Diversity Checklist

Male? Check.

White? Check.

Religious? Check.

Straight? Check.

All systems go.

I can't help but wonder what Sandra Day O'Connor's thinking today. (Not that I think it's her job to fix this. Just wondering, that's all.)

Wait a Sec

This seems a little disingenuous to say the least. Quoting Scott McClennan from today's White House press briefing:

I don't think while this investigation and this legal proceeding is ongoing, that we should make such presumptions. We should let that process continue.

So, let me get this straight. For the last two years, before the indictment, he couldn't comment because the investigation was ongoing. Now, after the indictment, he can't comment because the legal proceeding is ongoing. So, the only possible situation where he could have commented was when there was no indictment. But then there wouldn't have been anything to comment on anyway. How convenient.

Can someone please stop them from getting away with this? Please?

The Big Picture

Ok, so we now know at least Libby will be indicted, but really I think the bigger question is what happened to his eyebrows? Maybe that's why Fitzgerald is thinking about another inquiry.

Canada's Katrina - No Hurricane Necessary

In case Canadians were at all feeling smug after Katrina, there's this story.

I've lived in four countries other than Canada and for the most part, I can hold my head high as a Canadian (but not get all preachy, you know, 'cos no one likes that). The one and only topic that continually causes me to cringe is our past and present treatement of our First Nations people.

What amazed me even more, when working a summer job at Customs Canada, was hearing civil servants complain about "those people" who don't even pay taxes and just lie about drunk downtown. I don't know about you but if I was forced, within several generations, to watch most of my people die of foreign diseases, have my freedom and land taken away from me, be moved to the land nobody wanted and be forced to catch up with about a thousand years of European cultural development, not to mention a possible genetic predisposition to alcoholism, I'd be a little bummed.

Bush Blinks

First, let's do away with the idea that Meiers' nomination was withdrawn because they couldn't release documentation without giving away too much information about inner White House workings. That's the convenient excuse. It was withdrawn because her confirmation hearing risked showing a fractured and divided Republican party.

I was never sure that she had all the necessary qualifications, but the fact that the religious right really didn't like her seemed a good start. I think that the withdrawal is a dangerous sign. It indicates that the ultra-conservative funadmentalists not only have a firm grip on the White House, but most of the Republican party too.

Bush doesn't seem to be a president who likes to be forced to do anything so it will be interesting to see how he reacts. That said, however, he's never faced this much opposition from his base before (his base is much more concerned about overturning Roe vs Wade than drastic overspending or rash wars). He blinked once by withdrawing Meiers. Let's see if he blinks again.

Thursday's the day (perhaps)

I've been trying to avoid writing about all the rumours flying around the internet about the Plame investigation. The grand jury must come to an end on Friday, so we know something's going to happen this week (well, I guess technically they can file for an extension, but let's not go into that). Needless to say, many bloggers are in a tizzy. I didn't want to involve myself in the speculation, but I did just read this from a usually reliable site. So looks like Thursday's going to be the day. You heard it here second.

We're #43! We're #43!

Canadian frustration gets an airing in the New York Times here. (Yes, I know I said I was through with the NY Times. I'm working on it.) Don't hold your breath for America to change course. The oil angle is interesting. Wouldn't that be embarrassing - for most of North America's oil to go to China! But really, it's hard to threaten someone who knows their place in the world.

Farewell Mary Lou

This is almost as sad as when Vicki Gabereau left radio. I remember watching Barbara Frum and Mary Lou Finlay on the Journal when I was in high school. One of the few CBC radio programmes I can get on the radio is As It Happens with good old Mary Lou. She turns chatting on the phone into an art: funny when she wants to be and probing when she has to be.

Am I the only one who notices the passage of time through the comings and goings of CBC journalists? Peter Mansbridge loosing his hair and now eerily blond/white. Wendy Mesley fighting breast cancer. So much for the dream that the Canada I'll return to will be exactly the one I left. Sigh.

At Least We Get Our Own Currency

Imagine that you're a small country sharing the largest unguarded boarder with the world's only superpower. Now imagine that said superpower decides to change the hours of its daylight savings to spend less money on fuel. What would you do? You guessed it.

The Noose is Tightening

After some giddy posting on the blogosphere yesterday, it looks like it's going to take a little while longer for the Plame investigation to wrap up. I think Fitzgerald is trying to apply the pressure to get a few more of the smaller fish to talk (OK, fish don't talk but you get the gist). First there was the announcement that there would be no report. In other words, there will be indictments. Now there's news that another Cheney aide is spilling the beans.

This Is All Happening Too Quickly For Me

According to this article, Cheney may be planning to step down (yay) and Condoleeza Rice might replace him (boo). Also there are reports that a former aide to Cheney is cooperating with the Fitzgerald investigation to avoid being indicted himself.

I think this is all just a cunning plan to yet again cancel Condoleeza's trip to Canada.

As mentioned in Shakespeare's Sister, it's amazing that Bush can get away without having to address any of this for so long. One of the advantages to the parliamentary system in Canada and Britain is that the Prime Minister has to answer questions at least occasionally in question period.

Batten the Hatches

After cancelling her last trip around the time Canada declined to participate in American plans for missile defence, Condi's coming to Canada.

I work for a very small company in sector of the economy that has mostly really big players. I feel for Pierre Pettigrew. Negotiating from a position of weakness sucks.

Be sure to check out the comment section at the bottom of the page where Dr. Benedict Garry puts Canada in its place. I can only imagine that he's an ex-pat too (I find it hard to imagine that an American with such a low opinion of Canada would spend any time at the Globe and Mail website). Here's a little tip. If you're an ex-pat and it was your hatred for your country that made you leave, perhaps it's best for everyone if you don't look back.

Poor Barbara

For those of you who don't know, Barbara Frum's son used to be a speechwriter for Bush. In fact, he claims the infamous phrase "axis of evil" to be his doing. His wife's bragging of that fact got him fired. Apparently people at the White House want enough uncertainty about who wrote exactly what parts of presidential speeches so that the public can believe that their favourite parts were thought up by the Commander in Chief himself.


Anyway, David Frum is apparently in hot water for his comments on Miers.

As a side, note has anyone else noticed how so many right-wing commentators in the states are foreign? Seems like every second one I hear is ex-British or ex-Australian.

The Miers plot thickens

Well, this finally makes a bit more sense. Remember when James Dobson said that some of the things he knew about Miers were things he probably shouldn't know and then went on radio to say that he knew she was conservative, something everyone knew? Well, turns out there was a conference call where two judges from Texas told a group of religious conservatives that Miers would vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Add this to your list of things to watch.

Judith Speaks

You can read Judith Miller's own account of her grand jury testimony here . It gives a glimpse into her interactions with Libby and what Fitzgerald might be angling for in the investigation. I'm not sure it was worth 85 days in jail, though.

The Times Speaks

If you have the time or patience, the New York Times has an 8 page article on the Judith Miller debacle . I'll summarize it for you. Fellow journalists at the Times are puzzled and annoyed. Editors regret something but it's not entirely clear what. They also stand by their decision to back a reporter, but pretty much admit they wish it hadn't been Judith Miller they had to back. She, however, still thinks she accomplished something and that the biggest failing has been the inability of her and the NY Times to explain to everyone just what a great sacrifice she's made for the freedom of the press.

No mention of any annoyance or anger expressed by readers.

Canada: the new Estonia

It's nice to know that some things don't change. Ever since Monika Schnarr won the Supermodel of the World competition about 20 years ago, Canada's been known as a hot-bed for up and coming models (and let's not forget Linda Evangelista). Something about the clean living being good for the skin. Or maybe it's because Canadians are too polite to tell makeup artists to stop gluing strange objects to their faces. Anyway, apparently Canada is now the new Estonia . Yay us.

American Hubris

One of the advantages of not being a superpower is that it's hard to believe you can do just about anything. Sure, sometimes that means you spend a bit too much time navel-gazing and wringing your hands over smaller issues, but it can keep you grounded.

America's belief in itself is both a blessing and a curse. It can lead to some impressive achievements: landing on the moon, Silicon Valley, and Gravity Probe B come to mind. But when it surprises you that you can't control the outcome of war , that's got to fall under the curse category.

Things Are Getting Interesting

If you're like me, you're salivating over the possiblity of a surprising outcome from the Plame enquiry. This morning, the internet is positively humming with rumours of a widened net which could catch several big fish including Rove, Libby, and even Cheney . Fasten your seatbelts.

Relativism, The NY Times, and Intelligent Design

It's official. I'm so over the New York Times . As of today, I'm in search of a good American newspaper.

Perhaps it's because I'm older and more critical, but journalistic standards seem to have really dropped. Relativistic journalism is now the norm: the Democrats say this but the Republicans say that, or Environmentalists say this but Big Business says that. Surely there are some facts which can help us determine which side is closer to the truth.

Relativistic education is next: evolution says this but intelligent design says that. What about the ability of theories to lead to new knowledge and new technologies? Vaccines to fight evolving viruses, for example. We do all agree that viruses can mutate and thereby evolve, don't we? If we're forever lost in the middle ground of thinking that we just can't know and just have to marvel at the mystery of it all, we won't get anywhere.

Anyway, the final straw for me was the coverage (or lack thereof) of the Judy Miller story at the Times. As has been written by Arianna Huffington and many others, the Times coverage of this story has been disingenuous at best. No mention of the fact that this reporter might be seen as covering for the government. Instead, she is constantly portrayed in the Times as an honest yet humble reporter standing up for the rights of her sources against the government. But what if it's the government investigating the government? The Times is silent on that. And I've had enough.

So Good It Hurts

After having just finished off a package of these, I started thinking about food that I continue to eat after it causes me pain. I simply can't eat maltesers without pushing them to the roof of my mouth and sucking on the chocolate until a hole breaks through to the crunchy centre which quickly dissolves on my tongue. Unfortunately this delicious process is lethal for the roof of my mouth. I'll be regretting my binging for several days now.

What other foods can't you stop eating until the damage is done? Freezies come to mind : the ones in plastic casing that cuts into the sides of your mouth. Then, of course, there's the brainfreeze that comes from my all-time favourite:

Ex-Pat Must-Have

I've got mine and I love it. Get yours here.

It brings back warm memories of Hinterland's Who's Who. You know: learning about the ptarmigan or the loon and that slightly depressing themesong in flute.

Could Oprah Viewers Find Bin Laden?

Last week, Oprah helped catch one of the FBI's most wanted. Has anyone thought about getting her to help catch this man?