Bored Stiff - Week 121 - Aug 19-26

I've got to admit something, folks.  I'm just bored stiff doing this.  Every week.  Just the same sad stuff.  Anyhow.  Here goes.

Blowback!  Trudeau the pothead has really inspired the Conservatives.  Says Peter McKay: "By flouting the laws of Canada while holding elected office, he shows he is a poor example for all Canadians, particularly young ones. Justin Trudeau is simply not the kind of leader our country needs."  I guess drunk driving is okay?  Embezzlement of public funds?  Ignoring Canada's election laws?  All this is fine, but smoking pot is unforgivable?  Fuck these guys.  I love how there are commenters blasting him for breaking the law, and at the same time blasting him for only admitting this to win votes.

Don't get me wrong...I love Quebec.  It just seems like there are a band of idiots running the place that are ruining it for all.  "Special treatment for us, fuck all the rest of you."

This is a really weird story.  But two questions come to mind...why are Stephen Harper's security agents enforcing who and who can't talk at a press conference?  And this whole language around "allowed to ask a question"?

Stephen Harper...Putin junior with his ridiculous military photo ops.  The shirt is probably coming off soon.

Jim Flaherty thinks the Real Estate market is fine.  Marked down and noted...August 21st, 2013.

It's a prorogue!

Pamela - Week 120 - Aug 12-19

Have you ever really hoped for something and worked really, really hard to get it, and then felt a sense of disappointment when you get exactly what you were asking for?  The Police Officer in the Sammy Yatim shooting has been charged with murder.

See.  This, to me, is offensive.  The rail company behind Lac Megantic has had it's license pulled, due to INSUFFICIENT 3RD PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE!!!  Ya.  No shit.

Oh man!  Seriously?  We're testing a stealth snowmobile worth $620,000?

This is what happens when governments enact "anti-terrorism" laws.  Spouses of journalists are detained and asked questions about Edward Snowden.

All Pamela Wallin...All the time.  The RCMP indicates that they will be reviewing her expenses.  And the Auditor General indicates that he will be reviewing all Senator's expenses.

"Flawed and Unfair"...Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Oh man.  That is rich.  I mean, I've never really met anybody that has participated in any kind of audit that came out of it thinking "Hey...that was pretty good."  The whole purpose of an audit is for an impartial 3rd Party to cut through the bullshit.  I guess I can see how she would think that it was "flawed and unfair".  Man.  What a loser.  Who appointed her to the Senate anyway?

The Globe has pointed out that the audit of Pamela Wallin is costing a lot of money.  Which isn't really important at all.

Stephen Harper's spokesman pulls his ass off the hand and resigns.

Salon suggests the IOC is encouraging athletes to stay in the closet in Sochi.  Which isn't quite correct.  It's telling them not to protest...but I think they're trolling for clicks with that headline.

This Tyee article points out an interesting fact.  The RCMP actually has a target of six terrorist activity disruptions every year.  Which is just kind of staggering...Do they have serial killer quotas as well?

Pipelines...totally safe!

Back at it - Week 119 - Aug 6-12

Well I've been away the last week.  Has the coverage suffered at all?  I think not, dear readers.  Okay, on with the show.

I'm expecting the Pamela Wallin reveal to be a calamitous shitshow.  Should be awesome!

Canada has decided that Russia warrants criticism for harbouring Edward Snowden.

More "John Baird pissed off at Russia" news...John Baird is angry about Russia's anti-gay laws.

A Conservative women's group is angry at John Baird for his anti-Russian, pro-gay stance.  I'm sure they would all be treated very well over in Russia.  The women, that is.

John Baird basically tells them to fuck off.

Mac Harb.  Oy.  Mac Harb.  Last I saw, the "loan" was up to $230k.  Gotta pay back those expenses somehow, I guess.

Capitalism in action!  The rail company that caused the Lac Megantic disaster has filed for bankruptcy.  Caused a giant explosion that killed dozens of people and levelled a small town?  Don't worry about it!  We got all kinds of legal protection to make sure you don't have to pay.

An interesting story on Stephen Harper's refusal to vacate 24 Sussex Drive to complete renovations.

BC has a veto on Senate Reform?

Elections Canada has found quite a few instances of illegal corporate donations during the last election.

The Pirate Party is coming to Canada!

Okay.  It suffered a bit.  Sorry.

PIPELINE!!!!! - Week 118 - July 29 - August 6

Did everybody disappear to some magical, secret, pipeline conference last week?  Goodness.

Obama calls bullshit on Keystone XL projected jobs numbers.

Stephen Harper counters with his own full court press on Keystone.

More pipelines, as the East-West pipeline becomes somewhat more official.  At least we would be refining this stuff in Canada...

In a related note...

Strange this story isn't really showing up in Canadian newspapers all that much.  CBC covered it a bit.  But Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. seems unable to control a tar sands oil leak.

Huh.  A pretty interesting Tyee article on our inherent hang-ups and prejudices that help fuel the climate change debate.

The train company that blew up Lac Megantic still hasn't paid any money to victims.  Further stressing why we need so many pipelines, right Steve?

Somebody stole some pride parade flags in Fort McMurray and lit them on fire.

Something just seems really seedy and sordid about this.  You've already been elected Premiere and you make some very specific promises to your own riding if they elect you?  It doesn't sound like a whole lot of money, but it just kind of feels wrong.  Not to mention the recently elected MLA resigning just so you can run in an expensive by election because you weren't able to get yourself elected in your home City.  Thanks Kelowna.

Do you think they hold meetings to figure this shit out beforehand?  "Okay, you make a proclamation about marijuana legalization so that we can hit up our donors, and in return we'll make something up about abortion so you have something for your guys."

As Canadian jobless numbers have gone up, so have the number of "Temporary Foreign Workers".  I'm guessing corporate profits have gone up as well.

A long Macleans article on Stephen Harpers official bastardization of Canadian History.  I should add "depressing" into the description as well.

Patrick Brazeau...bad things...worse than we had before suspected...don't need to know anything else about this.  Wish this guy would just go away.

Another video of the Toronto police shooting has emerged.  The kid was most definitely on that tram alone.

Late addition - Okay.  What a bunch of fucking assholes!  Holy shit, this is some crazy spin.  Crazy!  Let's pick this apart a bit.
"Hottest Month of the Year so Far" - I'm guessing July is generally the "hottest of the year so far" every single year - More homes sell in the summer.  31 days compared to June's 30.  August hasn't happened yet...Fuck off.
"Busiest since July 2009" - Sooooo...what does that actually mean?  That was a whole 4 years ago!

Benchmark price is actually down.  And this is a completely made up number by the Real Estate industry in the first place!  Fuck these guys can spin.  Fuck I hate the real estate industry.