Sask Party Violates Copyright Law

So the SaskParty website has a series of negative quotes about the NDP on thier web page overlayed on top of different pictures of Lorne Calvert. (The yellow boxes in the screen shots below)






The problem is that all those photos come from the Sask NDP website which has a copyright notice at the bottom of the screen. (Hard to see from my screen shot but go and look yourself) Note: I particularly like the last image from the SP that has the Sask NDP logo in it and is obviously from the NDP convention.

Now I know what all the right-wingers are going to say - "fair use", "fair use"

One small problem

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The Copyright Act lays out permissible exceptions to copyright infringement in its section on fair dealing. “The Copyright Act provides that any "fair dealing" with a work for purposes of private study or research, or for criticism, review or news reporting is not infringement. However, in the case of criticism, review, or news reporting, the user is required to give the source and the author's, performer's, sound recording maker's or broadcaster's name, if known” (Canadian Intellectual Property Office). If you read the Copyright Act, you’ll notice that there are no specifics about how much of a work can be used for these purposes, such as a particular number of lines or paragraphs.

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If you want to read the relevant section in the Canadian Law it is here

I don't see the Sask Party site citing the source anywhere, do you?

More importantly, how lazy and stupid of a political party do you have to be to not have your own pictures of the opposition to use?

Amature YouTube and the Saskatchewan Election

When it comes to Saskatchewan election ads, we've seen the best, now let's look at the rest...

I know it supports "my" party. But what the hell??????

Saskatchewan Party Web-Site Foul-Up!

Hmmm. Remember when the NDP put up their new web site and small dead animals and others spent all their time poring over it looking for the slightest mistake? Perhaps all that right-wing energy should have went into teaching Brad Wall how to use his web site.

Buckdog has the story:

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Over the weekend, someone with the Saskatchewan Party's campaign made a huge screw up. For a brief while, their entire 28 day campaign - planks, announcements and television ads, were left unprotected for all to see. The press got their hands on the entire package and the 28 day Saskatchewan Party campaign is now public knowledge.

First of all, there is nothing overly remarkable in the package. A little tax tinking here, a little there ... much less than what would have been expected considering the shrieking and theatrics the Party has utilized over the last year in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

So what now? Well, it looks like Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party are going to soldier on without any element of surprise or timing for the next three weeks.

It does leave one to wonder how well they would run the government of the province when they can't even run a website!

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Hah! Snark.

Premier Lorne Calvert on a Universal Pharmacare Program

It's time to hear about this straight from the source:

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Certainly Medicare has a proud history in Saskatchewan. We invented it.

We invented it because, in the words of the Greatest Canadian Tommy Douglas, we believed that healthcare is too important to come with a price tag attached.

We believe that it’s your health card that should determine the services you get under Medicare, not your credit card.

Friends, I was very proud, in the spring of this year, to vote in favour of a budget that had within it the single most important improvement to a provincial Medicare plan in this country in a generation, the Seniors Drug Plan.

We believed then and we believe now that no senior citizen in the province of Saskatchewan should ever have to make a decision about which prescription he or she is going to fill in any given month.

We believe that no senior citizen in the province of Saskatchewan should have to choose between filling a prescription and buying gift for a grandchild.

And so we capped the cost of prescription medications listed in the provincial formulary, for seniors, at $15 per prescription.

Our province’s seniors and elders, whose contributions to Saskatchewan are incalculable, are no longer required to make these types of choices.

But friends, we also know that you don’t have to be 65 years old or older to be burdened by high cost prescription drugs. There are times when those costs represent a severe burden, and a measurable deterioration of a person’s, or a family’s, quality of life.

There are cases when the costs associated with prescription drugs are truly catastrophic.

It’s interesting to note that my predecessor, Premier Romanow, in his 2002 report on the future of healthcare in Canada, which was commissioned by the federal government, called for a catastrophic drug transfer program that would enable provinces to offset the sometimes unmanageable drug costs of their citizens.

Premier Romanow repeated his call for nationally funded catastrophic drug coverage in November of last year.

The federal government, not surprisingly, didn’t hear him. But we did.

Friends, our mission is to make life better for Saskatchewan families. Our mission is to ensure that all Saskatchewan people benefit from our strong and prosperous economy.

Our mission is to preserve, strengthen, and lead Canada in the provision of publicly funded and publicly delivered healthcare.

Today we take the next step.

Today, I am pleased to announce that an NDP government will introduce a Universal Drug Plan, modeled on the Seniors Drug Plan, effective July 1st, 2008—the 46th anniversary of Saskatchewan Medicare.

The Seniors’ Drug Plan works. Seniors and elders across Saskatchewan have repeatedly expressed their approval of the program to me personally.

The time has now come to extend those benefits to everyone in Saskatchewan so that a family’s ability to pay will no longer determine whether they get the prescription drugs they need.

Like the existing Seniors Drug Plan, the Universal Drug Plan will ensure that no one will pay more than $15 per prescription for drugs listed in the Saskatchewan formulary. If your prescription cost is less than $15 you will continue to pay the lower amount.

Friends, this program places Saskatchewan at the forefront of Medicare delivery in Canada, precisely where we belong, precisely where an NDP government will always insist on being.

We do not expect Brad Wall and the Sask Party to ever support such a program. They didn’t support the Seniors Drug Plan. They voted against the Seniors Drug Plan. They pay feeble lip service to the principles of Medicare itself.

Today’s announcement makes the choice in this election ever more clear.

It is a choice between a New Democratic Party dedicated to the principle that all Saskatchewan people should enjoy the benefits of our prosperous and growing economy, and a Sask Party made up of the philosophical heirs and political apprentices of those who have fought Medicare every step of the way since 1962.

We will deliver this program to the people of Saskatchewan, and this leadership to the people of Canada.

We will move forward together.

Thank you.

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Days like this make me proud to be a New Democrat.

Liberal Candidate to drop out and endorse NDP

I am hearing rumors that one of the Liberal candidates is about to drop out of the race and endorse the NDP candidate in his or her constituency. I rate this rumor with a probability of 9 out of 10

If true, this is both awesome and hilarious.

Stay tuned

Tax Credits for Middle Class vs. Programming and Facilities for All

The Saskatchewan election is taking a play from the playbook of the Federal election. The Sask Party is offering tax credits that benefit a few (Those who pay tax) vs. the NDP plan to benefit everybody.

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The NDP has learned that Brad Wall intends to unveil a $150 child-tax benefit, for kids taking music and art lessons, or enrolled in sports.

"I am a strong believer in the value of arts, cultural and sports activities in the healthy development of all children" [NDP Candidate Sandra] Morin said. "Wall's plan only helps families who are already able to enroll their children in music, art and sports activities but does nothing for those who can not afford these activities for their children. Wouldn't that money be better spent on programming in schools and community facilities so that all children can benefit?

"An NDP government will ensure that families have more money in their pockets to be able to enroll their children in activities such as sports, and art and music classes. With the NDP's universal drug plan, our lowest cost utility bundles and other initiatives we are making sure that all Saskatchewan families share in the prosperity they helped create."

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It seems to me that this is just like the Sask Party's drug plan where they only want certain people to beneft whereas the NDP plan is universal.

Why does the Sask Party keep wanting to pick winners and losers in the population?

Saskatchewan Election "Battle of the Student Tuition Plans"

The Saskatchewan NDP has released the following plan:

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Premier Lorne Calvert today announced plans to give young people even greater access to affordable post-secondary education and more reason to build their futures in Saskatchewan.

"An NDP government means that Saskatchewan students will be the first in Canada to see their undergraduate university tuition reduced by $1,000 in the 2008-09 school year, in addition to benefiting from a tuition freeze that will continue next year.

"This brings our tuition to well below the Canadian average, and your NDP team will make sure it remains well below the Canadian average in future years. By linking tuition to the Consumer Price Index, your NDP team is providing students with tuition protection," the Premier said.

Last year alone, the tuition freeze saved students an average of $1,500. An additional $1,000 in savings for each university undergraduate will ensure the cost of post-secondary education remains within reach of students.

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This is building on the McCall report:

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"Following extensive consultation throughout Saskatchewan, Regina Elphinstone-Centre MLA Warren McCall, now Minister of Corrections and Public Safety developed 45 options and recommendations. "

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Wheres the Sask Party Plan is a little weak:

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Students will lose under Brad Wall's policy. Tuitions will skyrocket. There will be no tuition reduction and no tuition protection from future increases...Unlike the Sask Party, the NDP welcomes young graduates from out of province who choose to pursue their careers and build their future in Saskatchewan. How is this complicated Sask Party program any incentive for people to come back to Saskatchewan and build their futures?

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I think this one goes to the NDP

Saskatchewan Ellection Call coming soon!

I just heard a rumor through the grapevine that Premier Calvert's nomination is Wednesday night. That means the election will be called probably on Thursday or Friday of this week.

Stay tuned!

Update: Whoops! Called on Wednesday night.

Che

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Wrap Up

I made a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South
Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2

Part 2 - Regina
Summary:

NDP: 10
SP: 0
Too Close: 1

Part 3 - Central Saskatchewan
Summary:

NDP: 0
SP: 10
Too Close: 2

Part 4 - Saskatoon
Summary:

NDP: 7
SP: 2
Too Close: 3

Part 5 - The North
Summary:

NDP: 5
SP: 5
Too Close: 3

Province-Wide Summary:
NDP: 24
SP: 25
Too Close: 9


The seats to watch are the following ones:

Wascana Plains in Regina.
Humboldt
Yorkton
Greystone in Saskatoon
Meewasin in Saskatoon
Northwest in Saskatoon
Meadow Lake
Saskatchewan Rivers
Lloydminster


So as polling and other data comes out, I will be applying analysis to these 9 seats. Now the Sask Party does have a small advantage in that they only have to win 5 of these seats but the NDP have to win 6 of them (to form a 30-seat majority government) but the flip side of that is that 6 of them are incumbent NDP seats and only Wascana planes and Greystone do not have the incumbent MLA running for the NDP (but new candidates) .

I am not ready to make my final prediction about who is going to win the election yet, but I will say this: IT WILL BE CLOSE.

either side will be racking up an impressive win here, either the NDP will squeek through again with a small majority, or the Sask Party will manage to edge out enough to form the government by a couple of seats.

If the Liberals were at ALL competative, I would actualy predict a minority government again (like in 1999) but with the possible exception of Meewasin, they cannot win any seats so that probability is out.

It is going to be an exciting election, so stay tuned. (Oh yeah, my prediction for the call of the election is on the 16th of October so we are less than two weeks away)

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Part 5

This is the fifth in a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South
Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2

Part 2 - Regina
Summary:

NDP: 10
SP: 0
Too Close: 1

Part 3 - Central Saskatchewan
Summary:

NDP: 0
SP: 9
Too Close: 2

Part 4 - Saskatoon
Summary:

NDP: 7
SP: 2
Too Close: 3


Part 5 - The North

Traditionaly a strong area for the NDP, with the two northern-most seats being rock solid bastions of NDP support.


1. Lloydminster

Margin of Victory for SP (2003): 1%

Now this one is very interesting, the raw vote difference was 64 votes in 2003, but there was very low turnout on the Onion Lake reserve. Interestingly enough, the NDP candidate is from that reserve (with over 1000 voters). Let's say that only 75% of the people who voted NDP last time do again, (a huge drop - over 10% in the popular vote) and then lets say the NDP candidate gets 50% of the voters in Onion lake to the polls. The NDP would then win quite handily. At the very least, this seat is far to close to call

Prediction: To Close to Call


2. Cut-Knife Turtleford

Margin of Victory for SP: 10%

This will remain Sask Party


3. Rostern Shellbrook

Margin of Victory for SP: 14%

This will remain Sask Party


4. Martinsville

Margin of Victory for SP: 30%

This will remain Sask Party


5. Batoche

Margin of Victory for SP: 7%

I know that NDP types are saying that this will be a possible pick-up for them based on their strong candidate (the son of the former MP from the area) . I think they may improve their share of the popular vote but 7% in a tough year is a lot of ground to make up. For the time being I am going to have to concede this seat to the SP.

Prediction: SP Hold.


6. Prince Albert Northcote

Margin of Victory for NDP: 30%

This will be and NDP hold. Both the Prince Albert seats have new candidates for the NDP and the results are bound to not be quite as decisive as last time. But PA has been rock-solid for the NDP for almost 3 decades now and with 30% leads (and absolute majorities) in both seats, both are staying orange on election night.

Prediction: NDP Hold


7. Prince Albert Carlton

Margin of Victory for SP: 30%

This will remain an NDP hold. See above.


8. Sask Rivers

Margin of Victory for NDP: 8%

The Sask Party has obviously targeted this seat. However, keep in mind that not only did the NDP MLA take this seat away from the Sask Party last time due to hard work and on-the-ground campaigning, but since then has become a cabinet minister that by all accounts has worked very hard for his riding. Also the SP decision to oppose the pulp mill deal is killing them in this seat. I am going to mark it as to close to call for the time being, but I would not be at all surprised if this was an NDP win on election night.

Prediction: To Close to Call


9. Carrot-River Valley

Margin of Victory for SP: 4%

This will remain Sask Party, but probably just barley, they did the smart thing and got rid of their biggest liability, the Sask Party incumbent, who kept trying to run in other seats and never showed up in the legislature. Flooding has also hurt the NDP in this area. All of this being said, if it looks for sure that the NDP is going to form government, this is a seat that could move.

Prediction: Weak Sask Party.


10. Meadow Lake

Margin of Victory for NDP: 6%

This was probably the best chance that the SP hadfor a pick-up in the whole province. However, they keep nominating bad people. Their first candidate resigned in a cloud of suspicion and their new candidate is the only Conservative incumbent MP in the country to lose to a Liberal in the 2006 election campaign. He has also referred to First Nations as "Banana Republics" which isn't going to be an asset for him in a seat that has 8 or 9 reserves. This should be a SP pick-up but due to their bungling, I am marking it as too close to call.

Prediction: To Close to Call


11. The Battlefords

Margin of victory by NDP: 20%

Without a strong Liberal candidate (like the incumbent in 2003) this seat gets even better for the NDP.

This will be an NDP hold.


12. Athabasca

Margin of Victory for NDP: 50% (Yes, that's right, the NDP got 70% of the vote)

This will remain NDP


13. Cumberland

Margin of Victory for NDP: 48% (Told you the north was solid)

This will remain NDP


Part 5 Summary:

NDP: 5
SP: 5
Too Close: 3

To-Date Summary:
NDP: 24
SP: 25
Too Close: 9

Check back for the full summary and anlaysis

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Part 4

This is the fourth in a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South
Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2

Part 2 - Regina
Summary:

NDP: 10
SP: 0
Too Close: 1

Part 3 - Central Saskatchewan
Summary:

NDP: 0
SP: 9
Too Close: 2

Part 4 - Saskatoon

Saskatoon is always a key battleground for the NDP and this election will not be any different.

1. Saskatoon NorthWest

Margin of Victory for SP (2003): 3%

The NDP just lost this seat in 2003 with the lame (former Liberal) candidate Jim Melenchuck. Also, the Liberals got over 20% of the vote here and could act as a spoiler for any candidate. The SP are the incumbents and on the upswing, but the candidate that they have nominated is controversial to say the least (Calling the Charter of Rights and Freedoms a "Piece of Garbage" and making what could be considered off-color comments about Jewish people) . There are just to many factors up in the air in a seat that has been won by all three parties in the last three elections.

Prediction: To Close to Call.


2. Meewasin

Margin of Victory for the NDP: 7%

This is another interesting on. This would normally be a solid NDP seat but this is the seat where the Liberal leader ran last time (he has run in other places since) and I assume that he will be running here again. Of course, he was beaten by a person that was nominated 2 weeks before the election that no one had ever heard of - Frank Quennell. Quennell has gone on to be a high-profile cabinet minister for the NDP and has been working hard in his local constituency to keep the people there on side. I personally think that Quennell will hold the seat but I grant that this is the only seat in the province that the Liberals stand a chance in, so I would assume they will throw all of their resources into it (Course, being Liberals in Saskatchewan they will probably throw all their resources into say, Rosemont where they don't have a snowball's chance in hell). Ignoring typical Liberal bumbling, I am going to have to put this one down as too close to call.

Prediction: Too Close to Call


3. Silver Springs

Margin of Victory for SP: 4%

This one will remain close but in the SP camp.

Prediction: Weakly Sask Party.


4. Fairview

Margin of Victory for NDP: 30%

This will be an NDP hold.


5. Massey Place

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

This will be an NDP hold.


6. Sutherland

Margin of Victory for NDP: 20%

There has been some talk that the SP will pick up this seat. I doubt it. Both the Liberals and the SP get over 20% in this seat but the NDP get almost a clear majority (46%) . The NDP will probably drop a bit in this seat but the problem for both opposition parties is that the vote will split between them, allowing the NDP to run up the middle.

Prediction: NDP Hold.


7. Saskatoon Center

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

This will be an NDP hold.


8. Riversdale

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

This will be an NDP hold.


9. Nutana

Margin of Victory for NDP: 35%

This will be an NDP hold.


10. Eastview

Margin of Victory for NDP: 25%

Same deal as Sutherland - Both the Liberals and the SP get over 20% in this seat but the NDP get almost a clear majority (44%) . Again, the NDP will probably drop a bit in this seat but the problem for both opposition parties is that the vote will split between them, allowing the NDP to run up the middle.

11. Greystone

Margin of Victory for NDP: 18%

This is going to be a key seat. The NDP are running a brand new candidate (albeit one who won all the Federal polls in the seat as a Federal candidate) and this has to be on the SP list as a target seat.

Prediction: To Close to Call.


12. Saskatoon Southeast

Margin of Victory for SP: 8%

This will be an Sask Party hold.


Part 4 Summary:

NDP: 7
SP: 2
Too Close: 3

To-Date Summary:
NDP: 19
SP: 21
Too Close: 6

Check back tomorrow for part 5 - the north. Then I will post my final predictions for the outcome and a list of seats to watch on election night.

US Democracy in Action

And people think the rollcall votes in the House of Commons are backwards?

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Part 3

This is the third in a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South
Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2

Part 2 - Regina
Summary:

NDP: 10
SP: 0
Too Close: 1

Central Saskatchewan

Not a good area for the NDP. Most of these seats have been SP for multiple elections and not much is going to change.

1. Kindersley

Margin of Victory for SP: 38%

This will be a SP hold.


2. Rosetown Elrose

Margin of Victory for SP: 46%

This will be a SP hold.


3. Biggar

Margin of Victory for SP: 17%

This will be a SP hold.


4. Arm-River Waterous

Margin of Victory for SP: 10%

NDP types point to this one as a pickup because the vote count was so close last time and they have a better candidate this time around. I don't see this mostly rural seat switching in this election. In fact, I see the percentage going quite a bit up for the SP. Remember that when you look at province-wide polling trends, a few hundred more votes in this seat doesn't help the Sask Party at all.

Prediction: Sask Party hold.


5. Humboldt

Margin of Victory for SP: 2%

This one is interesting, the NDP candidate has apparently been busting her butt in this seat, and she is a fairly well-known united church minister. The difference is popular vote last time was a statistical tie. I think this one is to close to call as well. If it looks like the NDP are going to pull it off, I can see this one switching over.

Prediction: To Close to Call


6. Kelvington Wadena

Margin of Victory for SP: 26%

This will be a SP hold.


7. Melfort

Margin of Victory for SP: 16%

This will be a SP hold.


8. Last-Mountian Touchwood

Margin of Victory for SP: 9%

Again, NDP types point to this one as a pickup because the vote count was so close last time , but they are running the same candidate. I don't see this one changing.

Prediction: Sask Party hold.


9. Melvile Saltcoats

Margin of Victory for SP: 7%

The 7% win here was an abnormality in the last election due to the incumbent Liberal cabinet minister from the coalition running as an NDP'r and the reappearance of Grant Schimdt. Unless something else goes crazy this election expect the SP margin to dramatically increase here. (again, remember that when province-wide polls come out)

This will be a SP hold.


10. Yorkton

Margin of Victory for NDP: 11%

Here is the interesting one. Was this seat NDP because of Clay Serby, or can they hold it with a new candidate. I think this is too close to call.

Prediction: To Close to Call


11. Canora Pelly

Margin of Victory for SP: 16%

This will be a SP hold.


Part 3 Summary:

NDP: 0
SP: 9
Too Close: 2

To-Date Summary:
NDP: 12
SP: 18
Too Close: 3

Check back for Part 4 - Saskatoon

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Part 2

This is the second in a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South
Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2


Part 2 - Regina

1. Qu’Appelle Valley

Margin of Victory (2003) for NDP: 26%

I know there is some talk of this being a change-up seat but remember that the city polls in this riding (most of which are middle-income people) has gone up and the number of rural voters has gone down. The vote percentage will probably only be in the 5-10% range for the NDP but they will hold it.

This will be an NDP hold


2. Regina Walsh Acres

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

This will be an NDP hold.


3. Regina Northeast

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

This will be an NDP hold


4. Regina Coronation Park

Margin of Victory for NDP 40%

This will be an NDP hold


5. Regina Rosemont

Margin of Victory for NDP: 40%

I know that there has been some talk that this seat is a possible pickup for the Sask Party, but come on, the NDP got 63% to the SP 21% (three to one ratio). This seat isn't going to change hands.

Prediction: NDP Hold.


6. Elphinstone-Centre

Margin of Victory for NDP: 48%

This will be an NDP hold.


7. Regina Dewdney
Margin of Victory for NDP: 28%

This one is a bit of an interesting seat, in the past this seat has gone much closer to being a break-even split than in 2003. This has to be one of the SP top "to get" seats. That being said, I think this one is going to be close (and I was tempted to put it down as "too close to call") but for the time being I am giving it to the NDP. If polls come out in Regina saying that the NDP is slipping then this seat might go.

Prediction: Weak NDP Hold.


8. Regina Lakeview

Margin of Victory for NDP: 36%

This will be an NDP hold.


9. Douglas Park

Margin of Victory for NDP: 36%

This will be an NDP hold.


10. Regina South.

Margin of Victory for NDP: 22%

This is another seat that the SP have very obviously targeted. Even thought the margin of victory from a percentage perspective is lower than Dewdney, the total numbr of votes cast is much higher in South. Over 2000 more people voted NDP than SP in the last election. Make no mistake, the NDP vote is going to drop here, but some of that vote is going to go Liberal (which is might not in other seats). I think this seat is actually MORE safe than Dewdney.

Prediction: NDP Hold.


11. Wascana Planes

Margin of Victory for NDP: 5%

This is the one that the NDP are in trouble in in Regina. If it wasn't for the fact that the Sask Party candidate is the Regina Police Office, Christine Tell, who was investigated by the RCMP for disclosing personal information, and was eventually disciplined by the Regina Police, I would give this one to the SP. However, their candidate has become a liability in my opinion.

Prediction: To close to call (but leaning SP)


Part 2 Summary:

NDP: 10
SP: 0
Too Close: 1

To-Date Summary:
NDP: 12
SP: 9
Too Close: 1


Check back tomorrow for part 3 - central Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Election Predictions - Part 1

This will be the first in a series of 5 posts examining each of the 58 constituencies in the province of Saskatchewan and my analysis on the outcome of the next provincial election.

Part 1 - The South

Overall the souther seats in the province are rock-solid Sask Party seats. There is not much evidence that is going to change in the next election.

1: Cypress Hills

Margin of victory for SP: 45%

This will remain SP


2: Wood River

Margin of victory for SP: 30%

This will remain SP


3: Weyburn Big-Muddy

Margin of Victory (2003) for SP: 5%

Of course the SP did much better in the by-election but I would be very surprised if they held those numbers in a general election. That being said, I would also be pretty surprised if the vote count changed so much that the Sask Party lost the seat.

Prediction: Sask Party


4: Estevan

Margin of victory for SP: 20%

This will remain SP


5: Cannington

Margin of victory for SP: 50%

This will remain SP


6: Swift Current

Margin of victory for SP: 22%

This will remain SP


7: Thunder Creek

Margin of victory for SP: 23%

Now this seat will be interesting as Rick Swenson, the leader of the PC party, will almost certainly be running here. This will no doubt take some votes away from the Sask Party candidate. That being said, I doubt it will take 23% of the vote away.

Prediction: Sask Party.


8: Moose Jaw Wakamow

Margin of victory for the NDP: 32%

This will remain NDP


9: Moose Jaw North

Margin of victory for the NDP: 23%

This normally would be a slam dunk for the NDP but there is some issue with the MLA from this riding having stepped down from cabinet in the spring. That being said, he has been the MLA for 20 years and the NDP have always gotten over 20% margin of victory here so I am safe in predicting an NDP hold.

Prediction: NDP


10: Indian-Head Milestone

Margin of victory for SP: 10%

This is something of a swing seat but the incumbent is a fairly high-profile Sask Party MLA and the trend in the area is twards the SP so it is reasonable to assume they will keep this seat.

Prediction: Sask Party.


11: Moosomin

Margin of victory for SP: 29%

This will remain SP


Summary:

Sask Party: 9
NDP: 2

Check back tomorrow for Part 2: Regina.

Dick Cheney is Pure, Utter Evil.

This is just too much:

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Vice President Dick Cheney had at one point considered asking Israel to launch limited missile strikes at an Iranian nuclear site to provoke a retaliation, Newsweek magazine reported on Sunday.

A military response by Iran could give Washington an excuse to then launch airstrikes of its own, Newsweek said.

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This guy is nuts.

SDAP Goes Crazy

This will probably be the last post that I ever make regarding SDAP and the Heritage party because at this point we are just feeding the Troll's ego.

That being said, you have to check this out, Lance busts the guy hard (you have to read all the comments to get the full gist of it) and then the guy goes nutzo over at Murney's blog to the point where he has to cancel comments entirely. And then he goes even more nuts over on Saskboy's blog (again read the comments for a good laugh)

I particularly like the party where he starts ending his posts with "Legal Office Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party" like that matters. He accuses Lance of not existing (or of being some other guy) and photoshoping records, he accuses people of faking a Saskatchewan gazette, accuses other bloggers of not being real people, and he basically just goes completely off the deep end.

This guy is mentally unbalanced to say the least.

Update: So then I get this e-mail:

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21 September 2007

Smarten up...

We are inviting you to take down the Libel you are posting and we'll
consider ignoring the behavior...

We'll be posting on political issues when ever and where ever they
appear as is our right as a registered political party.

If you figure you're just begin clever or that you are serving your
political party, consider that you aren't blogging to one of your
buddies, but you are attacking a registered political party. There
are legal ramifications to your libel.

Standard Legal: You have 30 days to remove the Libel against the SDAP
from all of your sites and pay us $250,000 for damage to our
reputation or legal action may be taken against you. It is our
opinion that your behavior has damaged our reputation and we believe
this is worth the amount above. Each day that passes we will consider
to be an aggravation of the damages you are creating with your libel.

Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party.

This correspondence is private communication between the Saskatchewan
Democratic Action Party and its recipient.

---

The message was sent from "Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party: sdap@accesscomm.ca" with the orignating IP of 65.87.230.25

Koo Koo, Koo Koo.

Nutter.

Uperdate: I am moving to comment moderation to stop the spam.

Liberal MP Donations Vs. NDP MP Donations

Nice little Canadian Press story:

---

Still reeling from Monday's humiliating byelection losses, Liberals are turning their attention to another horror story - their dismal fundraising record.
...
Only 29 per cent of Liberal MPs have donated to the party and almost none of their staff members.

---

Wow! I don't understand how you can be a Liberal MP and NOT make a single donation to the Party.

Let's take at look at the NDP. Each MP and how many times they donated in 2006 (for example)

Jack Layton - 13 times
Charlie Angus - 14 times
Alex Atamanenko - 7 times
Catherine Bell - 14 times
Denis Bevington - 13 times
Dawn Black - 11 times
Bill Blaikie - 15 times
Chris Charlton - 3 times
Olivia Chow - 14 times
David Christopherson - 13 times
Joe Comartin - 13 times
Jean Crowder - 15 times
Nathan Cullen - 13 times
Libby Davies - 12 times
Paul Dewar - 12 times
Yvon Godin - 11 times
Peter Julian - 15 times
Wayne Marston - 13 times
Pat Martin - 13 times
Tony Martin - 16 times
Brian Masse - 12 times
Irene Mathyssen - 13 times
Alexa McDonough - 14 times
Peggy Nash - 13 times
Penny Priddy - 12 times
Denise Savoie - 14 times
Bil Siksay - 16 times
Peter Stoffer - 12 times
Judy Wasylycia-Leis - 14 times.

So that is 100% of the NDP caucus making a donation. Sure, most of them are on a monthly donation system but still, recall that only 29% of Liberal MP's made ANY donation at all.

Now by Wikipedia's count there are 96 Liberal MPs. So 29% of that is 28 MPs who have donated.

So assuming the trend holds from last year MORE NDP MPS WILL HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS THAN LIBERAL MPS. And we only have 1/3 as many MPs.

Yeah, I don't know why the Liberal Party is in trouble.

SDAP Troll busted!

This may be the only time I link to Catprint in the Mash, but when you pull off a bust this good, it deserves to be recognized.

It turns our that the so-called "Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party" that has made comments in Saskatchewan blogs that include statements about 36,000 members and getting 60% of the vote in the next election is actually just a front for the Heratige Party that got 36 votes in the last by-election and has, like, 6 members province wide.

From now on, following the long established policy of this blog, I will only allow people to post with their real identity if they are using a cover to troll. So SDAP, post under your real name and/or party from now on here.

Update:
http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/gazette/part1/2007/G1200737.pdf

The Election Act, 1996 [clause 223(b)]
________
NOTICE OF AMENDMENT
Pursuant to clause 233(b) of The Election Act, 1996, notice is hereby given of an amendment to the name of the Saskatchewan Heritage Party to the Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party and the abbreviation of the name of the registered party to Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party – SDAP. Dated at Regina, Saskatchewan, this 4th day of September 2007.

Jean Ouellet,
Chief Electoral Officer.

New Simpsons Game

The Simpson's fan in me just had to post this one:

In stores November 1st

Sask Party Candidate makes odd comment about Jewish People

So buckdog had this great post on Serge LeClerk, the new Sask Party candidate in Saskatoon:

---

Saskatchewan Party Candidate Takes Heat For Calling Charter of Rights And Freedoms 'A Piece Of Garbage'

A candidate for the Opposition Saskatchewan Party has been challenged to explain comments he has made concerning the Charter of Rights And Freedoms

---

Well it turns out that Mr. LeCerk has a couple more interesting things to say in his book "Untwisted" available on his website here, (copyright 2007) but I don't know that the Sask Party would want them brought to people's attention.

On Page 11, Mr. LeCerk has this to say:

---

And then there were the Sheeney Men, Jewish men with long black coats, black hats, and curls, who came down the street with their horse-drawn wagons.

---

"Sheeny" Men!

For those of you not in the know, I point you to dictionary.com. Sheeny can mean one of two things:

---

adjective, sheen·i·er, sheen·i·est.
shining; lustrous

---

or:

---

n. pl. shee·nies Offensive Slang
Used as a disparaging term for a Jew.

---

I will give you one choice as to which meaning Mr. LeClerk meant. I guess he could have meant shining Jews, but is that likely?

Which Middle East country remembered 9/11? (Answer may surprise you)

Which Middle East country held spontaneous candlelight vigils for victims of the World Trade Center Attack on 9/11?

• Kuwait - No.
• Saudi Arabia - No.
• Qumar - No.
  
• Israel - No.
• Iraq - No.
  
• Iran - Yes.

Read more here

Sask Party / PC Merger?

There is some evidence that shows that former Sask Party leader Elwin Hermanson approached the leader of the PC Party to discuss a merger between the two parties.

Why?

Follow the money.

According to the Sworn Affidavit of Rick Swenson (the PC Leader) after the 2003 election campaign he was approached by Hermanson to discuss merging the two parties together.

His sworn testimony is as follows:

(See the full affidavit here on the Sask NDP website)

So it is all about the money.

Perhaps that explains this story today:

---

The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan Trust Fund was set up in 1981 from contributions from the party "for the purpose of insuring the long-term survival and existence of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan," according to the deed.

In 1997, with the formation of the Saskatchewan Party by Tory and Liberal MLAs, the PC party amended its constitution to allow the party to become inactive for two consecutive provincial elections.

During that time, the fund continued to disperse money to the party.

Swenson alleges funding was cut off when members of its board began discussing revival of the party.

---

Read more about this issue here and here

What happens when Democrats spot a backbone...

hat tip: crooks and liers

Russia has a new Prime Minister

From BBC News

---

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the resignation of PM Mikhail Fradkov and nominated a financial crime investigator to replace him.

Victor Zubkov, head of the federal financial monitoring service, is a relative unknown in Russian politics.

The change marks a major political shake-up ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections.

---

snip

---

Russian media had been speculating that First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov - long considered a frontrunner for the presidency - could have been about to be made prime minister.

---

What the Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party stands for...

So a poster who goes under the name "Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party" has been posting spam on my site and others'. When challenged over on John Murney's blog the poster had this to say:

---

With our current membership of over 36 thousand members and growing, asking us who we are would fill several pages of your blogs here.

---

So they claim to have over 36,000 members. Which is pretty impressive for a group I had never heard of until they started posting on my blog. So I started trying to find out about them.

And them I came across the best electoral Youtube Video ever. This beats the wolf in sheep's clothing video hands down. It conclusively explains what the SDAP stands for.





I am laughing so hard I hurt right now.

Oh, and in case you want to go to an event and actually, you know, meet one of these 36,000 members, you just have to look at thier event calendar here.

Busy guys.

Update: As it turns out the guy who is running this is a total and complete nutjob, I mean, call-the-men-it-white-coats-crazy. See this post for the full scoop

It has got to bug them that this blog post is the number on google hit for "Saskatchewan Democratic Action Party"

Ha Ha.

Why Fred Thompson has his work cut out for him

So from the mouth of Peggy Noonan herself (Regan's former speachwriter and senior adviser to Bush senior).

---

For Fred Thompson, spurning the debate and announcing on Leno was rude and shrewd. He loped on like a long, tall, folksy fella and got a good burst of applause from the audience when he said he was running. The Web video was fine, the 60-second commercial unveiled Wednesday too self-consciously presidential. A young journalist brutally remarked to me of the makeup and lighting, "He looks like a skull on a Disney pirate ride."

He faces three big challenges. He has come in saying, essentially, I'm not the other guys. That's good, but raises the questions: Who are you? And the reason you're running for president would be . . .?

Second challenge: You can come to the rescue only when someone calls "Help!" You can save the drowning guy only when he falls through the ice; you can't do it when he's skating by and giving you a friendly nod. Three and six months ago, the Republican Party was looking at its slate of candidates and shouting, "Help!" Since then, the candidates have been out there making an impression, getting known, declaring their stands. They've found supporters.

Is the party still yelling "Help!"? Is it falling through the ice?

A third challenge, I think, is a certain dissonance in Mr. Thompson's persona. He seems preoccupied, not full of delight that he's at the party. John McCain has been having sly fun with the idea of Mr. Thompson's sluggishness. When asked why Mr. Thompson didn't come to the debate, Mr. McCain said "Maybe we're up past his bedtime."

---

Hah! Love the snark at the end. Bedtime indeed. If I was a Republican (And I SOOOOOO wouldn't be,) I would probably be a McCain supporter.

Irony

In case you can't read the sign it says:

"If you don't have GIO Third Party Property Insurance, we suggest you don't hit this bus"

A refrigerator that runs without electricity?

This is just in the experimental stage obviously, but if this can be developed as a working product, think of the reduction in power consumption!

---

First, the technology is potentially more energy-efficient than the alternatives. It only really uses energy to move the magnetic field to and from the magnetic material. The model currently under development produces the magnetic field through a system of powerful blocks of magnets similar to those we use on our refrigerator doors, only stronger. These do not get worn out, and thus do not need replacing, which is very good for the environment.

This leads to the second major benefit, namely the fluid, which could turn out to be just plain water. Consequently, there would not be the same environmental impact as with today’s compressor-based refrigerators. The third great potential difference is the noise level. Bahl expects their demonstration model, which should be ready in 2010, to be practically silent. The opportunities are obvious.

“It is probably not realistic to think that magnetic cooling technology will be used in consumers’ homes right away. Manufacturers have spent too many years streamlining the prices of the existing refrigerators. Initially, it will be about implementation in various types of niche applications – large-scale refrigerating plants, soda machines or places where a noise-free environment is important,” says Bahl, adding, however, that he believes it will ultimately spread to the rest of society.

---

The Cost of War

McDonalds, then and now

Commercials have always been a little weird.

This is the first McDonalds' commercial ever.

And this is a more, uh, modern one.




And the strangest ad of all here

Great High School Prank

And typical overreaction from the principal:

---

A high school student who tricked football fans from a crosstown rival into holding up signs that together spelled out, "We Suck," was suspended and banned temporarily from extracurricular activities for the prank, according to the school's principal.

---

This seems to me to be a pretty harmless prank that took a lot of work to get of the ground.

---

Kyle Garchar, a senior at Hilliard Davidson High School in suburban Columbus, said he spent about 20 hours over three days plotting the trick, which was captured on video and posted on the video-sharing Web site YouTube. He said he was inspired by a similar prank pulled by Yale students in 2004, when Harvard fans were duped into holding up cards with the same message.

---

Here is the video



And here is a news interview with the prankster.

New Sask NDP Website

So the Sask NDP website (after much delay) has finally launched. You can take a look at it here:

The party has been kind enough to send out some promotional screen shots that bloggers like me can use to profile some of the new features of the site. I am going to focus on the three that interest me the most.

1) First up: Facebook.

The Sask NDP have apparently bought into facebook in a big way. Not only does the Premier have a page on facebook but there is also an application for receiving the Commonwire Newsletter on facebook. Not sure how many people will sign up for something like that but it nice of them to provide it.

It is interesting to see that the Party is getting into social networking. I'm still not convinced that this is a great value add but then again I don't really "get" the whole facebook thing, I log on once every three months or so.

2) RSS Feeds

As a blogger I know how valuable these things are.

It is good to see that the party is using the tools of the "web 2.o" (another term that I hate) but if people are anything like me, your rss aggregator is better than your morning newspaper.

3) YouTube

It was a given that the new web site would have video on it (you can't have a political website without video these days) but it is interesting to see them integrate YouTube as much as they have.

In fact, the entire Premier's video bio section is done via YouTube. They obviously could have chosen to have those videos simply play on their own site, (like the intro on the first page) but instead they have made them public for the whole world to use on blogs and other places (no comments, however).

Is this a sign that the Sask NDP is "getting" the new web?

Or is is just a "me too" thing?

I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. They could have just put up facebook accounts without integrating them into the new web site and they could have just had flash video of their own playing on the site (and in fact they do) but the fact that they are trying to reach out and engage people tells me that, however slightly, they are starting to adapt to the Internet and the way things work here.

The true test will be to see how their forums work out:

I am kind of surprised that they are willing to take the risk of forums. But it has the potential to pay off in a big way if nurtured and used properly.

Also the fact that they are reaching out to bloggers with this information is a good thing - it shows that they are taking us a bit more seriously than any political party has done in the psat (with the possible exception of the Federal Conservatives)

The Sask Party is running scared

---

REGINA - An NDP advertisement accusing the Saskatchewan Party of a hidden agenda has a dirty subliminal message of its own, the Opposition charged Tuesday.

The television ad in question consists of a series of written phrases, where some words fade away letter by letter. Saskatchewan Party MLA Nancy Heppner said that one phrase - "Sask Party stood for Privatization Of Crowns" - dissolves for a split second to read "Sask Party stood for porn", before the words fade out completely.

---

So let me get this straight. If you freeze frame the ad and ignore one of the five letters (the "t") -then there is a subliminal message?

I franktly fintd thatt a litttle sustpicious.

Reaching much?

Political Courage

As a fairly left-of-centre person myself, I occasionally get discouraged by the waffling and hemming and hawing by those elected officials of the "left." It would be worse if we didn't have the Federal NDP and it would be even worse if I lived in the US.

I imagine that if I lived in the States I would be writing something like this:

---

One thing I finally noticed about Kucinich during the AFL-CIO debate was how Kucinich always made more points during his alloted time than other candidates. I have been thinking about this and found the answer when I was reading the transcript. Kucinich doesn’t equivocate. He doesn’t dance around an issue - he goes straight for the explanation and since his past is not littered with idiotic support of bad bills, HE has nothing to fear, so why do I?

---

And the final section is great:

---

He is just like me. My values are the same as his. If I was in Congress, I would vote like he does. I no longer fear. I refuse to allow the GOP to manipulate me into supporting lesser candidates.

That just might be called courage.

---

I am closer to Kucinich than any other US candidate and I have to think that if I lived down there I would be volunteering on his campaign.

Sask NDP Attack campaign - the video

The television commercial that goes with the brochure:

This is the true face of the US

She is the true face of the US. Looks very nice at first glance, but scratch the surface and you get stupidity.

Sask NDP Attack campaign

So small dead animals is talking about this...



Which (supposedly) is an image from the NDP attack campaign for this fall's election. So far all we know is what the Sask Party and Small Dead Animals have to say about it, I will wait to see, if it focuses on policy, then great, if it focuses on personal attacks, less good.

Giant Political Mouse 1 year Anniversary

One year ago today I started my blog.

Happy Birthday to me.

Find out your US presidential pick

This is an interesting site where you list your views on a number of topics and then it ranks the US Presidential Candidates based on your answers so you know who agrees with you the most. Apparently I would be a Kucinich supporter.

The one flaw that I see in this approach, in that it only covers the "spectacular" issues. Mostly social and "soft" issues. There is not much mention of economic issues, which might shift the matrix one way or the other for most people.

Neat idea though.

You know your christmas dinner is going to suck when...

David Maclean is Gone

Man, I go away for a few days and miss a great story:

---

On Thursday, MacLean announced he will again fight the current, this time to return to Alberta for a new position with an electrical utility company there.

MacLean's resignation, effective at the end of today, comes at a time that he feels "really optimistic about where this province is headed and the prosperity that will come."

---

Buckdog has a pretty good post that sums up the whole thing (and is quite kind to yours truly)

Thanks for all the people in the blogosphere that helped us show that David was a goof. I assume that his new job will still be pretty slack but that he won't have 5 days a week to harass us on the left any more.

Had to post this one

I know I am on vacation but still, this one begged to be posted.

Is that the same Dick Cheney?

Away Again

Geeze, I am not getting much blogging done this summer ;-)

I am away for 4 days for a Wedding. Blogging will resume on Tuesday.

Iran is starting to look dangerous...

WASHINGTON, DC—According to an alarming new Department of Defense report combining civilian, military, and calendric evidence, Iran may be as few as nine years away from the year 2016.

"Every day they get one day closer," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a White House press conference Tuesday. "At the rate they're going, they will reach 2016 at the same time as the United States—and given their geographic position relative to the international date line, possibly even sooner."

The report recommended that the U.S. engage in bellicose international posturing, careless brinksmanship, and an eventual overwhelming series of nuclear strikes in order to prevent Iran from reaching this milestone

link

Saskatchewan is never Happy

So I remember a few years ago when everyone was all "oh the economy is so bad, everyone is leaving to go to Alberta".

Now this:

---

The Calgary Herald cited the example of a couple moving to Saskatchewan in May "after receiving notice their Calgary rent was increasing by $975 to $1,800 a month."

---

Which is part of a larger article about rent control:

---

Along with a booming economy that has seen record job creation and soaring retail sales has come the problem of finding an affordable place to live.

It started with house prices. In just a year, Regina's average price had risen by 14 per cent in May, to $162,500, from $142,500 in May 2006. Saskatoon's average price took a staggering jump of 44 per cent to $234,000 in May, compared with $162,300 a year ago.

---

You can't have it both ways people! Either it is a good thing that people are now coming to Saskatchewan from Alberta or it is a bad thing, but the same people who said it was a problem a few years ago that people were moving to Albert are now the same people who are complaining about all the people moving back!

Typical.

I remember when all the right-wingers were saying "the NDP can't manage an economy"

...then when the economy started to boom it was "But you are loosing jobs"

...then when there were more jobs than people it was "there is a labour shortage, get people to move here"

...now when people are moving here it is "but housing and rent is going up"

There is just no way to satisfy these people.

The First Facebook story of the 2008 Presidential Primaries

So I don't care much for the whole "Facebook" thing, (I only have an account because of some blogging things, and I think I check it about once very three months) but I know that more and more politicians are starting to use it.

What's funny is, so are their kids. Just naturally, or course, in the normal course of events. People of a certain age are bound to use Facebook in an organic manner.

The problem is that it is a very public thing. Which leads to interesting stories like this one.

---

There's one vote that Rudy Giuliani definitely can't count on in his 2008 presidential bid: his own daughter's. According to the 17-year-old Caroline Giuliani's Facebook profile, she's supporting Barack Obama.

On her profile, she designates her political views as "liberal" and—until this morning—proclaimed her membership in the Facebook group "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)."

---

Whoops!

Bush now more hated than Nixon

Yep, the Democrats will have to mess up pretty bad to lose the Presidency in 08.

George W. Bush has now surpassed Richard Nixon as the second most-disliked president ever.

---

The latest Gallup Poll found that Bush's popularity had been below 40 percent for six consecutive quarters, the Dallas Morning News reports. Nixon ended his five-quarter streak by resigning in 1974.

Truman's approval ratings were below 40 percent for 10 months, the longest ever in the history of the Gallup Poll. Bush, with six quarters remaining in his second term, could surpass Truman.

---

Yep, I bet he can.

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

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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.

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This was met with, some, uh, concern

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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.

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

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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."

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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)

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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.

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Oh.

Well.

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

Oh.

Wait.

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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.

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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.