Canadian Theocracy Chapter 1 · Wednesday March 5, 2008 by colin newell
The Stephen Harper minority Conservative government has drafted guidelines that would allow it to pull financial aid for any film or television show that it deems offensive or not in the public’s best interest.
The proposed changes to the Income Tax Act would allow the Heritage Minister to deny tax credits to projects deemed offensive, effectively killing the productions.
Morality experts from Heritage Canada and the Department of Justice will determine which shows or films pass the test.
Woo!
Game shows, news, sports, and reality television are already excluded from access to the tax credits. So, the proposed prohibition would cover a range of material, such as anything explicitly sexual nature, excessively violent or without educational value.
Ouch!
So whose idea was this anyway?
Apparently a well-known evangelical crusader is taking credit for the federal government’s desire to cut tax credits to TV and film productions that contain sex and violence or lack moral fiber.
One Charles McVety, president of the Canada Family Action Coalition, said his lobbying efforts included discussions with Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, and “numerous” meetings with officials in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Oh joy!
“We’re thankful that someone’s finally listening,” he said yesterday. “It’s fitting with conservative values, and I think that’s why Canadians voted for a Conservative government.”
Christian Conservative values?
Now, the last time I checked, Christian Conservative Values (C.C.V’s) seemed to exist in small pockets in Alberta and British Columbia – home to book burnings and other scary behaviors…
And to be precise, we have a Conservative minority government…
Which means… more or less… than the Christian Conservatives, in Canada at least, exist at generally safe levels for the rest of us – meaning few…
Thank you God.
The big time · Friday February 8, 2008 by colin newell
Not sure how this happened…
But somehow we cracked the CBC Radio 3 New Canadian Top 50.
Must be some mistake.
That said. Click on the above image for the full experience.
Heck – being on the same webpage as Cher must deserve some kind of award, Juno or recognition…
Have you bought our CD yet?
Only about 500 left of our first pressing.
bleat
Amy Winehouse speaks · Friday January 25, 2008 by colin newell
Amy Winehouse sez I should drink Decaf…
and I say No, No, No!
Yea. That is my thought of the day.
Victoria realty expressions explained - part 2 · Wednesday January 9, 2008 by colin newell
The Calgary Herald reads… “A Victoria real estate agent is in a U.S. jail charged with assaulting two male flight attendants after they refused him more alcohol on a flight to Miami, forcing the pilot to divert the flight to Denver.
Russell William Petrie, 30, is also charged with “unlawful sexual contact” for slapping a woman on the buttocks when she walked past his seat, according to an FBI affidavit.”
“Petrie is to appear in Colorado district court today. He faces up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for “interference with flight attendants” and a maximum two years and a $250,000 fine on the sexual contact count.”
Which leads us to our second chapter on Victoria Real-estate expressions…
- Nice Bones. This house is solidly built and with 250,000 dollars or so and ten years of reno, should fix up nicely.
- Shagadelic. A suitable crash pad for you and your dozen college buddies.
- Mile High Club. Spectacular views of… the Gate House.
- Bunk mate. You will need a rich room mate to pay the mortgage on this place.
- The Big House. 12 Small bedrooms, 12 small bathrooms, 1 giant living room and free weights in the Activity Yard.
Comment [4]
Year in review rant number 1 · Sunday December 23, 2007 by colin newell
2007 has been one heck of a year wouldn’t you say?
I, for one, have been quite comfortable… no disasters, no illness to speak of, steady employment, regular pay cheques, 3 square a day.
Not everyone has been so lucky. And trust me folks: Luck has everything to do with getting through the year without pain or crisis. When your luck turns, look out. No one can protect themselves against the furies.
Well. No one except for people like Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein who received a whopping 67.9 million in bonuses for being, well… a guy in the right place at the right time.
In the photo upper-right, CEO Blanfein relaxes after a hearty meal of investors
Somehow this company managed to avoid the bulk of the U.S. sub-prime mortgage crisis – a crisis that touched, no walloped the likes of Merrill-Lynch and Morgan-Stanley. Their respective CEOs did not earn a bonus this year.
And this is a perfect example of good luck. I mean, Lloyd Blankfein did absolutely nothing to warrant this kind of financial reward – his staff did. And guess what, his staff are getting no where near 67 million in rewards.
Truth is, as much as I support the free market system, this kind of reward system verges on the incomprehensively obscene. What of the million plus home-owners that will lose their homes this year because of the sub-prime mortgage scandal?
Sadly, versions of this story can be re-told from one community to the next in every small Canadian or American town; tales of inequality, unfairness and injustice – plain bad luck I guess.
In the last few days leading up to Christmas 2007, I hope your luck has been good, that your family and friends are healthy and that there is a roof over your head and food on the table.
In a society like the one we live in, sometimes it is all you can hope for.
