Terahertz

“I love this film” – Ben Stein (also the star)

That’s right, on Thursday, April 2, Campus Advent (the 7th Day Adventists) are showcasing Ben Stein’s Expelled at the University of Alberta.

Yep, a church who’s claim to fame is that Saturday is more holy than Sunday is showcasing a movie that equates Dawin with Hitler.

I’ll be there, hopefully with a summary of the Expelled Exposed website on a handy pamphlet for all who are interested.

…but they have to come back up when times get good.

If we as a planet are going to adopt the Keynesian model of economics over the neo-liberal free market model that’s been dominating for the past few decades, then we cannot continue to drop taxes in good times.

Lynne Fernandez at the Progressive Economics Forum makes the argument nicely for the upcoming Manitoba budget, the only province that currently has a NDP government (also featuring Canada’s longest serving premier).

We recommend that the province take another, closer look at Keynes’ ideas: tax cuts should never be a permanent feature of a progressive, forward-thinking society. Eventually there will not be enough money for the important initiatives so needed in our province; initiatives that would allow us to ride out the current crisis and emerge even stronger. [emphasis added]

Too bad Canada and most provinces are at such low tax rates as a result of the past philosophy that cuts now are going to make budgets bleed anaemically. As well, with a SoCon government, it will be tough to extract the necessary targeted funding to make a difference.

Are the knives out for Jack Layton and his leadership of the NDP?

He’s never boasted greater than 20% vote share in a federal election for the party, and since the coalition crisis he’s gone from top to bottom of who Canadian’s trust to run the country.

Hell, the head of the Canadian Autoworkers Union and the Toronto Star are basically calling for a new New Democrat.

But wait, Hargrove from the CAW and Layton haven’t really gotten along since 2006, when Hargrove endorsed the Liberals as the “strategic” vote. The Ontario NDP even revoked Hargrove’s party membership, so I’m not sure that the New Democrats need to give two shits what he thinks.

Later in 2006, Layton’s leadership received 92% support (tying only Preston Manning for popular approval in his party) from the party at their convention.

Next, we have the Toronto Star’s Chantal Hébert saying that Layton’s following the same downward path as Harper. Of course, the case could be made that the TorStar has it in for Layton, with a history of reporting false accusations about him. And as one commenter to this story points out:

The drop in popularity of the NDP lately has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the policies of the party or its leadership and EVERYTHING to do with how those policies are willfully ignored or dishonestly demonized by those who control our media. To paraphrase the question: If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it fall… If the message isn’t permitted to be heard, did anyone say anything? If Canadians were honestly informed about the NDP and not constantly bombarded with simple-minded insults directed at the left along with deliberate misrepresentations of their policies, the NDP would indeed be miles in front of Conservatism in this country, both the Ignatieff and Harper versions of it. What’s the solution? Break up the media empires. And remove commentary like this from print. Really, has Ms. Hebert got anything SUBSTANTIVE to say about NDP policy? …I thought not.

Which received 27-35 agree/disagree.

So what policy has the NDP brought forth since prorogation?

There is the non-binding EI reform legislations that just past the House (with no Conservative support). But EI isn’t the kind of thing that actually helps the unemployed of Canada… well maybe it does.

Where does this leave Mr. Layton’s leadership?

He has doubled the NDP’s vote share in the 3 elections he’s been leader, and brought the party from the 13 seats he inherited to 37 in 2008, second only to 43 seats that Ed Broadbent picked up in 1988 (also the only other time Alberta elected a NDP MP).

It’s worth comparing 1988 to 2008 a little more. Broadbent claimed no seats in Eastern Canada while today the strong support in BC and Saskatchewan has been traded for half a dozen seats out East.

It took Ed Broadbent 12 years to take his party to 43 seats, while Layton has only had 6.

When I talk politics with people though, Layton is never that popular. They just don’t trust him. But it’s hard for me to imagine any New Democrat leader breaking the perceptions that surround the party. They all seem to be vilified and not given an actual chance at the doorstep (with the exception of 42.6% of Edmonton-Strathcona voters – some of whom still despise Layton). So it’s hard for me to say if any other leader could do as well as Layton.

Unfortunately, Layton has had little media coverage since the budget, and the media seems enamoured with the Ignatieff vs. Harper battle they want to see fought. I’m not sure how to change this, but he needs to keep the NDP relevant if he wants to get his polling numbers back up.

There will be a Federal NDP convention in Halifax in August, and it will be interesting to see what the party thinks of Mr. Layton’s performance of late. I don’t expect him to do too poorly, but it will be hard to live up to a 92%.

So until then, here’s some NDP pizazz.

Question: If you are a member of the government of one of Canada’s closest allies, and you provide support for regimes that are the cause of over 1000 civilian deaths, are you allowed access into our country?
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Also, since it’s my first time using this live-blogging software, please let me know what you think of it.

People are stupid.

And not just everyday, “where’d I leave my keys” stupid, but going to get themselves into real trouble stupid. Especially when they get behind the fake anonymity of a computer.

Or should I spell it Annonymous:

I ripped one down Faggets.

I ripped one down, and i will rip more. Get ready to have no more posters, waste your money F A G G O T S

You are not anonymous when you post online. Your IP address is logged dipshit.

So I know you posted from a University of Alberta computer. This means you logged on, and even luckier for me your bigoted comment is timestamped.

When you are given a CCID on campus, it doesn’t give you unlimited rights on campus computers like you can do at home. There is a Campus Computing Conditions of Use which specifically states:

5. Within the broad context of free academic discussion and debate, all forms of electronic communication are expected to reflect high ethical standards and mutual respect and civility. Users will be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities and take care not to display in such public locations images, sounds or messages which could create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others. Users will refrain from transmitting to others in any location inappropriate images, sounds or messages which might reasonably be considered harassing, offensive, or defamatory.

And further as an example of unacceptable use:

H) Objectionable content: The use of obscene, racist or sexist language, public display of pornography, and similar actions clearly violate the ethical standards of the University community and is as inappropriate for electronic communications as it is for other forms of University discourse. Such use contravenes section 5) and often section 1) of this policy. [emphasis added]

Now, I’m all for free speech, and I’ll typically leave obscene comments up (mainly because it makes the commenter look stupid), but if you are stupid, I’m going to call you on it.

Annonymous has been reported to abuse@ualberta.ca and as will most cowards who act the same. If you’re behind your home computer, I’m not going to send the thought police after you, because as far as I’m concerned you can be as obnoxious as you want from home.

But if you’re using public computers (or public wireless), you are required to follow their terms of service because you are using their equipment. You don’t own the University’s computers or internet connection, everyone does.

So here’s my simple rule for comments, and I’m ripping this off Bad Astronomy, Don’t be a jerk and don’t be stupid.

The internet isn’t as “annonymous” as you cowards would like to believe.

Finally, if you ever have that moment of regret and want a stupid, angry, whatever comment removed, I have that power and will do it provided you email me.

Although it’s not the way the Edmonton Journal reports the story, I think the key is to read the following here:

Premier Ed Stelmach says Suncor’s proposed merger with Petro-Canada is good for Alberta and the entire country…but it is also expected to result in hundreds of layoffs.

Enough said.

I’m not going to scan and upload the flier this time (Saskboy has a picture), it basically just tries to argue that putting away a mere $5,000 in a tax-free savings account is going to get all seniors (especially the moderately-well off Caucasian Wilsons pictured) on their “dream holidays.”

These fliers come courtesy of Laurie “Red Dawn” Hawn, Conservative MP for Edmonton-Centre.

Contrast with the reality that Harper attacked seniors as soon as he was elected by reneging on his income trust promises.

Again, the check mark points at Harper and asks us to “Check one.” Sorry Laurie, Jack’s got my vote again. And I left you the following message in the three small lines (I extended it to four) you gave me:

Last time I checked my MP was still Linda Duncan (NDP), not Laurie Hawn or Stephen Harper. If you want to stand up for seniors, don’t reneg on income trusts.

I do appreciate the thought that average Canadians will “STAND UP FOR CANADA” however, considering how much Harper wants to change what makes us Canadian.

The Edmonton Journal published an article yesterday about my open letter protesting the Iron Ring.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get any quotes from APEGGA, the Faculty, or the Council of Seven Wardens, but I think the article is well done, and hopefully it brings in a letter or two from those in charge.

Finally, the article also contains a number of comments, and prompted one person to write a thoughtful thank-you letter for my position. Here’s the highlights:

Clarence:

Maybe bushfield should be reminded that most of his educattion is paid by us dumb taxpayers. When he finaly starts to pay taxes , boy will his attitude change, typical coddle studets/ [sic]

Yeah, that’s called irony.

Brian:

The Iron Ring ceremony is also sexist and cult-like (musn’t talk about it with outsiders and all that) and any reminder not to kill people – the original intent – has been lost since the ring is just an obnoxious status symbol and the ceremony is just an excuse to get drunk. If half the recipients there weren’t already drunk they’d probably be creeped out by the whole thing.

dgliness:

Over 30 years ago, I too resented having this ‘god’ inserted into my life. If someone individually wants to include some ‘god’ in their ceremony, or be convocated under the ageis of some god, that’s fine by me. Why do the rest of us have to do it too? It’s time to get rid of this, everywhere.

JimBob:

Christians beware. It is subtle “little” issues like this one, that will surely come to bite us, when people of Bushfield’s ilk, whine so much, that Christmas, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, will be a thing of the past. After they are gone, so will all other religious observances. Then we will all have to muddle through life with nothing to believe in except our own infinitely insignificant selves.

Neil:

It’s obvious many of you have no idea what you’re talking about. I too wouldn’t sign the pledge form, and did not get a ring. I did watch the ceremony as a guest though. A couple things to clarify: the ring ceremony has no correlation to ones ability to be a professional engineer, it is an independant organization, and judging by the number of asians and other visible minorities I went to university with, I would guess there are a lot that don’t believe in this god. So, this means that people are agreeing to be ethical by a means that many others intentionaly lie about. Saying “[I will do the right thing so help me God]” when you don’t believe in god is instantly unethical. Knowingly joining this group even when you believe in god is also saying, “I will conform as necessary, to get what I want”. Also, tradition doesn’t make it right, slavery was a tradition. I have nothing really against the Iron Ring concept, although, as I pointed out, it is currently unethical in its practice. Either they should enforce the integrity of the words, or change the wording to regain the integrity.

Russell:

I like how all the Christians posting comments here are so scared that somebody is stepping on their toes. Bravo, Michel Cléroux – you are absolutely correct. As a member of the 24% (that’s no small minority), I’m tired of Christians who think that their beliefs are the right ones, and everybody else should shut their mouths. Whether you want to believe it or not, we don’t want to step on your toes in any way. We respect your right to believe what you want to believe. All we want is for your beliefs to not be thrust into our lives, whether it be in a convocation charge or a professional pledge. If you were forced to pray to Allah, you’d be pissed off. To us, this is no different.

C.S.:

To those that believe it is ok because it is a traditional ceremony representative of the time it was written – this is 2009. Time to change. Words do have meaning. And when you sign something, you are agreeing to that meaning. If you don’t, why bother? Good on Bushfield and Neil for not being a couple of mindless sheep.

From the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics latest poster campaing (currently limited to campus, but likely to extend across Edmonton pedestrian areas this summer, perhaps with the Society of Edmonton Atheists).