Do bloggers need a union?

So I am back from holidays and back into the spirit of blogging. And lo and behold, wheat do I com across but this little jem.

---

Do bloggers need a union? That was the question raised today by a small gathering of bloggers and labor activists at the Yearly Kos conference at McCormick Place here in Chicago. "AFL-CIO: Kicking Ass for the Working Class" stickers were passed around, an e-mail signup form was circulated, and the discussion began.

---

Now the bulk of the article focuses on health care (some bloggers can't get it) which is, luckily, a less pressing concern for Canadian bloggers. However, some of the other issues would be of concern to us.

---

This idea was duly floated, but some bloggers in attendance wanted something more distinctive: a blogging code of ethics, say, or accreditation when covering media events, or an auditing program to ensure that traffic metrics are accurate and comparable to those of other sites.

---

traffic metrics would be good, as would some standardization around credentials. I can see where Canadian bloggers would benefit from both of those things.

I also found this pretty funny.

---

This brought up the obvious question, though: would even conservative bloggers be welcome? Perhaps, but "they wouldn't join a union anyway," said one participant, and another cracked that right-wing bloggers would be out of business if they had to follow a code of ethics.

---

Hah!

Holidays

I am on holidays for the next couple of weeks so there won't be much activity around here. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my loyal readers (both of them) for spending time reading my silly thoughts.

Blogging will return in August.

What if the animals you ate went to heaven?

Wind Power is awesome!

Good to know

New and Old Media: Symbiosis?

Its funny, the "new media" (bloggers, Facebook, You Tube) and the old media (MSM) have a weird and somewhat symbiotic relationship.

For example, most bloogers will start by talking old media stories and making commentary on them. And often, they will consider themselves very successful if they are mentioned or referenced in a MSM story.

On the other hand, the old media is fascinated by the new media and "what it all means." For example this article in the Globe

---

people are calling this the YouTube Election — in which anyone with a minicam or even a mere cellphone can conceivably affect the outcome. "Some of the best, the most innovative stuff is gonna come from some voter out there, who changes the entire complexion of the race," says Joe Trippi, former campaign manager for Howard Dean in 2004, now adviser to the John Edwards campaign.

---

The premise is that the new media is taking a major role in the 2008 presidential campaign. Which is an interesting premise but I'm not sure the main example of the story (the Obama girl video) is a decent test case. (Yes, I include the video later)

I mean, how many of the 2 million hits are from non-political types? How many of those hits are people looking for information and basing their ballot decision on the video?

Now mind you, the same problem faces bloggers. How many of the people who read blogs are actually influenced by the ideas and arguments put forward? Has my promotion of the NDP (for example) changed anyones' mind about anything, or does it merely reinforce the beliefs of the people who already have their minds made up?

I guess I will wait until the MSM writes a story about it :-)

A Little Late but - Happy Canada Day

Sometimes we overlook the most obvious things

Take this vision test - It's harder than it seems at first. And remember, you can rewind YouTube videos.

Blew My Mind!

King George

Dick Cheney is the 4th Branch of Government

To be fair to Cheney, maybe he is just a part of the Piraha tribe of the Amazon.

---

A study appearing today in the journal Science reports that the hunter-gatherers seem to be the only group of humans known to have no concept of numbering and counting.

Not only that, but adult Piraha apparently can't learn to count or understand the concept of numbers or numerals, even when they asked anthropologists to teach them and have been given basic math lessons for months at a time.

---

I'm not sure these guys qualify to ask the questions

So Newsweek magazine has the results of a phone survey that people took over this last week. They have published the results here with (and this is the important part) the "correct" answers in bold.


See, right there, CORRECT ANSWER IS IN BOLD. So what are the "correct" answers to some of the questions?

It may be tough to tell from my screen shots but the "correct answer" to the question:

From what you know about the situation, do you think the United States is losing the fight against al-Qaeda or radical Islamic terrorism?

Is "NO"

and the "correct" answer to the question:

Do you think Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq was directly involved in planning, financing, or carrying out the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, 2001?

Is "DON'T KNOW"

and finally:

The correct answer is "DID IT EVER END"

Yeah, cause who would know the answer to that?

I want one

This is what me mean when we talk about a Green and Propserous Economy

Original Story

Investment capital flowing into renewable energies such as wind power climbed from $80 billion in 2005 to a record $100 billion in 2006, according to a new report from the UN Environment Programme, UNEP. The trend analysis cites climate change concerns, increasing government support, and high oil prices as reasons for the boom.

The trend continues in 2007 with experts predicting investments of $85 billion this year. "The renewable energy sector’s growth "although still volatile ... is showing no sign of abating," the report states.

[snip]

Renewables now compete head-on with coal and gas in terms of new installed generating capacity, says the report, adding that "the portion of world energy produced from renewable sources is sure to rise substantially as the tens of billions of new investment dollars bear fruit."

Focus on what you CAN fix, not what you can't

Google Solar Panels generate almost 10Mw

Google is going green:

---

This installation is projected to produce enough electricity for approximately 1,000 California homes

---

Pattern Recognition

This is a picture of the rear end of a dog. I see what appears to be a picture in it due to the human capacity for pattern recognition.


I am not saying that this is a picture of anything in particular. You will note that I am not describing the pattern that I see. Therefore, IF you see the same pattern that I see then that is also due to pattern recognition and nothing to do with me.

Let the stupid hate mail begin. (Again, I did not say what I saw - if you see it, then that's your fault not mine)

Saskatchewan Party Candidate has Ethical Problems

It is not too often that I find myself agreeing with Murry Mandryk but in his column today he made some interesting points about the Saskatchewan Party Candidate Christine Tell.

Here are some tidbits:

---

So it very much comes down to an ethical decision. And Tell -- who, if elected to a Brad Wall government would stand a pretty good chance as a woman and a Regina MLA of making cabinet -- has made some questionable ethical decisions.

---

and:

---

By blaming Johnston, Tell added to the bad judgment she already demonstrated by deciding not to take a leave of absence.

And such bad judgment calls are sometimes a lot more harmful to a candidate than anything else.

---

This all stems from the problem that she is a police officer that was suspended, put on probation and then attacked the police force for being "political"

Does this sound like a person that you want as your MLA?

me neither.

Map of countries that have NOT adopted the metric system

hmmmmmm........

Former Reagan Official says Bush should be impeached and then tried as a war criminal

hat tip daily kos

Paul Craig Roberts said that the US government is in the hands of dangerous psychopaths who are a disgrace to the human race and who should be arrested as war criminals and turned over the the Hague.

This has got to be a joke

A piglet in Croatia born with six legs and two penises has been nicknamed Octopig by his owner.

The farmer, Ivica Seic from the village of Vrpolje, said Octopig also has two anuses.

If only the Pirates had used birth control

Some say that politicians have thin skins - not this guy!

I disagree with Ed Stelmach (The Premier of Alberta) on policy issues, but no one can say that the guy has a thin skin:

---

Tory candidate Heninger said he, too, is somewhat upset with the direction the government is going. According to reports, he told a constituent at the door he would like to "choke" Stelmach. The premier said that kind of enthusiasm is exactly what he wants in his MLAs.

---

Hat tip calgary grit

If *I* actualy take time out to talk about Paris Hilton then you know it is bad

Usually I am the one complaining about how we as a society spend too much time talking about celebrity gossip and not enough time talking about real issues.

The two have now converged.

I assume that most people have heard about the whole 'Paris goes to jail but gets sick so it let out" story by now. If not, here is the recap

---

The judge said she'd get no breaks. The sheriff said she'd do her time. Even Paris Hilton said she was ready to face her sentence.

But on Thursday, three days into a 23-day jail sentence, Hilton was fitted with an electronic-monitoring ankle bracelet and released to the comforts of her 2,700-square-foot Hollywood Hills home due to a mysterious and unspecified medical condition.

---

This was met with, some, uh, concern

---

Paris Hilton's early release has sparked potential legal issues, with the judge who sentenced her demanding an explanation, while lawyers and politicians are seeking to milk maximum mileage out of the event.

---

Luckily, Ms. Hilton acted like any other inmate would:

---

Socialite Paris Hilton has released a statement thanking jail staff for treating her "fairly and professionally."

"I am going to serve the remaining 40 days of my sentence. I have learned a great deal from this ordeal and hope that others have learned from my mistakes."

---

Oh, so she is going to serve this out at home. In her mansion.

That seems, uh, fair.

But wait, it's a medial issue (says the sheriff who made the call to let her out)

---

The problem here is that there is a medical issue and it isn’t wise to keep a person in jail with her problem over an extended period of time and let the problem get worse.

---

Oh.

Well.

If it is a medical problem then by all means......

Oh.

Wait.

---

A 27-year-old quadriplegic man sentenced to serve ten days in a Washington, DC jail on charges that he possessed a minor amount of marijuana died while in custody last week due to inadequate health care, including prison officials' failure to provide him with a ventilator.

---

I wonder what was different about this case?

hmmmm. 27-year-old quadriplegic man.....

Paris Hilton......

Nope, can't figure out the difference at all.

Marketing Genuis

This guy is going to make all kinds of money...

Now THAT's a scientific survey.

Saskatchewan Cabinet Shuffle

Saskatchewan just got a new cabinet today - here is the breakdown:

Warren McCall is now the Minister of Advanced Education - maybe this means we will finally see a report about student tuition affordability.

Pat Atkinson is the new Minister of Finance - not the first women finance minister we have had but still a good show on that front.

Speaking of women in Cabinet, Sandra Morin and Judy Junior both went in, Morin as Culture, Youth and Rec (good fit) and Junor as CIC and Status of the Women minister

Maynard Sonntag is moving to Industry and Resources, and gets the Forestry Secretariat and keeps First Nations. That's a BIG portfolio but I guess he is a seasoned cabinet minister.

Ron Harper is the new guy in Corrections and Public Safety.

Lon Borgerson is in as Rural Revitalization (this should make Saskboy happy) this will be interesting going from a portfolio that didn't do much to an activist portfolio. This will be the one to watch, I think.

Kevin Yates is going back in (I guess he and the Premier made up) and he will be going to Community Resources (Social Services) and that's a tough portfolio.

Buckley Belanger is moving over to Highways (go northern roads!)

Clay Serby is staying on as Deputy Premier but isn't really a cabinet minister (I don't count SPM)

Andrew Thompson, Eric Cline, and Eldon Lautermilch are all being dropped.

Other than that, there are no changes.

This is an interesting "election ready" cabinet that is significantly younger and more female than the previous cabinet.

Good sign that an election is coming!

David MacLean's Greatest Hits

Read part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4

Now that we know (some) of David MacLean's internet "alter-egos" I have started a compliation of his statements made under these false identities.

As we find more we will add them (feel free to post in the comments if you find one that I missed)

And as noted yesterday, I have had to turn comment moderation on because David was attempting to flood the site with stupid posts. If he wants to post under his own name here, I will allow him to say anything that he wants, but this is now an officially sock puppet-free zone.

Anyway, on with the show, I bring you...........David MacLean in his own words:

---

"There are times when violence is perfectly appropriate and this is certainly one of them."

September 17, 2006 on http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/004624.html
posting as moneybags4me

---

"Why did Isreal claim Gaza? Spoils of war -- after being invaded by Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Syria."

"Israel has a right to destroy hezbollah. They have no choice."

July 31, 2006 on http://buckdogpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/07/harpers-disastrous-foreign-policy.html
posting as "The Artist formerly known as..."

---

"Those same poor hep-c victims probably got hep-c while shooting heroin in front of their 35 inch TV."

July 25, 2006 on http://citizensfederation.blogspot.com/2006/11/inequality-matters.html
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"I’m ecstatic that Jim Flaherty is starting to put money where it belongs. Into the pockets of Canadians. Instead of into the veins of drug addicts"

October 10, 2006 on http://www.officiallyscrewed.com/blog/?p=514
posting as moneybags4me

---

"the fact that having a microphone somehow makes you "significant" says a lot about the problems with the media in general.

Taking clips and writing 15 second stories does not "significance" make.

I for one think reporters should have to pass some sort of general knowledge test before they get their microphone."

January 23, 2007 on http://youareablog.blogspot.com/2007/01/odds-that-i-get-in-physical-altercation.html
posting as "The Artist formerly known as..."

---

"I just think too many members of the media are so incurious as to think they actually have knowledge on complicated issues, and therefore can ajudicate whether the interviewee's comments are valid or not."

January 23, 2007 on http://youareablog.blogspot.com/2007/01/odds-that-i-get-in-physical-altercation.html
posting as "The Artist formerly known as..."

---

"change the clocks for more light at night, lots of strip clubs, and a reduced drinking age...one small step for sask."

July 25, 2006 on http://citizensfederation.blogspot.com/2006/07/what-does-alberta-have-that.html
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"Um, technically, in every sense of the word, nelson mandela was a terrorist."

December 27, 2005 on http://myblahg.com/?p=504
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"I’ve got an idea. Stop tax money from paying for abortions and let them have at’er."

June 22, 2006 on http://myblahg.com/?p=964
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"when you are on minimum wage, you either don’t know anything, or you are otherwise useless."

December 23, 2005 on http://myblahg.com/?p=494
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"I don't want my damn tax dollars paying for someone to live a few extra months."

March 11, 2006 on http://taxpayersfederation.blogspot.com/2006/03/government-says-no-to-life-extending.html
Posting (on David MacLean's own blog) as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"I suspect that christians look at conversion the same way unions look at recruitment."

"I will admit to listening to gormley while I'm working. You are going to judge me based on what I choose as entertainment?"

October 12, 2005 on http://saskprogressive.blogspot.com/2005/10/man-i-hate-cost-increases.html
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"That's why I use it [Tommy Douglas] as my handle. Because it bothers you guys. "

March 7, 2006 on http://saskprogressive.blogspot.com/2006/03/sasktel-and-bwi.html
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"I would take downtown calgary over downtown slumville winnipeg any day of the week."

October 7, 2005 on http://taxpayersfederation.blogspot.com/2005/10/spending-binge-continues.html
posting (on David MacLean's own blog) as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"the soothing tones of Al Gores brain farts as a pretense to knowledge."

September 30, 2006 on http://no-libs.com/?p=1120
posting as moneybags4me

---

"And tax’s are theft as well."

September 29, 2006 on http://myblahg.com/?p=1336
posting as moneybags4me

---

Tommy the commie has done irreversable damage to the province of Saskatchewan. They will never recover from their socialist stupor.

October 20, 2005 on http://myblahg.com/?p=219
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

---

"92% of Socalists agree, which is a tiny lunatic fringe of the whole. Dangerous yes, but tiny, just like their penis's."

September 10, 2006 on http://www.haloscan.com/comments/safework/115790553087385346/
posting as moneybags4me

---

"But this means he [Buckdog] can no longer troll his own blog under fake handles."

August 3, 2006 on http://buckdogpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/08/canadas-insane-policy-on-lebanese.html
posting as "The Artist formerly known as..."

---

"What the hell gives you the idea that [David] maclean is a klein crony?"

Novmber 9, 2005 on http://taxpayersfederation.blogspot.com/2005/11/sk-lower-school-taxes.html
Posting (on David MacLean's own blog) as "Tommy Douglas"

---

AND FINALLY:


"Words are weapons."

November 27, 2006 on http://citizensfederation.blogspot.com/2006/11/new-media-and-politics.html
posting as "Tommy Douglas"

I couldn't agree more David, couldn't agree more, words ARE weapons.

---

David Maclean is now Trolling on Giant Political Mouse

David is now trolling on my site (I wondered how long it would be until he showed up)

You will see, in the comments here, posts by a blogger called moneybags4me. You will note that this is one of the same posters that was featured in my post yesterday about David trolling all over the place. The links are here and here

Note that this "moneybags4me" seems to be obsessed with defending David MacLean.

You will take particular note that in the May 8th post - he gets called out as being a David MacLean sock puppet - and this is over a year ago.

Yet here he is today acting the same way, oh, and he is blocking his IP address.

How convenient.

Woops! But somehow Zorpheous finds out his IP.

I confirm that is in fact David MacLean's IP.

We have proof. (read all about it in the comments - watch the sock puppet revealed in real time)

Update: Now that we know even more of David MacLean's sock puppet names watch him have an entire conversations with himself here don't worry, David, we saved the page in case you delete it. David MacLean, Farmer Joe, and Moneybags 4 me are ALL David MacLean. This is hilarious. (I like the part where people call David on using sock puppets - and his sock puppets claim that it isn't true)

Uperdate: And here is another David....Unplugged, moment.

---

Put me in with Mark Steyn. I'm a climate holocaust denier.

---

Uperdate: David starts to post under his real name in my comments section. I wonder if he will answer the following questions (read the comments to this post)

Is "the artist formerly known as..." also David MacLean, because the profile link says yes.

If moneybags4me and "the artist formerly known as..." have the same IP then aren't they the same person? (I.e. David MacLean)

If "the artist formerly known as..." said that he was Tommy Douglas and they have the same IP (as each other and moneybags4me) then isn't that David MacLean as well?

David has a lot of explaining to do...hopefully he will try using his own name for the explanation.

Round-Up of the David MacLean Trolling Controversy

So first of all, WOW! I am humbled that as many great people and bloggers linked to my post yesterday about David Maclean's trolling as did. I knew that this post was big, but I didn't know how bit it actually was.

A good technical explanation of the whole thing is here

But first of all, some trenchant analysis from James Bow (great blogger)

---

Of those 5000 comments (5003 as I write this), a quick search in Movable Type’s back end shows that I contributed 560 of them. And all under my own name. What I have not done, unlike certain members of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation is commented to my own posts under a pseudonym in order to make it appear that there was a vigorous community discussion going on. (Good lord, what a hoot!)

---

Yes, this is one of the first problems with David's "multiple personalities". I am prepared to accept that he has a right to his own blog and he can say whatever he wants there. But to post using a bunch of aliases to booster support for his own arguments is at best, silly, and at worst - unethical. Anyway, I wonder what his employers think about all of this (since, as I pointed out, most of his posts are made during work hours) I am guessing that they would rather he make posts that were wroth commenting on rather than trying to fake commentary to create the illusion that people actually care.

But if his employers are OK with this then I guess that's fine. That doesn't mean that the rest of us now have to take anything that is said by any commentator on the CTF blog seriously anymore - "Oh that's just David posting under a fake name" is the rule of the day.

If I was the head of the CTF I would be pissed that he has flushed away a valuable tool like their blog for getting their message out. Now it is just a laughing stock.

Next up is Robert McClelland

---

For the record I should add that I don’t particularly care if people use sock puppets. I just wanted to spread the information that the CTFers are cowards who hide their identities.

---

This is also a good point. Some of us have reasons for keeping our identities secret (more on this later) but why should David MacLean? Given that his job is making right-wing arguments in the media one would suspect that he is capable of standing behind his opinion. It is almost part of his job description.

One would suspect that even he knows that many of his posts cross the line and so feels compelled to hide behind a false name (or names). Again, one wonders why? Is it because he knows these posts might get him in trouble with his employer? I would assume that to be the case. So instead of not making posts that are over the line he just creates a false name and then says what he actually (presumably) thinks. Again, if his Director and "members" are OK with this type of behavior then fine, but I would think that the Taxpayers Federation would set a higher standard than this for their employees.

Maybe I am wrong.

This brings us to the Wingnutter

---

Now it is reported that David was using Sock Puppet BloggerID's to troll Progressive, Liberal and Left-Wing Blogs. When people caught him at he denied it, but now with his multiple personalities into one tight account the jig is up

---

David has been called on this tactic many times by many blog operators and has constantly denied this (see many of my links from yesterday to confirm this) . Now we know that he was lying - each and every time. Again, I guess if the Taxpayers Federation wants a known liar working for them that is fine - but one wonders what else he is lying about?

The policies of the Taxpayer's Federation?

The numerical analysis of government policy?

Anything else?

In my opinion, David has proven himself incapable of being taken at face value for anything that he says. Why should we believe anything that he says if his "true" comments only come out when he is blogging under a different name.

Again, if his boss and organization are fine with someone in their employee who is a known liar, who can't stand behind his own arguments and has made one of their communication tools the laughing-stock of the internet that is fine - that is there prerogative.

If it were me, David would be looking for another job - but whatever.

To agree with the Jurist - yes, David is having a bad day.

That brings us to the best point of all about this. Scott Tribe asks the following:

---

I’d like to hear a confirmation or a denial from him on what seems to be good evidence that GPM has produced, and if it is him, I’d like to hear him justify some of the stuff he was saying and posting anonymously about.

---

Indeed, as I pointed out yesterday David does have much to answer for and the perfect venue is coming up:

Tuesday, May 29th at 12:30 on CJME Mr. David MacLean will be on the air and people can phone in and ask questions. That will either be the John Gormley show or the Murry Woods show.

The number (at least for Gormley) is 1-877-332-8255.

I posted the list of questions that I wanted asked last night and I suggest people take a look at them before calling into the show (if that is your plan) .

I have one last point left to address. The only person that (sort of) came to David's defense (that I know of) was Peter Rempel:

---

Now. I understand that some people, people who use apostrophes as GPM does, really are stupid enough to believe that Maclean's comment could be interpreted as a defense of the Nazis.

---

To be fair, as I pointed out in my post, it was the National Post and Warren Kinsella that interpreted one of these points as "defending the nazis" I happen to agree and if that makes me stupid, I guess I am in good company at least.

He makes a second (better point) as well:

---

So far, we have the bloggers known as "Giant Political Mouse" and "Canadian Cynic" earnestly criticizing Maclean for blogging under an assumed identity

---

That's true I guess. However, I have one pseudonym "Giant Political Mouse" and I use that for all of my posts. Whenever I post on blogging tory sites or not. I disagree with blogging tories and I tell them so, but I defy you to find one BT who has ever accused me of "trolling" or behaving poorly on their sites.

In fact, in yesterday's post on this topic one of my readers made the following suggestion:

---

May I suggest swamping the CTF blog on David's latest post with questions about his trolling under sock puppets. He has been deleting mine and others comments but if we keep inundating the blog with comments, he won't be able to keep up and may after answer for his foolishness.

---

to which I responded:

---

I appreciate where you are coming from, but trolling his site just makes us as bad as we are claiming he is.

I think the public unmasking and subsequent shame should be enough punishment.

---

I will stand by my reputation as a gentleman when it comes to other people's blogs. On my own blog I might call you names six ways from Sunday, but I will be polite when I post on other people's blogs.

And that is the major difference. If you don't like what I have to say, or you think that what I have to say is of no value because I am anonymous then fine, don't read my blog. And I will leave you alone on yours.

It is not the anonymity of David that we have a problem with, it is his unacceptable attacks on our blogs. If he wants to pick a false name and start a false blog, fine, go ahead.

Besides, some of us might have a reason to be anonymous. For example, what if I work for the federal government? I have been fairly critical of Harper and the Conservatives and so if they knew who I was they might fire me. Should I lose my job over legitimate policy disagreements?

Perhaps. A case could be made I suppose.

But to compare that to what David is doing?

I don't think so.

Note: Check back here to see the result of today's radio show

Update: I bet that David does not show up on the radio: Here is a screen shot taken from his blog this morning:


And if you go there now you find that last comment has been deleted - He doesn't want anyone to know that he was going on the radio and would have to answer questions. (Obviously there were other comments that were deleted)

My guess? He is backing out of the radio spot.

SUPER-UPDATE: David is now trolling on my site (I wondered how long it would be until he showed up)

You will see, in the comments below, posts by a blogger called moneybags4me. You will note that this is one of the same posters that was featured in my post yesterday about David trolling all over the place. The links are here and here

Note that this "moneybags4me" seems to be obsessed with defending David MacLean.

You will take particular note that in the May 8th post - he gets called out as being a David MacLean sock puppet - and this is over a year ago.

Yet here he is today acting the same way, oh, and he is blocking his IP address.

How convenient.

Given the track record of David and his Legions of Sock Puppets I am 99% sure that "moneybags4me" IS David MacLean.

God, get a life, you loser.

Questions for David Maclean on the Radio

For those of you who missed it yesterday:

---

What has happened is that the changeover from blogger to the new blogger has merged together accounts from the old and the new. I know that I had a "giant political mouse" user name and password for both the old and new bloggers and they got merged together into one when the change was complete.

Same thing with David MacLean and some of his "other" accounts.

The ones he uses to harass people.

---

And:

---

So tomorrow (Tuesday, May 29th) at 12:30 on CJME Mr. David MacLean will be on the air and people can phone in and ask questions. That will either be the John Gormley show or the Murry Woods show.

The number (at least for Gormley) is 1-877-332-8255.

I can think of some questions you might want to ask

---

As promised, here is the list of questions:


1) Why do you post under multiple names on your own website? Do so few people go there that you have to fake people posting there so it looks like anybody is paying attention to you?

2) Do your bosses know that you are faking feedback on your own blog?

3) You said, quote "The fact that having a microphone makes you 'significant' says a lot about the problems with the media in general." What are the problems with the media in general as you see them?

4) You said, quote "I for one, think that reporters should have to pass some general knowledge test before they get their microphone." Who would administer this test?

5) You said, quote "Too many members of the media are so incurious as to think they actually have knowledge on complicated issues." Which members of the media lack this knowledge?

6) You called for more strip clubs and a lower drinking age and said that this would be, quote "one small step for Sask." Does this represent the official position of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and their social conservative backers?

7) You said, quote "these same poor hep-c victims probably got hep-c while shooting heroin in front of thier 35-inch television." Were you unaware that many hep-c victims contracted this disease via the tainted blood scandal in the 80's and 90's?

8) What statistics do you have that show most hep-c victims use heroin?

9) You said, quote "Stop tax money from paying for abortions and let them have at’er." Did you mean that everyone can have an abortion as long as it is not paid for by the state? Does this represent the official position of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and their social conservative backers?

10) You said, quote "when you are on minimum wage, you either don’t know anything, or you are otherwise useless." Why are people who get paid minimum wage useless?

11) This is the big one. Why are all your offensive comments made using "secret identities"? Are you afraid that if people find out what you really believe that you will have no supporters, anywhere, ever?

That's a good start I guess.

My guess is that he chickens out and doesn't show up.

Taxpayers Federation Employee makes hateful comments

Anyone who runs a blog in Saskatchewan knows (or quickly finds out) that they will have to deal with the head of the Saskatchewan Taxpayers Federation, David MacLean

The man has nothing better to do then spend his days trolling under a variety of user names (such as r.s. porter, farmer joe and others). In fact, he has a whole slew of pseudonyms that he uses to cause havoc on left-wing blogs.

But the change from blogger to the new blogger has caught him out.

Check out this link to Larry Hubich's blog you will see the following:

You will see the typical comment that David will leave - this time he is posting as "the artist formerly known as..."

"But wait" - you say, "How do you know it is him?"

Follow this link to the post above and click on the user name: This is what you get.



Go ahead, follow the link yourself and see.

What has happened is that the changeover from blogger to the new blogger has merged together accounts from the old and the new. I know that I had a "giant political mouse" user name and password for both the old and new bloggers and they got merged together into one when the change was complete.

Same thing with David MacLean and some of his "other" accounts.

The ones he uses to harass people.

Let's just see what Mr. MacLean has to say when he thinks no one knows who he is, shall we.

First of all, what is interesting to note is that he posts on his own blog.


If you link here you will see the fascinating spectacle of David MacLean making as post as himself and then posting two comments to that post as different people (r.s. porter is one of his other names as well - The link doesn't lead to David but you can track IP numbers from his posts) .

Gee David, do so few people pay attention to you that you have to fake it this much?

But wait, let's see what else he writes over here:


and:




This might be of interest to any media types that interview Mr. MacLean, perhaps they will ask him about it. Since he seems to think that they "are so incurious as to think they actually have knowledge on complicated issues" and that "the fact that having a microphone makes you 'significant' says a lot about the problems with the media in general"

For someone who's job basically depends on getting interviewed by the Media, this seems a bit silly for him to say - I guess he was really relying on that anonymity, eh?

Of course, this is just one of the many, many names that David MaceLan posts under, let's check out another one, shall we?

We will start with "The Artist Formerly Know as..." complaining about one of his other names being blocked over on the Saskatchewan Citizen's Federation website.

you can clearly see the moderator (Mike Stafaniuk) complaining about all the names that this certain blogger uses (and again, if you click on the link, it leads right to David Maclean's blogger profile)

But it seems that David had another name that he was using to harass the bloggers on the SCF site. "Tommy Douglas" (What better name to harass lefties with, eh?)

But what posts did David make as "Tommy Douglas"?

Well this one is interesting:

I guess it is part of his job to do these kinds of posts (you will note that all the time stamps are during the day - when David MacLean should be at work) but I wonder what his bosses think about him using company time to promote strip clubs and lowering the drinking age. I'm not sure how that fits into the mandate of the Taxpayer's federation.

But so far we just have harassment, right? I mean, it's not like he has said anything offensive, right?

Woops!



Here we have David MacLean, using one of his "other names" claiming that the hepatitis-c victims got hep-c due to drug use and that they are all rich to being with (thus should not receive any money from the government) (Note: Kate of Small Dead Animals says this isn't offensive)

I am fairly sure the media might want to ask about that as well.

Update: Robert McClelland finds 80 posts by "Tommy Douglas" and links the IP number to David Maclean, read more here

Some jems from David MacLean on My Bhlag one and two

---

Stop tax money from paying for abortions and let them have at’er.

---

when you are on minimum wage, you either don’t know anything, or you are otherwise useless.

---

Whew! Organized labour and pro life AND pro choice people might have something to say about all of that!


Uperdate: buckdog links to this great post by Mr. Maclean

---

Why did Isreal claim Gaza? Spoils of war -- after being invaded by Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Syria.

---

Mini-update inside this update: This is too funny, here is David on Buckdog complaining about other people using fake names:

---

But this means he [Buckdog] can no longer troll his own blog under fake handles. What a shame

---

That's irony, people!


Uper-Uperdate: Look who is going on the Radio tomorrow!


So tomorrow (Tuesday, May 29th) at 12:30 on CJME Mr. David MacLean will be on the air and people can phone in and ask questions. That will either be the John Gormley show or the Murry Woods show.

The number (at least for Gormley) is 1-877-332-8255.

I can think of some questions you might want to ask - and I made a list for you

Yet another update: How could I forget that David MacLean was involved in a controversy over posting under his own name last year. Calgary Grit made this post that led to the following National Post article by Warren Kinsella: (including this great opening line)

---

It goes on and on. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation's Saskatchewan director referring to, and minimizing, the deaths of Kristallnacht to make an obscure point.

---

No wonder David has to resort to posting under other people's names - when he posts under his own name it is so offensive that it makes national news.

For the record, here is what David said (from the Calgary Grit post) that got the National Post all worked up:

---

The famous Kristallnacht that horrified civilized opinion worldwide caused a grand total of 71 deaths. This in a nation of 70 million.

---

Wow! Defending the Nazis as well. David, David, David.

Last Update: My follow-up post to this is here and for more "words of wisdom" from David Maclean, including such jems as "Nelson Mandela is a terrorist" read here

TILMA Round-Up

With the TILMA hearings starting in Saskatchewan - here is a roundup of some of the bloggers and their thoughts on TILMA

First of all, mine

The Jurists

The Saskatchewan Citizen's Federation

Larry Hubich

Swift Current NDP

Politics and Poetry

Relentlessly Progressive Economics

Word Press

Owls and Roosters

Water as a Fuel Source - this could be BIG

If this works out, then it could be a fantastic source of clean energy.

---

"You could take plain salt water out of the sea, put it in containers and produce a violent flame that could heat generators that make electricity, or provide other forms of energy," Kanzius said.He said engineers are currently experimenting with him in Erie, Pa. in an attempt to harness the energy. They've built an engine that, when placed on top of the flame, chugged along for two minutes, Kanzius told WPBF.

---

Not gonna bomb Iran, eh?

This just gets worse and worse:

---

"The carriers and amphibious strike groups and their associated forces will conduct missions in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and will also perform Expeditionary Strike Force training," the Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet said.

In January, Washington said it planned to keep two carrier battle groups in the Gulf for months -- the first such deployment since 2003.

Tension is high over Iran's controversial atomic energy programme. Washington suspects Iran is secretly trying to develop a Nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran strongly denies.

---

The Saskatchewan Government and TILMA

This is a good article:

---

At the end of March, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) announced that it had several concerns about the interprovincial trade agreement, and wanted either its concerns addressed before the Saskatchewan government signed on, or opting-out provisions for municipal governments.

To that, most of TILMA’s supporters in Saskatchewan’s business and political communities respond with two words: “Trust Us.”

---

Yeah, Like I am going to "trust" the business community and Brad Wall.

There is some good background information on TILMA here

Gone for Long Weekend

No posts until Tuesday

Worst. Movie Clips. Ever.

Good times.

Apperently the National Post knows something we don't

In this article on TILMA there is a very interesting paragraph:

---

In reality, TILMA exempts non-profit corporations (such as the Riders), regulations governing water, taxation, standards for health and social services, agriculture and Crown Corporations. What it will do, says Mr. Gartner, is turn the West into Canada's second-largest economy, next to Ontario (where politicians have also mused about possibly signing on to TILMA). For Saskatchewan's NDP, boosting business against the wishes of the party's big union backers is risky -- especially with an election in October

---

Never mind that they are wrong about TILMA - the only mention of Crown Corporations is in the transitional period section (section 6) and not in the exemption section (section 5) - they are not otherwise protected.

But how is it that the National Post knows the date of the next election?

The impact of the Greens in the next Sask. election?

I was reading this post about the impact of the Green party on the Manitoba election and it got me thinking.

The green support is not much stronger in Sask than in Manitoba and although the left might be a bit more annoyed with the NDP her than there - I just don't see it being a big factor.

The greens didn't get more than 1000 votes in any seat in Saskatchewan and certainly didn't get even 10% of the vote last time around.

In my opinion the green vote is part "protest" vote, part "new party" vote, part "environmental" vote and part "left-wing" vote.

My prediction is that the greens will have as much of an impact in Saskatchewan as they are in Manitoba - which is to say, almost none.

I disagree - Blog comment warfare is good for the soul

Sask Liberals are at 10% in the polls

David Karwacki has a strange definition of "great"

---

In a recent Leader-Post-commissioned opinion poll, the Saskatchewan Party held 55 per cent support, while the NDP held 29 per cent. The Liberals, at 10 per cent, were supported more than the Greens, at six per cent.

Despite relatively low support levels, Karwacki was optimistic.

"We're doing great in the polls. Everyone hates us the least," he said.

---

Dion is taking it from all sides

When they are laughing at you you know you are in trouble

Man, those are some bad pictures.

McCain jokes about bombing Iran

How the hell did I miss this?

This is a merger of many things I find amusing

Southpark and Mac/PC commercials, all in one bundle. Awesome!

Sorry - but don't we have better things to discuss

This is why people get fed up with politicians sometimes. Don't we have anything better to talk about in the House of freeken Commons?

And yes, Layton is one of the people I am unimpressed with

---

MYTISCHI, Russia (CP) - Canadian hockey captain Shane Doan fired back Tuesday at the politicians attacking him back home.

On Monday, opposition leaders suggested in the House of Commons that Doan wasn't fit to lead the team because of alleged derogatory comments about French-Canadians.

---

the ridiculousnesses starts here:

---

The issue was brought back to life on Parliament Hill. NDP Leader Jack Layton suggested Monday that Doan's captaincy would "cast a shadow" on the Canadian team while Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion called on the Conservative Government to comment.

---

Bah! A pox on all your houses

Back in WWII they had environmental propaganda

This made me laugh so hard I cried

But I'll admit - I didn't get the joke the first few times

and I don't even know if this is a joke...

TILMA in Saskatchewan

The provincial government has finally gotten of its collective behinds and released the TILMA assessment done for Saskatchewan by the Conference Board of Canada.

For the flaws in these types of studies, read these different assesments of the same analysis done for the original BA/Alberta agreement.

However, a quote from page 6 should make people think twice:

---

As with any comprehensive agreement, the TILMA presents not only opportunities for Saskatchewan Economy [sic] but also contains potential risks. Reduced legislative independence of the provincial and municipal governing bodies, a potential loss of local procurement contracts and short-term increased provincial out-migration would lower the potential positive economic impact on the province

---

And this is from the PRO-TILMA side! Yikes!

Interview with the Federal NDP about thier blogging strategy

If you are a frequent reader of this blog (and I know there are at least 2 of you) then you will remember all the kurfuffle that happened back at the beginning of March. To refresh your memory I include links to my posts here and here

Long story short, a blogging dipper made a post that many found to be offensive. The federal NDP denounced him in a letter but gave that letter to a Liberal blogger to post.

Chaos ensued.

Well, I sent in the following request for an Interview on March 10th . I simply went to the "contact us" section of the NDP website and submitted the following:

---

To Whom it May Concern:

I am a blogger who also happens to be a member of the New Democratic Party. You can access by blog at http://giantpoliticalmouse.blogspot.com. Recently I have made some posts regarding the party and their initiatives to create a blogroll or some sort of affiliated blog system and quite frankly, my comments were not very positive. In the interests of fairness I would like to request an e-mail interview with somebody from the Federal NDP, preferably the President, but another suitable person will do. I will propose a series of questions by e-mail, they will respond the same way, and I will place the entire transcript, without edits, on my blog.

If the Leader of the Party can agree to do a video interview with the head of the blogging tories, then surly it is not asking too much to get the president or someone similar to answer a few questions by e-mail.

There is currently a bit of a backlash against the blogging initiatives that the federal party is undertaking and this might be a way of dealing with some of that backlash.

Sincerely,

Giant Political Mouse

---

I got an e-mail response on Monday of this week (April 23rd) and sent in my questions on Tuesday (April 24th) . The questions and answers are included below.

The person who responded was Joanne Deer who is the Director of Communications for the Federal NDP. The interview is below:

Interview

Question: My original request for an interview was made on March 10th. Your e-mail response was received on April 23rd. Obviously I used the incorrect method to obtain an interview. I (or other bloggers) may want to get an interview or have questions answered by the party in the future. If they do they would need a method of obtaining that information in "internet time" so to speak. What is the process that bloggers should use to get a prompt response from the Federal NDP?

Answer: Interview requests and questions needing a quick response can be sent directly to me at joanne[at]ndp[dot]ca


Question: The Federal NDP seems to be starting to have a "blogging strategy". Let me begin by asking, what is the Federal Party's vision for political blogs (of all partisan stripes)?

Answer: We view blogs as an increasingly important and influential tool for informing and engaging the online community. We want to engage with bloggers as we would with any media to get the federal Party's message out.


Question: As a follow-up to that, how does the NDP view the "blogging dippers"? Will they be setting up their own blogroll that will be separate from that group?

Answer: Blogging Dippers is an important progressive community, and we appreciate their desire to maintain independence from the Party's federal office.

We are not developing a separate blogroll and are optimistic the new elected moderators format will hopefully help strengthen Blogging Dippers community.

Question: If the party "endorses" or even just "selects" certain bloggers as "NDP bloggers" what safeguards and/or media damage control plans are in place if one of these bloggers says something that is clearly not party policy or messaging and ends up being offensive or used against the party?

We have never had any plans to endorse or select bloggers.

Question: So far the (arguably) two biggest "NDP party office/blogger" interactions have been the interview by Jack Layton by one of the Blogging Tories and the release of a letter from the President of the Party to a Liberal blogger (Jason Cherniak). It appears (to some) that the outreach component of the party has been to all the bloggers EXCEPT the blogging dippers. I assume this was unintentional - but how is the party going to ensure that friendly bloggers get access to information and responses?

Answer: Our philosophy is to treat bloggers as we would traditional media - to respond to requests and interact with them regardless of their affiliation.

We are absolutely identifying and actively developing relationships with bloggers who are 'friendly' and open to receiving tips and information. Many of the bloggers we are have been working with are already in touch with us through bloggers[at]ndp[dot]ca and my email.

Bloggers wanting access to information should feel free to contact me.

Question: What is the timeline for any blogging initiatives from the federal NDP?

Answer: In the coming weeks we will unveil some "blogging tools", including NDP video and banner ads to help interested bloggers enhance their pages.

Interview ends here.....

My Take:

I am glad to hear that the Federal NDP is not looking at developing a blogroll (answer # 3) but you can see where one might get that idea from this part of the President's letter:

---

The NDP is undertaking the development of a new blog roll that better reflects the views and needs of the New Democrats in the blogosphere

---

I assume that since that time, sensible heads have prevailed at party office.

Other than that the answers are quite good and I am looking forward to seeing the video components that the party will put together for bloggers. I am also glad to see that they "get" the relationship between the blogging dippers and the NDP.

First Habitaible Planet other than Earth found!

This is just freeking cool!

---

An international team of astronomers from Switzerland, France and Portugal have discovered the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date.

---

“We have estimated that the mean temperature of this super-Earth lies between 0 and 40 degrees Celsius, and water would thus be liquid,” said Stéphane Udry from the Geneva Observatory, Switzerland and lead-author of the paper in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

---

“Moreover, its radius should be only 1.5 times the Earth’s radius, and models predict that the planet should be either rocky – like our Earth – or covered with oceans,” he said.

---

“Liquid water is critical to life as we know it and because of its temperature and relative proximity, this planet will most probably be a very important target of the future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial life. On the treasure map of the Universe, one would be tempted to mark this planet with an X,” added Xavier Delfosse, a member of the team from Grenoble University, France.

---

Gore might just be running for President

If this is true

---

Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House.

Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.

---

I think that Gore would easily win the nomination and then the Presidency if he ran.

That would be a good thing for the entire world

I would not take a job at this place

You need about 9 minutes to watch this but it is sooooooooo worth it.....

(Warning: Subtitles)

Conservative MP Calls for Sweeping Internet Censorship

Story

---

Canadian MP Joy Smith introduced a new bill this week designed to cleanse the Internet of child pornography, racial hatred, and material that promotes violence against women. All noble goals, to be sure, but the cure might be almost as bad as the disease: Smith's plan calls for government censorship and the licensing of all ISPs in the country.

---

Craaaaaazyyyyyyyyy

May/December (I mean Dion) Romance - My Take

Actually it is not my take, but rather the take of a few other bloggers:

First off take this

---

While I've been viewing the situation in Central Nova from afar like a slow motion train wreck about to happen, I haven't really been rubbed the wrong way by May or her party. Until now. For May to insist that it might be more important for Jack to talk to her about their "shared values" than to talk to Harper on actually SHARING those values smacks of a sense of entitlement that shouldn't even be inherent in a person whose party has yet to elect a single member, and who has yet to enter the House of Commons as a sitting Member of Parliament let alone the Leader of an official party in that House.

---

and this

---

Even if all of the Liberal voters in that riding (and that is a pretty big if) threw their support behind the Green’s a good percentage of the NDP vote still needs to switch their support. All of that is also assuming that the right-Liberal vote doesn’t switch to the Conservatives once they have lost their party

---

and this

---

Essentially, May has written off nearly every other Green candidate in the country in order to improve her personal odds of being elected.

May has put all of the Green eggs (and ham) in one basket. If she does not win, then this new strategy will only have helped the Liberal Party appropriate Green votes. If she wins, she will not have anyone to second her motions let alone official party status. In effect, May would have to function as an appendage of another party. Through her deal with Dion, she has clarified which party it would be. Whether or not May is elected, the beneficiary of this deal will be the Liberal Party.

---

and finally back to this

---

Does this mean if (a big if) May is elected she will get a free ride for the rest of her time in politics?

---

Rowin Atkinson on Religion

Some good stuff here

Are you tired of the Right-Wing Assult on public health care?

I know I am. Take a look

---

Health outcomes for patients in Canada are as good as or better than in the United States, even though per capita spending is higher south of the border, suggest Canadian and U.S. researchers who crunched data from 38 studies.

---

and

---

Overall, Canada did better, and in fact we found a statistically significant five per cent mortality advantage to people with diagnoses in Canada compared to their counterparts in the United States

---

Happy Anniversary

As even a total idiot (or some Saskatchewan Conservative MP's) could figure out from this site - I am a big fan of the Simpsons.


This week is the 20th Anniversary of the show. Read more here

---

Today, The Simpsons is broadcast in more than 45 languages—and is the longest-running sitcom in history, edging out "Ozzie and Harriet," which ran from 1952 to 1966.

---

This is why I am looking forward to the US election

Hint: The winner can't be Bush

I would actually watch this show

Sorry if you've seen this one

Defend the right to be offended

Recently there have been a number of posts in the political blogosphere that have "offended" some people and have led to calls for removal from lists or bannings or what-not.

This is a reminder that freedom of speech comes with a price. No surprise, but Salman Rushdie says it better then I ever could.

---

The idea that any kind of free society can be constructed in which people will never be offended or insulted is absurd. So too is the notion that people should have the right to call on the law to defend them against being offended or insulted. A fundamental decision needs to be made: do we want to live in a free society or not? Democracy is not a tea party where people sit around making polite conversation. In democracies people get extremely upset with each other. They argue vehemently against each other’s positions. (But they don’t shoot.)

At Cambridge University I was taught a laudable method of argument: you never personalise, but you have absolutely no respect for people’s opinions. You are never rude to the person, but you can be savagely rude about what the person thinks. That seems to me a crucial distinction: people must be protected from discrimination by virtue of their race, but you cannot ring-fence their ideas. The moment you say that any idea system is sacred, whether it’s a religious belief system or a secular ideology, the moment you declare a set of ideas to be immune from criticism, satire, derision, or contempt, freedom of thought becomes impossible.

---

The first "real news" of the US Primary's "Phoney War" Phase

Some cold, hard facts about the campaigns of those contending to be the 44th president of the United States were revealed this weekend as campaigns posted their first quarterly reports with the FEC.

The FEC reports revealed much more than wonky numbers: They tell a great deal about the campaigns. Some tidbits:

---

Self-described fiscal conservative Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., spent 64 percent of what he took in, and assumed a stunning amount (to the tune of $1.8 million) of debt.

---

Leading up to an election year anticipated to be one of difficulty for the GOP, the Democratic presidential candidates raised $27 million more than their Republican counterparts.

---

Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., raised $24.8 million in primary cash for his campaign — almost 30 percent more than did frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y

---

Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson may have come up with the most clever way to keep his burn rate below 20 percent — his campaign manager, Dave Contarino, is a volunteer who does not draw a salary from the campaign. That's a somewhat different approach than the roughly $240,000 annual salary Rudy Giuliani pays to his campaign manager, Mike DuHaime.

---

Obama — 104,000 donors
McCain - 50,000 donors
Clinton - 60,000 donors
Edwards - 40,000 donors
Giuliani - 28,000 donors

---

Obama scored the most Internet money by raising $6.9 million online in the first quarter.

---

Looks like Obama has a commanding lead.

The May/December (I mean Dion) Deal

So I don't agree with Andrew Coyne very often, but here it is:

---

It’s pretty clear there’s a larger game being played here than just electing Mr. Dion or Ms May, and larger stakes than just Central Nova. Even at yesterday’s joint press conference, there were hints that similar arrangements might be worked out in other ridings. Which suggests the real target of this operation is not Mr. MacKay. It’s the NDP.

---

And more to the point, read this post that pretty much sums up the whole deal:

---

It is a riding where an outstanding young NDP candidate named Alexis MacDonald (I have met her, and trust me, this woman is amazing) came within striking distance of MacKay in 2006 with almost 33% of the vote. ... It is also a riding where the Greens took only a measly 1.6% of the vote in that same election.

---

Some bloggers (in comments mostly) such as here and here are claiming that this move is against the Liberal Constitution.

---

this is against your [Liberal] constitution, a point Warren Kinsella also made on the Adler show today.

---

I don't know if that is true or not. I took a lookee-see at the Liberal Party Constitution and didn't see anything that would prohibit this deal, but if some one else saw what I missed (very possible, I just took a quick glance) then please let me know.

Good riddance to bad rubbish

na na naaaa na

na na naaaah na

hey hey hey

goooooooodbyyyyyyyyye

---

Belinda Stronach's brief but tumultuous fling with federal politics is coming to an end. The auto-parts heiress announced Wednesday that she won't seek re-election as an MP and, effective immediately, is rejoining her father's multibillion-dollar empire, Magna

---

What?

Oh, you want some ORIGINAL content from a blog, do ya?

Fine, look at these

The Adventures of Diva Rachel

Peace, order and good government, eh?

Indie scribe

West of the Fourth

Ramblings of a Northern Ontario Liberal

Benediction blog

Blast Furnace Canada Blog

Pierre Trudeau Is My Homeboy

I just can't stay away.....

Bush is such a clown.....

Blog Hiatus - Easter Vacation

I am away for a few days so there will be no blog posts until Wednesday, April 11th.

thanks

gpm

Al Gore Comming to Saskatchewan

Awesome!

---

Former U.S. presidential candidate Al Gore will be giving his much-publicized presentation, An Inconvenient Truth, to a Saskatchewan audience later this month.

Gore, a former vice-president under Bill Clinton, was invited to speak at Regina's Brandt Centre April 23 by Premier Lorne Calvert.

---

Did Johnson have Kennedy killed?

This is a poorly written article, but it is still worth reading

The Last Confessions of E. Howard Hunt: He was the ultimate keeper of secrets, lurking in the shadows of American history. He toppled banana republics, planned the Bay of Pigs invasion and led the Watergate break-in. Now he would reveal what he'd always kept hidden: who killed JFK

and this is true:

---

E. Howard scribbled the initials "LBJ," standing for Kennedy's ambitious vice president, Lyndon Johnson. Under "LBJ," connected by a line, he wrote the name Cord Meyer. Meyer was a CIA agent whose wife had an affair with JFK; later she was murdered, a case that's never been solved. Next his father connected to Meyer's name the name Bill Harvey, another CIA agent; also connected to Meyer's name was the name David Morales, yet another CIA man and a well-known, particularly vicious black-op specialist. And then his father connected to Morales' name, with a line, the framed words "French Gunman Grassy Knoll."

So there it was, according to E. Howard Hunt. LBJ had Kennedy killed. It had long been speculated upon. But now E. Howard was saying that's the way it was. And that Lee Harvey Oswald wasn't the only shooter in Dallas. There was also, on the grassy knoll, a French gunman, presumably the Corsican Mafia assassin Lucien Sarti, who has figured prominently in other assassination theories.

---

Then WOW!

Peak Oil Information

I spent the better part of Sunday reading a good chunk of the information on this site about the issue of peak oil (I know, I'm a geek)

---

Peak Oil is not a theory. It is a fact. Only the timing, magnitude, and implications are open to interpretation. How we interpret them should be a top priority for us individually and collectively.

---

This site is a remarkable resource for people who want to know more about the issue and the argument being presented on both sides.

Given that even the most optimistic prediction is that we will reach PO in about 25 years, this is something that is going to have start being addressed by governments around the world.

Again, this is why there needs to be public investment in developing new energy technologies - a topic that I have blogged about many times