Today's News: Hard to believe, isn't it, but Doug Ford seems to be winning

I still find it hard to believe that a lot of people in Ontario are still intending to vote for Ford and the Conservative party, in spite of his awful performance as premier. 

Then again, I also find it hard to believe that so many people in Saskatchewan can keep voting for the Sask Party. But they do. 

It's like people just don't believe that government could be done better. 

But it can be.

Hey Ontario: If you insist on making fun of Sask rednecks and the Alberta 💩 show, I have a mirror for sale.

— 🇨🇦 Citizen Keen 🇺🇦 (@livv_idd) May 20, 2022

Ontario and Quebec experienced a terrible derecho storm on Saturday, causing 10 deaths and millions in damages. Ford did his usual disappearing act on Sunday but Del Duca showed up!

NEW: Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca suspends his campaign schedule for today to visit the areas of Eastern Ont hit by Saturday’s storm.

Del Duca criticized PC Leader Doug Ford for campaigning in Toronto rather than going to affected areas. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/ZHVu2WkSul

— Colin D'Mello | Global News (@ColinDMello) May 23, 2022

Ford did wander through the ruins today but this is what happened:

The part at the end where the OPP officers put their hand on Sean after Mr Ford is in the vehicle.

Not cool. https://t.co/MNBSjLQHC3

— Mercedes Stephenson (@MercedesGlobal) May 24, 2022

Hey, if you've lost Mercedes Stephenson...

But here's another interesting comment about the PC polling problems:

No show for 4 years, no-shows at campaign appearances/debates. Let the bots and allies at MSM do the rest by pretending. Welcome to the only way Doug can win. #StopVotingForAssholes.

— Dean Blundell (@ItsDeanBlundell) May 23, 2022

And I am hoping this will prove to be correct:

There is a shift happening. The Ontario PC Party knows. Pay attention to what is happening in your riding and vote strategically to ensure the conservative candidate loses. Avoid the split. #VoteFordOut2022

— Tom Whittaker (@whittakertp) May 23, 2022

Today's News: Ukraine update

Here's a collection of recent items from Ukraine. 

Now that Ukraine is winning this war, we are seeing some odd reactions - almost as though pundits can't wrap their heads around the prospect of Russia losing its Evil Empire status quo. 

Is the West really unable to credit the possibility that Ukraine will win, or are we also seeing a 

"second front"of pro-Russia disinformation, using Putin's Incredible Hulk image 

("Don't make him angry, you won't like him when he's angry!") to provoke a cowardly 

appeasement?  

Here are some of the comments I am reading today:

Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'exit strategy' should simply be the removal of his troops from Ukraine,' Canada's ambassador to the United Nations says. https://t.co/Rjge08ZiHi

— CBC News (@CBCNews) May 23, 2022

I wrote about the unexpected success of economic sanctions against Putin — unexpected both in degree and in kind. Which adds to my puzzlement at the weird aversion much of the foreign-policy commentariat seems to have to success 1/ https://t.co/gBl35pWFKX

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) May 20, 2022

The nuclear danger is still a real concern, and perhaps there is fear that as Russia weakens it will lash out:

Many rightly fear escalation including unintentional or accidental escalation.

This is a very dangerous situation. Maybe it does not escalate, BUT the scale of damage as a result of escalation is unlike anything we've seen.

Seeking 2 avoid this is morally understandable.

— Greg R. Lawson (@ConservaWonk) May 22, 2022

I still remember Emily Gorcenski's tweet from March 1, where she gave this ranking of her primary fears about what disasters might ensue from the then-week-old Ukraine Russia War :

 - protracted insurgency

 - mistargeted/overflying cruise missile hits NATO country

 - US gets caught with a Joint Special Operations Command team

 - tactical nuke is used but doesn’t rise to retaliation 

 - does 

 That still seems to be a pretty accurate worry list. 

Dogs, bruh....

Rex Chapman titles many of his dog videos "Dogs, bruh" so I thought I would use it for this post:

Good boy loves fireworks 💥 pic.twitter.com/XB0UJzIkBq

— CCTV_IDIOTS (@cctv_idiots) May 15, 2022

short dog problems
pic.twitter.com/Bk0DFSD3Mi

— ᴘᴀᴠʟᴏᴠ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʀɢɪ (@PAVGOD) May 17, 2022

DOG DAY AFTERNOON... pic.twitter.com/9InYacLw0x

— Abyss Nature (@AbyssNature) May 15, 2022

In a world of darkness, dogs bruh…

pic.twitter.com/5rFUVQCbh9

— Tom Folan 🇮🇪🇺🇦 (@tomfolanmd) April 3, 2022

Dogs bruh. pic.twitter.com/3phZxK3xMB

— 🅝🅘🅝🅔🅡•🅖🅐🅝🅖🩸 (@calicoe509) October 24, 2020

Today's News: Here's some good stuff

Busy day today so its not a long post tonight. 

First of all, here's a great news story:

On May 18, 2022

Saskatoon Tribal Council had the pleasure of witnessing the unveiling of the Fred Sasakamoose statue at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.https://t.co/jzFWGma1qD pic.twitter.com/we8MFu3Rds

— StoonTribalCouncil (@StoonTribalCncl) May 19, 2022

Fred Sasakamoose, a member of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, was the first First Nations player in the National Hockey League -  Chicago Blackhawks 1953 to 1954. The Fred Sasakamoose “Chief Thunderstick” National Hockey championship is now underway in Saskatoon. 

Moving on to Elon Musk, he continues to demonstrate why he will rue the day he decided to get involved with Twitter (which I believe he did only to help Trump get his account back):

Elon Musk, writes my brilliant colleague @WilliamCohan, is "a fool who is grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory." It's hard to argue with that.https://t.co/kXt4a8MtRm

— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 19, 2022

This thread is hilarious:

Say what you want, at least he created an innovative and first of its kind underground passage for cars

— Santiago Mayer 🌻 (@santiagomayer_) May 19, 2022

Say whatever you want - at least he saved those Thai kids from the cave with his submarine ! You can never take that away from him.

— benchmark (@MBerlin2016) May 19, 2022

What surprised me was the number of people who took this seriously and actually thought Musk had done these things. Perhaps this thread explains why:

Up to that point I had been skeptical that any startup automaker could succeed. That view wasn't about Tesla, it was about the car biz. But what I found at Harris Ranch was shocking, a cockroach, and I decided to follow a life-changing instinct: THERE IS NEVER JUST ONE COCKROACH.

— E.W. Niedermeyer (@Tweetermeyer) May 20, 2022

As I realized this, and as I realized that Musk and Tesla were on a trajectory toward increasingly implausible and fraudulent claims (which massively enriched Musk), I realized: TESLA IS NOT AN AUTOMOTIVE STORY, IT IS A CELEBRITY STORY. Faith in Musk personally was what mattered

— E.W. Niedermeyer (@Tweetermeyer) May 20, 2022

Soldiers of Ukraine

I have been struck by the number of outstanding photos I am seeing of the brave soldiers fighting for Ukraine. I have been collecting these now for more than a month, and tonight I thought I would post some of the best:

Here are members of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces hold Easter cakes near the trenches, outside Kyiv on April 23.

Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

This is Fedir Shandor. He's fighting for #Ukraine.
In a peaceful life, he's my colleague — uni lecturer & the Head of the Department of Sociology at Uzhhorod National University.
In the photo, he's giving online lectures to his students, from the trench on the front line. pic.twitter.com/NPIPAGKWFm

— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) May 16, 2022

This picture from #Azovstal! #SaveAzovstal #SaveMariupol pic.twitter.com/C7ADl6STyx

— Anonymous Operations (@AnonOpsSE) May 16, 2022

The first female navigator of @UA_NAVY
Eugenia Bakay: "Now you just need to decide - are you ready to defend your country or not".
(1/4) pic.twitter.com/aocqkMd7K7

— ArmyInform (@armyinformcomua) May 13, 2022

Damn, what a scary but beautifully written report from @mschwirtz accompanied by incredible photos from @lynseyaddario. I'm so glad you guys are safe!https://t.co/Yo0u6SIT2X

— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 11, 2022

Today's News: Ha ha

 

Sorry, I just can't help myself. 

It's truly a Nelson moment today. Jason Kenny has resigned as Alberta premier and as party leader.

The Alberta Premier's truck nuts will lie in state in the foyer of the province's legislative building for four days

— Walking Eagle News (@TheEagleist) May 19, 2022

I thought I heard Alberta exhaling a few minutes ago. Sounded like relief. Overnight rest and then make sure you all take back your province. Yelling support as a neighbor over here. Signed, Sask.

— Debbie ᑳᑫᓯᒧᑐᑕᐁ (@ironbow) May 19, 2022

@escrimshaw you see this? Wow, if Ford *and* Kenney end up gone within the span of two weeks that's 🤯 https://t.co/4eHjYv5Tlr

— Jackie Blue 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 🌻 (@MsFuddleDuddle) May 19, 2022

If only someone would teach him how to fill up his truck so he could leave the province

— lynninthehouse (@daydreamalot) May 19, 2022

Charles Adler tried for years to tell Alberta the truth about Kenny and maybe now they have finally learned:

He was flailing . So I gave several chances to self correct. In the end I even gave him the easiest test for redemption. Asked him to apologize for his evil behavior in San Francisco, working to deny dying Gay men in hospice care, the chance to receive visits with their partners.

— Charles Adler (@charlesadler) May 19, 2022

This social conservative, who always portrayed himself as a moral man, was, in the end, a hollow man. That night, many took a second look & saw nothing. Tonight the King of Nothing, after getting another Fail, resigned. Goodnight Jason Kenney and Good bye.

— Charles Adler (@charlesadler) May 19, 2022

And this may be right, also:

Did Kenney really receive 51.4% approval or did they give him a ‘saving face’ number with the agreement he step down and not drop the write? What’s the real number I wonder?

— Councillor Erin Stevenson (@ErinStevensonSG) May 19, 2022

And there may be some truth to this:

So, Conservatives across the country are careening off into a far right wilderness with @erinotoole being dumped in favour of a crypto-crackpot fanatic in Little Peter Popinjay, and now @jkenney being tossed for someone even nuttier.
Sensible 🍁Cdns have Liberals standing 4 them.

— David Hamer🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@DavidHamer_1951) May 19, 2022

Marking #IDAHOBT2022

Almost two decades ago, the International Day Against Homphobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was set May 17 -- it has become a celebration around the world of Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. The only thing I am sorry about, is that our society still needs such a "day" to highlight 2SLGBTQ people and to call out the prejudice against them which we still deal with around the world. Here are some tweets from this year's Day:

Tonight's end of the hour rainbow light show will be in honour of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia pic.twitter.com/mVTkoxXeyY

— CN Tower / Tour CN (@TourCNTower) May 17, 2022

Today is #IDAHOBIT2022.

Too many of our community members still face discrimination and hate on a daily basis, both here at home and worldwide. We'd like to encourage everyone to stand up to fear, hate, and violence.

Please reach out, check-in, and take care of each other ❤️🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/Z0tn8l1kus

— OUTSaskatoon (@OUTSaskatoon) May 17, 2022

❗️ One in four people worldwide still believe being #LGBTQ+ should be a crime.

🌍 To mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we take a look at the queer community's struggles over the past year – and the bright spots on the horizon. 🧵 #IDAHOBIT2022 pic.twitter.com/sfSy133UKF

— Openly 🏳️‍🌈 (@Openly) May 17, 2022

Today we recognize the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Thank you to the Sask. organizations creating safe spaces for queer folks every single day @outsaskatoon @saskatoonpride @queencitypride @campfyreflysask @urpridecentre #LGBT #IDAHOBIT2022 pic.twitter.com/vKKCjmZgLP

— Saskatchewan New Democrats (@Sask_NDP) May 17, 2022

Today we mark International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. At @IFC_org, we are proud of our diverse and inclusive workplace, but there is still more work to do to bring full equality to our organization and to societies around the world. #IDAHOTB. https://t.co/CFTDobxKvZ

— Sergio Pimenta (@SPimentaIFC) May 17, 2022

Today's News: Odds and ends

Just a batch of somewhat-random tweets tonight, sorted into some topic areas. 

  Ontario Election:

I didn't watch the debate but I saw a few funny tweets coming out of it:

Michael De Adder: Debate notes https://t.co/6b4fWU0u0g via @torontostar

— Deb Lindenas 😷 💉💉💉 (@deblindenas) May 17, 2022

“This is the job you signed up for.” Del Duca to Ford #onpoli

— Amelia Libertucci 💉💉💉 (she/her) (@amelialibertuc1) May 16, 2022

The only thing more unbelievable than Doug Ford claiming to work 24/7 is his wife wanting to spend more time with him.

— Dean from Winnipeg (@Dean_Winnipeg) May 17, 2022

I am hopeful that Del Duca is going to keep on rising in the polls, hopefully this debate will help. 

Ukraine: What a photo:

This picture from #Azovstal! #SaveAzovstal #SaveMariupol pic.twitter.com/C7ADl6STyx

— Anonymous Operations (@AnonOpsSE) May 16, 2022

The Battle of Mariupole is over:

“The Mariupol garrison has fulfilled its combat mission,” the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in the statement early Tuesday. “The Supreme Military Command ordered the commanders of the units stationed at Azovstal to save the lives of their personnel.” (2/4)

— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) May 17, 2022

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Mallar says evacuations from the steel factory have begun...264 service members, 53 of them “seriously injured,” have been taken by bus to the town of Novoazovsk, in Russian-controlled Ukraine, she said. (4/4)

— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) May 17, 2022

My story off this news -- https://t.co/NQAjyYsOX2

— Vivian Salama (@vmsalama) May 17, 2022

The Azovstal defenders pinned Russian forces in Mariupol until Ukraine won in Kharkiv. Encirclement of Kyiv’s troops in Donbas is now highly unlikely. Their contribution to the county’s freedom is immense. Their sacrifice should be celebrated as heroic. It will become historic.

— Maxim Tucker (@MaxRTucker) May 16, 2022

Today's News: We need to remember the ones we have lost

it’s not the ocean you hear when you hold a seashell to your ear, or your own heartbeat drumming and echoing back at you. it’s the ones you’ve lost calling to let you know they made it to the other side and they’ll be waiting around the campfire until you arrive, take your time.

— tiny fairy tales✨ (@tinyfairytales) April 20, 2022

Canada just passed a terrible milestone.

More than 40,000 Canadians have now died of COVID. Globe and Mail health reporter Andre 

Picard writes: 

More than 90 per cent of pandemic deaths in Canada have been in people older than 60 .... 

There is no doubt that elders, especially those with chronic health conditions, or living in long-term care, are at far greater risk. In recent weeks, we’ve again seen a steady increase in outbreaks, and deaths, in long-term care facilities. 

But let’s please stop with the too-often-uttered ageist nonsense: “They were going to die anyhow.”

Deaths from cancer, heart disease, COPD, diabetes and other things that routinely kill elders have not dropped one iota. 

The tens of thousands of COVID-19 deaths are on top of that – additional years of life lost.

Governments have largely stopped collecting and publishing data. But the hospitalizations and deaths won’t stop just because we avert our gaze. 

 Avert? Yes, that's exactly what we are doing.

Today I saw some incredible statistics about how many extra Saskatchewan deaths we have had 

in the last two years:

🧵 SK in 2020 and 2021 had excess mortality compared to the previous 8 years. From 2012 to 2019 we typically saw from 9300 to 9500 deaths per year in our province. In 2020 there were 10,266 (7.6% higher than in 2019) and in 2021 there were 11,025 (15.6% higher than in 2019). 1/11 pic.twitter.com/n5wCm7aO0E

— Dr. Adam Ogieglo (@AOgieglo) May 15, 2022

Dr. Ogieglo notes that in addition to Covid deaths, people have been dying earlier of other 

conditions. Here are some additional figures:

This is a graph that I have shared previously that demonstrated that we are on pace to exceed the 2021 COVID death toll this year. In 2021, COVID took 802 lives in our province. We are on pace for closer to 900 deaths for 2022. 4/11 pic.twitter.com/h7HwviEXkl

— Dr. Adam Ogieglo (@AOgieglo) May 15, 2022

All to say, COVID is still causing a large burden of death in our province. We have deployed vaccines (with less than ideal uptake of booster doses), and accessible rapid tests as well as early therapeutics but we are not using any other tools to reduce this burden. 6/11

— Dr. Adam Ogieglo (@AOgieglo) May 15, 2022

Today's News: the tide is turning in Ukraine

Just a short posting tonight, but it appears that the tide in Ukraine is turning:

Long story short. Russia seems to be pulling out of the area to the north of Kharkiv entirely, and still cant make significant advances in the Donbas. https://t.co/DE1Fc1TeXL

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) May 14, 2022

Ukrainian soldier says that the Ukrainian side used freshly delivered American M777 howitzers to smash 70+ Russian military vehicles to pieces as they tried to cross the Siverskyi Donets River on May 9th.
pic.twitter.com/ia31UBpBBt

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 15, 2022

Yesterday Markos described this battle here: Russia's river crossing debacle is beyond belief. I think Russia is starting to get worried.

...Those bloggers have begun commenting on the incompetence of the Russian military to their hundreds of thousands of followers."

I can confirm that this is happening, though one of the main responses has also been denial, with claims that the brigade only took 10% casualties.

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 15, 2022

Then today we got this news:

Army of Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in the Izyum district of the Kharkiv oblast - Kharkiv Military Administration Head https://t.co/mRhRUjMQHF

“The hottest point is Izyum direction. 🇺🇦 Army is counter attacking. 🇷🇺forces are retreating in some directions”
📸General Staff pic.twitter.com/f2CZJMkW3p

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 14, 2022

Today Markos writes:

 ...Battle of the Izyum Salient - Russian telegram claims five Ukrainian brigades are moving in on Izyum from the north, looking to directly cut off supply lines to the bulk of the Russian forces in the salient... a Ukrainian brigade is around 1,600 troops and 200 armored vehicles. If these reports are correct, we’re talking about 1,000 armored vehicles, and a metric buttload of artillery, raining on Russian positions....if Ukraine is crossing the Donets to attack Izyum’s supply lines, then this seems like a logical place to do so: 

...with Russia already at its limits, Ukraine is taking direct aim at the largest concentration of Russian forces in Ukraine. 

Guys, 20-25% of Russia’s entire Army is in that pocket. 

Something big is happening. 

I mean big, as in war-altering.. Ukraine is going straight for the jugular instead.

Saturday stuff: funny, with a side of dogs too

this website is great because a super famous movie star like bette midler can get ratioed by [checks notes] uhh, jorts the cat pic.twitter.com/vwAAWaYCvA

— the hype (@TheHyyyype) May 14, 2022

This is priceless shade, too:

The only thing Melania wanted during her time as First Lady, was the cover of Vogue. Jill Biden, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford, Lady Bird Johnson, Jackie Kennedy…all had Vogue covers. But NOT Melania!

— Roslynne Levine (@roz_levine) May 14, 2022

Id rather put a campfire out with my face https://t.co/Jr906X0Tjp

— M-A.Stay’Legit ™️🇨🇦🇩🇪 (@BagdMilkSoWhat) May 13, 2022

just saw a "kindness is free" bumper sticker and immediately thought "shutting the fuck up is also free." what is wrong with me

— the hype (@TheHyyyype) May 14, 2022

A wasp named after Idris Elba is saving Mexico’s broccoli crop from parasites.

— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) May 14, 2022

Today's News: We like short shorts

Here's the cover photo of 2010 book about the SlutWalk Movement -- just thought I should help out that Ottawa school trying to "measure" the shorts and skirts of its female students today.

Maybe if they used this photo as their guide, then their female students would know exactly what their school thinks of them.

And maybe the next time the students protest, just set up a bouncy castle to keep the police away too.

This is how it started:

I’m so ashamed I attended this school.

They did this to my sister. I’m disgusted. pic.twitter.com/Lb1fzz2Unv

— Nick Dumoulin (@dumoulin_nick) May 13, 2022

Then this happened:

It seems as if they’re now arresting students. More to come pic.twitter.com/UoGHLcwlXK

— Nick Dumoulin (@dumoulin_nick) May 13, 2022

Hearing reports 3 students each got an 150$ ticket for walking in the street.

— Nick Dumoulin (@dumoulin_nick) May 13, 2022

Ottawa Police later sent out a pious set of tweets about how a student from another school was sort of arrested for trespassing and its not our fault anyway. 

But Ottawa was not impressed - the people of Ottawa have NOT forgiven or forgotten how badly their police force let them down just four months ago:

Truckers get a pass for sh*thing in the streets…students get arrested for peaceful protest of bad rules. Got it.

— Michael Greenhow 💉💉💉 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇦 (@mikegreenhow) May 13, 2022

No, no they were not. They were aggressive with me, a Centretown resident, when I took to the streets to yell at the occupiers after not having slept for 5 days because of the noise... The red carpet was rolled out for people who don't live or pay taxes here, while we suffered.

— Paul Atkinson 🇨🇦 (@Paulysworld) May 13, 2022

After living through a 28-day illegal occupation w/ trucks parked across downtown streets & people being harassed, threatened and assaulted with no action…this response to kids sticking up for their female classmates who were harassed for their choice in clothing is astounding. https://t.co/lTBM64qaVW

— Catherine McKenney 🇺🇦 (they/them) (@cmckenney) May 13, 2022

Today's News: But did the rocks actually hit you?

I can't help it. 

I am comparing the sympathetic media reaction today toward Singh, after a few jerks screamed curses at him as he was moving toward his vehicle after a campaign event, with the cynical media reaction last September toward Trudeau, when there was a whole crowd of screaming jerks and one of them actually threw a handful of rocks at Trudeau as he was moving toward his campaign bus. 

So today we're hearing about how upset Singh was because of the screaming. 

But Trudeau was required to justify whether he had "really" been hit by the rocks or not. 

The contrast is absolutely bizarre:

Um. We’ve seen this level of hate in a campaign before. But NOW it counts? “We will not let them win.”Trudeau, after being pelted with gravel, is inspired by front-line workers facing harassment on the job. But @theJagmeetSingh is troubled? What a difference. pic.twitter.com/cT2vuLSMJL

— GreyWolf (@Elam1) May 12, 2022

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau on whether the gravel thrown at him by protesters struck him. #Elxn44 #cdnpoli https://t.co/Fe2Om9MrjJ

— Mercedes Stephenson (@MercedesGlobal) September 6, 2021

Why didn’t he speak when the PM was hit by gravel being thrown at him? Why hasn’t he spoken up about all the hundreds/ thousands of F—Trudeau signs and flags all across Canada, in increasingly public places, like outside schools, shopping malls, etc? https://t.co/r9U2A0tF69

— babs butterfly (@babsbutterfly2) May 12, 2022

And when there was an attempted assassination of the PM , the media called the assassin friendly.

— 🇨🇦 Mike 🍁 ✍ 🍁 (@mengival) May 12, 2022

Isn't that what the convoy wanted also? While waving "F*** Trudeau" flags and bearing this logo on flags and sweaters? pic.twitter.com/ujuUt2ctwD

— Sal, RN (@salthenurse08) May 12, 2022

Yes, and  remember that "friendly sausage-maker":

Bio of a friendly sausage maker, who just happens to storm Rideau Hall with a gun... #cdnpoli https://t.co/QNHU0pwl3D

— Stephen Lautens (@stephenlautens) July 3, 2020

1. He's a friendly sausage-maker
2. Hell of a guy.
3. Shocked or something

And so on and in this manner... https://t.co/5zTfs6Tiis

— Walking Eagle News (@TheEagleist) July 5, 2020

I’d hope that the majority of us would be disgusted by this insurgent mob.
But as they exist in growing numbers across the country, singling out one city may misrepresent the danger that we’re facing.
PMJT has faced years of harassment & seriously-close assassination attempts.

— Disinfect Democracy - Humanity depends on it. (@signsaresaying) May 12, 2022

Today's News: Sad Trombone Sound

I guess expecting Canadian Conservative voters to listen to an actual DEBATE is just too much to ask of the Youngs today, not to mention really B-O-R-I-N-G, man! 

Brother Wells over on his Substack:
"Well, that was a national disgrace.” #cpcldrdebatehttps://t.co/J32cMxc166

— David Akin 🇨🇦 (@davidakin) May 12, 2022

Paul Wells describes how uninformative this debate was:

Well, that was a national disgrace. 

What is it about the last two years that made the Conservative Party of Canada’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee decide Canadians are yearning for shorter conversations about sillier questions?

Who surveyed the issue landscape that will face Justin Trudeau on Thursday and would face his successor — war in Europe, inflation, labour shortages, stark conflict between climate targets and natural-resource export imperatives, long-cheated and still-difficult Indigenous reconciliation, exiting from COVID — and thought, “Keep the answers short. We want time to hear them out on what’s on their playlists”? 

As a mechanism for allowing Canadians to weight the judgment of six people, one of whom might, after all, be the next prime minister, the evening was a write-off. ...

Alberta Politics' David Climenhaga suggests a reason for why the format was so ridiculous: 

...they might as well have been asked to debate “Apples are nicer than oranges,” or “Spicy food is better.” 

The format of the debate – which was like nothing they’d ever seen before, all the professional commentators kept agreeing – was designed to be entertaining without being revealing. 

That is to say, the time for answers was so short that none of the candidates could get into trouble. 

If they did start to say something that might fire a torpedo below the waterline of HMS Tory – which is listing hard to starboard these days – the real moderator, Tom Clark, was there to step in and shut them up. 

By the time they got to any potentially dangerous topics, or anything resembling real debate, it was in the second hour, when anyone who needed to be paying attention had either fallen asleep like your blogger, or started nervously doom-scrolling through Twitter. 

 Before that we had quick snappers. Like, if you could have dinner with a dead person, who would it be? Seriously, people, I’m not making this up! ... 

Here are some of the tweets about this event. First, the actual Sad Trombone Sound:

Here's the sound.https://t.co/OkMyAHQhpH

— Jeff Labine (@jefflabine) May 12, 2022

Now the commentary:

"What happened in the debate?"
"There was a legit sad trombone sound effect, Poilievre wants to fire Tiff Macklem, Lewis digs Coltrane and I think Roman Baber said his political hero is Al Bundy."

— Jason Markusoff (@markusoff) May 12, 2022

Paddles?

Is this a game show?

— Karl Bélanger (@KarlBelanger) May 12, 2022

Apparently, yes...

Tom Clark needs to get rid of the sad trombone & use a trap door or dunk tank to really make this worthwhile. 😉

— Hot Bean Juice ☕ (@DIY1959) May 12, 2022

Today's News: Reality bites

First, this:

 

Such good news and a great game. Our son says that four out of five times, the team that wins Game 5 also wins the series! 

On to today's news: 

There seem to be more people all the time who think that if they don't like society they can just create their own - here's an interesting observation:

Traditional societal conflicts - class, sectarian, racial & ethnic conflicts - are giving way to something much more insidious & irreconcilable: a cognitive conflict b/w those open to living in reality (reality-based citizens) & those who are not (delusional citizens). #cdnpoli

— Harry P (@HarrysNotes) May 10, 2022

The difference between the "reality-based community" and the "make your own adventure" community was identified in an October 17, 2004 New York Times article by Ron Suskind titled "Faith, Certainty and the Presidency of George W. Bush". 

Suskind didn't identify his source but it was likely Bush strategist Karl Rove. describing how the Bush - Cheney administration thought they could invade Iraq and "win" just because the US was a Superpower On A Mission From God: 

  The aide said that guys like me were "in what we call the reality-based community," which he defined as people who "believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality." ... "That's not the way the world really works anymore," he continued. "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do. 

It was chilling to read this at the time, and realize that the Bush administration didn't see any limits in what it could do. 

But eventually, reality bites.