Sir Bandelot

So you understand my point then. When you say "How can there be a an election or let alone a fair election if the outcome is the same no matter how you vote?", I say, so true... and maybe its true for you and me too. Yes, I am feeling a bit cynical about the whole political process today. Certainly I am old enough to know, when a liar speaks, when you know hat you are talking to a liar, you can now assume or doubt everything they say. We are told what to think by the ones who are paid to advance certain ideas. Thats the nature of the beast, everywhere in the world it seems. Now as for this Galloway character, he is just another mouth that is moving. There is only one way to know what happened over there in Iran, or even underatand what these people are so angry about, and thats to go there and speak to them directly. But of course, thats impossible. It is ironic that in this age of information that we have today, news can be shown instantaneously from anywhere in the world. Yet it is impossible to know the real truth about anything, anywhere.

A very, very good question. Now look in the mirror

I don;t now what your going on about. Olegs posts are ok... when he's sober. But when he's been drinking, thats when they start to get real good As for the other fellow, everyone practices their own rhetorical style, to find their voice. He must have recently been reading "The Analects"

Is it that its not very exciting, or just that the immature whiners have toned it down a bit. A few years ago when I used to log in here under a different name, I found there to be a lot of insulting arrogant college types here, some of whom only wanted to practice their debating skills. Which they sadly thought was the automatic contradiction of anyone elses ideas, with some provocative statements thrown in to make themselves apprear "superior". Wel boys and girls, maybe its time you learn to get over it. Because after a while you realize, no one else gives a damn anyway what you might think. But I also believe that the taunters only hurt themselves, anyone with some wisdom can recognise they have a problem with their self image, they need to strut like a peacock and make bravura noises. Growing up is realizing, this is only impressive to other barnyard animals. To the rest of us its just, boring... zzzz

Yet it seems the Liberals are quite willing to go along with this minority, that they so strongly and publicly disagree with.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...21?hub=Politics Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he cannot promise sweeping changes to the employment insurance system, despite an agreement earlier this week with the Conservatives to review the program -- a deal that averted a summer election call. Ignatieff said he had no regrets about allowing the decision, although some critics said he could have forced more concessions from the government. "Coulda, shoulda, woulda -- don't want to go there, Craig," Ignatieff told Question Period host Craig Oliver. "What I'm concerned about is to see whether it's possible, with a government with whom I have serious disagreements, to get something good for Canadians." Ignatieff warned that if that there aren't sweeping changes to the system, the Liberals will be forced to "reconsider our options." "We're not going to go on and on forever here," Ignatieff said. "This thing has a fixed deadline. We must achieve results for the Canadian people. If we can't then we're going to have to reassess the situation." Can it get any more sickening? Hopefully the voting public will see this guy for what he is, a manipulative deceitful worm. Is there truly a difference in the choice between Liberal and Con? Is there even a single person of integrity among them?

Interesting discussion panel

It's not too surprising when you consider that the President has not had many accomplishments on the political front lately.

Freedom is not measured by what we can say in private to our friends, but what we can say in public, to anyone. Then again, maybe absolute freedom is something that is not desirable, or even wise. Total freedom amongst unlike-minded individuals leads to chaos. There has to be discipline. The rejection of certain forms of freedom, by preference and for specific reasons, is a part of growing up and leads to another type of freedom.

Republicans captured the fly and tortured it, brainwashed it so that it would only fly into the mouths of democrats. Then they allowed it to enter the room where the president was talking, knowing full well what would happen. This would be an opportunity, with cameras running, for republicans to take a swat at Obama. In a sense the fly was a suicide bomber. Its death throes were heard and seen around the world, proving that Obama is not a man of peace, but an inhumane killer. He murdered that creature in cold blood... if flies have blood... Rumor has it that off camera, he bent down and pulled the wings off the fly, then he laughed and smooshed it good. Then Nancy Pelosi's fork-like tongue came out and she ate it. Shall I go on

What I see is that Iran is divided into two main regions, much like in Canada or the US there is a percentage of the population living in the big cities, in high density and also a large number of people living in rural areas, but more spread out. Again as in the west, the people in the cities are generally more liberal minded, many of them younger people. Large cities is also where tourists will come, where you find more diversity and elements of foreign cultures, cosmopolitan. So there can be two cultures living in the same land, whose ideologies differ greatly. I suspect that the electoral map in Iran would look similar to the map when George Bush won his second term, divided by region, rural conservative areas generally going with Bush, and big urban areas going with Kerry. Everyones vote is equal, so it comes down to the numbers. I would not be deceived that what we see on TV is representative of the people of Iran. Those in the rural areas are scattered and do not have the same visibility, or perhaps the motivation to attend political rallies. Tehran may have voted for Moussavi, but in a democracy the decisions are made at the voting booth, not in the streets. Iran would do well to have international observers monitor their elections in the future... although that too is not a perfect guarantee that the vote is legit. My view is, these people are genuinely unhappy about something. But what that something is, is not clear- this Mousavi is not tremendously different from Ahmedinejad. To be honest, I think they are protesting at the wrong level of government, it isn't even these people they want to change, it should be the untouchable, unelected theocrats. If the islamic revolution is whats bothering them they should have the courage to protest against that... but again it comes down to the rural conservative versus the urban liberals, and the right to predetermination. Sounds familiar.

How about just an arrogant, narcissistic egomaniac. Oh wait that pretty much goes for all of them.

I understand he's also a helluva good dancer.

Letterman is a fool because, among many other things he thinks that an apology will matter somehow. We will now see the wrath of the vengeful right wing.

I think it's fair to say, most of Ontario isn't fond of Bob Rae. However neither Harper nor Ignatieff need to worry about the NDP as long as Layton is the leader.

It shows the madness of the Ultra- Liberal mind. Don't flies carry disease? I suppose at the very least, Obama should apologize to flies everywhere

Legalize all drugs and the gangs have the rug pulled out from under them, in one fell swoop. No violence, no guns, no jails required.

It makes no difference. Canadians lose either way.

Bush sent Condi Rice to North Korea and they came back all hugs and kisses. But it didn't amount to jack squat. Show me what they could do any different.

Forget for a moment the political rhetoric which I will not entertain. It seems absurd that anyone can make any claims about what they believe is going on, such as John McCain claiming the election was corrupt. How can he say that, does he have any evidence? No. he is just adding his biased opinion, or what he wants to believe, using his position to catapult the propaganda. Getting back to the actual topic, my first impression was surprise that these protesters almost immediately became violent. This was not a peaceful protest right from the beginning they were smashing windows and burning cars. And Mousavi actually fanned these flames, yet it seems the governments response has been measured, not using overwhelming force. As Amanopur tried to say on CNN, they are going after the violent ones, not the peaceful ones and I believe this could be true. Why- because if they cracked down ala Tiannemen, sending in the troops and tanks this would be over now. But they allow it to continue, showing what appears to be patience with the people. If these reformers were sensible they would know that violence works against them. They are behaving stupidly and risking a harsh crackdown. If anything they should hold strikes, prevent business and commerce from functioning until they get some action, but attacking buildings, firebombing and killing individuals, that seems like the actions of a dangerous group of radicals, not the kind of people I would support. In this article, we get more of a glimpse of what they seem to be about- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31380861 "The gathering was largely peaceful, but NBC News reported that plainclothes militia beat some pro-reform protesters with sticks and chanting, “Death to America.” Other witnesses said they heard gunfire from the roof of a building used by a state-backed militia after some supporters of Mousavi set fire to the building and tried to storm it. Khamenei said representatives of all four candidates should be present for any limited recount of disputed ballots, which the country’s cleric-led Guardian Council said Tuesday it would be willing to conduct." Khamenei actually seems to be taking the actions of a reasonable man, not a hardline cleric. This is great stuff, I hope they resolve the problem without further violence and prove the John McCains of the world to be wrong. But in any case, let the truth out itself, let the liars be exposed, whoever they are.

Vote Liberal? Nyet, Nyet, soviet

He is the Canadian Obama... a Conservative in Liberal clothing. A "Neo-Liberal". Con man

We grow dandelions, clovers and milkweeds. Also late summer wildflowers. Food for bees and other pollinators. My parents live in a wooded area and their property has many trilluims. I tranplanted a few to my backyard. I think it might be illegal to do that, dunno. So sue me

Letterman's a sap. He was a sap for telling the joke, and even more for apologizing.

Compared to them we have much greater freedom, but we cannot say anything we want. Some kid wrote on her facebook that she wished someone would kill the president, or some such, very likely in jest as she was about 14 years old. A few hours later, you know what happened. The guys in the black suits came and picked her up from school for questioning. She was in serious trouble! There's plenty of other examples. You cannot give a speech to incite a riot, or say something thats considered hate crime. And most of these things do make sense. Some of the signs in Iran say, "Death to the Dictator". Masawi called for more protests. The response from Iranian police has been tough, but not excessive as the riots still continue. If they'd have done a Tiannamen Square, it would be over quickly. So I think it hints at some moderation and tolerance. Any government would be concerned when tens of thousands are protesting with violence, smashing windows and burning cars, don't you think?