Friday 31 December 2010

OH NOEZ!!!!!

NO MORE CAPSLOCK KEY!!!?11!??
But best of all, Google has killed the Caps Lock key, the weapon of comment-trolls the world over. No longer will these idiots be able to SHOUT THEIR DUMB OPINIONS without holding down an extra key. And the rest of us will no longer have to retype a sentence after accidentally engaging this vestigial annoyance. The key that usually functions as Caps Lock is still there, but has been reassigned: Pressing it will bring up the netbook’s search function.

But, but, but. . . whatever will SHE do?

Thursday 30 December 2010

#fetusfetishist

I've recently jointed the tweetosphere, or twitosphere. (The lingo defeats me frequently.) Bit daunting but I'm getting the hang of it.

So, JJ and Audrey of enormous thriving plants have exchanged tweets on the subject of Rose Blue, better known here'bouts as Blob Blogging Wingnut and/or SHE Who Must Not Be Linked to Because of Juvenile Feto-pr0n Redirects.

SHE seems to go on tears, tweeting compulsively, tediously repeating HER fetus fetishist, anti-feminist brainfarts points.

Yesterday (was it? Time passes so weirdly on Twitter), SHE and Audrey had an exchange that culminated in Audrey's hilarious post. Hmm, the link there to the pertinent status update doesn't seem to work.

Here's a screen shot.



Reading/viewing HER twitterstream is well, I'll let JJ characterize it for you.
@AudreyIIETP Her twitterstream is disturbing: brain damage on the march. Good venue for her mindless chanting of #fetusfetishist propaganda.


P.S. to like-minded feminazis, JJ and I are campaigning to get #fetusfetishist trending. Our Merkin sisters are sadly deficient in its use. Pile on!

AFTER-THOUGHT: Stalk me.

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Xmas: The Aftermath

I am apparently difficult to buy gifts for.

No one has told me this. I infer it from the stoooopid gifts I get.

Like soap. Really. Soap as a present.

So, gift-quality soap MUST be really really really smelly.

Yuck.

But it seems also to be pretty hard-milled, i.e. long-lasting.

I figured something out that I will magnanimously share, this being The Season and all.

When/if you get smelly gift-soap, do not hold your nose and run for outdoors garbage container.

Open an end of the packaging, find some close-off-able space, and keep it.

Like, for three or four years.

Presto! Smell (mostly) gone, soap dried out, lasts even longer.

You're welcome.

I Hate Meeces to Peeces

I emailed sweetie this ayem to tell him that I'd been woken around 6 by LOUD gnawing sounds from the couch vicinity. Snapped on light. Gnawing ceased.

I hate meeces to peeces.

I had to call vermin guy twice this year and then landscum's minion supposedly plugged entry points. So I thought this was over.

Apparently it is not.

Sweetie is waging a relentless war on meeces at his place.

Here's his reply to my email:
I had put out mouse-traps earlier in the evening.  One of them was just near my feet as I lounged, listening.  It wouldn't be worth mentioning, natch, unless that was the trap that snapped - - which it did.

So I mention it.

But when I looked down,  the trap was empty - no wee beastie.

Except . . .

. . . is that a stick?

Get glasses on . . . no, it's a tail.  It was the tail of a merely stunned mouse.  One way that I can imagine that a mouse could spring a trap without being 'held' by the trap is if they'd approached the bait from the wrong end; stepped over the 'snap-bar' to get to the bait.  This would lead to catapult-mouse - - or mouse-catapult - - risky for mousey but loads of fun when it works.  Imagine tumbling through the air with a mouthful of something irresistible - - cheap thrill.

I grabbed the tail and sent the mouse out of doors.

There was another snap somewhere but I seem to have hidden the trap - can't find the sprung one.

War is Hell.


This is for you, sweetie.

Tuesday 28 December 2010

Cue the SHRIEEEEKING . . .

in 12, 11, 10. . . hours.

At 11:30 tonight, MTV broadcasts its special about teen abortion. Here's a brief review from someone who got an exclusive preview. (My emphasis.)
MTV airs its stand-alone special about teen abortion, No Easy Decision, tonight at 11:30 p.m. — and having previewed it exclusively, I can report that it’s as sensitive, unflinching, and brave as the network’s hit series 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom (which have yet to tackle, and have barely mentioned, the A-word). Most of the hour follows Markai and James, a couple featured in the second season of 16 and Pregnant, as they wrestle with how to handle Markai’s second pregnancy less than a year after giving birth to daughter Za’karia. At the six-week mark, they decide, through heartwrenching discussions with each other, a friend, and Markai’s mother, to end the pregnancy mainly due to severe financial constraints. (James explains that he wants a better life for his daughter than he had growing up: “I’ve been without water, I’ve been without lights, I’ve been without food.”) And while pro-life critics will likely find fault with the show just for existing, no one can accuse the documentarians of making abortion look easy or fun.

Ah, but the SHRIEEEEKERS are accusing the show of 'bias', even before seeing it, lending credence to the notion that pro-liars just don't want it to exist.
But, when MTV shows the much-discussed program tomorrow, pro-life blogger Jill Stanek says it will be biased.

“According to Entertainment Weekly, MTV’s December 28 abortion reality show ‘will tackle all sides of the issue,’” she writes. “This apparently means the pro-life perspective will simply get tackled. The new website, 16 and Loved, sponsored by the pro-abortion group Exhale, states MTV collaborated with it for the program.”

(By the way, Big Nurse Stanek is lying -- I know, shocking isn't it? -- about Exhale's 'pro-abortion' position. Exhale calls itself 'pro-voice' and declines both pro-choice and anti-choice labels. The Big Lying Nurse could have found an actual pro-choice counselling agency, Emerge*, but alas, this one was not involved in the tv show.)

And they have other SHRIEEEEKY bones to pick. MTV, just like the evul abortion 'industry', is just in it for the $$$$$$.
The 16 and Pregnant program has been a ratings bonanza for MTV and many Hollywood and media blogs have focused on that fact, saying the decision to concentrate on abortion may be an attempt to snag more.

More SHRIEEEEKING about the attempt to normalize abortion.

Well, hell, abortion is normal -- one of three women in the Excited States will have an abortion before she's 45.

And the commenters around the pro-lie sites are naturally slamming Markai for being an attention whore, money-grubbing whore, and just plain whore.

Here is Exhale's support site: 16 and Loved, if you feel like leaving a comment.

The campaign to normalize and destigmatize abortion seems to be gaining ground, both with tv shows like this and the recent and ongoing Twitter effort, #ihadanabortion.

Good on MTV. Much more needs to be done.


*I blogged about Emerge here. Our old pal Twatsy makes an appearance in the comments there before we banned him.

ADDED: Markai strikes back on her Facebook page.

Sunday 26 December 2010

$150K Squirt/Photo Op

Around the blogosphere and twitosphere, JimBobby has been wondering what that ejaculation missile firing by Sour Grapes cost us.

The answer is supplied by Robert McClelland in the comments here.

From the CBC a couple of years ago:
Canadian army gunners in Afghanistan are now cleared to fire new GPS-guided artillery shells at Taliban militants at a cost of $150,000 a round.

Then, there's what lindsaymstewart said on the matter:
Don Cherry is now an unlawful combatant worthy of the same fair treatment afforded Omar Khadr.

Peter 'Airshow' McKay should be fired. Sour Grapes should be IGNORED.

Amateur Show

Sweet Babee Jay-Zeus!

It would appear that Afghanistan has officially become the 21st century's version of an African safari, providing a golden photo opportunity for hackneyed politicians and melagomanic circus performers to compensate for their shortcomings when required to get it up without the assistance of pharmaceuticals.

Don Cherry should go back to *only* shooting off his big fat ignorant mouth. Less likelihood of carnage and collateral damage.

Saturday 25 December 2010

The Most Subversive Song Ever

This must be shared.

Beijing York said in the comments here:
I don't know what these three comics cover in their routine but I would love to see a stand-up routine that skewers Christians for their misuse of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". I was listening to some Songs in Season concert on CBC and sure enough they had to sing it.

Anyway, this person does a good job of skewering this gross misunderstanding of what the song is about:

http://www.politicalgroove.com/archive/index.php?t-18984.html

I love this line:

And yet the song itself is never appropriate where it’s placed. It’s like putting a poster of Geurnica up in a nursery. Yes, beautiful, but utterly inappropriate. Hey kids! Look at the mutilated horsey head! Freaky, huh?

Here's the link made clickable.

The discussion thread's title is 'The Most Subversive Song Ever?'

I liked this bit.
Yet the song with its haunting melody and refrain like a stiffy at a funeral keeps popping up in all the most inappropriate spots (the exception being the movie “The Watchmen” in which it was actually shown during a sex scene. That’s the only version in any movie I’ve ever seen that used the original version by Leonard Cohen rather than a cover. I think the director was sending a message: we understand what it’s REALLY about.)

The commenter thinks Jeff Buckley does the best cover of it.

Me, I just loooooove k.d. laing's version of it, even though the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Owe-lympics was another stunningly inappropriate venue for it.

My xmas gift to DJ! readers:

Nativity: Now Tweeted!

And also plus: Facebooked, YouTubed, Googled, etc. etc.



Not sure what Blob Blogging Wingnut would think of this. SHE attempts to master and exploit all internet traditions and gadgetry for HER cause, but the mess which is HER blogsite, chocka-block with fetal pr0n makes one wonder.

At any rate, SHE wouldn't agree with the glurge-y message at the end of the YouTube posted; from HER perspective, the catholic church should maintain its medieval control over
women's sexuality and procreative potential.

Times change but the Vatican Taliban's ideology remains the same.

Meanwhile, in Montréal three cheeky humourists observed the season with a spectacle they concocted: Kosher jokes for the Halaladays. Three witty young women - one moslem, two jewish - Eman, Robby Hoffman et Jessica Salomon celebrated the delicious shared wisdom that comes from belonging to communities that don't get and don't want Xmas festivities - religious or not.

More here.

Friday 24 December 2010

Merry Xmas

Thursday 23 December 2010

Noooooo!



JJ The Unrepentant is hanging 'em up.

As a young bloggerling, JJ and Canadian Cynic were my first daily blog visits. (CC has turned his formidable snarkitude to Twitter, which is a perfect medium for him.)

When deBeauxOs and I decided to strike off on our own, she advised and helped. That weird catbread thing up there is her doing. dBO supplied the photo and JJ flopped it for us.

We bonded over the Ottawa Senators' wives idiocy and got branded Vicious Abortion Crusaders by the fetus fetishists. A badge I will forever wear with pride.

JJ was/is my blogging hero and inspiration.

A class act, a free thinker, a gracious hostess, and one wicked funny babe.

We'll miss you, JJ.

(But I'm keeping my fingers crossed. This is literally the darkest time of the year. Maybe when the light returns, so will JJ.)

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Who Knew?

Another Canadian Weblog Awards.

From the 'about' page:
The Canadian Weblog Awards are a juried competition brought to you by me, Schmutzie of Schmutzie.com. I will be blogging and coordinating this baby throughout the year.

They are down to the final five in a whack of categories. I've copied the categories I expected to recognize someone in.
Feminist
Féminisme

Top 5 finalists:
Cleavage
Screw Bronze!
Gender Focus
PhD in Parenting
Womanist Musings

Le Carnet d'Ysengrimus
little J
A Queer Family Grows In Redneckville
Stubblejumpin' Gal

LGBTQ
GLBTQ

Top 5 finalists:
We Move to Canada
Screw Bronze!
Dead Robot
Gender Focus
Sticky Crows

Alfred Lives Here
Any Dream Will Do
La Carmina
Donuts and Desires
Gay Persons of Color
Lesbian Cafe
Mama Non Grata
The Queer Behind the Mirror
A Queer Family Grows In Redneckville
Wandering Through Wonderland


Political
Politique

Top 5 finalists:
Stephen Taylor
Eye On a Crazy Planet
Christine Scott Cheng
Stageleft
We Move to Canada

Accidental Deliberations
Allan's Perspective
Archive Fire
Broadsides
Calgary Grit
the Commons
Dawg's Blawg
Endless Spin Cycle
The Gormley Files
Liberal Arts and Minds
Maggie Turner: Page By Page
Michael Geist
Pour un monde à droite
Praxis Theatre
Pushed to the Left and Loving It
Real Deal Economics
Through the Looking Glass
Wise Law Blog

Congratulations to the nominees.

(Pssst. Anybody heard of this before?)

ADDED: I can't comment on my own bloody blog? WTF? I tried to respond to Schmutzie's comment and for some reason can't. My response was: Good idea. We'll help publicize it next year.

Monday 20 December 2010

Rate a Cop

Another nifty use of the Intertoobz: Judge My Cop.

If you've had an experience with a cop -- good or bad -- this site wants to hear about it.
The website is the brainchild of 21-year-old Andre Borys, who was inspired to create the forum after his own encounter with Toronto police last summer. It was on one May evening that Mr. Borys was the designated driver for a group of friends out for a night on the town when police nabbed him for stopping in front of a pizza parlour in a no-parking zone.

“One officer looked at my licence, saw that I’m from Mississauga, and asked ‘What, they don’t have no-parking signs like this in Mississauga?’ ” recalled Mr. Borys, a fourth-year business student at McMaster University.

“I wanted to show him respect, so I didn’t respond with a smart-ass comment. Here I am being very respectful and he’s talking down to me.”

Mr. Borys doesn’t dispute the fact that he was breaking the law, nor that he deserved the $60 ticket, but says he felt making a complaint would have had no effect. So he started the website to allow people with similar experiences to air their grievances.

But it wasn’t until he saw the recent public outrage over alleged police brutality during the G20 summit making headlines this week that he decided to go live.

It went live very recently, so there aren't many comments there yet and they're all from Ontario.

So, what do the cops think? What did you expect? Waaaaaaah!
The Toronto Police Association says it is worried that a new website allowing the public to rant about their police encounters, publish names and badge numbers and rate officer behaviour, could incite “abuse” toward its members.

Well, when it come to 'abuse', the public has certainly been getting some lessons from the experts lately.

Paging Stacy Bonds. The Ottawa police haven't been mentioned yet.

Here's the site: Judge My Cop.

The War against Xmas as brought to you by ...

Sarah Palin!

Bwahahaha!
X marks The mudflats as your go-to place. It's now the eighth day before Xmas according to the count-down there.

My favourite is this one - On the 6th day of Xma my ex-Gov gave to me ...


6 turkeys draining.

Bonus: For all the unl'arned boors who haven't seen any of Sa-wah's Alaska! on the, ahem, *Learning Channel* here's a spiffy recap of one of the episodes.

And also via Andrew Sullivan, Joe Klein describes how John 'The Human Trampoline' McCain has not bounced back from the use and abuse he suffered as a result of choosing Palin as a running mate.

Grand merci to brebis noire for all the linky goodness.

Honesty is Always the best policy.

This is the face of the communications & PR company that the Ottawa Police has hired to polish their bad apples in order to craft a communications *game plan* and to correct its image.

Face Value's slogan is: Trust. Worthy.

The events caught on CCTV at the cop shop are merely the tip of the iceberg. There has been considerable public exposure of officers and special constables who engage in unprofessional conduct, brutality and illicit practices. It will take more than a communications *game plan* to halt the rising tide of citizens' disgust with those who defend the actions and behaviours of thugs and bullies.

Nonetheless, Derek Johnston has invested time and effort to marketing his company to clients such as the Ottawa Police.
From here, we learn that he presents himself as a specialist

"in addressing the issues of how police organizations manage their reputations as part of their risk management strategies and how they communication risk [sic] to stakeholders and the public."
Okay doke. Perhaps Johnston is proposing to exploit social media in support of his client. If so, he might counsel in particular Chief Vern White to heed advice proffered by Marta Kagan.

Listen.

Messages are not conversations.

It's a dialogue not a monologue.

Relinquish control.

Don't F**k with people.

In a world of social media, honesty is the only policy.

What was that last point again? Honesty is the only policy. Good luck with that, Johnston. Hope that Chief White does not choose to emulate Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair.

Update: More about that contract with Face Value Communications - Ottawa police services board chair Eli El-Chantiry said: “We want to be transparent, accountable and we want the public to expect no less from us.”

Friday 17 December 2010

Attention Shoppers!

I really, really hate shopping, especially -- of course -- at this time of year.

But much as I really, really hate shopping, I've figured a few things out about it.

Like, before you're allowed to leave the store with your purchases, there's a little transaction to be done. Usually involving a wallet, cash or a card. Or two cards if you're an idiot who's agreed to be commercially stalked by corporations.

So WHY THE FUCK do I always get behind the cement-head who waits until the clerk is looking at her -- and it's usually a her -- expectantly to start rummaging around in purse?

Rummage, rummage, rummage.

Oh, there's the wallet.

Now, peruse, peruse, peruse, which card will I use?

Hand over card, transaction proceeds. Until clerk asks: 'Have you agreed to be commercially stalked by corporations?'

Oh. Yes. Peruse, peruse, peruse.

Second card gets handed over.

I vibrate with impatience. And regular readers here can imagine how hard I bite down on my tongue.

Attention shoppers! Please learn this lesson: Purchasing. Requires. Cash. And. Or. Card(s).

Always.

Think you can remember that?

Good.

Motherhood Steve: Now Boss of Maternal Health $$$



Could there possibly be a more perfect appointment to the job of co-chair of the maternal health panel than Motherhood Steve?

Motherhood Steve, who while trumpeting his maternal health initiative couldn't be bothered to show up at an international conference on women timed to bolster those very efforts. Not only did he not attend as invited with his (poor) wife, he didn't even bother to reply to the invitation.

Motherhood Steve, who initially excluded family planning from said vaunted initiative (and of course excluded abortion too), after a shit-storm of scathing punditry was forced to walk it back a little to show the world he wasn't a total and complete asshole.

Motherhood Steve, who hates all women except for REAL RIGHTWING ones.

Motherhood Steve, whose religion is perceived to be something of a tiny problemo by Third-World, non-Xian women.
The former head of Canada’s aid program in Afghanistan has expressed concern that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s religious beliefs are hampering humanitarian efforts.

Speaking to the Straight from Kabul, Nipa Banerjee noted that Harper is a born-again Christian, and she argued that his religious beliefs could be adversely affecting the Canadian International Development Agency’s efforts to help Afghan women.

“It has been said that reproductive health would not be a part of the government and CIDA’s aid programs,” said Banerjee, who led CIDA’s mission in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2006. “And the reproductive-health issue is a major problem in the context of Afghanistan because the maternal mortality rate is very high.”

I could go on about what a fucking great friend of women Stevie Peevie is. But we could just ask his wife about that.

Oh. They aren't living together? Odd.


h/t to 900-ft Jesus.

ADDED: Commenter double nickel called me out on the not living together part. I admit that was lazy not to look harder for a link to the rumours. Here's one.

ADDED AGAIN: ADDED: RH Reality Check takes note: In the Category Of "They Must Be Kidding," the United Nations Puts Stephen Harper in Charge of Accountability of Women's Health.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is anti-choice, tried to eliminate family planning from Canada's international funding for maternal health programs, and generally speaking has adopted global health policies that will further marginalize women and girls.

For some reason, the United Nations took this to mean he would be a great candidate to co-chair a high-level commission to hold countries accountable for spending $40 billion pledged in September to improve women's health.

The Thick and the Brain-Dead.

One would think that the odious little pedants and sycophants who were appointed to the board of Rights & Democracy by Stevie Spiteful might have learned their lesson.

But it doesn't seem to have registered with the organization's current president Gérard Latulippe, who can be heard in this Radio-Canada interview regurgitating the same manure that Aurel Braun spread last year even though the Deloitte and Touche forensic audit, thousands of of R&D dollars later, does not support their tawdry attempt to smear Remy Beauregard.


And so chialeux et rechignant, he is. You'd think that someone who just enjoyed an all-expenses-paid sojourn in Ottawa, on the tax-payers' dime would be less whiny.

Mind you, Latulippe and Braun's bivouac in luxurious accomodation near Parliament Hill was a set theatrical piece, a veritable Lobsters' Quadrille played to perfection. We predict the "scoundrels" who are attempting to run Rights and Democracy into the ground will never appear before the House of Commons' foreign affairs committee.


More about the "scoundrels", here.

Thursday 16 December 2010

John Ivison: It’s always funny

when political columnists with inflated egos use analogies that are degrading to bien en chair et voluptueuse women so they can furtively jab at politicians they don't like.

impolitical caught Ivison doing that gynophobic thing he and his old-boys' club like to do.

From the original version of his column, which the National Post revised to excise Ivison's malignant sexist observation:
Mr. Ignatieff takes the sunny outlook of a girl who mistakes a bulge for a curve.

Are you a Bully Boy hiding behind a Big Girl's skirt, John Ivison? Or do you just play at being one in the pages of the National Post?

C-510: How They Voted

My last (I hope) post on Bruinooge's 'Stringing the Fetus Fetishists Along Bill'.

The Head Count.

Bloc all agin it. A few didn't vote.

ReformaTories really mixed. Cabinet ministers against it. Usual fetus fetishists for it. Some interesting nays, one from Julian Fantino, for example. Shelly (Farm Hair) Glover voted for it -- hmm, I thought she was supposedly pro-choice. But then it would take more than two functioning neurons to figure out that this is actually a backdoor anti-abortion bill, so there's that explanation. Again, some interesting no-shows: Rona Ambrose, Leona Aglukkaq, Lisa Raitt, and Helena Guergis, who, I think, was giving birth, presumably voluntarily.

Liberals also mixed. As Antonia commented, ten anti-choice Libs: Kevin Lamoureux, Ruby Dhalla, John McKay, Dan McTeague, Paul Szabo, Alan Tonks, Jim Karygiannis, Gurbax Malhi, Albina Guarnieri, and Lawrence MacAulay. No shows: Iggy, Marlene Jennings, Keith Martin, Peter Milliken, Maria Minna, Joe Volpe.

NDP all nay, with some MIA.

So, that seems to be it for anti-choice panty-sniffing bills at the moment. Maurice Vellacott's C-537, 'Life Begins at Fertilization Bill' seems to be stuck at first reading.

ADDED: Oooh. I didn't realize that the redesigned LieShite allows comments. Go read. There are some pissed off fetus fetishists! *hugeevilgrin*

BP covered up past platform blow-out.

Thanks to Wikileaks, the world now knows that BP has had previous problems with its drilling equipment, before its MASSIVE oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, on its Azerbaijan gas platform.

Also revealed is the fact that BP covered it up so successfully not even its business partners knew about it.

The constant truthiness and lying lies of corporate executives and political leaders, all exposed by Wikileaks.

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Not that there's anything good about that.

Seriously. How would LGBTQ people be uplifted if it came to light that a world-renowned institutional homophobe were a notorious closet case?

Would outing him advance human rights or promote acceptance? It wouldn't not stop homophobic hatred and murderous violence directed against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered folks and queer individuals.


But it would certainly once more reveal the depth of the hypocrisy of the Vatican Taliban and their catholic zealots.


Read and form your own opinion.

Oh yeah, and here's a good shriEEEk on Blob Blogging Wingnut's behalf.


C-510 Officially Toast

Libby Davies tweets: Anti-abortion Bill C-510 defeated 97-178.

So. We're good. The fetus fetishists have been strung along again. They'll learn nothing from this and vote ReformaTory again and get strung along again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Xist, they're stoooopid.

ADDED: The SHRIEEEKING begins: Waaaah! PM Stevie Peevie voted against it!

Person of the Year?????

Best tweet of the day:
Mark Zuckerberg wants it utterly closed. Julian Assange wants it utterly open. #time chose Zuckerberg man of the year, its readers Assange.

Fuck TIME.

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Stringing the Fetishists Along: Final Phase (We Hope)

The Stringing the Fetus Fetishists Along Bill had its second hour of debate yesterday.
The bill was supported with speeches by Bruinooge, Kelly Block (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, CPC), Bev Shipley (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, CPC), and David Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board, CPC).

Speaking in opposition were France Bonsant (Compton—Stanstead, BQ), Niki Ashton (Churchill, NDP), and Brent Rathgeber (Edmonton—St. Albert, CPC) [CPC??? huh???].
This morning Rod Bruinooge was on The Current lying his ass off as usual. (Listen at the link. There are also two clips from the debate: Shipley and Ashton.)

In her introduction, Anna Maria Tremonti briefly related the story of Roxanne Fernando's murder. Then said:
Roxanne's story struck a chord with Rod Bruinooge. He's the Conservative MP who he chairs the multi-party pro-life caucus in Parliament. He believes Roxanne was killed because she refused to have an abortion.

Note careful phrasing: 'He believes.' But, as regular readers here know, Roxanne's murder had zip zero nada to do with abortion.

Bruinooge blathers on for quite a while, repeating that Roxanne was killed defending her 'unborn child' and denying his bill has anything to do with abortion. Oh, but he also got in the phrase abortion in Canada is 'legal for the full nine months' several times.

Anna Maria tried to pin him down on his own opinion of abortion. But he wiggled and said that he supports the laws of Canada, or some such hogwash (I can't bear to listen again, but if someone wants to supply the exact phrase, I'll insert it). She let that go.

She did try to pin him down on the number of 'coerced' abortions happening in Canada. Well, he didn't have a number, but he felt sure there were lots of them. To her credit, she pressed on that and repeated something like 'even though we don't know how prevalent such situations are. . . '

Then, in rebuttal, Dawn Fowler, Canadian Director of the National Abortion Federation, came on to talk about violence against women and to wonder why Bruinooge's bill focussed on pregnant women coerced into abortion and did not include pregnant women coerced into continuing an unwanted pregnancy.

He dodged that to repeat 'full nine months' again, which of course got up Dawn Fowler's nose and she denied that abortions occur in the ninth month. 'It just doesn't happen.'

More blah-blah. Then Susan Delacourt came on to discuss the politics of it, specifically of Stevie Spiteful.

So, yeah, we feminazis could get behind a bill that 'protected' all pregnant women from coercion of any kind. Though how exactly that might work, I have no idea.

Because we know that pregnant women are coerced, threatened, harassed, and intimidated every bloody day.

Like this (warning, it's hard to watch):





So, the second-reading vote is tomorrow, December 15. Stevie Peevie has instructed his cabmins to vote against it and people in the know seem to think that'll be enough to kill it.

I sure hope so.

But if you live in one of the three ridings of what LieShite calls Liberal Pro-Life Heroes, maybe you'd like to shoot them a line.

Paul Szabo
Dan McTeague
John McKay

More Con jobs and lying liars.

It's getting to the point where no cover-up so stinky or no lie so MASSIVELY obvious from the Con jobs and the lying liars could be a straw that breaks the camel's back.

The media routinely reports these gaffes, fuster clucks and deliberate obfuscations; it seems at this point the Canadian public expects dishonesty and incompetence from Harper's New©™ Government and has become jaded.

First, from Montreal Simon, we hear more confirmation that Bev Oda is not only a Con job, but a total idiot as well.

A whodunit mystery captured Parliament Hill Friday after the international co-operation minister said she didn’t know who tampered with a document that bears her signature but one she is not certain she signed.

A two-page memorandum recommending the approval of $7,098,758 in funding to the church group KAIROS for its human rights activities was originally signed by two top bureaucrats at the Canadian International Development Agency in September 2009. But someone — it’s unclear who — handwrote “NOT” between the words “you” and “approve” on the memorandum’s last line. [...]

“It’s like a Clue game. We have the minister in the committee with the pen that says she signed it and killed the deal,” said NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar. “I think the minister needs to come clean … she used the department to explain away what was in the end an ideological position.”

Liberal foreign affairs critic Bob Rae said the document was tampered with and changed retroactively so it would look as if CIDA was recommending the faith-based group be chopped. “If you put 'not' in front of a cheque or if you put 'not' in front of a number on a cheque, it is called fraud,” he said.

Then this Con-veeenient (imagine Preston Manning saying the word) event, which blasted the credibility of the last functional Commons Committe that Stevie's bullies had not yet managed to destroy.

It might be Grand Guignol theatre - diverting and crudely funny as hell - if it weren't the future of our country that Stevie Spiteful is willfully and malevolently screwing up.

Sunday 12 December 2010

Anti-Zionism and pro-semitism.

Anti-zionism - the expression of opposition to the Israeli government's genocidal actions that endanger Jewish residents, and that target Palestinians, Bedouins and others for elimination.
'Our lives became something we'd never dreamt': The former Israeli soldiers who have testified against army abuses have for the first time given up their anonymity, to make their voices all the harder to ignore. For anyone who has covered Israel, the West Bank and Gaza over the past few years, reading Occupation of the Territories, the new book from the Israeli ex-soldiers organisation Breaking the Silence, can be an eerily evocative experience.
From here.

Pro-semitism would be the opposite of anti-semitism.

Via Morton's Musings, this inspiring story about
a very special photography exhibit.

An untold story of the Nazi Holocaust is on display at a Jewish temple in St. Louis, Missouri. It's a photography exhibit, featuring portraits of elderly Albanian Muslims - men and women who helped save nearly 2,000 Jews who fled to Albania during World War II. [...]

Basri Hasani sheltered his next-door neighbor and best friend, Moshe Rubenovic, who fought the Nazis throughout Albania and Kosovo. "I am a true Muslim," says Hasani. "My door is always open to anyone in need."

For the past six years, Gershman, a fine art photographer whose work is typically displayed in museums, traveled throughout Albania and Kosovo. He photographed most of his subjects in their homes, often with objects that were significant to the people they sheltered.

I hope that Gershman finds funding that will allow his photographs to travel across North America. This exhibit should tour as widely as possible, to counter the shrieeeking of islamophobes.

When the Christian Taliban loses Ireland

. . . you know it's in beeeeg trouble.

First, this:
Ireland's longstanding abortion legislation could change due to a ruling expected to be handed down by the European Court of Human Rights next week.

When two Irish women and one Lithuanian woman who were forced to travel to Britain for abortions they took the action against the Irish state five years ago.

Yay, EU!

But, but, but. . . (emphasis mine)
When Pope Benedict XVI departed from previous Church doctrine two weeks ago by saying condoms are acceptable in certain cases, Catholic-dominated Ireland was so distracted by news it might need an economic bailout that it barely noticed. There was a time, though, when a Vatican softening on the contraception veto would have made the top headline in Irish newspapers. A time when, in Ireland, things like condoms, pills and diaphragms were not just taboo, but outright illegal, according to a 1935 law forbidding the import and sale of contraceptives. In the 1970s, Irish feminists would challenge their government’s anti-birth control policies by staging protests like massive condom-buying expeditions to Northern Ireland, where contraception devices were legal. But this was still an Ireland where taking on the Catholic Church was socially daring and politically suicidal.

But the Ireland of today has the world’s largest percentage of married women under 49 using contraception, according to the United Nation’s 2010 Human Development Index. The UN figure of 89 per cent of women using birth control includes those who resort to so-called natural contraceptive methods, with which the Church has no moral qualms, but Irish studies looking exclusively at artificial contraception show use among 18- to 24-year-old girls is well over 90 per cent. It’s a startling change of social attitudes, some 30 years after the government lifted the birth-control ban in 1979, and one that illustrates how much the Church’s influence has waned in a country that was once a stronghold of Catholicism in Europe.

Among the Irish clergy, there is a sense “the battle has been lost” on birth control, said Garry O’Sullivan, editor of the Irish Catholic newspaper. In a historic upset, contraceptives, it seems, have gone from being social taboos to no longer being a topic for Sunday sermons. “The bishops have stopped pushing the issue,” said O’Sullivan. “People have moved on.”

Sanity busting out all over.

Take that, Pope Maledict!

h/t for the abortion law link to Sister Sage

Who Da Scarediest Cabinet Minister?

CBC's The Current has a list of cabinet ministers who have declined and accepted requests to participate.

Here are the top four refusniks. Which is the refusiest?

Guess first, check the link after.

Vic (The Adulterer) Toews

Jim (I'm Outta Here) Prentice

Lawrence (The Loose) Cannon

Peter (Crybaby but in a Macho Uniform-Wearing Kinda Way) MacKay

Follow-up question: Are they more scared of Anna Maria Tremonti or The Voice? I've met The Voice. Definitely scarier.

Circus Ringmaster Stevie Peevie and his troupe.


My virtual roomie fern hill discovered this brilliant website of Canadian political satire.

From one of UrNews items:

Con­ser­v­a­tive spokesman Dun­ning Kruger announced today that he is launch­ing Cirque du Steve’s Freaks and Geeks, a new circus-style show that will com­bine fund-raising for con­ser­v­a­tive causes with get­ting the mes­sage to the grass­roots in key ridings. [...]

“All right-thinking Cana­di­ans love a cir­cus – just look at the polls,” said Kruger. “But they’re sick of Pepsi per­former types from Que­bec with their New Agey ‘foreign-cultures-are-more-spiritual-than-yours’ crap and their fairy cos­tumes. What they want is to get back to the good old days of clap­ping seals, scary strong­men, hall of mir­rors, bearded women, bad suits and cre­ation­ists. Cir­cus for the base is base circus, baby!”

Fea­tured in the show are: Duff­ster, the Human Can­non­ball; Iggy, the Danc­ing Bear; tight-rope walker Big Tony C.; Vic Toews, the Human Pret­zel; John Baird, the Human Han­key; Bev Oda as Humper the Clown; the Amaz­ing Taz­ing Fan­tino; Peter Mack, trained to jump through burn­ing hoops; bearded lady Jason Ken­ney; and more.


And let's not forget the little people: Dimitri Soudas, elephant-poop-scooper extraordinaire! Flaming Regurgitator 'Fatwa' Flanagan!

As US circus founder P.T. Barnum (allegedly) said: "There's a sucker born every minute."

Pro-Choice Boycott! -- CORRECTED

December 10, 2010. I fucked up. As Anonymous in the comments points out, I misread the LieShite article. Some of the companies listed are mentioned as being ADDED to or STILL on the fetus fetishists' boycott list and thus are our kind of people -- at least as far as reproductive choice goes.

To be clear, here are the companies that should be on a PRO-CHOICE boycott list:

Enterprise car rentals
Forbes magazine
Ing financial services
Toys R Us
Cisco Systems
Red Lion Hotels
Franchise Services
Rolex watch
Kenneth Cole
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare

I feel like a horse's ass and apologize to the companies I maligned. And I thank Anonymous for showing me my mistake.

By the way, the fetus fetishists who complile this list make people pay to receive it. Why?
LDI once offered The Boycott List without requesting a donation, but the policy changed when:
1) pro-Planned Parenthood people were urged to send for The Boycott List in an effort to bankrupt us--which they nearly did; and
2) we began to realize the enormous expense involved in obtaining the information needed to prepare The Boycott List.

Jeeze, people using economic tactics to express their displeasure? My, my.

Anyway, I'm letting the original post stand as a mea culpa and a reminder to self to READ.

ORIGINAL POST



You deal with any of these companies?

Enterprise car rentals

Forbes magazine

Ing

Toys “R” Us

Cisco Systems

Red Lion Hotels

Franchise Services

Rolex watch company

Kenneth Cole

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare.

AOL

Darden Restaurants, including Bahama Breeze, The Capital Grille, LongHorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Season 52.

Ignite Restaurants, including Brickhouse Tavern+Tap and Joe’s Crab Shack.

Hilton Worldwide, including Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns/Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Hotels, and Homewood Suites.

Kohl’s department stores

Mrs. Fields cookies

Staples office supply stores

The Gap clothing stores

Freddie Mac (????)

AlphaGraphics

Wells Fargo (including Wachovia)

Nike

Time Warner

Bank of America

Walt Disney

Johnson & Johnson

Lost Arrow (Patagonia, etc.)

Chevron

Nationwide Insurance

A fetus fetishist outfit named Life Decisions International has taken them off their boycott list because they've promised not to donate to Planned Parenthood.

This is USian, of course, so some of those companies don't do business in Canada, but many do. Some, of course, have been on progressive people's boycott lists for years: Nike and Walt Disney come to mind.

Some, like Rolex and Kenneth Cole, I'll have no trouble avoiding.

And Red Lobster almost killed me once. Never been back.

I probably have bought J&J stuff, but now I won't.

But Staples???? I love Staples. I go into a trance in Staples.

Fuck. It's back to Grand and Toy, then.

One wonders of course how many of those companies have or would donate to Planned Parenthood. Or if it's just canny business not to piss off the fetus fetishists.

Oh. Wait. The campaign has had a MASSIVE effect on PP.
LDI estimates that the boycott has cost Planned Parenthood more than $40 million since the Corporate Funding Project (CFP) began nearly 18 years ago.

First, how the hell do they 'estimate' that?

Next, $40 mill over 18 years? That's $2.2 million a year. Spread over umpty-many PP clinics and projects? Not quite so MASSIVE that it can't be countered by a bunch of sane people.

As Tweeter LadyD224 says:
Antis conveniently posted list of companies that stopped donating to Planned Parenthood. Read it & boycott them!

When I get a few minutes, I'm going to write to Staples and J&J Canada to tell them why I won't be spending my dough with them.

ADDED: Here is Staples Canada email contact.

ADDED2: Here is Johnson & Johnson Canada's email contact. Didja know that J&J makes K-Y Jelly? Do the fetus fetishists know they are supporting the homosexual agenda?

Saturday 11 December 2010

Simon's Cat and the Tree.

Every year around this time of year, DJ! posts a YouTube that conveys our deepest feelings about the season. This one works for me.



Grand merci to Bina Becker.

And you can find the perennial favourite "The 12 Gays of Christmas" here.

Friday 10 December 2010

So Sarah Palin is off to Haïti.

Somebody in her entourage believes it's time $arah's fashion portfolio contained a sprinkling of "humanitarian" pictures. "Candid" photo opportunities in Haïti are being arranged for her; I suggest a drama coach to ensure she wears the appropriate look on her face.


The
evangelical Christian organization paying for sponsoring her appearance describes itself:

As our teams work in crisis areas of the world, people often ask, "Why did you come?" The answer is always the same: "We have come to help you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Our ministry is all about Jesus—first, last, and always. As the Apostle Paul said, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake".

Any bets on what will be featured in the background while Sarah preens and performs? Pregnant women? Orphans?

At least she won't be
hunting down, killing and gutting some poor animal just because she can.

Oh, wait. Perhaps Caribou Barbie will float off the coast of Haïti on a luxurious yacht lent to her by one of her tea-bagger benefactors, stalk a dolphin or two, cook 'em up in a stew and bring it to shore to feed starving and demonstrably grateful folks.

Thursday 9 December 2010

La. . .La. . .La. . .



Not only would I stick knitting needles in my eyes before I'd watch Stevie Spiteful's performance, I'm not even reading about it. Well, except inadvertantly by checking out headlines.

Beyond creepy. And the fawning media are beyond loathesome.

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Comrades: Unite the Pink!



Spacing's Leftwing Pinko buttons and magnets are now available online.

There was poll on three different designs, none of which included a bicycle.

After several commenters pointed out that Cherry had dissed not just leftwing pinkos and kooks but bike-riders, another design was offered.

Since I've never used PayPal and now am waiting to hear from Visa WTF they think they're up to (post to come), I think I'll mosey over to one of these retail outlets on Thursday.
• Swipe Books (401 Richmond St. W., 1st floor)
• Outer Layer (577 Queen St W.)
• Outer Layer (480 Bloor St W.)
• Wise Daughters (3079b Dundas St W.)

To non-Torontonians who don't want to buy online: there's a cheque option too.

Full disclosure: I have absolutely nothing to do with Spacing.

Caught in the Act

Yesterday, André Marin released the much-anticipated report on the G20 fiasco in Toronto, cleverly titled 'Caught in the Act'. (PDF at the link.)

I caught the last bit of the press conference and heard Marin say that events of that weekend constituted the 'most massive compromise of civil liberties in Canadian history' and instantly he became my new hero.

Finally, finally, after all the Facebooking, YouTubing, blogging, and protesting, Somebody is paying attention and coming to the same conclusion that hundreds of thousands of nobodies knew all along: Toronto was a police state that weekend.




I haven't read the whole 127 pages yet, but what I have read is clear, blunt, and unequivocal. What's also great is the use of social media by the Ombuds and the appendix listing a bunch of YouTubes of events.

Today, on the front page of the Star, Rosie DiManno, who is usually in a tie with Pitsy Blatchford for top cop-groupie, calls the chief out. Make it right, she says.

Well, looky here. The chief speaks from some shindig on the Wet Coast.
One criticism lobbed at Blair in recent weeks is that the investigations into police misconduct appear to be lagging so far behind that of black clad vandals. In those cases, police appealed to the public for help, releasing a swarm of pictures. In a more recent development, police announced suspects will be extradited from the U.S.

“I understand that may be the perception,” said Blair, adding that he has asked the public for any evidence, photographic or otherwise.

He went on to say that his own officers have and will be investigated with the same techniques and the same rigor as anyone else. And that every police officer is required to report misconduct.

Yeah, well, as they say, I'll believe it when I see it.

After all, the jackass who said 'I think the police were too nice. I would have had a zero tolerance approach' has a shiny new thing. Around his florid neck.


Wikileaks is vital.

In a world where this kind of bald-faced lying and covering-up has become the standard modus operandi, where our own public broadcaster is subverted by the odious antics of millionaire spouting his vile rightwing spleen, Wikileaks is vital.

Fatwa Flanagan continues to perform his stupid aw-shucks schtick.

As Buckdog said:

If Mr. Flanagan joked about a bomb in his shorts at the Edmonton Airport, should we expect the security guards to merely laugh and slap good old Tom Flanagan on the back for being such a funny joker?

Fatwa Flanagan and other members of the Old Con Boys Club keep behaving like this because their sense of entitlement ensures they can get away with hoodwinking the public.

Until Wikileaks pulls back the curtain and the whole world can see the 'bomb' Fatwa Flanagan's concealing is a smelly old dud that a mega-dose of Viagra couldn't revive.

Here's one blowhard who's really funny and who gets what's comin' to him.



Bonus: Go read Alison at Creekside. Now.

Extra bonus added by fh: Go sign another fun Avaaz petition. Because it gets up the rightwingnutz's noses. Organizers are aiming for one million signatures this week.

MacFAIL!

When my 'vintage' iMac turned tits up near the end of October, I hadda get another one. I bought one of these with a so-called Magic Mouse.

Wireless, no buttons, disconcerting swipe and scroll functions (that I haven't figured out how to turn off), but pretty groovy nonetheless.

It looks like this:



It came with batteries loaded. I didn't realize that I could monitor battery strength and after about three weeks, I got a 'low battery' message. I thought: 'OK, bum batteries from the factory'.

No batteries in the joint -- it takes 2 AAs -- so in the next couple of days, I bought a pack of 4. Batteries failed, I replaced.

About three weeks after that, a couple of days ago, I got 'low battery' message again. WTF?

I investigated. And indeed, the Magic Mouse has some serious fucking issues with battery life.

I've been a Mac user my entire computer life. I love its design, its intuitive engineering.

But this is a total FAIL. And should be addressed by the big brains at Apple.

Monday 6 December 2010

Go to hell. Go directly to hell.


According to this recent Gallup poll,

About one-third of the American adult population believes the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally word for word. This percentage is slightly lower than several decades ago. The majority of those Americans who don't believe that the Bible is literally true believe that it is the inspired word of God but that not everything it in should be taken literally. About one in five Americans believe the Bible is an ancient book of "fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man." [...]

Some denominations hold the belief in a literal Bible as a hallmark of their faith. The statement of "Faith and Mission" of the Southern Baptist Convention, for example, states that: " The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. ..."

Nice - and profitable - scam you've got going there, Pastor Steven Anderson.

In trash news, Caribou Barbie Junior Miss - Bristol Palin - takes on Margaret Cho by snarking about KD Lang and Indigo Girls. The whole WTF? 411 here.

Sunday 5 December 2010

My Karma Ran Over Your Dogma.

'Blogging Tories in Their Own Words' highlights this typical fundamentalist christian view about yoga.

Not news to us; we've known for years that Blob Blogging Whiner practices dogma, not yoga. The twisty positions SHE assumes occur in HER mind.

SHE is currently shrieeeking about objections raised regarding the charitable status and tax exempt status of these homophobes.

SHE seems perfectly aligned with the haters of the Faithful Word Baptist Church.

The church is not new and the controversy surrounding the beliefs of its leader are not new. However, a report released Wednesday by the Southern Poverty Law Center gives the church a new label. The SPLC is now listing the church as a hate group targeting homosexuals in a list of hate groups operating in Arizona. [...]

"Do I hate? Absolutely," said Faithful Word Baptist Church Pastor Steven Anderson. Anderson said. "I do hate homosexuals and if hating homosexuals makes our church a hate group then that's what we are." The church leader, with a Bible in his hand during the interview, said he preaches his hatred for homosexuals and wishes death upon them.

"Should I be a Baptist Pastor if I don't believe what the Bible says, if parts of this book offend the Southern Poverty Law Center then it should label it a hate book."

From here.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has no issue with the bible - its focus is identifying the hate groups who justify their pathological venom by using selected Old and New testament quotes. More information about SPLC and its work, here and here.

fern hill ADDS link to slapupsidethehead's campaign to get charitable status revoked.

And. Also too. LuLu writes a letter to Fred Phelps & his acolytes - The Galloping Beaver: Dear Westboro Baptist Church:

Saturday 4 December 2010

Con blue sweater has officially jumped the shark. (Update)


Too much of a very baaad thing, I'd say.

And doesn't Fuzzy Fantino look absolutely overjoyed in this photo op?

After the by-election results were confirmed, k'in - a loyal reader and clever commenter - observed at Bread'n'Roses:
Is there room in the Con party for two dictators? I just can't see Fantino sitting down and shutting up and hiding out in the box where Steve keeps Cheryl Gallant. He doesn't take orders, and Steve doesn't tolerate insubordination. Plus the Cons have become scarier with this new addition. Even Blatchford (!!) doesn't support Fantino. Hopefully this much touted breakthrough in the GTA will backfire. Two fascists, three (Harris) stooges, and a bunch of refoooorm party leftovers. That's your "new Canadian government" folks!
Expect more of the Con 'Stupid On Crime' blather, with extra-super authoritarianism.
Update: Scott Feschuk has uncovered young Julian's tough-guy letters to Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

Left Meets Right. Again.

Zow! My Facebook friend Connie really really really doesn't like rookie MP Julian Fantino.
Fantino is a scumbag. I would vote for Pierre Trudeau himself before I would mark an X for that piece of work. Why do the Conservatives think running him is a good plan???

That's some strong language from a so-con.

In related news, Julie comes out from wherever they stashed him during the campaign to whinge.
Mr. Fantino accuses Mr. Trudeau of taking the information out of context, noting that at one time in Ontario more than 40,000 criminal cases were thrown out because of the “justice delayed is justice denied” section of the Charter.

“I mean these are serious, serious issues and I found it quite distressing really that Justin Trudeau would be trotted out to misrepresent what I said and take it out of context. It was an Academy Award performance.”

“You know what, here’s me with 42 years of working night shifts and facing people with loaded guns and dealing with murderers and rapists ... and I get a lecture from a newbie. C’mon.”

As always, pugnacious and WRONG.

Who's the newbie, asshole?

(I guess it's 'Julie, Julie, Julie Day' here at DAMMIT!)

ADDED: It's Fantino Day at Twitter. Somebody started the game 'Julian Fantino is so tough that. . . ' Fun stuff.

Friday 3 December 2010

'Fatwa' Flanagan crawls back under his rock.


Many Canadians would rather not look at what's living under the ReformaTory rock. Then Wikileaks comes along and does the heavy lifting.

'Fatwa' Flanagan's perorations were disgusting propaganda but typical of that fundamentalist mindset. Also illegal - incitation to murder someone is crime - so 'Fatwa' Flanagan' coughed up some desultory regrets. And thanks to Buckdog, we learn from the Calgary Herald that 'Fatwa' Flanagan's academic career won't be squashed like a bug.

University of Calgary spokesman Grady Semmens said the school had received numerous complaints about the comments. "At this point, the university is not considering any disciplinary action. We had discussions with department and faculty heads, but that's all we can really say," he said.

Flanagan was representing himself, not the university, when he made the comments and had a right to his opinion, said Semmens. "He has publicly backed down from statements and said he regrets making them in such an offhanded way," he said.

And that's the way to avoid criminal charges under a supposedly "Tough On Crime" Harper's New©™ Government because it's okay to break the law if you're a ReformaTory Conservative.

Grand merci to our blogging pal Blevkog for further fanning the 'Fatwa' Flanagan fire.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Sarah and Tim, er, Tom

In an interview with Democracy Now, Julian Assange's lawyer confirms that he's in the UK.

And. Also. Tim Tom Flanagan finds himself in exalted *cough* company. From the rush transcript:
AMY GOODMAN: I want to ask you about the growing number of threats against Julian Assange. The former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said Assange should be, quote, "hunted down," and a former campaign aide of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper went a step further in a recent interview on the Canadian Broadcasting, CBC.

TIM FLANAGAN: Well, I think Assange should be assassinated, actually. I think Obama should put out a contract and maybe use a drone or something. You know, there’s no good coming of this.


AMY GOODMAN: That was University of Calgary professor Tim Flanagan, who served as the Conservative Party’s campaign manager in Canada’s general election in 2004 and 2006. Jennifer Robinson, as Julian Assange’s attorney, your response?

JENNIFER ROBINSON: These calls for his assassination are absolutely outrageous and, indeed, illegal. I think that the prosecuting authorities ought to consider prosecuting these individuals for incitement to violence. Obviously assassination is illegal, and we take these concerns very seriously. Now, the press around the fact that my client is in hiding to evade arrest is absolutely incorrect. And one can imagine that when you have very public officials making these sorts of serious calls for assassination, that one would be concerned for their personal safety. I also think that it raises genuine concerns when you have Sarah Palin making such allegations for the prospect of my client receiving any sort of due process in the U.S.

Great publicity for the UofC, too, eh?

The Next Big Lie

I'm calling it. The next big fat lie from the anti-choice camp will be: Abortion causes heart attacks!!!!!!!!!!
Researchers have revealed a link between miscarriages and myocardial infarction or heart attack in women. According to the study, women who have had three or more miscarriages face nine times greater risk of suffering myocardial infarction in later life as compared with women who have had none.

Except it doesn't.
There was no co-relation between induced abortion and heart attacks and pregnancy loss of any kind and strokes.

What they did find was interesting.
The women who had miscarriages and stillbirths weighed more, were physically less active and were predisposed towards diabetes and hypertension.

So, who among the fetus fetishists will be the first to lie about spin this study?