For The Record

I think Omar Khadr should have been granted bail today.
I still think Harper is an asshole.
I am looking forward to the Alberta election results with a bit of trepidation.  I would love to see a big political reversal, but having lived through the last polling/election debacle here in BC I am afraid to be hopeful.

It is spring in Atmon, but I am knitting mittens.

Merry Christmas

I know, I know.  It's been a long time between posts.  I've been a bad blogger.  Its been an interesting year, which I'll maybe write about as it actually ends.

Tonight though, I just want to share something from the CBC, (which is also having an interesting year).  I have been listening to CBC Radio for many years.  I have enjoyed some changes more and some less over the years, but I have pretty much always liked As It Happens.  Every year I look forward to hearing Alan Maitland read "The Shepherd."  This year (maybe for the first time?) they linked it on their website.  If you have never heard it, it's a good Christmas ghost story.  I recommend it highly.

Merry Christmas.

On My Mind

I Have to Laugh, Otherwise I Would Cry

Paul Calandra has been making an especial ass of himself in Parliament.  He has been criticized and raked over the coals, and he has cried in Parliament while giving Canadians a non-apology.  It is to cry.  However, someone out there has the right idea.  Wikipedia now tells all the world that 

Paul Calandra (born May 13, 1970) is a Canadian clapping seal. He was elected to act like a petulant teenager on behalf of the electoral district of Oak Ridges—Markham in the 2008 Canadian federal election. 

In the event that the clapping seals and their adolescent minions find and edit that entry, I have taken a shot of it to preserve for indefinite entertainment.

And also for your reading pleasure, I give you Scott Feschuk  in McLean's with "Harper to world: We are angry, and we have adjectives."

"In his speech, the Prime Minister had a lot of harsh words for a lot of people. Harsh words for the Russian president. Harsh words for Islamic State fundamentalists. Harsh words for those who would oppose Israel, or fail to sufficiently support Israel, or ever raise any question about Israel. (Imagine how irked he’d be at those who’d dare misspell Israel.)Responding to overseas conflict, Harper’s declarations were amped up and unequivocal. This, for example: “We will not rest until the people of Ukraine are free to choose their own destiny.” But let’s be honest with ourselves: We’re resting. Plenty of talk, some sanctions, but otherwise: totally resting.Would we like Ukraine to be free? You bet. Are we willing to fire off some high-calibre adjectives? Absolutely. But let’s not pretend Vladimir Putin is standing over a military map, pushing his pieces around and thinking to himself: “I seek the prize of Crimea—but dammit, those feisty Canadians are holding the northern front with an entire battalion of empty threats!” "

Cheer up, fellow sane Canadians.  You are not alone.  Try to laugh about it. Surely we are on the upswing.   

Just Wondering

Why don't we start a new federal political party on the left (really on the left)? Have you heard of Indiegogo? GoFundMe?  I bet we could fund it in a week.

The Boss, Avec Strings

I'm not sure if the strings are violin or viola, but someday I want to play this.

Sunday Morning Surreal Nonsense

So my beloved was looking for a broadcast of Stuart McLean this morning.  He was clicking on all the regional stations that are now available everywhere and cycling through the last bits of news. I was playing with the kitten with half an ear on it all, and what with the surfing, what I heard was just nonsense.  I heard part of the tail end of a report about a pallet having been found, and part of the end of a report about someone doing a job in cabinet temporarily.
In the way of those wonderful half-baked dreams we sometimes have as we drop off to sleep, I was now plagued with questions about why a pallet was performing in cabinet (and thinking that a pallet would be preferable to polivere), and what the pallet had against permanent work, and whether it was elitist to think that a pallet was not really the best choice of materials for a cabinet.  And then I considered that many pallets are made from quite nice hardwoods and perhaps this was a good example of up-cycling.
I don't have a very clear picture of what is going on in the world at the moment though.