007... and before I forget...

For the remainder of the year, I shall forgive everyone who had pissed me off for for any reason (real or imagined).

Starting in the New Year, though, the beatings will resume.

WTF, Mr. Jacques?(and a great 008 2 u!)

Well, you're probably wondering what happened to my website, Mr. Jacques.

Wonder no more - given all the issues that I had to address over the past year or two, I let it go.

And eventually, when it's not used for a certain period of time, the site gets moved to outer space.

So, once again, it sux 2 be me, and having said that, I do have more tricks up my sleeves.

I have to deal with the fact that I couldn't blindly run into a project of which I would have no idea of how to commit.

I also realise that even though my politics remain the same, my mind has opened up quite a bit. Recovery and sobriety does that to you, and looking at the smoldering remains in the wake can be very painful.

So, World beware - I AM BACK. And I still have beefs. And I've got plans. And I'm still not backing down.

Yes, there will be a time when I'll get to hang up the porverbial gloves and leave the bloviating to those with more youth and time on their hands. But right now, I love to wish everyone, friends and enemies alike, a happy new year.

It's the best I can do. Enjoy. Don't drink and drive and stay away from meth.

A couple of things off my chest...(24 Sep 2007)

I've been laying quite low for some time due to work (and recovery).

It's amazing what sobriety can do to creativity.

I couldn't be as vitrolic and vituperative as I used to be 2 years ago, but at least there are better ways of expressing exasperation and frustration.

They say that a person reaps what "he" sows. I think that the secret to staying alive and sane is not what is being sown, but it's sown.

So... here goes anything...

1. Can't you help a brother out? TorSun's Lonnie Goldstein makes a valid (and obvious) point about NATO's fence-sitting ways when it comes to Afghanistan.
   Sadly, just like any favours, the whole deal is a two-way street - I bring the steaks, you bring the BBQ. And Afghanistan ain't Canada: almost every warlord wants a piece of every action at all costs with almost no regard to the subjects who serve them.
   It's almost like Iraq, where in spite of all Coalition efforts, everone hates each other so much they'd have to take it all out on GI Joe.
   So, after 70+ of our brothers and sisters gave their lives to ensure peace and social justice to the peoples, Hamid and NATO should step up to the plate more often and give the rest of us Canuckleheads a bit of respite.
   Unless, of course, they want to join Confederation. (Sorry - we have enough problems with 10 provinces and 3 territories. And you wouldn't want GST added to your goats!)
   
2. Sometimes, it snows in Victoria. Back in the day, HMCS Saskatoon was one of the better MCDVs where the personnel were proud to serve.
   I've experienced the camraderie of the crew members and the diligence and dedication displayed by the senior hands. That was the 'Toon I remembered.
   But over the past year, the MCDV Navy was rocked by a drug scandal involving 3 junior ratings and the Cox'n.
   As a recovering abuser, as much as I'm saddened by what had become of this crew (or more precisely, a version of it - FTWK), I'm not too surprised. Just like any big organisation staffed, the Navy has it's share of addicts and misfits. The only difference is that the ordinary person has set a high expectation on the avaerage serviceman wrt dress, comportment and conduct.
   There are other things that I could say about this and everything else in Esquimalt, but only if you ask me politely. It's just that I'm plain sad about this mess.

Roger. Out.

Short Cuts From The Darkside

In spite of my limited time due to work, I'd like to toss in a few rants for this week. Discuss...

1. Whither the Krystal Nation? As much as I don't care less for the guy, Andrew Krystal has done a bang-up job here in Halifax at News 95.7. Never mind that he succeded in pissing of loads of sensible people (remember the Adler incident in the last Erection? sure you do!) - Mr. Krystal had injected a little bit of life in the ususally moribund Maritime radio scene.
   But last Friday, the Lord of the Krystal entity went in front of a judge charged with violating a condition related to an arrest for assault a few weeks ago. On the front of Saturday's Chronicle-Herald, the Krystal King was politely led away by a member of the local constabulary, just to make sure he didn't start leading an impromptu intifada against accusatory infidels.
   Of course, it all had to do with booze, and an excess of a good thing could lead to bad brushes with the legal system. Whether Mr. Krystal could weather such a hit is pure speculation, but insane eccentric bloviators have an unusual talent for rebounding, especially in some unusual places (ie T-dot to Hali - go fig!), and soon the Krystal Nation will be rebuilt, give or take a month or few.
   Chin up, you Knucklehead.
   
2. Do Unto Others Before They Do Unto You! We all know that Stephen Harper is always working hard to make his minority government work. We also know that the Lie-berals are working hard to win the next election.
   But why wait for Stephane Dion to play the diva card when you have the means to fire the first volley? Steve-O and the boys have cooked up a trio of missives to remind the un-Céline that he's still a Grit leader who hadn't done much to deliver the barest minimum, especially when it came to the environment.
   Smell anything burning? That will be today's question period.
   
3. Bill O'Reilly Is Starting To Make More Sense To Me Than I Thought! A couple of weeks ago I bought Billy's "Culture Warrior" at the nearest Chapters at Mic Mac Mall. It wasn't cheap, and for a while I pondered whether or not the money could've been better spent on a vacuum cleaner or groceries.
   To make a long story short, it was a good read. In fact, this is, so-far, the best book written about Canada and the way we were being complacent in our Liberal ways.
   There's nothing wrong with being a progressive society. But when you do it at the expense of the traditional values that shape it, you ruin a good thing.
   Although I disagree with Billy with respect to health care (come live with us somtime, sir), stories of social re-engineering through schools and media are old hat: the book shows the extent to which experimentation has taken place.
   Buy the freakin' book. Now.
   
4. A Short Take On The Seal Hunt. There is one thing that I don't like about the seal hunt.
   It has nothing to do with the inhumane methods of harvest.
   It's all about leaving behind all this valuble meat on the ice.
   Think about it.

That's all for now. Have a Week.