No, really.

A MUSLIM doctors' leader has provoked an outcry by urging British Muslims not to vaccinate their children against diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella because it is "un-Islamic".

Dr Abdul Majid Katme, head of the Islamic Medical Association, is telling Muslims that almost all vaccines contain products derived from animal and human tissue, which make them "haram", or unlawful for Muslims to take.
Islam permits only the consumption of halal products, where the animal has had its throat cut and bled to death while God's name is invoked.

Islam also forbids the eating of any pig meat, which Katme says is another reason why vaccines should be avoided, as some contain or have been made using pork-based gelatine.

I was sitting in my doctor's office a couple of months back, and I noticed a poster on her wall about child vaccinations. It said that by law, all kids had to be vaccinted before they would be allowed in Ontario public schools. Makes sense to me. What's the point in having my kid vaccinated if the kid he or she sits next to is carrying polio or mumps? My kid is still going to end up getting sick. Anyhow, at the bottom of this poster was a note saying that if you did not wish to have your child vaccinated for personal or religious reasons (which pretty much covers laziness, which would be a personal reason), then you had to call the Ministry of Health for an exception. What good does that do? My little Bobby has to sit next to a filthy and diseased Mohammed or Fatima, just because their parents don't believe in preventing polio??

There is already evidence of lower than average vaccination rates in Muslim areas, reducing the prospect of the "herd immunity" needed to curb infectious diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella.
Katme's appeal reflects a global movement by some hardline Islamic leaders who are telling followers to refuse vaccines from the West.

In Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India, Muslims have refused to be immunised against polio after being told that the vaccines contain products that the West has deliberately added to make the recipients infertile.

Katme said he was bringing the message to Britain after analysing the products used for the manufacture of the vaccines.

Right. Health and science is haram to people living in the seventh century. Whatever. Islam is a cult that embraces death, so if they don't want to protect their kids from possible fatal diseases, that's their choice. But that means I have to be doubly cautious where my own (hypothetical) children are concerned. I guess I can't let them go to public school with these little disease-bags, right? And what about just going to a movie, or riding a crowded subway? I'm not going to keep my (hypothetical) Mary or Scotty locked up because Ahmed has TB. I say, lock up Ahmed!

The Muslims have found one more way to put our lives at risk. And this time they're going after our kids. Quarantine 'em. Don't let them out in society until they're clean enough not to pose a biological risk to our children. And if they want to emigrate here, instate an Ellis Island-style vaccination and quarantine system, or just don't let them in.

You are perfectly welcome to your religious views, but not at the sake of the health of others.

(as an aside, if while they are all in quarantine, the incidences of terror-related acts happen to decline markedly, remember that it's probably just a coincidence....)

Labels: Health, Islam, Religion, Science

Dr. Mary Fernando has an excellent article in yesterday's Toronto Star about the sickly state of our top-heavy healthcare system.

In Canada, we are not spending our health-care dollars on hospitals, better front-line services, doctors and equipment. Instead, we spend too much money on bureaucracy and the flavour-of-the-moment programs with catchy names, all of which are burgeoning at a scandalous rate.

Indeed. In Ontario alone, we are spending millions tracking wait times for things like cancer and cataract surgeries, instead of actually performing the surgeries. How many various stop-smoking hotlines does this country have right now? There's a federal one, and I know Ontario has one. Does every province have a telephone number you can dial that tells you to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss quitting options? Am I the only one who sees that as being a redundant step? How many people are we paying for the manning and administration of these programs?

Canada's health-care problem is rooted in our pattern of spending. The OECD shows we spend almost one percentage point more on health care than all 30 countries on average, or 9.9 per cent of GDP in 2003.

For the extra money we spend, we get very few resources. Canada has fewer hospital beds, physicians, MRIs and CTs than the average OECD country. We do have more nurses, but Marlene Smadu, president of the Canadian Nurses Association, explains that the lack of investment in nursing will result in shortages in the near future.

It has been argued that drug costs account for our higher than average spending. In fact, pharmaceutical spending in 2003 accounted for 16.9 per cent of total health spending in Canada, below the OECD average of 17.7 per cent.

The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) is a prime source of data about national health-care expenditures. Based on CIHI figures, the percentage share of total health-care dollars we invest in hospitals and physicians has decreased significantly since 1975, and we have certainly gotten what we paid for: fewer hospital beds, equipment and physicians.

We are spending money creating administrative positions, instead of on the people and equipment needed to do the actual job. More people running information back and forth to the government, instead of running labs and scanners and performing surgery. We don't need project managers, we need doctors. And instead of forming a task force on hiring them, why don't we skip the task force and just hire them?

Governments, both federal and provincial, need their feet held to the fire of accountability by telling us, clearly, how many MRIs, CTs and hospital beds they are buying, how much is being invested in nurses and physicians and how working conditions are being improved. Accountability necessitates that governments put money into delivering the health care they promise us and that they put it in the right place.

Here, here!

Labels: Canadiana, Health

I never thought I'd see the day that I read something at the Huffington Post that didn't make my skin crawl. Not only that - I agree with every word.

After all, both entities - the left and terrorists - seem to share the same desire: to put the US, humiliatingly, in its place.

But I would be wrong to say such things. Very wrong. Of course, "dissent is patriotic," and the left is only critical of America because it simply loves our country much more than I do.

That's why calling them terrorists would be intolerant and pretty shameful.

But what about "patriotic terrorists?"

That's kinda neat.

What is a patriotic terrorist?

It is an American who claims to love his or her country while enjoying the enemy's success against said country.

Go read the whole thing. And then play "Count the Strawmen" in the comments by the raving loons... uh, I mean Patriots, uh Patriotic Terrorists.

Thank you, Mr. Gutfeld, for having the balls to call a spade a spade, and in rather unfriendly territory no less.

Labels: Main Stream Media, War on Terror

From CENTCOM, news that the United States is extending its mission in Afghanistan by 3200 troops for 120 extra days. Every little bit helps, and I'm sure the Canadian military, currently leading the NATO mission over there, appreciates it.

Some 3,200 soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, will have their tour in Afghanistan extended for up to 120 additional days, Defense Department officials announced today.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates approved the extension was based on the recommendations of commanders on the ground, whom Gates visited last week, Bryan Whitman, a DoD spokesman, said. The extension will provide military capability for NATO to build on the success achieved in promoting stability and security in Afghanistan while denying safe haven for the Taliban, he said.

"What is certain is that Secretary Gates is very interested in ensuring that the successes that we've achieved in Afghanistan are not lost, and that commanders on the ground have sufficient forces to build upon the successes that we've achieved so far in Afghanistan," Whitman said.

Labels: Afghanistan, War on Terror

As an update to this story, the website for Discount Mats is still pretty much down, but they have the following message.

Due to the recent actions of a member within our company, we have been experiencing many difficulties. We have been bombarded by emails and phone calls literally within 12 hours of the event occurring, which sent us in a state of complete shock.

Our technical difficulties were experienced due to severe e-mail and phone call overload.

As a company, we would like to say that it is against company policy to treat anyone disrespectfully, and we condemn any such behavior. The member who was responsible for stating their personal opinion in a disrespectful manner is no longer associated and no longer working with Discount-Mats.com

The members within our company strongly disagreed with the views and actions of this member, and once again, his personal opinion does not reflect the opinions of the company.

We, as a company, are sorry for the events that took place and we do not condone un-professional, rude behavior from any members within our company.

They have also updated their email address to support @ discount-mats.com

Phone Number: 414-736-8394

Feel free to give them a call and remind them that they're living in America.

Labels: Islam, War on Terror

Robbie Burns day was on January 25th. Mr. Right (a Scot) and I went to the pub, listened to the pipes, and he skarfed down a plate of steaming sheep's innards. I was impressed that I didn't add my own innards, because the very concept nauseates me. The Scots are a tough, hard-drinking population, and it's obvious to an outsider like me that haggis was a drunken prank that caught on. Like Gaelic.

There's something else that Scots are known for, too. It isn't on the tourist brochures, but if you live there for a little while, as I did, you will learn about the sectarian hatreds and the dislike of the "Other". It isn't a daily thing. It's mostly under the surface. And the prisons are rife with it. Which is why I find it so amusing that this yellow pussy is shitting himself behind bars, hiding out in isolation, because he went all Alpha-Jihad and murdered a 15 year old white kid.

THE racist killer of Kriss Donald is begging prison hardmen to protect him from other cons.

Cowardly Imran "Baldy" Shahid says he's willing to stump up £10,000 a year to try to save himself from revenge attacks.

He hopes the cash will mean he can stay in Scotland if he's let out of isolation.

Shahid, who's serving a life sentence for the murder of 15-year-old Kriss, knows he is a target in Scottish jails.

Awww, poor guy! He kills a kid because he was feeling a bit pissy about the cartoon thing, and now he's scared that all the shorn, ginger-headed hard men in Barlinnie are going to tear him limb from limb over it. Heh. My heart bleeds.

I thought that these bastards were all about dying for their cause? Not much of a warrior for Allah, is he?

Remember people: These Muslim bastards are all cowards. All you have to do is stand up to them, and they run shrieking in the opposite direction, gathering their skirts and reaching for their smelling salts. The only reason we haven't managed to get rid of them yet is because of political correctness. And they know it. So dump the PC bullshit, and face them down. They can't bear it. They are more afraid of us than we are of them.

Labels: Islam

In my ears tonight: the rushing of blood, the buzz of a million thoughts, and music...

The Letting Go - Melissa Etheridge
I came here to let you know
The letting go
Has taken place
I have held the winter's son
Become one
Set my pace
Isn't that what we wanted all along
Freedom like a stone
Maybe we were wrong
But I can say goodbye
Now that the passion's died
Still it comes so slow
The letting go

Path of Thorns - Sarah McLachlan
Through the years I've grown to love you
Though your commitment to most would offend
But I stuck by you holding on with my foolish pride
Waiting for you to give in...
You never really tried or so it seems
I've had more than myself to blame
I've had enough of trying everything
And this time it is the end...

Goodnight and Thank You - Madonna & Antonio Banderas
Oh but it's sad when a love affair dies
The decline into silence and doubt
Our passion was just too intense to survive

Breakfast After Ten - Blue October
And I've learned a lot from all these break ups and make ups
And fuck ups and fake ups
Things that I wish you could comprehend yeah, comprehend
But for now I'll lace up
these wingtip shoes, boys
And I'll go have breakfast with my good friends

Bad Timing - Blue Rodeo
I never meant to make you cry
And though I know I should call
It just reminds us of the lost
Of everything we've lost
Bad timing that's all

Did I Shave My Legs For This? - Deanna Carter
I bought these new heels, did my nails
Had my hair done just right
I thought this new dress was a sure bet
For romance tonight
Well it's perfectly clear,between the TV and beer
I won't get so much as a kiss
As I head for the door I turn around to be sure
Did I shave my legs for this?

Labels: Ghosts, Music

Any friend of Osama's is no friend of mine. The environment can tank for all I care now.

Labels: Islam, Islamic Terror

A YouTube video that glorifies notorious gang rapist Bilal Skaf shows there's a small, antagonistic sub-section within the Lebanese Muslim community, Prime Minister John Howard says.

Mr Howard today described the video as a "shocking exercise".

"It's a reminder that there is undoubtedly within a section, a small section, of the Lebanese Muslim community a group of people who are antagonistic to the values and the way of life in this country," Mr Howard told the Nine Network. [emphasis mine]

Other videos from the user - formerly known as DaBoyz123 - have been removed from YouTube.

A spokesman for the Education Department said that, based on the footage provided to it, there was no indication that the video had been created by a current student.

However, he said teachers at Granville Boys High School would still be asked to examine scenes from the video when they returned to school next Tuesday to determine if any current students featured in it.

Parents should be vigilant about their children's use of the internet, he said. [emphasis mine]

Parents, who read the Koran instead of Mother Goose to their little children, raising them to be killers and haters. Parents who milk the systems of civilized countries, and tell their children daily that they should take over the world by use of force. Those parents. Those parents should more closely monitor their progeny's use of the Internet.

In another two-part video posted by the same user, a man, described in the video as a "junkey" (sic), is spat on and kicked in a park.

In a written explanation of the attack, daboyz123 says it is "revenge for being Jewish, lebo 4 life".

Labels: Islam, Islamic Terror

This is an excellent web resource for choosing a provider to fuel your car. Unfortunately Canada has little to no Terror-Free Oil, but there are plenty of options in the United States.

As for us Canadians, we have to contact companies like Petro-Canada, Ultramar and Irving, and tell them that we do not approve of them purchasing their petrol products from terror states.

I won't preach too much though. I live downtown and take the subway. I don't even buy falafal anymore, for fear of having the proprietors send money back to the mothership. The pizza places I frequent are run by Greeks or Ukrainians. I do my best to keep money out of the hands of Muslims who may in turn use it against me (getting a taxi is nearly impossible!).

It's just something for the rest of you to consider.

Labels: Islam, Middle East, War on Terror

I normally wouldn't post this sort of thing, but it's been verified by Snopes.

One of our soldiers emailed a retailer in West Allis, Wisconsin, inquiring whether they could ship floor mats to an APO address. The NCO wanted to buy better gear for his troops to sleep on. You won't believe the company's response*. (Their email address is included below, if you'd like to let the company know what you think of their business.):

From: SGT Jason Hess
Sent: Tue Jan 16 3:25

Do you ship to APO address? I'm in the 1st Cavalry Division stationed in Iraq and we are trying to order some mats but we are looking for who ships to APO first.

**********************************

From: contact@discount-mats.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: Feedback: from discount-mats.com

SGT Hess,
We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com

The website is registered to Mr. Faisal Khetani. Contact for Mr. Khetani can be found here:

Faisal Khetani
PO Box 270693
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53227

Email: contact@discount-mats.com

Tel: 414-736-8394

Here is their mailing address:

Bargain Suppliers
3259 S.106th Street
West Allis, WI 53227

The company's website is currently down, probably from too many pissed off people accessing it.

Labels: Military, War on Terror

Beth tagged me. That bitch.

This one's easy, since it's all about you and since it requires you to write the very first answer that comes to mind. Simply copy and paste the following three questions then answer them on your blog or, if you don't have a blog of your own, answer them in the comments here. Bloggers should then tag three other people to answer the questions as well, and be sure they know who to blame (Me!).

1. My: You've heard the saying "I'd give my right arm for". So, what would you give your right arm for?

2. Me: What's one word that describes how you want people to see you?

3. Meme: If you could be any blogger, which blogger would you be? and why?

So here goes.

1. I'd give my right arm for people to wake up and see where the real global threat is coming from: Islam.

2. Strong.

3. I would be Kathy Shaidle, because Mark Steyn likes her!

I will tag The American Princess, My Fairy Blogmother, and Steve, because it's about time he blogged something again.

This story makes no good sense.

A Muslim woman police officer refused to shake hands with the head of the Metropolitan Police on faith grounds.
The officer, who has not been named, was granted the exemption at a passing-out ceremony where new recruits met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

The woman's refusal was based on her view that her faith prevented her touching a man other than her husband or close relative.

So how the hell is she supposed to collar a perp? Will she just hit him with her hijab or something? Affirmative action is utterly pointless if you hire people who cannot or will not do the job. And there is no way this woman can convince me she will do the job.

Labels: Islam

Some observers believe Sen. Obama himself used his revelation about drug use - including cocaine - as a smokescreen to hide his Islamic background.

"It's not about Obama being Muslim that concerns me. It's the fact that he’s been deceptive about his religious and educational background," says political strategist Mike Baker.

Most madrassas are funded by Saudi Arabia and are known to teach a radical form of Islam known as Wahhabism.

According to Democrat Party sources, Obama spent at least four years studying at the Indonesian madrassa in Jakarta.

Just the kind of guy you want with his finger on the button....

Labels: Election 2008, Islam

An update on something I blogged about a while ago and am too lazy to go looking for right now:

British Airways has given to demands to allow its Christian staff to wear religious symbols.

From February 1, any of the airline's 34,000 staff who wear a uniform will be able to openly wear a symbol of faith, including a cross and chain.

Having the Archbishop of Canterbury and several MPs say they'll boycott the national airline is obviously effective.

I love a happy ending.

Labels: Religion

And I find this one especially sexy.

One more down, 1.2 billion more to go.....

Labels: Islam, Islamic Terror, War on Terror

So MustControlFistOfDeath and I are sitting at The Ten Spot on Thursday night, sipping on martinis and having our toes painted (hers are pink, mine are ra-ra-red), when she turns to me and says "Wanna read something hilarious?" She dips into her covet-worthy bag and pulls out a broadsheet called Women's Post. The subtitle in the upper right corner is News Is Emotional, which of course is blatantly untrue. News is news. Women are emotional. Sometimes we get emotional about the news, but unless we're reading or watching something very skewed like CNN, the news itself is NOT emotional.

She directed my attention to an article entitled The choice in green leaves something to be desired. The environment. That old chestnut. From start to finish the article was full of half truths and downright bullshit. My favorite part though was

I think it all boils down to the astounding fact that I can't buy a hybrid car.

Honey, there are several days a month when I can't afford to buy food, so I really don't give a flying fart about whether or not you can buy a hybrid to ease your conscience.

Now, to be fair, Ms. Nickson wasn't alluding to price. If you can get your hands on the hard copy of the article, it is significantly longer than the online version. If there's one thing Ms. Nickson isn't concerned about, it's price. No, she's upset that she can't offroad to the cottage in a Smart Car. She laments that there are no 4WD hybrids to choose from. You see, she drives an SUV - but she has to. She's forced to, because nothing else can get her to her far-flung place of refuge from the great unwashed in the city.

There is one area where Ms. Nickson and I do agree, though:

Put aside global warming, of which our auto emissions cause 30%; with every gas dollar you and I spend, we are funding Islamic terrorism

It's truly enough to make RightGirl go green.

So if you want your news not only emotional, but elitest, mostly made up, and condescending too, Women's Post is the way to go.

Having said that, check out Michael Coren's article. Hidden agenda, indeed.

Labels: Canadiana, Main Stream Media

Beth sent me this story:

Foreign strippers planning to dance in Canadian clubs must now provide photos of themselves with no clothes on to qualify for a visa for Canada.

The Canadian Embassy in Mexico says "stage photos during performances are required."

Labels: Canadiana

I have been blogging less lately, and I apologize. Then last night, I wrote a funny, interesting post, and Blogger decided to go offline without warning. I will try to recreat it tonight.

No wonder Kathy left Blogger.

Had a dance class tonight. Sore. Tired. Must sleep.

But what an awesome time! Can't wait till next week!!

Remember that when you watch the video here. These are daughters, sisters, mothers. Meat. Property. Chattel. Whores. Punching bags.

Enough with the PC bleating about respecting other cultures. Beating your wife with a stick does not earn you respect. And the Koran is not a woman's user manual.

H/t Fausta for bringing it to my attention.

Labels: Islam

Honor killing in Pakistan.

A Pakistani fruit vendor shot dead his sister because she had a job and was studying for a university degree, a police official in conservative North West Frontier Province said.

Naheeda Bibi, 22, was shot three times by her brother on Sunday near her village outside Mansehra city, as she went to catch a bus to return to Rawalpindi where she studied and worked.

"The brother, Gul Shahzad, has no remorse and says she defied him and her father," local police officer Mohammad Afzal told Reuters by telephone.

"He kept on screaming after he surrendered to the police that she met the destiny willed for her by God," he said.

Our equals, indeed.

Labels: Islam, Religion

Like us poor Canadians, forced to suffer through the tax-funded drivel on the CBC, the Brits are now going to be paying for a documentary tentatively entitled I love The C-Word, about how the word cunt has become mainstream.

Its presenter - who is expected to be a comedian, rather than an academic - will interview pundits, academics and artists about the use of the word over the past 30 years and the word itself will be broadcast uncensored.

Contributors will include feminist academic Germaine Greer and Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues, an acclaimed stage play which features women talking about their genitals.

Personally, I use the word. I like it. I like its hard letters from start to finish. But would I want to pay for a documentary into my use of the word, instead of that money being spent on a nurse or something? Hell no! Only a cunt would be that stupid.

Labels: Oddities

Wow. Been a long damn time since I heard this song. I remember driving around the West Island, angry at some horrible thing he'd said or done. Angry at the man whose babies I had pre-named, for the day I finally got to have them. That bastard.

And this little-known chick screaming out the window as I raced at least 80km over the Lakeshore speed limit (yes, that was me that caused those speedbumps to go in - sorry 'bout that).

Labels: Music

As you may have read, I was not permitted (by Mr. Right, who worries about me) to bring any political books on vacation to the Dominican. So I've been making up for lost time since getting back.

Marky Steyn's America Alone, followed by Ann Coulter's Godless (given to me for Christmas by one of my near & dear), and now I'm on Melanie Phillips' Londonistan.

Blogging will continue to be scarce while I catch up!

In my ears while I read:

Running with the Devil - Van Halen
Calling You - Blue October
Kiss Me Black - The Birthday Party
Don't Get Angry - Blue Rodeo
Path of Thorns - Sarah McLaghlin
Waltz for Eva and Che - Madonna & Antonio Banderas
Anarchy in the UK - Sex Pistols
Cry, Cry, Cry - Johnny Cash
Date Rape Song - Sublime
Fuck Them All - Mylene Farmer

Labels: Books, Music

No, I don't use them. But I love them anyway (hat tip LFR):

Jim Shaw is ticked off.

The CEO of Shaw Communications is tired of subsidizing the CBC. He's frustrated by spending five per cent of his company's annual revenues on television programs no one watches. He refuses to pay broadcasters a fee-for-carriage of their signals as well as part of the freight on their production costs. And he's prepared to blatantly breach CRTC regulations to make his point.

As the result of a typically blunt letter written by the burly, Harley-riding cable executive on Dec. 20, there are an awful lot of people scuttling about in the private and public sectors: Their fear is that Mr. Shaw's aggressive stance may set a precedent for other disgruntled cable companies.

The letter, obtained by the Citizen, expresses Mr. Shaw's "dissatisfaction" with the "performance, operations and governance" of the Canadian Television Fund.

That dissatisfaction has a steep price tag: about $56 million a year.

As the largest private sector contributor to the fund (all cable operators are required to contribute five per cent of their revenues to the fund, less the amount they spend on community initiatives), Shaw Communications is refusing to pay another nickel unless there is an immediate restructuring.

It's like corporate porn - I love this guy!

Labels: Canadiana

Algerians have been urged to join the jihad.

Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, the Emir of the Salafist Group for Call and Combat [GSPC], a terrorist group in Algeria which allied with al-Qaeda, is featured in a 22:36 minute video issued by the GSPC today, Monday, January 8, 2007, including an Arabic-language transcript. The speech, "We are Coming," spoken by Wadud and dated January 3, 2007, contains three messages: one directed to the Emir of al-Qaeda, Usama bin Laden, another to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and the third to Muslim Algerian people. Predominant across the message is a palpable anger towards not only Bouteflika, but America and France for encroaching upon Algeria culturally, militarily, and politically. Wadud also focuses in each address to what he terms as "theft" by foreign companies of Algerian natural gas and oil, placing this within the broader charge of the enemy subjugating Muslims, forcing them into poverty, and attacking their religion. He also requests of bin Laden instructions for the "next stage".

Guess we have to put them on our "to bomb" list after Iran.... or maybe we'll just bomb France. I think there's more Algerians there than there are in Algeria!

Labels: Islamic Terror

How odd. Watching the Michael Coren show, and the panelist representing the NDP managed to take the Quebec "Nation" question and turn it into a conversation about healthcare.

"Healthcare is a big issue for all Canadians, but some of them don't realize it." - Kevin Modeste

Oh my. Good thing the socialists know us better than we know ourselves... Maybe we should let them run the country, and then we won't have to do any of that thinking and choosing that takes up so much time.

Labels: Canadiana

President Bush tonight committed extra strength toward the goal of victory in Iraq. I have stood by for more than three years as a supporter of this war, but even I have to say "It's about bloody time!" For too long now the war effort has centered around keeping the media happy, instead of focusing on winning. Americans (and their supporters, like Britain and Australia, Italy and Poland) have fought valiantly and died heroes. But if the telling of the tale was left strictly to the media, one would be led to believe that these brave men were rapists, baby killers and soulless sadists.

It's time to bring an end to this thing - a victorious conclusion. And if it takes 20,000 more troops and $10 Billion more, it will be worth it to smash the enemy. To make it clear that America is not weak, and that it will continue to rout out evil.

The changes I have outlined tonight are aimed at ensuring the survival of a young democracy that is fighting for its life in a part of the world of enormous importance to American security. Let me be clear: The terrorists and insurgents in Iraq are without conscience, and they will make the year ahead bloody and violent. Even if our new strategy works exactly as planned, deadly acts of violence will continue – and we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties. The question is whether our new strategy will bring us closer to success. I believe that it will.

Victory will not look like the ones our fathers and grandfathers achieved. There will be no surrender ceremony on the deck of a battleship. But victory in Iraq will bring something new in the Arab world – a functioning democracy that polices its territory, upholds the rule of law, respects fundamental human liberties, and answers to its people. A democratic Iraq will not be perfect. But it will be a country that fights terrorists instead of harboring them – and it will help bring a future of peace and security for our children and grandchildren.

Amen.

That's always been my personal philosophy. And while the latter has landed me more than once in the emergency roon, it's reassuring to hear that the former may actually save my life.

Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells.

They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria - the cells' energy-generating boiler rooms.

The research raises the possibility that other cancer drugs could be developed to target mitochondria.

And for all those years, people laughed at me for drinking hot sauce right out of the bottle and baking chili chocolate chip cookies. Ha! I may have no esophaegus or stomach lining left, but I may also be the first in my family to live to retirement!

Labels: Food, Oddities, Science

Union representing Canadian film, TV and radio workers set to strike on Monday

It lists several productions, such as the Rick Mercer Report and the Royal Canadian Air Farce, that will be allowed to continue during a strike.

I.e., anything anyone actually watches...

Imagine if you will, that someone comes up with the idea for a show, and gets a bunch of government (read: taxpayer) money to produce it. Then they broadcast it on government (read: taxpayer) funded television.

What do you think my show should be like? What if it were a comedy? A comedy like Archie Bunker - a real classic that made fun of minorities and Catholics. Do you think All in the Family would get made today, and if so, do you think it would be aired on public television? Do you think the government (read: taxpayers) would pay to be humiliated by a bigoted WASP?

Did you think Michael Richard's ranting about black audience members was just part of his schtick, and that it was funny? Hey - can we buy that on DVD? What a great routine!!

I've got a great idea: Let's make it a Catholic comedy, and then we can have scenes like this:

Daughter walks into the room in a midi-top.

Father: Oh my! You can't wear that! You look like a protestant!

Daughter: Don't you mean a prostitute?

Father: No, I mean a Protestant!

Cue the laugh track! The Catholics are making fun of the Protestants, what a hoot!

And of course, we have to have dumb black guys. What's funnier than dumb black guys, right?? The dumber the better, with popping eyes, big hair, and a rake or shovel, because that's all blacks do, if they're not on welfare, right? Or maybe an urban black kid, with a do-rag, baggy pants and a gun in his quilted jacket that he wears in July. I'm sure the black community won't mind. I mean, it isn't like it's offensive or anything.

But we better not have any Muslims in the show. You know how touchy they can be. We wouldn't want to offend them - not on a government (read: taxpayer) station! There could be lawsuits, protests, beheadings, even! No, that won't do. Or if we do put them in the show, we should maybe have them make fun of the black guy. What do you mean lots of Muslims are black? Oh. Maybe take the black guy out, and put in more Muslims. There, problem solved. But then, who's going to be the dumb guy? I mean, we can't make it one of the Muslim guys - they'd have CAIR-CAN on our asses like flies on camel dung.

So, what can we have the Muslims doing that won't offend them too much? We can't just have them praying all the time. Maybe we can have them telling jokes! No one would expect that!! Great idea! But, what do Muslims joke about? Do they joke? I know! We'll have them make fun of the Catholics! Or the Protestants.

Hey, how about we make one of the white guys a cop, and make him dumb? The Muslims will love that! And then we can have great jokes about where the cop is a racist, and the Muslims are comically innocent and misunderstood.

Let's make all the white guys dumb racists. Really dumb.

But then, who would utter that terribly clever line about looking like a Protestant? How about the Muslim? Yes! See, then it isn't bigotted, because Muslims are a peaceful, oppressed minority, so it doesn't matter if they make fun of the white guy. Perfect!

So now we have a show where all the white guys are dumb, and all the Muslims are funny and quick as they just try to make a life for themselves among the dumb white racists. Excellent. The viewers (read: taxpayers) will love it! And it goes without saying that any white Protestant who finds it offensive is a dumb racist - so we're covered! What should we call it?

How about: Little Mosque on the Prairie?

Labels: Islam, Religion

I just read this sob-story article in the Globe & Mail about how Chinese immigrants to Canada are coming here, having babies, and having to send them back to China because they can't afford daycare.

Ms. Wu, a Chinese teacher, and her husband, a computer programmer, were squeaking by on minimum-wage jobs and could not afford to pay $1,200 a month for daycare. Ms. Wu, 34, also knew she would have to return to university if she didn't want to spend the rest of her life as an overeducated, embittered immigrant, packaging groceries for $7 an hour.

Though the separation was devastating, the couple could see no other way out. They sent their baby daughter to China to be raised by her grandmother, who was already caring for the toddler they had left behind.

"I felt so guilty. This wasn't how my new life was meant to be. I came to Canada to have a better quality of life, not a worse one."

The cries of Blame Canada from the Globe are painfully loud. And blame Harper, too, of course. I don't doubt that being seperated from one's children must be painful, but isn't this something aspiring immigrants should have factored in before they came here?

I had to read through the article more than once to realize that there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to China going on. Huge amounts of money were being spent on plane tickets for mothers, grandmothers, children... wouldn't this money have been better spent on daycare?

Or how about the community groups like St. Stephen's Community House? Why aren't they offering cheap or free daycare as a way to help immigrants get on their feet? Why does it always have to be the government? Why not other immigrants sharing each other's burdens and taking shifts with the kids?

No, the problem is that the immigrants in question are coming from a strictly Communist regime to a highly socialized one, and they expect to get the same amount of services thay had under Communism, coupled with the benefits of a free society. And who knows? Maybe if Ken Dryden were still in office pushing his insanely-priced childcare bill, they would have that. But you and I would be paying for it.

It's time people learned a little bit about responsibility. You have babies, you'd better be able to care for them. Ms. Wu is a grocery checker. That means she works shifts. I don't see how she was forced to send her children away, if she is on rotating shifts. University would have to wait.

And by the way - I never went to university. Some of the smartest, most successful people I know didn't go to university. A little gumption and determination will get you a lot further a lot faster. But then, you'll have no one to blame but yourself if you fail, and that's too scary for some people.

If you have time, read the comment section on the article. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were more people out there who saw this article for what it truly is: blatant partisanship promoting the Liberal daycare plan.

What a twat.

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Tuesday a horrific terrorist act on the United States that will result in "mass killing" late in 2007.

"I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."

First of all, you don't need God whispering in your ear to know shit is going to hit the fan this year. And secondly, shut up. If God really was whispering in someone's ear, I sincerely doubt it would be Robertson.

It's people like Pat Robertson who make the Christians look as wacky as the Muslims.

Labels: Religion

A British Muslim called for American and Danish people to be murdered, at a protest against cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad, a court has heard.

Umran Javed, 27, of Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, took part in the event on 3 February last year after the cartoons were published in Denmark.

Remember, this was over cartoons.

"He said disbelievers would pay a heavy price...and said Denmark would pay with blood," said Mr Perry.

Mr Javed allegedly told his audience to take lessons from the murder of a Dutch film director, who was murdered and the slaughter of Jews.

The defendant allegedly said: "Bomb, bomb Denmark. Bomb, bomb USA."

And Mr Perry claimed the crowd responded to these calls with similar calls and chants.

Religion of Peace, indeed.

Labels: Europe, Islamic Terror, Religion

I have been half-heartedly following the fallout from the recent bombings in Spain by ETA. When I saw today's headline, I just shook my head.

Spain says Eta peace talks 'over'

The peace process between the Spanish government and Basque separatists Eta is "finished" following a bombing in Madrid, Spain's interior minister says.

Really. Is Spain's word good for anything? Since the Islamist bombings of 2004, I would be hard pressed to believe that Spain gives a damn about anything anymore. They so quickly capitualted their elections to rip their troops out of the Middle East, giving the Islamic terrorists what they wanted. If I were ETA, I would make my demands just as clear. Spain has already forfeited its backbone. ETA might as well just grab what they can from the fire sale.

Labels: Europe

If this smells half as bad as some of Toronto's cabbies, then no thanks!

Now, if we could just come up with some sort of Mujahideen repellant....

Labels: Islamic Terror, Oddities

Hajj is over, and it looks like the increased security measures, coupled with the improvements to the bridge, helped avoid any major incidents.

Millions of Muslims are taking part in the final day of the Hajj, which has passed without major incident after new security measures were introduced.
Thousands of Saudi police, backed by helicopters, were deployed for the final stoning of the devil rite at the Jamirat bridge in Mina.

At the last Hajj, at least 345 pilgrims died in a crush during the stone-throwing ritual.

As bitter as these words feel at the back of my throat, I must give credit where it's due:

Well done, Saudi Arabia.

Labels: Islam

"What do you mean you've never heard Hold a Chicken in the Air?"

Quote of the night from last night's Right/Shaidle Anti-New Year party.

And can someone please tell me why Dick Clark has been reincarnated as a Sunkist orange?