... NOT by seeking to punish smaller ISP's for offering better packages than they're offering. And what's most disturbing is that they're using their lobbying efforts via the CRTC, which is SUPPOSED to serve CANADIANS, to restrict and punish Canadians, instead of fixing their own internal issues and offering Canadians CHOICE.

So, think about supporting the various online initiatives that are taking aim at the CRTC, Bell and Rogers... that is, if you haven't used up your monthly "allowance" already.

The "IFFY ELECTION SCREAM"

2011-01-27T15:16:00.003-05:00

Oh my... remember how the "Dean Scream" scuttled Howard Dean's 2004 bid for the Democratic nomination?

Now we have Michael Ignatieff... and the IFFY SCREAM.

My newest prediction... NO ELECTION. Thanks Iffy!!!

Liberals GOOF with response attack ads, will only HELP Harper and the CPC

2011-01-21T09:52:00.001-05:00

I'd like to take a moment to thank the Liberal Party of Canada for putting together their latest ads... ads which will HELP the Conservative Party of Canada!

I'm so tickled by them, I'm even posting one of them here... take a look and see if you can see what I see...

Do you see it? Thought you might... but just in case you didn't, I'd like to once again thank the Liberal Party of Canada FOR CLEARLY REMINDING CANADIANS THAT HARPER IS INDEED IN CHARGE, AND REINFORCING HIS "STRONG LEADER" CREDENTIALS TO THE CANADIAN PUBLIC!!!

Did you guys SERIOUSLY think that this would actually HURT the Prime Minister? You've reminded Canadians that he's a strong leader... and unintentionally reminded Canadians that you've got a big DOOFUS running your Party!!!

Canadians are NOT stupid... they'll make the connection. And by simply running our ads again, or with a couple new ones, that point will be CLEARLY drilled home. Yes, your ads will appeal to the Harper haters, but WON'T have the desired effect on the fence sitters... ones who've been warming to Harper over the last five years.

Perhaps "warming to Harper" isn't quite it... I'd say they're more likely RUNNING AWAY IN DISGUST from the guys you keep putting in the "Leaders" chair.

Plus one final detail... fighter jets ARE COOL. And I LOVE the sound effects you've put to the ad... the sound of roaring fighter jets is only going to lock up for us the votes of every military related family from coast to coast!

CBC seeking to protect Ignatieff, files complaint about our ads

2011-01-18T19:43:00.000-05:00

If anyone had any doubts about the CBC's loyalties, wonder no longer...

MONTREAL — The CBC is demanding the Conservatives withdraw file footage from the national broadcaster that appears in new Tory ads targeting their political opponents.

The Conservatives did not seek permission to use CBC content in three ads that were posted online and broadcast on TV on Monday, says CBC spokesman Marco Dube.

Three of the ads include footage broadcast on CBC. Two of the English ads feature comments current Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff made in 2001 and 2005, while a French one includes remarks by Justin Trudeau speaking unflatteringly about Ignatieff during the 2006 Liberal leadership race.

That's right... the CBC is seeking to ensure that the Tories can't use the file footage of Ignatieff's quotes, or Trudeau's quotes attacking Ignatieff. Quotes that happen to be embarrasing for the Liberal leader... and the CBC is running interference for him.

I've been publicly opposed to privatizing the CBC... but with partisan moves like this, I'm starting to rethink that position.

Ignatieff Rally: Liberal supporter shouts "KILL HIM!" when Iggy mentions John Baird?!?!?

2011-01-18T10:50:00.001-05:00

Are you kidding me? At Iggy's first rally of the year, not even a week after the reprehensible shooting of a US Congresswoman, a Liberal supporter shouts "KILL HIM!" when Ignatieff mentions The Hon. John Baird, Member of Parliament for Ottawa West-Nepean.

Don't believe me? SEE IT FOR YOURSELF... start at the 0:30 second mark, and listen for the disgusting comment at 0:46 seconds.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff MUST be called on to distance himself from that reprehensible comment IMMEDIATELY, especially after the shootings in Arizona. While the common barbs and thrusts of politics are to be expected, calls for the death of an opponent ARE BEYOND THE PALE.

UPDATE: Video clip has been downloaded, just in case the Liberals pull the clip down.

Tories launch pre-emtive strike in hopes of avoiding a spring election

2011-01-17T09:48:00.000-05:00

Why are we launching ads now? "Spending our money, so THE OPPOSITION won't spend yours" is probably the best way to sum it up for Joe Canadian.

By launching these attack ads now, we're hoping to drive Ignatieff's numbers down a little further, thus giving the Liberals pause before they decide to bring down the House over the next Budget. By spending a little bit of our own Tory war chest now on these ads, I believe the hope is that we'll help taxpayers avoid spending $350+ MILLION dollars on an unwanted and unnecessary premature election this spring.

How's that for a responsible political Party? We're actually spending a little of OUR OWN MONEY, in order to save taxpayers MILLIONS. The Liberals? They want to blow your money on an election that will change nothing (other than their leader), and to hang on to the MILLIONS they're getting in political subsidies, again from the taxpayer's pockets.

So check out the ads for yourself... and I suppose I should say, "You're Welcome Canada!".

VIDEO: "Enter the (Political) Matrix"

2011-01-16T17:17:00.000-05:00

Got an e-mail from Tyrone, with a heads up on another winner of a spoof... this time with "Joe Canadian" as Neo, and PM Harper as Morpheus from the Matrix. Enjoy!

Also saw this one on his page, pretty funny... I've never been much of a Monty Python fan, but I still enjoyed it. Those of you who are Python fans should enjoy it even more.

Iffy playing Chess while Harper's playing "Global Thermonuclear War"

2011-01-13T09:57:00.001-05:00

Hope you all catch the "WarGames" reference, and I hope no one accuses me of inciting someone to drop a nuke on Iggy's head...

Gerry Nicholls, whom I've disagreed with in the past on a fairly regular basis, has a FANTASTIC article in today's Globe & Mail, and has summed up my long-held belief on what needs to happen for Canada to truly grow and prosper... the destruction of the ideological J-E-LL-O Party, the Liberal Party of Canada.

Here's his intro...

Here’s some free advice for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff: Be afraid, be very afraid.

Okay, that’s more like a warning than advice, but it’s a warning Mr. Ignatieff should heed. He needs to understand that while he’s playing political chess, his opponent, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is waging total war.

To be blunt, Mr. Harper’s ultimate strategic goal really isn’t to win a majority government – it’s to eradicate the Liberal Party as a viable political force.

Sound overly dramatic? Well, consider the well-documented ruthlessness of Mr. Harper’s political style. Consider, too, that he’s a master tactician who likes to concoct long-term strategies. And, finally, consider the fact that he just doesn’t like Liberals. It all adds up to a prime minister who’s capable, willing and able to take out Canada’s “natural governing party.”

UPDATE: The campaigning begins?

PM taking aim at party subsidies in next election

2011-01-12T19:51:00.005-05:00

I guess you could call it a warning shot across the bow of the Opposition parties... "You guys force an election, and we'll take away the wasteful per vote funding after we win."

The Right Hon. Stephen Harper has said that campaign finance reform, specifically the removal of the per vote subsidies, will be part of our platform in any upcoming campaign. That oughta get Duceppe and the Bloc searching for ways bend over backwards in order to support us.

For context, think about this figure for a moment... $54 MILLION. That's how much the Opposition Coalition has cost Canadian taxpayers since they blocked the cutting of the subsidy when we first proposed it in 2008.

Here's another figure... $330 MILLION. That's how much an unnecessary election will cost should the Opposition force one upon us.

But we're ready... so are Canadians. I think they're getting sick of this never ending election cycle, and are ready for us to make our case for four years of good Conservative government and Conservative economic stability.

Iffy blaming Harper for Global Economic Downturn?

2011-01-12T11:45:00.001-05:00

Talk about fear-mongering desperation... Ignatieff is trying to tell Canadians that Harper is somehow to blame for the impact of the Global Economic Downturn. That's right... "Lost your job? Blame Harper!" Or, "Didn't get a raise? Blame Harper!" Or, "Your dog died? BLAME HARPER!"

Check header for their new campaign flyer that's going out...

Iffy on the Budget: "You shall not pass!!!"

2011-01-07T16:23:00.000-05:00

LOL, another Lord of the Rings adaptation that perfectly captures the Canadian political scene...

I'm keeping a daily eye on this guy's channel now...

Iffy channels Gollum?

2011-01-06T14:43:00.001-05:00

Anyone know who this Tyrone Fife guy is? He's come up with another brilliant one on YouTube, this time with Ignatieff channelling Tolkin's Gollum, lusting after "The Precious"... 24 Sussex.

Ironically, I just watched the movie the other day, so the timing on this one is pretty funny!

Trump to Obama: "YOU'RE FIRED"

2011-01-04T22:34:00.002-05:00

Rumours are swirling... Trump may be taking a run at the GOP nomination in order to go toe-to-toe against Obama in 2012.

I can see his entire advertising campaign already. Trump sitting at a boardroom table, talking about all state of the US economy, and all the failures of the Obama Administration... and then turning to the camera and saying "Obama... America has a message for you. On November 6th... YOU'RE FIRED!"

Sorta like this video here... [WARNING: the guys who produced the video have a somewhat offensive name tagged on to their video... so viewers be advised]

Texting while driving

2011-01-03T18:36:00.001-05:00

Something to think about...

Ignatieff channels Capt. Jean Luc Picard? FAIL

2011-01-03T08:28:00.001-05:00

LOL. As a Star Trek fan, I recognized this scene right away... it's from "First Contact", when Picard is railing against the Borg, saying "This far, NO FURTHER!"

So the Tyrone guy has just adapted the scene to Ignatieff and Harper... with a slightly humourous and accurate political adaptation.

Our Political Leader's Theme Songs

2011-01-02T22:58:00.000-05:00

Buddy of mine sent this my way... pretty fun. If all our political leaders had a theme song, what would it be? Of course, I don't think Harper deserves to get "The Imperial March", but even I had to smile. I think this Tyrone guy's got the other leaders pretty much nailed... and I LOVE Lizzy May's!

Jack Layton

Ignatieff

Elizabeth May

Stephen Harper

Canadians should NOT buy NVIDIA graphics products

2010-12-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

Just a heads up... if you're considering a new computer, DO NOT BUY ONE WITH AN NVIDIA GRAPHICS CHIP, as NIVIDA won't support you just because you're Canadian.

There's a $2 MILLION dollar class action lawsuit against NVIDIA in the US, filed by customers of various laptop vendors who purchased units with a NVIDIA graphics processor. ("GPU") NVIDIA has chosen to settle the suit, and will be compensating customers with affected units. Details on the settlement can be found at www.nvidiasettlement.com.

I have one of the affected units, an HP PAVILION dv9000 series laptop, model number GA359UA. (just in case you want to look it up on the site to verify) I have had for three years the exact symptoms as reported in the suit... I go to turn the laptop on, and the screen is blank, but the laptop is still working, just no image on the screen. Anyway, I have been officially advised by NVIDIA that because we're Canadian, they're not going to do anything for us... too bad, so sad, you're outta luck cause your Canadian.

Well, that's not sitting right with me... and since I have a blog, one that gets a pretty high Google hit count when I post I.T. related stuff, I'm going to do something about it.

If you're considering an NVIDIA equiped unit... DON'T BUY IT. Go with an ATI or Intel graphics equiped unit. ATI has a strong Canadian presence, I I highly doubt they'd try to pull something like this.

Just for some perspective here, of how BIG a problem this is for NVIDIA... if you've bought ANY one of these computer, you may have a ticking time bomb on your hands... from Dell, to HP, to Compaq, right up to high end Apple units...

Dell Notebook Computers
PLATFORM NAME PURCHASE DATE RANGES SERVICE TAG NUMBER
Dell Inspiron 1420 May 2007 – September 30, 2008 Please click here to find out if your notebook computer is affected by the settlement.
Dell Inspiron 9400/E1705 March 2006 – February 28, 2010
Dell Latitude D620 December 2005 – November 30, 2008
Dell Latitude D630 February 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Latitude D630c February 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Latitude D820 November 2005 – March 31, 2008
Dell Latitude D830 March 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Precision M2300 August 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Precision M4300 March 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Precision M6300 December 2007 – March 31, 2009
Dell Precision M65 November 2005 – January 31, 2008
Dell Vostro 1700 March 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Vostro Notebook 1310 December 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Vostro Notebook 1400 May 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Vostro Notebook 1510 December 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell Vostro Notebook 1710 January 2008 – July 31, 2008
Dell XPS M1210 March 2006 – November 30, 2008
Dell XPS M1330 March 2007 – September 30, 2008
Dell XPS M1530 September 2007 – January 31, 2009
Dell XPS M1710 March 2006 – February 28, 2010
Dell XPS M1730 November 2007 – January 31, 2009

HP-Compaq Notebook or Tablet Computers
PLATFORM NAME PURCHASE DATE RANGES PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
HP Pavilion dv20xx March 2006 – December 31, 2008 ES745AV; ES 746AV; ES817AV; ES826AV; ES892AV; EZ643UA; EZ644UA; EZ645UA; EZ648UA; EZ649UA; EZ672UA; EZ674UA; EZ675UA; EZ676UA; EZ677UA; EZ678UA; EZ679UA; EZ680UA; EZ681UA; GD275AV; RD140AV; RD153AV; RK416AV; RK434AV*
Compaq Presario v30xx March 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv21xx March 2006 – December 31, 2008 EY045AV; EY046AV; EY047AV; EY048AV; RG404UA; RG406UA; RG407UA; RG408UA; RG411UA; RG413UA; RG414UA; RG415UA*
Compaq Presario v31xx March 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv22xx/dv23xx March 2006 – December 31, 2008 GA154UA; GA155UA; RD856AV; RD857AV; RD858AV; RD859AV; RE205AV; RE206AV; RP408UA; RP409UA; RP410UA; RP412UA; RP413UA; RP415UA; RU767UA; RU768UA; RU769UA; RV322UA; RV323UA; RV324UA; RV325UA; RV326UA; RV327UA; RV328UA; RZ833PA*
Compaq Presario v32xx/v33xx March 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv24xx March 2006 – December 31, 2008 GA532UA; GA533UA; GA534UA; GA535; GA536; GA537UA; GM035UA; GM037UA; GM038UA; GM039UA; GM040UA; RX692AV; RX693AV; RX694AV*
Compaq Presario v34xx March 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv90xx May 2006 – November 30, 2008 EW635AV; EW680AV; EX988AV; EZ452UA; EZ453UA; EZ456UA; EZ457UA; EZ458UA; EZ459UA; EZ460UA; EZ461UA; EZ462UA; EZ468UA; EZ470UA; EZ471UA; RG139AS; RG564AV; RG931AS*
HP Pavilion dv92xx/dv93xx May 2006 – November 30, 2008 GA074UA; GA075UA; GA076UA; GA077UA; GA078UA; RD860AV; RG565AV; RL015AV; RP114UA; RP115UA; RP116UA; RP122UA; RU312UA; RU313UA; RU314UA; RU971UA; RU972UA; RU974UA; RU975UA; RW113AS*
HP Pavilion dv94xx May 2006 – November 30, 2008 GA354UA; GA355UA; GA356UA; GA358UA; GA359UA; GA361UA; GD545AV; GD574AV; GL880UA; GL885UA; GL886UA; GL887UA; GL888UA; GL889UA; GL890UA; GL891UA; GL892UA; RX944AV*
HP Pavilion dv60xx May 2006 – April 30, 2009 EW434AV; EW435AV; EW468AV; EW585AV; EW586AV; EW618AV; EZ472UA; EZ473UA; EZ474UA; EZ475UA; EZ502UA; EZ503UA; RE603AS; RE606AS*
Compaq Presario v60xx May 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv61xx May 2006 – April 30, 2009 EX991AV; EX992AV; EX992AV; EX994AV; GD536AV; RD167AV; RD181AV; RG253UA; RG254UA; RG264UA; RG265UA; RG266UA; RG267UA; RG272UA; RG273UA; RG274UA; RG279UA; RG282UA; RG286UA; RG287UA; RG289UA; RG290UA; RG293UA; RG294UA; RG298UA; RG563AV; RG568AV; RK415AV; RM662LA; RN906UA; RN907UA; RN910UA; RN911UA; RN914UA; RN926UA; RN927UA*
Compaq Presario v61xx May 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv62xx/dv63xx May 2006 – April 30, 2009 GA212UA; GA213UA; GA215UA; GA218UA; GA219UA; GA231UA; GA232UA; GA233UA; GA235UA; GA238UA; GA451UA; GA452UA; GA673AV; RD861AV; RD862AV; RD863AV; RD864AV; RD865AV; RJ637AV; RK654AV; RK664AV; RP153UA; RP154UA; RP156UA; RP158UA; RP160UA; RP162UA; RP164UA; RP165UA; RP168UA; RP203UA; RP211UA; RP287UA; RU676UA; RU677UA; RU678UA; RU679UA; RV003UA; RV004UA; RV005UA; RV009UA; RV010UA; RV011UA; RV012UA; RV013UA; RV018UA; RV020UA; RV052UA; RV053UA; RW114AS; RW115AS*
Compaq Presario v62xx/v63xx May 2006 – October 31, 2008
HP Pavilion dv64xx May 2006 – April 30, 2009 GA442UA; GA443UA; GA444UA; GA445UA; GA447UA; GA448UA; GA 449UA; GA450UA; GA454UA; GA456UA; GA458UA; GD661AV; RX950AV; RX951AV; GA462UA; GL896UA; GL909UA; GL910UA; GL911UA; GN202AV; GD662AV; GL912UA; GL913UA; GL914UA; GL915UA; GL916UA; RX945AV; RX947AV; GL917UA; GL925UA; GL926UA; KA249UA; KA250UA; RX946AV; RX948AV*
Compaq Presario v64xx May 2006 – October 31, 2008
Compaq Presario F500 October 2006 – September 30, 2008 RZ326UA; RZ327UA; RZ329UA; RZ330UA; RZ335UA; RZ340UA; GF593UA; GF596UA; GF602UA; GF606UA; GF606UA#AVA; GD598AV; GL935UA; RS499AV; RS500AV

HP Pavilion Tx1xxx
(tablet computer) March 2007 – May 31, 2008
PLEASE NOTE: All HP Pavilion Tx1xxx models purchased between March 2007 and May 31, 2008 are eligible to participate in the settlement, regardless of the Product Identification Number displayed on the computer. If you choose to file a claim, you will still need to complete a Claim Form and provide the required information, but you will not be required to provide a Product Identification Number.

* If the notebook product number is listed here, it is included as a Class Notebook computer whether the product number does or does not contain the letter "R" or "#ABA."

Apple MacBook Pro Computers
PLATFORM NAME PURCHASE DATE RANGES SERIAL NUMBERS
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch) May 2007 – September 2008 Please click here to find out if your notebook computer is affected by the settlement.
Apple MacBook Pro (17-inch) May 2007 – September 2008

For some perspective... this is about as big as the Toyota recalls from earlier this year... although laptop user's safety isn't in question here.

Humour: "Breakdancing Cat Kick"

2010-12-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

Saw this clip in a video compilation done by a friend, so I found it on it's own and posted it... BECAUSE IT'S THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR. My wife said she's NEVER seen me laugh so hard in the 10+ years she's known me. Enjoy!

My thoughts on the Canadian "Tea Party"

2010-12-27T14:10:00.000-05:00

Some people have been wondering what I think about the various pushes coming from some who want to push our conservative parties further to the right. From them, we get garbage like this... "Eastern Ontario feud troubles Tories".

Way to go... moron. Thanks for giving the Liberals more ammunition, morons. Now do us all a favour, AND SHUT UP, all of you whiners.

Everyone knows here I was no big fan of John Tory and his wishy-washy crew. Likewise, nor am I a fan of the Hillier/Reid types who are hurting the Ontario PC Party with their efforts to shove out MPP's who aren't "ideologically pure" enough for them. Who on earth made THEM the deciders of what is "conservative"? I know a couple other people, who I USED to respect, who have jumped the CPC ship recently because Harper isn't "conservative enough" for them. Good riddance, "M".

I'm sick and tired of people who are so short sighted, who demand everything they want NOW, and who only cripple our movement by their actions, and hand power to the Liberals. Idiots.

Here's hoping the New Year brings some "common sense" into our movement... and I'm talking about party untity and discipline, not the "ideological purity" being demanded by these nutjobs.

ZoNation: "Jesus is the Way"

2010-12-21T14:41:00.000-05:00

Some of you may recall this guy, Alfonzo Rachel, who's video I posted a few months back. He's a member of PJTV, and has done a whole whack of funny political videos.

Anyway, he claims to be a Born-again Christian, and he's put out a pretty good video on "How to get to Heaven". Controversial, and I don't necessarily agree with his thoughts... but it seems to be a pretty good summation of what I believe.

"You don't want to sell me death sticks..."

2010-12-20T14:52:00.001-05:00

Don't know why, but I had this scene pop into my head this morning, and it made me laugh all over again...

Harper's videos go VIRAL... INTERNATIONALLY

2010-12-09T22:08:00.002-05:00

So I'm talking to a Canadian via Skype who lives in Grand Cayman, and she tells me that she walked into a business down there today where the Caymanian owner was, of all things, WATCHING THE YOUTUBE VIDEO OF PRIME MINISTER HARPER SINGING "Sweet Caroline"!

That's right... THE VIDS ARE GOING VIRAL INTERNATIONALLY!

Or, to put it another way, as one great Canadian put it, "Stick that in your pipe, you left-wing kooks!" ;-)

It's true... HARPER ROCKS

2010-12-08T23:33:00.001-05:00

And you thought Prime Minister Harper was an icy, uptight stick in the mud... PM Harper did a pretty rocking five number set at the Tory Christmas Party tonight. Check the video here, on the CBC of all places.

And if you want to completely SHATTER any false Liberal illusions about Harper you might have, check out the 9:36 mark of the video...

Let's see Iggy try to top this one!

YouTube: "The Government Can"

2010-12-02T19:13:00.000-05:00

Shown to me by an 11 and 15 year old... even they get it. Maybe you've seen it before, but it's pretty acurate.

Welcome to the fold Mr. Fantino!

2010-11-30T09:55:00.000-05:00

Congrats on a hard fought, and well deserved, upset last night in Vaughan for Julian Fantino, one of Canada's newest Memebers of Parliament. With a hard fought 997 vote margin, Mr. Fantino stole for the CPC a supposedly "safe" Liberal seat, even with all the resources thrown at them by Ignatieff and the Liberal Party of Canada.

For Mr. Ignatieff, however, last night was not a total loss... in what's sure to shock many, the Liberals managed to upset the NDP in Winnipeg North, and stole from them what thought to have been a safe NDP seat. In all likelihood, look for this seat to swing back to the NDP in the next General Election, as it may well have been low voter turnout that allowed the Libs to swipe this one.

Last nights results do mean one all important thing, however... NO SPRING ELECTION. If the NDP are losing seats to the Liberals, with a guy like Ignatieff at the helm, I'm guessing that they'll think twice before pulling the trigger. And with Iffy losing seats to Mr. Harper in the GTA, right on the doorstep of "Liberal" Toronto, look for them to also dial down the rhetoric somewhat.

McGuinty Libs attack Hudak, but BACKFIRES HUGE!

2010-11-22T12:18:00.000-05:00

Are you kidding me? In an desperate attempt to turn the tables and attack Tim Hudak over the HST, the Ontario Liberals have completely shot themselves in the foot!

In a Press Release entitled "Tim Hudak: HST Here to Stay", they attempted an "GOTCHA!" attack, when Tim Hudak admitted publicly that the Ontario Tories, should they win the next election, will be unable to repeal the HST.

Did you catch that? He didn't say "UNWILLING"... he said "UNABLE". Why is that? Because when the McGuinty Liberals made the switch to the HST, they enshrined within the legislation various clauses that prevent any future government for making any changes to the HST whatsoever for the first number of years. Translation? When the McGuinty Liberals screwed up their implementation of the HST, they ENSURED that Ontarians would be screwed for years to come, and that no one could immediately fix the underlying problems with the HST itself.

As a result, the Hudak Tories won't be able to repeal it, or even reduce the rate, right away. Instead, they're going to have to look for other ways to help Ontario families deal with a horribly implemented tax increase that is hurting their every day lives. While Tim had indeed committed to trying to "stop the HST in it's tracks", as the Liberal Press Release also reports, it was the McGuinty Liberals to used their majority to ram the HST through.

So here we have the Liberals, in what can only be described as total desperation, attempting to attack Tim Hudak for, wait for it... TELLING THE TRUTH. Which, of course, makes perfect sense, if you're a Liberal... BECAUSE TO LIBERALS, TELLING THE TRUTH TO THE VOTERS IS CRIME THAT MUST BE PUNISHED.

Now there's something you don't see everyday... the Liberals are issuing Press Releases on behalf of Tim Hudak, informing the public that Hudak is being honest with Ontarians? Not only that, they're helping to remind the voting public that it's their own Party who screwed the province with the HST.

Okay, it's official... NOW I HAVE seen everything!

Prescription drugs caused possible psychotic break in Col. Williams?

2010-11-19T19:25:00.001-05:00

Did you know the Biblical Greek word for "witchcraft" is "Pharmakeia"? It is, of course, where we get the word "Pharmacy". Why is this interesting?

There's some speculation right now that the prescription drug prednisone may have been a contributing factor in causing a psychotic break in former Col. Russell Williams, who's crime spree is believed to have begun out of the blue sometime in 2007... right around the time he was prescribed a series of drugs to deal with chronic pain.

Now of course, it's no excuse for his actions, but it does perhaps shed some light on how he supposedly "fell through the cracks" of the military's psychological screening programs. The side affects of some of these powerful drugs are not even close to being well understood, and in some cases have even been covered up by the big drug companies.

One example that I'm personally somewhat familiar with is the drug Viiox, which is now off the market, but was prescribed to me for a minor but painful injury I had a few years back. (pre-2004) One of the fairly rare side effects of that drug was depression, and I had a pretty weird experience while on it. I had a dream one night while taking it, during which a former classmate of mine died. But for the next two days, I was in a pretty depressed state, having somehow mixed my dream into reality, thinking that my friend had ACTUALLY died. It was difficult to separate the two, but when I finally realized what the drug was doing to my head, I stopped taking the meds right away. It was a pretty scary experience though, realizing that a supposedly "safe" drug had so badly messed with my mind.

But more and more these days, this sort of thing seems to be happening. According to this Toronto Star article, prescription drugs may be considered a contributing factor in some violent crimes. I think it's interesting that this has come to light in the Williams case.

In some ways, it actually makes me feel a little better. Rather than a secret nut-job having been on the loose for decades, having completely fooled the system, his crimes may have instead been more recently initiated by a bi-polar psychotic break, possibly induced by prescription drugs.

"Pharmakeia" ("Witchcraft") indeed... food for thought, at the very least.

Add another riding to the CPC's WIN column

2010-11-09T14:22:00.000-05:00

Reform turned Liberal MP Keith Martin has announced that he won't be running in the next election.

Speech from PM Harper on opposing anti-Semitism

2010-11-08T21:01:00.000-05:00

Yet another reason why I support our Right Honourable Prime Minister whole-heartedly... I've reposted in it's entirety his speech today.

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism
November 8, 2010
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today made the following remarks at the Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism:

“Members of the Steering Committee, fellow parliamentarians, Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by saying how delighted I am to see so many of you from around the world, gathered here in Ottawa for the second annual conference of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism.

“It is a sign, not only of your commitment to our common cause, but also of the momentum established at the London Conference last year. It is, therefore, a great sign of hope.

“History teaches us that anti-Semitism is a tenacious and particularly dangerous form of hatred. And recent events are demonstrating that this hatred is now in resurgence throughout the world. That is why the work of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism has never been so important or timely as it is now.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, I commend you and support you in the great and important work that you are doing.

“I would like to thank Minister Jason Kenney, for inviting the ICCA to Ottawa, and for his outstanding record of leadership in combating anti-Semitism.

“I would like also to thank my introducer and friend, Scott Reid, Chair of the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism, and Mario Silva, Vice Chair, for organizing this conference.

“And I would like to thank all my colleagues in the Parliament of Canada here today, including Professor Irwin Cotler, for their dedication to your mission.

“Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, two weeks ago I visited Ukraine for the first time.

“In Kiev I laid a wreath at Babi Yar, the site of one of the numerous atrocities of the Holocaust. I was left there with much the same impression as I had in Auschwitz in 2008 — that such horrors defy all comprehension.

“At the killing grounds of Babyn Yar, I knew I was standing in a place where evil — evil at its most cruel, obscene, and grotesque — had been unleashed. But while evil of this magnitude may be unfathomable, it is nonetheless a fact.

“It is a fact of history. And it is a fact of our nature — that humans can choose to be inhuman. This is the paradox of freedom. That awesome power, that grave responsibility — to choose between good and evil.

“Let us not forget that even in the darkest hours of the Holocaust, men were free to choose good. And some did. That is the eternal witness of the Righteous Among the Nations. And let us not forget that even now, there are those who would choose evil and would launch another Holocaust, if left unchecked. That is the challenge before us today.

“The horror of the Holocaust is unique, but it is just one chapter in the long and unbroken history of anti-Semitism. Yet, in contemporary debates that influence the fate of the Jewish homeland, unfortunately, there are those who reject the language of good and evil. They say that the situation is not black and white, that we mustn’t choose sides.

“In response to this resurgence of moral ambivalence on these issues, we must speak clearly. Remembering the Holocaust is not merely an act of historical recognition.

“It must also be an understanding and an undertaking. An understanding that the same threats exist today. And an undertaking of a solemn responsibility to fight those threats.

“Jews today in many parts of the world and many different settings are increasingly subjected to vandalism, threats, slurs, and just plain, old-fashioned lies.

“Let me draw your attention to some particularly disturbing trends. Anti-Semitism has gained a place at our universities, where at times it is not the mob who are removed, but the Jewish students under attack. And, under the shadow of a hateful ideology with global ambitions, one which targets the Jewish homeland as a scapegoat, Jews are savagely attacked around the world, such as, most appallingly, in Mumbai in 2008.

“One ruthless champion of that ideology brazenly threatens to ‘wipe Israel off the map,’ and time and again flouts the obligations that his country has taken under international treaties. I could go on, but I know that you will agree on one point: that this is all too familiar.

“We have seen all this before. And we have no excuse to be complacent. In fact we have a duty to take action. And for all of us, that starts at home.

“In Canada, we have taken a number of steps to assess and combat anti-Semitism in our own country. You will no doubt hear from my Canadian colleagues about the measures we have taken to date.

“I will mention for the time being that, for the first time, we are dealing with Canada’s own record of officially sanctioned anti-Semitism. We have created a fund for education about our country’s deliberate rejection of Jewish refugees before and during the Second World War.

“But of course we must also combat anti-Semitism beyond our borders, an evolving, global phenomenon. And we must recognize, that while its substance is as crude as ever, its method is now more sophisticated.

“Harnessing disparate anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-Western ideologies, it targets the Jewish people by targeting the Jewish homeland, Israel, as the source of injustice and conflict in the world, and uses, perversely, the language of human rights to do so.

“We must be relentless in exposing this new anti-SemitismDemonization, double standards, delegitimization, the three D’s, it is the responsibility of us all to stand up to them.

“And I know, by the way, because I have the bruises to show for it, that whether it is at the United Nations, or any other international forum, the easy thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israeli rhetoric, to pretend it is just being even-handed, and to excuse oneself with the label of ‘honest broker.’ There are, after all, a lot more votes, a lot more, in being anti-Israeli than in taking a stand. But, as long as I am Prime Minister, whether it is at the UN or the Francophonie or anywhere else, Canada will take that stand, whatever the cost. And friends, I say this not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israeli mob tells us all too well if we listen to it, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people are a threat to all of us.

“Earlier I noted the paradox of freedom. It is freedom that makes us human. Whether it leads to heroism or depravity depends on how we use it.

“As the spectre of anti-Semitism spreads, our responsibility becomes increasingly clear. We are citizens of free countries. We have the right, and therefore the obligation, to speak out and to act. We are free citizens, but also the elected representatives of free peoples. We have a solemn duty to defend the vulnerable, to challenge the aggressor, to protect and promote human rights, human dignity, at home and abroad. None of us really knows whether we would choose to do good, in the extreme circumstances of the Righteous. But we do know there are those today who would choose to do evil, if they are so permitted. Thus, we must use our freedom now, and confront them and their anti-Semitism at every turn.

“That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the purpose of our intervention today: our shared determination to confront this terrible hatred. The work we have undertaken, in our own countries and in cooperation with one another, is a sign of hope.

“Our work together is a sign of hope, just as the existence and persistence of the Jewish homeland is a sign of hope. And it is here that history serves not to warn but to inspire.

“As I said on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, Israel appeared as a light, in a world emerging from deep darkness. Against all odds, that light has not been extinguished. It burns bright, upheld by the universal principles of all civilized nations — freedom, democracy and justice.

“By working together more closely in the family of civilized nations, we affirm and strengthen those principles. And we declare our faith in humanity’s future in the power of good over evil.

“Thank you for all you are doing to spread that faith. And thank you for your kind attention.

“Thank you very much.”

BREAKING: BC Premier Gordon Campbell STEPPING DOWN

2010-11-03T14:55:00.000-04:00

CBC is reporting that embattled HST Premier Gordon Campbell has announced his retirement... I've been predicting that we'll be hearing something similar from McGuinty in the coming months.

McGuinty Liberals voting on Nov 1st to KEEP the HST tax hike on Hydro bills

2010-11-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

Not really any way they can spin this one... Mr. McGuinty's Ontario Liberals voted against a motion yesterday to remove the HST tax hike from all our Hydro bills.

That's right... they voted 41 vs 21 to KEEP the HST tax increase on our Hydro bills. It was especially interesting to see folks in vulnerable seats voting to keep the tax increase in place. Remember that next October folks.

Liberal Senator to Iggy: "Go fly an F-35"

2010-10-29T14:55:00.001-04:00

Liberal Senator Colin Kenny says that the Harper Government is making the correct decision regarding the procurement methods for the F-35... and that Iffy's position on trying to secure a lower price by opening up the bid to competition "doesn’t make sense". (and that's a DIRECT quote, for my Liberal readers)

And just in case anyone's wondering about his credentials, he's the former chair of the Senate’s National Security and Defence Committee... for eight years.

Downtown Toronto gives the ROC the finger

2010-10-28T15:15:00.005-04:00

Take a good look at the electoral map for Toronto's election, and tell me what it looks like to you...

Yup... once again, Downtown Toronto gives everyone else the finger.

Ignatieff to cancel F-35, CPC poll numbers in Quebec about to take off

2010-10-27T19:40:00.002-04:00

For a guy who's having trouble getting his poll numbers up in Quebec, you'd think he'd avoid talking about killing the Canadian aerospace industy, a MAJOR employer in La Belle Province.

Add to that the fact that it's the Sea King fiasco all over again... how much has that political blunder cost us again? If this gets spun right, look for Iffy to take a SERIOUS hit in the upcoming by-election in Quebec... which pundits were predicting the Liberals might have taken from the Bloc, at least before this gaffe. Also look for the CPC to get a slight uptick there as they stand in defence of the Canadian aerospace industry.

Iggy says he will scrap F-35 jet deal
By BRIAN LILLEY, Parliamentary Bureau
Last Updated: October 27, 2010 6:06pm

OTTAWA — Canada’s aerospace industry would lose billions in contracts if the F-35 fighter jet contract were to be cancelled, according to documents obtained by QMI Agency.

A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement that jet maker Lockheed Martin uses with its Canadian suppliers states clearly that Canada must be a partner in the Joint Strike Fighter program for Canadian suppliers to be able to bid.

In a section on requirements for a supply contract to remain in force, the memo lists several stipulations including: “C. the Government of Canada remains a Level 3 participant and procures JSF Aircraft as currently reflected in the JSF PSFD MOU dated December 31st, 2006.”

The document was provided to QMI Agency by an industry source on the same day Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff promised to cancel the order of 65 jets if he forms government after the next election.

“We would cancel the accord reached by the Conservative government in July,” Ignatieff told reporters after the Liberal Party’s weekly caucus meeting.

The Liberals point to the auditor general’s report detailing cost overruns and delays in the purchase of military helicopters as their reason for deciding they would cancel the jet purchase. Ignatieff has promised that if he becomes prime minister, he would also hold a competition to choose the replacement for the CF-18s which were supposed to be replaced starting in 2003.

Under the current agreement to purchase 65 jets at a cost of $9 billion, Canada’s aerospace industry is eligible to bid on sub-contracts for the 3,000 to 5,000 jets that are scheduled to be built. The industry estimates that could return $12 billion in contracts to Canadian aerospace firms.

UPDATE: My "Sign Theft in Cambridge" Post

2010-10-25T10:48:00.001-04:00

Now how's this for a world class kinda guy... Andrew Johnson himself called me up, and asked me to take down my posting about the sign theft antics going on in Cambridge. He wants to take "the higher road", and doesn't want ANYONE taking his opponents, or their supporters, to task for the tactics they're using during the campaign.

So, as per his request, I've taken it down. It's seldom that you see a guy with that kind of integrity anymore. His request today makes me proud that I've cast my ballot for him... ANDREW JOHNSON FOR MAYOR!

Liberals showing desperation, back in Guelph today

2010-10-18T12:18:00.002-04:00

It's really a telling sign that Liberal leader is once again in Guelph, for the third time in as many months... actually, I think it's his fourth time in three months.

Why? It's obvious... they're concerned they're going to lose the riding next time around. They're not gaining any traction in the polls, the Economic Action Plan is having an impact in Guelph, and they have an ineffective Member of Parliament in Frank Valeriote, who is one of the House of Common's top absentee voters. (And the local paper's attempt at an excuse for him, claiming it might be due to his committee work falls flat, since all votes are scheduled in advance, and all committee meetings are suspended when the call for a vote occurs)

With an MP like Frank, it's no surprise that Iggy's having to make so many appearances in town. But add to the fact that Iggy will be forced to resign after the next election if he suffers ANY seat losses in places like Guelph, it's no surprise that he's spending so much time desperately trying to hang on to "safe" Liberal seats like Guelph.

UPDATE: Interesting, apparently Iggy is using a taxpayer funded school to help promote washed up candidates like former MP Karen Redman... who's riding is over 40kms away. I can understand having the local MP Frank Valeriote up on stage with him, but to use a taxpayer funded school in a partisan effort to help out a has-been candidate from far away?

Toronto Star publishes false story, but are we even surprised anymore?

2010-10-14T14:11:00.000-04:00

Today, the Toronto Star (aka - The Red Star) got caught red handed publishing a completely false story about adding strippers and escort jobs on Canada's Job Bank listings.

I'm not normally one for posting the "Talking Points", but I got a copy of these forwarded to me, and figured I'd post them as is for your consumption:

Toronto Star story completely false

A story in today's Toronto Star, under the byline ‘Richard J. Brennan’ states our government is changing the policy on what careers will be posted on the federal government’s Job Bank website. The story makes the completely false claim that “the Conservative government wants to help unemployed Canadians find careers as strippers and for-hire escorts.”

This story is completely and utterly false. In fact, the “draft note” cited by the reporter has not been seen by Minister Finley’s office, nor would it ever have been a policy under consideration by our government.

Even more shocking, despite citing several reactions from opposition and stakeholders in the erroneous story, the reporter did not even call Minister Finley’s office for a response.

If he had, he would have learned that there is absolutely no basis in fact to claim this is government policy.

It is the height of irresponsible journalism to accuse the government of changing a policy without contacting the government itself for confirmation or comment.

It is sad that Canadians are subjected to such a lack of journalistic integrity, and that a major Canadian newspaper would give a story such prominence without first verifying the facts.

Because of this blatant lack of journalistic standards, Minister Finley’s office will be registering a formal complaint with the Ontario Press Council, the Parliamentary Press Gallery and the Public Editor of the Toronto Star.

Liberal MP Shawn Murphy to retire

2010-10-13T14:09:00.001-04:00

Add another seat to our WIN column.

RMR - Whipped Votes

2010-10-08T13:41:00.000-04:00

Rick Mercer strikes again...

Clever move by candidate, creates tutorial video for new voting process

2010-10-07T12:49:00.000-04:00

Not a bad move by Centre Wellington Ward 6 candidate Mike Wisniewski!

Center Wellington, in an effort to try and boost voter participation, has moved to a new mail-in ballot, as opposed to the good old voting booth on Election Day, October 25th. Well, one media savvy candidate has gone and put together a video on how the new process works, and thrown it up on YouTube for the benefit of his Ward 6 voters. Good move! Catchy tune too...

He's also got a good presence on Facebook, whereas his opponent is nowhere to be found online, not even a placeholder website. Sorry dude, but in the 21st century, 19th century campaign practices are so, well... 19th century.

Pro-life protesters jailed... Shame on Carleton University

2010-10-04T22:30:00.001-04:00

A disgusting display of hypocrisy by Carleton University... a place where thug-like tactics of the left are rewarded, and where peaceful and meek protectors of the unborn are thrown into the back of the paddy wagon.

I am privileged to know Nicholas, one of the young men arrested today.

Fainting may result in loss of drivers license

2010-09-24T23:12:00.000-04:00

Bet you didn't know that... but apparently, there's a quiet little fiasco that's going on right here in Ontario. It's true... if you have a medical condition such as diabeties, and have a non-diabetes related fainting spell because you simply stood up too fast, you very well could lose your drivers license.

It happened to a friend of mine, simply because someone wrote one INCORRECT fact down on a medical form. And to get it corrected? Turns out it's IMPOSSIBLE, you have to wait a MINIMUM of six months before you can get the situation corrected.

Give the story a read... it's time that this Catch-22 is corrected.

Must we choose between driving and seeing a doctor?
September 24, 2010

R. Douglas Coughey

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation acts as judge, jury and executioner in certain cases when it comes to deciding whether or not to revoke a driver’s license.

An editorial in this newspaper recently asserted that the opportunity to appeal rightly exists for those Ontario motorists who feel they were inappropriately pinched by a policy that sees many stripped of their driver’s licence on alleged medical grounds. If there was a working appeal mechanism, that might be all the relief that’s required for such citizens. But that’s not the case.

Ontario citizens should be aware that they are in danger of having their driver’s license suspended for six months or more over simply seeing a doctor.

Medical practitioners in Ontario are required by law to report to the ministry even single episodes of such incidents as fainting. They are not expected to determine if the incident is a one-time occurrence, a condition that can be cured or controlled with proper medical treatment, or a chronic condition that cannot be controlled or cured making it not safe for their patient to drive. They must just report the incident. That notification places such patients on the record with the ministry and often in deeper trouble than was caused by the original medical incident.

The ministry then decides a driver’s fate, and people are not invited to participate in that decision. People may not even be aware that the status of their licence is under review until after they have been found unsafe to drive – at least temporarily — and served with papers demanding they hand over their licence. Is this how we would expect to be treated?

The medical review board does not become involved until a licence suspension is completed, and people are eligible to re-apply for a new licence. It then decides whether the licence should be reinstated or the suspension extended.

The appeal tribunal process also takes months. The ministry provides no documentation to support its case against a driver. If someone can get those documents, it’s a good bet the ministry will stretch out the time it takes to release them. In addition, it can take months to make appointments with specialists, tests, and specialists again to explain the test results.

A tribunal official informed me the agency is so backlogged that it would take at least a month after it receives a request before it can will be reviewed. That’s no wonder, considering doctors must report every incident the ministry deems must be passed along.

I was informed by the ministry that there are thousands of citizens in a similar situation. I had my licence pulled after I saw a doctor following an isolated, non-driving, fainting spell this summer.

It’s all based on this clause in the Highway Traffic Act: “…every legally qualified medical practitioner shall report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles the name, address and clinical condition of every person 16 years of age or over attending upon the medical practitioner for medical services, who, in the opinion of the medical practitioner, is suffering from a condition that may make it dangerous for the person to operate a motor vehicle."

I believe the intent is for medical practitioners to practise due diligence prior to reporting an incident to the ministry. If someone’s medical history and prescribed tests convince the doctor they are not safe to drive, then the doctor should provide a written report to the ministry, as well as a copy to the patient, stating the reason for the determination and the recommendation as to whether the condition can be successfully treated.

Doctors are in an extremely bad position being forced to take part in what is a great injustice for many patients. They know many of the people they report are losing their licences when there is little or no medical evidence to believe they are unsafe to drive.

This insanity has to stop. Someone in authority must find the courage to make changes to a ministry that is destroying, with impunity, the lives of so many citizens. Many to the people I speak with suggest that only the government can make the necessary changes and that I should speak to my MPP. I did. But Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said that, although there are problems, the system is best left alone. In fact, she claims the rules are going to be made stricter.

If the ministry is accurate in its interpretation of the Highway Traffic Act, the citizens of Ontario need to consider the consequences before they seek medical attention. The original medical problem could be much less painful than what the ministry is going to do to them.

"I will NOT take salary for 1st year in office" - Andrew Johnson for Mayor of Cambridge!

2010-09-14T12:11:00.002-04:00

Now THIS is something you don't see everyday! Cambridge Mayor's candidate Andrew Johnson has announced that if elected, he will not collect his mayor's salary for his first year in office.

What words can you use to describe this? Leadership, Commitment, Dedication, Action, Guts, Determination... All of the Above? Now THIS is the sort of candidate I can get behind! I'm thinking I need to go a plant some signs for him or something!

That's a massive shot across the bow of current mayor Doug Craig, and some other lady who's running too. Don't think they can hold a candle to Andrew's campaign after that announcement!

GUELPH - CC's DEFINITIVE 2010 Voters Guide

2010-09-11T11:38:00.003-04:00

I figured I'd start out with one of the areas I'm more familiar with, the City of Guelph. The OFFICIAL list of all candidates can be found HERE. Below are the candidates that I'm encouraging folks to consider voting for. Remember, Guelph is unique in that each elector can vote for TWO candidates to fill the TWO SEATS per Ward.

MAYOR
Right off the bat, I'm going to generate some controversy, to be sure. My endorsement at the moment for Guelph's Mayor is... NONE. Not that I'm saying "None of the Above", mind you, but I'm saying at present that I'm not endorsing anyone, but reserving the right to change my mind.

There is Dave Birtwistle, who is considered by many to be a "conservative", but here's my problem... I don't think I can support him. In my opinion, based on what I've heard (which may be incorrect) he's part of Guelph's "Old Guard", who think they're still the definitive voice for "conservatism" in Guelph. But that ship sailed many years ago, and they just simply haven't figured it out yet, but have instead been actively seeking to harm the conservative cause as a result. The bigger problem is that though he calls himself a "conservative", he stabbed the local Conservatives in the back by supporting the Liberal candidate, MP Frank Valeriote, to whom the Conservative candidate lost by a mere 1800 votes. Now, Dave's turning around and asking Conservatives for their support. And I have serious issues with candidates like that.

And there's also the fact that in the last four years, Mayor Karen Farbridge, who I used to call "Karen Far-left", has mellowed significantly, after she was ousted in the 2003 election, so there's not much public dissatisfaction with her this time around.

Please note, however, that I may have heard things wrong, and may have some of my facts incorrect, in which case, I'll update this post accordingly. But with what information I have at this time, I can't endorse anyone for the Mayor's chair.

WARD 1
Stay tuned

WARD 2
Stay tuned

WARD 3
1st Seat - More controversy, as I currently endorse... Maggie Laidlaw. She's a left-wing Green supporter, however, she's an INTELLIGENT woman who forms her own opinions, she isn't anyone's lapdog, and while I disagree with her on most issues, she does a solid job of representing her consitituants, many of whom are also left wing. I think Ward 3 would be well served by electing Maggie to represent the left, and a right leaning candidate to represent those in the Ward who don't lean left.

2nd Seat - ABJH = Anybody But June Holfand. I've heard she's an empty suit, nothing but a lapdog for the Mayor. As such, she deserves to be defeated. I'll sift through the other candidates and post who should get the nod shortly.

WARD 4
1st Seat - GLORIA KOVACH. Notice the CAPS? Let me say it again... GLORIA KOVACH. Hands down the best Councilor in the City. Has been re-elected multiple times with huge margins, and is the City's longest serving Councilor. Also a Nurse who works in the area of Mental Health, it was Guelph's loss that she wasn't elected as MP in 2008.

2nd Seat - Cam Guthrie. Long time local politial activist, married father of two, well known and respected insurance broker. Cam is a good friend of mine, and would serve the City well in Ward 4. Some wanted him to run for the Mayor's chair, but I'm glad he decided to get some experience at the Ward level first.

WARD 5
Stay tuned

WARD 6
1st Seat - Todd Dennis. He's been the Chair of the Clairfields Neighbourhood group for several years now, doing good work seeking to address the needs of residents in that area. I've known him for a few years through various people, and he strikes me as one of the best candidates in the City.

2nd Seat - Sue Ricketts. Met her a couple of times, though I can't say I really know her. Been involved in various things for many years, she'd be a much better Councilor than incumbant Karl Wettstein, who likes to call himself a "conservative", but certainly isn't by any stretch of the imagination.

CC's DEFINITIVE Election Guide 2010

2010-09-11T11:07:00.002-04:00

If you live in the Waterloo or Wellington Regions, BOOKMARK THIS POST! Over the next few weeks, I'll be compiling the DEFINITIVE guide for voters for the upcoming municipal elections... a listing of who to vote for, who NOT to vote for, and links to information to various candidates in the cities of Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, the town of Fergus, and various regional councils.

I'll also be hosting an "Other Areas" list of strong candidates for other races in London, Toronto, and other ones that I think should be considered for "conservative" minded voters.

One thing to note, however, is that I won't be simply regurgitating a canned list of "card carrying Conservatives". I will be seeking to sift through the various lists, and endorsing those who I think will be good for the residents of the various cities or wards in question. In fact, I already know that some of my endorsements are likely going to cause some consternation amongst some "conservatives", as I'll be endorsing folks from all over the political spectrum, based on their platforms, personal connections, and suitability to represent the residents of their consitituancies. So stay tuned!

Here is a list of links to my various posts for each city... as I make my postings, I'll activate these links accordingly.

THE DEFINITIVE VOTERS GUIDE FOR:

Guelph
Cambridge
Kitchener
Waterloo (City of)
Waterloo (Region)
Wellington (Region)
Centre-Wellington (Fergus-Elora)
Other Areas (Toronto, London, etc)

For various races, please ensure you direct your comments to the appropriate pages. For those who wish to contact me with new intel or to discuss races I may have overlooked, pleas contact me at cc@christianconservative.ca.

Regardless of whether you agree with my postings or not, don't forget the most important thing... GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

My prediction... Off to the polls we go

2010-09-02T15:05:00.000-04:00

Based on today's EKOS numbers, I think the chances of a fall election just jumped SIGNIFICANTLY, especially with some seat projections predicting a Liberal minority.

This being the first glimmer of "hope" for the Liberals in some FIVE YEARS, I'm betting they're not going hesitate to pull the plug. With the projections showing gains for the Bloc, and only marginal potential losses for the NDP, look for the swords to cross as the House returns from the summer break.

The Rt. Hon. Stephen "Capt. Canada" Harper

2010-09-02T11:18:00.003-04:00

SWEET PIC... PM Harper sitting in the cockpit of a CF-18. There's no one else I'd rather have at the controls of this great nation of ours.

My prediction on Kinsella joining Team Rossi

2010-08-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

With Kinsella confirming today that he's joining the Rocco Rossi team, you can quote me on this... Rossi's numbers will start to climb in two to two and a half weeks. At the same time, Smitherman will start some serious bleeding, as people realize that there's just no way he can beat Ford.

Summer vaction is almost over

2010-08-29T20:52:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I'm guessing that it's mostly due to the summer break, but there's been little or nothing to report on politically during these lazy days of summer... other than the breakdowns of the "Just Visiting Express", aka "The FailBus".

With the various municipal election campaigns ramping up, and the return of Parliament, there's sure to be lots more to blog on. I encourage everyone to start looking into who's running in their area, and ensure that as few left-wing folks get elected. They only reason any of them EVER win is because too many of us are apathetic about municipal politics. Don't forget that they control TENS OR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of our tax dollars, or in the case of Toronto, BILLIONS. Make sure that reasonable people are elected to oversee spending, and not more "tax and spend" Liberals and Socialists.

McGuinty's new Cabinet Minister a 2003 CTF Teddy Award Winner

2010-08-20T09:25:00.002-04:00

Just who is Glen Murray, McGuinty's latest Ministerial appointment?

“Our Teddies are an appropriate way to give them the recognition they so richly deserve,” he said. But half a dozen golden sows are languishing in CTF’s Ottawa office because only former Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray has actually accepted his award.

Williamson said CTF Manitoba director Adrienne Batra showed up at Murray’s office in 2003, statue in hand. Murray came out of his office, accepted the pig and put it on his toilet in the mayor’s office.

Among other tax dollar abuses, Murray was cited for his pet project of a $1 million toilet on the Provencher footbridge as part of an ambitious $5 million urban facelift project.

TorStar BUSTED making "edits" to Rob Ford's Wiki page

2010-08-17T11:24:00.000-04:00

What that? The left-wing media getting actively involved in trashing a right-wing candidate? Say it ain't so... oops, looks like it is so.

Someone at The Toronto Star has been busted making a number of edits to Rob Ford's personal Wikipedia page, adding a link to a satirical website that posted obscene content mocking the Toronto mayoral front-runner.

Not that I see this as anything new... they just got caught this time.

Young Liberals posing with wooden posts

2010-08-16T14:30:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm back from vacation! Looks like I didn't miss much... still a lot of censeless chatter out there from the media, and more goofy photos of Michael Ignatieff on the FailBus Express.

Personally, I like this one... a bunch of Young Liberals posing with some wooden posts...

Just busy, not dead... blogging to resume soon

2010-08-02T22:47:00.001-04:00

Sorry to break the bad news to all my detractors, but I'm not dead... just dead busy. Lots to do at work, municipal campaign stuff on the go, delivered a sermon on examples faithful saints from the Old Testament (specifically Joseph & Daniel), and trying to get all these things wrapped up in time for vacation coming up soon.

Also, I've been spending more time playing with Twitter, with what little time I have that is. If nothing of interest comes up in the next couple days, I'll see you all again sometime mid-August.