Quick Notes

Thanks to those who know I love kittens and send photos.






Pakistani Capital Sealed Against Protests -- "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani security forces arrested hundreds of Islamic hard-liners, virtually sealed off the capital and used gunfire and tear gas Sunday to quell protests over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons that were banned after a wave of deadly riots." Matthew Pennington, AP, Feb 19, 06 -- via Anne_mcm: "Twelve-year-old Amar Ahmed joined the protest, carrying a sign reading, "O Allah, give me courage to kill the blasphemer." ", 2/19/2006

[. . . . ] Hundreds of Muslims burned a church in the southern city of Sukkur. No worshippers were inside at the time, but one person was hurt afterward when police fired tear gas.

Local police chief Akbar Arian said the riot was not sparked by the cartoons but by allegations that a local Christian had burned pages of Islam's holy book, the Quran — another sign of the heightened sectarian tensions in this overwhelmingly Muslim nation.

[. . . . ] In Istanbul, tens of thousands joined a protest organized by the Islamic Felicity Party, whose leaders shouted over loudspeakers that the crowd symbolized the anger of the world's 1.5 billion Muslims and urged them to "resist oppression." Protesters chanted slogans against Denmark, Israel and the United States.

Ethem Erkovan, a 47-year-old participant, who held a banner in one hand and his daughter in the other, accused Western nations of maligning Islam. "They are the ones who are trying to depict the expanding Islamic community as terrorists, though all we want is peace," he said.

Well, logic and tolerance win again.

Obviously, "Twelve-year-old Amar Ahmed" quoted above was ... not serious? just trying to be part of the crowd? exaggerating? stupid? taught this in school and at home? ignorant but well-trained in hatred? ... Just what would Muslims have us believe?


Moderates: They ARE out there - they just don't get the press that the extremists get...

LONDON: Finally, moderate voices rose above the din of extremist rhetoric to have themselves heard as thousands of ordinary Muslims — angry and embarrassed by the controversy over Prophet Muhammed's cartoons — held a massive rally in Trafalgar Square, central London, on Saturday against "incitement'' in the name of religion.

Protesters, waving placards in support of free speech, denounced the extremists who had raised inflammatory slogans during a march here last week against the controversial cartoons.

"We do not fear debate or criticism,'' said one banner echoing the mood at the rally .... posted by buck2thrice, 2/20/2006


Muslim cartoon row timeline -- The BBC News website outlines key events in the escalating row over the publication of cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad.

There is a lengthy list.



Publish or perish! or "What the Muhammad cartoons portray" by Martin Asser, BBC, Feb. 9, 06

Unfortunately, before the discussion mentioned below may take place, those who do not tolerate satiric cartoons will have to kill us; certainly they expect us to self-censor for them, so there is not much choice. (My personal response is more in the order of "Get thee behind me, Satan, and push!" -- but that is not politically correct in this climate of fear of Muslim madness.)

[. . . . ] Muslim writer Ziauddin Sardar likens them to anti-Semitic images published in Europe in the 1920s and 30s, with Muslims being demonised as violent, backward and fanatical.

"Freedom of expression is not about doing whatever we want to do because we can do it," he wrote in the Independent on Sunday.

"It is about creating an open marketplace for ideas and debate where all, including the marginalised, can take part as equals."

Related stories on that site:

Rioters' hidden motives
Divisions and inconsistencies
Contradiction in Arab views
Editors face mixed fates
Danish Muslims divided
Q&A: Cartoons row
Viewpoints: Cartoon row
Damage control
BBC's dilemma over cartoons




Taiwan hunts drug ring pals of BC English tutor February 09 2006

Taiwanese authorities are planning to work with Canada to dismantle a Vancouver-based drug trafficking operation they say was run by an English language tutor from B.C. who is now facing trial before a court in Taipei.

‘Crooked’ bankers stash loot in Richmond and Vancouver February 09 2006, By Mata Press Service

The bankers and their wives ran companies with names like Top Honest Holdings Limited. But the businesses they were doing were anything but honest, allege American investigators.

Now a US grand jury has indicted two former Bank of China managers and their wives over a complex scheme to defraud the state-owned Chinese bank of US$485 million (C$556 million). [. . . . ]

[....] The group bought at least three houses in Richmond while stashing large amounts of cash into accounts at the Royal Bank Canada branch on Ackroyd Road in Richmond and the Vancouver area branches of the Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

[....] via Vancouver using false identities. [....]

[....] following criminal checks, [Stanley] Ho gained entry into the Canadian gaming world by teaming up with a B.C. computer whiz to develop a virtual casino, called DrHo.com.

DrHo.com is based in Antigua with technology designed by Vancouver-based Eyeball.com Network Inc. Gamblers play poker, blackjack, roulette and a host of other games in real time with live dealers. [....]

[....] Ho and his connections are listed in numerous classified intelligence files, including a RCMP Asian Organized Crime Roster.[....]

There is more. Wasn't Li Ka-shing fortunate to have sold his shares in CIBC before all this? (if my memory serves)



Courts, Louise Arbour Suggested as Liberal Leader

Liberal insiders want UN's top human rights fighter to clean up the party. David Beers, Feb. 17, 06
-- via CNEWS Forum

Former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour, head of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, is seen to carry the iron-clad credibility the Liberals need in a post-Gomery world. Sources say a "Draft Arbour" campaign is in the exploratory stage and gaining momentum. [. . . . ]

Arbour's fans among Liberals point to her stellar resume, including 27 honorary doctorates, and say she is comfortable, even charismatic, in the glare of the spotlight. In the works is a made-for-television movie Hunt For Justice, which tells the story of her quest to indict Bosnian war criminals. [. . . . ]

Not everyone is so enthralled with that idea:

robmik43, 2/19/2006: nothing like an activist judge, to represent the Liberal party.

quebec1, 2/19/2006: Remember the Kinston pen 4 women? [more in a link below] Male guards had to establish order and security there after the female guards were harrassed, intimidated, violently attacked, had urine and feces thrown at them, ... shall I go on? [.... Make a guess as to which ones Arbour sided with. Easy.]

quebec1, 2/19/2006: on Kosovo, Milosovic, and Arbour's actions. http://www.geocities.com/cpa_blacktown_02/20000115arboblac.htm

Anne_mcm, 2/19/2006: "She is another Liberal lawyer from Quebec among a line of lawyers from Quebec that have been Prime Ministers. What is wrong with this picture. "

More on Louise Arbour here: Joining the Supremes -- Pro-family Canadians brace themselves as liberal jurist LOUISE ARBOUR ascends to the nation's highest court, Tim Bloedow, The Interim, August, 1999 -- via Anne_mcm, Feb. 19, 06

... [Louise Arbour] a darling of Canada's liberal legal establishment, which, along with the mainstream media ...

Others, however, see Arbour as a threat to the integrity of the judiciary in Canada. She is a "reckless" woman who acts as though she is "above the law, above the constitution, and above the (International Criminal) Tribunal," Gwen Landolt told The Interim.

In other words, "she fits right in," said Landolt, a lawyer and the national vice-president of REAL Women. "She's just a left-wing politician sitting in the court."

.... She has long been a favourite among the liberal political and legal elite, but especially since her controversial 1996 appointment as the lead prosecuter at the United Nations' International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Considering the aggressive trend towards globalism in many Western nations today, this experience will probably top her portfolio for years to come. Arbour is a strong proponent of the UN's latest experiment in expanding its judicial power: the 1998 development of an agreement to establish a International Criminal Court. [. . . . ]

Search:
Kingston Penitentiary for women
feminist outrage at the way Kingston Penintentiary guards treated female prisoners following a riot in the prison.
Arbour's blatant disregard for Canada's Constitution in accepting the appointment
Allan Rock had to pass three orders-in-council
Senator Anne Cools
reputation for being openly political
openly lobbied in favour of the International Criminal Court [which is important for the timing]
Larry Taman, an NDP appointee
equal treatment for married couples and common-law partners

This article is worth reading if you want to review the plans that, IMHO, have been in the works for years and how justices and members of Liberal governments have been gerrymandering to realize their globalization plans.



Lenient to a fault -- Should criminals do no time at all? In a speech last week, Judge John Reilly pitched the idea of sending only the worst offenders, such as Karla Homolka, to jail while reforming other criminals by educating them about the damage they've done.

PM Harper: Supreme Court nominee to face questions from Parliamentarians Feb. 20, 06

“The Supreme Court is a vital institution that belongs to all Canadians,” said the Prime Minister. “I believe the public deserves to know more about the individuals appointed to serve there, and the method by which they are appointed. A public hearing is an unprecedented step in this direction,” he continued. “It will bring more openness and accountability to the process of appointing people to our nation’s highest court.”

The hearing by the Ad Hoc Committee to Review a Nominee for the Supreme Court of Canada is an interim process designed to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice John Major. Full details of a process to fill future vacancies will be announced at a future date.

Olympics Skating: Have the daring lifts gone too far, dangerously so?

Canadian duo tumbles to sixth place after fall -- Spill filled day: Dubreuil's injury may prevent pair from continuing Dan Barnes, CanWest, Feb. 20, 06

"This is something that's never happened before. Her hand slipped," said a concerned Lauzon. "Maybe it's because there was too much [force] in the rotation. I just hope Marie is fine. She fell really hard on [her hip]."

Also tumbled: Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali / Barbara Fusar Poli and Maurizio Margaglio ["For perhaps 30 seconds they glared at one another, making nary a move toward consolation nor any sympathetic sound"]


During their routine, Dubreuil was in a rotational lift with her back to her partner and her arms extended behind her, and with her hands wrapped around Lauzon's arm. Her fingers came apart, she fell out of the lift, and bounced to the ice on her hip then onto her back.

Canadians Patrice Lauzon and Marie-France Dubreuil -- Olympic ice dancing -- Dubreuil is nursing a painful hip bruise and is questionable for Monday's free skate.

The path seems to be clear for the reigning world champions, Russians Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov. The duo is in first place overall. [. . . . ]

Mr. Blackwell, you're wanted at Palavela, where the skating costumes are awful -- I agree, and the music last night for ice dancing was mostly awful. Latin America produces much better music than that.

On being asked to donate to our Olympic athletes -- intimidated into giving, really Lydia Lovric, February 20, 2006

My solution is to just say No, if I don't wish to give to any charity but obviously, that is not "nice". Ye Gods!

Injured U.S. soldier, widow win $102.6 million judgment for Afghanistan attack -- re: Khan -- Sgt. Speer

Legal challenge to pipeline review returns to court as hearing reveal aboriginals split -- legal efforts to derail the whole process Bob Weber, CP, Feb. 19, 2006

[. . . . ] The pipeline would cross their traditional lands, so the Dene Tha have asked for a judicial stay of hearings by the Joint Review Panel until their voice is heard.

They have also asked the Federal Court to rule that Alberta sections of the pipeline should be included in the review and not hived off to provincial regulators.

Free Speech

In defence of the Western Standard -- More here and here


Update link: Go and live in Saudi Arabia, mad mullahs -- Saira Khan, loudmouth star of The Apprentice, tells Deirdre Fernand that young Muslim women like her are the true voice of British Islam and they are sick of the bearded extremists giving them all a bad name Sunday Times, Feb. 19, 06


Mark Bonokoski: Grandfatherly A. Murray Coursey 'is looking for friendly, young ladies' to be his pen pals. Serious inquiries only for a serial pedophile -- "Meet A. Murray Coursey of Toronto, a serial pedophile presently residing at the Warkworth Institution, a federal pen just south of Campbellford, Ont." Feb. 19, 06


"Jihad" Training Inside the U.S. - Interview with Former Terrorists Northeast Intelligence Network

16 February 2006: A 16-minute interview with three former terrorists, including one from Dearborn, Michigan, MUST be seen by anyone who doubts that Muslims inside the U.S. are training for "jihad" against the U.S. and other Western countries.

[....] Walid Shoebat, Ibrahim Abdullah (born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan) and Zak Anani, as recorded in a 16 minute interview broadcast on Comcast News with host Greg Coy on the recent January 2006 CN8 News program: "Your Morning" [. . . . ]

The Click That Broke a Government's Grip Philip P. Pan, WashPost, Feb. 19, 06

BEIJING -- The top editors of the China Youth Daily were meeting in a conference room last August when their cell phones started buzzing quietly with text messages. One after another, they discreetly read the notes. Then they traded nervous glances.

Colleagues were informing them that a senior editor in the room, Li Datong, had done something astonishing. Just before the meeting, Li had posted a blistering letter on the newspaper's computer system attacking the Communist Party's propaganda czars and a plan by the editor in chief to dock reporters' pay if their stories upset party officials. [....]

A thousand bad ideas Peter Foster, Feb. 17, 06

Book Review: Peter Tertzakian, a Calgary-based economist: A Thousand Barrels a Second

[....] Moreover, according to Mr. Tertzakian, there are no technological "magic bullets" in sight. "Free-market forces are not strong enough to catalyze rapid change in energy because it takes so much capital."

[....] The solution? "[S]oftening up the nation's defences against lifestyle changes are key to solving our energy problems," Mr. Tertzakian declares. This will require a number of Orwellian techniques. Governments will issue a "rally cry" while "social pressures" will be brought to bear on all those wicked enough to drive SUVs. It worked for tobacco, he writes, so why not for Escalades and Hummers?

[....] The luckiest country on Earth? China. Because it has "a golden opportunity to engineer a society that does not fully experience the level of oil addiction that we have known in the West." Perhaps Mr. Tertzakian might also have a look at China's experience with social engineering in the past century.

He declares that, "Those nations that implement intelligent and visionary policies soon will be much better positioned to take advantage of the next period of robust economic growth." [....]

The leftist solution to everything ... central planning.



Crossing floor furor much ado about nothing Chantal Hebert, Feb. 15, 2006

[....] The only way for an MP who crosses the floor to avoid the judgment of his/her constituents is to bail out of politics.

[....] one of the side risks of making party switching as unpalatable as possible is to make it even less likely that MPs will be inclined to hold their ground on issues of principle. [. . . . ]

Good Night All