JOHN PRINCE

Labrador man steals RCMP car in odd incident

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Saturday, November 7, 2009
CBC News

A man was arrested following a mishap-laden incident in the Labrador community of Sheshatshiu on Friday night.

CMP received a call at about 11:30 p.m. AT about a disturbance in a home, a spokesperson for the Mounties said.

When constables arrived, they found about a dozen people drinking and a woman complaining that a man had assaulted her, police said.

Police tried to arrest the man but he became combative and resisted, the RCMP said.
That prompted the officers to use pepper spray to try to subdue him.

However, the Mounties said the man was able to grab the spray away from them and tried to use it on them.

He then fled the home and jumped into the police cruiser parked outside and sped away.
A local resident provided transportation for the RCMP constables, and the chase was on.

The man was located in another area of town, and police approached the car and ordered the driver to get out.

They say the man refused and drove the car at one of the officers. A Mountie fired his gun at the cruiser, but the driver was unharmed and sped away once again.

The man finally returned to the original residence and surrendered to police without further incident.

No one was injured, however the RCMP cruiser sustained some damage.

Frank Pokue, 37, of Sheshatshiu has been charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, assault with a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle and impaired driving.

He'll make a court appearance in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Monday afternoon.

Members of the RCMP's major crimes unit will be travelling from Corner Brook and Gander to Labrador to conduct the investigation.

------------------------------------

note: Sounds like a small town boy just having fun to me. Frank Pokue, for 'Police Chief', I say. He's already got the boys on the run. :-) lol!

Should be a 'fun time' sitting in on his court case in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. :-)

Explore flu trends - Canada

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Here is a neat tool for exploring flu trends in Canada.

http://www.google.org/flutrends/intl/en_us/ca/#utm_campaign=ft-en&utm_source=ft-en-ha-na-ca-bk&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=google%20flu

Thanks to THE WOODSTOCK ONTARIO INDEPENDENT NEWS for this!

The puppy size

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:18:00 +0000

I hope you love this as much as I did !!

Puppy Size
This is one of the neatest stories you will ever hear. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)!

'Danielle
Keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this,' the mother told the volunteer.

'What is it she keeps asking for?' the volunteer asked. 'Puppy size!' replied the mother

'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.'

'I know..... We have seen most of them, ' the mom said in frustration...

Just then Danielle came walking into the office 'Well, did you find one?' asked her mom.

'No, not this time,' Danielle said with sadness in her voice. 'Can we come back on the weekend?'

The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed

'You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply,' the volunteer said.

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. 'Don't worry, I'll find one this weekend,' she said.

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. 'It's this weekend or we're not looking any more,' Dad finally said in frustration.

'We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,' Mom added.

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning . By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs..

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when Visitors weren't permitted.

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one.

One by one she said, 'Sorry, but you're not the one.'

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer.

'Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!' She screamed with joy. 'It's the puppy size!'

'But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks,' Mom said.

'No not size... The sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed,' she said.

'Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!'

The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both.

'Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,' she said. Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, 'Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!'

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that Makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day.

They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear.. 'Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take Our breath away.'

I hope your life is filled with Sighs!!!

note: Thanks for this Kinga! Have a nice weekend everybody!!

Whose 'dysfunctional' now?

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

'Council called dysfunctional' is this week's Promoter front page story on the recently released 2009 Corporate Review Report. Nine years ago, in the 2000 Corporate Review Report, a similar finding was found. I still remember the media and Irwinites at the time snickering at the mayor's comment that we did not have a dysfunctional council, but rather a 'dysfunctional councillor'. I remember how that hurt... and still hurts when I think of it today.

What hurt more was knowing I stood up against the mayor and his conservative establishment fighting for the greater good and what I believed in, and even though with this latest report I feel I have been vindicated and proven right, there is little consolation today in knowing I was right and that the wave of the world at the time was wrong, yet the wave crashed upon me.

Since that time I have had to suffer financially, endured deprivation, shunning, lack of opportunity, been ostracised, prevented from participating fully in my community, and held back from job, business and career opportunities... and from my rightful place on council. But I and my wife stood tall, and some how managed not to starve and/or be forced out of our home and community (although, the way things are going that still might happen?...).

I say all this because I want those who thought so much of this mayor that they turned a blind eye to the harm and damage done to me and my family, and to this community, to know that because a man has titles, position and privilege does not make him right. And those of us who come from the other side of the tracks are not necessarily wrong, evil or mean people either. In other words, do not judge a book by its cover.

Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose.

Corporate Review Report too 'embarassing' to be dealt with in the light of day

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:44:00 +0000

I was planning on attending last night's meeting of council where discussion and formal acceptance of the Corporate Review was to take place. Until, I went on-line to the municipal website to view the agenda, only to discover it is the last item on the agenda, prior to the inevitable in camera session (where I'm sure the real discussion will take place). Putting it so late ensures fewer if any participants... was this the intent?

Does council find this report too embarrassing to deal with in the light of day? If so, then I suggest this report is headed for the same dusty shelf the other one is on. By putting this extremely important agenda item so late in the evening council gives me the impression that they do not want to take ownership of this document, and therefore... it was for naught.

Having to depend on our local media for what individual councillors say and think is not my idea of getting the facts, considering how biased they all are in favour of our local conservative establishment, and its leader. Nor do I want to see them easily dismiss this document with mindless chatter about things that don't matter, while ignoring those things that do.

Rather than have 'establishment media' tell me what to think about the report, and what the issues should be, I would have preferred to listen to my councillors tell me what they think, and then decide for myself. Thank you very much!

Council should hold a public meeting to allow residents to make up their own minds, by being allowed to question their representatives.

... then, afterwards, we can hang one or two of you by way of example to the rest. I guarantee you good government after that! :-)

Nondeterminism means never having to say you are wrong.

H1N1/Health Canada = Harper's Katrina/FEMA

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:40:00 +0000

The way Harper's conservatives have so far managed the H1N1 flu vaccination in Canada for Canadians, is once again typical of how conservatives in general manage to handle everything they touch. Another disaster!

Alberta H1N1 clinics suspended

It turns out we put all our eggs in one basket by having only one supplier for the flu vaccine, while the US made sure they had at least five. If this alone is not enough to tell you how incompetent these people are who are running our government and our health services, I don't know what else to tell you? There is even talk in some blogging circles that Martial Law might soon be imposed. Not likely, I think, but it just goes to show you how scary things are getting.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that conservatives despite all their rhetoric to the contrary are poor managers of our economy, employment, the Afghan War, society in general, and now our health (remember isotopes). These people at all levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal are so incompetent that it is not only scary, but now life threatening as well.

I do not believe it is a stretch to say, conservatives could not manage a successful meat market in the midst of wildebeest season. They have to go!!!

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.

Crowsnest Pass Report on the Corporate Review

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Last night, I downloaded and then did a cursory review of the recently completed and released Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Report on the Corporate Review, done by George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd., October 2009.

Let me say from the outset and in all fairness that no one was spared. From the mayor, cao, council, management, and on down, fault was found.

It is not my intent in this post to get into the particulars of where we have failed as a community in the administration of our municipality. However, with this in mind, one thing is glaringly obvious from this report and that is that over the years of this mayor's reign we have been poorly managed, have an economic disaster on our hands as a result, are in a fiscal mess (... the Municipality is facing significant fiscal challenges over the next few years... consistent erosion of Municipal equity, including reserves), and have a municipal workforce and community that is demoralized, while at the same time, we have been suffering from a lack of fundamentals in the areas of strategic planning, vision and policy development.

The aforementioned is just a sampling from the report of the serious problems and down-ward slope that we have been on for some time now. There is still lots more... I leave it to you my readers to read the report for yourselves and then ask yourself, how could we as a community have allowed things to get this bad? Were we blind, stupid, or was it just plain apathy combined with the big local 'conservative' political machine?

And before some of you who have not read the report start blaming this council (who are for the most part serving their first term) solely for all our community's ills, please remember the many problems and issues pointed out in the report are long in the making, having a common denominator, whose presence and micro-managing (... the mayor exercises more control... than is healthy or normal to other municipalities), has resulted in this second corporate review in as many years of his recent rule. Never mind the revolving door of CAO's, CFO's, Community Services Directors and Public Works Superintendents that have come and gone during this period. (With even more on the way, me thinks??)

His unwillingness to change or adjust to new circumstances and a new age has resulted in council(s) and a community at loggerheads, having no particular course of action planned to move forward.

This report and the one before are clear indictments that his leadership is anything but, and it is time for this community to finally wake up to that fact.

What was leadership, after all, but the blind choice of one route over another and the confident pretence that the decision was based on reason?

Happy Birthday Susan!!! / Bonne Fete Susan!!!

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

My version of 'Happy Birthday to you'... if you were a man and I were a woman. :-) lol!

Tamiflu stocks and who profits from the flu

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:33:00 +0000

This is interesting about Tamiflu stocks and who profits from the flu

Interesting stats.....so what do you think?

Thanks for this Bubba!

H1N1 clinic schedule for Crowsnest

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:44:00 +0000

Today, between the hours of 1 to 6 p.m. there will be a flu shot clinic for H1N1 in the Provincial Building in Blairmore.

H1N1 vaccine clinics

According to the Lethbridge Herald story above this will be the one and only clinic for the Pass. Future clinics will be held in Pincher Creek next week from Tuesday through Saturday.

One has to wonder how a community with less than half our population gets precedence over our community, on the one hand, and on the other, that with over a year of lead-time this is the best our local health care professionals could come up with in providing what could be life threatening treatment for almost 6,000 people.

Forcing people to travel for a vaccination shot, considering we have been dealing with winter conditions since the beginning of this month (with more winter to come), while knowing that half our population are seniors (55+ and over), is scandalous to say the least.

More incompetence on top of incompetence seems to be the steady diet we the people have been getting from those in charge of our well being. Makes me sick!

------------------------

UPDATE: Just came across the following which might explain why there are so few flu clinics in the Pass. Hate to think 'GREED' is being put ahead of peoples health by the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), but it sure looks that way and wouldn't surpise me one bit, as sadly, for far too many of these people in this profession it's all about the money... isn't everything these days. Posted by John Prince at 7:02 PM

Alberta doctors could make $500/hour for H1N1 work

On a lighter note: What is the difference between Bird Flu and Swine Flu? For bird flu you need tweetment and for swine flu you need oinkment.

Bridgecreek in default in Netherlands

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Further to my last post in the comments section of...

http://blog.johnprince.ca/2009/10/cease-trade-order-issued-against.html#comments

I have received permission to publish on this blog the contents of an email I received from Bartels Advocaten, the law office in the Netherlands, with respect to their request for assistance in pursuing a class action lawsuit against Bridgecreek.

Bridgecreek's River Run project

House of Commons: Shut it down! It ain't worth a damn!!

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Last week, we had the guy with a gun at the WCB office in Edmonton and yesterday, we had hundreds of environmentalists shutting-down the House of Commons in Ottawa.

Protesters disrupt question period

With these latest ones, it seems 'civil-disobedience' in all its many forms is happening on a regular basis these days. Not surprising, considering our social structure is being stretched to the limits in more ways than we can count.

Now, the conservatives in their infinite wisdom want to build 'super prisons' so they can store more prisoners (US style) from their 'war on crime' (except their friends doing the white-collar kind, of course) while at the same time releasing mental patients back into society (this last one will in all likelihood result in more homelessness and a waiting bed in one of these super prisons, where they can walk around 'freely' among the general population. Talk about creating a Kafkaesque nightmare, while in denial of historical experience and Foucaultian wisdom, due to a misguided believe in a failed and discredited ideology.)

Alberta mental patients to be moved out

We complacent spectators to the world's happenings will soon be 'unwilling' participants, as evidenced by the craziness happening everywhere we turn these days. From governments with their 'retrograde policies' to parents killing themselves and their children due to financial troubles (or in one case, having been released from a 'mental institution' due to governmental cutbacks and incompetence), to massive unemployment - no jobs, no plan and no hope.

This seemingly indifference or ineptitude by governments too busy 'politicking', as Rome burns, to deal seriously, effectively and in a timely manner with our many problems, along with Corporations and our professional upper classes 'GREED' and smug indifference to the suffering and pain people are being forced to deal with these days, are the 'catalysts' of the storm to come.

Add to this "... the Spin doctors, lobbyists, flaks, MSM, political blogging sites like Liblogs, Bloggingtories and Progressive Bloggers—they are the sultans of spin and in today’s media-driven age they exert enormous power, and have become important (if often reviled) players in the shaping of public opinion (in other words, media shape and control the kinds of opinions that appear, the kinds of information that comes through, and the sources through which they go) and as such, do their corporate (political) masters bidding, by way of inducing 'Thought control' in our democratic society that marginalizes and controls the way we think." (For more on this go to my earlier post on MEDIA)

With the above in mind, the end result of people lashing out is not surprising. What surprises me is that there is not more of it... but I believe its coming, as evidenced by the increase in violence, protests and demonstrations we see occurring on a regular basis, despite the heavy censorship and biases being perpetrated by those mentioned above, including mainstream media and the political blogging circles I highlighted.

As people start striking out in the form of Class Warfare at their safety and security (the politicians, corporations and professionals) as 'state sponsored violence' has struck at working families across this nation, then you can be sure you will get their attention. This is what people want ATTENTION. They are tired of being ignored and they are not going to take it anymore. The people who shut down the House of Commons yesterday sent a clear message to all their fellow countrymen. They do not think it is doing its job, so therefore... Shut it down! It ain't worth a damn!!

No man's life, liberty or property are safe while the legislature is in session.

‘Angel’ is a hero

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Written by Sherri Gallant - Lethbridge Herald
Friday, 23 October 2009

The driver of a sanding truck working in the Crowsnest Pass on a recent icy morning couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the tiny figure at the side of the road, waving her arms to flag him down.

Little Mary Butler, five years old, had just hiked some 45 metres up a steep ravine after the truck her mother, Nikki, was driving slid off the road on black ice and rolled. The pickup crossed over into the wrong lane before it struck the guard rail, which scooped it up and flipped it, making it roll over and over until it landed on its wheels at the bottom of the incline.

Mary was relatively unhurt, but her mother was bleeding and unconscious. The child unbuckled her own seatbelt, climbed out the rear window and made her way up the embankment to find help.

“The truck driver called 911, and everybody showed up,” said Nikki, now recovering from her injuries.

Crowsnest Pass RCMP Sgt. Scott Howard said Mary likely saved her mother’s life by flagging down help. He said the wreckage probably wouldn’t have been visible from the highway and it might have been a long time before they’d have been discovered.

“It was certainly a good response on her part,” Howard said. “If she’d been stuck inside the vehicle or injured or knocked out, it could have had a very different outcome. It sped up the response.

”It turns out Nikki’s boyfriend James Grayden, a tow-truck driver, was winching out another vehicle from the ditch, not 500 metres from where the wreck had just happened.

“One of the fire-and-rescue workers knows Mary really well from here in Lundbreck, and she said ‘my Dad works for Devlin’s Towing.

’”The dispatcher from the towing company alerted Grayden and he raced to the scene. Knowing it would take some time for rescue workers to cut Nikki out of the truck, he opted to go to hospital with Mary so she could be checked over. Her only marks were bruises left on each hip by her seat belt.

“She was fine and he waited there with her until they brought me in,” Nikki said. “She had told the truck driver and the ambulance workers ‘my mom’s dead, she’s not answering me.’ After I got home from the hospital, I asked her why she had climbed out of the truck and she said, ‘because I love my mom and I needed to save my mom.’”

Nikki has no memory of anything after hitting the black ice until she woke up three days later in a Calgary hospital. She’d had surgery to repair a badly-broken arm with steel plates. Her nose had to be rebuilt and one cheekbone was smashed, vertebrae in her neck are fractured and it took 200 sutures to close a gash that runs from ear to ear across her forehead.

“I always called Mary my angel, and now she’s proven it to me,” she said. “I owe my life to her and she’s a hero. My sister nominated her for a medal of bravery, and I really hope she gets it.

“I’ve told everybody that somebody was definitely looking after us — or at least looking after my daughter, and then she looked after me.”

This week, a day after Nikki returned home from hospital, she drove to the accident scene.

“I can’t believe she walked up that hill,” she said. “It’s really steep and I don’t know how she did it.

”Mary, the youngest of three children in the family, is back at kindergarten and showing no signs of trauma. She told her mom that when the truck left the road she closed her eyes tight and didn’t open them until it stopped moving.

note: Little Mary 'definately' has my vote!

Canada ranked 19th in freedom of press

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Freedom of the press is declining in Canada...

... the index places Canada at No. 19, a drop of six spots from 2008.

... The United States had the most notable rise in the ranking this year to No. 20 from No. 40 in 2008.

Canada ranked 19th in freedom of press

note: So under Harper and the conservatives we are on a continual downslide with respect to our freedoms, while on the other hand under Obama and the Democrats (Liberals) it is an upward swing. Interesting???... but not surprising.

His case is that a small number of conglomerate companies own all of the news media, and can therefore manipulate what we see and hear for the benefit of powered interests in the same way that mass marketers create a desired response through controlled advertising. Right-wingers claim a liberal conspiracy and Left-wingers cry conservative conspiracy, but Chomsky says that there is no conspiracy per se, simply a system owned by a power elite that serves the purposes of its owners.

Cease Trade Order issued against Bridgegate in B.C.

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Got an email this morning with the following attachment...

Cease Trade Order - Bridgegate Mortgage Corporation

Appears Bridgegate has been issued a Cease Trade Order by the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC). Nothing yet, that I know of, with respect to the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) issuing one of their own.

My anonymous (as per request) contributor to this blog went on to say... All I can tell you (for your blog) is that the Bridgegate Investors are organized, have legal counsel and will shortly decide course of action.

So there you have it, looks like the shit is finally hitting the fan for the gang infamously known as BridgeCROOKS.

If the consequences of greed are harm and pain, it is immoral. If greed is flaunted, when the pain is known, it is also sociopathic.

Is Workers Compensation Board today's version of Nazi Headquarters?

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Watched the news last night and saw the story on the guy with a gun in Edmonton who got every one's attention at the Workers Compensation Board (WCB).

Having had my own minor but 'negative' experience with WCB some years back, I can relate to peoples frustration and anger, as reported on in the interviewing of 'victims' of this board. Details of this board's pro business stance is typical of the right wing philosophy perpetrated by conservatives, in their push to victimize ordinary working people at the bequest of their business and corporate friends. Conservatives are nothing more than goons for the corporate elite and the WCB's are their Nazi Headquarters, it would seem.

Also in the news last night, pension security in the case of bankruptcy (Nortel) is a federal responsibility, and it, along with real laws (not the ones being proposed i.e. slap on the wrist penalties) to fight and counter white collar crime, aid and abet corporations while screwing the little guy, are two more examples of conservatives dragging their feet when it comes to dealing with injustices and getting tough on (crime) their friends.

When are 'working people' going to wake up to the fact conservatives are 'not' your friends. Every other party is... but not the conservatives.

In a civilized society, there is a basic duty to protect the vulnerable. Exploitation is violating this duty.

Big Cheque + Big Signature = Big Lie

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:45:00 +0000

Below is our very own local version of conservatives handing out our dough, while taking the credit as if it were their own money they were giving to us. Big Cheque with Big Signature of local conservative MP along with BIG Smile that goes far in confirming to us what politicians really think of us i.e. They are all masters at pissing on our leg, and then while smiling, tell us "it must be raining!"

'There are three kinds of lies: a small lie, a big lie and politics.”

Darryl Raymaker's 'eulogy' to Fast Eddy

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:40:00 +0000

For an insightful and articulate analysis of Premier Stelmach's rise and (coming soon) fall from grace in Alberta politics, check out Darryl Raymakers commentary...

http://darrylraymaker.blogspot.com/2009/10/dear-ed-maybe-its-time-to-think-of-what.html

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Why Parents Drink

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:36:00 +0000

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an Envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.

'With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.

I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.

But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion... Dad she's pregnant.

Stacy said that we will be very happy.

She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.

Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.

In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it.

Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself.

Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love, Your Son John

PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house.

I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card That's in my center desk drawer.

I love you.

Call me when it's safe to come home.

Baby survives after falling under train

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:51:00 +0000

A baby miraculously survives after his stroller falls under a Melbourne train.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/16/australia.baby.train.escape/

Ursula Martinez shows The Real Magic

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:09:00 +0000

This lady magician has talent! Not for the faint of heart or prudes with sensitive souls. (uncensored version)

Meant for those who appreciate the finer things in life, such as art and talent... with a twist. :-)
LOVE the soundtrack.

http://www.notsonews.com/ursula-martinez-shows-the-magic/

How do you spell 'responsibility' and 'accountability'?

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:46:00 +0000

The massive fraud that has been perpetrated on us all by the 'banksters and gangsters' (white-collar criminals) has not resulted in any heads rolling as far as I can see, nor has the theiving stopped?

It seems we hear everyday that someone has ripped off hundreds (thousands) of investors for $100's of millions. Over the last year especially, taxpayers and investors have been getting screwed daily while the people in power 'drag' their feet with respect to doing anything about it. There appears to be no responsibility or accountability. And definitely no signs one can see with respect to fixing the machine so that it doesn't constantly break down leaving people poorer every time.

As a result, people are paying the price and will continue to pay that price far into the future, while the debt clocks keep ticking away...

Canada's debt clock
http://www.debtclock.ca/

U.S. debt clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Corruption is merely a nasty word for the autumn of a people.

Tougher sentences don't prevent crime

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:32:00 +0000

theStar.com

Re: Tory blasts senators for `gutting' crime

The Harper government's proposed crime legislation, including mandatory sentences for some drug offences, is ideologically and politically driven, not evidenced-based, and smacks of everything that is wrong with our criminal justice system. A classic case of crime as politics. This legislation, if it ever sees the light of day, will prey on the socially, culturally and economically disadvantaged, especially aboriginals and the mentally ill.

For the record, excluding the provincial system, there are approximately 13,000 federal offenders in custody and about 8,000 in the community on some form of conditional release.

Correctional Services of Canada manages more than 50 facilities, employs more than 16,000 people, and has an annual budget exceeding $2 billion. And this government wants to blindly and wilfully add to this disinvestment in society and to these dismal statistics.

Tougher sentences, however defined, and more and bigger jails simply do not prevent crime. A case in point: California's prisons are so overcrowded that it has had to turn thousands of criminals loose. It now spends about 2 1/2 times as much per prison inmate as it does per student in its renowned University of California system. Do we want to emulate this in Canada?

Emile Therien, Volunteer, John Howard Society, Ottawa

----------------------------

note-1: The Harper Conservatives, being the retrogrades that they are, once again haven't a clue on this issue. Willing to throw vast amounts of money towards 'making criminals' rather than putting that same money to real use in addressing our nation's growing deficit in societal needs, that cause much of the criminality in the first place.

Not surprising (coming from the conservatives) that there is nothing here addressing white-collar crime. Once again, we see that the Big crooks hang the little crooks but don't hang each other, do they?

-----------------------------------

note-2: For a very good provincial synopsis of our two-tiered justice system, check out Darryl Raymaker's recent post:

PAROLE JUSTICE AND THE BALLAD OF MICHAEL RITTER: "I GET OUT WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS."

"The Law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich, as well as the poor, to sleep under the bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Happy Thanksgiving!

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:12:00 +0000

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States.

note: Too often we find lots to complain about but little to be grateful for. Holidays like this give us all the opportunity to reflect with sadness and despair for those left behind, while at the same time being conscious of living for the moment with joy and happiness, and sharing these feelings with those we love. I guess, this is the Yin and Yang of Thanksgiving?

My wife Diane and I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

God's Wings

mycdnprince@shaw.ca (John Prince) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:36:00 +0000

A little something to put things in perspective...

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.

One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.

She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast... because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live.

'He will cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you will find refuge.'
(Psalm 91:4)