Scrooge is Alive & Well. Hs new Name is Terasen

Terasen Gas is running a newspaper ad headlined, "Creating a Safety Zone for Kids."

Apparently the gas company's deep concern for humanity doesn't extend to the elderly.

A 76-year old woman in Victoria has owed Terasen $114.24. OY GEVALT!

They cut off her service and she has been freezing.

Read the disgusting story here.

Justice Craig's Latest on Policing

SHOULD B.C. POLICE ITSELF?

North Shore could set a regional policing example

January 30, 2008

MY Jan 9 column, “Time to decide on policing,” triggered an unexpected invitation to attend a day-long forum on creation of a regional police service for Metro Vancouver.

Organized by Professor Robert Gordon, Director of the school of criminology at Simon Fraser University, this public discussion set for Feb. 6 at the Wosk Centre in Vancouver on regional policing has attracted a blue-ribbon mix of speakers and panellists including West Van’s Chief Const. Kash Heed and the RCMP’s Gary Bass, Deputy Commissioner, “E” Division.

I will be very interested in what Heed and Bass have to say about the future of policing

Solicitor General John Les is to open the forum; Attorney General Wallace Oppal will speak at closing.

Gordon says the forum will be of particular interest to police managers, serving police officers, mayors, municipal councillors, administrators, provincial and federal politicians, and other key policy makers involved in policing issues.

I hope attendees will be given ample opportunity to query panellists and speakers when any need for clarification arises. One question that comes to mind: Why are British Columbia’s eleven independent police departments governed by police boards controlled by a majority of persons appointed by our solicitor general? It is an unacceptable and undemocratic process. It was rejected in 1994 by then inquiry-commissioner Wallace Oppal who recommended that municipal councillors be given control of the appointment process and that it be a public and open process.

Oppal also recommended that mayors be limited to an ex officio presence at police board meetings.

In municipalities served by RCMP detachments an even greater anachronism exists: as national police officers they are outside the scope of the Police Act of B.C. That rules out governance by police board. And most difficult for me to accept: the attorney general, the chief law officer of the Crown in the right of our province has no actual control over RCMP detachments.

For almost 60 years we have meekly relied on Ottawa for policing in most of our municipalities. We absurdly cling to the belief that a no-control contract with the RCMP is a money-saver and at the same time complain about rising property crime and violence. I expect there may be willingness among attendees at the Feb 6 forum on regional policing to speak forthrightly about the fact that our province seems incapable of policing itself.

However, any real discussion on police board governance will likely be swept aside by the main debate over the efficacy of Greater Vancouver regional policing in place of a moribund status quo that can do no more that primp itself up with integrated task forces of RCMP members and municipal police officers.

Attorney General Oppal may have pangs of embarrassment as he rises to speak at the end of this gathering of movers and shakers. Think about it: Fourteen years ago commissioner Oppal penned a remarkable 20-page letter of transmittal and delivered it, with his report Closing the Gap, to then attorney general Colin Gabellmann.

Oppal’s recommendations dealt mainly with governance, public complaints, discipline and community-based policing. He recognized that the last major structural change in policing was in 1950 when the province contracted with the RCMP to replace the BC Provincial Police.
In his letter of transmittal Oppal said: “The subject of governance may be the most important issue examined by this Inquiry. …

“The role of a (police) board is very important in the governance of police. The board is the employer of the police and collectively represents the community at large. Perhaps the most critical function it performs relates to the hiring of a police chief. Yet board members receive very little guidance and assistance in the performance of this task.

“Police boards must be aware of their community’s needs and priorities in the areas of public safety and policing. They should and must hold the police chief accountable for policing in their communities. They must critically assess the performance of both the chief constable and the department. This is seldom done.”

At the end of the transmittal letter a quite forceful Oppal said “The RCMP must make fundamental changes and be more responsive … more accountable …” He went on to make it very clear that “… in the event that the RCMP is not prepared to undergo the necessary change that is suggested in this report, it will be imperative for the province to consider establishing its own provincial police force. …

Oppal then laid some hickory on local politicians: “… it is disconcerting that our cities and municipalities policed by the RCMP have no power to select their chief constables. It is even more disconcerting that there is little apparent concern in those communities. There appears to be no concern amongst municipal politicians that there are no police committees under the Police Act in RCMP areas.”

Since 1994, succeeding B.C. governments have done nothing to reform policing. Closing the Gap should be re-issued in 2008 with a new title, Failure to Close the Gap, and heads should roll.
Let’s keep it very simple, the magnitude of gang crime in Greater Vancouver with its senseless and seemingly never-ending internecine murders is reason enough to create a regional police service in Greater Vancouver.

Regional policing requires an active and purposeful police board. Membership on the board should be by election. Regional policing with citizen governance would bring police and public closer together on all aspects of management with one exception: absolute independence of a chief constable in commanding and giving orders to his force.

But the first step ought to be taken on the North Shore. Let 2008 be a year in which our three municipalities decide to implement regional municipal policing with a tripartite elected police board. With strength of purpose it can be done and will be an exemplar for others to follow.

Your choice is limited: lead, follow or watch television.

CONFESSION

I've read the Sun, the Province, the NY Times and the Globe this morning...and I've found not a single story that has grabbed my attention.

So...fooey...

Enjoy the great pipes of Bryn Terfel and the wonderful Lerner & Lowe music...

How to Handle a Woman

Sophie Milman - Back Home To Me

Here's a marvelous new singer...

Victor at the Movies

Sir Tom Courtenay, a splendid actor, was complaining about the tendency of some young actors to mumble. Says Sir Tom " Some handsome young actors assume that it's enough 'that I come on and be lovely'.

It says so much about the self importance of so many actors. Time was when we just went to a movie, came out and said, " Boy, can that Cary Grant ever act."

Now, you're more likely to hear movie goers say, " God, George Clooney just made the biggest statement in western thought since Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason'.

Actually no. It's only a movie. George, Brad, Tom, Angelina are just actors. They read stuff other people write for them. It takes a day to get them to recite 2 minutes of memorized script. They are not intellectuals and they do not have any formula for world peace and saving the planet.

And many of them can't act.

Fashion With a Bite

IN their relentless pursuit of the right to bear arms and arm bears, the Americans are now selling tasers to your average dough head consumer.

This will make arguing with the stupid lady with 12 weeks of groceries in the Express Lane at Safeway particularly daunting now.

GLOBAL WARMING?

Welcome to Nanjing.

Have a nice stay.

Now, That's Not Fair!

BC Hydro hires a "Fairness" watchdog and then fires the man when he points out that something the corp is doing isn't fair.

Hahahahaha....

I love institutional behaviour.

The whole sordid little tale is here.

Bye Bye Bush

It was a kind of test of one's mental stability to watch President Bush's State of the Onion speech last night.

What a horror show.

The evil Cheney behind him. The sabre rattling. The jingoisms. The cheesy patriotism.

And The Smirk. Always The Smirk. Nothing even close to a genuine smile.

Yikes.

Lou Rawls Lady Love Live

Saw Lou Rawls at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel about 30 years ago. He was only sensational.

Heath's Director

An excellent short piece in Newsweek from Christopher Nolan, the director of the new Batman movie on Heath Ledger. This was recommended by our commentor, Ronnie:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/105580

Back to the LIberals? Save us! Save us!

The Sun is on this morning about Stephen Harper's possible "secret agenda."

I neither like nor dislike Mr. Harper. I certainly have not leapt to autpilotly demonizing him because a)he is the prime Minister, b) he's a Conservative, c) he's a white, middle-aged slightly pudgy male (Although I do believe that makes him immediately qualified for News Anchor or talk show host.)

I think he is being a perfectly reasonable, dull manager of the state. Which is fine with me. Pay the bills and be quiet.

HOWEVER...

What am I supposed to do with this brilliant analysis of Harper? Run to the safe warm harbor and bosom of THE LIBERALS???

Does anyone in Editorial Land have a memory?

*** WARNING ***

The video posted below - Ornette Coleman - is not for the faint of heart or slow morning riser.

It is loud, it is pounding, it is jazz, it is Ornette, it is great.

Good luck.

Ornette Coleman 1980

Sex Offender Response

In response to this morning's blog post on Privacy and sex offenders, I received this comment from Craig Jones, who wrote the letter to The Province, mentioned in my posting.

Thanks for ths, Craig.

Comments: RE: your blog ...

From the same article on sex offenders:\

"But given that studies suggest the majority of convicted sex offenders do not re-offend (anywhere from 73 to 87 per cent), some deplore the attention paid to the minority of offenders who fail to readjust to lead crime-free lives.Research has also shown that the majority of sex crimes -- an estimated 77 per cent -- are committed by someone the victim knows.

All of this begs the question of how useful a sex-offender registry actually is.

To make matters worse, a two-year review of the registry, promised by Ottawa, has never been carried out.\"--Why, you wonder, has Ottawa not carried out the review of the sex offender registry?Because the evidence -- does evidence matter? -- from Canada and the U.S. shows that sex offender registries don\'t work.Why don\'t they work? The answer is above: \"an estimated 77 per cent (or >3 in 4) -- are committed by someone the victim knows.\"And the victims don\'t report.

We don\'t endorse what doesn\'t work to make communities safer and reduce victimization.

Show us something that actually works according to the EVIDENCE, not according to what feels good, and we\'ll look at it.

Sound reasonable?--

Craig Jones, Ph.D.,

Executive Director

The John Howard Society of Canada

VIctor on the Short & Nasty

This morning at 6 on the CBC news I heard a voice clip of Bill Clinton reacting to Hillary's loss in South Carolina. He said " Next week the real people of America will vote".

Real people? So is Bill calling the Blacks of South Carolina "sub human?" This from a man the media have called America's first "black"president.

This is shaping up to be a fun race. It has every possible prejudice at play: Romney-religion, McCain-age, Hillary-gender, Obama-colour, Gulliani-divorces.

Policy anyone?

Privacy Above All - The New Cornerstone of Democracy

On Friday, we posted an item here in which we described women who have the gall to call themselves mothers smuggle heroin, coke and meth into prisons for their loving husbands. The dope is hidden in their babies clothes ans strollers. Mothers of the Year.

The Matsqui guard who discovered one such poster Mother was chastised by his "superiors" (At what are they superior? Stupidity? Missing the Big Picture?) for violating the prisoners privacy rights.

Joey Thompson of the Province Wrote about this.

The result is a letter to the editor in today's Province from a John Howard Society worker, arguing that "prohibition" is the culprit here and that we have fought mightily for 500 years to gain privacy rights.

No doubt this letter writer and warrior for democracy will also be intrigued by the Province's front page story, "We've Lost Track of Sex Offenders."

The RCMP officer in charge of the so-called registry says, "the system is a total mess."

Look at some of the more salient points highlighted in this report:

1. Registration isn't mandatory. ???

2. Vacation without notification. Registered sex offenders have a right to a 2 week vacation without notifying authorities. Hahahahaha....we are completely mad...

3. No Proactive Use of the registry. Police cannot look at the registry unless a crime has been committed. Brilliant.

4. No offenders' vehicle registration allowed. Because, as we all know, most sex offenders like to walk.

I am sure that the John Howard letter writer will sleep more contentedly this evening gknowing that the privacyr ights of dangerous criminals are being upheld and honored.

The fact that more women and children have been raped and assaulted because of these absurdities shouldn't bother the good man a wink.

Grant's Law - Thanks to BC Fed

Grant's Law is now a reality.

Beginning next week, late night businesses in BC must ensure that there are at least two workers on shift from 10om to 6am or that solo workers have a locked barrier between themselves and customers.

Also, BC will be the first province to demand that customers at gas stations pay first before they pump gas.

All of this came about because Grant DePatie was killed trying to stop an idiot from stealing $12.30 worth of gas.

Full credit and kudos go to the BC Federation of Labour who have lobbied relentlessly for these changes.

The Mysteries of Heart Disease

"In clinical trials, researchers have been unable to generate compelling evidence that saturated fat in the diet causes heart disease."

This is but one of the startling sentences in an op-ed piece in this morning's N Times that questions entirely the role of Cholesterol on heart attacks, plaque build-up and blockages of the arteries.

This is of particular interest to me because I am one of millions who daily takes a statin drug to lower cholesterol. Many physicians today take statins simply as a preventative measure.

This article raises important questions without giving ready answers, but it is an excellent piece, well worth the read.

Susan's Best

Susan Heyes, enraged and lobbying-for-justice Cambie merchant, has written her best piece yet on the scummery of the Canada Line in a letter to Vaughn Palmer:

Re: Voice of BC with Falcon

I'm sure the show drew a lot of response, Vaughn. It reminded me of theTwilight Zone.

On Cutting Edge one morning, both you and Keith said to me that you haddoubts about whether the despicable way we have been treated on Cambie wouldhave any impact on the Fiberals or City at election time.It most certainly will.

Broadway has woken up to the realization that anyplan for their "disruption and inconvenience" are just guidelines, really,and once again, it's TransLink that will decide the scope of the plundering,er...project.And now Peter Ladner has a motion before Council to bore under the Broadwaybusinesses instead of plough them under. (Where was his concern for Cambie 3years ago?) This political gesture is certain to have no influencewhatsoever in the absolute rule enjoyed by the puppets atTransLink......kind of like Falcon's idea of "extensive publicannouncements, er....consultation".How are these circumstances possible in a democracy?

3 years ago I had hopethat with a few good people in public office standing firm for our rights,the coming perfect storm for business failure would be acknowledged - andthis known fatal hardship would be avoided or adequately mitigated.Shamefully, this did not happen.This bunch of publicly funded thugs have taken our tax money and willfullykilled our once successful independant family run shops and services; ourlife's work - month after month, year after struggling year. (Where is the2-3 months in front of any given shop, eh Jane?)

This has been life changing in many ways. Our stress is unimaginable. Thiswill not be forgotten.The eye of the hurricane is passing over Cambie now, and heading downBroadway - right in Clambull's front yard. There is visible devastation inits wake as a warning, unlike the happy spin and lies that preceeded theRAVaging of our neighbourhood by the RAV/Canada Line PR army.

I'm mad as hell. At 50, after working dilligently for TWENTY FIVE YEARS tobuild my successful business, and paying what amounts to MILLIONS in taxes -my own government just demolishes all my earned equity in these effortsalong with my plans for a secure retirement. I've nearly lost my house, forgawds sake! My financial future is in jeopardy, and what do we get from thelikes of Cambully and his bird of prey? "Piss off - it'll be great when itsdone. Quit yer whining - wish it was more like China here, where governmentworks in secret and has absolute power.....oh, wait a minute - we alreadydo."The human tragedy of the Canada Line is just beginning to be told, as moreand more desperate people cling to what's left of their dream ofself-employment and financial security.

This disaster was preventable, had anyone at any time in the lengthy processof approval, acted with integrity. They all knew what would happen when theydropped this bomb on our village, and they arrogantly GREEDILY went aheadanyway, with no factored in financial help for the small businesses. Toomuch profit at stake for the Province, and the project, and we were aperceived weak target and written off as collateral damage.And it's profits we're talking about here. SNC Lavalin's 3rd quarter reportshow profits up 63 million! Right out of our pockets. The Billions inProvincial surplus are largely fed by all the tax contributions made by thesmall business community and homeowners and employers who run them - but itis the big corporations and big developers who are enjoying the spoils.

Thisentire project was designed to capitalize on this man-made disaster, in theform of radical re-zoning and huge shocking re-development. The fix was infrom the start. We didn't stand a chance.

Sam Sullivan has said alot of shameful things in his embarrassing stint asmayor, but his recent remarks about how the Canada Line project was adecision of the "last administration" really has me wondering about hissanity. He was there. As a City Coucillor, he often voted against motionsfrom other coucillors cautioning to take another look at how to help thebusinesses and community. What a weasel. He looks down on all of us writhingin pain, and has done nothing but try to whitewash the whole mess with sparechange for pretty banners that future retailers will enjoy. To do somethingmeaningful might harm his cozy relationship with all the big developers ifhe interrupted the flow of their profits (and funding for his bid foranother term).

Vaughn, we're tired of all the 'you know what' being flung at our community.They better watch out - there's been a change in the wind. We're not backingoff our right to deserved financial compensation. And the much neededlegislation to ensure that this expropriation of our livelihoods neverhappens again.I'd love to see Falcon and Corrigan have a debate. But I think the Falcon ismore like a chicken!

Regards

Susan

Picture of the Day

Stand-Up Festival Here

Crooks and Liars has created a great new list - the 100 funniest stand-up comedians of all time.

What is especially great about this list is that each name contains a hyper-link to a video clip.

Here...go crazy, laugh your brains out.

ON TV

1. I hate simulcasting. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

Why can't I watch something on CBS or NBC, without suffering the interruptions, inanities and breaks in programming by CTV, Global or City, riding the CRTC-mandated and approved coattails of others?

How many times have we returned to a live sports event to find it is the second down in football, the second point in a tennis match or Tiger has already hit his tee shot and we get to watch Fred Funk?

2. Guilty Pleasure Category. For the first 5 years, I saw approximately 8 nano-seconds of American Idol. Wild horse couldn't draw me. Then the most peculiar thing happened. Last year, I watched the first episode of Season 6. I was hooked. Week after week, right through to the excruciatingly bad final, I sucked in every juicy bad taste moment.

I came to detest Paula and Randy and adore Simon. Don't ask.

But I have a question.

I know we are watching human train wrecks. I know there is something inherently and dreadfully fascinating about watching people disgrace themselves.

Still I don't understand the DELUSION the people exhibit. They can't sing one note, but they are convinced they can. It's like a mental illness. Is there a name for this? Melodius confoundentis syndrome?

3. Guilty Pleasure #2: Deal or No Deal. I have to almost not being able to watch this, which is a minor tragedy, because I think Howie Mandel is one of the funniest and most interesting performers in the business. And I like the basic gambling concept of the show.

But the agony enters when I watch people behaving like idiots and being played for suckers. Show after show, Greed and Vanity derail these sorry slobs.

Look, you enter the studio with nothing. Most of the contestants really have nothing, they are wanting entirely, no house, no money, colorful sob story and so on.

Now, they get an offer from the banker for $345,000. Say, 5 suitcases left, two one million dollar possibilities still out there. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? YOU'RE BEING A GIVEN A GIFT OF $345,000. GET OUT OF THERE!!!

I actually turn the TV off at that point because I can't take it.

Hahahahaha...You think I'm making this up, don't you?

4. Would CITY please stop that insipid Speakers' Corner feature? No doubt they get to count that as "Canadian content" to go with their pathetic 27 second news breaks. Of course, no body would watch anything on CITY were it not for...

simulcasting.

Full circle.

Out.

New Border "Blow-Thru" Lane

Speed is of the essence.

In sport, in business, in sex, in border crosssings...

I anxiously await the cartoons that will follow today's news story that a local hooker has been successfully smuggling dope, concealed in all the usual places, because she had cultivated a special relationship with a stupid, horny border guard.

The story from this morning's Sun is here, but where are the good jokes?

By the way, the guard often collected on his kindness in letting his smuggler friend breeze through the border by pausing for a few moments of gas station sex.

Gas Station Sex - now there's a whole category that demands an opera, a learned treatise and a government grant.

Roger...Please get a Coach

Roger Federer, the man chasing tennis history, the man many of us believe to be the best we've ever seen, lost in the semi-finals last night to Novak Djokovic.

All credit to the young Serb, who was magnificent, beating Federer in 3 sets.

Federer was gracious in defeat, acknowledging that "The Joker" was clearly the better player on that court on that day.

But he added a new thought during the post-match press conference.

“Of course I’ve created a monster, so I know I need to always win every tournament. But semis is still, you know, pretty good.”

I will return to my plea, posted here back in December.

Roger...get a coach!

It is true, he is great, wonderful, amazing, the best.

But even Roger needs a coach on hand to point out the thousand and one little steps and miscues that can creep into elite performance.

Please, get a coach, so I can witness history when you win your 13th, 14th and 15th Grand Slam titles.

With Djokovic, Tsonga and a few other young studs on the horizon, that achievement has suddenly become less assured.

From The Mail

Hello, Sir David

Very puzzling. Senator Larry has changed his mind about the need for a coroner's inquest into the death of Frank Paul. Of course, we all know very well by now that those who disagree with the illustrious Senator are 'morons'. We have the Senator's own word for it, so it must be true.
So, now that the esteemed Senator disagrees with himself, presumably he must now count himself amongst the 'morons'.

Probably a good thing when I consider it. ;-)


all the best

David in North Burnaby

FRIDAY'S PROVINCE COLUMN

Vision Party Vancouver City Councilor Raymond Louie has paid off his mortgage. Have you?

Louie is in his early 40’s. He has a wife and 3 kids. He’s a working stiff like you and me. When first elected to Council in 2002, he quite his job to dedicate himself full time to the business of running a government. All for $53,000 a year. His wife went back to work.

What does this tell us? The man’s got focus, determination and old-fashioned goals.

These are liabilities?

Oh. I forgot.

This is a town where the biggest score is spotting Jennifer Aniston eating a pickle. Cooks and Condo Kings are our most exemplary citizens.

In his two terms in office, Louie has been a director or member of 16 boards, corporations and committees, including three Translink boards.

The knock on Louie is that he always has a stack of reports in front of him at Council meetings. God forbid he should be informed.

“I was shocked to learn that some councilors have never cracked a binder,” says Louie. “I want to know what I’m voting on.”

His critics say he’s too dull to be mayor.

Where has excitement got us?

After two show biz mayors, we’ve gone from being a city with some drug addiction, mental illness and homelessness problems to being the world’s poster city for drug addiction, mental illness and homelessness. Lovely.

Mayor Larry Campbell was the sizzle, no doubt. But Raymond Louie was the steak. Together, they approved the Woodward’s development, which holds the promise of re-vitalization for the Downtown Eastside, while adding 200 social housing units.

Louie proposed five childcare centers in the new South East False Creek development, the space provided by the builders, the services run by non-profit. The NPA cut it down to three. He proposed support for the Cambie merchants devastated by the Canada Line in the form of interest free loans. Voted down.

If the gregarious Larry Campbell was the right mayor for Vancouver six years ago, when the city was vying for the Olympics, then maybe Raymond Louie is the right mayor for this era, when what we need is not bells and whistles, but bills paid.

Louie is smart and decent and hard working. He knows what makes 12th and Cambie tick. He believes he has tremendous support from the Chinese and Sikh communities. He and Gregor Robertson, the Vancouver-Fairview NDP MLA who the Vision Party is courting for a run at the Mayor’s chair, are speaking regularly. They are involved in a delicate dance of Who Goes First?

“It’s not about the grandeur of the position, says Louie, “it’s about the right direction for the city and winning a majority on Council.”

He’ll decide in a few weeks if he wants to be mayor or take another term as councilor.

Extremism of any kind is not in his gene pool. So he doesn’t smile and laugh as much as your favorite bar buddy. Maybe we could stand reasonable and well managed for 3 years.

If he runs for Mayor, I’ll vote for him.

Carrying Dope Into a Prison is a RIGHT

Let's see if we understand this correctly.

A Matsqui prison guard spots a baby stroller testing positive for cocaine. The stroller belongs to a baby and its wonderful, caring mother, who are smuggling dope into the joint for their wonderful caring father and husband.

The guard alerts the Children's Ministry - who we all know are the paragon of responsibility - of the situation.

Is he given a medal, a badge of honor or courage, a civic citation for protecting children and the public?

No.

He is was threatened with discipline by the prison authorities for BREACHING THE PRISONER'S PRIVACY!!!

So this is what civil liberties have brought us?

Jails now have more drugs per square inch than any street corner at Main and Hastings because we must respect the privacies of prison inmates, including, apparently, their god-given right to possess, use and sell illegal narcotics.

In a similar case, at the same perfectly run Nut House, another woman arrived twice with a baby and the two sweet things tested positive for coke, meth, smack and THC.

Last year, in Quebec a loving, caring mom and her 6 week old baby were found visiting a prison carrying 32 ounces of heroin...on the baby, of course.

I suppose if the baby could talk, he/she could say, "Hey, I didn't know that shit was in here!"

This, by the way, is an excellent picture of dope fiends.

The same, caring scum that the Mayor wants to give drugs to and everyone else wants to "help" with free needles and clean places to shoot.

Our society has flipped.

We are a turtle lying on its back.

Psychiatry is the Scourge of the Crimianl Justice System

The Province's cover story tell us just about all we need to know about how psychiatry is eating away at our criminal justice system.

A father stabs his teen-age daughter to death because he hears voices from God.

Of course, he is found unfit to stand trial.

The shrinks have 45 days to decide what we, the community, should do with him.

The defense lawyer says Daddy Daughter Killer will "require prolonged treatment and that will be in a secure institution."

First, show me the secure institution. Where is this exactly?

And second, is he just being cute when he speaks of "prolonged treatment?"

Does that hold out the delightful possibility that one day his handlers will declare that he is "cured" and is no longer a risk? I suppose if he's run out of daughters to kill, that would make him a good risk.

Rita Hayworth - Put The Blame On Mame

That's Glenn Ford panting in the crowd...from "Gilda," of course...

Where Can I see the Best Flicks?

Movie lovers take note. All 7 movies playing at Leonard Scheins 3 Festival Cinemas locations - the Fifth Avenue, the Ridge and the Park - are Oscar nominated.

Check them out.

Fred Astaire And Rita Hayworth --

Clinton & McCain the NY Times Choices

The New York Times editorial board has named Hillary Clinton and John McCain as their choices for the Democartic and Republican candidacies.

Their arguments are persuasive.

The Clinton editorial is here, and the McCain piece here.

Victoria Police Investigations

BC'c police complaint commisioner will investigate 2 cases involving the Victoria police. One of these cases, we discussed here yesterday.

Ryneveld is right to begin these investigations.

We weren't there and we don't know exactly how things went.

Several people have disagreed with me about the case of the 15-yearold girl, and that's great, because engaement and dialogue is what this blog is about.

I stick to my position that the girl in that case may have been way more than a small nuisance and that restraint is sometimes necessary.

Did those cops go over the top?

I don't know.

Where are the Six-fingered schools?

Toronto is considering "Africentric" schools for black kids.

That's to go along with the gay school and First nations schools.

Where are the fat schools, the left-handed, tall Asian schools and the determined-to-be-a-seamstress schools?

I had lunch yesterday with a man from Ghana.

He is black.

He got a BA in Akra and an MA in Atlanta, Georgia.

He teaches people who to be successful entrepreneurs. The people he teaches are black, white, yellow, green and purple. They are slim and round and short and high and high.

Toronto, Board of Ed....give your head a shake.

Stop me...I'm talking again...

The BC government is considering banning cell phones form young drivers. Hm?

The most dangerous nut jobs I've encountered - make that, I encounter every day - are middle-aged "nice" people. Women shopping, men hustling...one arm steering their Exploders through Safeway lots of warp speed while jammering on their fones.

I talk occasionally on my cell while driving, and I always know that I am wrong, that I shouldn't and that I am a lesser driver when I do.

The truth is I'm not involved in saving the world's financial markets, so nothing I have to say is that important it couldn't wait until I get to home or to my office or to a parking space.

Rap Sheet - Our Weekly Crime Round-Up

1. Reyat will plead guilty of perjury.

O.K. And then? Will he be given an extra 5 or 10 years of prison for killing 331 people?

Will he reveal the truth about the other bombers? Is there anything this man can say that can be believed?

2. The career gangster was "a loving person." Of course. And so was Don Corleone and Tony Soprano. We are complex. Whitman said it best. "I am large. I contain multitudes." But was he really thinking of his neighbourhood bling-boasting, gun-toting drug lord at the time?

3. The unnamed teen who attacked Michael Levy with a hatchet - thus leaving the young victim to a life of misery - may have his case raise to adult court. Please. You're old enough to drive and kill for your country. You're old enough to do the time for the crime.

4. 99 ski resort operators in BC, Alberta and Ontario have agreed that they won't charge "out-of-bounders" for rescue costs. "We don't want anyone to feel they shouldn't call us because they can't afford a rescue."

This is precisely why they SHOULD charge these fools. Are you telling me that, dying of hypothermia in the snow and the dark, you're going to hesitate to call for help? I don't think so.

Obama asked if Bill Clinton was the first black president

Can Girls be Violent?

BIG BIG SHOCKING HEADLINE.

Girl cuffed etc. in police cell.

Perhaps at first hysterical glance this appears to be an obvious case of "police brutality."

Perhaps we weren't there.

Perhaps you have never been in the presence of a drunk and violent teenager.

William Glasser, the author of the ground-breaking work, "Reality Therapy," pointed out 40 years ago that the first thing you have to do with an out-of-control person is stop him.

Of course, today in a society soft of belly and brain matter, a society dedicated to the proposition that anything I do is OK, such notions as restraint seem quaint,

Why is this girl suing the police 3 years later?

Perhaps this was a really, really slow news day.

Duh?

80,000 Olympic plates sold.

???

The moment you get this impulse to waste $60, please call me and I'll give you a list of worthy charities.

Short story

A man drinks all night at a Victoria pub. The staff don't stop servng him, but they try to encourage him not to drive home. They warn him that they will call in his license number to the police. He drives, he crshes into a wall. He's dead.

The good part of this story is that he didn't kill anyone else.

$450/Hour? One born every minute

A rare kudo to the BC Law Society.

Usually protective to a fault, like all other so-called "professional" bodies, the Society is investigating massive over billing by Liberal Senator Mobina Jaffer and her son.

This raises among other questions why do we have a Senate? How does Jaffer qualify? What earnings are Senators allowed outside of their heavy, serious Red Chamber duties?

End the Free Rides

Guest Editorialist, John Martin, writes very well in the Province today what many of us have been hollaring for years. No more Statuatory Release for prisoners. You want parole? Earn it, the old fashioned way. Whatever that may be.

Read this first-rate piece here.

Heath Ledger Dead at 28

Please read this shocking news here.

Housing and History

If the nation's mayors are going to beseech Stephen Harper to fund remedies for homelessness, it would help if they knew their own history.

The federal government was in the social housing business in a major way for many, many years under the auspices of the Central Mortgage & Housing Corporation, CMHC.

About the same time that Ottawa abandoned funding for health care (from 50% to 18%), police and the military, funding for social housing was torn out of the CMHC mandate. For the past 30 years, this initiative has not been on the horizon.

Demand of the Prime Minister that CMHC be returned to its former role.

Watch Out for the BCTF - They are Testy

Of course the BCTF is against any kind of testing.

We have had this argument for years.

I work at a college. I see kids term after term studying for exams. Do they need an army of grief counsellors to cope?

Driving to the grocery store is a contest. It shouldn't be. It needn't be. But more often than not it is.

We are tested every day in a thousand little ways.

What do the well-armored folks at the BCTF want to do - keep kids in swaddling clothes until they are 16 and truly unable to face life?

Not really. They just want to protect their tiny domain.

Edwards, Who Cannot Win, Is Best

The headline says "Obama & Clinton Tangle at debate."

But that wasn't the story at all.

The real story was how articulate and focused and fascinating was 3rd place runner John Edwards, who easily outshone his opponents for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

At one great moment, during the increasingly tiresome cat fight between Hillary and Barak, Edwards interjected something like, "How is all this personal mudslinging going to get us better health care, education and housing?"

Hillary was sharp as always, if not lovable.

Obama was curiously mushing and deficient when it came down to details. He was obviously swinging on his own star. He seems to be magnificent when orating in grand terms, but less than assuring when it comes down to the nitty gritty of real issues. he seems to be a man who wants too much to be loved.

Edwards on the other hand was very impressive in every way. Solid, knowledgeable, passionate and reasonable.

It's too bad he hasn't a hope in hell. He might ,make a fine President.

But this is the day that the Oscars were announced.

In modern life, all is show biz.

Quotes of the Day

Hahahaha...these are classics:

1. Gangster is gunned down. Real Bonny & Clyde stuff. Guy is known drug kingpin associate of many underworld leaders.

Into the fray steps a writer who was teaching creative writing in a prison. Now, there's a worthy to begin with.

Writer says of recently deceased, "This is realy tragic. He was a very creative guy. It is really sad to me that the prison system failed him."

THE PRISON SYSTEM FAILED HIM...

Does this genius still have a gig?

Does "the prison system" have a clue? Does Mr. Novel Teacher?

2. Questioned about the 8 1/2 Million dollars tax payers shelled out for the Strike named after him ("Sam's Strike"), the Nutty Mayor squealed out this gem.

" The level of service was much higher than in previous strikes."

Hahahaha....

One can wait weeks for stuff like this.

Thank you, Gods of Public Postulence.

Alex Tsakumis on Vision in Friday's 24 Hours

A VISION OF HOPE
By A. G. Tsakumis ‘Rebel With a Clause’

One needn’t look any further than Vision Vancouver’s Annual General Meeting of last Monday for incontrovertible proof of the ruling Non-Partisan Association’s pending apocalypse. It was startling: 400 committed, enthusiastic members, in sync and empowered to bid Sam Sullivan’s nothingness a celebrated farewell, in attendance at an otherwise administrative meeting where the clearly united Board presented with purposeful clarity and conscience. Moreover, present without masquerade were over three dozen former NPA members, almost ten percent of the room, and a surprisingly healthy contingent of former COPE members. Interesting too, the number of prominent federal Liberals, whose natural constituency you’d think would be the NPA: Mike Witherly, campaign boss for B.C.; Catherine Evans, former candidate; Ian Bailey, provincial director; Senator Larry Campbell, of course, and none other than Greg Wilson, ubiquitous ground war campaign tactician to the Grit (non)stars, and, immediate past campaign manager of the NPA. Mr. Wilson was also elected to the newly expanded Board of Directors. This was no ordinary show of strength. So much for the necessity of a deal between Vision and the ultra-left blowhards at the rapidly (thankfully) disintegrating COPE. With this much momentum, skill and organization already in the tank, Vision will be almost impossible to beat for council. The notion that they are the farm team for the NDP is laughable. What does that make COPE? I’ll tell you. The witness protection program for dogmatic has-beens, who’d rather talk about Marx than Main Street. Think about their priorities for a rapidly devolving Vancouver: nuclear free zones, Dubya’s political donors and flute players at council meetings. While our city crumbled they fondled with their incessant need to pontificate about inconsequential matters that served absolutely no purpose. The average ‘joe’, who they claim to protect, they abandoned in favor of the sound of their own voices. Anne Roberts, Ellen Woodsworth, Fred Bass and particularly Tim Louis, who favours wearing the picture of murderous thug Che Guevara on the back of his wheelchair, would do well to take one way tickets to Venezuela for tea with Hugo, instead of considering a return. And if David Cadman had any sense at all, he’d swiftly bolt from COPE to Vision. But I digress… Of particular note, was Vision’s decision to run their own Mayoral candidate and it is here that the calculus gets interesting. Clr. Raymond Louie (who told me he enjoys this column—clearly against his better judgment) is thinking about running for Mayor, as is, surprise, former NPA Parks Commissioner Al DeGenova, who left the AGM early to join his Parks Board colleagues in session. Neither of these men will do anything but serve to divide Vision. Neither has the cache to beat Mayor Sullivan’s vicious machine. The only potential candidate who could beat Sam Sullivan, handily, is a fellow named Gregor Robertson, the man at the Vision AGM who received a stunning ovation. Young, intelligent and affable, Mr. Robertson exudes hope and promise—something we haven’t seen in a very long time. “Sam’s approach on everything he’s touched since he became Mayor has resulted in confrontation and not one real accomplishment…it’s pretty shocking that the city has no leadership at such a critical time…Sam’s got it all wrong on everything from density to the Downtown Eastside..what happen to policing and treatment?” says Mr. Robertson. And while he makes great sense, he’s still thinking about running, apparently. But it sounds Mayoral, doesn’t it?

John Lee Hooker: Boom boom

Black eyed peas Where is the love

Your Weekend in Review Before it Happens

The blogger will be out of commish form the weekend...

so here's what you can take to the bank between now and Monday:

The Patriots and the Packers will win their games, setting up a classic showdown Feb. 3 in the Stupor Bowl between Tom Brady and Brett Favre, two of the games greatest quarterbacks ever.

Your mutual funds will be worth less than they were on Thursday.

More illegal immigrants, criminals and miscreants will be safely hidden amongst us, gathering income supplements of one kind or another and refusing to return to the hell hole from which they came.

More amazing pronouncements will be made by more governments about fabulous programs that will enrich all our lives. And, by the way, we and our grandchildren will pay for these initiatives, but we won't mind because we are Canadians, a genus often difficult to distinguish from sheep.

Kim Capri will move into the luxe new dog pound.

Sam Sullivan will claim ownership of yet another program that he has had absolutely nothing to do with, while simultaneously refusing to admit that he owns other programs for which he has registered private patents. As always, his staff will be blamed.

Gordon will still be wearing those glasses that declare, "I am a thirty-something Yaletown law student."

Province Column - January 18/08

Make public transit pleasant, safe and quick and we will pay for it

David Berner

The Province

Friday, January 18, 2008

BART, where are you now that we need you? Not Bart Simpson. He's on 15 channels, even at four in the morning. I mean San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit System.

I was in the Bay area recently, and travelled from the San Francisco airport to the Oakland-Coliseum stop and back on separate days, a trip of about 50 minutes.

I also travelled from the Oakland-Coliseum stop to Powell Street, Market Street and Union Square and back on another day. That's a trip of about 25 minutes.

Has BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) reduced auto traffic on the Bay Bridge or roads in general? I would guess not.

We drove four times from the Oakland stop to and from my friend's house in the suburb of Clayton. Each trip took one hour on a packed freeway system.

Does that mean BART is a waste? Not at all. It's a great system. Millions of people use it every day. And if more lines are built, more people will use them.

On all occasions, I found the BART experience almost pleasurable.

Imagine, a pleasurable transit experience . . . cheap, efficient, reliable, easy to understand and negotiate, just like transit in Washington, D.C., London and Toronto, to name three.

Imagine big, bold readable signage that directs you to board the train you actually want.

Imagine ticket and turnstile systems that actually cut the freeloaders down to nil.

Imagine streetcars and buses that don't feel like the first stop on the road to Purgatory.

Compare that to your daily Metro Vancouver drudge.

If Premier Campbell wants to build more public transit, I say do it, bring it on! What's a billion here, a billion there between buddies?

The monumental premier is working so hard to belong to the W.A.C. Bennett class. He hungers to leave behind him steel-and-concrete memorials -- the Gordon This, the Campbell That, twinned bridges, convention centres, luge tracks.

Fine. Whatever pumps your cylinders. Build the damn things already, only this time, try to do it right.

Give us trains that are bigger than Tonka toys. Compared to subways almost anywhere else in the world, SkyTrain cars feel like a short step above the miniature railway.

Give us buses and more buses and then some more buses. And how about streetcars and light rail?

And give us security. We don't want drivers punched. We don't want to listen to garbage talk. We don't want women robbed and assaulted at station hubs.

More is good, but better is better. We want transit that is a reasonably pleasant experience.

The carbon issues, the global-warming themes are all very nice, but for most of us these are mute points.

We want to get from A to B relatively quickly and in one piece, ready for our workday or our evening at home.

Yes, we want more public transit. And yes, we'll even pay for it.

But, be warned: If it's the same old bummer, look out for my new Hummer.

david@davidberner.com

Tony Bennett - Cold Cold Heart

JOB HUNTING...duck, baby, duck...

This person seeks an executive position. He will be available soon,
and is willing to relocate. Hard to argue the facts.

RESUME: GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Law Enforcement:
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the
influence of alcohol. I pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and had my
driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has
been 'lost' and is not available.

Military:
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take
a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the
Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.

College:
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a
cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE:
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business

in Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find
any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my
stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal
that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our
friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected

governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS:
- I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies,
making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure,
Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.
- I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions
in borrowed money.
- I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American
history.
- With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's
appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by
over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT:
- I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a
criminal record.
- I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one
billion dollars per week.
- I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.
- I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
- I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any
12-month period.
- I set the all-time record for most home foreclosures in a 12-month
period.
- I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the
U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans

lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
- I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any
administration in U.S. history. My 'poorest millionaire,' Condoleezza
Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.
- I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a sitting
U.S. President.
- I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most
corporate campaign donations.
- My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends,
Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in
U.S. History, Enron.
- My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to
assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election
decision.
- I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against
investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent
investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent
investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history.
- I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history.
- I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.
- I changed U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded
government contracts.
- I appointed more convicted criminals to my administration than any
President in U.S. history.
- I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy
in the history of the United States government.
- I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S.
history.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations
remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.
- I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law.
- I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. 'prisoners of war'
detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.
- I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election
inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election).
- I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any
President since the advent of television.
- I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year
period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over
the worst security failure in U.S. history.
- I garnered the most sympathy ever for the U.S. after the World Trade
Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated
country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.
- I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to
simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people),
shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of
mankind.
- I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked,
pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I

did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S.
citizens, and the world community.
- I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in
duty benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime.
- In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for
attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
- I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans
(71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and
security.
- I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to
justice.

RECORDS AND REFERENCES:
- All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's
library, sealed and unavailable for public view.
- All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my
bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public
view.
- All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President,
attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and
unavailable for public review.

Would you hire him?

FRee Speech Under Arrest

A number of people have asked for the context of Ezra Levant's Opening Statement posted this morning.

You can read here op-ed article from this morning's Sun, or read the comments after the video for other links to flesh out this nightmare.

Opening Statement

I was alerted to this amazing video by an article on today's op-ed page in the Sun.

The subject is FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

The TYRANT is the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

This is a most important document. Watch it. And remember it.

Malik New Posterboy for Chutzpah

A scorching new definition of chutzpah has arrived.

Ripudaman Singh Malik is suing Ujjal Dosanjh.

Malik, found not guilty in the Air India trial, is believed by most observers to be as guilty as O.J.

He "borrowed" $6 Million of your tax payers dollars for his defense and to date has repaid no a kopek.

He attended a recent ceremony "honoring" a terrorist.

Canadian jurisprudence continues to be taken to the cleaners.

COMMENTARY Audio Interview

I had the great pleasure yesterday of being interviewed by Joseph Planta on his excellent website, http://www.thecommentary.ca/

You can listen to this audio piece here.

Or...you can read a novel, eat an apple or watch the Discovery channel.

Dr. Jeykll & Mr. Lunn

David,

I am sure you have read the reports of how Gary Lunn has fired this woman from AECL. I am still reading and trying to find out what the real story is, but this picture from the Globe and Mail of our so-called "honourable member" from the idyllic riding of Saanich and the Gulf Islands is disturbing. I am thinking of printing out a few hundred copies and stapling them to all the telephone poles in Sidney, where Lunn's constituency office is. Sidney and the Gulf Islands are probably the most civil communities in all of Canada, and I'm not sure they would appreciate this man representing them in the House of Commons:

Best,
John

Huckabee Marries Church & State

Maybe you thought George Bush was dangerous. Maybe you were right.

But stand back, kids.

Because Mike Huckabee is on the horizon.

This madman wants to amend the American Constitution so that it is "in God's standards."

“I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And thats what we need to do is amend the Constitution so it’s in God’s standards rather than trying to change God’s standards so it lines up with some contemporary view of how we treat each other and how we treat the family.”

To watch the video of this retrograde, click the Crooks and Liars story here.

Tyee Scoops the Dailies, 3-0

Why has it taken http://thetyee.ca to reveal the questionable connections of 3 BC cabinet ministers?

In 3 separate stories yesterday, writers for the local online news source showed possible conflicts of interest for Rich Colman, Barry Penner & Gordon Hogg.

This morning I asked thetyee editor, David Beers, about these stories and he laughed, "It didn't really take deep investigative journalism. Just some basic looking up of the facts."

And where have our local dailies been on these stories?

Read all three pieces:

Here...

and here...

and then here.