Crime and Punishment

Smackdown – KerPlonka Lands One On Chin Of Rob Edger (And Paints Another Face On Stephane Dion)

Mulder

In an assessment of Stephane Dion’s call for aid to help minority’s deal with hate crimes, Jarrett Plonka does a find job dismantling the argument and pointing out numerous flaws with various Liberal’s positions on this matter. But what gave me a smile was his reply to a comment from Stephane Dion’s Blog Campaign Co-Chair, Rob Edger.

Rob Edger: What’s your alternative?

Jarrett: Basically, either treat all these so-called “hate crimes” as leniently as we do with “normal crimes,” or treat all “normal crimes” with the fire and brimstone with which we appear to want to treat “hate crimes”.

Jarrett is wise beyond his years and disarms the question quite handily. He goes on:

I know which one I’d choose in an instant. The decision is harder for the Cotlerites to whom I referred, who have to balance their desire to have that progressive society while reconciling some of the internal contradictions (including a few that I outlined) that notion presents.

I know which one I would choose too Jarrett.

Hounddog Won't Get My Money

Mulder

When I heard that the movie Hounddog was going to have a scene which 12 year old actress Dakota Fanning acts like she is being raped by her father, I got sick to my stomach.

I know that incest and child abuse are topics on TV and in the movies all the time, but to portray the video of it is crossing a line I don’t think has been crossed before and I for one will not support the movie by watching it, renting it, or giving it the liberty of being played on my TV when it comes out on Pay TV.

The issue of incest/child abuse can be portrayed just fine without filming a rendition of it. I can only think of one reason this scene would be shot and needless to say Roman Polanski comes to mind.

Michael Coren says it best:

Then they’ll sit back and look smug and caring and enlightened when moral and religious types argue that it’s emotionally and sexually unhealthy to use child rape as a form of titillation for witless audiences.

Some have argued that it’s fine because Fanning’s mother was present during the ordeal and approved of her daughter’s work.

Oh, well, that’s OK then. After all, there has never been a neurotic mother of an actor child in Hollywood, living her life vicariously and enjoying the money and glamour of being mum to a star.

It really is extraordinary that the same sort of people who routinely attack traditional parenting and vehemently oppose even mild spanking are so supportive of a mother’s right to allow her 12-year-old child to behave in such a manner.

Frankly, any criticism will only encourage the chattering classes and inflate still further their sense of self-righteous paranoia.

A child here, a moral code there, a broken generation somewhere else. Doesn’t matter, as long as you’re the centre of attention at a fashionable party.

Virgin Movie PhotoWhat makes the last statement by Coren so valid to me is that Deborah Kampmeier, the director of Hounddog has credits in two movies to date and both are themed around some sexual act.

Her first film, Virgin, is about girl who finds herself pregnant without remembering having had sex so she concludes that she is carrying the child of god.

I guess Kampmeier has discovered that sex sells in our society. Either that or she had a really screwed up childhood that we are will hear about when she writes her memoirs in a decade or two.

And The Arar CopyCats Have Started Cropping Up

Mulder

This morning I heard that there is now a case of a man who claims Canada played a part in his human rights abuse.

He came to Canada as a refugee and Canada refused him and deported him back to Egypt where he was, allegedly, beaten and tortured.

CTV News has now obtained photographs and videotape, allegedly of the same man, which show fresh injuries on his back. They appear to be burns and welts, which he claims were inflicted by Egyptian authorities. He alleges that, since he was sent back, two security officers from Egypt’s State Security Investigations (SSI) have detained, interrogated and threatened him several times. He also claims he was shocked with electricity, doused with water and beaten.

CTV News has also obtained an audiotape recording, which his supporters said is the man pleading for help.

“I feel very afraid. Very afraid. Save me please. They tortured me. They tortured me a lot all over my back,” the man on the tape said. “They told me, we decorated your back like your Jesus. All my body was shaking. I could not control myself.”

“They were laughing. They were laughing. Let your Jesus come to save you.” The man broke down in tears. “Please, I beg you, I beg you save me, save me. Save my life.”

I feel for anyone who is tortured. I hope that whoever did the actual torture should rot in hell. But I am NOT willing to let Canada take responsibility for this.

How much do you want to bet a lawsuit as big as Maher Arar’s is in the works? Remember, Arar is suing for $300 to $400 Million dollars.

I'm MADD At Telemarketing Fraud

Mulder

No more. I hate to say it, but no more.

For all you legitimate charities out there, you are the big losers. After organizations like MADD have reportedly put 80% or more of the donations they receive towards promoting for more donations … No More!

After a telemarketing ring in Montreal was busted yesterday with over 30 people tied in, I have to say … No More!

I think the BEST way I can help stop telemarketing fraud, and shady charity practices is to stop giving money to anyone who comes to my door, emails me, or telephones me.

When the money from stupid softhearted people like me dries up, the scams will stop.

Here’s a tidbit of information for you:

The Phonebusters Canadian anti-fraud call centre estimates that 500 to 1,000 criminal telemarketing boiler room operations are conducted on any given day in Canada, grossing about $1 billion a year.

I will continue to give to the one charity our family has always given to, and I will probably add a second charity this year, but beyond that, it had better be a good one and it had better be supported by numerous media outlets.

ARARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH … Just Shoot Me

Mulder

Arar Chronicles from CitizenSo I got up this morning and flipped open the big 24 page Arar section in my Sunday edition of the Ottawa Citizen. For some reason, it just didn’t have quite as much information for me and the text just wasn’t cutting it for my audio/visual personality. (image is from actual Ottawa Citizen website)

This drove me to flip on the boobtube and I caught a couple of hours of CTV-Ararnet. For those of you not on digital cable … you lose!! But for some reason, they missed some of the choice audio clips that I was really looking forward to hearing today. (I read about them on Dear Arar, the syndicated advice column designed for people who missed out on past Arar events.)

So I proceeded to turn on my Sirius digital satellite radio to listen to the 24/7 Arar call in talk radio show called Arar You Sirius? and dialled in a few times to try to ask about these hidden audio gems. No dice. The lines were packed with angry callers from Damascus demanding photos of his Syrian passport.

So, I just did the same old, same old and visited the www.arar.youtube.com hoping one of the Arararrazzi caught some good cellular phone video footage that they uploaded. Now and then I find some really awesome audio to go along with the video.

Barring this, I will just have to catch that Gemini winning, CBC reality show Terror Error – The Maher Arar Affair. Season 5 is available on DVD in time for Christmas. (nudge nudge wink wink to my wife)

Zimbabwe Cheers Two More Years Of Mugabe … NOT!!!

Mulder

I was sickened when I read that Robert Mugabe is being encouraged to stay on as the dictator , errrrr… evil head of errrr… Satanistic leader errrrr… head of the Zanu PF party for two more years.

His head of security even went so far as to suggest he stay on for life, which would be a slap in the face of democracy. After raping the country of it’s riches for years, the Zanu PF party may be starting to see some dissent, which will probably be a good thing.

As many of you who read this blog regularly know, I am not a big fan of Robert Mugabe as indicated by my posts here, here and here.

H/T to Dr. Roy for this one.

Judge Chops Down Tree With Politically Correct Axe

Mulder

I’ve had it. I’ve finally flipped my lid when it comes to political correctness.

I have spent the last two days in Toronto on business and talk radio here has been rambling on about Judge Marion Cohen’s decision to have a Christmas Tree removed from the courthouse on Jarvis Street.

The judge, who oversees administration at the courthouse, said it’s inappropriate that a Christian symbol is the first thing visitors see when they enter the building.

I have to point out that the Christmas Tree is not a Christian symbol, but a Pagan one from Germany adopted by Christians in the late 1800’s when the Queen of England put one up for her German husband.

I am waiting to see what she makes people swear to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” on. Is the bible that many of our laws are based on to be banished next Judge Cohen? Or do you just remove the new testament?

Should Judge Cohen ascend to the highest court in the land, would she refuse to allow turbaned RCMP officers to provide security for her court or testify in it? Will she have the word God stricken from our national anthem?

I have just about had it with these politically correct situations that are not giving Canadians Freedom OF Religion but, more aptly, they are giving us Freedom FROM Religion.

Bill Carroll spoke a mouthful when he said it is crap like this that empowers those who say things like “You see? This is what they are doing to our country.”

I have started wishing EVERYone I know or run into a Merry Christmas. This includes my grocer, the Walmart greeters, the postman, police officers, the Tim Horton’s drive through personel and, yes, even judges.

I encourage you to do the same. You will be surprised at how many smiles you get compared to scowls.

Wait Times Indirectly Longer Due To Provincial Government Waste

Mulder

Let’s put two and two together.

The Auditor General for Ontario just released a scathing report which goes so far as to say they have no idea what the level of waste is when they have millions in expenses without receipts and millions more listed as miscellaneous expenses. This outrageous spending was nickelling and diming Ontario Taxpayers to the poorhouse by buying things like 40 leather jackets for one provincial power entity and one teacher who sent flowers to her own wedding.

We should already all be aware of the overspending by MHA’s from Newfoundland which has been turned over to the Department of Justice. Some of the money, apparently, went towards gold rings that many people claim they never got. I am sorry but even if they did get the gold rings, why the heck are taxpayers paying for jewellery?

Another report in the news indicates that for the tenth year in a row the money spent on health care in Canada went up but that we STILL only spend half the money per capita that the United States spends

Let’s do the math. The Americans are taxed at a lower tax rate than Canadians. The Americans have the money to spend on an awesome military. The Americans spend twice what we do per capita on healthcare yet we are supposed to have one of the best healthcare systems in the world. I emphasize the word supposed.

Considering my mom was in intensive care for five days last week after a triple bypass, I can assure you, our healthcare system needs help.

I am grateful and thankful for the high quality education and skills our doctors and nurses are equipped with, but when an intensive care unit (ICU) has a broken ice chip machine for five days something is wrong with the system.

When a patient is left in an expensive (one to one nurse to patient ratio) ICU for two days longer than needed because there are no beds or rooms available in the cardiac care ward then something is wrong with the system. The nurses themselves told us that there were at least 5 people and as many as 7 who were ready to go to regular care but there weren’t any open beds.

Wait times can easily be cut shorter by putting more beds into the picture because the bottom line is this. If the ICU is packed with people waiting for beds, then the surgeries are not happening because there is no ICU space to put post-op patients. Hence, wait times are directly affected.

For those who care, mom is doing great and recovering nicely.

Liberals Fart…Blame Smell On Tories

Mulder

Now that Zaccardelli has come forward claiming he knew less than previously admitted in the Mahar Arar case, the Liberals are looking to leave the Conservatives high and dry when it comes to an issue that took place under the Liberal watch.

1) The Liberals were in power when Mahar Arar went through his tragic ordeal

2) The Liberals appointed RCMP Guiliano Zaccardelli in the year 2000.

3) The Liberals appointed the O’Connor Inquiry into the Arar ordeal and the Conservatives are acting on every recommendation Justice O’Connor made.

Now that the Conservatives are saving taxpayers millions by waiting for the Arar lawsuit to either be dropped or be finished before moving forward on this file, the opposition Liberals are screaming for a) an apology that would produced a spike in the payout to Arar, and b) the termination from duty of Zaccardelli, whom they appointed.

I am not against Zaccardelli leaving or being pushed out if he wasn’t aware of the details of this high profile case. But I think the government is entitled to a couple of days to assess the situation to determine if a call for his head is warranted. The last thing we need is another Dingwall style million dollar payout if the government boots him. Or worse, a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.

What I hate is the Liberals kicking and screaming at the government to do something that will cost tax payers a big chunk of money and make it look like it was the Conservatives who did something wrong.

What has me the most perturbed at this whole situation is that if a new head of the RCMP is brought in, what happens to the open files such as the investigation into the Income Trust leak that allegedly took place under the Liberal’s watch. Or for that matter, what will happen to all the open cases left with the 33 RCMP Investigations Into Liberal Party Corruption that I posted about back in December 2005?

Will they get lost in the shuffle? Is this what the Liberals want out of the dismissal of Zaccardelli?