Okay, This is Just Weird...

Who’d have thought that spam filters might unlock the secrets of HIV? Geek News Central links to the story. I know some people have said that spam is the AIDS of the Internet, but I thought they were being facetious.


Looking over the Canadian blogosphere, I guess we can say that Paul Martin is a uniter, not a divider. After saying that Canada’s in on missile defence, then not in, then maybe in, then definitely not in, maybe, everybody is telling it like it is and is calling him an idiot.

Before you move on, let’s consider the startling accomplishment this represents. You have Bound by Gravity’s Andrew (for missile defence) and Sinister Thought’s Greg (against missile defence) in total agreement that, regardless of what the final decision actually was (are we sure that Paul Martin’s decision is final, here?), the way it was arrived at was a total farce.

Although Jean Chretien used to joke that nobody could accuse him of talking out of both sides of his mouth, he was harranged over his waffling over Iraq. But at least he made a final decision, and had some arguments with which to back it up. You could have hated his decision, but at least you were dealing with a man who knew what he wanted.

Just how do you respond when you have a prime minister who, although he ends up settling on an outcome that pleases you (missile defence is a boondoogle), he still ends up making you so angry you can spit?


Does memory cheat?

Looking over this post of mine, struggling to comprehend the depth of ineptitude we see in Paul Martin’s “leadership” and looking at yesterday’s post and struggling to comprehend the depth of ineptitude we see in Stephen Harper’s “opposition”, I’m forced to wonder just how the heck we got here.

Where have our good leaders gone? Used to be, love ‘em or hate ‘em, they were larger than life. Half this country hates Trudeau and many of the things he stood for, but most of this country respects Trudeau the man, and is slightly in awe of Trudeau the leader. His intelligence was as unquestionable as his arrogance. He was also charismatic, decisive, shrewd, somebody who stood up well on the world stage alongside Brezhnev and Reagan.

Across the aisle from Mr. Trudeau was Mr. Stanfield and Mr. Douglas, also intelligent, also respected to their bones.

But then I realize that I’m looking back fondly on Brian Mulroney. I just spent a four part series of blog posts wherein I called him an economic visionary. Twice. And today I’m looking back on Jean Chretien, admiring his decisiveness and his street smarts, and I regret that just after the 2000 election, I called the man a bastard. I have nothing but respect for Preston Manning, now, but in 1997 I didn’t want him anywhere near 24 Sussex Drive (although that’s different. Preston had my respect the moment he appeared on This Hour Has 22 Minutes).

Am I handicapping Paul Martin and Stephen Harper in the harsh light of today? Dief the Chief may have received the biggest majority government in the history of Canada, but that was the only majority government he received. Brian Mulroney, once the most hated Prime Minister in Canada, had two. Wilfred Laurier was thrown out of office, whereas Pierre Trudeau took a walk in the snow, and walked out of what could have been the most humiliating defeat in Canadian history.

Will we someday look back on this day and remember fondly the landmark Harper/Martin debates on same sex marriage? Will we someday see method to Bush’s madness? Does time heal all wounds?

One thing’s for certain: it doesn’t wound all heels.

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