Illustration courtesy of the Wingnuterer
Our Tune
Originally “O Canada” was a patriotic poem by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier, a Quebec judge. Calixa Lavallée, the well-known Canadian composer, was commissioned to set it to music, and it was first sung in 1880 during a national convention of French Canadians in Quebec City. Many English versions have appeared, but the one which was widely accepted was written in 1908 by another judge, R. Stanley Weir, in honour of the 300th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. It was amended in 1913, 1914 and 1916 and published in an official form at the time of the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation in 1927 and during the Royal visit of 1939. A slightly modified version of the first verse of Weir’s poem was proclaimed as Canada’s national anthem in 1980. The original poem of 1908 by Stanley Weir reads as follows:
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love thou dost in us command.
We see thee rising fair, dear land,
The True North, strong and free;
And stand on guard, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!
O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free!
Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.
140 comments ↓
Garth, it was not written as a poem. It was written as a prayer.
You wouldn’t understand that.
And a big juicy patriotic smooch to you, too. We’re all in this together. — Garth
Now substitute “Harper” for Canada and you’ll have our next national anthem once Harper secures a majority.
Here once again is my poem honouring some of oyr inventors
Canadian Inventions
Our most famous inventor was Alexander Graham Bell
Just think what he created when you reach for your cell.
Another communicator thought up the handy Walkie-Talkie
I imagine at first it was squeaky and squawky.
Not to be outdone, along came Mr. Urry
With his alkaline Long-Lasting Battery he devised in a hurry.
Our history is filled with communications jostling,
Java Programming Language was invented by J Arthur Gosling.
The Blackberry is a recent Lazaridis invention
You’ll find them by the score at every major convention.
Radio Voice Transmission which has nearly replaced the pen
Was invented by a Canuck. named Reg Fessenden.
Could the Canadarm be considered in the communication race?
Just imagine the kilometres it has travelled in space
With communications also we must include tune
The Electronic Music Synthesizer could make dancers swoon
Key Frame Animation by Burtnyk and Wein
Kept Disney is business through sun, snow and rain.
Our households were modernized by Canadian concern
First was the Electric Oven by Thomas Ahearn
The Wee Vac; paint roller; the light bulb and more
The Robertson Screw you can buy at the store.
We invented the Caulking Gun to keep the cold out
And the Snow blower we use to throw the white stuff about.
We invented Plexiglas and Combines that move on their own
So farmers can hop up and sit on their throne.
Out on the ocean two sounds will be borne
Of the Marine Screw Propeller and the Steam Fog Horn
In medicine our inventions are more than a few
The electric wheelchair and Cobalt-60 bomb to name only two.
There’s the CPR Mannequin dummy to pound on her chest
And Insulin injections by Banting and Best.
The pacemaker, Electronic Microscope are two more we can add
Without Canadian inventions our world could be sad.
Miscellanea I’ll throw in at no extra cost
Separable Baggage Checks so your suitcase won’t be lost.
Green Plastic Garbage bags we can’t do without
For moving and storing and throwing things out.
The Automatic Lubricating Cup, I haven’t a clue
It might be something useful, I’ll leave that to you.
The G-Suit you’ll wonder if I’m playing with pranks
But no, it was invented by Wilbur Rounding Franks.
Many games that we play and all countries take part
Began their long journey in a Canadian heart.
Our First Nations People have a sports history too
They played at Lacrosse and raced Birch bark canoe.
Hockey, of course began on a pond
Now countries that play create a strong bond.
There’s five pin bowling, and Basketball too
Our winter’s not complete without the noisy SkiDoo
Instant replay has been adopted all over the place
Jacques Plante’s Goalie Mask has saved many a face.
Food’s not a big thing that caught Canadian’s attention
But Pablum and Instant mashed potatoes are two I could mention.
The Bloody Caesar’s a drink that could change your intentions
And Poutine could easily change your dimensions.
And last but not least, the most important of all
The Zipper – without which our pants would all take a fall.
Garth, it was not written as a poem. It was written as a prayer.
You wouldn’t understand that.
And a big juicy patriotic smooch to you, too. We’re all in this together. — Garth
By Janice on 06.30.08 10:41 pm
============
The majority are in it together, paradoxically enough the wingnuts on the right just leech off the goodwill from the rest of us, yet they’re always complaining about others getting a free ride, lol…Happy Canada Day All!!!
Let us celebrate the wonder that is this great country.
BLAH BLAH………..why on earth would you think Harper will secure a majority? I want an answer that doesn’t include the words CARBON, TAX or Dion. Don’t hurt your head there.
Mr. Garth TurnerMP, FYI
July 2008
“We Can Mass Produce These Now,” says Honda, Inaugurating World’s First Fuel Cell Car Assembly Line & Turning Over First Clarity Cars to Customers
TAKANEZAWA, JAPAN – History in the making: “Basically, we can mass produce these now. We are waiting for the infrastructure to catch up.”
Any hope that Canada can get the
Assemble plants here?
Of course we’ll need clean energy sources to make the hydrogen.
CANDU Nuclear is making 52-42% of Ontario’s electricity now, and virtually carbon free.
Some renewables will also help.
Nuclear produces on demand power even when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun is down.
Using electricity, we can make hydrogen at home hydrogen generators and filling stations near urban centers and along major roads.
We could use new electric tractors that could use hydrogen fuel cells and electrical battery power.
What is the hold up?
What are the oil company’s lobbyists been up to lately?
Here’s the link to the,
Honda FCX Clarity – Hydrogen powered fuel cell sedan.
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/
Here is a link to story about,
Toyota develops new fuel cell hybrid
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/ap_on_bi_ge/japan_toyota_fuel_cell
Are these vehicals going to be available here in Canada next year?
2009 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Prototype: Tokyo Test Drive
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4227944.html
“You wouldn’t understand that”
~BY JANICE ON 06.30.08 10:41PM
__________________________________
Janice, moments into the 2nd half of the year, you threw an insulting and false smear against Garth while putting out a piece of DisInformation. You lied in record time. Garth is correct, it was a patriotic poem.
You are not sincere or true. You revealed your only two purposes and proven that you are only on Garth’s blog to insult him, and to spread false information, the hallmarks of what the Conservative model of dirty tricks has enrolled and encouraged you and others to do.
Janice, you remind me of The M.S.S., Iraqi Information Minister, although not as funny.
By Janice on 06.30.08 10:41 pm
If you check the link, you would see that the text was taken directly from the Canadian Heritage website.
Your attack on Garth reveals only what you don’t understand.
How about you send your misplaced vitriol to the Heritage Minister, I’m sure Josée Verner would love hear all about your righteous self.
this may have been posted before but I have been away for a couple of days.
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/451725
It must suck to be a liberal thinking that a decline in the economy would be good for your fall election hopes…
David
Happy Canada Day Garth! Your hard work and dedication are self-evident.
Hubby and I thank you for bringing smart humour and guts to politics. You give us a chance to learn and laugh and understand.
Thanks, Garth. It is a noble gesture and, hopefully, it will inspire some some pride and resolve for the future in those of good will.
Keep standing guard! Happy Canada Day all!
Happy Birthday Canada
Thank you for this fine tribute to Canada Day, Garth on one of your most non-partisan, non-political posts yet.
Thank you for sharing all four stanzas of the original version of our National Anthem, including the fourth stanza:
“Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion within thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.”
The price for freedom is eternal vigilance, and standing on guard for Canada, our home and Native land.
Illustration is great, Zorph — now if you can paint the HoC with a majority Lib. govt., along with Greens, Bloqs, Rhinos and a few Dippers and make them all come to life, Canada will be a much happier place to live in!
CRAPpists verboten!
****************************************
If the Big Three aren’t doing particularly well in Detroit, combined the housing slump there, then what of the Cdn. side — how long before they shut down one side (or the other) altogether?
http://tinyurl.com/5yx7js
*******************************************
The first few three paras. are good examples of why the msm doesn’t report “meat and potatoes” — just fluff stuff, which is of no use to anyone at all.
This is why the ‘net — so far — is unregulated, although there is plenty of snooping going on.
http://tinyurl.com/4u4qp3
http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/investing/deirdremcmurdy/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8288464
Scary. Harpers birthday present to Canada truly would make us a nation of sellouts. The scariest part of it concrns the deregulation of the banking sector. If Harper gets away with this one, our economic sovreignty is toast.
On this one issue, I’d have to agree with Mulroney of all people. The banking sector must remain regulated and protected against M & A’s or the long term consequences are dire. We are talking about the disappearance of Canada’s tax base, people, of which pays taxes annually. With sellouts, we can only sell it once. And this business about not even looking at M & A’s unless the cap is over a billion… thats an absurd place to put the bar in terms of review. Corps like MDA wouldn’t even have hit the radar.
The whole thing stinks.
Garth
Considering the tone and verbosity of your last couple of posts do you really think it’s appropriate to play the patriot card or do you actually believe your own BS?
Syncro
Garthley Do Right… That’s too funny.
Enjoy the holiday. I will,and hope that everyone else does too.
http://pdic.tamu.edu/teal/rutter.pdf
The link above is for those who feel the Canadian Wheat Board should be destroyed or at the very least, allow foreign corporations to market Canadian exports.
Sadly, it has come to my increased attention that people simply have no clue as to how or why Canadian Wheat is marketed the way it is, so this is an attempt to educate those who feel we should turn over our grainhandling and sales to foreign corporations somehow believing this will expand domestic tax bases for income taxation both personal and corporate, and somehow, magically create better markets and prices for farmers across the nation.
As most taxpayers should know, foreign ownership reduces tax base and economic sovereignty regardless of the sector, its that simple so this issue should matter to all taxpayers as the Harper government is trying to do what it can to reduce that tax base in Canada’s grain handling and sales, specifically to the benefit of U.S. corporations.
As it stands, the issue on the surface is how farmers are treated in the east and west in terms of how they are able to market their own grain produced.
In the east, there is what is known as a dual board, or a Canadian wheat board that will export excess that domestic demand can’t consume. The breakdown of grain grown east vs west is 15% East vs 85% west. In good years out west, its more like 10% east vs 90% west with production. Most of the 15% on average grown in the east is processed by food processors in Ontario and Quebec, which explains the reason and the need for domestic farmers and grainhandlers in the east to have access to sell their grain domestically. In short, the grains grown in eastern Canada supply the domestic demand for the majority of Canadians. The main reason for this is due to Ontario and Quebecs central location in Canada and its proximity to Canada’s population base, not to mention the reality that Ontario is a manufacturing powerhouse and this includes how its manufacturing base is taxed compared to the western provinces.
In the west, its another story. Farmers out west grow 85% of the nations grain and virtually all of it is for international export. The domestic consumption of grains processed is to the direct benefit of eastern farmers and while some Canadians would deem this as unfair to “force” western farmers to sell their grain to the Canadian Wheat Board, the sheer reality is that farmers are best off to market their grain as a “monopoly” when it comes to grain exports. If bloggers wish to argue the merits of Western Canada processing grains to compete with eastern Canada believing this will benefit Canadians, have at ‘er. But when the smoke clears, at the end of the day the system that works best in the past and present is the one we have now.
As the link above suggests, we export grains to the majority of nations around the world and while the U.S. market has increased market share of importing Canadian grains due to a combination of the ended crow rate subsidy and NAFTA, its not as major as people think:
http://www.grainscanada.gc.ca/pubs/exportsyearly/annual/exports05-06-e.pdf
Japan is currently our number one world customer. Keep in mind again, that Western Canada grows virtually all of Canada’s grain exports and it is a major disadvantage to Canadian grain producers to compete against themselves. Imagine the scenario of individual farmers trying to sell the same crops with the same grades to the Japenese or any other nation of the world for that matter, and imagine what happens next. That “competition” of Canadians competing against Canadians will kill the grain industry for farmers.
Western grain producers have had the CWB exporting our wheat as a monopoly since 1934. We’ve done it this way to establish markets where the U.S. could not penetrate. The biggest customers we’ve had over the last 70 years has been with communist nations, specifically Russia and China. This isn’t by accident, folks. Its by every means because we deal as a nation abroad with trade ourselves, trading as a block and its come as a major advantage to farmers for several reasons, all good ones:
- access to international markets americans don’t have access to.
- Canadian wheat is superior in grade, used to mix with lower quality wheats to make it “millable” or mill quality. Bread needs between 12.5% to 14% protein to rise properly and for this to happen, it needs mill quality grain with the right percentage of proteins. Canadian wheat is simply some of “the best” wheat grown in the world. Our wheat, folks, is in major demand world wide as a direct result of our high wheat grades (high protein counts specifically).
- donations. Until Harper, Canada currently gave away approximately 5% to 7% of Canada’s wheat exports to poor nations. Since the price has tripled, Harper has given away more in terms of monetary value but far less in terms of tonnage and unlike what some Canadians believe, the majority of farmers have altruistic blood in their veins out west. They take great pride in feeding the hungry, that is, until Harper.
Harper vs the CWB.
Why is Harper so against the CWB? In a few words, because he is a U.S. multinational lobbyist that never gave up his old job.
Its about market share, folks. Patriots who know the value of taxes and jobs and protection of economic sectors know the reason why the CWB was given birth, why it still exists, and sadly, why its under threat to Harper.
http://www.psac.com/news/2008/releases/02-0208-e.shtml
If the CWB is destroyed, several things will happen. U.S. grainhandlers will own the market of international sales virtually overnight. Presently, with the reduction of Canadian grain handling market share to U.S. grain handlers, Canada simply does not have the means to compete with the U.S. for international sales with the CWB gone. The very first things is tax base shrinkage (Brent Fullard would know about this one well, same thing happened with the destruction of IT’s). The second thing would be the movement of lion’s share of grain exports to the U.S.. meaning major transition in rail traffic loads through BC and Ont/Que from the prairies rerouted south of the line and the closing of Canadian ports. The next thing to follow would be price fixing for high quality wheat world wide forcing wheat products to go through the roof. The combination of low world seed stocks and high quality wheat being sold by a U.S. monopoly exporter is double trouble for the worlds food prices in the grain sector. Second and third world nations with high populations would face major problems if faced with high food imports. Some nations would go bankrupt, others would become depressed… others would simply go without… and the nation of the U.S.A. would profit greedily off of the one nation thats presently keeping world food prices from craziness… and thats Canada.
So when you think about the future of the CWB, remind yourselves why Harper has gone through such lengths, illegal lengths to muzzle farmer elected directors of the board with illegal gag laws that violate the charter sections dealing with freedom of speech, fire elected CEO’s and directors of the board and replace government appointed directors with “lets end the wheat board” happy directors, and trying to ram through their mandate with illegal plecibites concerning barley export sales by the CWB (violating democratic principles once again). With the actions of Harper concerning the CWB alone, we are dealing with a treasonous PM, someone who has time and again, demonstrated an intolerance to democracy and freedom of speech and someone who wants over and over to create a sellout nation for the benefit of corporate amerika.
And… as you all might have guessed, this patriot wants no part of it.
And our PM Mr. Bean will be presiding.
Ugh.
Happy Canada Day to all.
We are truly blessed to live in Canada, where we can sit at our computers and crap all over each other and are politicians and get thown into jail or tortured for having opposing views.
I hope everyone a truly wonderful day.
Happy Canada Day to one and all. Choose your own way to celebrate but do take heart knowing that many have given freely of their time, money and efforts to provide choices of celebration from coast to coast to coast so please try to attend an event and take along a family member(s).
Have a happy and enjoyable Canada Day.
Happy Canada Day People.
Come one guys and gals, lets put aside our political differences aside for on beautiful summer day and celebrate our great nation and for she stands.
If you can’t do that, then at least shut up, have a burger and beer and enjoy the fireworks. We can resume the political fist-a-cuffs tomorrow.
Anyhoo, I have to run, no day off for me, I’m installing four new servers today, so it is nothing but another work day for me.
Enjoy the day people and Happy Canada Day!
By rms on 06.30.08 11:04 pm
RMS – I passed your poem on to family & friends.
Happy Canada Day everyone.
Brain:
I hope Shiela thanks you for doing her homework assignment for her. (chuckle)
Seriously, a masterful precis of why the CWB was a good idea then, and why it is a needed tool for the farmer today.
Happy Canada Day to one and all! We truly are a blessed nation.
It is a day to reflect on the values of gemerosity, kindness and mutual respect that made this nation great.
Sadly, what I see here is often a declining of those values.
We all believe in some kind of right and wrong, but we don’t have a shared value of right and wrong.
We often tend to see one party as “right” and the other party as “wrong,” and therefore tend to talk past one another, while accusing others and defending ourselves.
We see “evil” in others. I have heard Jay Hill, for example, referred to as “evil.” M. Dion, a thoroughly decent man, has similarly been maligned.
Just now, someone has referred to the “hallmarks of what the Conservative model of dirty tricks has enrolled and encouraged you and others to do.” –By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:02 am
On this Canada Day, it is time to pause and to reflect, and to remember the wise and sage words of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart.”
Happy Canada Day to one and all fellow Canadians! Canada is still the best country in the world to live in, but let’s stand on guard for continued liberty of thought and expression.
Well, that generous sentiment lasted about four seconds. I love ya anyway, babe. — Garth
By brain on 07.01.08 3:06 am
Thank you for that and the links. This needs to be known more widely and you packaged it all so well. The bits like the muzzlement of the farmer representatives which have made it to the MSM from time to time belie the scope of this plot.
And lest anyone forget, another raison d’etre of the National Citizen’s Coalition from its formation and under Harper’s rule, was the destruction of Medicare as well as the Wheat Board.
Harper is a traitor.
Happy Canada Day Everyone!
And yes, I do thank brain for his or her excellent and well thought out treatist on the merits of the CWB.
He has a right to this position, and I respect that. I will even go so far as to say that brain has made some good points that merit consideration and quiet reflection.
As for the parts we still disagree on, perhaps on Canada Day, we can agree to disagree on some matters while we take the day to celebrate Canada together!
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:02 am
Right on, Barb! “Janice” hit a new low on this blog. I had all these warm fuzzy feelings after reading Garth’s post, and then BHAM, right between the eyes, I was stung by her heartlessness and cruelty.
And a Happy Canada to you too, Janice. It sucks to be you.
Happy Canada Day to all.
We are truly blessed to live in Canada, where we can sit at our computers and crap all over each other and are politicians and get thown into jail or tortured for having opposing views.
I hope everyone a truly wonderful day.
By Catherine on 07.01.08 5:58 am
Hopefully we WON’T get thrown in jail.
Enjoy the day and what it stands for!
This is a GREAT nation
A Canada Day salute to our folks in the Armed Forces, hoping that you can be safe and soon home with your families.
Garth
To all bloggers, no matter what political stripes you espouse, Happy Canada Day Eh!
Thanks to Garth for giving us this forum. I’ve laughed, yelled and even cried but most of all I’ve learned from the many posts here.
Keep your helmet on Garth.
Happy Canada Day, Garth, friends and foes.
And for a change, it won’t rain in Ottawa to-day!
Long live the Harper, King of Canada!!
Happy HARPER DAY everone, especially you Babylonia.
Dear Mr. Wingnuter…
put a picture of the original cartoon character Duddley Do-Right with Brian Mulroney…..
Those chins…. could they be long lost cousins, or even closer relatives?
Happy Canada Day!
Happy Canada Day to Garth, who brings us together through this blog.
And to all of you reading today too.
At this time, when we seem to quibble over whose province needs more, wants more, gets more — I wonder if we are a successful nation after all.
All I know is, I love my country and I love Canadians!
Also — does anyone know of any occasions when we sing all these verses of the national anthem? I have to admit, they are foreign to me.
It’s amazing how many people come to your blog just to take a fine comb through every word, phrase and sentence to find fault. But what is more amazing is that they keep coming back to read you. If you were do horrible, so out of touch with reality, so offensive, then I must ask, “Why do they keep coming back?”
I think thou protest too much:) A bunch of closet case progressives who don’t want to be caught dipping into the well of forward non-draconian and divisive form of thought.
Long live the Harper, King of Canada!!
Happy HARPER DAY everone, especially you Babylonia.
By Blah Blah on 07.01.08 9:03 am
WOW! Now that post was truly a waste of time huh Blah? You really are a piece of CRAP. Sure glad I don’t know you. Goes to show how Un-Canadian some of the posters on this site really are.
Happy Canada Day everyone. Enjoy your day.
The scariest part of it concrns the deregulation of the banking sector. If Harper gets away with this one, our economic sovreignty is toast.
By brain on 07.01.08 1:35 am
I share your concern about deregulating the banking industry and the banks know that a majority Harper gov’t would allow it to happen.
When our energy, banking and yes, a commercialized health care industry are firmly in the hands of foreign ownership, we will be under an economic occupation that would be impossible to reverse. Our Canada would exist in name only, void of any true heartfelt definitions of what it means to be Canadian.
So on this day I wish all a Happy Canada Day and let’s work hard to keep it as a day that is celebrated with tons of pride.
…..And sit on our hands, O Canada,
We sit on our hands for thee.
A Canada Day resolution. Don’t let the politicians do your thinking for you.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080701.BCMASON01/TPStory/TPComment/Politics/
Good advice!
Cheers
HAPPY CANADA DAY to all!Enough said.
Garth,
Definitely one of Zorpheus’s best to date. LOL
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Happy Canada Day Garth and others. Let us forget our differences and just enjoy this one day in harmony. I’m off to the garden have lots of weeding to do. Here in PEI we have perfect growing weather and that means the weeds too.
Enjoy your day all
Also — does anyone know of any occasions when we sing all these verses of the national anthem? I have to admit, they are foreign to me.
By MJ Patchouli on 07.01.08 9:29 am
Foreign to me too–but, except for the last verse, I like it better than the words now used (the ones most people mumble..including me).
I especially liked this verse, which makes me so proud to be a Canadian. I’ve been to most provinces in this fair land, and each is beautiful in its own way.
O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!
Happy Canada Day all.
Happy Canada Day.
This will not cheer you up.
Our Canadian leaders remain mute.
http://www.911blogger.com/blog/2108
Hear Ray McGovern.
27 years in CIA, advising US Presidents.
The majority are in it together, paradoxically enough the wingnuts on the right just leech off the goodwill from the rest of us, yet they’re always complaining about others getting a free ride, lol
by A. POLITICAL 06.30.08 11:26PM
___________________________________
So true.
Endless debate in Canada, gas, climate, Libs, Cons, NDs, Bloc, all meaningless if you fail to take this into account.
http://www.911blogger.com/blog/2108
The whole thing stinks.
By brain on 07.01.08 1:35 am
Hi Brain, you seem to have a good sense of deductive reasoning, I am having trouble with something Dion said the other day and no one has been able to “translate” it for me and I was wondering if you would give it a try, here is the phrase:
“I’m confident we will have significant reductions. I’m not telling you specific numbers because you would not trust me,”
My question is, should I still trust Dion since he is keeping his targets “secret”?
Thanks in advance
Gord.
What is the hold up – What are the oil company lobbyists up to
by GREG W., OAKVILLE 06.30.08 11:42PM
Great suggestions in your post, Greg… makes me wonder, and should make everyone wonder, just how big is the negative pressure on Canadian politicians to do nothing, via the wheelings and dealings of all those global corporations. They seem to have their say, of “Do nothing Canada” until we’re finished making the most profit off of you.
Reminds me of those movies where the NYC store owner has to pay for “protection” from the local thugs or officers, or both.
Catherine – Happy Canada Day to you too – I’m glad to see some of the CPC supporters aren’t being negative today. It’s refreshing.
Enjoy all – a remember our story and appreciate what we have in spite of little bumps in the road.
Democracy – where you have different points of view to choose from. Without those different political stipes there would be no democracy.
Janice – na, I won’t – it’s not even worth addressing. What a sad, sad state to be in – always looking for negatives – take some prozac or something.
The Automatic Lubricating Cup, I haven’t a clue
It might be something useful, I’ll leave that to you.
By rms on 06.30.08 11:04 pm
Ah, without that machinery and especially steam locomoives would break down due to lack of lubrication. It metered out the lubricant to protect the bearings of the mechanisms so the Fireman did not have to re-lube the journals which required stopping the train and prolonged stops at stations. it is still in use today aboard ships and many other powered machines.
Elijah McCoy
This was the origin of the term ‘The REAL McCoy.’ He was an American slave who escaped to Canada.
You might be Canadian if:
*** Canadian, Eh?
Signs that you might be Canadian:
You’re not offended by the term “homo milk”.
You understand the phrase “Could you pass me a serviette, I just dropped my poutine, on the chesterfield.”
You eat chocolate bars, not candy bars.
You drink Pop, not Soda.
You know that a Mickey and 2-4’s mean “Party at the camp, eh!”
You don’t care about the fuss with Cuba. It’s a cheap place to go for your holidays, with good cigars and no Americans.
You know that a pike is a type of fish, not part of a highway.
You drive on a highway, not a freeway.
You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers.
You know that Casey and Finnegan were not part of a Celtic musical group.
You get excited whenever an American television show mentions Canada.
You brag to Americans that: Mike Myers, Shania Twain, Jim Carrey, Celine Dion & many more, are Canadians.
You know that the C.E.O. of American Airlines is a Canadian!
You know what a touque is.
You design your Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
You know that the last letter of the English alphabet is always pronounced “Zed” not “Zee”
Your local newspaper covers the national news on 2 pages, but requires 6 pages for hockey
You know that the four seasons mean: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road work.
You know that when it’s 25 degrees outside, it’s a warm day.
You understand the Labatt Blue commercials.
You know how to pronounce and spell “Saskatchewan”.(Sas-Kat-chew-wan)
You perk up when you hear the theme song from ‘Hockey Night in Canada’.
You were in grade 12, not the 12th grade.
“Eh?” is a very important part of your vocabulary, and is more polite than “Huh?”
You stand in “line-ups” at the movie, not lines.
You know what it means to be on pogey.
You can drink legally while still a ‘teen.
You talk about the weather with strangers and friends alike.
When there is a social problem, you turn to your government to fix it instead of telling them to stay out of it.
You’re not sure if the leader of your nation has EVER had sex and you don’t want to know if he has!
You get milk in bags as well as cartons and plastic jugs.
You know what a Robertson screwdriver is.
You know that Thrills are something to chew and “taste like soap”.
You know that Mounties “don’t always look like that”.
You dismiss all beers under 6% as “for children and the elderly”.
You know that the Friendly Giant isn’t a vegetable product line.
You participated in “Participaction”.
You have an Inuit carving by your bedside with the rationale, “What’s good enough protection for the Prime Minister is good enough for me”.
You wonder why there isn’t a 5 dollar coin yet.
Like any international assassin/terrorist/spy in the world, you carry a Canadian passport.
You use a red pen on your non Canadian textbooks and fill in the missing ‘u’s from labor, honor, and color.
You know the French equivalents of “free”, “prize”, and “no sugar added”, thanks to your extensive education in bilingual cereal packaging.
You are excited whenever an American television show mentions Canada and make a mental note to talk about it at work the next day.
You can do all the hand actions to Sharon, Lois and Bram’s “Skin-a-ma-rinky-dinky-dink” opus.
You can eat more than one maple sugar candy with out feeling nauseated.
You were mad when “The Beachcombers” were taken off the air.
You have some memento of Doug and Bob.
You know Toronto is not a province.
You never miss “Coaches Corner”.
Back bacon and Kraft Dinner are two of your favourite food groups.
You actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all of your Canadian friends!!!! and then you send them to your American friends just to confuse them further.
*** The Real North
You only know three spices – salt, pepper and ketchup.
The mosquitoes have landing lights.
You have more miles on your snowblower than your car.
You have 10 favourite recipes for moose meat.
Canadian Tire on any Saturday is busier than the toy stores at Christmas.
You live in a house that has no front step, yet the door is one meter above the ground.
You’ve taken your kids trick-or-treating in a blizzard.
Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled in with snow.
You owe more money on your snowmobile than your car.
The local paper covers national and international headlines on 1/4 page, but requires 6 pages for sports.
At least twice a year, the kitchen doubles as a meat processing plant.
The most effective mosquito repellent is a shotgun.
Your snowblower gets stuck on the roof.
You think the start of moose season is a national holiday.
You head south to go to your cottage.
You frequently clean grease off your barbeque so the bears won’t prowl on your deck.
You know which leaves make good toilet paper.
The major parish fund-raiser isn’t bingo – it’s sausage making.
You find -40C a little chilly.
The trunk of your car doubles as a deep freezer.
You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewellery and your Sorels.
You can play road hockey on skates.
The municipality buys a Zamboni before a bus.
*** Elephants
Every nation in attendance at an international symposium on elephants had to deliver a report on the animals.
France’s report: “The Love Life of an Elephant.”
America saw the economic values in: “Raising Elephants for Fun and Profit.”
Great Britain had their own unique view: “The Elephant and the British Empire.”
The Canadian report was, of course, typically Canadian… “The Elephant: A Federal or Provincial Responsibility?”
*** The Name
The original name for Canada, dreamed up by a parliamentary committee in London, was “Cold North Dominion,” but that was too long, so they abbreviated it C.N.D. The King’s Royal Governor presented the new name to the inhabitants, and they didn’t say a word. Just looked at him.
“Well, what do you think?” asked the Royal Governor?
“C., eh?” said the first fellow, and just looked at the Governor.
“N., eh?” says the second guy.
“D., eh?” says a third one. Then silence.
“Hey,” says the Governor. “I like that. It’s a helluva lot easier to pronounce when you spell it that way.”
So that’s how Canada got its name.
Have a great Canada Day everyone.
Walk in a parade,
Join in the festivities to celebrate our good fortune of being citizens of our great land,
Take a walk, ride a bike, get your face painted,
and, of course,
Don’t miss the fireworks!
BY SHEILA ON 07.01.08 8:03 AM
Sheila, I’m glad you mentioned that Janice insulting Garth on this great day [and with a fabricated piece of information no less], is just plain evil. I’m glad you pointed that out about Janice.
Despite the party politics and ill will so many Canadians seem to be engaged in toward each other these days I am thankful for Canada and for the political history, Liberal and conservative, that made it all possible. Happy Canada Day Garth, and to all my fellow Canadians on the left and the right, as well as those in the center.
Hey Turner,
What is it like to be a shit worm, a parasite, an evil entity to the nation where you were born?
How can you celebrate today, knowing that you want the worst for all of us?
What is it like for you to suck money from the national tit while you curse your home land?
Go fuck yourself. We in Halton wish the worst for you and your blind minions.
Please,,,, dont come to Milton today. We dont want you here. So go fuck off will you.
Always nice to hear from the Halton Federal Conservative Association. Say hi to Peident Will for me. BTW, I just finished the Milton Canada Day opening event, and it was glorious. God bless our nation. — Garth
We are celebrating a ‘happy’ Canada Day today … and we will again be celebrating a ‘happy’ Canada Day a year from now in 2009 … when we still have a fully functioning minority Harper Conservative government and heading towards a October 19, 2009 mandated federal election day .. and Dion will be long gone with his Green Shift nightmare too … mark my words ..!!!
Here’s the link to the,
Honda FCX Clarity – Hydrogen powered fuel cell sedan.
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/
By Greg W., Oakville on 06.30.08 11:50 pm
======================================
WARNING:
BE AWARE THAT HYDROGEN IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FUEL. IT BEING THE SMALLEST MOLECULE WILL LEAK AND BURN IN AIR WITH A COLORLESS FLAME. IT IGNITES SPONTANEOUSLY FROM STATIC ELECTRICAL SPARKS.
HYDROGEN CAUSES METALS TO EMBRITTLE AND FAIL PLUS IT RISES TO BECOME TRAPPED AROUND YOUR HEAD. IT MUST BE USED ONLY BY THOROUGHLY TRAINED AND CAREFUL PEOPLE!
Pollution free energy comes with other costs!
Right wing cheers of laissez faire turn bright young heads to ponder.
The right wing leers at laws that hold them, the left wing starts to wonder.
The right wing gets their wish to rule, our core is broke asunder.
The global forces praise their ruse, and then begin to plunder.
The right wing seeks to further please their corporate master’s doing.
The people have been put to work – too busy for reviewing.
The jobs don’t last, the money passes, earth and water longing.
The times have changed, but people haven’t, greed is our belonging.
Great minds have warned, history born, that truth is always fragile.
So cumbersome crew, who hardly knew, once again seek the left to pick up shattered lives.
Darn, I’m just not good at rhyming.
Some Canadians and their accomplishments…. good things to remember on Canada Day.
Louis Riel 1844-1885. Twice elected to the House of Commons but was prevented from taking his seat. Founder of Manitoba. Leader of Red River and Northwest Rebellions.
Emily Carr 1881-1945. One of Canada’s most celebrated painters.
Elijah Harper 1949- . Blocked passage of the Meech Lake Accord in the hopes of addressing aboriginal issues in Canada’s constitution.
Charles Best 1899-1978 and Frederick Banting 1891-1941, discoverers of insulin.
Emily Murphy 1868-1933. First woman magistrate in the British Empire. Challenged the fact that women were not viewed as being official persons in the eyes of the law. Took the matter to Britain’s Privy Council and won.
David Thompson 1770-1857. Pioneering geographer who surveyed and mapped amost 2,000,000 square miles of western North America.
Sir William Edmond Logan 1798-1875. Brilliant geologist who founded the Geographical Survey of Canada.
Tim Horton 1930-1974. Contributor to Canadian culture *smiles*…had your ‘double double’ this morning?
Lucy Maud Montgomery 1874-1942. Writer who created Anne of Green Gables.
Sir William Stephenson 1896-1989. Headed up Churchill’s intelligence operations during WWII…know as ‘intrepid’.
Craig Kielburger 1984- . Inspired at the age of 12 to end child slavery around the world. Founded Free the Children.
Billy Bishop 1894-1956. One of the most acclaimed WWI flying aces with 72 enemy planes shot down.
Sir Sanford Fleming 1827-1915. Envisioned a railway to the Pacific and helped build it. Created international standard time and Canada’s first postage stamp…and with it our national symbol…the beaver.
Laura Secord 1775-1868. Warned the British of a pending American attack. Heroine of the War of 1812.
Michael J. Fox 1961- . Diagnosed with Parkinson’s. His foundation funds research to find a cure.
Rick Hansen 1957- . Circled the world in his wheelchair, raising awareness and funds for spiral cord injuries. Canada’s “Man in Motion”.
Dr. Norman Bethune 1890-1939. Organized world’s first mobile blood transfusion unit during the Spanish Civil War. Worked as chief medical officer in Mao’s Red Army. Is viewed as a revolutionary hero in China.
Stephen Lewis 1937- . Tirelessly works to bring the AIDS crisis in Africa to the world audience. A brilliant and passionate speaker.
Nellie McClung 1873-1951. Led the battle for votes for women in Canada which was attained in 1916. She was one of Canada’s most influential people fighting for social change.
General Romeo Dallaire 1946- . Tried in vain to stop the genocide in Rwanda. Works to advance the cause of humanism. Often referred to as ‘the last just man’.
We have a wonderful and rich history of making contributions to the world… feel free to add to the list as part of our Canada Day 2008 celebrations.
By William Dahl on 06.30.08 9:52 pm
By William Laidlaw on 07.01.08 7:58 am
Thanks William. (I did ok that one) Appriciated your 9:52 from yesterday as well.
Happy B day, Canada!!
Darn, I’m just not good at rhyming.
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:24 pm
Barb, I thought you did a good job, although I don’t agree with the content.
Gord.
The Snowbirds just roared over my home after their fly-past over Parliament Hill. What a glorious day for all of us. Only the most cynical and mean spirited could find fault with Canada or Canadians on this day. Over the past year I have had the privilege of reading this column and learning so much about things most Canadians never hear. Thank you Garth for your humour and for sharing your knowledge. You must be an extraordinary person to keep putting this out.
HAPPY CANADA DAY to everyone who visits here.
IT IGNITES SPONTANEOUSLY FROM STATIC ELECTRICAL SPARKS.
By James R. McGillawee on 07.01.08 12:05 pm
That is not true James. Spontaneous combustion is the result of an endothermic reaction within the material which results in ignition.
Hydrogen is NOT a such a fuel. It requires an ignition source.
I do not know where you got your information from but that part is simply inaccurate and seems to promote fear rather than knowledge.
Further, static electric sparks are ignition sources, not a form of spontaneous combustion.
I suggest reviewing the Fire tetrahedron.
Fire Tetrahedron-Wikipedia
or a simpler explanation will suffice
Fire Tetrahedron
Invented by a Canadian eh?
We Canadians are an innovative and inventive lot…. here’s a sampling of our many inventions:
The familiar green plastic garbage bag (made from polyethylene) was invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950.
Five pin bowling – Thomas E. Ryan (1909)
goalie mask – Jacques Plante (1959)
hydrofoil boat – Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin (1908)
IMAX – Grahame Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, Robert Kerr (1968)
paint roller – Norman Breakey (1940)
snowblower – Arthur Sicard (1927)
snowmobile – Joseph-Armand Bombardier (1937)
zipper – Gideon Sundback (1913)
Walkie-Talkie – Donald L. Hings (1942)
variable Pitch Propeller – Wallace Rupert Turnbull (1918)
Superman – Joe Shuster and Jerome Siegel (1938)
table hockey – Donald Munro (1930s)
standard time – Sir Sanford Fleming (1879)
telephone – Alexander Graham Bell (1874)
pablum – Drs. Alan Brown, Fred Tisdall, and Theo Drake (1930s)
newsprint – Charles Fenerty (1838)
lightbulb (first patented) – Henry Woodward (1874)
laser (sailboat) – Bruce Kirby, Ian Bruce and Hans Fogh (1969)
insulin (as diabetes treatment) – Dr. Frederick Banting, Dr. Charles Best and Dr. Collip (1921)
gingerale – John J. McLaughlin (1904)
frozen fish – Dr. Archibald G. Huntsman (1926)
foghorn – Robert Foulis (1854)
electric cooking range – Thomas Ahearn (1882)
antigravity suit – Wilbur R. Franks (1940)
basketball – James Naismith (1892)
Have an idea? Have a big dream? Let your mind wander folks… create… innovate… invent! It’s part of our great history. Enjoy Canada Day 2008!
And a Happy Canada to you too, Janice. It sucks to be you.
By Lana on 07.01.08 8:21 am
Th–Th–TH–ats all folks!
… as you all might have guessed, this patriot wants no part of it
BY BRAIN ON 07.01.08 3:06 AM
· · · — — — · · · · · — — — · · · · · — — — · ·
Thanks Brain, great post, I’ve been following your info on the CWB and I’m very grateful you are getting us up to snuff.
And you’re right, it applies to all other areas that he is breaking down in Canada, including weakening our core. The legitimate right wingers will have a hard time swallowing it, but the attack on our country has been smart and smooth, and all dressed up to sound so good.
Hi Hey Tunip Breath on 07.01.08 11:55 am,
I’m from Halton, so please stop trying to speak for me!
I strongly disagree with your expressed thought on Mr. Garth TurnMP, my MP.
Perhaps you should get out and enjoy a nice walk along the Bruce trail today.
Crawford Lake, off Guelph Line, 5km south of Hyw 401 or 15km north of QEW, is a nice spot! There is a small entrance fee. There are some other nice places to visit too.
http://www.conservationhalton.on.ca/
Last weekend we saw the Snowbirds at CFB Borden. The real star of the show was the CF-18 that came in from behind the bleachers at about 300 feet AGL and MACH 0.98 in afterburners.
The crowd got to experience what it is like to be an enemy on the ground in Afghanistan and many HIT THE DECK!
Fortunately for them there is a rule for supersonic jet attack fighters. If you hear it going away you are alive. If you never hear it that is because the bomb has already preceded the aircraft’s sound and you are DEAD!
I love watching that reality check happen to those who have never been in combat. I think a few pants got wet or filled. LOL
Then his wife joined him side by side in her CF-18….How about that husband and wife CF-18 Combat pilots from CFB Baggotville?
Another lesson in air to air or air to ground combat. If you see one, there will always be another or others covering the one on attack. GOTCHA!
With tears in my eyes, I’m voting republica.. er, conserva… oh, just watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiQJ9Xp0xxU&eurl
We are celebrating a ‘happy’ Canada Day today … and we will again be celebrating a ‘happy’ Canada Day a year from now in 2009 … when we still have a fully functioning minority Harper Conservative government and heading towards a October 19, 2009 mandated federal election day .. and Dion will be long gone with his Green Shift nightmare too … mark my words ..!!!By Harry S on 07.01.08 11:57 am
There ya go Harry. Happy Canada Day!
Happy Canada Day Garth, your family and all your staff. Loved the picture at the top! Came to Canada in 1967 and have never regretted it. It has been good to me and my family. Thank you Canada
Happy Canada Day.
Go out and enjoy this great country we live in.
Tomorrow, watch this http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/356.html and ask the Canadian Government to explain Canada’s part in the NORAD smokescreen.
By kpn on 07.01.08 7:56 am
I’m glad you enjoyed my poem.
I hope you are aware of copyright in Canada.
You need to request my permission to pass on my intellectual property. With permission you must acknowledge the author.
In this case I give you permission after the fact but please inform those who received it that it is for their enjoyment only and not to be used or passed to others. Thanks.
Charles,
Thanks for that link. I saved it. Happy Canada Day!
Here’s another page: “We’re in a strange collective bubble. We’d like to forget about all these troubling rumors of hardship and bad weather and just get on with the daily task of making a living and paying for stuff – and enjoying our customary entertainments. The comforting ceremonies of everyday life seem to continue. The freeways are still full of cars..”
http://tinyurl.com/3skood
Canada Day – “Is Canada a country worth saving?”
Harry S. responded to my post entitled “Screwed – again??” with the following comment:
“Excellent posting, John … and the question that arises: “Is Canada a country worth saving?”
He also queried the problem of elections in the USA with a lot of Canadian lefties voting.
Initially, I was not going to reply to Harry’s kind reply. However, since today is Canada Day, I am making an attempt to answer his question.
Yes, in general, Canada is worth saving! If I was in a position of power, there are a lot of constructive things that I would be doing that would benefit most Canadians.
Unfortunately, under the current situation, the system is stacked in favour of the Globalist Elites. Loyal Canadians who believe in a sovereign nation state would have to wage a bloody revolution in order to rid Canada of these Elites. There are very few Canadians who would be willing to do this.
The European Union is a brainchild of the Bilderberg Group, as is the North American Union. The EU has turned into a messy situation. Therefore, when the NAU is formed it will be a must cleaner operation. There will be no voting allowed. The NAU will be ruled by an appointed ruling council that could be headed by someone like Bill Clinton or some other power broker or corporate elite. The remaining population will be considered to be servants of the ruling class.
I consider myself to be an independent conservative. Unfortunately, it seems that there are very few REAL CONSERVATIVES remaining in Canada, and certainly NOT in any government – Federal or Provincial. Instead, we have some opportunists who are claiming to be Conservative Leaders.
If I were the PM of a Minority Conservative Government in Ottawa, there are a lot of changes that I would have made that Westerners and Reformers have been asking for. Why hasn’t PM Harper, supposedly a Conservative and Reformer, made any of these changes yet?
For example, the Immigration Department could have been overhauled from top to bottom without the need for any new legislation. The Justice Department could also have been overhauled from top to bottom, but may have needed some new legislation to cover some of the new changes.
Well, the answer could be that The Powers That Be do not want those type of changes to be made. The only changes that they want right now are those that contribute to a One World Government led by the New World Order. The NWO is headed up by members of the Illuminati Families and members of the Synarchist Movement.
This is just a small sample of the story that very few Canadians are Aware of.
What are you willing to do? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to save Canada?
P.S. I will also share some additional information with you. Based on a variety of information, I have predicted, with an 80% probability, that The Sh*t Will Hit The Fan by October 15. If not by then, then by July 4, 2009. Primarily, the Sh*t is a Big Event that will set in motion a chain of events such as a collapse of the American dollar, financial system and economy. This will also affect Canadians. A Big Event like an attack on Iran could also set in motion a chain of events of another type.
This means that most of what has been discussed recently in this forum could turn out to be moot.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Cheers.
Canada, land of oil and gas resources, who stands on guard for thee?
Israel May Attack Iran, Pentagon Official Tells ABC…Could it happen? Sure….it could be tomorrow, and it would drive oil up to unheard of heights. For now though, the constant threats are doing just as much damage. The price spurts up with the rattling of each saber.
Hurricane season is upon us. Again, the threat and fear does the job of raising prices and the actual event, should it happen, will lead to record prices.
Aren’t we lucky to be a Canadian, assured that we have all the oil and gas necessary for our survival and prosperity when energy prices spin out of control? Surely our benevolent, stalwart sons, our political masters would not have signed any treaty that would force our people, with all that resource wealth belonging to them, to pay insane world prices for oil and gas?
A chorus of “When Irish eyes are smiling”, rings through the House of Commons.
But hold on now, for we cannot put all the blame on the politicans. We, the people, have the ultimate say. When we the citizens don’t vote, and choose to stay ignorant and apathetic to political matters. If we the people choose to stay irresponsible and silent, then we remove the checks and balances that control those in power.
As you swill that beer (price doubling by next year), and gulp that burger (unavailable next year), spare a thought for the Canada past that we could have changed. Spare a word of caution to your grandchildren, making them aware of the responsibility that they must take to make a difference in the Canada future. Complacency and apathy will be flailed from our skins by the new grim reality.
going forward 
Happy Dominion Day
party-on Garth
Hi James R. McGillawee on 07.01.08 12:05 pm,
(The fist few paragraphs are for you, and then there is more stuff for others to
Think about, if you don’t already know.
If you already know it all, please
Don’t waste your time.)
‘HYDROGEN IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FUEL’, and gasoline, natural gas, and coal is not?
‘Pollution free energy comes with other costs!’, and gasoline, and other fossil fuels have no added/hidden costs?
The way we are headed, with PMSH non-plan is to use up all of Canada’s Natural Gas in the tar/oil sands by 2028! How do you heat your home now?
The world used 1 cubic mile of oil last year for the first time. Do you really think it will last forever?
The world is headed for ‘all out of oil’ by 2050-2060. Are you ready?
Have you really, really thought about it and the implications for or modern world???
Hydrogen is not an energy source, only an energy carrier. We will still need to find carbon free energy to make hydrogen from water. Today’s industrial hydrogen is coming from natural gas if I remember correctly (?). Renewable energy like wind solar as well as nuclear power comes to mind, as a virtually carbon free energy sources to make all the on demand electricity, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Maybe it has some problem, but what else do you suggest?
Newer materials for batteries with also probable be part of the solution. We’ll need lots of energy to make them.
Energy is used for Everything we presently take for granted, the stuff we mine, to make the stuff to make other stuff, to transport the stuff, to make fertilizers and run farm equipment, to power the lights and this computer world wide web. Your standard of living now is dependant on relatively cheap, dense, easily model energy.
Today every calorie you eat uses over 100 calories of oil to get it to your plate. Why are we still wasting/burning our non-renewable oil and gas to move hug SUV still?
The carbon released from fossil fuels and other greenhouse gasses is heating up the planet, decided scientific consciences basest on good hard facts and data.
The world is barely feeding the people now! Climate heating is going to make it much harder to grow all the food we need and that you eat. It is morally corrupt to use food to make fuels.
There must be a better way?
The low-end average temperature increase we have already set in motion is 2-3 degrees C. That will mean an average increase for southern Ontario of 9 degrees C. Now think about the hottest days last year being 9 degrees hotter.
People will be dieing in the streets from the heat, with food corps even grow, with it rain enough and when needed?
If the increase is more that the low-end projection or we don’t stop adding to the greenhouse problem it will get even worse!
What kind of world do you want to make for yourselves and your families future??? The future is coming very soon; resent information is looking like it will be even sooner that first thought. The Artic Ocean is looking like it will be ice-free this year.
The melting of the permafrost is going to mean the release of copious amounts of methane, a very power full greenhouse gas.
The some old, some old, is not going to cut it any more. Reality will catch up and very soon if we don’t get going. We need to stop adding the Global Heating problem, and we will be all out of oil and gas very SOON! Coal adds even more carbon to the air per energy unit as well as other toxins and toxic ash. People are now dieing from the smog we allow to keep happening!
The USA is already importing coal; it is also being consumed more quickly every day. It to won’t last forever.
Do you have any thoughts to help us all deal with the problem we are all facing?
I’d like to hear about them. You might know something at we should hear about.
If you don’t believe in Global Warming,
You don’t have to, to still realize inaction is not at all a good option.
See, ‘How It All Ends’ 10 min.
Before you tell me that you think inaction is still your choice. It’s not my choice.
http://wonderingmind42.com/
If you don’t think we are running out of oil, you are simple not informed.
You need to get yourselves up to speed.
You and your family’s future standard of living or premature deaths depend on it.
This show is a good place to start and thing carefully about what is said.
This is part 3 of 8. You should see the whole show to really be enlightened.
The Most IMPORTANT Video You’ll Ever See (part 3 of
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFyOw9IgtjY
What should we do? Just keep doing the PMSH & gangs is, nothing, or really get the job done in time? Time is running out and fast!
If Canada can’t pull our weight at get the job done, then we are all F****D
And not just from PMSH ‘Screwing us all’!
Get informed, use that wonderful brain of yours, and get involved.
Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Help everyone to understand and help everyone to do there part, to get the job done!
It’s in you own personal best interest, as well as your families and all other human beings and life on this only planet we have to live on.
If you don’t have something positive to help, please save yours and our time by not adding to the misinformation and clutter. You will simple show your lack of knowledge.
Talk is cheap.
Knowledge is power, but only if you’re well informed and act on it for everyone’s best long term interests and survival.
Long term, the number of people that our planet can support long term, must be reduced.
The question is how and when this will happen? Are we going to have a gentle planned reduction to the end of our natural life span, or will man, or Mother Nature take care of the ‘elephant in the room’ issue? Wars are being fought now over resources.
Want do you thing is going to happen when the food crops globally start to fail?
Nuclear wars even limited, would cause a global ozone layer collapse due to the ash interaction in the upper atmosphere. Then there are the drug resistant bugs and the really nasty biological weapons that have been created.
Are the world leaders going to work together to solve mankinds problems in time and in an orderly rational way, or continue the inaction on the short and long term problems facing humanity? All is not well, no mater what the Corporate run mass media tell you.
What are you going too due to help us all find the solution?
Inaction today is not a viable long-term solution.
(I’ll ready a few more blog entries, and then perhaps go for a nice walk.)
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:02 am
I use to love listening to Iraqi Information Minister Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf (M.S.S.) LOLOL Reminds me of the CRAPPERS disinformation drones.
http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/
A short break from the celebrations for news of import. I think I shall call it the Good, The Bad, and The UGLY. Why? because I feel like it. LOL
141! Not too shabby, eh?
A poignant bit of our history we should all know. Smile…You are CANADIAN!
Of speculators and oil prices
Oh, yes, there is no collusion as some ‘experts’ claim. That is why pump prices fluctuate daily. Oh LOOK! A seagull crapped on an oil rig! Raise the price!
Mortgage ruling could shock U.S. banking industry, or ‘Liar, Liar, pants on FIRE!’ This Court case could demolish the sub-prime scam artists and SHOULD! Take their HOMES from them and let them feel the PAIN millions are feeling.
Man-o-man, was that burgie on the grill FANTASTIC! A little Bull’s Eye-Guiness BBQ Sauce made it pererrrrrrrrrrrfect with my ice cold Stella Artois.
Steaks tonight! Then FIREWORKS with our youngest grandson. Life is GOOD!
Seriously hoping all of your Canada Day is as wonderful as ours.
could turn out to be moot ~ JOHN ZALISCHUK
But it’s a lot of reading for people to take in – and dizzying at first. Then you give your head a shake – and hope comes back – because you know you can do something. The most patriotic and loving thing people can do right now, is to put in the hard work of researching, and then talk to each other. FRAN, as Esther says. John Z’s view may be that it’s too late for baby steps and zen, considering – I appreciate his guts. Keep up the good word. The earth has it’s own take on revolution, [pardon pun] so crowds will have to pay attention at some point. I appreciate the information that everyone is so kind to spend their time putting together. Ignore troll attacks, that’s just their job. But don’t let them get away with ruses, diversion tactics and misinformation campaigns. They know the truth is fragile. We’re on to ‘em.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I was a Beatles fan. Paul was my guy.
..but I’m starting to miss John Lennon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf-Q2rDd6Tw
Peace.
By John Zalischuk on 07.01.08 1:35 pm,
I think there are quite a number of Canadians who aware of what is going on but we have no ideas on how to stop it.
Imagine…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0
BY EMILIE 07.01.08 2:56 PM
Emilie,
Great link! M.S.S. was hilarious. Ah, the good ol’ days when dictator’s minions had a sense of humour!
By Hey Tunip Breath on 07.01.08 11:55 am
Turnip Breath… what an apt name for a CRAPPERS.
Happy Canada Day to all, eh!
By kpn on 07.01.08 7:56 am
I’m glad you enjoyed my poem.
I hope you are aware of copyright in Canada.
You need to request my permission to pass on my intellectual property. With permission you must acknowledge the author.
In this case I give you permission after the fact but please inform those who received it that it is for their enjoyment only and not to be used or passed to others. Thanks.
By rms on 07.01.08 1:24 pm
No I’m not aware of of copyright law pertaining to someone who posts a poem on a blog. Could you please inform me.
Sorry if it offended you, rms. I personally thought your poem was well done and wanted to share it with others.
I know there are a few on this blog that do ryhmes which I enjoy.
Have been out weeding, but it became too hot out in the sun. In the shade it registered 27C. DH is out on his bike with some of his friends.
Just finished watching a bit of Canada Day Celebrations on CBC Newsworld. The caption at the botton of the screen is Happy Birthday Eh!!
When I see what is happening in so many countries in the world, I’m very thankful we live in Canada.
Greg,
Hydrogen is a clean fuel, but unless it is used in fuel cells instead of interna; combustion engines we will simply not rid ourselves of the problems.
As I have commented numerous times there are current Hydrogen extraction methods already developed that are quite viable.
I suggest all electric powered by fuel cells with Surround Sound engine noise. LOL
Then peopl can drive,by simply selecting to engine type, any vehicle they wish from a VW Beetle to a Dodge Viper…VROOM VROOM!
Heck you could even have a five seat Harley Hog, but we know Harley Davidson would sue for the use unless they granted a license, that sound is patented. LOL
Have a great Canada Day Greg.
BY BRAIN ON 07.01.08 3:06 AM
“Brain has made some good points that merit consideration and quiet reflection”
~ BY SHEILA 07.01.08
Sheila,
Today you are my sister. If you do end up seeing the merits of what he has said, you’ll begin to understand exactly why it’s important for all of us to come together. It’s more than you think and as John Z. suggests, this is all moot if dividing us leaves us with the back door unattended and unlocked. It might even be too late if fellow Canadians don’t have the time and the strength to look at reality. People need to focus. You have the right intent but your messages of hope are lost when you don’t realize the people in the middle and on the left are already committed to all those wonderful things and fighting hard for them. Maybe explore some of their sites? [millions of 'em..] Canadians are good, hardworking people, always have been. The trouble is, we are susceptible, and never more dangerously so than the past two and a half years.
Bigger picture number one: U.S. and world corporations are eagerly helping themselves, via politics and lobbyists like Harper, to U.S. and Canadian resources and markets, sometimes cornering the markets for the big guys and locking out the little guys. I’m probably botching it with simplicity.
Even bigger picture number two: Historically, wealth and power have always been very helpful aides in keeping the wealthy and powerful… wealthy and powerful. And there’s lots of people who like to help them. And they have patience. And they don’t give up…they work at it, and they wait, and nudge. And influence. It works. Look around. Putting Harper in was an incredibly smart tactic. I find it hard to believe.
Hey, now here is a truly great idea.
Speeders to pay for police chases
From 1 July, motorists caught in Holly Springs, Georgia, will have to pay an extra $12 (£6) to cover the costs of police chasing them down.
The town’s police chief says the “fuel surcharge” will generate up to $26,000 (£13,000) in revenue per year.
Recent $4-a-gallon fuel costs have forced other police forces in the US to turn to unusual cost-saving measures.
Man-o-man, was that burgie on the grill FANTASTIC! A little Bull’s Eye-Guiness BBQ Sauce made it pererrrrrrrrrrrfect with my ice cold Stella Artois.
Steaks tonight! Then FIREWORKS with our youngest grandson. Life is GOOD!
Seriously hoping all of your Canada Day is as wonderful as ours.
By Bill-Muskoka on 07.01.08 2:56 pm
Enjoy Bill. I’m just pleased its sunny & hot. Bit too hot right now so am inside.
Re Stella Artois, when I arrived in Belgium in ‘69, I saw so many billboards on the way from the airport, I thought WOW, this lady sure is popular. They didn’t show a beer on the billboards, just the name. I quickly learned about Stella Artois.
. Gee we’ve even been able to get it here now for several years.
Enjoy your BBQ and evening with your grandson.
Happy Canada Day all! As soon as I am done working in 3 hours I will get a chance to enjoy Canada Day in the backyard laying on the floatin Homer with both beer holders filled. Sorry but it is not Canadian beer I will be enjoying, but some John Smiths bitter. We can’t get them here in B.C. mut my Mom brings them over from Belgium when she visits which she just did a week ago.
I have read some discussion on Stella Artois by Bill and KPN. I don’t really like it and when visiting Brussels 2 years ago I enquired what the deal was with it. I was told that Belgiuns don’t like it either that is why it is Belgiums #1 exported beer. Jupiler is by far a better Belgiun beer in my opinion but to each there own. Enjoy the day no matter where you are or what you are doing and be proud to be a Canadian.
By John Zalischuk on 07.01.08 1:35 pm
JOHN !!! … You are one paranoid banyak …!!!!
Simple Question: “Do you think little Canada can survive as a stand-alone country when the rest of the world is going global?!”
The EU .. USA pushing for merger .. China looming .. the Asian Tigers .. Russia flexing .. India expanding ….. so where does Canada fit in … along with Australia, New Zealand and Africa maybe??!!!
As for you megamaniacal “independent conservative” delusions about changing Canada … well they’re just that .. fantasy … which matches your doomsday armageddon predictions which sound more like something an unrequited suicide-prone, US-hating commie would say ……….. and btw, post your responses in the appropriate topic thread.
Happy Birthday Canada!
I am going to spend part of Canada Day at my daughter & son-in-laws picking a few cherries for making jam & pies in beautiful Osoyoos, barbecue some burgers & watch the fireworks on their deck.It sure is nice living in gods country.
Cheers
Enjoy your BBQ and evening with your grandson.
By kpn on 07.01.08 4:11 pm
You too KPN. BTW, every time I see, speak, or order a ‘Stella’ I get a flashback to the original Star Trek series and Harry Mudd’s #1 wife Stella. Go figure, eh?
Bought the two y.o. grandson his first sparklers this afternoon. Tonight he will be experiencing them. Best Loonie I have spent in quite a while.
Nana has him out looking for a ‘CANADA, Eh!’ T-shirt. One must be properly attired on Canada Day.
BTW, here is a nice Canada/American quiz to either inflate or deflate you ego on knowledge. LOL
What’s the Score?
Beautiful day and it is so nice not to feel like the Muskoka is Vancouver’s twin city with all the rain we have had.
By Marc on 07.01.08 4:23 pm
My normal first choice beer is German DAB, which used to be called Dortmunder Union, then Stella. It depends on what the day is like and my mood. Double Diamond, Teley’s, and Smithwick’s are other favourite. Then there is Molson Canadian, Creemore Springs, and Muskoka Honey Ale.
One’s body chemistry has a great effect on how beer tastes. One thing I note is that Canadian brewed Budweiser is actually pallatable…the American brewed Bud is horrible.
Beer is a treat. I prefer Single Malt Scotch, Rye, or Gentleman Jack.
When it gets really hot I make Vodka & Tonics. The Quinine water really cuts through the heat and dryness.
Anyway, HAPPY Canada day to you Marc.
Marc,
Sounds like our dear Harry has a Stella of his very own. She is still rated #1 it seems? LMAO!
Marc,
Sounds like our dear Harry has a Stella of his very own. She is still rated #1 it seems? LMAO!
Here is Harry’s ‘Stella’
She is a real ‘Charmer’ just like our Harry, eh? It’s too bad we can’t hear her ’soothing’ voice!
I believe you can tell how good or bad things are by what folks find to complain about. We certainly do have the luxury of griping about things that are, in the grand scheme of things, trivial.
Happy Canada Day!
Canada Day and Remembrance Day are the two most important days of the year for Members of Parliament in their constituencies. In a riding like ours, Halton, it is especially challenging since we encompass three separate towns, Milton, North Oakville and North Burlington. Each locale with their own separate celebration, each with their own unique traditions but always all at the same time!
Every year we lay out the schedule; plotting out a route using our best map quest and gps assistance, that will allow Garth to chase up and down the least traveled back roads, doing his best Bo Duke impersonation to magically appear in three places at once.
This year was no different, accept we caught a bit of a break when Milton had their opening ceremony at noon with Burlington doing theirs at 100 pm. We caught a second break with Milton doing their citizenship ceremony after the grand opening and Burlington doing their’s before the opening. This meant Murray (a long time member of our board of directors) could stand in for Garth in Burlington while he was in Milton, then I would take over in Milton while Garth sped down to Burlington. You follow?
This also meant that Garth entrusted me with the honour and privilege of represent our Country, our House of Commons, and our Member of Parliament at Milton’s Citizenship Ceremony. As the judge talked about what it meant for these folks to become citizens, their new rights and responsibilities as a Canadian, the hardship, sacrifice and danger many of them had to endure to get here, I could feel my heart beat a little faster and a tear well in my eye. I thought about how it must have been for my grandparents, so many years ago. I thought about how truly lucky I am to have been born in this country and how I love being Canadian. As I stood with these 37 new Canadians from 24 different countries and we said the oath together, first in English then in French, we were one voice in unison. There were no party lines, no scripted talking points, no opinions. Just one perfect moment.
Thank you Garth for giving me my best Canada Day ever. It makes it all worth it.
Hi Brain, you seem to have a good sense of deductive reasoning, I am having trouble with something Dion said the other day and no one has been able to “translate” it for me and I was wondering if you would give it a try, here is the phrase:
“I’m confident we will have significant reductions. I’m not telling you specific numbers because you would not trust me,”
My question is, should I still trust Dion since he is keeping his targets “secret”?
Thanks in advance
Gord.
By Gord G. on 07.01.08 11:10 am
Unless you can give me a link and time and place of the event and the person(s) and his/her/their words being addressed by Dion, I can’t help you. In short, deductive reasoning says a simple clip like this, “I’m confident we will have significant reductions. I’m not telling you specific numbers because you would not trust me,” can be so easily taken out of context without knowing the background information I’m asking for that its there’s no justice to accuracy itself in trying to make an attempt.
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:50 pm
Thanks, Barb and appreciate your efforts as well in telling it like it is.
By Bill-Muskoka on 07.01.08 1:05 pm
LMAO!
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 3:47 pm
God love ya Barb, you’re one of the good ones
“The scariest part of it concrns the deregulation of the banking sector. If Harper gets away with this one, our economic sovreignty is toast. . . . The whole thing stinks.”
brain, 1:35 am
Happy Canada Day brain, and all.
With the above para., to place US and Cdn. banks as unregulated further indicates carney wants to complete the sell-out of Canada to the US, thereby setting the stage for full implementation of the SPP, NAU, the Amero, re-worked NAFTA and to a very large extent, a police state strictly enforced.
Link shows that the Bank of America has now completed the takeover of Countrywide, which is partly responsible for the mortgage fiasco down there
So if our banks eventually follow the US regulations, it is probable that Cdns. may be sucked into the same thing that is happening down there.
http://tinyurl.com/5r6a3f
In addition, a previous link stated that the major downturn has not yet even started, and when it does, all folk will have to do is note the number of bankruptcies happening, almost on a daily basis in the US.
Seems that we will end up being a part of that mess if CRAP stays in charge.
When harpo said a couple of years or so ago, “. . . you won’t even recognize Canada by the time I’m finished with it,” he obviously knew what he was talking about.
After that, Carney was appointed BoC head and became responsible to DC’s dictates, so CRAP MPs are nothing more than figureheads for carney — he is the one pulling the strings here.
If Cdns. want to keep Canada as a relatively free country, when the writ is dropped then those folk will already have noticed how far right harpo has led us to being the 51st State.
Possiblity exists that another ‘false flag’ happenstance, a terrorist attack could end up setting the whole mess off, as supposedly, US trops are already in Iran, increasing the instability and minor conflicts there.
Bills C-51, C-52 and C-61 also play a part in this, but again, most don’t even bother to spend a few hours researching and reading for themselves.
****************************************
“We’re in a strange collective bubble. . . .”
Barb the proof-reader, 1:31 pm
Hi Barb.
The ’strange collective bubble’ reminds me of the movie “The Truman Show”, where people live in a bubble, with their day to day lives being filmed as a soap opera.
They follow the same routines until Truman gets up enough courage to say “Good morning, good evening and goodnight”, then ups and leaves.
Whereabouts in that bubble would you say we are? I figure it’s almost time to turn the lights out!
****************************************
“. . . a collapse of the American dollar, financial system and economy. This will also affect Canadians. A Big Event like an attack on Iran could also set in motion a chain of events of another type. . . . Forewarned is forearmed.”
John Zalischuk, 1:35 pm
Hello John.
Your last three words are right on the money; getting nasty out there, and all we can do is take of our own and families.
****************************************
heavenly queenie ratshit terrorist country hairy, 4:23 pm
A Very Happy Fourth of July to you, as well hairy!
Now be a nice thingameedoodoo, take off to DC and go worship at the feet of your god, hell for leather and stupid to boot dubya.
This country will do just fine without you and your lot of ultra right-wing frootcakes, nutbars and zealots!
By John Zalischuk on 07.01.08 1:35 pm
John ~ I think there are quite a number of Canadians who aware of what is going on but we have no ideas on how to stop it.
BY C. B. INNES 07.01.08 3:05 PM
______________________________________
C. B.,
How do we stop it? Same old solution should work: Get informed. Get involved. But do it.
______________________________________
Harper gave away the solution when he wrote it into a Reform Party internal party memo. It was his version of “how to win friends and influence voters”. Harper’s memo instructed Reform Party members that “most voters are uninformed and apathetic” so we’ll just have to reverse that! [pdf document]
http://tinyurl.com/6bzehw
Locally [Canada] we can stop it by becoming informed, gutsy, talk to friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbours. Then vote for an honest candidate, one who actually cares about people.
To me, Dion is smart. I think, my personal opinion, he knew he needed to help Canada by waiting, for the tipping point, when enough people helped themselves to the oodles of truth out there.
As far as what to do about the world.. hmm.. Same answer. Our politicians NEED us to be informed, so we don’t make costly mistakes in the future believing Harper’s bait. It’s our responsibility. We should take it more seriously now.
Now that Canadians are seeing the real guy, it makes his ex-fiance’s words at the time, all the more alarming. Here in Calgary West, “in 1988, Harper was a Reform candidate – and ran against his old friend and mentor, Conservative Jim Hawkes. Harper’s girlfriend had introduced the two men. Hawkes says he didn’t take Harper’s opposition personally, but as the two men debated in town halls across the riding that autumn, many loyal Progressive Conservatives did take it personally. Cynthia Williams, by now Harper’s ex-fiancée, was one. “‘Traitor’, I guess, is the kind of word that comes to mind for a lot of people.. ‘He had an opportunity, he’s learned a lot of things, and now all of a sudden he’s using it against our candidate, against us.’”
http://tinyurl.com/68ubvc
Quebec will hopefully open their eyes, too. “Harper on Official bilingualism? “As a religion, bilingualism is the god that failed. It has led to no fairness, produced no unity, and cost Canadian taxpayers untold millions,” he wrote in the Calgary Sun in 2001.”
Friends of Medicare know: “Harper on Two-tier health care? “I think it would be a good idea,” he said during a 1997 CBC panel discussion. “I think we’re headed in that direction anyway.”
Harper’s group, the misnomered National Citizens Coalition was CREATED to destroy Universal Public Healthcare! Why? So their corporate members could move in and rake in the profiteering off of us.
Gee, we don’t need a middle man creaming the profits. We just need to take our system back, because the destruction you see in our healthcare system right now, goes way back, to this corporate meddling, and the introduction of expensive private medical companies ripping us off. You think this wasn’t planned? Take another think, and go research it. I’ll warn you, it gets harder and harder to research, because they know how to bury google searches with dribble under the same key word searches. That’s how. But the other political parties, the nurses, unions and others, seem to post much needed truth, or have in the past.
Is Harper still lobbying for corporations? Until very recently he was the President of the corporate lobbyist group [again, unsuitably named] The National Citizens Coalition who disguise themselves as helping the people.. lol
http://tinyurl.com/5psh3m
Canadians have their own concerns, but we also have the same problems as the rest of the world. The bag of tricks being sold with the ‘globalization’ label, seeks to make gains for those who are already wealthy. It’s greed driven, and has nothing to do with helping people. Happy Canada Day. Work hard, be green, love and play, be kind, and start researching, talk to others and get involved. Brace yourself, but do not hide your head in the sand, and do not feel sorry for yourself, we need each other.
Ummm….
Can an MP actually delegate his job to someone else and have them do anything on a formal basis?
I’m happy Esther enjoyed her day, however I’m a little curious as to what she could actually do as Garth’s impromtu representative at the events.
She gave out certificates of welcome that I had prepared and signed for our new brothers and sisters. May they be more charitable and giving than you. — Garth
By brain on 07.01.08 5:14 pm
By Esther Shaye on 07.01.08 5:13 pm
HAPPY Canada Day Esther!
Bill, 11:09 am
Hello Bill.
Just before the warranty expires on the PC (fitted with XP) in Oct., I’ll have all the garbage files and junk I don’t want tossed out, then I’m switching to Ubuntu, Linux’s little brother.
Free OS, updates twice per year and no one bothers to create spyware, malware, adware or any other -ware, as it is fairly uncommon.
XP is fairly stable, though.
Thank you Garth for giving me my best Canada Day ever. It makes it all worth it.
By Esther Shaye on 07.01.08 5:13 pm
Esther – what a wonderful post. I too watch some of the swearing in (if thats the correct word?) of new citizens to our great country, and have a lump in my throat. I’m so very proud that people, from all over the world, want to immigrate here. I’m thankful that my father did. I just want to say Thank You Esther for your very timely responses to my questions, even though I live far from Garth’s & your constituency. BRAVO to you, Garth and both your families, and all the volunteers.
This country will do just fine without you and your lot of ultra right-wing frootcakes, nutbars and zealots!
By Charles Oxley on 07.01.08 5:30 pm
Charles, but what shall we do at Christmas to replace all those cakes nobody wants or eats? LOL
Happy Canada Day all! As soon as I am done working in 3 hours I will get a chance to enjoy Canada Day in the backyard laying on the floatin Homer with both beer holders filled. Sorry but it is not Canadian beer I will be enjoying, but some John Smiths bitter. We can’t get them here in B.C. mut my Mom brings them over from Belgium when she visits which she just did a week ago.
I have read some discussion on Stella Artois by Bill and KPN. I don’t really like it and when visiting Brussels 2 years ago I enquired what the deal was with it. I was told that Belgiuns don’t like it either that is why it is Belgiums #1 exported beer. Jupiler is by far a better Belgiun beer in my opinion but to each there own. Enjoy the day no matter where you are or what you are doing and be proud to be a Canadian.
By Marc on 07.01.08 4:23 pm
Marc – I’m not a big beer drinker and never have been. Yes, its been here for several years, but I’ve not partaked. Can’t even recall what it tasted like. Just recall sitting outside one of the many establishments, on a sunny day, in the Grand Place, with friends and watching the world go by. That’s what I LOVE about Europe. Their cities are so amenable to ‘people watching’, besides their culture & fabulous architecture. Can’t wait to go back next year.
Sip this Latte, eh?
Starbucks to close 600 stores across the U.S.
I guess this means they have a whole new definition for bean?
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 12:50 pm
Thanks, Barb and appreciate your efforts as well in telling it like it is.
By Bill-Muskoka on 07.01.08 1:05 pm
LMAO!
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 3:47 pm
God love ya Barb, you’re one of the good ones
By brain on 07.01.08 5:14 pm
It was taken from a story in the Toronto Sun, Dion met with the editorial board and this quote was reported in the story.
Dion defends carbon tax
Maintains stance that green plan’s tax scheme will be revenue neutral and appealing to Canadians
By KATHLEEN HARRIS — Sun Media
The Toronto Sun
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Environment/2008/06/26/5992056-sun.html
Gord.
This country will do just fine without you and your lot of ultra right-wing frootcakes, nutbars and zealots!
By Charles Oxley on 07.01.08 5:30 pm
Charles, but what shall we do at Christmas to replace all those cakes nobody wants or eats? LOL
By Bill-Muskoka on 07.01.08 6:12 pm
Hi Bill & Charles – Just read the above to my DH – we had a great laugh. Thx. It’s 2025 here and we just finished our BBQ too.
We were just watching more Canada Day ceremoniies from Ottawa and my DH stood up and said I’m proud to be Canadian. This is the country that I chose. He came to Canada, from France, as did his twin, in their 20’s. They have both seized opportunities that would not have been available to them their homeland. I know they both love their homeland, as I do, but they’ll never return to live. Their home is Canada.
Nobody can remember the words and it’s not a very inspiring anthem. The melody is pedestrian.
Why not change it for something more memorable? Home on the Range comes to mind…
Canadians have their own concerns, but we also have the same problems as the rest of the world. The bag of tricks being sold with the ‘globalization’ label, seeks to make gains for those who are already wealthy. It’s greed driven, and has nothing to do with helping people. Happy Canada Day. Work hard, be green, love and play, be kind, and start researching, talk to others and get involved. Brace yourself, but do not hide your head in the sand, and do not feel sorry for yourself, we need each other.
By Barb the proof-reader on 07.01.08 5:35 pm
Barb, I appreciate your intelligent posts as well as so many others – too many to mention. I totally agree with what you have said. I refrain from discussing politics with family & friends. I get too emotional at times when I see what the global elitists are doing. As CBI said – something to the effect – we know what is happening – but how can we stop it.
Why not change it for something more memorable? Home on the Range comes to mind…
By Buford Wilson on 07.01.08 7:55 pm
Why? Do you like to be reminded of Bullshit that much?
Home, home on the range
Where the buffalo act kind of strange.
Thanks Bill-Muskoka on 07.01.08 3:46 pm, You have a great Canada day also.
Fuel cells are a more efficient way to convert the stored potential energy in hydrogen, and oxygen in the air into electricity/energy, that could then be used to make an electrical motor do some work, like move your car, or keep you lights on, etch.
Internal combustion engines waste most of the potential energy they have by making lots of heat and then there is the friction in the engine and drive train.
(Using gasoline and natural gas in internal combustion engine is such a waste of most of the potential energy in these fossil fuels. Fossil fuels is the stored energy from the suns nuclear furnace, during a brief period in the life of our planet, long ago. There is only so much and we are using it up fast)
Yes Hydrogen could be called a clean fuel, since the by products are water and a bit of heat. If fuel cells are used there is electricity produced that could be used to do some work. Fuel cells are able to convert a much larger part of the potential energy from hydrogen/oxygen than simple burning it in an internal combustion engine.
My understanding is, hydrogen is only an energy carrier. You still need a source of energy to make electricity that can split water H2O into its parts, 2 parts hydrogen and one apart oxygen. Or energy to separate hydrogen from natural gas.
Making hydrogen is simple a way of stores much of the energy needed to make it(but not all), and then storing it in gas containers or very cold liquid gas containers, that could then be used at a later time.
If put through a fuel cell or a combustion engine(burning).
(Energy is used to make it cold and keep it cold over time.)
There is also a way to use natural gas as the source of hydrogen to then put through a fuel cell, or to burn. The catalyst were relatively expensive, but are coming down in price. I’m not up to date on the latest and greatest catalyst technology to get hydrogen from natural gas, or the expected useful life of them.
Hydrogen likes to be a gas. It takes very low temperatures and high pressure to make it into a liquid and to keep it cold, all using energy to do that. Hydrogen gas takes up a lot more room than gasoline does for a given amount of potential energy. There are some new materials that have hold some promise to story hydrogen at lower pressures, and reduce the potential harm if a ruptured tank were to find an ignition sources.
Hydrogen is a very small atom; it can get out by very, very slow diffusion, or leaks in pipe fittings.
I read once that hydrogen attacks ozone, but I couldn’t find the source of that statement to back it up.
Does anyone out there have any more information on the hydrogen ozone layer potential issue, or is it a non-issue???
I like that fact that hydrogen is lighter than air. If it leaks out it goes up and away, and does not drop down and pool in low spots like gasoline and some other gasses.
Not everyone on the Hindenburg blimp died, only 35 out of 97 and one ground crew died. Most who died, did not die or get burned from the hydrogen that went up, but by the diesel fuel for the engines and from jumping out, that some did.
(This is interesting: Hydrogen Didn’t Cause Hindenburg Fire, UCLA Engineer, Former NASA Researcher Find … the chemical composition of the skin and delving into the records of the German firm…)
http://www.seas.ucla.edu/hsseas/releases/blimp.htm
Hydrogen has some great potential to help mankind with some urgent problems we are facing at this point in history.
(But the men of the oil Corporation and oil producing countries don’t want that to happen any time soon. Especial with some oil left in the ground to sell.
It would hurt there short term profits, at the expence of the future humans and life on our only planet.)
If the fuels cells can be made with less cost and their life expectance can be increased, and it sound like Honda and some others may have found a way, that would be a great thing!
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/?from=fcx.honda.com
We could have home hydrogen making units, plugged into the electrical power grid at home and use wind/solar when available, to make the hydrogen we would need as our energy carrier, to do stuff. For some things we could have hydrogen-refueling stations or centralized making and storage, and pipe it to were it is needed.
We will still need to get the energy needed to change water into hydrogen gas and it need to come from somewhere. Renewables will help.
Nuclear power can supply the needed energy when the wind isn’t blowing, keep the lights, replace the energy we are now getting from burning fossil fuels, in time to stop climate change from passing a tipping point. Nuclear power plants can also be used to recharge plug-in cars.
(I hope we haven’t past that tipping point yet? Time is running out fast.)
The heat made from Nuclear Power Plants has an added bonus, it seem that heated water,
Very hot water, required less electrical energy to split it into hydrogen/oxygen than does none heated water. (Only 4 years to build a new CANDU power plant.)
Thanks again Bill for using your inquiring mind to try and come up with a better way to get the job done.
We have choices that need to be made to prevent the worst effect from climate heating and get ready for peak-oil, and all with very little time left to accomplish it.
Are you up for the challenge?
There is only enough time left to get it right the first time.
We better get the job done right the first time or else the future looks very, very bleak in deed.
PMSH and his gang are not helping us all get the job done.
PMSH is actually making things worse! Have you been paying attention?
PMSH non-plan is to us up Canada’s natural gas by 2028, and the world is going to be out of oil about 2050-2060 if we just keep going as planned.
Are you getting yourself filled with good information/facts about all the the choices that we need to make and implement?
Be very careful who and what you vote for this next time, it might be the last time you have to get the job done, for you and your family’s future prospects on our only planet earth!
Here is another plug for Canada’s world-class CANDU nuclear power plants.
(For anyone who interested.)
Good information at,
http://www.aecl.ca/
http://www.cna.ca/
These are great books;
Power to Save the World: The truth about nuclear energy and our changing climate. By: Gwyneth Cravens.
http://www.cravenspowertosavetheworld.com/
There is a video with author at above site also.
Kicking the Carbon Habit: Global Warming and the Case for Renewable and Nuclear Energy
by: William Sweet
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-0231137109-1
Always nice to hear from the Halton Federal Conservative Association. Say hi to Peident Will for me. BTW, I just finished the Milton Canada Day opening event, and it was glorious. God bless our nation. — Garth
By Hey Tunip Breath on 07.01.08 11:55 am
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Just another reason why Iam AToryNoMore
Happy Canada Day!!
Brain? A lot of ‘urban’ folk don’t understand CWB but do support Western farmers. It is the farmers with very large acreages that want CWB gone not the majority small operators. I think you described the situation very well but omitted to mention that should the CWB be removed it will be the buyers, ConAgra, Cargill etc.., who will become an oligopoly or cartel. In a small town where you can only sell to one or two companies they would have the farmer by the short and curlies unless the farmer can afford to ship elsewhere. The cartel can assign whatever grade they want to the grain. Lower the grade the lower the price the corporation would have to pay farmers.
CWB is the only thing standing in the way of GM wheat. Harper has allowed it ‘experimentally’ which shows how ignorant he is or wants to be about the food he eats.
Harper is behaving like a dictator. His little foray/speech on the CWB in Saskatchewan didn’t impress too many grain farmers in the west.
Free market only works when both sides play by the rules. Harper wants to give the ‘cartel’ more than an edge and it may cost him seats in the west if he pushes it through. He’s behaving as unethical and immoral as some of the big name agri-businesses.
“Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people.” Henry Kissinger
Giving big business control to increase shareholder value or perhaps something more sinister?? Scary.
Bill, 6:12 pm and kpn, 7:23 pm
Greetings from The Great White West! Some ideas:
1) Recycle them into barrels to be used for oil to be transported from Alberta;
2) Compost;
3) Bring the frootcakes back periodically for our very own comedy show!
BTW, temp. here yesterday was 36.2; by Sat., it’s forecast to be 20.
Something strange is going on; the average July temp. is around 35.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Environment/2008/06/26/5992056-sun.html
…….Many of the diseases and illnesses we have in this country are coming from a polluting environment, all the toxins that are coming in our body,” Dion said. “Our environmental platform will make this link.”
Unfortunately Stephane does not have the whole story on our poor health.
According to Dr. Fuhrman http://www.drfuhrman.com/ whose books I have just finished reading and with whom I agree given my experience and research, it is the interior toxins we have in our body coming from ingesting sugar, white flour, processed food, excess saturated fat, excessive meats, etc that is poisoning our bodies. We need to eat nutrient rich foods. Dr. Fuhrman claims his nutritional plan for life cures many diseases. He is recommended by Dr. Mehmet Oz a cardiac surgeon appearing on Oprah many times and author of the book “You, An Owner’s Manual”.
In my mind, Stephane needs to get Canada’s food rules changed and our medical costs may go way down with compliance. Of course he will be fighting the powerful beef and dairy lobbys. And yes, the toxins in our environmnet are very detrimental to our personal and our environment’s health.
Very interesting to see what happens if it goes through; couple caught in the sub-prime meltdown may end up suing the bank!
http://tinyurl.com/6gzfjo
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Good advice. The greenback sux — avoid it.
http://tinyurl.com/6hkcv6
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BTW, the Dow Jones lost more than 10% in June, marking the worst June since the Great Depression.
In six to 18 months’time, there will be some great value- and growth-oriented bargains!
GOTCHA!
BY BILL-MUSKOKA ON 07.01.08 1:00 PM
Got your back Bill. [Although I doubt they would tackle you in the zen pool.]
Hi Garth and readers.
Canada Day was fine in Calgary.
Now back to the important conversation.
Why Canadian Prime Ministerial co-operation with Bushco?
I am sure Torontonians have read Linda McQuaig in the Star.
Now please read comments from Americans and Canadians.
Read what a Native American has to say.
We must have a government that condemns torture.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/01/10013/
By Lawrence on 06.29.08 9:50 pm
Garvin,
Either you are not very thorough or you are simply a liar. You wanted a direct quote from your previous post. You got it . See below along with my response shortly after I read it. Read my first response carefully. You will note that I did not overlook the filthy implication. Note that my first response was within days NOT ten weeks!
Your feeble excuse that no one else responded doesn’t hold water. After all, I don’t recall any reaction when Leasa accused me of beating my wife, either, an accusation that is equally reprehensible. Lack of reaction doesn’t make either your implication or Leasa’s accusation any less reprehensible. You make quite a pair, don’t you?.
In typical neo-con fashion you cleverly practice slander by insinuation rather than making a direct accusation. Then, since it is not a direct accusation, you deny, claiming a “paranoid delusion”. It doesn’t wash here. Comparison with Michael Jackson brings to mind two things, a great entertainer and a child molester. No one is going to believe that you are commenting on my dancing skills or lack thereof.. In the minds of those reading this “More issues” can only mean one thing. Your insinuation is obvious, vicious, filthy and reprehensible.
See below for the direct quote from your posting of ten weeks back., along with my timely response and to complete the picture, a reprise of my recent posting.
EXHIBIT ONE Slander by Insinuation
Nothing wrong with Gord that 10 years of intensive psychotherapy couldn’t fix. The guy has more issues than Michael Jackson.
By Lawrence on 04.18.08 8:41 am
EXHIBIT TWO My First Response
Lawrence,
So Leasa recruited you to defend her and her echo, Catherine.
Judging by comments posted recently and not so recently on this blog, she is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, isn’t she? Weren’t you previously banned from this blog in the interests of common decency? Just who are you, really?, Halton John, Milton Man, HJ? Or are you just another of those who like to take a cue from Harper’s foulest tactics, to wit: “IF ALL FAILS CALL SOMEONE A CHILD MOLESTER. “..
By emulating your glorious leader in this way you are simply reminding readers that STEPHEN HARPER firmly established himself as Canada’s DIRTIEST POLITICIAN ever, when he accused Paul Martin of supporting child pornography.
By Gord on 04.21.08 6:37 pm
EXHIBIT THREE My Recent Response
By Lawrence on 06.29.08 1:50
Lawrence Garvin,
You, Lawrence Garvin, compared me to Michael Jackson.
Since I have never given any indication that I am an entertainer, which I am not, the intent of the implication was unmistakable. Anyone reading your reference to Michael Jackson is likely to understand that you are accusing me, by implication, of molesting children. You obviously wanted people to THINK I molested children whether it was true or not. The cowardly implication, while not direct and MAYBE just beyond libel, because of the way it was phrased, is absolutely despicable and perhaps explains why you are the most heavily censored person on this blog.
You, Lawrence Garvin, are the coward and you, owe ME a retraction and an apology!
CONCLUSION
You obviously believe that with fancy rhetoric and nice platitudes you can get away with anything. Not this time. Your hatred and viciousness is thinly disguised. In your rage you even descend into childish name calling. Is it you that has taught Leasa her scurrilous skills? You are even more devious, more vicious and more dishonest than even she is. With your superior command of English, you are even more dangerous. You evidently believe in the triumph of rhetoric over reason. . You may not have slandered me directly, however, the intent is obvious and unmistakable. You little sojourn into brinkmanship is exposed. You bear watching. I am sure you will make many more such sojourns. Obviously and fortunately Garth is on to you. As always he is to be commended for his excellent job in balancing free speech with common decency. At the same time he lets enough of your postings through so that we can all see for ourselves what a scoundrel you really are.
If the fuels cells can be made with less cost and their life expectance can be increased, and it sound like Honda and some others may have found a way, that would be a great thing!
By Greg W., Oakville on 07.01.08 8:58 pm
Greg,
Fuel cells have been in use since the Apollo program. I know, I made many of the drawings and we built them. In fact, GM researched using pig manure as an agent.
I also find the concept of Litium Ion batteries rather interesting but the problem has always been watt denisty versus weight. When you have to haul to energy source around in the vehicle you lose a lot of the gain.
I also note Exxon-Mobil is running ads here about their materials research into Lithium Ion membrane development. The real secret has, and shall lie in materials research not some other area.
Union carbide Crop. started a Materials Science Dvision back in the late ’60’s. I also work on some projects there. We, as usual, do not lack tecyhnology, we lack funding to allow further development of what we already know.
I could, literally, power an electric vehicle on orange juice. The acid reacts with metals causing electron flow, same as a battery. I can see it now, the Sunkist Screamer, bright orange racing down the street. LOL They have already formulated cleaners from orange juice that are bio-degradable and environmentally clean. The bloody things are nuscance plants in the Southwest U.S..
Have a good night. We had a FANTASTIC fireworks display tonight…one of the best finales I have ever seen. Just love the BIG red & white cluster bursts. So very Canadian.
By Gord G. on 07.01.08 7:11 pm
Not dodging you, Gord, just ran out of time. I’ll have something for you tomarrow.
By Dee on 07.01.08 9:22 pm
Can’t do it all alone, Dee, which is why we need you!
You are completely on the money, Dee. The empire wants to control nations, trade and ownership of foreign resources with energy and food specifically, its all about control and with a nation that’s inarguably been the greatest source of human death/causalties from war/coups and foreign policy of any nation since world war II and defense spending that hovers around 14 to 20% of GDP, second only to North Korea…
And an empire that’s losing its economic grip as the worlds superpower with a decimated manufacturing base, 3 decades of trade deficits and a currency crisis, they are becoming more and more unstable, environmentally, militarily, with consumer habits especially and ultimately as a result, more dangerous. Corporate mercenaries are being hired to fight their wars for them now, they’ve become so internally politically corrupt…
Scary but true observations Dee, thanks for the input.
Gord. With all due respect, I say this to you:
You’re starting to sound like them.
You’re way overstating your case.
You care too much what they’re up to.
Perhaps you know too much to be of any use if they know who you are and what you think.
Which I suspect you know they do.
They don’t trust you.
You don’t trust yourself to keep safe in their playground. I wouldn’t trust any one of them.
The liars will do whatever it takes to make their lies seem true. A hopeless endeavour but one with no time limit since they say a God is going to come down and give all these liars and cheats, murderers and thieves, rapists and papists and unbelievers a smack-down they’re not going to forget. While overlooking their own grievous sins and omissions.
Think about that, and in the meanwhile do not feed the trolls.
Get it? Eh!
By the by, I very much enjoy fruitcakes, the darker the better
The white ones are ever so nice with tea, kinda like hot cross buns: have to eat them at least once a year…
The dark, fruity, nutty, rummy cakes, heavy with butter and molasses and honey… good stuff. Send ‘em my way. They’ll not go to waste.
Ever thought aboot how good a bread pudd’n can be with a fruitcake base?
Apparently not.
Sad.
By Gord on 07.01.08 11:56 pm
Gosh, Benord…you mean there is someone on this blog badder than me?
Lord have mercy!
Leasa XO
Hmmm….
It appears my response to Garth’s lecture on being “charitable” went missing. The delete button appears to be getting a little easy to hit, Garth.
As you may recall one of your beefs with Harper is that he trampled on your right to speak out on issues.
When you contribute, you get posted. When you’re a smart ass, you don’t. Simple enough for you? — Garth
Gord on 07.01.08 11:56 pm
Bleeding Jesus, Gord! It’s not enough that you’re illiterate, paranoid, repressed and obtuse; you have to thrown pigheadedness into the mix on top of it.
Read this slowly; I did not accuse you, directly or indirectly, of molesting children. Quite specifically I made reference to your weird obsession with Leasa who is – so far as we know – an adult woman. The fact that I made reference to Michael Jackson while doing so has apparently thrown you into new depths of neurotic agony. I’d like to say I feel some sympathy… but I don’t. It’s embarassing & slightly queasy-making to see you throw yourself on an issue that you’ve invented from whole cloth. And what an issue to cling to!!! Not one person on this board came to the same conclusion as you did and even with your overwrought protestations you have failed to convince anyone.
Gord, think about this honestly… maybe it’s just YOU.
I’m sure a good therapist would find this outburst fascinating. But I’m not a therapist (good or bad) and I find the whole thing utterly distasteful. Frankly, I’m surprised and disappointed that the moderator here would let you make such a spectacle of yourself.
Wipe your chin, gather up whatever scraps of dignity you can find lying around and let this ugly obsession go. You made a horribly inappropriate leap of illogic – so drop it now.
Can we chip in & get you guys a room? — Garth
Can we chip in & get you guys a room? — Garth
That’s just cute as all hell, Garth. You encourage this delusional fruitloop into torturing himself and slandering my name into the bargain.
A million laughs.
He is – arguably – not responsible for his behaviour. You certainly are responsible for yours.
Is that a ‘no’, snuggles? — Garth