Patrick O'Neil's Pointed Pen

Don't Call it a Wafer!!!!!

2009-07-10T17:15:00.001-04:00

Today Stephen Harper responded to accusations that he took the Eucharist, but didn't consume it:

Prime Minister Stephen Harper dismissed reports that he pocketed a communion
wafer as "ridiculous" and "terrible" and said he would never do such a thing.
. . .
"First of all as a Christian I've never refused communion when offered to me, that is actually pretty important to me," Harper said.

Good for him for taking a principled stand. It's comforting to hear him address the issue directly because it actually is important. Strictly speaking he should not have taken the Host, but this issue has been badly handled all around. At most catholic weddings and funerals the priest will make a statement before communion inviting non-Catholics to come up and receive a blessing. If that didn't happen at this funeral, at least part the fault lies with the presiding priest.

I agree with Archbishop Richard that Harper clearly did not mean any disrespect. The thing that makes me angry isn't whether he received the Eucharist but the discussion around it - especially from Harper's so called defenders who have tried to downplay the issue saying it's unimportant and just a wafer. Terms like 'wafer-gate' drive me bananas. Catholics refer to the sacrament by a number of names most prominently the Host, the Eucharist, and the Body of Christ, so terms like wafer and cracker are just not accurate.

I haven't seen very much discussion on the relevant Catholic teaching. Simply put Catholics believe that the Eucharist really is the body and blood of Christ. It's not just some crazy church teaching, but Jesus' own words that form the foundation of this belief:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:26-28

The Church's teaching that communion must only be taken by Catholics who are in communion with the church, free from mortal sin, and observed an appropriate fast also comes straight from scripture:

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 1
Corinthians 11:27

It really doesn't matter to me if you believe this or not, I suppose most people don't but PLEASE be respectful. The Eucharist is important.

Finally, I wanted to tip my hat to Owen who carried the flag on this topic in the comment section of my last blog post. Near as I can tell Owen is a good Conservative, a faithful Catholic, a fellow cyclist and quite the artist. Thanks as always for your comments sir.

Sweet Justice

2009-07-09T23:44:00.002-04:00

The way this video is making it's rounds over the internet, there's a good chance you've seen 'United Breaks Guitars' already. Tonight it's the number 2 entertainment story on news.google.ca, right behind more crap about Michael Jackson. Even the Globe and Mail is reporting on it, noting the song has become an 'internet sensation'.

The song really hit's home with the story of a musician's guitar damaged by on his flight with United Airlines. Anyone who's been frustrated with poor customer service is going to enjoy this song. I can also relate as a guitar owner, there are many times I want to break my guitar - but I certainly hope nobody else does.

One last personal connection to this story: As I watched the video I thought this is the kind of band I'd love to sit and listen to at a fair or music festival. Come to think of it I'm pretty sure I did . . . the Sons of Maxwell played the Fergus Scottish Fesitval last year and I quite enjoyed them.

Definitely watch the video, I'm sure it will have over a million hits on YouTube by the morning.

Harper's Delivering the Right Message at the G8

2009-07-08T18:06:00.002-04:00

I strongly approve of Prime Minister Harper's message to the G8. Further stimulus is not what the world economy needs right now. CTV reports:

Earlier Wednesday, Harper urged leaders to complete the stimulus initiatives that are already underway, before committing new funds.
"My own thought is before there's talk of additional stimulus, I would urge all leaders to focus first on making the stimulus that's announced actually gets delivered," Harper said. "That's been our focus in Canada and I would urge the same priority
elsewhere."
Harper also signalled he will continue to push his message that the temptation for nations to move towards protectionist tendencies should be avoided at all costs, saying such moves could actually prolong the recession.

Harper is right. Access to credit, maintaining open markets and following through on previously announced stimulus packages what really matter. The crisis is over at this point further government spending will do more harm than good.

I Want to be a Good Man

2009-07-03T01:27:00.003-04:00

I've stumbled upon the phrase "a good man" a few times in the last year - it was used in key moments during the movie Fire Proof and the 1970s version of the Poseidon Adventure. I'm coming to realize that the phrase really is powerful.

It hit me over the head when a friend of mine casually said, "you're a good man." I smiled and moved on, but inside I was bursting with pride. That conversation was months ago and I still feel good when I think about it. The beautiful thing about the phrase is it's a general endorsement of your entire character. In it's purest sense it's probably impossible to be truly good, I've got more than my share of embarrassing faults, but in a lesser sense of displaying integrity and generosity it's certainly something to strive for.

This song, "A Good Man" from Emerson Drive is going to be my theme song for the day tomorrow:

These are my favourite lyrics in the song:

My dreams aren’t that complicated…
I wanna be the one When all is said and done
Who lived a good life, loved a good wife, and always helped someone in trouble
On the day they lay me down I want everyone to gather ‘round
And say he was a father, brother, neighbour and a friend
He was a good man!

Yeah, me too.

Canada Day

2009-07-01T18:11:00.001-04:00

I'm not a flag waving patriot by any stretch of the imagination. I remember the hollow concepts and faux nationalism under the Chretien government. Flag day, the CBC, and vague "Canadian Values" just don't make me all weepy. However, on a day like today it's worth reflecting on some of the things that do make me proud to be Canadian.

Our Armed Forces have served admirably in the past and present - most notably in World War II, but also in Afghanistan where our soldiers continue to risk (and sometimes give) their lives to protect our freedoms. These men and women are well trained and committed individuals, they're worthy of our respect and gratitude.

Our Parliamentary Democracy has stood the test of time. Regardless of the quality of our elected representatives, they are able to make informed decisions and are held accountable for them.

Our Committment to Free Trade is an example of how a small country can show leadership in the world. I believe the consistent and clear message from our government is essential to help fight protectionism and allow the world economy to recover.

Finally, the natural beauty of our country is indeed astounding and the truth is I like our climate. We are clearly blessed and I'm thankful.

God keep our land, glorious and free!

A Strong Start for Hudak

2009-06-30T07:56:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I heard music to my ears as I heard about the new Ontario PC leader's reaction to the Toronto garbage strike:

Mr. Hudak, 41, vowed to steer the Tories back to the right-wing, small-c conservative policies of his mentor, following his third-ballot victory at the party's leadership convention on the weekend. In his inaugural news conference yesterday, he weighed in on the strike by 24,000 unionized workers in Toronto that has left residents without garbage collection, daycare and a wide range of other services for the past week.
Union leaders need to "get a grip" on the fact that strikes do not sit well with the public when many middle-class families are struggling during the recession, he said.
"Public-sector union leadership needs to give a reality check to its demands."

No more mushy middle, he's taking a concrete position, and I'm pretty sure he's in line with public opinion on this one.

Every Little Bit Helps

2009-06-29T07:55:00.004-04:00

Canada trades a paltry $92 million with Jordan every year, but a new free trade deal still matters. It's one more headline to fight the rush toward greater protectionism coming from around the world but especially from the US and China.

Keep up the momentum Mr. Day.

Final Thoughts on the Leadership Race

2009-06-25T23:41:00.003-04:00

I spent the better part of my night scrutineering for Frank Klees in the Ontario PC leadership race. It seems like now's a good time to jot down a few final thoughts on the leadership contest overall.

I think it will be close, and that's a story in itself. Tim Hudak was the early front runner with major endorsements from his fellow MPPs and Mike Harris the former premier. Despite the fact that his campaign seemed to run out of steam he has some experienced organizers behind him and could easily win.

Christine Elliot had the money behind her, it was clear today with election signs near the voting stations, but my favourite example of her money advantage was with a push poll call that I received a few weeks ago. It was simply a survey by a research firm but the questions like "Why do you think Tim Hudak's campaign has imploded?" and "Do you think Tim Hudak's position on Human Rights Tribunals will drive voters away from the party?" were highly effective negative advertising. I should say the person asking the questions had no idea which campaign hired them, but I'm certain it was Elliot.

Frank Klees' membership drive is what made him a contender, I think he's handled himself well and his campaign material is good. I wonder about his organization, I volunteered to help on the campaign and I answered several surveys from his office, but the voters list I received today didn't list me as being his supporter.

I don't think that Randy Hillier is a contender, but you never know. He was ultimately my second choice, I want him to have a strong showing to send a message to the party leadership that the issues he fought hardest for such as conscience legislation and an end to human rights tribunals are worth considering.

My only complaint is that voting was on Father's Day. It's bad enough that the party would choose a Sunday over a Saturday to hold voting. It's disrespectful and unfair to people who want to set time aside for their faith and their families. Father's day is a specific chance to get together with your family and the voting certainly interfered.

I'm looking forward to Saturday when the ballots will be counted. I think it's safe to say that whoever is elected, they'll be stronger after surviving this hard fought campaign.

Iranian Revolution - The Sequel

2009-06-24T07:05:00.003-04:00

Like much of the world, I've been following the recent protests in Iran with interest. I commend the bravery of the protesters who are willing to rise up against a repressive regime that will not hesitate to kill it's own citizens on a massive scale to maintain it's grip on power. The news seems discouraging this morning as the streets are reportedly quiet after the 'Supreme Leader' vowed to maintain the crackdown:

The ayatollah, whose earlier command to stop protesting went unheeded, said: "I had insisted and will insist on implementing the law on the election issue.
He added: "Neither the establishment nor the nation will yield to pressure at any cost."

This is scary stuff. I hope the protesters are able to make some concrete gains after so much widespread passion has been revealed and so many people have already died.

I'm reminded of an Iranian taxi driver that wouldn't stop talking to me after the US invaded Iraq, he said, "I hope Iran is next," then he started into a litany of complaints about the current regime.

The good news is there's a rally planned for later today, I hope the momentum continues.

More Country Lyrics

2009-06-18T23:37:00.003-04:00

I heard a new country song today. It's not really very good from a musical or lyrical perspective, but chorus is neat:

God is Great, Beer is Good, People are Crazy.

Can't much argue with that.

When 'Positive Thinking' Rings Hollow

2009-06-18T07:40:00.002-04:00

I've always been skeptical of the 'self help' industry. Sure there's always room for self improvement and there's a lot of good advice out there, but I often find many of the 'positive thinking' gurus slimy, shallow, and hollow. It seems to me that they play on a person's innate insecurity. Now a study from the University of Waterloo suggests that 'positive affirmations' can do more harm than good if you don't believe them:

As the researchers report in Psychological Science, those with high self-esteem who repeated “I’m a lovable person” scored an average of 31 [out of 35] on their mood assessment compared with an average of 25 by those who did not repeat the phrase. Among participants with low self-esteem, those making the statement scored a dismal average of 10 while those that did not managed a brighter average of 17.
Dr Wood suggests that positive self-statements cause negative moods in people with low self-esteem because they conflict with those people’s views of themselves. When positive self-statements strongly conflict with self-perception, she argues, there is not mere resistance but a reinforcing of self-perception. People who view themselves as unlovable find saying that they are so unbelievable that it strengthens their own negative view rather than reversing it. Given that many readers of self-help books that encourage positive self-statements are likely to suffer from low self-esteem, they may be worse than useless.

"Worse than useless." That's a harsh criticism, but it seems to fit the facts.

Pig Farmers Need Help Now

2009-06-17T07:25:00.003-04:00

Owen Roberts had an excellent piece in the Guelph Mercury Monday. It's worth reading the whole article, but it starts off especially strong:

Canada's economy has traditionally relied on manufacturing and natural resources, particularly forestry and agriculture. So when the global recession hit, Ottawa started coming through with support. The auto sector teetered on the brink of collapse; Canadians shelled out $10 billion. Then last week, forestry received $1 billion.
And as for agriculture -- especially the export-dependent pork industry, which has been ravaged through no fault of its own by the economic crisis, a strong Canadian dollar, trade restrictions, and the ill-named swine flu (H1N1) -- well, it's still waiting.
That's baffling. Canada's pork producers are struggling, and it seems as if they're encountering more brick walls than support.

The Canadian pork industry generally, and the Ontario pork industry specifically, are efficient, modern and productive providing safe and healthy food for Canada and the world. The industry is constantly reinventing itself with a recent emphasis on traceability and animal welfare. Producers are also responsive to market signals with Ontario's breeding herd decreasing by nearly 20% since it's recent peak in 2004 as producers responded to low returns that were driven first by a strengthening Canadian dollar and then by high feed costs driven by US ethanol policy and high oil prices.

The most recent shock to the industry has come on the trade front through American Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) legislation and now loss of access to key export markets because of the H1N1 impact. Hog prices are close to $50 per head less than would have been predicted by futures markets before H1N1 hit the news at the end of April, so hog farmers are losing everything during a time when the industry was predicting a return to profitability.

Now it's not just pig farmers at risk, suppliers such as feed mills, trucking companies, and genetics suppliers have already had to downsize with more losses possible. Hog processing facilities, and other food production businesses like bacon and ready made sandwiches will soon be threatened by a lack of supply. Prices to consumers could shoot up dramatically and we may become dependant on US pork imports, which have less stringent health regulations.

An immediate cash hog payment will help the industry right size and emerge from this current crisis even stronger. Unfortunately the Federal Agriculture Minister doesn't seem willing to help. As Mr Roberts said, "That's baffling."

Jennifer Lynch's Straw Men

2009-06-15T07:28:00.003-04:00

The Canadian Human Rights Commission gave a valiant attempt to sanitize their organization while continuing to expand their empire last week. Initial media coverage focused on the Commissions recommendation that Parliament curb its powers:

The Canadian Human Rights Commission says it still has a role to play in fighting hatred on the Internet, but wants Parliament to curb its powers.
It says it should no longer be able to levy fines of up to $10,000 against hatemongers and wants lawmakers to provide a clear, legal definition of what
constitutes prohibited hatred.
In a special report to Parliament, the commission also wants legal changes that would allow it to award costs in cases where accusers abuse the process and to quickly dismiss complaints that don't meet the definition of hate.
But the commission insists that the Internet remains a potentially dangerous realm where hatred can spread insidiously. The tribunal says it has to stick around to help rein in such hatred and help strike a balance between free expression and the right of people to live free from discrimination.

But any sense of balance was quickly lost when Jennifer Lynch, CHRC's chief commissioner, wrote an article Friday in the Globe and Mail where she quickly vilified her opponents as a means to justify the continued expansion of her organization's powers:

I believe critics of human-rights commissions and tribunals are manipulating
information and activities around rights cases and freedom of expression to further a new agenda. This agenda posits that rights commissions and tribunals, and the attendant vigilance over all the rights and freedoms Canadians now enjoy, no longer serve a useful purpose. In this way, the debate over freedom of expression has been used as a wedge to undermine and distort our human-rights system.
Ironically, a debate about balancing rights has not itself been balanced. One can only surmise that if these critics succeed, thus would begin a broader assault on freedoms they would subordinate to absolute freedom of expression.

Unreal. The CHRC's critics are merely interested in protecting free speech, speaking your mind anywhere, including the Internet, doesn't directly conflict with any other right. Where it does, criminal laws and civil courts provide a proper forum to solve any problems. In today's editorial the Globe and Mail is succinct:

In the end, freedom of speech and expression are unduly trammelled by hate-speech legislation, whether the criteria involve the inferred contents of someone's head, or the supposed likelihood of the effects of words, or both.
Words that actually incite physical violence should remain punishable under the Criminal Code, but human-rights legislation and the Code should be free of dangerously vague prohibitions of speech.

Well said.

Sun Contributes to Global Warming

2009-06-11T07:40:00.001-04:00

Amazing really that the sun heats the Earth, but some folks at NASA have demonstrated it. Again, I'm not a scientist but this article strikes me as one of the most intellectually honest descriptions of the sun's influence on global warming:

For the past three decades NASA scientists have investigated the unique relationship between the sun and Earth. Using space-based tools, like the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE), they have studied how much solar energy illuminates Earth, and explored what happens to that energy once it penetrates the atmosphere. The amount of energy that reaches Earth's outer atmosphere is called the total solar irradiance. Total solar irradiance is variable over many different timescales, ranging from seconds to centuries due to changes in solar activity.
The sun goes through roughly an 11-year cycle of activity, from stormy to quiet and back again. Solar activity often occurs near sunspots, dark regions on the sun caused by concentrated magnetic fields. The solar irradiance measurement is much higher during solar maximum, when sunspot cycle and solar activity is high, versus solar minimum, when the sun is quiet and there are usually no sunspots.
"The fluctuations in the solar cycle impacts Earth's global temperature by about 0.1 degree Celsius, slightly hotter during solar maximum and cooler during solar minimum," said Thomas Woods, solar scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder. "The sun is currently at its minimum, and the next solar maximum is expected in 2012."
Using SORCE, scientists have learned that about 1,361 watts per square meter of solar energy reaches Earth's outermost atmosphere during the sun's quietest period. But when the sun is active, 1.3 watts per square meter (0.1 percent) more energy reaches Earth. "This TSI measurement is very important to climate models that are trying to assess Earth-based forces on climate change," said Cahalan.
Over the past century, Earth's average temperature has increased by approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius (1.1 degrees Fahrenheit). Solar heating accounts for about 0.15 C, or 25 percent, of this change, according to computer modeling results published by NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies researcher David Rind in 2004.

I have a lot more use for this type of argument than the intellectually dishonest approach by Al Gore and others that insist human activity is solely responsible for changes in the Earth's temperature. An article on Daily Tech suggests this effect might be even larger, as demonstrated by this Cool graph that shows long periods of decreased solar activity were the primary cause of Europe's little Ice Age. Interesting stuff.

No Stones to Throw at Obama

2009-06-04T07:12:00.003-04:00

I had fairly low expectations from President Obama's speech in Cairo this morning. I expected him to suck up to his hosts, bash Israel, and commit America to a softer gentler foreign policy. To be sure he criticized Israel for their settlement policy and I'm sure most Israelis would find little comfort in Obama's hollow words, "America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable." But I'll commend the president for promoting democracy on Egyptian soil:

6:48 a.m. Big whoops in the audience -- listening in a country where dissent has been quashed -- when Obama says he wants to discuss democracy.
6:49 a.m.: The president delivers a pointed message to his Egyptian government hosts: "Government that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure," the president said. "Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away."
6:50 a.m.: "You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise."

It sounds like motherhood and apple pie over here, but making those statements over there could offer strong encouragement to Muslims living under tyranny. I'm curious to see how this will play out.

The Beatles: Rock Band

2009-06-03T06:30:00.003-04:00

September 9, 2009 they're launching The Beatles: Rock Band. This could be a fun fall. I just can't believe they haven't done that before. The good news is the game sounds truly innovative:

A key element in capturing that Beatles sound is the vocal harmonies, and for the first time, a guitar-based music game has allowed more than one singer at a time. Even for a musically minded type, pulling that off in front of an audience can be especially humbling. Also, trying to play an instrument and sing at the same time, while keeping an eye on both parts as they zip by the screen, is especially challenging.

Yeah no kidding, this game will be tough and will take hours to master, but only minutes to bring people together and get everyone laughing. I can't wait to play.

Damage Done to the Order of Canada

2009-06-01T21:13:00.003-04:00

The Governor General's decision to formally accept the resignation of 3 Montreal recipients of the Order of Canada is another milestone in this sad chapter of the Order's history that began when Henry Morgentaler was appointed to the Order. One of the Montrealers resigning was Jean Claude Turcotte, Montreal's archbishop, who:

told CBC's French-language service last September that he was renouncing his honour to protest Dr. Henry Morgentaler's appointment to the order.
"I'm worried about how we treat life, from conception to death," he said. "I decided to take a stance that clearly reflects my convictions."

In fact there were 9 recipients of the Order of Canada who returned their medals specifically to protest the Governor General's action. That decision remains a stain on the honour that can only be removed when Morgentaler is stripped of the award.

Still, now is a good time to reflect on the courage of each of those 9 individuals. It's easy for someone like me to criticize Governor General's decisions because I've got nothing to lose. The worst thing that will happen is someone leaves a nasty comment on this post. These 9 people dedicated their lives to the service of their fellow citizens and received a rare acknowledgement that their work was truly extraordinary. I think it would be a very difficult decision to put your own pride on the shelf in order to stand up for the unborn. I commend them all.

7 Pounds with Will Smith

2009-06-01T07:41:00.003-04:00

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

A friend of ours recommended we watch the movie 7 Pounds last fall. I'm not going to try to remember who that friend was because I'd have to tell them the movie sucked. The movie begins with Will Smith's character calling 911 to report his own suicide and then attempts to fill in the back story. The movie is well acted in every scene but the story jumps around enough that I couldn't tell if Smith's character was supposed to be a creepy IRS agent or a noble and generous hero.

In the end it was revealed that Smith's character was a tortured soul who had killed 7 people including his wife in a car accident. Consumed by guilt he went on a mission to help save 7 other people by helping them out immensely, generally by donating an organ. The movie ends with the hero committing suicide so that his heart could be donated to his love interest and his eyes could be donated to a stranger. Actually that wasn't the end, in the end it showed the recipient of the heart transplant meeting the recipient of the eye transplant, both living healthy, happy lives. I just can't imagine that's how people would react - I'm sure they would be dealing with their own guilt and emotional torture every day.

The movie was simply wrong in it's portrayal of almost all of the characters. One thing it did underscore for me was the incredible and destructive power of guilt and how much we need true forgiveness - if only that was part of the movie.

Mohawks Should be Very Careful

2009-05-31T11:05:00.001-04:00

There are some pretty serious threats coming out of the AkwesasneMohawk reserve. They demand a firm response from the Canadian government. The Ottawa Citizen reports:

Mohawk Warriors from the Akwesasne Mohawk reserve near Cornwall say they will storm a Canada Border Services Agency post on Monday and shut down the international border crossing, unless their political leaders receive a commitment from the government not to arm border guards at the post, which stands on reserve territory.
The agency started arming guards in 2007, and officers at the Akwesasne reserve, which straddles the Ontario-Quebec-New York state boundary, are scheduled to begin carrying 9-mm guns on Monday.

So, border security guards have been armed without incident for 2 years but now we may have an armed conflict with the Mohawks just because the border is treated like any other. Let's just say I'm not sympathetic with the native position. The most extreme rhetoric is coming from Thomas Stacy:

"We are going to clear them (border guards) out," said Thomas Stacy, a middle-aged former professional wrestler who stood across from the border post with a small group of young men carrying large Mohawk Warrior flags. . .
"Tomorrow night at 12 o'clock (midnight) we have to have an answer," Stacy said.
"If that answer don't come, that's it. Monday is going to be the worst. That's the crackdown. It's going to be over. It's going to be done. No more signing papers, no more negotiations -- nothing."
Stacy said the reserve's political leaders have been in fruitless discussions with the border agency and federal officials. "We are not getting anywhere with the government. The government is going to come over here and take over everything," Stacy said.
The Mohawk Warriors are a long-standing group that is separate from hereditary chiefs or more modern elected chiefs and councils. Stacy said they have made it clear to the council and to the Akwesasne police that if the government does not back away from its plan, then the Warriors will act.

At minimum this guy should be arrested for uttering threats and held personally responsible for any action that may happen tomorrow. Although the official Mohawk leadership has spoken well of negotiations some of their rhetoric has been less than helpful:

"We seriously consider your government's actions in arming the (CBSA) guards as a direct assault on our sovereignty, which resonates into an act of war against our people," wrote (Akwesasne Grand Chief Tim) Thompson in a 2008 letter to Stockwell Day.

The Mohawks should be very careful about declaring war. That means armed conflict, and I'm pretty sure nobody wants that.

4 Country Radio Stations Heard in Woodstock

2009-05-28T22:37:00.002-04:00

I don't listen exclusively to country music anymore, but if I lived in Woodstock, Ontario I just might. As I was driving by the town last night, I scanned the radio and heard 4 FM country stations clear as day.

BX-93 has been playing country music for London for as long as I can remember. I grew up on that station in the kitchen, the chicken barn, pretty much everywhere. They're still going strong and they still sound great.

Country 95.3 broadcasts out of Toronto, it's my least favourite. I find the announcers loud and obnoxious which is definitely not what I'm in the mood for when I listen to a country station. Still it's a clear signal and there are some decent songs there.

KICX 106 is a Kitchener station and it's only been around for a couple years. It's the only country station that has a place on my presets because it comes in clear on my drive into work, and I like their announcers and their advertisers.

Country 107.3 is brand new, I just heard them for the first time last night. They're broadcasting out of London and playing a great mix of both new and classic country. They also seem to have a great newsroom. These guys could give BX-93 a run for their money.

So there you have it. If you're a country music fan, it's worth driving through Woodstock.

Not the Great Depression

2009-05-28T07:43:00.004-04:00

Since the beginning of this economic crisis last October, I had the impression that the general doom and gloom and the many comparisons with the great depression were somehow overdone. Finally I've seen the picture that says a thousand words on the topic.

The chart was created by Donald Marron, a one time director of the US Congressional Budget Office. I'd say that gives him some credibility. The picture is dramatic showing a 3.6% decline in real GDP from mid 2008 to the second quarter of 2009. That's a long way from the 29.3% drop seen during the great depression.

The dire economic news, including massive job losses and big declines in housing prices are certainly no fun. I'm ready for a turn around any time now, but whatever we're going through right now, it's certainly nothing like the great depression.

Common Sense Ruling from California

2009-05-27T07:43:00.003-04:00

Almost immediately after Californians voted to amend their state constitution to ban same sex marriage, the decision faced a legal challenge. Now the state Supreme Court has ruled wisely:

It is not our role to pass judgment on the wisdom or relative merit of the current provisions of the California Constitution governing the means by which our state Constitution may be altered. . . . In the absence of an explicit subject-matter limitation on the use of the initiative to propose and adopt constitutional amendments, . . . we conclude the existing provisions of the California Constitution governing amendment and revision cannot properly be interpreted in the manner advocated by petitioners.

So Proposition 8 stands and same sex marriage can no longer be practiced in California.

The ruling is really about democracy. The rules in California clearly stated that the constitution can be amended by majority vote through a state-wide referendum. Maybe that rule is a low standard that makes such a foundational document too easy to change. Maybe that rule makes government more responsive to the needs of its citizens. That's a debate for another day, but the Court ruled wisely in that respect, to decide otherwise would have unilaterally changed the foundations of American democracy and initiated a constitutional crisis.

I welcome this wise decision. I can't say I expected it.

Proud of My Neighbours

2009-05-25T21:30:00.003-04:00

The folks in the town of Halton Hills are on to something:

the Fair Trade Resolution first passed by the Town of Halton Hills [is] now spreading across Canada. The resolution supports free, fair, and reciprocal trade. It simply says that Canadian municipalities are willing to make their infrastructure projects open to any country that doesn’t block Canadian-made products for their projects. That’s called reciprocity and it’s just common sense.
Similar resolutions have already been passed or endorsed by the Region of Halton, the City of Temiskaming Shores, and over a dozen other local governments. Others are planning to bring it before their local or regional councils in the coming weeks. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities, with over 1750 members and representing almost 90% of Canada’s population, has classified it as an emergency resolution to be debated and voted on at its annual conference in Whistler, BC in early June.

Halton Hills is practically next door to Guelph, so these folks are basically my neighbours. The resolutions are probably only symbolic but they're still a powerful statement against protectionism. The statements are timely, the current US administration is running rough shod over their international trade obligations and the more Canadian municipalities, companies, and consumers send messages to US companies and consumers the better chance the US government will realize the error of it's ways.

Yeah, I know I'm probably dreaming, but I still commend the municipalities and Fair Trade for Canada for their efforts so far.

H/T Bourque

Action Needed to React to Plummeting US Dollar

2009-05-25T07:43:00.002-04:00

I'll start by saying I know that currency variation is complicated. There are such a variety of factors that bank economists with powerful models can rarely agree. But I will say when a currency jumps like the Canadian Dollar has done recently there's gotta be a dominant explanation. There have been 2 major explanations thrown around. 1 - Rising Energy Prices. 2 A Weak US Dollar. I'd say at this point rising energy prices are simply a function of the weaker US dollar. This video below is a fun demonstration of how much extra US dollars have been printed and why the US currency will continue to weaken.

That's a problem for everyone. American consumers are going to face more costly imports. However, I believe the US administration is content to let this happen because allowing their dollar to fall will make their exports appear cheaper.

However, Canadian exporters are already finding themselves getting a body blow from this fluctuation. Our currency has increased by about 15% since March, meaning a Canadian exporter who is paid in US dollars is receiving 15% fewer Canadian dollars even while their costs remain the same. This threatens to decimate the Canadian economy while they are fragile. Our government needs to (A) pressure the US government to reign in their money supply, or (B)consider printing more of our own money as a response.

A is much preferable to B, but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Proclamation! Unites Local Churches

2009-05-24T08:30:00.003-04:00

My parish church is hosting the Proclamation event for the local chapter of the Canadian Bible Society. Basically the Bible is divided up into a bunch of different readings, from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Gospels and the Psalms then by reading verses from each section the Bible is read aloud entirely in about 10 days.

People from every church in the community are taking turns reading a few verses so it's a great opportunity to meet people from other churches and to see the inside of another church that you might otherwise never have entered. It really can pull communities together like it did in Newfoundland in April 2001.

On Friday night, I took my turn to sit and listen and to read a few chapters. It's a pretty neat feeling to get up and read the Bible aloud - The stories really seem to come alive and by choosing random passages I got to hear parts of the Bible that I just don't get to listen to very frequently.