Harvest of Opinion

There are days when one can skim through various newsy avenues and have no real interest in any of the topics covered. For whatever reason, none of the stories have the tentacles to grab you or to jiggle you into thinking about it beyond the text. Not much help when youre trying to capture your own perspective, using a newsy item as the jumping off point.

Then, there are other days when it seems like the media offers so many thought provoking political nuggets (thanks in part to the inanity of this global village of idiots we have to contend with) one has to choose.................... so I've whittled my nuggets down to three...........lets see.

Say it isn't so Joe

..........looks like Volpe is still the conductor of the Liberal monkey wagon....

The Toronto Star reported yesterday dozens of people in Montreal-area ridings — including at least two dead people — had been improperly signed up as federal Liberal party members.Volpe's campaign was named as having paid for the memberships of nine people, according to interviews conducted by the Star using membership lists for the Quebec wing of the federal party.When interviewed by the Star, scores of people didn't know who called them, but two Volpe team insiders told the Star the operators, working from campaign headquarters and concentrating on recruitment among the city's Italian-Canadian population, generally didn't say which campaign was calling.

If nothing, he's consistent. Consistently corrupt. Over the past year, Volpe has gaffed more often than any other federal politician and yet he still believes he is going to win the Leadership race and then go on to beat Stephen Harper to become the next Prime Minister of Canada. Are you smokin' dope Joe? Last fall, I wrote about Volpe's announcement about bringing home the expatriates to fill all the high level jobs that seem to be floating around this country unfilled. At the time, he was our fabulously uninformed Immigration Minister. In March of this year, Volpe was a proud recipient of the "Teddy award" along with David Dingwall. These two wonderful political poster boys thought nothing of spending taxpayers dollars through dining and debauchery......... entitlement gone awry.
In July of this year, I posted yet another story on this fleabag when it became apparent that he was scoffing at his own Party's campaign fundraising rules by having his group of campaign thugs arrange to have a whole family identified as individual donaters to his Liberal leadership cause. He denied any involvement whatsoever. Arent leaders supposed to accept the responsibility of any actions of the team he leads?

His political scoundrel days are numbered and my bet is that none of the other contenders will be knocking on his door for an endorsement. He is one smelly tainted tuna. Good riddance..........

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And the Weekend Humanitarian Award goes to.........................

Afghan President Hamid Karzai

After a rousingly heartfelt speech in the Ottawa Legislature on Friday where he thanked Canadians for our part in the fight against terrorism and the Taliban in his country, Karzai then took the time out to meet with the president of the Looneytune Society of Crazed Socialists, Jack Layton.

This meeting was hastily arranged due to the need for damage control after Layton's declaration that he wanted to meet with the Taliban to discuss peaceful resolutions. How Jack thought he was going to arrange this meeting of the mentally ill minds......... guess he thought he could leave it up to his comrade Svend Robinson to sketch out the details (words out that they planned to reserve the corner table at the Tim Horton's in Kabul to chat with Bin Laden's buddies over large double-doubles and crullers). Here's a link to my previous posting on this

An excerpt: Earlier in the day, Karzai skipped a speaking engagement to sit down with Layton, who has been calling for Canadian troops to be withdrawn from southern Afghanistan.

In a news conference following their meeting, Layton said the two agreed that solving Afghanistan's problems requires more than just military might.

"The roots of the problem lie outside Afghanistan - they lie in Pakistan," Layton said. "A political solution, ultimately, is the only route to bring security for the long-term, and ... Pakistan has got to be engaged in the creation of that environment."

Layton's quote is almost verbatim to Karzai's comments in his speech. I guess Jack needed to hear it twice, and then say it outloud for himself in order to learn it.

I hate the whole idea of war. I hate the fact that anyone has to go to battle. I hate the fact that there will always be psychotic evil lurking in various hot spots around the world........ that we are now living in a world that is being tossed on it's side by extremists and terrorists. There are days I want to just put my head in the sand and not think about it anymore. But, how does that help, really? No, it doesn't.

We are members of a global community. This country is not exempt from attacks. How alone would this country be if we decided to pull out of Afghanistan now and turn our backs on the people of that country who are trying to resurrect it from rubble? Pretty darn alone!!!

Afghanistan needs our support. Our troops need our support. Until every child can safely attend school; until every woman can freely choose to work and study outside of their home; until teachers are safely able to do their jobs without the fear of being beheaded .......... until the government is established, and democracy is up and running ........ until the economy isn't reliant on opium sales ............ we need to stay. Got that Jack???

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Please Pass the Holy Water

As the United Church of Canada watches their congregation numbers go down the drain, they have decided to focus their attention on banning bottled water. Gee, that'll get the people back to the pews. Good on ya mates!

From the Globe and Mail:

The United Church passed a motion urging its nearly one million Canadian adherents to leave bottled water on the store shelves, unless alternative sources of safe water aren't available.

“Water is seen increasingly as a saleable commodity, [being used] to make a profit,” said David Hallman, a United Church official, “as opposed to our perspective of it being an element of life and good for all creation.”

The whole business of bottling water straight from the taps of enterprising entrepreneurs is appalling when one thinks about it. Environmentally, it's appalling. And it's capitalism at it's slimey worst. However........... how can this be an issue for the church? Sure, throwing in the line that water is a sacred gift seems to justify this action as a religiously based stance for some.

Not me. It's a turn off because it degenerates the reputation of the whole church. The United Church of Canada needs to put the plug in the drain by returning to religion. Ministers need to return to delivering sermons that are based on the Bible and the stories that are the foundation of faith. That doesnt mean that we shy away from helping those who are in need, that we stop promoting equality. Ironically, it's issues like these that the UCC adopt that "water down" their reputation as a house of worship.

One of the first blogposts I wrote was about my concerns over the United Church of Canada (here's the link). Looks like my thoughts have remained the same. I'm left thirsty as I try to find my way back to church. Potluck dinners are still the norm in the basement of the United Church................just don't be washing down that mushy casserole with Dasani........

Smiling..............shaking her head.....................

PS..........OH I forgot! Sorry here's number 4! Belinda Stronach and Tie Domi? I'm at a loss for words.............................He shoots, he scores?