Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Withdraw Canadian Troops from Afghanistan

Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan

Harper's "blue ribbon panel" is an apt choice of colours such that blue is
the traditional colour for the Conservative Party. So it is not surprising
that Harper choose its members to reflect this colour.

The report is no more than a murky spin on Harper's agenda to extend the
mission indefinitely. I cannot trust the government to tell the truth and
if Mr. Dion chooses to support this travesty of democracy he will add
another millstone around his neck. I will join the Bloc and NDP and not
support it.

How difficult would it be to convince a few countries to send 1000 troops
to the Southern Afghanistan. Should he succeed how long would these
countries commit their troops to combat in this violent zone? Is there a
stipulation? There will have to be negotiations with what results? We have
no answer to these questions before Harper calls a vote to recommend that
Canadian troops continue the undefined role of combat in a war that is not
supported by the Canadian people.

As to more military equipment I'm sure that more reticent democracies can
use this as a commitment substituting sending people in to battle and
would be acceptable to the terms of Harper's Manley Report.

Canadians are being insulted if this is how Harper thinks he can sucker
us. We have been suckered by better Liberals and turfed them when we
could.

In these uncertain environmental and economic times we have a legitimate
cause to spend $100 million a month rather than maintaining Canada's
unlimited extension of the Afghan Campaign.

That would get my definite support.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Jan 14/08: The Border – CBC TV Episode 2

For some reason my comments on The Border's Blog bring it to a halt. Here's the second review and if you can tell me why I have a terminating effect please let me know.

My first comment on another post was submitted following the first episode and can be read here, "http://www.cbc.ca/theborder/blog/2007/12/longtime_documentarian_peter_r.html#comment-682423"

As I said on my original post, I would watch this several times to decide if I will continue to watch it or not.

I have always enjoyed CBC programs as they had writing that reflected a 'Canadian style' as opposed to copying non-Canadian productions. Unfortunately these are fewer and far between as programming has to compete for market share and advertising dollars. Such is the original American way and as such popular programming has to compete with American programs flowing across "The Border".

Two minutes into the second episode the situation was absurd. Canada was being invaded by Homeland Security but how could it be Canada when it was on First Nations Mohawk land? Try to suspend my incredulity? Sorry, not only is it just plain dumb, it's an insult to all First Nations.

The plots are predictable such as when I knew the second the prisoner being led out into the parking lot was going to be shot. or unpredictable, yet again dumb, when they were able to track the US Agent to the island when her secret GPS device was chucked at the casino dock.

Maybe you think I'm being unfairly picky after all it's just TV. But this is stuffing CBC into a new envelope complete with gore in its most graphic.

I will spare you with further observations but I doubt I will catch the third episode as I get a negative reaction when I feel I'm being dumbed down. I'll leave Global, CITY and CTV to Americanize Canada.

Posted by: John Warren | January 16, 2008 05:16 AM

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Good Cop Bad Cop - The Border – CBC TV Premiere



"The Border"

Is the CBC really sticking its political neck out again with this one?

The first episode’s major plot is decidedly in he left zone of the spectrum and will undoubtedly be voraciously attacked by the Harper Zone. The last fifteen minutes said it all, CSIS, Foreign Affairs, The Attorney General, the PMO for heaven’s sake, the CIA and Homeland Security are, full caps, BAD! Not only is Immigration and Customs, full caps, GOOD they are all great looking so they are, full caps, COOL! But then, as Harper would be quick to point out, it was the Liberals under Chretien that provided the theme for this episode, the ‘Extraordinary Rendition’ of Maher Arar.

Sensationalistic production and dialogue using familiar mainstream media soundbites familiar to most Canadians has been packaged into one hour of hyper-entertainment. From the adrenaline pumping first few minutes to the first commercial after ten minutes we are subjected to guns, human-bombs and hack lines, chase scenes, crowd panic, confusion. CBC is looking for a ratings hit

After the first half hour I am left with the inescapable impression that The Border is totally unrealistic; characters, plots, sub-plots, dialogue – Thank God its just TV! In any other context I think I would be living in Bush’s America, turning truth into fiction.

But one achievement, to me anyway, is that the geek on junk food, Hieronymous, has me loopy! What the Hell does Maggie put in those brownies? Speed?

Well somehow, unlike the CBC’s subtle and far more believable, TV series, “Intelligence”, they are looking for the magic quarter mill (that’s half a million eyeballs) and have thrown at us as many hooks in the book as any American show can get into one hour. Where did I read that this was “slick”? Well it is and maybe because it’s done in Toronto whereas “Intelligence” was filmed in Vancouver.

Boiling down the issues to Good vs. Bad sounds all too familiar as we watch Fox news, rendering us incapable of using our imaginations much will surely dumb us down. Funny, propaganda can do this too but I can only hope not.

Defend the Border: Why CBC's new show can only help "the bad guys"
Submitted by Justin Podur on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 19:01.
Published on ZNet Jan 5/08


Border between thought and action
Jan 07, 2008 04:30 AM
Vinay Menon

Good cop/Bad cop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Rabble/Babble

Good Cop Bad Cop - The Border – CBC TV Premiere

"The Border"

Is the CBC really sticking its political neck out again with this one?

The first episode’s major plot is decidedly in he left zone of the spectrum and will undoubtedly be voraciously attacked by the Harper Zone. The last fifteen minutes said it all, CSIS, Foreign Affairs, The Attorney General, the PMO for heaven’s sake, the CIA and Homeland Security are, full caps, BAD! Not only is Immigration and Customs, full caps, GOOD they are all great looking so they are, full caps, COOL! But then, as Harper would be quick to point out, it was the Liberals under Chretien that provided the theme for this episode, the ‘Extraordinary Rendition’ of Maher Arar.

Sensationalistic production and dialogue using familiar mainstream media soundbites familiar to most Canadians has been packaged into one hour of hyper-entertainment. From the adrenaline pumping first few minutes to the first commercial after ten minutes we are subjected to guns, human-bombs and hack lines, chase scenes, crowd panic, confusion. CBC is looking for a ratings hit

After the first half hour I am left with the inescapable impression that The Border is totally unrealistic; characters, plots, sub-plots, dialogue – Thank God its just TV! In any other context I think I would be living in Bush’s America, turning truth into fiction.

But one achievement, to me anyway, is that the geek on junk food, Hieronymous, has me loopy! What the Hell does Maggie put in those brownies? Speed?

Well somehow, unlike the CBC’s subtle and far more believable, TV series, “Intelligence”, they are looking for the magic quarter mill (that’s half a million eyeballs) and have thrown at us as many hooks in the book as any American show can get into one hour. Where did I read that this was “slick”? Well it is and maybe because it’s done in Toronto whereas “Intelligence” was filmed in Vancouver.

Boiling down the issues to Good vs. Bad sounds all too familiar as we watch Fox news, rendering us incapable of using our imaginations much will surely dumb us down. Funny, propaganda can do this to but I can only hope not.

Defend the Border: Why CBC's new show can only help "the bad guys"

Border between thought and action
Jan 07, 2008 04:30 AM
Vinay Menon

Good cop/Bad cop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Rabble/Babble