Turning my attention to my adopted country, what do I see?

The leaders of the three opposition parties presented their plan to topple Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority government at a press conference in Ottawa late Monday afternoon.

The leaders of the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois publicly signed a coaltion accord and sent a letter to Governor-General Michaëlle Jean saying the opposition has lost confidence in the Conservatives.

The proposed coalition government between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party would last until June of 2011, but the Bloc is only pledging support for 18 months.

Under the plan, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion would become prime minister until May, when his successor would take over.

Woah!!! Didn’t see that coming. Dion is finally going to be the Prime Minister. I had voted for the Liberal party in the last election and was hoping to see Dion as the Prime Minister of Canada. But there were reasons for me voting for the Liberals. The main motive was The Green Shift. The other was to bring in actual accountability into the government and I saw that in the leadership of Stephen Dion. Unfortunately, not many Canadians agreed with me as Liberals were routed in the election receiving only 77 seats in the house.

But days after the election, I was wondering why the hell is the opposition not banding together against Harper? And I ask again, why exactly could not NDP and the Liberals to band together a few weeks ago? Of course, the latest shit pile from the conservatives is what galvanised the opposition.

The Conservatives are poised to eliminate the public subsidies that Canada’s five major political parties receive, a move that would save $30 million a year but could cripple the opposition.

I don’t really like this new scenario. I mean, Harper’s governance was full of shit, no doubt about it. He called the oppositions’ bluff and they bit him right back. If the current government is bought down, he must resign immediately from the conservative party for this was a shameless act of consolidating his power without giving a thought to the problems of the common man.

I will, of course, support a coalition of the Liberals and NDP. But I would support it only if The Green Shift or it’s variant is included in the mix.

Updated :

Ha ha ha….yes, it’s only the opposition vying for power!!!! These conservatives are so full of BULLSHIT!!!

The prospect of the Prime Minister trying to shut down Parliament to avoid defeat has one constitutional scholar shaking in his boots.

Political scientist Peter Russell said Stephen Harper may have the right to ask Governor General Michaëlle Jean to prorogue Parliament and end the current session but doing so would set a dangerous and undemocratic precedent.

“Of all the things that have happened or have been threatened to be about to happen, this is the most dangerous because it shows the intention of the Prime Minister to govern without Parliament and that is undermining our parliamentary democracy,” said Russell, a University of Toronto professor emeritus.

So much for thinking of the common man. Let’s shut down the parliament and avoid all business until we are firmly in power in Jan. 2009!!!

Now I really want the NDP/Liberals/Bloc to be in power!!

1. Terrorism is now a fact of life in India no matter how much India prospers.
2. Terrorism in India will always, ALWAYS, be supported by countries surrounding India which includes Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka to name a few. But nothing will be done about it because reprecussions of any military action will be met with force from not only the offending country but also but the world at large. And political action is not possible because our politicians lack the imagination. India will continue to take blows.
3. Twitter is the best place to go if you want up to minute updates of the situation on the ground. I think today the number one traffic generator on Twitter was #Mumbai.
4. Politicians of the current Congress party are uninspiring and verbal fumblers.
5. Politicians from the RSS are demagogues and dangerous. I think they are going to use this terrorism act to their advantage in the up coming 2009 election. Look out for Thakeray and co. to completely exploit this day.
6. Politicians blame everything on Pakistan from the word go. Getting the facts and then starting the blame game is something these idiots are not really familiar with.
7. Sara Snider of CNN who is in Mumbai covering the Mumbai terrorism, is a fucking moron. See this clip (http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2008/11/27/sidner.bpr.live.shot.chaos.cnn). Her comment on people “celebrating” outside police lines because they are just curious on lookers was outrageously insensitive. I was really happy to see a brave gentleman interrupt her bullshit on live TV. Kudos to you sir.

Updates to follow.

> The blame game has started. There is no doubt that there was involvement of Pakistan citizens on the attack. I think the question is, is the State of Pakistan involved?

> Will there be a intelligence overhaul? No idea and I don’t think the public will be informed either way. Anyway, if this attack was, as is being reported in the media, from Pakistan, there was no way to prepare for it or avoid it.

> It is important for everyone to understand that the attack hit home for many elite and upper middle class people which changes the whole dimension of this episode and it has the potential to have far reaching effects on how terrorism will be treated in India.

It was easy for the ruling class and the bureaucratic class of India to ignore bomb attacks that took lives of mainly poor people over the last few months but this attack has hit the rulers. And that is pathetic on so many levels. This incident will confirm that a “rich/richer” life in India is worth MORE than a “poor/common man” life. And that will never ever change.

Updated on 2nd Dec. 2008

> So far the best analysis that I have read, regarding the Mumbai attacks is here.

Looks like someone needs to concentrate on how he celebrates a win!!

SHANGHAI, China — Third-ranked Novak Djokovic won his first Masters Cup title with a 6-1, 7-5 win Sunday over Nikolay Davydenko in the season-ending tournament.

It was Djokovic’s first tournament victory since he won the Rome Masters in May, leaving him just 10 points behind No. 2 Roger Federer in the rankings.

After Davydenko netted a serve return on match point, Djokovic repeatedly pumped both fists and threw two rackets, his wristbands and shirt into the crowd. He celebrated with his family and coach in a group hug, jumping together in joy.

Djokovic managed to cut his left hand during the celebration and, dripping blood, had to call for the trainer for a bandage before the awards ceremony.

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NEW YORK — Citigroup Inc. is cutting approximately 53,000 more jobs in the coming quarters as the banking giant struggles to steady itself after suffering massive losses from deteriorating debt.

The plans, posted on the company’s Web site, are being discussed by CEO Vikram Pandit at the company’s town hall meeting in New York Monday with employees.

The company said total headcount is being reduced by 20 per cent from its peak of 375,000 at the end of 2007. The bank had already announced in October that it was eliminating about 22,000 jobs from those levels.

My question is, what kind of business are you running that allows you to shed 53,000 + 22,000 jobs in the coming quarters and you are still able to function as a company?

I was interviewed a couple of times at Citi and I am sure glad I did not get the position!!

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I guess at times I am enthralled by the fact that India is truly a secular and a minorities championing country. The Prime Minister is from a minority religion, a woman is the president and an Italian born Indian citizen runs (allegedly) the party in power. I mean, where else can you find such welcoming people?

But then there is bullshit like this :

Taslima Nasreen forced to leave India again

So here is an authour who has done no wrong to anyone except write poetry and about the women in Islam. For that she :

has again been “forced” to leave India after her brief stay here, prompting the controversial writer to question the country’s alleged secular credentials.

The writer, who returned to India on August 8, said she had to leave on October 15 following the government’s dictum.

“Yes, I was forced to leave India once again… The government gave me resident permit for 6 months with a secret condition that I must leave the country in a few days,” she told PTI in an e-mail interview.

“Gave a 6 month visa with the condition that she leave immediately”???? WHAT?? So the all powerful, all secular government of India bowed and cowered to a segment of the population that has better things to revile in the country like poverty, corruption etc. but instead focuses it’s energy on an authour!!?!!

I know it’s all politics but there comes a time when a government needs to stand up for a principle. This author had to flee her birth country because of the fatwa placed on her. This was the perfect opportunity for the government of India and the state government (which is, ironically, a communist party i.e. an anti religion party) to demonstrate their secular credentials.

And why would anyone want to object violently to what a person has written? This is what really irks me about Indians. They take little silly issues like a book and make a huge deal out of it. Why?

Proof that Assrocket is a degenirate idiot who needs to be locked up in a mental asylum.

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A mosque asking that Canadian workplaces respect a strict Muslim dress code is at the same time disseminating slurs against Jews and Western societies, and warning members against social integration.

Why? Why should a work place respect a dress code that has been deemed dangerous? Sometimes I just don’t get religion. We are living in a modern society with a modern law that clearly stipulates the health of the employee to be of paramount value. And if the way the employee behaves or chooses to dress which is contrary to what is expected of the employee, then please find other work.

In September, a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal heard two weeks of testimony from eight mosque members alleging “Islamophobia” at the company’s west Toronto plant. Three final days of testimony are scheduled for next week.

The eight women, who lost their jobs at UPS, say Islam dictates that they wear a full-length skirt for modesty. The courier company insists that any skirt be knee-length for safety, as workers climb ladders up to 6 metres high.

Under their skirt, the women wear full-length trousers but say they do not want the lower part showing in case the shape of the calf can be discerned.

The complaint originally centred on the company’s use of temporary workers and uneven enforcement of its safety rules.

But the key question remains: Is UPS insisting on shorter hems for safety or is it violating religious rights by denying the women permanent jobs unless they conform?

I ASSUME that the dress code was told to the women on the day they were hired. If the women accepted it at that point then I am sorry, they need to be shown the door.

If the company told the women after a few weeks/months/years of employment that part of their job is to dress in a certain way, then the company is at fault. It’s as clear as that.

If the company is enforcing it’s safety rules in a discriminatory way then, they should definitely be investigated. But I kind of find it hard to believe that UPS, a global brand name company, would risk a PR problem by picking on women because of their religion.

The article continues with this :

The Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque near Kipling Ave. and Rexdale Blvd. serves as the religious authority for eight Somali women complaining to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that UPS Canada Ltd. violated their religious rights at a sorting plant. The mosque, founded in 1990 and serving upwards of 10,000 people, preaches strict adherence to sharia, or Islamic law, and no compromise with the West.

Teachings on the mosque’s website, khalidmosque.com, refer to non-Muslim Westerners as “wicked,” “corrupt” and “our clear enemies.”

Sometimes Jews are singled out.

“Is it permissible for women to wear high-heeled shoes?” begins one posting in question-and-answer format. “That is not permissible,” comes the reply. “It involves resembling the Disbelieving Women or the wicked women. It has its origin among the Jewish women.”

Modern pastimes are condemned.

“What is the ruling on subscribing to sports channels?” another question begins. “Watching some of the female spectators, when the camera focuses on them time after time” stirs “evil inclinations,” the lesson reads. “Some (players) may not even believe in Allaah.”

Mosque leaders refused repeated requests for an interview.

A disclaimer on the website says questions and answers do not necessarily reflect the mosque’s views. But the About Us page says: “All questions and answers on this site (are) prepared, approved and supervised by (the mosque’s imam) Bashir Yusuf Shiil.”

And some people have the nerve to ask, why be an atheist?

This is clearly religious indocternation right under our noses here in Canada. I am miffed by the fact that why is it even allowed? Were this a Church web-site would the authorities have allowed the church to continue spewing hatred? Why is this mosque being given a pass? It will be interesting to see how the authorities handle this situation because it will be very telling on the status of political correctedness in Canada.

And here is the other side :

ABIDE BY OUR RULES OR LEAVE OUR COUNTRY

I’m sick and tired of immigrants coming to our country to then make demands upon us and dictate how we should regulate matters. Safety must come first and UPS is absolutely right to insist that long skirts not be worn in the warehouses due to the safety implications. The audacity to think that they have a right to tell us how we should “run our show”. I say clearly and loudly, out with the entire lot of them. Either come to our country and accept our culture, rules and regulations or go back to where you came from where “the long skirt rules”. Too many Canadians are too “politically correct” and afraid to speak out for fear of being labelled a racist. In the meantime, these immigrants have no reservations about speaking out against our culture. Who truly is the racist in this scenario ? No more polite cow-towing to their endless demands. Abide by “our” rules or leave.

What I find amusing is how the anti-immigrant squad comes out fighting each time such an issue is in the news. “If you don’t like our rules, leave”.

I’d like to ask Marilyn, is that what your ancestors were told by the natives when they arrived in Canada? It is so easy for you to dictate terms to us immigrants when you are kind of foggy about your status in this country. YOU ARE ALSO AN IMMIGRANT. You are what we would call a 2nd or 3rd generation immigrant. Even if your ancestors arrived in Canada 400 years ago, you still have your roots in some European country. So please stop with this “immigrants are evil” bullshit.

And I am sick and tired of hearing “our culture, our values”. What exactly are they? I would love for someone to identify “Canadian culture” for me.

I strongly oppose any form of religious indoctrination (am an atheist) in Canada and this mosque should be investigated and if necessary, closed. But to start blanketing every immigrant as “they have come to destroy us” is sheer paranoia.

Here is the current president welcoming the new president at the White  House. I wonder what conversation they are having?

Bush : “Congratulations on your win. You must be so excited.”

Obama : “Thanks and yes, I am excited. Excited to be given an opportunity to clean up the shit storm you have created in the last 8 years.”

I am not sure what Obama presidency will be like but if this is what they are thinking of doing, then they have my (and I am sure all the world’s) support :

President-elect Barack Obama is poised to move swiftly to reverse actions that President Bush took using executive authority, and his transition team is reviewing limits on stem cell research and the expansion of oil and gas drilling, among other issues, members of the team said Sunday.

“There’s a lot that the president can do using his executive authority without waiting for Congressional action, and I think we’ll see the president do that,” John D. Podesta, a top transition leader, said Sunday. “He feels like he has a real mandate for change. We need to get off the course that the Bush administration has set.”

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Pelosi: Obama should govern from the middle

My question is, why? Why would you want to toe the line esepecially when :

According to projections, Democrats in the House were on track Wednesday to increase their majority by at least 18 seats, a margin that would give the Democratic president-elect a formidable tool to push his legislative agenda after his January 20 inauguration.

When you have been handed a majority, you do not go around pandering to the loons and moderates of the other side. You take your majority and implement your policies. I really hate this attitude by some of the democrats. I mean, here is a golden opportunity to undo the damage done since Reagan, and what does the House speaker say?

“let’s play nice”.

Absolute. Bull. Shit.

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