As The Clock Ticketh ...

Dec. 31 is usually my time for privately assessing myself, and I'll get to that right after this:

(1) Harper cuts and runs

Does it bother you that the amount won by the family that sued the OPP and Ontario government over their discomfort during the Caledonia protests is being kept confidential, even though it's your tax dollars footing that bill? O Canada ... they keep calling it a democracy, while it moves insidiously in the direction of tyranny.

You're also footing the bill for the 2010 Olympics. And why is no one suggesting that we dock the MPs salaries while they park their hineys for a couple of months?

Wayne Easter complains that Harper is negating what our soldiers are fighting for, but he knows full well they're not fighting for democracy; they are fighting for extremist capitalism - and the Olympics, too, are all about capitalism, if not outright fascism - given the arbitrariness of the land expropriations, the roads closed, the restrictions placed on the tax-paying city denizens, and the street people disappeared for cosmetic purposes.

I tell you what - how about watching Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia and see how at home the 1936 Olympics were in Nazi Germany. When you catch glimpses of Hitler enjoying the games, it won't seem much different from when the camera picks up on Harper at the 2010 games.

I always enjoy the coincidence that Adolf Hitler reportedly died on April 30, 1945 and Stephen Harper was born on April 30, 1959. Adolf was also an April baby, and our own April boy is beginning to make more plausible the theory of reincarnation.

Here's a video that makes a similar comparison, Harper and Hitler, produced the last time Harper prorogued parliament.

And here's an article that lists the historical leaders who prorogued in order to entrench their own power. Harper is in some pretty sinister company.

The blog Impolitical has done the work of rounding up the public and media response to the latest prorogation, and the Lawrence Martin article: Democracy Canadian Style; how do you like it so far? may well turn out to be the most popular mainstream item this year.

From the results of a recent poll: "If we elect a new set of political leaders to the federal Parliament, will things be better?" 62 per cent of respondents said 'no.' That response rate was similar, coast-to-coast-to-coast.

The question could be taken two ways - either that people are satisfied with the Harper crew and therefore don't think a change would improve on that, or that they don't believe there's any real difference among the parties. If the latter, then it could indicate that Canadians are wising up about their so-called democracy.

But as usual the questions are too imprecise. To ask if one is satisfied with the "minority government" could be construed as either satisfied with the Harper government, or just not liking a minority government regardless of party.

No doubt a lot of time and money was spent on that poll, but it's useless as far as I'm concerned.

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(2) Afghanistan: Westerners and civilians dying in droves

Interesting statement buried in an article about the Khost "suicide" bombing:

The Taleban claimed responsibility for both attacks. They claimed the suicide bomber in Khost was an army officer called Samiullah, but the Afghan ministry of defence insisted their claims were “baseless”.

Huh? But, but ... it's always "the Taleban", ain't it? If it wasn't "the Taleban" then who dunnit, eh? Are they admitting to something far worse? My first thought was that the CIA were assembling a bomb and blew themselves up. Because, personally, I don't believe there are that many people willing to be suicide bombers, not in Iraq, nor Afghanistan, nor in Palestine - unless deliberately brainwashed to do so, and that takes selectivity and time. It's probably easier to fake it all with technology, and the CIA has the money, the means and the motive - to keep the wars going at all cost ... er, profit.

But now they're over a barrel. They can't blame this on "the Taleban" because it happened right in their own enclave, which shows them up to be poor "intelligence" gatherers and just as unreliable as they obligingly were regarding Iraq.

It's certainly taken the focus off the five Canadians who were killed. Small mention being made of that in the article, as well as very little ado over the "rogue NATO air strike" that killed four civilians - yet another stark indication that "strategic bombing" is a myth.

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(3) Academic Freedom gets a little boost
From Denis Rancourt, his latest U of O Watch article showing that while academic freedom and education itself are low on the list of priorities in our totalitarian modern universities, some strides can be made toward exonerating the whistleblowers:

Grievance Victories Tabulated: From dean Christian Detellier’s “class attack” to chemistry-chair Alain St-Amant’s enthusiasm for exposing the “truth”…

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(4) Another Year cometh

Here are all the predictions, if you like that sort of thing. Yeah, I'll probably read some of them too, but the main thing is this:

MAKE YOURSELF
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Help un-ban the Gaza Freedom March

A message from Gaza Freedom March organizers in Canada:

This is a call to all Canadians of Conscience.

As many of you may know, Egypt has placed a ban on the Gaza Freedom March (GFM), a group of 1,362 people representing 42 different countries, and the conscience of humanity. They aim to end the siege of Gaza, which imprisons a population of 1.5 million innocent civilians who suffer in despicable ways, and they wish to bring to Gaza desperately needed humanitarian supplies including winter coats for children and specialized baby formula for infants with digestive problems, which Israel has banned from entering Gaza.

Currently in Cairo there are 57 Canadians as part of the GFM including two MPs, a professor from the University of Western Ontario, a young man from Gaza who has not met his father in 8 years, students, and ordinary citizens. Five of them have joined an 85 year old Holocaust survivor on a Hunger Strike to protest the Egyptian government's decision to ban this desperately needed humanitarian initiativ e.

They are being faced by riot police, detained in hotel rooms, prevented from even leaving Cairo!

For more information on the difficult situation they face, please visit: gazafreedommarch.org

We are calling on all Canadians of Conscience to make two phone calls on the morning of December 31st, 2009.

Please call the Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa at: (613) 234-4931 and the Egyptian Consulate in Montreal at: (514) 866 8455.

We ask that you express your support for the 57 Canadians in Cairo and of the entire Gaza Freedom March delegation, and its noble intentions. We ask that you request and insist that the Egyptian Consulate and the Egyptian Embassy, in Montreal and Ottawa respectively, on behalf of all Canadians of conscience take action immediately and urge the Egyptian government to allow all members of the Gaza Freedom March to proceed.

For those in Ottawa tomorrow morning, December 31, at 11 am, we will assemble outside the Egyptian Embassy located at 454 Laurier Avenue East, for an hour.

For those in Montreal tomorrow morning, December 31, at 11 am, we will assemble outside the Egyptian Consulate located at 1000 rue De La Gauchetiere O., Suite 3320, for an hour.

Please use the last day of your year to help humanity, help this historic march proceed, help end the siege of Gaza, help an imprisoned innocent people be free.

* Make all phone calls starting at 9 am all the way until noon! Keep calling! Keep the pressure up!

Thank you, sincerely.

Government is a wonderful thing ...

... for the politicians

But do we really have a government? Or is an annual prorogation becoming a Christmas break tradition? A life-long Conservative reminded me recently that Harper has done a lot for Canada. When I asked what were the things he had done there was a long pause, and then the question shot back, "Well if he hasn't been running the country efficiently through a terrible recession who has?" And I answered, "The bureaucrats". The PM is busy with what is called "foreign affairs" and so-called "security" - which is so dictated by the US that the whole of Parliament may well be freed up to attend the Olympics.

Tories seek to suspend Parliament

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Wunner if the CPCCA will shut down for the same period and thereby avoid having to listen to witnesses who don't agree with their aims and goals.

By giving blanket support to Israel, the following too is what our government supports (and it would be no different were the Liberals in power):

Displaced and desperate in Gaza

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Obama is saying what shoud have been done to prevent the most recent plane "terrorist" incident and his opposition "have also questioned whether it is right for the President to continue with his plan to close Guantanamo Bay".

Obama has been in office for almost a full year and Guantanamo is still not closed, and the Repugs may now be handing him a rationale for reneging on his promise.

Meanwhile, Yemen is walking a fine line between trying to back up the US reports that the underwear bomber worked out of an Al Qaeda group based there, and assuring the world that it is really is fighting a "war on terror", but needs more US help to be effective.

Couldn't be vaguer on the details, though, of how many "Al Qaeda" members there may be in Yemen, or even what their activities might include. But nevermind, the US seems to have an open invitation now to openly be the boss of Yemen. Amazing how these things always seem to work for the goals of US "interests".

Related: YYC entries on the underwear bomber: here, here, and here

George Carlin on Airport Security ...

Another gem (video) courtesy of Ted in Newfoundland

Airplane Blower Uppers ...

From Ted in Newfoundland Re this and this and this:

This link is most interesting. It appears there are another 25 possible airplane blower uppers training in Yemen.

Special Branch monitored them as they flew to Yemen, in the Middle East, from British airports in the spring and summer.

Then we have good old Scotland Yard who say they will monitor them when they come back in 2010. I assume they will be allowed to FLY back.

Like ya said. Lots of things don't add up.

YYC: So they just watch them fly - what, in the hope that one of them will finally blow up a plane so "intelligence" doesn't have to do it for them?

Away from my post ...

Have to be brief today.

But please take a look at this article:

One Year Later: What is the International Community Doing About Gaza?

It contains some interesting links, and Ban Ki-Moon has finally spoken a little more emphatically saying that "Israeli well-being depended on conditions improving" for Gazans.

Also, with regard to the alleged underwear bomber, please take a look at the reader comments and follow the links. Blogger "MSM Monitor" is talking about it as well.

The plot thins ...

The more I read about the latest plane terrorist, the more I know it's all fake.

Yesterday we were told the terrorist himself said the explosive was strapped to his leg, today we are told by the Telegraph, quoting nobody at all, that it was sewn into his underwear. Okay, maybe he was wearing long winter underwear.

The Telegraph, again quoting nobody at all, tells us the explosive was the same as Richard Reid used. Yet in all this time, authorities have not come up with a detection method for this type of explosive?

I can't wait to see what stories the other rags are coming out with.

From the Guardian: A preliminary FBI investigation found that the device contained an explosive known as PETN, or pentaerythritol. Agents recovered what appeared to be the remnants of a syringe found near Abdulmutallab's seat, which is thought to have been part of the device.

"Thought to be" doesn't cut it, and "preliminary investigation" sounds like guesswork. Again we are told it was his leg burning, so I guess he really was wearing long winter underwear. Wonder why they don't say that? A "preliminary investigation" would have uncovered that fact, at least.

The Guardian goes on to say that the guy's own father reported him to the US embassy and Nigerian security 6 months ago, and still they let him fly! Or else his father just wants to cover his own hiney in case he's "thought to be" involved.

The biggest giveaway is that although the US reportedly put the suspect on a list of known terrorists, they didn't think that was "negative enough" to keep him from flying!

But by golly, from now on - until the impact dies down - a ball of kleenex in the pocket of anybody not on US intelligence lists will not be allowed.

The Mirror says Abdulmutallab bought a one-way ticket. Way to draw attention to himself if he was just an ordinary bloke, but he was a "terrorist" so it had to be overlooked.

The Australian reveals that the story that he went to the washroom and then pretended to be sick, pulling a blanket over himself, is not directly from passengers and airline staff, but from a report that the FBI drew up. Will we hear later, as so often is the case, that passengers were not even interviewed by the FBI?

Basically, they can say that Abdulmutallab said all sorts of things. The part about Al Qaeda in Yemen is rich. Is anyone planning to attack Yemen now to find Bin Laden?

Speaking of rich, the Star reports that the guy lived in a 5 million dollar flat in London. Did Daddy pay for that? Or someone more local, more "intelligent"?

Question: Can explosives flames be put out with a few bottles of water? Will we ever know if he was wearing asbestos?

Another question: What kind of a terrorist would immediately point the finger at his colleagues and give their location? I mean, if he wasn't afraid to die in an explosion, why would he be afraid of the FBI?

That Shuringa fellow is quite a star. In one report he flew over the backs of seats, and he alone subdued the man, and "I helped put out the fire" he says modestly. Well, every plane scare needs a hero,even if you have to wonder if he was part of the staging.

From Earthtimes:

"The fire was getting worse. I grabbed the suspect out of the seat, to see if he was wearing any more explosives," Schuringa told CNN. "The cabin crew came with fire extinguishers and ... I helped put out the fire."

Schuringa and a flight attendant then grabbed Abdulmutallab and dragged him to the first-class section, where "we stripped him ... to make sure he had nothing else," Schuringa said.

This is the first indication that more than just bottles of water and patting down the flame was employed. Good gracious; they stripped him. Surely they would have said if he was wearing long winter underwear - I mean that's a rather vital point, don't you think?

The other shoe ...

There being no hard facts revealed since the first reports of the latest plane incident, media wags are embellishing non-stop to attract readers. So I feel compelled to do some un-embellishing.

From the Times:

Note the following:

The suspect himself immediately makes the claim of a connection to Al Qaeda. Right there is an indication that he works for an intelligence agency and that this event is geared to keeping people wary of plane flights and supportive of the "war on terror" - and especially Obama's Afghanistan surge, and whatever else he's got on tap.

Why do I know this? Because I know, and the suspect knows, that Al Qaeda doesn't exist.

It cetainly appears that international travel by ordinary people is being systematically discouraged - one because of the drain on fossil fuels, and two because we're easier to control if they know where we are at all times.

US intelligence reportedly already knew about this guy, yet let him fly, while innocent infants are placed on no-fly lists.

An unnamed US intelligence official said the suspect was planning to blow up the plane, even though witnesses said it seemed more like a firecracker - a small pop was heard.

The suspect himself is reported to have told officials that he had explosives taped to his leg.

So there he was, all dangerous and explosive, yet ordinary passengers were quickly able to subdue him, which is odd because not even militarily trained passengers on the 9/11 planes dared to try to subdue the alleged hijackers who were armed with only plastic box cutters.

The fact that the 9/11 passengers did not move against the hijackers (except in one dubious case) indicates to me that they were told it was a security exercise - there being a number of such drills carried out on the same day and even on the day of the London transit bombing.

Comparing the suspect to the shoe bomber is as much as saying it's all a fake scare tactic. The shoe bomber merely showed a stewardess the underside of his shoe with little wires sticking out of it, and he too was overpowered by passengers.

Let's face it; if the CIA were looking for recruits they could easily intimidate a petty criminal into working for them. Recent conversion to Islam could just as easily be a cover for carrying out terrorist-like scenarios as a new path in life. Mosques are heavily infiltrated by imposters who act as spies.

Even ordinary anti-war activist groups are routinely infiltrated by enforcement agencies.

From the BBC:

The NCTB said in a statement it could not rule out the potential for dangerous items to pass through security, especially objects that current security technology cannot detect.

Now that's odd, because there actually is a plethora of airport screening systems that can detect even minute amounts of explosives in both baggage and on passengers.

Finally, you gotta suspect a plant when the White House almost immediately weighs in to call it terrorism and call for an increase in airport security.

And let's face this: if "Al Qaeda" could pull off an extremely complicated procedure like 9/11, why have they been such terrible failures ever since? We're told it's because of improved security - but the would-be plane bombers got past security! If their explosives had worked, security or not there would be a lot of dead people.

To get an idea of how shady American agencies love to promote the idea of lone, crazed terrorists, see the excellent documentary "Evidence of Revision", which deals in minute detail, using all sorts of archived video you probably haven't seen, with the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK (as well as the shady associations of LBJ).

All three slain men were upsetting the US applecart with relation to war and social values, and we're supposed to believe they were all killed by separate, lone, crazed assassins? And don't forget the assassination of John Lennon who came out strongly, and therefore influentially, against war.

In addition, when it's well-documented by the mainstream media that the CIA supported mind control experiments, how can we be expected to believe they are not still involved in them? The Canadian experiments are fully covered in the documentary Evidence of Revision, linked to above.

I'm not the conspiracist; somebody with a lot of power in the US stays awake nights working on elaborate plots against unwanted public figures. And if Obama remains alive, it's because he's part of the whole agenda.

Related: VIDEO: Al Qaeda Doesn't Exist
Zbigniew Brzezinski, advisor to Barack Obama created "Al Qaeda" (meaning "the base") to rid Afghanistan of the Soviets. He assured them God was on their side, and he later stated that there was a greater threat from the Soviets overtaking Afghanistan than from the Taliban which grew out of his creation, the Mujahadeen.

Telling it like it is ...

Thanks to Ron for pointing out this video featuring Jewish South African Ronnie Kasrils, a former minister in Nelson Mandela's ANC government, who would be labeled antisemitic by the Harper government and the CPCCA, but who simply explains in detail, from first hand experience, just how much like Apartheid South Africa Israel has become.

Queen's Christmas Message

Video: Not the Queen; a queen. Don't know why, but I was touched by it.

Sure beats the bored message from the Quink.

Ah, Christmas, that glorious time of the year when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ. (Didn't Bart Simpson say that first?)

Actually, while many people spend their Christmas snapping up online shopping bargains, others have traveled to Bethlehem to experience what Jesus must have felt when he celebrated Christmas.

Still others are having fits about minarets and the use of the term Allah in otherwise Christian Bibles (personally I think that last issue is a point in favour of Christianity, who seem to have finally realized that "Allah" refers to "God" and not some evil Islamic idol).

Yeah, yeah, I know ... a woman jumped the Pope (video). But what does he expect when he encourages popemania? Besides, lots of good Catholic women dream of jumping a priest, I'm told. Men of the collar have quite a sexy aura to the devoted spinster, no matter how ugly, crude, or lacking in character they might actually be. The ones who leave the priesthood (but not the church) for political reasons are snapped up in a flash. And their blessed wives never fail to proudly remind others, "Once a priest, always a priest" - to keep the fantasy alive, I guess.

Naturally we can't have Christmas without some kind of justification for war. "The Taliban" have greatly swayed sentiment in favour of Obama's Afghanistan surge by displaying captured US soldier Bowe Bergdahl to the world.

The news media have chopped the film up bad. This is the longest version I could find in a quick search (hey, I'm hungry and I smell good stuff cooking). Bergdahl seems sincere in his talk about the folly of the US actions in other countries. Could be Stockholm Syndrome; could be he's a little more educated now about the Afghan war.

Come to think about it, the woman who jumped the pope might be suffering from the same thing - loving her oppressor, the man who wants total control over her body while not even knowing her name. Oh, hey, look at this: Panicked, Sweat-Covered Pope Reverses Longstanding Ban On Abortion

There has been widespread condemnation of the jailing by China of leading dissident, Liu Xiaobo, for subversion...
Xiaobo's crime is that he got up a petition against one-party rule.

The final paragraph of the news item says: The petition says the "practice of viewing words as crimes" should be stopped.
Seems awfully (self) righteous of us, doesn't it, considering that in the United States it's a crime to boycott Israeli products, and if the CPCCA, Irwin Cotler and Jason Kenney have their eventual way with our laws, we'll soon be earning our share of (more) international criticism.

Feliz Navidad! Sincerely! Listen to this video (the pictures are kind of lame) and you'll know I mean it. It's the only Christmas 'carol' I'm aware of that can get you up dancing, and I'm pretty sure that isn't a sin anymore.

Christmas Snooze Interruptus ...

(1) Halleujah!

Thanks to Ron:

Harper sees the light about Israel. His Christmas message!

He's also moved from his position that there's no proof of prisoner abuse in Afghanistan to prisoner abuse being beyond Canada's control. Okay, okay, we're not saying it happened, but it did, see, and it's the Afghans' problem. What a weasel.

This also kind of negates his argument that we're in Afghanistan to make a better life for Afghanis. How would you feel if you had been tortured and your "saviour" brushed it off with, "Oh well, we're not perfect"?

Harper's getting coal in his Christmas stocking. And he's overjoyed about that.

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(2) Lest we forget ...

New York Times Book Review: "Footnotes in Gaza"

Joe Sacco’s gripping, important book about two long-forgotten mass killings of Palestinians in Gaza stands out as one of the few contemporary works on the Israeli-Palestinian struggle likely to outlive the era in which they were written...

Governments and the news media alike forget that atrocities live on in the memory of those most immediately affected. Sacco records Abed El-Aziz El-Rantisi — a leader of Hamas (later killed by an Israeli missile), who in 1956 was 9 and living in Khan Younis — describing how his uncle was killed: “It left a wound in my heart that can never heal,” he says. “I’m telling you a story and I am almost crying. . . . They planted hatred in our hearts.”

You'd think an Israeli would be able to identify with this kind of pogrom, but obviously not.

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(3) Risky health care ...

US healthcare bill carries risks for all sides
The fight on Capitol Hill isn't over yet.

Before Obama can sign a measure into law, differences must be resolved between the Senate bill and one passed last month by the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic leaders have voiced confidence that Obama will get a final bill next month.

"Democrats must produce a bill," said Ethan Siegal of the Washington Exchange, a private firm that tracks legislation and politics for institutional investors. "If they don't, they'd be seen as unable to govern.

Whew! Now, if that were Harper he'd be proroguing all over the place!

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(4) Polish Celeb:

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass is moved to 10pm to give the Pope 'time to rest'

The Pope has decreed that midnight is now 10 PM. Adjust your clock accordingly.

Interesting that all the other "news" items listed on this page are about entertainment celebrities.

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(5) Peace on Earth?

Culture wars over Christmas displays: where the law stands
... angel and star ornaments in government buildings caused controversy.

Really, you have to take into account how some of these traditions began. For instance I just recently learned from a relative how the tradition of putting an angel on the top of the tree got started. It seems Santa was having a really bad day when an angel knocked on his door.

The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'

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(6) So What?

Why is it that we're supposed to care where Osama Bin Laden's kids are living? Wherever they are, they no doubt live in luxury compared to the Afghans who have taken a prolonged beating over their father's alleged actions.

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(7) Fill your bowl with mirth!

Mr. Bean's Christmas Nativity (video)

I can't look at Mr. Bean without thinking of Gordon Brown, and vice versa.

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(8) For all the bad little children:

HAVE A FUN CHRISTMAS!

Laugh every chance you get, and if you don't get a chance, MAKE ONE.

It's just a ride, eh? (Bill Hicks Video)

"Hump Day"

(If you're bored with the news (and gawd knows I am) you might be interested in reading about all about Wednesday.)
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(1) Cophenhagen

From reader John:

Naomi Klein: For Obama, No Opportunity Too Big To Blow
The EU, Japan, China and India had all indicated that they were willing to increase their levels of commitment, but only if the U.S. took the lead. Instead of leading, Obama arrived with embarrassingly low targets and the heavy emitters of the world took their cue from him.

YYC: And that's because it's not about climate change; it's only about putting a mechanism in place to establish one world government.

Have you been hearing lately about the Medieval Warm Period? I've been waiting for something like this because every time I read "warmest temperatures on record" I'm uncomfortably aware that the record referred to goes back only 150 years.

Don't like the hockey stick model? Here's a video that shows an equally simplistic sea shell model.

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(2) Israel/Palestine

From Abla:

This year, 1,000 people from all over the world will participate in the Gaza Freedom March, a historic initiative to break the siege that has imprisoned the 1.5 million people who live there. Rallies in support of this event and in commemoration of last year's assault on Gaza will be taking place in cities around the world.

OTTAWA EVENT: This December 27th, join Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) at the Human Rights Monument at 1:00pm to voice your solidarity with the Palestinian people and demand an end to Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip.

Statement regarding the Gaza Freedom March

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Update from Greg Felton on Israeli products being sold at Safeway stores:

I called Maurice Ellard (not Allen) and he passed me on to the media dept. I am expecting a call (yeah, right!). He wouldn’t say anything.

However, I also found Israeli peppers at Save-On Foods, which owned by Jimmy Pattison. I’m following up with the store manager.

I suggest that people check their red peppers twice before buying them.

Greg

Food: For External Use Only?

From the Edmonton Sun:
Health Canada is inviting public comments until February 21 on its idea to have small amounts of the enzyme asparaginase put into foods like potato chips and french fries.

The Sun has done no inquiry; it merely repeats verbatim a CP article.

Note the imprecision of the words "foods like ..." (emphasis mine). "Small amounts" is a meaningless term, rendered even more so by the fact that we don't know how many other foods will be dosed with it resulting in the ingestion of large amounts.

Note also that the article carefully does not inform the reader that this will amount to involuntary, daily, ongoing chemotherapy administered to healthy citizens.

Wikipedia lists the side effects - the main one being "an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction", and a secondary but more serious effect being that it can interfere with proper blood coagulation levels.

Note further that no link is provided to the relevant Health Canada web page that allows public input. In a search of the HC website, I was unable to find such an invitation, but I did find the following statement by searching the keyword: asparaginase .

From the Health Canada website:

Health Canada received input from several stakeholders representing the food industry and professional organizations including:

* The Baking Association of Canada (BAC)
* McCain Foods (Canada)
* The Enzyme Technical Association (ETA)
* Frito Lay Canada
* Food and Consumer Products of Canada

All stakeholders expressed their support to Health Canada's recommendation to permit the use of asparaginase as a food additive for use in certain food applications in Canada.

If you look farther down the page you will see that it isn't just "junk food", but also wheat flour used in crackers and breads, in addition to something called "unstandardized foods" - a wide-open field if ever there was one.

At the bottom of that page is a link to information about food allergies and intolerances because there's plenty of that going around these days. Which is all a win/win for the Big Pharmers, since it means they can produce even more drugs to combat the intolerances caused by food additives.

The National Post, though more verbose, is equally vague about what foods will be dosed, and does not provide a link to the purported Health Canada input page.

But it's all moot because, in case you didn't notice, at the top of the same Health Canada page is a statement that completely belies what is being reported by the news agencies about consumer input:

On February 20th 2009, Health Canada sent a letter to stakeholders to inform them of the department's proposal to permit the use of asparaginase as a food additive for use in the reduction of formation of acrylamide in certain foods sold in Canada after the completion of a safety evaluation by Health Canada's scientists. Information on this proposal was also made available on Health Canada's website on March 02, 2009, providing the larger stakeholder community and the public with information supporting Health Canada's evaluation of this food additive and its recommendation to permit its use in foods available for sale in Canada. Comments were accepted until 12:00am EDT on Thursday May 21, 2009.

Yes, my friends, newspapers these days are about as reputable as the Nobel Prize:

Rockwall auto shop has slick promotion: Nobel with every oil change
Each customer who gets an oil change at Horizon Auto gets a blue sticker with a picture of the prize and this inscription: "Conferred for the effort and peaceful intention of getting the oil and filter changed."

YYC: Note the brilliant play on the word "change" which is what Obama was supposed to be all about.

Physics Nobel gone to undeserving duo, say former colleagues
"They wouldn't know an imaging device if it stared them in the face"

YYC: It's not like the love fest of the academy awards where the prize is shared equally among all those involved - but maybe that's because the Oscar is just a statue, not a ton of cash.

Oh, the morality ...

(1) Fibber cops

Olympics will move Vancouver closer to police state
Activist Chris Shaw explains being pulled over by the VPD who claimed to be doing a routine identity check ...

And that's illegal. Usually if they want to break that law the police find some flaw in your vehicle and pull you over to warn you about it, and in doing so ascertain your identity. But nowadays, it seems the police find it easier to lie to people in the hope that they won't know their own rights.

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(2) Chipping away your privacy

Senator Denounces RFID cards
He cautioned cardholders about their vulnerability to identity thieves, commenting you "may as well put your credit card information on a big sign on your back."

Yeah, that's my feeling about it, but I doubt it will make a difference what I and the Senator think. If there's a technology out there to profit from it will be used. Below is some further information on the coming reign of the chip.

What are contactless credit cards?

Numerous suggestions on how to deactivate and/or expose vulnerablities in chips

Implanted Chips FDA approved, but linked with animal cancer

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(3) The rumour finally breaks in Israel

Thanks to reader Chris D.:

Doctor admits Israeli pathologists harvested organs without consent
However, there was no evidence that Israel had killed Palestinians to take their organs, as the Swedish paper reported.

Back in August this was dismissed as mere "whispers in the dark", but now it's on Israeli TV. Note how the reporter even now hastens to mitigate the circumstances, but "no evidence" does not mean it did not happen. Israel has arrested thousands of healthy young men, and at least some of them died mysteriously in capitivity.

Yet another term (besides "antisemitic") that is being over-used to the point of losing all impact is "blood libel". This is not the same as saying Jews boil and eat gentile babies, or that Jews drink blood. This is thievery coupled with a gross lack of respect for the non-Jewish dead and their relatives. Some Israeli pathologists were asked to remove organs for transplant without permission from the relatives of the deceased.

It's nice to know that the Israelis still yelling "blood libel" are obviously cognizant that this is a serious offence (or they wouldn't go on the offensive like this). They might just as easily have countered with: "Big deal, so we forgot a technicality."

But when an Israeli admits to having done something like this, he is admitting to yet another breach of the Geneva conventions, this one regarding treatment of prisoners of war which clearly states you don't have a right to take their personal belongings.

I suppose the pathologist who confessed could say he was simply following orders - and besides the conventions do not specifically mention inner organs - but a moral person would see inner organs as being one's personal belongings.

"The guidelines at that time were not clear," says the health ministry. Bolshoi! They were clear enough with regard to Jewish cadavers, you can bet on that.

The final line of the section on POWs states: "Cases not conforming exactly with the examples quoted shall be determined in the spirit of the guiding principles given above." A moral person knows the difference between the letter and the spirit of a regulation.

Do you suppose some Israelis are sitting around now in shock and horror at the thought that they might have the body parts of a Palestinian "cockroach" inside them? It's not likely they would have been told that at the time of the transplant.

But it ain't just Palestinians being ripped open and off. It's reportedly a widespread global business of which Israel is a part and the US is a customer. (we also hear it about China as if they were the only ones doing it). In this article, it's reported that an autopsy requested by a Scottish family revealed that the heart and a neck bone were missing from the body of a family member who was shipped home strangely dead from Israel.

=========================

(4) Junk Science

'Green' shopping used to justify subsequent wasteful behaviour: study
"When [people] feel that their morality is lacking, they're more likely to engage in good behaviours as compensation," he said. "But when they observe or perceive themselves to be morally satisfied or content, that creates licensing effects for them to engage in ethical behaviours that are less likely to be moral."

Man, there's pop science for everything nowadays. It doesn't seem to occur to these people calling themselves researchers that many people buy green simply because they don't want to poison themselves in some cases - which Ayn Rand would call enlightened self-interest - or because they're fad followers and see it as a status symbol. In neither case is morality a factor; nor is it always a factor in charitable giving, especially if you get a window, a wall or a whole building named after you.

Knocking us back to the stone age ...

... systematically removing hard won human rights (you know, the ones they say our soldiers die for but are actually won and lost - if we're not vigilant - right here on the home front), and reverting to neanderthal practices in the military.

The following is all from my Inbox, except for this first link:

(1) Climate Change and National Sovereignty

YYC: Clearly the agreement finally accepted at Copenhagen is not about climate change. It places dubious restrictions on the major world powers, but it also puts a mechanism in place that can move the planet toward global governance.

=====

From Mareta:

your daily Monckton...:)

UNFCCCP: Communism red in tooth and claw at Copenhagen

I've started reading the blog on Monckton's Science and public policy website out of curiosity. Honestly, I like how he writes and these days it's hard to find a writer that I actually enjoy. Anyway, I don't know that I agree with everything he says, perhaps I simply like what he seems to represent - my childhood - when authority figures really seemed well-meaning and politicans had "gentlemanly (womanly?) debates in parliament and that intelligence and a keen wit were the favoured weapons of conflict. I don't know. Perhaps he is a dinosaur :( Maybe I'm just nostalgic.) Maybe it's simply because he allows me to laugh at all this stuff that could otherwise be terrifying.

YYC: Mareta is demonstrating the kind of honest approach to opinion that I respect; not too dogmatic, but willing to sift through all the available information with a reasonably open mind and an acknowledgement of conditioned responses.

=========================

(2) Israel/Judaism

From Ron:

NY bicyclists to ride topless in protest against haredim
Activists say ultra-Orthodox caused removal of bike lane to drive away riders in scanty clothes

YYC: My gawd. What are these Jews trying to do? Foment what they can later call "antisemitism"? The cyclists are correct - the Jewish neighbourhood does not own the public roads and cyclists have a right to be there whether there is a designated bike lane or not. Or at least that's the way it was when America was supposedly a democracy!

We all see things we'd rather not when we go out in public, but if the neighbourhood offends on a regular basis we move to one that is more to our liking (there's always Israel where the ultra-orthodox still maintain the upper hand), or we avert our eyes, or plant trees to block out offending images. We don't bully city hall into bullying the rest of the population to act according to our personal tastes. Why, that wouldn't be democratic, would it?

=====

From Catharine:

Gaza Freedom March - TORONTO
March in Global Solidarity - Dec. 27

GAZA: Strength Under Siege, December 31, 2009, TORONTO
"An evening of solidarity and fundraising for Gaza"

=====

From Daniel at PAJU:

Israeli army's Chief Rabbi: Troops who show mercy to enemy will be 'damned'

YYC: There ain't nothin' that can't be transformed into a religious rite. It's a sad, sad comment, but probably true that "religious individuals make better combat troops". My first thought is that the military isn't happy with the exemptions for Yeshiva students, and this article bears that out.

=====

From John:

More details on the defunding of KAIROS:
Despite a 35-year collaboration, the Canadian church group KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, “one of Canada’s most respected and important charitable organizations,” was stunned when their likely routine 7 million dollar request for the human rights program was denied by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). But they were even more surprised when they discovered why ...

YYC: We can expect to see more of this kind of arbitrary muzzling on behalf of Israel that spawned the CPCCA. Again, what are fanatical Zionists trying to do - foment antisemitism where it never existed just to prove their ruthlessness derives from their own victimization?

The Ugly Canadian
Nine ways we are ruining our once enviable reputation in the world.

YYC: Basically, Murray Dobbin is saying that Harper takes his cues from big business and the US administration, regardless of the issue at hand, and that goes double in the case of Israel.

=====

Linda comments: "The Toronto Star as far as I can see has been the only main media organization in Canada covering this important story - two articles last week and and editorial and opinion piece today.

Write letters to the editor."

Harper acting like an elected dictator

Shabby Tory Smears

=====

Greg Felton responds to those who heeded his report of Israeli goods on sale at Safeway:

Many thanks to you all for your efforts. I have called and e-mailed Safeway but have yet to receive a response.

I did find out that the produce manager at Calgary head office is Maurice Allen (sp?) at 1-800-SAFEWAY.

I will call again on Monday.

Thanks again, and the happiest of winter festivities!

Greg

=========================

(3) Forcible Gender Trade-Off

From Margaret:

In the US army it is now a punishable crime to have a baby - if a female soldier gets pregnant on a tour on duty she can be court martialed. The policy applies to male soldiers too, although I'm not sure how...

Essentially married soldiers on duty are expected to stay baby-free or face the penalties.

Interesting. They used to send the pregnant soldiers home. Do you suppose this is just a way to get people starting to think about the regulation of pregnancy in general?

YYC: It's sad that gender equality allows women to join the military yet at the same time takes them back to the stone age in reproductive rights. In the 50's women were "let go" from their jobs as soon as they started to show their pregnancies. Here we are again, and yes, I think it is intended to help recondition our attitudes reagarding personal choices.

Burning and raving ...

at close of day ...

That Dylan Thomas poem could just as easily have been about women.

Sorry, I missed another blogging day yesterday. Was out of town attending my nonagenarian mother's Christmas luncheon at her assisted-living retirement home. If you want to have a good time, try sitting down to a table with four tough old ladies in their 90's who've parked their walkers and are keen for some fun. They say what they want and they don't care who doesn't like it, and these ones were amazingly deft at puns.

One of them was 96, and I can't repeat here the raunchy Santa joke she told me. She also told me she HATES being called "dear" (me too) and she's sick of being told she'll live to 100, because she's willing to die right now, having "enjoyed life to the fullest" especially when her beloved husband was alive, with whom she had both a close friendship and a marriage, or to live past a hundred if "the Good Lord wills it."

Every one of them was sharp-minded, sharp-tongued, nicely dressed and coiffed, easy on the eyes, and funny as all get out.

They were discussing cocktail recipes at one point and I asked if booze ever gets smuggled into the residence. They rolled their eyes and smirked mischievously, but didn't answer. For everything else, they had an answer. I laughed so hard I smeared my mascara.

Those who see old people as nothing but a drain on society shouldn't be allowed to live.

Anyway, not being a spring chicken myself, I'm recuperating from the long trip, and have some errands to run, but I'll have more to say later today or first thing tomorrow. Much more, judging from my emails.

IN THE MEANTIME: a reader to told me that her husband read somewhere that Dick Cheney's office had "spontaneously combusted". Apparently the mere shredding of documents isn't considered secure enough these days. Actually, this happened exactly two years ago today, but if you want to see some of the possible reasons it could have recurred, take a look at this. I like possibility number 21 best, in the comments section of the article.

Mareta in Spain has sent a link to the latest Corbett report, always worth a look-see.

Mareta comments:

"Banks propped up with drug money (surprise surprise); AMA making DNA registry of newborns without public knowledge (duh) and guess who was behind this legislation; 22 million emails that got lost during Bush admin (lost?) have been found - but it'll take years to process them ...(hahaha)."

YYC: Mareta spends as much time as she can monitoring US actions at home and abroad, because she figures that as North America goes, eventually so will Spain. The King of Spain and his son grew beards for the first time recently - a symbol of defiance, Mareta says, regardless of the cover story given in the media. The King has sinced shaved his; his son has not, however.

Hugo Chavez seems to support Mareta's conclusion, since he likened the King's beard to Fidel Castro's. Mind you, the King did tell Chavez to "shut up" earlier, but now I'm thinking that may have been the result of extreme stress - and he did use the pronoun "tu", suggesting affection for Chavez - or great contempt, depending on the point of view.

Image borrowed from this website.

The divil you say ...

Some say the divil is dead, the divil is dead, the divil is dead.
Some say the divil is dead and burried in Killarney,
More say he rose again, more say he rose again,
More say he rose again and joined the British army Video

(1) Canada/Israel

I came across this article and thought that it's a good indication of the blinkers that trained "white" globalists wear: Harper says Canada has no history of colonialism

Tell that to our First Nations, eh?

It seemed to go well with this video from Ron. Canada is not only a result of colonialism it has always supported British and American colonialism, and now thoroughly supports the Israeli version.

See Ottawan Bahija Reghai's article on how Canada doesn't even want to financially support aid to the refugees Israel has created.

Ron's video expresses well the level of dedication required of boycotters of Israeli Apartheid if the boycott is to continue being successful. Clearly it's not our government that supports social programs; it's at the whim and ideology of whoever happens to head it up at a given time. That is not democray, nor is it freedom of thought and speech. But it does show what we're up against now and where things are heading.

Some people think the move toward privatization in Ontario, for instance, is the result of Liberal ideology, but the federal Conservatives are just as much in favour. All it means is that there's now officially no diff between a LibCon and an AllCon (or a DemCon and a RepubCon), federally, provincially or municipally. The global agenda is pure corporate capitalist fundamentalism, and that means "white" control over all shades of brown-skinned peoples, especially those who live in resource-rich areas.

And if you still haven't got your head around global (corporate) governance, and Obama's role in it, rest assured the UN definitely has. See Margaret's input below.

=====

(2) Carbonhagen

From Margaret in Europe:

U.N. chief weighs in on climate talk expectations

One of the principles agreed upon is that all commitments should be reportable, measurable and verifiable. This is what has been agreed by both developed and developing countries.

We will establish a global governance structure to monitor and manage the implementation of this. Experts from both worlds should participate.

And I believe that the fact that President Obama has agreed to participate himself may suggest that the U.S. has some better understandings on what China and India will do. He has been instrumental in changing the political dynamics of this debate.

Sounds like everyone is agreed about global governance and that India and China are to take the lead in the global economy.

Lord Monckton breaks down Copenhagen - part 1 (video)

He says that all that is happening- demonstrations, the African boycott etc is all "street theatre" and that, in fact, all was decided before the talks even started. He asserts that the true thrust behind this meeting is hammering out the formation of a vast network of administrative bodies - and how to pay for them - that is forming the beginnings of global government.

It could be easy to discredit Monckton because he is "one of them" but I would suggest that he may be right because, in fact, he has a bit of an axe to grind with them.

Monckton has referred to himself as a "peer of the House of Lords" but is not a member of that body. Monckton was an unsuccessful candidate for a Conservative seat in the House of Lords in a March 2007 by-election caused by the death of Lord Mowbray and Stourton. He received no votes in the election. He was highly critical of the way that the Lords had been reformed, describing the by-election procedure, with 43 candidates and 47 electors, as "a bizarre constitutional abortion."

He also belongs to many humanitarian organizations:

Monckton is a member of the Worshipful Company of Broderers, an Officer of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a Knight of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and a member of the Roman Catholic Mass Media Commission.

Quotes are from Wikipedia.

I'll send part 2 when it's released.

YYC: Methinks the Wiki article was written by Monckton himself. You'll laugh when I tell you why: it contains the word "riposte" - a frightfully, upper class British word, wouldn't you say? But he writes for and is an adviser to the Science and Public Policy Institute which appears to have a substantial body of scientific advisers - people who know, or should know, at least as much as the global warming proponents.

Who funds any of them seems moot at this point since both sides appear to be funded by corporate interests, as are political parties and wars.

Monckton's "Apocalypse? No!" is available on Google for anyone who is interested. In it he claimed to be as balanced as Fox News, and he didn't seem to be joking.

I admit again, for the record, I don't know whether or not gobal warming is the issue it's made out to be, but I can see lots of reasons why the powers that be would want us to get worked up about it - because in order to mitigate the problem we will have to have world government, and they would prefer we submit willingly to that rather than that they be forced to force it upon us (that's their idea of democracy - making us want their oppression).

On the same page as Monckton's video there's one titled: 1983: The Brink Of Apocalypse discussing how perilously close the Cold Warriors came to nuking the planet. Now that's what I call an apocalypse, and they didn't even bother to tell us about it until after it was all over! So my motto is the more they yell about stuff, the less credible it very likely is.

Monckton's video is seductive to me for a reason you might not suspect. It happens that I'm in love with Inspector Morse who travels in the pomp of Oxfordian circles while maintaining a fine disdain for it that helps me to tolerate it (you can get some of the flavour of that in this full length episode - and enjoy a Japanese commercial ad as well).

Travelled, I should say, since the Morse series concluded long ago and actor John Thaw himself is now tucked into an urn. As Morse, he dies of his penchant for drink (John Thaw was also an alcoholic as well as a heavy smoker) in the last episode, and I haven't been able to bring myself to watch that full episode again, though I've seen all the others numerous times.

Morse is extremely lame around women he finds attractive, can't stand to look at a corpse, and he's often unkind to his sidekick Lewis, with whom I'm almost as much in love. What a pair they make - upper crust sensibilities teamed up with plain, ordinary common sense. Have I digressed enough?

Perhaps a complete change-about is in order, just to rest the thoughts - although the reverence expressed in this video for a certain talking head is cause for mild alarm. Still, I couldn't be more enthralled with it, I must say. The funniest part in the whole thing is that he says his line about the picture being crooked but it isn't and he has to make it crooked himself in order to continue the segment.

Okay, it's not really a change-about. The guy ends up dancing with the devil, for pete's sake, just like our so-called leaders and their media mouthpieces. Martin Short is very deep, I must say.

Wonderful, wonderful Dopenhagen ...

From John in Manitoba, who comments: "This is why Al Gore is a millionaire."

Carbon trading explained (PDF)

YYC: The cover page says "How it works and why it fails" so Gore might not come out on top after all.

=====

From Mareta in Spain who comments: "This will certainly help to build up frustration"

Friends of the Earth Chair Evicted from COP15 in Copenhagen (video)

Mareta continues:

There has been sudden, severe restriction regarding who can attend the talks at this point.

There is also what has been called a Peoples Assembly walk out consisting of frustrated NGOs.

COP15-walkout(video)

and the chair has resigned her position / but will continue to facilitate negotiations

Connie Hedegaard gives a press conference (video) regarding her resignation at COP15

YYC: Ms. Hedegaard looks almost as if she's suffering from shock - pale, eyes wide, tired, and angry underneath her calm exterior. I bet she's heard some things behind the scenes she never thought she'd hear.

More from Mareta:

I sent this because I love the title... and it's fun to watch.

CrossTalk on Climate: Dopenhagen? (video)

Below- Not really a very good title for this video (in my opinion):

Science Silence: Why Global Warming minds avoid open debate? (video)

It is an interview with Lars Seier Christensen, co-CEO of Denmark's Saxo Bank and his recently published book "Blue planet in green shackels" written by a Czech whose name I missed in the interview.

=====

From Moi:

There's an interesting Irish perspective in a video entitled: End of Nations. I haven't watched the whole thing yet, but from what I've seen it characterizes the EU as the monster in the current move toward global government. The Treaty of Lisbon appears to have effectively got all the EU members moving in lockstep with no real national sovereignty.

Stephen Harper talks a lot about preserving Canada's sovereignty, but what he means by that may well be quite different from how you or I would define it. With a global government, no elected officials would have a say in foreign policy - in fact there would be no foreign policy, but only international or global policy; local governments would be autonomous only in local issues such as health care, education, infrastructure, that sort of thing. Our military, for instance, would not be Canadian, they would be part of an international force, for which is it now appears NATO is the prototype.

I recall Harper expressing surprise at how he quickly had to deal with foreign affairs issues when he was first elected - more precisely, how much time he was having to spend on it. Probably that's because he's been thinking global government all along. Interesting that a man who professes to be a fundamentalist (Christian and Missionary Alliance) would relish the idea of one-world-government when it's supposed to be a sign of the end of days, but all the more reason, perhaps, why he would be happy to help bring it about because then Jesus could return.

Same as the Messiah can't come until God's chosen people, the Jews, have taken over the whole of Palestine. Not just prophecy all brought about by God, but self-fulfilling prophecy with a hard, violent push administered by humans.

Okay, here's the real song, a vintage piece: Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen - her open arms now not so welcoming to some.

Thank heaven for reader input ...

Sorry for ignoring you yesterday. I bought myself a Christmas present - a Netbook, and have been playing with it ever since. It will be great for showing videos and photos of my grandkids to the relatives and friends I'll be visiting over the next couple of weeks. It fits into my purse and weighs nothing!

I won't tell you the brand lest you think I'm shilling for the company that made it. But they are all darn cute little things, and yet they have ample sized hard drives, can handle all the softwares that a PC can, and they have built in webcams. No DVD drive, though; a USB DVD drive is extra, but my flash drive works great for transferring files.

There's still some configuring to do. Even the best computers come with a lot a bloat software that has to be picked off like burrs.

In the meantime I've been bailed out by three readers ...

Margaret has sent a few video links for your delectation, about which you can use your own good judgment:

anti human mindset of environmentalists

ddt

ecologist hypocriticus

YYC: That last one really makes me wonder if a lot of overtly climate conscious people are actually being covertly funded to convince us of our Climate Change responsibilities while not doing a thing about it themselves.

Regarding DDT, hard to say if it's the only thing that could have protected African children from malaria, but I don't think for one minute that the health of African children is uppermost in the minds of those who want to bring it back.

Two more (VIDEOS) from PBS Frontline carbon watch - one explains how the international carbon market works and the other is a documentary about the controversy over a carbon project in Brazil.

=====

"Beesting" sent this:

Thought you'd appreciate 'In reverse, ex-Zionist leader helping Israelis go Down Under ." Where money speaks... like everybody else, ideology takes the back seat.

I assume that the news about Livni canceling her trip to the UK will be everywhere in the media tomorrow.

YYC: It would appear that the noose is tightening. Pretty soon Livni will be in the emigration business herself, if Australia will have her.

Transcript of Obama's Nobel acceptance speech

YYC: Can you believe he said, "I receive this honour with deep gratitude and great humility." The temerity! To boast of great humility is pretty much proof of lack of any.

His speech was mostly damage control due to the public reaction. Check out these poll results: Do you think Obama deserved the Nobel prize?

=====

Mareta sent this comment regarding "Carbonhagen":

I have a very bad feeling about how the talks are going to end up. I participated on the COP15 website by commenting on someone else's comment that went something like this:

A commenter (commentator?) stated that he was sick of corruption, war, pollution, inequality etc that seemed to be a complaint against the leaders and their failure to reach an agreement.

Another commenter said he agreed and suggested that the only way to deal with global warming was to create a central governing authority to control the use of fossil fuels and that they should only be used in matters of life and death.

I jumped on because of the oblique reference to global government. I said (pretty much) How can we trust our leaders to form a central governing body and expect it to work when they can't even reach an agreement on the treaty?

I wanted to see what people were thinking about with regard to global government.

Anyway, the response surprised me. He wrote back saying I was right and that we should know "who is who" by the end of the week. Then he made the comment that maybe he I and the other commenter should do it.

It creeped me out a bit because it suddenly occurred to me (and I know this sounds paranoid) but do you suppose the talks were designed to fail, to frustrate the public and push the public to hysterical heights of fear of global warming and the fact that no one is doing anything about it as a reason to mandate global government as "the only solution" - as the only way to mandate solutions that will save the planet? Everyone must obey or we will all die?

We will know "who is who" by the end of the week. Will the Americans or British step in at the last moment and mandate that the only solution is a central governing authority?

Just who will be that knight that comes charging in to save the day?

problem reaction solution
The crowds will love it.

Sometimes I'm tempted to buy a newspaper ...

... just so I could throw it in the trash.

But first - Israel: Calls to action

Greg Felton in BC sent this:

Dear friends:

I went to Safeway store #58 in New Westminster to buy red peppers, and the only bulk ones for sale were from Israel! The assistant manager told me the store has no control over what it sells, and that all complaints must be made to head office.

Interestingly, Safeway has a business ethics department:
1-866-239-1376
business.ethics@safeway.com

I have registered a complaint with Safeway and I will call the above-cited number tomorrow morning. Please add your voice to mine.

Thanks,

Greg

YYC: Now, this is one case where a picket might be very useful. The surest way to get Israeli products off the shelves is to encourage the public not to buy them.

Linda in Ottawa sent this:

Do you know what the Canadian Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism is? If not, visit www.canpalnet-ottawa.org to find out - your civil liberties may depend on it.

Defend Free Speech *******Sign Petition ********

=====

(2) Obama has disappointed Michael Moore

Michael Moore begged Pres. Obama not to send more troops to Afghanistan.

With our economic collapse still in full swing and our precious young men and women being sacrificed on the altar of arrogance and greed, the breakdown of this great civilization we call America will head, full throttle, into oblivion if you become the "war president." Empires never think the end is near, until the end is here. Empires think that more evil will force the heathens to toe the line -- and yet it never works. The heathens usually tear them to shreds.

Imagine, he still had "a sliver of hope". Well, that's what Obama was supposed to be all about, right? Hope. Moore lost a lot of credibility with me after some previous begging (video) he did. I wonder if Ralph Nader has said to him "I told you so."

Oh well, some folks are tickled pink about the surge.

And, hey, good luck to Michael with that "heathen" remark. Is he some kind of missionary throwback or what?

=====

(3) Obama lied like all the others about Bin Laden

I've added a new link to the side panel: Veterans Today. It points to a good article on the Bin Laden myth and the deceit of the American government, including Obama.

=====

(4) "Carbonhagen"

Margaret in Europe sent this:

New World this week - Dec 10 (video)
Carbon is poison; uranium, bacteria, arsenic and jet fuel is ok; and the West Virgina cola mining debacle.

YYC: I must admit - though I hate to help create "heroes" because I don't want to end up disappointed like Michael Moore - that Corbett and his pal make a lot of sense. I like that both of these guys expressed what I've been dealing with myself - that it's hard to get one's head clear on some issues because there are so many of them and the information is so contradictory. I'm left sometimes having to stay silent or telling people to read, listen and use their own judgment.

I also like the term "Carbonhagen". Wish I'd thought of that.

=====

(5) The nose knows, so be careful

An attacker hit Italian PM Berlusconi with a statue of the Milan cathedral (boy I'd love to learn the symbolism behind that) and fractured his nose. A lesson for politicians - if your nose gets too long you just know somebody is going to go for it.

Well, it's better than being T-Boned (there's jargon for everything nowadays).

Italy's President called it an attack on that country's institutions, but considering Berlusconi's rep for lying (I corrected a typo which would have made that "laying", but come to think of it, it wasn't really a mistake), cheating and general corruption, he's done more damage all by him's lonesome to Italy's institutions.

=====

(6) Twittering Twits (Say that five times quickly)

One-third of Canada's politicians are now on Twitter. It must be hard work leaping from bandwagon to bandwagon. Twitter is a fad that has been sold to the public the same way fax machines were, and look where the fax ended up. How? Well, they just told everybody that everybody else was doing it. The socially insecure will bite every time.

=====

(7) The Pharmers are mad, mad I tell you!

Health experts say: Play in the Mud, Stop Allergies?

Some other health experts say: Peanut Allergy – Vaccinations Link

YYC says: Peanut allergies have doubled during the last decade. Doubled! And apparently, vaccines are made using peanut oil. Except in Israel, where they use sesame seed oil in their vaccines and have almost no cases of peanut allergy.

Play in the mud my aunt fanny's fanny.

=====

(8) Here we go with N. Korea again

North Korean plane carrying smuggled arms seized in Thailand
Five held in Bangkok over 35-tonne cargo which included rocket launchers, grenades and missiles
YYC: The US owns Thailand, of course, so they can create any impression they want. And no one is surprised that Iran is the destination. Hard to believe it was only 20 or so years ago that the Iran-Contra scandal broke. That time it was Israel doing the mule thing. Wherever there's money to be made, arms will be sold. Everybody and his brother does it:

Wali Karzai has denied a U.S. report that he is involved in Afghanistan's arms trade.

That's the caption under the photo. Okay, it's got to be a misprint, or else a slip of the controlled media tongue. Here's another brother who does it for sure.