Prince Harry and Iraq

While I've never held much respect for Prince Harry, I've certainly gained a lot more for him as of late as he prepares to go serve his country in Iraq. I may have inherited my father's somewhat disdainful attitude towards the institution of the monarchy, but refusing to ask for special treatment and going through with his deployment to Iraq has earned Harry my respect. God bless him and keep him and those under his command as he leaves to fight for freedom in Iraq.


(h/t National Newswatch)

Ezra Levant And the Western Standard Respond

A must read, courtesy of the Western Standard, on the Mark Holland Documents Scandal (PDF format).

Pot, Meet Kettle.

Some days, this stuff just writes itself.

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Critics are accusing Environment Minister John Baird of using scare tactics, after he painted a grim picture of economic mayhem if Canada were to comply with the Kyoto Protocol.

Baird told the Senate environmental committee that economists have warned against following the Kyoto targets, but critics disagreed with the findings.

"This is a rigged study," Liberal Sen. Grant Mitchell told Baird. "The one thing that it demonstrates is how effective you are at spinning the media. And in fact, if we could just capture that spin, we'd have an alternative energy source."

....

Dennis Dawson, a Liberal MP from Quebec and a member of the committee, suggested earlier in the day that the government is fear mongering.

"The sky is falling, we've heard that before. I was here in a previous life when the catalytic converters would kill the auto industry," Dawson told Baird during the Senate committee hearing.

....

Baird told the committee that analysis from economists shows implementing the Kyoto Protocol would mean the following:

• Gasoline will cost more than $1.60 a litre over the 2008-to-2012 period

• 275,000 Canadians working today will lose their jobs by 2009

• Job loss will cause unemployment rates to rise 25 per cent by 2009

• The decline of economic activity in the range of $51 billion

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So, when the government details the economic consequences of trying to meet a long overdue target in such a short period of time - they're "fear-mongering".

But, of course, when radical environmentalists tell us that our brains will become smaller, that our children will become dangerously sicker, that methane fireballs will tear across the sky, that 'hypercanes' will blast all life away via their ferocious winds, and that 4.5 billion people will be dead by 2012 - hey, they're just looking out for our welfare.

With thanks to Kate for conveniently gathering some of those links. If you know of any more bizarre claims, feel free to post them in the comments.

CBC Needs a Spell-Checker

I was just watching CBC TV coverage of the murder of the Mayor of Nagasaki, and noticed that they had spelled the name of the city "N-A-G-A-S-K-I" ("Nagaski") on their little graphic in the corner of the screen.

Guess those rednecks at the CBC need them some book-learnin'.

Brandon Sums up my thoughts exactly.

"What a joke."

300

I've noticed a lot of cheerleading for this rather dull movie across the blogosphere lately. Personally, I found plot poorly laid out and the script wooden. The violence was so glorified, it felt like I was watching someone playing a poorly-made video game. It was far too cheesy at more points than I care to discuss.

My criticism of the plot/acting/directing/everything else aside, a lot of people out there seem to love the presentation of brave Spartans standing up against the armies of the 'tyrannical dictator' Xerxes I, laying their lives on the line in the name of freedom and liberty from despotism.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, however, when Brave Leonidas 'passionately' spoke to his men about their fight being one for the freedom and liberty of their wives, children, and those back at home. The concept of Spartan liberty is highly exaggerated by this movie. Heck, don't take my word for it, just ask the Helots. You've got to laugh when a fictionalized society preaches freedom, while the real one actively enslaved a population far greater than their own (so much so that they required an army of spies to report on potential threats to the social order).

--edit--
It seems that I accidentally updated the timestamp to 2:43 pm instead of 2:43 am as I had meant to when I updated the post - unfortunately this meant that the post stayed at the top of the blogroll for a very long period of time, for which I apologize. Thanks to Brian for pointing that out - my bad.

Six Canadian Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

While we celebrate Easter, let us take time to pray for the six Canadian soldiers who were killed in a roadside bomb today in Afghanistan. We shall not forget the sacrifice they made. May we carry on in our hearts the hopes that they held for Afghanistan: human rights, peace, and prosperity. Pray especially that on this Easter Sunday the Lord may raise them up to new life.

After Thirteen years of inaction

...why the sudden hurry?

The Shame of Britain

Have we forgotten our lessons so soon? Almost seventy years ago, a British Prime Minister refused to stand up to a tyrant and his meekness and refusal to go toe to toe with him led us down the path of another bloody European war. Today, Tony "Neville Chamberlain" Blair has destroyed the last vestige of British pride by making nice with the Iranian government after it kidnapped 15 British sailors and marines in Iraqi waters. Winston Churchill is turning in his grave:

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"We bear you no ill will. We respect Iran as an ancient civilisation...The disagreement we have with your government we wish to resolve peacefully... in the future we hope to do so." - Tony Blair

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Shame on Blair for not being brave enough to defend his country! He has met this crisis with weak platitudes and has demonstrated an alarming lack of nerve in dealing with Iranian strongman Ahmadinejad. Worse, he has delivered a shocking message to the world that Britain can be cowed. This will embolden Iran and the enemies of the west.

If Blair had any nerve at all, he would have met this hostage taking with an ultimatum that Iran return them or face disatrous consequences. Seventy years ago a German leader gambled everything by re-occupying the Rhineland, betting that the French would not have the courage to send the German troops packing. Had they resisted, the German troops had orders to retreat back to Germany's borders as quick as they could.

Emboldened by what he correctly divined as a weakness in French foreign policy, Hitler invaded Poland and started the Second World War.

Now, Ahmadinejad will go even further in his dealings with the west, gambling on British weakness. How far will he go? The answer is alarmingly obvious:

Imagine if Hitler had a nuclear weapon.

I Hate to Say I Told You So

People are going to take Williams' side on this, I assure you. I for one am curious as to how the ads are going to defend the government's position on the equalization dispute.

I'll let all of you know what the reaction to them is like here in St. John's as soon as they start airing.

(h/t National Newswatch)

"Bill Matthews Calls It Quits"

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After 25 years in public life, Random-Burin-St. George's MP Bill Matthews is calling it quits. Matthews announced this morning he will not be seeking a seat in the next next federal election. Matthews was first elected in 1982 in the provincial district of Grand Bank, and later switched to federal politics in 1997. He said following eight elections it's time for him to leave politics. Conservative MP Norm Doyle has already announced he won't be running again either.

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I've never met the man, but I am good friends with Norm. Perhaps Doyle's decision influenced that of Mr. Matthews?

(Source)

I Only Have One Question

When did we become Liberals?

This is a Mistake

A Big mistake. If the Tories think Newfoundlanders are going to believe them over the most Holy Savior from the Right Hand of God, Danny Williams (yes, that was sarcasm) they have quite another thing coming.

My father is as staunch a Conservative as they come, but he actually threatened to vote Liberal in the next federal election today over this. That, in case you haven't realized it, should leave you very worried about the future of the Federal Tories here in Newfoundland.

But who cares about Newfoundland, right? (It's only seven seats! Shovel some more money at Quebec!)