Shwa

It does! And also a really-really-so-obvious-ya-cant-miss-the-sarcasm smiley. We need one of those too.

I see, so "Western countries" are synonymous with "civilized." Is this what your argument hinges on?

There. Fixed it for ya.

Snow? Is that the only criteria you can identify as northern? (but I do like the Sooners and Cowboys in Oklahoma. They are northern-like)

That's the thing: how long can he last playing against those monster D guys, even on blocking plays? It will all add up. Of course, I was thinking that it might have added up at this point, but he seems to be going along pretty good. But unless his arm improves, I can't see him going past 5 years, if that.

Texas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana. Etc. I like tough football, played by tough players in tough conditions.

A VP knowing more is hardly an indication that the structures have flattened to any significant degree. In fact, I would say that they have become more complex and obtuse with more middle management in the structure. At least for government and a few major corporate bureaucracies. Of course not. You can be confused completely on your own. You don't need me to verify it, even if I point it out. I am not blocking any idea that change will happen nor do I imply that the world will continue exactly as it is now. Don't mistake counterpoint for a worldview. Companies can make the change, but you are missing the forest for the trees. If companies make these changes, does that automatically mean that their results can be applied in the same way to public administration? That is, do you see business administration equating to public administration? Because companies, as a whole, absorb a heck of a lot more failure that the government simply cannot afford. (i.e. eHealth) OK, so let's say you are right with the "spearheaded" part. Then detail who actually did the design and implementation parts? You have articulate the problem to which I suggest a solution. Currently public administration is governed by political operatives and senior bureacrats, so every project is going to be spearheaded by them. What is required is a change in the basic philosophy of public administration. All you seem to argue for is change despite the structure. (which doesn't appear to be flattening to any significant degree) And thus generally that is true for any expert and professional, from any sector of society. So how does one get around that? You are saying that new media and technology should have an immediacy to the transformative effects. I am saying that with the current structures, not so fast. Listen and work with what "people?" The neaderthal political operatives and senior bureacrats that are the project drivers and champions? Right. So then: who should decide? The vertical interface is the gateway that stands between you and government information and services and you know it very well judging from the amount of time you spend complaining about it. In more familiar terms, think of Bell Canada's customer service. That's right. The complexity, security requirements, qualifications, the "oldest, most inflexible, most resistant to change organizations we have" is all the result of the practical implications of the philosophy of public adminstration of the modern welfare state. If you want to see a scary scenario, juxtapose this philosophy on a global scale. Senior managers make decisions based on what though Michael? Sure, end the current system and slowly replace it in a concurrent and parallel system. And this new system will be designed by who? Based on what? Decided by whom? Paid for, by whom? I am sure you would heartily volunteer to take the role of benevolent dictator, but is that realistic?

Everyone ought to care. Rich. Boiling down a chronic societal problem into the neat little "Ted and Nancy" allegory so you can comprehend the problem. Trouble is, your problem ignores scale and when one is dealing a chronic societal problem that includes 10s, if not 100s, of millions of people your personal gains are completely insignificant with one exception: I, for one, will be very glad when your kids get into University.

I think that email only made for flatter structures for companies that touted email as a structure flattening medium. Then they wanted to sell you their email system. I jest. In terms of government and major corporations, I think the flattening effect of email was wishful thinking. Because you are confusing terms. And the ultimate difference between "replaced" and "supplanted" is...? The problem is, the on-going costs to maintain and upgrade current infrastructure and electronic services while, at the same time, managing expectations fueled by the bright lights of the future. That is difficult in this day and age. That is, hard to set a benchmark. Which leads us to: Exactly. But the scariest part is that eHealth wasn't designed by dummies and no-nothings, but by experts and professionals. Sure, this wouldn't be the first time a large public project has experienced difficulties. But eHealth wasn't put together by high school students in the lab, or wannabe hackers in the basement. Sure, but the point is that it didn't happen. Another notion dreamed up by qualified experts and professionals and advertised as the next big thing and then... crickets and tumbleweeds. Why is that? Who decides? What hasn't the structure flattened to allow more direction from, say, directors to the workers? To access a service, the client has to inter-face with the system somehow. The system behind that interface can be as flat as a pancake, but the interface is still vertical. We haven't overcome this barrier yet, technologically or even sociall and I doubt we will in our lifetime. It is a nice goal, worthy of keeping in the public conscience at every turn. But in the day and age of fear mongering, those gates are going to be thick and tall for quite some time to come. But who informs those "from above?" Senior managers are not technical or demographic experts and generally only read the executive summary and then take advice from the qualified experts and professionals. So, really, who decides? Swooping in and out? Management consultants are a permanent workforce within all levels of government, moreso with the Federals and Provincials.

Oh gawd, the quality of the poster is revealed! FU social contract!

Really Bonam? Religion is fading away? Where? PS - using your neighbourhood or apartment as an example is too small a sample.

Heritage Minister Moore defends CBC I love it when this sort of thing happens. What's this? A Minister in the cabinet actually coming out and dilineating where the mainstream ends and fringe starts? Most excellent. Yes "far be it" for Moore to tell "a member?" The real messages is that "a member" are the looney backbenchers that don't have a clue about the CBC. And yeah, they were just told. Hold the centre fellas, at all costs.

Man. This wins the Suckiest Post of the Year Award hands down.

Britain? Who gives a flying f*ck about "Britain?" You dishonour our fallen Canadian soldiers because you denigrate their "share" of global military operations when the price they paid was the ulitmate one. Nothing worse than a war-mongering wannabe "army guy" who has no clue about modern Canadian military history. Your view is skewed because you lack knowledge. "Britain" indeed.

CANADIAN PEACKEEEPING CASUALTY FIGURES eg: Canada on the Ground in Kosovo Maybe you should change your username to "Sort-of-Army guy"

I don't. Could you be a little more clear please?

Wasn't email supposed to make flatter structures? If email couldn't do you think Facebook and Twitter will? Teleworking isn't "New Media." And let's not forget the costs of replacing old systems, old infrastructure to keep up with the Jones. Kind of like the way they went gangbusters with eHealth. Sure. Like the comments section after a Sun story on homelessness. The problem is, you have to sort out targets and ensure that the targets are the ones making the feedback. Hey, wasn't Canada Post supposed to provide an email address for every Canadian at one time? I agree. But... the organization can be as flat as hell, but the gate and walls are still mighty vertical. It's damend if you do and damned if you don't. I agree again. "If that's what people want." But who determines that? A comment section on a City blog page? I recall reading a public survey on particular government service being offered. The choices were: face-to-face, telephone or Internet. I can't recall the exact numbers for the two former methods, but do remember that there was only 25% that preferred the Internet. Twenty-five percent. Of course, the department went with the Internet channel right? Cuz, sometimes ya gotta force people to be free. Maybe public service should be compulsory. Like military service in Sweden. I would gather that the majority of the public service agrees with you, but are too wrung out by management to even have the time to respond in any sort of meaningful way. Therein lies the problem, of "corporate structure." There needs to be a new philosophy of public administration created since simply bringing in management consultants to lay down the latest jargon of the private, corporate world simply does not work. Low hanging fruit, as it is...

How many people are employed by the oil sands?

Really Army guy? Another instance where you don't know Canadian military history?

Of course, if you live in Toronto, you are going to be paying even more taxes. More taxes, less services. Facing $139M surplus, Ford wants to cut $88M in services .Where have we seen that sort of political expediency before hmm? Right, because it is just "common sense."

Damn, are you talking hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in corporate and personal tax revenue per year, or did you simply skip over the OP for the cherry pick?

Well to be honest, I could care less about his religion. He reminds me a JaMarcus Russell and where is he at? And Russell could throw the ball too. Yeah I did hear about the elite QB conundrum, but what can you do?

Everything Texas. When they can come up and play in the snow and/or freezing gunk for a consistent period of time, I will respect them... That is the thing, with the option and him taking the ball so often. Does he have the body to take that sort of punishment on a regular basis until his passing improves? I figured the Broncos would draft him, let him learn the pro game on the sidelines for a bunch of years a al Rogers and then, when his passing is up to respectability, bring him in, try him out. But in the crapshoot NFL, where a decent QB can make or break a team (the pathetic Colts, biggest story of the year) this kid is doing what shouldn't be happening.

Charest is the smarmy turncoat is he not? It is one thing to go from feds to provincials, but quite another to come back with his record of flip-flopping. Even though he was a decent PC. Leblanc would mop the floor with him. Enough of the old boys, let's move along into the newer generation at least. Charest can be a senator.

I liked watching Tebow play at Florida, even though - as a whole - I hated the team. (long story short: I hate anything Florida or Texas when it comes to football) So the kid ends up in Denver, by all rights is a below average starter QB, what with his stellar 50% completion rate and bottom of the rung QB rating, but lookit, the kid wins. Tebow leads Broncos to 16-13 OT win over Chargers And he's lucky too. So Elway is waiting for the bubble to burst, NFL Countdown is waiting for the bubble to burst, Keyshawn is waiting for Tebow himself to burst, but the kid keeps on winning. Is his play sustainable? I mean he ran 22 times yesterday. 22 times! How long will Tebow last? Put your predictions here...