Cooke and Cruick

In case you've been wondering why the right turn at the Toronto Star, here's a history of the relationship between the current editor Michael Crooke and publisher John Cruickshank.

These two were mentored by a jailbird.

Excerpt:

In 2000, Radler took Cruickshank and Cooke to the Chicago Sun-Times, which became immersed in a major circulation scandal that tarnished Radler’s reputation.

Radler later pleaded guilty to defrauding shareholders and was sentenced to 29 months in prison. Cruickshank became the publisher and continued working alongside Cooke.

Now, they will be back together again at the Toronto Star. If history provides any lessons, then the staff had better start brushing up on the research of right-wing think tanks like the Fraser Institute. Because these two guys have a history of wanting it to appear in their newspapers.

When two people put their heads together to cause something to happen, isn't that a conspiracy? Is it ethical to turn a news publication into a propaganda machine?

This will help you brush up a bit on the Fraser crew calling themselves an Institute.

Related: Queer goings on

Thanks to Beesting for this link - another blogger sounds off at the Star for trying to eat alive one of its best columnists, Antonia Zerbisias. Cooke and Cruick come across as types who would throw their own children to the wolves to protect whatever hiney they think they have to kiss.

Excerpt:

Good lord, Star editor and your pompous publisher Cruikshank too, who previously trashed Heather Mallick at CBC for her piece on Sarah Palin, how stupid do you want to look?

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Comic relief

(1) Afghan war effort keeps Britain's streets safe: Brown

Sure, Gordo. That's why our future is dying in Afghanistan. To keep Britain safe. And oh yes, the pipeline.

(2) Granny cop beater granted discharge

An 82-year-old grandmother who whacked an Edmonton police officer with her cane was found guilty of assault with a weapon and assaulting a peace officer yesterday.

However, the disabled Enoch senior was granted an absolute discharge and will not get a criminal record.

Having witnessed how the police love any chance to club a non-violent protester, my unabashed response is, "Now you know what it feels like."

I'm torn between wanting to stay strong until I die and enjoying the many uses of a cane. Maybe I can have both. Mostly, I'd use mine to whack vehicles that watch out for other vehicles but not for pedestrians. But if I get to the point where I can plead lost marbles, I might be tempted to whack a cop or two just for fun. I wonder if they have tasers disguised as canes - now that would be justice!