Category: Thought

Random thoughts occurring to a random bloke…

Will We Learn?

With the oil leak, in the Gulf of Mexico — growing at an alarming rate of 800,000 litres each and every day — comparisons to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in Alaska, in 1989, are becoming more and more prevalent in the news. And for good reason. What with this being predicted, by some, to become the worst oil spill in history!

That said, will we learn from history? Or are we doomed to repeat it? Democracy Now interviewed Riki Ott, a first hand witness to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, yesterday. I highly recommend you check it out for some context into how BP is likely to handle this disaster.

Yesterday, I was of the mindset this — however tragic and sad it really is — would be just the thing that is needed to help us begin to change our ways. Or it has the potential to. But now I’m not too sure I think that way any more.

And if this doesn’t, there is nothing that will…

Precisely One Year Ago Today

Get a load of this, it would seem the RCMP is finally owning up to something, I’ve written about here a couple times previously (I believe). In fact, the last time I visited this story was precisely a year ago today (again, to the best of my recollection). That being the death of “of Polish visitor Robert Dziekanski, who died in October 2007 after RCMP subdued (read: murdered) him with a (read: more than a single) Taser (shock).”

With the facts being what they are, only one fact remains, in my eyes. Gary Bass, the RCMP deputy commissioner for the Pacific region, chose today, of all days, to “apologize.” While still keep themselves at a distance — stopping short of “acknowledging that the RCMP was to blame for Dzeikanzki’s death,” which calls into question what Bass was actually apologizing for, but… — the fact that today was chosen to offer Zofia Cisowski, Robert’s mother, a thinly veiled apology — and some cash — is much more than mere coincidence. Or, at least, that’s how I’m looking at it.

So with that said, I’ll just wish RCMP, and you, the happiest of April Fools Day’s, and leave it there…

There In-lies the Tragedy

Today marks the opening of the 2010 Winter Paralymic Games in Vancouver. And in continuing its arrogant ways — by not catering to certain demographics, as I wrote last Monday — CTV is choosing to run regular programming, versus live coverage of the opening ceremonies. As wrong as that is, seeing they accepted government funding to cover the games (according to the CBC’s Radio One), yet still choosing to broadcast the ceremonies later, being tomorrow (Saturday), it’s beside the point I’m raising today…

Continue reading There In-lies the Tragedy