Air India and other disasters

How many times have we heard it now -- that our police, our justice officials, our "intelligence," knew something was coming down or could come down -- and they did nothing about it?

We are like helpless ants, living our lives and walking on the sidewalk, oblivious to the gigantic threat above our heads that could walk on us and squish us in a nano-second.

And that's what has happened, continually, if you think about it.

This is some of the left-over debris from the 1985 Air India terrorist attack on a plane in Canada that killed 329 passengers who were headed to India.

And the Canadian "intelligence" knew it was coming.

We all know what this is -- it's 9-11.

And how many warnings did the CIA and FBI and the rest of the American "intelligence" establishment get about that before it happened, if you're to believe reports?


If I recall, how many warnings were there about Columbine that were ignored or not properly heeded?

And how many warnings did West Virginia school officials receive before a South Korean guy killed more than 30 people last month?


Hell, Bush was warned about Katrina...what did he do? F*ck all.


Our governments tax us, they tell us what to do and that we'll be all right but they don't fix our roads or our health problems or stop selling us booze and smokes or prevent us from gambling.


It's more money for them.


They get us every which way -- but they don't protect us. How do they protect us?


They spend billions on wars and military assignments that are pointless and that we don't want and need, they allow us to pay through the nose for energy and gas and give us a piss-poor education system.


They DON'T do all those things they should. And they take our taxes for all that nothingness. And then the one thing you'd expect -- for them to protect us from all the shit -- they ignore it.


They talk tough, but they've got balls the size of peas. And we accept it. When AREN'T we going to any more?


Retired diplomat not surprised by new Air-India revelations
Canadian Press
May 7, 2007 at 2:02 PM EDT

OTTAWA — A retired Canadian diplomat says he's not surprised by claims that Ottawa had hard intelligence prior to the Air India bombing indicating the airline was about to come under terrorist attack.

But William Warden, who served as high commissioner to New Delhi at the time, told a public inquiry Monday that he does wonder why former colleague James Bartleman didn't share the information more widely with senior officials.

Bartleman, now Ontario's lieutenant-governor, startled the inquiry last week by declaring that he had seen an electronic intercept, just days before the June 1985 bombing, that suggested Air India could be targeted by terrorists that very weekend.

Warden told the commission that if Bartleman was right then there must be others who were aware of the intelligence 22 years ago and who can shed light on it now.

The more important point, he said, is that "if such a piece of information existed there must have been at least a dozen people, or half a dozen people at the very least, who would have seen such a piece — and some of whom would have been scurrying to do something about it."

"I still have that feeling of frustration that the government machinery did not seem able to get its act together and to really step in at an early stage . . . It may have served to take the wind out of the sails of some of these people."

--Globe and Mail

The First Annual Boy Bloggers' Spring Fashion Show, Part 1

THE CLOTHES TRULY DO MAKE THE MAN.

And so, as we spring into spring here in the Great White North, we set out to offer a variety of tips over the next two posts to answer what every Blogger Boy worth their salt is wondering.

WHAT TO WEAR? HOW TO BE HIP?

CAN WITHIN WITHOUT HELP ME GET WITH IT?

The answer most definitely is yes. We've scoured the earth for the latest in men's wear, we've sent our fashion floozies far and wide to answer one simple question.

How can the discerning male make his way as he sheds his long underwear for his bermuda shorts and knee-high socks? The answers await below.

AROUND THE HOUSE

No true man of the world can consider himself "in" if he doesn't have Perry Como slippers. The ones shown above are typical, comfortable and can be worn with or without socks.

Note the professional stance of the model below, showing the versatility and comfort factor, this time with socks (anklet socks, mind you; more on that later). These cost about $10. They're a steal.


Staying with home loungewear, it's a little known fact: plaid is back in.

And while it may be true that most males such as Homo Escapeons blog in their underwear, there are few out there who don't wander around the house in flannel PJ bottoms.

Here are two examples of what to look for.








If you can get little signs put on them for color contrast (as above; Toba is short for Manitoba), you'll be one of the swinginest guys on your block.

OUT AND ABOUT

If Perry Como slippers are indispensable to the fashion-conscious male, runners -- the older and uglier the better -- are an absolute must. And if they have Nike swooshes on them, all the better.

Nike swooshes and other free advertising for massive corporations impress women and they show you are cool and have enough money to spend the extra cash to advertise free for the company.

This same rule applies to a staple of any spring wardrobe, the ultra-hip athletic shorts, whether you're a pro sportsman or a wussy weinie who couldn't catch or throw if your life depended on it.

You should have as many of these in your repertoire as possible.

With as many Nike swooshes as you can find.

NEXT: Sandal do's and don'ts, wearing baseball caps, going to work, how to pretend you're an athlete and more on socks

Hormone Hair Hell (how my teenaged son lost his tiny mind over a girl)

SON SLEEPS IN.

Son starts homework later than promised on Sunday, watches TV, talks about how he might do something later, watches TV, plays computer games, watches TV.

GIRLFRIEND CALLS AT 1:30 P.M.

He can go over at 2:30 p.m. and spend some hours with her after not seeing her all weekend. He's walking on air, instructing dad how teenagers work the women nowadays, details his plans for amour.

In a manner of speaking, of course.

Then plans start to go awry.

1:35 p.m.: Son realizes his favourite shirt he's been wearing all weekend stinks. Asks if it can be washed and will it be dry for planned departure time by bike at 2:30 p.m. Dad says he'll try.

1:40 p.m.: Son hops into shower.

1:50 p.m.: Son leaves towels all over the place, as previously instructed not to. Gets hell from dad.

1:52 p.m.: Son asks if shirt is ready yet. Receives evil eye from dad that always means "That's a stupid question." Does not take news that shirt is still in washer very well. Dad snickers.

1:58 p.m.: Son dries hair somewhat with newly purchased hair dryer, which he (alert the media) actually likes.

1:59 p.m.: Son applies newly purchased mousse to new hairdo, tries to fix hair in steamed up mirror. Panic starts to REALLY set in. Hair is "too puffy," son says. Dad laughs.

2:02 p.m.: Son asks if shirt ready yet. Dad says he'll put it in dryer now but can't promise anything. Son harumphs.

2:03 p.m.: Son starts falling apart.

Now that he's a full-blown 15-year-old singer in a rock n' roll band of no repute and is on his third girlfriend, he's decided to drive his dad nuts (and himself crazy) with a new doo...

2:35 p.m.: Son is whining about his hair, has wet it several more times, has been lectured by dad that girlfriend won't even notice difference and his hair will be blown all over during bike ride anyway.

2:40 p.m.: Son has now cleaned up room, packed things for dad to take to his place later. Son quietly admits he forgot to use sister's hair straightener on particularly crucial lick of hair.

2:43 p.m.: Dad removes son's favourite shirt from dryer, hands it to him. He puts it on. His hair has been repaired. His shirt is dry. The sky has not fallen. He allows me to take pictures.

Isn't he just the happy camper now? And all for a girl...wonder how that happens...