About those shiny flying probes ...

Speaking of big shiny flying metallic probing objects (h/t deBeauxOs) ...

Air-show flyboys rattling the rafters yesterday with their displays of testosterone-sodden militarism. Just like Gaza or Beirut, perhaps, except without the explosions and hundreds of deaths. I've always loved their sensitive and nuanced community outreach, too; yeah, we know it's louder than hell and causes permanent hearing damage, but it brings in the tourist dollars, so fuck you.

Is it unseemly to watch, on the off chance that one of the silly bastards might crash?

Noteworthy, though, is how they cancelled it the day before. Was it too cloudy? Were they afraid it might rain? Dear lord, if they can't stand up to a little rain, how will they stand up to al-Qaeda? How much did they say they're spending on the F-35 again?

Best part, though, is this little item about increased military cooperation between Russia and Israel. Heh. Does this mean Israeli jets will be providing fighter escort next time Russian bombers attempt to violate our pristine northern sovereignty? I'd pay to watch Dmitri spin that one ... 

Bracing for another flood of bullshit from the PMO and its flying monkeys

From Ottawa, we learn that the Harper government is preparing to stave off another round of criticism over the F-35 deal. A breathless release from the PMO suggests that our brave flyboys took to the skies to fend off a Russian attack, narrowly averting a heinous violation of our precious bodily fluids – er, our pristine northern sovereignty.

Must be hard standing up for what's right nowadays. Defending our northern skies from the godless commies is child's play compared to defending the Harperites decisions to scrap the gun registry, kill the long-form census, undermine harm-reduction drug strategies, and pursue untendered contracts for expensive military toys.

I've written previously about Insite and about the census, but the kerfuffle over the gun registry is particularly interesting, given that it sets the Harpokons squarely against the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. And indeed, the Attack Parrots™© at Sun Media are dutifully swinging into line, cueing up a chorus of ordinary hard-working tax-paying Real Canadians to target the CACP. Kory's certainly earning his pay.

OK then. The Harpokons' law-'n'-order agenda runs smack up against the police lobby.