Suzuki needs a wake-up call

"I am ashamed of Carole James and the NDP for using 'axe the tax' as a political opportunity," David Suzuki said recently. "I know the people advising her know better."

Well, spread the shame, David, because many, including me, think much less of you for automatically endorsing this horsefeathers scheme.

We have long since reached the point where all anyone has to do is say something "ecological" and you will support it.

The carbon tax idea is bankrupt and the fact that you support it says way too much about your current efforts.

Drive fast - you might be caught in THE VORTEX!!!

"School officials said they weren't sure the course -- which deals with sexual orientation and gender identity -- was appropriate for high school students."

OK. Then what are these rubes sure of, exactly?

That the world is flat, and that if you drive too fast past Alderbush, you'll fall off into an eternity of hell-demons?

The course also tackles animal rights for the first time -- under the title speciesism -- as well as ableism, ageism, anthropocentrism, consumerism, cultural imperialism, extremism, feminism, fundamentalism, heterosexism, humanism, racism and sexism.

So, if high school students can't handle all these shocking modern ideas, what can they handle? and Who can handle these ideas?

Social Justice 12 is OPTIONAL, it's an elective and it's a forum for rational discussion, not a platform for preaching "lifestyles."

It's wonderful the faith these faith-based folks put in the intelligence and good judgement of their own children.

Worst Headline of the Year Contest Winner

Streetcar of Sam's desire on track

Sue is choked too

'Best Place on Earth' brings out that catch in Campbell's throat - SUN Sept
30/08

Really Vaughn?

Here's a guy who has undermined the democracy in our Province by being the
most arrogant and secretive, closed door decision making, perks to his
friends "leader" we've seen - maybe ever - and you are taken in by a wee
show of....what did you call it - sentimentality ??

Perhaps he's regretting his impaired decisions that have placed so many in
this province in harms way, with cuts to health care, long waits for
treatment, the failure to respond to crisis after social crisis .....and -
oh yeah - the preventable death of scores of once successful small
independant businesses along his toy train the Canada Line....?

Nah. He probably got choked up because he looked at all those investments
the government made in sub-prime backed paper that are now not worth
...well - the paper they are printed on. These are the pension funds of hard
working Canadians, too.
And in the case of the Canada Line, he even topped up their tank with $56
million more taxpayer funds upon request! What a guy.

Good grief. There is nothing that this Provincial government does that is
not self-serving. Tolls off the highway? It's election time boys and girls.
Just waiting for the next bauble/bribe for the weary tax paying masses.
Perhaps a seismic upgrade of this Provincial government at the polls?

Do I sound a bit choked up? I've suffered through 3 years of unimaginable
hardship - have nearly lost all I've worked hard to build up over 25 years.
Out of desperation I am taking my own government to court to find justice
for this abuse of power called Canada Line. It is no small point that as
Mayor, Campbell was prepared to take legal action against the Province in
SUPPORT of compensation for Expo/Millenium Line construction. What a
hypocrite.

I continue to fight as hard as I can for my desperate neighbours - and if I
were speaking to you right now there would most certainly be a CATCH in my
voice.

Standing tall - and loud on Cambie Street,

Susan Heyes
Hazel&Co
Cambie Street
604 687-0721

Dr. STrangelove Lives (& works in the 'hood)

The St. Paul's Hospital Foundation has published an impressive, glossy multi-page insert in today's Vancouver Sun newspaper.

There is one small problem.

An article titled "Developing New Tools to treat Addiction" extols the work - most of it future boasts and promises - of Dr. Michael Krausz.

The good Dr. doesn't come cheap. Millions have been invested in departments and "chairs" for his glorification.

But listen carefully to who he is and what he proposes.

This is the man behind Mayor Sam Sullivan's CAST project.

Let's give addicts pills.

The man is a "world-renowned expert on drug addiction and mental illness" and he claims everything he will do is "science based." He is a German-born psychiatrist.

He will give addicts pills.

He is going to fix the DTES.

He will give addicts pills.

This is his science. This is his expertise. These are his new tools.

The greatest single positive response to addiction is treatment based entirely on abstinence. Millions have succeeded.

And millions have failed.

A reasonable estimate of the success rate for treatment is 25%.

If you bat .250, you're in Cooperstown.

The success rate for methadone, pills, free needles, safe injection sites, free crack kits?

There are no numbers available.

And you know why.

But the good Dr. Stangelove will continue to be hailed as the next messiah.

Have I mentioned that the world is quite mad?

No Contest

Who is going to watch the English language snooze fest of Harper et al tomorrow night when we are presented with Palin being demolished by Joe Biden?

Bring it on!

When Do You Become a Man?

Of course, it's gay bashing.

Of course, it's a hate crime.

Duh?

And who is this genius?

This is what he has to do on a Saturday night?

Leave his rat hole in Surrey or whatever rock from under which he has slithered to beat up people who are walking down the street?

The new Poster Boy for Stupidity, Ugliness and lack of Substance.

Somebody please help this unrepentant punk become a citizen.

The Courts are Worse Every Day

-- "I am not satisfied that the plaintiffs have proven the defendants were in breach of the standard of care required of them."

With these words, BC Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Barrow has once again thrown a spear deep into the heart of our confidence in the law.

Two men enter a hospital for hernia operations. They are served by the same team in the same room.

Both emerge with flesh-eating disease that near kills them.

Yet, this paragon of common sense and concern for the common weal says they have no right to sue.

Then, pray tell, what rights do they have? What recourse?

Another Fine Fix, Ollie!

"Victoria's deputy police chief, John Ducker, is being investigated under the B.C. Police Act, interim Chief Bill Naughton confirmed yesterday.

"There is a Police Act investigation into John's conduct. It has to do with an allegation of a conflict of interest," said Naughton.

Abbotsford police Chief Bob Rich is in charge of the investigation.

Police Complaint Commissioner Dirk Ryneveld said he would not confirm or deny an investigation is underway."

This was the story in this morning's Province.

Now, maybe I am dreaming this, but...

Didn't Victoria's Chief of Police just resign under clouds a few months ago?

Didn't everyone refuse to tell the public why?

Nice department. Nice government. Nice transparency.

Has anyone explained basic democratic principles to these bumpkins?

Can You say, "Collusion and Appeasement, Boys and Girls?"

On Sept. 30, 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders agreed at a meeting in Munich that Nazi Germany would be allowed to annex Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland.

Just a little reminder from history about how honorable and bright political leaders can be.

And I can vote for...Whom??

I couldn't even read Barbara Daffy's column today. The headline did me in.

"NDP hoping for a big breakthrough in BC"

Is she kidding?

There are no NDP signs on lawns in my neighbourhood, and, as far as I know, there is no candidate.

We've got your Joyce Murray, your Deb Meredith, your Dan Grice.

But the last I heard, the NDP guy was thrown to the wolves for some nutty indiscretion or other.

Has anyone told Jack Layton or Barbara D. that elections are won in the trenches, on the phones, in the 'hood?

I'd love to vote for the NDP.

If only they'd get around to telling me who the candidate is.

Who Will Rescue the Rescuers?

David Brooks has writen a fascinating and very strong editorial in this morning's NY Times.

The gist is that America wobbles now on the shakiest of grounds because it lacks leadership and authority.

Like many of us, he awaits a resolution to the bailout debacle.

In the meantime, don't even bother to look at what remains of your portfolio.

Go fishing. Talk to your parents or children. Cook dinner.

The Anti-Market News

Humpty Dumpty One

Here is a Letter to the Editor in today's Province. The writer refers to a recovered addict who completely and honestly understands addictions. The writer on the other hand is a theorist who knows nothing of where he speaks. The world is topsy-turvy.

True nature of addiction

The Province

Published: Monday, September 29, 2008

Letter writer Barry Joneson and other Insite detractors don't understand the nature of addiction

You cannot force people to do something and unless society is willing to give police the power to do so, then harm reduction is the only thing that makes sense.

You can have all the treatment facilities you want, but addicts who don't want to make use of them will have only the streets to do their drugs

Brandon Parker,

Delta

Humpty Dumpty TWO

A Victoria drug addict's Charter rights were violated because he did not have access to a supervised injection site like Vancouver's Insite.

"How can someone's conduct be criminal in Victoria, but not in Vancouver, where drug addicts have access to Insite?" the addict's enterprising lawyer asked.

Lovely.

McAnecdote

Today's spurious headlines are all about John McCain's gambling habits and gambling connections.

There may or may not in time be some important information hidden in these missives, but we have yet to see it.

I good friend tells of the time he played craps at a Vegas table next to McCain for several hours a few years ago.

He says that the good Senator from Arizona was intent and focused and not particularly friendly.

As far as I know gambling is a legal activity in many places.

If we learn that McCain took bribes or did some other illegal and unsavoury acts, then we will have something about which we can complain and somewhere to point.

In the meantime, this kind of innuendo and silliness must go.

The Gambler

Rosh Hashanah

I was saddened to read in a Sun editorial the other day that there are only 13 million Jews in the world today.

There are at least ten cities in China that have larger populations than 13 million people.

The Jewish population in most countries, including Canada is much less than one per cent.

As a Jew, and a typical modern Jew in many ways, I was shocked by these numbers.

Yet, look at our disproportionate contributions.

In music, medicine and science, Jews have been extraordinary leaders for the past century.

Hollywood was and is a Jewish business.

The list of Jewish violinists, pianists, composers, conductors and singers is long and legendary.

Half the inventions in both I.T. and medical technology have come in recent years from Israel.

And make no mistake about it, the future of the Jews is in Israel.

Because those of us in the diaspora -scattered here and yon in every country in the world - are not, by and large, holding the faith.

The reason that we will celebrate the year 5769 next week, the reason that Judaism has survived almost 6,000 years, is that the religion and its customs are in the home.

Daily ritual and observance are at the table and the wash basin and the bedroom. Blessings and thanks are built into the natural rhythms of the day.

The problem, of course, is that few North American Jews have the discipline or desire to keep to the path.

Like the Chinese, we are adept at blending in to any culture and succeeding on that society's terms, while still honoring our deeply felt histories.

And like any wandering peoples, we increasingly intermarry, change our names, join the golf clubs and make observance only an occasional tipping of the hat.

I am not an observant Jew.

Yet, I am deeply, profoundly, inevitably Jewish. And happy to be so.

I love study. I love argument. I am a life-long learner. I love food and sex and passion and laughter.

If I knew another way to be, I might consider it. But I don't. This is what I know and I like it.

Even in the shadow of History's One Great Horror, the Holocaust, I am proud and happy to be a Jew.

I just didn't know, in my ignorance, that there were so few of us.

Score One

To give him his due...

John McCain may have lost the debate the other night handily, but he did get off the occasional funny line.

This was my favorite.

"I've looked Putin in the eye, and I saw three letters - KGB."

Not enough to win an election, but, hey, these are desparate times.

It's like looking for a good moment in an Owen Wilson movie.

Three Bears

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, Representative Barney Frank, center, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., and Senator Harry Reid, early Sunday.

I have one question.

How high is your confidence in these geniuses to solve this problem?

Weren't all four of them long in place while this madness was going on?

I have really reached the point where I find almost all politicians to be disgraceful fakes.

Officials said Congressional staff members would work to finalize the language of an agreement that would include pay limits for executives and require the government to do more to prevent foreclosures.

But yesterday a news report advised that there were many "executives" who had been on Wall Street for less than a year who would walk away from the fire with millions in compensation.