Tom and Meredith Brokaw, at around 1 p.m. today, were in a three vehicle accident on the Bruckner Expressway. The Brokaws were in the far left lane when they noticed a spool of cable bouncing along the far right lane. Just then, a green SUV in the right lane came up fast and tried to avoid the cable. The driver lost control of her vehicle and slid into the middle lane, forcing a mail truck into the Brokaw lane of traffic. Tom hit the brakes hard and skidded along the median. When the mail truck catapulted the median the Brokaw vehicle slid into it. Neither Tom nor Meredith were injured but tragically the driver of the SUV was thrown from her vehicle and killed. The postal truck crashed into a dividing barrier. The woman driving the SUV was thrown from her vehicle as it flipped over several times. She landed on the tracks under the Willis Avenue Bridge and was killed, officials said.
Click On Links: Child Dies In House Fire, Aunt Concerned About Her Food Stamps Fort Hood Shooting; 12 Dead, 31 Injured Obama And Baghdad Suicide Bombers Taliban Attack Iraq Car Bombing Kill 147, Wound Over 700 Six Bomb Blasts In Baghdad Kills 95 Wound 536 Peshawar Car Bomb Kills 91 Michelle Obama Chimp Image On Google Michelle Obama Called Ghetto Girl Michelle Obamas Weight Problem The Race Card Russia Train Crash Bomb Kills 26
It snowed this morning. It was a light dusting, but it was the kind of stuff where you could easily slip and bite it if the spot was slick. It’s finally winter cold now too. Up until about a week and a half ago, it was a cold wind blowing. It’s almost Minnesota cold. If you have never experienced it, you have no idea what that cold is like (unless you live some where like Alaska or Canada).
I think the general public outside of Minnesota or surrounding states assume it’s winter in Minnesota for about eight months. But they’re wrong. It’s only five at the most and only two of those are really ever that bad. I’ve heard it said Minnesotan’s live longer, in part, because of the weather here. Who wouldn’t want that? Personally, I just think the rest of the country is soft. Any athlete complaining about the weather when YOU’RE BEING PAID MILLIONS to play a sport, hardly a real job, should shut the hell up. If you gave me a million dollars, I would sit outside for four hours a day in some cold po-dunk part of Alaska or Canada just for the hell of it, or because I was being paid millions of dollars.
Anyway. School is still severely limiting, basically killing, any time I might have to write anything fun.
OTTAWA — The federal government released almost 200 pages of heavily censored documents about Afghanistan detainees on Wednesday, prompting critics to assert that the excessive secrecy highlights the need for a public inquiry.
“What we’ve seen from this government is a whole lot of redaction, in other words blacked out documents,” charged Paul Dewar, NDP foreign affairs critic. “It’s like reading tea leaves.”
Dewar produced his own document, obtained through an access to information request, showing that the government had blacked out a reference to torture in a 2006 report from its own Foreign Affairs bureaucrats on the state of human rights in Afghanistan.
The original, unedited, document, which was leaked to the media in 2007, concluded that “extrajudicial executions, disappearances, torture and detention without trial are all too common.”
“This is precisely why Canadians can’t trust any documents with redactions from this government,” said Dewar.
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association joined calls for a judicial inquiry. The association’s litigation director, Grace Pastine, said that the “heavily, heavily redacted” federal reports shed little light on what the government knew about allegations that Taliban insurgents were abused after Canadian troops handed the captives over to Afghan control.
The government released the documents Wednesday to a special House of Commons committee on Afghanistan, which requested them two weeks ago to support allegations from senior bureaucrat Richard Colvin that his superiors in Ottawa and Afghanistan turned a blind eye to his allegations in 2006 that detainees were tortured in Afghan jails.
Colleen Swords, who was an assistant deputy minister during Colvin’s 17-month stint in Afghanistan, refuted Colvin’s allegations that he persistently warned her and other government officials about torture. Colvin fingered Swords in particular, saying that she told him to use the phone instead of putting his concerns in writing.
Swords appeared before the committee one week after three military generals and a former deputy foreign minister, David Mulroney, dismissed Colvin’s allegations as untrue.
In Beijing, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters he has no intention of calling a public inquiry.
“The government of Canada has taken all necessary actions in all instances where there is proof of abuse of Afghan prisoners,” Harper said. “I think the opposition has nothing to do when it is talking about something that happened three years ago.”
As the government released its redacted documents, the head of the Military Police Complaints Commission, Peter Tinsley, permitted the release of material the government had provided to the commission, which is conducting a probe into the role of the military police in transferring detainees.
Tinsley concluded that the government has leaked so many of the documents to the media that the records should be publicly released to protect Colvin’s reputation from being impugned.
Colvin is one of almost two dozen witnesses who have been called to testify at the commission but the government has been trying to block them, citing national security concerns. The Commons committee began public hearings last month after the commission puts its probe on hold, saying it cannot proceed because it has been stonewalled by the government.
The newly released reports confirm Colvin’s contention that the International Committee of the Red Cross, the humanitarian organization responsible for monitoring the human-rights situation in Afghanistan, repeatedly raised red flags in 2006 over Canada handing over detainees without an adequate process in place to keep track of them.
One year later, in the spring of 2007, the government strengthened its transfer-of-prisoners arrangement with Afghanistan to ensure followup and prison monitoring.
Meanwhile, newly released documents show Red Cross officials complained in May and September 2006 that the Canadian military was refusing to provide basic information about Afghans it was holding captive, hampering the international organization’s efforts to keep track of prisoners.
The heavily censored records, released late Wednesday by the government, provide a glimpse into how federal bureaucrats and military officers, both in Ottawa and Afghanistan, were dealing with individuals being detained by Canadian troops in Kandahar.
“Because of inadequate information collection and occasional reporting delays, the (censored from documents) office is losing track of some Afghan detainees,” a May 26, 2006, e-mail sent by Colvin and circulated to various officials in Foreign Affairs and the Defence Department, pointed out.
“Efforts to resolve these problems to date have not been successful. (Organization name censored from document) ‘very much taken aback’ by the lack of co-operation from Cdn military in theatre.”
The e-mail was also sent to the office of then Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay.
The e-mail pointed out the Red Cross was concerned it was taking as long as two months before the Canadian military was providing notification that a person had been detained. “And a lot can happen in two months,” it added.
With files from David Akin and David Pugliese, Canwest News Service and Ottawa Citizen Video at the Source. Source
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I smell a cover up. Harper is not to be trusted to many times he has gone behind Canadians backs to make backroom deals.
Like “The Canadian and Israel Public Security Agreement”
Want to know about Israels terrorist activities check HERE.
It’s a rather long list including using Mossad using Canadian passports in an assasinsination attempt.
Harper is also trying to remove Freedom of Speech from Canadians.
So if any Canadians drop by or you know any please send them the link of the Post Below. There is a Petition as well as Gov. MP Contact info and information.
The Government has gone so far as to ban a British MP from entering Canada because he supported those in Gaza. Absolutely Appalling.
Israel: Attempting to take away Canadians Freedom of Speech
A most successful celebration at the Windsor Hotel- Rev Mr. Barclay delivers an eloquent address upon Burns- Speeches by the President, Mayor Beaugrand and others- the musical programme
The falling snow last night did not check the enthusiasm of the Scottish citizens and their friends, and the celebration of Burns’ anniversary, arranged by the Caledonian Society, proved a success in every way. Those entrusted with the arrangements this year made quite a departure from the usual style of celebration by combining a concert and at home, and an informal dance, and their efforts were rewarded with all the success due to their untiring exertions. The meeting was held in the Windsor Hotel, and for some time before the commencement, the rotunda was gay with arriving guests, who gradually made their way to the large dining room. Precisely at 8 o’clock the sound of the bagpipes announced the approach of the President and guests, who at once took their places on the platform. The President, Lieut-Col Stevenson, wore the full Highland costume, and was supported by Mayor Beaugrand, Ald Stroud, President of St George’s Society; Mr D Barry, President of St Patrick’s Society; Mr Wm Hutchinson, President St Andrew’s Society; Mr Wm Dupuis, President of St Jean Baptiste Society; Mr McLeod Stuart, President of the Ottawa St Andrew’s Society; US Consul Anderson and others.
The President, in
Opening the meeting
Said that in view of the long and interesting programme, his remarks would be very few. The Caledonian society was the oldest pioneer athletic association in the city, and he was pleased to see that its friend, Col Fletcher, was present with them this evening. Its primary objective was to keep up the old Scottihs games, but its constitution provided for the celebration of St. Andrew’s Day and the anniversary of the birth of their national poet, Burns. After alluding to the kindness of the Rev J Barclay for the address which he had prepared, and thanking the Young Men’s Reform Club for adjourning their meeting so as not to clash with this one, he asked the band of the 66th to play. The band then played a selection of Scotch airs, and were loudly applauded.
Mrs Olivia Campbell-Schafer, of Albany, NY sang “Robin Adair” so acceptably that she was recalled and gave “Bonnie Scotland.”
Mr S Sackville Bain received a great deal of applause for his rendering of “There was a lad.”
Next on the programme was a violin solo by Miss Blanche Loeb, a young lady not yet in her teens, but whose execution was very ~~~~ her performance was frequently interrupted by applause, and she had to yield to the determined demand for an encore.
Mrs Schafer’s second song was “Whistle and I’ll come tae ye” and she was thoroughly successful in this most difficult song.
After Mr Bain had sung, “a man’s a man for a’ that,” the chairman called upon the Rev J Barclay to give
An address upon Burns
The reverend gentleman was received with applause, which broke out again and again during the progress of his eloquent oration. He alluded to the celebration of Burns’ birthday all over the world, Scotchmen in every quarter of the globe uniting in thus honoring their national poet. Only lately had a bust of the ploughman poet been placed in Poet’s Corner in Westminster, contributions having been received from his countrymen all the world over. The early ambition of the poet had been to do something for his native land, to “sing a song at least,” out how little did he realize how well he would succeed. There are some who look upon him only as a drunken sensualist, but with these we have no sympathy, preferring to judge the man by his own kind pitying eye. And this without palli~~~g his sins and follies, but rejecting the narrow minded judgement which looks only upon the dark side of his character. Like David, the life of Burns showed many a slip and sin, but like David, his repentence was sincere and his humiliation deep. His devotion to duty was shown in the way in which he performed the work, which was toilsome and distasteful to him. His loyalty was strong, but tempered with his feelings of friendliness to the working people, whom he perpetually tried to benefit. Truthfulness was
Written upon his face
And his hatred of hypocrisy was seen in his “Holy Fair” and other writings. His poverty did not touch his independence, while his admiration of genius in others was unsullied by any trace of selfishness. If his creed were not strictly orthodox, yet his faith in immortality was a living one. His writings were many and varied in style, and full of pathos, of fire and of power. But his great success was due to the “Spark o’ nature’s fire,” that underlay and shone through all his works.
After the applause which followed the address had subsided, the rest of the programme was given, and in response to many calls, Mayor Beaugrand was called upon by the chairman.
His Worship said that the common opinion of his fellow countrymen was that Scotchmen made admirable business men but did not understand how to amuse themselves. Any of his compatriots who were present this evening would be disabused of that idea. He had been much puzzled, while learning English, by the curious Scotch language, but later he had learned more of it and could appreciate it better.
When the musical programme was finished, the band struck up a march and the guests were conducted to the ladies’ ordinary where a very elegant repast was spread. When this had been duly enjoyed, a return was made to the large room where dancing was kept up until midnight when every one went away thoroughly pleased with the evening.
We thought it was safe up here. People said it would be safe.
When the outbreak occured, there was a migratory boom moving up north. The Canadian border guard brought in the military and even they had to give up after a while. In hindsight, I guess they should have just started shooting to kill. But you know what they say about hindsight.
A lot of folk who came up didn’t have a penny to their name. And even if they did, there’s not a lot of housing to go around. Some folk tried to build their own houses, buying materials from the city and cutting up the forests. BC residents have had a huge escalation in break-ins, robberies, and murders. A lot of people have died just for some squatters to have some food and shelter. Of course, the military has been cracking down on this, but there’s only enough of them to protect the richer burbs. Overcrowded is a huge understatement. It’s like trying to squish a third of the Americas into a few tiny encampments.
I came up in my ‘04 Silverado. She’s reliable. Only got a few dents in it from stray deer and moose attacks. You never want a run-in with a moose. Drive too slow and they’ll catch up with you. Drive too fast and you might hit one and total your vehicle. Moose ain’t pushovers. You get your vehicle stranded out here, you’re a dead man. One day, driving down the rode, I saw one just standing there, its ribs all exposed and its face torn away. You see something like that, it’s hard to believe. Your reaction times slow a bit. Almost hit it. Scared the crap outta my wife. She chewed me out good for that one. But come on! It’s a dead damn moose walking around!
My wife keeps me sane. She keeps the night watch because she says she has better eyes ‘n me. I know she likes to go to sleep watching the sun rise each morning. The real reason is simply that she’s too afraid to sleep at night. I can’t blame her. I have trouble sleeping sometimes, too, knowing that those creatures are out there.
It’s weird we didn’t think about it. It’s Hollywood, I guess. We always think of zombies as being people, you know? And people zombies’d never last out in this cold. But all the deer and wildlife out here have coats that just shed the snow like it was nothing. People farther up north have to deal zombie polar bears. I don’t envy them. And I’ve only heard rumors about the mosquitoes in the Bayou. They say that’s just one big dead zone. I guess it could be worse, but it definitely could have been better. Ah, but you know what they say. Hindsight’s a bitch.
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