Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Happy DUE Year

More And More Seniors Making The Same Resolution

Wonder Women Knows How To Get The Juices Flowing..

My friends went to a crazies convention

...and all I got was some lousy pictures to share and mock ;)

This one is down with Zionist Barbarism...hey, me too!

Bolshevik

This one is just inspirational, for me...

Rosemarys baby

After all, Muslim babies are bred to become Muslim murderers. It's curious that pasty white Canadian communists care more about Gazan babies, than the babies' mothers do. Then again, since when do Communists care about babies, at all?

It's all very confusing...

Is John Ray A Little More Pissed About The Left Than Usual


It's the shared hatred of the rest of us that unites Islamists and the Left.

American liberals don't love America. They despise it. All they love is their own fantasy of what America could become. They are false patriots.

The Democratic Party: Con-men elected by the ignorant and the arrogant.

Editorial Cartoonists Saving The Planet...

...by putting forward the five tenents of journalism in a concise manner sparing thousands of innocent trees.

Bears Infected by "Human" Trait

B.C. bears choosing trash over hibernation

The early December cold snap convinced most of B.C.'s black bears to hunker down for a winter nap, but a few stragglers are still foraging for garbage just north and east of Vancouver.

Stephen's Not Alone......

Top 10 political gaffes of the decade

Bush, Obama, Ignatieff, Harper: Mistakes, they’ve made a few...

Copenhagen Is The Parody......

A huffy Canada shuts down 'Yes Men'
Stung by a satire at the Copenhagen climate conference, Canada's government has shut down two parody Web sites criticizing the Great White North's glacial policy on global warming.

Dave Barry....A Glimmer Of Hope In The Asylum

Dave Barry's year in review...

Iggy Moment

Michael Ignatieff, visionary
Posted: December 29, 2009, 11:30 AM by NP Editor
Filed under: Kelly McParland,Canadian politics,Michael Ignatieff

Here's the latest Liberal Party fundraising letter. Am I mistaken, Or is there slightly less Tory-trashing than usual? Maybe I'm just imagining things, or maybe it's the holiday season, previously known as Christmas.

In any case, Michael Ignatieff is now being described as "visionary." Visionary? I can think of lots of words to describe the Liberal leader (and not all of them insulting, despite what you might think), but "visionary" isn't one of them. If he was visionary, he wouldn't need to be holding a big talk-a-thon in Montreal, or endlessly touring the country to find out what Canadians are thinking. He could stay at home in Ottawa and have visions. Like Mackenzie King.

In Canada Origin Is Secondary...

...finding a place in Toronto that serves a decent order is the hard part.

Something else to blame the Jews for

Posted: December 29, 2009, 4:30 PM by NP Editor
Full Comment

Fish and chips.

According to the BBC, Britain's greatest contribution to culinary history is about to celebrate its 150th birthday. Which means fish 'n chips have been around seven years longer than Canada.

The BBC puts its usual investigative zeal into tracking down the origins of the dish, and is especially keen on figuring out who first had the brainwave of putting them together in one spectacular taste delight.

Some credit a northern entrepreneur called John Lees. As early as 1863, it is believed he was selling fish and chips out of a wooden hut at Mossley market in industrial Lancashire. Others claim the first combined fish 'n' chip shop was actually opened by a Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin, within the sound of Bow Bells in East London around 1860.

The Brits take this seriously, folks. There is apparently even a professional organization for purveyors of fish 'n chips, the National Federation of Fish Friers, which has its headquarters in Leeds and offers a three-day course in the proper combining of fried fish with greasy chips. Or not greasy -- your choice. Yum.

National Post
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by RickB
Dec 29 2009
5:12 PM


Plaice with the skin on and -- yes -- greasy chips. I for one am not going to get nostalgic about that version.
by ian_in_langley
Dec 29 2009
5:31 PM


Talk about using a headline to mislead readers...

And FYI Fish & Chips is serious business.. if you live along the water its an integral part of your summer..

Your Torontonians wouldn't understand.. as pollution fed great lakes toilet trout don't make for very good dining..

Its funny that Canadian news paper would knock the BBC for investigating a story.. they spend more time investigating the origins of Fish & Chips than most Canadian media outlets spend investigating any story combined I suspect.

But lets be honest the real motivation for the snarly edge towards the BBC has to do with it not adopting the "Israel can do no harm" stance that Can West has been ordered to follow.
by not_psyco_bob
Dec 29 2009
6:24 PM


Not Jews, Zionists. We blame the Zionists. And Tartars. Evil Zionist Tartars.
by JFJ
Dec 29 2009
7:15 PM


I'm surprised that fish'n chips is Jewish dish, I thought the Fish Friers were members of an obscure Newfoundland monastery.
by jimshort19
Dec 29 2009
7:17 PM


I happen to like fish and chips. So the Jews are to blame for the collapse of the cod fishery. Where will they hit next? I asked the China man at the cash in a Chinese restaurant if there were any Chinese Jews. He said, "No, but we got appoo jews."
by welldoneson
Dec 29 2009
7:26 PM


Are fish and chips kosher?

hmmmm... salt, pepper, ketchup, tartar sauce, and noisy seagulls.

I think I'll eat by the beach tommorrow.
by welldoneson
Dec 29 2009
7:26 PM


... and vinegar. Don't forget the vinegar.
by Sassylassie
Dec 29 2009
8:15 PM


LOL the anti-semites shall never eat fish and chips again, more for the rest of us.
by Sparky28
Dec 29 2009
8:19 PM


not_psyco_bob -- nice one!

And yes, provided the fish is kosher and the oil in which it's fried is kosher (and the cooking utensils have been kashered), fish and chips are kosher.
by Sparky28
Dec 29 2009
8:20 PM


... MALT vinegar!
by ian_in_langley
Dec 29 2009
8:31 PM


Is that what the shroud of turin was? .. What Jews used to wrap their fisn & chips in?

Now its all making sense..
by Rectificatif
Dec 29 2009
9:20 PM


The 100-year-old decline of the British: what else can you blame it on, if not English cooking?

If fish & chips were indeed invented by a Jew, it was only to provide clients for Jewish doctors.

Bon appétit!
by andersm
Dec 29 2009
9:21 PM


@jimshort19: good one! Thanks for the laugh.
by Smokey4531
Dec 29 2009
9:43 PM


Fish and chips could only be invented by one nation China. They had been cooking fish in their woks for about five thousand years, give or take; the potatoes came with their wars with Russia. Heck barbarians like to eat Causac food if it tastes good. As for England discovering such a dish like this on their own, I doubt it. Anti Semitic has very little to do with this, it’s more like anti Asian doctrine, but who really cares? Fish and Chips taste pretty good, they are just really bad for your health. They are a real heart stopper, no matter where you came from. It is the lard in conjunction with the starch that is evil.
by commentaddict
Dec 30 2009
2:54 AM


Jewish doctors - well of course! It's in the intelligence, you know. No, I guess you wouldn't know:):):):):)


Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/12/29/something-else-to-blame-the-jews-for.aspx#ixzz0bAPzKr7x
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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

It IS 3 Am. Pickup The Phone...


A Break From The Ever Maddening World Around Us


fascinating people of 2009 in response to baba wawa.
Dr Roy's Thoughts |

On The Streets Of Toronto, In The Lineups At Pearson...

...it is a necessary evil.

Yes, I am in favour of racial profiling.

The string of terrorist attacks, both attempted and successful, that we have seen over the past decade should tell us all one thing: the terrorists are Muslim.So, yes, we should have racial profiling.If it were Jews who were doing the bombing, I would still be in favour of the racial profiling, and would tell other Jews to suck it up. A bad apple will ruin the whole cart.The use of racial profi...

The Raging Tory |

How's that workin' out for ya?"Two of the four leaders allegedly behind the al Qaeda plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines passenger jet over Detroit were released by the U.S. from the Guantanamo prison in November, 2007."•

halls of macadamia

Open thread: Obama’s statement on the Christmas Day jihadi attack; Perfunctory, hasty, and bloodless

December 28, 2009 02:50 PM by Michelle Malkin

103 Comments | 2 Trackbacks

Iggy Moment


Iffy, er, predictably iffy on election talk
Lib 'raconteur' MacEachern disappointed by party's iffy '09
MP Martin: Iffy made mistakes ...
Spector: Iffy smells the coffee

Taber: Pmo mocks Iffy ...

Look At How Well Harper Has Done

Does a majority always rule?

Goldstein:

Or is a minority Parliament the most effective way to govern Canada?
Is Canada's government minority mediocrity or right in the middle, where it should be? Columnists Brian MacLeod and Lorrie Goldstein slug it out.

MORE...

A Chip Off The Ol' Block

Trudeau poised to lead a Canadian youth movement

L.Martin:

Here’s what we need in 2010 —the youth to take over. Everybody is sick and tired, or at least they should be, of the eternal grip on power of the post-war baby boomer cohort.

MORE...

Dumpster Diving Becomes Fashionable

eCycler modern recycling: swap and recycle for profit

For some, the knowledge of doing environmental good isn’t enough motivation to go green. Money talks, and has inspired the creation of programs like eCycler to reduce the amount of waste in landfills.

eCycler is an online recycling swap that ensures the convenience of recycling is brought to communities where curb side pickup isn’t always sufficient.
Those with recyclables to get rid of, whether they’re glass bottles or old computer ink cartridges, advertise their need for pickup on the website. Collectors then search eCycler and decide to pick up individuals’ recyclables and bring them to local facilities that accept those materials.
In exchange for their efforts, eCycler’s collectors keep the profits from deposits on bottles and cans. Essentially, it’s the modern day version of garbage pickers who cash in after hunting for deposit recyclables.
eCycler’s services are mutually beneficial to the environment and to those in financial need, so they aid two global social issues.
Some may not agree with financially motivating individuals to become more eco-conscious, but the effectiveness is undeniable. Where do you stand?

I Don't Buy Conflict Diamonds...

...because I can't afford them but now I have to ensure I am not breaking the law when I buy that patio chair at WalMart?

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch.....

'The terrorists don't have to blow us out of the sky to assume a win'

Editors pick readers' most insightful online comments
Kelly McParland: Thanks mad bomber. Thanks a lot.
Posted: December 28, 2009, 9:23 AM by NP Editor
Filed under: Full Comment,Kelly McParland

Predictably, the reaction of security authorities to the Nigerian man who attempted to blow up a passenger plan landing in Detroit (we're just going to dispense with the "allegedlys" here, if you don't mind) is to make life as miserable as possible for all the people who didn't try to blow up a plane on Christmas morning.

They missed a guy from Nigeria, who was so radicalized that his own father grew frightened about his intentions and notified U.S. authorities. So everyone else has to suffer: old ladies, mothers with babies, students, families on their way to a holiday. Wailing kids are forced to stand around uselessly in a mob of frustrated travellers in a boring airport just so the security people can make a show of how careful they're being, just in case that grandfather from Bute turns out to be an Al-Qaeda mad bomber in disguise. Folks are needlessly humiliated, forced to pry open their bags on the airport floor, dragging out their carefully packed clothes and toiletries, jamming stuff from one suitcase into another to please the new, arbitrary regulations adopted in a panic by a security apparatus in a high state of embarrassment.

David Asper: Learn a lesson from Israel on airport security

You Does The Crime You SHOULD Do The Time...

Courts falling short on effort to keep natives out of jail

Your Children, Grandchildren, Etc. Will Be Members Also

Get ready for Generation T

We're largely familiar with Generation X and Generation Y. But perhaps it is time to brace for the emergence of another generation in the United States...

OMG, how obsolete am I?

The problem with trying to sound like you're still with it is that you're bound to make an idiot of yourself

Sunday, December 27, 2009

New Years Resolution For 2010, 2011, 2020, 2030. 2040....

Should The Headline Note Read NDP HOLIDAY Party

Look who crashed the NDP Christmas party
by Mitchel Raphael on Thursday, December 24, 2009 12:11pm - 4 Comments

The Customer Isn't Always Right...But It Is A Two Way Street

How to get on a restaurant’s hit list

Think no one’s noticed you routinely send back the wine? Or that you filched the pepper grinder? Think again.

by Anne Kingston on Friday, December 18, 2009 12:30pm - 63 Comments

How to get on a restaurant's hit list

To The Ramparts..To The Ramparts....

The Reality Of Silence By Bono, Et Al

Young, armed and deadly

For the past decade, the U.N. has tried to help the millions of child caught in conflict. What has the effort accomplished?


Margolis Right On The Money...AGAIN

Kudos for 'stuffy' Canada

Margolis: fter a brutal year around the globe, our fiscally cautious ways have finally paid off. Some things we learned in 2009: The global recession that began in America in 2008 was triggered by run amok speculation, failure of government.. MORE...

A Quandry.....

Lost in the Canadian leadership vacuum
Looking ahead to 2010, Canada's political leadership scene is as bleak as a January landscape. Canadians are desperate for big ideas about how to make our country and our cities dynamic and exciting, but all we have for leaders is a group of pipsqueaks and bullies.

....this is not an answer

T.Axworthy:Redefining Canada's Liberal party Liberalism is an old faith, defined succinctly at its origins in the 18th century battle cry of the French Revolution, "liberté, égalité, fraternité." MORE...

Join The Maddening Crowd....

OMG, how obsolete am I?

Margaret Wente

...and look at who we are leaving in charge


Your Grandchildren And Their Children's Children will Bear The Brunt Of Our "Successes"

Ten years that shook, rattled, rolled and helped repair the world

We worried about tumult but stability came and major blows were struck against hunger, ignorance and want. Doug Saunders argues it was all worth it

Can't, Or Refuse To, See The Forest For The Trees...

National Post editorial board: Put Ottawa on a diet
Posted: December 26, 2009, 8:30 AM by NP Editor
Filed under: Editorial,Canadian politics

Ah, Boxing Day. A time to look at the excesses of the past year and begin drawing up some resolutions of the coming one. Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has resolved to make Ottawa trimmer in 2010, which is a good thing. If the federal government were a person, it would be a prime candidate to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser.

The federal government is beyond huge. It’s morbidly obese. What’s more, its waistline is out of control.

...cities are suffering from the same obesity and Toronto is a prime example.

National Post editorial board: Put Ottawa on a diet

Posted: December 26, 2009, 8:30 AM by NP Editor
Filed under: Editorial,Canadian politics

Ah, Boxing Day. A time to look at the excesses of the past year and begin drawing up some resolutions of the coming one. Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has resolved to make Ottawa trimmer in 2010, which is a good thing. If the federal government were a person, it would be a prime candidate to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser.

The federal government is beyond huge. It’s morbidly obese. What’s more, its waistline is out of control.

Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/default.aspx#ixzz0atCp5v5D



  • National Post editorial board: Put Ottawa on a diet

    Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009
    Ah, Boxing Day. A time to look at the excesses of the past year and begin drawing up some resolutions of the coming one. Federal Finance...

  • National Post editorial board: Put Ottawa on a diet

    Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009
    Ah, Boxing Day. A time to look at the excesses of the past year and begin drawing up some resolutions of the coming one. Federal Finance...

  • Good Old O N T A R I O

    Tax hike in all but name: Critics

    Last Updated: 27th December 2009, 6:02am

    It's a kissing cousin to a tax increase but it's gone largely unnoticed by Ontarians fixated on the much larger harmonized sales tax barrelling their way.

    On page 116 of the 2009 Ontario budget under the heading "Other Changes" is an adjustment to the Ontario Surtax Thresholds -- described by the government as a necessary measure "to maintain the progressivity of the income tax system by providing a more proportionate distribution of benefits to taxpayers."

    What it really is, says Kevin Gaudet of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, is a tax hike in all but name.

    "I would say it's been completely overlooked by everybody to a great extent," he said. "It's, in effect, a tax increase in the top two tax brackets."

    Ontario levies a 20% and 36% surtax on so-called "high earners".

    As of Jan. 1, the Basic Ontario Tax threshold is dropping by $279 for both surtaxes.

    That means people who are in those tax brackets will be paying the surcharge on more of their income.

    While Gaudet said it's not a large amount of added tax, it does go some way to mitigate the one percentage point drop in the first tax rate that the Dalton McGuinty government has been touting as a salve for the HST.

    The Ontario government has said its tax package includes $10.6 billion in tax relief, much of it in a one-time HST rebate for lower- and middle-income earners.

    There's also enhanced property tax credits and sales tax credits for that same group.

    ANTONELLA.ARTUSO@SUNMEDIA.CA

    Reality

    Miller defends his legacy

    Torontonians may remember 2009 as the year of the strike.

    Who wants that job?

    Who has the mettle to run for Toronto's top job?


    City election: Pay attention

    A few days from now -- on Jan. 4 -- candidates running in the 2010 municipal election will be able to officially kick off their campaigns.

    Saturday, December 26, 2009

    A Simple Merry Xmas Would Have Been Better BUT...


    ...it would not have been politically correct in our diversified country.

    Hey! If It Works Don't Knock It

    The Path Of Understanding

    Holiday Greetings

    To All My Liberal Friends:
    Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

    To All My Conservative Friends:
    MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    Going Green

    Beth Hodgson

    Environmental fashion: The higher the CO2 levels, the prettier the dress becomes.

    The Day After.....

    Strolling Berlin's Christmas markets

    German Christmas markets have yet to make it to the U.S. like other traditions.

    8 wacky holiday traditions

    Move Over Tiger!



    Charlie Sheen spends Christmas in Aspen jail

    Hudgens sues over nude mobile pics ...
    Gene Simmons sued over alleged attack
    Nic Cage sued for 2nd time this month

    Dick Smythe Pricks Our Balloon

    Saving The Planet Posted 12/23/2009 7:51:00 AM

    Oh, here we go again. Saving the planet. As though what we do will matter in the least. The planet will do just fine thank you. Even if the seas turn to acid and the air to poison, the planet in time will purge and heal itself.
    What we're really talking about is saving ourselves. The human race may well indeed wipe itself out with pollution or war but the planet will be fine. It may take eons for it to cleanse itself of the last traces of our presence but time means nothing in that context, we don't have much time. The planet has plenty.
    Not very flattering but we humans are but pesky parasites on the planet. A nasty itch, a short term infestation. I minor irritation in the larger scale of things. We're like fleas on a dog,worrying about saving the dog. In time millenia maybe a ...

    [ Read full post ]

    Will 20 Seconds Change Your Life?

    It’s official: Women worse at parking than men, study shows

    By David Menzies

    As news goes, it’s about as earth-shattering as declaring that the Pope is Catholic or that there’s an excess of saltwater in the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, a new study has revealed that women are worse at parking than men. (In case anyone thinks the fix is in, the scientist in charge of the study is female.)

    The details: not only do women drivers typically take an average of 20 seconds longer to park their cars, but they still manage to do a poor job as they’re less likely to end up in the middle of the parking space compared to their male counterparts.

    Read more HERE.


    The Decade Reality Check



    Is The North American ENCORE Concept Any Sillier?

    Jeremy Stahl: Nordic quack
    Posted: December 24, 2009, 11:00 AM by NP Editor

    Three years ago, I went to Sweden with my then-girlfriend (now-wife), to meet her family and celebrate my first Christmas. As an only partially-lapsed Jew, I was not well-versed in Christmas traditions and I was completely ignorant of Swedish customs and culture. So I was prepared for surprises. I was not prepared for this: Every year on Dec. 24 at 3 p.m., half of Sweden sits down in front of the television for a family viewing of the 1958 Walt Disney Presents Christmas special, From All of Us to All of You. Or, as it is known in Sverige, Kalle Anka och hans vanner onskar God Jul: “Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas.”

    Kalle Anka, for short, has been airing without commercial interruption at the same time on Sweden’s main public-television channel, TV1, on Christmas Eve (when Swedes traditionally celebrate the holiday) since 1959. The show consists of Jiminy Cricket presenting about a dozen Disney cartoons from the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, only a couple of which have anything to do with Christmas. There are clips from films like Cinderella and The Jungle Book and “Silly Symphonies” shorts. The special is pretty much the same every year, except for the live introduction by a host who plays the role of Walt Disney (from the original Walt Disney Presents series) and the annual addition of one new snippet from the latest Disney-produced movie, which TV1’s parent network, SVT, is contractually obligated by Disney to air.

    1 In 3 Kids Won't Get A Chance To Play In Future Championships...


    ...amd corporations like Canadian Tire should be commended for trying to reduce those numbers.

    Carol Wilding And Kevin Gaudet Are On The Right Track.

    *Let elected officials know you are watching them by contacting them at Silly Hall and their offices.

    *Get out and challange the candidates at campaign meetings.

    *Get out and vote and encourage all family members, neighbors and friends to do so.

    Top Thinkers: 10 fresh ideas for Toronto in 2010

    Updated: Fri Dec. 25 2009 7:49:00 AM

    Sandie Benitah, ctvtoronto.ca

    The New Year is almost upon us and 2010 promises to bring many changes to Toronto.

    With a municipal election set for November and an economy that is struggling to recover after a deep recession, there are many challenges ahead. But perhaps more importantly, there is also an immense opportunity for renewal.

    Here are 10 ideas to renew Toronto from some of the city's top stakeholders:

    1. Expanded Transportation

    David Miller, mayor of Toronto

    Toronto is an amazingly vibrant, culturally rich and liveable city but the one thing it needs to prosper now and into the future is an expanded public transit system. Fortunately, we are about to break ground on the first of four lines of our Transit City light rail plan with billions of dollars of support from the provincial and federal governments. This is the single largest investment in public transit in Toronto and will, when completed, not only bring much needed quick and reliable transit to all parts of the city, it will mean reduced gridlock and cleaner air as drivers will have real alternatives to the car. It's what Torontonians need and deserve, it's what the business community wants and it's going to be a reality within a few years.

    2. Cut city spending

    Kevin Gaudet, Canadian Taxpayer Federation

    The largest issue facing the city of Toronto is that it has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Here are a few things the city may do to reduce spending:

    • Bring staff salaries in-line with the private sector
    • Contract out services wherever possible, i.e. garbage collection.
    • Use public/private partnerships for capital projects like the new Union Station deal.
    • Sell surplus land and assets like golf courses.
    • Convert services to user fees, like water billing.
    • Use volunteers for the delivery of city services. (Handing out cigarettes and liquor to homeless should end or be done by volunteers)
    • Re-focus on core services -- greening the planet and owning theatres is not Toronto's job.
    • Raise revenues for services through sponsorship activities

    If these measures were put in place the city would save billions of dollars and save taxpayers from the large tax hikes that have been forced upon them.

    3. Community-school partnerships

    Annie Kidder, People for Education

    One way to renew Toronto is by building stronger links between our city and our schools. We have to think of schools as assets that affect families and children, and not just through education. Every neighbourhood has a local school that can become a true hub of the community, with a rich variety of programs. Community agencies and public health offices could be located in our schools, sharing costs and helping to fill empty space created through declining enrollment. There could be a local coordination office with representatives from different groups, including schools, public health, and housing; and staff positions at schools to foster school-community links. Everyone should feel that the school down the street is a place to find the support that they need. The school board and the city, by working together, can make better use of the rich resources within Toronto's schools, and provide accessible support for the families who live here.

    4. Create communities with new real estate

    Tom Lebour, president Toronto Real Estate Board

    Toronto is a made up of many diverse communities and neighbourhoods and this is definitely a strength for the GTA. Toronto should build on this by supporting real estate developments that help establish a sense of community and neighbourhood pride.

    Many areas within the GTA have developed a brand of their own, areas such as the Harbourfront, CorkTown, and Liberty Village etc. These developments speak to a homeowner's lifestyle as well as their personality. Where you live can say a lot about you. Having a diverse real estate selection in the GTA will open doors for consumers looking to achieve the Canadian dream of homeownership. When there is something for everyone you increase the appeal of homeownership to those that otherwise may not have even considered making a move into long-term investing.

    5. Civic engagement and business pride

    Carol Wilding, Toronto Board of Trade

    Vote: Next October, Torontonians will elect a new mayor. And yet, typically, only 4 of every 10 Torontonians bothers to cast a ballot. We all have ideas to make this great city even better. The best way to turn those ideas into action is to exercise our democratic rights at the polls and vote for the candidates who stand for a better, more prosperous Toronto.

    Become a world-renowned business hub: Toronto is a world leader in financial services, information technology and cultural industries - yet the city is still not world-renowned. In short, Toronto is one of the global economy's best-kept secrets. On June 26 and 27 the leaders of the world's 20 most powerful economies will meet in Toronto for the G20 Summit. Those two days in the global spotlight are Toronto's chance to show the world's economic leaders what this city can do - and to burnish our global reputation as one of the world's leading cities for business. Let's make the most of the opportunity.

    6. Extend entertainment hours

    Charles Khabouth, Owner Ink Entertainment group of nightclubs

    One thing that will help renew Toronto is for us to take a cue from many international markets like Europe by adjusting our nightlife and food and beverage offerings and extending dining and drinking hours. By standardizing late-night dining and extending the drinking hours even just one hour longer, there is an opportunity to vitalize Toronto. All cosmopolitan cities are alive well into the evening -- and it's because there are dining options and entertainment options available. Right now if you leave work at 9 p.m., it's difficult to find a place that's still serving dinner and if there is a place that is, chances are people don't know about it because it's such a rarity. If late night dining was a constant, we'd see a huge influx of business and also a greater turnover. Tourism, small businesses and consumption would thrive. (Regarding Toronto's 2 a.m. last-call policy) we might also see a decline in drinking issues when the bars let out because people wouldn't be rushing to get their drinking in before the deadline, but rather pace their consumption over a longer period.

    7. Exercise sportsmanship

    Michael "Pinball" Clemons, Toronto Argonauts Vice Chairman

    We enjoy one of the most beautiful, multicultural, safe, desirable and opportunity-laden cities in the world. But without a doubt, the #1 reason Diane and I chose to make Toronto home is its citizens. I love Torontonians and truly believe that nothing speaks to beauty, hospitality, fun and vitality like a warm smile, an open door, a good deed or a pat on the back. We don't need to change Toronto, just refresh ourselves a bit. So Toronto, smile a little more, hold the door, make a new friend and give directions... and not just to tourists. When we make the opportunity to love and care for each other, every day feels more like a holiday. So help give Toronto a facelift by smiling at the next person you see.

    8. Architectural activism

    Anna Simone, designer, HGTV host and co-founder of the Pug awards for architecture

    When it comes to architecture, first and foremost, we have to increase awareness in everyone -- it's not just about the design savvy because we all live in this city. We all have to be invested in keeping our city beautiful. The Pug awards are in their sixth year and the votership has increased tremendously. As part of the Pug-Ed program, we give bursaries to a student in Grade 7 and 8 who has demonstrated an awareness of the issues and obstacles of design and architecture and who have come up with a plan to enhance our city. It's not just about architecture but also landscaping and parks because the infrastructure is there for us to enjoy it. We should encourage developers to make parks part of developments and not just an afterthought. Architectural teams have to become accountable.

    9. Keep a healthy perspective on crime

    Bill Blair, Toronto's chief of police

    Crime in Toronto has been declining steadily for four years, as a result of our TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy) program. Our approach of targeted, high-profile enforcement, combined with community outreach and mobilization, has resulted in engaged communities working closely and effectively with us. This continues to make Toronto one of the safest big cities in North America. Yet, whenever crime statistics are published, Torontonians seem surprised at how safe their city is, particularly compared with the rest of Canada. Mistaken perceptions of public safety can mean that residents restrict their activities unecessarily and may not use public spaces to their fullest. We must continue our efforts to ensure people in Toronto feel as safe as they are.

    10. Embrace diversity as an asset to tourism

    David Whitaker, Tourism Toronto president and CEO

    Focus more on what lifts and unites us rather than what ails us or divides us.

    In a city as diverse as Toronto, our diversity can be both our greatest asset and our greatest challenge. But inherent in diversity is a rich mosaic of talent and experiences in which we can tap in to both as a community to live, work and play - but also a community vibrant and stimulating to visit.

    Far too often, we are all quick to draw our lines in the sand, stake out our comfortable positions or simply provide the fodder for the loyal opposition. Not that this is unimportant or unnecessary (and a wonderfully democratic exercise), but we have to ask ourselves do we find the same energy being invested in seeking and nurturing our rightful place as a truly thriving and vibrant city. May 2010 be a year where we acknowledge more of all that we have as we seek to harness the vast opportunities we are truly blessed with.

    Thursday, December 24, 2009

    Better Late Than Never

    He Will Be Gone But His Gift Won't

    Will It Ever End

    Hewlett Packard Computer Doesn’t Work For Black Folks

    This is incredibly funny. I like how Desi has a good sense of humour about all of it.

    Enemy Of The Environment

    First They Came For Your SUV, Now They Are Coming For Your Dog

    Apparently the carbon footprint of a dog is double that of an SUV. These people are just anti-life.

    The Good, The Bad, The....

    More

    City Accomplishments

    City scene
    The year in review

    A mass moonwalk at Yonge-Dundas Square is among the spontaneous acts that ripple across the globe marking the death of the King of Pop.

    Soaked and stoked. Not even a deluge resembling Noah’s flood could keep pro-pot enthusiasts from turning out by the dozens for the annual 420 march for marijuana.

    E-bikes are officially sanctioned by the province to use bike lanes. Deep divisions within the bike community.

    Queen West bookworm mainstay Pages announces it’s closing shop.

    Former attorney general Michael Bryant is charged with criminal negligence causing death after a fatal run-in with cyclist Darcy Allan Sheppard.

    Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives celebrates its move to a new home on Isabella.

    Dionne Brand, wordsmith extraordinaire, is named Toronto’s poet laureate.

    Toronto is selected as host city for World Pride 2014.

    Photo by Chris Higgs

    Tamils protesting the war back home take over the Gardiner.

    Left Lists Accomplishments Of Clown Council

    Council highs and lows
    The year in review

    The city imposes a one-year moratorium on new bars on Ossington between Dundas and Queen.

    VoteToronto.ca releases its tome on political donations. The biggest corporate suck-ups? The self-styled defenders of “the little guy”: Frances Nunziata, Giorgio Mammoliti, Case Ootes, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Rob Ford and Peter Milczyn.

    Sun City Hall columnist Sue-Ann Levy goes down in flames in the St. Paul’s by-election. So much for the great right hope.

    The city unveils its plan for ethnic food carts to much fanfare. The fare turns out to be just fair, too.

    David Miller wins a vote to freeze non-union civic workers’ wages.

    Council’s plan to remove the centre lane from Jarvis passes after raucous debate and charges by right-wing councillors of a “war against cars.”

    City passes new green roof bylaw.

    City council gives its blessing to the province’s planned extension of the Yonge line into York Region, despite the fact that ridership is already at capacity on the line.

    The Toronto Environmental Alliance and Environmental Defence float a proposal to make the Humber and Don part of Ontario’s Greenbelt. It makes green sense.

    Milti-Culturalism, Diversity, Pluralism, (add your buzzword)

    • Diversity by another name
      Jason Kenney is the federal minister in charge of Canada's multiculturalism. But for the last couple of years, he's been wondering whether "pluralism" might be a better word to describe this country's cultural diversity.
    • Bev Oda cut off KAIROS funding
      Jason Kenney: Your twin accusations that I accused the advocacy group KAIROS of anti-Semitism and that this is why the Canada International Development Agency did not approve a cost-sharing program with the group are false.
    KAIROS clash sends message to foreign aid groups: Toe government ...‎ -
    KAIROS is a social justice group made up of 11 Christian churches and faith-based organizations

    Another 10s List But Endearing?

    Lite Reading With The Egg Nog

    Canice Leung
    24 December 2009 12:28

    If you needed any proof that feminism is necessary, all you need to do is look to this year’s newsmakers. My feminist heroes for 2009 defended and expanded our ideas of what women can be, while the villains tried to scale them back:

    Lady Gaga: There’s a savvy woman behind the latex bodysuits and comically oversized sunglasses: Gaga takes her persona to an extreme because she recognizes it is constructed, and she criticizes double standards between female and male musicians (being open about sex undermines her music, while his exploits heighten his). And can you remember the last time a pop star used the F-word? Lady G called a Los Angeles Times writer “a little bit of a feminist, like I am,” adding, “women need and want someone to look up to that they feel have the full sense of who they are.”

    Rihanna: Speaking of singers, here’s one that reluctantly championed women’s rights. After being beaten by Chris Brown, Rihanna was silent about the whole ordeal until this fall, when she says she realized her fame afforded her a voice to educate women on domestic abuse.

    Neda Agha-Soltan: During the disputed Iranian election, Neda was on her way to a pro-reform rally June 20 when a sniper allegedly shot and killed her. The haunting video of her last moments galvanized protesters and lent a face to the thousands shouting to make their votes count. Since the crackdown, the government has harassed and arrested prominent activists — women’s rights organizers and Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi among them.

    Stephen Harper: In recent years, the prime minister has killed funding for advocacy groups and ideologically neutered Status of Women Canada (a federal policy organization charged with improving the lives of women) by removing the essential “equality” part from its mandate. This September, Harper crowed about cuts to the Court Challenges Program, which financially assists people mounting constitutional court challenges — and called the people that used that funding a “left-wing fringe group.”

    VANOC: It started when a group of female ski jumpers challenged VANOC’s decision to exclude their event at the 2010 Games, but ended Tuesday when the Supreme Court refused to hear their case. Sadly, it’s neither the first nor last Olympics-related trampling of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms — the city of Vancouver ordered the removal of an anti-Olympic mural, while VANOC demanded a local restaurant named Olympia change its moniker. The heroines in all this are the athletes — some are teenagers fighting for women’s rights, while at that age I was busy popping zits and moping.

    Finally! Tiger Gets A Break

    I'm Sure Kelly Is Trying To Make A Point...

    ...but I am at a loss to know what it may be.

    Escape from Ireland

    Posted: December 23, 2009, 10:30 AM by NP Editor

    Imagine growing up in a country where:

    Your father is diddling you

    The local priests are molesting you

    The British are shooting at you

    I'm beginning to think the potato famine was God's way of doing me a big favour.

    Kelly McParland
    National Post

    Comments (20)

    Hey Bob! Explain To Me Where The Annual $6B+ Goes...

    ...plus the millions in casino profits and land claim and royalty payments. And let's not forget the profits from cigarette sales. According to accounts in MSM very little goes to housing, health care, education, etc.

    Bob Goulais: No padding to First Nations paycheques
    Posted: December 23, 2009, 2:45 PM by NP Editor

    Re: Aboriginal politicians' padded paycheques

    The grass is always greener on the other side. I wish my new Palm Pre ran WindowsCE and had the same apps as my old Treo Pro. I wish my hair was long and straight rather than curly. But do we really wish we could be the Chief of Peguis First Nation and make $174,230 tax free? There are many people wish they could be an Indian and have everything tax free, free education and free housing.

    Sorry to dispel these contemporary stereotypes. Nothing is free in the world, it all requires hard work. Most of us don't get free housing or free money. There are very few who benefit from the right to tax exemption - they must live and work on-reserve. The majority of us, like you, pay taxes. And very few First Nations students are "sponsored". We get student loans like everyone else.

    I'M SORRY! I Will Stop Immediately...

    ...I didn't realize, according to experts, that my giving; dropping something in the kettle, adding a couple of $$ to my shopping bill for food banks/kids sports, etc., was creating trauma for the recipients. BTW screw the experts...I will continueto give as long as I am able.

    Selfish giving: Charity's dark side

    Handouts may be used for donors' gratification or may shame the needy.

    Related:

    About Me

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    I lean to the right but I still have a heart and if I have a mission it is to respond to attacks on people not available to protect themselves and to point out the hypocrisy of the left at every opportunity.MY MAJOR GOAL IS HIGHLIGHT THE HYPOCRISY AND STUPIDITY OF THE LEFTISTS ON TORONTO CITY COUNCIL. Last word: In the final analysis this blog is a relief valve for my rants/raves.

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