Cracks in the Pipeline - Week 216 - June 8-15

These fucking assholes.  "Our new pipelines are totally safe!  New technology!  Jobs!"  The first phase of Keystone is already significantly corroded.  As well...We need this massive oil sands project because we need jobs!  You approved it?  Okay.  We need to cut jobs to make this economical!  Driverless trucks on the way in the Oil Sands.

Folksyism.  The whole "gosh darnit, why shouldn't so and so do such and such" form of politics.  Usually along the lines of tough on crime.  Tough on poor people.  Tough on anybody that isn't me.  And usually Conservatives.  Small government conservatives wondering why the government doesn't intrude more on the lives of others.  Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner wonders why we pay for the medical bills of shooting victims that don't cooperate with the police.  Because nothing bad can happen when a City government gets to decide who gets Health Care.

A long but great read on the nuances and difficulties of current day Iraq.  The conclusion...we don't really know what's going on and we certainly aren't doing a good job.

Some would call my obsession with Nancy Greene-Raine unhealthy.  But in my limited interactions with her, she seems like an awful person.  I like my athletes to retire with dignity and am not a fan of those that steamroll over people in pursuit of money and influence.  Her climate change denial has sealed the deal for me.  And this makes me very happy: Expenses related to a former Senators anniversary party.  Attending ski shows.  Pretty minor in comparison to others, but wouldn't be surprised if there is more.  I know.  This is petty of me.

Come on Senate.  We can save almost $25 Million if we expand our temporary office search by a block, and the Senate won't go along?

The Conservatives have introduced a bunch of friendly, heart warming bills to the citizens of Canada.  The problem?  They don't stand a chance of passing before the house breaks for the summer...and the election is called.

Salon digs in to the money funding the anti-climate change movement.

The drought alarm bells are reaching Canada.  It's taken far too long.

This story digs in to the flight of the automakers.