a dying art?

[Jimro]

When I finished my first 8 years in the Army I had a break in service while I finished up my BS. I grew a beard. My wife went to her parents for a weekend and I shaved. I was doing the dishes when she came home and walked up behind me. I twirled around really fast and said, "different isn't it?"

 

She started crying. I felt bad.

 

Jimro

[BradD]

Goth, I'm glad you brought this up as I never quite understood what goes on up above.

 

Now bare in mind that I've never been to Ottowa or Toronto, but when I've been up or talked with Canadians here, it always seemed U.S friendly and rather conservative in values. Not like Yankee conservatives (or perhaps now Southern and Western conservatives), but not not the wild eyed socialists.

 

How does, what seems like it wouldn't be that palatable to most Northern Cousins, end up so far out in left field. It seems like your government isn't representative of it's people in it's views.

 

No offense intended by the question. Ours runs amuck every chance it gets and now we are in line to get a whole cabal of left wing weirdos to take over so it should be a real e-ticket ride for the next few years around here. The difference is in ours the public just changes it's mind every few years and then says, "oops". Yours almost seems like they aren't paying any attention to whatever you folks want and answer to someone else.

 

I know your entire media is just like ours. I read your papers occassionally. As ours, they stink! Me with family in the media. They fancy themselves the fourth wing of government and the only ones intelligent enough to form an opinion and expect all the dummies reading it to accept what they say as gospel without question. So that is always a problem for the real world.

 

I know how we make our messes. Just wondering how you get yours.

 

Thanks for the update. Good luck to your PM.

 

Brad

[tinkerfive]

I had been wondering and maybe after tomorrow you can answer the question.

 

In his ads, Obama is running for 'President of America'; not for President

of the United States of America.

Since Canada is part of North America and the vote is tomorrow, I was

just wondering how his name might appear on the ballot.

 

I wonder about Mexico, Uruguay, Brazil, Chili, Paraguay etc.

 

Tinker

[Gothmog]

We have no Obama pick on our ballots, of course. Even if he ran here, his name would only be on ballots of the district/riding he ran in as we have no separate vote for president.

 

As to Brad's questions, I am sorry to report that Canada has absorbed a great many leftist ideas and ideals and some of us are working hard to change that. It will take some time and at this point I am not even certain we will succeed ... the nutbars and weirdos are very entrenched here. The regular folks more or less have to play along and put up with their nonsense until things change for the better ... hopefully tonight is the first step in that direction.

 

PS - if anyone has some early news, pm me. I'm on the west coast.

[ken98k]

For those of you who don't know what a vindictive, self serving b!%&? Palin really is.

 

 

Palin has checkered history on ethics issues

Brett J. Blackledge and Justin Pritchard/The Associated Press

 

Published Tuesday, October 14, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose reformer image took a hit in a report concluding she abused her powers to settle a family score, has skirted state ethics rules before for personal benefit and used her office to help friends and supporters, according to an Associated Press review of records.

 

Palin’s first try at statewide office, after six years as mayor of Wasilla, was an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor in 2002. To raise money, she improperly used her City Hall office and equipment, city records show. A year later she would make headlines by blasting a fellow Republican for, among other things, improperly using his government position to boost his campaign.

 

Then, in 2006, Palin won the governor’s race with a vow to reform state ethics. But in less than two years, she has repeatedly taken actions that violated her own stated standards for ethical behavior — if not state law. In the process, the Republican vice presidential nominee has become much like the old-school politicians she attacked during her rise to power.

 

Some examples:

 

—She pummeled opponents for giving oil companies and other businesses too much control of state government. Yet she appointed the founder of an engineering firm that received $6.8 million in state business as head of the transportation department.

 

—She has accepted dozens of gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars since taking office, including two free trips last year that she failed to report on disclosure forms, despite criticizing state legislators for the gifts they take.

 

—She is under another investigation, accused of misusing her office to campaign against a voter referendum calling for tighter mining regulations. Her husband, Todd, has accepted free trips from a mining company to look at their proposed new site.

 

—Another ethics complaint, unresolved, accuses her staff of finding a state job for a friend and campaign contributor.

 

Last week, an investigation by the Alaska legislature found that Palin, running mate to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, abused her powers when she and her husband improperly pressured the state public safety commissioner to fire her sister’s ex-husband, a state trooper. The brother-in-law was never fired, but Palin fired the commissioner in July.

 

“It’s all about the power, and it frightens me,” said state Rep. Beth Kerttula, a Juneau Democrat who like many in the minority party have supported Palin on some issues, including energy policy. “She doesn’t seem to know where the boundaries are.”

 

Even critics concede that Palin deserves credit for working with legislators to toughen state ethics laws and for providing more information to taxpayers about state spending. She advocated restrictions on lobbyists’ giving, increased disclosure requirements for public officials and posted state spending details on the Internet.

 

Palin also risked her own political future by exposing unethical behavior by other public officials, even those in her own party.

 

But they say she often claims the ethical high ground when she hasn’t been above questionable behavior herself.

 

“She’s very good at reading the public’s discontent and pandering to it,” said Larry Persily, who worked in the governor’s Washington, D.C., office until resigning earlier this year.

 

Palin faced questions during her 2006 gubernatorial race about her use of the Wasilla mayor’s office four years earlier to run for lieutenant governor. Palin used city staff and office equipment — including a fax machine, computers for e-mail and a City Hall phone number — to run her campaign, according to city records.

 

She apologized for those transgressions in 2006, but only this month acknowledged to the AP that the city initially paid for a campaign flight in that 2002 race and that weeks later she reimbursed the city.

 

“According to people who worked with her at the time, the travel agency inadvertently billed the city rather than her personally,” McCain campaign spokesman Taylor Griffin said in a written statement. “To ensure that it was corrected immediately, she reimbursed Wasilla and the campaign later reimbursed her. It’s an example of Gov. Palin’s commitment to the highest standards of ethics.”

 

Palin brushed the issue aside when she ran for governor, arguing it was nothing more than an opponent’s smear campaign.

 

She has cast herself as Alaska’s ethics watchdog. In her most dramatic move, she revealed in 2003 that the state’s Republican Party leader was campaigning from his state job. She then challenged incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski two years ago on a platform of government reform.

 

After her victory, though, Palin reverted to political tradition, rewarding even marginally qualified friends and campaign backers with high-level positions.

 

A friend from her Wasilla High School class was named to manage the state’s agriculture office after a career in real estate. A family friend and campaign worker became head of the state agency that distributes dividend checks to Alaskans from oil revenue. Her real estate agent’s husband received an appointment to the state real estate board.

 

Palin’s biggest political splash was from attacking the big oil companies that she said ran the state. She challenged their political power, and promised voters that her administration would avoid cozy relationships with business.

 

But one of her first cabinet appointments didn’t live up to that pledge.

 

Leo von Scheben, a co-founder of Anchorage-based USKH Inc. engineering firm, took over the state’s Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, and his firm’s state business increased, records show. USKH received $6.8 million in state transportation contracts last year, up 13 percent from $6 million the year before.

 

Von Scheben stopped taking a salary and all benefits from the company when he stepped into the state job. But he didn’t sever all financial ties. Von Scheben receives annual stock payments that he arranged before he left the company in 2007 that will continue for 10 years, according to his financial disclosure forms.

 

Von Scheben said he has recused himself on projects pursued by the firm and that others in the agency select companies to receive state business. He said he believes his appointment may have cost his former company state business, although he doesn’t regret taking the job.

 

“If the state can’t draw on some private sector people, they’re missing out,” he said.

 

Palin claims passage of broad ethics reforms as an accomplishment following state corruption scandals. But Palin didn’t report as gifts two free trips she received in 2007 as legislators were debating the new ethics law.

 

“This is simply a rare oversight, nothing more,” campaign spokesman Griffin said when asked about the omissions by the AP.

 

Palin has, in fact, reported most of her gifts on her annual financial disclosure forms, something her predecessor never did, according to Alaska Public Offices Commission records.

 

The unreported paid trips:

 

—The $2,988 cost of Palin’s April 2007 flight and hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., for a four-day conference was paid by the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute of North Carolina, a nonprofit education policy group. Palin received the same free trip as dozens of other governors invited over the years to attend the annual summit, institute spokesman April White said.

 

—A May 2007 overnight visit with her three daughters and her parents attending a family reception at Mt. Chilkoot Lodge in Skagway, Alaska, was paid for by friend and former deputy campaign treasurer Kathy Hosford, one of the lodge’s owners.

 

“We weren’t open and it was just on a friendship basis,” Hosford said.

 

The Palins used two suites valued at $150 each, said Sharon Leighow, a spokeswoman in the governor’s office.

 

The same day Palin visited Skagway, executives of the Anchorage-based VECO Inc. pleaded guilty to offering bribes to five legislators. Palin, mingling with old family friends and town residents, spoke briefly with local reporters during her visit, calling the corruption developments “atrocious” and promising change.

 

“There are problems in state government,” Palin told The Skagway News, “and on our watch it is our responsibility to show people that we are going to clean things up.”

 

Persily, who said he left Palin’s administration because he didn’t enjoy working in Washington, said Palin is skillful in “attacking the ’good ol’ boys.’ The good ol’ boys that Palin is talking about are those that can’t help her politically.”

 

Democratic state Rep. Mike Doogan said Palin, even as she bends or breaks the rules herself, acts as if she invented ethics in Alaska.

 

“It’s insulting to those of us who have always done the right thing,” he said

 

[karlunity]

Thank the goddess we have folk like Acorn, Obama and move on.org to save us.

 

The noble nature of Obama will .....will...that is.... well, I am sure... as to gun rights..he..

 

Let me get back to you.

 

Karl... for change we can believe in.

 

P.S.

 

"She has been more adversarial with the producers than any previous governor," said Democratic state Rep. Mike Doogan, whom Palin courted -- with cupcakes -- to power her oil program through the Legislature this year.

 

(Democratic state Rep. Mike Doogan said Palin, even as she bends or breaks the rules herself, acts as if she invented ethics in Alaska.

 

“It’s insulting to those of us who have always done the right thing,” he said)?????????????????

 

Palin's showdown with the oil companies has earned her enormous public acclaim but alienated her from all but a handful of Republican legislators and forced her to develop working alliances with Democrats.

 

She has taken on the leadership of the state Republican Party at a time when a growing number of Alaskan politicians are being indicted on corruption charges because of their ties to the oil industry.

 

"I'm a Democrat. She's a Republican. But she and I have a larger alliance with each other than we do with our own parties," said Ray Metcalfe, a former state legislator who has long complained about corruption. "We have a Republican governor who is not part of the system, and she has set out to reform the party."

 

Palin's independent approach to politics recalls the kind of Republicanism championed, at least rhetorically, by another maverick: McCain.

 

"She came into office with a single focus, and that was to undo everything the previous governor had done, and to do as much as she could to prevent Alaska's oil producers from having any participation in any development of an Alaska natural gas line," said Republican state Rep. Mike Hawker, who chairs the state House budget committee.

 

At least 40 Republicans were opposed to the enormous oil production tax increase crafted in the Legislature, he said, but Palin "cut a deal with the Democratic caucus."

 

"She rode the tide of vindictive populism against the oil and gas industry in this state," he said.

 

The connections between oil and power go back to the earliest days of Alaskan statehood. Four of the 10 largest oil fields in North America are on the North Slope, contributing an estimated $5 billion to the state's economy, according to the Alaska Oil and Gas Assn.

 

Palin is a strong supporter of expanding drilling across the North Slope and in some other environmentally sensitive regions. Unlike McCain, she favors opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil production.

 

But her hard line on expanding state control has flummoxed oil executives. They have warned that the higher taxes will discourage investment in oil production at a time when Alaska must compete with other fields around the world for oil capital.

 

"The governor pushed for an increase in taxes and the Legislature went along. That was totally their right to do so, but we were pretty clear going in what the long-term consequences would be," said Steve Rinehart, spokesman for BP Exploration.

 

 

Funny how Ole Rep. Mike Doogan, opinion changed....I wonder, could politics have anything to do with the new view?

 

Naw...

 

Unlike our friends on the Left, we DON"T think that Little Mac is god or Palin the savior, as the Left does of Obama, but compared to Obama, McCain and Palin look good indeed.

[Gothmog]

Its looking very promising, Conservatives are leading. There's still an outside chance of a majority government which would be ideal, but we appear to be headed to a strong minority at least.

 

I'll keep you posted ...

[Gothmog]

Current placements as follows:

 

Consevatives 145 seats

Liberals 75 seats

Bloc Quebecois 48 seats

New Democrats 38 seats

Independents 2 seats

 

Of the above, there are a dozen or so still very close so the final results will vary a bit.

 

To reach a majority we needed 155 seats of 308, given 1 representative to sit as Speaker of the House. I expect the CPC to try to find some individuals from the other parties to make up the difference ... we'll see.

 

At least for the moment, Canadians' guns are safe.

 

 

[Jimro]

.....according to an Associated Press review of records.

 

And nine out of ten journalists are registered Democrats. Gotta love the attempt of trial by public opinion, especially when you can spoon feed the public an opinion.

 

—She pummeled opponents for giving oil companies and other businesses too much control of state government. Yet she appointed the founder of an engineering firm that received $6.8 million in state business as head of the transportation department.

 

You know maybe it makes sense to appoint an engineer the head of the department of transportation. Then again I could be wrong and an artist with a degree in Russian Literature is really the right person for that job.

 

—She is under another investigation, accused of misusing her office to campaign against a voter referendum calling for tighter mining regulations. Her husband, Todd, has accepted free trips from a mining company to look at their proposed new site.

 

—Another ethics complaint, unresolved, accuses her staff of finding a state job for a friend and campaign contributor.

 

"Under Investigation" = innocent until proven guilty (unless the press don't like you) and "unresolved" often means "unsubstantiated". It doesn't take much to make an accusation these days.

 

There are a lot of quotes by folks no longer associated with Palin. Guess getting fired left a bitter taste in their mouth.

 

This is why I don't buy newspapers, nothing more than liberal propaganda printed on a fish wrapper.

 

Jimro

 

 

 

 

[karlunity]

Glad to read it CG.

Hope the American voters are as smart.

 

karl

[flaco]

Not reading newspapers is a pretty good prescription for ignorance.

 

Better to read newspapers, and be skeptical.

 

On the other hand, if you're looking only to find confirmation of your biases,

continue to watch Fox News.

 

flaco

[flaco]

To focus a little more on the Palin issue, she's ignorant.

 

I read myself to sleep last night with Winston Churchill's "The Gathering Storm".

 

Granted, Churchill was probably the greatest leader of the 20th century.

 

Is it inappropriate to compare Palin to Churchill?

 

Not at all.

 

Ours is a profoundly rich nation, and the times we face may be just as dangerous as those Churchill faced '38-'39.

 

While Obama may not be Churchill, we may remind ourselves that far from being a terrorist, he was voted President of Law Review at Harvard Law School, and is thus deeply invested in the American system, and the product of one of the best educational systems America has to offer.

 

While I have great admiration for a woman who can skin a moose, I don't intend to vote to place her in an office a heartbeat away from the American Presidency.

 

flaco

[ken98k]

To focus a little more on the Palin issue, she's ignorant.

 

I read myself to sleep last night with Winston Churchill's "The Gathering Storm".

 

Granted, Churchill was probably the greatest leader of the 20th century.

 

Is it inappropriate to compare Palin to Churchill?

 

Not at all.

 

Ours is a profoundly rich nation, and the times we face may be just as dangerous as those Churchill faced '38-'39.

 

While Obama may not be Churchill, we may remind ourselves that far from being a terrorist, he was voted President of Law Review at Harvard Law School, and is thus deeply invested in the American system, and the product of one of the best educational systems America has to offer.

 

While I have great admiration for a woman who can skin a moose, I don't intend to vote to place her in an office a heartbeat away from the American Presidency.

 

flaco

 

 

She really has buffaloed much of America.

Having dressed out more moose than I care to remember, I really doubt she could. I do beleive she has probably held a leg while someone else did the work.

She has gone to extremes overstating her experiences. If she did half of what she claims, Alaska would be a lot better off than we are. And then there's oil. We pay $1.00 and more per gallon than the rest of the country. In the bush communities they're paying $6.00 to $9.00 PER GALLON

Ya! she's standing up to the oil companys (she says)

[AzRednek]

Glad to read it CG.

Hope the American voters are as smart.

 

karl

 

Fat chance of that with all the followers trying to get their piece of Obama's socialist pie.

 

[karlunity]

we may remind ourselves that far from being a terrorist, he was voted President of Law Review at Harvard Law School, and is thus deeply invested in the American system, and the product of one of the best educational systems America has to offer.

 

Obama is a liberal and that IS that.

He is RFK with a good tan. (Obama is actually a BETTER man than RFK as Obama worked his way up without family connections)

 

Now if your vision for America is that of cradle to grave, statism for him.

 

We can agree that Obama is not Churchill....See we have "come together" : )

 

Karl

[Spiris]

While Obama may not be Churchill, we may remind ourselves that far from being a terrorist, he was voted President of Law Review at Harvard Law School, and is thus deeply invested in the American system, and the product of one of the best educational systems America has to offer.

 

So in essence, BHO has learned from the best, to fleece the American people, and make us like it? How stupid can you be? The deception that he practices on the truly ignorant may pay off. His cronies try cover his tracks and the trail of deception and voter fraud, but no one can be a perfect liar and his mouth and pen has raised questions. The man's past history is the true making of his character. If he is elected, the anti-gun people will rejoice as well as the socialists. All those bought voters will be holding their hands out for their piece of the pie.

If he is elected, at least I cannot be blamed, as I will do my duty on election day. And Fox News is the voice of common sense and fairness.

Sarah Palin is the true breath of fresh air that we need as VP.

 

Spiris

[plumbum]

he was voted President of Law Review at Harvard Law School, and is thus deeply invested in the American system

 

WHOA not so fast

 

deeply invested? not necessarily. PLENTY of foreigners go to law schools here in the US, including harvard. you don't have to be a citizen to be on law review. just really friggin' smart and good at law school.

 

 

[Dr.Hess]

He only got into Harvard Law School by affirmative action and extra special letters of recommendation from major politcal makers/fixers and Saudi money-men. His books were ghost-written, most likely by Ayers, the bomber. While head of the law review, he didn't write anything. In fact, if I recall, he only wrote one small article prior to picked head of the law review, which usually goes to people that can write.

 

He does read a speach real well.

[ken98k]

Sarah Palin is the true breath of fresh air that we need as VP.

Spiris

 

 

Breathe of fresh air, my foot!

You're spending too much time fantasizing over her photos,

She’s a re-incarnation of G-Dubya, only more stupid.

 

 

[Spiris]

She’s a re-incarnation of G-Dubya, only more stupid.

 

I thank God everyday W was in charge during 9/11. Ms. Palin has more experience in running an entity than the dems ticket put together. Bumbling Biden was for J. MCCain before he was for BHO.

ken98k, you are probably still young and impressionable and apparently blindly liberal. It's strange that a gun lover would support an anti-second amendment ticket, at least it appears that way. I've been around a while and can see through the dems facade of lies and corruption.

Another point is the housing crisis didn't come to a head until the dems took over a couple years ago and got sweetheart loan deals for your buds Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, as heads of the housing finance board. Dodds father got caught back in the 70's too I believe, taking money for favors given. I guess the nut doesn't fall far from the tree.

Remember, it's all about oil, the more we tap our resources the better our economic situation will get. I paid $2.79 a gal. this morning for gas and it looks like it may continue down. It will help stimulate the economy, but that will go to hell if the tax and spend socialist regime gets in to power and taxes everything that moves, including your guns and ammunition. BHO is a smooth talker and tells you what you want to hear. I pity you for being so gullible.

 

Spiris

[karlunity]

She’s a re-incarnation of G-Dubya, only more stupid.

 

Why is it that the left calls everyone they disagree with "stupid" ??

 

Karl

[plumbum]

because they are ignorant.

 

[plumbum]

those are serious accusations, can you provide facts to back them up?

 

he has not released his LSAT so there is no way to show he needed affirmative action to get into harvard.

 

harvard law review notes are not signed, how do you know what he did?

 

He only got into Harvard Law School by affirmative action and extra special letters of recommendation from major politcal makers/fixers and Saudi money-men. His books were ghost-written, most likely by Ayers, the bomber. While head of the law review, he didn't write anything. In fact, if I recall, he only wrote one small article prior to picked head of the law review, which usually goes to people that can write.

 

He does read a speach real well.

 

[Spiris]

About Ayers, BHO's buddy, what in hell is he doing teaching as a professor in Chicago? What's the class, terrorism and anarchy 101. He should be in jail for murder.

 

Spiris

[roscoedoh]

Once upon a time, in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each.

 

The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10 and, as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at $20 for a monkey.

 

This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer increased to $25 each, and the supply of monkeys became so small that it was an effort to even find a monkey, let alone catch it!

 

The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him.

 

In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected.

 

I will sell them to you at $35, and when the man returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each. The villagers rounded up all their savings and bought all the monkeys.

 

They never saw the man nor his assistant again, only monkeys everywhere!

 

Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works.