Not commenting on last night's debates or on the effectiveness of Canada's opposition parties here. Just another element in this corner's non-partisan approach to getting rid of Stephen Harper.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Don't know who won the debates, but that's a short-term question
... although the partisan spin machines are, no doubt, going full-tilt boogie right about now. Who can blame them, really. It's how the game is played, and it's what they're paid for.
Regardless of how this spins out, however, the long-term prospects for the health of Canadian democracy and civil society aren't promising. It's probably safe to assume that we won't see any serious discussion of meaningful electoral reform, for instance. Nor will there be any revisiting of the international bureaucratic / corporate structures we've been locked into. Reinvestment in the social safety net? Don't think so. A truce in the class war? An acknowledgement that it's legitimate for government to act for the common good? Well, you see where I'm going.
Regardless of how this spins out, however, the long-term prospects for the health of Canadian democracy and civil society aren't promising. It's probably safe to assume that we won't see any serious discussion of meaningful electoral reform, for instance. Nor will there be any revisiting of the international bureaucratic / corporate structures we've been locked into. Reinvestment in the social safety net? Don't think so. A truce in the class war? An acknowledgement that it's legitimate for government to act for the common good? Well, you see where I'm going.
Haircuts for Harper at almost $2K a pop?
What is it John Doyle calls him? "Hair in the fridge?" That must have really stung.
From yesterday's revelations about the Auditor-General's report and the tomfuckery surrounding it, this little detail:
As you were, Nick.
Update: as I suspected. BigCityLib says it's a satire. Given the way this bunch plays with the truth, no surprise that it's grown legs ...
From yesterday's revelations about the Auditor-General's report and the tomfuckery surrounding it, this little detail:
According to Fraser, the Harper government expensed $9,460 for five "upscale haircuts" for the Prime Minister leading up to the Summit to ensure he "looked his best."
As you were, Nick.
Update: as I suspected. BigCityLib says it's a satire. Given the way this bunch plays with the truth, no surprise that it's grown legs ...
Monday, April 11, 2011
What @pogge said
Don't know whether I've done one of these before, and if not, I don't know why not.
Anyway, I had the same WTF reaction when I saw the Radwanski suggestion that the Harpobots have provided "mostly competent government," but it's late and I don't have the energy to list all the ways in which they've provided anything but.
And then I saw: pogge's already done it for me. What a decent chap.
Go read it here.
Anyway, I had the same WTF reaction when I saw the Radwanski suggestion that the Harpobots have provided "mostly competent government," but it's late and I don't have the energy to list all the ways in which they've provided anything but.
And then I saw: pogge's already done it for me. What a decent chap.
Go read it here.
@kady and @NickKouvalis: the new Downey vs. Boulerice
Dominant story of the day, naturally, was the Auditor-General and the Harper Government'sTM G8 spending and lying to Parliament. This is going to turn the volume up – waaaay up – on the sleaze and lack-of-transparency memes.
This is getting juicier and smellier by the minute, and best of all, it's sticking to them. And it's got legs. They're not spinning their way out of this one, no matter how many Facebook profiles they red-flag.
Amidst all the yargle-bargle, though, I'd hate to see the Kady O'Malley / Nick Kouvalis scrap totally overshadowed. Not the least because it gives me another (transparent) excuse to recycle this.
Just in case you missed it, here's @kady's smackdown:
Punching above her weight, she is. As you were, Nick.
This is getting juicier and smellier by the minute, and best of all, it's sticking to them. And it's got legs. They're not spinning their way out of this one, no matter how many Facebook profiles they red-flag.
Amidst all the yargle-bargle, though, I'd hate to see the Kady O'Malley / Nick Kouvalis scrap totally overshadowed. Not the least because it gives me another (transparent) excuse to recycle this.
Just in case you missed it, here's @kady's smackdown:
Punching above her weight, she is. As you were, Nick.
Tweets about Auditor-General's report spike ...
... and overtake coalition talk on Monday.
Gosh. Could that be because people recognize a genuine scandal when they see one? And can tell the difference between that and a bullshit manufactured controversy?
Sent from my mobile device
Gosh. Could that be because people recognize a genuine scandal when they see one? And can tell the difference between that and a bullshit manufactured controversy?
Sent from my mobile device
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Never mind Internet billing, let's worry about Internet spying
Given the name of this blog, it's probably just as well that I've avoided references to Big Brother as long as I have.
But via impolitical, some very worrying stuff in what the Harper regime is planning in terms of internet legislation. More likelihood that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be forced to hand over personal and private information. More power for real-time surveillance and warrantless interception. More intrusive police powers. These things have been flagged by Michael Geist and Cory Doctorow, among others. When you consider the authoritarian mindset this government has already demonstrated, it's not hard to connect the dots.
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