Dr. Henry Morgentaler to Receive Order of Canada

Tonight or tomorrow morning, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada will be announcing this year's recipients of the Order of Canada.

And so rumour would have it, after years and years of Dr. Morgentaler's name being thrown into the list of nominees for the Order of Canada, this year's panel finally voted in favour of the motion.

This year's committee for the O of C consisted of 9 members. The vote favoured Dr. Morgentaler by a tally of 7-2. Justice Beverly McLaughlin apparently waived the usual unanimous vote rule for Dr. Mogentaler's nomination approval. Good for her. And, although I don't have a list of the members of the Chancellery, I do know that 2of them are reported to be the Clerk of the Privy Counsel and the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage (possibly the two votes against).

There is also a wee rumour that no less than 47 members of the Conservative Caucus have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Harper vehemently asking him to distance himself from this travesty. 47? That's all? I bet David Sweet was one of them!

It should be interesting watching the PM squirm when being asked about this matter. I mean his core constituency will be livid. I'd also like to see how he handles his need to warm up to female voters when it comes to this issue as well.

It's a great day for the pro-choice side of the debate. Congratulations Dr. Morgentaler!

Barack Obama for Prime Minister

Did I mention I like John Edwards?

Interesting how Liberal we Canadians are.

For All My Conservative Friends At Blue Like You

Where we've been debating for a bit.

A Message From Jean Chretien

A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof!

The Greatest Prime Minister of our time continues to be just that - the Greatest. Not to mention that he's still undefeated!


I'm just waiting for the dead silence over at Blogging Tories. Mulroney will not fare as well.

I think I'm gonna call Kinsella for beers...lots of beers.

All Canadians Terrorist Suspects Now...Thanks Jim Flaherty

Thinking of buying or selling real estate in Canada? Well there's some new regulations you might want to know about. They took effect June 23, 2008. From that day forward, every real estate transaction in the country will be at the scrutiny of Fintrac. The reason? To stop money launderers and terrorists.

What do you think about giving your Realtor your bank account number, place of business, etc. to be held in their files for a minimum of 5 years. Well, it's mandatory for all Realtors to obtain this information from you now. Failure for Realtors to comply with Big Brother can net them a whopping $500,000 fine.

The Realtor's Political Action group were unable to change Jimmy's mind on this. His "too bad, that's the way it is" attitude left zero room for negotiation. The sad part is that we don't even get the consumer's acknowledgement on these forms to keep this information, yet it is mandatory.

Here's the new changes to Fintrac.

Dion = Harris

You're kidding right?. The second most hated Premier in the history of Ontario. The province is still reeling from Harris' legacy and the media is ridiculing the Conservative Federal Party for having all of Harris' bullshit ministers in their caucus.

Yet my fellow blogger thinks somehow Dion and Harris have lots in common. He's right about one thing... Mike Harris was a loser... a filthy rich loser. Oh boy.

The Cops Don't Get It...Tasers Kill People

I wonder what they did for the past hundreds of years with prisoners in custody. There was life before tasers.

Turns Out Canadians Give a Shift

Harris Decima has released the first post Green Shift poll. Hey Stephie they like it. They really like it...Even in Quebec. C'est bon, non?

But once the policy was explained to respondents, the Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey found, close to half - 47 per cent - liked the idea, while 39 per cent said they were opposed.

The key finding, said pollster Bruce Anderson, is that Canadians who did not describe themselves as Conservatives were favourably disposed to the idea of a revenue-neutral carbon tax.

Two-thirds of Liberals, 59 per cent of New Democrats, 62 per cent Parti Quebecois supporters and 48 per cent of Green Party supporters said they were in favour of the policy - all, except for the Green Party, by wide margins.

The Liberal green plan is also finding double-digit support among women (48 per cent in favour, 34 per cent opposed), voters under 35 years of age (61 versus 26), and in voters east of the Ontario-Manitoba border (49 versus 37), all segments the Conservatives need in order to win a majority.

F#ck Real Estate Agents!!!

That's right. Real Estate Agents are supposed to act as cops now. That's right! Fine the agents because drug dealers buy houses. Yep. It's their fault. Assholes.

We're Sorry About That Residential School Thing...

...Now show us some value for our money.

In case anyone was wondering how that pipsqueak Pierre Poilievre had the audacity to go on a radio talkshow and suggest Canadians weren't getting good value for their money when it came to Indian Affairs...Turns out it's the position of his party.

That would explain everything. No need for Pierre to apologize. He only stated his party's opinion.

"If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When?"

Ronald Reagan quoting the prophet Hillel - when skeptics panned his Reaganomics- made that saying famous.

And inflation? From 1980 to 1988, it dropped from an annual rate of 10.4 percent to 4.2 percent, and unemployment dropped from 7 percent to 5.4 percent. When Reagan made clear that he was willing to support a tightening of the money supply to fight inflation, some advisers warned that such a policy might bring on recession. Reagan responded by using the prophet Hillel's words: "If not now, when? If not us, who?"

Says George Shultz, who was Reagan's secretary of state: "So he did the right thing, and we did have recession. But also, inflation dropped like a stone."

The bottom line: When Reagan took office, the U.S. had just suffered through seven unlucky years of "stagflation." When he left, the U.S. had lived through the longest peacetime expansion in history.

His plan to turn the American economy around wasn't the most popular in the beginning. In the end, however, it was the right thing to do.

This brings me to Stephane Dion's plan for a Green Shift. The NDP and Conservatives have attacked Stephane since his election as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, repeatedly telling Canadians "he did nothing for the environment as Minister of the Environment. All the while, and 2.5 years later (keep in mind Stephane was only the minister for 18 months and 2.5 of those were during an election campaign), the Conservatives have failed to even think about a plan to change our environment. The plan that they have ill-conceived has been panned by every environmentalist and scientist in the country.

The NDP has some kind of plan. Somewhere. But, the fact of the matter is that the NDP will NEVER, EVER form the Government of Canada. In fact, I'm on record as suggesting they will drop to 19-21 seats in the next election.

The Bloc can try and beat up Dion in Quebec. I say try because I think Quebecers are quite ready to accept an environmental challenge. I'm suggesting that, for the first time since his election as leader, Stephane will begin to gain traction in his home province. Unlike the Clarity Act, the Green Shift is something that all Quebecers can rally behind without the argument of "nationalism" raising its ugly head.

So while the other political parties in the country talk about making a difference for our children and grandchildren, Dion has pushed us to the precipice and dared us all, as Canadians, to put our money where our mouth is. He's making that bold line in the sand and saying enough is enough.

We could talk for another 3 decades about what plan is the right plan. We could talk at length about Cap and Trade vs. Carbon Tax. Talk and talk. But, in the end, it is just talk. Nobody has the balls to implement a plan. Nobody but Dion that is.

Yes. Yes, he's had to endure 18 months of torturous negative advertising by the juvenile governing party. Yes he's had to fight his own caucus over the timing of such a bold, innovative plan. He's had to endure being called "CRAZY", "INSANE" and "THE SCREWER OF ALL CANADIANS". Yes, yes, he's had to endure all of that but, my friends, I ask you as a Liberal, as a father, as a Canadian:

IF NOT US, WHO? IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

WWW.THEGREENSHIFT.CA

It's Not Easy Being Green

But www.thegreenshift.ca is making it so.

Might as Well Be Baird and Harper

They share many of the same thoughts.

That's The Leader I Remember!!!

www.thegreenshift.ca

That's a man with passion. That's a man with vision. That's the leader I believe in.

Thank you Stephane for renewing my faith!

Duffy: "Elizabeth May is just a subsidiary of the Liberal Party"

Really Mike? While we're asking questions of Mr. Duffy - how come he never has any Bloc members on his MP panels? At least Don Newman brings in the Bloc (who have waaaaaaaay more seats than the Dippers) on the panels. Here's the Dufster's comments. His lizzie may comment is at the 4:40 mark.

Couillard, Fortier and KEVLAR

Well, I've looked high and low for these corporate returns by the Mont Royal Conservative Riding Association. You know, the ones where corporations have to be given their contributions back because it is illegal to accept said donations.

Here is the Kevlar Donation going into the associations coffers. You remember Kevlar is the group that Julie Couillard worked/didn't work for.

So a quick peek at the Mont Royal returns for 2006 and 2007 show that there were no cheques issued to Kevlar under the section allocated for donations returned. None!


After Mr. Fortier decided to run in the next election, he moved his fundraising prowess over to the riding he chose - Vaudreuil-Soulanges. There is no record of Kevlar donating to that riding, however, Rene Bellerive, Kevlar's president, donated to the riding. May 15, 2007 to be precise.

Mr. Fortier's new riding then became the benefactor of a nice transfer from Mont Royal to the tune of $185,000. The money has been utilized for some interesting things I have to say.

For instance, not many riding associations in the land have a fully staffed office - or any office for that matter. Mr. Fortier's riding however managed to spend $250,000on office space and staff combined. It almost sounds like a fully subsidized, year-round campaign office, no?


Suffice to say M. Fortier is full of privilege and perhaps his firing of M. Cote last week is an indicator of something more.

123.

Congratulations to Jason Cherniak

Today Jason reached his million viewer plateau. No small feat.

Couillard's Company Donated to Fortier

How to win friends and influence people. It appears this Kevlar Group that "never knew or employed Julie Couillard" really does like the politics game. So much so, they donated to Michael Fortier's campaign. Hey, isn't he the unelected cabinet minister/senator in charge of Public Works that fired a staffer for dating the same Julie Couillard?

JACKASS

Update: And now this puke wants to invoke my dead father into the debate. I think the jackass is too nice of a description for this piece of human excrement. Dung Beetle might be more appropriate. He obviously leads a WITHDRAWN sort of life - blogging from his mom's basement in his pyjamas.

...AND THIS GUY'S ONE OF THEM. Just like Con MPs, their bloggers don't like debate, they'd rather just try insults, defamation, libel or LAWSUITS.

The donkey or ass, Equus asinus, is a member of the Equidae or horse family, and an odd-toed ungulate. The words donkey and ass are applied to the domesticated E. asinus. The animal considered to be its wild ancestor is the African Wild Ass, also E. asinus.

Colloquially, the term "ass" is often used today to refer to a larger, horse-sized animal, and "donkey" to a smaller, pony-sized one. In the western United States, a small donkey is sometimes called a burro. A male donkey or ass is called a jack, a female a jenny, and offspring less than one year old, a foal (male: colt, female filly).

While different species of the Equidae family can interbreed, offspring are almost always sterile. Nonetheless, horse/donkey hybrids are popular for their durability and vigor. A mule is the offspring of a jack (male) donkey and a mare (female horse). The much rarer successful mating of a male horse and a female donkey produces a hinny.

Asses were first domesticated around 3000 BCE[1], approximately the same time as the horse, and have spread around the world. They continue to fill important roles in many places today and domesticated species are increasing in numbers (although the African wild ass and another relative, the Onager, are endangered species). As "beasts of burden" and companions, asses and donkeys have worked together with humans for centuries.

Stephane Dion Gets Two Thundering Ovations

Yesterday at the Ontario Liberal Party's AGM luncheon, I was impressed with the crowd's reaction to the Federal Liberal Party's leader.

When Stephane and his lovely wife Janine walked into the room (unannounced) the crowd went crazy. A thunderous standing ovation for close to five minutes. A short time later, the premier took the stage to address the crowd. Dalton immediately welcomed the federal leader, and upon doing so, the crowd stood for another thunderous standing ovation.

Tells me Ontario Liberals are ready to support Stephane in an election right now.

Secondly, after lunch I got to have a chat with David McGuinty. David asked me to encourage all of you to sign his BILL C-555 Petition. So, without further ado, here it is. Sign it.

Saturday...Off to lunch with McGuinty

The Firefighters? They get it.

The School Teachers? They get it too!!!

Friday...

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

What's it mean???


Fear of Friday the 13th, that's what.

Be not afraid!

Gas Price-Fixing!!! Breaking News

UPDATE: Here's the story!

Live reports say the Competition Bureau discusses criminal charges being laid against gas retailers in Quebec. Stand by for more!!!

June 12th. The Day After the Apology.

Couillard Affair Resonates as Important

But only by 67%. Geez.

Conservatives Assist Liberal Candidates - Harpocrisy At Its Best

Bill would extend period to repay campaign loans

Jun 10, 2008 09:51 PM
Joan Bryden
THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA–The Harper government is promoting a bill that would allow political candidates to miss deadlines for repaying campaign loans, perpetuating a situation that the Conservatives have denounced as illegal when it comes to Liberal leadership debts.

Bill C-29 is aimed at making it harder for candidates to borrow money, forcing them to rely much more heavily on banks than on individual supporters. But it does not impose any new constraints on the repayment of loans.

The bill passed at report stage Tuesday with the support of Conservative, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs. It is expected to receive final Commons approval next week.

It would give candidates three years – twice as long as the current deadline – to repay campaign loans. And it would maintain the current rules for granting extensions to candidates who fail to meet the deadline.

For the past few weeks and as recently as Monday, Tory MPs have harangued Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and his former rivals over their failure to pay off their leadership loans by the June 3 deadline. They've suggested that the Liberals are breaking the law and that Elections Canada, by granting extensions, is turning a blind eye to Liberal illegality.

"If (Dion) does not repay these debts by the June 3 deadline, they become illegal donations over the donation limit." Pierre Poilievre, the Tory pointman on the issue, recently told the Commons.

"The only escape is if Elections Canada steps in to protect the Liberal leader with preferential treatment and an extension."

Last week, after Dion and eight other former rivals sought extensions to pay off their campaign debts, Poilievre was at it again.

"What penalty has Elections Canada applied to this breach?" he demanded.

That outrage seemed to have vanished Tuesday as Tory MPs rose one after another to support C-29, perpetuating identical rules for granting extensions.

"They don't want to be coherent necessarily, they just want to score points," said Dion.

"Canadians will not be fooled by them. . . They are only about attacking, attacking, attacking."

Tory officials suggested that other provisions in the bill would make it less problematic if candidates were given extra time in future to pay off loans.

Under the bill, candidates would only be able to borrow a maximum of $1,100 from individual supporters – the same limit as applies to individual donations. Hence, if the loan were to go unpaid, becoming a de facto donation, it would not exceed the donation limit.

Larger loans could still be obtained but would have to come from accredited financial institutions at commercial rates.

"Our bill will close the loophole that allowed Liberal leadership candidates to accept massive personal loans from rich, wealthy individuals," said Peter Van Loan, the minister responsible for democratic reform.

"Combined with the Federal Accountability Act, it will go a long way towards eliminating the influence of big money in the political process."

That's Entertainment!!!

The Great White Shark

The behavior and social structure of the white shark is not well understood but recent research shows that white sharks are more social than previously thought. In South Africa, white sharks seem to have a dominance hierarchy depending on size, sex and squatter's rights. Females dominate over males, larger sharks dominate smaller sharks, and residents dominate newcomers. When hunting the white sharks tend to space out between each other and resolve conflicts with rituals and displays.[12] White sharks rarely resort to combat although some individuals have been found with bite marks that match that of other white sharks. This suggests that when their personal space is intruded upon, a white shark will give the intruder a warning bite. Another possibility is that white sharks may softly bite other individuals as a way of showing their dominance. Also, as noted above, white sharks can be cannibalistic.

The great white shark is one of only a few sharks known to regularly lift its head above the sea surface to gaze at other objects such as prey; this is known as "spy-hopping". This behaviour has also been seen in at least one group of blacktip reef sharks, but this might be a behaviour learned from interaction with humans (it is theorized that the shark may also be able to smell better this way, because smells travel through air faster than through water). They are very curious animals, and can display a high degree of intelligence and personality when conditions permit.

Roadkill - Not Just Small Dead Animals

Sorry for that ridiculous political outbreak. Apparently I suffer from the political version of turrets syndrome. Back to regular scheduled programming - nature and the things that live in it.

Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by motor vehicles. The animal species most likely to be recorded as a roadkill are mammals. To reduce the possibility of striking animals some road authorities use signs or create underpasses.

Roadkill can be eaten, and various recipe books have been published. Groundhogs and turtles are often salvaged for soup or other recipes. Also deer are often kept. In many U.S. states you can get a salvaging license so that you may pick up the roadkill you come across. It is usually legal to take any animal you have hit as well.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NO ANIMALS HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS BLOG. ALL ANIMALS DEPICTED ARE OR WERE ALIVE WHEN WE ASKED FOR THEIR PERMISSION TO POST THEIR PICTURES.

TO OUR IMMIGRANT MEMBERS OF THE LIBERAL PARTY

These are the Liberal MPs that stood up for your families.

Stephane Dion
Karen Redman
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Joe Volpe
Albina Guarnieri
Maria Minna
Ruby Dhalla
Navdeep Bains
Jim Karygiannis
Derek Lee
Raymonde Falco
Mauril Belanger
Gurbax Malhi
Dan McTeague
Sukh Dhaliwal
Andrew Telegdi
John Maloney

Live Bloggin' Bill C50 Vote

6:53 Cons still voting yeah

6:54 Speaker call for those against

6:54 18 Liberals rise. Hope Bob, Martha and Denis are enjoying that cocktail party in Montreal.

6:55 The Bloc rise in force.

6:56 The NDP rise in force

6:56 BILL CARRIED 121 - 90.

6:57 JIM CURRAN DECLARES THE LIBERALS DEAD IN THE WATER AND WILL SEE THEM IN 2009 AFTER THE ELECTION.

Live Bloggin' Bill C50 Vote

6:44. Sound like Paco Pena playing on CPAC.

6:45. Lots of noise. Too bad Paco stopped playing. Now I only hear bells. Electronic ones at that.

6:47. Lots of talking. The speaker fans himself with documents. Is that a security breach?

6:48 sounds like cat calls. yoohoos being exchanged. YooHoos.

6:49 Karen and Jay walk in.

6:50 Motion carried on division

6:50 CONS RISE TO VOTE FOR. THE SPEAKER SAYS THE YEAHS HAVE IT.

6:52

Live Bloggin' Bill C50 Vote

Much more docile piece plays on CPAC now.

Five minutes and counting.

6:40. Can't wait to see how many MPs are there.

6:41. Taking off my shoes to relax.

6:43. Earlier, the opposition crushed the governments motion to extend the house past June 20th. 139-114 was the vote. Good to see everyone showed up for that vote. Now we know how many MPs are around.

6:44 Wonder how that cocktail party in Montreal at Wilson is going?

Live Bloggin' Bill C50 Vote

6:40 still just music.

The anticipation is second to none. I remember when a certain Ms. Stronach crossed the floor not so long ago. Word has it she's back in the House today. I wonder why.

Live Bloggin' Bill C50 Vote

6:45 is when we are supposed to hear the call.

funky music on cpac. Brahms maybe.

Tories have little room to grow, Liberals preferred choice in polarized vote: poll

Wow. There's a shocker. Anyway, I have to concentrate more on the nature of my blog.

Leeches are annelids comprising the subclass Hirudinea. There are fresh water, terrestrial, and marine leeches. Like the Oligochaeta, they share the presence of a clitellum. Like earthworms, leeches are hermaphrodites.

The European Medical Leech (Hirudo medicinalis) and some congeners as well as some other species have been used for clinical bloodletting for thousands of years. But most leeches do not feed on blood, but hunt small invertebrates, which they devour whole.

Haemophagic leeches attach to their hosts and remain there until they become full, at which point they fall off to digest. Leeches' bodies are composed of 34 segments. They all have an anterior (oral) sucker formed from the first six segments of their body, which is used to connect to a host for feeding, and also release an anesthetic to prevent the host from feeling the leech. They use a combination of mucus and suction (caused by concentric muscles in those six segments) to stay attached and secrete an anti-clotting enzyme into the host's blood stream.

Some species of leech will nurture their young, providing food, transport, and protection, which is unusual behavior in an invertebrate.

The Everyday Lamb

Um. Not that one. The one below.

Lamb history

The word lamb comes from the German lambiz. As early as 10,000 years ago in Central Asia, man discovered that the sheep was a good source of not only food, but clothing. Sheep (Ovis aries) have long been a dietary staple as well as a textile source in Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

In the Middle Ages, farmers learned that sheep was the most productive crop, providing meat, wool for clothing, skins for parchment, and milk for butter and cheese. Sheep provide an amazing myriad of products in the 21st century.

The first sheep were brought to North America by Spanish soldiers under the command of Cortez in 1519. The introduction of sheep into the commercial cattle herds of the western territories in the 1800s caused much bloodshed and social division. Perhaps this bad reputation is one reason why lamb didn't make it as a mainstay of the American palate.

Lamb to the slaughter

Meaning

In an unconcerned manner - unaware of any impending catastrophe.

Origin

From the Bible (King James Version),

Jeremiah 11:19:

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; And I did not know that they had devised plots against me, {saying,} "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, And let us cut him off from the land of the living, That his name be remembered no more."

and Isaiah 53:7:

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

Bobby Kennedy said that. (1925-1968) Rest his soul.

We, as Liberals, should take that to heart while we push our leader to vote against Bill C-50 tomorrow. Let's all dare to fail.

Now back to my nature blog. Are we being sheared?

Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are even-toed ungulates, also commonly called cloven-hoofed animals. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries. Domestic sheep are the most numerous species in their genus, and are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia.

One of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep are primarily valued for their fleece and meat. A sheep's wool is the most widely used of any animal, and is typically harvested by shearing. Ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when from older ones. They continue to be important for wool and meat today, and are also occasionally raised for pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.

Dream Interpretation Sheep
A sheep may represent some your characteristics like being "soft" , weak and unable to protect yourself. Seeing a flock of sheep is a sign of prosperity due to your humble and diligent work. Shearing a sheep means that you are taking advantage of someone.

Horses. Lots of Pretty Horses

I know they're hard to see in this picture, but trust me, there were a lot of smart looking horses the day this picture was taken.

George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. At the start of the Civil War, Custer was a cadet at the United States Military Academy and his class's graduation was accelerated so that they could enter the war; Custer graduated last in his class. He served at the First Battle of Bull Run and was a staff officer for Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan in the Army of the Potomac's 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Early in the Gettysburg Campaign, Custer's association with cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton earned him promotion from first lieutenant to brigadier general of United States Volunteers at the age of 23.[1]

Custer established a reputation as an aggressive cavalry brigade commander willing to take personal risks by leading his Michigan Brigade into battle, such as the mounted charges at Hunterstown and East Cavalry Field at the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1864, with the Cavalry Corps under the command of Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, Custer led his "Wolverines", and later a division, through the Overland Campaign, including the Battle of Trevilian Station, where Custer was humiliated by having his division trains overrun and his personal baggage captured by the Confederates. Custer and Sheridan defeated the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early in the Valley Campaigns of 1864. In 1865, Custer played a key role in the Appomattox Campaign, with his division blocking Robert E. Lee's retreat on its final day.[2]

At the end of the Civil War (April 15, 1865), Custer was promoted to major general of United States Volunteers.[1] In 1866, he was appointed to the regular army position of lieutenant colonel of the 7th U.S. Cavalry and served in the Indian Wars. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, against a coalition of Native American tribes composed almost exclusively of Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors, and led by the Sioux chiefs Crazy Horse and Gall and by the Hunkpapa seer and medicine man, Sitting Bull. This confrontation has come to be popularly known in American history as Custer's Last Stand.

The Best Facebook Group Out There

Everyone should join!

It's a Fowl Thing...And I'm Partially to Blame

Yesterday while posting on the domestic chicken, there was some inadvertant content that got tossed in, namely:

The game of Chicken, also known as the Hawk-Dove game, is an influential model of conflict for two players in game theory. The principle of the game is that while each player prefers not to yield to the other, the outcome where neither player yields is the worst possible one for both players. The name "Chicken" has its origins in a game in which two drivers drive towards each other on a collision course: one must swerve, or both may die in the crash, but if one driver swerves but the other does not, he or she will be called a "chicken"; this terminology is most prevalent in the political science and economics. The name "Hawk-Dove" refers to a situation in which there is a competition for a shared resource and the contestants can choose either conciliation or conflict; this terminology is most commonly used in biology and evolutionary game theory. From a game-theoretic point of view, "Chicken" and "Hawk-Dove" are identical; the different names stem from parallel development of the basic principles in different research areas.[1] The game has also been used to describe the mutual assured destruction of nuclear warfare.[2]

The game is similar to the prisoner's dilemma game in that an "agreeable" mutual solution is unstable since both players are individually tempted to stray from it. However, it differs in the cost of responding to such a deviation. This means that, even in an iterated version of the game, retaliation is ineffective, and a mixed strategy may be more appropriate.

Apparently there were other conspirators as well. Oops. What a Pigeon I am.

The Collared Lemming

Lemmings are small rodents, usually found in or near the Arctic, in tundra biomes. Together with the voles and muskrats, they make up the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae), which forms part of the largest mammal radiation by far, the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes the rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils.

Description and habitat
Lemmings weigh from 30 to 112 grams (1–4 oz) and are about 7 to 15 centimetres (2.75–6 in) long. They generally have long, soft fur and very short tails. They are herbivorous, feeding mostly on leaves and shoots, grasses, and sedges in particular, but also on roots and bulbs. Like other rodents, their incisors grow continuously, allowing them to exist on much tougher forage than would otherwise be possible.

Lemmings do not hibernate through the harsh northern winter. They remain active, finding food by burrowing through the snow and utilising grasses clipped and stored in advance. They are solitary animals by nature, meeting only to mate and then going their separate ways, but like all rodents they have a high reproductive rate and can breed rapidly in good seasons.

There is little to distinguish a lemming from a vole. Most lemmings are members of the tribe Lemmini (one of the three tribes that make up the subfamily).

Behavior
The behavior of lemmings is much the same as that of many other rodents which have periodic population booms and then disperse in all directions, seeking the food and shelter that their natural habitat cannot provide.

THE AYE-AYE

THE AYE-AYE

The Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a strepsirrhine native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker.

It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unique method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood and inserts its elongated middle finger to pull the grubs out.

The Aye-aye begins foraging anywhere between 30 minutes before or 3 hours after sunset. Up to 80% of the night is spent foraging in the canopy, separated by occasional rest periods.

The monkey-like body of the Aye-aye enables it to move vertically with ease. It climbs trees by making successive vertical leaps, much like a squirrel. Horizontal movement is more difficult, but the Aye-aye rarely descends to jump to another tree, and can often cross up to 4 kilometers a night.

Infants are fully dextrous within a month of birth. At first they can only climb on a branch hanging upside down, but they gradually work their way up to the various acrobatic feats that adults can perform. Curiously, walking and running on the ground is often hardest for an Aye-aye to master.

The Domestic Chicken

THE DOMESTIC CHICKEN
OOPS!!! I meant....

The Chicken (Gallus gallus, sometimes G. gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl likely descended from the wild Indian and southeast Asian Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and the related Grey Junglefowl (G. sonneratii). Traditionally it has been widely accepted that the chicken was descended solely from the former, as hybrids of both wild types tended toward sterility; but recent genetic work has revealed that the genotype for yellow skin present in the domestic fowl is not present in what is otherwise its closest kin, the Red Junglefowl. It is deemed most likely, then, that the yellow skin trait in domestic birds originated in the Grey Junglefowl.[1]

The chicken is one of the most common and widespread domestic animals. With a population of more than 24 billion in 2003,[2] there are more chickens in the world than any other bird. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food, with both their meat and their eggs consumed.

The game of Chicken, also known as the Hawk-Dove game, is an influential model of conflict for two players in game theory. The principle of the game is that while each player prefers not to yield to the other, the outcome where neither player yields is the worst possible one for both players. The name "Chicken" has its origins in a game in which two drivers drive towards each other on a collision course: one must swerve, or both may die in the crash, but if one driver swerves but the other does not, he or she will be called a "chicken"; this terminology is most prevalent in the political science and economics. The name "Hawk-Dove" refers to a situation in which there is a competition for a shared resource and the contestants can choose either conciliation or conflict; this terminology is most commonly used in biology and evolutionary game theory. From a game-theoretic point of view, "Chicken" and "Hawk-Dove" are identical; the different names stem from parallel development of the basic principles in different research areas.[1] The game has also been used to describe the mutual assured destruction of nuclear warfare.[2]

The game is similar to the prisoner's dilemma game in that an "agreeable" mutual solution is unstable since both players are individually tempted to stray from it. However, it differs in the cost of responding to such a deviation. This means that, even in an iterated version of the game, retaliation is ineffective, and a mixed strategy may be more appropriate.

UPDATE: PLEASE IGNORE THE LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY GOT THERE. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH NATURE, BUT RATHER, BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS. I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY CONFUSION.

And Here We Have the Weasel Jim

The Weasel

Weasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. Originally, the name "weasel" was applied to one species of the genus, the European form of the Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis). Early literary references to weasels, for example their common appearances in fables, refer to this species rather than to the genus as a whole, reflecting what is still the common usage in the United Kingdom. In technical discourse, however, as in American usage, the term "weasel" can refer to any member of the genus, or to the genus as a whole. Of the 16 extant species currently classified in the genus Mustela, ten have "weasel" in their common name. Among those that do not are the stoat or ermine, the two species of mink, and the polecats or ferrets.

Weasels vary in length from fifteen to thirty-five centimeters (six to fourteen inches), and usually have a light brown upper coat, white belly and black fur at the tip of the tail; in many species, populations living at high latitudes moult to a white coat with black fur at the tip of the tail in winter. They have long slender bodies, which enable them to follow their prey into burrows. Their tails are typically almost as long as the rest of their bodies. As is typical of small carnivores, weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile. They also have tails that can be anywhere from 22-33 cm long and they use these to defend the food they get and to claim territory from other weasels.

Weasels feed on small mammals, and in former times were considered vermin since some species took poultry from farms, or rabbits from commercial warrens. Certain species of weasel and ferrets, have been reported to perform the mesmerizing weasel war dance, after fighting other creatures, or acquiring food from competing creatures. In folklore at least, this dance is particularly associated with the stoat.

Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack, and confusion.

My New Look Blog - Mutual of Ottawa's Wild Kingdom

Recent developments in the House of Commons have dictated that I should begin to explore other, more meaningful topics to write about. So, in that vein, I have decided to write about nature and the things that live in nature.

So to that end, I give you The Ostrich (as pictured above)

The Ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a large flightless bird native to Africa (and formerly the Middle East). It is the only living species of its family, Struthionidae, and its genus, Struthio. Ostriches share the order Struthioniformes with emus, kiwis, and other ratites. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at speeds of about 65 km/h (40 mph), the top land speed of any bird.[2] The Ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest egg of any bird species.

The diet of the Ostrich mainly consists of seeds and other plant matter, though it eats insects. It lives in nomadic groups which contain between five and 50 birds. When threatened, the Ostrich will either hide itself by lying flat against the ground, or will run away. If cornered, it can cause injury and death with a kick from its powerful legs. Mating patterns differ by geographical region, but territorial males fight for a harem of two to seven females.

The Ostrich is farmed around the world, particularly for its feathers, which are decorative and are also used for feather dusters. Its skin is used for leather and its meat marketed commercially.

Speaking of Immigration

Nik Nanos has released his latest poll.

The Immigration Bill vs. Julie Couillard

I'd like to thank Susan Delacourt and Paul Wells for pointing out the obvious stance I've taken. Two writers I have a lot of time for.

For about a week - maybe even two - Liberals danced on the heads of the Conservatives, taking great joy in a scandal involving an inept Foreign Affairs Minister and his biker-associated ex-girlfriend and the international media frenzy that ensued.

To be sure, the whole demeanor of the Conservative caucus changed. They weren't the normally arrogant PRs they have been these past 2.5 years. They were a little more contrite. EMBARRASSED EVEN.

For Liberals it was a week of glory. The Conservative and NDP blogs were fairly silent. Email after email arrived on my Blackberry urging me to continue my pounding of the Conservatives. Go Jim Go! Go Jim Go! The cheers were deafening.

What a difference one week can make. Now it's me...and those hundreds of frustrated grassroots Liberals that are EMBARRASSED BY OUR OWN PARTY. EMBARRASSED AND FRUSTRATED. FRUSTRATED AND EMBARRASSED.

Naturally, I don't pretend to speak for the masses. I'm sure that the thousands of card-carrying members that don't have immigrant parents or, perhaps, aren't immigrants themselves are okay with 11 of our MPs showing up to vote for an NDP amendment on the immigration bill that would have toppled this stale, rotten, scandalous Conservative government.

But for those card-carrying Liberals that have immigrant parents and relatives or are immigrants themselves, I am certain I speak for most of them.

My question is how these MPs never found their way into the House of Commons to vote on this motion (just out of principle):

Ruby Dhalla - Parents from India
Navdeep Bains - Parents from India
Omar Alghabra - Saudi Arabia
Pablo Rodriguez - Argentina
Mario Silva - Portugal
Maruizio Bevelacqua - Italy
Joe Volpe - Italy
Sukh Dhaliwal - India
Ujjal Dosangh - India
Hedy Fry - Trinidad and Tobago
Albina Guarnieri - Italy
Raymond Chan - Hong Kong
Maria Minna - Italy
Massimo Pacetti - Parents from Italy
Lui Temelkovski - Macedonia
Sue Barnes - Malta
John Cannis - Greece
Stephane Dion - Mother born in France (he voted)
Raymonde Falco - France
Jim Karygianis - Greece
Gurbax Malhi - India
Keith Martin - London, UK
Yasmin Ratansi - Tansania
Belinda Stronach - Father is an Immigrant Austrian (she may have a valid reason)
Andrew Telegdi - Hungary (he voted)

Oh boy. What a mess. I have removed some items from my sidebar as I feel more embarrassed than most.

Live Bloggin Bill C50 Vote

So, I don't pretend to be a Kady O'Malley at this sort of thing, but I suspect the vote will be very short and to the point. So, here we go

6:46 - Call to order.

6:48 - Still no order.

6:50 - Speaker rises. All those in favour of the motion please rise.

6:51 - The Bloc Rise in order.

Then 12 Liberal Rise in support of the motion.

Followed seconds later by the entire NDP caucus.

6:53 - The Conservatives laugh in the face of the opposition with their entire caucus voting nay.

6:55 - James Curran hangs his head in shame after shaking it 100 times.

DISGUSTING

Today the Conservative Government Falls

And if it doesn't I'd like to see how the Members of Parliament for the Liberal Party of Canada are going to explain to their constituents why we didn't stand up for new Canadians.

Never mind trying to sell the Carbon Tax. Try explaining why the party of Multi-Culturalism and Immigration has just subjected future generations of new immigrants to the sole discretion of a Minister.

Remember how Stephen Harper was wondering how to win seats in Ontario and Vancouver and Montreal? Well, my friends, this is one way. Not to mention the seats that the NDP get to keep, and perhaps even gain, by a lack of conviction by the Liberal Party of Canada.

I'm wondering how our immigrant MPs currently sitting in the House of Commons today can idly stand by while this stale, scandalous Conservative government stomps on the rights of their family and friends currently waiting to gain entry in this country.

I ASK YOU LIBERALS, HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN SIT ON OUR HANDS FOR A BILL THAT OFFENDS EVERY IMMIGRANT MEMBER OF THIS PARTY AND EVERY IMMIGRANT CANADIAN THAT HAS EVER SET FOOT ON OUR SOIL???

Big Loss in NDP Land

Alexa McDonough is one Dipper I truly have a lot of time for. She'll be missed n Ottawa I'm certain.

Julie Couillard - A Plant by the Bloc?

Wow. What a tangled web she weaves. In the "it's too too coincidental" department we have a new tidbit on the buxom bombshell. She and Gilles Duceppe share the same hair stylist.

And, I feel much better and much safer knowing this.

h/t Jean Lapierre

Lukiwski Still Doesn't Support Gays

It's pretty apparent Tom Lukiwski was just another Conservative giving the Canadian public lip service.

I'm certain this guy will support him in the next election.