kimmy

Your comments have indeed exposed profound ignorance... just not in the way you intended to. I am guessing you're from Ontario? That's my guess because the only time I encountered Canadians who know so little about Canada outside their province was when I lived in Ontario. Thanks for the link to Kinsella's review of Flannigan's book. That's an interesting piece of history regarding the early days of the Reform Party. To think that Reform took concerns about Neo-Nazi infiltration so seriously that they contacted a high-ranking Liberal insider to help them investigate the problem, and that Kinsella helped them with Chretien's knowledge and blessing, is a fascinating bit of history. I didn't know about any of that, and it speaks well for all involved. I notice that Kinsella mentions that these Neo-Nazis and white supremacists were mostly in the Greater Toronto Area. -k

I can't imagine how you came to the conclusion that I want to criminalize sex of any sort. Why don't you tell us how much of The Peoples' time this has taken in the House of Commons, Jerry? Are you equally upset that things like Bill C-6, the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, have been preventing our mighty parliament from creating world peace, feeding the hungry, healing the lepers, and so on? You said on the prior page that you were opposed to this because it would open a can of worms and would have scary implications that would have to be addressed. In fact, that can of worms has been opened and closed many times. As a society we've already decided that "well, if it's harmful just sue" is not an adequate answer to other unsafe products, so why is this one different? -k

The discussion you're creating here sounds a lot like something I said a long time ago in another thread (here, specifically). However, what I think you may have missed is that as far as making efficient use of the scarce resource of screens, Avatar has been a tremendous success. From a distribution point of view, the best thing that could happen would be if the movie makes a ton of money right away and then leaves the theatres right away. From that point of view, Avatar is succeeding like few other movies ever have. -k

I think what Pliny is trying to say is that if you're not in favor of complete anarchy, then you're a godless commie. ok,, that one made me laugh -k

I think the question on everyone's mind right now, Bubber, is why do you hate Baby Jeeeezus so much? -k

So how is it less worthy an issue than, say, inspection of "natural health supplements"? Why not just slap a label on those that says "buyer beware" and be done with it? Couldn't we take the same approach with inspections of processed meats? I think anybody who buys Maple Leaf's mystery meats deserves what they get, so why not just put a "buyer beware" sticker on them? And if you're saying can't look at any other issue until World Peace has become a reality and every Canadian has a roof over their head, a chicken in every pot, and a Bombardier in every garage, aren't you basically saying the government should never ever attempt to do anything at all? I'm sure there are some who'd agree with that... well, Pliny at least... I think the highlight of the thread was the part where Mr Canada suggested that regulation of sex toys would be a good first step on the road towards banning them entirely. Women need to be protected from these terrible things! -k

I'm also extremely excited to hear how. I can hardly wait to learn this important piece of Canadian history. -k

I've often thought "Oleg must be inhaling something" but I never suspected it might be knowledge. -k

AAAHHHH it's all part of a US scam to invade Yemen AAAHHHH Yemen is crucial to world domination AAAAHHH Yemen has vital supplies of 3rd-rate narcotics and rocks AAAAAHHHHH The US won't invade Yemen. The US will take a carrot and brick approach. They'll offer a carrot, financial assistance in dealing with terrorist camps. And if they decline, the US will hit them in the face with a brick, or at least a bunch of cruise missiles aimed at suspected training camps. AAAAHHHH it's part of a massive plot to get body scanning technology in airports so that security staff can look at low quality porn AAAAAHHHH the security staff will see peoples' hoo-hoos AHAAAHHH -k

And this is all I was getting at. How many of the people ridiculing US security officials for not putting Abdulmuttalab on the no-fly list on the basis of one (1) report from a worried parent with no supporting evidence would be howling with outrage if the US operated that way in regard to a Canadian? "Miley? ... Bubber Miley? I'm sorry, Mr Miley, we can't allow you into the United States. There has been an anonymous report that you may be involved with the marijuana trade in some capacity." -k

At least we still have our iPods, Ghost. We still have our iPods. For some parts of the world, I bet the 1940s were the best decade they'd ever seen to that point. There have been decades before that probably sucked in ways we can't even imagine. Seeing your entire society wiped out by the plague. Living in caves trying to figure out if rocks were edible. If you lived in Pompeii, the decade ending in AD 79 probably kind of sucked, and the decade starting in AD 80 was probably a real downer as well. I'd be interested to hear what an old Russian person would tell you if you asked him what the worst decade ever was. Maybe he'd say "pick one". "Worst Decade Ever" needs some qualifiers (like "where?" and "for who?") ...if you're a banker, this decade was probably pretty f'n sweet. The decade got started with the bursting of the "Dot Com Bubble", and finished with "The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression". To make no mention of global conflict. To me it seems like it hasn't exactly been the greatest. Stupid boomers. -k

A couple of things occur... first off, how much is because of the actress and how much is the role? this may correlate to your point #2. But if the director isn't happy with the performance, is he just going to shrug and say "there's so many weak actresses in this town" and carry on? His name goes on the product (well, his name or Alan Smithee) and he's ultimately responsible for what you're seeing on the screen. As a free market enthusiast, I'm sure you'd agree that supply and demand will deal with this problem. Good actresses can demand higher prices from productions seeking higher quality; shoddy actresses will find themselves with secondary roles or maybe contemplating new careers. Judging from Sara Simmonds' list of credits, it would appear that many producers agree with your assessment of her talents. I'm often perplexed that while there are indeed female writers and directors, they seem largely involved in projects that seem destined for obscurity ("art-house movies," indie films, "special interest"...) and those that are more mainstream seem to be in large measure "girl stuff"-- romantic comedies or junk aimed at teenaged girls. Maybe female writers and directors are interested in making non-mainstream stuff and junk for teenaged girls. Or, maybe there's some sexism at work. Unthinkable that the ultra-liberal Hollywood industry might harbor sexism, but I once recall hearing someone (Rob Reiner, maybe?) saying that during the making of A Few Good Men, one of the studio execs kept complaining about Demi Moore's character. "She doesn't take off her clothes, and she doesn't fall in love with Tom Cruise, so why is this character a woman?" I wonder if there are studio execs who would be asking "we're not making a chick flick, so why did we hire a female director?" or look at the names on the manuscripts and huck them onto the "romantic comedy" pile without even reading them. Among the year's best-reviewed movies is "The Hurt Locker", directed by Kathryn Bigelow. I gather it is not a chick-flick. -k

Use of a mechanical device to stimulate external portions of the anatomy (how's that for finding a polite way to put things?) would not carry the same health risks as internal use (see my earlier comments regarding skin vs interior lining). If you're convinced that 44% of men are ... nah, I just won't even bother. It's beside the point. I'm not convinced either, but I don't have the qualifications to dismiss it out of hand. I don't think you do either. I did some online shopping and found that as you say a considerable majority of what's available is made of silicone. Materials such as glass and stainless steel are also available. However, I did find numerous products whose contents were described simply as "thermoplastic", which is so broad as to be almost meaningless. BPA is widely used as a component in making plastics, so I'm not convinced that toys containing BPA aren't being sold. What would be wrong with at least finding out if there's a health issue? -k {I did not max out my credit card.}

Actually, it kind of looks like an enormous joint to me. -k

Sure we do. She was part of an anti-poverty, pro-native group. -k

If you're the sort who is prone to posting stuff like "AAAAAHHHH PETN is a DRUG he had a SYRINGE why is the media hiding the fact that he was HIGH AAAAHHH he was in AMSTERDAM AAAAAH WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE AAAAAHHHH there was a SHARP DRESSED MAN AAAAHHHHH how did he get a VISA when he was on the terror watch list AAAAAHHHHH" then probably no explanation will convince you that this was anything than AN INSIDE JOB AAAAHHHHH. (This one would be a MIHOP, right?) However, the following summary addresses reasonable questions with reasonable answers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8432481.stm AAAHHHH PETN is a high explosive AAAAAHHHHH the syringe contained a chemical detonator AAAAHHHH he had his visa long before he was on their watch list AAAAHHHH the watch list isn't a no-fly list, AAAAAHHHH etc. btw, I've got a prediction. I bet that a lot of people who are ridiculing US security and intelligence efforts for not putting this guy on a no-fly list based on one report from a worried parent are probably people who are really, really offended that the US won't give Maher Arar the benefit of the doubt. I agree that there is some similarity between Jones and O'Reilly. Both are gigantic assholes. However, while O'Reilly is generally understood to be a source of opinion, Jones' true believers think he is an alternative news source. -k

Scumbags. Have these idiots ever considered how their tactics make them look? I can't think of anything that could possibly do less to win sympathy for your cause than jumping a young woman on what would have been the happiest day of her life. -k

We in Canada had a news story in 2009 where a child was taken from her parents after she went to school with a swastika on her arm... it seems to me that if raising your kid to be a white supremacist is cause enough to have them taken away, then raising your kids to be militant extremists should be likewise. -k

Wait, Auntie Monica... are you getting this information from the news media, or do you have some sort of super-secret contacts within the US State Department? I ask because I'm just floored that anybody could know this stuff when the media is clearly HIDING THE INFORMATION!!! (!!!!) from us. -k

Well, yes. Dancer disputes the idea that this is a womens' health issue on the grounds that large numbers of men apparently use these too. Well, if the large numbers of men are only using them on their partners, then Dancer's point fails. Your skin is a formidable barrier... the internal tissues in areas which sex toys are typically used are far less so. (ie, you can get Tabasco sauce on your hands without discomfort, but try putting a drop on the inside of your cheek.) If 44% of men are actually putting these toys in contact with their own mucous membranes... then maybe Morris has a point, but I strongly doubt that's the case. I'm a little perplexed at some of the responses in this thread. The premise that Ignatieff might feel inclined to kick Bennett out of the caucus for raising this issue? Ignatieff could kiss what's left of his political future goodbye if he did that. That it's embarrassing to the "Liberal Brand"? Why? Because sex toys make people giggle and blush? I'm also perplexed at the theory that Bennett is only using this to raise her profile. Reading the sort of responses in this thread should be all anybody needs to see why this isn't a career-building position for a politician to take. -k

What? 2 days ago you said that the first thing that should be reported is that "AAAAHHHH the guy was HIGH he was holding a SYRINGE AAAAAHHHH the media is HIDING IS THE FACT that PENT is a drug. The guy is coming from AMSTERDAM AAAAAHHHH WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE?" Now you think that the first thing that should have been reported was the visa and security watch list issue. Well, that's been reported since early on. Wait, hidden? What has been hidden? You heard about this on the news, right? I heard about this on the news... so how has it been hidden? What I think you're really trying to say is that you want the media to express your belief that this was a fake orchestrated by the government, yes? -k

Those guys look like radical Rabbis! ZIONISTS are behind this sham!! Yeah, any details that don't jive with the theory of a secret plot are obviously just there to give debunkers ammunition. Jones and Co don't do much "reporting". They usually just provide a Coles Notes version of a mainstream news article, then fill it out with pure speculative spin shaped by their peculiar psychoses. -k

So, because we can't completely eliminate any possibilities here, everything must be equally true! Tell me, Watson... if you were a shady government operative trying to create a new 9/11 by smuggling a Nigerian fruitcake onto a plane... would you be negotiating with ticket agents in full view of the other passengers? Or would you just make sure your guy had the right credentials before the trip? I mean, I'm not a spook (or am I? I might be. I wouldn't tell you if I was, would I? Trust no one!) but if I was a spook, I think I'd just get my little buddy the credentials beforehand, and avoid letting the other passengers see my involvement. Yes, in these sorts of things, details are often inaccurate in early reports as the media rush to get a story out before they can confirm things. I always find it amusing when the board's biggest anti-racist advocates go to Alex Jones and his Nazi buddies for information. -k

http://ca.movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/merry-xmas-hollywood-boxoffice-record-falls-ap The small drop-off from week 1 might partly be explained by last week's storms on the east coast. In some of the biggest US markets, a lot of people stayed home last weekend, and went this weekend instead. With a production budget of possibly $300 million and an estimated $100 million in marketting on top of that, breaking even seems like a daunting task, but with $212m domestic box office so far, they might already be there once international box office is included. (edit to add: worldwide gross stands at $617 million, as of yesterday.) The new Sherlock Holmes movie also had huge audiences this weekend. -k

What the hell is this? The new conspiracy squad? PETN is a highly explosive substance that is sometimes used as an emergency heart medication (same family, and same reason, as nitroglycerine.) The fact that the substance can have medicinal use does not suggest that he was "HIGH", and considering the fact that this retard had accidentally set himself on fire and had smuggled it onto a plane using a condom strapped to his junk, I'm skeptical that it was there for emergency medical use either. -k