Beheading

By now, you've probably heard of last night's incredibly horrible and unbelievable stabbing and beheading on a Greyhound bus going from Edmonton to Winnipeg. Being from downtown Edmonton where I live, work, and play, I can actually see the Greyhound station from my window, which is only a couple blocks from my office. Which means, this deranged lunatic was walking amongst us and me yesterday.

We're talking about it in the office and either the murderer is completely insane, was on drugs (although people said he was normal during a bus stop break), or it was a gang hit. Hits are usually quick aren't they? Or is this trying to send a message to rivals? What would possess anyone to stab someone who was sleeping on a bus 70 times all over and behead them. It's totally barbaric.

I think the nation is in massive shock right now, let alone what the other passengers and bus driver must be going through.

There's been a string of absolutely crazy crimes happening around here this past week. Flashers, rapes, setting pets on fire, arsons, break and enters, murders, ... like what's going on here? Is there some new goofy drug in town?

5 provinces not 3 or 1

The above historical map taken from here shows a very different Western Canada divided into five provinces, Athabasca, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Assiniboia, and Manitoba, with the NWT Keewatin district taking what is now Northern Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. It was ultimately then Liberal Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier's idea to carve them vertically, similar to British Columbia, into three basically equal sized provinces. There was even a proposal to have British Columbia grab Alberta. Of course, the other big proposal was from Frederick Haultain, Premier of the NWT, whose name rests on a building north of the Alberta Legislature, to have one big province called Buffalo to compete with big provinces like Quebec and Ontario. But Laurier wouldn't have it.

It's interesting to think of what could've been and to note that the Athabasca in the above map would be a very rich province being that it's where the oil sands are.

But I also wonder if Canada were carved up more like the United States, with smaller geographical provinces, would they get treated as equals in the senate, unlike it is now in Canada. I still don't think Liberals respect the West, with their lack of leadership on senate reform, the national energy program, and now this dumb Green Shift idea from now Liberal "leader" Stephane Dion which will basically transfer even more money from the West to the East.

Big Brother E-Town

Well, to think they're going to solve problems, the brilliant city is now installing security cameras at Jasper Avenue and 109 Street.

They tried the same bloody thing on Whyte Avenue years ago, yet someone was still stabbed--right next to the light post which had a camera on it.

And of course a local bar owner is going to cooperate. What's he supposed to say?

Mike Sainchuk, co-owner of several bars in the area, said he supported the pilot project..

"I think it's great. We're a huge proponent of the cameras coming downtown," he said.

Sainchuk uses cameras both inside and outside his bars.

"People know there's cameras in here. Nobody wants to be the guy that next day that has his face stuck on camera, doing something dumb, so they work. They work great," he said.

So Mike if it works so great, then why do problems still persist? Why would they need to put more cameras near your establishments even though you have cameras? Didn't thwart a friend of mine from being beaten to a pulp by some thugs behind your bar just because he's gay. Where was security? What about the cameras? Did they catch the guys? Um... no.

People. People. People. Thinking that more robocops will help enforce anything is nuts and dangerous. Why aren't we simply using more actual real police.

Since we've had more police on Whyte Avenue, reports of problems have dropped.

And let's take Las Vegas for example. You don't see too many cops around on the strip. Why? Well yes because there's tonnes of surveillance outside and inside the hotels and casinos. But these are actually manned, plus the countless pit bosses, and plain clothes security guys all over the place. PLUS the fact that these are PRIVATE establishments.

The gov't has no business or right to put cameras outside to monitor your actions despite whether it's a trial project, only used at certain times, whatever.

And I never buy the argument that, "Well, if you're not doing anything illegal, then there's nothing to worry about". Watch that slippery slope there! Who knows what's next. Regulating drink prices? Oh wait...

Forget what I said about happy

Premier Ed Stelmach's Conservatives are setting minimum prices of $2.75 for a 12-ounce bottle of beer, or an ounce of spirits or liqueurs; and $1.75 for a five-ounce glass of wine. Under the new rules, happy hour -- when drinks are often sold below the regular price -- must end by 8 p. m. and cannot offer drinks at prices below the new minimums. Limits also will be placed on the size and number of last call drinks. "There's concern with the rising violence in and around drinking establishments," said Fred Lindsay, the Minister responsible for the liquor commission.

Well Fred, so what happens when the violence and fights continue? Because they will. Then what? Raise them even more?

Drug pushers and gang members who often cause violence could care less about this.

And what about the bars that have low drink prices for their regular patrons to enjoy but have never had an altercation as a result? Why is the government meddling in private business like this and setting prices?

I couldn't be more angry with the PC government in Alberta and not happy at all with Ed. This has to be one of the stupidest laws I've ever seen in my lifetime.

You know what's next? Raising the minimum drinking age to 19 or 21. Just you watch.

Come on get happy! or Happy happy joy joy!

Canadians are gettin' happier.

Yesterday was Canada Day (formerly known as Dominion Day) and I think Canadians are also getting more proud of their country. I know I am. Our military makes me proud. Very proud. Our culture, where we take the best of the UK and the US, whether music, comedy, arts, makes me proud.

And I especially enjoy the freedoms we have. Here's the key find:

"The results clearly show that the happiest societies are those that allow people the freedom to choose how to live their lives," University of Michigan political scientist Ronald Inglehart said in a press release.

You can't find a better endorsement of libertarianism than that. While it seems the gov'ts at every level intrude into our lives more and more with useless laws and the like, it's still not all that bad. We really do have it pretty darn good up here.

The more and more I travel in the U.S., the more and more proud I am to be Canadian.

So in the mortal words of Stephen Colbert ... "I Am [Canada] and So Can You!"

On Dion's Green Shift Carbon Tax

The big buzz in the Canadian blogosphere is how Liberal leader Stephane Dion wants to tax carbon, lower income taxes to "balance" it out. I'm not going to bother getting into the debate on this policy. Why?

Because I'm asking, why does anyone believe that Stephane Dion and the Liberals will even win the next election?

They won't. And you know who knows it? Ignatieff and Bob Rae. Do you hear them standing up and defending the Green Shift policy?

2.6 million dollar pyramid

Interesting how Edmonton City Council figures out that waiting to start a project ends up costing much, much more on this useless gateway idea.

Now if they understood that logic to the 23rd avenue interchange, the LRT, and a myriad of other infrastructure projects when they were deemed necessary, gone into debt and still paid less in the long run, would they have been completed by now?

Tasers are a cop out

I think all that needs to be said about stupid tasers can be found here.

'If there is injury and illness, as a physician, I would have to say those people, even if they are accused criminals, should be taken care of.'— Dr. Paul Dorian, cardiologist

You got that right.

But the cops still push...

The Canadian Police Association stands by stun gun use. President Tony Cannavino said the association would like to see every police officer in Canada armed with a Taser and that there is enough evidence to show that Tasers save lives.

"They have to get the proper training, and also not only the proper training, there should be consistency across Canada about the training and the fact that they should also be requalified every two years."

The CBC investigation into Taser use has also found that RCMP officers are likely to fire their electronic stun guns multiple times during an altercation, despite a policy that warns it may pose health risks.

It still amazes me how London Bobbies don't even carry guns, just clubs.

I'll say it again and again. We don't need robocops. We need more cops. Much more. Especially in Edmonton. I read over and over again how "investigations are pending" on theft, rape, murder, and other offenses.

If you want more info on unsolved cases, go to unsolvedcanada.ca or here for Edmonton and poke around.

Obama vs. McCain

Now that Hillary is out of the way, Obama and McCain have been going back and forth lately on the U.S. economy. In watching both speak, Obama, while clearly the better public speaker, McCain continues to fumble while trying to read the teleprompter. That said, each candidate's positions on taxes, spending, budgeting, and trade have been quite clear and their arguments have for the most part been articulate, convincing, and serious.

McCain has been trying to convince voters that he is a true fiscal conservative, where Obama has been trying to paint McCain's ideas as a continuation of Bush's failed policy.

What's interesting is Americans have two distinct choices in economic policy. The question is, who is offering real fiscal conservatism.

The thing is, Obama's policy is tied to the war in Iraq--by getting out immediately, they free up billions, but not necessarily. There's a huge deficit and debt now, and the next generations will be paying for it for quite some time. I imagine any money "saved" will pretty much have to go toward that. But Obama also proposes a pay-as-you-go policy where he would legislate that if you want tax cuts, you need to cut spending somewhere.

McCain believes the war in Iraq should end successfully in 2013, five years from now. How much more will be spent and what will be the result? More deficit and debt?

I could compare their tax policies now, but I think the real issue here isn't the economy, it's the Iraq war, and the effect it's having on the U.S. economy.

So what I'm trying to say is, if Obama continues to remind voters that no matter what McCain proposes, his policy to continue the war by also pegging him to Bush's "failed policies", this will only cripple the economy further.

I'm not saying I agree with either of them, as they both have policies that fit with my view. I'm saying that from the speeches that I've seen, I'd say that Obama's been more convincing in this area.

It's also refreshing to see two candidates simply debate the issues on real policy.

RFK

Forty years today, someone shot that nice man.

"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage such as these that the belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

(These are pictures I took in March '08 while visiting the Arlington National Cemetery.)