G20: Black Bloc

G20: Black Blog. My post is actually in the comment section. The Blogger system would not allow me to copy and paste it into my blog. My post is actual an abstract from something I wrote. The orginal was too long to post in the comments section. G20: Black Bloc.

H1N1 Stats

Canadian H1N1 Deaths Stats:
Updated Fridays (Canadian Government): http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/surveillance-eng.php

USA H1N1 Deaths Stats (graph C):
Oct. 27, 2009 (CDC, USA Government): http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/surveillanceqa.htm

Most Commom Advice:

• Wash/sanitize hands.
• Cover month with sleeve when sneezing and/or coughing.
• If you are in a high risk group (medical conditions, young, old, etc.) get the vaccine.

My Advice:

• The above (especially the first two).
• And watch the news less often as they have all become fear mongers! This especially goes for CBC which because of repeating the same information over and over again making things sound much, much worser than they are...

Other Articles:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic

A Note on Accountability

When we decided to re-emphasis accountability, as it is not a new concept, of our politicians and other leaders I think it's important to remember that the point was to get at the truth of what they thought was going on at the time of their decisions, what they thought the reaction to their decision would be, and what the full reasoning behind their decisions (which is in part based on the first of these three) and compare it to what they were saying when everything to begin and to based any punishment (not to say automatically there should be a punishment) on the difference between the two. It was not to be used as a release to lash out because we don't now like the result of their decisions.

Federal Ethics Inquiry: Posting #3

If you have been paying attention to the ethics inquiry you probably have seen how he is toying with our MPs like children. The reason for this is (1) he knows what has happen from his perspective [whereas some of our MPs where just beginning to think about entering politics when what is being looked into occurred, and (2) our MPs probably have it in their heads that this will be their time in the sun (i.e., make their careers or destroy the careers of others).

However, you can also see how he is possibly trying to bargain with government by showing their absolve/purity (saying ‘listen I am not a threat to you, why do not you let me stay and I will help you to get to the bottom of all this’): silently trying to bargain himself into an arrangement to stop his expedition of which the government would want nothing to do with an arrangement between themselves and him for the sake of the image of impurities. I would imagine he thinks that coming to an arrangement with the government is a long shot but probably worth it for him to afford spending the rest of his life in a German jail.

Apparently the government has been getting information feed to them by the RCMP: this will either go down in history as curiosity of the cat on the part of the government or the government trying to find out how bad things are going to look for them (and it back-fired and instead of preventing or giving a heads-up to mud arising it made them look bad). However, people should not be surprised at the action of the government (not to say it was ethical) considering even probably the most experienced in their cabinet where just beginning their careers (not even at the federal electoral level yet) when what the ethics committee is looking was actually occurring.

While most likely we will find some finger pointing by the main players as they come to testify I serious doubt that to main of them will say either too much incriminating about themselves or each other. As each of them knows how much mud the other has to sling and how much each of them can get the other into trouble they are going to avoid saying anything too much incase of reprisals by the others.

Federal Ethics Inquiry: Posting #2

The Federal Ethics Inquiry what is new? Well, lets cut through what everyone is saying is new--the contradictions from his previous testimonies as these can be explained either in terms of understanding his point of view, arising a new issue, or discrediting him as a witness—and instead face the truth that the water will become murkier (that no one should reasonably expect too many details that will implicate someone will be confirmed). My guess is what will be confirmed is what everyone probably has already expected: that there were shady deals, certainly legally questionable but nothing to be proven (or to be shown to be on the wrong side of the legal fence) as virtually all evidence will be hearsay.

Federal Ethics Inquiry

In regards to the current federal ethics inquiry. If they aspect to get anywhere not only are they going to offer not to expedite him they are going to have to offer immunity, if they have not done so far, for any of his actions: unless I am mistaken paying a public official including a politician is against the law. If immunity is not offered does anyone really think this man is going to tell anything really new? Another matter is his expedition itself: should we offer not to do it in return for his testimony? As far as I am concern we should send him to Germany. The reason for this is how can we aspect other governments to expedite people to us if we are not willing to do it for them; furthermore, some will say this is an exception because of the importance that he may have to offer. To this I reply let the historians tear apart our former Prime Minister; for the rest of us this should be considered a pass matter for the present as we have more pressing matters to-get-to rather than bring-back-to-life a dead political soap.