Reflection

The murder of the four officers in Lakewood, Washington is no longer on the front pages, but it has stayed with me.

It haunts me.

I have been asking myself why I have felt so impacted by this gruesome tale.

I am not sure of the answer, but here is something.

These four people were sitting at a booth in a popular coffee shop, each writing on his and her laptops.

I spend considerable time doing exactly this - sitting in cafes, writing on my laptop.

I love the new cafe culture.

Dozens of people of all ages, colors, ethnicities, and inclinations are drinking coffee and eating snacks and writing on their laptops.

And...

Oddly enough, interacting.

Little hellos and chats sometime wander into full discussions about life or the affairs of the day or the arcane minutia that make the day interesting.

In short, these places have the air and feeling of civility.

Everyone likes to bandy about notions of the civilized society and what we aught to do to get there.

I find that these little WiFi cyber cafes have spontaneously become the best example of the civilized society.

They are comfortable and friendly and interactive, even with people staring down their computer screens.

Now...

The idea of some mad man crashing through this sense of local community and safety and neighbourliness by firing a gun and murdering people sitting in a booth working on their laptops ... my god, it's just horrifying.

To make it worse, the victims are young people, in their 30's and 40's. Trust me, that's young.

To make it even worse, they are police officers.

If ever one should feel safe, it is in a cafe with four police officers near by.

But no.

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

Clemmons, the killer, killed four real human beings.

And he has caused dreadful unimaginable pain for the surviving families of these four officers.

But he has also punched a great gaping torn hole in basic notions of civilization and community.

What an unspeakable horror.

Please, God, enough.

My New Vision of "NO!" Justice

A man drives a truck into a restaurant.

First he waits until his path is clear.

He is bent on revenge of some kind.

The act is premeditated.

He kills two people and injures seven.

He is an alcoholic.

The geniuses who run something called The B.C. Review Board have decreed that this fellow will be set free next month - his crimes occurred last year - on only 10 conditions.

These conditions include, among other impossibilities, you must not drink.

Did I mention that he is an alcoholic?

My first question is this:

Who will be following this Living Danger around to monitor his Good Boy behaviour?

The parole and probation people no longer leave their offices. They spend all day filling out forms.

My second question is this:

Who reviews the Review Board?

These people are irresponsible in the extreme and when this lunatic kills his next innocent victims will Barry Long, Garnet Warrian and Lily Chow - the three members of the Review Board who have set free this walking time bomb -will they be held responsible? Will they even attend the funerals of Crazy Guy's next victims?

And my last question is this:

How do I get me appointed to this B.C. Review Board?

Whom do I have to know or blow?

I am sure there is a pleasant little remuneration attached to these duties.

But that's not the main reason I want this appointment.

The main reason I want the assignment is so that I can say, "NO!" over and over and over again to all the dangerous nut bars who think they should be walking around in my neighbourhood.

I want to sing "NO!"

I want to shout, "NO!"

I want to dance, "NO!" in a dizzying array of languages.

Management From a Caring Administration

As a follow-up to yesterday's story in this space about 200 care workers being fired after they voted to join a union, I recommend that you read Justine Hunter's first-rate analysis of the entire Seniors Care game here in SuperNatural British Columbia.

It comes down to two familiar phrases: underfunding and contracting out.

The people who will suffer will, of course, be the elderly and their families.

Another well-managed file from the good folks in the funny old building behind the lawn in Victoria.

The Callousness Award goes to...

Don't worry.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman is on top of this "bit of homelessness."

Reap What Ye Sow

The news that 200 workers at a seniors' care home had been fired just after they voted to join HEU would not even be noteworthy if we had not noticed which particular care home is in question here.

Completed in June 2008, the privately owned Sunridge Place facility was built to replace Cowichan Lodge, a government-run care home that served the Cowichan Valley for close to 80 years.

Despite a strong community effort to save Cowichan Lodge, the last patients were moved to Sunridge Place about a year ago.

The closing of Cowichan in favor of this new private facility was just one of many similar initiatives by Gordon Campbell.

This case was particularly galling because of how much the local community enjoyed the staff and services of Cowichan Lodge over such a long period of service.

Now, with private contractors happily in business under the Gordo banner, closing s and labour strife are the norm.

Thanks again, GC.

Fox in Hen House

Two of the biggest - or scariest - stories are related and hiding in the Life section at the back of the Globe this morning.

They are both about Big Pharma taking seats at the table for medical research and medical education.

The CMA has teamed up with Pfizer to run a program for doctors.

Huh?

And a Pfizer VP has been appointed to the governing council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Now, we can take two different looks at this creepy news.

One, CMA and CIHR are clearly whores.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

Or two, "Remember to keep your enemies closer than your friends." Perhaps this is wise strategy.

Hm...

Doubt it.

They are whores.

Watch for nothing but bad results and increased revenues for Pfizer in the near Pfuture.

3 More Minutes

Jon Ferry was my editor at the Vancouver Province.

In fact, he was the fellow who so kindly surprised me with an invitation to write columns for the paper.

I enjoyed that assignment immensely and the often vigorous parry-and-thrust with Jon over what was written and what needed to be written.

I was equally disappointed, when a little over a year later, the editor in chief called to tell me that my assignment had ended.

I was one of 500+ folks summarily dismissed across the country as Canwest Global attempted once again to scotch the bleeding.

Ah, well. Such is life...

Thus, imagine my delight yesterday at Jon giving me another three minutes of fame by using one of my blog entries ("Armed & Dangerous - An Entire Country" posted on Monday, November 30/09) as his starting point for a column of his own.

More laws and anti-U.S. bigotry are no answers for gun violence

By Jon Ferry, The Province

It's a good one and a riot and well worth the read if you missed it.

I don't feel the need to defend my position or re-hash the argument other than to say that America is a gun culture in a way that Canada is not.

I haven't forgotten for a moment the six people executed in Surrey or the four mounties or the victims of Mark Lapine.

But here is the telling difference.

I know many, many people across Canada.

And I don't really know very many who own a gun of any kind or calibre.

Almost everyone in the USA is packing.

I am not familiar with thousands of strip mall and corner stores in Canada who sell ammo and Uzis.

Canada and America are very similar, and in this regard in particular, very different.

To point out bad public policy is not America Bashing.

It is legitimate and necessary commentary.

Cheers, Jon!

Af-Pak

30,000 more troops?

Out by 2011?

Sorry.

I don't buy any part of this package.

I admire President Obama and I recognize that he is stuck with a world that is mad and unmanageable.

But last night, I am afraid we saw only a politician.

Nothing said it better than Gable's cartoon this morning.

Quote of the Millenium

"We think there's a good story to tell about what we've done in B.C. for homelessness, mental health, drug addiction," Housing Minister Rich Coleman said.

Then, not satisfied, Coleman removed his Hush Puppy from his mouth and added:
"We're not going to hide that we have a bit of homelessness," he said.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...

a bit of homelessness....

Oh, this guy is good.

a bit...what we've done for drug addiction...

hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha...

Justice, Twice Removed

Corporal Monty Robinson may not be the best poster boy these days for the RCMP.

He is known as the one who gave the order to taser Robert Dziekanski.

He is also responsible for the death of a motorcyclist, Orion Hutchinson.

The RCMP have him on suspension with pay.

Yesterday Robinson was charged with obstruction, but not impaired driving.

While Robinson may have considerable to answer for in the coming months, so does the AG's office in the handling of this case and the RCMP in its handling of the good officer.

The entire gruesome story is here.

Fly, Girl, Fly!

"Can a foreign organization come into a country and ignore their constituion?"

Good question.

Asked by Deedee Corradini, President of Women's Ski Jumping USA.

Our women ski jumping enthusiasts are now taking their case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

I applaud them.

You should too.

They are fighting for basic rights.

Denied by the imperialist Power Unto Itself, the IOC.

Spin Cycle

Only in Canerder, you say?

So the Dutch want to donate 450 bicycles to us as a demo and gesture of good will at The Games.

Sounds simple.

Ah, but we forgot about Rev Can.

The Tax Guys want to impose import duties worth more than the bikes.

I know that Gregor will save the day.

My faith is boundless.

The Bimbo Effect

Whatever happened at the burned out mansion at Laurier and Granville, it is not good.

But what happened on the late news the night it happened was a tiny little tragedy in itself.

The young lady posing and acting as a news anchor - she is qualified by her blond hair, blue eyes and Nordic good looks - called Low-Ree-Ay...Lore=EE-er.

We know this gal has lived here for a long time.

Did she skip the tutorial on Getting Names Right?

The Latest... and the Last

Statement from Tiger Woods posted on his website www.tigerwoods.com:

I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behaviour my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behaviour and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.

Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.

But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.

Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.

I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.

The Next Thing

You think the Dubai World fiasco is scary?

Try this.

The fastest growing area in banking world-wide is Islamic Finance.

Sharia Law.

You want opinions about how thinks will shake out in the sand the next few weeks?

No problem.

There's always Zaher Barakat, professor of Islamic Finance at Cass Business School in London.

No doubt he is one of many.

In Switzerland, citizens voted to disallow more minarets to be built.

As in mosques.

This is a sentiment both understandable and clearly discriminatory.

If the Swiss voted to disallow synagogues, would I cheer?

Not likely.

Like it or not - and I don't like it, at all - there is a New World Order upon us.

Excuse me.

I am late for my Sharia Law class.

Lakewood Gunman Killed

The NY Times reports early this morning that Maurice Clemmons has been shot and killed.

SEATTLE (AP) -- The man suspected of gunning down four police officers in a suburban coffee shop was shot and killed by a lone patrolman investigating a stolen car early Tuesday. Four people were arrested for allegedly helping the suspect elude authorities during a massive two-day manhunt.

Here is the full story.

The man was a career criminal, sentenced years ago to 90 + years in prison.

Of course, he had his sentence commuted.

Last week, after more horrific charges, he was released on bail.

Does anyone in the court system anywhere use a computer? Does anyone have a brain?

The people who let this bastard trick out the system have blood on their hands.

I confess that this murder of four police officers has had a strong and awful effect on me.

The idea of a horrible crazy person walking into a cafe and assassinating four people is so utterly repugnant.

What can we do? What can we do?

Not much, I'm afraid.

But paying attention to who we have standing in front of us could be a start. For Governors and parole officers and bail bondsmen.

Cutting the gun lobby off at the knees might be another good move.

And for those who argue Do the Math, I say, No. You do the math.

PER CAPITA, Canada, unlike our neighbours, not a gun-nation, has relatively few deaths from gunfire.

We have, so far, a different culture.

Roundup

Pressed for a bit of time this morning, I offer the following quickies:

1. The Canadian Pavilion at The Games will be built by an American company.

Doesn't that just summarize the entire mental set of an apologetic second-class nation?

Gary Lunn, the Conservative MP for Saanich and The Islands is the Minister of State for Sport and he made this MOnty Pythonesque announcement. He continues to be an embarrassment at the Hedy Fry level.

2. Campbell Land.

The Nelson Arts Council has closed its doors. The group lost $12,000 of its $50,000 budget when the Gaming commish cut its funding.

In CampbellLand we don't support local citizens at the coffee money level when we can spend billions of The Games.

3. O the heels of that dreadful de Havilland crash at Suturna Island yesterday, it is particularly galling to learn that Transport Canada's latest safety initiatives are an unholy mess.

How about an Air Canada plane full of passengers doing a "hot" refuelling? That means they are adding fuel with the engines running. Cute.

The story is terrifying.

And here is the nub of it.

Canada's new airline safety system has turned them into deskbound bureaucrats who no longer conduct hands-on inspections.

“Most inspectors do not even leave the Transport Canada office,” Christine Collins, president of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees, told the Commons committee Monday.

This, of course, is exactly what has happened to the Parole Service and other government agencies.

Sports

1. That performance by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was just about the most impressive I have witnessed in a lifetime of watching the NFL.

I have been a deranged fan since the days of black and white TV and Johnny Unitas throwing to Raymond Berry for the Baltimore Colts.

Namath, Marino, Joe Montana, Kenny "The Snake" Stabler...the whole glorious crazy gang of them.

And I'm not sure I've ever seen a guy zip the ball with such accuracy and confidence.

Five touchdowns to five different receivers.

Of course, what this says about the Patriot's defense you don't want to hear.

Some Saints receivers were completely wide open and in the clear.

Anyway...if you missed it, you missed a classic.

And, because their defense was also superb , you have to watch the Saints (11-0) through the playoffs.

2. Oh, Tiger.

Pulleeeze.

Yes, a man has a right to privacy.

But Woods, who has clammed up and dropped out of his own tournament with nary an explanation is shooting himself in the foot every day he maintains his silence.

Woods is no ordinary citizen. He is the richest and most recognizable sports personality on the globe.

His handlers might point out these small distinctions to him soon.

Armed & Dangerous - An Entire Country

Committed to an afternoon of mindless football watching, I was instead jolted back into reality by the horror story from just below the border.

A man walks into a coffee shop and shoots and kills four police officers.

You can find the story and late-minute updates on all your news sources on the web.

Here is the morning version from the New York Times.

I'm not sure why, but I have found this news so disturbing.

If you followed CNN at all throughout the day, yesterday was an almost typical madhouse in the USA in terms of killings, shootings and mayhem.

Family shootings, random shootings, gang shoot-outs and so on.

But the idea of some mad fool walking into a cafe and executing four police officers is particularly frightening and offensive.

Much of America is obsessed with the "right" to carry guns.

And most of America is armed.

Twice over.

Almost anyone can stroll into any gun shop and arm up.

Anyone can go online and buy automatic repeating deadly assault weapons. There are hundreds of websites selling killing machines at bargain prices.

I just Googled "AK-47" and this is what I got:

(Results 1 - 10 of about 1,780,000 for ak-47 for sale. (0.23 seconds)

The Winchester Varmint - albeit not an Uzi or better - is on sale for $499 with telescope.

Now, please, do not write in and use that tired old mistaken piece of shit that passes for folk wisdom - "Guns don't kill people. People kill people."

Puleeeezze.

It is the ubiquitous AVAILABLITY of guns that allows people to kill people, using, oddly enough, GUNS.

Did you hear me say outlaw all private guns?

No, you didn't.

But certainly a sane society can figure out how not to sell war machines at the corner grocery.

The picture of that colossal idiot and dreadful actor, Charlton Heston, holding his rifle over his head and yelling at his NRA convention, "Not over my dead body," continues to haunt me.

What might Mr. Heston have to offer the families of these four slain police officers?

Oh, I get it.

They died so that we can have the right to run around shopping malls with guns and kill officers who are defending our right to run around shopping malls and kill officers...

My visits to the USA have become less and less frequent over the years.

I pray they can find a way to become a more civil society.

But I doubt it.

Not when there is so much money and there are so many votes involved in the making and selling of killing machinery.

Coming Clean? Not Necessarily...

Here, taken from his website, is the full statement from Tiger Woods. Make of it what you will:

"As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I'm pretty sore.

This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again.

This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible.

The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false.

This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be."