Strange things done 'neath the midnight sun -&- Bud Talkinghorn

There are strange things done 'neath the midnight sun

by the men who moil for ... whatever.

As an indifferent sleeper, one whom the thud of a newspaper hitting the door is sufficient to rouse, I often get up at 4 am to read and work. The night before last, I found myself interrupted by the noise and a vehicle's lights trained on a window--and me--as I sat in front of my computer. Shortly thereafter, the car sped away, tires squealing. That is another instance in a relatively short time that I have noted strange vehicle and visitor activity. I say strange because people do not stop there by choice if they want not to be rammed from behind, nor do drivers turn in my driveway by choice. In fact, it might be considered a dangerous place to stop and gawk ... or to turn. Either my location has improved ... or something odd is going on. Why? Do you suppose someone is preparing to throw rotten tomatoes my way? Add this to the strange phone calls to which I have been subject ... and what am I to think? ... Is it possible that something is getting to someone? Perhaps on this website? What is the message? Is there one? These night visitors have been obvious, waiting long enough, it seems, to be certain I note them, then they speed away. Am I supposed to be apprehensive? Of what? Or am I just the recipient of random night gawkers? ... You know, "it could happen to anyone" ...

Maybe I did have an excuse for being a bit ratty that day and then forgetting to give credit where credit was due, rosemarie59. I did leave an apologetic response (comments) to the author of the Jan. 4, 06 summary. For others who send mail via spoofed email addresses, may you rot in hackers' ****. Fill in your worst nightmare; then add eternity to it. NJC



Massive arson attacks in France over New Years--Get used to the new normal

The CBC TV news reported that French immigrant youth had set aflame "400 or more" cars on New Year's eve. Actually the number was quite a bit higher--like 452. This, compared to 300 last year. It seems it has been a an ethnic tradition for years, which one hopes doesn't leave the shores of France. Violence and arson affected 250 towns and cities. Yet CBC assured us that the French are quite pleased that it didn't add up to more--like the 10,000 cars and 200 businesses torched this summer. What a sad admission.

© Bud Talkinghorn


It's OK Corral time for Palestine

Daily, we get images which suggest that not only Gaza, but the whole of Palestine is chaotic. Shoot-outs in the streets between the different lawless segments are now commonplace. Abbas has lost much of the real power, while Hamas, and the other Islamic terrorist organizations have gained. All talk of two mutually respectful neighbours is in tatters. Suicide attacks bring instant retaliation from the Israelis. Shin Bet, the Israeli security branch, has announced that even during the "truce", they aborted over a hundred suicide raids, and other violent actions. This fact rarely makes the liberal media's reports on the reality of this confrontation. The reality might disturb their preferred vision of an oppressed Palestinian people.

Even the strongest military branch of Fatah does not back Abbas fully. They want the rampant corruption in the PA stopped. However, Abbas has inherited Arafat's cronies, so it became an impossible demand. And in Gaza, Abbas faces a wide collection of criminal gangs and warlords, on top of Hamas. The worst case scenario would be for Hamas to sweep the up-coming elections. Then Israel will know that even the pretense of peace will be abandoned. It will be as though they had irrefutable future proof of what Hitler planned for them in 1939. Eventually, if the situation approaches anarchy, retaliation may have to take the form of invasion and wholesale assassinations of terrorists. By 1944, nobody among the Allies said, "Oh, if we firebomb Dresden, there may be civilian casualties." All Germans were considered the enemy. So it may come to be in Palestine. And while the neighbouring Arab states would never accept the resultant Palestinian refugees into their states, they will gladly arm them

© Bud Talkinghorn


Oh, Bud, watch Canada's portals for them ... if they're not already here. I note a definitely pro-Palestinian tone to the MotherCorps -- not that they would ever admit it. They are so blatant in their biases. NJC




"If it bleeds it leads"--the dumbing down of the news

The bleeding never stops on TV. If the actual blood disappears, there are always the survivors, the mothers, the bereft friends to interview. The emotional toll must be recorded for a rapt audience of voyeurs. Then we can quarterback their grief portential--"Gee, he didn't seem distraught." That he might be in shock is rarely considered. Then there are always the grief groupies to tap. The "friend" (who hasn't spoken to the victim in six months) suddenly on cue gushes about "how special he/she was". This ghoulishness has always been a staple of TV news, but it is now getting absurd.

Last night, to Murray McLaughlan's unusually feverish CD, "Gullivar's Taxi", I watched "Fear Factor"--with the sound off, as I will submit myself to only so much punishment. That episode was set in The Bates Motel. It involved cute, bikini-clad women being buried alive in a coffin filled with worms, then a few rats tossed in, dirt then dumped onto their coffins. An in-coffin cam picked up her reactions. Some further nonsense had their boyfriends and ex-husbands / boyfriends trying to excavate them in time. I suppose the real fear factor is whether the ex-husbands / boyfriends will even be bothered digging them out. This program is a constant ratings winner. So maybe we can't blame TV news for emulating it. As the viewing audience sinks to new schlock lows, the news must try to keep up.

© Bud Talkinghorn--For my own gratuitous thrill, I must mention that CBC, our "cultural beacon" is also as capable of this disaster-grief wallowing as the rest. It is just that they try mightily to tie said disaster to Bush or Cheney.


So much for a public broadcaster as presenting programs a cut above the rest ... Instead, they wallow more and more ... grasping for viewership. If only they would develop a balanced perspective and serious, high-minded programs ... but they pander ... and lose viewership. A pity they could not view their efforts from another perspective and recognize the viewership potential out there waiting for something truly better, even high-minded, something that honours the highest ideals for its citizenry, for Canadian families, presenting programming that celebrates the best of Canadians--not just those on the gravy train or the teat, those who have paid their dues to the panderers ... and of course, their union dues to the 'right'--or is that 'rights'--groups? NJC

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