Wild Bill

Given some examples of the values of some (not all!) new Canadians discovered and charged for plotting to set off bombs or behead the Prime Minister here in their new country, can we take it for granted that we will ALWAYS be so non-violent? Up till now, the number of 'wingnuts' has been next to 'mice nuts'. We have already seen a few examples that show us that a few new immigrants have different values. This of course is only a tiny percentage (at the moment) but it only takes a few to commit major violence. I just think that while we're falling all over ourselves patting each other on the back in this thread for being so 'Canadian' we don't act like ostriches. The first response to any problem in Canada always seems to deny it exists rather than deal with it.

Even in the 70's the Manitoba NDP were 40 years ahead of their federal brethren! And you're right, I'm unlikely to vote for them but that's not the point. The point is, would more OTHERS vote for them? I'm simply saying that the federal NDP needs a drastic modernization if they want to pull significantly more votes than they command at present. With a bilingual Doer or some Tony Blair type leader it would be a whole new ball game for them. Frankly, now that Dion is gone I don't expect Layton to hang on to what he's got next election. We'll see soon enough, I guess.

We would have implemented modern incineration technologies over 15 years ago here in Ontario if Bob Rae's NDP, with Ruth Grier as the Minister in charge had not been absolutely, totally and rabidly against any form of incineration whatsoever! The NDP had seemed totally incapable of understanding that plasma incinerators were any different from burning a heap of garbage in your backyard. Companies wanting to bid to operate in Ontario offered to fly Ruth and her own pick of experts to running plasma plants in the US, to show her how green was the technology. She refused to even look! Just another bunch of socialist luddites who never took any more science classes after their bean sprouts in that jar of tissue paper sprung up and died...

Do you think there's any chance of Doer replacing Layton? It might be the start of finally getting the federal NDP at least up to the 1970's...

What do you think of our chances to change, let alone abolish the Senate under a Liberal government? When Harper first purposed changing the Senate, the Opposition howled that it couldn't be done! It would mean constitutional change. The carping was so shrill it almost seemed as if they considered it blasphemy to even try. So he backed off and appointed new Senators the old way, with lip service to those provinces wishing to elect their own candidates for the job. Now the Opposition howls that is is mere patronage, JUST LIKE THEY THEMSELVES HAVE ALWAYS PRACTICED! I mean, Trudeau actually appointed his chauffeur, for Pete's sake! When you cut through all the crap, what's left is that for the time being Harper has no choice but to play the game by the traditional rules. The Opposition can howl all they want. They know full well that if they can embarrass him into not playing the game by their rules HE WILL LOSE AND THEY WILL WIN! It's as simple as that. Meanwhile, if and when he can break the Liberal majority hold in the Senate he will have a bit better chance at achieving actual positive change. Maybe he won't be successful, but if he does it the Opposition's way, it won't happen at all. I think it important to note that the Liberals have never shown any meaningful sign of wanting to actually make the Senate more effective and democratic. They've attacked Harper but I challenge anyone to cite anything more than mere muttering about changing things themselves. Same old smoke and mirrors, I guess.

It's money, Kimmy! If you do a cover, you have to pay royalties to whoever holds title. In the 'old days' that was often the record label themselves. Artists were often ripped off shamelessly for the rights to their songs. So if a label could get several artists to do the same song even more money would come back to the label. Today, it's not quite the same situation. Most old material has its rights locked up by old record companies, who are still struggling to adjust to today's business model. After all, these are the same guys who think their ticket to continued profits is to sue 12 year old kids for pirate downloading of songs. Only a much smaller fraction of artists today are with old label companies, so there is nobody to push them to do covers. If you pay attention, most covers of old songs today are done by the young new 'Britney Spears' type artists, manufactured by those old labels. Modern artists know that they make more money doing original songs, since they will receive revenue from performing, media sales AND authorship royalties!

You know, when someone makes a comeback like yours to a post like that of Mr. Canada's, to me you both look like two sides of the same coin. He expressed a resentment based on race and you promptly gave him another reason to feel that way! The dream of a 'Star Trek' society is going to take a while with folks like you two in the way...

Well, here's a cover done by Danyl Johnson, a contestant on Britains 'Idol': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FA5DkFUSxk It's a cover of "I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends", the old Beatles/Joe Cocker tune. 'Crankbag Simon' called it the best first audition in the history of the show. It proves that modern talent is still there but leaves the question about what's a classic and what contemporary songs compare with such classics. The guy DOES do an unbelievable job! BETTER than Susan Boyle!

Of course there are parallels with other situations. Common factors in changing times have common outcomes. So what? Doesn't mean that it's not true. Musicians still are making 'mice nuts'! Club gigs are still few in number and low in pay. Kids are still playing for free and practicing in bedrooms before going on stage.

One negative that is not widely known is that here in Ontario wine producers have been banging their heads against the wall for years, trying to get the LCBO to carry their products in their stores. Wineries can sell from their own doors but of course that cannot compare with having all the provincial stores carrying their products. The LCBO just seems to act like any other nitpicking government bureaucracy. The very idea of carrying something new, even if it is a product of their own province, just slows down and dies trying to get through the thick sludge of a government 'brain'.

Yeah, I guess I'll agree that there is more choice today. However, it is not all good news. The bad news is that few musicians make any money! Back when I was a roadie (early 70's, or Neo-Pleistocene Era) there was a thriving industry in playing clubs and high schools. The money was not bad for the times. We were only a C level cover band and yet we would go on tour for months on end, playing from town to town with 3 and 6 night gigs. We earned perhaps $1600 or more for a 3-nighter and $2400 for a 6 night gig, often including a weekend matinee. Our high school rate was $800. This was when gas was around $0.20 per GALLON! Playing clubs provided an invaluable opportunity to hone your craft. When you play to a live audience almost everynight you can't help but improve! This was often an entry path to higher levels of success. You'd progress from doing covers to offering originals, to small and then larger concerts and eventually attract some record label or higher management attention. Those days are long gone! Today the average band is lucky to find a single Friday or Saturday night gig. The going rate in my town is $200, if you're lucky!. It's $200 if you're a solo act. If you're a 5 piece band it's still $200. Each guy gets $40 after the split. There are a lot of reasons for this. Clubs have shrunk from drinking and dancing halls for several hundred people down to corner pool and chicken wing pubs that might have a crowd of 40-50 people on a peak night. People won't travel too far to such a pub for fear of RIDE programs. Although the anti-nicotine people told us that businesses wouldn't suffer 'cuz there were thousands of non-smokers who only stayed away because of the 'awful smell' and that as soon as the smell was gone they would fill up the clubs and spend far MORE money, in actual fact that turned out to be crap! Most non-smokers never went to clubs anyway, while many smokers 'drifted away' to other activities where they could practice their habit. The smoke cleared out and you could now see all the empty tables! Polticians reacted in predictable fashion. Virtually all of them had jumped on the nico-nazi bandwagon to pick up the votes but none of them wanted to shoulder any blame for hurting the city core entertainment industry. So they changed the bylaw to let clubs stay open till 2:00 AM instead of 1:00 AM, trumpeting how they were doing owners a big favour. Owners of course were thrilled to have to stay open to an empty house for an extra hour, paying staff and overhead! I believe this is a major factor in why modern music often seems to be 'dumbed down' from the days of what I know call 'geezer rock'. The kids just don't get the same opportunity to develop their skills, in most cases. If they are a 'manufactured' band or artist the labels will provide session men and studio technology that can electronically 'pull' a bad voice into the right key. That's fine for some but what if you're not a 16 year old pole dancer with great fashion sense? Many younger bands actually have to sell beer tickets to be able to play on stage. If they sell enough, the club will allow them to play for one set. Of course, there's no mention of any pay. It's also quite common for a more successful band to have an opening act that also plays for free, often not even having their expenses covered! I know one stage mother that got very frustrated driving her son from Hamilton to a concert in Toronto, along with his other band members and some equipment, for free! Just so that they could open for a name act. I find the club scene today to consist of old guys playing for the love of it (while complaining about the lack of money) and young, naive kids with stars in their eyes who live (and practice!) in their parents' basement. So does today's music offer more choice? Probably. Are they quality choices? Well, I guess it depends on what you find good enough. Kimmy gave us a list of some better stuff but I still think it was also a list of what 'slips through'. Enough monkeys at typewriters, I guess. Oh well, back to my 'Pentangle' vinyl LP.

Good point, Argus! The Newfoundland band Great Big Sea is HUGE! My wife's been a fan for years, which is surprising for a girl of Italian descent. Through the fan network she met another woman from Italy and they've gotten to be good friends. We've had her stay with us for some vacations. Through her I've learned that the band also has a large following across Europe, which I never would have expected! More germane to our argument, the band's success seems to have mostly been built on traditional songs, or 'sea shanty's", as Kimmy would say. They've had only limited success with originals and the audience is always yelling out for more 'trads', or 'traditionals'. Then again, I don't get out much any more so I'm more easily impressed...

"A Song of Fire and Ice"? I tried to get through it but I kept falling asleep! I think ol' George is getting old. The man COULD write, I well know! Back in the 80's I read his "Armageddon Rag". From the moment I opened it I couldn't put it down. Chaque a son gout, I guess.

Once in a while I find myself agreeing with jdobbin! The feds absolutely want to harmonize the taxes! It will give them more revenue! They are well aware that it could hurt them politically. The incentives appear to me to be a bribe to get the provinces to take the lead. That way the feds will escape the heat at the polls. If the feds truly thought this was so great they would be front and centre taking credit. That's politics!

Nope! It means that those that consider themselves losers on a new deal will hold it against those who imposed it. I still don't believe that McGuinty is going to take the fall for the federal CPC.

Not entirely. Your statement has the implicit assumption that government services are 100% cost efficient. Few voters believe that anymore, after years of high profile examples of excessive government waste. Governments have a very poor image of having tightened their belts as much as voters have been forced to do. However, whether they are irrational or not is a moot point. They are voters! Politics is perception far more than reality and rarely rational! Even if we accept that you are totally correct in the positive aspects of the HST it doesn't matter. When McGuinty calls the next election he could well go the way of Kim Campbell! We shall see if you or I am right at that time but I think it's not wise to take public acceptance for granted.

The problem is furthered when it involves consumption taxes. People will instantly take a big hit, which will cause resentment. Explanations of how it will be of benefit to them in the future by making business more profitable and thus better able to provide jobs are more vague to the average citizen. He's heard about 'trickle down' economics before. Somehow he never gets to clearly see himself receiving that future benefit. So he doesn't buy in, even if the positive aspects are true! I still remember John Crosbie telling us, after the Free Trade Bill was enacted, that "henceforth every sparrow that falls will be blamed on this Bill!" He was quite right. People didn't see that we were losing manufacturing jobs anyway. Free Trade may have given us lower paying warehouse and service jobs but we were headed for few jobs at all! Here in Ontario, McGuinty may be doing the right thing but it may turn out to hurt him very badly next election. Most voters have still never accepted the GST! They view the HST as a tax grab and in the initial view, they're right! McGuinty has the further problem of having become well known for making and breaking promises. I'm not entirely certain he won't bail on the idea before the writ is dropped.

I agree as well! While it is true that you don't have to open a thread sometimes the thread may not be clear in the header about being an aboriginal issue. Or it may simply have been hijacked. It's like having religious groups banging on your door early Sunday morning. You don't have to answer it but you are already inconvenienced. Where is it written that any group has the right to bang on your door? The clearer threads are labeled the easier it is for people to choose. No one has the right to free advertising.

I don't understand your math. How is taking 5 seats from Liberals the whole story? Of those other seats, how many were won by picking up votes from Liberals who voted NDP 'cuz they couldn't stomach Dion? What about traditional vote splits that changed because of Liberals who stayed home? Surely the math is not as simplistic as you imply!

I think you are letting your hopes get in the way of your objectivity. Yes, you have a record number of seats in Ontario. You also took those seats away from the Liberals when they had that loser Dion as leader! You don't have that advantage anymore. Neither does Harper, for that matter. I know in my own riding the NDP candidate only squeaked by, in a riding that was very strong Liberal for years. It's true that Ontario folks have a bad impression of the NDP brand. Instead of accepting windfall benefits from Liberals screwing up perhaps they could make more gains by showing a face that's new and different! Provincially, Andrea Horvath is a nice lady but when she makes a speech it sounds like something cut and pasted from 1965. I've been saying it for years that the NDP seems to be rabidly against moving with the times. Unio membership is far lower today than in 1965 yet their campaign speeches make it perfectly obvious that they are only for unions and those on government assistance. They pay lip service to small business 'cuz they would love to get their support but so far they've not come up with a blessed thing in their platform to appeal to them! They desperately need to re-invent themselves. Layton is no Tony Blair, by a long shot. Laxer tried to tell them but they shot the messenger. If my granny had wheels she wouldn't bump her ass when she hopped. Or some such platitude! The NDP is a good example of how when you run only on dreams you rarely actually accomplish anything.

The 'B' Ark! The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy! The hikers land on an immense ship. They meet one of the inhabitants, who informs them they are on the 'B' Ark. He related a story of how long ago their scientists and engineers had discovered that their world was about to be destroyed by some cosmic calamity. They built two giant Arks to save the people. They filled the 'B' Ark with all the politicians, beauticians and telephone sanitizers, sending them off first with promises that the rest of them "would be along by and by". Of course, that was a LONG time ago and the inhabitant confessed that everyone was a little worried about those who were supposed to follow! What a hilarious solution to purging a society of useless chaff!

What's wrong about that? If they smell one coming they'd be pretty stupid not to prepare for it! So would the other parties, for that matter. Just because you don't want it to rain doesn't mean you shouldn't fix the roof!

There's another possibility. Perhaps who we think are aboriginal spokespeople are actually white supremacist 'moles'. By being so irrational and boorish with their manners they cheapen the image of aboriginals. Making natives out to look emotional, irrational and even racist towards whites is exactly the sort of goals professed by 'clansmen'. It's a wild shot but after all, the 'Net is rather anonymous. We have no way of knowing for sure who is who when they use an alias. We can only judge by their words. That's what's making me so suspicious!

Yep, that's perfectly obvious! Sorry if I dared to question your gospel. It won't happen again.

Wikipedia? Sorry, I consider that a biased, politically correct source. It is often written by amateurs, and edited by a few other amateurs who are very politically correct in their thinking. Anyhow, if you want to equate some physician from the 14th century postulating a theory with common knowledge across Europe in the 1500's, then that's your privilege. Myself, that just doesn't seem logical. I mean, wasn't the printing press invented in 1440? It took another 100 years before we saw millions of books in print. After the bible and some notable fiction, how many books do you think mentioned the musings of that physician of yours? Pasteur is generally credited with being the first to postulate the modern theory of germs and disease. He was born in 1822. Even during the American Civil War doctors and surgeons made no attempt to use antiseptics. They prided themselves on never washing their operating clothing, proudly bearing the blood stains! I guess they were too ignorant, never having read Arabic. We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm willing to change my mind, but not on such evidence or argument.