I want...

...one of these.



I haven't been sailing much at all these last few years. That will have to be fixed for 2005.

The Committee on un-Canadian Activities

Shrill Toronto Star Columnist Linda McQuaig whines about us evil Canada haters:



Hold on, it gets better.



Oh no! Invoke those nasty evil Americans! Because, of course, anyone who criticises the way Canadians do things must be wanting to throw Canada to the Yankee dogs and become the 51st state. It only stands to reason that there are only two choices on how to do things: The American way and the absolutely perfect way that Canada does absolutely everything beyond reproach. I'm being sarcastic in case anyone doesn't get it...



The Red Ensign Brigade's power grows by leaps and bounds.

In answer to lefty-Linda's remark above I'll let you judge whether we're in decline by referring to the quote in my sidebar:



But, of course it's destructive to criticize, according to McQuaig:



Because if we pointed out that Canada's current government has screwed our athletes, screwed our military, screwed the provinces, screwed our citizens by excessively taxing them and running huge unnecessary surplusses under the guise of "fiscal prudence" with government MP's falling all over each other trying to spend our money - well, we must necessarily HATE Canada.

Because in McQuaig's mind, all the good that Canada has done in the world: fighting for freedom, carving out a modern nation out of the wilderness, being in the forefront of international affairs by putting ourselves on the line time and time again - in a word everything that we used to be able to do but can't anymore - is meaningless as long as we have our cherished universal healthcare.

Anyone who disagrees doesn't just have a different opinion - if we don't conform to the big government, Mommy/Federal Government knows best attitude that's being rammed down our throats courtesy of "enlightened" commentators like Ms McQuaig - well we're so...un-Canadian.

I'm wondering when the "special commitees" will be organized. Of course Ms. McQuaig sees herself as the arbiter of what is and isn't an acceptable Canadian value. From her pictures online current fashionable hairstyles don't appear to be one of them.

Hey, at least we've gotten some attention here...

Parliamentary High Theatre

Andrew Coyne's back from a prolonged absence from Blogland. (So long was his absence that I've deleted him from my blogroll. Gotta rectify that.)

His latest take on the government shell game leads me to believe that the "Harper is evil" conceit of the media is at it again. The government was at no point in any danger, but of course those nasty Conservatives are again being portrayed as troublemakers who want to take us to the polls yet again.



So why the big play in the media, when we have death and damage to our "new" submarine HMCS Chicoutimi? I sense the Liberal-friendly media at work, yet again, after months of post-election boredom - and Martin doing some savvy press manipulation.



And this crap pushed the Chicoutimi off the front page.

Men Who Would Be King

Something occured to me while watching the second debate between Bush and Kerry.

Kerry is the guy that I wanted to be growing up: smooth, uber-rich, popular, with a seeming entitlement to the crown, and a way with words that makes you think that he knows what he's talking about. It's almost hypnotic, until you actually realize that he's an empty suit.

Bush was the guy I didn't want to be: incoherent, uber-rich, popular, an old boy's network get out of jail free card, and an advanced case of frat-boy gladhanding and down-home platitudes. In the election of 2000, before 9-11, I thought that this guy was definitely the wrong choice.

I was wrong.

I've read a lot of the left-leaning blogs claim that Kerry again won last night: they're wrong.

Darling wife Rue noted while we watched: "It's like sombody put his batteries in, or something. He's a different guy this time."

Again the style versus substance argument comes up. Like most of those guys I envied in high school, Kerry's hit a plateau. He's about to join the the ghosts of Democratic failure: McGovern, Mondale and Dukakis. He'll be trotted out with them for the 10 minutes of shame when Hillary accepts the '08 nomination. Why? Because Democrats thought all they needed was someone who looked good and spoke well. What substantively different will Kerry do? Two debates and we still don't know because I don't think his party or his handlers even thought of the question. Their only goal appears to be "Beat Bush." And they'll again be wringing their hands, beating their heads against the wall screeching "why, why, WHY!?" again when November 3rd roles around.

An energized, almost coherent Bush, with tons of actual real substantive policy behind him will kill slick Mr. Flip-Flop in the polls. Because Mr. Flip-Flop really doesn't stand for anything, other than the acquisition of his own personal power.

And it's hard to believe someone who'll tell you ANYTHING you want to hear in order to get it.

Red Ensign Standard #6

is up at Taylor and Company this week...

And Chris Taylor kicks my butt when it comes to formatting the entries.

Some interesting stuff among the group this week.

There's almost enough material bi-weekly for an online magazine...Eh, Nick?

Satellite Radio, Baby

I've lived with my satellite radio for almost 6 months now and there's no way IN HELL that I'm EVER going to give it up.

But, you say, it's just RADIO. What the hell could possibly be so damn good about it that you pony up $12.99 American Dollars every damn month for it?

---

• Jerry Doyle


• Laura Ingraham


• Sean Hannity


• Fox News which my political overlords have deemed too dangerous for me to listen to.

When I need to cleanse the palate of right wing ribaldry I check out Air America and various other left leaning shows for a mirror into the corrupted soul of American "liberalism." I use quotes because I believe that the classical liberalism of the early 20th century shouldn't be thrown out with gnarled distorted version that trots around today.

But I digress.

Why is satellite better? No commercials on the music channels, every variation of music style, news, talk, sports (every damn NFL game broadcast, it would've been hockey too, but...)

You want to know why this isn't some passing fad?

Used Sub

Can it get any worse for Canada's Navy?



Hopefully it was still under warranty...

In all seriousness, I hope for the best for the brave crew, who, like most of our armed forces, have to make due with old, dilapidated, and now not-so gently used equipment.

You aren't gonna leave me are you Ash?

You are an Evil Dead Zombie. The spirits of the
dead took over your body in a lonely cabin, and
now it's your job to kick some Ash ass. Sadly,
while you'll succeed in beating the bejeezus
out of Ash repeatedly, he will ultimately wipe
you from existence. You can only be killed by
bodily dismemberment.


What kind of Zombie are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


via the Flea

Employment

I start my new job tomorrow. My commute is about the same as it was in Toronto, but the view is a hell of a lot better.

Maybe Bligh wasn't so bad...

Rape a 'way of life' on Pitcairn

Forget the romance of the films. This is the sad legacy of that act of mutiny more than two centuries ago. How many tahitian women do you think went along with the original mutineers willingly?