Canadian Gaza Boat: Three Cheers For Greece!

Hip hip Hooray! Congratulations to the government and coast guard of Greece for stopping the Canadian Gaza boat before it could get anywhere close to Israeli waters. Thank you for stopping these clowns from embarrassing my country, and it certainly makes me more receptive to a second bailout to rescue the collapsing Greek economy. My only regret was that they escorted the boat back to docks instead of sinking it. Okay, perhaps sinking it would be a little extreme, instead they could just tow the boat to Antarctica and leave them there. That would make a great poll question, what should be done with the Canadian Gaza boat?

This was just a single boat rather than a flotilla of several boats, but it is still nice to see the Greek government do the right thing. If only the Turkish government had the same good sense and intelligence of the Greeks, last year's flotilla raid and controversy could have been avoided.

"Dykes Against Israeli Apartheid"

At what point did the gay pride parade become a rally against so-called "Israeli Apartheid"? This afternoon they were on the news carrying signs "Dykes Against Israeli Apartheid" and others declaring their solidarity with lesbians in Palestine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Israel is considered one of the most progressive countries in the world on the issue of gay rights; while homosexuality is illegal under Palestinian law. Hamas has referred to gays as "a minority of perverts and the mentally and morally sick" and hardly seems like the kind of regime that gay activists should be supporting. In fact, many gays in the Palestinian territories end up fleeing to Tel Aviv, which Out Magazine named "the gay capital of the Middle East".

Forgive my confusion, but it seems as though there is a very glaring hypocritical contradiction in "Dykes against Israeli apartheid". If tomorrow Israel was annexed by Hamas and ceased to exist, this would be a great tragedy for all the gay and lesbian people living in Israel. They would go from being protected to persecuted. I think these protesters might want to consider focusing their attention and their lobbying efforts on trying to win new rights for gays in countries where it is illegal to be gay. Attacking Israel does nothing to help all those people in prison cells across the middle east who have had their freedom taken away for no other reason than sexual orientation. Dykes against Israeli apartheid is fighting the wrong fight.

"Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Cyprus are the only countries in the Middle East where homosexuality between consenting adults in private is not illegal and homosexuals are not persecuted under law. In most other Middle Eastern countries homosexuality is illegal, often punishable by corporal punishment, prison, and even the death penalty."

And those people at the pride parade beating an effigy of Rob Ford with a stick, very civilized...

Canada Does Not Agree With Obama On Israel

The Canadian government is not going to follow Barak Obama's lead in demanding that Israel return to 1967 borders, and I applaud my government for doing so. If Obama thinks that returning the Golan Heights to Syria and sharing Jerusalem with Hamas is going to lead to long term peace, that is wishful thinking at best and depraved disregard at worst. The Syrians are a brutally repressive regime who used the Golan Heights (a strategic military position) multiple times attempting to conquer and destroy the state of Israel. By about the 3rd invasion of Israel by Syria through the Golan Heights, I'd say the Syrians forfeited their right to that territory. 3 strikes and you're out! I'm also not so sure that the people who live there would want to go back to Syrian control after 45 years. Maybe you haven't noticed, but when people rally in opposition to Assad, they end up dead.

Returning to the 1967 borders also includes giving half of Jerusalem back to the Arabs, which would be a logistical nightmare. Is Obama also demanding right of return? What if I told Obama that Texas should return to its pre 1836 border with Mexico. We should move hundreds of thousands additional Mexicans into Dallas and Houston and put them under the control of the Mexican government. Mexico has a legitimate historical claim to Texas. Why isn't Obama addressing this? I'm outraged!

We should be seeking sanctions and punishment against Assad's regime in Syria, not seeking to give them more land and put more people under their repressive rule. Hamas remains the elected government of Palestine, and I really don't see how these two sides are going to peacefully share a metropolis. That could go to hell in a hurry.

CUPE Really Wants To "Free Gaza"

On my way to work on Sunday I was driving through downtown Vancouver when suddenly all traffic was stopped by a large protest. Initially I thought it might be a rally for the people of Libya, but then I looked closer and it was a protest to "free Gaza". What struck me as odd was the massive number of CUPE signs spread throughout the protest, and those people were in an angry frenzy. My question, why does the Canadian Union of Public Employees go this batshit crazy over Gaza? How exactly is this supposed to benefit the public workers they represent in collective bargaining?

Honestly guys, I saw about 4 CUPE signs for each "Free Gaza" sign, so who exactly are you trying to promote? Are the public employees they represent going to get a higher pay rate if Gaza is "freed"? Or are their union dues being spent in this manner such that the membership can sleep a little better at night? This is way far and beyond their intended mandate. It doesn't make any sense to me. Is Cupe Nucking Futs?

"I've been trying to make some sense of it all, but I can see it makes no sense at all"

-Stealer's Wheel

PS: The last time I drove by a pro life protest, they were standing at the side of the road and not blocking my passage to and from work. Blocking traffic pisses more people off than it wins you in general support. I'll cheer tomorrow if I see the IDF blow up a Hamas weapons cache.

Iran's Proxies Behaving Badly

With all the other big stories dominating the media cycle, I am not hearing many pundits talk about what is currently happening with Iran's puppets. First, radical cleric and Iraqi militia leader Muqtata Al Sadr (who had been living in Iran since they called off his revolt) has been sent back to Iraq by the Ayatollahs. Within a week of that development, Hezbollah (another Iranian proxy) withdrew from the Lebanese government creating a crisis in that country. Sending Sadr back to Iraq right before Hezbollah collapses the Lebanese government may indeed signal that Iran is preparing for something.

We will see what happens. I am not going to make any predictions, but the Sadr story and the Hezbollah story happening so close together did trigger my "spider sense". I want to see just how strong Lebanese President Sulieman is, given his influence over the military. Does Iran sending Sadr back to Iraq signal that Iran would like to subjugate Iraq when Obama pulls the troops out? Does Iran want to escalate hostilities while Obama is still in power? It is plausible. I can't predict Iranian intentions, I just know that I am alarmed by these two events.

Iran Produces "Yellowcake" Uranium

Yesterday Iran announced that it now has the ability to produce "yellowcake" uranium which puts them closer to being able to manufacture nuclear weapons. Today's poll question; is it time for Israel to attack Iran's nuclear facilities? The downside is that an attack will very likely trigger a war between the two countries, however allowing Iran to develop these weapons could eventually lead to the destruction of Israel. When a country promises to wipe another "off the map", prudence demands that they be taken seriously, especially when they are seeking out the ability to do so.

One rumour coming out of the Wikileaks documents is that Saudi Arabia allegedly wants the United States to attack Iran. There are Muslim countries who do not want Iran to go nuclear.

Farewell Security Council

For all the complaints that I have about the inefficiencies and problems with the United Nations, I do prefer that it exists and that Canada help reform it from within. Alas that won't happen in the Security Council, as Canada has bowed out after losing to Germany and Portugal in the first rounds of voting. According to Don Martin the Tories are now going to line up to blame Liberal leader Mike Ignatieff, who came out and said publicly that "Harper" did not deserve a seat. Personally, I don't think Iggy had anything to do with why we did not get a seat because I just don't think he's that relevant internationally.

The more that I think about it, I don't think that we ever really had a chance. One of the most common functions of the United Nations is condemnation of the state of Israel, a country that Canada strongly supports. There is a significant plurality of the 192 member General Assembly that would never vote to put a pro Israeli country into the Security Council. It was worth a try to get the seat to bring our moral compass to the council who vote on matters of global security. Had we won a seat I'm sure there would have been voices on the left comparing it to putting Anakin Skywalker on the Jedi Council. I don't know that it counts as a significant defeat if you never really had a chance at victory.

It does seem odd that the government would come out and announce a stronger trade relationship with Israel hours before the General Assembly was scheduled to vote on Security Council membership. I'm sure the conspiracy theorists will soon be out to accuse the government of sabotaging its own membership bid so that they can blame it on comments made by the Liberal leader that Canada did not deserve a seat. By the way, where can I get a list of countries that did not support Canada's bid?

"Since Arab and Muslim countries either control or have varying degrees of influence over a majority of the votes in the assembly, Van Loan’s announcement has the potential to lose Canada support in the ballot.

The so-called Arab and Muslim “automatic majority” has for years sought to isolate Israel at the world body, and denounces moves it considers to be pro-Israeli."

NDP Speaks Up

When I listened to Libby Davies latest controversial remarks on the state of Israel, my initial reaction was a re-affirmation of my own preconceptions against NDP MPs. I would like to encourage more NDP candidates and officials to make more unscripted public comments, so that Canadians can see for themselves what nightmares may come from giving the NDP real power. What will happen if and when Iggy hands over the keys to the Liberal asylum to this particular group of inmates? Obviously the Liberals will have to shift their foreign policy to the left to placate their future partners.

The more controversial statements that are made by those clowns to the left, the more unpalatable it will be to Canadians if they merge with the Liberals. We know that it is highly unlikely that they will renounce socialism, especially Libby who represents the downtown eastside of Vancouver. We need to stop domestic oil production, right? Give us more buses, not tar sand! Canada is illegal! End Globalization! Make love not war! Free houses for everyone! Minimum guaranteed incomes!

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions...

PS: Ross Rebougliati is going to end poverty.

Glenn Beck; Canary in a Turkish Coal Mine

While I can't say that I'm a big fan of Glenn Beck, every so often he will make a prediction or statement that turns out to be exactly true months, even years later. Today I was reflecting on the Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq, and I remembered Glenn Beck going nuts about a Turkish movie back in 2006, Valley of the Wolves Iraq. It had the largest budget of any Turkish movie ever made, and was a domestic hit. It set records. They even spun it into a popular TV series.

The film was released in 2006, and basically was about Jews and Americans invading Iraq to harvest the organs of innocent Muslims. Watch the trailer and decide for yourself the film's intent. If that is not a propaganda film to gain public support for a military campaign, I don’t know what is. It is quite frightening. They even brought in the legendary Gary Busey to play the American Doctor who harvests organs to sell to rich Jews in New York. You have to wonder what was going through Busey's brain when that script landed on his doorstep? Hmmm, Valley of the Wolves Iraq, sounds interesting.

The current Islamist Prime Minister Erdogan was first elected in 2002 with 34% of the vote. In 2007 he was re-elected with 47% of the vote. His time in power has seen an escalation of the Turkish conflict with the Kurdish people and a number of military incursions into Iraqi territory. The Kurds have lived and survived in that region for a few thousand years and want a country of their own, not unlike the Palestinians. The Turks allege that the Kurds in northern Iraq are smuggling weapons into Turkey to hit Turkish targets, which justifies preventative military action to ensure that those weapons don't kill innocent Turkish civilians. But when Israel endeavors to prevent weapons from being smuggled into their backyard to kill innocent Jews, Erdogan calls that state sponsored terrorism.

I tried to find a Youtube clip of Glenn Beck back on CNN Headline News talking about Turkey and this movie in 2006, but had no luck. His warning was that this is no longer the Turkey that we were friends with during the cold war. There is still a strong centrist secular movement in that country, and to those people I say may the force be with you.

Turkey's Kurdish Problem

Hostilities have resumed between the Turkish military and the separatist Kurds in the south east of their country. The Turkish army has been trying to quash the Kurdish independence movement for decades. I wonder how the Turks would feel if Israel organized arms shipments into Kurdish hands? If they can't supply arms directly, perhaps they can send in an aid convoy laced with militant Kurds and forbid the Turkish government from checking the shipments? If Israel should not be allowed to send weapons into sovereign Turkish territory, then they should send loads and loads of hardware into the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq. Turkey has the bulk of its military deployed in the south east, and a lot of that is not far from the border with Iraq.

Let's not forget that Turkey has been conducting military operations in northern Iraq for a few years now; invading another country's sovereign territory in the name of maintaining their own security. I'm just saying, hypocrisy is not far removed from the Turkish statements on Israel's right to security, and enforcing that right outside your own borders is tantamount to state terrorism. Right Mr. Turkish President? But it is okay for the Turks to invade Iraq to kill Kurds. Kurds are Muslims right?

Summer of War?

With the breaking news that Iran is preparing to militarize the Mediterranean, the probability of a major conflict between them and Israel will increase substantially. Once Iranian warships are patrolling off the coast of Israel, all bets are off. It is also safe to assume that Iran's proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon will be on standby to launch major hostilities at the nearest sign of conflict with the Jewish state. Hamas is much less of a threat because the blockade diminishes the ability of arms dealers to smuggle weapons into Gaza, where Hezbollah has pretty much free reign to import all the Syrian, Iranian, and Russian made weapons they can.

Not to be outdone, Turkey is also ramping up the rhetoric proclaiming that they will hold Israel accountable to their "state terror". I suppose nobody will be holding Turkey accountable for their own state terror against the Kurds and Armenians, but such is life. What is lost in all of this hysteria is that if you have a boat with food and clothing for the people of Gaza, either Israel or Egypt will gladly take your ship into port, unload the goods, inspect them to make sure there are no rockets, and take them into Gaza. You can get aid into Gaza, albeit slower. But if there is no blockade and ships are able to dock in Gaza, then the ability to smuggle weapons into the territory increases substantially. The math is pretty easy.

Jive Turkey

Dick Morris said it best, "if the Palestinians put down their weapons, there would be no more war. If the Jews put down their weapons, there would be no more Israel". Personally I find the Turkish government's involvement and reaction to this blockade run disturbing. Is the former Ottoman Empire trying to re-establish their influence and control in their former colonies? The reaction to the event was instantaneous, almost too fast to believe. Hundreds if not thousands of people were protesting in the streets of Turkey before anyone really knew what happened. Winston Churchill, one of the men tasked with chopping up the Ottoman Empire after its fall once said "a lie gets half way around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

The other thing that I can’t figure out is all the white people volunteering to be human shields for ships running a legitimate blockade. Is this a byproduct of Jimmy Carter's book? Why are all these people who aren't from Palestine, who have nothing to do with Palestine getting on these boats and running blockades? I'm watching interviews with white "activists" who jumped on a foreign boat and are declaring their right to defend their "homes" against invaders. A misguided loon who jumps on a foreign boat to sacrifice his life for another persons beef should not get to do the North American media circuit. I would rather these people be arrested than put on television.

I am a white agnostic who does not believe in Armageddon. I strongly support the state of Israel because we share a common enemy, and I watched Schindler’s List at a young and impressionable age.

Gaza Gone Wild

I have been watching some of the furor unfold around the world over the Israeli boarding of a ship that attempted to run a naval blockade, and I have to say that the condemnation doesn't fit the "crime". It is ironic that Mansbridge interviewed Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before this international incident occurred. I suppose the biggest question that needs to be asked is should Israel have the right to blockade Gaza to prevent a constant stream of rocket fire into Jewish towns? It would seem to me that they should at least have the right to search ships bound for Gaza to ensure that there are no weapons or bomb making materials.

These ships departed from Cypress with the intention of running the blockade, and when the Israeli marines landed on the vessel they were attacked. The activists on board were obviously prepared to meet the Israelis with violence, a very poor decision that was obviously going to escalate the situation. Those soldiers did not land on the ship under orders to open fire. That order was only issued once the Israelis were under attack. If you don't believe that there should be a blockade, does that give you the right to run the blockade and attack the soldiers who attempt to stop you?

We will see how this plays out. I am interested to know if the Turkish government approved this ship to run the blockade, or if this was done independently.

Canada at 150: Stop Pandering to Jewish Votes

In this the final day of Thinkapalooza, the Liberal Party of Canada is putting the finishing touches on its future policy platform. For example; Canada is a global embarrassment. We only support Israel to pander to Canadian Jewish votes. The Taliban are going to win the war in Afghanistan and there is nothing anyone can do about it (unless we make it a colony). Canada should not have a seat at the UN Security Council because we are an embarrassment and nobody likes us. Our foreign policy is only written to pander to other ethnic votes, beyond just Israel.

This all came from the former Foreign Policy Advisor to Pierre Trudeau. Though this diplomat (one of Canada's longest serving), did make a very apt statement about the Liberal Party, "they will endorse anything and everything which might return them to power." At this rate, Red Book 2.0 should have a chapter about Israeli Apartheid and pandering to ethnic votes over doing the right thing. But the chapter on how we need two tier healthcare to survive economically in the future will come first, but don't tell Paul Martin or Scott Reid or they could blow a gasket.

Keep an eye on Hezbollah

When I watched Joe Biden last week flip on Israel like a guest on the Jerry Springer Show, I was immediately concerned. Islamic paramilitary groups like Hamas and Hezbollah feed on weakness, and perceived tension between Israel and the United States certainly qualifies. Sure enough this week we see Hamas organizing large scale violent protests of the Jewish state, and while the IDF is knee deep in an uprising I would be very weary of Iran's proxy on the northern border. The last time Hezbollah conducted a major paramilitary operation in Northern Israel was in the aftermath of Ariel Sharon falling into a coma. In 2006 Hamas started hostilities with Israel, and they were soon followed by their northern allies.

If Hezbollah sees an opportunity, there is an increased probability of them escalating hostilities with Israel. History suggests that the most likely scenarios are 1) begin frequent rocket fire at Haifa, 2) conduct an operation over the border to abduct an Israeli soldier, 3) deploy suicide bombers. What is the current status of the Syrian army? I seriously doubt that Syria would want to declare open war against Israel, but it does remain a remote possibility and Hezbollah does receive a lot of support from Damascus. If they ever intend to conquer the Golan Heights, they will not be able to do that by proxy.

I think tonight I will buy a bottle of Israeli wine to go with my supper. Make a small financial donation to the Holy land.

"You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war"

-Albert Einstein

Canadians Against McGuinty Proroguing Parliament?

I was born and raised in the province of Ontario, and many of my family members still live there today. I am concerned about Dalton McGuinty proroguing the provincial legislature, and how this erosion of democracy could harm my family. For guidance I went to visit the Canadians Against Proroguing Parliament website so often advertised as the epicenter of grassroots Democracy. Surely there I would be able to make some sense of it all; this is after all where Canadians gather to share in their common anger at prorogation of parliaments. Sadly, in browsing through the message boards, the discussion threads, I could not find any mention of Dalton's evil deed. There were however plenty of insults hurled at "the neo cons" on their "wall".

"Harper can't even wipe his ass without getting an OK first from the PNAC mafia lords."

"Conservative Party Policy on Administration:
Rule#1 - The Leader is always right.
Rule#2 - If Leader is wrong - see Rule# 1."

"This afgan torture issue has been bothering me all day. So if these accusations are true and if the govt has been willingly handing over prisoners for torture..then my question is How long before they start doing the same to us?"

"I would check the PM's residence for Crosby's glove and stick."

"I was musing to myself yesterday that if any of these conservative MP's had any personal integrity left, they should cross the floor next week."

"Stephen Harper - you just can't trust him". - You and I know this but there are millions of Canadians who don't. We have a project to put this message before Canadians through advertisements in the mainstream media."

"Is Pamela Wallin flirting with fascism by paling around with Palin the lying twit?"

They also have individual discussion boards for members to have enlightened conversations on specific subject threads of vital importance to the prorogation of parliaments. Again there were no threads about Dalton McGuinty, but there were the following.

Should CAPP be mobilized to stand up against the privatization of government assets?
38 posts. Created 10 hours ago

should Mr.harper be investigated for war crimes?
296 posts. Created on January 24, 2010 at 4:17pm

Political Participation or Harper bashing
127 posts. Created on March 5, 2010 at 4:08am

Israeli Apartheid Week - stop Ignatieff's stupidity
41 posts. Created on March 5, 2010 at 7:42am

Internation Criminal Court - Harper Investigation
146 posts. Created on January 9, 2010 at 4:38am

How Orangemen became Red Tories and Progressive Conservatves
7 posts. Created 5 hours ago

2009: My Year in Review

I must say that 2009 has been a fascinating year, for better or worse. It was the year of Obama and Pelosi, who have been behaving like kids in a candy story since they assumed control of the Whitehouse, Senate, and House or the first time in a long time. In Canada, the average person could be fooled into thinking we had controversy after controversy, even if they were all contrived by an opposition desperate to reclaim power. When a nurse in a small community in the north ordered too many body bags, that meant that Stephen Harper wanted aboriginal people to die, at least according to Michael Ignatieff.

Meanwhile, while all of these contrived faux controversies were being pumped by the CBC on a daily basis, the TSX was up 4000 points since March and none of the mud slinging stuck to the Prime Minister, at least according to poll numbers. Now we enter 2010 with an opposition that has cried wolf so many times and in so many ridiculous situations that they have reduced themselves to a caricature of folly. I suppose nobody told them that crying wolf has diminishing marginal returns. Some folks have to learn the hard way.

In the news of the World, the people of Iran are trending in the right direction, and Pakistan is trending in the wrong direction. Iraq is the same as it was a year ago, as Barak "hope-a-dope" Obama really didn't do anything in that theatre. Hugo Chavez is just as nuts as ever, and we are preparing for the arrival of Kim Jong Ill jr. With Iran becoming more desperate and facing domestic pressure, they will likely tap Hezbollah to increase hostilities with Israel, though somehow I suspect Hassan Nasrallah is at least a little bit nervous about pissing off Benny Netanhyahu.

I just saw on the CBC that apparently the Richard Colvin testimony was the story of the year because "it blew apart the secrecy that the Harper Government is operating under". Thanks for that CBC. I suppose the successful economic recovery for what was heralded as the Great Recession was not a major story. The TSX adding 50% in value since March is not as newsworthy as a disgruntled bureaucrat passing on second and third hand information about something that happened 4 years ago.

2010 is shaping up to be a far more interesting year than 2009.  The year of Obama has been about what I expected it would be, though the premature ejaculation of the Nobel Committee was unforseen.

In 2009 I grew my first grey hairs, turned 30, and my website is still not accessible in China.

Best Political Decision of the Decade?

I ask the question, what has the best/smartest political move of the 2000s? I will be launching my poll for the worst political disaster of the 2000s shortly and would like to take some nominations for the smartest political decision. I am having a more difficult time selecting the smart political moves of the decade, as there does seem to be a preponderance of bad news, disasters, war, terrorism, etc. This will be slightly different from my worst political disaster question, this is about a person or country making a very positive political decision. I look forward to your ideas.

1) MacKay - Harper unite the right
2) Harper elected leader of united right
3) Michaelle Jean prorogues Parliament
4) Swift boat veterans expose John Kerry
5) Supreme Court overturns Gore Presidency
6) Troop surge in Iraq
7) France and Germany elect Sarkosy and Merkel
8) Israel elects Netanhyahu
9) Chretien resigns

PS My worst political disaster question is going to be more focused on individual people than acts of terrorism or natural disasters.  Both of these polls are being asked from the perspective of if you are a Conservative.  I decided to take George Bush out of the equation, because he is like cat nip for the left wing loons.

November Poll Archive, Volume II

Here are my final submissions for part 2 of the November polling by Iceman-Decibel Research. See also November Polling Volume 1 or October Polling for past results. Note that there were some "hanging shads" in two of the polls that included Palin which came from radical left attack sites. Those votes were disqualified. Why? Because I can. Reminder that I tend to delete nominees who could not even get 5% of the vote, this policy is waived for certain polls.

WHY ARE THE LIBERALS BLEEDING SUPPORT TO THE NDP IN ONTARIO?

Ignatieff channeling Chicken Little (43%)
The incompetence of McGuinty (41%)
I love Communism (12%)

WHO WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY TO BRING JUSTICE TO BIN LADEN? **note that over half of the Palin votes came from far left attack sites. Those votes were disqualified.**

Rudy Giuliani (50%)
Sarah Palin (28%)
John McCain (14%)
Barak Obama (6%)


WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN DECEMBER OF 2012?

A very merry Christmas (79%)
The end of the World as we know it (13%)
Minor discomfort (6%)

WHICH ALBUM SHOULD THE ICEMAN BE MOST ASHAMED OF OWNING?

ABBA's Greatest Hits (42%)
12 Inches of Snow (21%)
I hope you die (17%)
Totally Krossed Out (10%)
These are all marvelous albums (8%)

HOW LONG WILL EVAN SOLOMAN KEEP HIS JOB ON THE CBC'S POWER AND POLITICS?

Honestly I can't believe he has a job (63%)
Solo is an immortal bestowed on us from Mount Olympus (18%)
one year (11%)
one month (5%)


WHICH DR. SEUSS BOOK SHOULD ALL CHILDREN OWN?

Green Eggs and Ham (39%)
Cat in the Hat (20%)
Dr. Seuss is an evil Conservative war mongerer (16%)
Oh, the Places You'll Go (10%)
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (9%)

IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE TWO TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT, WHO WOULD YOU PICK? **note that over half of the Palin votes came from far left attack sites. Those votes were disqualified.**

Rudy Giuliani (63%)
Sarah Palin (37%)

WHICH OF THESE OPINION PUNDITS WOULD MAKE THE BEST PRESIDENT?

Glenn Beck (24%)
Dennis Miller (21%)
Bill O'Reilly (18%)
Rush Limbaugh (11%)
Laura Ingraham (10%)
Sean Hannity (9%)
Mike Savage (4%)

WHICH IS THE MOST FRIGHTENING, CREEPY, AND CEREBRAL MOVIE VILLAIN OF ALL TIME?

Hannibal Lecter, Silence of the Lambs (51%)
Keyser Soze, Usual Suspects (11%)
Agent Smith, the Matrix (9%)
The Joker, The Dark Knight (8%)
Pennywise, It (6%)

WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH OMAR KAHDR LIVING NEXT DOOR?

No (83%)
Yes (8%)
Decline to answer for fear of Jihad (8%)

WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE FOR FORMER IGNATIEFF CHIEF OF STAFF IAN DAVEY'S NEXT JOB?

Team Rae (47%)
Man who castrates farm animals (c/o Dirty Jobs) (15%)
Waste Treatment Engineer (11%)
Ventriloquist (11%)
Debt Collector (8%)
Janitor (6%)

WHAT IS THE BEST CINEMATIC PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR PORTRAYING A SOLDIER?

George C. Scott, Patton (37%)
Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan (15%)
Robert Duvall, Apocalypse Now (6%)
Tom Sizemore, Blackhawk Down (7%)
Mel Gibson, Braveheart (6%)
Peter O’Toole, Lawrence of Arabia (7%)
John Wayne, the Longest Day (6%)


WHAT IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, EFFECTIVE, AND SIGNIFICANT MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN THE LAST 200 YEARS?

Allies invade Normandy (Canada, Juno beach) (44%)
Canada at Vimy Ridge (26%)
Lord Nelson at Trafalgar (12%)
Patton into Germany (6%)
Wellington at Waterloo (5%)

WHAT WAS THE WORST TACTICAL MILITARY OFFENSIVE OF THE LAST 200 YEARS?

Arabs invade Israel in 1967 (32%)
Napoleon invades Russia in 1812 (23%)
Operation Barbarossa; German invasion of Russia 1941 (20%)
The Battle at Little Bighorn; Custer marches 1874 (8%)
Allied invasion at Gallipoli 1915 (7%)

SHOULD WE COLONIZE THE MOON?

Beam me up Scotty! (58%)
No (41%)

IF YOU WERE TOM HANKS IN CASTAWAY AND HAD TO BE MAROONED ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

a Volleyball (72%)
a Mormon (19%)
Al Gore (6%)

Are you happy that the Iceman survived to age 30?

Yes (72%)
Die asshole (28%)

Golan Heights, circa 2006

This evening with my Alberta beef I am drinking a delicious 2006 Galil Mountain Merlot produced at the Kibbutz Yiron in upper Galilee on the northern border of Israel. The 2006 grape from the northern border is particularly delicious and comes very highly recommended by the Iceman's palate. The soil that season was fertile and fresh, yielding what my sister nicknamed "Jesus Juice". I consider the Golan Heights to be part of Israel proper, and sometimes on special occasions I like to send a little money back to Israel in the form of a consumer purchase. It is foolish to demand Israel return the Golan Heights to Syria. In my opinion, Syria forfeited the right to land ownership by about the 5th time they invaded the Jewish State from the strategic highlands. It is a strategic military objective. Give them an inch and they'll take the 100km to Tel Aviv (distance listed is a guess based on a quick glance at my map).

I would also like to take a moment to give a shout out to my main man in the Middle East, Benjamin Netanyahu! I remember the day that Hamas won that election, I saw the results on TV and my jaw dropped. My first reaction was "Israel needs Benny". We need to keep those lunatics between a hammer and anvil. Hamas is holding the people of Gaza hostage, and should be brought in front of the UN Human Rights Commission on war crimes for using innocent civilians as human shields. May as well make Hezbollah co-defendants while you're at it. Hassan Nasrallah is very high on my "enemies of the world" shit list, and I don't agree with the CBC's Nallah Ayed that he is a hero of the people.

I give a toast to Israeli controlled upper Galilee! And Sid Ryan is a dipshit...