Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Request


Where do I get me one of these?

Candian Tire is all out.

I asked.

Smoke


The B.C. government is suing Big Tobacco for causing billions of dollars in health costs over the years.

Idiotic.

What now makes it worse is that the B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled that the partner of Big Tobacco is the Federal Government.

So basically, the B.C. government is now suing the Federal Government and Bog Tobacco for billions of dollars.

Which means that if it wins its spurious but winnable case, we the taxpayers will be paying again.

The Lawyer and the Witch


For many people, these terms are synonymous and interchangeable, I know.

But in this particular and hysterically funny case, a Toronto Lawyer has been bilked out of many a fine dollar by a woman who "posed" as a witch.

Now, I realize that fraud is a legitimate criminal charge.

But can anyone really be "guilty" of being a witch, or "posing" therein.

Dare we count the many, many witches with whom we interact almost daily?

And the dozens who proudly claim their witchiness or wiccadom or whatever it may be.

Let us not bring back to mind the countless homes we've visited only to find the hair of a dog, leg of a frog and eye of a newt quietly simmering on the kitchen stove.

How else do you think we developed our well-known skills as a fine runner?

Now, the best part of this true-life story is where the writer tells us about how the lawyer and the witch first met and he "started to mentor her."

He mentored her to the tune of about a hundred grand in the first year.

Of course, many a fellow throughout history has been known to mentor many a gal for less.

Whisperers Speaking Up


Diplomats are not generally known for being...well...not to be too tautological about it...undiplomatic.

So the sight of Canadian diplomats in great numbers (35-50) joining a massive conga line in protest against their own government is noteworthy.

These formerly quiet, discrete servants of the powers that be are nailing Peter MacKay for his public attacks on whistle-blower Richard Colvin in the detainees-abuse matter.

Amidst cries for his resignation - which I suspect MacKay will ignore - the Defense Minister has changed his tune and admitted that torture may have been possible.

Really?

Oh, by the way.

Knowingly transferring a prisoner to torture or abuse is a Geneva-Conventions-grade war crime.

If we have been engaged in such, perhpas we might want to re-think what we are doing in Afghanistan and other hot spots where we are similarly engaged.

Life on the Street


Last week, old friends of mine, who run a well-known late-night cafe told me that their yearly property taxes are now $70,000.

Yesterday, the dry cleaning lady in my neighbourhood told me that when the 12% HST soon cuts in, she doesn't know how she will continue.

Good Parenting Award


“It was not my job to put my son under arrest and take him to the police station.”

Even though Ken Brotherston Jr. had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of Mr. Taylor's death, Mr. Brotherston admitted allowing his son to live in the family home.

Mr. Brotherston also admitted buying Ken Jr. drinks at a Bear Mountain pub just prior to the attack, despite knowing that the terms of his son's parole prohibited Ken Jr. from drinking or going to bars.

Ken Brotherston Sr., a former B.C. Councillor, along with his two sons, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of a drug dealer