Author: Mulder

Photo's From The Bilderberg – Friday

Mulder
Brookstreet

As I mentioned in my last post, I got the opportunity to drive by the Brookstreet Hotel (shown above) to see what kind of hoopla was going on. Not as an activist mind you, but as an observer. I managed to snap the above photo of the hotel and noticed the parking lot was blocked off with small metal fence baricades. Nothing overly secure, but enough to tell drivers not to enter the long driveway.I noticed a bunch of youngsters standing in the rain eating Pizza Pizza under a couple of umbrellas.

I knew right away they weren’t from Ottawa because no self respecting resident of Ottawa would eat Pizza Pizza. It’s solely for those transplanted Torontonians who haven’t experienced the good stuff Ottawa has to offer.

But I had to ask. So I pulled over, tossed on my blinkers and got out with my cell phone/camera. I asked them if they were there to see what the hullabaloo was about and they said yes and asked me if I was with Alex Jones. I almost died laughing when they asked me if I was with him.

For those who don’t know, Alex Jones is a whack job who thinks past U.S. President’s and U.S. government officials get together for some crazy ritual worshiping a giant stone owl and burning a human in effigy to represent the death of bohemian culture. *clutching side in laughter*

Obviously the nutbar is planning on crashing the Bilderberg. I proceded to say “no” and asked them if they were local guys from Ottawa. They admitted to being from a few different places … Toronto, Vancouver and even a carload from Spain huddling in from the rain.

As you can see from the photo below, the event has cop cars all over. I hope they aren’t needed and if the rain keeps up the way it is expected to, there will be no golfing for the elite, and no fun in the sun for the protesters.

BilderBerg Guards-Ottawa

ADDENDUM: I recalled reading about Bill Clinton attending a conference but wasn’t sure if it was the Bilderberg, so I got his biography off my bookshelf and sure enough, Bilderberg is listed in the index and pointed me to page 376. However, there was no mention of the Bilderberg on that page or any in the vicinity. If I manage to dig it up, I will post what Bill wrote about it.
An added note, the CTV 11 pm news just reported that Stephen Harper attended a Bilderberg in the past but is not, apparently, at this one.  They also added that if he was, it is shrouded in so much secrecy that no one would know.

Brookstreet … A Hotel Of Kings Now Too? There Go The Room Rates!!

Mulder

The Marshes Golf Course is pretty nice. But the prices are way too high. Links style or not, I have only played there when they have deals or when someone else is paying because I much prefer Loch March.

But the prestigious golf course, located a mere 500 meters from my office, is part of the Brookstreet Hotel complex which is hosting a group that is even more secretive than the Free Masons.

The Bilderberg Group is in Ottawa this week and staying at the hotel I put my suppliers up in.

Despite being sick as a dog, I need to go to the office tomorrow for a couple of sales calls. I might just have to pass by the gorgeous, (and often empty due to the room rates) hotel and see if I can recognize anyone before security tosses me out on my ass. Ironically, the same doormen who do are the ones who consistently open the doors for me when I go to pick up those suppliers to go on sales calls. Ahh the irony of it all.

Enjoy your stay in our town Kingmakers. In light of this high profile meeting, I have to wonder if the Toronto 17 were arrested just in case this meeting was a possible target. This is one of the first years the get together is being publicized.

Smackdown (June 8th, 2006)

Mulder

I can just hear the University of Ottawa scream “Oops!!” on this one.

H/T to Brent Colbert for this one.

Letter to Dalton McGuinty from legal counsel for Mike Harris

TORONTO, June 7 /CNW/ –

VIA FACSIMILE (416) 325-3745

The Honourable Dalton McGuinty
Premier
Legislative Building
Queen’s Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A1

Dear Sir:
Re: The Ipperwash Inquiry

We are counsel to the Honourable Michael D. Harris and represent him in The Ipperwash Inquiry.
In the legislature yesterday you were criticized by Progressive Conservative members regarding ongoing events in Caledonia, Ontario, where
direct action has been taken by some First Nations persons regarding certain land issues. In responding to that criticism you made the following statements:

“The party opposite would prefer that we direct a police action. Let’s be honest about where they’re coming from in this regard. That is their preference. We bring a different approach. It is thoughtful; it’s based on our recent understanding of some painful lessons in the history of this province.
(…)
“I prefer to be direct with Ontarians. Again, the Conservatives prefer that we direct the police and that we send them out on some kind of police action. We see things differently. They have not drawn the appropriate lessons from what happened some four years ago. We have.
(…)
“But I suggest to my friend opposite that he really should own up to the fact that the objection he has, in terms of the approach we have taken, is that we have refused to direct the Ontario Provincial Police.
(…)
“What the member opposite is asking us to do is to direct the Ontario Provincial Police in the conduct of a police action.”

The plain meaning of these statements is that Progressive Conservatives have in the past preferred and have chosen to address direct action by First Nations persons by directing police operations against them. Any reasonably informed Ontarian would also understand through your references to the past and “painful lessons in the history of this province” that your words referred to the police operations involving First Nations persons at Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995 and their tragic outcome.

Your statements demonstrate complete ignorance of the evidence that has in fact been heard by The Ipperwash Inquiry. The allegation that Premier Harris directed the police operations at Ipperwash is unfounded.

Your statements also presume the outcome of matters in issue in The Ipperwash Inquiry’s ongoing proceedings. For a Premier of Ontario to make such statements is plainly prejudicial to the integrity of The Ipperwash Inquiry’s process. You should immediately withdraw your improper statements and apologize to Commissioner Sidney Linden.

Any allegation that Premier Harris directed the police operations at Ipperwash is also gravely defamatory of Mr. Harris personally. Our client will not tolerate the revival for your present political purposes of irresponsible and unfounded smear tactics deployed against our client in the past by members of your government.
If you make such statements again outside the legislature, either expressly or impliedly, legal proceedings will immediately be commenced against you personally.

Yours truly,

Peter A. Downard

cc. W.A. Derry Millar, Lead Commission Counsel, The Ipperwash Inquiry

Note: I altered spacing for visual purposes but not the content in the above letter.

I Could Have Been His First Blogger

Mulder

Tossing and turning in the warm Ottawa night and something hit me in my half awake-half asleep stupor.

With regards to the battle between the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Press Gallery, if they had opened up the list to non PPG people like … ohhhhh … shall we say … ME the MSM could have been drooling over bloggers, much as they were during the election campaign when bloggers such as MK Braaten, Stephen Taylor, Craig Smith and Steve Janke who were busting open stories such as the Income Trust scandal and the exorbitant expenditures for relocation that included hotel bills in Cancun and Hawaii.

But I can just see it now. Had Mr. Harper given an interview to a lowly blogger like me, the MSM would have ripped him a new one with headlines like “Harper gives Officially Screwed Interview” or they could have posted a photo of me next to the PM with a subtitle like “Officially Screwed By P.M.”

Needless to say, Stephen Harper DID give Officially Screwed a brief 90 second interview when I met him at the Senators-Capitals Hockey game on March 2nd. He was both cordial and friendly and showed actual interest in my blog.

But that night I had the luck of being seated a mere 35 or 40 feet from the PM and he took the opportunity for a photo op a scant 10 seats over from where I was sitting. As much as I loved the ease and friendliness he gave when I approached him to say hi and congratulate him on the recent win, I now shudder to think how close someone with bad intentions could have come to him.

In light of the recent news of the intent of one of the Toronto 17 to behead him, I hope our PM takes a far more secure approach to his public appearances. The country needs him to lead for several more years in order to straighten out the mess Dat Der Guy From Shawinigan put us in.

Long live the PM and the BPG (Blogger Press Gallery).

Now back to bed for me.

Smackdown (June 6th, 2006)

Mulder

In Question Period the following exchange took place today between Liberal Defence Critic, Ujjal Dosanjh, and Minister of National Defence, Gordon O’Connor.

Dosanjh: Mr. Speaker, Could the Minister of National Defence confirm that under International Trade and Arms Regulations, C-17 aircraft that the Canadian government plans to purchase from the United States would carry with it a veto for the U.S. over where in the world that aircraft could be flown?

O’Connor: Mr. Speaker, the government has made no decisions on any equipment, as I’ve said a number of times in this House. But I’d would like to quote the member (Dosanjh) who had a press conference yesterday who said:

“The conservatives campaigned on strategic airlift acquisitions. Once in government, they refuse to deviate from their political platform.”

I can understand why somebody from the liberal party would say something like that because they deviate from their platforms all the time.

Simply Priceless!! Well done Minister.

A Lesson Learned From Gerald Bull

Mulder

For those who do not know who he is, Gerald “Jerry” Bull was a Canadian born astrophysisist who had developed the capability to launch projectiles into the thermosphere. After working on projects funded by the US Military, Canadian Department of Defence, and McGill University, the funding he received was eventually pulled so Bull took his technology to the open market where nations such as Iraq and China wanted him to develop similar technology for them.

Bull ran his show out of the Barbados and was eventually found dead of drowning after falling overboard from his boat. Many believe his death was not an accident, but that he was killed to prevent his technology from being expanded and used by the Iraqis to launch artillery 1000s of miles without rocket propulsion. To put things into perspective, some of his tests had him launch projectiles in excess of 100 lbs over 180km into the atmosphere.

So why am I telling you about Jerry Bull? Well you see, I am an electronics technologist. When I was studying, my communications professeur was an engineer that had worked with Bull. He was the most fidgety, nervous man I had seen and rumour (amongst students) was that he had had a couple of nervous breakdowns. He took the time in one class to tell us about the danger of what we were learning and how the technologies we were learning could pose serious danger to us and to those around us, and that we should always use caution when making decisions on how to use this knowledge.

Many of us had a rough inkling of what he was talking about, but until I saw the pictures in today’s Ottawa Sun of the items seized in the terror suspect arrests in Toronto this weekend, I didn’t realize the full extent of what this professeur was trying to tell us.

There was a red Nokia cellphone wired to a circuit board sitting in a tackle box that appeared to be a jury-rigged triggering device.

…

There was camouflage hunting and camping gear, a pair of Sorel boots, a soldering iron and a battery case with eight D batteries inside.

…

Several large hunting knives and Exacto blades were in the bag, along with less ominous looking flashlights, a rusted BBQ gate, a 6-volt battery and a recharging unit for the walkie-talkies.

The bolded items can pretty easily be used to create a crude, yet effective, remote detonator. When it took me all of 5 seconds to piece together how the components could be used, I think I finally understood what this professeur was trying to tell us that day. The lesson was learned Professeur, the lesson was learned.

Smackdown Of The Week (June 4th, 2006)

Mulder

I love this one. Jean Charest has challenged Gilles Duceppe to put up or shut up.

Charest issued the dare Friday in response to Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe’s accusation earlier this week that the premier has shown “no backbone” in demanding that Prime Minister Stephen Harper share the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“If he (Duceppe) believes in what he’s saying, unless it’s empty rhetoric, well then he’ll vote against the budget in the House of Commons,” Charest retorted angrily.

“So we’ll see who has backbone.”

…

Charest said Duceppe should stop telling him how to do his job and start doing his own.

“Mr. Duceppe is the leader of a federal party that sits in the House of Commons with a minority government. He’s not the premier of Quebec,” Charest said.

Roasto Toasto!!! Backbone indeed. He may as well have told Duceppe his cajones are as big as chick peas.

Ahhh, Jean. You may be a Liberal now, but you still have a place in my heart.

Less than 24 Hours After Canadian Terror Arrests And The Race Card Comes Out

Mulder

Canada is a VERY tolerant country. Unlike the United States, we are not a “melting pot”. In Canada, your ethicity comes first. ex. I am a Greek Canadian, not a Canadian Greek.

But The Buzz at Canoe.ca points out a quote from the Aly Hindy that has visions of Johnny Cochrane flashing before my eyes.

Aly Hindy, an imam at the Salaheddin Islamic Centre in east-end Toronto, said the centre’s mosque had been monitored by security agencies for years. He said Muslims were once again being falsely accused.

“It’s not terrorism. It could be some criminal activity with a few guys, that’s all,” said Hindy.

“We are the ones always accused.”

(bolded emphasis mine)

Brent Colbert reminds us of a quote Aly Hindy made back in July. (note the followup comment to Brent’s post that mentions Hindy is a close friend of the Khadr family.)

He also demanded that the police and intelligence agencies stop “terrorizing Muslim Canadians” and chillingly suggested that he couldn’t “guarantee what is going to happen. Our young people we can’t control.”

Indeed, Mr. Hindy. You can NOT control your youth. This is why we have the RCMP, CSIS and four police divisions jumping when a threat alert occurs. This is why we have lists of anyone buying ammonium nitrate. This is why we have border guards, sniffer dogs, and anti-terrorism divisions in all major western countries.

RCMP assisstant commissioner Mike McDonell put the three tonnes of ammonium nitrate found in perspective:

“If I can put this in context for you, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people was completed with only one tonne of ammonium nitrate.”

For the record? If the 17 arrested were Greeks, and if some were cousins of mine, I would be the first to say “lock them up and throw away the key”.

ADDENDUM:  By the above article, my main argument, which may be a bit vague is that it doesn’t matter what the accused background is.  Nor does it matter what their religion is.  Nor the colour of their skin.  The fact remains that the authorities feel they had enough intelligence, information and facts to move on the individuals.  And until due process is complete, they are accused of some very nasty crimes, but still innocent until proven guilty.

But if you saw the cell phone, 8D batteries, barbecue element, and assorted guns, knives, etc from today’s Ottawa Sun, you might already be disqualified as a juror.  It was pretty damning evidence.

What The Hell Is Wrong With Our Country?? This One Hits Too Close To Home For Me

Mulder

This one hit especially close to home, because Donview Middle School is where I went to school from Grade 7 to Grade 9. I played Soccer and Flag Football behind the school. I slid down the iced slope on the north side of the school on my Adidas gym bag for hours after school in the winters.

But now I am finding out that my old junior high school is giving out assignments to 8th graders that pushes all boundaries of tolerance. This is NOT the Donview I remember. It is NOT the Geography Mr. Waisglass taught us. It is NOT the Geography Mr. Jardine taught us.

The material includes a fictitious story that depicts Jews persecuting Christians, including the burning of a church. It is one of seven vignettes, and the only one that identifies an oppressor by ethnicity or religion.

“The implication that Jews are burning a church, given our own past, is really offensive,” said Janis Rosen, who teaches Grade 8 geography at Donview Middle School in York Mills. “It just hit me in the stomach.”

The material — pulled from another Toronto area school board curriculum in 2002, according to the Canadian Jewish Congress — comes from a group assignment in “Grade 8 Geography Resources” (2000), a binder that Ontario teachers photocopy looseleaf lessons from.

In a chapter about migration, students are asked to read the ficticious vignettes and identify push factors like war, death threats and natural disasters, before sending refugees to a new country.

In one such vignette, Jamal and his Christian family are forced to leave their hypothetical country, “Country F,” after being tyrannized by Jews.

“Refugees from Jewish neighbourhoods slowly took over the apartment buildings,” it reads.”Great anger” grows between Christians and Jews, and all but one Christian family — the speaker’s — are forced to leave.

The whole article can be viewed here. I urge anyone who knows me and knows people in the old neighbourhood to share this with their friends and urge parents with kids at Donview to complain. This is just too Officially Screwed for me.

H/T to Gay and Right for this one.