Michael J. Fox talks To Katie Couric about Parkinson’s, Rush Limbaugh, and stem cell research.
Legalizing Torture?
Seriously, there is something wrong with the United States. They are considering legalizing TORTURE! See this Metafilter post and its many links.
This has me blown away. So here’s your chance (yes you) to tell me (and everyone else), what you think about the USA trying to legalize torture.
Olbermann’s special commentary on Clinton vs Fox
YouTube is hosting Keith Olbermann’s special commentary on Fox’s ambush (see CNN report or Crooks and Liars post with video) of former American president, Bill Clinton.
I have to say, I never agreed with Clinton’s questional behavior behind the scenes, but I certainly felt that the media’s reaction was worse than what he did.
Here is Bush’s [non]response to Clinton’s accusation that the Bush administration had no meetings about Bin Laden for nine months after he left office.
Bush Best President Since Clinton
This month’s Rolling Stone magazine reports on the United States’ worst president ever:
According to the Treasury Department, the forty-two presidents who held office between 1789 and 2000 borrowed a combined total of $1.01 trillion from foreign governments and financial institutions. But between 2001 and 2005 alone, the Bush White House borrowed $1.05 trillion, more than all of the previous presidencies combined. Having inherited the largest federal surplus in American history in 2001, he has turned it into the largest deficit ever—with an even higher deficit, $423 billion, forecast for fiscal year 2006. Yet Bush—sounding much like Herbert Hoover in 1930 predicting that “prosperity is just around the corner”—insists that he will cut federal deficits in half by 2009, and that the best way to guarantee this would be to make permanent his tax cuts, which helped cause the deficit in the first place!
Last weekend I went to Drayton Valley to celebrate Easter with my sister and her family. I car-pooled with my parents for the 6 hour drive and had a chance to talk about the American national debt problem with my dad. (It’s one of our favourite recurring topics of discussion).
I wondered what will happen to the highly dependant Canadian economy if/when the American dollar/economy collapses. Carrying the tremendous weight of almost $8.4 trillion, it seems to me only a matter of time before somebody (maybe China?) comes asking for their money back. And if it’s not the other countries that have money invested, maybe it will be a large portion of the population that come to the realization that, “hey the government can’t actually back up those bonds for my lifesavings — maybe I should try and get it now before it’s too late!”
It’s obvious that such a scenario would be catastrophic for the States, but I was curious how it would affect “The Great White North”. I’m guessing the biggest impact on the Canadian economy (other than lost money invested in the States) will be the inability to sell our products to the massive consumer giant to the south. In turn, massive layoffs; then an economic depression. Simply saying it’s going to be ugly really doesn’t approach the magnitude of hardships we’re going to be up against.
Attempting to save the world, one dictator at a time aside, the economic decisions of the United States affect everyone, and it’s something that is cause for grave concern. Luckily, China and the US are on such great terms. Oh, wait… never mind.
(Rolling Stone link via Waxy)
US thinking about Nuking Iran
I’ve been reading about the sabre rattling the US has been engaging in with Iran and frankly I’m in disbelief. Yesterday’s New Yorker article makes me sick. Snip:
The Bush Administration, while publicly advocating diplomacy in order to stop Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon, has increased clandestine activities inside Iran and intensified planning for a possible major air attack(… )
The lack of reliable intelligence leaves military planners, given the goal of totally destroying the sites, little choice but to consider the use of tactical nuclear weapons. “Every other option, in the view of the nuclear weaponeers, would leave a gap,” the former senior intelligence official said. ” ‘Decisive’ is the key word of the Air Force’s planning. It’s a tough decision. But we made it in Japan.”
He went on, “Nuclear planners go through extensive training and learn the technical details of damage and fallout—we’re talking about mushroom clouds, radiation, mass casualties, and contamination over years. This is not an underground nuclear test, where all you see is the earth raised a little bit. These politicians don’t have a clue, and whenever anybody tries to get it out”—remove the nuclear option—”they’re shouted down.”
After everything that’s happened in the last 5 years, I wish I was the one to have written the following quotation on the subject. From a comment posted at the site TPMCafe on January 14, 2006: “Speaking as a Canadian who is fond of judicious language, I feel that this situation deserves careful and measured thought. So let me just open with: Is your entire &#@%ing country on crack?“
Canada’s New Prime Minister
The election is over and the votes are tallied. The conservative party didn’t do quite as well as some polls had predicted, but they still have the majority of seats and a minority government. Stephen Harper, leader of the conservative party and Prime Minister-designate will be sworn in as Canada’s 22nd Prime-Minister sometime in mid-February.
Federal Election Debate at the U of L
The local Lethbridge MP candidates were at the University of Lethbridge this afternoon in a debate. I’ll probably end up voting for Melanee Thomas of the NDP party because I think she is most deserving of my vote. She’s very quick on her feet and I imagine she’ll continue to do well in the party.
Melanee Thomas gives her opening statement.
However, after hearing some of the Conservative party plans I have a renewed respect for Rick Casson and some of the things he said today have actually made me feel better about their imminent majority victory next week. He’s not going to get my vote but at the same time it’s not like he needs it, traditionally Southern Alberta always votes for the conservatives.
It’s the topics that didn’t come up that bother me, but for the first while as/if Conservatives follow through with their top five goals, I don’t think I’ll have much to complain about—all that money for beer and popcorn — oh wait I don’t have kids.
Previously: MP questions and answers for the 2004 election
Jeff Milner Movie Review: Syriana
This afternoon I went out with my friend Steve and his wife Monique to see the movie Syriana. What an amazing show. So often with political thrillers they dumb the story down to nothing more than a glorified spy novel. Syriana embraces the complexity of the corporate and political world and brings it to the screen like no other movie I’ve ever seen. It’s about the USA’s over-reliance on foreign oil, and the morally corrupt situation in which the country has found itself.
Having said that, I should also say that I don’t know a lot of people that I could really give as high of a recommendation for this movie as it deserves. The characters spread out over several seemingly unconnected narrative threads in addition to numerous countries and ideologies. It can get pretty complicated pretty fast if you’re not up-to-date on the depth and scope of the topic. Frankly I’m guessing a lot of people may feel like a hopelessly lost student unable to follow the lecture of a seasoned professor who understands his topic so well, he has a hard time teaching it to beginners.
Which is exactly why I loved this movie. If you watch the Syriana movie trailer and decide you want to see it, I think it will probably surprise you; it’s not typical Hollywood fluff. My friends thought it was “okay” but I think they were both a little disappointed in it.
Roger Ebert gives a great perspective on Syriana.
Smoke Free Alberta
Yay! Alberta is going smoke free (somewhat) on January 1st, 2006.
The following is a list of places that must be smoke-free if minors are permitted to enter:
- Restaurants, banquet halls and entertainment facilities
- Healthcare facilities
- Public and private schools and school property
- Common areas in residential buildings (hotels, motels, apartment and condominium buildings)
- All offices and government buildings
- Work vehicles
- All enclosed public places including parking garages
- Day nurseries
- Reserved seating in sporting arenas or entertainment venues
Alberta’s Debt is Paid Off
Ralph Klein was pleased to announce yesterday that the provincial debt in Alberta has finally been paid off. When questioned about where he got the money Klein apparently responded, “I finally got around to returning my empties.”