2006 Year In Review

Today is the day when the most over-hyped holiday of the year comes around ... New Year's Eve. This year, I'm going to open a bottle of wine, light a stogie and go to bed well before midnight - with pride. No standing out there at 2 AM with no buzz left trying to hail a cab for this guy.

But I digress.

2006 was a notable year for me personally, to say the least. I got married, made a significant career move, and saw changes on the family front as well. In terms of pop culture, it was pretty significant as well. Here's my list of the live shows, albums, movies, DVDs, and books that either took place or released over the last 365 days which I enjoyed the most.

I also read, listened to or saw things that were created in years other than 2006, but for the purposes of this post, I'm keeping it to the last year. Each item listed below, as well as ones from years previous (say, for instance, the book "Tommyland" by Tommy Lee) has been reviewed on this blog. So, if you want to read what I have to say about all of them, just do a little search of the archives by going to "Edit" on your toolbar, then "Find On This Page" with the word "Review" in the search engine and just go from there.

(Keep in mind that these are by no means what I consider to be Oscar or Grammy-worthy, but rather, just what I enjoyed the most. Doesn't mean I consider them to be high art.)

In no particular order:

Live Shows:

Alice Cooper, Cornwall, ON, October
Allman Brothers Band, Niagara Falls, ON, June
Eddie Turner, Ottawa, ON, April
Live/Nelly Furtado, Ottawa, ON, July
Toby Keith, Syracuse, NY, August
Brad Paisley/Carrie Underwood, Greenville, SC, November
Calexico, Ottawa, ON, July
Cowboy Mouth, Greenville, SC, December
Rocketface, Ottawa, ON, December
Storm Large, Ottawa, ON, October
Dilana and Magni, Ottawa, ON, October
Nashville Pussy, Ottawa, ON, September

Albums:

Kid Rock - Live Trucker
Joe Satriani - Super Colossal
David Gilmour - On an Island
The Black Crowes - Lost Crowes
Gov't Mule - High and Mighty
Def Leppard - Yeah!
Rebel Meets Rebel - S/T
Keith Urban - Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing

Concert DVDs:

Whitesnake - Live ... In the Still of the Night
Judas Priest - Live Vengeance '82
Rush - Rewind
KISS - Kissology 1974-1977
Pink Floyd - Pulse

Movies (Viewed in the Theater):

Thank You for Smoking
Mission: Impossible 3
Little Miss Sunshine
Borat
Blood Diamond
Jackass Number Two

Movies (Viewed on DVD):

United 93
The Matador
V for Vendetta
Poseidon

Books:

The White Man's Burden - William Easterly
While Europe Slept - Bruce Bawer
America Alone - Mark Steyn
Londonistan - Melanie Phillips
The J Curve (review forthcoming) - Ian Bremmer
The President, The Pope and the Prime Minister - John O'Sullivan
The West's Last Chance - Tony Blankley
Do As I Say, Not As I Do - Peter Schweizer
Guests of the Ayatollah - Mark Bowden
Life on Planet Rock - Lonn Friend

Once again, thanks for stopping by and rest assured I'll be bringing you more reviews over the next year. In the meantime, be sure to get out there and support creativity wherever you are, because if it's not profitable for people to produce it, they'll stop - and that would suck.

Saturday digest

- Although he seems like a nice guy, I think John Edwards is abut 35 years behind the times in his economic thinking. More clear-headed thinking from Thomas Sowell, here, while this article outlines the benefits of globalization.

- Another overpass has collapsed in Quebec.

At least they have their government babysitting program, though, not to mention the tongue troopers to ensure that everyone is properly using the state-sanctioned language of choice.

- Here's a rundown of Saddam's crimes - just in case you needed reminding. I'm against the death penalty but if anyone deserved it, he did.

Live Review: The Watts/After August/Cowboy Mouth, The Handlebar, Greenville, South Carolina, December 28, 2006

Loud, proud and unabashedly Southern, New Orleans' Cowboy Mouth brought their unique brand of rowdy rock n' roll revival to about 500 Upstaters last night. These guys, with 11 albums under their belt, are like nothing I've ever seen before.

Opening with a profane version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", they launched into a sweaty, racous and hilarity-filled two hour set that defies description. The singing drummer is like a high-on-life yet agnostic evangelist who sees it as his duty to get you to forget about the world, be cool to your fellow man, and just party, going so far as to walk into the crowd and single out those who he thinks are too uptight for the occasion, including a jockish frat boy in a red shirt who was standing beside me. The other members of the band, one of whom is Ellen DeGeneres' brother, augment the affair with licks and riffage that are in the best traditions of American music.

Trust me on this one ... you just had to be there.

Openers After August were a bunch of local twentysomethings who inserted covers of Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams and Metallica between their own Journey-esque melodic hard rockers, and first band The Watts performed a very strong version of SRV's "Couldn't Stand the Weather" along with other bluesy numbers from the likes of Bonnie Raitt.

Neither of them were able to even touch Cowboy Mouth, though. This is going to be the yardstick I'll use for future club shows well into 2007.

Check them out here.

Individual ratings:

The Watts: 7.75/10
After August: 7.75/10
Cowboy Mouth: 9.5/10

Overall rating: 9.25/10

Friday digest

- As part of her inaugauration week, incoming Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi is going to be attending Mass. Leaving aside her personal politics vis-a-vis Catholic teachings, isn't this an egregious breach of the principle of separation of church and state?

Surely the liberal ACLU will be rapping Pelosi's knuckles, no?

- Joe Lieberman recounts what he saw during a recent visit to Iraq, here, and calls for an increase in troop strength while Barack Obama has called for Iraqis to take control of the situation themselves. I also think this editorial's conclusion is the right one concerning the execution of Saddam, but I think it's great that the Pollyanna-ish Iraq Study Group report has been shelved, not least because it recommends bringing the likes of the deplorable Syria in as a partner for peace in the region.

- According to Daniel Pipes, the three biggest dangers to the West right now - all internally generated, too - are pacifism, self-hatred and complacency. Meanwhile, in a positive development, Ethiopia seems to be taking control from Islamists in Somalia.

- Staying with Africa, here's an interesting piece on the oil trade in the Niger Delta.

- Laughter through tears: a Quebec woman, shackled by the chains of socialist health care, has taken out an ad in a newspaper to obtain a family doctor.

- Finally, if anyone cares, Jean-Pierre Kingsley has resigned as Canada's chief electoral officer and I think it's long overdue because of the simple fact that his son served as Paul Martin's press secretary during the first months of Martin's Prime Ministership. Conflict of interest, anyone?

Film Review: "Blood Diamond" (2006)

Leonardo Di Caprio stars as a street-wise South African smuggler in this harrowing look at the commodification of the world's diamond trade. Set against the backdrop of late 1990s Sierra Leone, which was torn apart in a civil war involving child soldiers, cold militiamen and corrupt armies, it's a hard expose of how the superficiality of some sectors of Western society contribute to misery through a combination of apathy and ostentatiousness. No finger-wagging here, though; this is not a preachy, cliched, guilt-ridden piece of work but is rather along the lines of "Hotel Rwanda" in that it allows the viewer to see things from a number of perspectives and come away with a deeper overall awareness of the issue - along with, in this case, a healthy sense of disgust for those who determine one's worth, in whole or in part, by the bling factor.

Well-shot, excellently acted and mandatory viewing for anyone who considers themselves informed about international affairs.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Thursday digest

- I find this humourous. Hundreds of Iraqis have applied to be Saddam's executioner despite the threats of the Ba'ath party to avenge him.

- Can one support the troops while be against the war? This writer says no.

- VDH says that Ahmedinejad isn't nearly the strongman he says he is, which is another reason to monitor his nuke program closely, especially given their weak economy.

- What is it that separates a great president from a half-decent one? Perhaps belief forms part of the equation. On that note, a must-read from Tony Blair.

- Finally, the Duke "rape" case: not quite.

DVD Review: "Derailed" (2006)

This ever-so-slightly above average thriller stars Clive Owen as a married, suburban mid-level executive who insidiously finds himself wrapped up in an illicit romance with the alluring Jennifer Aniston. However, things soon go awry as the two lovers get in way over their heads due to some particular circumstances that arise right at the moment of consummation.

There are some good gun scenes in this flick and a bit of humour as well. No stellar performances, and the twist isn't overly difficult to figure out, but there are certainly worse ways to kill off a couple of hours.

Overall rating: 6.25/10

Wednesday digest

- What can you say about deceased President Gerald Ford, other than that he was a dedicated public servant, a true gentleman, and a great American?

- Can't say I think that executing Saddam is a great idea, even though it probably won't have as deep an impact as many think it will. Take a look at this which gives new meaning to the term "deathbed conversion". Meanwhile, what about a two-state solution?

- A primer on the sabre-rattling in Somalia, here. It's important to watch what happens there because it's very possible that al-Qaeda could set up shop there in light of a power vacuum.

- This Australian writer speaks the truth about the need for women's advancement in Islamic societies.

- Tony Blankley takes stock of 2006 and finds much to be concerned with, but it's clear that when it comes to the economy, doom-and-gloom talk should be taken with some skepticism. More here on how robust things are in America right now, President Bush's foibles aside. One also has to wonder: is there any economist alive today who is more instructive than Thomas Sowell?

- This look at the future of oil suggests that there is almost 100 years' worth of oil reserves under the earth's surface. Still, energy self-sufficiency is key for the West.

- After reading Christopher Hitchen's ode to self-abuse in my brother's January Maxim magazine (unavailable online), I'd have to say he's my sleeper pick for any 2007 celebrity death pool.

- Continuing to demonstrate the amateur hour abilities of most Canadian conservatives when it comes to playing the game of political optics, just when you think Ottawa mayor Larry O'Brien can't step in it any worse than he already has, he does.

Tuesday digest

- People in England who don't take care of themselves may be facing a reduction in government-provided health care services. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have the same type of discussion in Canadian society? Meanwhile, in the socialist utopia of Cuba, they've had to fly in the proper medical equipment so that ruler-for-life Fidel Castro can be treated for whatever illness they're not admitting he's suffering from.

Humph.

- A quick word tonight about the death of the Godfather of Soul. Instead of pretending that I'm all down with the Brown and that his music spoke to me on some deeper level, like every posing wannabe hipster walking the face of God's green earth did after Johnny Cash died, I'll just pay tribute to the man by mentioning that his concert in July 2001 at Bluesfest in Ottawa was the only one out of the dozens and dozens I've seen for which I've ever been backstage. I didn't meet Brown, but I'll never forget the brass-plated toilet seat that was part of the, shall we say, "facilities".

I think that about says it all.

DVD Review: "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006)

This film is so awful on so many levels, it's hard to know where to start.

Maybe my sense of humour is too dry, but I don't think I'd have laughed once even if I was 12 years old. It's no wonder Saturday Night Live has sucked so bad ever since I even knew what it was when their main alumnus other than Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, churns out silly, nonsensical dreck like this. As for John C. Reilly? This film is a disgrace on what has been an otherwise stellar career. What's even worse is knowing that a sequel is inevitable.

Trust me on this one and don't bother. Instead, wait for it to be on the SuperStation in 16 to 24 months and catch it there if you absolutely have to instead of dropping the $5 at the video store.

Overall rating: 2.5/10

Friday digest

- Here's a look at how some American soldiers are dealing with Christmas in Iraq.

- The Prime Minister of Canada is a member of Leafs Nation.

Boo.

- Yet another reason to not take the NDP seriously: Alexa McDonough has characterized Stephen Harper's "rigid ideology" as "destructive" following his comments about Hamas and Hezbollah being "genocidal" this week.

Perhaps McDonough and friends should take a break from singing John Lennon's "Imagine" for a second and maybe they'll realize that the rigid and destructive ideology in this case is the one called suicide bombing.

- A shout-out goes to the Hot Rod as he fights the good fight against lymphoma.

- Be sure to take a few minutes of downtime over the next few days to remember what the season is really all about - not dogma or rules, but rather, the richness of spirituality.

I'd like to wish everyone who stops by here peace and goodwill at this special time of year, and I look forward to continue bringing you my daily commentaries as well as book, music, film and live concert reviews into 2007.

At the risk of sounding exclusionary ... Merry Christmas!

Thursday digest II

- Like pretty much all overweight and/or butchy feminists, Rosie O'Donnell is an unhappy, bitter and mean-spirited bully.

Why else would she feel the need to make fun of The Donald's appearance in a completely unprovoked attack on him yesterday? Say what you want about Trump, but she started it.

Something that I was taught long ago by my parents holds more truth the older I get, and that's this: the way you treat others is a reflection of how you think about yourself.

I hope she gets canned, sued and for that matter, dumped. It would serve her right.

- Joe Wilson, the man at the centre of not only the biggest non-story of 2006 but also the entire decade, has asked to not have to take the stand in a case against Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff regarding the White House leak that never was.

- This scares me.

A lot.

- Finally, congratulations are in order to my sparring partner, Greenchief, and his wife Stephanie on the birth of their new baby girl, Sadie.

Looking forward to smoking that cigar, buddy.

Thursday digest

- Pope Benedict says that it's important that Christmas be defended.

I couldn't agree more.

- Now this is some great stuff.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, has referred to Hamas and Hezbollah as "genocidal" and about Afghanistan, he said "I couldn't care less if the opposition brings me down and defeats me in an election over this ... I have to do what I think is right for the long-term security interest of this country and right for the men and women who have put themselves on the line."

Compare that to the qualifications made by previous Prime Ministers when discussing Islamofascism, including one in particular who, on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, subtly inferred that the US had 9/11 coming to them.

- A quarter of a million individuals were not properly screened in October at Toronto's Pearson International Airport because of a labour dispute. The story is getting international attention and will certainly not help our reputation as Canadians when it comes to our commitment to thwarting terrorists. Shame on those disgruntled individuals in both management and on the front lines working at Pearson who sacrificed the security of the travelling public during this disagreement.

Click the link for more.

- Meanwhile, British authorities are expecting an attack over the holidays while one-half of the duo who are key to stability in the region, if you listen to the Iraq Study Group report, says that both the US and Britain, along with Israel, will eventually disappear.

As for the other half? They're no doubt hard at work getting to the bottom of this.

- The fact that Clinton-era National Security Advisor Sandy Berger showed a distinct lack of judgment regarding top secret documents is a matter of public record, but never before has it been revealed that he went so far as to climb into garbage cans and underneath construction trailers to attempt to retrieve them.

It's also been suggested that Berger's sneakiness may have impeded the work of the 9/11 Commission.

I'm sure can expect the usual outrage from the mainstream media on this, even if they aren't as biased as many conservatives may think (as Rich Lowry admits). However, in Canada, our public broadcaster still shows "Bowling for Columbine" twice a month so I'm certainly not expecting it to be mentioned on any national newscasts up here.

- Although W is not exactly standing tall these days, it shouldn't be forgotten that responsibility for violence in Iraq should be worn by those who carry it out.

- Dershowitz says that the worst ex-President in history, Jimmy Carter, said that the Israel-Palestine conflict is worse than Rwanda.

What?

- Finally, can't say I'm a big fan of "The Donald" but I'm even less a fan of Rosie O'Donnell. Hopefully picking a fight with Trump will teach her a much-needed lesson about her bad habit of either a) sticking her nose in other people's business or b) shooting her mouth off week after week after week.

- ADDENDUM: Not sure how this guy can be painted as intolerant, but it's going to be interesting to see people try.

Wednesday digest

- Congratulations are in order to Jeffery Tambor, he of "'Hey Now' Hank Kingsley" fame and pictured above at left, on the birth of his baby daughter.

- Loonie left play of the day goes to host of "The View", Joy Behar, for not only claiming that Donald Rumsfeld has Hitler-like tendencies but also for suggesting that the Republicans somehow induced Senator Tim Johnson's (SD-D) recent stroke to wrest control of the Senate away from the Democrats, saying "I know what this, that party is capable of".

- Quiz time: Which historical figure said “(t)o send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary", referring to it as “just an archaic bourgeoisie detail”?

a) Adolf Hitler
b) Josef Stalin
c) Pol Pot
d) Che Guevara

Answer here.

- The Kossack netroots are upset and are considering employing quotas against themselves in order to negate any unintended racist, classist or sexist power structures that may have been created by their overwhelmingly white readership.

Maybe they should apply for a government grant to study the subject.

- According to the Iranian ambassador to the UN, Israel is the only obstacle to establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East as the 2006 Road Hammer International Man of the Year continues to speak the truth in the heart of the region.

- Victory in Iraq depends on whether or not the Western political class allows it to happen. In other words, are they going to get behind the effort or just stand at the side of the road throwing stones? Meanwhile, France has regrettably pulled out of southern Afghanistan but more positively, moves are afoot in Saudi Arabia.

I think it's time to cite the Right Wing News Quote of the Year:

"You may find people who will contend that patriotism is something to be a little bit embarrassed about or that honor is somewhat outdated as a notion and that concentrating on America's imperfection makes you a realist. Not so. That's the sign of a cynic. Being a cynic is easy. You can just sit back, heckle from the cheap seats, while others serve, storm beaches, build nations, meet their destinies. Idealists write history's stirring chapters; cynics read those chapters and seem not to understand. Choose to be an idealist. There have always been those who contend that what's wrong with the world is America. Don't believe it."

You can see who said it by clicking on the link above. (Hint: Joy Behar thinks he's a bit of a Nazi.)

- This is pretty bad. Who cares if the kid is against the Afghan war or is a Quebec separatist? It's about playing a damn game, not the legitimacy of one's worldview.

- The Conservative Canadian government has commmitted half a billion to homelessness. If that's nasty and mean-spirited, I'd like to know what's considered generous by Harper's critics.

- Moving closer to home, Ottawa mayor Larry O'Brien has screwed up again by preparing voters for a tax increase. First, he was against the O-Train before he was for it and then against it again, and now, seemingly, he was against tax increases but is now telling us to get ready for them, all on top of the salary increase fiasco.

I realize the power of a Mayor sitting on a council is limited, but O'Brien clearly learned nothing from the Kerry/Edwards campaign in '04.

Monday digest

- It has come to light that the RCMP spied on Tommy Douglas, creator of the socialist New Democratic Party and allegedly the Greatest Canadian that ever lived.

I, for one, am glad.

Not only was Douglas a Communist sympathizer, he was an advocate of using state power to sterilize the weak and downtrodden within society, primarily including, as he put it, "the mentally and physically defective" in his Master's thesis, written as a 30-year old at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

I would only expect that the authorities keep an eye on such a disloyal individual, who not only believed in the use of unspeakably inhumane tactics to deal with the handicapped, but also aspired to become the Prime Minister of Canada.

- Congratulations to China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia, all new members of the UN's new Human Rights Council. No doubt they'll somehow find a way to change the subject away from the tyranny of Hamas and towards the so-called policies of "apartheid" promoted by Israel.

- Interesting article here further to last week's articles on parenting.

- Another footnote in the ongoing war on individual thought on campus, here. The crime in this instance? "Changing people's perceptions" at Michigan State.

- By now, everyone knows that Time Magazine's international edition has dubbed "you" as the Person of the Year, while in Canada, our Prime Minister Stephen Harper was dubbed Newsmaker of the Year.

At this time, I'd like to nominate two other individuals for year-end awards.

First, for the 2006 Road Hammer Person of the Year, Canadian edition. This award goes to Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Rick Hillier, pictured below, for literally fighting the good fight. Hillier was steadfast in his defence of the Afghan mission when some Canadians were lulled into a sense of September 10-like complacency, even when it looked like the Liberal party might balk in support of it as Canadian troops joined with our NATO allies to continue to fight the Taliban and prevent Afghanistan from falling back into the hands of those who would use it as a base from which to launch terror attacks as they did on 9/11.

Hillier never fails to remind us that the job of soldiers is to fight war, not rescue kitty cats who get stuck in maple trees. It's also his tone that I like - for him, victory is just a matter of time and the sacrifices are certainly worth it.

Now that's leadership.

Here's General Hillier in Kabul with some butt-kickin' gals from the Great White North:


Canadian soldiers are amazing.

Next, the Road Hammer 2006 International Person of the Year comes to us from England. I have long admired politicians who are socially democratic at their core but stand tall against the prevailing pressures of the day to do what they think is right for the greater good (see Moynihan, Daniel Patrick for a great American example).

That's why, although John Howard's rhetoric was more firm and unapologetic during 2006, British Prime Minister Tony Blair wins this award. In no uncertain terms, he told those who wanted to enjoy the freedoms and prosperity of British society without recognizing the customs and culture that underpin it that they have a responsibility to adapt.

He also led his Labour cabinet to support the ongoing effort against terrorism against much anxiety both within and without to the point where one Labour minister recently castigated newly elected Canadian Liberal party leader Stephane Dion, telling him to "get real" and support the aforementioned effort in Afghanistan without equivocation.

Finally, Blair has ended the year with a morale-boosting trip to Iraq and the Palestinian territories, warning those who hate liberty that the West will always stand tall against them.

Again, leadership.


Does that look like the face of a quitter?

In many ways, Blair is the real Secretary of State, although Ms. Rice has been showing more promise as of late and her predecessor shows himself as the lone wolf careerist he's always been.

In this blogger's opinion, Tony Blair's legacy is safe, despite what the Fleet Street punditry might say.

Here's to the 2006 Road Hammer Persons of the Year.

(And because it's the season of giving, here's a little something that readers on all sides of the political spectrum will enjoy.)

Sunday digest

- As the media slobbers all over Barack Obama, one has to wonder if Clinton fatigue has played a role in his meteoric rise to political superstardom.

- All is not well in the House of Saud.

- Haroon Siddiqui, editor emeritus of the Toronto Star, uses his Sunday soapbox to deflect attention away from Palestinian infighting and in so doing, holds them to a lower standard of conduct in the Middle East while predictably inferring that the problems in the Middle East are Israel's fault.

- More proof here that overtaxation, over-regulation and oversized government kills jobs - but you'd never know it from listening to the rank and file of Canada's parliamentary press gallery, as Lorrie Goldstein points out.

- Steyn chimes in on political correctness and Christmas.

Book Review: "100 Ways America is Screwing Up the World" by John Tirman (2006)

This is the perfect gift for anyone who really wishes that they didn't have to celebrate Christmas in the first place because it's nothing more than an imperialist, capitalist ritual designed to commemorate religion, which, as we all know, is a major cause of all that's wrong in the world.

John Tirman, executive director the Center for International Studies at MIT (and, it should be said, academic home of Noam since 1955), steals an idea from Bernard Goldberg, author of 2005's classic "100 People Who Are Screwing Up America" and tells us why being an American really burns his ass. You can tell by the grim, constipated photo on the back cover that this guy has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Here are some of the entries offered by Tirman:

#2 Television
#5 Market Mantra: The Tragic Failure of Neoliberalism
#6 Blood for Oil
#15 The American Dream
#40 Billary
#50 Democratization
#53 The Imperialism of Knowledge
#65 The New York Times (and the Washington Post)
#70 The Deadly Reach of Patio Furniture
#85 Las Vegas
#89 "24/7": Abuses of the Work Ethic

I don't know how this guy maintains his sanity having to wake up every day in the US of A, but when you're getting paid into the hundreds of thousands to make a living by hating your country - notwithstanding the fact that millions of parents nation-wide are taking out second mortgages on their homes to send their kids to sit in front of Tirman in Cambridge lecture halls to hear him pontificate - life can't be all bad, can it?

This book is full of omissions, rose-coloured observations and rhetorical flourishes that even conservative satirists couldn't come up with if they were trying to parody the far Left. For instance, in entry #1, "Altering the Earth's Climate", he says (on the first page of the book, no less), "(W)ith climate change, the United States has managed almost single-handedly to be the cause, the obstacle to remedial action, a chronic ignoramus, and an aggressive denier of its monumental culpability". Not a word about, oh, say, China or India to be found in the entire chapter. Then, in entry #28 on SUVs, he suggests that we change the acronym from Sports Utility Vehicles to "Socioecologically Uncool Vehicles".

("Socioecologically", huh? I ought to head down to the local university, sit in on an arts class, throw that one out and see using such a big, concious, enlightened word will help me get the female TA with two lip piercings and not a stitch of makeup over there to go out for a drink after. You know, just to see.)

Here's another good one. In entry #19 on genocide, he says, "(A)fter the Battle of Wounded Knee in South Dakota in 1890, the game was up for the victims, and they gradually were forced into concentration camps - excuse me, "reservations" - and descended into poverty, alcoholism and despair". Not to make light of the issues facing Aboriginal communities, but concentration camps? I think there are a few Holocaust survivors that may have a little something to say about that, Dr. Tirman.

Then, in a chapter about Cuba, (#54), he says that Castro doesn't seem to be "personally corrupt". Oh, really? He blames McDonald's and KFC for people who litter (#62). He says that the "United Nations can be and is a place of relationship building, problem solving and cooperation like not other" (#63) - protestations of the odd Rwandan Tutsi aside, of course. Tirnan also blames the NRA for the militias in Iraq (#66), and takes Disney (#84) to task for promoting "consumer fetishism, racism, paternalism, and adoration of aristocracy" in their childrens' films (although he does begrudgingly acknowledge a lack of what he calls "Christian symbolism or proselytizing") before lamenting the "slow but certain decline of the siesta" worldwide (#89).

I could go on, but I think you get my point.

Now, to be fair, there are a few points that Tirman makes which I agree with, particular when it comes to Paris Hilton (#90), New Age spirituality (#73) and gangsta rap (#56). He also comes up with ten things that America is good for, which I'm sure for him was a stretch (fairness, creativity and human rights among them, which I thought American violated till kingdom come according to Tirman after reading his first 100 diatribes).

Because I'm a fair and balanced guy who likes to give the other side a due hearing, this is going to sit proudly on my bookshelf beside other fairytales like the Marx-Engels Reader and Hugo Chavez' favourite Chomsky tome, "Hegemony or Survival", given to me as a gift a few years' back.

Critical thinking, indeed.

Overall rating: 6.5/10, just for kicks.

Film Review: "Casino Royale" (2006)

Agent 007 returns in this poker-themed romp through Africa, the Bahamas, Miami and Europe as Bond tries to get to the bottom of a ring of terrorist financiers led by a villain from (where else?) France. Although the plot isn't totally airtight, and some scenes require more suspension of disbelief than the last five WWE pay-per-views combined, it's still quite entertaining. Newcomer Daniel Craig was born to play the Bond role, even though the screenplay doesn't really develop the character until about a third of the way in, after which the one-liners come fast and furious. Here's an example:

Bond: "I'll have a martini."
Bartender: "Shaken, not stirred?"
Bond: "Do you think I give a damn?"

He also downs booze like a champ, takes a beating like no other, pulls tail like you expect him to, and generally comes out on top despite a couple of major lapses in judgment, much to the chagrin of M, played by the one and only Judi Dench.

I'll just leave it at that so as to not give away too many surprises.

Beautifully shot and well-paced, while no "Mission Impossible: III", "Casino Royale" is still worth the $9 admission fee and is definitely a solid start to the next phase of the James Bond franchise.

Overall rating: 8/10

Friday digest

- A new EU/World Bank study suggests that carbon dioxide emissions from cow farts are more responsible for climate change than are emissions caused by transportation, further proving that although climate change is definitely happening, we're still a long way off from knowing for certain what the major causes are and how to tackle them.

One thing's for sure ... I'm not expecting a lot of tree-hugging vegans to start firing up their barbecues all of a sudden to reduce the numbers of bomb-dropping bovines grazing in pastures the world over.

- Quote of the day today comes from Farzana Hassan, President of the Muslim Canadian Congress, who, in reference to a Toronto judge recently ordering a Christmas tree out of a courthouse lobby, said "(w)e should ban political correctness, not the Christmas tree".

More here on this case of another misguided and presumptuous liberal do-gooder.

- Better late than never: Condi says no to playing ball with Iran and Syria, and it looks like they're going to go big.

- Ontario CUPE president Sid Ryan is still mad that Israel won the 1967 war (not that it explains this, but why should that be important?).

No doubt the bus drivers, nurses, janitors and other middle-class working stiffs that Ryan represents are losing sleep over Israel, too.

- Has anyone caught the twenty-year old "Sturdy Danny McGee was up his 59th tree" Raisin Bran commercial that is running on radio and TV these days?

Here's hoping that the Lillydale chef and Ron Popeil of "Set It and Forget It" fame are resurrected in time for Christmas 2026.

Shawarma Review: Shawarma Palace, 464 Rideau St., Ottawa, ON

Tonight, I hit my last stop in my quest to find Ottawa's best Lebanese delicacy, the shawarma, at Shawarma Palace on Rideau Street.

I walked in to see a flyer for half-off driving lessons posted on the door, a box of garlic cloves placed hapharzadly in the middle of the room which I had to trip over, but a number of diners native to Arabic countries sitting enjoying their meals, which is always a good sign, as some folks think that whenever you venture into Chinatown, the number of Asians present in a restaurant is indicative of its authenticity.

I agree.

The lineup was long as the reputation of the Palace precedes it. When I finally approached the counter and ordered a chicken shawarma, I told the guy that I was going to be grading him and that he should make it the way that he thought it should be. The fella in front of me turned and said, "Best shawarma place in town? It's right here." The server proceeded to prepare his creation as he thought he should, with lettuce and tomato but also pickles and turnip doused with a significant amount of garlic sauce. Then, instead of using that broken-down Big Mac bun toaster that most shawarma joints use to heat the sandwich through (very familiar to veterans of McDonald's like myself) he threw the whole thing, wrapper and all, on a charbroiled grill for about 20 seconds. Very impressive.

As for the shawarma itself, it was amazingly fresh, perfectly crisp and very neat as compared to many others I've tested during this little competition. I would recommend Shawarma Palace for the next time you are going to see a flick at the Bytowne Cinema, if you foolishly choose to eat at the Ethopian-themed Horn of Africa down the street and inevitably leave unsatisfied, or are looking to quell your hunger after degrading yourself at a Vanier rub n' tug.

Overall rating: 9/10

The final judgment (you can refer to the Archives for my individual reviews):

Marroush International Shawarma 10/10 (December 2006)
Shawarma Palace: 9/10 (December 2006)
Ashtar: 8.5/10 (November 2006)
Really Lebanese: 8/10 (November 2006)
Sandrella: 6/10 (November 2006)
Shawarma's King: 6/10 (December 2006)

Thursday digest

- A group of American senators, three Dems and one Republican, have decided to go to Syria and talk business with Iran's middle man Bashar Al-Assad. No doubt extending an olive branch to the Shi'ite Assad regime will help calm Hezbollah's appetite for wiping out reform-minded Lebanese politicians as well as launching attacks into Israel AND reduce the likelihood of Saudi Arabia inserting itself into the Iraq conflict to back up the Sunnis (which, by the way, is yet another example of why energy self-sufficiency is absolutely imperative).

- Usually, I like syndicated American columnist Cal Thomas, but his (lukewarm) endorsement of a loyalty oath to be applied to all European Muslims is a fundamentally illiberal idea that I am very uncomfortable with.

First, it would create two classes of citizenship, and second, it would be totally ineffective in combatting extremism. In fact, I think it would increase ghettoization rather than reduce it, leading to more recruits to Islamic mosques and terror networks. It's one thing to say "love it or leave it" like Tony Blair and John Howard have pretty much done, but quite another to treat people as guilty until proven innocent based on their race or religion.

A very bad call.

- Students, be sure to get registered for the White Privilege Conference and enrich yourself intellectually with what will no doubt be a weekend full of the free and fair exchange of different ideas this April in Colorado Springs.

You can even get a course credit for attending!

Wednesday digest

- A self-professed Chomsky-loving academic from Nova Scotia is pleading ignorance after having been caught attending the Iranian Holocaust denial conference.

I'm not buying it. How could he have NOT known what this was all about?

As this editorial states, "(l)ast year, Ahmadinejad said Israel should be wiped off the map. He said the Holocaust was a ''myth'' that is used to justify the state of Israel and called for a conference of like-minded people who deny the horrors and inhumanity of the Holocaust."

Moral of the story? Most social scientists are best treated with suspicion.

- Don't want to wait in line for a daycare space in Quebec?

Too bad.

The government knows what's best for you.

- Here's an interesting look at ten trends in modern journalism that ought to concern the informed citizen.

Tuesday digest

- The incoming Democratic head of the House Intelligence Committee seems to be a little underqualified. I think he could use a few briefings to learn the basics about the enemy the United States has been facing for five years.

Nice job, Nance.

- If this is any indication, Muslim reformers in Pakistan still have a ways to go. Approximately 20,000 men turned out to protest changes to a law concerning the number of witnesses necessary for a victim to accuse an attacker of sexual assault (currently four under Pakistan's interpretation of Islamic law). Under the new proposals, the judge would decide in what court the case would be heard which would then impact the number of witnesses required.

Here's hoping that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf doesn't lose his nerve.

- I love the irony when the global market economy basically foots the bill for socialist revolutionaries like Hugo Chavez.

- I'm not a big fan of dictatorships of either the right or left but it's clear that in many respects, the political orientation of authoritarians certainly matters as shown by the case of Chile as compared to Cuba, leaving aside the deafening silence from certain quarters regarding the atrocities committed by Castro as they posthumously damn Pinochet. That said, I think the usually reliable Wall St. Journal is too easy on the recently-deceased general.

- Speaking of unsavoury characters, here's the last word on Kofi Annan and his underwhelming tenure.

- Post-November, a growing number of commentators have suggested that it's perhaps time for libertarians to rethink their attachment to the Republican Party. I can't say I blame them. Personally, I wouldn't call myself a pure libertarian, not by a long shot, but nor am I a moral conservative although I think that they put forward many cogent arguments like this one on parenting.

The debate that is going to take place over the next two to four years within the GOP is going to take place largely along libertarian vs. moral conservative lines and it's going to be fascinating to see what choices that party will make as it tries to rejuvenate itself.

- Reason #47 why Canadian politics is not a matter to be taken seriously: we now have the leader of a party that ...

a) runs candidates in one province out of ten
b) at best, can only purport to represent less than one in four Canadian citizens by virtue of Quebec's population
c) has a level of support that consistently hovers around a number no higher than approximately one in ten voters across Canada and
d) by its very nature, cannot aspire to government, is also dedicated to the break-up of Canada and doesn't believe in the legitimacy of Canadian institutions

... now demonstrating more nerve than ever.

Essentially, they are threatening to take Parliament hostage by dictating the terms of engagement of the Canadian military's mission in Afghanistan and forcing a confidence vote on the matter, which may launch us into a another election.

This is a complete farce and a total outrage.

It's embarassing to me as a Canadian, quite frankly.

Is it any wonder why there's no goodwill towards the Bloc Quebecois in the rest of the country?

Album Review: "Shot to Hell" by Black Label Society (2006)

Zakk Wylde delivers a steady if unspectacular set with his latest release here. While the first three tracks are long on bombast but short on freshness, and the fourth is an embarassing ballad titled "The Last Goodbye", things start to pick up at about the midpoint of this disc with "Hell Is High", which reminded me of KISS shredder "Unholy", and the haunting "Nothing's the Same", a piano-driven light-and-shade affair about approaching one's 40s.

The rest of the CD alternates between scorched-earth heavy metal that has its moments but is by and large unremarkable on the one hand, and catchy maudlin ballads that remind me of Velvet Revolver's "Fall to Pieces" on the other in their audience appeal . In other words, perfectly adequate tracks, but not a true snapshot of the essence of the band.

Basically, "Shot to Hell" contains a lot of singles, the odd double, but as is often the case with Black Label Society, there aren't too many long balls to speak of on this disc, and that's a shame because fans of Ozzy in particular know the talent that lies within Wylde. As many fans have suggested, perhaps he should take a bit of a break from his endless touring schedule buffeted by a release pretty much every year and focus on delivering something really killer. Otherwise, some young hot shot metal guitarist is going come along and push him out of the spotlight as he did to many as a 19-year old back in the late '80s on the underrated "No Rest for the Wicked" album alongside the one and only Prince of Darkness himself.

Overall rating: 5.75/10

Monday digest

- It appears as though the Clinton Administration spied on the late Princess Diana and their tactics included the illegal use of phone taps. No reason is being offered other than that she was romantically involved with a billionaire American.

No doubt the howls of protest against this questionable use of state power are going to be at least as deafening as they are every time the (legal) use of wiretaps against suspected terrorists is used by the current Administration.

And shouldn't they have been dedicating those resources towards al-Qaeda or other enemies of the state?

- Kofi Annan's last words as Secretary General of the United Nations are expected to amount to basically a finger-wagging lecture towards America. One would hope for a little more balanced an assessment given the UN's track record over Annan's tenure, an example of which can be found in this article on Darfur, not to mention the billions that went to Saddam in kickbacks under Oil-for-Food.

- This is probably the most bang-on commentary on Israel and the Palestinians I've read all year. Titled "The Big Lie About the Middle East", here's a sampling:

To promote the canard that the troubles of the Arab world are rooted in the Palestinians' misfortune does great harm. It encourages the Arabs to continue to avoid addressing their colossal societal and political ills by hiding behind their Great Excuse: it's all Israel's fault. Certainly, Israel has at times been an obnoxious neighbor, but God help the Arab leaders, propagandists and apologists if a day ever comes when the Arab-Israeli mess is unraveled. One wonders how they would then explain why in Egypt 4 of every 10 people are illiterate; Saudi Arabian Shi'ites (not to mention women) are second-class citizens; 11% of Syrians live below subsistence level; and Jordan's King can unilaterally dissolve Parliament, as he did in 2001. Or why no Middle Eastern government but Israel's and to some extent Lebanon's tolerates freedom of assembly or speech, or democratic institutions like a robust press or civic organizations with independence and clout--let alone unfettered competitive elections.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Carter has said that the Canadian government's withholding of aid money from monsters like this is "literally a crime".

Thank God he was only a one-termer.

- Students in Iran have begun to protest against the dictatorship they are ruled by, while President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has started to refer to himself in the third person at a Holocaust denial conference being sponsored by his government.

How ridiculous it is that some think that this guy should be negotiated with.

- Now here's a very hard-hitting look at inner-city youth today, while this article suggests that quotas amount to the "new racism" because they're paternalistic and encourage mediocrity:

... (M)any people, including such black writers as Shelby Steele and John McWhorter, argue that affirmative action has in fact become the new racism. Not only does it discriminate against those denied admission to universities, but it also tells its supposed beneficiaries that they cannot succeed under neutral standards. As McWhorter once told me in an interview, African-American culture is saddled with a legacy of racism that makes many young people view academic achievement as a "white thing." Under these circumstances, "the last thing you want is a policy that doesn't expect the best of its young people. Lower the bar, and you're encouraging them to only do as well as they have to."

- The anti-Semitism directed towards Bob Rae's family at the recent Liberal convention is disgusting. I would hope that the Liberal party does a better job of vetting their delegates if they continue to play ethnic politics next time around.

Talk about divisive.

- Another self-anointed poster girl for diversity and tolerance, Rosie O'Donnell, didn't demonstrate a lot of sensitivity when she made fun of Chinese speakers last week.

How come those who are hardest on other minorities are more often than not minorities themselves?

Live Review: Rocketface/Donkey Punch/EZ3, The Thirsty Toad Lounge, Ottawa, ON, December 9 2006

This triple bill comprised of two local Ottawa bands and Toronto's Rocketface hit the Thirsty Toad Lounge last night, which is an emerging live venue near Carleton U in Old Ottawa South.

First up were EZ3, who brought in at least 50 of the approximately 100 people in attendance, and what seemed like half of that number were equipped with camera phones or hand-held video equipment which kind of took away from the performance, especially the guy swinging around a tripod right in the middle of the place. Their music had a Chili Peppers-type vibe, and so it was no surprise when they encored with "Suck My Kiss". Not really my cup of tea, so I'll pass on the EZ3 DVD when it comes out.

Next was Donkey Punch, who recently won fifty grand as part of a new music contest sponsored by local radio station Live 88.5. I can't say that these guys left much of an impression except for the guitarist saying that he was "sweating more than Kramer at the Apollo". Good one. Also, seeing the lead singer reminded me to never wear my glasses with one of my two Harley T-shirts. It just doesn't look right. Musically, quite talented, though, but the songs just don't stay with you. These guys will gig around Ottawa but I don't really see them getting anywhere beyond, say, a "special guest" slot at the Hope Beach Volleyball tournament.

Finally, the main event, Rocketface, from Windsor by way of Toronto. I saw these guys in September at Barrymore's with Danko Jones and Iconoclast and they blew me away. Last night was even better. They're a power trio with a singing drummer (pictured above), a bass player that could be the Big Show's brother, and a guitarist with lightning fast fingers. Playing almost all of the tracks from their self-titled debut, they also featured a couple of new tunes that are certainly not just more of the same, which is always good to see, and the encore of "Whole Lotta Love" fit nicely with the "Houses of the Holy" stencilling on the bass drum.

The only sad part was that the crowd had dwindled down to about 30 or 35 people by the time Rocketface came on because I swear, these guys are the best thing to come out of Toronto since Our Lady Peace (who sucked after their first album, I might add).

They're all good guys, too, who are working their asses off to make it. I really hope they do because there's no justice in this business if they don't.

Rocketface are bona-fide stars in the making. Check them out for yourself here.

Ratings:

EZ3: 4/10
Donkey Punch: 5.75/10
Rocketface: 9.75/10

Overall: 7/10

Saturday digest

- The executive summary of the Iraq Study Group report can best be described in one word: naive.

That said, it looks like a shift in strategy is apparent, while an agreement on oil revenue distribution in Iraq has been tentatively reached.

All is not lost.

- Watch Somalia.

- A leading European social democratic politician has declared that newcomers to his country should either love it or leave it.

You get three guesses as to who said it, and the first two don't count.

Could you imagine a Canadian leader saying the same thing?

Pfffft.

- The UN has admitted that they're not sure how much effect human activity has on global warming. Doesn't that show a little skepticism may be in order on this issue? It's clear that global warming is happening, but it's quite unclear just how much we have to do with it. In other words, it may just be cyclical.

- Jeane Kirkpatrick, Ronald Reagan's ambassador to the UN, has passed away. The Wall St. Journal euologizes her here, while here's a copy of the article that vaunted her into the Administration. Meanwhile, one of her contemporaries, but on the side of the aisle which she left during the 1970s, is losing a lot of friends these days.

Shawarma Review: Marroush International Shawarma, Elgin at Gladstone, Ottawa, ON

For many Ottawans, it begins and ends with the Shawarma Nutsy, pictured above, who has served thousands upon thousands of over-refreshed twenty and thirty somethings well into the wee hours of the morning on Friday and Saturdays since I started hanging out on Elgin Street back around 1998. He's the owner of the one and only Marroush International Shawarma. The flagship location is the one I visited last night, but he's now expanded to Hull, Maloney Boulevard in Gatineau, Rideau at Dalhousie and soon (Oh God, please let it be true) to Sparks St. if all goes well.

Not only are the Nutsy's antics legendary (ask my sister), but the product that he serves is also incomparable, drunk OR sober. Last night, I went there prior to meeting my good buddy the Lodhstone for an ale, and it was just as I had expected, although I was asked if I wanted turnips, hot peppers or onions in addition to the regular lettuce and tomato. This, quite frankly, shocked me, because I had remembered Marroush as one of the only places that served their shawarmas with only lettuce and tomato. The guy behind the counter read my expression and asked "You want it old style?" I responded affirmatively and before long I was ripping into a beef, garlic sweet (those are the sauces).

In was, in a word, incredible.

There was a time that I said without hesitation that if I were a death row inmate and was asked what I would want for a last meal, this would be it. Although in recent years the good ol' $12.95er at Pubwell's has ranked right up there, I have to say that a beef garlic sweet would garner a few moments of consideration.

Still the standard.

Overall rating: 10/10

Friday digest

- The Tobinator has joined one of the world's most prestigious think tanks.

Looks like even Rat Packers can eventually come around.

- Ah, the good ol' Achilles heel of the Left has been exposed via the Bob Rae candidacy for the Liberal party of Canada.

- Here's something I think all Hammerheads can agree on.

Thursday digest II

- A few words on the Iraq Study Group tonight.

I haven't read the report itself, so everything that I'm about to post is drawn on second-hand accounts. However, my understanding is that the 79 recommendations essentially boil down to this: things aren't going that great so Iran and Syria should be asked for help so that in a year American troops can pull out and hand things over to a homegrown Iraqi force.

I have blogged extensively on my views regarding the former. As for the latter, it's a nice idea, but how can we know what the next year will bring? Two leaders whose opinions I listen to, John McCain and Joe Lieberman, say that both of those paths are fraught with many potential issues, while another voice I admire, the Wall St. Journal editorial board, rightly suggests that "if the report helps to politically isolate John Murtha and the get-out-now left, its authors will have done some good" because it talks about a phased withdrawal rather than having America tap out like some jobber caught up in a Greg "The Hammer" Valentine figure four leglock.

National Review says the report is overly normative, while this Time article says that both al-Qaeda and radical Shi'ites would gain should the recommendation to leave be implemented. And no less an analyst than Robert Kaplan says that regime change was the right idea - just poorly handled - and the logical conclusion one can draw from this well-considered analysis from the Economist is that the answer is to go big by deploying an overwhelming number of troops.

Returning to the report itself, I hope to read at least the executive summary over the next couple of days, but as for now, I maintain the following. First, there is no question that the war is not going as well as coalition leaders would have hoped, but to pull out now would be a colossal mistake. America remains the leader of the free world. With all of its flaws, it is still the last, best hope for good in the Middle East and elsewhere. To quit now, or to commit to a pre-conceived pull out date, would be akin to saying that America just doesn't care enough about the mission in Iraq - which is to midwife a democracy in order to provide a competing option to Islamic extremism as an outlet for the hopeless. The next year is certainly crucial but it is premature to announce a pull-out date. To do so would signal to the terrorists that in one year, another failed state will have fallen into their hands from which to launch attacks against us and our allies because we refuse to live the way they want us to.

Second, sitting down across the table from Iran and Syria would both legitimize and reward them for fomenting terror. Is that the type of message that should be sent? Not at all. It would tell all aspiring jihadists that if you work hard enough to bring the West to its knees, you will be rewarded with capitulation. That is not the way to defeat Islamofascism. The way to defeat Islamofascism is by a war of attrition. It is not to give terrorists heart by confirming to them that they have indeed weakened you to the point of departure. It is not to recognize their sponsoring regimes as credible partners for some kind of false peace. It is by redoubling our efforts and speaking with one unified voice that we can quash the insurgents and make it safe for the Iraqi people by allowing them to move forward and build the type of society they want, free from fear of violence and repression from those who would rob them of the voice they are struggling to have heard.

This is the central issue of our time and our generation will be judged by our choice: victory or retreat.

The stakes are high but our own security depends on our willingness to see things through to the end in Iraq.

Freedom isn't free.

Thursday digest

- New Ottawa mayor Larry O'Brien is batting 0 for 2.

First, there was the whole salary increase fiasco.

Now, the guy has cast the deciding vote to keep the proposed Ottawa north-south rail line intact AND has also endorsed a plan to build a tunnel underneath Ottawa's downtown.

What a mess.

This tunnel project is slated to cost $500 million dollars. Give me a break. I predict it will come in at three times that much, on top of the $800 million north-south line. This will do zero to alleviate east-west pressures in the city. Moreover, you can bet that al-Qaeda is licking their chops at the prospect of an underground transit system in the capital of a targetted country.

Well done, Lar.

- Florida Panthers C Joe Nieuwendyk has been forced to retire due to a back injury. Every hockey fan loves this guy, as he was a winner everywhere he went (except for Toronto and Florida, but no one wins playing for those teams). In addition, he was both a Conn Smythe and Calder Trophy winner and a great Olympian for Canada, winning gold in 2002.

A Hall of Fame guy on and off the ice.

- I haven't had a chance to digest the reams of material that has been written about the Iraq Study Group report, issued yesterday, but I will. As some readers of this blog enjoy holding me personally accountable for the actions of terrorists in the Middle East, repeatedly mistaking me for the author of the PowerPoint presentation that Colin Powell gave at the UN in 2002, I'll give it due consideration and report back shortly.

Wednesday digest

As Berkeley on the Rideau's student association moves to limit the freedoms of speech and association on campus, thereby continuing in the proud tradition of left-wing campus activists the world over who prefer to shout their opponents down rather than lower themselves to engaging in respectful and tolerant discussion, here's a suggestion: how about forcing ALL student associations to do their own fundraising instead of having the sandbox bullies on student council decide how to redistribute the confiscatory taxes on tuition that are otherwise referred to as "student fees"?

- In a hyperbolic flourish of which only he is capable, Al Gore says that toppling Saddam Hussein was the worst strategic mistake in American history.

Forgetting the small matter of slavery, I thought not responding to global warming would have topped his list, but given that the Clinton administration chose to do sweet nothing on that file when in office, it might not reflect well on ol' Al.

- In Somalia, which has fallen into the clutches of al-Qaeda, if you don't pray five times a day, you're going to get beheaded.

- As the UN dithers, Iran now says that "(t)hank to God's help, we have gone all the way and are only one step away from the zenith" and "(w)e hope to have the big nuclear celebration by the end of the year (March 2007)". If it isn't plain enough, Jeff Jacoby reminds us of the folly of engaging with Ahmedinejad, here, while this editorial asks if the world will get away with Iran becoming a nuclear power. It looks as though the new Secretary of Defense certainly won't stand in Iran's way, who says they'll only play ball diplomatically if the US gets out of Iraq, allowing it to become another, say, Somalia.

- A last word on the Liberal leadership. Word is that a significant number of Gerard Kennedy delegates went to Martha Hall Findlay on the first ballot, with the blessing of their candidate and urged to do so by the party establishment, to shore up her support so it wouldn't make the only woman in the race to lead the Liberal party look as bad as she might otherwise have.

However, this caused Kennedy to finish fourth behind Dion on the first ballot, by two delegates. What might have happened if they weren't so concerned with appearances?

Living by the sword of identity politics can certainly be quite piercing.

ADDENDUM: Tonight, the same-sex marriage issue is being put to rest for once and for all in Canada. I think same-sex marriage is a bad call, but that is not the purpose of this post (and people can read for themselves by going back into the archives, if you really care what I think, and naturally, I don't see why you wouldn't!).

What I'd like to suggest is now that this has been dealt with, I'd like to propose that the ambiguous term "partner" to describe one's significant other be outlawed.

Daryl Hall and John Oates are partners, as are Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn.

Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and Bret "The Hitman" Hart were partners, as were the legendary Canadian comedy duo Maclean and Maclean. From the world of sport, Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri were partners, as were legendary Toronto Blue Jays announcing duo Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth - and by the way, good riddance to Ted Lilly.

Conversely, Mary Cheney and her girlfriend or Melissa Etheridge and her girlfriend or Ellen Degeneres and her girlfriend are not "partners". They are "girlfriends". If they were to be married, like Elton John and his significant other are, they'd be "spouses", "husbands" or "wives".

It's time for this sickeningly inoffensive yet ultimately confusing misnomer to be put to death once and for all.

Tuesday digest

- Looking for a good deed to do today? Here's a suggestion: help alleviate poverty by downing a Starbucks and then doing some Christmas shopping at Walmart.

- Here's a look at what Hugo Chavez's win this past weekend could mean for Venezuela in the long-term, while this article shows that as soon as countries stop buying oil from him, the party is pretty much going to come to a screeching halt - and it isn't going to be pretty.

- There has been a massive e.coli outbreak at a number of New York and New Jersey Taco Bell outlets. Is anyone suprised? When I was in high school, the typical Taco Bell employee was an acid-dropping 15-year old who resorted to pranks like calling in bomb threats to get out of their Friday afternoon co-op assignment.

- Here's to Romeo Dallaire for holding his own party's feet to the fire on the issue of Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, south of the border, the old saw that "nobody loves you when you're down and out", especially in politics, is being proven true more now than ever.

- Now this is some great stuff. All those political hacks with chocolate nostrils and big heads who have been parachuted right into the government over the heads of regular Canadians while bypassing not only the competitive process but also requirements for bilingualism and racial quotas - laws passed by their own parties and applying to applicants for government positions except for themselves! - are coming under the microscope. That's excellent news for those who believe the principles of political neutrality and fairness should be right at the top of the list when it comes to professional conduct by Canadian civil servants.

Just because your boss got beat shouldn't give you the automatic right to a 70K a year job (to start) without having to compete against anyone for it.

- Finally, it's quiz time, right here.

DVD Review: Foo Fighters "Skin and Bones" (2006)

Dave Grohl, the man behind aggressive, guitar driven 90s rock staples like "This Is A Call" and "Monkey Wrench", goes unplugged with his band the Foo Fighters in this release which was filmed in Los Angeles this past summer.

Clocking in at over two hours, accordions, triangles, xylophones, violins and mandolins are used to augment Grohl's strumming, which leads to interesting arrangements of older tunes like "Everlong" and "My Hero" alongside newer acoustic material from last year's "In Your Honor". No Rod Stewart adult contemporary schlock here, though. In keeping with the heritage of live rock, there are a ton of butts and a lot of F-bombs all throughout the performance along with references to icons like Dio, Deep Purple, and Boston as well as stories recounting the forming of Nirvana and the way that songs come together.

However, the casual and laid-back vibe of the show causes it to drag at times, especially during the mid-point, and the bored looks on the audience's faces pretty much reflect that. If you can look past that, though, this is a good if not great release that is certainly worth a look.

Overall rating: 7.75/10

Monday digest

- At left, the winner of the 2006 "Not My Job" award.

- I can't say I blame John Bolton for packing it in. Even though there's an opportunity for positive reform with a new UN chief coming in at the end of this month, when one considers Condi's brutal performance as of late and the "realism" expected in this week's Iraq Study Commission report, combined with the Democratic Congressional win - who needs it?

Hopefully now Bolton will find time to get a haircut and a moustache trim.

- Hugo Chavez won in Venezuela, declaring "socialism is love" to Iranian applause. I'm surprised that there haven't been any reports of voting irregularities like there were last time Chavez was elected.

- In some ways, one of the biggest casualties of political debate is the English language. Terms like "progressive", "liberal", "tolerance", "divisive", "moderate", "civil society" and now "wedge issue" have been twisted and used for partisan ends by the Left. It's also been suggested that the Right has taken control of the phrase "supporting the troops" and completely perverted it, while the highly-charged debate over "civil war" defies characterization by political spectrum.

In any case, words matter - a lot.

- Speaking of civil war, Kofi Annan says the average Iraqi was better off under Saddam Hussein than they are now, presumably except for Kurds, Shi'ites and dissenters. More accurate would have been for Kofi to say that everyone (especially himself) were better off when his son Kojo, Maurice Strong, and other UN cronies were getting kickbacks under Oil-for-Food.

- It's long past time for some tough talk directed towards Pakistan.

- Are American libertarians really up for grabs?

- I don't know what I find more nauseating: when lazy, sloppy and unaccountable journalists engage in masturbatory self-congratulation, or when righteous politicos like Stephane Dion say things like the Liberals need to win the next election "for the sake of Canadians".
Someone get me a barfbag because I think I'm about to puke.

Note to politicians:

You don't make Canada great - we do.

Meanwhile, Lerant insinuates that Dion is a citizen of France (but I'm not believing it till I hear it from the man himself), and my first-ever boss in Ottawa, Jay Hill, is (rightly) keeping the PM honest on the Quebec resolution:

"The sense that I get is that people are concerned only in the sense that they don't want to see any province get any special privileges, rights or benefits that don't go to all provinces. That's what they'll be watchful of. If anything like that was to flow from the Parliamentary recognition of the Quebecois as a nation within a united Canada, then there would be concern, I'm sure, expressed loudly and clearly from my constituents".

Hear, hear.