Contributions Needed . . . .

It's Saturday and gorgeous, so I'm off to enjoy the outside.

Here's a little humour for you this weekend - You may have seen this previously, but it is still amusing, IMHO.

A driver is stuck in a traffic jam going into downtown Chicago.

Nothing is moving north or south. Suddenly a man knocks on his car window.

The driver rolls down his window and asks, "What happened, what's the hold up?"

"Terrorists have kidnapped President Bush! They are asking for a $10 million ransom.

Otherwise they are going to douse him with gasoline and set him on fire. We are going from car to car, taking up a collection."

The driver asks, "On average, how much is everyone giving?"

"About a gallon."

Heh, Heh, Heh . . . .

steve and Danny In a Bit of a Snit . . . .

From CBC.ca today:

N.L. premier casts Harper as wily deceiver
'Steve' is no buddy of mine, furious premier says
Last Updated: Friday, April 27, 2007 | 7:29 PM NT - CBC News

Calling the prime minister "Steve," a furious Danny Williams lashed out at Stephen Harper Friday as an untrustworthy chameleon trying to pull the wool over Canadians' eyes.

During a scrum with reporters, Williams referred to Harper as "Steve," eschewing a more formal — if not respectful — reference.

"His buddy [U.S. President] George Bush calls him Steve, so, you know, I can call him Steve. I'm not a buddy of his," Williams told reporters.

"By the same token, I have to basically treat him with the same disdain that he's treating [residents of Newfoundland and Labrador]."

Don't get between these two. Sounds like they may be scratchin' each other's eyes out or pullin' hair soon . . . .

George vs. george . . . .

Compliments of CNN.com:

Slam dunk' comment on Iraq distorted, Tenet says

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A former U.S. spy chief accused President Bush's administration of ruining his reputation by misusing a "slam dunk" comment he made during a White House meeting ahead of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Former CIA Director George Tenet told CBS Television's "60 Minutes" that the administration leaked his comment as opposition to the war grew when no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq

.

"You don't do this. You don't throw somebody overboard just because it's a deflection. Is that honorable? It's not honorable to me," Tenet said in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

Perhaps Mr. Tenet might have to return the Medal of Freedom to mr. bush ? ? ? ?

More Wise Decisions . . . .

From the Tyee today - Entire article available here.

Barred from US:
BC psychotherapist denied entry after border guard googled his work. By Linda Solomon

. . . . Then Feldmar disbelievingly listened as he learned that he was being barred from ever entering the United States again. The officer told him he could apply to the Department of Homeland Security for a waiver, if he wished, and gave him a package, with the forms.

The border guard then escorted him to his car and made sure he did a U-turn and went back to Canada.

As I've said before, the damage that has been done to the US the past six years will be around for decades.










Hopefully, our train north is leaving soon . . . .

Next Train to Canada, Please . . . .

H/T to Crooks and Liars for this heads up:

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps - By Naomi Wolf

If you look at history, you can see that there is essentially a blueprint for turning an open society into a dictatorship. That blueprint has been used again and again in more and less bloody, more and less terrifying ways. But it is always effective. It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.

You can read the entire article here at the Guardian-UK.

Now can you see why we would like to vacate the US ASAP ? ? ? ?

Missed the Birthday Party . . . .

While meeting with MSEH of Two Moms to Canada in Victoria a couple of weeks ago, she mentioned her blog was just celebrating it's 1st birthday. It seemed odd to me, as I thought her blog was older than that.

Yesterday I got to check out the Moving to Vancouver blog history, and discovered we missed our own 1st birthday on April 16th . . . .







Belated "Happy Birthday", MTV! :)

Overseeing Condescending . . . .

It would be my guess that the bush administration is probably not used to having someone actually look at what they do while in office. Now it looks like condescending rice may get to answer a few questions about her actions in the lead up to the Iraq fiasco. Thanks to Henry Waxman's committee in Congress, bushco's actions might actually have consequences. What a novel idea!


Break out the popcorn one more time.

This is getting better than HBO . . . .

bush and shrub redeux . . . .

It fit into my "busy" schedule today to catch most of CPAC's broadcast of "Question Period" in the House of Commons.

While listening I began
comparing the
relationship between
bush and his
Attorney General
al gonzales with that
of harper and his
Defence Minister
david o'connor.


Opposition members and leaders spent most of the time asking shrub to demand his defense minister's resignation or fire him. Even in light of the apparent prisoner abuse in Afghanistan, shrub showed no desire to do that . . . Not unlike bush's spirited defense of his attorney general yesterday.

Can you say "state of denial" ?

The shrub is growing into a fine replica of the bush . . . .

Damn ! ! ! !

From today's Congressional Quarterly Midday Update:

Cheney’s Health Prompts Kucinich to Delay Impeachment Drive

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich today put off efforts to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney, citing reports that Cheney was being treated for a blood clot in his leg.

It's surprising to me that there may be blood in the man's veins. I assumed it was ice . . . .

As a follow up, if dickhead is well enough to jump all over Harry Reid, he should be up to impeachment . . . .

Further Follow Up:

Apparently Dennis changed his mind . . . . You Go, Boy!

Going Up ? ? ? ?

While in Vancouver one of my pastimes is attending Realtor Open Houses in the neighbourhood. "drf" and I have a tiny strata (condo) in The West End, but feel like a larger unit may be in order when we are living here on a full time basis. Two adults and one four-legged child may be quite cramped in the current "cozy" digs.

This past weekend I had my route all planned out to attempt to view 6 separate units in the obligatory 2:00 - 4:00 pm time period, with the last one actually open from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. This last unit was the second unit to be viewed in the same building - different floor and different floor plan. All was going quite well until the last unit viewing . . . .

The perky and bubbly Realtor-lady arrived a few minutes late and there were obviously others who had the same idea I had: Hit both units at about 4:00 pm to save time/travel, etc. So, the agent takes us all into the lobby to catch the elevator to the 6th floor. During the afternoon someone was moving into the building so one of the elevators had been utilized for that purpose. Since there were so many of us - 13 including the agent - the concierge allowed us to enter the "moving elevator" to facilitate us all getting upstairs quickly. BIG MISTAKE !! Bubbly agent waves her security key fob over the elevator control and pushes the button for #6. Elevator proceeds up and promptly jerks to a dead stop, with the indicator light reading "2". Long story short: 30 minutes later we finally depart the cramped elevator after becoming much more familiar with each other than any of us had planned on, I'm sure. At least now I have no qualms about possibly having claustrophobia - If it didn't affect me then, I doubt it ever will. (Unlike one woman who was having issues, poor thing!) Luckily, the building I was previewing was right next door to a Vancouver fire station. Even more lucky was we got stuck between floors and the hunky firefighters had to heave us out of the elevator . . . Yuuummmm!!









(If you're interested, we all opted to walk up the four flights of stairs rather than wait for the other elevator!)






PS: The unit and building were quite nice, BTW, with the exception of the elevator issues . . . .

Bloggerpalooza, Volume I . . . .

Yes, it happened - It really happened!

Lotus Land bloggers met in The West End and as Dave mentioned, the number involved could have doubled as a slow pitch softball team. The pitches involved at the table, though, were anything but slow! This group is as quick and witty in reality as they are in virtuality on the "internets".

Alison, Dave, David, Dana, Laura, Ross, Ian, Declan and myself all had a great time eating pizza and enjoying a few liquid refreshments. The best part was being able to put a face to the posts we've enjoyed for some time. (Sorry, due to a few bloggers in attendance publicity agent's restrictions, no photos of the participants are available. Royalty rights involved, you know. I was planning a "Match the Face to the Blogger" contest - with a million dollar prize - but that was nixed by the legal restrictions. Lawyers . . . . )

All in attendance had a good time, and a future gathering seems to be in order. Hope I'll be in town when it happens.

Many thanks to Alison for arranging the event, and special thanks to Ross for his table-top entertainment. The pizza pan used as a tambourine will be forever etched in my mind . . . .

"Toto, We're Not In Kansas Anymore". . . . Thank Goodness!

So, once again the wrong-wing christians show how understanding and forgiving they are:

Infamous Anti-Gay Group Plans To Picket Va. Tech Funerals

The families of those killed in the Virginia Tech massacre may not be able to grieve in peace at the funerals of those they lost. An anti-gay religious group known for protesting at the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq is planning on appearing at services for those killed on Monday as well.

The Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), which is not affiliated with any national Baptist organization, announced plans to protest at victims’ funerals only hours after 32 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. They also may protest at other events on the Virginia Tech campus.

The organization, founded and led by Fred Phelps, believes the United States has condemned itself to destruction by accepting homosexuality and other “sins of the flesh.” Phelps’ daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said the Virginia Tech teachers and students who died on Monday brought their fate upon themselves by not being true Christians.

“The evidence is they were not Christian. God does not do that to his servants,” Phelps-Roper said. “You don’t need to look any further for evidence those people are in hell.”

Somehow the term "Turn the other cheek" comes to mind . . . . I've got a couple of cheeks I'd like to turn to these a _ _ holes . . . .

Bloggerpalooza ! ! ! !

(This post will remain at the top of blog 'til after the event - Newer posts follow)

Compliments of Alison @ Creekside:

Bloggerpalooza!

When : Noon on Sunday April 22
Where : Olympia Pizza at Denman and Nelson in Vancouver's West End.
Who : Ross from The Gazetteer, Dave and Dana from The Galloping Beaver, Bob and David from Moving To Vancouver. and me. So far....

So if you're a lotusland blogger and would like to come, leave me a message here or e me at alisonmatdowcodotcom and I'll update as needed.


If you're reading this, you need to be there.

Hope you can join us . . . .

When You're Smilin' . . . .

After al's "performance" in front of Senator Pat Leahy's Juciciary Committee today, it seems I can't keep a smile off my face . . . .



Ain't it just grand ? ! ? !

Go, Dennis, Go . . . .

At this point in the US campaign for President, Congressman Dennis Kucinich is the only announced candidate from either party that consistently takes positions closest to ours.

Now, he's taking a stand that is truly commendable: Filing papers to impeach dickhead cheney . . . .

"You Go, Dennis!"

Please, Please, Pretty Please ! ! ! !

If we all think positive thoughts, maybe it will happen . . . .

Sun Running . . . .

This year over 54,000 participated, and according to a local news report is the largest sporting event in Canada.

I was a spectator . . . .

He's Got a Book ! ! ! !

The question is, how do you write a book with no obvious intelligence - designed or not - displayed?

(He's celebrating his 80th birthday I hear . . . . whoopee.)



Benedict XVI, in his first extended reflections on evolution published as pope, says that Darwin's theory cannot be finally proven and that science has unnecessarily narrowed humanity's view of creation — but stopped short of endorsing intelligent design.

And to think there are millions of "believers" around the world that look to this person for guidance.

Amazing . . . .

Lee on Leadership . . . .

Excerpt: Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

By Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney

Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."

Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

This guy makes a lot of sense . . . . Will anyone listen?

condescending's Cunundrum . . . .

So condescending rice is "disgusted" by Don Imus' comments . . . .

Rice calls Imus' on-air slur 'disgusting'


U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, shown here on April 12, blasted radio host Don Imus.

WASHINGTON (AP)

-- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the highest-ranking black woman in government history, said the racist, sexist comments that got radio shock jock Don Imus fired were "disgusting."

In her first public remarks on the controversy, Rice said Friday that Imus had insulted not only female athletes but all young black women by referring to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy headed hos."

"They're 18- and 19-year-old women," she said. "And what were they doing except showing that they're really fine athletes, playing under extraordinary pressure in which for them was a dream season.

"And it gets ruined by this disgusting -- and I'll use the word 'disgusting' -- comment which doesn't belong in any polite company and certainly doesn't belong on any radio station that I would listen to," Rice told talk show host Michael Medved.

Why then, does she express her disgust to Michael Medved who has shown to be on his radio program anti-Hispanic, and appears to condone homophobia?

It appears the bush administration is in dire need of a PR agent. They obviously have no forethought before they make these blunders. At the very least they should employ an entity to follow behind them and clean up the mess . . . .