Which raises the question of why you can read about it at The National Post website before it's even on Baird's government website.
As for the next ambassador, Vivian Bercovici is best know for her occasional columns in the Toronto Star, which are notable for their entirely one-sided viewpoint on all things Israel-Palestine; Israel good, Arabs bad, and so forth.
This will ensure that the upper levels of the Harper government remain secure in their sealed echo-chamber, oblivious to any and all deviations from the standard Likud party line.
The Harper gang believes that unquestioning, unequivocal, uncritical support of even the most counter-productive Likud policies somehow proves them to be "true friends" of Israel.
Friends shouldn't let friends build settlements on illegally occupied territory.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Minnesota terrorist caught subverting democracy in UAE
Shez Cassim is coming home tonight.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates slapped Cassim in the slammer a few weeks ago for dishonouring the honour of the nation with this very clever and entertaining video.
Maybe somebody took the Emir aside and explained the joke. In any case, Cassim is good to go.
Looking forward to your next video dude!
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates slapped Cassim in the slammer a few weeks ago for dishonouring the honour of the nation with this very clever and entertaining video.
Maybe somebody took the Emir aside and explained the joke. In any case, Cassim is good to go.
Looking forward to your next video dude!
Something's rotten in the State of Ar-Raqqah
After being told for months that Syrian government forces are making progress against the rebels, and after being told for at least a year that al-Qaeda and affiliates have sidelined the Free Syrian Army "good" rebels, we are now treated to the spectacle of a civil war within the civil war.
Earlier this year it was big news that the allegedly most powerful rebel group in the country had sworn allegiance to al-Qaeda. Since then, al-Qaeda has morphed into the "Islamist State of Iraq and Syria", and whadyaknow, the al-Nusra Front is now fighting against al-Qaeda!
Something's not adding up here, folks...
Earlier this year it was big news that the allegedly most powerful rebel group in the country had sworn allegiance to al-Qaeda. Since then, al-Qaeda has morphed into the "Islamist State of Iraq and Syria", and whadyaknow, the al-Nusra Front is now fighting against al-Qaeda!
Something's not adding up here, folks...
America's phony NGOs and the Ukraine gambit
Since the Reagan era American taxpayers have involuntarily gifted billions of dollars to US government creations like the National Endowment for Democracy and similar fake NGO's.
It's no secret that a considerable amount of effort and money has been invested in stirring up anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine. Ukraine would indeed be a major prize, geographically and politically, to lure into the Western camp.
The Boiling Frogs blog has a comical story today "proving" that the US-funded democracy activists in Kiev have been using the identical pamphlets that the US-funded democracy activists in Tahrir Square were passing around two years ago; in translation, of course.
It's essentially the same story that Wayne Madsen had on the Voltairenet blog in the middle of December.
On the occasion of the toppling of Lenin's statue in Kiev earlier in December I wrote that those idealistic youth should be careful what they wish for. The latest numbers from the World Bank indicate a youth unemployment rate in Ukraine that is lower than almost all the EU nations. Why would they be so keen to join the EU?
That's where the slow and steady drip of ceaseless on the ground propagandizing, courtesy of America's myriad phony NGOs comes in. The Neocons thought they had Ukraine in the bag almost ten years ago with the "Orange Revolution", but that was not to be. They see this as their next best, and possibly last chance.
That's why, in addition to on-the-ground "democracy activists," even Neocon heavy hitters like John McCain and Victoria Nuland find time to assist the effort. McCain even made time to have dinner with anti-government stalwart and neo-nazi Oleh Tyahnybok while he was in Kiev. Nuland made a point of passing out sweets and sweet talk to the protesters.
I don't live in Ukraine, so the question of whether the country chooses to be more closely aligned with the EU or Russia is neither here nor there for me. Ideally they should be able to forge good relations with both. But to do that, they need to be left to their own devices and allowed to make their own choices.
Nuland, McCain, NED, take your phony NGOs and your US-financed "democracy activists" and go home.
Let the Ukrainian people decide the future of Ukraine.
It's no secret that a considerable amount of effort and money has been invested in stirring up anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine. Ukraine would indeed be a major prize, geographically and politically, to lure into the Western camp.
The Boiling Frogs blog has a comical story today "proving" that the US-funded democracy activists in Kiev have been using the identical pamphlets that the US-funded democracy activists in Tahrir Square were passing around two years ago; in translation, of course.
It's essentially the same story that Wayne Madsen had on the Voltairenet blog in the middle of December.
On the occasion of the toppling of Lenin's statue in Kiev earlier in December I wrote that those idealistic youth should be careful what they wish for. The latest numbers from the World Bank indicate a youth unemployment rate in Ukraine that is lower than almost all the EU nations. Why would they be so keen to join the EU?
That's where the slow and steady drip of ceaseless on the ground propagandizing, courtesy of America's myriad phony NGOs comes in. The Neocons thought they had Ukraine in the bag almost ten years ago with the "Orange Revolution", but that was not to be. They see this as their next best, and possibly last chance.
That's why, in addition to on-the-ground "democracy activists," even Neocon heavy hitters like John McCain and Victoria Nuland find time to assist the effort. McCain even made time to have dinner with anti-government stalwart and neo-nazi Oleh Tyahnybok while he was in Kiev. Nuland made a point of passing out sweets and sweet talk to the protesters.
I don't live in Ukraine, so the question of whether the country chooses to be more closely aligned with the EU or Russia is neither here nor there for me. Ideally they should be able to forge good relations with both. But to do that, they need to be left to their own devices and allowed to make their own choices.
Nuland, McCain, NED, take your phony NGOs and your US-financed "democracy activists" and go home.
Let the Ukrainian people decide the future of Ukraine.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Boeing celebrates best year in its history by f@cking workers
Records are falling like dominos for the Boeing company; record deliveries, record order book, record profits. Look for the suits in the executive offices to award themselves record bonuses.
While managers get the bonuses, the folks who actually build those airplanes are getting the bone. The company has succeeded, in spite of its record-breaking year, in coercing major give backs out of their unionized workers.
Boeing has so much cash on hand, they have committed to a $10 billions share repurchase. That's obviously got nothing to do with airplanes, but it's a nice sop to the shareholders.
The men and women who build those airplanes are lucky too. While they may have lost their pension plan, THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR JOBS!
That's considered a good deal in today's America. No matter how successful the company, it is essential that the workers know that success has nothing to do with them. Furthermore, they need to know that somewhere, somebody, is willing to do their job for less, and therefore they should too.
I'll predict here and now that long before this eight year contract extension runs its course, Boeing will be demanding even more concessions from their workers.
While managers get the bonuses, the folks who actually build those airplanes are getting the bone. The company has succeeded, in spite of its record-breaking year, in coercing major give backs out of their unionized workers.
Boeing has so much cash on hand, they have committed to a $10 billions share repurchase. That's obviously got nothing to do with airplanes, but it's a nice sop to the shareholders.
The men and women who build those airplanes are lucky too. While they may have lost their pension plan, THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR JOBS!
That's considered a good deal in today's America. No matter how successful the company, it is essential that the workers know that success has nothing to do with them. Furthermore, they need to know that somewhere, somebody, is willing to do their job for less, and therefore they should too.
I'll predict here and now that long before this eight year contract extension runs its course, Boeing will be demanding even more concessions from their workers.
Working overtime at the Ministry of Condemnation
In the past two weeks Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs has issued seventeen news releases.
Nine of those have been condemnations. To be sure, these are condemnations of events that for the most part ought to be condemned, so perhaps the Ministers in charge should be commended.
But... it's all about the mote in one's own eye.
Outside of a handful of journalists and a few folks like me with too much spare time on their hands, does anyone read the Department of Foreign Affairs website?
Probably not.
What they do read is general news media, where they're far more likely to read stories like this; Canada accused of hiding child abuse evidence.
It's not a happy story. It's about the Canadian government, the same one that finds something to condemn in the world at large every other day, withholding evidence from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that government appointed body that is charged with investigating Canada's abysmal record of genocidal treatment of its aboriginal people.
Indeed, "abysmal" is putting it all too lightly. It was and continues to be an unforgivable disgrace. You might think that Prime Minister Harper's much publicized 2008 apology for residential schools signaled a fresh approach to our relationship with our native population, but you'd be wrong.
It took a court order to get the Harper government to cough up relevant documents to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And were they then turned over?
No.
Instead, the government appealed the court order.
That's something we should all condemn.
Nine of those have been condemnations. To be sure, these are condemnations of events that for the most part ought to be condemned, so perhaps the Ministers in charge should be commended.
But... it's all about the mote in one's own eye.
Outside of a handful of journalists and a few folks like me with too much spare time on their hands, does anyone read the Department of Foreign Affairs website?
Probably not.
What they do read is general news media, where they're far more likely to read stories like this; Canada accused of hiding child abuse evidence.
It's not a happy story. It's about the Canadian government, the same one that finds something to condemn in the world at large every other day, withholding evidence from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that government appointed body that is charged with investigating Canada's abysmal record of genocidal treatment of its aboriginal people.
Indeed, "abysmal" is putting it all too lightly. It was and continues to be an unforgivable disgrace. You might think that Prime Minister Harper's much publicized 2008 apology for residential schools signaled a fresh approach to our relationship with our native population, but you'd be wrong.
It took a court order to get the Harper government to cough up relevant documents to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And were they then turned over?
No.
Instead, the government appealed the court order.
That's something we should all condemn.
The Turfgrass Institute
Nothing much to do here at Falling Downs other than wait out the blizzard, and she's a doozy.
The internet still works, and on a whim I was checking out the Environment Canada weather forecast for points south, when I noticed that Guelph gets its weather readings from the University of Guelph's "Turfgrass Institute."
I been using lawn-mowers my whole life. Does that qualify me for an honorary degree?
Best one I ever had was a Canadian Tire house brand with a three horse Briggs and Stratton. Got it from the ex-brother-in-law for free 'cause he was gonna throw it out. Put in a new spark plug and got another ten years of trouble-free grass cutting out of it.
Replaced it with a brand new Craftsman that had the big wheels at the back. Can't say I was too impressed. Came to nearly $500 all in, and had to be replaced five or six years later.
Against my better judgement I replaced that with another Craftsman, this one being the first mower I ever had with a Honda motor. Ya, this was the Rolls Royce of lawnmowers for sure. Not too impressed with that either.
Once you get ten years of turf management out of a free lawnmower that you got from your moron brother-in-law you're pretty much spoiled for anything else.
So I always wondered what this "Turfgrass Institute" was all about. I know in this age of runaway credentialism, when the garbageman is a sanitation engineer, we like to put fancy handles on simple occupations, and I'd assumed that's what we were looking at here.
I was therefore taken aback when a good friend told me her son was going to the University of Guelph to take a degree in "turf management."
Ya right!
Reminded me of another acquaintance who had three kids. The first two were really keen over-achievers. One did an accounting degree and was making mid-range six numbers by the time he was in his mid twenties. The next one became a teacher.
The third one was the dumb bunny of the brood. An attractive young woman, but thick as the proverbial brick. Mom has it in her head that by God, every one of her kids is going to college or university, and even though everybody who knew the kid thought that was a long-shot, she eventually found something called a "personal service worker" course at the local community college.
That's where they train up the folks who are going to be wiping the drool off my chin and the shit off my ass in a couple of years. A noble and essential calling to be sure; I just had no idea it required a college education!
So owing to my ignorance, I had lumped turf-grass management in that same category - a college course designed for parents who need to be able to say all their kids went to college. I figured buddy with his turf-management degree might find employment at the local golf course upon graduation, at least from April to October.
I was therefore more than a little shocked when his mom gave me an update on his career trajectory.
"So how's your young fella fairing out, the turf boy?"
"Oh he's at the University of Pennsylvania now."
Huh?
Ya, he's at the University of Pennsylvania, because they have the best Masters program in turf management.
Huh?
Get the fuck outta here!.. Masters degree in turf management? WTF???
Now I've heard about Wharton, so I know U Penn is a serious enough place... but a graduate degree in turf management?
Anyway, according to the mom, anytime you turn on the TV and see stuff happening on grass, be it football, the other football, baseball, golf, whatever, that grass you're looking at didn't just happen. That grass on your screen is the work of turf professionals, and apparently the higher you go in the turfgrass hierarchy, the more likely you are to find graduates from the University of Pennsylvania turf management program.
Who knew?
So her Junior is gonna be going to work everyday at some fancy-pants golf club or stadium. He'll get in free to all the major events. And believe it or not, those folks pull down salaries well into the six numbers.
Proving yet again that no matter how old you get there's always lots more to learn... about everything!
The internet still works, and on a whim I was checking out the Environment Canada weather forecast for points south, when I noticed that Guelph gets its weather readings from the University of Guelph's "Turfgrass Institute."
I been using lawn-mowers my whole life. Does that qualify me for an honorary degree?
Best one I ever had was a Canadian Tire house brand with a three horse Briggs and Stratton. Got it from the ex-brother-in-law for free 'cause he was gonna throw it out. Put in a new spark plug and got another ten years of trouble-free grass cutting out of it.
Replaced it with a brand new Craftsman that had the big wheels at the back. Can't say I was too impressed. Came to nearly $500 all in, and had to be replaced five or six years later.
Against my better judgement I replaced that with another Craftsman, this one being the first mower I ever had with a Honda motor. Ya, this was the Rolls Royce of lawnmowers for sure. Not too impressed with that either.
Once you get ten years of turf management out of a free lawnmower that you got from your moron brother-in-law you're pretty much spoiled for anything else.
So I always wondered what this "Turfgrass Institute" was all about. I know in this age of runaway credentialism, when the garbageman is a sanitation engineer, we like to put fancy handles on simple occupations, and I'd assumed that's what we were looking at here.
I was therefore taken aback when a good friend told me her son was going to the University of Guelph to take a degree in "turf management."
Ya right!
Reminded me of another acquaintance who had three kids. The first two were really keen over-achievers. One did an accounting degree and was making mid-range six numbers by the time he was in his mid twenties. The next one became a teacher.
The third one was the dumb bunny of the brood. An attractive young woman, but thick as the proverbial brick. Mom has it in her head that by God, every one of her kids is going to college or university, and even though everybody who knew the kid thought that was a long-shot, she eventually found something called a "personal service worker" course at the local community college.
That's where they train up the folks who are going to be wiping the drool off my chin and the shit off my ass in a couple of years. A noble and essential calling to be sure; I just had no idea it required a college education!
So owing to my ignorance, I had lumped turf-grass management in that same category - a college course designed for parents who need to be able to say all their kids went to college. I figured buddy with his turf-management degree might find employment at the local golf course upon graduation, at least from April to October.
I was therefore more than a little shocked when his mom gave me an update on his career trajectory.
"So how's your young fella fairing out, the turf boy?"
"Oh he's at the University of Pennsylvania now."
Huh?
Ya, he's at the University of Pennsylvania, because they have the best Masters program in turf management.
Huh?
Get the fuck outta here!.. Masters degree in turf management? WTF???
Now I've heard about Wharton, so I know U Penn is a serious enough place... but a graduate degree in turf management?
Anyway, according to the mom, anytime you turn on the TV and see stuff happening on grass, be it football, the other football, baseball, golf, whatever, that grass you're looking at didn't just happen. That grass on your screen is the work of turf professionals, and apparently the higher you go in the turfgrass hierarchy, the more likely you are to find graduates from the University of Pennsylvania turf management program.
Who knew?
So her Junior is gonna be going to work everyday at some fancy-pants golf club or stadium. He'll get in free to all the major events. And believe it or not, those folks pull down salaries well into the six numbers.
Proving yet again that no matter how old you get there's always lots more to learn... about everything!
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