The Blogger's Sage Advice

It's The Long Weekend.

The weather is smart and sunny.

Read, rest, play, eat...

Recover, recoup, reconnoiter...

Fah-get-aboutit...

See yuh Choose-day.

Commenter Turns Us On the the Real World

Imagine a politician doing this in Canada.

Bravo Councilman Michael Polensek of Cleveland!

Read it and cheer...

Simon and Garfunkel- America

Dopers Sign In Here and Get the Best Table

It's hard to believe sometimes what you read in the morning news.

In the USA (and Canada), where Big Pharma bribes your family doctor every day with BILLIONS of dollars, where one sickening child shrink was paid over $180,000 by a drug company while he prescribed dope for kids, in that environment, a genius Republican has proposed...wait for it...that these companies REGISTER somewhere.

So, let's see if I can get this right?

Signing in at the front desk to the private club of legal dope pushing is somehow a better idea than making the practice illegal???

The entire detestable story can be read here.

Quote of the Week - The Actor's Baby Talk

"I didn't have to change anything."

Not even a diaper, presumably.

The last people you ever want to hear talk about parenting are actors, actresses and other so-called "celebrities." The gush is typically torrential and unbearable.

In this case, local actress Ellie Harvey talks about adding her recently adopted son to her schedule. "Simon fit perfectly into my life. I didn't have to change anything."

As anyone who has ever had children knows full well, the arrival a child - or any other significant person - in your life changes everything. How could it not.? It is a basic law of physics, let alone social dynamics.

Of course, as well also know, once you reach a certain level of stardom, none of the usual rules apply to special, blessed you.

Guest Blogger John on Criminal Justice in Canada

Hi David,

Once again this doesn't really apply to boxter boy, but its a similar subject:

Darcy Lance Jones - remember this name.

He is the creep that beat and robbed the elderly man that had been giving him $5 each day on his way out of Holy Rosary Cathedral after morning mass.Jones was arrested at the corner of Pender and Richards Streets on Friday morning.

Of special note: although he had barely moved two blocks from the crime scene Vancouver’s finest were unable to locate him. A private security guard called it in. VPD promptly called a huge press conference to take credit for the take-down.Darcy Lance Jones is due to appear next Friday in Vancouver Provincial Court. He is remanded until his appearance at that time.

Offenders that are convicted are given double credit for time in jail while waiting for their verdict. For this reason while they are in remand they usually seek adjournments for as long as they can to reduce or eliminate their eventual jail time after sentencing. This is known in the justice system (colloquially) as "running down the clock".

Although Jones is a well known "chronic offender" he will most likely receive a conditional sentence. Because he will have “run down the clock” you can expect him to be sentenced to time served, or perhaps a few more days at most. His conditions will probably be as follows: - Keep the peace.- Not be in the block of Dunsmuir Street where he attacked the elderly man. - Have no contact with his victim.If he is able to meet these conditions for somewhere between 6 months and 1 year his record will be expunged of this offence.

Welcome to justice as it is known in the BC Provincial Court.

George W Bush and Andy Dick

fabulously funny

Hookers' Rights My Top Concern

Yes, that's what I think about first thing every morning when I open my eyes and face another day in the heavenly jurisdiction of Canada:

"Gosh," I mutter not too loudly lest I disturb the neighbours, "I hope and trust that there are no infringements today on any sex worker's rights to freedom of expression. Cause if there were, Boy, that would make it a rough day for me."

"Thank goodness," I continue, emboldened now by the sounds of 3 dogs barking, "thank goodness for all those good and civic-minded lawyers who are attending to these pressing urgencies."

Insights Abound At Parole Board

Boxter Boy is "selfish and hedonistic."

Wow!

Who knew that the Parole Board could be so incisive?

Funny, they never once asked him what he did for a living and they never once called him an unrepentant criminal, which is what he is and has always been and will always be.

Excitement at City Hall

"I think it's a great idea," said GVRD vice-chairman and Vancouver Councillor Peter Ladner.

This is what turns Pete on?

The GVRD will be renamed Metro Vancouver. YAWN!

This will only cost taxpayers a few million in signage, business cards, letterhead, fax paper.

Why this is exciting, isn't it?

Right up there with Kim Capri's organic eggs motion.

This is the dumbest city council in living memory.

Deep Thought

I've just noticed, after all these months of furious blogging, that most of the people I slag on a regular basis are politicians and criminals.

Funny how that works.

Victor GuestBlogger on the Second Worst Mayor in Vancouver History

The Vancouver Sun (Stunned?) saw fit, once again this week to give a platform to Larry Campbell. In this case, Larry was railing against the Harper government's alleged disrespect for what Larry refers to as the chamber of "sober" second thought. Coming from the Senator from Cirrhosis, a man who's head glows like Rudolph's nose, the term sober is a knee-slapper. Larry goes on to assure readers that he and his colleagues in Geriatric Slumber Room are a non-partisan lot, carefully approaching their duties without bias. Larry's memory is perhaps a victim of his lifestyle. Otherwise he would recall that the only reason he sits in the Palace of Patronage is because his verbal fatwa against Harper during the last election earned him instant gratitude and a multi-million dollar reward(pension and perks included) from Paul Martin.

"Stonewall" Oppal Rides Again

Wally Oppal, like every politician before him and all that will follow, is an endlessly charming gentleman.

And for all we know he is a good and decent soul.

But like all politicians before and after him, he sings from the Jean Chretien hymn book: "Do nothing; then nothing can be held against you."

Daphne Bramham has done us all a great public service by stepping harshly and repeatedly on the neck of Polygamy.

But when the paper carried a 40-point blaring headline this morning that "Stonewall" (as one of our Commenters called the AG today) "might" take the offenders to court, Ms. Bramham was quick to point out that Wally has been sitting on his hands for many months on this file, among others.

Wally is a great PR man. He makes appearances at rallies, dialogues and discussions. He frowns and looks terribly concerned about everything and everybody and he sees nothing but health and happiness for all of our futures.

And then he goes back to his shelter and turns on "The Price is Right."

Boxter Boy is the Poster Child for Canadian Law

I named him "Boxter Boy."

It caught on.

The day after he killed an innocent young man, who was crossing Knight Street, I ranted on the radio for almost 2 hours about this horrible excuse for a human being.

I urged the fool to give himself up, turn himself in. The audience and phone-in callers were easily as outraged and horrified as I.

Well, Boxter Boy, Cliff Tang, got a 4 year sentence and a 10-year driving suspension.

Of course, he's at it again. He never really stopped his criminal, lawless anti-social behaviour.

BUT...the Parole Board let him out on Parole and he was shortly arrested again and sent back to jail.

He has a rap sheet many pages long and many years long.

BUT...we aren't serious about our legal and social responsibilities in this country.

Turn to the Business section of today's paper and read about the acquittal of the man behind the Bre-X gold fraud.

Here are the comments of 2 Canada watchers:

"Canada has an enforcement problem," said Columbia University law Professor, John Coffee. "Bre-X remains a synonym for securities fraud."

Peter Bowal, of the University of Calgary, says that Canada is a haven for white-collar crime because of its toothless securities laws. "It's a joke on the prosecution side and also on the sanction side."

For two days now, the Sun has been running an excellent series about fraudulent ESL schools and hookers brought in from Asia as "students."

Almost daily, we are presented with new revelations about the truths behind the Air India murders.

The only people remaining in Canada who have not lost all hope about our criminal justice system seem to be judges and politicians, neither of whom are open to change. The rest of us bailed long ago.

What we are left with is the useless and inappropriate daydream that someone will run over Boxter Boy.

The "Helpers" are the Biggest Addicts

The AIDS Committee of Ottawa will not be stopped.

The City of Ottawa has finally come to its senses and agreed that it will no longer fund the ACO in their 2 year disaster of providing free crack pipe kits to addicts.

But that hasn't slowed down the well meaning (The road to hell is paved with the best intentions.) determined helpers at ACO.

Addicted as they are to "helping" the helpless (and keeping the helpless helpless, so that they can keep helping them), the ACO will find its own money for continuing the devil's handiwork.

"Our mandate is to prevent the transmission of HIV and to improve the lives of people infected, said Kathleen Cummings, Executive Director. "The safe inhalation program is a proven way to do that."

Here is their official mission statement taken from their website.

"Since 1985, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) has worked to empower people living with HIV/AIDS and the PHA (persons with HIV/AIDS) community in Ottawa through promoting the well-being and quality of life of those living with or closely affected by HIV/AIDS. "

Admirable enough, one would think.

Until you realize that what they are handing out is crack pipes, rubber mouth pieces and sterile swipes.

Why not clean shot glasses for drunks?

Why not lead a bus load of child molesters to the playground every morning?

Why not provide car thieves with bright new tools each day?

Ever consider helping someone to STOP using and get on with his sorry life?

Oh, no. But then you wouldn't have a customer for your so-called "Compassion."

Carole Taylor Restless?

Vaughn Palmer's column in the Sun this morning is, as usual, right on.

When Carole Taylor spoke up recently about the plight of Cambie Street merchants, we could feel the winds of change in the air.

Watch for Ms. Taylor to make some interesting moves in the coming months.

Time for a Maritime Centre

A Maritime Centre being planned for North Vancouver is long overdue.

The Maritime Museum is a national disgrace, which is why James Delgado, the marvelous Executive Director, left not long ago for bluer waters.

The basement archives contain acres of priceless artifacts, including documents and furniture from the Titanic, none of which can be shown to the public, because there is not enough exhibition space.

Administration after administration, local, provincial and federal, have ignored our REAL water-borne history.

If this plan for a maritime centre has any teeth we will welcome it. Perhaps Vancouverites will finally notice that this town is not run on latte, that it is a port city.

Ingmar Bergman

We all grew up on Hollywood movies, and we loved them. What's not to love? MGM Musicals, Bogie and Cagnie tough guys, westerns, Gregory Peck winning the War for us, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck re-defining women in society.

Then we found Bergman.

Fog and shadows and lust and murder and friendship and talismen set in a cold, intimidating black and white landscape.

Eleven movies with Max Van Sydow and how many with Liv Ullman?

The Washington Post has "the rest of the story."

Bill Walsh

The San Fransisco 49ers had been perennial doormats for years. Yes, they had some great players, like John Brody, who went on to become a pretty good scratch golfer. But they were rarely "contendahs."

Then, along came Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Randy Cross and Jerry Rice.

Here is a wonderful write-up on Walsh's life and career from a Bay Area source.

My son was a huge fan of Tom Snyder...Snyder was a marvelous broadcaster. There is no place in broadcast for the likes of Snyder today.