Party Anyone?

As the bricolage that is the G8 summit and it's evil bastard spawn the G20 roll into town this week, I have become acutely aware that there is very little left about which to bitch and moan. It has all been said and by far better pundits than am I. Ok! I won't be able to attend the second coming of Roy Halladay because the Jays have been shuttled off to Philly for the weekend. Forget any kind of trek into the city for theatre or dinner. Even if we could manage to get there, (traffic congestion promises to be as artery clogging as the worst possible cardiac episode) most businesses in the downtown core have wisely shuttered for the duration. Universities in the area have shut down for the days of the summit and the school board has cancelled all buses for kids, bestowing upon them an early start to their summer vacations. "Toronto the Good" is now a police state, with fences running around its perimetre and an armed constabulary patrolling on foot, horseback, and bicycle in full riot gear. We citizens have become well versed in new-aged weaponry such as water canons and piercing noise guns that will easily disperse crowds that become too vocal or too agitated. And just think-all of this could have be your's and your cities' joy for the bargain basement price of $1.1 billion. That is just the cost for which the taxpayer is on the hook. Included in the price tag? Security and cops of course. So many are required that we have had to import them from other jurisdictions. A fake lake and a media centre to show off the Muskoka beauty that the press corps will never see because they can't all fit at the site, will cost 2 mil. Facelifts for northern communities that no leader will come close to viewing are costing millions more. Nobody can even begin to calculate the revenues lost to businesses that are shutting down on the first weekend of the summer season. Not to mention the fact, that we Torontonians never asked to host this sham. We wanted the Olympics. Now, that is an event we could have all gotten behind. Who cares if Sweatered Stevie has a nice chat with Barry or Angie? Certainly not the citizenry of my hometown.

Since complaining has gotten us absolutely nowhere and leaving our homes for the next few days will prove to be an adventure in orienteering, I have instead decided to host a virtual G20 Summit party. All suggestions are welcome. I thought that we could come as our favourite world leader. I know that I could pull off  Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina. The resemblance is striking, no?

Stop laughing now! That's an order! Well-I think I could make it work.

The Husband and I will construct a fence around our fake lake that doubles as our swimming pool, to simulate the prison-image of Toronto that the leaders will undoubtedly take home with them. Every guest must provide a cover charge to help offset the flower planting that needs to be done to bring the property up to G20 standards, and we need to purchase a few rubber duckies so that it will have that Huntsville feel. I am certain that I can convince the local neighbourhood watch to provide security. Please understand that they will be armed only with cellphones so if anything goes missing or is damaged, "dems da breaks!" The squirrels that illegally inhabit my yard are more than happy to act the part of unruly rabble-rousers and I am certain that I could scare up a BB gun or air horn to knock them off of their perches. Perhaps my neighbour's little shi-tzu will bark impatiently as she is known to do on occasion, to fend off the riff-raff. Please, no parking in the driveway or on any street within the containment zone.

I thought that we might serve cocktails. How about a mug of Angela's Ale? Maybe you'd prefer Lula's Hard Lemonade, or an Obama Mama? I am really not the drinker in this family, so I am open to suggestions. Munchies? A caldron of Calderón sopa or maybe Myung-Bak ribs. Vegetarians might want  to avoid those.

We will save money on decorations by using the various country flags that are being flown proudly across the city in celebration of the World Cup. No need to invest twice. Everybody who attends must attach one to his/her car window. I am partial to the red and white of my home country, so the rest of you can fight over the remainder.

I am willing to take any other suggestions that party-goers might have. Since it is virtual-invite any and all comers. Meet you back here on Friday. Halladay is scheduled to pitch.

18 Days

The city of Toronto seems to be on a collision course with its unionized workers towards a work stoppage this Monday. While many city services could be affected by the strike, such as pool closures, city camp disruptions, permit allocation and the like, the one area that everybody is talking about is garbage! Yup! It's true. The city of Toronto is likely headed towards a garbage strike beginning on the first full workday of summer. A caveat in the interest of full disclosure: I don't technically live within the city limits, so my family will not be fully involved in this strike as my city, the totally above scandal and reproach (she says dripping with sarcasm!) city of Vaughn, will continue to haul my trash and recycling as per usual.

Now, anybody who has ever lived through a garbage strike knows that things can get fairly ugly pretty quickly. In spite of designated transfer stations and areas designed for dumping, inconsiderate boors tend to just toss their crap wherever they please. The odours become unbearable and the health ramifications are enormous, especially in the heat and humidity of a Toronto summer. (If it ever shows up!) So, it would seem logical that both sides in the dispute would be doing everything they can to avoid such a scenario. The problem is 18 days. 18 measly sick days. It seems that the union had negotiated in past contracts a marvelous little perk that allowed its members 18 sick days a year. If those days were not used, they could be banked and cashed out at retirement, with certain limits, up to 130 full days. This little nugget, which is unheard of in the private sector, is costing the city upwards of $250 million dollars per year. Obviously, the city wants to do away with the practice while the union is fighting tooth and nail to keep it. This little gem of a cartoon by Patrick Corrigan of The Toronto Star appeared in today's paper.

While I am sympathetic to workers who have negotiated contracts in good faith, it is becoming increasingly obvious that unions have yet to grasp the severity of the new economic order. Last month, the Canadian Auto workers seemed willing to allow GM and Chrysler to go under, rather than accept concessions that were necessary to keep the companies afloat. In the end, the companies got what they required if only because the workers finally came to understand that a plum manufacturing job of any kind in this market was better than unemployment. Not only that, it is difficult to sell such a lavish perk to the public and get them on your side when many of those same rate payers are suffering economic hardship. The optics for the union in this case are poor and it will be next to impossible to win the PR battle. It will only get worse when the garbage starts piling up, the smells start permeating and the tourists stop coming.

If any of my friends or relatives who live in the city require help in disposing of trash, call me and we can arrange suitable waste management. We have every other week pick up (welcome to the real world Toronto!) with a limit of 3 bags. Anything over that costs a buck, but it is well worth the loonie. Recycling occurs weekly with no limit, so if your are a conscientious separator, we can do business. I end with my favourite folkie who in this one song sums up what we may be in for. Good luck TO! You're going to need it.

Rush Limbore

Rush Limbaugh is a bore! A mammoth-sized, cigar chewing, ego-maniacal, misogynistic, race-baiting, self-important, narcissistic, pompous gasbag! This man's radio show, which boasts 20 million listeners weekly, (according to Rush himself) has become a dumping ground for the ignorant; a group of people who are either unable or uninterested in forming thoughtful, concise and reasoned conservative thoughts. Rush affectionately calls his audience dittoheads; a term that I associate with a group of automatons that have no personal means of self-expression. Call me crazy, but isn't that an insult?

It is with incredible amusement that I have been watching Rush's recent, but not so meteoric, rise from blowhard to de-facto Republican leader. The mainstream media has been quick to jump all over his speech at CPAC and his recent ridiculousness about wanting the president to fail. Yesterday, in a typical flurry of megalomania, Rush actually challenged the president to a debate. The democrats are eating this stuff up and are pushing the idea of Rush as the leader of the Republican party, because it further banishes the elephants to the political wilderness in which they find themselves. If the right wing-nuts want to appoint this manufacturer of wind to lead them out of the political desert and back into the halls of power, who are we to argue? But, they should at the very least be acutely aware of the asshole to which they have hitched their wagons. Here is Rush in his own words.

“He’s trying to figure out how he can get involved in the deal down there at Duke where the lacrosse team…supposedly, you know, raped, some, uh, hos.” [31/3/06]

"Feminism was established as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society."

LIMBAUGH: "Hey, Barack Obama has picked up another endorsement: Halfrican American actress Halle Berry. "As a Halfrican American, I am honored to have Ms. Berry's support, as well as the support of other Halfrican Americans," Obama said.

He didn't say it, but -- anyway, there are those out there -- greetings."

Discussing Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) speech following her election as the country's first female speaker of the House, Limbaugh stated on January 5, 2007: "[L]ook at Ms. Pelosi. Why, she can multitask. She can breastfeed, she can clip her toenails, she can direct the House, all while the kids are sitting on her lap at the same time."

This is the man who consistently uses the term feminazis to describe feminists. This is a man who said that Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama simply because he is black. This is a man who says that African American contestants on Survivor are at a disadvantage because "blacks can't swim." This is a man who accused acclaimed actor and activist Michael J. Fox of exaggerating his Parkinson's symptoms for political gain. (He then went on to actually demonstrate Mr. Fox's tremors and tics.) The late, great columnist Molly Ivins reported:

On his TV show, early in the Clinton administration, Limbaugh put up a picture of Socks, the White House cat, and asked, "Did you know there's a White House dog?" Then he put up a picture of Chelsea Clinton, who was 13 years old at the time and as far as I know had never done any harm to anyone.

This is a man who thinks sexism, racism, fraternity behaviour, multiple divorces, prescription drug addiction, and conspiracy theories are all just "entertainment". He is just a harmless, lovable scamp who won't play victim for the "female white new castrati" 

Are we having fun yet? 

Rush Limbaugh is an affront to conservatism, and this is coming from a dedicated liberal. A true two party system needs two healthy and viable options from which to intelligently choose. If this is the best that the Republicans can do, then enjoy the boondocks red voters. You will be there for a while yet.

What Exactly is Hate Speech if Not This?

I am a proud Canadian Jew and for the most part I am gratified by the way that my countrymen and government have supported my people. But, my goodwill has being severely tested over the past 24 hours. First off the mark was the reprehensible decision by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) university workers to pass a controversial motion calling for an academic boycott of Israel. This report is from the Toronto Star.

Although the motion didn't call for a boycott of individual Israeli academics - as some union members had suggested last month - it encourages union locals to publicly discuss boycotting Israeli universities and to push Canadian universities to end any research or investments that could benefit the Israeli army.

The committee, which represents the union's university workers, called on the union to develop an education campaign on what its proponents label Israel's "apartheid" practices, such as building a wall around Palestinian territory and invading the Gaza Strip in December; asks the union to back an international campaign of sanctions and boycotts against the country and asks the national union to start researching Canadian connections to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The boycott, however, stopped short of calling for Canadian universities to ban Israeli academics, an idea previously floated by CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan.

Obviously Jewish organizations are appalled by the motion, and kudos need to go out to two local CUPE chapters at the University of Windsor that have said that they would disassociate from the union. This is not the first time that Canada's largest service union has attempted such a blatantly anti-semitic action and I am certain that it won't be the last. And while it is simply a motion adopted by a committee of the union and not binding to the union as a whole, it does set in motion a dangerous course of action that needs to be meticulously monitored.

Today a second and even more disturbing turn of events. A Saskatoon judge acquitted former aboriginal leader David Ahenakew of wilfully promoting hatred against Jews. This was the second trial for the former head of the Assembly of First Nations after he spewed ugliness during a speech at an economic seminar six years ago. In that speech he called Jews "a disease" and he appeared to justify the Holocaust. Here is Mr. Ahenakew in his own words."

"How do you get rid of a disease like that, that's going to take over, that's going to dominate?"  "The Jews damn near owned all of Germany prior to the war. That's how Hitler came in. He was going to make damn sure that the Jews didn't take over Germany or Europe.

"That's why he fried six million of those guys, you know. Jews would have owned the God-damned world."

His first trial ended in a conviction and he was fined $1000.00 and he was stripped of his Order of Canada. The verdict was overturned on appeal setting the stage for trial number 2. Let me ask something of Provincial Court judge Wilfred Tucker; "If this shit doesn't fit the legal criteria for hate speech, what does?" Now I am no lawyer, but it seems to me that this fits the bill. The judge said that while he abhors the comments, he didn't believe that Mr. Ahenakew intended to promote hatred. NO?? He wants to come to my Pesach seder??? Please, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. (Thanks Judge Judy for that pearl!) To make matters worse, the native leader testified during his trial; "Everybody says I'm a Jew-hater," he told court. "I don't hate the Jews, but I hate what they do to people." My fellow Canadian Jews, be very aware and be very scared.

Civil Rights

I have had the privilege of being happily married to the Husband for almost 24 years. I cannot imagine what it might feel like if overnight, somebody told me that my marriage must end. The following video come courtesy of the Courage Campaign attempting to block the totally discriminatory behaviour that is the fallout from California's henious passing of Proposition 8. Ken Starr (yes that Ken Starr!) filed a brief last month on behalf of the "Yes" campaign that would forcibly divorce 18,000 couples that legally wed before the nightmare of Prop 8. Please sign the petition and help put an end to this obvious discriminatory action. We in Canada have welcomed same-sex marriages for more than 5 years now. Let's help drag our American cousins into the 21st century.

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

What Could I do with 18.4 Billion Dollars?

In stunning acts of avarice and colossal greed that would make Bernie Madoff shudder with pride, the titans of Wall Street were bellying up to the bonus trough to the tune of 18.4 billion dollars in 2008, the New York Times reported yesterday.

Despite crippling losses, multibillion-dollar bailouts and the passing of some of the most prominent names in the business, employees at financial companies in New York, the now-diminished world capital of capital, collected an estimated $18.4 billion in bonuses for the year. 

That was the sixth-largest haul on record, according to a report released Wednesday by the New York State comptroller.

While the payouts paled next to the riches of recent years, Wall Street workers still took home about as much as they did in 2004, when the Dow Jones industrial average was flying above 10,000, on its way to a record high.

Some bankers took home millions last year even as their employers lost billions.

There have been reports of multi-million dollar packages for corporate bigwigs, spa weekends as perks, office redecoration bills in the millions and corporate jets still being flown with regularity, all while the markets have tumbled in record fashion, job losses are mounting daily, foreclosures are becoming commonplace and taxpayers are footing the bill for these assholes' companies bailouts. Can you say disconnect? President Obama (Wow! That really rolls quite easily off of the tongue) was almost apoplectic. (Ok! He was the Obama version of apoplectic. I think I saw his nose twitch a little, which obviously meant that a nostril must have flared!) 

"It is the height of irresponsibility for employees to be paid more than $18 billion in bonuses last year while their crumbling financial sector received a bailout from taxpayers. "It is shameful," Obama said from the Oval Office. "And part of what we're going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint, and show some discipline, and show some sense of responsibility."

Restraint, you say Mr. President? Don't you really mean a cultural sea-change? John Thain, the former CEO of Merrill Lynch which was recently sold to Bank of America as a direct result of a 15.4 billion dollar fourth quarter loss, has been trying to wrangle his 14 million dollar bonus and severance package out of the wheezing company that forced him out. This comes after it was revealed that all the while the bailouts were being negotiated, Mr. Thain was redecorating his downtown Manhattan offices to the tune of 1.2 million dollars. These bills included a $1400 wastebasket and a $35,000 toilet. (Insert obvious crap joke here!!) Mr. Thain has become the poster boy for the Wall Street bandits. 

I ask you? What do these people do that is so special, that makes them think that they deserve bonuses of this magnitude? I always thought that the word bonus meant "extra". If a job is done and done well, there are bonuses tied to exceptional performance. Shouldn't that also mean that if you have put a company into the crapper ($35,000 one notwithstanding) you must be held responsible? I have heard the argument that they work hard for the money, but do they work any harder than the emergency room physician on-call for 48 straight hours or the construction worker repairing a damaged bridge in -40 degree temperatures? No, there is an obvious disconnect between the financial sector and the average person. There is a sense of entitlement that is frighteningly apparent, that hasn't dissipated one iota, even as their worlds have begun to crumble around them. 

This disconnect extends to politicians as well. Here in the Great White North, Sweatered Stevie just brought down his much anticipated budget; the one that was supposed to kick-start the economy and keep the evil Liberal empire from usurping his turf. One of the centrepieces of the document is a much discussed tax break for home renovations and re-fittings. The idea is to help the ailing trades. Steve, baby! Why would somebody put new windows in their home, when they can't even pay the mortgage because their job has magically disappeared? Do you honestly think that the tax cuts proposed are going to be spent in the economy or isn't it more likely that they will be saved for essentials like food and heat? 

This economic recession that the world finds itself in will be studied and debated by smarter people then me for many years to come, and I would hazard to guess that it will probably get much worse before it gets better, but at the very least it is time to "bitchslap" the so-called financial wizards who hastened our arrival at this point. I realize that recovering that 18.4 billion is probably a lost cause, but it would be nice to see someone try.

Yes We Did!

I have a cold. Not a wonderful way to spend a day in South Florida, or anywhere for that matter, but I really didn't want to be sick today. I wanted to revel. I wanted to gloat. I wanted to make fun of the Dumbass in Chief who was finally exiting the world stage and I wanted to heckle his "Dr. Evil"-clone in a wheelchair, sad excuse for a vice-president. (Didn't he look like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove?) I wanted a clear head when I heard intelligence from a political leader for the first time in years. I didn't want to miss a moment of history-and this is coming from an outsider; a stranger in a strange land, who crashed the party, uninvited.

Today I witnessed elegance. Today I saw humanity. Today I engaged in dialogue and rational thought. Today I saw generations weep for those who weren't here, and those who were yet to come. Today I was an observer to true bipartisanship; and today I saw true believers. It may sound corny and it may sound trite, but today I saw a man become an icon and an entire world transformed by his grace.

I have never before seen anything like today. I was not around for the last transformative leader. I was an infant when he and his kind exited this world with so much left incomplete. I have lived through a time of great excess and selfishness, a time of intolerance and a time of greed. My generation has usurped its authority. Today, we were reminded of our responsibilities. Today, we remembered that we need to be more engaged and more involved. Today we know that divisiveness and pettiness and ridiculous partisan behaviour needs to be consigned to the dustbins of history, in favour of cooperation and compromise. Today we saw the beginning. It won't be easy. He is not a messiah, he is just a man. But, he is a man with ideas-ideas that deserve to be heard and attempted. He is a man with an intellectual creativity that is astounding, and he is a man who has a genuine affinity for family, without resorting to using them as props.

So, today with my nose weighing about 10 pounds, surrounded by my Kleenex, Sudafed, Vicks lozenges and Chloroseptic, I spent 15 hours on the couch watching every move, every speech, every band and every dance. I debated her dress with my friend and I laughed at the lack of attention of the young girls. I was appalled by the poet laureate (WTF?) and I was reaffirmed by the brilliance that is Aretha. I tolerated the pundits and I even watched Fox News for a few minutes to laugh at their pessimism. (Today was not the day for pessimism!) Today, I actually didn't mind being sick, because I was totally captivated. Tomorrow, the real work begins.

What to do during Proroguing?

It is now official! The parliament of Canada has temporarily been put on hiatus so that the Prime Minister and his cronies can come up with a new strategy for the country that doesn't involve a gigantic pissing contest. Members of Parliament have been told to return home until January 26th, when, according to "his highness in a sweater vest", the business of the government will resume with the tabling of the federal budget. And, while the Governor General didn't make it easy for Stephen the Arrogant, (she made him sweat out a two hour meeting!) she really did make the only decision that she logically could make. So, now that our elected officials have an eight week paid vacation, (because God forbid that their salaries, pensions or benefit packages should have been prorogued!!) I thought that I might suggest a few ideas of how they might spend their time productively. Feel free to add your own ideas.

• Relationship counseling. This is not merely a suggestion, but I believe it should be a moral imperative for all of our elected officials, especially the leaders. Stick the four idiots in a room and force them to listen to their self-important and self-promoting speeches to the house, and their less than decorous responses to their colleagues over and over again on a continuous loop. (We've all had to!!) They should all be forced to apologize to each other, all of us, and then develop a strategy to work by. It is no less than we would expect from our bickering children or feuding spouses. We should demand it from the assholes that we were stupid enough to elect. After everyone has re-holstered their manhood, they should be impelled to remember some basic differences between a parliamentary system and a republic. Canadians as a whole did not elect Stephen Harper, the good folks of Calgary West did. He is Prime Minister by virtue of his heading up the party with the most seats. He is only one of 308 Members of the House of Commons and if his government has lost the confidence of the Parliament, it is well within the democratic principles laid out by our Constitution for the Opposition to bring it down. This is not a coup d'etat, but rather a perfectly legal, if maybe somewhat transparent, maneuver, but this is what all of the leaders signed on for when they ran for office, so gentlemen (and I use that term loosely) "get thee to a shrink." A bit of new-age kumbayaing is definitely called for right about now.
• Knit. Knitting is not only nerve-calming and extremely soothing, it is productive. Knitting circles are popping up all over the place. Why not stick every MP into a knitting circle? It would force them to relate personally to their constituents, and the products of their labours could be donated to homeless shelters, hospitals and Goodwill. Winter is here with a vengeance, why not put some of that free time to good use by making winter a bit warmer for those less fortunate.
• Snow removal. There are many individuals in my neighbourhood alone, who are not in any physical shape to safely clear their driveways. I suggest that we put the MPs to work shoveling. They are quite used to shoveling, only snow is colder! Think of the money that could be saved by our cities if we put the Members to work clearing the ice!
• Litter clean-up. Put them to work in our parks and public areas cleaning up the crap. It is not unusual to put people convicted of misdemeanors to work on community service. These jerks have barely begun their community service and they are getting paid outrageous sums to sit on their asses. Get to work and help clean up the communities that you claim to represent.
• Volunteer. Big Brothers and Big Sisters could use 308 semi-intelligent people to help with all of those kids looking for mentors. Maybe they could work at "out of the cold" programs or clean cages at the Humane Society. There is a lengthy list of agencies just crying for help and maybe if our ivory towered politicians saw up close those whom their politics directly affects, they might be less likely to slash and burn.
• Teach in our public schools. Put every one of them to work explaining political science to our kids and make them answer for their decisions. Our children are often our toughest critics and ask the toughest questions. Our politicians need to be educated by our youth.

These are just a few that popped into my scrambled brain. I am sure that you have others. Send them along and I will publish.  

UPDATE*** The Sound of Music trivia is closed and I must say that I never thought that you guys would wuss out on the toughies. I did get a few responses, but Kathy once again triumphed with 10/10! Thanks all for playing.

Sarah Palin:7 Million Dollar Woman!!

I'm sorry.  I have absolutely no time to be writing this today, but the headline just could not escape my attention.  It seems that the Governor of Alaska is in line for a big payday in the form of a book deal.  Publishing houses are lining up to throw money at this woman. This woman who could not string together two coherent sentences if her career depended on it! (Oh-that's right-HER CAREER DID DEPEND ON IT!!!)  If Governor Moosemeat deserves 7 mil, then I believe that I am entitled to at least half of that for having to endure the farce that was her campaign for almost three months.  Honestly!  Who in their right mind would actually shell out $25-$30 for the ramblings of the "Mind to Nowhere"?  If Sarah were to ask for my assistance on her book project, (and I am certain that she could care less about anybody's opinion but her own) I might offer her these samples as potential chapters.

• The Tenderized Moose and How to Cook it.  She could include family favourites like Moose chili, (which poor Matt Lauer had to endure!) moose burgers, moose meatloaf, a nice moose rub, and maybe chocolate moose for a dessert!!  She could also add step by step instructions as to the art of moose stalking and a how to guide on the rigours of how to properly dress a moose, so that the funky taste of buckshot is removed.
• Snowmobile maintenance and Care. She might require the "First Dude's" help with this chapter.  Relevant advice could include how to start the damn thing when the temperatures dip to the ungodly, diesel vs unleaded (drill baby drill!!) and how to safely affix a car seat to hold baby Trig! 
• Pandering to Congress for Pork Without Getting Caught.  Build a few more bridges, drill on a few more wildlife preserves and melt a few more glaciers all without it sticking to you politically.
• How to Shop at Saks and Barneys for $150,000 or less.  Worthwhile tips could include how to blame others for the expenditures, how to dress down a wardrobe so that items appear to have been purchased at the consignment shop in Wasilla, or how to teach your 7 year old to work that Prada bag!!
• How to Deal with the Liberal Media. Basically don't engage in any press conferences, hide your medical records from prying eyes, and only give sit-downs to the friendly sorts like Sean Hanity.  Avoid the beast that is Katie Couric at all costs!
• How to Name your Child like a True Alaskan! Just look around the room and find the most obscure object there, and VOILA!-baby name!!  "Sofa" "Frame" "Stool"......
• Vacation Ideas from the Gov! Who needs to travel and see the world when one can see Russia from the front porch.  
  

Please feel free to add your own chapter ideas for the "Thrilla from Wasilla".  Mama needs to earn that 7 mil!!

The Sun Also Rises

There is so much to be awed by, touched by, mesmerized by and captivated by on this the day after. My cynical half is wrestling with my etherial half.  I want to bask in the glow of sanity returning to the world.  I want to relish the historical magnitude of the moment.  I want to shade my vision with rose-coloured specs, but I find reality invading at every turn.  Please do not misunderstand me.  I am beyond thrilled at the events of the past 24 hours.  I was personally drawn into the pure universality of the moment, when I found myself texting my Viet Nam- traveling parents electoral college updates so that they might in turn, keep their tour companions informed of the doings back home.  They were starved for information and when Ohio turned deep blue, I could almost hear 20 North Americans scream in joy from Ho Chi Minh City.  It is just that I know that in spite of the results of last evening, there is still a long way to go.  My progressive nature will not let me forget the battles for equality that were waged and lost yesterday.

The state of California passed Proposition 8 by the narrowest of margins.  This initiative will overturn the legalization of gay marriage in the state and will entrench a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Arkansas saw the approval of a ballot initiative that will prohibit same-sex couples and unmarried straight couples from adopting and Florida and Arizona approved marriage protection amendments that, in Florida, defines marriage as a bond between straight couples and renders invalid any other union that is "treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent." In other words, they have effectively eliminated any hope of even a civil union surviving in the state. Colorado citizens had the great sense to reject granting personhood to the unborn fetus, but they are very close to banning affirmative action.   

While a tremendous blow for equality was struck yesterday, there is still a segment of the population that society deems acceptable to marginalize.  Until all people are given equal rights and equal protection irregardless of race, creed, religion, sex or sexual orientation we cannot truly bask in the full glow of Mr. Obama's magnificent victory.  I am fortunate to live in a country where the issues of gay marriage and women's reproductive rights have been rightly consigned to the dustbins of history. Among my many hopes for an Obama administration is that my American brethren will come to understand the true empowerment of equalization for all.  And, while I want it to happen all at once, I take tremendous comfort in the enormous leap forward that was made yesterday.  

Baruch atah Adonai,

Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam

Shecheyanu, vikimanu, vi-higianu

Lazman Hazeh!!

Blessed are You

Adonai our God

Ruler of the Universe

Who has given us life

Sustained us

And enabled us to reach this day!

Amen!! 

Waiting for the Morning After

I don't do suspense well.  I hate movies that put the audience through the ringer, simply because they have as their goal a massive payoff at the end. (Mood music sucks!!)

I hate surprises.  I am anal retentive and methodical, hence I appreciate order, uniformity, regularity and routine.  I have suffered through only one surprise birthday party in my lifetime (my 18th) and I was thankful to have been felled by the flu, so that I did not have to feign shock.  

Fifteen years ago, I was fortunate enough to have attended a couple of World Series games involving my beloved Blue Jays.  I was grateful that they were early in the series, so that I didn't have to sit on shpilkis while my team battled for the championship against the Phillies. I had just arrived home from an evening at the theatre,  when Joe Carter hit his now famous home run. The husband and I managed to view the final inning without any of the suspense that preceded it.  I recently watched the entire final game on ESPN Classic, and I must say that it was very satisfying to view when the outcome was known and no longer in doubt. 

So it is with knotted stomach and lumpy throat, that I sit here in anticipation of the polls closing.  I am allowing my imagination to run wild.  I am concocting scenarios whereby we might witness another tarnished election.  I am watching CNN with the sound muted because I cannot take one more story about voting problems and broken machines.  I am avoiding all talk of exit polls and voter fraud.  I just want to know the inevitability.  I want to know the winner and I want the winner to be.......well, guess!!!

Some Random Pre-Election Thoughts

I realize that I am a dumb Canuck and have no real legitimacy to comment on the day of historic proportions that awaits, but I have been pondering some of the outright lunacy that surrounds the American political system. Call it a Stop the Stupid for the 2008 election season.

1. Why is it that every state cannot harmonize their voting processes? One would have thought that after the debacle of 2000 that introduced the world to the existence of a hanging chad, that the federal government would have passed a law that demanded uniformity amongst the states, at least in the cases of federal elections. I find it absolutely appalling that what might work well in Nevada, contravenes law in Florida. (Don't yell at me for ambiguity, these were just examples!!) Ohio, which has been a bastion for voting issues over the years, is operating under a new system for the third time in three elections. I realize that the ballots are about far more than the election of the president. They are crammed with House races, Senate races, Gubernatorial races, sometimes state house races, judges, sheriffs, Attorneys General and a whole host of ridiculous ballot initiatives. All the more reason to properly and accurately count each and every ballot with a uniform system that can be traced, retraced and backed up!! I understand that special interests on both sides of the aisle have interfered with a coherent election system, but this nonsense affects both parties equally and the untold millions that have been spent on band-aid solutions, should be an embarrassment to the American people. Come on, folks! It is time to practice what you preach to the rest of the world and hold an election that is totally democratic and above board. Harmonize the voting booths.

2. And while I am on the subject, what is wrong with a piece of paper and a number 2 pencil? That is how we do it in the north hinterland, and we don't have many problems. Simply go into the voting booth with a piece of paper that lists the candidates and mark a big fat X next to the name you choose. Sounds simple, doesn't it?  There is a paper trail that follows the vote and there is no doubt as to the veracity of the ballot.  If the argument against the paper ballot is that it takes too long to count, I cannot concur.  We here in the Great White North seem to always know the victors within a few hours of the polls closing.  Now I realize that you have a lot more people voting then do we, but that also means that you must have more volunteers, scrutinizers and paid employees to count the votes.  Trust me! Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution.

3. There are thoughts that my friends to the south could be facing a record turn-out tomorrow. Fantastic, except if you happen to be stuck in one of those three hour lines.  Early voting has certainly helped to alleviate some of the expected congestion, but there are only a handful of states that permit early polls.  Again, there is an issue with harmonization. It is every citizen's constitutional right to vote and most workers should be provided with a window of time during the day to actually get out and exercise that right.  But, it seems to me that if numbers are a problem (and a nice problem to have, since we up here only managed to drag 58% to the polls) the idea of making election day a holiday has some merit.  For God sakes, you have holidays that celebrate dead presidents, why not have a holiday that celebrates a live one?  Maybe voting days should be shifted to Saturday and Sunday so as to maximize the turnout.  Whatever the solution, the disenfranchising of any voter should not be tolerated on any level, and it should be incumbent on the states to make the process user-friendly.

4. Which leads me to the voter lists and rolls.  New laws in many states, (Indiana are you listening?) are being enforced that will demand proper ID at the polls.  While fraud is of major concern, the type of photo ID that is required is sketchy at best.  Driver's licenses are now required in many places to prove identity.  The problem is that 1 in 4 African-Americans do not hold a driver's license.  Many people of a certain age have no further need of a driver's license. Many people cannot afford to drive a car, so getting a license has been on the back-burner. While it is my hope that other forms of ID might be accepted, the laws have become increasingly picayune, and many people may find obstacles to voting.  There are solutions to these issues, but once again each state is different and research needs to be done to find out how best to exercise the right to vote.  Allow me a bit of a personal anecdote. Since Canada was dragged kicking and screaming to polls for the third time in six years, many new voters were not on the previous voter lists.  Younger Son, having just reached age of majority was one of these new voters.  No problem.  On election day, he simply walked into the poll in our riding and presented the Elections Canada wonks with his photo ID and proof of residence. (He does possess a driver's license, but they would have accepted a passport, health card or university student card!)  He was immediately placed on the list and allowed to vote.  Older Son cast his ballot from his new address for the first time.  All that was required was ID and proof of residence. (In his case, a Hydro bill with his name on it was sufficient!) Voting made simpler, not stupider.  

5. Here in Canada, no electioneering is permitted on election day.  No rallies, no ads, no dirty tricks like putting up flyers with false election dates.  NO POLITICKING ALLOWED ON ELECTION DAY.  On election day here last month, I entered the polls wearing my Barack Obama button. I was approached and asked if I was making a political statement. I responded I absolutely was, but not one that was relevant to the Canadian election. The only reason I was permitted to keep it, was because it didn't support or bash one of our parties. You all should consider this hiatus.  It is a true breath of fresh air after the stench of muckraking.  

6. After the election is over, there should be a moratorium on 2012 speculation, at least until after the 2010 midterms.  Give the poor bastard a chance to govern.  Not only that, think of the money that will be saved.  Every political reporter should be on vacay until the inauguration. Enough already.  The world is screaming "UNCLE" in unison. 

That's it!  Enjoy the drama, the comedy and the absurdity.  I hope that on Wednesday, we can all collectively breath and know that we witnessed the truly historic.  

Obsession

A friend sent me a post yesterday from a wonderful blogger Simply Nutmeg entitled Addiction is Ugly.  In this piece, the author is commenting on her obsession with the upcoming American election and how she cannot seem to get enough news, polls and statistics.  She is basically living and dying by the daily tracking numbers.  Well girl, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. "My name is Dawn and I am a pollaholic!!" The Husband is ready to convene an intervention for me.  I know way more than any rational person should about the +/- percentages and whether or not they fall into the statistical margins.  I am totally captivated with the variances between the polling in south-eastern Pennsylvania and western Penn.  (I nearly had a stroke yesterday when the latest Mason-Dixon poll showed McCain was only down four points in the state.)  I have found tremendous comfort in sites like Pollster.com and FiveThirtyEight.com. I watch the 24/7 news channels with alarming frequency and I find myself catching up on stuff missed online. (I am a regular visitor to MSNBC.com simply because my TV provider refuses to carry the network!! Get with it Bell!) My new crack cocaine is Youtube. I am actually reading both conservative and liberal blogs in order to appropriately gauge the snowmobile wreck that is Sarah Palin. The Washington Post, New York Times and Miami Herald have become part of my daily reading routine and I have become intimately acquainted with columnists like David Brooks, Peggy Noonan, Maureen Dowd, Eugene Robinson and Frank Rich.  I have a tremendous crush on John King at CNN. (The man converted to Judaism to marry fellow CNNer Dana Bash! Gotta love that!)  The way he manipulates that tote board is a huge turn-on.  Chuck Todd at NBC is doing an admirable job trying to replace the irreplaceable Tim Russert, as the political pundit in chief! OY! That I know all of this shit is truly disturbing on so many levels.  The truly crazy part in all of this mishugas is that I am a Canadian and have no voice in this process.  

I feel like an over-the-top sports fan who paints their chest at a game. (Now that would be a sight!)  I am the drinker who doesn't know when to say when.  I am the gambler who puts one more coin into the machine. HELP!!!  I need some relief and the only way out of this mess is a favourable outcome on November 4th.  So, once again and I promise for the final time, to all of my American friends-please get out and vote.  Vote for the candidate that you truly believe will push the country, and by extension the world, into the 21st century.  Vote for the future.  Vote for your children.  Just put an end to my misery.  I am Dawn Ponders and I approved this message!!

Just a quick P.S.

You all must check out margaretandhelen.wordpresss.com.  These two 80 somethings have begun blogging about the election, and they are so funny that I actually need to pee with every post.  Please have a read.  You will be glad that you did.

Watching an Obamamercial!

I have NEVER seen anything like this before. Barack (the game changer) Obama is currently on almost every US network and even a few cable channels, attempting to bring his final arguments to the voters. This is the biggest infomercial I have ever witnessed. I half expect Ron Popeil to jump out and shill the "Pocket Fisherman" or some other new-fangled gadget that you "set and forget!" The mere fact that I am sitting here watching the junior senator from Illinois attempt to sway undecideds in prime time and not my beloved Pushing Daisies, is testament to the passion that I have come to feel for this man and his campaign. This is a get-out the vote video. This is a video that is telling the real stories of real people. This is a video that is meant to show the man as presidential, successfully I might add. (I even like the shots of him sitting on his desk that are obviously meant to convey a smaller and more hamish Oval Office!) This is a man and a political campaign that has truly and with vision, learned how to appeal to the 21st century voter. This is a candidate that understands the variance and vagaries of the new media and the outreach of the information age. He shows his youth and vigour every single time he changes the way that the game of politics is played. Will it work? Will he win? Only the American voters can determine the outcome, but the world is closer to finally entering the new millennium than at any time over the past eight years. On Tuesday November 4th, please vote for the future that you see on your TV screens this evening and not the moldy past.

Conservatives for Change

I found this video absolutely gripping.  You can read about it here.  The basic idea was to show why so many mainstream conservative Republicans have switched their votes to Obama this year. These are real people in their own words and they represent a fairly equitable cross-section of the population.  

You can see more of this work at www.ConservativesForChange.com

Shabbat Shalom all!

First They Came...

I have resisted writing this particular post for quite a while now, mostly because I am truly hesitant to get mixed up in the highly flammable combination of religion and politics. Yet, it seems to me that this election season in the United States has dragged all of us around the world kicking and screaming into its vortex and so, with much trepidation,  I cautiously wade into the fray.

I am a Canadian Reform Jew.  While many of my landsman might question my observance and devotion to my faith, I have no such qualms.  I have found a comfortable place in which to reside that allows me to follow the modern order of my religion, while not sacrificing basic tenets of observance, law and tikkun olam. (repairing the world) It is a fully egalitarian, inclusive, non-discriminatory and wholly monotheistic observance that allows me to participate fully in all aspects of religious law and it has been built on a tremendous foundation of social justice.  To me, this is the essence of Judaism and it is what we as Jews have always strived and fought so hard for.  

I am also a frequent visitor to the wonderful world that is South Florida.  The husband and I have owned property there for a number of years, and we have come to think of the area as a second home.  We have spent our time amongst many of the Jewish retirees that have made the area their homes. (We do spend time with people our own age too!! I am not yet ready for the Early Bird Specials!)  We have attended synagogue and social programs and we have shared laughs and tears.  Some of these wonderful people are survivors of the Holocaust, some are early baby boomers and some are just tired of the cold and have relocated to the balminess of the Gold Coast.  They wear their Jewishness proudly on their sleeves and they all know that the comfort that they feel was not always the case.  Every one of them can recount stories of anti-semitism from their lives.  Every one of them remembers a time when it was customary to bar Jews from country clubs, beaches, unions and colleges.  Every one of them can remember being tagged by some scurrilous racial epithet.  Many can recall the horrors of Nazi Germany and striving for a place of equality in their chosen country.  So, it is to these people that I must ask "How can we as Jews subject any person to the racism and hatred that we have fought so long and hard to eradicate?"  If the answer is that we cannot, then as Jews I am begging you to take a hard look at the campaign of fear, xenophobia and out and out racism that is being waged by the McCain camp against Barack Obama.

It is true that Mr. Obama has a difficult name for Jews to digest, but it was hard for the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers to accept the Bloombergs, Liebermans and Brandeises and that has seemed to work out okay.  It is also true that he is an African American.  So?  As a community, we have a history of fighting for the equality of all people.  Did not Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel march arm in arm with Dr. King at the civil rights march on Selma?  Wasn't it the Jewish community that was shoulder to shoulder with the NAACP in the voter registration drives of the 1960s.  When did members of my community decide it was ok to derisively call this tremendously gifted and educated man a "shvartza"?  When did we become so fearful?  If Barack Obama was Joe Lieberman and the same campaign of racism was transposed to a campaign of anti-Semitism, we would be screaming foul from every media outpost in the land. We cannot allow ourselves to be drawn into the viral world of hate that this campaign has spawned.  We as Jews know all too well the ramifications of hate and fear and we can never allow ourselves to become party to it either by commission or omission.

If John McCain is your candidate of choice because you truly believe in his policies and politics, then I cannot sway you and nor would I attempt to do so.  But, if you are voting for McCain because you are fearful of the black guy with the scary Arab-sounding name, then I urge you to take a second look.  The world needs change and the time is now. Barack Obama is the only candidate that truly represents at least a glimmer of hope for that kind of true sea change. I am too young to remember the excitement and the hopefulness that President Roosevelt or President Kennedy embodied.  This man engenders that kind of passion. Is he perfect?  Of course not, but he is worth the gamble. Unfortunately for me and millions more like me, we cannot vote in your election, the most important in a generation!  We leave it to your capable hands, my American friends.  As Jews, we need to leave behind the politics of fear, and embrace the politics of hope.  May we never again know what it feels like to be isolated or hated simply because we are not the majority. 

First they came for the Communists,
- but I was not a communist so I did not speak out.
Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists,
- but I was neither, so I did not speak out.
Then they came for the Jews,
- but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out.
And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892-1984)

Sarah Palin is a Good Sport-But STILL not Qualified to be VEEP!

At least the woman has a sense of humour and knows how to laugh at herself. I can see why she appeals to mass audiences, but let's be clear-this sense of the absurd still does not qualify her to run for the second highest office in the United States and frankly she is so right of centre that she positively tilts. Still, it was funny.

Could You Withstand the Scrutiny?

As the American election season crawls mercifully to a close on November 4th, with a hopefully positive outcome for the Democratic Party's nominee, I have started to ponder on the absolute bullshit that is dredged up during these campaigns.  Katie Couric on the CBS Evening News has been running a fascinating series.  Every week in her Presidential Questions series, she has asked the two candidates to answer probings of both politics and character.  This week the question was on the subject of infidelity.  "Why do you think so many prominent political figures risk so much by being unfaithful to their spouse?"  Watch the candidates and their answers.

Now Mr. McCain clearly did not want to answer this question.  Maybe because he falls into the category of unfaithful political spouses? His discomfort is so obvious that it caused me to squirm in my seat. But, it has always been my premise that a candidate's private life should have no impact on whether or not they can do the job that they so ardently pursue.  But, I am obviously in the minority with these views, as every inch of the candidates past is so thoroughly dissected and vetted, that it is a wonder that anybody would willingly choose to run for office. It got me to thinking about whether my own past misdeeds could withstand the scrutiny.  You can all be the judge.  

I quit the Girl Guides when I was ten.  I had a run in with my Captain (I think I actually called her a bitch to her face when we had an expressed difference of opinion. What that argument was about is beyond my memory) and I refused to return to receive my Canada Cord. (The Canadian Girl Scouts highest honour) Much like the American Olympic basketball team of 1972 who were robbed of the gold medals (their silver medals were never presented) my Canada Cord probably sits in a box in some old woman's basement waiting in vain for the presentation that will never come.  I suppose that in the political arena, this fit of pique might make me look like a hothead who cannot control herself in the face of adversity.  

I attended a party in 8th grade where alcohol was the highlight of the evening for all of the prepubescents in the room.  A roomful of puking 13 year olds is probably what turned me off of the stuff for the rest of my life, but I need to fully acknowledge that for that one evening in 1975, I broke the law and was an underaged drinker. The horror of it all!

I have had personal friendships with a bevy of clergy persons over these many years and I am certain that at least one or two has sermonized on a topic that could be misconstrued as radical and having a liberal agenda.  My all-time favourite was when the rabbi that I was working with spoke ardently in favour of gay marriage at a Rosh Hashana service at least ten years before it became a legal reality here in Canada. Oy! Did we get letters.  My mere presence on the bimah must have been looked at as conspiratorial and assenting with her every word. I wholeheartedly backed her at every turn!!  

My grandfather was a card carrying member of the communist party.  Yes he was! Many Jewish immigrants who came to North America in the late 20s and 30s found the communist manifesto a philosophy to which they could easily relate.  Now, his communist leanings lasted only for as long as he wasn't making any real money.  As soon as he became somewhat of a success, he leaned much more to the right, but he never forgot his socialist roots and voted for the NDP right up until the end.  He would have found the likes of Stephen Harper, George Bush and John McCain laughter inducing.  I guess because of my family history, I could be labelled a subversive.  

On the plus side-I have never indulged in the wacky weed, (probably because of my singing) I have never engaged in weird and wild sex practices (sorry all!) and my biggest run-in with the law came this past summer when I was presented with my very first traffic ticket.  My children have not come home pregnant, (or given me any cause to think that a grandchild is on the horizon--right gentlemen?) I don't have a strange middle name (unless you think that Dawn is strange) and my parents have stayed happily married for almost 47 years without straying too far off of course.

I still think that it is impossible for any of us to possibly withstand the shit slinging that takes place during these campaigns.  If all of us were slaves to our past misdeeds, nobody would ever get elected to anything.  May this campaign come to a merciful and swift conclusion.

That's a lot of Money to spend on Nothing!

What a colossal waste of my money, my time and my attention!  The Conservative Party of Canada has been returned to power, albeit with a slightly larger minority, (with little or no help from urbanites-gains came mainly from the outlying regions!) and I am sitting here this morning trying to ascertain the purpose of the past 37 days.  Mr. Harper is still the Prime Minister. His band of neo-con merry men has been re-upped almost intact. As far as I can see, our troops are still soldiering on in Afghanistan with no relief until at least 2011.  The economy is tanking (especially here in Ontario) yet our PM is still living in his Alberta bubble. We Canadians have just endured our 3rd federal election since 2004 and nothing has fundamentally changed.  

I thought that you all might be interested in a few statistics here the morning after.  According to Global TV, untold millions have been spent on this fiasco.  While the final tallies won't be known for a few months, the 2004 numbers are staggering.  

Elections Canada spent $277.8 million on the 2004 general election. The agency bore the cost of the electoral process, pre-election activity, and re-imbursements to parties and candidates.

This time around, Stephen Harper's election call cancelled four by-elections which were set for September. According to Elections Canada, a federal by-election costs an average of 892,000 per riding. That means taxpayers will pay $3.5 million for the cancelled by-elections, since spending tallies are restarted once a general election is called.

In 2006, each major party had a spending limit of $18.3 million dollars, while individual candidates averaged about $80,000. This is without all of the "under the table" spending on advertising that seems to occur long before the actual election is called. (Mr. Harper calling Mr. Dion all sorts of ugliness just so that Canadians could see how good he looks in a sweater vest!)

Now I realize that these numbers pale beside the almost $1 billion dollars that my American friends will be tossing down the toilet to elect their next leader, but remember we are a tenth of the size and our election campaigns run for a month instead of two years!!  I am just having a bit of trouble spending all of this money on a pissing contest that basically solved nothing!!  Mr. Harper told Canadians that the minority government had become unworkable, and last night he told Canadians that he is ready to work with his new mandated minority!  HUH???  

I believe that Harper made several tactical errors that will eventually come back to bite him in the ass.  

Firstly, he ran this election against Mr. Dion and not on his own Conservative record. (Maybe because he doesn't really have a record to speak of!)  This would have been politically smart had he won the majority, but now, he will most certainly be facing a new Liberal leader within the next 6 months as the left of centrists correct their catastrophic leadership mistake.  The "Red" party will not make the same error in judgement again and Mr Harper can expect a much rougher ride the next time.

Secondly, Mr. Harper was so sure of his majority that he forgot to run on any platform until the final week of the campaign.  In Quebec, this strategy proved to be a disaster as his candidates had nothing with which to fight.  His public musings about arts cuts and changes to the Young Offenders Act played like a lead balloon in culturally sensitive Quebec and cost him his precious majority.  

Thirdly, the economy is not all hearts and flowers.  If Harper cannot find some answers to the job losses across the country that don't involve more tax cuts, this minority may not last more than a year to 18 months and we could well see ourselves at the polls yet again, spending millions more!

I am not surprised by the outcome of yesterday's election, but I am somewhat disgusted.  It seems to me that my elected representatives should take better care with my money, before spreading it around on wasteful contests to determine "whose is bigger"!! Frankly, I could not care less.

News That Isn't!

Watching the evening news has become an interesting and at times, comical experience. Have you ever noticed how little actual news airs? We have weather and sports and human interest and some form of gossipy entertainment segment. I have often believed that weather is not really news.  Anything that I can discover simply by opening the front door, should not qualify. (Although I have a friend who says that he uses the weather forecasts to determine whether or not he should bother washing his car. There might be some value in that usage, I suppose!) Sports?  Well, if I hadn't had the opportunity to watch the game and garner the score for myself, I suppose there is some merit to a public service announcement.  But, it seems to me that the whole exercise could be accomplished in a 30 second scroll through the major leagues so as to ascertain the outcomes.  Most of the sports segments devolve into team analysis and interviews with less than articulate athletes who spout platitudes and cliches.  Certainly not newsworthy! (I simply cannot think of a new and novel way to accurately describe how pathetically bad the Maple Leafs are for yet another season!) Don't even get me started on the ridiculousness of Brittany's latest folly or Janet's latest excuse for canceling out on her concerts.  Who honestly gives a shit?  But, what is really starting to burn me, is the amount of time that newscasts spend on promoting and commercializing themselves.

If I hear Wolf Blitzer push "The Number One Political Team on Television" one more time, I may have to stick a fork into my ears.  I think that I saw Candy Crowley actually squirm the last time he said it.  It might be better for CNN if someone else were to tell them how good they are, rather than puff themselves up all of the time.  (For the sake of full disclosure; I watch CNN a lot.  Mostly because I cannot access MSNBC and I refuse to watch the boors on FOX! I do catch up on MSNBC online.)

In preparation for the Canadian election coverage tomorrow night, CTV spent a good five to eight minutes on this evening's broadcast, touting their comprehensive reporting of tomorrow night!  There was lead anchor Lloyd bragging about all of the bells and whistles and gadgets, and showing off the new election set.  It was little more than a commercial for themselves on the news.  Wholly inappropriate and just enough to make me want to tune into a rival station come tomorrow.

Since when is it okay to use the entertainment segment of the news as a vehicle to push whatever program will be on in prime time that evening?  By cherry-picking canned interviews from network feeds with "B" list celebrities that are attempting to rescue their flagging careers on some horrible rehash of a Britcom, the networks are turning their news departments into hacks that flog the latest and not so greatest from the entertainment end of the conglomerate. The news anchors may as well be wearing t-shirts with logos from their hits and playing TV theme songs behind their chyrons! 

Covering local charity events is particularly galling when the channel doing the reporting is also one of the sponsors of the race, ride or walk!  Nice bit of fanny patting!

I know that the lines between entertainment and news have become blurred in this age of media conglomeration, but the news has become less than it should be of late.  I tune into the news to find out what is going on in my little corner of the world.  I do not want to be shilled at or sold.  I want to make up my own mind without editorial.  If there is such an opinion piece, I expect to be told about it in advance.  Commercialization of the news should never be acceptable!