Rumors of a coup

Would someone kindly light a fire under Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe and explain to them that they don't have to let Stephen Harper steal their lunch money and give the entire country a wedgie? Word is now that Stephen Harper is going to try to progue Parliament again until after the Olympics rather than submit to an order by the House of Commons to turn over uncensored documents in the Afghan prisoner investigation. Doing so would allow the Conservatives to take control of the Senate in the new year, so while it would mean a few of their bills die on the order paper, it would allow them to blatantly defy the will of Parliament and dodge the Afghan prisoner scandal in the short term.

I can't believe I need to haul this out again so soon.

Big Surprise. Not . . . .

Huffpo reports:

Rahm Emanuel Personally Pressed Reid To Cut Deal With Lieberman: Sources

Updated: 12-14-09 07:24 PM

Rahm Emanuel visited Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his Capitol office on Sunday evening and personally urged him to cut a deal with recalcitrant Sen. Joe Lieberman, two Democratic sources familiar with the situation told the Huffington Post.

Emanuel, President Obama's chief of staff, has long been identified as leading a faction of White House advisers who have been pushing the Senate simply to pass any health care bill, no matter how weak.

His direct message to Reid (D-Nev.), according to a source close to the negotiations: "Get it done. Just get it done."

Politico reported Monday morning that the White House had pressed Reid to cut the deal after Lieberman (I-Conn) insisted the Senate drop a provision, which Lieberman himself has long favored, to allow those 55-64 to buy in to Medicare. Lieberman is threatening to join a Republican filibuster of the bill if the provision isn't dropped.

The White House denied the report. "The report is inaccurate. The White House is not pushing Senator Reid in any direction. We are working hand in hand with the Senate Leadership to work through the various issues and pass health reform as soon as possible," White House spokesman Dan Pfeiffer wrote in an e-mail to the Plum Line.

The report, however, according to the two sources, was entirely accurate. "We're long past time for these kinds of games," one source said.

It would be easy to put all the blame for this on the sleaze-bag emanuel, but remember who hired his a_s.

No bill would be a better than the watered-down version they're heading toward. All they have now is a forced payment to insurance companies with nothing in return.

$ win over people once again . . . .

(Cross-posted from Moved to Vancouver)

The Rich at play . . .

WRECKEDEXOTICS.COM is a site devoted to pictures of expensive sleds that have come to grief. Heartburn for insurance managers and leasing companies. Schadenfreude central. Sure lowers the re-sale value, any way you look at it.

Ferrari took off from a stop light and lost control after the traction control malfunctioned. The car veered off to the right into some trees. 

Pagani Zonda F. Worth over $1 Million, only 25 of these were ever produced. The owner was driving the car back from a track event when an out of control truck forced the Zonda into a row of parked cars.

2000 BMW M5  One of the worst wrecks we've seen. This M5 rolled over at least 5 times after losing control at over 125 mph.

Sam Salt makes the final crossing of the bar

Most of you will not know who Sam Salt was or what his significance was in the world. You will not know that he was a very quiet man but one who possessed a commanding sense of humour.

You will probably not know that he quietly, and at times not so quietly, grieved for the loss of twenty souls who had placed their trust in him.

You probably don't even remember that, at shortly after two o:clock in the afternoon, on the 4th of May, 1982, Sam Salt, in command of HMS Sheffield, felt the impact of Exocet missiles launched from two Super Entendards into the midships of his Type 42 destroyer.

They didn't explode. But they did splatter missile fuel throughout impact area resulting in a fire that became, for a variety of reasons most would never understand, impossible to control. Captain Salt eventually ordered that Sheffield be abandoned, fearing that Sheffield's own stock of missiles would explode.

It was the first British combat loss of the Falkland Islands War and it put to rest any notion that any solution short of a military action in the Falklands was possible. We were in a full on fight.

Sam went on to command another destroyer after the Falklands War and eventually retired a rear admiral in 1997. He died on the 3rd of December, 2009.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sam Salt shortly after the Falklands War. I understood why his ship's company thought so highly of him. I wish I'd known him better.

Fair winds and following seas, Sam.

With respect and condolences to the family and friends of Rear Admiral Sam Salt, RN (Ret'd), formerly Commanding Officer, HMS Sheffield.

That's a spicy meatball . . .

THE GUARDIAN has a disturbing report by Rajeev Syal, titled, "Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor".

The sub-head is even more provoking:

Drugs and crime chief says $352bn in criminal proceeds was effectively laundered by financial institutions

352 BILLION DOLLARS — YIKES!

Speaking from his office in Vienna, Costa said evidence that illegal money was being absorbed into the financial system was first drawn to his attention by intelligence agencies and prosecutors around 18 months ago. "In many instances, the money from drugs was the only liquid investment capital. In the second half of 2008, liquidity was the banking system's main problem and hence liquid capital became an important factor," he said.

Tossing out a government by force if necessary - 101

Jesus H Christ.

I didn't fight for this. Ever.

Norman Spector tries to equate a non-smoking rule with a carried motion in Parliament over the humane treatment of surrendered prisoners.

Nice try, fuckwad. Typical of your ilk.

Let's get a few things straight.

I don't like the way Harper governs. He's an asshole and an overblown piece of shit. He's also an inveterate liar. But that's just me. It's an opinion, no matter how many times that has been proven to be the truth.

I get to participate as to who will represent me in the highest democratically elected body in the land. It may not be who I wanted, but I get to exercise my franchise. I have always accepted the decision of the plurality in my riding.

I also knew that, in extreme circumstances, a majority in Parliament ruled, absolutely, and a government was required to abide by the will of that democratically elected body. A minority government, such as is the case with Stephen Harper and those who support him, do not speak for the whole of this country. They only speak for the single largest block which is very much less than the majority of voters.

I expect him to respect my voice. I expect him to do as he's told by the majority of those sent to represent their constituents.

We run this country. Not Harper. This is not about Afghanistan. This about Canada.

What you fail to grasp, Norm, is that a democracy, even a Westminsterian one, doesn't end at the closing of the polls. As a so-called political scientist, you make a pretty good ditch-digger.

If my voice in Parliament, exercised by my representative, is not effective after the closing of the polls on election day then I want a completely different model for selecting government. I do not accept being dismissed by the Crown.

The Crown exists because I, and millions of others, allow it.

This, you evil little piece of shit, is a democracy. You don't get to make it otherwise because you enjoy the perks of power. That include the choices made in the Province of Quebec - by the people.

This is not a legal fight. This is a fight about the strength of an individual's vote.

You, and Harper, diminish the weight of that vote at your own personal peril.

That's what I fought for. I would not hesitate to defend my right to choose and my right to be legitimately represented through whatever means necesarry, even if it meant taking up arms to secure it.

Do you get that, Norman?

Contempt of Parliament

Did you expect anything else from the Harperites? The supremacy of Parliament is absolute in this country and Harper is giving the only democratically elected federal institution in this country the finger.

He said when he was done we wouldn't recognize this country. He was right. Looks more like a third-rate banana-republic run by an overblown tin-pot narcissicist.



























Harper PMO junior communications staff starter kit.

At last

THE CALGARY HERALD has a simple position on the RCMP:

RCMP needs overhaul

The RCMP can blame their damaged reputation on nothing more than the actions of some of their own members, aided by a long culture of coverup.

More denials won't restore credibility to Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are at a pivotal moment in their long and storied history.

And the hits just keep on comin'. 

Change is needed at the highest level before Canadians can forgive or forget the recent history of the RCMP. Accountability, truth and transparency are the only hope of restoring honour to this once-great institution.

Now, what's Stevie going to do about it?

A present from the NFB

THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD site is playing "The Sweater", in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Y'all watch, now.

Gunfight at the Rideau Corral (in the kiddies section). Updated!

This, as Scott suggests, is going to get very interesting.

Well, it's the last opposition day before the House breaks for the holidays, and it turns out that all they -- or at least, the Liberals -- want for Christmas is ... the full set of documents requested by the Afghanistan committee, "in their original and uncensored form." That's the gist of the following motion, which will be the object of what is likely to be a lively debate in the Commons today. Spoiler alert: it's the last line that's the kicker:

It's worth reading the whole motion available at the first link above but, since Kady told us where to look for the load of buckshot, let's look!

accordingly the House hereby orders that these documents be produced in their original and uncensored form forthwith.

Zounds! And as Kady points out...

See that bit about 'the House hereby orders'? Matters of parliamentary privilege -- in this case, the "absolute power" to demand the production of documents -- are dealt with entirely within the aegis of Parliament itself; there is no court of appeal or outside authority that makes the final decision on the legitimacy of an order of the House. If the above motion passes -- and there is absolutely no reason to think that it won't, most likely later tonight -- it becomes an order of the House -- which, unlike, for instance, that feel-good Bloc Quebecois motion on what Canada's stance at the Copenhagen conference should be, cannot be simply ignored by a -- or, in this case, the -- government.

That is, for lack of a better description, the nuclear option. And the Liberals feel justified and safe in using it because of two things:

1. The testimony of CDS General Walter Natynczyk before the Commons defence committee has been reversed in a public statement by Natynczyk himself; and,

2. Defence minister, Peter "Airshow" Mackay, apparently has no one covering his "six".

Via James Morton, we get this very interesting observation from Jane Taber.

Stephen Harper defended his top soldier and the Canadian Forces today but never backed Peter MacKay amid opposition demands that he fire the Defence Minister over his handling of the Afghan detainee controversy.

[...]

For each and every call for Mr. MacKay’s firing, the Prime Minister would only say that the military acted correctly and with integrity.

Kind of makes that "deal", way back when the Harper Reformers hijacked the Progressive Conservative party back in December 2003, look pretty weak.

Deal?

Oh yeah. The deal that Peter MacKay, having delivered the membership of his Progressive Conservatives into the hands of the Harper Reformers, would, should the new party ever form government, always hold a high profile cabinet position. This would ensure that, should Harper die of natural causes or be hit by a bus, that MacKay is well positioned for a successful leadership bid.

The Harperite reformers can deny the existence of such a deal all they like. It's obvious, given that MacKay has, on more than one occasion, committed acts, which the the reformers would view as sins, such that he should have been shuffled, at the very best, to the remotest end of the cabinet table.

The Harperites would love to ditch the irritating centrist remnants of the Progressive Conservative Party and get on with being intolerant right-wing maniacs. This current pot, boiling over on MacKay's stovetop as it is, presents an opportunity for them.

This parliamentary gunfight, held out in the open, will probably also end up with a blood-letting in the Harper caucus. If it doesn't, it means that MacKay has some very secure dirt on the Reformers.

Update: At 5:55 pm Fort Fumble time, the motion ordering the government to produce documents requested by the Afghanistan committee in their original and uncensored form, passed.

Someone should tell MacKay that, even if he finds a gun, he no longer needs a full load. A single bullet will serve the only purpose left.

We don't need another hero

The Skipper has already chastized John Baird, who should never ever wear a turtleneck, for his objectionable conduct and general stupidity related to the Afghan prisoner denial-fest, but this part caught my eye too:

From Macleans:
"Mr. Baird was ready with a response. “Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Let us talk about the facts,” he boldly declared. “The then-Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, General Walter Natynczyk, a decorated war hero, someone who has served our country in uniform for decades..."

(Baird then went on for a while in this vein before excusing himself )

Decorated war hero? In what war? Was Natynczyk at Vimy Ridge? Did he storm Juno Beach? Did he fight in Korea? Did he lead some heroic commando mission in Somalia or withstand the seige of Sarajevo or lead F-18 sorties over Kuwait in the first Iraq war? Has he been out battling the wily Pathan in the Afghan hills? Where was he decorated and for what?

A little checking revealed Gen. Walter Natynczyk does have some medals, some of them are even for serving in a war. In addition to being a Commander of the Order of Military Merit, which is awarded for "Outstanding meritorious service and demonstrated leadership in duties of great responsibility" (in other words longstanding excellence in military service in the same way the Order of Canada is doled out to politicians who manage to stay in office long enough to be considered "statesmen" without getting embroiled in a scandal), in 2006 Natynczyk was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross.

Governor General of Canada; Media release. Jan 24, 2006. "MGen Natynczyk is recognized for his outstanding leadership and professionalism while deployed as Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. From January 2004 to January 2005, MGen Natynczyk led the Corps' 10 separate brigades, consisting of more than 35,000 soldiers stationed throughout the Iraq Theatre of Operations. He also oversaw planning and execution of all Corps level combat support and combat service support operations. His pivotal role in the development of numerous plans and operations resulted in a tremendous contribution by the Multi-National Corps to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and has brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada."

So Natynczyk was decorated for his wartime command of forces in a war that Canada was rather pointedly not taking part in. And the award was for his leadership and professionalism, not battlefield valour.

I don't wish to denigrate Gen. Natynczyk's service to this country or to discount the honor done to him and other recipients of these impressive decorations. Nor do I doubt his personal bravery--his record shows that he has served honorably on peacekeeping missions and elsewhere. But none of that makes him a "decorated war hero" to anyone except the kind of mindless uniform fetishists that seem to populate the Conservative benches and form the core of support for the ongoing military adventure in Afghanistan.

Wearing a uniform doesn't make you any more honorable or any smarter or any braver than anyone else and outranking an eyewitness doesn't make you more credible than they are. I think Natynczyk, like most sensible people, realizes this, even if Baird does not.

Baird is an braying brass-kissing ass who loves to wrap himself in the flag and use the Canadian Forces for his own political ends. But this is the Stephen Harper party of Canada and as much as Harper, Baird and Peter McKay love to be photographed playing soldier or sailor, and love to the military as a wedge issue--decrying any opposition to their policy or attempts to hold them responsible as hatred for the sacred troops--as soon as the political bullets start to get too close, somebody is going to be sent to draw fire and that somebody isn't going to one of their own.

Natynczyk seems to understand this and is now making it clear that he isn't going to be falling on his sword for them.

Why won't John Baird and the rest of the Conservative Party of Canada take the word of both our heroic troops in the field and our top soldier? Why won't they hold a full public inquiry?

Believing in Change Yet ? ? ? ?

Matt Taibbi on business as usual in DC and on Wall Street:



Wall Street = 1, Main Street = 0 . . . .

(Cross-posted from Moved to Vancouver)

Wear it well, Baird. Someone just knocked over a domino

From the Maclean's:

Rising for his second question, Mr. Ignatieff offered the obvious follow. “Field notes by Canadian soldiers make it clear that a detainee was beaten in Afghan custody after being transferred by Canadian troops, way back in June 2006. Our soldiers saw it firsthand. They took photographs. They did the right thing. They rescued the man. They reported it up the chain of command. However, the government did nothing,” he ventured. “What kind of Canadian government refuses to act on firsthand accounts by its own troops, credible accounts, of detainee abuse in Afghan jails?”

Well... a Harper government styled on their US southern Republican brethren. That's who. But, according to John Baird, who pulled the foreskin off his neck long enough to say... (emphasis mine, even though Baird was screaming)

“Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Let us talk about the facts,” he boldly declared. “The then-Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, General Walter Natynczyk, a decorated war hero, someone who has served our country in uniform for decades, stated very clearly more than two and a half years ago that the Afghan in question was not detained, was not captured by Canadian Forces, and he repeated that statement yesterday. I say to the Leader of the Opposition, why can he not trust General Walter Natynczyk?”

War hero??! Tout ce qui brille n'est pas or. Perhaps Baird should have simply pointed out that Natynczyk is a pretty good general in his own right and not have gone down that "war hero" path. In any case, Baird, typical of his ilk ranted that which might be fraught with hidden bombs.

With his third try, Mr. Ignatieff attempted to sidestep this entirely. “Mr. Speaker, the issue is much simpler than this,” he reckoned. “It is an issue about what happens when Canadian soldiers report credible accounts of detainee abuse. Those accounts are not in question. They take photographs of the abuse, they report it up the chain of command and, for a year, the government does nothing about it. That is the issue.”

Sidestep. But as Ignatieff points out, there were pictures and reports.

Then, "Airshow" Mackay gets in on the act. Blathering on he gets to this...

Mr. MacKay stood to various off-the-record requests from the Liberal side to support the troops.

“Simply put, Mr. Speaker, we are not,” he said to Foote’s question. “We are applauding them.” In the next breath, he repeated Gen. Natynczyk’s contradiction of said soldiers.

Judy Foote:

“Mr. Speaker, either they believe the eyewitness accounts of our soldiers on the ground or they do not. It is as simple as that,” she ventured. “In 2007-08, two senior Canadian officers further corroborated the accounts of the soldier and the medic under oath in court. Detailed notes show the name of the Canadian platoon that captured the Afghan before he was handed over and beaten. There are even photos. The Conservatives not only refuse to release this information, but they deny it exists. Why will they not come clean? Why will they not believe our soldiers?”

Oy. There's enough there to give a Chief of Defence Staff the willies. Natynczyk wasn't personally present at the alleged event. Best check this out further. But before that happens, Mackay dispenses more of his traditional wisdom...

“Mr. Speaker, last time I checked, the chief of the defence staff is not only a soldier but the top soldier,” the Defence Minister replied. “I will take his word.”

Top serviceman is more accurate. But the awkward thing about this is that Mackay has not done the requisite ministerial inquiry to get his own facts. If he has, then he has ignored the results. I don't think Natynczyk is a liar in any respect. But I also don't believe he had the whole story. That means Mackay was dancing though a minefield, attempting to deflect responsibility.

Then... uh oh.

Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's top military commander, is now saying a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to comments he made Tuesday.

[...]

Natynczyk read from a report on the incident by the section commander, who said they had the suspect get down on his stomach before they conducted a detailed search, which included emptying the Afghan's pockets, cataloging all the items and photographing him.

"I did not have this information in May of 2007 nor yesterday when I made my statement," Natynczyk said. "But I am responsible for the information provided by the Canadian Forces and I am accountable for it today."

Section commander. An NCO, on scene, provided a written occurrence report. And, given all the bits of fur that have been flying around on this incident in particular, it just now manages to find its way to the desk of the CDS?

There will be loud and unpleasant noises coming out of 101 Colonel By Drive tonight.

They sent the wrong Bosworth

THE NYTIMES proclaims "U.S. Envoy Makes Rare Visit to North Korea", and it seems like the White House is initiating something. According to Choe Sang-Hun,

The visit by the representative, Stephen W. Bosworth, signaled a new phase in United States diplomacy toward North Korea. For months, the United States had focused on punishing North Korea, leading an international campaign to enforce sanctions imposed on it for testing a long-range rocket in April and detonating a nuclear device in May.

This is good, but I'm wondering. Steve looks like a swell dude, but he's up against somebody whose reality is like this:

Maybe the White house sent the wrong Bosworth. Maybe they should have sent a real power-projector, like Brian Bosworth, say like he was in Stone Cold. Kim likes kool. Just give him a set of dubs for the state limo. Kim needs a chopper.

Bears and people

ENGLISH RUSSIA has two articles about bears and people: here and here. And I get to post this marvellous picture:

Stevie in the DMZ

ACCORDING TO AP/CP, Wary of provocations, Stephen Harper sets foot in North Korea during DMZ visit. Just so's ya know.

Harper : My tar sands trumps your planet

Harper Says Global Recovery Must Precede Environment
"Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he will use Canada’s co-chairmanship of next year’s Group of 20 countries meeting to urge members to put economic recovery before efforts to protect the environment.

"Without the wealth that comes from growth, the environmental threats, the developmental challenges and the peace and security issues facing the world will be exponentially more difficult to deal with," Harper said in an address to South Korea’s National Assembly."

... the day before the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

This must be what CannedWest Ian MacDonald meant yesterday when he referred to Harper as "magisterial" and described how he "has assumed the mantle as well as the office."

Protecting "Traditional" Marriage . . . .

Let's put this whole gay marriage thing to bed (so to speak).




"You're not dead yet."

That oughta do it . . . .

(Cross-posted from Moved to Vancouver)

Smoke 'Em if You've Got 'Em . . . .

Quite the interesting contraption, would you not agree?

Used extensively in Ottawa, Victoria and Washington, DC.

(Click to enlarge)

Gives a whole new meaning to "Let's go outside and light up a butt," eh ? ? ? ?

H/T "drf"

(Cross-posted from Moved to Vancouver)

Walmart Peso

ACCORDING TO THE URBAN DICTIONARY, that's the

US dollar. As the US dollar continues to lose value, it becomes synonymous with the cheap crap from Walmart. Used mainly by Canadians.
"Sorry, we don't take Walmart pesos.", server telling American tourist in a Toronto bar.

Neat site, with other definitions relevant to Wal-Mart:

Walmart Children
Children, ages 1 through 11, seen at Wal-Mart after 10:30pm no matter whether it is a weekday school night, holiday night, weekend night, accompanying their parents while shopping. Usually found in packs of 2 to 5 with one or two of the younger stuck drooling in the shopping cart while grabbing at items within their reach. 2 to 3 of the older ones will run amok with the parents in total ignorance of the damage being created. They cross all racial lines. 

Walmart Creature
A 600 pound whale of a person fused to a small scooter that goes regularly for food at the Mcdonald's. 

Walmart Troll
Grotesque, stocky bodied humanoid inhabiting walmart stores. usually wearing a tweety bird shirt and sweat pants. there is usually an accompanying trail of offspring, also referred to as a "failure trail" Can be any race, but usually white or hispanic.

Walmart Bingo
To play walmart bingo, all you have to do is google "walmart bingo". find the playing card, and print it. You then go to walmart and attempt to get a row horizontal, vertical, or diagonal! They have squares that say:
- "rat tail" hair style  - kid with no shoes  - unattended crying children

THEN THERE'S PEOPLE OF WALMART, a blog where you can see the lumpen proletariat in all their oblivious glory. Be sure and check out the "Hate" section: these people just don't get it. I mean, we can't all look like movie stars, but . . .