At Home in Hespeler

Some New Posts

2009-01-07T09:29:00.003-05:00

Quite a few of the blogrolls I am on, to which I am traffic dependant, have not switched me over yet to my new address. Here's a little re-direct for my posts from last evening and this morning.

Britons Reject CFB’s

It Sounds to Me Like… Shock comedian Jean-François Mercier would not be “better off booking more standup.”

He’s be better off getting a day job.

And off course, don't forget the BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week. This week a long time favourite: Blue Like You

Moving

2009-01-01T15:24:00.002-05:00

After three years, it's time to leave home. Other than some serious downtime when I was converting to new blogger, I have been well served here at blogger.com. However, with possible concerns about what I will be doing to make money it seems a good time to brand myself. This process has begun with At Home in Hespeler moving from it's present location to a new home at my own server.

http://www.briangardiner.ca/hespeler/

Hope to see you there.

Hey Kids, It's Almost Time

2008-12-24T17:00:00.000-05:00

If you can't stand waiting for Santa to show up, here's a few links to wile away the interminable wait until midnight:

If you are wondering where Santa is, don't worry. Big Brother, who seem to have no currently pressing issues, are tracking Santa for you.

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html

And while you are there, visit the North Pole, a great interactive place to play some Christmas games, including a Reindeer game or two.

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/countdown.html

No Christmas travelling is complete without a visit to the North Pole.

http://www.northpole.com/

And no Christmas eve is complete without a little caroling.

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ai251/xcarol.html.

In The Workhouse Christmas Day

2008-12-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is the third annual annual At Home in Hespeler Dec. 24th gift for my friends of the left. (ribald version, here):

In The Workhouse Christmas Day, by George R. Sims

It is Christmas Day in the Workhouse,
And the cold bare walls are bright
With garlands of green and holly,
And the place is a pleasant sight:
For with clear-washed hands and faces
In a long and hungry line
The paupers sit at the tables,
For this is the hour they dine.

And the guardians and their ladies,
Although the wind is east,
Have come in their furs and wrappers,
To watch their charges feast:
To smile and be condescending,
Put puddings on pauper plates,
To be hosts at the workhouse banquet
They’ve paid for – with the rates.

Oh, the paupers are meek and lowly
With their 'Thank'ee kindly, mum's';
So long as they fill their stomachs
What matters it whence it comes?
But one of the old men mutters,
And pushes his plate aside:
'Great God!' he cries; 'but it chokes me!
For this is the day she died.'

The guardians gazed in horror
The master's face went white;
'Did a pauper refuse his pudding?'
'Could their ears believe aright?'
Then the ladies clutched their husbands,
Thinking the man might die
Struck by a bolt, or something,
By the outraged One on high.

But the pauper sat for a moment,
Then rose 'mid a silence grim,
For the others has ceased to chatter,
And trembled every limb.
He looked at the guardian's ladies,
Then. eyeing their lords, he said,
'I eat not the food of villains
Whose hands are foul and red:

'Whose victims cry for vengeance
From their dank, unhallowed graves.'
'He's drunk!' said the workhouse master.
'Or else he's mad, and raves.'
'Not drunk or mad,' cried the pauper,
'But only a hunted beast,
Who, torn by the hounds and mangled,
Declines the vulture's feast.

I care not a curse for the guardians,
And I won't be dragged away.
Just let me have the fit out,
It's only Christmas Day
That the black past comes to goad me,
And prey my burning brain;
I'll tell you the rest in a whisper, -
I swear I won't shout again.

'Keep your hands off me, curse you!
Hear me right out to the end.
You come here to see how the paupers
The season of Christmas spend.
You come here to watch us feeding,
As they watch the captured beast.
Hear why a penniless pauper
Spits on your paltry feast.

'Do you think I will take your bounty,
And let you smile and think
You're doing a noble action
With the parish's meat and drink?
Where is my wife, you traitors -
The poor old wife you slew?
Yes, by the God above us
My Nance was killed by you!

'Last winter my wife lay dying,
Starved in a filthy den;
I had never been to the parish, -
I came to the parish then.
I swallowed my pride in coming,
For, ere the ruin came,
I held up my head as a trader,
And I bore a spotless name.

'I came to the parish, craving
Bread for a starving wife,
Bread for a woman who'd loved me
Through fifty years of my life;
And what do you think they told me,
Mocking my awful grief?
That "the House" was open to us,
But they wouldn't give "out relief".

I slunk to the filthy alley -
'Twas a cold, raw Christmas eve -
And the bakers' shops were open
Tempting a man to thieve;
But I clenched my fists together
Holding my head awry,
So I came home empty-handed,
And mournfully told her why.

Then I told her "the House" was open;
She had heard of the ways of that,
For her bloodless cheeks went crimson,
And up in her rags she sat,
Crying, "Bide the Christmas here, John,
We've never had one apart;
I think I can bear the hunger, -
The other would break my heart."

'All through that ever I watched her,
Holding her hand in mine,
Praying the Lord, and weeping
Till my lips were salt as brine.
I asked her once if she hungered
And as she answered "No,"
The moon shone in at the wondow
Set in a wreath of snow

'Then the room was bathed in glory,
And I saw in my darling's eyes
The far-away look of wonder
That comes when the spirit flies;
And her lips were parched and parted,
And her reason came and went,
For she raved of her home in Devon,
Where her happiest days were spent.

'And the accents, long forgotten,
Came back to the tongue once more,
For she talked like the country lassie
I woo'd by the Devon shore.
Then she rose to her feet and trembled,
And fell on the rags and moaned,
And, "Give me a crust - I'm famished -
For the love of God!" she groaned.

I rushed from the room like a madman,
And flew to the workhouse gate,
Crying "Food for a dying woman!"
And came the answer, "Too late."
They drove me away with curses;
Then I fought with a dog in the street,
And tore from the mongrel's clutches
A crust he was trying to eat.

'Back, through the filthy by-lanes!
Back, through the trampled slush!
Up to the crazy garret,
Wrapped in an awful hush.
My heart sank down at the threshold,
And I paused with a sudden thrill,
For there in the silv'ry moonlight
My Nancy lay, cold and still.

'Up to the blackened ceiling
The sunken eyes were cast -
I knew on those lips all bloodless
My name had been the last;
She'd called for her absent husband -
O God! had I but known! -
Had called in vain and in anguish
Had died in that den - alone.

'Yes, there in a land of plenty
Lay a loving woman dead,
Cruelly starved and murdered
For a loaf of parish bread.
At yonder gate, last Christmas
I craved for a human life.
You, who would feast us paupers,
What of my murdered wife!

'There, get ye gone to your dinners;
Don't mind me in the least;
Think of your happy paupers
Eating your Christmas feast;
And when you recount their blessings
In your smug parochial way,
Say what you did for me, too,
Only last Christmas Day

A Cat's Christmas: Day 4

2008-12-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

One day a friend of mine says to me, "The wife wants me to create a web site for the cat. What am I supposed to put for content on a cat's website?"

So I went off and wrote A Cat's Christmas for him.

Other years I have offered a taste, and a link. This year I am going to present A Cat's Christmas in a five part series, starting today and ending Christmas morning. Enjoy:

A Cat's Christmas
By Button Noseworthy
Part 4

I slowly make my way down the stairs. It is dark and quiet. Christmas is over for another year and Chris and Janet are sitting on the couch drinking a glass of wine. I see space between them, not much just an inch or two, but it's enough. I crawl between them and snuggle in, purring like an idling Honda. Chris reaches down and starts stroking my back, I let him, but only because it's Christmas. Janet also starts petting me too, scratching under my chin. The tree still smells like a tree, giving the room a pine forest aroma. There is a fire on the fireplace that Santa came down last night. Somewhere in the background Christmas carols play, but quietly, nicely. This is nice, the Cat's meow in fact.

I love Christmas!

Day One: Button and the Present
Day Two: Button Meets Santa
Day Three: Button Meets Santa

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-12-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

The BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week for the week of December 21st is:

ChuckerCanuck 2.0

Today's Rebel Is A Conservative

This year's Canadian Blog Awards has just finished and Chuckercanuck is already getting a start on the Best Blog Post Series for next year:

A Canadian Christmas Carol, Chapter 1

A Canadian Christmas Carol, Chapter 2

A Canadian Christmas Carol, Chapter 3

A Cat's Christmas: Day 3

2008-12-23T08:00:00.005-05:00

One day a friend of mine says to me, "The wife wants me to create a web site for the cat. What am I supposed to put for content on a cat's website?"

So I went off and wrote A Cat's Christmas for him.

Other years I have offered a taste, and a link. This year I am going to present A Cat's Christmas in a four part series, starting today and ending Christmas Eve. Enjoy:

A Cat's Christmas
By Button Noseworthy
Part 3

Chris is the first one up, and he wakes Janet immediately. "Merry Christmas honey," he says and gives her a kiss.

"Merry Christmas" she says back. I walk between them, purring and rubbing my head on the bottom of Janet's hand. "And Merry Christmas to you too Button" she says in her cute baby talk voice. The women is an accountant, you'd think she could talk to a cat without reducing herself to inanities. She can't, however, and I have to take them as I find them. I purr an acknowledgement of the day and let her pet me for a minute.

We gradually make our way downstairs, and they head immediately for the stockings. I think I detect relief from Chris, no doubt he was expecting a potato or a lump of coal. He avoided that fate, however deserved I think it would have been, and happily digs into his treasure. Janet comes over a minute later with coffee for two and settles into her prize.

Once the stockings are exhausted and the coffee done, we go to the tree. Janet sits beside the tree and digs out a present for herself and one for Chris. I don't want to miss any of the fun, so I settle myself on Janet's lap, at least until there is some free wrapping paper I can play with. Soon, they are opening with vigour and I am playing merrily with a sheet of wrapping paper that has ribbon taped to it. It is then that I hear Janet say, "here's something for Button. Chris, did you buy this for Button?"

"Yea right," says Chris, "like I would actually buy the cat a Christmas present."

"Then where did it come from?" says Janet "I didn't buy it." Santa's parting words last night come back to me and I jump on to Janet's lap. It is a plastic stocking with a toy mouse, a package of soft dry food, and a catnip ball, whatever that is. I don't care what it is, I am the happiest Cat in town and I dive for my toys as soon as Janet gets them out of the stocking.

I leap on the mouse and start batting it around the room. Pouncing, jumping and whacking at it like I am playing a game. I chase it out of the room, and then back into the room. It bumps into the catnip ball and I pounce on the ball. Wait a minute, what's that smell? Something smells incredible, a smell unlike anything I have ever smelt before. It's definitely coming from the ball, and I grab the ball in my mouth to have a taste. Wow! This must be the catnip. This is incredibly, and I now chase the ball all around the room, grabbing it my mouth every chance I get.

Soon I am no longer Button the Cat. I am Queen Button the Lion. I climb to the top of the Christmas tree and wait for prey. It is not long before a warthog comes sauntering along. I wait patient and silent until he is in just the right spot. Claws out, teeth ready, I seize upon the warthog. Not a warthog! Chris!! Surprisingly, he acts like a wounded warthog and I find myself sliding across the floor of the room like a bowling ball. Good thing it's a wood floor, carpet would burn. I jump to my feet and race into the kitchen where Janet is eating breakfast at the table. I jump up on to the table and slide across it, landing on the floor on the other side of the table. Now I could use some carpet.

I don't know what's going on, but I feel great. I run into the living room grab my ball and run upstairs, only falling twice, to chew on some more catnip. I leap up on the bed and … miss? I hit the side of the bed with some authority, and decide the floor is a good place for a nap, thank you very much.

Day One: Button and the Present
Day Two: Button Meets Santa

Tomorrow: Christmas Night

Back to the Salt Mines

2008-12-22T15:15:00.001-05:00

When I didn't hear from the Prime Minister by the weekend, it was occurring to me that he was going to look elsewhere for Senate talent. Who would have thought the politician that owes the most to the blogging world, and the least to the traditional media, whom are always bitching how much he hates them, would put two members of the latter group in the senate? Seriously Prime Minister, your bread is buttered on the other side.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2008 Senate Appointments:

Mike Duffy, host of CTV's Mike Duffy Live
Pamela Wallin, the former host of CTV's Canada AM
Fabian Manning, Former Conservative MP
Fred Dickson, a lawyer
Stephen Green, a former chief of staff to Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald
Michael MacDonald, a Nova Scotia businessman
Percy Mockler, a former Conservative MLA in New Brunswick
John Wallace, a former Conservative party candidate and lawyer
Patrick Brazeau, the national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Suzanne Fortin-Duplesis, a former MP for Louis-Hebert
Leo Housakos, the co-founder of the Montreal Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
Michel Rivard, a former MNA for Limoilou, Que.
Nicole Eaton, director and vice-chair of the National Ballet of Canada
Irving Gersetein, an Ontario business man and chair of the Conservative Fund of Canada
Nancy Green, an alpine skier
Yonah Martin, a former Conservative candidate in New Westminster-Coquitlam
Richard Neufeld, B.C.'s former minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Services
Hector Daniel Lang, a former Yukon MLA

A Cat's Christmas: Day 2

2008-12-22T08:00:00.004-05:00

A Cat's Christmas
By Button Noseworthy
Part 2

It's Christmas Eve and the house is silent. What's the poem say, "not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"? I can personally attest to the fact there are no mice in this house, stirring or otherwise. The people are upstairs sleeping, visions of sugarplums no doubt dancing in their heads; I never could figure out what a sugarplum is or why it would be dancing. No dancing down here though, everything is quiet. Unlike other nights, however, it won't stay quiet for long.

I do a quick circle of the main floor to make sure everything is in order. The outdoor lights are on so that Santa can find the house and the Christmas tree is left lit so Santa can find it in the dark easy enough, good. The stockings are hung by the chimney; as usual, however, there are only two stockings. But what about that ball that fell off the tree. Better see if I can fix that. Unfortunately, every time I try and lift the ornament it rolls away from me. Soon I am chasing it around the living room, batting at it with my paws and pouncing on it, batting and pouncing.
I don't hear him come in, the first I realize I'm not alone in the room is when I hear him Laugh. "Oh, ho ho ho. Button, you are such fun," says Santa. "I am glad to see you again." By way of greeting I rub my head against his big black boot, and he reaches down and strokes me behind the ear. He immediately sets to his work, and before you know it Chris and Janet's stockings are stuffed full. Silent as a cat, Santa walks to the tree and starts piling presents under it. On his way back to the chimney, he notices the milk, cookies and carrots that Janet left out.

"What's this then?" he says, as he lifts a cookie to eat. A minute later the cookies are eaten and the glass of milk is half-empty. "I bet you wouldn't mind a bit of this Button." He pulls over the plate that only a minute before had held three big cookies and pours a bit of milk on to it. I quickly run to the plate and lap up the milk as fast as I can, purring my pleasure at developments. Santa laughs and re-fills the plate before leaving. "And don't you worry Button, I didn't forget you live here."

I look up from my milk wondering what that means, but he is gone. I can hear him on the roof feeding the reindeer Janet's carrots, and then he is off. The excitement is over and I go upstairs and make myself comfortable at the foot of the bed. Sleep, however, comes difficult as Santa's parting words to me run through my head and I try to make sense of what they mean.

Day One: Button and the Present

Tomorrow: Button Meets Santa

A Cat's Christmas: Day 1

2008-12-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

One day a friend of mine says to me, "The wife wants me to create a web site for the cat. What am I supposed to put for content on a cat's website?"

So I went off and wrote A Cat's Christmas for him.

Other years I have offered a taste, and a link. This year I am going to present A Cat's Christmas in a four part series, starting today and ending Christmas Eve. Enjoy:

A Cat's Christmas
By Button Noseworthy
Part 1

"Button! Get out of that tree!"

That's twice. And he's walking this way. Chris. He's not even my person, he's Janet's person, and Janet is mine. None the less, Chris is walking this way and the second time was louder than the first so I have to respond; I look at him like he's grown an extra eye in the middle of his forehead.

"Button!"

That's three and he's almost at the tree. I jump down and run to the other side of the room. Stop. Lick my paw, just to show I didn't get down because of any old person told me too. I got down because I had some dirt on my paw that had to be dealt with right away.

"Janet! Your stupid cat has been playing with the presents!"

Now this is a bit tricky, he wasn't supposed to notice that. What do they expect though? Has he ever stuck a piece of thread in front of me that I don't play with? They know my weaknesses. So now he wraps up presents and puts shiny ribbon around it, and I'm supposed to know it's not for me? It's probably better if I just leave, but with dignity. No running away, walk slow, tail in the air to let them know I'm appalled by the accusations being made against me. Some things must be done right; just as a ballerina must point her toes when doing a pirouette, a Cat must raise her tail when leaving a room amid accusations and slanders.

I walk slowly out of the room, stopping at my food dish. Empty! Who do these people think I am Gandhi? Not in this life, although maybe in my last life I was Gandhi or Mother Theresa or Elvis. How else do you explain that I am a Cat in this life? I give off an indignant meow to protest the service at this establishment, but the staff here could care less.

Chris goes running past with the present I had been playing with ten minutes ago, wrapping paper, ribbon and bow torn to shreds in his arm. He must be planning on re-wrapping that one; this could be fun. He's taking it downstairs so I follow behind, stealthily so he doesn't see me. He sits at a table and pulls out wrapping paper, new ribbon and a new bow. I want the ribbon, but timing is everything when you're a Cat. I settle about two feet behind him and start licking my paws; it is most important to be cleaning, in case he notices me here. My attitude must be as if I am saying 'I always come here to clean, and what are you doing here?' Of course, we both know what he's doing here; he's re-wrapping Janet's present and he's just putting the tape on. That means the ribbon is next, so I move directly under his chair. He wraps it around once, then crosses the ribbon and wraps the other direction. Just as he's about to tie it, I pounce. He never saw me of course, until I was on the present and grabbing at the ribbon. Grabbing and chewing furiously I completely ruin another wrap job for him before running back up stairs. He throws the roll of ribbon at me and yells "Button! You stupid cat!" The ribbon misses, but it's close enough that I pounce on the end and roll downstairs, all the while fighting off the offending ribbon. Once at the bottom of the stairs I jump back up on the stairs, being sure to go around the balustrade at the bottom. Success! I have completely un-wrapped the roll of ribbon and it winds up and down the stairs looking like the stairs had been decorated for Christmas by a dog.

Chris's yelling brings Janet to see what is all the fuss about, and finds that the fuss is her Cat is being cute and her person is allergic to cute. At least that's how I explained it, but these simpletons can't, or won't speak Cat, thus I come off sounding much worse than I was. She's sympathetic to me anyway, and says, "She's just playing Chris." She's technically right of course but she's made a minor error of distinction: She thinks I was playing with the ribbon, but I was, of course, toying with her person. I don't bother sticking around to correct her impression and I'm certainly not helping to clean up the mess I've created, so I walk upstairs and take a comfortable spot under the tree for a nap.

I love Christmas!

Tomorrow, Button Meets Santa.

A Chrsitmas Carol

2008-12-20T15:01:00.001-05:00

An annual repeat post from Dec 23rd, 2006. All links are still active:

The Sun and Canoe.ca have produced a downloadable version of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. It is newly illustrated by the Sun's Pam Davies and is in pdf format. The illustrations are quite nice, and it is a beautiful and clear copy of my favourite Christmas story.

Written in 1843, this Christmas classic is amongst Dickens best work. The first of five Christmas books Dickens would release between 1843 and 1848 (Christmas 1847 being the missing year), A Christmas Carol tells the story of the reclamation of the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge. It was immediately popular, selling all 6,000 copies by Christmas 1843, having been released on December 19th.

Christmas was apparently in decline in the mid-1800's, one description saying it "wasn't commonly celebrated as a festive holiday." A Christmas Carol is commonly acknowledged to have "helped revive popular interest in many Christmas traditions that are still practised today." With Christmas seemingly under attack in our own time, it is a story we would all do well to read. And once done, be sure to employ some Dickensian traditions in your own Christmas. Me? I always fret about the quantity of flour in the Christmas pudding, never mind overdoing it on the rum punch (or as Bob Cratchit said, "I make rather merry").

Most of all, enjoy. This is a great ~~Christmas~~ book, and yes Virginia, it is better than the movie. I especially recommend it to everyone who just isn't in the spirit quite yet (don't sweat it Joanne, Dickens was known to question the politicians in his time - some things never go out of style).

The Sun's downloads are:

Chapter I MARLEY'S GHOST
Chapter II THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS
Chapter III THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS
Chapter IV THE LAST OF THE SPIRITS
Chapter V THE END OF IT

If you don't like pdf files, an HTML version of the story (not the sun's version) is available here (click on the book):

arley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.
Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.
Scrooge knew he was dead? Of course he did. How could it be otherwise? Scrooge and he were partners for I don't know how many years. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend and sole mourner. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain.
The mention of Marley's funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There is no doubt that Marley was dead. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate...

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.
External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn't know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did.
Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, "My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?" No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, "No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!"
But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call "nuts" to Scrooge.

Once upon a time -- of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve -- old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house. It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal: and he could hear the people in the court outside go wheezing up and down, beating their hands upon their breasts, and stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm them. The city clocks had only just gone three, but it was quite dark already -- it had not been light all day: and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms. To see the dingy cloud come drooping down, obscuring everything, one might have thought that Nature lived hard by, and was brewing on a large scale.
The door of Scrooge's counting-house was open that he might keep his eye upon his clerk, who in a dismal little cell beyond, a sort of tank, was copying letters. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerk's fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. But he couldn't replenish it, for Scrooge kept the coal-box in his own room; and so surely as the clerk came in with the shovel, the master predicted that it would be necessary for them to part. Wherefore the clerk put on his white comforter, and tried to warm himself at the candle; in which effort, not being a man of a strong imagination, he failed.
"A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!" cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.
"Bah!" said Scrooge, "Humbug!"
He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of Scrooge's, that he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again.
"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure."
"I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough."
"Come, then," returned the nephew gaily. "What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You're rich enough."
Scrooge having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment, said "Bah!" again; and followed it up with "Humbug."
"Don't be cross, uncle!" said the nephew.
"What else can I be," returned the uncle, "when I live in such a world of fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out upon merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money; a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer; a time for balancing your books and having every item in 'em through a round dozen of months presented dead against you? If I could work my will," said Scrooge indignantly, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!"
"Uncle!" pleaded the nephew.
"Nephew!" returned the uncle, sternly, "keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine."
"Keep it!" repeated Scrooge's nephew. "But you don't keep it."
"Let me leave it alone, then," said Scrooge. "Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!"
"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew. "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"
The clerk in the tank involuntarily applauded: becoming immediately sensible of the impropriety, he poked the fire, and extinguished the last frail spark for ever.
"Let me hear another sound from you," said Scrooge, "and you'll keep your Christmas by losing your situation. You're quite a powerful speaker, sir," he added, turning to his nephew. "I wonder you don't go into Parliament."
"Don't be angry, uncle. Come! Dine with us tomorrow."
Scrooge said that he would see him -- yes, indeed he did. He went the whole length of the expression, and said that he would see him in that extremity first...

Happy 65th birthday...

2008-12-18T22:12:00.003-05:00

Keef.

It's hard to imagine that Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards lived to 65, and it would be easy to fire off a cockroach and Keith Richards joke and call it a birthday greeting. But I'll leave that to others.

It would be easy too, and entirely consistent with the tone of this blog, to comment on Keith Richards the guitar player. Maybe note that he is very underrated, talk about his use of open tunings, his sense of timing. But that's not what I'm going to do.

All fun aside, when your feting Keith you have to discuss the body of work from 1971 to 1974 at the least, from Sticky Fingers to It's Only Rock and Roll. Perhaps you could extend it backwards to 1969's Let it Bleed or 1967's Their Satanic Majesties Request or generously extend it forward to 1978's Some Girls.

But I will stick with 1971 to 1974, when Keith Richards was the driving creative force behind some of the greatest Rock and Roll ever produced, at any time, by anybody. It's for Gimme Shelter, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, It's Only Rock and Roll, Angie, Wild Horses, Brown Sugar and Can't You Hear Me Knocking to name a few. Great Rock and Roll that bears the creative imprint of Keith Richards more than any other person.

At Home in Hespeler wishes an unqualified happy 65th birthday to Keith Richards. However you got here, enjoy the day and thanks for the music.

Christmas Dog

2008-12-18T16:46:00.002-05:00

Work is done for the year and I'm in the middle of my Christmas postings. Today, here's an old favourite from children's author, songwriter and poet Shel Silverstein. I first saw this one about ten years ago, and have always remembered it.

Christmas Dog
Shel Silverstein

Tonight’s my first night
as a watchdog,
And here it is Christmas
Eve.
The children are
sleeping all cozy
upstairs,
while I’m guardin’ the
stockin’s and tree.

What’s that now—
footsteps on the
rooftop?
Could it be a cat or a
mouse?
Who’s this down the
chimney?
A thief with a beard—
And a big sack for
robbin’ the house?

I’m barkin’, I’m
growlin’, I’m bitin’ his
butt.
He howls and jumps
back in his sleigh.
I scare his strange
horses, they leap in the
air.
I’ve frightened the
whole bunch away.

Now the house is all
peaceful and quiet
again.
The stockin’s are safe
as can be.
Won’t the kiddies be
glad when they wake up
tomorrow
And see how I’ve
guarded the tree.

Life is Like the Big Leagues

2008-12-17T21:00:00.001-05:00

... if you want to survive here, you have to learn how to handle the curve ball.

Other than that bit of nit-pickery, this is my favourite Canadian Christmas Song (Yes, even more than Honky The Christmas Goose). A nice message and three top notch musicians, Murray McLaughlin, Paul Hyde and Tom Cochrane. Great stuff.

Comment Away

2008-12-17T20:28:00.004-05:00

I hesitate. Yet I can't not do it. It came to my attention today that commenting was a problem for some people. I find comment moderation, commenting permission &tc. to be a tricky juggling act, and I'm always playing with it.

As of now, comments are wide open, and unmoderated. However, I have reservations about this. I don't like moderating because I'm often away for long stretches of time - what with having a job and all. It kills the conversation if comments don't appear for 10 hours. So unmoderated it is.

I'm less pleased with the idea of unregistered users. But it appears it prevents some people from commenting at all, and that's no good. So I will try it.

I offer this warning once. Anyone who comments anonymously, and just shoots off a smart ass remark, calls people stupid, &tc. will be deleted. No questions asked! I don't like it, and it won't do. Any racist comments of any kind will be similarly deleted.

OK Ron, comment away.

Why Stephen Harper Should Want Me in the Senate

2008-12-17T16:57:00.003-05:00

Last night I posted that the effects changes to Employment Insurance in the mid-90's had a dramatic cost on the auto Industry, the payments for which have now come due. Mere hours later, The National Post hit the street with a front page comment by John Ivison that expands on my thesis.

Significantly about federal government plans to add stimulus through the EI system, Ivison notes:

...he expects the government to create a more level playing field across the country when it comes to who qualifies for EI, so that an unemployed auto worker in Southern Ontario can access the same amount of benefit, for the same length of time, as an unemployed fisherman in Newfoundland. At the moment, Ontario workers are disadvantaged when it comes to coverage and benefit period.

Lets be clear, when Ivison talks about Ontario workers, he means the auto industry.

Now here's what I had to say on EI, just last evening:

Paul Martin balanced the budget in part... on the back of the auto companies, who every party now seems to agree need a bailout...

When Stephen Harper sits down to sort out the EI mess that Paul Martin & The Supremes have just handed him, and Jack Layton calls him to ask what he's doing about the auto jobs, he should look at the changes made to EI that affect the auto companies and consider undoing them.

So you see Mr. Harper, I write tomorrow's headlines, today. The perfect candidate for team Harper up in Ottawa. Why would you give a red velvet seat to some Toronto Red Tory?

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tories Site of the Week for December 14th is:

Fuschi's Canadian Forum

"They that can give up essential liberty to gain a little safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin

My friend Rick with his pitch for a Senate seat.

Further let me identify some advantages inherent to my candidacy. I do not own a Mexican villa and will not be able to identify its upkeep as a necessary reason to avoid Senate meetings. I am not a hockey player. Aside from a temporary bout of Trudeaumania, have never exhibited any of the characteristic ravings of a liberal. Also, my selection to the Senate will insert a Conservative federal representative into Windsor’s back door - a door to which the local union-sponsored monopoly on parliamentary representation, does not have a key. Hence we would have a Conservative spokesman to offset the drivel flow of misinformation from Windsor’s NDP MPs.

Six-Hundred Jobs Axed at Sun Media

2008-12-16T22:00:00.002-05:00

I know what it's like to worry for your job, so I have sympathy for the people at Sun media today:

It didn’t take long for Pierre-Karl Péladeau to assert himself at Sun Media.

... the Quebecor president announced 600 people will be laid off...

The company said in a statement that the cuts represent 10 per cent of Sun Media’s workforce

According to Toronto Sun Family the layoffs in Toronto include:

Ernest Doroszuk, Dave Abel, Dave Ellis, Calvin Reynolds, Debbie Holloway, Ken Winlaw, Jane Stevenson, Amy Chung, Jenny Yuen, Brynn Weese, Don Peat and Jason Buckland.

I have complained bitterly about The Sun of late, swearing off buying it at inflated out-of-town prices and have even called it "a deteriorating product." It is, and names that stand out as to why aren't on the list above.

Memo to Pierre-Karl Péladeau: the reason your "current economic environment is deteriorating," has nothing to do with Jane Stevenson or Debbie Holloway. You need to look further up the chain of command to names like Paul Berton and Rob Granatstein if you want to have a chance to staunch the bleeding.

********
Update: Pierre-Karl Peladeau, along with Erik Peladeau, Jean Neveu and Jean La Couture have resigned from the Quebecor board.

Further Update: I finally got this whole Quebecor thing figured out. There are two branches to Quebecor, Quebecor World Inc. and Quebecor Inc. Quebecor used to be one company, but they have split into two. Quebecor World is the printing side of the former company, Quebecor the newspaper side. Pierre-Karl Peladeau resigned from the board of the printing company, but remains on the board, and in charge, of the newspaper side of things. Erik Peladeau, Jean Neveu and Jean La Couture also resigned from Quebecor World Inc., the printing arm of the company.

The resignations have, as far as I can tell, no effect on the running of the Quebeecor Inc. newspaper holdings, including the Sun newspapers.

*******
...ier: More names added to the list of employees gone from the Toronto Sun lineup, including
money editor Linda Leatherdale, entertainment desk editor Derek Tse and new music critic Jason MacNeil. Leatherdale in particular is a big name. Full list of Toronto Sun employees let go is here.

******
Nod to readers of the Toronto Sun Family Blog, which is doing a remarkable job of covering this story. For further updates on the bloodletting at the Sun, they are, far and away, the best source for news.

The Story of EI and the Auto Industry.

2008-12-16T18:44:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks a couple of things have happened. One is that the Parliamentary opposition, including the Michael Ignatieff led Liberals, have screamed for stimulus, in large part to the auto industry. Another is the Supreme Court ruled that the Liberal run Government of Canada of the 2002, 2003 and 2005 illegally rolled Employment Insurance surpluses into general revenues.

The two stories are connected.

Many years ago the unions negotiated a benefit called Supplementary Unemployment Benefit (SUB). It is, in essence, a guaranteed income supplement, that promises the company will top up EI funds to 85% of the workers wage. Back when it was negotiated it meant a small weekly stipend for the company during lean times and they could maintain their work force for good times.

As an example, the first time I wound up on temporary lay-off, EI (or UIC as it was then called) sent me a cheque for something in the $400's, SUB for less than $100 ($85 I think).

In the 90's Jean Chrétien's Liberal government revamped the Unemployment system, making it more expensive, harder to access and with a decrease in benefits. As an example, somebody who collects EI two years in a row must repay 15% the second, and every subsequent year. When announcing the changes to EI, Finance Minister Paul Martin talked about companies using EI to supplement their workforce.

The result is predictable and generally what was desired. If I get laid off now, the EI cheque is still in the $400's, the SUB cheque for an amount greater than the EI cheque. Furthermore, it didn't take long for the unions to argue that the 15% claw-back meant the employees were making less than 85%, and the companies began reimbursing it.

The result is that for the auto companies to temporarily lay-off their work force for re-tooling or inventory adjustment, it now costs them somewhere in the neighbourhood, and probably in excess of, 50% of the employees wage.

I don't present this as evidence for or against the SUB plans. They are a reality in the automotive industry and the companies themselves used the plans to supplement their labour costs when cyclical demand for their product was low. Paul Martin balanced the budget in part by illegally using the Employment Insurance fund as a tax revenue, and he did so partly on the back of the auto companies, who every party now seems to agree need a bailout. When the companies you built policy on ten years ago can get an all party consensus that they need bailed-out a decade on, your legacy takes a hit.

When Stephen Harper sits down to sort out the EI mess that Paul Martin & The Supremes have just handed him, and Jack Layton calls him to ask what he's doing about the auto jobs, he should look at the changes made to EI that affect the auto companies and consider undoing them.

A Christmas Story, in thirty seconds

2008-12-16T16:00:00.004-05:00

... by bunnies

A Child's Christmas in Wales

2008-12-15T16:23:00.001-05:00

...by Dylan Thomas

One Christmas was so much like another, in those years around the sea-town corner now and out of all sound except the distant speaking of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep, that I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.

All the Christmases roll down toward the two-tongued sea, like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street; and they stop at the rim of the ice-edged fish-freezing waves, and I plunge my hands in the snow and bring out whatever I can find. In goes my hand into that wool-white bell-tongued ball of holidays resting at the rim of the carol-singing sea, and out come Mrs. Prothero and the firemen.

It was on the afternoon of the Christmas Eve, and I was in Mrs. Prothero's garden, waiting for cats, with her son Jim. It was snowing. It was always snowing at Christmas. December, in my memory, is white as Lapland, though there were no reindeers. But there were cats. Patient, cold and callous, our hands wrapped in socks, we waited to snowball the cats. Sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered, spitting and snarling, they would slink and sidle over the white back-garden walls, and the lynx-eyed hunters, Jim and I, fur-capped and moccasined trappers from Hudson Bay, off Mumbles Road, would hurl our deadly snowballs at the green of their eyes. The wise cats never appeared.

We were so still, Eskimo-footed arctic marksmen in the muffling silence of the eternal snows - eternal, ever since Wednesday - that we never heard Mrs. Prothero's first cry from her igloo at the bottom of the garden. Or, if we heard it at all, it was, to us, like the far-off challenge of our enemy and prey, the neighbor's polar cat. But soon the voice grew louder.
"Fire!" cried Mrs. Prothero, and she beat the dinner-gong.

And we ran down the garden, with the snowballs in our arms, toward the house; and smoke, indeed, was pouring out of the dining-room, and the gong was bombilating, and Mrs. Prothero was announcing ruin like a town crier in Pompeii. This was better than all the cats in Wales standing on the wall in a row. We bounded into the house, laden with snowballs, and stopped at the open door of the smoke-filled room.

Something was burning all right; perhaps it was Mr. Prothero, who always slept there after midday dinner with a newspaper over his face. But he was standing in the middle of the room, saying, "A fine Christmas!" and smacking at the smoke with a slipper.

"Call the fire brigade," cried Mrs. Prothero as she beat the gong.
"There won't be there," said Mr. Prothero, "it's Christmas."
There was no fire to be seen, only clouds of smoke and Mr. Prothero standing in the middle of them, waving his slipper as though he were conducting.
"Do something," he said. And we threw all our snowballs into the smoke - I think we missed Mr. Prothero - and ran out of the house to the telephone box.
"Let's call the police as well," Jim said. "And the ambulance." "And Ernie Jenkins, he likes fires."

But we only called the fire brigade, and soon the fire engine came and three tall men in helmets brought a hose into the house and Mr. Prothero got out just in time before they turned it on. Nobody could have had a noisier Christmas Eve. And when the firemen turned off the hose and were standing in the wet, smoky room, Jim's Aunt, Miss. Prothero, came downstairs and peered in at them. Jim and I waited, very quietly, to hear what she would say to them. She said the right thing, always. She looked at the three tall firemen in their shining helmets, standing among the smoke and cinders and dissolving snowballs, and she said, "Would you like anything to read?"

Read the rest here

Whew! What a Week!

2008-12-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a great week here at Home in Hespeler. Last Sunday I posted that I had finished writing the NaNoWriMo novel. It was my hope that writing the novel in a tight time frame would kick start some writing, and that this blog would be the beneficiary. It did, and it is.

On Monday I posted a three-year blogiversary post, which prompted he Mayor of Mitchieville to offer me a cabinet position. Being the good politician he is, he then put me on the back bench. No complaints here, though. I'm pleased to be included in such an illustrious list.

While writing the three year post, I noticed I had added the Picture of the Day feature just three days into starting the blog. So on Thursday, I wrote a post, Three Years in Pictures. I linked to many of the pictures of the day, and re-showed nine of them. One of them caught the attention of James Bow, of The Waterloo Wellington Bloggers Association, who wanted to post the picture as one of the Associations banner images. Pleased? I was downright chuffed, and still am. Here's the picture in question, titled Walk in the Woods over at WWBA, but technically titled Bridge Over River Grand.

The same day, I began my push for a Senate seat, which is going very well, thank you very much. The Facebook group dedicated to the cause, Brian Gardiner for Senate, has over a dozen members, some not even family. Stop by and join, lets keep the movement going so Stephen Harper can't ignore the populist candidate, who might be out of a job soon anyway.

Saturday at 10:21 AM, At Home in Hespeler passed the 50,000 visitor mark. Somewhat pathetic for a three year run, but with the numbers I've had this week, I could hit 100,000 in another six months. (click on image, right, for full size)

That's a pretty good week, yet today I woke up to the highest honour I have ever received as a blogger. Late last night I sat penning the regular feature, The Freedom of Music. This weeks music was a couple of new Christmas songs, including Mark Steyn (yes that Mark Steyn) and Jessica Martin's A Marshmallow World. I date stamped it for an 8:00AM posting, and crawled off to bed, visions of marshmallow dancing in my head (and lets be honest, what is a marshmallow but a cooked sugar plum). I woke this morning to find Mark Steyn had pulled a quote from me to promote the song. Mark Steyn linked here. I'll make it a tourist attraction (Thank God I finally figured out how to spell his name). Here's the quote:

In Boston WTKK's Michael Graham calls the CD "terrific", but Brian complains: "This song has infested my brain."

It doesn't get much better than that. What a week. Wonder if I can do it again next week?

Picture of the Day: A Christmas Tradition: Humiliating the Dog

2008-12-14T13:54:00.002-05:00

The Freedom of Music: Novelty Christmas Circa 2008

2008-12-14T08:00:00.005-05:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio.

Christmas always brings with it novelty songs. Whether it's Irish Rovers singing about Grandmas and Reindeer, or Bruce Springsteen warning of Santa Claus's imminent arrival. Corey Harts Rudolph phase or anybody and everybody going for a Sleigh Ride, Christmas is littered with music that would never get made otherwise. It is one of the things I love about Christmas.

This year is like any other with a plethora of new Christmas music, whether your taste runs to Melissa Etheridge, Faith Hill or Cheryl Crow there's a Christmas CD for you. Sadly, this year seems to lack the heavy metal title to make it interesting, unlike 2006's Twisted Sister entry into the canon.

This years more interesting Christmas music are of the single song variety. There are two, specifically, that have caught my attention this year. Two songs that sit at the opposite end of the musical spectrum, as different as the Pogues and Bing Crosby (although the Pogues probably did a song with Bing Crosby at some point; everyone else certainly seems to have done). In fact, my two favourites from 2008 are being compared to The Pogues/Kirsty Mccall and Bing Crosby.

The first I heard about on a gossip mailer I get called Popbitch. They referred to the new Cyndi Lauper and The Hives song, A Christmas Duel, thus:

This week we are listening to Xmas songs:

1. The Hives v Cyndi Lauper:
The new Kirsty MacColl/Pogues?

For those unfamiliar, The Pogues song being referred to it is Fairytale of New York, a wonderful song that blends wonderfully the romance of Christmas, New York City and those old Bing Crosby movies with punk sensibilities, a verse full of insults and an opening stanza that occurs in a drunk tank. A deft bit of writing and a magical performance have made it a Christmas favourite among the under 50 set.

The Hives v Cyndi Lauper on the other hand, is just a song of two people fighting. A load of insults, some sexual innuendo, an unapologetic drunk and a death threat finished off with a promise to "spend-spend-spend this Christmas together." A different take on Christmas it certainly is; the best thing Cyndi Lauper has done since, well ever, very possibly (What is it with the Brits anyway? If you were a Minor celebrity once, 20 years ago, you're a celebrity forever?); The new Kirsty MacColl/Pogues? Not a chance.

All that said, it's listenable, it's fun and it has one of the all time great lines in song:

So whatever you say, it’s all fine by me
Who the f@#k anyway wants a Christmas tree.

So I'll take it, I'll listen to it with a sly smile, and I'll turn it off when my mother-in-law walks in the room. But it's no Fairytale of New York.

The second song comes from a different world altogether. Canada's Conservative savant, Mark Steyn has teamed up with comedienne Jessica Martin in a duet of A Marshmallow World. The 1949 song originally popularized by Bing Crosby has induced MacLean's magazine to call Steyn, "the new Bing Crosby." It's a fun song, a catchy ditty and Steyn is an alright singer, for a writer. In truth, it's enjoyable because of the spirit of the thing more so than the singing talents of Mark Steyn (Jessica Martin on the other hand is not a bad singer).

I offer fair warning, however. This song has infested my brain and it won't shut up. If you want to go around between now and Dec 25th with Mark Steyn warbling "It's a marshmallow wooooorld," incessantly playing in your head, by all means blow $0.99 on the MP3. Although it has been noted I seem in an awfully good mood the past few days: don't say you weren't warned.

That Pompous Igghead

2008-12-13T10:18:00.003-05:00

In the news in the last week, the release of some tapes by the Nixon Library of conversations prior to a Dec 6, 1971 between then President Nixon and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It is the same meeting after which Nixon famously (and perceptively) referred to Trudeau as a "pompous egghead."

The same week, several commentators were comparing current Prime Minister Stephen Harper with Richard Nixon.

Finally, this week the Liberals anointed Michael Ignatieff to be their fearless one. Some have even go so far as to compare Ignatieff to Trudeau.

At Home in Hespeler looks forward to the day when Stephen Harper refers to Michael Ignatieff as a "pompous igghead."

Saturday Fluffernutter: Jennifer Aniston in nothing but a tie; Cherie Currie in bustier; Bettie Page (1923 - 2008)

2008-12-13T08:00:00.009-05:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

I spent the better part of a week in the summer of 1977 in the back seat of a white Thunderbird with black vinyl roof going to Florida and back. For entertainment I had dad's really lousy radio stations, and a Cream magazine. I read and re-read Lisa Robinson's account of Led Zeppelin's 1977 tour, a review on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers upcoming debut album, and a story on a hot new girl band, The Runaways. Joan Jett at 16 (remember, I was 14), Lita Ford, and the gorgeous Cherie Currie fronting the band in bustier and stockings. That was a long drive.

Now comes word that those Runaway days will be immortalized on celluloid with a 2009 movie adaptation of the bands success. Twilight star Kristen Stewart is slated to play Joan Jett, who is listed as an executive producer.

Jay Leno has agreed to do a show at 10:00 every weeknight after he stops hosting the Late Show next spring. This means NBC is out of the one-hour drama game, and into the sucking up to Jay game. It was announced previously that Conan O'Brien would replace Leno in the spring. Leno had previously announced his retirement, but has since decided that he would rather stick around. There were rumours that he was going to do a show for rival ABC. We'll let Leno tell the rest:

Those were rumours started by a disgruntled employee - me.

Like I said, NBC is now officially in the sucking up to Jay game.

Jennifer Aniston, 40 and looking great, has appeared on the cover of this months GQ magazine wearing nothing but a tie. Let me repeat for the men: Nothing-But-A-Tie.

New Rule on the Britney Spears tour if your a back-up dancer - mandatory drug tests. That's right, the constitutional right to drug test employees, which was once a point of debate for fire fighters, large equipment operators and others on whose job performance the lives of others depended, is now being applied to dancer: Britney Spears.

Because if a dancer falls doing a spin-a-rama, look out!

Bettie Page (1923 - 2008). Betty Page was an original it girl, a 1950's sex bomb, pin up of the kind Jennifer Aniston aspires to be. She passed this week at the age of 85. For a true memorial from a real fan, my old friend Wonder Woman did a fabulous tribute. And the Bettie Page Memorial Site is a treasure trove for those who are interested.

My Bid For Senate

2008-12-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

What are the actual qualifications for Senate? you might ask. Here's the list:

The Governor General appoints senators on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. To qualify for a summons to the Senate, the nominee must:
• be a Canadian citizen;

• be at least 30 years of age;

• own $4,000 of equity in land in the home province or territory;

• have a personal net worth of at least $4,000; and

• live in the home province or territory.

Canadian Citizen - check

At least 30 years of age - check and then some

Own $4,000 in equity of land in the home province - check

Net worth of $4,000 - check

Live in Province (Ontario) - check

Prime Minister, my bags are packed I am ready to serve at your leisure.

If you're on facebook, join the group Brian Gardiner for Senate. I figure if I get 50 - 100 people the Prime Minister who swears he wants a democratically elected Senate can hardly ignore such an outcry from the people.

My Case for a Senate Seat

2008-12-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Much like winning an Oscar or a Cy Young Award, to be considered for a Senate seat a person usually has to wage an internal campaign for their red velvet chair. With that in mind:

why should I be a senator?
Let me count the ways...

I have a degree in economics.

I earned my degree while working full-time, shift work. Over much of the time I was doing my university work, I was working 48 hours a week and had two infants/toddlers at home. I understand the struggle people have to get ahead and I'm not afraid of work.

On the other hand, if you think that makes me overqualified for Senate work, I'm a lazy autoworker.

I could play guitar, acoustic or electric, lead or rhythm, bass and/or mandolin in the Senate band.

The blogging community is under-represented in the Senate.

The government is about to hand billions of dollars to the auto industry, shouldn't there be someone in some capacity within government who's actually been on the floor of an auto assembly plant?

I can multi-task (see above)

The Senate is a chamber of sober second thought; upon sobering up I often have second thoughts.

I'm computer literate (everybody puts this on their resume).

It would drive Buzz Hargrove nuts seeing a CAW member not named Buzz get the job.

***************

Update: Phantom Observer makes a point: excluding grammar (and speeling), I have written nothing on this blog that is indefensible.

Welcome to the race Chucker Canuck

The Toronto Sun's Headlines...

2008-12-12T00:13:00.002-05:00

Are apparently now being written by Achmed the Dead Terrorist.

At Home in Hespeler for Senate

2008-12-11T12:27:00.004-05:00

Prime Minister.

Since it looks like you are going to be appointing a number of Senators in the next month, I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring. You see, I work for Chrysler, so it seems likely I will need a job soon. Don't think of it as patronage, think of it as one less auto worker on EI. But, of course you ask, why me?

Well, Mr. Harper.... Stephen... Good buddy...

First, consider it repaying a favour. You see, it was I who got you your present job in the first place. As I pointed out then:

Back in November when the election was called, you sat at 28%-30% in the polls, a full 10 points behind Mr. Martin. On December 8th, I began "At Home in Hespeler", and soon thereafter your fortunes began to rise. ... Stephen, Mr. Prime Minister, Sir, it wasn't until I got in the game, and I got comfortable and found my blogging voice that your numbers improved. Today, you are the Right Honourable.

And then there's all the advice I have provided:

Well since the CBC, Dalton Mcguinty, David Miller and a cabal of detractors feel entitled to give you advice, so shall I. If you are smart you would print it out, take it to the P.A.M.S. Coffee outlet in Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre. Throw in a couple of bucks and you'll be good for a White Chocolate Mocha Latte, which is truly excellent on one of those cold Ottawa winter days.

I trust you enjoyed your coffee.

Lets not forget that we are old friends you and I. When we met, I didn't bother you with pesky questions about policy, about Arctic Sovereignty or Free trade, I enquired about the family. (Took some heat for that too, but what am I supposed to ask in thirty seconds?)

Anyway Stephen... Steve. I might just need a job, and you might just have a job, seems like a good fit. I have worked 20 years in "the real world," showing up for work rain or snow. I'll not embarrass you by not coming to work. I even like Ottawa.

So Mr. Prime Minister, return a favour here, and consider At Home in Hespeler for a senate seat.

Human Rights Day in Canada

2008-12-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

Mark Steyn had a piece yesterday on the UN's Human Rights Day, and points out a bunch of human rights that Canadians celebrating this UN-est of days don't want you to have:

Today is Human Rights Day, the day that commemorates the United Nations' adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights exactly 60 years ago - December 10th 1948. To be honest, I had no great interest in a day dedicated to human rights until agencies of the Canadian state started trying to deprive me of mine, and any professed respect in this space for the UN Declaration is, frankly, largely tactical...

Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Not in Canada. Chief Commissar Barbara Hall of the Ontario "Human Rights" Commission pronounced Maclean's and me guilty without troubling herself to hear from the accused or to allow us to appear before her "court".

Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.

Not in Canada. Under Section 13, wealthy lawyers such as Richard Pieman and lavishly endowed lobby groups can sue penniless nonentities unable to afford any legal representation at all, while the plaintiffs get their tab picked up by the taxpayers.

Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Not in Canada. There is no "effective remedy" for Section 13's sustained violation of the supposed constitutional right to free expression.

Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal...

Not in Canada. The "human rights" tribunal is not impartial but a de facto subsidiary of the "human rights" commission, which is why there has never been a single Section 13 case to come before the Canadian "Human Rights" Tribunal in which the defendant has been acquitted.

Article 11
1. Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

Not in Canada. Under Section 13, there is no presumption of innocence. Indeed, there is a presumption of guilt, and truth is no defence. Nor has a defendant any of "the guarantees necessary for his defence". There is no due process at all. The rules are arbitrary and, as I saw first-hand in Vancouver, improvised on the spot to favour the plaintiff.

Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Not in Canada. In Ontario, the law attacks your "honour and reputation", as Commissar Hall did when, despite being too gutless to hold a trial, she declared me and Maclean's to be racist and "Islamophobic". Furthermore, under the new powers foolishly granted to her by the Government of Ontario, Commissar Hall's stormtroopers have the right to enter your premises without a warrant, seize "any document or thing" (as the relevant legislation puts it), including correspondence, and hold it for as long as they want.

Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought...

Ha! Tell it to Reverend Stephen Boissoin, ordered by the Province of Alberta to make a public statement recanting his thoughts on homosexuality, and prevented by law from ever expressing them again even in private e-mails.

Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Not in Canada. You have the right to government-regulated opinion and expression, which isn't the same thing at all.

Article 21
2. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

Not in Canada. The Dominion's "human rights" regimes service a select number of favoured "stakeholders" and ignore those who don't meet their approved criteria. In effect, the CHRC runs a restricted admission country club.

Article 27
2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Not in Canada. At the British Columbia "Human Rights" Tribunal, not only does the law not protect the "moral and material interests" of the author, it puts them on trial and accords itself the right, if necessary, to criminalize his work.

Got all that? That's 11 fundamental human rights that Canada doesn't enjoy. And whoops, didn't he miss one?:

Article 17.

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

I've been bitching about this one since Paul Martin started ranting about cherry picking human rights, i.e. you couldn't deny the newly invented human right of gays to be married, but you could deny the fundamental human right, according to the UN, of owning private property. Or as I put it at the time:

Rights are fundamental and cannot be cherry-picked or they are not. Property rights has been clearly spelled out in international law, so why are you against it? And even if you are against it, why have you not legislated it? Why is it not one of your priorities? Why are you cherry-picking this fundamental right?

I imagine celebrations of human rights day was somewhat muted in Canada!

Never Mind the Auto Industry...

2008-12-11T08:00:00.004-05:00

...how screwed up is the music biz?

Local sports fans are all knickery-twisty over some poor girl who sang the national anthem at last Sundays more money than brains bowl at the Rogers Centre, nee Skydome, nee the place where tax dollars go to die.

So who is this girl anthem butcher?

Rising Canadian pop star Kreesha Turner...

OK, hot young up and comer. Good. So what happened Sunday?

The 23-year-old Edmontonian... had never sang in front of a large crowd.

The singer, "Known for her hit song Don't call Me Baby," had never sang for a large crowd? How then did she become a "pop star?" No dues, no bashing it out in front of real audiences before somebody sank money into her career?

Next time the recording industry steps up to the whine bar over the trouble their industry is in, remember the name Kreesha Turner, an untested mediocrity who they packaged and branded as a star before she's ever played in front of a large audience.

Three years in Pictures

2008-12-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

As noted Monday, At Home in Hespeler celebrated it's three year blogiversary this week. On day three of the blog, I posted my first picture of the day. It has proven to be a popular feature, so much so that I sometimes feel guilty posting them - I feel like I'm padding my numbers. That's especially true if I haven't been posting much, then a picture that gets 200 hits feels like cheating.

Nonetheless, I posted that first one, when nobody was paying any attention, because I like taking pictures, and part of what I decided to do when I started this blog was share some of those pictures. So guilt or no, Picture of the Day stays.

The format of Picture of the Day hasn't changed since that first one, with one small exception. Somewhere along the line I replaced a dash between the words "Picture of the Day" and the title of the picture, with a colon. Otherwise it's a title, and a picture, centred. You can always click on the picture for a larger image, but I have never figured out how to increase the picture within blogger without distorting it.

There are no categories for the pictures, but there probably could be. Travel has been a favourite theme. I have travelled more than ever before in the past three years, and there's been no shortage of pictures. New York has been a favourite destination, but there's also been Washington, London * and Paris.

And while we're travelling, sometimes there is just nice scenic shots. Whether it's somewhere on the drive between a guitar festival in Upstate New York and Times Square, or somewhere on the bike ride between Hespeler and Parry Sound, in town, or down river (or is that up river? I'll have to ask Stockwell).

Just down the tracks or in my own backyard.

And sometimes the nature shots are less scenic, but more flighty.

Sometimes the pictures have a patriotic bent.

Sometimes they're just for fun.

Some pictures are athletic, some are more serene and some are a little of both.

Two favouriote themes have been Christmas (or Festivus) and pets * * * *

And every December I get to combine the tw o.

Gonna Make You Sweat Gonna Make You Groove

2008-12-10T16:00:00.003-05:00

What were you doing 365 days ago - to the minute. It's not often you can answer that question with any accuracy, but today is one of those days. It was exactly one-year ago today, at exactly 9:00 PM (4:00 PM shitty snowy Toronto time), that Led Zeppelin walked on the stage at London's 02 arena.

Led Zeppelin's legendary stage shows and relatively short career run meant that for many people, this was the concert they waited a lifetime for. I was one of those people. Their last American date was on my 14th birthday, their last Toronto date six years earlier. Seeing Led Zeppelin had always been a pipe dream.

I came close once. I arrived in London on Aug 4, 1979, the day of the legendary 1st Knebworth concert for a family vacation when I was 16. My aunt had arranged a ticket with a neighbour who was my age, but a delay in our flight meant I was too late. It would be my last chance to see Led Zeppelin for 28 years.

I wouldn't see London again for 28 years either, and it seems a fitting close that I should return to the city where it almost happened, and in the same year the Sex Pistols would reunite, to finally make it happen.

London was abuzz with the Sex Pistols in 1979, with Led Zeppelin in 2007. Taxi's adorned ads for the new CD compilation, Mothership. In stores, people were talking about the concert, asking us about it. The news covered the ticket line up the day before the show. It was an occasion as much as a concert.

It was a concert first, however. That was what it was all about, the show, the music. And on that front, more than any others, there would be no disappointment. The show! We sat patiently through an array of artists playing one, maybe two songs: Chris Squire and Alan White from Yes, Keith Emerson from ELP and Simon Kirke from Bad Company playing ELP's Fanfare for the Common Man opened the show. Magic, that was. Paul Rodgers was worthy of mention too. Strangely, they stopped the show for a twenty minute setup before Foreigner came on and Foreigner played one song, I Wanna Know What Love Is. "They tore down one drum kit, set up a second," I have joked to more than one person, "and the drummer pulls out his brushes!" One lousy ballad from the band that gave us Feels Like the First Time and Double Vision. You'd be disappointed if you weren't waiting for them to get off stage so Led Zeppelin could get on.

Zeppelin promised a 9:00 start (4:00 SSTT), and they came on exactly at 9:00 (4:00 SSTT). After a short video about the 1975 Tampa show, they hit with Good Times Bad Times, lights flashing to the intro, Jason Bonham paradiddling to his old man's beat, Led Zeppelin were back.

The first chills up the spine, the I can't believe it moment, came surprisingly during the next song, Ramble On. Never a favourite, at this moment, this exact point in time, it was perfect. The concert is, like many concerts, a blur of moments: more chills during In My Time of Dying, watching Jimmy Page strutting, yes strutting at 63 years old, playing that old slide blues guitar; Watching Jimmy strap on the double neck and knowing what was next - Stairway to Heaven; The legendary surrealness of No Quarter, blue lights coming through the stage fog; The never before played For Your Life from my favourite Zeppelin album, the vastly underrated Presence; Kashmir, lush, expansive mesmerizing. It was the true gem, true musical highlight of any show
I have seen; The young couple screwing (yes, you read that right) to Since I've Been Loving You in the seat in front of me redefining the slow minor key blues masterpiece; Whole Lotta Love, especially the moment when it seemed they were going to go old school, go into Elvis' Boogie Mama, and beyond like in their prime; Rock and Roll, ending with deceased John's most famous piece, his son Jason supplicating himself in a "I'm not worthy" manner before the boys at the end of it all.

From start to finish, magical. Jason Bonham indeed was worthy, whether the rest of us were so is an open question.

The trip to London was marred by a bad cold that kept me from being my best. The beer I couldn't quite digest, and in fact had to go to the flat warm stuff to survive. The food gave me trouble, and I stayed in a couple of nights, much to my travel partners disappointment, to try and keep myself going. But on this night I couldn't rest. Back at the hotel the bar was full of fellow travellers, revelling in post-Zeppelin ardour. The bar closed down, so we kept the night porter busy chasing beer for us to drink in the lounge. Sleep would be difficult coming, the night too perfect to let end.

People have asked since, was it worth it? What if they tour, was it still worth it? Yes and yes, is the answer. Every minute, every penny. And since the likelihood that Led Zeppelin will ever tour now seem as remote as ever, it was worth it more so now than then.

Worth every minute, worth every penny.

Crossposted to Ramble On

original review here.

Picture of the Day - The House of the Holy

2008-12-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tories Site of the Week for the week of December 7th is:

Secrets of Vancouver

“Where Being Conservative Means You'll Need To Keep It Secret.”

Some people have razar sharp political instincts...

2008-12-09T23:58:00.006-05:00

... some people are Gerard Kennedy.

At the last Liberal leadership convention, Gerard Kennedy was king maker, throwing his support to Stéphane Dion on the convention floor. This has worked out, shall we say, less than satisfactorily for the Liberal party.

Jump ahead to yesterday, while Dominic LeBlanc was making merry endorsing Michael Ignatieff, Gerard Kennedy was at Bob Rae's office throwing his support behind the defender of democracy. Within twenty-four hours, Rae would pack it in and concede to Ignatieff.

That's twice it has come down to Ignatieff and someone else, twice Kennedy has chosen someone else.

Look for Gerard Kennedy to occupy an office as far away from the new, acclaimed leader of the Liberal Party as Garth Turner once did from Stephen Harper.

Because Every True Communist Knows...

2008-12-09T10:41:00.003-05:00

True democracy only has one choice. Therefore, Bob Rae is bowing out of the leadership race.

Bob Rae has told his supporters in a conference call Tuesday that he will end his bid for the Liberal leadership, CTV News has learned.

CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife confirmed Tuesday that Rae will not challenge frontrunner Michael Ignatieff -- virtually ensuring that Ignatieff will become Liberal leader.

Rae is expected to formally confirm his withdrawal from the race at a press conference at 3 p.m. ET in Ottawa.

I don't like Bob Rae, and Michael Ignatieff may be the best choice for leader. But if I'm a Liberal today, I wonder what happened to my party that a guy who lived and worked in the United States his entire adult life, is the only guy in the race to lead my party.

Frankly, the Liberals talk about renewal, but without the debate that a leadership race brings, how do you achieve renewal?

History may show that Stéphane Dion did far more damage to the Liberal party than can currently be imagined.

Say Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?

2008-12-09T09:16:00.003-05:00

If you're a Chrysler worker, like say... me, this morning there's more than snow falling from the sky:

Chrysler Canada Inc. has warned Ottawa and Queen's Park that it could close its two assembly plants in Canada, eliminating more than 8,000 direct jobs, and shift the work to the United States if the two governments fail to provide $1.6-billion in emergency financial help.

A submission for government money and the best business case these guys can come up with is blackmail?

Meanwhile, in the US, Chrysler has hired bankruptcy specialists, with expectations that they can't make it to the end of the month:

Chrysler LLC has hired a prominent law firm to provide counsel on a possible bankruptcy filing, people familiar with the matter said, adding to concerns the auto maker could go into default by the end of the month.

It's worth noting that Chrysler is owned by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. one of the largest private equity investment firms around. They have mucho dinero, but won't move money into the Chrysler arm. The question the Canadian Government needs to ask itself: if Cerberus won't throw good money after bad, should you?

Interestingly, in the comments to the Globe article sentiment is running at almost a consensus to let them fail.

I'm not going to comment further, because I can't possibly be objective, but I will add this: Previously production decisions were made on a month to month basis, even quarter to quarter. Recently, that changed to week to week. It now appears to be day to day. Whatever their plan is, it's not long term.

Three Years Gone

2008-12-08T09:09:00.002-05:00

Then as it was, then again it will be
An' though the course may change sometimes
Rivers always reach the sea

It was three years ago today that I began my At Home days here in Hespeler. The first year was a remarkable success, one in which the blog grew, and it got updated daily. On the one year Blogiversary, I hit a snag. Blogger started messing with my head and it would be February again before I was back in real business. I never recovered.

None the less, today is a celebration, At 9:09 PM on Dec 8, 2005 I first noted:

Welcome to At Home in Hespeler, my little Blog Spot. Here I will focus on Politics, with drifts into music and movies. The political focus will be Canadian, with a definite Conservative slant.

I think, if nothing else, I have stayed fairly loyal to that original manifesto, Politics, with drifts into music and movies.

On December 8, 2005 we were in the middle of a federal election campaign that would mark the last days of the Paul Martin government. Stephen Harper would be Prime Minister within six weeks.

I would post the first picture of the day three days later, on Dec 11.
Picture of the day has continued since, although lately a Mozilla/blogger problem has kept me from posting pictures, it will continue to be a feature for as long as I have this place. The last one was a picture of the statue of "Sir" Duke Ellington, which sits on the North East corner of New York's Central Park. The next day, I posted this:

The upper East Side at Sunrise.

Otherwise, I've had fun, I've written some serious stuff, published a cartoon and done a thing or two with the stink of prescience.

And funnily enough, the Liberals had a leadership race. Gee, I hope they have another one soon.

In the first year I began my Sunday morning music musings, and Saturday Fluffernutter, both regular features still (in fact, I decided on fluffernutter pie for my Blogiversary cake). And frankly, I've had the Zeppelinist blog in the conservative blogosphere.

Most importantly, have been the people. There's so many good people out there, including a few to thank: Richard, who got me started; Joanne, the first person to recognize me, back when she was just a small blog starting out herself; Paul, who one day saved this blog; Gerry, who's just such a nice guy, and says such nice things; and Ron, (below right, with Dylan) who posted here for a while and helped me keep on top of events.

And to anybody who has read, bookmarked, linked or otherwise visited here. Thank you for you patronage. I have often felt honoured that people are interested in what I have to say.

Suddenly Bob Rae Cares About Counting Votes

2008-12-08T00:04:00.005-05:00

Discounting the results of an election held two months ago, that's fine, but an immediate vote to allow the Liberal caucus to elect a temporary leader?:

The idea of taking away the vote from tens of thousands of grassroots activists in every part of Canada, and reducing the franchise to just 76 men and women seems so out-of-step with the modern world. It makes you shake your head. Here’s just a quick, off-the-cuff list of things that struck me as wrong about this idea...

It’s up to us to put a stop to this hasty, ill-considered idea for electing our leader. I am raising my voice publicly for your right to vote. Please help me by raising yours as well.

Well Bob, last week you didn't give a rats ass about my right to vote. But now that it goes against you, that's undemocratic?

As for Bob Rae complaining about things coming from left field:

I thought I’d seen a lot of politics over 30 years of public service, but this one really came from left field.

Your the Fu*&ing left fielder, you moron.

He got one thing right though, the Liberal caucus is "out-of-step with the modern world." Alas, Bob Rae is out of step with reality, so he's not really one to judge.

h/t Freedom is my Nationality

Mission Complete

2008-12-07T23:28:00.004-05:00

I mentioned last month that I was participating in this years NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month.

The goal? Write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. I came in at 50,006 words on November 30th, and the completed story was just over 50,000 ( a short novel).

We now return you to the regular blog

Prorogued!

2008-12-04T17:13:00.000-05:00

What an apt choice by Governor General Michaelle Jean to prorogue Parliament: It would hard to find a larger gallery of rogues, and, as Brian Mulroney would tell ya, they're a pack of old pros.

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-12-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tories Site of the Week for the week of November 30th is:

Political Staples

Steve hasn't been posting too much lately, but when he does, it's always worth reading.

British Stimulus Suggestions for PM

2008-12-03T00:15:00.000-05:00

The Coalition of the Treasonous is supposedly upset about a lack of fiscal stimulus in the recent federal update. Other countries, they proclaim, are ~~jumping off the Brooklyn bridge~~ providing stimulus, so we have to too. Here's a suggestion for PM Harper: do what the Brits are doing. Lower the GST a couple of points:

BRITAIN'S contribution to a global effort to add a shot of fiscal adrenaline to ailing industrial economies was delivered by Alistair Darling, the chancellor of the exchequer (finance minister), on Monday November 24th. He produced an emergency winter budget, which had been preceded by a deluge of leaks, to the House of Commons...
The scale of the giveaway certainly sounded impressive. The centrepiece of the fiscal package was a big reduction in the main rate of value-added tax (VAT), which is charged on most goods and services, from 17.5% to 15%.

For those who don't know, the British VAT is the equivalent to our GST.

Oh wait, did that two years ago. Maybe that's why Canada's "GDP rose an annualized 1.3% in the third quarter." Because the stimulus is in the system.

Since Britain is copying Canada's success on the lower consumption tax, maybe someone at CTV can send Craig Oliver a memo: Reducing taxes does put money in peoples pockets.

Don't believe me, ask the British Labour Party.

At Home in Hespeler Supports Prime Miniser Harper

2008-12-02T22:48:00.002-05:00

As Clear Conservative Thought points out tonight, the media and the lefties are deciding for Conservatives that we don't support Stephen Harper anymore.

This blog unequivocally supports Prime Minister Harper, regardless of what acts of treason Stéphane Dion or Jack Layton commit.

As CCT says:

I am calling upon all bloggers who support our Prime Minister to voice it clearly, lets send a message to these hacks that their idea of Harper facing a leadership crisis is absolute bull.

Saturday Fluffernutter: Ramsaydoes the dirty; Two Reviews in Brief; A New Rhythm Section in Rock and Roll Heaven

2008-11-29T08:43:00.004-05:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is a potty mouth TV chef here in America. In Britain, however, he is way up the celebrity scale, with his name appearing daily in the gossip tabs. Much of his fame comes from his bad guy on TV/dedicated family man in reality persona. It is under this guise that news of a reported seven year affair between the chef and serial mistress Sarah Symonds. Symonds was Jeffery Archer's bad girl at one time, among others and authored the book "Having An Affair? A Handbook For The Other Woman."

Ramsay has both denied the report, and reportedly has apologized to his wife Tana over the affair.

I'll tell you, if I was on Hell's Kitchen next season, the first time he called me stupid (which he does to everybody), I would retort "Oh, great. I'm being called stupid by a man who had an affair with a woman who wrote a book on having affairs."

I tell you, I can't get the audio out of my head about what a Gordon Ramsay affair would sound like:

"Not like that, stupid, like this. Do I have to everything my f***ing self?..."

Review in Brief: Twilight (as told by Miss Hespeler)

It was really cheesy, but good cheesy.

Was that Jason Priestly I heard on the radio the other day talking about kids these day? Brandon from 90210 complaining that the kids these days don't take what their doing seriously enough?

You know you're getting old when that kid you used to complain about is now complaining about kids.

Review in Brief #2: Guns and Roses Chinese Democracy.

Loud, but not worth the wait.

Irony Alert: speaking of Chinese Democracy, in an example of true irony, not sarcasm dressed up as irony ala David Letterman, the Chinese government has banned the album Chinese Democracy in China.

Bruce Springsteen released his first single of his new album this week: Working on a Dream. The song is the title track from Springsteen's upcoming album, scheduled for release January 27th. He released it as a free one day download. It is now available on itunes for 99c until December 9th.

Rock and Roll Heaven acquired a new, however unlikely, rhythm section this week

Locally, former Platinum Blonde bassist Kenny MacLean (1956 - 2008) passed away of natural causes at the age of 52. MacLean has been active in the local music scene for over twenty years, and held a release party for his latest CD, Completely, Sunday night. He died through the night after the event.

Internationally, English drummer Michael Lee (1969 - 2008) passed away on Tuesday from what is presently being listed as unknown causes. He was 39 years old.

Lee played with Thin Lizzy, the Cult and Echo and the Bunnymen through his career. But he is most remembered here in Hespeler for his work with both Robert Plant and subsequently, Page & Plant. When former Led Zeppelin frontmen Jimmy Page and Robert Plant banded together to work up new material and rework some old Led Zeppelin tracks in 1994, Michael Lee joined them on drums. He would stay with them through the dissolution of the partnership in 1998.

Here's a clip of Page and Plant, with Michael Lee playing drums.

Stéphane Dion, classy guy

2008-11-28T16:42:00.005-05:00

Remember during the election all the stories, what an upstanding, honest, ethical guy Stéphane Dion is? So how come today he is negotiating to bring the traitorous Bloc Quebecois into the government of Canada and the story is, Stephen Harper blinked, as I heard it reported on three different newscasts this afternoon?

I'm still trying to imagine Stephen Harper negotiating to put Gilles Duceppe in cabinet, and not being called a traitor. Yet nobody is calling Stéphane Dion or Jack Layton a traitor (or hypocrite,, since they would be teh first to scream if Harper did this). I'm going to spend some time looking for it tonight, but wasn't there once a picture of the two of them sitting together that ran as a "look how close they are" story?

Oh, and one last request for the media, can we please stop calling it a stimulus package and call it what it is? A spending package! This is nothing more than Bob Rae, spend your self rich stupidity that the Liberals Bloc and NDP are screaming for, and it's bad public policy. Last week you were yelling deficit, he's put us in deficit, this week your yelling spend! Spend!! SPEND!!! And shame on the media for letting you get away with it.

Want to overthrow the legally, elected, constitutionally legal government? Then what is your plan. Let Canadians know exactly what you mean by stimulus.

************************
Update: From the comments:

*“We would see him [Stephen Harper] and (Bloc Québécois Leader) Gilles Duceppe, if they get enough seats, working together to dismantle this country that all of us are so proud of." (Paul Martin, Toronto Star, December 3, 2005)
* Martin questioned how the Tory leader can explain “his common agenda with the separatists.” (Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2005)
* “Stephen Harper has made it so clear that he is prepared to do the Bloc's bidding in Parliament, which I find incomprehensible...” (Paul Martin, Ottawa Citizen, April 28, 2005)
* “Let me tell you, Stephen Harper, you made an alliance with the Bloc, not me. The Bloc wants only one thing: a referendum to divide us and break up our country.” (Paul Martin, Globe and Mail, November 29, 2005)
* “The Conservative Party and the separatists … want this Parliament to fail because the Bloc wants Canada to fail.” (Public Works Minister Scott Brison, Hansard, May 2, 2005)
* “…it is impossible to understand why the Conservative Party supports the Bloc” (Scott Brison, Hansard, April 5, 2005)
* “It has become clear that the Conservative-Bloc alliance is alive and well, despite the Leader of the Opposition's claims to the contrary.” (Susan Kadis, Hansard, May 17, 2005)
* “It is an unholy alliance [Between Conservatives and the Bloc] and Canadians need to know all about it. I take great exception to the hypocrisy of saying that they are not in bed with the Bloc and the separatists because they are.” (Roy Cullen, Hansard, April 14, 2005)

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tories Site of the Week for the week of November 23rd is:

Angry in the Great White North
" a heat-seeking missle in the Conservative arsenal"

Steve Janke's Angry in the Great White North is one of the premier political blogs in Canada. His work during the recent election was outstanding. Many people may not have heard yet that one of the results of all that hard work is that he is being sued by former Liberal MP Blair Wilson. Stop in AGWN and while you're there, give the Donation page a tap.

Picture of the Day: Sir Duke

2008-11-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

RESOLUTION P-203: DECLARATION of SUPPORT

2008-11-13T09:37:00.002-05:00

I, as an individual, this blog and numerous other bloggers are in support of Resolution P-203 and we put forward the following statement of support

We strongly support those members of the Conservative Party of Canada who seek to repeal Sections 13 and 54 of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Sections 13 and 54 of the Canadian Human Rights Act are a direct attack on the freedom of expression guaranteed to us under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The provisions of these sections allow the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to prosecute anyone alleged to have said or written something “likely to expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt” whether there is a living, breathing victim or not.

Vague concepts such as speech or writing “liable to cause hatred or contempt" are the basis of expensive state-funded prosecution of individuals. The statute provides no objective legal test for “hate” or any objective means of determining what constitutes “contempt”. As a result, the CHRC is used by various groups and individuals, as a risk-free taxpayer funded method to silence their critics and those they disagree with. CHRC investigators have testified that that “freedom of speech is an American concept” and therefore not valid in Canada. Such statements are contrary to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but are standard operating procedure at the CHRC.

Commissioners of the Canadians Human Rights Tribunal, who are not judges and are often not even lawyers, have held that "truth" is not a defence against prosecution under Section 13. Intent or fair comment are also not defenses. In fact, there is not a single listed defence under Section 13! Because of the lack of any defenses, the Tribunal has a 100% conviction rate since 1978. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal routinely ignores the principles of fundamental justice, such as the rules of evidence, and these kangaroo courts, even allow hearsay evidence. The CHRA provides for each Tribunal to make up the rules as they go.

Every journalist, writer, Internet webmaster, publisher and private citizen in Canada can be the subject of a Human Rights complaint for expressing an opinion or telling the truth. Given the ambiguity of Section 13, it is virtually impossible for any individual to determine if they might be in violation of Section 13. Arbitrary censorship and punishment are wrong, and cannot be justified in a free society.

Please support Resolution P-203, and preserve Canadians' Charter right to freedom of expression.

Because if conservatives won't protect us from the pimply minions of bureaucracy, who will?

Resolution P-203 Part II

2008-11-13T09:35:00.003-05:00

The resolution is available in .pdf version, or .doc version.

More available from Richard at No Libs! dot com.

If your sitting MP is a member of the CPC, e-mail them and let them know you support P-203.

Picture of the Day: Manhatten Sunrise

2008-11-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

In Memory of a Fallen Soldier: Pte. William Jonathan James Cushley

2008-11-11T09:50:00.002-05:00

William J. Cushley arrived in Afghanistan in August 2006 as a member of 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. He was 21 years old, had a girlfriend, Karine Rousselle, a member of the forces herself, and RCR tattooed proudly on his back. On September 3rd, 2006, Sunday of the Labour day weekend, William was killed by Taliban fighters during Operation Medusa, a major offensive in the town of Panjwayi, 30 km west of Kandahar city. Four Canadian Soldiers, including William, lost their lives that day, and a reported over 200 Taliban fighters.

William has been on my mind since the Toronto wear red rally and I came into close contact with his father, Errol Cushley:

I watched Mr. Cushley closely after that. I kept thinking that, while I agree with the mission, agree that Canadians belong in Afghanistan, I knew that if given the deal, the Faustian bargain, my son for the mission, I would say no: Let the damn Taliban have the place, let them have this one too. I'll give Canada over to the Muslims, rather than pay that price. But Errol Cushley paid the price, and here he stood barely three weeks later, supporting the troops, supporting the mission even.

William was born in Port Lambton, Ontario, and is buried there. He is survived by his father, mother and three sisters - not to mention his girlfriend Karine.

On this Remembrance Day, instead of doing the usual foot shuffle, I used the two minutes of silence to offer a prayer for William Cushley and his family. I told my children about William, or at least tried to but couldn't do so without becoming verklempt. For me, this year, Remembrance Day became personal.

Reposted from Nov 11, 2006. Lest we Forget.

"There is no words...

2008-11-11T09:30:00.006-05:00

... or you wouldn't have enough film, and I don't have enough time to thank them from the bottom of my heart for respecting my son." Darlene Chushman:

Darlene Cushman is mother Trooper Darryl Caswell who was killed by a roadside bomb on Monday June 11, 2007:

Trooper Darryl Caswell was the 57th Canadian death in Afghanistan since 2002. The 25-year-old was driving a Coyote armoured vehicle when it was hit by a roadside bomb. Two others were in the vehicle and were injured. The vehicle was part of a convoy delivering supplies to a forward operating base in Shahwali Kot district.

Col. Mike Cessford, deputy commander of the Canadian mission said the bombing was typical of insurgent tactics who try to avoid direct combat with better armed and trained NATO troops when possible.

"It is a tactical weakness," he said.

Trooper Caswell was born in Bowmanville, Ont. and grew up and lived in a number of communities around the province. He had been serving in Afghanistan since January with the Royal Canadian Dragoons and was scheduled to return to Canada at the end of July.

Tom Blackwell snapped this photo of Trooper Caswell's vehicle which shows significant damage to the front of the Coyote. The DND also has more information on the vehicle.

h/t Joanne

Saturday Fluffernutter: The Monday Edition

2008-11-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

Blair MacLean (1943 - 2008). So sad to hear of the death of the surviving member of MacLean & MacLean, Blair MacLean, of heart attack at age 65 last week. Canadian comedy duo MacLean & MacLean ran from 1972 to 1998, but had their greatest successes through the 1980's. It is still not Christmas around the Hespeler Towers without MacLean & MacLean Go To Hell spinning once on the turntable.

MacLean's partner, brother Gary MacLean passed away in 2001 of throat cancer. To mark the kind of man he was, Blair and his wife moved from Nova Scotia to Winnipeg to help care for Gary's sons after his death.

Note: That's all I got around to writing last week, and normally would have scrapped the whole thing, but I felt I wanted to pay small homage to Blair MacLean.

Low Blogging Month

2008-11-10T10:17:00.003-05:00

I decided to take some time from my normal November schedule to challenge the National Novel Writing Month. I had hoped to keep up the blogging, but have found writing a minimum 1666 words a day, and working a full time job means less blogging will occur.

For those interested in how it's going, you can follow my progress here:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/312944

So far I'm on pace with 15,643 words written. I have a 1,300 word excerpt, under Novel Info, for those who are interested, but here's a shorter excerpt:

For The Sake of the Dog
It was the dog. He was the reason Kate and Paul stayed together all those years ago: for dog's sake.

And now, the dog is sick.

Paul had an affair, a passionate, torrential wild affair that lasted about a week-and-a-half before Kate found out. Some people are good at cheating: they can lie easily, keep calm and cool, juggle a wife and another: Paul could do none of that; and it was obvious from day one that he was up to something. It took Kate a week to figure it out, another few days to prove it.

The dog Nicky, named after Nick Hornby, Kate’s favourite writer, is an Australian shepherd with grey hair and patchy grey fur around his eyes. He was about six months old at the time, three as the family dog.

Kate threw Paul out, but the dog moped around the house all night waiting, impatiently, for his return. After being kept awake a second night by the dog pacing and, she swears it, crying, she decided to call and say, “move back in.” Not because all was forgiven, not because it was OK. Not because she was two months pregnant with their first child, a fact unknown to Paul then, but for the sake of the dog. "I can't do it to Nicky," she said at the time. "But you sleep in the spare room."

He moved back into the house that day, sleeping in the guest room at first, the marital bedroom a month or so later. Zach, now 14 and so pubescent, was born seven months later. Stephen was a year-and-a-half behind Zach, and Jeff two years after that.

All for the sake of the dog, and now the dog was sick.

Blogging won't stop altogether, if nothing else, I'll update my NaNoWriMo status periodically. And hey, I work for Chrysler, I could have all the time in the world to do both by the middle of the week.

Windows 7? No Thanks.

2008-11-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

I bought Windows Vista when it first came out a couple of springs ago. At first I quite liked it, but as it's propensity to crash has increased, as I am looking at my third re-format in less than two years because Vista can't seem to handle life in the 21st century, Microsoft hopes I'm game to step up and try the newest Windows product, Windows 7:

Microsoft Corp.'s latest Windows operating system was unveiled yesterday and it appears to be a faster, sleeker and simpler version of its shoddy predecessor, according to industry observers.

Now, after calming the hysteria of technology enthusiasts who dismissed Microsoft's Windows Vista for being bloated and difficult to use, the software giant faces another challenge convincing millions of computer users and businesses to buy Windows 7 while mired in poor global economic conditions...

"I don't expect businesses and consumers to hesitate upgrading to Windows 7 as Microsoft is likely to have its vast ecosystem primed for its release," said Kevin Restivo, a software market analyst with IDC Canada.

Some of Windows 7's features are a quiet acknowledgement of Vista's main short comings: its poor device compatibility with other devices and slow start-up speeds.

Memo to Microsoft: Never again! My next machine will either be a Mac or, if I go all cheapskate (which I'm apt to do), pre-loaded with Linux. The only way I put Windows anything on a future machine is if you comp me a version of the W7, complete with apologies for my Vista experience. Since I don't imagine you even care about the unhappy costomer at this end of the keyboard, I'll continue pricing Macs with a special glint in my eye.

I'm OK with President Obama

2008-11-05T12:30:00.001-05:00

The pre-election chatter from the right wing in the American election has often reminded me of the "Stephen Harper has a scary hidden agenda" nonsense we have endured for years here in Canada. Once elected, of course, the hidden agenda was shown to be, sadly, missing. As others have observed before, the ship of state cannot easily be turned. Even if Obama is determined to turn America into a vacuous socialist state, it will take time.

I find the Presidents contributions are often cultural as much as political. The President sets a tone for the country in how he acts that the country seems to subconsciously follow. Note, below, the Bloom County Cartoon from the 80's (click on it for a readable size).

One of America's true problems the past number of years has been a culture that seems to promote stupidity and illiteracy. Dropping out of high school is what the cool kids do. Black youth particularly seem to be inundated with role models that speak incomprehensibly. Whether it's basketball players or hip hop artists, dropping out of the mainstream of society, speaking in mumbled street slang, wealth demonstrated through gauche wearing of "bling" is the norm for too many.

President-elect Obama is highly intelligent, literate and articulate. Much like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bill Cosby before him, he prizes his education, speaks clearly and has shown that a black man in America can be successful.

If President-elect Obama does nothing else, I sincerely hope his influence on culture is one that offers a different way for many young people, particularly but not exclusively in the African American communities, to strive for success. I hope he proves a needed anecdote to a gang culture that has decimated communities and left a generation without real hope.

Finally, congratulations to President Obama from At Home in Hespeler and I look forward to working for you -- er -- boss?

Eh Tu National Post?

2008-11-03T23:50:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I got on to The Toronto Sun about a price increase from $1.00 to $1.50. Bollocks, said I, or something to that effect. I'll spend my money elsewhere. What I didn't realize at the time was this was a GTA issue. The Sun was still .50¢ in Toronto and area, $1.50 the rest of the province. It's fair enough really, and the same pricing system as the Star and if you can get $1.50 for the Star then you can for any old piece of crap. But I'm not playing that game, and since The Sun has become crap, I'll do myself a favour and keep my money.

Then along comes The National Post, who today joined the crowd and raised their outside Toronto price to $1.50. What grates me on this, and take a seat Globe and Mail who do the same thing, is the Post is supposedly a national paper, for all Canadians. But if you drive one-hour out of downtown Toronto, the price increases 200%. So by national you mean Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, otherwise their not really interested? Who are these guys, The Liberal Party?

It must be said I can't run a blog like this and refuse to buy any newspapers, but as I commute to Brampton daily I will most certainly change my habits and begin buying the Post in Brampton, but National Post take note, with less frequently.

A dollar-fifty for a daily newspaper. Kate's right, they really aren't waiting for the asteroid.

Gary Goodyear Gets a Limo

2008-10-30T20:00:00.000-04:00

I have met and like Gary Goodyear but I do not suggest I have been to Chez Goodyear on a Saturday night for cigars and sherry. On a couple of occasions I have met him in official capacity, and lets face it, he's a good politician which means he presents well. That said I am pleased for Gary Goodyear who today was appointed Minister of State for Science and Technology, an appointment I think is overdue.

During Minister Goodyear's first term as an MP, over the period of the Paul Martin Government, he was the head of the Conservative Party Ontario Caucus. After Stephen Harper's 2006 increase in pay grade, I thought it possible that Goodyear would be rewarded for his work with the Ontario Caucus with a key to the cabinet bathroom. It was not to be, which makes this appointment, in my opinion, overdue. Goodyear has been a loyal party man during his time as an MP, and an opportunity to show his executive mettle is warranted.

Congratulations Minister Goodyear.

Picture of the Day: The Honourable Gary Goodyear

2008-10-30T18:31:00.000-04:00

Picture of the Day: Reflections on a Washington Fallace

2008-10-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Picture of the Day: In Honor

2008-10-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Picture of the Day: The White House

2008-10-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

Start Spreading the News...

2008-10-20T09:00:00.002-04:00

Taking a week a way to go to my favourite landing spot in the world, New York City, specifically Manhattan.

I may pop in from time to time, depending on time and internet connection. I will have a couple of Picture of the Day posts pop up through the week.

In the interim, enjoy the Kings of Leon singing Manhatten:

Comments are open, what is you're favourite place to visit?

The Freedom of Music: The Song and the Medium Remain the Same

2008-10-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio.

I was in Toronto a couple of weeks ago for a few hours, prior to seeing Steve Howe. Alone in Toronto can only mean one thing: HMV. It would have been Sam the Record Man's on Yonge street, but it's gone now. Second best (by a mile) is the HMV store across the road from the former Sam's location. I had three hours to kill and figured I would spend an hour at HMV's.

DVD's, records and CD's oh my. Tons of movie, all the CD's you can listen to and, oh yea, records, lots of records. Real vinyl records, with readable print, gatefold covers and little wee holes in the middle. Newly released versions of old stuff like the Police's Zenyatta Mondatta and the newest releases from Metallica, the Eagles and, oh yea, Led Zeppelin. A lovely boxset of the freshly released complete set of The Song Remains the Same.

It's a really nice set, 4 LPs, with nice sleeves and a large detailed booklet that's ½ the original Song Remains the Same booklet ½ new writeup by Cameron Crowe. But that's just the window dressing. The real heart of the set is the music, and quality thereof.

The LPs are sturdy, reasonably heavy things. This is good. If you remember records, you're first edition Abbey Road is thicker, heavier and less flexible than your copy of Born in the USA. This has an effect. Heavier, thicker vinyl records allow for deeper grooves. A deeper groove allows more contact between the record and the needle, which means a better quality record. On first listen it shows. The sound is rich and thick, the music sounds closer to concert hall quality than your Dad's old Victrola.

The music, however, remains the same, at least somewhat. What's special about this collection is it is a complete set list from those 1973 Madison Square Garden shows. Black Dog, The Ocean, Since I've Been Loving You, Over the Hills and Far Away and Misty Mountain Hop were not released on the original Song Remains the Same back in 1976. This set is more complete, better quality with better reading material. Just great, yet somehow, when Robert Plant starts moaning about hearing "my mama and papa talkin'" it's like all those years in between never slipped away. And that's what is best, returning home with a new Zeppelin LP, throwing it on the turntable and getting lost in the music for just a while. It's like you can go home again, and it feels great.

Or as Robert Plant would sing:

My, my I'm so happy.
I wanna join the band.

It was true then, and sitting here listening to Celebration Day live from 1973, it's true now.

Saturday Fluffernutter: Tia and David; Madonna and Guy; Elicia is Maria; RIP Frankie Venom (1957 - 2008) & Levi Stubbs (1936 - 2008)

2008-10-18T08:00:00.002-04:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

David Duchovny and Tea Leoni announced they were separating this week, making two the number of women on AHIH's list that have split from their ingrate husbands in the last year: Shania Twain and Tea Leoni. Duchovny, star of the brilliant Californication, recently underwent rehab for "sex addiction," which apparently doesn't mean he's married to Tea Leoni therefore, he can't leave her alone.

Less interesting, if more newsworthy, the definition of "girl with cooties" herself, Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie have also split. She apparently referred to him at a concert this week as emotionally retarded. I don't know about his emotions but "married to Madonna" and retarded seem to me to go hand in hand. Not to mention blind and teeming with cooties.

Review in Brief: Rocknrolla: violent, fast and funny - classic Guy Ritchie.

Elicia is Maria, and Alicia MacKenzie and the new Toronto production of The Sound of Music is getting rave reviews. All the reviews I saw gave it highest marks (or stars). It looks like the must see show of the season.

Farewell to Frank Kerr (1957 - 2008), AKA Teenage Head lead singer Frankie Venom who passed away this week of throat cancer at the youthful age of 51. I was never a big fan of the Head, but they play a significant role in my marriage and to this day I meet people who proudly tell me they were at the Ontario Place 1981 Teenage Head riot.

If you grew up in Southern Ontario and are of a certain vintage (2 digit age that starts with a 4 say) then Teenage Head was an important band and cultural influence. Here's hoping it was Some Kind of Fun for Frankie

Farewell as well to Levi Stubbs (1936 - 2008), singer for the Four Tops and legendary voice behind one of the greatest songs of all time: I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honeybunch). I've also always loved his voice over work as the plant Audrey II in 1986's Little Shop of Horrors. Stubbs died Thursday at the age of 72 in Detroit.

Happy 65th birthday...

2008-10-16T23:47:00.001-04:00

C.F. Turner

When people think of Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) they think of Randy Bachman. But there where two surnames in the title and the second one was no less important to their success.

C.F. Turner was a guitar player turned bassist who backed as heavy a rhythm section as there was. More importantly, Turner was the de-facto lead vocalist who contributed lead vocals to classics such as Let it Ride, Roll on Down the Highway and Four Wheel Drive, not to mention lesser known but not lesser songs Not Fragile and Gimme Your Money Please.

To Fred Turner, the other big guy in the band, who surrounded himself with guys named Bachman, kicked it into Overdrive and took care of rock and roll business. For the last five years of the seventies he owned a piece of the world, and one summer night in 1975 he and his pals rocked the CNE where a young future blogger, at his first concert, became a life long rock and roll fan. Happy 65th Birthday.

Wow

2008-10-15T13:14:00.003-04:00

I simply can't imagine PM Stephen Harper having his security detail pushing a reporter out of the way, then Harper telling that reporter, "the last one I want to speak first is (name the network), do you understand that?" and the reporter spends the rest of his air time defending Harper.

Why do I suspect the next minute would be what a bully Harper is, not what a classy guy he is. So I'll say it: between Elizabeth May's concession speech and this clip of Stéphane Dion, Canadians got an abject lesson in gracelessness last night.

A Good Day for Canadian Democracy

2008-10-15T12:24:00.003-04:00

I've written before that I support the concept of floor crossing, think it's an important safeguard against "the tyranny of the party". I have, however, also stated before that the way to deal with floor crossers is not to ban the practise, but "voters who will punish floor crossers."

It bears repeating, if Scott Bryson and Belinda Stronach had gone down to defeat in the last election, David Emerson and Wajid Khan would never have crossed this time (Garth Turner might have anyway).

This Parliament we had the three above mentioned floor crossers, plus unelected Michael Fortier taking a senate seat and sitting in cabinet, a move that didn't sit well with voters at the time. And what happened during last nights election?

Wajid Khan

The riding [Streetsville] was considered a bellwether for the country because of Khan's well-publicized decision to leave the Liberals and join the Conservatives gave the Tories their only seat in Mississauga. If he could have held the seat, observers said, it might have been an indication Stephen Harper's party could win a majority.

But Khan couldn't hold on to it.

Garth Turner

Apparently I am too much. Too much for a successful career in Canadian politics, anyway. As you may have heard, last night I lost my seat in Parliament in the first elections in the world to be held in the immediate wake of the financial and economic mess enveloping us.

Michael Fortier

Michael Fortier gambled his Senate job against a seat in the House of Commons but he did not hold the winning cards in Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
Bloc Québécois incumbent Meili Faille, 36, who lives in the riding off the western tip of Montreal Island, trumped the Conservative star candidate, just as she beat other high-profile opponents in the last two general elections.

As for David Emerson, the heat over his floor crossing never subsided in his BC riding, and he chose to not even run. That makes a perfect four for four (444?) of candidates who crossed the floor or were appointed undemocratically. Any candidate who choses to cross the floor in the next Parliamentary session will have to think twice, will know that facing the consequences of their decision means more than some unpleasant editorials and a few blog postings.

Congratulations to voters in each of those ridings, who did the right thing, and proved that we don't need bad laws to save our democracy from itself.

Gary Goodyear Retains Cambridge

2008-10-14T23:27:00.003-04:00

Everybody should know by now it will be a Conservative victory, probably an increased minority. As of this writing the seat count is:

Conservative 144
Liberal 74
Bloc 50
Laytonians 38
Greens 0
Non Green Independents 2

Here in Cambridge, Conservative MP Gary Goodyear was returned to Parliament with a large increase in support. Goodyear had won in 2006 by almost 6,000 votes over Liberal Janko Peric. This election Goodyear ran away with a 12,000 vote victory over Liberal newcomer Gord Zeilstra.

Meanwhile in Kitchener Centre we can report that annoying Liberal Karen Redman is losing to Conservative Stephen Woodworth, albeit only by a few hundred votes. That one is going to be close, but if the results hold it should make a certain Kitchener blogger we know very happy.

Meanwhile, ladies and gentleman, Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

Picture of the Day: Das Capital

2008-10-14T12:12:00.000-04:00

Diefenbaker Blogburst

2008-10-14T11:32:00.002-04:00

Freedom. This blog has always been about freedom. That's why the top quote has for a couple of years now been the F.A. Hayek quote:

...a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy...

I believe in freedom of Canadians to act in accordance to their will and beliefs, so long as it doesn't impose on others freedoms, or cause harm to others. I believe in freedom from government, not freedom as granted by government. And I believe the Rt. Hon. John Diefenbaker got this one right:

I am a Canadian,
a free Canadian,
free to speak without fear,
free to worship God in my own way,
free to stand for what I think right,
free to oppose what I believe wrong,
free to choose those who shall govern my country.
This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold
for myself and for all mankind.

Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker
July 1, 1960.

h/t
Five Feet of Fury
Halls
Covenant Zone
SDA
et al.

Fare The Well Toronto Sun

2008-10-06T12:20:00.004-04:00

So I head to my Quickie Mart this AM for my usual news purchase, which amounts to The National Post and the Toronto Sun: price $2.03. Today the familiar voice behind the counter says "$2.53 please."

"Huh?" says I.

"The sun is now $1.50."

A dollar-fifty to buy the Toronto Sun. Lately I have been reading it thinking, what am I wasting my time with this crap for. The quality of the Sun has never been astounding, but they always had writers. Lately, they seem to be hiring from the can't quite cut it at the Star club.

So it is, that at my house, the asteroid has hit my Toronto Sun habit as of today. I can't imagine too many people paying a fifty percent price increase for a deteriorating product (that's available for free anyway) in an increasingly difficult marketplace. But the geniuses who brought you Paul Berton and Rob Granatstein think differently, and who am I to argue with success like that?

Jack Layton "Heartened" by Afghan Loss

2008-10-06T11:58:00.006-04:00

"We're not going to win this war," Brig. Mark Carleton-Smith said this weekend. He is the most senior British military commander in Afghanistan, and he was talking about a war in which almost 100 Canadians have lost their lives. He may be right, at least at present troop levels, we may only be able to reduce the risks "...to a manageable level of insurgency that's not a strategic threat and can be managed by the Afghan army."

But it is unimaginable that someone who claims to be running for the Prime Ministership of Canada would respond to that declaration with these words:

I'm heartened actually by the words of this senior military commander...

He's heartened by the country he leads suffering a military loss! He is heartened that he was right and his country will, according to Mark Carleton-Smith, not win a war in which they are engaged! He is heartened by the defeat of his country at the hands of mysoginistic, hateful terrorists who want to tear down the progressive society he has worked his life to try and build up.

For the record, here's the quote in context, because some apologists will say it matters - it doesn't:

"I'm heartened by the words of this senior military commander who is adding his voice to those many, many Canadians and others around the world who believe that the prosecution of the continued war effort has got to be changed,” Mr. Layton said.
“The New Democrats came out very early with this view and we've continued to argue respectfully with those who disagree that there's got to be a new path ... Let's hope that more and more people are reaching this conclusion.”

Again, read it how you want, but Jack Layton (pictures above, riding away) is "heartened" that a senior military adviser has said what Jack Layton has been saying, we will lose this war.

Being heartened by Canada's defeat, makes him unfit to lead it.

The Freedom of Music: Up Close with Steve Howe

2008-10-05T12:56:00.007-04:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio.

I noted a year and a half ago that I'm a big Steve Howe fan. When I was a teenage guitar player with big ideas about what I would do with my life, I learned early that versatility was what I wanted in my playing. Can you play country? they would ask, and I would reply with some crying guitar in a major scale. Acoustic guitar? I would flat pick, finger pick and toe tap. Jazz? I'm a hot cat who plays it cool. Classical? Baching right.

It started with Jimmy Page. He can comfortably handle any style, all the while sounding like a rock player. But when it comes to playing in many varied styles with virtuosity no one can compare to Yes guitarist Steve Howe.

I cottoned on to Howe with Yes's Fragile album. The rock/classical album features the legendary Roundabout that has Howe starting the piece with a classical intro, segueing into some jazzy harmonics before flat out rocking the chorus. Truly an awe inspiring song to a young impressionable with a penchant for guitar versatility. Fragile also features the Spanish tinged rock/classical masterpiece Mood For a Day. A few years ago the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet covered this song a really brought out the flamenco side of it. It was, in fact, the first classical style song I ever played, and I was tickled when the LAGQ legitimized it in the guitar repertoire.

So a few months ago when I received an e-mail from fingerstyleguitar.ca announcing a Steve Howe performance I didn't think twice, I didn't call anybody, I didn't send around e-mail seeing who was interested. I immediately ordered a single ticket, knowing that every second I waited I would get farther from the stage. It paid off, and Thursday night I sat in the fifth row, almost dead centre, and watched one of the great guitar players doing what he does best. Half a show with a nylon string playing his classical tinged material, and half with a steel string playing fingerpicking stuff. His playing is elegant and almost flawless, even if his memory isn't what it used to be.

There is something truly magical about seeing a master musician, up close and personal, nothing but his instrument. When it is someone who's music, and musicianship, you have admired for many years it is magical. To have a chance at a meet and signing afterwards is worth every penny. To hear Mood for a Day and The Clap from 25 feet away: priceless

Saturday Fluffernutter: Super Bowl Bruce; Barking up the Aniston tree; Paul Newman 1926 - 2008

2008-10-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

Word this week that Bruce Springsteen will be the 2009 Super Bowl half-time show headliner. The all American, working man's

performer is a natural choice for the XLIInd Super Bowl which makes it surprising that either he hasn't done it before this, or that he has finally been asked to do it now.

'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run for a first down.

Jennifer Aniston says men should be more like dogs:

"it wouldn't be bad when a man comes home, he'd run to his woman with his tail wagging."

Ahem... Woof, woof.

Rock group Phish will reunite for 3 shows in Virginia next March, marking the first time the band has played together since they broke up in 2004. Phish, who formed in the early 1980's, became a concert staple through the 1990's with concerts that featured long improvisational jams and a loyal, hippy following similar to the Greatful Dead's "Deadheads." There will be additional dates announced early next year.

You can almost hear the collective 'glug' of Phishheads surfacing for air.

Led Zeppelin rumour of the week, courtesy of Ramble On:

Any hopes of a Led Zeppelin reunion featuring the four musicians who performed at the 02 in London last December appears to be dead. Singer Robert Plant has announced he will not be joining the other three members of the band for a 2009 tour, contrary to the current rumours sweeping the interwebs:

"It‘s both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward"

Perennial cutie Heather Locklear was arrested last weekend in Santa Barbara California for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Forty-seven year old Locklear was thought to be under the influence of prescription medication.

In one of the better celebrity mug shots Locklear has a classic doe in the headlights look.

Paul Newman (1925 - 2008).

There's been so many tributes to Paul Newman this week, who passed of lung cancer at the age of 72 last weekend. I have little to add except to say Hollywood has been graced by so few truly classy individuals, then or now. It has one less to look up to with Newman's passing.

Manufacturing Crisis Has Roots in Federal Liberal Governments Failure

2008-10-01T16:14:00.005-04:00

Stéphane Dion and Jack Layton like to suggest any economic woes happening in Canada is Stephen Harper's fault: Harpernomics is an in play term at present. U.S. banks are failing: Harpernomics; Car plant shutting down: Harpernomics. According to Dalton McGuinty, however, that car plant shutting down is Jean Chrétien's fault.

OK, that's not really what he said or meant, but a logical deconstruction of his comments can come to no other conclusion:

"There's no doubt that there's some of our traditional manufacturing is being challenged.''
The premier said it was time for a great deal of humility. But he sounded positively chastened.
He said Ontario manufacturers, sheltering behind the low Canadian dollar, "hid from global economic realities'' longer than did the U.S.
"We didn't make the necessary productivity gains that we should have made. We weren't necessarily as innovative as we could have been and should have been.''

He's right, but only partly so. He suggests the low dollar masked a productivity problem, but as I've previously noted, the low dollar was not a mask, but an indicator. It indicated that companies were not investing in Canada:

...problem is the opposite, the low dollar of the Chrétien era. While exporters and the unions loved the low dollar, and claimed it was driving growth through the 90's, it was really driving the present manufacturing contraction...

In the 90's everybody was building like mad, but not investing. Canada's manufacturing facilities have fallen behind the rest of the world. Changes to manufacturing have been drastic the last 20 years, and manufacturers have not been investing in Canada. The result: loss of jobs now.

If Jean Chrétien and his brilliant Finance Minister Paul Martin did not recognize this implication of the low dollar, they should have.

The current U.S. fiscal crisis has it's roots in regulations and lending practises that occurred through the 1990's (although certainly not exclusively). Conversely, at a time when manufacturing was soaring, credit was easy to get and a technological revolution was making factories built a mere 5 or 10 years earlier obsolete, nobody noticed that companies - manufacturers - were not investing in Canada. They were not building new plants and they weren't updating the ones they had. Ten years later there's a 'crisis' in the manufacturing sector, and everybody is surprised.

The only thing that should be surprising is that Dalton McGuinty was the second person to notice.

The Freedom of Music: Clapton's God Period

2008-09-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio.

Now that it's available at a more reasonable paperback price, I picked up the Eric Clapton autobiography Clapton. I have never not liked Clapton, but I have never loved him either. I have a friend who thinks he's the greatest guitar player ever, a position I think is absurd. However, he's done some good things through the years.

Interesting reading is his early career, back in the Clapton is God days. The Yardbirds, John Mayall, Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominoes. All bands that have good reputations, all bands that I am less familiar with than I should. Thing is, I own a number of the records: Cream Disraeli Gears, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominoes Layla and Other Love Songs. Seems like a good excuse to spend a few hours with some Clapton records.

The problem is none of this is all that good. Well, that's not right, Derek and the Dominoes Layla and other Assorted Love Songs is strong. But even then, it's not double album strong. Put side one on (I looked Away; Bell Bottom Blues; Keep On Growing; Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out) and your doing OK. Or even side four, with Hendrix's Little Wing and Layla isn't bad. So that's OK. As for the rest...

Frankly everything else here sounds like what it really is, the out of tune musical meanderings of a perpetually stoned guy, and his buddies. In modern day term, these albums are jam sessions at the crack house. Long, meandering songs with no real direction, no real tuning. But perhaps I'm being unfair. Cream is an alright band and Disraeli Gears is a well reputed album. Granted Disraeli Gears has Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love and Tales of Brave Ulysses on it, good songs all. The problem is the rest of the album, it's just weak.

Then there's the Blind Faith album. It's virtually unlistenable outside of Can't Find My Way Home. Long, poorly tuned, clearly drug infused jam ups with no coherent structure. If Clapton is God then frankly after listening to Blind Faith, intelligent design makes less and less sense. There's simply no room for design in something this chaotic. And that's the Clapton experience as I've always found it, either it's really not very good and makes little sense, or it makes sense, is musically sound, and is really quite boring. Either way, I didn't buy into the Clapton mystique before this little exercise, and I don't buy into it now.

Saturday Fluffernutter: George Goes to the Loo; Bond, James.. Oh Wait That's Not in the Script; Never Mind Hamas, it Takes a Nuge to Do a Man's Job.

2008-09-27T08:00:00.003-04:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

Wham! Singer George Michael was arrested last weekend for - ahem - loitering around a mens washroom.

"I want to apologize to my fans for screwing up again..." he said in a statement that simply doesn't apply to me.

"And to say sorry to everybody else, just for boring them."

Oh, OK then.

Singer Clay Aikens announced this week, during his baby's first photo shoot, that he is gay. This leads to a natural question: who?

Last time I reported that James Bond will not drink his classic Vodka Martini in the next Bond movie: Quantum of Solace. Now it is reported that Bond will not use his famous introductory line: Bond, James Bond.

I spend too much time wondering why the current owners of the Bond franchise bother making the movies at all seeing as they seem to like so little about them.

Review in Brief: Kings of Leon - Only By The Night (CD):

Rockin'

Led Zeppelin rumour of the week, courtesy of Ramble On: Last weekend it was reported that Led Zeppelin would issue an ultimatum to Robert Plant: We have a guy, and he can do your job, we are going on tour with or without you. Plant has apparently responded with the word Zeppelin fans have been waiting to hear: hey guys, where you goin? Wait for me...

Paul McCartney played in Israel this week amongst threats from the jihadi set that he would be given the Anne Boleyn treatment. Fortunately for the "cute" Beatle, he had the offer of bodyguard services from Ted Nugent. The Wand Dang Sweet Poontanger offered to guard McCartney with what may wel be the quote of the year:

Regardless that Paul and I have our obvious social, cultural, and culinary differences outside of music, I will not bend or waiver to voodoo religious whackjobs and neither should Paul.

And if guarding Paul didn't work, he could start singing Wango-Tango and confuse the hell out of them.

Elizabeth May and the Auto Industry: I Can't Even Get Elected to Parliament, but I Know How You Could Do Your Job Better.

2008-09-26T16:56:00.006-04:00

I've noted before that bad management is the auto industry is real. My out of the house life, like most people, is run by idiots: supreme, extreme idiots. I build cars for a living and yes, that does have a hemi in it.

That said, at least the people who run Chrysler have 1) experience in the industry & 2) a personal stake in the companies success. Unlike, say, Elizabeth May who if given the choice would tell Chrysler from Ottawa what cars they will build:

"Building things is not something Greens are against, it's just a question of building the right things," said the 54-year-old American-born May, who noted her party's policy ideas are often overlooked. "The plants that are building the muscle cars and the trucks should be building small, energy efficient vehicles."

Yea, yea, yea... and politicians who can't even get a seat in Parliament should concentrate on getting a seat instead of touring the country FDR style and promoting a competing party. But politics is not my business and while I might offer suggestions to Elizabeth May, et al. I wouldn't dare tell her how to do her job.

I'll know it's time to jump all over those buy-outs when activists/politicians are deciding what cars we should build.

I am Your Father Ben

2008-09-25T15:58:00.002-04:00

During our evening perambulation, Lady Hespeler last night suggested this election has been particularly negative. Although she tends towards the "if you can't say anything nice," school of politics, it is this time a sentiment with which I tend to agree. Not just negative, but completely lacking in humour, which is to me the greater sin. Finally, however, somebody has gone and done something funny: Darth Harper

h/t Gerry Nicholls

Dear Uncle Fidel...

2008-09-24T16:01:00.003-04:00

FC

You wouldn't believe the people we have running this country: nitwits all. We knew Pierre Trudeau and I can tell you, the current Prime Minister is no Pierre Trudeau. He is a big mean scary bully, and I think he has some sort of hidden agenda.

This guy "simply does not understand Canadians," like you or I do. He has lived such a sheltered privileged life, well away from the unwashed masses: such an elitist snob. He clearly "does not trust Canadians in the choices they make" Whereas you and I, Fidel, both know what's best for the average person.

Best to Raul, and Sacha if you see him.
Yours in solidarity, and etc.

Justin Trudeau

The Freedom of Music: The Springsteen Time Machine

2008-09-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio.

If you gave a group of Bruce Springsteen fans a time machine and said, you have one use, and return it in six hours, that machine would undoubtedly be making a bee-line for 1978: the golden age of Bruce. 1978: The Darkness on the Edge of Town tour. 1978: The legendary period of Bruce Springsteen concerts that bootleg recording today confirm Springsteen's band was as tight as any band in the business, and video shows the Springsteen showmanship at it's absolute peak.
Whenever I hit the gym in the corner of our basement for a run on the treadmill, I throw a video in the DVD player that the treadmill faces. I often chose music videos for a couple of reasons: 1) if I only watch 40 minutes of the video I'm not walking away feeling like I missed something; 2) I can keep the video on through the whole work out - stretching & weights on top of running - as back ground music. This week, it's been Springsteen circa 1978.

A couple of years ago I downloaded a video called "Pièce De Résistance: Capital Theater, 19th September 1978." Here's part of the blurb:

This release features what many consider a peak of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band [sic] incredible 1978 Darkness on the Edge of Town tour; a three show stand in an intimate theater on home ground in New Jersey. This was the first of those shows and was broadcast live on the New York station W??W (it's indecipherable), which is the excellent source recording for the main body of this release...

An amazing document of one of the highest moments on Springsteen career[sic], black and white professional multicamera footage...

Who "professional, multicamera black and white" films in 1978, I don't know, but it's a stunning watch. Springsteen is that good here, a 24 song set list with no weakness, an almost three hour show of raw emotional musical energy. That, however, is not enough. To have kind of show is one thing, to capture it is another trick altogether. This DVD manages to capture it, and it is spine tingling good.

Moment in history captures are often disappointing, making the watcher yawn with unfulfilled expectation. The great thing about this DVD is not just the sense of history, but the fulfilment of expectation. You watch it and think, oh man, if only I didn't go to see Nirvana in 1991 when I had that time machine. But Nirvana it sadly was and I'm left with a black and white DVD, which thankfully is an entirely satisfactory replacement.

If You Can Grow it in Your Backyard, Why Would You Pay Tax on it?

2008-09-18T00:03:00.003-04:00

Elizabeth May claims to have never smoked pot. Don't know, don't care, what's obvious is she has never tried to grow it

Canada's Green Party leader Elizabeth May apologized on Wednesday for never having smoked marijuana, as she unveiled her election plank, which touts legalizing and taxing pot...

May told reporters at a campaign stop in Halifax, televised nationally. "I've never used marijuana. I apologize."...

As well, the party would like to see "small, independent growers" thrive, and the government taxing the weed at the same rate as tobacco, generating an estimated one billion dollars Canadian (931 million US) annually.

I always laugh at this argument. George Carlin called it Toledo window box, implying that you can grow it on a window ledge. I have never grown the stuff myself, but I know of people who have grown it in a planter.

Personally, I grow herbs all summer, and do a few indoor winter herbs. If I was inclined to smoke pot, and it was legal, I would plant it. It's effortless, and you won't be paying government rates for it. And if you don't want to grow it, why wouldn't someone else grow it in their back yard and sell it to people tax-free?

There are some interesting and compelling arguments for legalizing pot, and the war on drugs has certainly been a massive failure. I'm all for re-thinking it, but the argument that it will be profitable for the government to legalize it just doesn't wash, and anyone budgeting $1B on a marijuana tax better have a plan B.

Tories Crack Down on Tobacco Marketed to Kids

2008-09-17T12:56:00.004-04:00

I saw this for the first time the other day, some teenage girl near the local high school smoking a small cigar, or cigarillo (oh, and spitting). Used to be us dads had to worry our daughters would bring home some tattooed, stogy chomping sailor, now we have to worry they'll become one.

Anyway, I confess I think I agree with Kinsella on this one:

Harper says Conservatives will ban “kiddy packs” of cigarillos and other tobacco products

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that a re-elected Conservative Government will take further action against tobacco products being marketed to children ...

“As a parent, I was appalled to see tobacco being marketed in a way that is so enticing to children. Flavouring and packaging them like candy, gum or a fruit roll up,” said Prime Minister Harper. “This just isn’t right. This practice can’t continue. We will not tolerate it.”

“Kiddy packs” of cigarettes are already banned. Cigarillos are not subject to the existing rules because they are constructed differently than cigarettes.

No real complaints, but a caveat. Prime Minister Harper has been campaigning, and run his government, on the idea of the Federal government staying out of the Provinces jurisdiction. Does not regulating tobacco products more normally fall under the heading of Provincial responsibility?

This is a motherhood policy, and gets no complaints from this libertarian, but it seems to run counter to the overall message of the campaign.

Anybody from the Liberal campaign looking for help...

2008-09-17T00:04:00.002-04:00

... please don't call.

While I fundamentally agree with Kinsella that if the Liberals want to start doing better then they need to stop talking about the green shift. But if you are campaigning on a fundamental change to tax policy, literally a completely new way to do business, how can you decide not to talk about that policy? The green shift is a huge change in Canadian governance, with massive implications to the everyday life of Canadians, and Kinsella wants to hush it up?

Who has the scary hidden agenda now?

Happy 60th Birthday...

2008-09-16T12:35:00.003-04:00

Some times these are more obvious than others. The Roberts, Plant and De Niro; The Bonds, Daniel Craig, and Roger Moore: these are easy, and everybody knows who they are. But what about the guy who drummed in Rod Stewart's old band? The guy who replaced Kieth Moon in the Who? What about when he has a birthday?

Kenny Jones did indeed drum alongside Rod Stewart and Rolling Stone Ron Wood in the Faces, where they performed some true rock and roll magic. When it came time for the Who to try it out without Kieth Moon, Kenny Jones stepped in. Some of the Kenny Jones era Who is among my favourites, You Better You Bet (below) among them. I believe the Who may not have survived the 80's without a disciplined drummer who could keep the band tight at a time when bands were expected to produce a song, not a sound.

But who's kidding who? At Home in Hespeler celebrates Kenny Jones 60th birthday because of Stay With Me (also below), everything else he accomplished in his career being icing on the birthday cake.

The Freedom of Music

2008-09-14T08:00:00.004-04:00

One likes to believe in the freedom of music.
Rush - Spirit of Radio

I changed the name of this feature for a reason. It has always been my little celebration of music, but with a title like This Week in My i-pod I always felt constrained by what I heard through ear buds. Ear buds, however, are not the only way to listen to music. There's always, for example, the car. It has always been a great place for listening and many an artist has road tested a new album pre-release by going for a drive. How does it work in the car? It can be a defining test for a good rock and roll album.

There's also concerts, and I attend a few - although at today's prices not nearly as many as I would like. But concerts are valid area of listening and not unworthy of mention. It should be added that a lot of music gets heard while out in public or on TV, possibly even something worthy of mention.

Then there's the record player. I'm one of those guys who believe a record on a turntable is the best way to listen to, and absorb music. But there are caveats: a good turntable, a large space and decent speakers are required. I have a lot of records and have always had a working turntable. But it's always been in a small space. For a while my turntable was in the closet where I keep my records. My son and I used to sit on the floor, close the door and listen for ages. But I'm 45, sitting on the floot of a closet isn't as easy as it used to be. Then I put it in my office, but it to is a small skinny space, completely devoid of any real comfort. Last winter I put a projector in the basement, painted a screen on the wall and hooked up a 5.1 surround sound system. This summer it occurred to me I had a free input, so a couple of clicks to phonopreamps.com, and I have proper turntable sound with couch seating. Perfect.

Once the turntable is hooked up, then what? I have a few thousand LPs, now I'm supposed to pick one over all others? It turns out I had one in mind. In July they re-released a couple of early Elton John albums: his first, Elton John and a later release, Tumbleweed Connection . They reminded me how good some of Elton John's very early material is, why he stood out above the crowd from early on. And it put me to mind of an all time favourite album, John's fourth studio album, Madman Across the Water.

One of the great things about LPs is sides. A side of a record was 17 - 25 minutes long, usually coming in around 20. Both sides combined rarely exceeded 45 minutes. If an artist could piece together 4 - 5 good songs, they had a good side, consequently a good record. By this standard, Madman Across the Water is an excellent album. Here's side one:

Tiny Dance
Levon
Razor Face
Madman Across he Water

We can ignore Razor face, because it's the unknown, average not bad not great song that almost every album has. But look at those other three.

Remember when I said turntable is the best way to listen to music? Tiny Dancer is an excellent example. All that orchestration on CD, or MP3, or FM Stereo (I have listened to all three many times) give a nice song. On LP, the song is so warm. The orchestration wraps around you like a blanket, it has depth and, here's the real key, dynamics. Dynamics in music are the basic: louder softer. But they are so much more, and any good musician gets this. It's a change in the energy. And Tiny Dancer, LP version, has that: energy that comes in, and goes out, that charges the song with motion, and feeling and warmth. It's not just a pretty song, it's a moving song.

The same can be said for the rest of the album, Levon being another good example. Madman Across the Water deserves mention as one of Elton John's less known underrated songs. What a marvellous piece of music and writing, yet its an unknown in the Elton John canon simply because it gets overwhelmed by the music he was writing at the time.

It's hard to discuss Elton John and album sides, without discussing Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, side one. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was John's double album, with three big hits, Bennie and the Jets, the title track, and Saturday Nights Alright for Fighting, as well as a later hit, Candle in the Wind. Here's side one:

Funeral For a Friend
Love Lies Bleeding
Candle in the Wind
Bennie and the Jets

Top it off with side two sing one: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and you may have one the best starting five in any album. An amazing listen, and one of the few times it's worth turning the album over for just one song. It's hard to imagine that Elton John was ever a serious musical artist, but he truly was. Sides one of Madman Across the Water and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road prove it, and prove he's worthy of fame, even if we he seems to be famous for much of the wrong reasons.

He's Not the Messiah...

2008-09-13T12:50:00.002-04:00

...he's a very naughty boy:

Jesus Christ was a community organizer,
Pontius Pilot a Governor.

The next time one of Senator Obama's mouthpieces want to show how clever they are by spouting this purely inane piece of drivel, they should remember another lesson from the Roman Empire: Brutus and Mark Antony were Senators.

Or as Rev. Jeremiah Wright might say:

Et tu Barackus?

Saturday Fluffernutter: Solace Music; Oasis Incident, Madonn...[yawn] a ...zzzzzzzz.

2008-09-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Saturday Fluffernutter - all the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities.

It has been reported that the theme song for the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, will be a duet by Jack Black and Alicia Keys. The duet, reportedly titled Another Way to Die, is the first time a James Bond theme song has been a duet.

Meanwhile, Jim Bond will no longer drink Vodka martinis. The useless pimps who now control the Bond franchise have sold product placement to Coke, who have developed Coke Zero just for the occasion.

"Give me a Coke Zero, and for God's sake don't shake it."

James Bond: Quantum of Solace is scheduled for release Nov. 14th. At Home in Hespeler is scheduled to see it the weekend of Nov. 14.

On Saturday - ahem- singer Madonna dedicated her song Like a Virgin to (yawn) the (streeetch) Pope (zzzzzzzz). I'm sorry, I can't stay awake long enough to finish typing this boring old nonsense about an overrated, unappealing singer/sex symbol (and I use both in the loosest possible terms ever imagined by man or etymologist) courting controversy yet again. Really, why hasn't Madonna just gone away yet? Somebody please wake me when she does.

Last Saturday Oasis singer/guitarist Noel Gallagher wash pushed and knocked down while performing at Toronto's Virgin Music Festival. Gallagher suffered injuries and Oasis have had to cancel a couple of shows since, including the final Canadian show in London, Ontario, and an album release in New York.

The rich and inelegant are swarming Toronto during the ever swanky Toronto Film Festival. Bad news for Lady Hespeler, Jenifer Aniston is in town, and I have my laminated list at the ready. Bad news for me: Colin Firth is in town.

AdScam

2008-09-11T11:51:00.006-04:00

From the fairness in journalism file, today's Waterloo Region Record (when did it change from K-W Record?) has the following front page:

Note the headline: In... & Out?

Oh, one thinks, must be something about the Conservatives In and Out - ahem - financing scandal. But a closer look and it's two completely unrelated stories in one, tied nicely by a misleading headline clearly designed to prompt the casual reader, and studious one for that matter, to think of the Liberal Party talking point.

Stephen Harper moved to snuff out two potential fires yesterday by abandoning his opposition to include the Green party's Elizabeth May from the leaders debates and setting a firm deadline for pulling troops out of Afghanistan.

The Conservative leader's astonishing about-face on May in the debate came a mere 30 minutes after NDP Leader Jack Layton broke their common front by reversing his own opposition to Greens in the debate.

That's right, In & Out applies to Elizabeth May and the troops in Afghanistan respectively. But the story itself is no less biased as the lead paragraphs above show. It's just bad journalism, no different than if I named this post, say AdScam, even though it has nothing to do with adscam.

Perhaps in the future I will run a nice story on Shawnigan, and Watergate, and call it Shawanigate.

It's Not Easy Being Green

2008-09-10T10:51:00.005-04:00

I just can't help seeing the similarities when I look at a picture of Stephane Dion. Turns out they have the same taste in music as well:

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tories Site of the Week for the week of September 7th is:

Christian Conservative and The Blue Zone

A two-for-one special this week! As we head into a general election today, I'd like to recognize two blogs who've been carrying the load in the Guelph by-election. While the rest of us have been busy with our summer vactions and all things nice weather related, these two have been hard at it. Your efforts are appreciated and have not gone unnoticed by your Blogging Tories compatriots.

Blog on!

Elizabeth May? Why are Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe in the debate?

2008-09-09T23:59:00.002-04:00

I couldn't agree more about keeping Elizabeth May out of the leadership debate. She is the leader of a fringe party that has no chance of forming the government, or for that matter becoming the opposition. But under that criteria neither should two other people be at that debate.

Jack Layton heads a perennial 3rd, sometimes 4th place party. But even though Jack Layton thinks he's running for Stephen Harper's job, the amount of energy required to keep up that particular delusion would potentially bankrupt the NDP under Stéphane Dion's green shift (yes, I just wrote that Jack Layton's ego causes global warming). I myself have decided to "apply for Stephen Harper's job," but that doesn't mean it is close to being so. Same applies to Jack Layton, he can say he's running for PM, but cannot be reasonably said to be so. So why should he be allowed to impose his smirk in a debate between the two men who are running for the job?

Gilles Duceppe's party, le Bloc Québécois, is in the running for exactly zero seats in English Canada, so how is it that Duceppe is in the English Language debate? I'll leave his usefulness in the French debate to French bloggers, but he serves no useful purpose in the English debate. In fact he often plays the part of class clown in the English debate precisely because he has no possible votes to gain or lose. As such, he doesn't belong in the debate.

The debate I want to see, the night I will consider sitting down to watch a debate is when the two men who are running for the job of PM, and only those two men, are debating each other. Harper vs. Dion mano a mano.

And that is why Elizabeth May doesn't belong in the debate. She is just one more person who has no chance to be PM, and she would just be one more person taking screen time from the two men that we really need to hear from.

Bloggers, Start Your [Search] Engines

2008-09-05T16:13:00.005-04:00

From the inbox:

September 5, 2008
Ottawa, Ontario

Public event for Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Sunday, September 7th is:

Ottawa

8:05 a.m. – Prime Minister Stephen Harper will leave 24 Sussex en route to Rideau Hall to meet with Governor General Michaëlle Jean to ask her to dissolve the 39th Parliament for an election call October 14th, 2008.

24 Sussex
Ottawa, Ontario

* Open to Media *

So unless Michaëlle Jean pulls some unexpected King-Bing-ish thing out of her chapeau, the election is on, and it is October 14th.

Google Chrome

2008-09-03T18:38:00.004-04:00

Day two using the newest web browser Google's Chrome, and my initial response is quite positive. The interface is quite sparse (see picture below) with very little in the way of distraction, but when you want something, say a bookmark or to open a tab, it seems to be right there. It is intuitively simple with a clean presentation and it is fast. Nice browser, easily ahead of Internet Explorer (duh) and Apple Safari. It may well give Mozilla Firefox a good battle, but I have to figure out ways to personalize it a bit first.

Two downsides, it doesn't have the spell check included that Firefox has, which I have come to rely on to spot my typos. I also can't control opening files in third party software: an mp3 file for instance plays in the browser instead of being able to open it in windows media player.

Overall, I like Chrome a lot. Browsers sure have come a long way since the early Netscape days. It will take a few weeks to decide whether it's better than Firefox, but unlike Safari or any version of Explorer, I'm prepared to give it a try.

Click to Enlarge

BBS Blogging Tories Site of the Week

2008-09-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

The Blue Blogging Soapbox Blogging Tory Site of the Week for the week of August 30th is:

Crux of the Matter

Education & Canadian politics — Where commentary & opinion intersect.

Sandy brings a thoughtful and knowledgeable presence to the net. I enjoy reading her blog and her contributions at Jack's NewsWatch. Make sure you bookmark her other site - Harper Government Accomplishments - you're bound to have a use for it in the near future.

This post is reposted from Blue Blogging Soapbox

Toronto Sun: What's the Score?

2008-09-02T20:30:00.000-04:00

I've said it before, I'm guessing I'll say it again, what is going on at the Toronto Sun these days? Today their lead editorial declares that Prime Minister Harper, the brilliant strategist that he is, is running to the polls right now because he fears, wait for it... The Obama Bounce. That's right the mythical Obama Bounce theory that says Canadian's will be so enamoured with the suave African American they will say, I must vote for Stéphane Dion:

What has Harper's attention is the Obama factor, and the sooner-than-later date is Nov. 4, U.S. election day. A possible Obama win is the game changer.

Harper isn't blind to polls showing Obama's huge popularity in Canada. He sees the power of the "yes we can" and "change you can believe in" mantras for the Facebook generation. The Toronto media echo-chamber is fully engaged in the love fest. The euphoria in the usual year-long honeymoon period that would accompany Obama's triumph is a daunting prospect.

What nobody explains, because the theory is idiocy, is why Canadian's would see Obama and vote for the guy who most looks like John McCain. I don't know Barack Obama, but Stéphane Dion is no Barack Obama, of that you can be sure. Does anybody seriously look at the Canadian political situation right now and think Stephen Harper is playing scared? Dion looks scared: Harper looks like the cat who has eaten the tweety bird.

Distressingly, the Sun ran this editorial a full week after former Harper strategist Tom Flanagan explained exactly why the election has to be now:

... If the Tories can win a few more seats at the Liberals' expense — an outcome Mr. Flanagan considers realistic given Mr. Harper's superior campaign skills and the Tories' fatter war chest — he predicted that would be enough to throw the Grits into a long-term tailspin that could eventually lead to their demise...

If the Liberals lose even a handful of seats, Mr. Flanagan predicted they'll immediately dump Leader Stéphane Dion, a forecast echoed privately by plenty of Grits. The party would have to embark on a costly leadership campaign before most contenders from the last contest, including Mr. Dion, have paid off their leadership debts.

Moreover, a reduction in popular vote would mean the already cash-strapped Liberal party would get less money in election expenses rebates and in its annual public subsidy. Mr. Flanagan said that could make it difficult for the Liberals to pay off any debts from the coming election campaign and harder to secure bank loans for a future campaign...

It's like this. In October, the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and Bloc get their government cheque based on how many votes they got last election. The Liberals are not getting much fund raising money, as much because any find raising is paying off leadership debts rather than going into the party coffers. If Prime Minister Harper can get the election before they get their cheque, he has a much better chance of making electoral gains at their expense, which would force the Liberals to lose Dion, have a leadership convention, raise a whole new issue of debt, all with less government money.

Obama bounce, sheeesh! What anybody following Canadian politics needs to know is, Stephen Harper plays a much longer game than that. I just hope somebody tells him to watch out for Grannies carrying umbrellas.