Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Did You hear the One About . . .?

Sometimes as a blogger you face a dilemma. Things come your way and you think 'hmmm . . . that would be a fine post . . .'

But then the little voice in your head mumbles something about offending folk and you have a moral struggle with which to cope. Should you or shouldn't you?

Moral conscious be damned, I say.

Did you hear the one about the priest who attached himself to helium filled party balloons in an attempt to set a record?

Sadly, this isn't Comedy Central but the evening news.

The Rev. Adelir Antonio Di Carli was trying to break a 19-hour record for the longest party balloon flight to raise money to fund a "spiritual" rest stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil.

A spiritual rest stop?

For truckers?

Not touching that piece of this gem. No, not at all.

What would entice someone to think that filling 1000 balloons with helium, attaching the full balloons to your body and then floating away might possibly be a good idea? This is just dumb, dumb, dumb. The wind picks up. You float into the ocean . . . dumb, dumb, dumb.

At the risk of being cruel, offensive, and an all round twit . . . cause and effect exists for a reason and some folk invite things to happen to them.

The sad consequences of this cautionary tale of helium misuse?

Lots of money will be spent trying to rescue this twit. Probably enough money to construct spiritual retreats all over the place.

Those truckers will have to get by without the 'Rev. Adelir Antonio Di Carli Spiritual Retreat' to assist in their soul cleansing.

We'll have the 24 hour round-the-clock 'missing balloon priest watch' on CNN.

The Brazilian navy will be put on full alert.

Manufacturers of party balloons will have to include warning labels on their products: 'attaching too many helium balloons to your body may result in unplanned flight and death'

Update at 11.

Muderous Third Graders

As we get ready to head off to Georgia a headline catches my eye while I troll the Internet (thereby avoiding packing and other pressing tasks - thank goodness for the Internet, but I digress). It grabs your attention like a dog grabs a bone "3rd-graders plotted to hurt their teacher, police say"

This is interesting . . . when I read more I discover that these pint-sized thugs live in Georgia, the state we are about to visit. Yes, this does cause me to revise my views of the state, just a titch.

3rd-graders plotted to hurt their teacher, police say

Steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, paperweight seized from children in southern Georgia

April 02, 2008

Russ Bynum
AssocIated Press

WAYCROSS, Ga.–A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children tasks including covering the windows and cleaning up afterward, police said yesterday.

The plot, involving as many as nine boys and girls at Center Elementary School in south Georgia, was a serious threat, Waycross police chief Tony Tanner said.

School officials alerted police Friday after a pupil tipped off a teacher that a girl had brought a weapon to school.

Tanner said the students apparently planned to knock the teacher unconscious with a crystal paperweight, bind her with the handcuffs and tape and then stab her with the knife.

"We did not hear anybody say they intended to kill her, but could they have accidentally killed her? Absolutely," Tanner said.

The children, ages eight to 10, were apparently mad at the teacher because she had scolded one of them for standing on a chair, he said.

Two of the students were arrested on juvenile charges yesterday and a third arrest was expected.

District Attorney Rick Currie said other students told investigators they didn't take the plot seriously.

Currie said the children are too young to be charged as adults, and probably too young to be sentenced to a youth detention centre.

Police seized a steak knife with a broken handle, steel handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a paperweight from the students, Tanner said.

Currie said he decided to seek juvenile charges against two girls, ages 9 and 10, who brought the knife and paperweight and an 8-year-old boy who brought tape. He said all three students faced charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and both girls were being charged with bringing weapons to school.

Nine children have been given discipline, including long-term suspension.

Up here in Canada third graders would be 8 or 9. My god, when I was 8 or 9 I recall building a tent out of blankets and the dining room table, I remember baseball, hide-and-seek. Guess what I don't remember? Thoughts of murder.

No, I don't remember those at all!

Now, I realize that these twits are children and can only be held accountable in a limited way for their actions, but I hope their punishment is severe, severe, severe.

As a teacher I find this very scary. If my students had had murderous thoughts every time I scolded them for some sort of foolishness I'd be dead many times over.

Now I realize that I am generalizing here and making a raft of assumptions, but that is what I do. Where are the parents in all of this? Surely they might have realized that little Sue was packing a knife in her school bag. Wouldn't they have heard the frenzied plans being made? What sort of drivel must they allow these kidlets to watch - no doubt exposing them to all sorts of murderous imagery.

Punish the parents too!

Good lord - it is official, I have crossed the line to ranting conservative  . . . my membership card for Amnesty International just self combusted.

Georgia On My Mind, indeed.

Earth Hour Toronto

The day after Earth Hour is upon us, now what are you going to do?

Will the symbolic activity designed to make a statement of concern about climate change make a difference in your daily lives?

The Toronto Star reports that energy consumption during that hour was down nearly 9% from comparable late-March Saturday nights. Across the province as a whole (bearing in mind that many cities and rural areas didn’t actively participate the way Toronto did), energy draw was down 5.2% from normal.

The Earth Hour’s launch point, Christchurch, New Zealand, had a 13% lower consumption during the hour. In Sydney, Australia, it was down 10%. I did get the impression that a lot of people didn’t participate, though, through numerous valid reasons but also some half-hearted excuses.

The Toronto Star states, “Ireland’s more than 7,000 pubs elected not to take part - in part because of the risk that Saturday night revelers could end up smashing glasses, falling down stairs, or setting themselves on fire with candles.

Likewise, much of Europe - including France, Germany, Spain and European Union institutions - planned nothing to mark Earth Hour.

That didn’t dismay organizers, who said there’s a powerful message in the fact that the usual powerhouse countries aren’t leading the way, and that even in wealthy places like Canada it’s very much a grassroots phenomenon.”

The Toronto Star had a great slide show of scenes from the different participating cities around the world. Many are very subtle before-and-afters, but I liked a number of them, including one of Sydney Harbour, from across the water. It doesn’t seem to let you grab the address for the individual images or I’d post a linked one here.

We were in Toronto to see a show at the theatre and during intermission Paul and I raced out to the street to see the lights off in the city. It wasn't pitch black by any means, but it was nice to see many of the office towers and other buildings with their lights off.

If it can be done for an hour for a special event, it can be done for good!

Crazy News!

Shameless self-promotion . . .

One of our photos from Italy has been entered in a photo contest. We are currently 21 out of 363 photos. You can vote by clicking here.

Remember a 10 is good!

*smile*

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Once again today I am struck by the unusual way my friends to the south (i.e. Americans) focus on the inane over the seemingly more pressing issues. Now, in fairness, it may be because I just don't understand the pressing issues as well as I think I do.

Case in point. Today's huge story is about the poor, tailer-trash, sometimes blonde, washed up, pop star (hmm - am I being harsh?) Today we learn that after she lost custody of her kids to her equally idiotic spouse she dropped them off EARLY and went to the tanning salon. Now before you wag your finger . . . there is more! Apparently there is a sex tape of Britney that was made in June. Good lord she needs some help now!

What do I think should be the focus of people's attention? Why Bush vetoed a piece of legislation that would extend health care benefits to children who have none. Beside for the moral imperative doesn't it just made good economic sense? Healthy kids are better apt to become healthy, contributing members of society. There - everyone wins!

Why isn't there more public discourse about the war in Iraq?

It is a sad state of affairs when an out of control pop-tart is the story of the day.

I do have some advice for Brit . . .

Look, I’ve got this whole thing figured out. I can’t sit on the sidelines without offering some sort of assistance here. What you need with Britney is some sort of reward system. Every time she gets the kids to brush her teeth, hey, here’s a Twinkie. Make it one day without dropping one, surprise, welcome to your Blizzard. Now for the more serious matters; If Britney makes it a whole week without drinking, Ronald McDonald will come to her house and bring a sack full of Big Macs. You might question my methods, but keep in mind I’m not a licensed therapist. I did house-train a dog once, so I think that qualifies me in regards to Britney. Actually I think that makes me overqualified, but I don’t have time to quibble over details

The Threatened Canadian North

Lately the Canadian north has been in the news. Last week a Russian expedition went into the north and planted a Russian flag on the sea bed at the north pole. Canadian papers were in a tizzy. The Russians were comingm, the Russians were coming . . . .

Why would Russia be interested in the north?

Well  . . . I imagine that there is a wealth of unexploited minerals in that area. Can you say fossil fuels? yes you can. Apparently Mr. Putin is hankering for some oil and gas.

It could be as well that it will make a very convenient sea route should the dire predictions of global warming come true.

Until the area has a perceived value to someone no one really wants the land. So obviously Russia wants to send a message.

What does the Canadian government do in response?

Our Prime Minister travels to the north (once he figured out where it was) and makes an announcement . . . drum roll please . . .

Canadian Press
FORT SIMPSON, N.W.T. — Prime Minister Stephen Harper kicked off a three-day Arctic sovereignty tour today by announcing the expansion of one of the country’s most rugged and beautiful national parks.

What a pinhead! I am so sure that expanding a park is going to send a rather strong message to those who wish to challenge the country for sovereignty of the north. Honestly, sometimes we are such a joke.

Paris Hilton? Who Cares? Enough, I say, Enough!

Poor Paris (there is a combination of words not normally used).

A mean judge sentenced her to jail for breaking her parole not once but twice. Imagine being held accountable for her actions.

Then a nice sheriff let her out of jail and said she could spend her time under house arrest. In this case the house being a sprawling mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

Sure, her plastic ankle bracelet won’t allow her to go any further than 4,000 feet (which is probably the size of one room in her house) from her home, but she’ll certainly be enjoying all the comforts of a privileged home for the next 40 days. She can wash down her “medications” with a swig of Cristal if she likes; use her cell phone to check on the progress of her on again/off again bud Lindsay Lohan, who’s rehabbing down in Malibu; watch herself partying on “Entertainment Tonight” on a 50-inch plasma screen; or stick one leg in her pool and have catered meals.

Then the mean judge ordered her back to court because he wasn't happy.

Paris and her lawyers tried to 'call it in'.

The mean judge said no way and sent the sheriff's car to pick her up and drag her in.

Paris' lawyers never did provide the judge with any medical evidence about her alleged condition which would be made far worse by being in jail (isn't a broken nail considered to be a 'condition' any more? GASP A broken nail without a file to smooth it is like, a real crisis, you know?)

Paris is back in jail. The rest of the world can continue living lives.

What is this fascination people have with Paris Hilton? It really was nonstop - Paris going to court, Paris calling it in, Paris breaking down screaming and shaking. ARGH

How about that judge though? Now there is a judge I like! LOL

Paris has no talent for anything, she isn't attractive, and she seems as bright as a burned out light bulb. Yet acres of trees are chopped down to make the newspaper which blather on about her, thousands of dollars are spent tracking her every move, and altogether too much time is spent discussing her every action.

Don't people know that there are some real problems in our world which should engage folk in legitimate discussion? Or how about chattering about people who make a difference in our world and have some real talent; true heroes.

Oh my - yesterday Paris issued this press release (does she have an agent in jail with her?):

Hilton added she was "shocked" by the attention her case has received and suggested the public and media focus on "more important things like the men and women serving our country in Iraq."

Now, I'm not naive enough to not see the blatant ploy for public support there, but the sentiment is spot on. If a dim bulb like Paris (or in this case her handlers) 'get it' that there are some significant problems in the world which really are worthy of discourse, what is wrong with the rest of us?

There. I have ranted. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Guns in Schools

Yesterday we reacted in horror upon hearing that a teenager had been shot in a Toronto high school. This feeling only intensified when it was later revealed that he had died of his wounds.

Jordan Manners, 15, was hit in the chest around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. The Grade 9 student was rushed to Sunnybrook hospital, where he later died. He had just celebrated his 15th birthday on Friday. He is described as popular, trustworthy youth who was well known and liked in his community.

Initial reports indicate that there was a fight about fireworks outside of the school. The gunman went into the school, and not long later Jordan was shot.

Schools used to be a refuge where children could learn, interact, and laugh. It is frightening to think that kids are contemplating death before they understand what it means to live.

Generally we feel that we are immune to this stuff here in Canada. We have relatively strict gun control laws in the country so one wouldn't expect that kids would have ready access to them. Some suggest that they are illegally brought in from the US. I don't know if this is true or not, I do know I have been asked on numerous border crossings if I have guns.

My final comment on this sad case . . . today's papers all feature a large photo of Jordan's mother collapsing to the ground outside of the hospital seconds after she has been told that her son has died. I really despise the media vultures! People should be able to live their grief with some privacy before the press intrudes . . .

Further Security Follies

Lest someone think we are immune to security concerns here in Canada let me assure you we are not.

The case in point would be the Air India disaster.   This was back in the day when acts of terrorism were still called disasters.

On June 23, 1985 this flight from Canada to the UK blew apart in the air 45 minutes from Heathrow. All 329 passengers and crew were killed.

In the 22 years since this act of terrorism a number of facts have come out: the plane was blown apart by Sikh extremists; the RCMP bungled the investigation and while arrests were made in the case there have been few convictions; there were signs that a bombing was planned . . .

Recently a commission has been reviewing the case and trying to find out what went wrong. As is often the case in such situations, startling revelations have been made.

We have hear a senior government official declared that he came upon data which indicated that this particular flight was a target. He passed this information on and nothing was done about it. How troubling is this? You have suspicions that something is going to happen but you ignore them?

Just the other day we heard that a bomb sniffing dog had been dispatched to check out the plane (OK< perhaps the suspicions were acted upon on some level) however by the time the dog and his handler had arrived at the airport the plane had already been cleared for take off. The handler and dog arrived to examine the plane as it taxied to the runway. Of course there is no way of knowing if the dog would have detected the bomb but if he had 329 people would not have died.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course, but it is troubling that so often acts of terror could have been prevented if the systems in place had just worked the way they were intended to.

A Security Risk?

For some time we Canadians had heard reports of an attempt by terrorists to gather information by inserting transmitters/chips in our quarters. No one really knew what it was about and frankly many of us saw it as yet another urban myth. The papers were full of reports earlier this year of these mysterious coins being 'placed' in people's (US security agents and military 'purchasers') pockets and subsequently being used to track their very movements. It all sounded so 'Mission Impossible'.

No one knew what it was about though. It was finally explained this week:

An odd-looking Canadian coin with a bright red flower was the culprit behind the U.S. Defence Department's false espionage warning earlier this year, the Associated Press has learned.

The odd-looking – but harmless – "poppy coin" was so unfamiliar to suspicious U.S. Army contractors travelling in Canada that they filed confidential espionage accounts about them. The worried contractors described the coins as "anomalous" and "filled with something man-made that looked like nano-technology," according to once-classified U.S. government reports and e-mails obtained by the AP.

The silver-coloured 25-cent piece features the red image of a poppy – Canada's flower of remembrance – inlaid over a maple leaf. The unorthodox quarter is identical to the coins pictured and described as suspicious in the contractors' accounts.

The supposed nano-technology actually was a conventional protective coating the Royal Canadian Mint applied to prevent the poppy's red color from rubbing off. The mint produced nearly 30 million such quarters in 2004 commemorating Canada's 117,000 war dead.

"It did not appear to be electronic (analog) in nature or have a power source," wrote one U.S. contractor, who discovered the coin in the cup holder of a rental car. "Under high power microscope, it appeared to be complex consisting of several layers of clear, but different material, with a wire like mesh suspended on top."

The confidential accounts led to a sensational warning from the Defence Security Service, an agency of the Defence Department, that mysterious coins with radio frequency transmitters were found planted on U.S. contractors with classified security clearances on at least three separate occasions between October 2005 and January 2006 as the contractors travelled through Canada.

One contractor believed someone had placed two of the quarters in an outer coat pocket after the contractor had emptied the pocket hours earlier. "Coat pockets were empty that morning and I was keeping all of my coins in a plastic bag in my inner coat pocket," the contractor wrote.

But the Defence Department subsequently acknowledged that it could never substantiate the espionage alarm that it had put out and launched the internal review that turned up the true nature of the mysterious coin.

Frankly, if national security is in the hands of this lot we should start putting the white flags together right now!

Gore Calls Canada's Climate Plan a Fraud

This week Toronto held a huge consumer environment show. The focus was on products and services that assist one in being a better citizen of the planet. Sadly Paul and I did not go. It featured all sorts of 'celebrities', many of whom were commenting on the 'big' announcement made by Canada's environment Minister the week before.

For those of you who do not follow the minutiae of Canada's politics (how could you NOT?) . . . the current government is to the right of the spectrum and not know for  being friendly or even concerned about environmental issues. Then the start of the some problems for them: the opposition elected a leader with strong environmental credentials, Canadians seemed to be more concerned about the environment than they had been in the past,  and then the Green Party started to gain prominence and suddenly the government cares. Unfortunately their huge base of support is in Western Canada -= home to Canada's greatest producers of carbon dioxide gases in the oil and gas industry.

Anyway - enough of the lesson. This is a report of what Gore said:

Gore Calls Canada Climate Plan a 'Fraud'

Sunday, April 29, 2007

(04-29) 20:31 PDT TORONTO, Canada (AP) --

Al Gore condemned Canada's new plan to reduce greenhouse gases, saying it was "a complete and total fraud" because it lacks specifics and gives industry a way to actually increase emissions.

Under the initiative announced Thursday, Canada aims to reduce the current level of greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020. But the government acknowledged it would not meet its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, which requires 35 industrialized countries to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.

The country's emissions are now 30 percent above 1990 levels.

The conservative government's strategy focuses both on reducing emissions of gases blamed for global warming and improving air quality. But the plan failed to spell out what many of its regulations will look like.

Gore said the plan did not make clear how Canada would reach its 2020 emissions goal. He also criticized the plan for allowing industries to pollute more if they use emissions-cutting technologies while increasing production.

"In my opinion, it is a complete and total fraud," Gore said Saturday. "It is designed to mislead the Canadian people."

He said "intensity reduction" — which allow industries to increase their greenhouse gas outputs as they raise production — was a poll-tested phrase developed by think tanks financed by Exxon Mobil and other large polluters.

Canadian Environment Minister John Baird rejected Gore's criticisms.

"The fact is our plan is vastly tougher than any measures introduced by the administration of which the former vice president was a member," Baird said in a statement.

Baird also invited Gore to discuss climate change and the government's environmental policies with him.

Gore was in Toronto to present his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," at a consumer environmental show. He acknowledged that as an American, he had "no right to interfere" in Canadian decision.

However, he said, the rest of the world looks to Canada for moral leadership, and that was why Thursday's announcement was so "shocking."

Canadian opposition Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Sunday that Gore was right.

"Mr. Baird is embarrassing Canada around the world," Dion said. "The world expects Canada will do its share — more than that, that Canada will be a leader and we are failing the world. We are failing Canadians."

The truth is we all knew it was fraud - as is the government!