Update: BCE, Bud Talkinghorn -&- A Hero Rides into the Dawn of a New Cultural Era -&- Why are we in Afghanistan?

Update re A Hero Rides into the Dawn of a New Cultural Era: Andy Scott Supports Ze Artistes!
which mentions the media giant, BCE and whether there was insider trading. (I had erroneously typed BGE -- mea culpa. NJC )


INSIDER TRADING - WANT MORE PROOF? LOOK AT BCE TorontoTory, Jan. 8, 06

In my last post, I mentioned the important of investigating high dividend stocks.

I present the case of BCE. BCE owns Liberal friendly Bell Globemedia. BCE, the company, officially donated $25,000 to Paul Martin's campaign. Bell Canada Inc. donated an additional $34,000 to Paul Martin's campaign. It is common knowledge that the company is in bed with the Liberal party.

The announcement on November 23rd heavily impacted companies like BCE.

On this investment message board we see discussions happening ON NOVEMBER 23rd, where investors start the day off wondering why the stock is going up, then realize that people knew about the announcement ahead of time. A look at BCE's stock price and behaviour makes this clear: [. . . . ]

Check the graph for yourself. Very convincing. Would the connections mentioned here also account for the extremely negative slant out of the East on any news of Stephen Harper? (See week of Dec. 18, 05) I think so. We need a change in government and in mainstream media coverage and connections.




The artists vs the neo-cons

Through the bloggers' grapevine, I have heard that arts groups have been asking the local candidates to address their issues. From sea unto sea, it's the same old lobbying. Apparently, the candidates received advance questions. To begin with, the artists and culture union wanted to know if the candidates would support the UNESCO drive for "diversity"? Quite self-effacing -- that they should care whether the rich countries would support some up-country Malian puppetry troupe or drummer. However, they did get in later the suggestion that Canadian artists should be given government stipends to produce their cultural wares--as in Sweden. Across Canada, some of what is produced on the literary front is world-calibre (and I love it). However, those artists who haven't any merit, along with the talented, must make it on their respective saleability. The idea that someone who produces poetry that is incomphrensible should be awarded, for instance $15,000 to advance his/her stupefying rubbish is criminal appropriation of another taxpayers' money. Who is to decide where the merit lies--some ****** **** literary council? [sorry, censored, Bud NJC] Did Leonard Cohen, Mordecai Richler, and Margaret Laurence need government grants to thrive? I doubt that Neil Young, Shania Twain and The Band achieved success by sucking up to some Heritage Ministry official, or by appeasing the exquisite political correctness of the local literary mafia. As for UNESCO, look into the reasons that America pulled out of this undemocratic, corrupt organization years ago.

There are many hands in our pockets, Let's not support the market for artistic fraud -- financed almost exclusively by the taxpayers. If the product is excellent, it will find a market of its own. Example: George Jonas's book "Vengeance" was turned into Steven Spielberg's film, "Munich". Certainly, there will be Canadian talent overlooked--especially in our age of dross posing as creativity. However, that is a societal problem that government cannot fix. Therefore, the impetus to have talent appreciated is on the individual, not the state.

Already we have the Heritage Ministry making decisions for the dispensing of tax money to various cultural groups. (Remember the lesbian porno flick, "Bubbles Galore" which Heritage Canada financed--using a washed-up AMERICAN adult star. Oh, that American part. How could they trample on our cultural identity like that? Despite its huge budget, I never did get to see the finished product. Did You?) I could tell you of some more "artistry" supported, but this is still the afterglow of the festive season, so I will spare you. We don't need any more layers of pork. [ Bud, tell me you wouldn't really want to see Bubbles or you'll decimate my faith in your innate common sense ... please. NJC ]

One other question that was to be asked was, "When will you help alleviate the chronic underfunding of the CBC"? If I didn't know better, I would assume this question was a joke. Nearly a billion dollars in direct funding for this white elephant is too much already. I suspect that the artists' ideological roots are showing here. It has more to do with pushing the small "L" liberal agenda of the CBC, than with helping artists make a living. The basic demand is that the 94% that don't watch CBC should boost their bloated budget. The gall of these people! They should just be happy that the government decided to live large with support for this turkey. 1% of the Canadian population watch the CBC Newsworld channel. Finally, it was instructive to see that one art lobbyist wanted to bolster the Quebec wing of the arts. Maybe the artists' union(s) would be wise to investigate how much money these Quebec artists already vacuum up? It might come as a huge shock.

Bud Talkinghorn



A Hero Rides into the Dawn of a New Cultural Era: Andy Scott Supports Ze Artistes!

Minister of Indian Affairs (responsible also for Metis and Atlantic Porcine Affairs), Liberal MP Andy Scott, has announced that artists should be eligible for Employment Insurance benefits.

[Scott suggested this opportunity would offer] access to programs like EI that would have all the training, sick benefits, maternity benefits and income support

He said there was nothing inconsistent with the philosophy of EI that would prevent it from becoming an income supplement for artists.

The program performs that role in the fishing industry to keep workers from moving away from regions dependent on the sector.

Fishers need to earn between $2,500 and $4,200, depending on their region, to be eligible.

"There is value with what people who produce art do and that deserves to be supported in that fashion," Scott said. It would make New Brunswick a very attractive place for artists to be

How generous you are with other people's EI money, Mr. Scott. Desperate enough to rob one group to pay for another who just happen to control mainstream media. (Think e.g. CBC and Bell Globemedia which controls CTV, I believe -- Do check out a budding scandal with BCE [corrected - BGE - mistyped] having to do with income trusts, I think. See update above. )

Check for funding though the People Building New Brunswick human resources strategy and by Human Resources and Skills Development. There is a $200-million program targeting "immigration, education and trades training"

The pilot [project] would depend on the creation of an arts and culture organization that would authenticate an EI claim ...

The organization would verify which artists would be eligible for benefits.

But of course, that is why the artists have a union, CARFAC / RAAV (PQ) and why command performance invitations are issued before the election to every politician to be (grilled ) questioned over how much money they are willing to throw at the mainstream media cabal which is, in turn supported by "Friends", NGO's and particular Liberal departments like Foreign Affairs and Heritage.

Thanks to a friend who provided this from the Daily Gleaner, Jan. 6, 06, A5. Note, there was an excellent article in the St. John Telegraph Journal, Jan. 7, 06, by an ex-editor of that paper, I believe, on the relative merits of the Liberals vs the Conservatives. He supports the Conservatives and Mr. Harper.




Olympic Gold

I watched Ice Storm about the ice skate marking fiasco at the Salt Lake Olympics when there was collusion over the marking (2002?) so that the Russian team, despite a slightly imperfect program, were awarded the gold medal, while Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were awarded the silver. Actually, I remember that skate and the Russian program was simply superb and, I thought, a bit more intricate (amateur opinion) so both pairs were wonderful programs ... Besides, there had been a small accident in practice involving the Russian male just before the skate. Anyway, because of the error--corruption--in marking, the French judge admitting that she was coerced -- (politics, power and pride -- collusion between the French and the Russians, along with a Russian mafioso added to a dollop of Italian, I think it was--hiding the problem as much as possible by the head of the IOC(?)--thrown in) and a public outcry against the unfairness of awarding gold to the Russian pair, there was IOC damage control, meetings, a half-hearted punishment of the perpetrator(s) and heavier punishment for the whistleblowers (the more things change ... ) -- the gold was eventually awarded to Sale and Pelletier. Since then, judging is anonymous and, as Scott Hamilton suggested, corruption is hidden. (A thought: Did Canada's PM set the terms for the investigation, omitting a few key players -- akin to the terms of the Gomery enquiry? )

Why are Western countries still joining in IOC competition when the Russians have never had to answer any questions of the IOC about their part in the corruption and, following that, the Olympic committee's major input was damage control? Why are Western countries not refusing to be part of such international venues if corruption is still likely? Why not form a Western Olympic Committee for competitions until the IOC investigates and punishes all the corrupt ones involved, instead of the whistleblowers? To participate further is to accept it.

Recommended documentary -- see them skating their Olympic programs (maybe not all) again. Now on the professional circuit, all four are magical when they skate as a two couple foursome. Sale and Pelletier are perfecting their art--totally in synch and with increasingly complicated and balance-defying routines. The Russian pair have perfected theirs and a great comic routine. To heck with hockey! Bring on more skate pairs and the dancers!



An Open Letter to CBC.ca television

Well, CBC asked for feedback on the pilot "This Space for Rent". Let's start the puns with the title. That is one pilot that deserves to be shot down in flames -- and this "space" will remain unwatched for eternity. To follow up, let me utilize a sentence uttered a few times in the show, "It really does suck". To quickly summarize the "plot", it seems to revolve around a bunch of twenty-something slackers, who are in revolt against some nefarious state plot to make them go to work. The black guy quits his "slave job" at a burger joint, while the wimpish pseudo-novelist dons a business suit to finally gain employment. The dykish-looking (but ultimately inclusive) female acts crazy, but she wins over her boss. Some suck-up company guy is fired on her dislike of him. Location shots of Vancouver are shown via zany encounters.

Sorry, but the remote crazily switched to another channel before the last segment. I expect, this being a CBC program, the next segment will have some pertinent scenes showing them fighting the corrupt establishment--a la "DaVinci's City Hall". One dimensional characters tend to grow tiresome in a single episode -- or less.

While I am at it, let me comment on "This is Wonderland". The first year was refreshingly different, and more importantly, genuinely funny. Then came the second year of the series. Instead of building on unusual situations in the court system, the writers fell back on the old cast of crazies--do I sense a pattern here-and rather stale plot lines. The first two new episodes this season showed promise, but unfortunately fell back on the injustices afforded the mentally ill. Yes, they are often cast aside and I have personal experience of that tragic policy; however, CBC shouldn't construct an entire program series around that. As for "DaVinci's City Hall", he was irritating enough when he was a crusading coroner. This is my minimalist critque: Mayor, police chief (and God knows how many beat cops) are corrupt, while the junkies, whores, and illegal immigrant population should be elevated to sainthood. Enough with this social engineering. Does the NDP underwrite all your dramas? To finish with another pun, you had better get with the program, or you will lose the miniscule audience you aready have.

Bud Talkinghorn

Think of much that is on CBC as a cultural shot prescribed by Big Brother ... administered for your own good ... Now bend over ... I couldn't resist ... Sorry, Bud. NJC



Why are we in Afghanistan?

This was a question posed in a letter to the editor by Leo Broderick (National Post, Jan. 5). He mentioned that the British are forecasting large casualties. Therefore our JFT elite and other troops shouldn't be there hunting down Al-Qaeda and the remnents of the Taliban. I guess amnesia has set in for him. There were 9/11, the embassy attacks in Africa, and the bombing of backpackers in Bali. Then, in an act of absolute barbarity, there was the slaughter of the innocents in Beslan. The list of world-wide atrocities is so long that I would need all my memory to include them. Ground zero for these terrorist attacks was Afghanistan. Clinton and the rest of the world sat by while al-Qaeda trained an army of jihadis in that country--with the blessings of their troglodyte cousins, the Taliban.

While the progress in Afghanistan has been slow, that is to be expected in a failed state that has endured twenty years of savage civil war. There is no magic wand to wave which will transform the country overnight. The fact that millions braved potential suicide attacks if they voted shows that the tide has turned for the good. After the Soviets were driven out, the West abandoned Afghanistan and the religious fundamentalists moved in. The leader of the most democratic warrior faction, Massoud, was assassinated by al-Qaeda suicide agents. We cannot afford to abandon Afghanistan again--for our own sakes, if not for theirs. Whereever the vipers build their nests, we must root them out.

Bud Talkinghorn

---