In rather unfortunate news today, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced that Russia’s population has actually grown. Personally I don’t care about the population of Russia…but generally when there is populaton growth their leaders start killing them.
Prorogation was something that no one had ever heard of until last December when Prime Minister Stephen Harper requested that Governor General Michaelle Jean prorogue parliament to avoid a confidence vote. Now, it’s happened again, though under less controversial circumstances. The Canadian left is putting itself in an impotent, sputtering rage calling Harper’s prorogation an “insult to democracy.” Get over yourselves! The Olympics only come every couple of years, and they come to Canada even less frequently to that. Let parliamentarians and citizens enjoy the games without having a worry about petty partisan politics for a couple of weeks.
After going to see “Up in the Air” last night (a great movie by the way) I had the misfortune of reading today about another incident on a Delta Airlines flight flying into Detroit International Airport. At this point, it doesn’t seem that the incident is as bad as the one on Christmas Day where a Nigerian man was trying to blow up the plane, but this story still surrounds a Nigerian man with al-Qaeda connections.
All passengers were removed safely and no bombs were detected on board or in the luggage, but there is still speculation whether or not an explosive chemicals were brought on the plane by the suspect. Having taken the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit before, I know that the passengers are quite eclectic — ranging from European business men, African missionaries, Saudi sheiks and tourists like myself. Amsterdam and Detroit are both major hubs for air travel, and as such as logical targets for terrorists either trying to make it into the country or make a statement against a country.
Is there still anyone arguing against racial profiling?
Well the moment that two people have been waiting for all year has arrived! The Red Star Toronto Star literary wish list has been released. Yeah apart from the writer and his editor I’m assuming that no one else cares that much either.
Anyway, normally I don’t care too much as my book recommendations come straight from the Conservative Book Club’s bestseller list…but I had to point out Governor Sarah Palin’s book “Going Rogue: An American Life” on the “Chuck It” list. Am I offended? Not at all…after all a rejection by the Star is pretty much like a Pulitzer Prize in my eyes.
Raise a glass to reader Dave for the tip!
…someone you’ve likely never heard of ironically – Premier Shawn Graham of New Brunswick!
The Communist Broadcasting Corporation‘s newsmaker of the year was the premier of New Brunswick, Canada for selling off NB Power (the government-owned hydro company) to Hydro-Québec (a government-owned hydro company in another province). Firstly, I didn’t know you could become newsmaker for doing one stupid thing…I thought you had to do at least two. Secondly, okay I suppose there really isn’t a second point.
He sold it for $4.8 billion that went directly back to the people in the form of tax-cuts governmental “essential” services, but it still doesn’t really smell like privatization. After all, it’s still a monopoly, only now it’s a monopoly owned by a foreign government. Good job Mr. Newsmaker.
Number one London Tweeter courtesy of Twitter Grader!
Don’t have much time today to put forth a real Christmas post, but I figure that President Reagan pretty much sums up my thoughts.
Jay Currie reports that the Supreme Court of Canada has issued a decision ruling that journalists in Canada can use “responsible communication” to defend themselves against libel suits. As well, the decision goes so far as to include “non-journalists…with the norms of new communications media” within the same banner.
Now, this is only a bitter-sweet victory as the kangaroo court of Canada (herein after referred to as the Canadian Human Rights Witch-hunt Commission) still can prosecute bloggers under the guise of “reasonable limits” to freedom of speech, but the upside to this decision based on my limited legal knowledge is that now one can appeal a CHRC decision to the Supreme Court and actually have a shot at winning it!