Local media has it wrong again, about me

Being a fan of Bud's editorials in the Pass Herald (as he is a regular reader and fan of my blog) I know and expect, as most of my readers here can attest to, I'm sure, that he will always slant and distort things to suit his agenda and misguided ideological bent. Let the truth and facts be damned if they get in the way of a good news story that increases circulation while furthering the goals, aims and ambitions of those closest to him, such as a Sygutek, is what most people have come to expect, I think. The ends justify the means is his team's philosophy, is it not?

But hey, we all know this, don't we? Just like we all know by now that the former councillors having blogs that he speaks of in his editorial of this week are a pain in the ass to him and his gang. We also know that of the two former councillors he speaks of, which are Dean Ward and myself, only Dean will be running again in the next municipal election.

So why does my friend Bud insist on stating that I will be running again also? I have stated previously on my blog on numerous occasions and to his face even that I will never run again for elected office in this municipality?

Having run for the mayor's chair on several occasions over the years and coming within a couple hundred votes or so of winning in the 2007 election only to be slapped in the face, humiliated and humbled in 2010 by losing in a landslide victory to a virtual unknown 'educator', I declared afterwards I would never run again. I realized then that someone of my ilk could never hope to win here where the cards in the deck are stacked against those who stand tall, speak the truth and are not part of the established order. But alas, I digress.

So why does the master of misinformation, distortion and propaganda insist on lumping me in with Dean as someone with aspirations to sit on council again? Does he miss me that much i.e. our past intimate moments together in council chambers where at times he would approach and lean over the council table in my face to share with me his opinions (and alcoholic breath) about me and my job performance. :-) Or maybe he has regrets and misgivings about what could have been? If only he and his associates and friends did not resort to dirty politics again by way of effective smear campaigns against me in the last election that the shepple in this community swallowed hook line and sinker? Or is he now disillusioned with the performance of this new mayor and council and already plotting to replace them come the next election, as he and his gang did with the previous council? So many questions with so few answers???

In any event, I must once again, for the record, state unequivocally that I will not be running again in the next municipal election, for the reasons I have once again reiterated above. I have no regrets or misgivings with respect to this decision, but to be honest, I will always wonder at what could have been, if only....

I will close by borrowing a line from the aforementioned editor... "At least that's the way I see it". :-)


Note: In the meantime, with two years to go, I think this mayor is headed in the right direction and wish him well.



Journalists work for their owners, the owners work for themselves. It has nothing to do with reporting truth.

VIDEO: Autistic Basketball

It's amazing how the people who are considered not to be the normal always touch so many lives...





Don’t let what other people think decide who you are.

Injured Iraq veteran is face of Occupy movement

Democracy Now

Iraq War Vet Hospitalized with Fractured Skull After Being Shot by Police at Occupy Oakland Protest

Thousands of people reclaimed the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of City Hall Wednesday after police dispersed them twice on Tuesday — first in a pre-dawn raid on the camp and 12 hours later at night when protesters attempted to retake the park — using beanbag projectiles and tear gas. Many protesters expressed outrage over of the injury of Oakland protester Scott Olsen, a 24-year-old Iraq War veteran whose skull was fractured by a projectile fired by police Tuesday night. He is hospitalized in critical condition and is reportedly under sedation by doctors monitoring his injury. We speak to Jesse Palmer, an Occupy Oakland protester who helped move Olsen to safety, and to Aaron Hinde, a close friend of Scott Olsen and a fellow member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. One of Olsen’s other friends, Adele Carpenter, told Reuters, "The irony is not lost on anyone here that this is someone who survived two tours in Iraq and is now seriously injured by the Oakland police force." Aaron Hinde talked about why Olsen joined the Occupy Oakland movement: "He was a very motivated and dedicated individual. And he believed in the Occupy movement, because it’s very obvious what’s happening in this country, especially as veterans. We’ve had our eyes opened by serving and going to war overseas."




Comment: The more acts of police brutality against the people they are suppose to protect and serve, the more people are becoming aware that we are living in a police state. This is becoming apparent every day as more and more of our rights and freedoms are being taken away or trampled upon. The ever increasing security measures being taken at our borders are not to keep people (terrorists) out, but to keep our people in. Think about it, then act!

People cry, not because they’re weak. It’s because they’ve been strong for too long.

Police Fire Tear Gas, Flash Grenades as Protesters Try to Retake Occupy Oakland After Predawn Raid

Democracy Now

Oakland police repeatedly fired tear gas and flash grenades Tuesday night as protesters attempted to retake the Occupy Oakland encampment outside City Hall—only 12 hours after police tore apart the camp and arrested more than 90 people in a pre-dawn raid. Observers said that at times the downtown resembled a war zone last night. Some protesters are being held on $10,000 bail. We speak to Rachel Jackson of the Oscar Grant Committee Against Police Brutality and State Repression about how the police are handling Occupy Oakland. We also are joined by John Avalos, San Francisco city supervisor and a candidate for mayor of San Francisco. On Tuesday, Avalos introduced a resolution supporting the right of the Occupy San Francisco protest to continue its peaceful assembly in public spaces.




Comment: The onslaught of state oppression is upon us. Now the people will be tested. Courage, character and tenacity of North Americans to stand up to state tyranny, as our brothers and sisters have done in the middle east, is now needed here. Peaceful protest by the people met with violence by state authorities can lead to only one of two outcomes... Slavery (as wage and debt slaves) or Freedom.

Watch this video and see for yourself why things are evolving as they are, and why people like you are rebelling around the world against the 1%ers:

Why Occupy Wall Street?

Note: This will be my last post on the reasons why, and justification for, the Occupy Movement. If you feel you need more in the way of background then go to the bottom of this page and in the search box enter 'wall street protest' or 'wall street movement'.

The time has come to rise up as one... and take back our world... from the greedy ones!

Imagine a flock of pigeons in a corn field. Imagine that ninety-nine of them, instead of pecking the corn they need and using it as they need it, start to collect all they can into one big heap. Imagine that they do not leave much corn for themselves, but save this big heap of corn on behalf of the vilest and worst in their flock. Imagine that they all sit in a circle and watch this one pigeon, who squanders and wastes this wealth. And then imagine that they rush at a weak pigeon who is the most hungry among them who darest to take one grain from the heap without permission, and they punish him.
If you can imagine this, then you can understand the day-to-day behaviour of mankind.


The above needs to change! That's what the Occupy Movement is all about.



When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.

Bill Maher Explains Why Occupy Wall Street Is Going To Win

PoliticusUSA

On Real Time host Bill Maher accused the right of living in the past when it comes to Occupy Wall Street, but most importantly, he explained to them why Occupy Wall Street is going to win.

After debunking the right’s hippie characterization of Occupy Wall Street, Maher said, “There’s not going to be a repeat of what happened last time the hippies were in the streets. Those hardhats that you’re depending on to turn against the lousy hippies, here’s what they’re doing now. They’re cheering them on, because now the hardhats are just as broke as everybody else. These people down there, they’re not the counterculture. They’re the culture. They don’t want free love. They want paid employment. They don’t hate capitalism. They hate what’s been done to it, and they resent the Republican mantra that the market perfectly rewards the hard working and punishes the lazy, and the poor are just jealous mooches who want a handout. Yeah, because if there is one group of people who hate handouts, it’s Wall Street.”

The right has tried everything to turn the tide of public opinion against Occupy Wall Street. They have claimed that the protests are filled with crime and drugs. They have labeled the movement anti-Semitic, and the people involved in it lazy, dirty, hippies. Despite their daily attacks this movement has continued to grow, and Bill Maher put his finger on exactly why.

Occupy Wall Street continues to be successful because it isn’t a movement of people, it is the people. The right does think that this is the 1960s all over again, and they can get those middle aged white suburban Americans to rally against the youth, but the Occupy Wall Street movement isn’t divided by age. This isn’t old versus young, or white versus black. The Occupy movement is something different.

The economic devastation caused by the corrupt behavior of Wall Street impacted Americans across age, race, and geographic lines. The only people who profited from the great economic collapse of 2008 are those who caused it. The rich have gotten richer, and they have seized control of our political system in order to not only maintain their status, but also to take away resources from those beneath them.

What really pushed the 99% over the edge wasn’t that rich have gotten richer, but that the one percent has turned capitalism into a weapon to be used against everyone beneath them.

The right keeps assuming that there is some sort of large natural constituency out there waiting to be mobilized against these protests. They dream of finding the magic words that will stop the protesters and protect their beloved one percent, but there aren’t any magic words. There isn’t a talking point out there that can derail Occupy Wall Street.

The exploited class is rising up to seek justice, and whether Bill Maher realizes it or not, he perfectly explained why Occupy Wall Street is going to win.

Go here for the video:


An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.

I'm 'Crazy'... how 'bout you?

Crazy



Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

VIDEO: Mel Hurtig: The Truth About Canada

Canada's favorite nationalist Mel Hurtig doesn't hold back in this discussion on what's really been happening in Canada for the past forty years. Filmed during Mel's 2008 tour supporting his latest book, "The Truth About Canada", you will be shocked and saddened to hear the truth about Canada.

Mel Hurtig: The Truth About Canada from ICTV Victoria on Vimeo.

Comment: I posted about this earlier this year here but think with everything that is going on right now with the Occupy Movements in Canada that it is worth repeating, so that people are given the opportunity to wake up to the fact on how our country is being taken over (sold out) and why most people don't even know it (Canada has the highest percent of corporate media ownership than any other country in the OECD i.e. “the most concentrated in the world”).

Two of the book’s most powerful themes: the failure of Canadian big business to turn record profits into ongoing investment in our country, and (no coincidence) the sellout of our assets at a rate that no other country would allow.


We have far more to fear from an unaccountable government at home than from any foreign terrorist.

Speak Up!

The mass arrests continue, and not one of them a f*cking banker or politician that "harbors" them.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere

Taking Care of Business

An old Italian gentleman lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here, my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.

Love, Papa


A few days later he received a letter from his son.


Dear Papa,

Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.

Love, Vinnie


At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.


Dear Papa,

Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love you,
Vinnie


Note: Thanks to Jose for this. :-)


Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

#OccupyMarines are Preparing to Occupy America Nationwide

By Anomaly100

United States Marine Corps. Sergeant Shamar Thomas in a spectacular moment defended the protesters of Occupy Wall Street while staring into the faces of thirty NYPD officers, and now countless other Marines have organized in an amazing show of solidarity.

Sgt. Thomas’ gallant actions in standing up for American citizens being brutalized by the police were shown in a video which has gone viral with almost 2 million views. Marines have joined forces with #OccupyMarines in solidarity with the movement not just in New York, but nationwide:

“OccupyMARINES Are Currently Assessing The Current Situation To Ascertain What Is Currently Needed To Support OWS America. We Are Humbled At The Substantial Support OWS America Has Provided And Ask That Everyone Continue As You All Do While We Implement Organization Nationwide. As We All Know, ‘Occupy’ Groups Are Being Established Even Now And Would Like To See This Trend Continue.”

Their website OccupyMarines.org presents a post centering on continuing the Occupy movement throughout the upcoming winter. In their call for “Non-Active ‘Occupy’ Military Supporters Only” they’re organizing a dress code in order to identify their branch affiliation.

Instead of ostracizing the police, the Marines are attempting to reach out to them much like Sgt. Thomas did.

#OrganizeMarines states, “Security forces/police should be seen as potential recruits to our cause and message, not as adversaries. Ultimately, they are accountable to the people.”

During Sgt. Thomas’ bold speech, the police presence became suddenly solemn hanging on his every word. Perhaps the presence of Marines will awaken the Police force which has been overwhelming the protests.

Presenting their group and the Occupiers as a peaceful movement, no matter what, including verbal attacks and/or propaganda brought forth from those opposing the protest they state, “Defensive strategies never win. Do not respond to verbal attacks or hostile propaganda from Nay-Sayers by using the language of the opponent. Reframe.”

Meet Iraq veteran Alex E. Limkin:

“I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies both foreign, and domestic.”

Veteran Alex Limkin said:

“There is nothing more central to a free and democratic people than the right to dissent, the right to disagree, the right to stand up in the town square and be heard… I feel quite sure that in standing in solidarity with the peaceful Occupy Wall Street movement, I am doing no less than upholding my oath as an American soldier.”

Sgt. Shamar Thomas was the catalyst in this movie-like scenario with our inactive military standing with the protesters side by side.

These Marines’ actions are the definition of patriotism – not donning flagpins or waving Old Betsy — actions speak Red, White and Blue louder than feigning patriotism by displays which are born from a strong partisan stance.

Naysayers stand back, the Marines are coming.

#OccupyMarines, we are humbled.

Blogger Extraordinaire Anomaly100 is the owner of and progressive mastermind behind FreakOut Nation.


Comment: Starting to escalate. The Marines will keep the cops in line, therefore more people will join in on the protests knowing they are protected. This is step 2. Step 1 was following Adbusters lead and going through with standing up, speaking out and staying with it. Step 3 is coming up. What will it be?


Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

VIDEO: Cale Sampson - Live at Occupy Toronto

Received an email request from a Hip hop artist doing his thing to "add insight and support to the occupy movement's message".

This is good! Check it out...

Hello John,

Please check out the below link to a live performance that I did this week for the thousands who were in attendance at Occupy Toronto.
This video has also recently been added to the Occupy Worldwide Youtube Channel under a section called "Occupy voices" alongside a few other speakers such as Deepak Chopra, Naomi Klein, Immortal Technique and Dr. Cornell West.

Hip hop is a great medium to speak to those who don't normally watch the news so please feel free to post this on your blog "Telling it like it is" if you think that it will add insight and support to the occupy movement's message.

Thanks and all the best!

Cale


To watch this video in full-screen mode click here.


Never retract, never explain, never apologize – get the thing done and let them howl!

Where ignorance is bliss, you'll usually find a newspaper editor

They say, 'what you don't know won't hurt you'. Sometimes people are more comfortable if they don't know something. This is usually the result of or condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed. So if this is the case why would anybody in a position of influence (such as an editor for a local newspaper in his weekly editorial) go around advertising how unaware he really is?

Unless it is done by design, by way of malice, in order to further a political objective i.e. maintaining the status quo. Then again, 'one should never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity'.

Case in point:

No one is starving in Canada, no one is being killed on a daily basis in Canada, no one is in constant danger of being blown up by bombs falling out of the sky in Canada, no one is arrested and put in jail jail for expressing their political opinions in Canada, no one is constantly parading and dying in the name of freedom in Canada, no one is screaming for war and terrorist acts against other nations and people in Canada.

The truth is:

• 1 in 6 children go to bed hungry in Canada every night. While more than 3.5 million people, including 1 in 6 children, still live in poverty
• Better than 1 in 8 chance of being killed by the RCMP than by a terrorist
• Shut off the taps to the U.S. and you'll soon see what other countries have already found out the hard way about bombs falling from the sky with respect to their B-52 diplomacy
• 900 arrests linked to the G20 summit in Toronto. Largest mass arrests in Canadian history
• Parading? Yes, think 'Occupy Movements' in Canada. Dying? Not yet!
• HarperCONS recent opportunistic imperialistic 'terrorist' war of aggression on Libya and constant heated rhetoric against Iran on Israel's behalf

I guess, 'you can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public', is a motto some yellow jouralists live by.


When the media refuses to inform and the public no longer questions, that truly is the beginning of the end of democracy.

Topp calls for higher income taxes on wealthy Canadians

The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Brian Topp is boldly going where most Canadian politicians fear to tread: promising to make the wealthy pay more in taxes.

The perceived frontrunner in the NDP leadership race wants his party to make higher income taxes for high-income earners a key plank in its next election campaign platform.

He told The Canadian Press he intends to unveil a detailed proposal in the weeks to come.

"I will be talking about income taxes and I think it's time for our party to step up to that plate and to be pretty clear about that because then we'll have a mandate to act if we're elected," Topp said in a wide-ranging interview.

He also called for a hike in corporate taxes and did not rule out a sales tax increase "at some point," once the fragile economy is on surer footing.

Calling for higher corporate taxes is a staple of NDP election platforms and is relatively safe ground politically. Even the Liberals, during last spring's federal campaign, promised to roll back a 1.5-percentage point reduction in the corporate tax rate, which took effect last Jan. 1, and to defer another 1.5-point reduction planned for next year.

But it's been decades since any Canadian politician dared talk about raising income taxes. Indeed, since the 1990s, taxes have been steadily reduced and parties have competed for the title of biggest tax slasher.

However, the notion of making the rich pay more has gained currency recently as debt crises in the United States and Europe threaten to tip the world into another deep global recession.

U.S. President Barack Obama last month proposed $1.5 trillion in new taxes aimed primarily at the wealthy, including setting a minimum tax on those making $1 million or more in annual income. The latter measure has been dubbed the "Buffett rule," after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who has railed against the fact he pays a lower rate of tax than his secretary.

The yawning gap between rich and poor has also been at the root of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, which spawned protests last week in Canada and around the world.

According to Statistics Canada, the top one per cent of Canadian earners took home 11 per cent of total income in 2009.

Topp said the billions in tax breaks for profitable corporations and wealthy individuals would be better spent on helping people who are struggling to get by.

"I think the goal of aiming for the lowest corporate taxes in the industrialized world is feckless," he said, adding that "there are many other things that are more important first," including health care, social housing, public transit and municipal infrastructure.

"This is a grossly inefficient expenditure of public money on a completely inappropriate priority ... I think tax expenditures aimed at high-income individuals are another inappropriate priority and some of those expenditures should be redeployed."

Topp, a former party president and key architect of NDP electoral gains under late leader Jack Layton, did not define what he means by high-income earners. Nor would he elaborate on how much more he's prepared to make them, or corporations, pay.

He said he's currently "putting the finishing touches" on some policy statements which will address those issues "in some detail." However, his use of the term tax expenditures suggests he's looking at eliminating some of the exemptions aimed at wealthy Canadians.

Topp's frank views on taxes risk giving ammunition to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Tories, who delight in casting the NDP as wild-eyed socialists who would break the national treasury and ruin the economy.

But Topp said it's the Tories who "engineered" much of Canada's current financial woes by "over-exuberantly over-investing in tax benefits for profitable companies and for high-income individuals, who are folks who don't need help in this economy."

He said the key to winning the next election will be proving that the NDP can be fiscally prudent economic managers while meeting the challenges of health care, climate change and restoring Canada's "good name in the world."

Topp stressed his own credentials on that score, saying he's driven by his "searing experience" as deputy chief of staff to former Saskatchewan NDP premier Roy Romanow. He recalled how Romanow, having inherited a province teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, was forced to plead with bond traders not to downgrade the province's bonds.

He recounted meetings with "20-year-old bond analysts" who questioned the amount of money the Romanow government was spending on health care.

"At that moment, that kid had as much power over health policy in Saskatchewan as our legislature did. That cannot be permitted to happen and no committed social democrat will let the public interest be enslaved to debt as our (Conservative) predecessors in Saskatchewan did."

The Tories will undoubtedly launch a smear campaign against Topp should he win the March 24 leadership vote. They used such campaigns to successfully demolish the past two Liberal leaders, Stephane Dion and Michael Ignatieff, and have already started painting the NDP in general and Topp in particular as a puppet of big unions.

Topp's chief rival, the feisty and combative Thomas Mulcair, has suggested he'd be better suited to take on Harper than the mild-mannered Topp, who's never held elected office.

But Topp maintained that responding in kind to the Tories' hyper-partisan mudslinging is precisely the wrong approach. The Liberals tried it, he noted, and were reduced to a third-party rump.

In his view, the Tories' strategy is aimed at energizing their own base while so disgusting other Canadians that they don't bother to vote. The best way to counter that is to "offer a much more hopeful and optimistic vision of the future" -- much as the late Jack Layton did in last spring's campaign, with historic results.

Rival camps have dubbed Topp the "establishment candidate" in reference to his imposing list of endorsements from NDP luminaries, including former leader Ed Broadbent and Romanow.

But Topp said it's a moniker he's proud to accept.

"If by establishment candidate we mean that I worked on the Layton team and that we're the folks who took the party from 13 seats to 103 and moved the vote (share) from eight (per cent) to 30, then I plead guilty to being in that establishment. And I think that (more positive) approach to politics I just described is what we need to keep working with."

Nor did he make any apologies for his close ties to trade unions. Topp is a former senior executive with the cinema, television and radio artists' union in Toronto.

"If it wasn't for the labour movement, we'd all still be going to work at (the age of) seven."

On other issues, Topp said:

-- New Democrat MPs should not be allowed a free vote on a soon-to-be-introduced government bill to scrap the controversial long gun registry, an issue that's split the NDP caucus along rural-urban lines in the past.

"The fact of the matter is, the money has been spent, the registry is here, police services are using it, the public overwhelmingly supports it, there's no compelling case for dismantling it that isn't emotional," he said.

"There is precedent in our party for letting people sit out a vote. But I could not support arrangements in which members of our caucus vote with the government on this bill."

-- The Constitution needs to be reopened some day to finally secure Quebec's signature on the document. But he said that shouldn't be attempted unless the "winning conditions" are present to ensure the effort won't result in another failure like the Meech Lake or Charlottetown constitutional accords.

"It's not a dead file but it's not a file we'll stick our toe into before we know it's going to work. It's not the role of a federal leader to be a sorcerer's apprentice."

-- He will run for a seat in the Commons whether or not he wins the leadership. He "mildly favours" running in Toronto, where his two teenaged sons want to continue attending their current high school.

Whether he'd run in Layton's vacant Toronto-Danforth riding depends on whether Harper calls a byelection before the leadership race is over.


Life's a bitch, because we don't tax the rich.

Long-Married Couple Gordon Yeager And Norma Yeager Die Holding Hands

Huffpost

For one Iowa couple, true love lasted until the very end.

Married 72 years, Norma, 90, and Gordon Yeager, 94, died in the hospital holding hands last week, one hour apart.

The couple was hospitalized after a car accident just outside of Marshalltown, Iowa. They were given a shared room in the ICU where they held hands in adjacent beds.

At 3:38 pm last Wednesday, Gordon's breathing stopped. Though he was no longer alive, his heart monitor continued to register a beat.

The nurse told Gordon and Norma's son, Dennis Yeager, that the monitor was beeping "because they're holding hands, and [Norma's heart beat] is going through them," Dennis recalled in an interview with Des Moines' KCCI news station. "Her heart was beating through him."

Norma died at 4:38 pm, exactly one hour later.

Gordon and Norma's children say they're glad the couple passed this way. "They just loved being together," says Dennis. "He always said, 'I can't go until she does because I gotta stay here for her.' And she would say the same thing."

Long-Married Couple Gordon Yeager And Norma Yeager Die Holding Hands


Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

U.S. standard of living drops... Canada's too! Quality of life today is in the toilet

Life isn't as good as it used to be...

U.S. standard of living drops

"As individuals, we're switching more of our time away from family life, away from community involvement, arts, political activity. We're being affected in our health.”

New Canadian Index of Wellbeing reveals how Canadians are really faring


Life has become just one damned thing after another.

VIDEO: Occupy Wall Street Commercial

Dream today; make it real tomorrow.

New pill blows people away

He's turned his life around. He used to be depressed and miserable. Now he's miserable and depressed.

What the OWS Movement means to me

A Patriot is merely a rebel at the start. In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.

99 percent'-ers role has been reduced to that of PAWNS

... Ya, who wants to THINK!... go back to your TV, relax, smoke a fat one or have a beer, tea or whatever, and kick back and watch some TV until you are in a vegetative state conducive to being easily programmed and deceived into believing everything is under control... and then BAM! never knowing what hit you... like how corporations and financial institutions have gained control over your life from cradle to grave, and the RECESSION and POLICE STATE coming soon to a neighbourhood near you. Did I say coming? Silly me. :-) :-(

Ya, THINKING can be a pain in the ass. Especially thoughts about how you (one of the 99 percent'-ers) and your role in the great chess game of life has been reduced to that of being a PAWN.

(click image to enlarge)


Then again, you could get off the couch and away from the TV? And stand up and fight! The Occupy Movement needs you! Just like you need it. THINK about it!

The democratic institutions in this country (and many others - hence the global Occupy Movements) are broken. We are under siege by a fascist corporatocracy intent on reducing us all to nothing more than dog-eat-dog wage and debt slaves. RISE UP before it is to late! Get involved in the Occupy Movement and LIVE FREE!!!

Why is life a bitch? Because we don't tax the rich!


More for the needy, less for the greedy.

VIDEO: Hedges: No way in US system to vote against banks

They must find it difficult.... Those who have taken authority as the truth. Rather than truth as the authority.

Now... let's starve the beast!

I'm the kind of animal that bites back!

[Occupytimessquare] 1 Marine vs. 30 Cops (Marine Wins)

United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas from Roosevelt, NY went toe to toe with the New York Police Department. An activist in the Occupy Wall Street movement, Thomas voiced his opinions of the NYPD police brutality that had and has been plaguing the #OWS movement.





Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

I AM NOT MOVING - Short Film - Occupy Wall Street

Hypocrisy knows no bounds with these people. But the sleeper has finally awoken. People now know whats what, and they're not going to take it anymore.

Tomorrow morning NYCP will be be exercising their power on behalf of the Banksters they serve to intimidate and oppress those they should be serving. They will be starting a confrontation and inciting a riot by attempting to evict the people from the park they have been occupying there.

I also understand the Calgary Police have informed the public (Occupy Calgary) they cannot occupy their park as planned, and therefore are being prevented from peacefully demonstrating in their city on Saturday, Oct.15, which is the day of mass protests across the country, and the world.

The next few days will tell the story. Will freedom reign, or will it be more state tyranny and oppression on behalf of corporatocracy?

p.s. And here I will be hauling hay for the next few days. Until I got the call tonight, I was planning on being in Lethbridge on Saturday doing my part in person. Instead, I'll have to settle for continuing doing what I can here on this blog. What are you going to be doing?


UPDATE: Oct. 14, 2011, 9:25 a.m. EDT

Occupy Wall St. to stay put; park cleanup delayed


America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long.

Trio of white bear cubs talk of the town in Elkford, B.C.

By Rebecca Edwards, For The Calgary Herald

Vacation homeowners in Elkford, B.C., have been asked to search for white bear fur that may have caught on their decks or trees, to help scientists discover the genetic secrets of three white bear cubs seen in the town this fall.

Residents are also being urged to clear their garbage and fruit trees to stop the rare bears becoming hooked on human food sources.

The three cubs from two different mothers have attracted a lot of attention since they began showing up across the community in late September.

One black mother has been seen with two white cubs and a black cub, while another black bear has one white cub, one cinnamon cub and one black cub.

"White bears in this area are quite rare and scientists don't really know exactly what causes their unusual colour," says Jutta Kolhi of Elk Valley Bear Aware.

"They don't know if they are related to the Spirit or Kermode bears on the B.C. coast, which are a white sub-species of the black bear that makes up 10 per cent of the bear population.

"We also want to compare these cubs' DNA to the hair samples that were taken from another white bear in Elkford in 2008, to see if they are related," she says.

"It is definitely unusual to have three cubs in this area, and that is why we want to get hair samples tested to find out their genetic history."

Elkford resident Kristy Anonson and her family were eating dinner Sept. 28 when her seven-year-old son pointed out two white cubs and one black cub on the deck.

She took photos as they climbed the deck railing, swung on the clothesline and even tried to push open the back door to get at the food.

Since then, she has regularly seen them emerging from a nearby trail and running from yard to yard in search of food.

"We are used to seeing bears, but not the white ones," Anonson says.

"The cubs look cute and cuddly and they use our deck like a playground, but they are dangerous. I can't let my kids play outside unsupervised now."

The last white bear reported in the B.C. interior was also in Elkford in 2008, and was captured and relocated after becoming unafraid of humans in its quest to access garbage and other food sources.

It has not been seen since then, and black bears are known to find it difficult to adapt to relocation. It is illegal to hunt white bears in B.C.

Kolhi says Elkford's priority must be to prevent these cubs following the same path.

"It is a big worry - they have been seen in garbage, and the most important thing is to try to prevent these bears from being habituated on human food sources, because it is not looking good for them at the moment," she said.

"Hopefully people will make sure there are no attractants left around their house - as long as these attractants are there, it is not surprising that the bears come into town."

Report white bear fur samples to Jutta Kolhi, Bear Aware Community Coordinator, at 250-910-0959 or e-mail elkvalley@bearaware. bc.ca

Rebecca Edwards is a Ferniebased journalist, and runs the Elk Valley Bear Aware website: elkvalleybearaware.wordpress.com


Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.

Thomas Mulcair joins NDP leadership race

Toronto Sun
By Kristy Kirkup ,Parliamentary Bureau

OTTAWA - Feisty Montrealer and NDP deputy leader Thomas Mulcair is going after the keys to Stornoway -- the Ottawa residence of the leader of the official Opposition.

Mulcair announced he was joining the race to replace the late Jack Layton at a news conference in Montreal on Thursday. Other leadership candidates include former party president Brian Topp, Ontario MP Paul Dewar, B.C. MP Nathan Cullen and Quebec MP Romeo Saganash.

Several members of the NDP's Quebec caucus had encouraged Mulcair join the competition, including Robert Aubin, Francois Lapointe, Jamie Nicholls, Tarik Brahmi, Marc-André Morin, Claude Patry and Pierre Nantel.

Mulcair's main opponent is Topp, who is the early front-runner in the race. He has already several endorsements, including nods from Canada's largest private sector union -- the United Steelworkers -- as well as from former party leader Ed Broadbent, former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow and deputy leader Libby Davies.

Some political analysts believe the NDP establishment has been working to wedge Mulcair out of the race because he does not have strong roots in the party.

"They're worried he might be an opportunist and they style themselves as principled social democrats," said University of Toronto political scientist Nelson Wiseman.

The federal New Democrats are set to name a new leader at a Toronto convention in March.

Other potential leadership hopefuls could include Peggy Nash, Manitoba's Niki Ashton and Nova Scotia's Robert Chisholm.

Watch the video here.

This leadership race is about picking the person who is best placed to beat Stephen Harper in the next election. In order to defeat Stephen Harper we have to work on breakthroughs elsewhere while maintaining our support here in Quebec.


Comment: This is one tough and abrasive SOB. The HarperCONS would have their hands full with him as he is a smart, no nonsence, take no prisoners kind of guy, who stands up and fights for what he believes in. He would definately be the peoples champion, as he has demonstrated on the front lines countless times already.

When he wins (and I believe he will) get ready for some fireworks... for there definately will be fireworks!


With realization of one's own potential and self confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

We will not lose hope and we will not shut up!

This is what democracy looks like: Occupying Wall Street and Bay Street

For those still unsure what the Occupy Wall Street Movement is all about, because of msm's blackout, read this:

CHARTS: Here's What The Wall Street Protesters Are So Angry About...

(To enlarge, click on image)


Get involved! Its your future too. After all, you are part of the 99%, are you not?

I stand for freedom, whether alone or with the like-minded, i stand for freedom. Stand with me now or bow without me later, those are the only choices you have.

Crowsnest Adhoc Committe gone the way of the Dodo bird

I see from this week's Pass Herald that council entertained and subsequently passed a resolution to disband the Adhoc Committee, otherwise known as the Crowsnest Advisory Committee.

This is the same committee that I spoke out on here on my blog.

I hate to say, I told you so, but isn't the end result here what I said it would be?...

"What I am getting at here, is the newly forming Adhoc Committee will serve no useful purpose if it is made up solely of yes men/women, hacks, want-to-be’s, and conformists, whose only interest is in maintaining the status quo, by not making any waves. Photo-ops and editorial comment alone will not turn this community around."

Over the years, this community loved to shun me and others of like mind, while keeping us in a box with a tight lid. But all they have done is hold themselves back in their mis-guided zeal to maintain the status quo. Nothing stays the same forever is a lesson this community, which loves to live in the past, can't face.

Because of their fear of the future, long-time residents, especially, attack anyone who dares to take them out from the shadows, and into the light.

"It is said that those who live at the foot of great mountains are the last to climb them." Until that changes, nothing else will.


In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is stoned to death.

Thanksgiving: things I'm grateful for... like Chris Hedges

The recent occupywallstreet protests have given voice to many of the issues I have been speaking out on over the years, such as: greed, corporations, class warfare, take from the rich and give to the poor, poverty, wage and debt slaves, etc., etc.

This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful that people are finally rising up and saying, I"M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!... and that there are people like Chris Hedges, out there... a voice of lucidity on where we're at, how we got here, and where we could (should) be going...



Rebellion against the machine of corporatocracy is now here. Be part of the solution, or remain part of the problem. It's your choice...

When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.

Kiss my ASS!

To all my 'fake friends' out there...

:-)

Wit makes its own welcome, and levels all distinctions. No dignity, no learning, no force of character, can make any stand against good wit.

VIDEO: #OccupyWallStreet Our One Demand

I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!


UPDATE: The AAUP Supports Occupy Wall Street


Careful. We don't want to learn from this.

The OCCUPY Movement Explained

If you've been having trouble understanding what the Occupy Wall Street (Bay Street and any other street) movement ultimately stands for, please read my letter to the Toronto organization:

Dear Occupy Brothers & Sisters,

I'm hoping you'll take the time to read this article, as it explains some of the background behind the theory of this movement. I feel there's been a few challenges to organizing the masses due to the missing element of a core message. http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/552.php#continue

I will be attending the event as a peaceful protester for a number of reasons and share these thoughts with you as a matter of caring. I want it to be successful as possible! But I feel the event needs to pick up the important torch of leadership. I've seen many folks asking questions and the common response seems to be, "YOU'RE in charge"!

While we want to empower and mobilize everyone, if no guidance or motivating reasons are provided then the movement will not receive the type of positive support it requires. Telling participants they'll have to be responsible for everything is a sure way to keep them at home. There is true importance in what we're doing and we can't afford for that message to be lost. This has the potential to grow bigger than the G20 (which I also attended, peacefully).

But many are wondering why they should be there. Is this a union protest? Is it for the unemployed, the impoverished, advocates of housing, childcare, tax arguments, bank fees, gap between rich and poor, the middle class, pilots, teachers, librarians... or is it just a bunch of communists? (And don't kid yourselves, the term communist will be applied frequently.)

The true answer is it's for everyone - the 99%, but they need to know who they are or why they're the 99%. The middle class goes to great lengths to mentally define themselves as doing better than most. So you need to make sure they're engaged and understand this applies to them as well. Otherwise the "institution" or "establishment" will paint this as a fringe rebellion and do nothing to respond. Everyone needs to keep in mind that the goal is compelling a response!

Ultimately people are occupying because of "trickle down economics". That's it in a nutshell. The article I provided will demonstrate as banking and investment were deregulated, the rich got richer and everyone else got poor. The working person's wages remained stagnant at rates equal with 1971, while the top 1%'s earnings grew by 261%.

The other problem with this scenario (on top of families unable to shoulder the burden) is that financial industries will outnumber all public sector jobs by the year 2023. Once private investors hold control of not only the wealth but the people themselves, they then control their governments and every aspect of the way they're allowed to live.

On top of that; Canadian Conservative and Liberal, American Democrat and Republican parties all support maintaining this ideology, so the foothold of private finance malefactors is already entrenched in our system. They claim tax cuts for the wealthiest will create jobs and yet their financial manipulation (allowed through deregulation that has defined today’s world markets, banking and the fiat monetary structure) is exactly what cost the 99% millions of their jobs. It also cost us in taxation because we have to bail out the billionaires “too big to fail”.

When they start eating into our tax base (through kickbacks, tax cuts, bailouts, deregulation), they also eat into our health care, child care, education, pensions, EI, housing, borrowing and every public/social service we hold dear. It also means they’re eating away at our ability to survive (or prosper!) from all angles. It’s set up so they continue to benefit no matter what they’ve done to the economy while you and I are forced to pay for it – WE, the 99%.

I think part of the reason mainstream media hasn’t delved deep into coverage is due to the fact they can’t figure out a story title. So many people are getting involved but they’re coming up short with a core message. I think organizers aren’t even sure how to formulate “demands” as I’ve heard it referred to. On that note, I don’t think demanding anything is a good way to gain support, as it puts up a side and most of those alienated are actually part of the 99%.

I hope the movement is able to formulate a direction that’s identifiable and inclusive. And I really believe “trickle down economics” is a sound byte media can run with. Once they have a direction themselves, they can begin to branch out to individual reasons – but not the other way around! If leaders are willing to step up and take the bull by the horns, this should generate top news coverage and put pressure on the government.

Ultimately you’re not protesting the actual people who work on Bay Street (or the police for that matter, they’re the 99% too!). The financial district was chosen as a symbol of capitalism gone awry, without the courage of governments to control them in the best interests of their people. And make no mistake; while Canadian banking is more regulated than our counterparts, the entire act of trading, speculation, lending and borrowing is still done on the same global playing field, to the same rules and repercussions. New studies have come out that identify Toronto will not have a middle class by 2025 (coincidentally 2 years after private financial domination is predicted).

Canada has been undergoing a personality makeover for a great many years. Although we pride ourselves on our social network, it’s been a harsh battle to keep that balanced with the shift toward total capitalism (also totally supported by Conservative theology). As you can see with every new budget, there are more cuts to public networks and more padding for the wealthiest.

In light of massive deregulation and a bid to morph into the United States, Canada has seen 11,724 foreign takeovers of its companies. This has resulted in lost jobs that are moved overseas in every instance. It was thought we could replace them with open markets and even distribution of competition, but with the loss of our jobs (and homes I might add), it’s been impossible to maintain a system of minimum wage, health or safety regulations and compare to countries that don’t have them. We will either give up safety precautions (Walkerton, Maple Leaf anyone?) or work for pennies (enabled through employment/placement agencies and union busting).

Since middle class incomes haven’t risen since 1971 and the cost of living has gone through the roof, we also lost our buying power – which is essential to keep a capitalist system running. We were thoroughly supported by manufacturing to meet our own demands, except we can only need so many TVs, cars or new clothing patterns and our ability to purchase them on a whim has diminished.

And so enters the business of speculation and commodities. We still must eat, drive and light up our homes. Again through deregulation and privatization, we’ve seen hydro, insurance and interest only climb. When that wasn’t good enough for the 1%, they started tinkering with our food and its transportation to our tables.

For those who don’t understand speculation, it’s basically the practice of buying something up without the need (or perhaps intention) to sell it. This creates a manufactured shortage and drives prices up across the board. It happens by the minute with oil and you see how this translates at the pumps. We’re paying the same price per barrel of oil today, as we were when it cost 79 cents at the gas station. It is purely through speculation that it’s increased to $1.30/litre today.

Since that endeavour has been so successful, they’ve begun doing it to our food. Corn, grains, sugar and water – the basis of everything we need to make all others. And like clockwork, the price of food has doubled at the grocery store. (This is also why gathering at Wall/Bay Street is significant, because that’s where speculating occurs every day and has become the focus of trading.)

I hope this helps explain why we’re the 99% and why everyone needs to support this movement, no matter which path they take to get there. The mobilizing has already occurred so it’s time to step up and organize! Whether you protest the practices that have landed us in this situation or want to focus on a specific repercussion – please join in and have your say. United we stand and it’s time to overcome the policies that keep everyone confused with education!

In the meantime I highly advise making inroads with media. You must not forget we are all the 99% and once they understand the message they may become the movement’s biggest ally. We’re not asking for “a” program. We’re not asking for “a” tax rebate. What we’re asking for is fundamental change within our system and this is no easy task. Please use all the tools available to you and don’t shun them! And please don’t become overwhelmed when you realize what we’re attempting. Our parents and grandparents did this in the 1960s and gave us a better life for their efforts. The time has come for us to show the same care to our children. Cheers everyone and see you next Saturday.

by Amy MacPherson


The country had fallen into a state of moral putrefaction, with corruption running rampant throughout the government ranks.

What the Crowsnest Pass needs is a man like John Prince

... someone to stir things up, get people talking about ideas and possibilities... but since I've retired from active politics, I think the Pass can still accomplish this by breaking from the past with its stuffy conservatism and instead embrace alternatives. One of those alternatives is the NDP.

Today, I attended as a guest the Livingstone Macleod New Democrats Nomination Meeting where Matthew Halton (nephew of the Matthew Halton school Haltons) was acclaimed as the official NDP candidate in our next provincial election.

More on this as time goes on...

In the meantime, I'll be there for you baby, just call my name...




We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.

Friday Humour: My Living Will

We all can agree, no matter what color you are, every group of friends has that one stupid friend. Look around you, you'll find one. If you can't find one, it's you.

VIDEO: Jesse LaGreca To Mainstream Media: 'We're Getting Screwed And You're Not Helping'

That brilliant guy who took down Fox News like it was nothing has a message for the rest of the media, too. Watch:



Jesse LaGreca from Occupy Wall Street talks to Fox News...this clip never made it to air, via Kyle Christopher of Occupy Wall St.'s media team:



*** Pass this clip around, make copies of it, don’t stop now!



This video is a response to New York Observer Exclusive Occupy Wall Street Unaired Fox Footage


New York Observer Jesse LaGreca: The Smartest Man on Wall Street?


The exposure of a lie is as valuable to a community as a clearly expressed truth.

VIDEO: Never question authority

To watch this video in full-screen mode click here.


As my friend Red says, we should hire these people to work the crowds in Canada!


The biggest obstacles to understanding the truth are lies disguised as truth.

Wage and Debt Slaves diagram

(click image to enlarge)


There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.

Occupy Crowsnest Pass

Many of my readers may have noticed that several of my posts lately have been about the Occupy Wall Street movement that has swept the U.S., Canada and the world. And now has hundreds of cities involved in this movement including many Canadian cities as well, such as: Calagary, Cranbrook, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and the list goes on and on. The REVOLUTION for real change has begun.

To be part of history and put your community on the map go here now.

For a really good article on what the fuss is all about go here.

Or watch this video by Keith Olbermann...

Keith Olbermann reads the first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street


Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Keith Olbermann reads the first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street

The present always needs a good dose of the past to help produce a better future.

Ratio of pay CEO: Avg worker

'nough said.

From what we have seen, the world has and will continue to come together behind the plight of the 99% everywhere....

I don't need sex, the gov't fu**ks me everyday!!

Betty White on growing balls

Sculpture by: Zenos Frudakis "Freedom"

"The moment you can visualize being free from the things that hold you back, you have indeed begun to set yourself free."---Unknown


I think this piece of art is so appropriate for our times in that it is called "Freedom"... something many people are presently standing up and fighting for, and even dying for. Breaking the chains of slavery to the system and corporate masters who have reduced most of mankind to nothing more than wage and debt slaves is also what those occupying Wall Street are fighting for on our behalf, as we speak. Show your support by getting involved. After all, it's your 'freedom' also, we are talking about.

The Artist's name is Zenos Frudakis. It's in Philadelphia.

Here's a link to a site for it http://www.zenosfrudakis.com/s​culptures/public/Freedom.h​tml

Zenos Frudakis Sculpture
www.zenosfrudakis.com


"freedom, so called only because there are no visible chains, is only given to those who are submissive to the terms those they mistakenly believed and chose to lead them decide upon."

Hey, Wall Street! The REVOLUTION is coming. Get ready for Freddy!!!

Demonstrators with "Occupy Wall Street" participate in a march dressed as "corporate zombies" in New York on Monday.

Hero Vincent has a dream: to see the titans of Wall Street trade their palatial office suites for a row of dank prison cells.

The crime? Theft. Stealing billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded bailouts. Getting rich on your dime while you struggle to make ends meet.

And if you're tired of standing by while the rich get richer and the middle class crumbles, he has a suggestion: Take it to the streets.

Vincent, 21 and unemployed, has suddenly become one of several unofficial spokesmen for Occupy Wall Street, a leaderless protest movement made largely of twenty-somethings upset with the state of the economy, the state of the war in Afghanistan, the state of the environment, and the state of America and the world in general.

If that sounds vague, it's meant to be. In less than three weeks, the movement has become a magnet for countless disaffected Americans. And at a time when an overwhelming majority of Americans say the country's on the wrong track, there's no shortage of new potential recruits.

On Saturday, more than 700 protesters were arrested for blocking the Brooklyn Bridge. A splinter group called Occupy Chicago touted a "huge afternoon march." In Boston, 34 groups -- unions and other organizations focused on everything from foreclosure prevention to climate change -- marched for "an economy that works for all of us," according to one website.

Over on the West Coast, Occupy Los Angeles kicked off with a march to City Hall. In Seattle, demonstrators touted "a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors (and) genders."

On Monday, a live video feed from Occupy Wall Street was featured at the start of a three-day conference of progressive leaders in Washington.

What does it all mean?

"We're here for different reasons," said Vincent, whose father is also unemployed and recently went through a home foreclosure. "But at the end of the day, it all boils down to one thing, and that's accountability. We want accountability for the connection between Wall Street and the politicians."

"Something has to change," he told CNN. "We're out here because we're tired of what's been going on."

Giles Clarke, a 46-year-old freelance photographer and father of two, echoes Vincent's call for greater accountability.

"People have simply had enough," Clarke said. "We're living in an age where the inequality between high-end Wall Street and the (rest of us) is simply a gap that has become too big. Millions of people have lost their jobs. Millions of people have lost their homes."

There's been, Clarke said, "way too much cloak-and-dagger activity within the corridors of Wall Street" in recent years. "This is about raising awareness and a change of political discourse."

The average person, according to Vincent, "is just fed up because there's no more middle class. The margin between us and the employers is so great now. Where will we be in a couple of years?"

Does he actually want to occupy Wall Street and shut it down?

"We want to educate people," Vincent said. But "if Wall Street actually shuts down, we'll be happy about it."

The movement "feels like something that will ultimately spread like the Arab spring," said Egberto Willies, a CNN iReporter in Washington. "I call it the American autumn."

Occupy Wall Street and its offshoots have clear strains of liberal economic populism -- a powerful force in U.S. history during various times characterized by growing economic stress. That said, it could be a mistake to label or tie the movement to a specific agenda, said Susan Olzak, a Stanford University sociology professor.

"It's difficult to classify a social protest movement early on in its history," Olzak told CNN. "Clearer goals could eventually emerge, but there's no guarantee."

"Many movements fizzle out. Others become more organized," she said. But "I think we run a risk (by) taking a snapshot at any one point in time, and trying to categorize the movement in any one way based on that snapshot. The only way to study these protest movements is to follow them over time."

If Vincent, Willies and Clarke have their way, there will be plenty of time for this movement to continue to grow and evolve. Some observers question if it could become a liberal counterweight to the conservative populism of the tea party.

For his part, Clarke predicts the movement will go international in the next few months.

"Let's get talking," he urged. "Let's have some of these issues looked at."

www.occupywallstreet.org

www.occupytogether.org/

Incredible Speech By Wall Street Protester "End The Fed" 2011

Wall Street protests spread to Toronto, Calgary, Montreal


I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.
- Thomas Jefferson

America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long.

Fire Watch: 'The Gap'

After 10 days, this time around, we were released from fire watch at The Gap (Livingstone Gap Ranger Station) this past weekend. Never got called out to a fire, but that's a good thing both for the guys manned up and for this community. Having lived through the Lost Creek fire of 2003, we don't need any more fires.

The pictures below testify to the state of preparedness we were in, in case we did have to fight a big one. Included are man and machine against nature, and an example of some of the dangerous wildlife in the area that we had to face on a daily basis:

Worked with a terrific bunch of guys with some having oodles of experience in farming and ranching who were only to willing to share their knowledge and experience with some of us city boys. I now know more about cows than cows know about themselves. :-) Good camaraderie all away around that made for a really enjoyable experience... and we got paid for it too. :-)

p.s. Now looking for work again. Anybody got any?


A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

Wall Street protests spread to Toronto, Calgary, Montreal

National Post

Organizers of a protest slated to take place on Toronto’s Bay Street later this month say they’re following in the footsteps of American activists who have stormed Wall Street in New York and other U.S. cities in a rally against the global financial system.

Hundreds of people are expected to meet in the heart of Toronto’s financial district, at the intersection of Bay and King streets, on Oct. 15 to prepare for a march two days later as the Toronto Stock Exchange opens that Monday.

Occupy Toronto organizers say they anticipate the protests will roll into the week as the Occupy Wall Street rally in New York enters its third week without any hints of slowing down.

In New York during the weekend, more than 700 protesters were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge as they defied police and stalled traffic.

Occupy Wall Street began with a call to action on the blog of Vancouver-based advocacy magazine, Adbusters, in July. On Sept. 17, protesters began occupying a park near the New York Stock Exchange.

The protesters say they are taking their cue from the pro-democracy movements of the Arab Spring that have sprung up across North African and the Middle East. They are planning to return to Wall Street on Wednesday.

About 3,200 people “liked” the Toronto chapter’s Facebook page Sunday.

Canadian protests are also being arranged in Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa, Montreal, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, according to another website, Occupy Together.

Organizers have asked activists to bring tarps, thermal blankets, sleeping bags, first aid kits and electrical generators to prepare for what could be a weeks-long stakeout akin the actions of protesters in the U.S.

An “indefinite occupation” of Vancouver’s Art Gallery has been scheduled for Oct. 15, with online organizers telling activists bring their tents and sleeping bags.

“It is time to come together and educate each other. We will stand in solidarity with these other movements and we will create a platform for people to speak and . . . provide an audience that will listen,” the group wrote on its Facebook page.

“Let them gawk, let them ask questions, let them wake up.”

The Occupy Together website notes that other rallies have been planned around the world, from around the United States into Mexico and dozens of European countries.

“We are the majority. We are the 99 per cent. And we will no longer be silent,” Occupy Wall Street said in a statement. “We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.”

During the weekend, similar protests broke out in several U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Boston and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Boston, 24 protesters were arrested. They face trespassing charges after a march on a Bank of America building.

One estimate said the Boston protest attracted 3,000 demonstrators.


Comment: The REVOLUTION, by the people for the people, is beginning. Time to take a stand for something worth fighting for... your future.


The multitude of laws produce new vices, and new vices call for fresh restraints.

Alberta's upcoming election 'cat fight' coming soon to a screen near you

Watched last night's Alberta Conservative Leadership election and like most Albertans was surprized to see Alison Redford win over Gary Mar to become the first female leader of that party, and of our province. Nice change when we needed it most... but will things really change?

Should be an interesting provincial election (cat fight) next year considering we will have two females going head to head having a view and vision for this province that is diametrically opposite from one another, especially with respect to the energy industry. Redford's stated position of "the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Alberta will follow sustainable pathways", while Danielle Smith's stated position is to have (fewer) "regulations that would give oil companies and other businesses a freer hand". Can't get more diametrically opposite than that, now can you?

Imagine a conservative leader that is more Liberal than Raj Sherman who is now the new Liberal leader who until very recently was a former conservative. Only in Alberta, you say? Pity! :-)

Just goes to prove that Alberta politics (like most politics these days) is just 'different sides of the same coin'. Now, isn't it?

When are we going to get real change in this province and in this country? Like what the protesters on Wall Street are demanding? Such as responsibility and accountability for example, against corporate greed and social inequality.

Alberta's Conservative party chooses Redford as leader


Comment: Having watched last nights televised conservative leadership election one thing that became obvious to me (after my wife pointed it out :-) ), was how male dominated that party is, especially among its elected members. Because the election was drawn out the media people had to fill the time by interviewing what turned out to be one male after another (with only the odd sprinkling of female) until this observation became quite glaringly obvious.

Now this old boys club has a female running things which should make for some culture shock for some of these cigar smoking, redneck, testosterone driven, Neanderthals. Is nut crushing about to come into vogue? Couldn't happen to a better bunch of guys, I think. :-)


Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody.

More than 500 Wall Street protesters arrested on Brooklyn Bridge

Globe and Mail
COLLEEN LONG
The Associated Press

About 500 protesters demonstrating against corporate greed, global warming and social inequality, among other grievances, were arrested Saturday night after they swarmed the Brooklyn Bridge and shut down a lane of traffic for several hours.

Some demonstrators spilled onto the roadway in the late afternoon after being told to stay on the pedestrian pathway, New York police said. Most of those arrested face disorderly conduct charges, while others were charged with resisting arrest. The bridge reopened hours later at around 8 p.m. after it had been cleaned, police said.

Erin Larkins, a graduate student at Columbia University who says she and her boyfriend have $130,000 combined in student loan debt, was among the thousands of protesters on the bridge. She said a friend persuaded her to join the march and she's glad she did.

“I don't think we're asking for much, just to wake up every morning not worrying whether we can pay the rent, or whether our next meal will be rice and beans again,” Ms. Larkins wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. “No one is expecting immediate change. I think everyone is just hopeful that people will wake up a bit and realize that the more we speak up, the more the people that do have the authority to make changes in this world listen.”

Occupy Wall Street demonstrators have been camped near the Financial District for two weeks and clashed with police on earlier occasions. Mostly, the protests have been peaceful, and the movement has shown no signs of losing steam. Celebrities like Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon even made recent stops downtown to encourage the group.

Elsewhere in the U.S., protesters assembled in Albuquerque, N.M., Boston and Los Angeles to express their solidarity with the movement taking place in New York.

On Friday night, more than 1,000 demonstrators in New York took their protest to police headquarters, where they protested the police response to their downtown protest.

The crowd may have swelled because of a false rumour that the band Radiohead would appear. Since the protest began two weeks ago, turnout has varied, but the numbers have reached as high as about 1,500 previously.

Critics have accused officers of being heavy-handed, saying they have roughed up people who did nothing wrong. The NYPD has disputed that claim.

Earlier Saturday, thousands who joined two other marches went over the Brooklyn Bridge without problems. One was from Brooklyn to Manhattan by a group opposed to genetically modified food. Another in the opposite direction marched against poverty.

In May 2008, more than 200 people were arrested, including the Reverend Al Sharpton, as demonstrators blocked traffic at the height of the evening rush hour on the Brooklyn Bridge to protest the acquittal of three detectives in the 50-bullet shooting of an unarmed black man on his wedding day.

Video: Occupy Wall Street


Comment: This is going to grow! America and soon Canada's 'Arab Spring' is being... sprung. :-)


Governments take away our freedoms a little at a time; now we are all just frogs in a slow boiling pot.