Bud Talkinghorn

A trade war that Canada might win

Suppose Canada refused to export its marijuana to the States in retaliation for the softwood tariff impositions? Hundreds of thousands of Americans deprived of their BC bud would create a whine that might reach Washington. In turn, Canadians would keep the bud for themselves, prices would drop, and the cocaine and guns that flow up as exchange for it would disappear. It sounds like a win-win proposition to me.

© Bud Talkinghorn :) -- in jest



Film critics versus Robert Fulford

Recently I wrote a blog on the artistic limitations of Bill Murray, so I was glad to see my arguments buttressed by Mr. Fulford in The National Post. Fulford took issue with Murray's latest flaccid role in Broken Flowers. The point he made about the critics praising Murray for his deadpan performance could apply to Murray's last two applauded roles in Rushmore and Lost in Translation. In both those movies, Murray had all the dynamism of a Madame Tussaud figure. These absurd accolades for near-comatose acting only make people leery of film criticism, the way the Turner Art Prize has made "minimalist" art in England a hugh joke.

© Bud Talkinghorn



Pit bulls and public safety

So the pit bull owners want to keep their "pets". Well, I'm a cat lover, so I want the right have a tiger as a pet. I promise to keep it on a lease on our walks. Remember, there are no bad tigers; only bad owners.

© Bud Talkinghorn



Note: I simply did not have the time to post this when it should have been put up. NJC

New Orleans is devastated--Where is our Canadian government aid?

In a time of catastrophe such as this, I expect our government to immediately offer all the support it can to our good neighbours to the south. We have the DART emergency team, which could help supply tents, medical aid and water purification. Get them down to the Gulf area. The Canadian Red Cross should also be dispatched. If the banks and liquor stores could set up money boxes for the tsunami victims in far-off countries, surely we can shell out for the Americans. Even our near-useless helicopters could be deployed to airlift out the thousands stranded in the city of New Orleans.

As for the Americans, the federal government should have airlifted in thousands of their national guard. Don't they remember the mass looting in the days after Hurricane Andrew? If necessary, there should be a curfew, backed up by a shoot to wound order. There was the sickening suspicion that many didn't evacuate because they saw an opportunity to steal from their fellow citizens. And while I've never been a Bush-basher, he should be on the spot tomorrow not on Friday. Also, as soon as the hurricane was categorized as a category 4 or 5, the national guard from around the country should have been flown into the surrounding area.

© Bud Talkinghorn-- The rich European countries should also be putting their shoulders to the wheel, as well. Heaven knows, the Americans rode to the rescue enough times for other countries' disasters. Has the Marshall Plan, which revitalized Western Europe after WW11, been completely forgotten?