Sunday, September 25, 2005
The Toronto Sun's Peter Worthington Writes: "Still no justice for Stopford"
For those not quite in the know, there was once this Warrant Officer, Matt Stopford, who served in Croatia many years ago and came home with a slew of ailments.
A little while afterwards, an inquiry found out that a whole bunch of reservists tried to poion him because they viewed him as "too gung ho".
It was then that the Warrant decided to seek some sense of justice.
The problem with modern volunteer armies is that many new enlistees view their employment as glorified summer camp.
Take, for example, the reservists who tried to frag the Warrant. When they joined his regiment, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), what were they expecting? Were they expecting a romp in the forest in during the day, followed by a night of boozing and whoring? Or were they expecting a life-changing experience?
If you take away the Warrant's current struggles, what you're left with is a slowly growing malaise in this volunteer military service, with recruits confusing employment with commitment, and superiors desparate to enlist and retain anyone with a pulse and a smile at all costs, regardless of competance.
If you take away Matt's plight, you still have a group of cowards who have gotten away with murder, and a beaurocracy unwilling to pursue them for fear of a public relations backlash.
Being commited to military service includes accepting all the risks involved with the job, including getting killed or maimed - something that Cindy al-Shaheed refuse to accept, by the way. Anyone who thinks otherwise should consider another line of work, because this is the reality of warfare.
What Matt Stopford should've realised was that the charges who tried to kill should never have been put in uniform and sent out in the first place.
That is the saddest reality in this drama.
A little while afterwards, an inquiry found out that a whole bunch of reservists tried to poion him because they viewed him as "too gung ho".
It was then that the Warrant decided to seek some sense of justice.
"It's no longer a question of compensation, but one to expose wrongdoing," says Stopford, who in 1994 returned from UN duty in Croatia blind in one eye, with internal organs so damaged that even the Mayo Clinic could offer little help.
Six years later, the army informed Stopford that his own men had been trying to poison him. An investigation confirmed that some 30 people in the chain of command knew of the poison attempts, but no one told Stopford, or tried to stop it.
The problem with modern volunteer armies is that many new enlistees view their employment as glorified summer camp.
Take, for example, the reservists who tried to frag the Warrant. When they joined his regiment, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), what were they expecting? Were they expecting a romp in the forest in during the day, followed by a night of boozing and whoring? Or were they expecting a life-changing experience?
If you take away the Warrant's current struggles, what you're left with is a slowly growing malaise in this volunteer military service, with recruits confusing employment with commitment, and superiors desparate to enlist and retain anyone with a pulse and a smile at all costs, regardless of competance.
If you take away Matt's plight, you still have a group of cowards who have gotten away with murder, and a beaurocracy unwilling to pursue them for fear of a public relations backlash.
Being commited to military service includes accepting all the risks involved with the job, including getting killed or maimed - something that Cindy al-Shaheed refuse to accept, by the way. Anyone who thinks otherwise should consider another line of work, because this is the reality of warfare.
What Matt Stopford should've realised was that the charges who tried to kill should never have been put in uniform and sent out in the first place.
That is the saddest reality in this drama.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
The Sad Reality Of My Small World: Sympathies To Leading Seaman Kevin Teague
LS Kevin Teague was a NAV COMM from HMCS CARLETON in Ottawa who served on the Naval Reserve Co-Ordinated On-Job Training (NAVRES C-OJT) program here in Halifax. For a trade that is stressful and unforgiving, Kevin was the quiet, calm, collected guy in the communications control room (CCR). He eventually left the program to complete the Primary Leadership Qualification (PLQ) course with another fellow CAR NAV COMM, Cindy Beischer.
You're probably wondering why I'm writing about someone with whom I've only worked a few times prior to this past summer.
Jennifer Teague went missing on 8 Sep 05 after leaving work. Her remains were found 11 days later at an area park. At the time of her disappearance, I didn't know the connection between her and her brother, Kevin. At the same time I was hoping against hope for Alicia Ross; that one died a couple of days after Jennifer's discovery. It was one of those nagging questions... whether or not to let people know about her for Kevin's sake when she was first reported missing. Of course, I was going through some tumultuous times myself - looking for an apartment and a new job can wreak havoc on romantic procrastinators like myself - so I felt that encouraging one crusade for a missing young lady would be enough.
The tragic end to the disappearances of Jennifer and Alicia is unbearable. At least in Alicia's case, some freak turned himself in confessing to the crime. For Jennifer, someone is (or some people are) still running around, trying desperately to hide from the proverbial long arm of the law. But the walls will eventually close in, and soon there will be no escape. Maybe the demons that goaded the killer(s) will force surrender. Just like that fucker, Daniel Sylvester.
Or maybe people like you will probably remember something that happened on the night Kevin Teague's little sister disappeared. And if you do, call the police immediately. The family needs closure desperately, and not a moment too soon.
To you, "Teaguer", and your family, as well as those who loved, and are loved by, his sister: all my deepest sympathies and prayers in your time of great loss. Although I am not a religious person, I believe that the One God will look after you and yours in this time and for the days to come, and that sooner or later, we will all get to see Jennifer again, forever young and lively, in another time, another place.
Respect, always.
You're probably wondering why I'm writing about someone with whom I've only worked a few times prior to this past summer.
Jennifer Teague went missing on 8 Sep 05 after leaving work. Her remains were found 11 days later at an area park. At the time of her disappearance, I didn't know the connection between her and her brother, Kevin. At the same time I was hoping against hope for Alicia Ross; that one died a couple of days after Jennifer's discovery. It was one of those nagging questions... whether or not to let people know about her for Kevin's sake when she was first reported missing. Of course, I was going through some tumultuous times myself - looking for an apartment and a new job can wreak havoc on romantic procrastinators like myself - so I felt that encouraging one crusade for a missing young lady would be enough.The tragic end to the disappearances of Jennifer and Alicia is unbearable. At least in Alicia's case, some freak turned himself in confessing to the crime. For Jennifer, someone is (or some people are) still running around, trying desperately to hide from the proverbial long arm of the law. But the walls will eventually close in, and soon there will be no escape. Maybe the demons that goaded the killer(s) will force surrender. Just like that fucker, Daniel Sylvester.
Or maybe people like you will probably remember something that happened on the night Kevin Teague's little sister disappeared. And if you do, call the police immediately. The family needs closure desperately, and not a moment too soon.
To you, "Teaguer", and your family, as well as those who loved, and are loved by, his sister: all my deepest sympathies and prayers in your time of great loss. Although I am not a religious person, I believe that the One God will look after you and yours in this time and for the days to come, and that sooner or later, we will all get to see Jennifer again, forever young and lively, in another time, another place.
Respect, always.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
WTF, blogger.com!!??!
WARNING - BAD LANGUAGE, GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ALERT!
So here I was putting the finishing touches of a heat-of-the-moment tirade against a pathetic lowlife pice of shit named Daniel Sylvester who has been charged with the murder of Alicia Ross.
Oh Man... was I on a fucking roll. Was I feeling good about venting my frustrations out on someone who has succeded in forfeiting his member ship in the human race.
And as soon as I was done, I hit the "Publish Post" button.
And then... nothing.
As far as I know, all this hard work has gone down the drain, as I received an "action not implemented" message. Truly a WTF moment, just like all other good projects.
"Ahhh... what the fuck?" I asked myself, knowing that there is always a "back" button to retrace a good portion of my steps. So I exploited it.
And thus came the message that the server was down for "planned maintenance".
PLANNED FUCKING MAINTENANCE? IN NORTH AMERICAN INTERNET PRIME-TIME?
What the fuck, blogger-dot-com? Is your server in Australia? Had I known I would've definitely held of on my written Jihad on this fucking refuse.
Had I known you'd be switching hamsters at around 20:00 - 20:15 (ADT) I would've cooled my heels, gone out for a cigarette and return to write something sad, resigned about the whole affair.
BUT YOU FUCKED UP, BLOGGER-DOT-COM. IN MY OPINION, YOU JUST RUINED A GOOD CHUNK OF MY EVENING!
AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS WHO WERE TRYING TO POST EQUALLY PASSIONATE ITEMS WHEN YOU PULLED THE PLUG? HAVE THIS EVER ENTERED YOUR NARROW, LITTLE MINDS?
SO THANKS A WHOLE LOT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR LETTING EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THE PLANNED MAINTENANCE.
IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN, I (or someone more technically deviant) WILL GIVE YOU A REAL MAINTENANCE JOB TO DEAL WITH!
JUMPING. JESUS. FUCK.
If this keeps up, my website is going to start looking pretty damn good...
So here I was putting the finishing touches of a heat-of-the-moment tirade against a pathetic lowlife pice of shit named Daniel Sylvester who has been charged with the murder of Alicia Ross.
Oh Man... was I on a fucking roll. Was I feeling good about venting my frustrations out on someone who has succeded in forfeiting his member ship in the human race.
And as soon as I was done, I hit the "Publish Post" button.
And then... nothing.
As far as I know, all this hard work has gone down the drain, as I received an "action not implemented" message. Truly a WTF moment, just like all other good projects.
"Ahhh... what the fuck?" I asked myself, knowing that there is always a "back" button to retrace a good portion of my steps. So I exploited it.
And thus came the message that the server was down for "planned maintenance".
PLANNED FUCKING MAINTENANCE? IN NORTH AMERICAN INTERNET PRIME-TIME?
What the fuck, blogger-dot-com? Is your server in Australia? Had I known I would've definitely held of on my written Jihad on this fucking refuse.
Had I known you'd be switching hamsters at around 20:00 - 20:15 (ADT) I would've cooled my heels, gone out for a cigarette and return to write something sad, resigned about the whole affair.
BUT YOU FUCKED UP, BLOGGER-DOT-COM. IN MY OPINION, YOU JUST RUINED A GOOD CHUNK OF MY EVENING!
AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS WHO WERE TRYING TO POST EQUALLY PASSIONATE ITEMS WHEN YOU PULLED THE PLUG? HAVE THIS EVER ENTERED YOUR NARROW, LITTLE MINDS?
SO THANKS A WHOLE LOT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR LETTING EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THE PLANNED MAINTENANCE.
IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN, I (or someone more technically deviant) WILL GIVE YOU A REAL MAINTENANCE JOB TO DEAL WITH!
JUMPING. JESUS. FUCK.
If this keeps up, my website is going to start looking pretty damn good...
Not Again!
Rita Gets PMS On Us
Right about now, Hurricane Rita has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm.
In plain English, that would mean that there's a potential for another New Orleans moment.
And since hurricanes love warm waters, expect Rita to do her damage around the Gulf of Mexico. By that time, New Orleans will really be sinking!
In plain English, that would mean that there's a potential for another New Orleans moment.
And since hurricanes love warm waters, expect Rita to do her damage around the Gulf of Mexico. By that time, New Orleans will really be sinking!
Bourbon blues on the street loose and completeIn the meantime, three of Her Canadian Majesty's Ships are heading back to Halifax after a nice little stay in Biloxi, Mississippi. Will they be needed for another Unison? Who knows?
Under skies all smoky blue-green
I can Forksake the dixie dead shake
So we dance the sidewalk clean
My memory is muddy what's this river I'm in
New Orleans is sinking and I don't want to swim
- Tragically Hip, "New Orleans is Sinking"
Midweek Mental Breakdown 1:
Bluenose XS Fortune; Emo Is For Weenies; SMBFMFD, Galloway!
Here we go with some cold cuts...
- Bluenoser JD Fortune (formerly Jason Bennison from Pictou County, NS via ON) has won his ultimate dream gig: winning a frontman spot with INXS.
Well... colour me cynical and skeptical, but searching for someone to replace a lead singer who hanged himself is something that is a little bit personal. Sadly, this type of tasking has been reduced to an "American Idol" spectacle that took up some valuable tv space this summer. In my opinion...
- No one can replace Michael Hutchence;
- INXS is not AC/DC; and
- For their own sake, as well as the sake of music fans, they should pack it in.
Whatever... congrats JD. All the best - you'll be needing lots for this gig.
- Emo!
My theory... when Avril Lavigne sings, she's a teen rawk/pop diva.
When guys try to sing like Avril Lavigne, they're emo!
nuff said. I'll keep making fun of it until something better replaces it. - Bootlicking, pole-smoking Brit MP George al-Galawi recently visited my fair country, and like any other visitor, had nothing but kind words to say about our peacekeepers...
Despite its refusal to fight in Iraq, Canada is complicit in the U.S. war on terrorism and should withdraw from Afghanistan, an outspoken left-wing British MP said Saturday.
"I'm amazed that so many people in Canada believe they're not a part of this crime," George Galloway said at the sixth annual conference of the Islamic Circle of North America and the Muslim Association of Canada.
"Canada has sent an army of 1,000 soldiers to occupy the Muslim country of Afghanistan (and ships to the Persian Gulf)," Galloway said.
"Your ships in the Gulf and your soldiers in Afghanistan are doing the dirty work of George W. Bush and Tony Blair. They are freeing American ships and soldiers to go to Fallujah and massacre the people of Iraq."
Well... personally, I havent heard any reports of Iraqi babies being bayonetted, women and girls getting gang-raped, enire villages being My-Lai'd or any biological or chemical applications being carried out on the local polpulace by the US soldiers. Neither have I received nor am aware of any reports that my fellow soldiers have doen the same in Afghanistan. So what the hell is your point, Muhammed Galloway?"These airplanes on 9-11 may have seemed to have come out of a clear blue sky but, in fact, these monstrous mosquitoes flew out of a swamp of bitterness and hatred and anger which exists in the Muslim world (because of) the injustice of western policy," Galloway said.
From where I sit - it's the result of medieval demagogues forcing young, impressionable people to do insanely homicidal acts like flying airplanes into office towers because they are afraid of losing their stature of potential messiahs in their "Religion of Peace"©, especially since advances in 21st-century communications and education have been opening everyone else's eyes.
"It is a crime, it is a sin, in any language, in any religion, to punish innocent people for the crimes of guilty people," he said.
"But it is a crime and a sin whether it happens in Britain or New York or Fallujah or Baghdad or Palestine or Afghanistan or anywhere else the bombs and rockets are falling."
It seems that the Honourable Throbbing Member should pour some cold water of reality onto himself, lest he continues to spew more vile rhetoric on more fragile, impressionable minds.
In other words - suck my dick, Galloway.
Alicia Ross Found Dead
CTV News has learned that police have located the body of Alicia Ross in two separate areas northeast of Toronto.
Remains were found in the Kawartha Lakes area as well as in Manilla, north of Port Perry.
As well, one person is in custody in the case.
I was praying that this would never happen.
I have issued a challenge in this blog to find her and to ensure that she would get safely home.
As of right now, she is in a better place.
For those who have helped out in finding Alicia, and those who have taken up my challenge in any way possible, I thank you.
To whoever did this to Alicia: your time is gonna come!
To all of Alicia's family and friends: my deepest sympathies.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Grandinite's Challenge To Canuck Bloggers
To all my fellow Canuckistanians who blog:
A blogger by the name of "Grandinite" ("From Grandin") has created a suvey for Canadian bloggers.
Translation: you might as well check this out if you're a Canadian who blogs.
I did. I came out feeling a bit - dirty.
A blogger by the name of "Grandinite" ("From Grandin") has created a suvey for Canadian bloggers.
Translation: you might as well check this out if you're a Canadian who blogs.
I did. I came out feeling a bit - dirty.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Screwed... Blued... t.A.T.u!
(An Accidental Comeback Tale)
About 3 years ago (a lifetime in internet terms), I wrote an article about this up-and-coming Russian girl-pop duo called t.A.T.u. (aka "Tatu").At the time, the novelty - and controversy - centred on the singers' youth and alleged lesbian love affair with each other. All this fell under the watchful eye of their manager/Svengali Ivan Shapovalov, who has succeded in pissing off the moralists in the music industry and giving closet pedophiles endless amounts of forbidden pleasures.
Well - at least it was fun while it lasted. I predicted at that time that eventually the music fans' bullshit detectors would go off. And in a way, they did.
The jailbait-lesbo routine was just that - a routine.
Julia (a.k.a. "Yulia") Volkova (the quasi-brunette) had a baby with her martial-artist boyfriend. (She eventually broke up with him.)
Lena Katina (the strawberry redhead) wanted to have a family herself.
Ivan Shapovalov is nowhere to be found. He allegedly got the boot in 2004 for being a little too manipulative.
So the girls went MIA for a little while until, from out of nowhere, they have unleashed a nice little Russkie-pop ditty called "All About Us", the leadoff single from their upcoming sophmore English-language release, "Dangerous and Moving", a title that's light-years less cumbersome than that of their Anglo-Saxon debut, "200 km/h in the Wrong Lane". (Their second Russian-language release will be called "Lyudi-Invalidi/Invalid People", FYI.) While the debut had producer Trevor Horn just tweaking-up the music and recording the duo's English vocals, this release has a few stars joining in - Sting, Dave Stewart (the guy half of the late, still-lamented, Eurythmics) and Richard freaking Carpenter! Yes... that Carpenter. Brother of the late Karen Carpenter. One half of über-soft-easy-listening pop group "The Carpenters".
WTF?
In fact, I've been asking myself the same question since I received the latest e-mail from puretracks.com. Could it be that t.A.T.u. has finally exited the teen years and started being adults? Could it be that they are showing a bit of maturity and restraint in their music, performances and videos? Is the metaphorical ghost of Shapovalov finally exorcised from the duo's personal space?
Well, judging by the original uncensored video for "All About Us", I am at a loss for words. It is a bit hardcore due to some sexual and physical violence, but at least the tune doesn't sound like a hack job like "All The Things She Said"/"Ya Soshla S Uma" (the hit's original version). Maybe the ladies have grown up, but it seems that they decided to continue titillating us good enough to have us open our hearts - and eventually our wallets - and put them back on the pop charts for another full-frontal assault on North American music fans.
In the meantime, their North American handlers, Jimmy Iovine's Interscope, have one hell of a job on the go: how to market a duo who made their money playing jailbait lesbians as a serious, international pop contender? t.A.T.u. are - by virtue of culture and attitude - different from the cookie-cutter American Idol/Avril-Wannabe/Simpleton Sisters pop-trash shilled out on commercial radio, but will the fans be more open to the bittersweet acidity of their new offering? Will the proverbial bullshit detectors be set off because of an apparent shift in focus? Only time will tell.
As for Lena and Julia - welcome back to the Big City, kids. Don't screw up this time.
(For more stuff on t.A.T.u., check this.)
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Operation Unison 2005:
Stepping Up To The Plate.
For your information, the Canadian Forces have a page dedicated to tracking the post-Katrina efforts of our sailors, soldiers and airmen.
Their arrival in the Gulf may be a bit delayed due to a tropical storm brewing off Florida. I hope that it doesn't wind up where I live!
UPDATE (12 Sep 05): The Op Unison 2005 team has arrived alongside Pensacola, FL this morning. And not a moment too soon!
The real, hard work is yet to come.
UPDATE (13 Sep 05): Right about now, crews from the 3 HMC Ships are in Biloxi, Mississippi to clean up and maybe fix up the place. Those who make light of the old Forces saying "Living the Dream" should take note: there's a lot of stuff to be done, and it ain't gonna be easy in any way.
Of extra note: the Canadian Coast Guard Ship "Sir William Alexander" - an icebreaker, fer X-sakes - will soon come over to replace nav buoys in the Gulf. Why is she out there? Because the old, venerable 510, HMCS Preserver, is stuck alongside back in Halifax due to mechanical issues. This ship, part of the "Protecteur" class of replenishment vessels, would've been of great use in the Gulf. Take a tour right here to find out more. Hopefully our "responsible" government should shell out a little more cash to improve the fleet. But that remains to be seen.
Their arrival in the Gulf may be a bit delayed due to a tropical storm brewing off Florida. I hope that it doesn't wind up where I live!
UPDATE (12 Sep 05): The Op Unison 2005 team has arrived alongside Pensacola, FL this morning. And not a moment too soon!
American sailors marveled at the speed and size of the Canadian aid mission.Anything for a neighbour, eh? Anytime.
"The Canadians were so quick to respond and they actually responded before they got the call," said Petty Officer Russell Tafuri.
"They're brothers. I mean they show up. I don't even think we had to ask," added Capt. Pete Frano, the base's commander.
The real, hard work is yet to come.
UPDATE (13 Sep 05): Right about now, crews from the 3 HMC Ships are in Biloxi, Mississippi to clean up and maybe fix up the place. Those who make light of the old Forces saying "Living the Dream" should take note: there's a lot of stuff to be done, and it ain't gonna be easy in any way.
Of extra note: the Canadian Coast Guard Ship "Sir William Alexander" - an icebreaker, fer X-sakes - will soon come over to replace nav buoys in the Gulf. Why is she out there? Because the old, venerable 510, HMCS Preserver, is stuck alongside back in Halifax due to mechanical issues. This ship, part of the "Protecteur" class of replenishment vessels, would've been of great use in the Gulf. Take a tour right here to find out more. Hopefully our "responsible" government should shell out a little more cash to improve the fleet. But that remains to be seen.
Monday, September 12, 2005
The Y-2-Dray Alert Continues!
WHERE'S ALICIA?
For those who don't know, get to know by clicking on the title.
Alicia Ross has been missing since last month. And there's still no sign of her.
"America's Most Wanted" has her profiled in their web site.
This is what Alicia looks like. Somewhere, someone may have seen her. Someone may have spoken to her. If you have seen her in any way, shape or form, call your local police ASAP! Her family, friends and the ones she loves care.
Help out if you can.
And Alicia - if you're reading this, call home.
Alicia Ross has been missing since last month. And there's still no sign of her.
"America's Most Wanted" has her profiled in their web site.
This is what Alicia looks like. Somewhere, someone may have seen her. Someone may have spoken to her. If you have seen her in any way, shape or form, call your local police ASAP! Her family, friends and the ones she loves care.
Help out if you can.
And Alicia - if you're reading this, call home.
File Under
"Stupidity Kills"
 | Take one look at this man. If this is not the look of a negligent fucktard, then God help us all if a real one shows up! He was arrested after an eight-year-old kid got shot while asleep. Whatever he was doing at the time - God only knows, but it was probably unsafe. |
| And for your info, this is what the the kid looks like. He died of his injuries shortly afterward. This incident happened in St. Catherines, ON - the same city where a young couple named Karla and Paul once lived and tried to make friends. |  |
Of course, the rest was supposed to be history, until this happened. Many residents were hopeful that there wouldn't be any more tragedies, but stupid, ignorant people do exist. And the most criminally negligent ones get the print.
A word to the wise - if you're so bored out of your tree, don't try to diddle with your piece in your apartment.
There you go.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Toronto's Summer
Of Bullets
For some strange reason, this year Toronto had a disproportionate number of shooting deaths.
One fine example is in the title's link.
The shooting occurred in the Jane and Lawrence area - not to far from the infamous Jane and Finch. I knew that area - mainly industrial parks, discount stores, an oil refinery, cheap housing. Not necessarily a slum area, but it's still a bit gritty for a normal existence.
One person lived near the park where Rommel got shot. He wasn't too pleased with the situation.
Here's another example:
It's kind of sickening to think that a few years ago, arguments were settled by fists, and that gun crime was an "American" thing that we would neither understand nor suffer.
But in a city a big as Toronto, you'll always get big city problems like overcrowding, pollution, gridlock and crime. Rational people should never be resigned to these facts since they're all linked to each other in many ways. Rational people demand action, not just "community policing" or hugs and kisses or kind words of encouragement.
But hippie anarcho-socialist mayor David Miller would prefer to stick to his own class-struggle status quo, mainly because he's a prisoner to his own paradigms that have congealed to become like a coffin: keeping the good feelings in while shutting out the chaos of reality. Eventually, the socio-ideological air of the restrictive "happy place" will become stale, and the mayor will have to face the reality of his surroundings, the megacity that he has inherited from Mel Lastman (who was, IMO, THE WORST MAYOR THE CITY EVER HAD!), and the police that exists to maintain the order. But the absinthe-soaked ideological ramblings of Marx and Engels that glue the coffin shut may be too strong for Miller to break. So the Torontonians that I left behind suffer.
Throwing in more police is not enough. My suggestion is that the education system should drop the group-hug ideology and add discipline to the mix. Community standards isn't just for tv shows, movies and pop music, after all. And since too many kids (thankfully, not that many!) ape their favourite stars in order to belong to some makeshift clique, the parents should really step in to find out what makes their kids' culture click, and why are they attracted to it.
That's how you stop violence. But then again, that's only one good possible solution out of many.
And until there is a real solution to the problem, more stupid people will be causing more stupid gun deaths. And more stupid politicians will make more stupid decisions that will go nowhere even faster.
One fine example is in the title's link.
For police, it’s yet another seemingly senseless murder. For friends and family of 21-year-old Rommel Molina, it’s a heartbreaking tragedy.Well, no Scheiße, Sherlock! Another stupid fight - another stupid death. A swinging dick with a contraband sidearm trying to make a big name for himself, proving to someone, somewhere, that he could be a made man. Probably grew up watching "Oz" and thinking that he could soon be a prison godafther. Probably thinks that "The Sopranos" is one hell of a reality show.
And for the rest of us, it’s another ominous example of the casual disregard for the most precious of gifts -- life.
The shooting occurred in the Jane and Lawrence area - not to far from the infamous Jane and Finch. I knew that area - mainly industrial parks, discount stores, an oil refinery, cheap housing. Not necessarily a slum area, but it's still a bit gritty for a normal existence.
One person lived near the park where Rommel got shot. He wasn't too pleased with the situation.
“We've got prostitutes, junkies, the whole shebang over here,” adds a resident named John. “I mean I can't even take my kids to the park because I'm afraid that they're going to get jabbed by a needle.”This is just one example of this wave of quasi-gangland stupidity that is tainting the new generation of teen humans. Fingers point to the new urban culture, loose morals on tv, lax parenting, easier access to narcotics - people can argue about it until the cows come home to roost.
Here's another example:
The body of a man who a police source said had been shot twice in the head was found in the stairwell of a downtown apartment building yesterday.Jesus... that's not far from my old Naval Reserve Unit that I went to every Monday and Wednesday nights.
Toronto Police said the victim was found at 2:56 p.m. in the fourth floor stairwell of a 10-storey building on Bishop Tutu Blvd., in the Queen's Quay and Bathurst St. area.
It's kind of sickening to think that a few years ago, arguments were settled by fists, and that gun crime was an "American" thing that we would neither understand nor suffer.
But in a city a big as Toronto, you'll always get big city problems like overcrowding, pollution, gridlock and crime. Rational people should never be resigned to these facts since they're all linked to each other in many ways. Rational people demand action, not just "community policing" or hugs and kisses or kind words of encouragement.
But hippie anarcho-socialist mayor David Miller would prefer to stick to his own class-struggle status quo, mainly because he's a prisoner to his own paradigms that have congealed to become like a coffin: keeping the good feelings in while shutting out the chaos of reality. Eventually, the socio-ideological air of the restrictive "happy place" will become stale, and the mayor will have to face the reality of his surroundings, the megacity that he has inherited from Mel Lastman (who was, IMO, THE WORST MAYOR THE CITY EVER HAD!), and the police that exists to maintain the order. But the absinthe-soaked ideological ramblings of Marx and Engels that glue the coffin shut may be too strong for Miller to break. So the Torontonians that I left behind suffer.
Throwing in more police is not enough. My suggestion is that the education system should drop the group-hug ideology and add discipline to the mix. Community standards isn't just for tv shows, movies and pop music, after all. And since too many kids (thankfully, not that many!) ape their favourite stars in order to belong to some makeshift clique, the parents should really step in to find out what makes their kids' culture click, and why are they attracted to it.
That's how you stop violence. But then again, that's only one good possible solution out of many.
And until there is a real solution to the problem, more stupid people will be causing more stupid gun deaths. And more stupid politicians will make more stupid decisions that will go nowhere even faster.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Farewell, Gilligan.
When I was a kid, "Gilligan's Island" was one of my favourite t.v. shows. Every day, after school, I'd plunk my arse down in front of the tube to follow the misadventures of seven stranded castaways who originally went for a 3-hour tour, only to wind up on an uncharted desert isle. I never got tired from watching all those shenanigans that ensued while attempting to find their way off the tropical paradise.
Some people say that the sitcom was the inspiration for "Lost", but I digress... "Survivor" has nothing on these silly, poor old souls. Plus, it made me laugh a lot.
Bob Denver - no relation to the one who sang the soft rock hits "Sunshine" and "Rocky Mountain High" - played the namesake first mate on the series. Now he can join his fellow cast mates Alan Hale ("the skipper") and Jim Backus ("the Millionaire" - he also voiced the legendary cartoon character "Mr. Magoo") in t.v. rerun heaven.
Don't forget your hat, Little Buddy.
Some people say that the sitcom was the inspiration for "Lost", but I digress... "Survivor" has nothing on these silly, poor old souls. Plus, it made me laugh a lot.
Bob Denver - no relation to the one who sang the soft rock hits "Sunshine" and "Rocky Mountain High" - played the namesake first mate on the series. Now he can join his fellow cast mates Alan Hale ("the skipper") and Jim Backus ("the Millionaire" - he also voiced the legendary cartoon character "Mr. Magoo") in t.v. rerun heaven.
Don't forget your hat, Little Buddy.
To My Louisiana Friends:
We Are Underway!
Right about now, the Athabaskan (a.k.a. the Atha-B), the Toronto (T-Dot) and the Ville de Quebec (VDQ), along with the Canadian Coast Guard Ship the Sir William Alexander, are underway to the Gulf of Mexico to help out in the post-Katrina relief effort, loaded with the necessities of life and personnel to facilitate distribution and provide care and assistance.
In addition to the warships, our venerable See Kings will be put to good use. Barring breakdowns, frayed duct-tape, exhausted hamsters and snapped rubber-bands, the three Kings will be doing their last hurrah before being retired to some scrapyard outside Truro.
Of course, anyone causing any trouble for the Canadian contingent will be dealt harshly, if not by the local authorities, then by the nice friendly people of the Joint Task Force (or "JTF"), who will gladly give you a free one-way ticket to visit the deity of your choice.
We're only here to help. If you work with us, we'll gladly work with you. Just give us some of that warm Lousinana hospitality and we might come back in better times.
GO CANADA!
In addition to the warships, our venerable See Kings will be put to good use. Barring breakdowns, frayed duct-tape, exhausted hamsters and snapped rubber-bands, the three Kings will be doing their last hurrah before being retired to some scrapyard outside Truro.
Of course, anyone causing any trouble for the Canadian contingent will be dealt harshly, if not by the local authorities, then by the nice friendly people of the Joint Task Force (or "JTF"), who will gladly give you a free one-way ticket to visit the deity of your choice.
We're only here to help. If you work with us, we'll gladly work with you. Just give us some of that warm Lousinana hospitality and we might come back in better times.
GO CANADA!
The Politics Of Katrina:
ENOUGH, ALREADY,
YOU SELFISH IDIOTS!
I've just came back from a night on the town and surfing the web. It's just great to see people reporting and making commentary on the effects of Katrina. lgf and the Rott on the Right, and the Daily Kos and DU on the Left have put their proverbial 2-cents on the subject.
Some of these 2-cents tend to be of the finger pointing variety. The Right accuse the mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana of gross negligence while the Left lay the blame on George Double-ya's feet.
Let's not forget the Jihadist vindictiveness of a DU poster who decided not to help a fellow 'murrican because she voted for George instead of John Franken-kerry. So much for liberal compassion.
And who could forget Kanye West's on air meltdown, accusing W of genocide? Jeez - forgot your meds, Homes?
And the Reverend Jesse Jackson, whose appearing more preachy than a normal preacher should, has also played the race card. Never mind that the person who dropped the ball when news of the oncoming hurricane's strength became clear was black! (Ooooohhhh... was that incorrect or what?)
Everyone knows that emergency readiness is a state/provincial responsibility. The federal/central government only acts as an advisor and could only step in if the situation were to become untenable. NOLA Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco should bear a considerable amount of accountability in the end - they owe it to those who voted for and live under them.
But this post is not about laying blame or starting a lynch mob to vindicate those affected by Katrina, but about putting our political/sectarian/ideological fervour on hold and get on with the job of cleaning up after the storm.
When Juan struck the Maritimes a couple of years ago, we weren't concerned with who should shoulder the blame for the tardiness of help - we were just too damn busy cleaning up and putting our lives back together again. Okay - so it wasn't a class 4 storm that smacked us, but for those who never experienced such a storm, it was one hell of an experience nonetheless.
So, all you liberals, conservatives, anarchists, libertarians, fundamentalists, et al, my message to you is clear...
SHUT UP AND CLEAN UP!
Leave the finger-pointing and the lynching after the work is complete.
Sheesh!
Some of these 2-cents tend to be of the finger pointing variety. The Right accuse the mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana of gross negligence while the Left lay the blame on George Double-ya's feet.
Let's not forget the Jihadist vindictiveness of a DU poster who decided not to help a fellow 'murrican because she voted for George instead of John Franken-kerry. So much for liberal compassion.
And who could forget Kanye West's on air meltdown, accusing W of genocide? Jeez - forgot your meds, Homes?
And the Reverend Jesse Jackson, whose appearing more preachy than a normal preacher should, has also played the race card. Never mind that the person who dropped the ball when news of the oncoming hurricane's strength became clear was black! (Ooooohhhh... was that incorrect or what?)
Everyone knows that emergency readiness is a state/provincial responsibility. The federal/central government only acts as an advisor and could only step in if the situation were to become untenable. NOLA Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco should bear a considerable amount of accountability in the end - they owe it to those who voted for and live under them.
But this post is not about laying blame or starting a lynch mob to vindicate those affected by Katrina, but about putting our political/sectarian/ideological fervour on hold and get on with the job of cleaning up after the storm.
When Juan struck the Maritimes a couple of years ago, we weren't concerned with who should shoulder the blame for the tardiness of help - we were just too damn busy cleaning up and putting our lives back together again. Okay - so it wasn't a class 4 storm that smacked us, but for those who never experienced such a storm, it was one hell of an experience nonetheless.
So, all you liberals, conservatives, anarchists, libertarians, fundamentalists, et al, my message to you is clear...
SHUT UP AND CLEAN UP!
Leave the finger-pointing and the lynching after the work is complete.
Sheesh!
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Hurricane Katrina:
Help Them Out
Call me a bandwagon-jumper, but everyone in the striken areas in the Deep South need our help so badly.
This is serious, and believe it or not, we Canucks are not, repeat... not, immune to the ravages of Mother Nature's furies.
Remember Hurricanes Hazel and Juan? I've heard rumours that if the waters that surround the Maritime Provinces stay warm enough, the people living there (including yours truly) would expect the biggest thrashing of their lives. And don't mention how the winter will look like - it might get a bit fugly.
For all my fellow Canadians, you could help out by donating whatever you could muster to the Canadian Red Cross. A little goes a long way. Trust me on that.
Also... check out: Technocrati's Flood Aid list of blogs stepping in to encourage participation in the relief and blogs updating the situation; Instapundit.com's summary of "Flood Aid" participants.
Let's go, Canada! Soon, we may need their help in return.
UPDATE! (sorta) (21:50 ADT 2 Sep 05)
You didn't get this from me, but on Tuesday a couple of our ships will be getting underway to sail to Nawlins.
DART will probably join in effort, and there's a very remote possibility that a couple of our MCDVs will head down to do some sidescan sonar searches for wreckage, bodies. That last one is neither finalised, confirmed nor denied, but it's still something to think about, eh?
Fuck the politics. Fuck the finger-pointing already. Let's get the job done first!
MORE UPDATE! (thx - via lgf) (11:45 ADT - 3 Sep 2005): Vancouver, BC's USAR team are already helping out various LA parishes. Despite security issues, the team is doing quite well, thank you.
Also, Canada's Chief of Defence Staff fielded some questions regading upcoming post-Katrina ops. The transcript is right here.
GO CANADA!
This is serious, and believe it or not, we Canucks are not, repeat... not, immune to the ravages of Mother Nature's furies.
Remember Hurricanes Hazel and Juan? I've heard rumours that if the waters that surround the Maritime Provinces stay warm enough, the people living there (including yours truly) would expect the biggest thrashing of their lives. And don't mention how the winter will look like - it might get a bit fugly.
For all my fellow Canadians, you could help out by donating whatever you could muster to the Canadian Red Cross. A little goes a long way. Trust me on that.
Also... check out: Technocrati's Flood Aid list of blogs stepping in to encourage participation in the relief and blogs updating the situation; Instapundit.com's summary of "Flood Aid" participants.
Let's go, Canada! Soon, we may need their help in return.
UPDATE! (sorta) (21:50 ADT 2 Sep 05)
You didn't get this from me, but on Tuesday a couple of our ships will be getting underway to sail to Nawlins.
DART will probably join in effort, and there's a very remote possibility that a couple of our MCDVs will head down to do some sidescan sonar searches for wreckage, bodies. That last one is neither finalised, confirmed nor denied, but it's still something to think about, eh?
Fuck the politics. Fuck the finger-pointing already. Let's get the job done first!
MORE UPDATE! (thx - via lgf) (11:45 ADT - 3 Sep 2005): Vancouver, BC's USAR team are already helping out various LA parishes. Despite security issues, the team is doing quite well, thank you.
Also, Canada's Chief of Defence Staff fielded some questions regading upcoming post-Katrina ops. The transcript is right here.
GO CANADA!
Thursday, September 01, 2005
People With Too Much Time On Their Hands
Someone with no life vandalised a couple of Hebrew schools in Richmond Hill, one up around Elgin Mills Rd. and another at Bathurst and Weldrick.
And the world still turns while stomachs churn...
Investigators are still hunting for the suspects responsible for a similar despicable act that occurred in Vaughan in March 2004, and are offering a $10,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest. Vandals used black spray paint to deface 13 homes with anti-Semitic messages around Beverly Glen Drive, between Dufferin and Bathurst Streets.It's interesting to note that the sad fucks have spray painted the Sanskrit swastika on the garage door of one house. Sadly, the Nazis have appropriated too many good symbols for their sick, perverted purposes, thus any swastika is a bad swastika no matter how it's drawn.
And the world still turns while stomachs churn...
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