Forbidden Closet of Mysteries

Omar Khadr and what the Canadian government is NOT doing

2008-05-01T14:25:00.001-06:00

On July 27, 2002, Omar Khadr was captured in Eastern Afghanistan by American soldiers. He was a 15 year old Canadian citizen. He was accused of throwing a grenade that killed Sgt Christopher Speer. For the last six years Khadr has been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. He has been subjected to many of the abuses that other Guantanamo prisoners have reported, including stress positions, long periods of solitary confinement or sensory deprivation, beatings, and being denied medical treatment. He was incarcerated with the adult detainees, despite the fact that it was initially assured that he would be kept separate and given daily schooling in various subjects. In February 2008, a report was accidentally released from the Pentagon that calls into question the evidence that Khadr was responsible for the grenade that killed Speer. One other person was alive to have thrown the grenade, contrary to the reports provided to the public, and the grenade was initially attributed to this person in the initial report written after the firefight. This report also revealed that Khadr was shot twice in the back while crouching and facing away from the action, his eyes having been injured by shrapnel in the attack. Most recently, a U.S. military judge has ruled that it does not matter that Omar Khadr was fifteen at the time of the incident, effectively making him a child soldier used illegally in combat, meaning that combatants of any age can still be brought before the war crimes commission.

While I do find many of the actions of the American government to be morally reprehensible, it is no more than what I have come to expect from the country the once championed itself as a bastion of freedom. I want to make it clear that the focus of this post is not the actions of the American armed forces and government. Instead I would like to focus on the actions if the Canadian government with regards to the protection afforded to a Canadian citizen.

In 2003, CSIS sent Jim Gould to interrogate Khadr under the guise of ascertaining Khadr’s well-being. The information acquired in this interview was shared freely with the American captors without receiving any assurances that Khadr would benefit from this cooperation (such as pulling the death penalty). Other than that, Khadr has been mostly ignored by the Canadian government. Khadr is the only Western citizen remaining in Guantanamo, likely due to the fact that the Canadian government has refused to seek extradition or repatriations despite the urgings of several national and international groups like Amnesty International. I would just like to also point out that this is not a partisan issue as both the Liberal and Conservative governments sat on their hands.

I am very, very disappointed in the actions of the Canadian government. This not something I am used to feeling. Sure, there have been decisions made where I have been disappointed in the outcome, but nothing like this. It is highly unlikely that Khadr will receive a fair hearing from the U.S. military tribunal. His lawyer is convinced that he will be found guilty of murder despite the fact that there is no evidence he threw the grenade, and I tend to agree. The reluctance of the Canadian government to come to the assistance of one if its own citizens is quite chilling, and begs the question as to whether Khadr is being punished because his family is unpopular in Canada. In any case, trying a child soldier is not right, and the Canadian government should have the cojones to stand up and say so, especially if the child involved is one of its own citizens.

Lateralus

2008-04-10T21:00:00.004-06:00

Is it possible for an awesome band like Tool to be nerdy? Apparently, yes. Lateralus follows the Fibonacci sequence, which is used as part of the larger metaphor in the song. Seriously, I loved it before and now I will never listen to the song in the same way ever again.

Lunacy

2008-02-20T23:20:00.007-06:00

Dwight Eisenhower, Jan.17,1961

2007-12-17T16:14:00.000-06:00

For K

2007-10-25T09:25:00.001-06:00

Le Beau Monde

2007-10-18T12:06:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am still alive....

2007-09-28T15:05:00.000-06:00

...but I'm busy working on my thesis. Once that is finished, I promise to resume posting. Until that time, however, I cannot spare the time required to fully research the topics I post on. So, enjoy the video!

George Bush the Benevolent

2007-07-06T11:50:00.000-06:00

George Bush has really shown how charitable he is by commuting Scooter Libby sentence, down from 30 months in jail to probation and a fine. I mean, if you can't find it in your heart to forgive someone for selling out your own intelligence agents during war time, especially when they are a white Christian male, than who can you forgive? Certainly not the 154 people executed by the state of Texas during the 6 years Bush was governor. That's one every two weeks. This number includes Betty Lou Beets, a great-grandmother, who was convicted of killing her abusive husband. Bush denied clemency, despite the evidence that her lawyer poorly represented her (Her lawyer secured book and movie rights to the story, and then spent time in jail for extortion on another murder case.) This number also includes David Spence, arrested and convicted for his part on the murder of teenage girls based on the testimony of his accomplices. His accomplices later recanted, saying they had fabricated everything to do with Spence. There was no forensics connecting Spence to the murders. This number also includes defendants who are mentally challenged, defendants who were juveniles when the crime was committed, Mexican defendants defended by someone who did not speak Spanish, and defendants represented by drunk/sleeping/shoddy attorneys.

Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence was supported by Mick Romney, a Republican presidential candidate. As governor of Massachusetts, Romney denied every single request for pardon or commutation. This includes a pardon request from Anthony Circosta, who joined the National Guard and lead a platoon through the deadly Sunni triangle in Iraq, after working his way through college. He was convicted of assault at the age of 13 for shooting another boy in the arm with a BB gun (the BB did not break the skin). He wants a pardon so he can fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer.

Since Bush cannot be re-elected, and will most likely pardon anyone convicted of anything, it seems increasingly unreasonable to prevent prosecutors and congress from questioning Cheney and/or Gonzales regarding the scandals they are involved in. I mean, it is the last 16 months of this Presidency, why not try to make right at least some of the wrongs committed during the last 6 years. The public wants candidness, why not give it what it wants.

Transport Canada Eroding our Privacy

2007-06-06T13:37:00.000-06:00

It is especially disappointing that on the 63 anniversary of the fight for freedom that was D-Day, the news reports that Transport Canada has decided to erode our privacy rights just as they have in the U.S. I am speaking of the scanning technology at airports which allows a technician to look through people's clothing. I blogged on the technology here.
Some people have stated that they would be willing to give up this amount of privacy for the so called "greater good." I do not see this as the greater good, but instead a world ruled by fear. It is this fear that give the terrorists the power. A Transport Canada official, Jean Barrette, stated that you have to consent to be scanned. He called it the "no search, no fly rule." So, because I am opposed to having someone peep under my clothing, I should not be permitted to fly? I propose we scrap this technology, and if people are too afraid of terrorism they do not need to fly. This technology does not eliminate to possibility that the terrorist will simply come up with another means of spreading terror. This technology only buys us some temporary safety, but in exchange we permanently give up privacy.
According to PlaneCrashInfo, only 6% of crashes since the 1990s have been caused by sabotage, whereas 14% were mechanical failure and 40% were pilot error. Therefore, wouldn't more lives by saved by improving pilot training and mechanical inspections than by eliminating the privacy of passengers? Remember, because our government is democratic, they cannot take away our freedoms unless we let them.

If this makes you as angry as it make me, write to the Minister of Transport at mintc@tc.gc.ca. He is there to do what we say, and needs to be told if what he is doing is crossing the line.

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Since it is the anniversary of D-Day, I would to say how proud I am of what the Canadian soldiers are doing in Afghanistan. While we must not forget that they are fighting a war, they are in fact doing so much more. By spread the message of peace and equality, by helping to bring education to the impoverished nation, and by providing safety and protection for those most affected by terrorists, they are in fact doing more to prevent future acts of terrorism than those scanners ever could. And for that, I say thank you.

Don't misbehave! Someone is watching.

2007-06-03T13:14:00.000-06:00

The more I learn about other developed nations, the happier I am to be living in a "liberal" and "socialist" country like Canada (although many Americans consider both of those to be bad words).
My neighbour is a lovely woman from London; or as she puts it in her British accent, "London, England, not London, Ontario." Recently she told me a story about a girl in England who littered, only to have a voice boom out telling her to pick up her garbage. I found a news story about the new technology here. Apparently, they now have several cameras set up that not only watch people, but will chastise them for misbehaving. While I understand that littering is a large problem in the UK, I see this as a large step towards controlling other peoples behavior. It feels to me like the populace is being treated like children, with the government acting as the parent, watching all behavior and dolling out punishment. Already, British people are under surveillance more than any other nation.

I suppose the truly shocking thing is the lack of resistance towards this sort of policy. Some people believe that surveillance in a public place is okay as long as people are free from it in private. And perhaps that is the case, if you can guarantee that your government does not have a single corrupt or corruptible employee. But we all know that that is never the case. Right now it is mostly used to stop people from littering, but what if priorities change? It is not inconceivable to imagine a future where any behavior considered "inappropriate" would cause a reprimand. Imagine walking down the street and having voices shouting at you, telling you how to behave: "Don't pick your nose! Pick up you garbage! Put out that cigarette! Stop questioning authority!" It may be 23 years after 1984, yet it seems closer than ever.

Do you think that my finding this sort of thing frightening to be an over-reaction? Please tell me why. I've often heard the argument, "If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to be afraid of." However, pretty much everyone does something wrong. I've been known to speed, jaywalk, park for longer than 5 minutes in a loading zone, etc. Perhaps this makes me a criminal. Or perhaps this makes me a human being who does not live up to perfection every moment of every day.

Restaurant Tipping 101

2007-05-09T15:15:00.000-06:00

Today's lesson is regarding tipping in restaurants. I have heard many reasons why people do not want to tip in restaurants. Think Mr. Pink from Reservoir Dogs. However, in Saskatchewan, I believe that most people just do not know how to tip. I'll start fist by educating the reader on restaurant policies and politics. Then a brief discussion on how much to tip. Prepare to take notes, your server will thank you for it.

Servers are the buffer between crazy customers, frustrated cooks, cheap owners, and pretty much everyone else in the restaurant. If you have ever asked for something extra, like a side of mayo or anything like that, but don't see a corresponding charge on your bill, you should thank your server. These things all have prices attached, but most servers will just get the mayo themselves so they don't have to charge the customer $0.50. It is the server's job to make sure your fillet is not finished cooking while you're still eating your stuffed mushroom appetizer. If there is a problem with your food, the server is the one that will smooth ruffled feathers in the kitchen to get it fixed (do not tell the manager instead of the server if there is a problem! That usually just leads to lots of yelling.) Basically, if you, as a customer, want something, the server will run back and forth between management and kitchen to try to get it done. The server wants you to be happy. Why? Because happy customers will come back, and if they are good tippers, the server wants to see them again. But if they are bad tippers, the server could really not care less whether or not they come back. This is the reality. Do not bother trying to be a regular customer if you are a bad tipper. You wont be getting the best service, and the servers will not want to serve you.

So what makes a good tip? That depends on the circumstances, the service, and the restaurant. If it is a nice restaurant and the service was good, anything under 10% will be seen as insulting to the server. It hurts to think that you spent time ensuring that the customer was happy, only to find out that they wont even leave you a toonie on their $20 steak. Really, the customer should leave at least 12% for average service at an average restaurant. If you cannot do the math, leave double the GST. For good service, 15% will show the server that they are good at what they do and you appreciate that. If your server goes above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction, 20% or higher will make them feel like it was worth it, so they will be willing to do it again.

If you are a non-tipper, you should know that you may actually be taking money from servers. Most places have a policy where the server must tip-out a percentage of their daily sales. It's often 1%. So if the server has a table whose bill is $150, the server will tip-out $1.50 to the hostess, bus people and kitchen. If the table leaves nothing, that $1.50 comes out of the servers pocket.

I hope this lesson helped those who were unsure about tipping. If you are a good tipper, you will find that you will get better service at regularly frequented restaurants. Tipping is simply a gesture of appreciation and respect for someone who did what they could to make sure your evening was enjoyable.

Videos: The Quick and Easy Blog Post

2007-04-12T12:08:00.000-06:00

Here's a vid that my cuz Saskboy linked to on his blog. Thought it was just the inspiration that Uni students need.

Even Peaceful Theocracies are Bad

2007-04-08T10:37:00.000-06:00

Although conflicts in the Middle East have distracted the world from the Dalai Lama's struggle with China, I thought I would look closely at what "Free Tibet" actually means.
The Hollywood elite have spent much time bringing to light the exile of the Dalai Lama. He has been raised to the level of a saint, and has become a symbol for peaceful struggle against a powerful government.

However, in spite of all this good press, it is important to remember that the Dalai Lama is supposed to be an autocratic ruler of a theocracy. The Dalai Lama is not democratically elected, nor does the separation of church and state exist. He is religious leader who is seeking to regain the throne of Tibet. Most people in the world do not want to live under theocratic rule, however this particular disposed ruler is granted and elevated status. The social structure of Tibet prior to the expulsion of the Dalai Lama was highly stratified, with a small ruling class of monks and a large underclass made up mostly of serfs. Breaking the law for a serf meant horrible torture (eye-gouging, pulling out of tongues, etc.). On the other hand, the Chinese introduced secular education, electricity, running water, Communist oppression, and sent many Tibetans to forced labour camps. Kind of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. I'm not saying the Chinese are better than the Dalai Lama, I just wish Hollywood boneheads would think about what they are supporting before organizing "Free Tibet" rallies.
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The picture is Potala Palace, the holy place in Tibet where the Dalai Lama would live should he regain control. No wonder he wants to regain power so bad!

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This post was done in honour of Blogging against Theocracy Weekend. Unfortunately, I could only post today due to a full schedule and computer troubles. Here is also a link to last years Zombie Jesus Day post.

ATTN Aboriginals: Apparently our laws of protection don't apply to you

2007-04-03T17:49:00.000-06:00

In 2001, a twelve-year-old native girl was picked up outside a bar in Chelan, east of Tisdale, Saskatchewan. The three men who picked her up, Jeffery Kindrat, Jeffrey Lorne Brown, and Dean Edmondson were all in their mid-twenties. She lied about her age, claiming to be 14, and asked them for a ride to a friend's place in Tisdale. They plied her with alcohol and then all three attempted to have sex with her. Whether they were successful or not is debatable; the rape evidence was inconclusive and Kindrat admitted when questioned by police that he had a case of whiskey-dick. When they dropped her at her friend's house, she was apparently crying, in pain, and claiming she'd been raped.

Last week Kindrat was found not guilty of sexual assault. Edmondson is serving two years house arrest after he was found guilty. Brown is still awaiting trial. And I am disgusted and horrified that once again the underlying racism that exists in this province has claimed another victim. There is no doubt that, at the very least, these men tried to have sex with a twelve-year-old girl. How than can they be found not guilty (or given simply house arrest), if the age of consent is 14. It makes no sense to me that the twelve jurors could let this man free. Basically, they are supporting the sexual exploitation of children. I wonder how young would the girl have had to be for them to have found Kindrat guilty. Ten years? Eight? I am certain that had the girl been white, these men would have gotten hard time. But in Saskatchewan, there exists a double standard.

This is all I'll say on this now, because I still get so angry that it's hard to be rational. I am ashamed to be from this province right now, and that is something that's a little hard to deal with. Let's hope things will get substantially better in the coming years; that we wont be the rednecked, racist province forever.

Why Questions are Greater than Answers

2007-03-30T22:30:00.000-06:00

Lately it seems that every day I become a little more concerned that my civil liberties are in danger of being taken away. With corruption in the RCMP (stealing from their own pensions?), endless scandals in the Whitehouse (Gitmo, Gonzales, Abu Ghraib, ad infinitum) and the laisez-fair attitude of most people when it comes to government laws that do affect our liberty (ever heard of Bill C-36), I've begun to question what it is that I consider important. Then one day I was walking home, listening to my anti-establishment music and plotting to blow something up (ha-ha, just kidding CSIS), when I had an epiphany. This wasn't the every-day kind of epiphany, but one that really got me thinking about how people think.

Everybody knows that we ask questions in order to get answers. But have you ever noticed that the best answers in fact lead to more questions? This is particularly true in science, where the more we know, the more we know we don't know. This is also true in government: as an outsider, I know that there are more hidden dealing than I could possible understand. As of yet, the only instance I've found where this isn't true is in some fundamentalist religions where believers are told NOT to question. This isn't true of all or even most religions; I've heard preachers talk about how you should question your faith every day. In my opinion, the ability to question our reality is in essence what makes us human.

Since this epiphany, I've gotten into the practice of questioning many more things in my daily life. They don't have to be vitally important things; seeking the answer to any question leads to an expansion of knowledge in other areas. An example: I questioned if I was the only person who did not love the movie 300. In seeking an answer I discovered a message board that taught me: 1. I am NOT the only person that did not love it, 2. There are many other people out there that also question their reality and are willing to discuss it in an intelligent and rational manner. The more people who question the propaganda and who see through the distractions in their own quest for knowledge, then the less likely it will be that our civil liberties will be lost. In conclusion: This is not the X-files or the Matrix, but I still say question everything.

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No, I did not HATE 300, I just didn't love it. I prefer men with real bodies and a story with a little more substance. But the fight scenes were supper cool.

Awwwww!!!

2007-03-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

Recently there was a dilemma at a zoo in Germany. One of the polar bears had given birth to a cub, but rejected it. In the wild this would mean that the cub would eventually die. However the zookeepers decided to raise the cub themselves. This angered animal rights activists, who thought the cub should be killed in keeping with the natural order. In response the zoo released video footage of Knut, the little bear. Here is a compilation of some of the footage, more can be found by seaching for "KNUT" on YouTube. WARNING: you may need a shot of insulin after seeing this video.

Sigh...Americans...

2007-02-27T18:39:00.000-06:00

So the other day I managed to catch the very end of the movie Independence Day. I started watching at the point where they infect the alien mothership with a computer virus, then we get to watch the Americans save the world. It reminded me of comment posts I recently saw on YouTube regarding American involvement in WWII. Throughout my life, I've witnessed Americans posturizing as the sole saviours of Europe from Nazi rule. Generally, this comes in the form of "Europe would all be speaking German if it wasn't for us!" Fortunately, these comments generally come from the blowhard vocal minority, but it still lends to the impression that the Americans feel it is their duty to save the world. Watching the movie, I couldn't help but think that I would rather have gotten killed by the invading aliens than have to listen to the Americans bragging about having saved us from Nazi aliens for the rest of my life.

Perhaps I am over-sensitive to this self-aggrandizing. After all, the number of American casualties in WWII were significantly greater in number (10 times) than Canadians killed. However, when casualties are compared to the total population of the country, more Canadians were killed (0.32% vs 0.40%). Not to mention the USSR, which saw over 10 million casualties (13.77 %) and conquered Berlin. I guess Europe should be thanking Russia for not being forced to speak German. Except Germany of course, where they seem to like speaking German.

Of course I'm being facetious; I do not want to minimize anyone's contribution to winning WWII. The allies won by all working together for the greater good. So, if aliens do invade Earth (assuming we don't invade them first, which is probably more likely), I hope we can all work together to vanquish the evil doers. Except Switzerland - they can stay neutral.

Freedom vs Security: I Choose Freedom

2006-12-06T15:57:00.000-06:00

This past week, U.S. authorities announced a “new” anti-terrorism tool that will be used on a trial basis at the airport in Phoenix, AZ. Essentially, it is an x-ray that can look beneath clothing thereby revealing everything that is underneath. It is not new technology, but had yet to be implemented in the U.S due to “privacy concerns.” It is thought that the technology will be available in several U.S. cities by the end of 2007.

Now, for the record, I am not an anarchist, a terrorist, a revolutionary or a rebel of any type. However, I DO NOT WANT JOE BLOW AIRPORT SECURITY TO HAVE THE ABILITY AND POWER TO LOOK UNDER MY CLOTHES! Ever!

Now, I know there are already strip searches that are done, as well as the less invasive pat-downs and such, but this is different. The technology is made so that the “naughty bits” are blurred, and the image is viewed by a security guard in a remote location. Also, the image cannot be saved, so it disappears when the person leaves the machine. I fully understand that this technology, if used properly and responsibly, is but a baby step from where we already are. But where so we draw the line? When do we stand up and say that we are NOT going to allow any more invasions of privacy. For me, the line is here and now.

The Romans went from a democratic republic to a dictatorship because of fear of war. The populace allowed the ruler (Octavian) to become a dictator, thereby giving up their right to vote. The government can only restrict our rights and invade our privacy if we let them. Obviously, I’m not advocating violence, rebellion, or whatever. However, complacency is akin to approval. I haven’t even figured out what I can do to express my disapproval. I am but an impoverished student who will not be flying to Arizona anytime soon. Maybe my contribution is spreading the word via my pathetic excuse for a blog. But if this is all I have, I will use it the greatest effect.

And now, a few words by Ben Franklin:

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Choice vs Life? I Don't Think So.

2006-11-18T13:23:00.000-06:00

Last month, I read an article regarding Ms. Magazine's decision to publish the names of women who where not ashamed of their decision to have an abortion. I had planned on writing about it then, but got caught up in my "real" life. If you Google 'Ms. Magazine' and 'abortion' you will find a range of news articles and blog posts from the anti-abortion-rights people and the pro- abortion-rights people. (I refuse to use the terms "pro-life and pro-choice because I believe everyone is in favour of both life and choice.) I like the article at MSNBC because it links to a message board that has some very articulate (and some very profane) messages regarding women and their rights. Check it out.

People in favour of a woman's right to choose are probably baffled by the fact that this is still an issue. After all, everyone knows that women have undergone abortions throughout history, with or without the consent of the male leaders of society. The only difference now is the option to have one performed by a competent medical professional as opposed to the infamous "back-alley abortions." I was not able to find any information of Saskatchewan regulations of abortion. However, anecdotally I believe in Saskatchewan abortions can be performed up to 12 weeks. In Alberta it is up to 20 weeks. Images used by anti-abortion-rights groups tend to be from late term abortions, when the foetus is more recognizably human. Late-term abortions are any done after 20 weeks, and are generally not performed unless the health of the mother or foetus is at risk.

I have no problem with people who oppose abortions. They have every right to believe that abortions are wrong. However, their personal beliefs should not impede people who feel that an abortion is the right choice for them. After all, I think that a fat man walking around without a shirt is nasty and wrong, but I'm not going to push for a law banning overweight men from going topless.

This past spring, South Dakota passed a law prohibiting abortion except in cases where the life of the mother was at risk. This included a ban in cases where the woman (or girl) became pregnant due to rape or incest. This ban was later rejected in a referendum during the mid-term elections. There have been other whispers from other states to enact similar laws, however with the Democrats now controlling the House and Senate, it seems unlikely anything will come of it. An example of extreme anti-abortion laws can be seen in El Salvador. There, aborting a foetus is the same as murder for the woman and the person performing the procedure. The rules are so strict, a doctor cannot terminate an ectopic pregnancy until either the foetus dies or the Fallopian tube ruptures, for fear of being charged.

I will end this post with a quote that I believe sums up the state of abortion rights in North America:

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Child Custody - An Attack on Fathers

2006-10-19T11:47:00.001-06:00

In Saskatchewan right now there is a well publicized custody battle raging between the baby's biological father and the couple that has adopted him. The latest story covered by the Star Phoenix can be found here. A less-than-brief recap: Rick Fredrickson was involved with a woman last year. After they had broken up, she found out she was pregnant. She never told Fredrickson, planning instead to give the baby up for adoption. Just before she was to give birth, one of her family members informed Fredrickson that the child was his and that if he wanted custody he had better act fast. He immediately sued to stop the adoption, but was unable to prove his paternity without a DNA test. Fredrickson was not told about the child being born until after the Prince Albert couple who was adopting the child had already whisked the baby boy away. That was in July. Since then, paternity has been proven, but Fredrickson still has not seen his son.

There appears to be a lot of dirty work going on here. Even though custody was being disputed, the P.A. couple was allowed to remove the child from the hospital without issue. The Family Court Judge, Sean Smith, has stated that biological paternity was not a "trump card" when it came to winning the case because the baby has already bonded with the P.A. couple. There is also questions being raised regarding the original adoption, since the couple is close friends with the mother's sister, who works with an agency in charge of finding foster and adoptive homes for children at risk. There is also allegations that money may have changed hands. The RCMP are now investigating.

To rub salt into the gaping wound, the P.A. couple are now looking to sue Fredrickson for child support! They are a wealthy couple looking to sue the blue-collar father, who has never seen his son, for child support. They probably came up with the idea after the Judge issued visiting rights to Fredrickson. However, he has not been able to visit because the facility (Children's Haven) that is supposed to host the supervised, one hour visits is not allowing any visits until both side have agreed to the terms. Oh, and by-the-way, the adoptive mother sits on the board of this Children's Haven centre.

There have been so many injustices being done here that it boggles the mind. I realize that the P.A. couple likely have been trying to adopted for a while now and that they could provide a suitable home for the baby. However, their wealth and connections should not supersede the rights of the father. Women have had to fight for years in order to control their reproductive rights, we cannot forget that men also have rights. My heart goes out to Fredrickson and hope that this mess is soon sorted out.

For more information, browse through the stories here.

Republican Sex Scandals - They Do Make Me Smile

2006-10-05T11:28:00.000-06:00

Is it evil of me to be truly enjoying the most recent Republican sex scandal to grip Washington? I mean, Mark Foley built his career on creating and supporting laws that were meant to protect children. Now it has been revealed that he repeatedly e-mailed lewd messages to underage male pages. He actually helped pass a law making it illegal to solicit sex from a minor, which is basically what he was doing. Republican scandals are just so delicious; they deny, deny, deny, then apologize profusely, then check themselves into rehab, blaming their mistakes on their addiction. It always comes out later that several people knew of the issue, and chose to cover it up. The democrats have their own share of scandals. However, they lack the "holier than thou" attitude of the republicans which makes their scandals taste so good. So I guess I'll just sit back and enjoy this story that has gripped our southern neighbour. I mean, it's better than thinking about Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, the coup in Thailand, social unrest in Haiti, the fight over the Gaza strip, Hezbollah,...

Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness

2006-09-21T11:25:00.000-06:00

Not a lot of people know this about me, but a few years ago and throughout my teens I suffered from depression. It runs in my family; when my father was a young hippie the journal he kept described the emptiness that is depression. What some people do not understand is that it is not actually a feeling of sadness, but a pervasive numbness throughout all aspects of life. It is like standing is quicksand: from the chest up everything looks fine, but you know that things are getting worse, and there doesn't seem to be anything you can do to stop it. When things were really bad for me I was unable to functions properly, I couldn't get anything done, I was always tired. But I did not realize that there was actually something medically wrong with me. I thought that everyone went through periods like that and that eventually I would get over it. Or I would die, and then not have to worry about not feeling any more.

At the time I was dating a great guy (Joeyjoejoe) who saw what was going on and told me that I had a problem. He encourages me to see my doctor. She prescribed me anti-depressants. It was like a screen had lifted from my life. Suddenly, I could feel stuff: anger, happiness, ambition. It was the best decision I ever made. And I have Joeyjoejoe to thank for it, because he's the one that told me that what I was going through was actually due to a chemical imbalance in my brain and that I would not be able to get better on my own, by pulling myself up by my 'bootstraps'. I needed medicine to make me better. I am no longer on anti-depressants, but I have had bouts of depression where I resumed taking them temporarily. I don't feel ashamed of my past because I know that my present would not be possible without having gone for help.

In the past few months, various people that I know have shown the same symptoms that I had when I was depressed. I think about what Joeyjoejoe did for me, and so I tell them to go and talk to their doctor. Taking antidepressants does not mean you'll be dependent on them forever, sometimes all that is needed is a boost back into the light.

Traditional Marriage

2006-08-11T14:55:00.000-06:00

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl exchange pheromones which trigger the brain the release endorphins. Despite this feeling of "love", boy and girl resist the urge to copulate until the elaborate cultural ceremony attended by boy's family, girl's family, anyone who ever knew boy and girl while growing up, business associates of boy's parents and girl's parents, and their dates. A religious leader decrees that now, in the eyes of their god, it is permissible for boy and girl to copulate. Boy and girl mate, have 2.5 offspring, and live happily ever after.

This seems to be considered the "traditional" definition of marriage. It is what the religious right believes should be the standard for all marriages. Of course, this is anything but traditional. Love and marriage have only gone together for the last century. Prior to that the traditional definition of marriage would go something like this:

Father meets man. Man pays bride-price/father pays dowry. Man gets daughter. Father and man become business partners while daughter pops out sons. Much simpler.

Perhaps we should return to traditional marriages, only with modern twists. Say, both families have to write out business proposals on the nature of transaction. Instead of using goats or cattle for bride-price/dowry we can use mini vans or gift cards from Wal Mart. All the documentation would have to be approved by a marriage broker, lawyers, accountants, and clergy, signed and presented in triplicate to the matrimonial judge. Please allow six to ten weeks for marriage license delivery.

I think same-sex couples would be thrilled to be exempt from "traditional" marriage.

Accepted Racism

2006-08-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

This weekend, I was required to listen to a small group of people discuss the "indian problem." How natives are naturally more prone to having social problems, how the government coddles them, how it is their own fault that they are poor and live on welfare. Normally I speak up and point out the blatant racism in their statements. However, this time it was family, so to keep the peace I held my tongue and prayed that they don't talk this way in front of impressionable children. Living in Saskatoon, I am exposed to racism against natives almost every day. The sad thing is, most people don't even realize they are racist. If you were to ask them about blacks, Asians, Hispanics, or other groups, they would assure you that these groups are equal to whites, and that they are certainly not racist. Natives are another story.

For all those that believe that natives should just get over the injustices done to them, that they should overcome the constant poverty and disfunction using sheer will, then may I suggest an experiment. Have twins, one boy and one girl. For sixteen years, tell the girls she's a whore and a slut, and tell the boy he's useless and lazy and stupid, all the while beating them and denying them access to amenities. After sixteen years, suddenly apologize, provide them with an allowance, but still verbally degrade them behind their backs. After two more years, when they are eighteen, blame them for being disfunctional and unable to successfully integrate into society. They should emerge from this as well rounded adults, right?

Whew, I feel a little better after venting. Until I think about how my thoughts and opinions are drowned out by the overwhelming racist attitude of this city. Then I just feel sad.

It's One Mad (Ad Infinitum) World

2006-07-23T20:54:00.000-06:00

With the way the world has fucked itself lately, I just have not been able to choose a topic to post on. I like to thoroughly research any topic to be sure I have my facts correct, and there has not been time for me to piece through the wreckage of global politics. I like to weigh each topic, think long and hard about what is right and what is wrong. However, right now I'm too exhausted to possibly feel anything but the basest emotions.

WWIII has broken out in the Near East, an area that is vital in regard to the research I am currently working on. Normally, I would form opinions on this recent increase in bloodshed. Is it Lebanon's fault, for allowing themselves to be a safe haven for terrorists groups? Is it Hezbollah's fault for kidnapping Israeli soldiers? Is Israel overreacting and overreaching? So many people to blame, so many innocent people killed. I do not care to blame anyone right now: all I want is for it all to stop.

Sorry if this post seems morose, war affects me that way.

The War on the War on Drugs

2006-06-27T12:41:00.000-06:00

I will start this post by stating my opinion outright: The War on Drugs is the most ineffective, corrupt, exploitive and expensive thing the American government has ever attempted, and it is failing completely. An examination of the history of drug prohibition in the US shows that it has always been an attempt to keep "good" (AKA white) kids from falling under the influence of "bad" (AKA coloured) people. Opium, the first drug to be banned, was prohibited because women from "respectable" families were at risk of becoming morally corrupted by the Chinese men running the opium dens. When cocaine was banned, newspapers spoke of "Cokanized Niggers" who were roaming the streets looking to rape white women. With the passing of the Marijuana Tax Act, in 1937, the commissioner of the Bureau of Narcotics stated that the weed had to be banned because of its violent effect of the "degenerate races" (AKA Mexicans) (Wikipedia). Wow, to think that billions of dollars are spent enforcing laws built on blatant racism just boggles the mind.

How much exactly is being spent? We all know its a lot, but what number are we looking at. Thanks to The War on Drugs Clock, we can all know what the US government has spent this year. As I type this, the total is $24,952,248,726 spent, 777,397 people have been arrested for drug offences. Most drug offences are non-violent and committed by people who are addicted. Can you imagine how many treatment programs could be created with $24 billion! And the year is only half way through.

Canada, unfortunately, is forced to mirror American policy when it comes to drugs. When the Liberal government was considering the decriminalization of marijuana, the American government threatened a backlash. The Conservatives do not have the balls to stand up to the Americans on this issue. As though Canadian policy would have any affect on the number of marijuana users in the US, which is higher than ever before.

Here's a little secret about me. I do not drink to excess - no more than one or two for me, thanks. I do not eat deep fried food, I exercise regularly. I am a full time student, and I have two part-time jobs. I will soon have my Masters in my field. I have been driving for 10 years, and have never had an accident that was my fault. I also smoke pot regularly. To the American and Conservative government, I am a criminal. So are most of the people I know. Scary.

BTW, since I started this post $4,614,060 more has been spent on the War, and 141 more people have been arrested.

War, What is it Good For? Peace.

2006-06-09T12:17:00.000-06:00

62 years ago, Allied soldiers were regrouping after successfully taking the coast of Normandy. This was the first big step which eventually lead to the downfall of Nazi Germany and the end of the war in Europe. When looking at the big picture, WWII in Europe was the ideal war. There were two strongly defined sides. The Nazis committed heinous war crimes that can be described as evil without hyperbole, while the Allies were working together to free occupied countries that could not defend themselves. On VE Day, the sentiment was that good had triumphed over evil and that this war had been for the good of humankind.

Unfortunately, the ideal war has ruined our perception of what war truly is. There is no black and white in war, only shades of grey. We cannot hope that our side will be all right while the other side is all wrong. The world does not work that way. However, that does not mean that war should not be undertaken. Diplomacy can only go so far, and there are those out there who only understand force. War is an inevitability, unless we want to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that three quarters of the world does not exist.

Everyday, I hear Canadians condemning the war in Afghanistan. However, few people against the war seem to consider the afghans at all; there is greater concern that we are becoming an American patsy than for the lives of people in Afghanistan. I think they are being selfish. It is selfish to live in our peaceful and bountiful country and being unwilling to help innocents elsewhere who are dying. I commend the bravery of Canadian soldiers who are willing to risk their lives in order resolve the conflict. This is not a problem that will go away by itself should we remove our troops. This is an issue that will take years of hard work to resolve. But it will only be resolved if countries like Canada are willing to help.

How Long is Long Enough?

2006-05-20T11:58:00.000-06:00

The other day, Colin Thatcher was granted day parole. This means the convicted murderer will be permitted to live in a halfway-house and be allowed to come and go during the day. Thatcher was sentenced in 1984 to 25 years to life in prison, and has therefore served over 21 years of that sentence. For those who do not know, he was convicted of killing his wife, JoAnn Wilson. There was a large amount of evidence against him, including a gasoline receipt and a potential accomplice who wore a wire against him. There had also been a previous attempt on JoAnn's life, although no one was formally charged due to lack of evidence. Because Thatcher was a politician and because he has always maintained his innocence, there have been several in-depth examinations into the case. I have not heard a single report that believed Thatcher was innocent. So, this man is guilty for having killed his wife and has never admitted guilt or apologized. Why should we let him out of prison?

Why shouldn't we let him out? I can think of no one who benefits from continuing with his punishment. How likely is it that he will commit the crime again? Not very. How many potential murderers have been deterred by his incarceration? Unlikely that any have. Can he be rehabilitated? There is no basis for rehabilitation. He was an angry, jealous, greedy bastard who would rather kill his ex-wife than have to deal with her. The only thing prison offers is a means to punish individuals that have committed crimes. He has spent 21 years in prison, and I am not suggesting that this makes up for the life he took. However, continued punishment benefits no one while consuming taxpayers dollars.

The fact is, Colin Thatcher knew before he took Wilson's life that if he was caught and convicted, he would go to prison. That did not stop him. It also unlikely that his punishment stopped any other attempts at spousal murder by other individuals. Unfortunately, it is impossible to prevent crimes born from rage and passion and jealousy. So all we have left is punishing these people by locking them until we feel they should be allowed free. Basically, this is all arbitrary. We decide that he has done something wrong, so we restrict his movements, make him wear the same clothes every day, and feed him meatloaf once a week for 21 years. That's all we can do. We cannot prevent crimes like this, we cannot make it better after it happens. All we can do is punish those who commit the crimes. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. Thatcher deserved every moment behind bars for leaving his own children motherless. I'm just tired of people thinking that putting these people in prison actually helps society, as opposed to merely satisfying our desire to punish those who have done wrong.

I Like Sex

2006-04-26T09:56:00.000-06:00

As I was reading the newspaper today, a headline caught my eyes. "Women Prefer Cleaning to Sex." The story goes on to state that one third of women (in Britain) who completed the survey prefer housework to making love. Aside from the fact that one third of women does not justify the headline, which implies all women feel this way, I have to ask myself why this is a story covered by a local newspaper. Is this news? Is it even true? It seems to be staple in our society to assume that women just do not like sex. And those who do like sex are debased by such terms as "slut," or described as "easy." Nymphomania was considered a sexual deviation by mental health professionals until 1980, when it became a psychosexual disorder. Not until DSM-IV in 1994 was it dropped as a mental disorder. The mental health profession has been consistently androcentric since Freud, and I can only assume that this is why women are portrayed as antisexual. Are men frightened by the idea that women might enjoy sex as much as they do? In a world that is becoming increasingly egalitarian towards the sexes, perhaps some men feel that this is the one thing they can keep for themselves: enjoyment of sex.

I love sex. If it was not for sex, I might be a serial killer. (A female serial killer: the only thing more rare than a woman who enjoys sex?) All of my close female friends enjoy sex. I have never spoken to a women who does not enjoy it. Perhaps I should conduct my own poll. So, to all the men out there who want a sexually responsive partner: Have no fear. Despite the myth persisted by the media and pop culture, women do enjoy sex. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a scientific investigation to conduct with my boyfriend.

Creationism II

2006-04-25T15:22:00.000-06:00

Many creationists who superficially try to separate their religious ideology from Christianity will refer to creationist theory as "Intelligent Design" (ID). ID is defined as "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection" (Wikipedia). Arguments used include promoting the notion that evolution is no more than a theory, one equal to the theory of ID. This only goes to show that people who believe in ID do not understand the nature of scientific theory. A scientific theory is a model of a natural phenomenon which is capable of predicting future events or observations, and is either testable through experimentation or otherwise empirically observable. It is an important part of the scientific method. An example of a scientific theory is the theory of gravitation. I don't think IDers would have a problem accepting that if you drop an apple, it will fall to the ground. A scientific theory is not a "guess" or a "hunch". It is a model that is accepted by the scientific community and has been proven.

I do not believe in evolution, nor do I have faith that it is real. I know that evolution exists because it's main process, natural selection, has been observed and proven. I also know that evolution happens because geological, paleontological and archaeological evidence all supports evolution. When a scientific hypothesis becomes a scientific theory, faith is not required. I do not have faith that a dropped apple will fall. I know that it will fall.

ID fails to meet these criteria. I have yet to see proof if ID. Proponents of ID try to get around this by attacking evolution. Disproving one idea does not prove another idea. I ask IDers to provide me with some proof. Anything. A mouse spontaneously create through prayer? An animal with no fossil record? An article written by a scientist (not a theologian) that has been published in a reputable, peer-reviewed journal? Don't worry, take your time. I'll wait.

Look out! It's Jesus!

2006-04-14T12:30:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone has a great first-Sunday-after-the-first-full-moon-after-the-Spring-Equinox! God knows I wont. Why is it that the Friday is the stat holiday, but if you work all day Sunday, you don't receive time-and-a-half? This blows goats. Oh well, at least I'm not a zombie. While everyone celebrates the death of this Jesus guy, I'll be mourning the death of Brian, leader of the Judean Peoples Front. Oh, Brian. You remind us to always look on the bright side of life. Plus, yours was the first wang I ever saw. I'll never forget you.

Creationism I

2006-04-10T14:47:00.000-06:00

Read the story that prompted this post.

With the notion of "Intelligent Design" (ID) sweeping the U.S., I wish I could believe that Canadians were free from ridiculous attempts at limiting science by religious zealots. I was naive. Until five years ago, I thought everyone accepted that life on this planet exists in its variety due to the processes of natural selection. Unfortunately, I now know how wrong I was. There are people out there who still foolishly believe that a tome written thousands of years ago is the zenith of information, just forget all that we've learned since then. Now, I don't really care what other people believe; if you think that pink elephants came from Uranus and shat out life on this planet, that is you prerogative. Just don't insist that the scientific community has to accept your theory and, in turn, teach it to our children.

And to restrict funding because you personally do not accept evolutionary theory: how self-righteous, egotistical and deplorable do you have to be? While claiming that the refusal has been mis-quoted and taken out of context, Janet Halliwell, the SSHRC's executive vice-president, is quoted in the Montreal Gazette as saying there are phenomena that "may not be easily explained by current theories of evolution." Um, okay. Like what? And so what if there are. That has nothing to do with the study being conducted by Dr. Alters.

As a scientist, I am frightened by what our future holds. The religious fundamentalists are not going to be easily stopped. If we do not fight for our right to continue our investigations of this world we live in, then how can we expect to continue making advances in science? Just because you do not understand a phenomenon, what right do you have to inhibit other peoples understanding? To paraphrase Scott Adams: Stupidity is like nuclear power: It can be used for both good and evil. And you don't want to get any of it on you.

Berdache's* Gone Wild

2006-04-04T16:02:00.000-06:00

I've been doing some reading regarding the early days of feminism and how the feminist movement contributed to a better understanding of women throughout time and within different cultures. These days feminism has become a dirty word, and there is no pride in claiming to be a feminist. Why is this? I cannot think of a single thing that feminists in the 60's did that I would not consider doing if I knew it would lead to equal pay for equal work, increased employment opportunities and the right for a woman to have power over her own body. Yet, I am as guilty as the next when it comes to feminist bashing. (What's the difference between a feminist and a sumo wrestler? -- A sumo wrestler shaves his legs.) I am reaping the benefits from the blood/sweat/tears poured into the woman's liberation movement, yet I cannot allow myself to be identified with them.

Perhaps my phobia at being named a feminist stems from the perversion woman's liberation has seen in the past five years. At one time, baring your breasts indicated that you were not ashamed of your body, that you were free to act how you wanted, that you were not being held down by "The Man." Now baring all gets you free beads, free drinks, and free "Girl's Gone Wild" hats. It took chauvinists thirty years, but they found a way to benefit from liberated women. After all, who wants to be called a "prude" for not showing off what evolution (or a plastic surgeon) gave you. But then again, ten years from now, when I am a professional woman working in my field, do I really want images of my naked torso in the hands of the public?

Sometimes I think that everyone younger than me has gone totally insane. Of course, that merely makes me sound like an old codger yapping about how things are just not as good as they used to be. The reality is that things are significantly better than they used to be. However, when I see clips of girls lifting their shirts for fifteen seconds of fame, and some beads, I wonder what Nellie McClung would think of all this, and whether she would have any regrets.

*A berdache is a third gender recognized by several native tribes of North America.

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On a totally different note: Today I read that a researcher at McGill Uni was denied funding for a study of how the notion of Intelligent Design is detrimental to scientific and educational interests. Apparently the committee chose not to fund his research because of his assumption that the theory of evolution is fact. I'll have more to say on this later.

Giant Human Femur Found in Turkey!!!

2006-04-03T16:40:00.000-06:00

A giant human femur (GHF) has been found in Turkey. You can tell this is true just by looking at this photo. Obviously, this guy is holding a shovel, so he must be an archaeologist. He's standing in front of a hole, so he must have just excavated the femur moments before this picture was taken. It's all so clear now. The most logical conclusion is that a race of giants roamed Earth in the past, and that the scientific community has hidden all evidence of them for some malevolent reason. Or, alternatively, the photo could be staged, and the gentleman is actually holding a giant model of a human femur. But where would you find a giant model of a human femur, painted to look like a fossil? Surely, you couldn't just buy something like that on the interweb, could you?

Wow, only $450 for a 47" giant femur! What a great deal.
Surprise your co-workers! Shock your (invisible) friends! Take pictures of yourself holding a shovel and your GHF! Prove to others that you are not insane! And for only $450!!! While supplies last.