THis Could Be The Pilot For A New TV Show

Thanks to CBL......

Lemon: Update - How the Parties Would Spend the Surplus If They Were Families

Kudos to reader GDW for exquisite improvement

Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Canada
I think we need to invest the windfall by paying down our mortgage and paying off our credit cards. A penny saved in interest is a penny earned. Plus, it's time to put money away for our retirement and to plan for our estates so we leave something behind for the kids.

Ms Green and and Mr. Party
We're gonna retrofit our greenhouse, put in new solar cells and a water recycling system. Then we're gonna buy lifetime TTC passes and new bikes and rebuild our Birkenstocks. The rest we're gonna use to buy carbon offset credits for all our friends and family that can't afford them. Probably give anything that's left equally to Gore and Suzuki.

Mr. Grit
Well, half will go to my ex-wife, of course. The rest I'm going to invest in the Liberal Party because for every cent you send their way, you get five cents back. Plus, I got this thing going on with Ms Green and she really likes high living. She's almost worth it.

Mr. and Mr. N.D. Party
Well, obviously we're going to travel a lot, I mean everywhere. And we'll dine out always and buy new furniture and whole new wardrobes. Then there's the animals to think of, so we'll give a lot of money to PETA and the poor people in Darfur. Plus, maybe put some toward ashrams or tents or whatever it is that those freedom fighters defending Afghanistan against the imperialists live in.

Hopefully This Is The Future Of Other Social In-Activist Groups

Disaster for relief committee Homeless advocacy group appeals for support after acknowledging 'serious financial straits' By Sue-Ann Levy After nearly 10 years of riding the homeless bandwagon, it may be the end of the line for the posse of poverty advocates on the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee (TDRC). A Sept. 24 e-mail sent out by TDRC queen bee and street nurse Cathy Crowe -- and obtained by the Toronto Sun -- says the TDRC is in "serious financial straits." Crowe indicates they're reviewing their options for the future but are faced "with closing down" their Trinity Square office -- effective Oct. 11 -- and operating "only as a volunteer organization. "After more than nine years of struggle on the homelessness front, TDRC is facing a new challenge -- whether we can secure enough funding to continue to our 10th anniversary," the TRDC co-founder and author writes, inviting anybody who wishes to make a "generous donation" to their cause. "Homelessness is our Katrina but it wasn't caused by the weather," continues Crowe, who was awarded a three-year $100,000-a-year Atkinson Foundation fellowship in 2004 to continue her work on the homeless cause. That award was recently renewed for a year. This will come as no surprise to those who regularly follow this column, but I won't be holding any tag days for the shameless self-promoters on the TDRC. Perhaps they've finally outlived their useful shelf life, if they ever had a raison d'etre in the first place. The TDRC was founded in 1998, around the same time former NDP councillor Jack Layton convinced council to declare homelessness a "national disaster." But while they talked a good game about wanting the homeless off the streets -- claiming ad nauseum that conditions there are "horrific" -- they have repeatedly fought any moves to get street people into shelter or proper housing. In 2002, Toronto became the subject of a page 3 article in the New York Times when a weak-willed council under former mayor Mel Lastman, Layton and his TDRC hangers-on allowed Tent City, an encampment of 110 squatters, to flourish down on contaminated Cherry St. lands. Can't work with NDP They haven't even been able to work with an NDP regime -- the very politicians you'd think would mirror their own ideology. During Mayor David Miller's four years in office, the TDRC has vociferously opposed the plan to remove the 90 homeless people once squatting on Nathan Philips Square, the Streets to Homes initiative that has endeavoured to put homeless into private apartments and the city's first homeless census in April of 2006. But last summer a ragtag crew from the TDRC -- particularly Crowe and her sidekick Beric German -- sunk to a new low when they endeavoured to intimidate Coun. Jane Pitfield to resign as co-chairman of the city's homeless advisory committee for daring to push for a "qualilty of life" bylaw to get panhandlers off the streets. The "ballsy" Pitfield hung tough and Crowe and Co. ended up boycotting in a huff the committee they'd stacked and hijacked for months. Since last November's election, the homeless advisory committee has been put on ice -- leaving the TDRC with no official City Hall forum. Crowe couldn't be reached for comment. However Tanya Gulliver, the only level-headed member of the TDRC steering committee in my view, told me last week they'd survived with project funding from foundations and on union donations. But foundations won't typically fund "core activities" or "activism type of work," she said. Asked about the TDRC's proudest accomplishments, Gulliver says she thinks it's the work they've done to raise the issue of homelessness as a "national disaster." She said they've also done a lot of work locally to improve shelter standards and to get more shelter beds. She feels they still have a "friendly relationship" with a lot of city councillors and the mayor. But Maureen Gilroy, who fought council's shelter bylaw, says she always found the TDRC a "pretty self-serving organization. "I just found them to be meddlers for their own purpose," Gilroy said. Coun. Doug Holyday, the lone councillor (of 57) not to declare homelessness a national disaster in 1998, said he wouldn't be sorry in the slightest to see the TDRC go. "They've sure extended whatever life they did have," he said, insisting they've helped perpetuate a "growing" homeless industry. "I don't think these people have done anything to help the homeless situation. sue-ann.levy@sunmedia.ca

Google Launches 'The Google' For Older Adults

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA—The popular search engine Google announced plans Friday to launch a new site, TheGoogle.com, to appeal to older adults not able to navigate the original website's single text field and two clearly marked buttons.

"The Google will have all the same information currently found on regular Google, but with the added features of not stealing your credit-card numbers or giving your computer all kinds of viruses," said Rick Tillich, The Google project director. "All you have to do to turn the website on is put the little blinking line thing in the cyberspace window at the top of the screen, type 'thegoogle.com,' and press 'return'—although it will also recognize http.wwwthegoogle.com, google.aol, and 'THEGOOGLE' typed into a Word document."

Tillich added that he hopes the site will soon replace Yahoo Internet Website.com as the most popular search engine for users over 55.

Ah Well.....We Are Canadian

City Of Toronto's Credit Card Is Maxed Out

But I will bet that the mayor, councilors, bureaucrats, etc. are still signing for "business expenses," have not reduced their office budgets, are still collecting their pay increases, are still attending sporting events and other attractions that you and I have to fork over our own $$$, ride the TTC for nothing, etc. etc. Harper is right in applying the surplus to pay down the deficit which takes 30 cents of every tax dollar for interest charges but Harper should immediately cut taxes substantially which would allow you and I decide how to spend our money.

Mayor Miller is outraged.....who gives a F&%k?

Feds must share surplus: Mayor

'Outrageous' Ottawa is letting cities struggle

Mayor David Miller yesterday expressed outrage that the federal government failed to help financially troubled Toronto when its treasury is bloated with a $13.8-billion surplus.

Time Left Wing Nutbars Apologized To Mike Harris

These nutbars are still blaming Harris and claim Harris' cuts caused most of our problems but it appears this is just so much bullshit especially when you look at the figures for health care.......

Quote:

Bob Rae's NDP government, (who were instrumental in ordering the study into under utilization of hospitals and this study recommended hospital closures upon which Harris acted) 15 years ago in 1992, spent a then-record $17.5 billion on health care. His and subsequent governments continued to pour more into the system. By 2007, health ministry spending on hospitals, doctors, nurses, long-term care homes and other services had more than doubled to $37.5 billion and almost $1 billion more is spent on health infrastructure.

Over the same period, Ontario's population grew from 10.5 million to 12.8 million -- an increase of only 2.2 million people, or 18%.

Patients are noticing. A recent SES-Sun Media poll found that despite increased spending of almost $9 billion over the past four years, most voters believe the health care system is the same or worse than when McGuinty's Liberals came to power in 2003. If you can't find a doctor, get stuck with your kid or a parent for hours in an emergency room, or have to travel punishing distances for treatment, especially in rural areas and the north, you're likely to feel the system isn't working.

End of Quote

For rest of the story........

And I will bet you will find similar facts about education spending. And as far as downloading to municipalities just think about how the federal liberals were able to able achieve surpluses. Martin did it by cutting transfer payments to the have provinces at a time when Harris was trying to clean up the mess left by Bob Rae and the ndp.

Did McGinty Deliver On His Promises

On the promises he "kept" the majority of people don't seem to think s0 but what about the promises, approximately 239, that he made part of his campaign platform.

McGuinty Scorecard

Score the leader. Did Dalton McGuinty deliver on his promises from the last election? " height="11" width="11">

What's Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander

Blair seems to imply that there is something insidious with Frontenac using an "archaic" law to achieve their goals but can't the same be said for every terrorist act committed by the Indians.

Legal hammers, human nails TheStar.com - comment - Legal hammers, human nails

September 27, 2007

Peggy Blair

At Caledonia, Six Nations Mohawks have occupied the site of a planned development for more than 18 months, claiming they never surrendered the lands in dispute. Parts of Caledonia are now blocked off and development in the contested area is frozen.

For the most part, Caledonia townspeople do not support the blockade. They are greatly inconvenienced and may not appreciate the Mohawk frustration at seeing reserved lands repeatedly developed over their objections or understand that the Mohawk claim has been outstanding for more than 100 years.

But as time drags on with no resolution, events have taken an ugly turn. Last week, a developer who tried to go behind the lines to check on his property was beaten viciously by native thugs. Iroquois traditionalists at the blockade say they don't condone the violence and had nothing to do with it, but have clearly been unable to control extremists on the line.

Just this week, Dave Brown and Dana Chatwell, a couple whose home is trapped between the blockade, sued the OPP and Ontario for more than $70 million in damages, claiming regular harassment by natives who pound on their windows and demand they present native-issued "passports" before entering their own land.

John Tory is now calling on the police to remove the protesters. He also wants changes to the Petty Trespass Act, making it illegal for any organization or third party to support or encourage a blockade.

But consider this. At Sharbot Lake, the Algonquins have blocked access to an area where Frontenac Ventures Company planned to build a uranium mine. Like the Mohawks, the Algonquins have refused to abide by a court injunction, instead demanding negotiations.

Another lawsuit for lost income is pending – Frontenac Ventures has sued the First Nations and Ontario for $77 million. But the tone of the blockade at Sharbot Lake is very different from that at Caledonia – here, the Algonquins have widespread support.

ReBranding Won't Accomplish Long Term Results

The adage about "one bad apple" holds true when it comes to certain communities and lord knows all levels of government jump into the fray with tax $$$ everytime there is an incident but they do it in trying to "rehabilitate" the bad apple rather than getting rid of the it. Ask any farmer.....you can't rehabilitate a bad apple.

Jane-Finch races to reinvent itself

Royson James

`A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."

Thank Gawd For The Joe Foritos Of The World

They always seem to be there when the average joe/josephine starts getting screwed by the "system" and I wonder if they would have as much on their plate if like in the old days the leaders would hold court in the town square and the citizens would come with their grievances and decisions would be made for all to see and judge.

Widow, 77, could lose her home to landlord's teenage son TheStar.com - News - Widow, 77, could lose her home to landlord's teenage son

September 28, 2007

Joe Fiorito

The ashcan of history is set to receive the crumpled page of September, a month mostly worth forgetting. But here is something memorably cruel.

Anne Bowman's landlord is dragging her to court. He wants to evict her from the apartment where she has lived for the past 53 years.

Anne, a veteran's widow, is 77 years old. She is frail after a stroke some years ago, but she still has a sense of occasion. When she knew I was coming to call, she got her hair done and put on her makeup.

That her landlord wants to evict her surpasses understanding.

When I spoke to him two months ago, he said he wanted Anne's apartment for his son, a good boy, 19 years old, who has his heart set on becoming a police officer.

I don't know the landlord's son, but if he urged his father to evict Anne so that he can have her place for his own, then he will make a lousy cop.

And if this ugly business is the father's doing, what lesson is he teaching that young man?

Anne is getting help from legal aid. She goes to court on Oct. 9.

Who Will Save Seniors

There is an adage in the stock market that you don't really win or lose $$$$ unless you sell and this is true when it comes to property values. I might be property rich but am cash poor and the Ann Duff saga is a good example. I want to pay my way, when it comes to my primary residence, but all I see is higher taxes and service costs while seeing services being cut, politicians and union employees getting increased salaries and benefits, the number of social in-activists at the trough increasing, etc. etc.

Home is where the money is

---

Ann Duff is correct when it comes to double taxes. I have lived in my home since 1941 and the taxes keep increasing. One thing she forgot to mention is that seniors not only pay double property taxes; they also pay double school taxes, which keep increasing. Some of us don't have sewers or garbage pickup in cottage country, and have to buy labels for our bags or special bags and cart the garbage to the local dump, but we are still asked to pay more taxes.

Seniors have paid to educate their children and shouldn't have to pay school taxes once they reach the magic age of 65. Maybe people at city hall and candidates in the provincial election should look at removing the burden from seniors by freezing property taxes and removing education taxes – especially when some seniors don't have children or have no children left at home who are being educated.

---

Verna Burness, Toronto

Bob Topp of the Coalition After Property Tax Reform asks: "Because you happen to live in a certain part of Toronto, say in the Beach or Danforth or Leaside, and (property values) are going up, are you then a wealthy person?"

You are. The equity in your home is wealth. When you own a home worth half a million dollars, you're wealthy. If you can't keep up with the property taxes, refinance the home. If your children are worried about their inheritance, have them help to pay the property taxes.

I appreciate the challenges faced by seniors on fixed incomes. However, seniors who own North Toronto homes and Georgian Bay cottages are not the folks that we should be worried about.

---

Jay Porter, Toronto

So we should give a tax break to a senior who is effectively a millionaire because her properties rose in value? Having your assets increase substantially in value is the kind of problem we all should have. Ann Duff should take out a loan against her house for the taxes owed. That way she can keep her two houses.

She should quit trying to get out of taxes. If she doesn't pay, we all have to make up for it. Perhaps she would like to help me pay for university for my two children – soon to be three – at an estimated cost of $15,000 per child per year.

---

Dave Leigh, Kincardine, Ont.

I am so sorry to hear there are seniors with properties worth close to $1 million who are having trouble paying their property taxes, and lakefront cottage owners who are suffering after seeing the value of those cottages skyrocket.

But I'll save my real sympathy and tears for the seniors I see pushing their little carts to No-Frills to get their groceries, or in the lineup at Dollarama.

Many of us do not own or never will own a lakefront cottage. And the chances of owning a home worth more than $750,000 are for the most part contingent on someday winning the lottery.

---

Sam Crisanti, Toronto

With all due respect to Ann Duff, she – and many others – needs to understand that income is not a measure of wealth. With $1 million of presumably unencumbered real estate assets, she is very wealthy indeed. Many options are available to convert some of her equity into cash to help to pay her taxes.

---

Jeff McNab, Richmond Hill

Property taxes certainly can be a very serious problem for anyone living on a fixed income. One solution is to disregard all estimations of the present value of the property when calculating taxes, and base the property taxes solely upon the income of the owner.

---

James C. Kennedy, Kingston, Ont.

NO TO MMP

Here's why I'm voting against MMP
Ian Urquhart 62 min. ago

Electoral reform has support from across the political spectrum, but in Ontario, at least, the push is coming primarily from the left.

I Can't Believe You Warmington

I don't think your bartender would be too happy if you were throwing money away on hookers but not paying down your bar tab. Keep in mind the reason we are in so much trouble was that was the way the liberals played the game and when push came to shove, no more free booze, they decimated the transfer payments to the "have" provinces who in turn had to dump it on the property owners.

The Harper feds have a $14.2-billion surplus and you, the taxpayer, are going to get a whopping 15 bucks of it

By JOE WARMINGTON

Mayor David Miller must have upchucked when he heard this news.

The Harper government has a $14.2-billion surplus and not only can Miller not have any of it, it's going straight onto the national debt which, since the Conservatives have been in Ottawa, is down to $467.3-billion from its peak of $562.9-billion.

But is this the right approach? There are varying views. Heaven knows this $14.2 billion could operate a lot of outdoor hockey rinks and community centres. Hell, we could build a wicked subway train system with that kind of scratch and maybe actually become an environmental leader in eliminating gridlock and smog.

Just $500 million of that surplus would be a lifejacket for a drowning Miller. But this is Prime Minister Stephen Harper we are talking about it. He's going to do the mature thing and throw this so-called tax surplus (I call it our money) on our national debt (which I call our national hangover).

"It used to be inevitable in life there was death and taxes," Harper said as he greeted a room full of equally boring suits at the Revenue Canada office on Front St. yesterday. "Today it's debt and taxes."

The guy is a barrel of laughs. His nickname from now on should be Chuckles. I have had more fun at funerals. Isn't there an advertising firm somewhere in Quebec you couldn't give some to.

Well Deserved And A Long Time Coming

Paying Off Debts & Returning Money to Citizens Is Wrong

At least according to Taliban Jack and his motley crew.........

Layton considers toppling government over 'undemocratic' surplus

ALEXANDER PANETTA

Canadian Press

September 27, 2007 at 3:58 PM EDT

OTTAWA — Pumping almost all of the $14-billion surplus into debt-reduction rather than investing in Canadians is the kind of rigid conservatism that makes it likely the NDP will vote to topple the government next month, Jack Layton said Thursday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the massive surplus and added that it would be funnelled into debt reduction during an event in Toronto that had all the earmarks of a mid-campaign event.

His announcement means the end-of-year fiscal windfall is no longer available for program spending. The money must, by law, go into national debt-reduction and the interest savings — about $750 million — will go to tax cuts.

More......

Belongs Someplace Other Than A Blog But......

....I am really in a mood today!

Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, and Quasimodo were all talking one day.

Sleeping Beauty said, "I believe myself to be the most beautiful girl in the world."

Tom Thumb said, "I must be the smallest person in the world."

Quasimodo said, "I absolutely have to be the most tacky, rude, crude, gross & disgusting person in the world."

So they all decided to go to the Guinness Book of World Records to have their claims verified.

Sleeping Beauty went in first and came out looking deliriously happy. "It's official; I AM the most beautiful girl in the world."

Tom Thumb went next and emerged triumphant, "I am now officially the smallest person in the world."

Sometime later, Quasimodo comes out looking utterly confused and says, "Who in the hell is Rosie O'Donnell? "

Just The Facts Maam, Just The Facts

Miller's false factoids

By SUE-ANN LEVY

I hope this doesn't date me, but at council yesterday Mayor David Miller was spinning his socialist tales faster than a 78 RPM record.

There's no doubt in my mind the spin was an effort to save face for reversing his punitive decision to close the city's community centres every Monday until year's end -- a move that would save a measly $700,000.

His motion to re-open the city's community centres -- effective Oct. 15 -- passed unanimously, as one would expect. That was no surprise. No, what really made yesterday's council exercise stick out in my mind were the number of "factoids" His Blondness used to justify his flip-flop.

For the record, factoids are defined as "spurious facts" used to "manipulate public opinion." Here is but a sampling:

Pick Your Battles

I am no fan of Giambrone and usually support anyone who makes his life miserable but in this case I think the "neighborhood activists" are way off base but it is not surprising he caved. Community gardens supply much more than vegetables...........

News “THESE KIDS HATE VEGGIES”

Anti-Giambrone residents’ group bulldozes FoodShare garden

City Councillor Adam Giambrone pulled the plug on a FoodShare community garden at Erwin Krickhahn Park last week. You'd think the neighbourhood would be fuming at the removal of a...

What A Difference A Day Can Make......

And in this case it is just a waste of money. I have this gut felling it is just a ploy by the unions to get more money........

Greg Weston:

Bordering on silly

And Many Have Been Taken In

Lorrie Goldstein:

Folks, he's clearly a hoax

Takeover Of Universities By Left Wing

Just another example of a vocal minority trampling on the rights of others.....I wonder if it wouldn't be fair for those who support the military and anguish over the deaths of many of our sons and daughters could refuse to pay taxes to support universities and to pickup the tab for the tuition of these pacifists.

Canadian army belongs on campus

By Paul Berton

The University of Victoria Student Society thinks it knows best. It doesn't.

The society made a mistake this month when it decided to block the Canadian Forces from recruiting at a job fair in their building.

It sounds as if politics are getting in the way of presenting students with as many career opportunities as possible or letting them decide for themselves what's right and wrong.

The society says the military has no place in the Student Union Building, where the fair will be held, because it's stingy with information about the psychological, mental and physical problems soldiers have after serving.

Perhaps, but university students are not naive. They read like anyone else, if not more. They are more than acquainted with current events. And they're better than most at asking questions. Presumably, they can make their own decisions.

Fortunately, the move by the society has caused such a furor on campus they'll be allowed to do just that.

The Downside Of Full Employment & Strong Economy

It reduces the number of people at rallies supporting social in-activists. Btw, what is the difference between unions & labour groups. Is the implication that if you are a member of a union you don't labour? And I have to wonder how many of the protesters were really hungry.

Anti-poverty, taxi protests jam Toronto streets

toronto.ctv.ca

Hundreds of protesters converged at the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday to try to make poverty a top issue in next month's provincial election, disrupting traffic downtown.

Demonstrators -- which included members of student groups, unions, labour groups and social justice agencies -- gathered on the lawn of Queen's Park to demand action on homelessness, the minimum wage and the increasing cost of tuition.

Police erected barricades and kept a close eye on the rally, but the event, organized by the Toronto Anti-Poverty coalition, was peaceful.

"Stop the war on the poor and make the rich pay; we're hungry, we're angry," protestors chanted, while banging drums and waving placards.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.........

The cake hasn't arrived yet...................

You Still Have Time..........

I apologize......I won't be able to make it as I have to work so that I can pay taxes to all three levels of government so they can keep the social safety net repaired,

Anti-Poverty Action Feeder March Info

When:		Wednesday, 26 September 2007 (Convergence at 2pm)
Where:		Queen's Park College Street and University Avenue Toronto ON
Contact:		Toronto Anti-Poverty torontoantipoverty@tao.ca
Details:		Join a Feeder March on the 26th! On September 26th, there will be marches from across the city converging on Queen's Park. Below are links to different groups organizing different “feeder” marches around the city. All are welcome to join! Use the contact information below, or write to us at torontoantipoverty@tao.ca directly to get involved! Or you can meet us at Queen’s Park at 2PM. We hope to see you there! --Central March 11:30AM Ramsden Park (across from Rosedale Subway) http://www.tdrc.net --Students 11:30AM U of T (12 Hart House Circle) http://www.opirguoft.org --Raise the Rates 11:30AM Metro Park (Queen & Church) http://www.ocap.ca --Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell 12:30PM Regent Park Community Health Centre (Parliament & Dundas) http://www.toronto.nooneisillegal.org -- Disability Action 11:30AM MacDonald Block (900 Bay st., south of Wellesley) Disabled People and Allies http://ocap.ca/tap/disabilityaction

More Proof Of Left Wing Bias On College Campuses

We have the same situation at our local campuses....

Editors Comment

The so-called "culture wars" have waged across the west for many years now and show no sign of abating. It is however bizarre that one continues to see those who seem to thrive on perpetuating the stereotype that exists in these "culture wars".

How else can you view the decision by Columbia University to permit the Iranian leader and proud holocaust denier to speak at that institution? With one silly decision, Columbia has confirmed what many conservatives feel which is that universities have a liberal bias that is profoundly anti-American and at best anti-Israeli or at worst anti-Semitic.

This is not a debate over freedom of speech. Columbia's previous actions in denying various groups to speak on topics such as illegal immigration highlights this hypocrisy. The greatest offense here is that while Columbia will let a leader speak who wants to cause harm to US troops in Iraq, members of the US Reserve Training Officer Corps are PROHIBITED from the University.

People wonder why we have the "culture wars."

US 'Lower' Education embraces the
leader of a Fascist Iranian state

- Craig Read

September 24, 2007 — Columbia and the Ivy League consistently manage to reach new yearly lows. Columbia's invitation to have a fascist, Jew-hating, US soldier-killing Mullah, to vent his bile on their campus is entirely consistent with its descent into Lower education.

Think again before sending your children to Columbia or any Ivy League sausage factory.

Ahmadinejad's visit is not about free speech, it is about hating the US and American institutional self-loathing. Free speech applies to citizens of free countries, not to murderous Islamic fascists and anti-semites. By allowing the Iranian Hitler to set foot on its campus Columbia shows very clearly just how deranged and sick it has become.

This visit from a fascist murdering thug, shows how far Columbia's descent has gone. Founded in the 18th century, largely along Scottish Enlightenment principles and the 'Scottish' school of education, Columbia and many other Ivy League schools, have gone from rational inquiry and a classical-patriotic education, to the extremes of parodic uselessness foisting cultural marxism, irrelevant feminism and historical rewriting, [along with hundreds of embarassing programs] on unsuspecting minds. Having an Ivy League education is becoming a fast-depreciating asset.

Behind The Rhetoric

The thing that surprises me that while a large group viewed the posting no one felt it was worthy of making a comment......before turning this around and making it about my blog let's keep in mind the advocate is Naomi Klein whose public persona is much greater than mine.

Naomi Klein on Democracy Now
Contributed by: N Say

Naomi Klein was on Democracy Now! for the whole hour to talk about The Shock Doctrine:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/17/1411235

Here's the best part of the interview:

I was shocked that there is this cache of literature out there, which I didn't know existed, where the economists admit it. You know, and this is what I guess I’m most excited about in the book is how many quotes I have from very high-level advocates of free-market economics, everyone from Milton Friedman to John Williamson, who’s the man who coined the phrase “the Washington Consensus,” admitting amongst themselves, not publicly, but amongst themselves, in sort of technocratic documents, that they have never been able to push through a radical free-market makeover in the absence of a large-scale crisis, i.e. the central myth of our time that democracy and capitalism go hand in hand is known to be a lie by the very people who are advancing it, and they will admit it on the record.

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Leadership With The Operative Word Being Leader

Bruce deals with the reality while Reverend Bruce doesn't want to face that reality which is that many are making promises that they cannot realistically and financially keep.

The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good

I was struck by the sheer common sense shown by the Prime Minister in signing on to the Asia Pacific climate change approach in place of the Kyoto Protocol. These days, it is often difficult to find a national leader who is willing to expose himself to the ridicule of failing to fall in line behind the shibboleths of the day. Werner Patels today reported, for instance, on the outright political manoeuvrings of the Friends of the Earth to enforce the Kyoto line, and goodness knows the Liberals continue to beat the Kyoto drum, as do the NDP and the Bloc.

Interesting to note that last night, when the Globe & Mail put their survey for the day up, it was running strongly in favour of Kyoto, but by mid-afternoon Pacific time Kyoto adherence had fallen behind the curve - in fact, there is a clear majority for the Prime Minister's position, or some position between it and Kyoto's targets.

Posted by Bruce Stewart at 16:12

Mr. Harper Goes to New York
Contributed by: Reverend Blair

Stephen Harper went to address the UN on climate change with one thing in mind. He went to further the neo-conservative agenda to keep dumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Harper, an opponent of Kyoto and, until recently, a global warming denier, has become the point man for George Bush and John Howard to dismantle the Kyoto process.

That process is something that the Harper government claimed to support, even as they were cutting funding to programs to reduce global warming and refusing hard targets in favour of intensity-based targets.

Hard targets are what Kyoto is really based on, so when Stephen Harper or John Baird claims to support the Kyoto process while insisting on intensity-based targets, they are being less than honest. Intensity-based targets are dishonest in themselves. While claiming to reduce emissions, they really allow for emissions to increase as long as there’s a profit to be made. The earth’s climate systems are not, of course, interested to Mr. Harper’s credo of greed over common sense or his contradictory claims about the Kyoto process.

It Is Not Often I Agree With Hume....

Although I don't think The Matador could be considered a historical monument the rationale behind tearing it down exemplifies the thinking of the bureaucracy and political attitude at Toronto City Hall. No YMCA should have a parking lot....it defeats it's purpose. There a many other uses for the space....one of my favorites would be turn it into a senior's center so many of Ann's original customers have a place to hang out.

43 years of history vs. 20 parking spots

Christopher Hume

The gap between what the city does and what it says is growing wider.

The Norm At Toronto City Hall

A roundabout solution
Sep. 26, 2007

Could traffic circles help ease Toronto's growing gridlock?

VOTE NO TO MMP

Let the losers go out and get a job rather than be given a free pass to the public trough.

How MMP could sneak to victory
Ian Urquhart Sep. 26, 2007

Ontario is sleepwalking toward a radical new way of electing its legislature.

Would Be Amusing If It Wasn't Close To The Truth

The apathy of Canadians when it comes to voting is shameful. Let's put aside the three major parties and deal with, IMHO, the most important issue........MMP. Vote NO to MMP

In Toronto We Would Have Already Installed A Crosswalk

And hired people to monitor the activities, sent members of OCRAP to organize the illegal camping, found money to do a study and tried to convince the public that the mayor has come up with a scheme that would make the collection of the feces a money making project.

Why did the camels cross the road? Perplexed, frightened Indians have no idea

Peter Kenter

National Post

Friday, September 21, 2007

CREDIT: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images In the Indian city of Bengaluru, a dozen camels weren't paying attention to road rules.

Drivers in the Indian city of Bengaluru are breathing a sigh of relief as about a dozen road-hogging camels have moved on from an encampment at a nearby park.

Traffic had hit a hump as the camels left the park each morning to cross the road during the height of rush hour, then returning to camp around 7 p.m. for a repeat performance.

The wayward camels had been accused of frightening commuters, occasionally rushing onto the roadway without warning.

The creatures are prolific producers of feces and had been seen consuming quantities of public greenery.

It's illegal for camels to live in a park, but city officials say the animals can use public roadways as long as they follow local traffic ordinances.

© National Post 2007

Nothing Else Needs To Be Said

Mayor's tax on moving no way to ...

Matthew Turner Sep. 24, 2007

The City of Toronto's finances are a mess and Mayor David Miller is proposing a...

NO MMP

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Does the Establishment have Cooties?

So the Vote for MMP folk are putting out the message that the No MMP campaign is a bunch of establishment types. A couple of points:

1. The official No MMP campaign is not exactly being run or backed by a bunch of big names. Unless the establishment is being secretly controlled by a retired engineer, a immigrant university professor, a PhD candidate and other such nefarious types as the No MMP campaign is. The fact that a lot of media types have come out against MMP is a symptom of the problems with MMP not some grand conspiracy. Secondly, this line of argumentation is being put forward by a group backed quite publicly by folks like Hugh Segal and George Smitherman. Who's the establishment here?

2. Second of all, what exactly is the problem with the establishment? I kind of get this line of argument from dippers but when Grits (like Scott Tribe on MMP and the YLC) start spewing this stuff... The establishment believes in such terrible things as public health care and economic prosperity. Wouldn't want to agree with them. Give me a break!

I Am Not The Only One Reading Royson James

Lemon: The Follies and Foibles of David Miller

Click here for Royson's Whole Telling and Brilliant Piece
"Each day seems to bring more surprises from the mayor and the dysfunctional council!"
– Recent email from ex-senior city staff
Dysfunctional is a pretty harsh word. But it is one term being used to describe Toronto city council in the wake of what the budget chief calls a "brutal summer" confronting the city's fiscal crisis.
Halfway through the first year of a four-year term, city council has done enough mind-boggling things to set off alarm bells.Councillors couldn't agree on who would sit where for their team picture at the start of the year, forcing a reschedule of the official council photo shoot.
Middle-of-the road Councillor Brian Ashton was tossed from the executive committee and branded "a weasel" because he voted against the mayor's tax measure.
Councillors tried to force a frugal colleague, Ward 2 maverick Rob Ford, to spend taxpayer money to run his office.
The TTC in August threatened to close the Sheppard subway, saying the mothballing would save $10 million. Oops, sorry. Make that $300,000. Forget about the subway closure. And, by the way, transit fares are going up next month.
Councillor Michael Walker has filed a legal opinion charging the mayor illegally denied councillors the right to vote on a budget item, namely, the closing of community centres.
And now David Miller's flip-flop on those Monday closings – essentially, a disruption that need not have happened.

Minor Skirmish Not Major Battles

If you are a blogger, we are still in the minority, we have probably already formed our persona and our opinions don't impact the average voter diddly squat........

Internet takes no prisoners The smears and digs are up and running in this campaign. By PATRICK MALONEY, SUN MEDIA

Brand new ways to embarrass, defame and insult politicians have arrived online.

While the Internet is a powerful tool for political campaigns, it's also opened an electronic door for smears and digs at politicians. And from party leaders to riding-level candidates, as one in London learned, no one is immune.

Rarely has that been clearer than during the Ontario campaign, with such Internet websites as YouTube and Wikipedia used to take political attacks to a new low.

"Anybody who takes politics seriously should be appalled by this dumbing-down," said Peter Woolstencroft, a University of Waterloo political scientist.

"It has a corrosive effect on politics. It sort of says that politicians are stupid and clueless."

Woolstencroft was reacting to a pair of short videos -- which some Liberals are quietly promoting -- featuring John Tory gaffes that would have gone completely unnoticed in previous campaigns.

Now, thanks to YouTube, the verbal missteps of the Progressive Conservative leader are available to all voters.

In one, Tory says "por favor" -- Spanish for please -- while using his rusty French skills to respond to a francophone reporter's question.

In the other, he's talking to a young University of Ottawa student, telling him in his day the school was referred to as "U of Zero." The student is less than impressed.

Tim Blackmore, a popular culture expert and media professor at the University of Western Ontario, says the videos are unfair to Tory and hold no value for voters.

"It's bad in the sense that it carries on a culture of confrontation rather than conversation," said Blackmore, who was especially irked by the university clip.

"This is very common, where you're 50 years old and you try to be hip and the kid says, 'What's that?' It happens to me all the time."

On YouTube, the videos are being posted by a user who is also posting official Liberal clips. Asked if he was comfortable with the clips, Premier Dalton McGuinty appeared to distance himself from them.

"When it comes to those things over which I have control, which is the campaign proper, I'm running a positive campaign," he said yesterday.

But the perils don't exist only at the political top. As technology rewrites the book of political dirty tricks, even lower-profile candidates are vulnerable.

This week, a virtual vandal sabotaged London-Fanshawe New Democrat candidate Stephen Maynard by writing sexually explicit insults, including one about fellatio, into his Wikipedia profile.

"It's an attempt to embarrass him," said Shawn Lewis, a Maynard campaign official who stumbled upon the smear.

Wikipedia barely existed during the last Ontario election in 2003, but its explosion in popularity has made it not only a source of information for voters, but also an area of concern for public figures.

The online encyclopedia now boasts more than eight million articles, including personal profiles ranging from little-known actors to legendary criminals and famous athletes. What makes the site unique is contributors are regular citizens who add information and edit out mistakes.

The Maynard attack was added by a user Sept. 15, days after the election was called. It was up about five days before Lewis found it. Wikipedia officials removed the graphic language but couldn't trace the source computer, Lewis said.

For Maynard, it was a political lesson he took in stride.

"It does suggest I'm a target, and that means that I'm a front-runner," he said.

HELPFUL AND HURTFUL

YouTube: A popular website on which viewers can post and broadcast their own videos to the world (youtube.com).

Wikipedia: A contributor-built online encyclopedia; anyone can edit or add to an article (en.wikipedia.org).

I Have Toby Keith's Music On My iPod.....

....not his political views. Beside that who in the hell is Tim Shipman who writes for some limey newspaper.....I will wait until Larry The Cable Guy writes a column on the subject. To paraphrase a "redneck" blog; "iff''n it don't involve hockey or beer it ain't gonna happen."

Country music deserts George Bush

By Tim Shipman in Washington

Last Updated: 1:00am BST 23/09/2007

Country music has thrived for years as the soundtrack to redneck America, supplying the Republican heartlands with a diet of knee-jerk jingoism that has included flag-waving anthems supporting the war on terror. Toby Keith has claimed he never supported the war But as the US death toll rises in Iraq and public patience with the conflict — and with George W. Bush — diminishes, many anti-war songs are emerging from Nashville, Tennessee, home of the genre. No one has moved further than Toby Keith and Darryl Worley, two of the biggest names in country music. In 2002, Keith had a huge hit with Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, which includes the lyric: "You'll be sorry that you messed with the US of A, 'cause we'll put a boot in your ass — it's the American Way." Worley's Have You Forgotten in 2003 justified the Iraq invasion as a response to the September 11 attacks. The military liked it so much he was presented with a flag that had flown over the Pentagon. advertisement Now Keith says he is a lifelong Democrat and has claimed he never supported the war, while Worley has had a hit with I Just Came Back from a War, about a soldier returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. Tim McGraw — the biggest contemporary country star — has a hit single with If You're Reading This, about a dead soldier's last letter home, and the Dixie Chicks, boycotted in 2003 after lead singer Natalie Maines told an audience in London: "We're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas," won five Grammy Awards this year. The changing tone reflects a growing scepticism in heartlands that have disproportionately contributed the young soldiers who have been fighting and dying.Brian Hiatt, associate editor of Rolling Stone magazine, said: "Popular music is reflecting the culture, as it always does." Keith's switch, however, has angered conservative country fans and anti-war activists alike. Jon Iwanski, a blogger in Chicago, said Keith had "damaged his credibility", while opponents of the war accused the singer of opportunism.

Country music deserts George Bush

By Tim Shipman in Washington

Last Updated: 1:00am BST 23/09/2007

Country music has thrived for years as the soundtrack to redneck America, supplying the Republican heartlands with a diet of knee-jerk jingoism that has included flag-waving anthems supporting the war on terror. But as the US death toll rises in Iraq and public patience with the conflict — and with George W. Bush — diminishes, many anti-war songs are emerging from Nashville, Tennessee, home of the genre. No one has moved further than Toby Keith and Darryl Worley, two of the biggest names in country music. In 2002, Keith had a huge hit with Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, which includes the lyric: "You'll be sorry that you messed with the US of A, 'cause we'll put a boot in your ass — it's the American Way." Worley's Have You Forgotten in 2003 justified the Iraq invasion as a response to the September 11 attacks. The military liked it so much he was presented with a flag that had flown over the Pentagon. advertisement Now Keith says he is a lifelong Democrat and has claimed he never supported the war, while Worley has had a hit with I Just Came Back from a War, about a soldier returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. Tim McGraw — the biggest contemporary country star — has a hit single with If You're Reading This, about a dead soldier's last letter home, and the Dixie Chicks, boycotted in 2003 after lead singer Natalie Maines told an audience in London: "We're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas," won five Grammy Awards this year. The changing tone reflects a growing scepticism in heartlands that have disproportionately contributed the young soldiers who have been fighting and dying.Brian Hiatt, associate editor of Rolling Stone magazine, said: "Popular music is reflecting the culture, as it always does." Keith's switch, however, has angered conservative country fans and anti-war activists alike. Jon Iwanski, a blogger in Chicago, said Keith had "damaged his credibility", while opponents of the war accused the singer of opportunism.

The Reality Of The Loonie At Par

Read McGinty's Lips

S-U-C-K-E-R....a number members of his party publicly stated that the deficit figures were low. Why didn't McGinty listen to them? But that aside how does he justify the other promises he didn't keep?

No tax increase, McGuinty vows TheStar.com - Unassigned - No tax increase, McGuinty vows

After broken promise stemming from 2003 campaign, premier chooses words carefully

September 23, 2007

Robert Benzie
Queen's Park Bureau Chief

This time, he means it.

Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, whose 2003 campaign promise not to raise taxes dogs his Oct. 10 re-election bid, said Ontarians should read his lips.

"We will not have to raise taxes, because we're in charge. We know exactly where we are," he said yesterday on Global's Focus Ontario.

McGuinty told host Sean Mallen that his decision to break that cornerstone promise and introduce the annual health tax of up to $900 was agonizing.

"I have a concern that people may not understand what motivated me to do that," the Liberal leader said.

"For me to have to break that promise was the most difficult thing I've done in 17 years of politics. I've got to tell you, I hated doing that," he said.

"That's now part of my record. I accept that. That's part and parcel of who I am."

But McGuinty, who was harshly criticized for "broken promises" by the tag team of Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory and NDP Leader Howard Hampton during Thursday's televised debate, insisted he had a good excuse.

"People now know there was a $5.6-billion hidden deficit," said McGuinty of the budget shortfall he inherited from former PC premier Ernie Eves four years ago.

"What they may not know is that I had two choices. One was to continue to cut public services, close hospitals and underfund schools or to ask Ontarians to invest more in their public services," he said.

Dion's Martin

Another Example Of An Individual Making A Difference

Porter Air is really taking off Despite opposition, regional airline is expanding and profitable

By SUE-ANN LEVY

It's an interesting irony that while Mayor David Miller's popularity has plummeted in recent months, support for the revitalized Toronto Island Airport he so vehemently opposed appears to have soared.

In fact, Porter Airlines, the upstart airline which has been operating flights from the island since last Oct. 23, is doing so well that construction has begun this month to expand the terminal it uses at the Toronto City Centre Airport.

Three more arrival and departure gates will be added to the two operating now and their business class lounge space will "almost be tripled," Bob Deluce, Porter's president and CEO told me this past week.

In fact, their June net-profit margin of 8% was much better than they ever anticipated in their projections -- after some $125.7 million was invested in the airline's start-up.

"It is remarkable," Deluce said, attributing the airline's popularity to the convenient location, the price savings (of the total travel package) and the special treatment provided on their flights.

"That came to us roughly after eight months into our service," he added, noting the very successful Southwest Airlines in the U.S. took three years to gain any profitability.

He says flights to New York (via Newark) will commence in late January or early February -- the fourth destination to be added since the airline's inaugural 10 weekday return flights to Ottawa.

Last Dec. 11, the airline expanded its route to Montreal, which they now serve with nine return weekday flights. Halifax "emerged as an opportunity" this past summer. This fall they'll continue to serve that city on weekends, he said.

Following New York, it's "still a toss-up" whether they'll add Boston or Chicago to their flight schedule, Deluce said, with Philadelphia and Washington also on the short list.

They have four 70-seat Q400 planes in their fleet now and will take delivery of two more before the year is up. When they started up, they had a firm order (valued at $500-million U.S.) with the Bombardier Aerospace plant in Downsview for 10 planes plus an option to buy 10 more.

"At this stage there's a very high degree of likelihood we'll be taking all 20 aircraft," Deluce said.

Small wonder we've heard so little as of late from Miller and his silk-stocking socialist friends whose opposition to the $22-million fixed link bridge to the island airport (and its eventual cancellation) cost taxpayers a not too shabby $35 million in legal claims.

It was certainly not the toonie Miller claimed it would be -- but then this is the same mayor who thinks no one has noticed his efforts to bully taxpayers into accepting his controversial land transfer and vehicle ownership taxes.

In my view, Miller's efforts to stop the island airport have bombed just like his leadership.

Nevertheless the Toronto island contingent won't let it go.

Bill Freeman, spokesman for the Community AIR group that has vociferously fought the airport, told me last week tickets were sold out for a fundraiser slated for last night on the island. They wanted to raise money "to carry on their fight," he said.

Asked whether they honestly think they can still shut down the airport, he said their feeling is Deluce is not doing very well. "We're certainly very skeptical," Freeman said, adding they intend to make it a federal election issue.

FEW NOISE COMPLAINTS

The airport's opponents don't complain about the noise these days. Instead, they've attempted to capitalize on recent landing gear incidents with the Q400 in Scandinavia by writing Prime Minister Stephen Harper, demanding he ground the Porter flights until a safety audit is done on the aircraft.

Freeman conceded they have not received a response.

"It isn't appropriate for them to get their nose into an area they know nothing about ... they sound a little bit desperate," bristled Deluce, noting they conducted the requisite checks on their aircraft and they've been found to be safe.

Deluce dismissed the island opposition, saying they're "dreaming in Technicolour.

"The fact that so many passengers are supporting it (the airline) ... at the end of the day that's all that really matters."

It Is Not Social In-Activists, Politicians, Etc. Who Change The World

It is the individuals who work at helping one person.......

Lloyd for prime minister One thing's for sure, we'd have a country we could all be proud of

By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN, TORONTO SUN

Choosing a premier is important. So is choosing a mayor or prime minister.

But ultimately, politicians don't decide the kind of country we will have.

They can point the way, but we decide. All of us.

We decide, in the words of Martin Luther King, whether we will judge our fellow citizens by the colour of their skin, or the content of their character.

We decide whether to welcome the majority of immigrants who come here with good intentions, or to shun them all because of the minority who don't.

We decide, whether, when an innocent black boy is gunned down inside a high school in Jane-Finch, it touches us as much as when an innocent white girl is gunned down at Yonge and Dundas.

Finally, we decide if we will try to do something about it -- no matter how overwhelming the problems may seem, or how powerless we feel.

Lloyd Seivright, born in Jamaica, an immigrant to Canada, made his decision a long time ago. He decided King's dream was his dream. That he would honour his adopted country of Canada by living the motto of his birthplace of Jamaica -- out of many, one people.

So did the handful of volunteers of the organization he founded with his wife, Madaine -- the Independent United Order of Solomon. Ordinary people -- Lloyd works in a warehouse -- who believe, as all the world's great religions teach, that God does not ask us to help one another. He commands it.

And that the purpose of helping others is not to make us feel good about ourselves -- that is the byproduct -- but to lift others up so that one day, they will pay our generosity forward to others.

HELP ONE PERSON

Find one person, help one person. Then we don't have to change the world. By helping one person, and then another, and another, we change ourselves.

I've written about Lloyd and his still-small group before, how they today, astoundingly, donate a million dollars worth of medical supplies annually to more than 40 countries, starting with Canada.

How they provide, through corporate sponsors including Sun Media, 10 annual university scholarships to deserving students from Canada and the Caribbean. How they sponsor an annual Christmas party for families in need, of all colours, in Toronto.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, Lloyd's group will hold its 29th annual fundraising dinner at The Shriners Auditorium, 3100 Keele St., starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50. If you come, I know it will make you feel better about our city, province and country. The evening isn't fancy, but you'll see a room full of people whose better angels are at work. Lloyd can be reached at 905-828-5128 for tickets.

If you can't come, you could make a tax-deductible donation payable to the Independent United Order of Solomon Trust Association, 2420 Coppersmith Court, Mississauga, Ont. L5L 3B5.

I've worked with Lloyd's organization since 1992. I donate to the Order personally and I can assure you every dollar raised goes to charity. Lloyd and his volunteers -- recognized by the Order of Ontario for their good works -- pay all the administrative expenses out of their own pockets.

Years ago, I was conscripted into serving as the evening's permanent master of ceremonies.

My favourite moment will come when I call up Neal Baxter, son of the late Kay Baxter -- Jamaica's dynamic Consul General to Toronto from 1987 to 1992 -- to present the $2,000 scholarship awarded annually in his mother's name, sponsored by Sun Media.

3.99 GRADE AVERAGE

This year's winner, our tenth, is Yuecheng (Jacey) Zhang. Jacey, immigrated to Canada from China five years ago. Today she's a fourth-year computer science student at U of T where she maintains an incredible 3.99 (out of 4) grade-point average. She's modest to a fault and simply a delight.

And when that moment comes Saturday, as I watch the son of a proud Jamaican woman, himself a hard-working and devoted Canadian husband and father, extend a helping hand to a deserving young woman from China, who now calls our country home, I know what I'll be thinking.

I'll be thinking this is the Canada I choose.

Good Description Of The Current Campaign

An Insight Into The 'Jena Six'

Lessons from Jena, La.

By JASON WHITLOCK

Now we love Mychal Bell, the star of the 2006 Jena (La.) High School football team, the teenage boy who has sat in jail since December for his role in a six-on-one beatdown of a fellow student.

Thursday, thousands of us, proud African-Americans, expressed our devotion to and desire to see justice for the “Jena Six,” the half-dozen black students who knocked unconscious, kicked and stomped a white classmate.

Jesse Jackson compared Thursday’s rallies in Jena to the protests and marches that used to take place in cities like Selma, Ala., in the 1960s. Al Sharpton claimed Thursday’s peaceful demonstrations were to highlight racial inequities in the criminal justice system.

Jesse and Al, as they’re prone to do, served a kernel of truth stacked on a mountain of lies.

There are undeniable racial and economic inequities in our criminal justice system, and from afar the “Jena Six” rallies certainly looked and felt like the righteous protests of the 1960s.

But the reality is Thursday’s protests are just another sign that we remain deeply locked in denial about the path we need to travel today for true American liberation, equality and power in the new millennium.

The fact that we waited to love Mychal Bell until after he’d thrown away a Division I football scholarship and nine months of his life is just as heinous as the grossly excessive attempted-murder charges that originally landed him in jail.

Reed Walters, the Jena district attorney, is being accused of racism because he didn’t show Bell compassion when the teenager was brought before the court for the third time on assault charges in a two-year span.

Where was our compassion long before Bell got into this kind of trouble?

That’s the question that needed to be asked in Jena and across the country on Thursday. But it wasn’t asked because everyone has been lied to about what really transpired in the small southern town.

There was no “schoolyard fight” as a result of nooses being hung on a whites-only tree.

Justin Barker, the white victim, was cold-cocked from behind, knocked unconscious and stomped by six black athletes. Barker, luckily, sustained no life-threatening injuries and was released from the hospital three hours after the attack.

A black U.S. attorney, Don Washington, investigated the “Jena Six” case and concluded that the attack on Barker had absolutely nothing to do with the noose-hanging incident three months before. The nooses and two off-campus incidents were tied to Barker’s assault by people wanting to gain sympathy for the “Jena Six” in reaction to Walters’ extreme charges of attempted murder.

Much has been written about Bell’s trial, the six-person all-white jury that convicted him of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and the clueless public defender who called no witnesses and offered no defense. It is rarely mentioned that no black people responded to the jury summonses and that Bell’s public defender was black.

It’s almost never mentioned that Bell’s absentee father returned from Dallas and re-entered his son’s life only after Bell faced attempted-murder charges. At a bond hearing in August, Bell’s father and a parade of local ministers promised a judge that they would supervise Bell if he was released from prison.

Where were the promises and supervision before any of this?

It’s rarely mentioned that Bell was already on probation for assault when he was accused of participating in Barker’s attack. And it’s never mentioned that white people in the “racist” town of Jena provided Bell support and protected his football career long before Jesse, Al, Bell’s father and all the others took a sincere interest in Mychal Bell.

You won’t hear about any of that because it doesn’t fit the picture we want to paint of Jena, this case, America and ourselves.

We don’t practice preventive medicine. Mychal Bell needed us long before he was cuffed and jailed. Here is another undeniable, statistical fact: The best way for a black (or white) father to ensure that his son doesn’t fall victim to a racist prosecutor is by participating in his son’s life on a daily basis.

That fact needed to be shared Thursday in Jena. The constant preaching of that message would short-circuit more potential “Jena Six” cases than attributing random acts of six-on-one violence to three-month-old nooses.

And I am in no way excusing the nooses. The responsible kids should’ve been expelled. A few years after I’d graduated, a similar incident happened at my high school involving our best football player, a future NFL tight end. He was expelled.

The Jena school board foolishly overruled its principal and suspended the kids for three days.

But the kids responsible for Barker’s beating deserve to be punished. The prosecutor needed to be challenged on his excessive charges. And we as black folks need to question ourselves about why too many of us can only get energized to help our young people once they’re in harm’s way.

I’ve been the spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City for six years. Getting black men to volunteer to mentor for just two hours a week to the more than 100 black boys on a waiting list is a yearly crisis. It’s a nationwide crisis for the organization. In Kansas City, we’re lucky if we get 20 black Big Brothers a year.

You don’t want to see any more “Jena Six” cases? Love Mychal Bell before he violently breaks the law.