So far, all of the uprisings across the Arab world have been domestic matters, deliberately so. By upping the ante against his own citizens to the point where the world had no choice but to intervene, Qaddafi has internationalized this crisis, and don’t think that he hasn’t calculated that into his plans. After all, every dictator needs some misdirection in the form of a foreign imperialist invader in the form of the United States or one of its “little Satan” allies. This could shift the whole tide and tone of this movement.
Obama, to his credit, doesn’t sound so eager to willingly take up that role. Action is needed in Libya, but Obama recognizes that there’s an optics problem if the US were to lead the charge. France and the UK sound tepidly on board, but support from elsewhere may be more moral than physical.
And with world attention still focused on Japan, everything else – Libya included – is taking a back seat. It’s hard to say who that benefits right now.
Of course, the question that nobody’s asking just yet is, what’s next? What happens after Qaddafi? What happens when any opposition movement gets tainted by the notion of being propped up by the Europeans or the Americans? Will whoever sends in troops be able to anticipate an exit date?
By now, everyone in Montreal, Beantown and everywhere in between knows about the ugly hit by Zdeno Chara that landed Max Pacioretty in the hospital with a possible career-ending fractured vertebra and concussion:
It still hurts to re-watch. And not just because we all know the outcome.
On the hit: It was ugly, that’s unquestionable. It was illegal, that’s also unquestionable, and Chara got a game misconduct for it. It was frightening to watch, because we know how it turned out. And it was part of a high-energy, high-speed game, delivered by a guy who isn’t known for using his size to injure but certainly has it in him. And the fact that Pacioretty was having his breakout season and playing first-line solid hockey only made it that much harder of a blow to absorb.
On intent: Did Chara mean to hurt Pacioretty? He says no. I’m inclined to believe him, with a caveat: I think that, within the context of hockey, he was trying to get back at Pacioretty and this was a continuation of the feud that they had going on for a few games. In other words, I don’t think this was just an accidental check gone wrong. Since a Habs-Bruins playoff matchup is a strong possibility, I’d even allow that teams start to play dirty and there’s some intent to injure going on with good players. But it’s not the same as intent to injure, off-ice, and I’m sure that’s what has the league wringing its hands at how to mete out punishment.
On bias: Mike Murphy had to make this call because Colin Campbell was biased, what with his son Gregory playing for Boston. This isn’t the first time that Campbell has needed to recuse himself from a disciplinary decision, either. I still think he should have resigned the minute his son made it to the NHL. But it does argue that there’s too much discretion in these kinds of disciplinary decisions. Either way, the rules need to be clearer, and there can’t be so much in the hands of one man.
On criminal prosecution: Nope, don’t agree with it here. Despite the massive public pressure and outcry in the wake of the NHL’s decision not to suspend Chara (and seriously, people, tying up the 9-1-1 line for hockey? Not cool.) I don’t believe that there’s any place for criminal charges in hockey, unless the incident was outside the boundaries of the game and crossed the line to something else entirely. Trying to get the courts involved is just another way of absolving the NHL of responsibility for this kind of stuff. It happens within the parameters of the game, which makes it the NHL’s responsibility.
On violence in hockey: Is the game too violent? Is there too much fighting? Should we make them all wear bubbles and carry sticks made out of foam? Hell no. I like my hockey fast-paced, hard-hitting and tough, and I suspect most of the league’s fans do too. But there’s a difference between a clean hit and a dirty one, and that’s where I think the system is broken.
The bottom line: If you rob a store and wave a gun around only meaning to scare the clerk, but you accidentally shoot him, sorry, you’re going down for murder.
Likewise, I think the rule should be simple in hockey: If you injure a guy on an illegal play, accident or not, you’re out as long as he is. If he misses the season, so do you. If you end his career, you’re gone too.
Implement this rule, enforce it a few times so the players understand it’s serious, and watch the ugly headshots disappear like magic.
Warning to those of you who like a few glasses of wine with your meal: Apparently, virulent antisemitic ranting is now a side-effect of alcohol consumption.
The French fashion house Christian Dior said Tuesday that it had started procedures to dismiss its chief designer, John Galliano, following accusations that Mr. Galliano made anti-Semitic outbursts at a Paris bar.
[ . . . ]
The video, posted on the Web site of the British tabloid The Sun, appears to show Mr. Galliano taunting other patrons at the bar, La Perle, declaring in a slurred voice that “I love Hitler” and that “people like you would be dead,” and “your mothers, your forefathers” would all be “gassed.” It was unclear when the video was recorded.
Of course, the notion that these outbursts were caused by drunkedness is laughable. Being drunk makes you lose your filters; it doesn’t turn you into a racist.
I’m uncomfortable with hate speech laws in general, and even though Galliano was clearly off his rocker on the offensive scale, the criminal charges against him make me squirm. But Dior firing him seems like an eminently sensible decision from a business standpoint, especially with spokesperson and Oscar-winner Natalie Portman speaking out against him. And such opinions are sadly all-too-common in France, which does has these laws on the books for a reason. I highly doubt that “I was drunk” will hold up as an excuse in court.
Then again, maybe he should speak to Mel Gibson’s lawyer for some coaching.
If there’s such a thing as a recipe for disaster, this is it:
A friend and former professor of a California man whose yacht was hijacked by Somali pirates said that Scott Adam wanted to combine his love of adventure with his faith by spreading Bibles around the world.
Religious fanaticism and recklessness… that’s sure to turn out well. I’m not saying he deseved to get hijacked or anything. But then, the Darwin Awards exist for a reason, don’t they?
Update: It now appears that Adam and his three compatriots have been killed by the pirates. Snarkiness aside, of course I would never wish that sort of fate on anyone. And it underscores the urgent need to do something about the situation in Somalia, which hasn’t had a functioning government since 1991, and whose chaotic anarchy has given rise to the piracy industry in the first place.
You can tell it’s an election year when the government actually bothers to do something useful. Harper, seeing the writing on the wall after massive petitions and public outcry, has issued an ultimatum to the CRTC about its recent usage-based internet billing ruling: back down, or we’ll overrule you:
Last week, the CRTC ruled that usage-based billing, the model used by large Internet providers such as Bell Canada and Rogers Communications to charge customers extra for exceeding monthly download limits, will apply to smaller providers, too. Until now, those smaller providers could offer unlimited Internet packages; the ruling means they no longer can.
There have been hints already from Industry Minister Tony Clement that the federal government may quash the controversial ruling, and the prime minister has asked for a review of it. But the government’s blunt ultimatum to the CRTC suggests any review would be pro forma.
This was a terrible decision by the CRTC – yet another in a long line of them that have backed Big Telecom’s demands over the rights of the consumer and the marketplace. Usage-based billing would have stifled innovation and choked off advancement, it’s true. But let’s not forget that, thanks to the CRTC, Canadians pay the most in the world for cell phone plans, pay for incoming text messages (despite another Harper campaign promise… anyone remember that?), and enjoy tons of lovely censorship of TV and radio. All because the CRTC is supposed to protect the interests of all Canadians, but only protects the interests of three: Bell, Telus and Rogers.
As for the government, let’s not forget that this is one decision, taken under overwhelming public pressure, in the face of hundreds of other decisions that have gone against consumer interests. The real solution isn’t to review this one decision; the real solution is to review the CRTC’s overall mandate and existence.
Just when I think I can’t possibly hate the Harper Conservatives any more… their attack ads on Ignatieff and the Liberals are some of the most annoying, boorish, ill-conceived spots I’ve ever seen – and considering this is politics, that’s saying a lot.
The results are in: By an overwhelming majority of 99%, South Sudan has voted to split from the North and form its own country. When/if statehood is officially declared in July, the folks over at Sporcle are going to have a busy day.
Meanwhile in Darfur (yeah, remember Darfur?), fighting has been escalating once again, while the world ignores it and focuses on South Sudan.
So Louise Beaudoin says out loud what most of the PQ has been saying – openly or not-so-openly – for years: We only care about one culture, and that’s pure laine quebecois, and everyone else can shape up or get out.
Okay, not in so many words, but that was the gist of the Pequiste leader’s remarks to the press after a group of Sikhs were denied entrance to the National Assembly. They were there to speak out against Bill 94, a racist piece of claptrap that would deny services to Muslim women wearing face coverings, for instance, and is supported by an overwhelming 95% of Quebecers. This law as written won’t impact the Sikh community specifically, but the people who came out to speak up were there to represent the 5% of people who disapprove of the Quebec government’s attempt to further infringe on religious freedom for xenophobic reasons.
Now, there is a very legitimate question about the kirpan, and whether any kind of weapon – ceremonial or otherwise – should be permitted past security screening at the National Assembly. Beaudoin could have taken the high road, saying “we would like to hear from all Quebecers, and we invite the views of the Sikh community on this issue, and we regret that security concerns did not allow us to admit them” or something to that effect. It wouldn’t have solved the tricky kirpan debate, but it would have signalled an openness to at least discuss it.
But Beaudoin chose the low road. Specifically, she said that:
“Religious freedom exists, but there are other values,” she added. “Multiculturalism may be a Canadian value. But it is not a Quebec one.
“And we haven’t signed the constitution of Canada because it contains this notion of multiculturalism.
“I think we can be different.”
If by “different”, she means “more xenophobic”, then she’s hit the nail on the head. At least there’s no hypocricy in Beaudoin’s position. It’s getting harder to call racism one of Quebec’s “dirty little secrets” when it’s being promoted so openly. Quebec has never wanted to be pluralistic, accepting or tolerant. If the disastrous reasonable accommodation debates showed us anything, it’s that most people in Quebec would prefer us to turn into France and do away with religious freedom altogether.
Meanwhile, the Liberals missed an opportunity to take a strong position against Beaudoin and company. Charest’s team waffled on the issue, staying quiet and basically stumbling through an attempt to walk the fine line between not pissing anyone off and not pissing anyone off. All of that to cover the dirty little secret that, if it weren’t for the fact that the Liberals rely on the “ethnic vote” to get elected, most of them would be as opposed to multicultural values as their Pequiste compatriots. That’s some strong leadership we’ve got in Quebec City, folks.
My logical follow-up question to Louise Beaudoin is therefore this: If multiculturalism isn’t a Quebec value, how can we change that and turn it into one?
With only a day left until the end of 2010, it’s now time to once again pull out this list, which consisted of my 120 New Year’s resolutions for the year.
At halftime in July, I’d managed to accomplish 46% of the things on the list. How did I do in the second half with the other 54%? Well, let’s see.
Go to Morocco.– Made it there, thanks to volcano, almost didn’t make it back
Go camping at least twice next summer. – does camping out on a couch count?
Find my dream apartment and move into it.– don’t know if it’s my dream, exactly, but it’s a vast improvement and I’m officially moved in as of last week – just under the wire
Get my own washer/dryer and finally stop dragging my laundry around like a friggin’ nomad. – new apartment has ’em both
Get a dishwasher. – new place has got one of those too
Replace my 12-year-old car with something newer and zippier. – zoom zoom 🙂
…or else get rid of it and join CommunAuto. – opted for the new car instead
Successfully fight that unfair, BS speeding ticket. – court date hasn’t happened yet; stay tuned
Complete and edit my NaNoWriMo 2009 project. – um, not so much
Participate in NaNoWriMo 2010. – sat this year out
…and win. – you can’t win if you don’t play
Buy those new dishes I was eyeing at the Ottawa kitchen store. – and I love ’em
Buy a spice rack. – new kitchen, new spice rack
Paint my kitchen yellow. (I’ve always wanted a yellow kitchen, for some reason.) – not yet, but I intend to this spring
Go skiing at least three times.– I’ve been skiing for the past five days straight, so I’d say I killed that one
Go snowshoeing.
Visit Cathy. – and Casey, of course
Visit Andrea and Jim. – yay Mars!
Convince Andrea and Jim to come visit more often. – mission accomplished
Host Etrek Montreal-fest 2010. – y’all are welcome
Eat breakfast (other than coffee) more days than not.– coffee and a granola bar counts, right?
Buy a vegetable steamer.
Find a new volunteer project.
Celebrate Canada Day someplace where people are actually happy to be Canadian. – yay Mars 🙂
…with fireworks. – yay Martian neighbours 🙂
…and some typically Canadian music like Blue Rodeo or Great Big Sea. – when I’m up I can’t get down
Buy new socks and throw out the ones with holes in them.
Keep walking to work every day, as long as I live within walking distance. – it’s the only way to travel
Pack lunches and avoid the takeout trap. – managing on average four out of five days – not too shabby
Pay someone an undeserved compliment. – won’t say who
Learn to sew well enough to hem my own pant legs and sleeves. – my tailor can rest assured he’ll still be getting lots of business from me in 2011
Don’t get the flu. – epic FAIL
Call my grandfather. – often
Learn CSS.
…and update the look and feel of this blog so it’s not so ugly. -sorry, folks, still uglyville
Blog more often.–
Read the Israeli news headlines more regularly. – in spurts, but I try to keep up
…in Hebrew, to keep my language skills from going completely rusty. – I think my reading skills are nearly gone, sadly
…and listen to online radio or watch online TV broadcasts in Hebrew, too, for the same reason. – doing better on this score
Update my online (Flickr) photo albums. – mostly up to date
Update my offline (printed) photo albums. – yeah, not so much
Buy fruits and veggies from the farmers’ markets instead of the supermarket. – I heart Marche Jean-Talon
Vote. – there haven’t been any elections
…in an election where my vote actually makes a difference. – yeah, like that’ll happen
Visit the Contemporary Arts Museum on freebie Wednesday.
Go to at least one rock concert. – went to three, by my count
…by a band that has been around for less than 15 years.– KT Tunstall in November
Watch the Cannes Lions winning ads.
Carry on an entire conversation with a francophone without letting on that I’m anglo. – this works better in Morocco (and in France) than it does in Montreal
Try 10 new restaurants in Montreal. – I’ve lost count but surely it’s been more than 10
Find a good answer to the inevitable questions about my name that doesn’t involve exasperation, or a long backstory. – it’s like Sara, with an i
Clean the oven.
…using baking soda (?) – sorry Urban Green Girl, but it doesn’t work as well as you said it would
Organize my DVD collection.
Set out to buy clothes and actually end up with clothes. – some of them are even pink
…and no shoes. – I think I did this once
Master the art of the experience brief. – I didn’t, but Jasmin is working on it
Get more (consumer) insightful. – oh, definitely
Retrieve my old electric keyboard and actually remind myself how to play it.
Reduce the procrastination to a manageable level. – Sporcle is evil
Pay my taxes. – they come off my paycheque automatically, so this one has been easy
…and put the refund towards travel. – see #1
Win my 2009-10 fantasy hockey pool. – I placed second
Draft Ovi in the 2010-11 fantasy hockey pool. – sadly, no, and Malkin has been underproducing
Go to at least one Habs’ playoff game – contingent on them actually making the playoffs, of course. – went to three of ’em. Helped that the Habs made it to the conference finals.
Keep kosher(ish) for Passover. – um… the less said the better. my mom might read this.
Couchsurf. – repeatedly
Host couchsurfers. – several of ’em
Help at least three friends plan trips. – it’s the next best thing to traveling myself
Invent a new smoothie recipe. – bananas and kahlua – surprisingly good together
Watch the Olympics on TV. – glued to the set
…and see the Canadian team win the hockey gold. (Hey, I can hope, right?)– epic WIN!
Improve my Spanish from a 20-word vocabulary to at least a 50-word one. – still on the to-do list
Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7. – on my netbook, but not on my desktop yet
…preferably without losing my mind in the process. – TBD
Go apple picking in the fall.
Sell my old backpacks.
Clear out my closets and drawers. – now I have no clothes left
…and participate in a clothing swap.
…and donate whatever I cannot swap to charity.
Drink more green tea instead of coffee. – I heart david’s tea
Finish the pile of books that are sitting on my “to read” shelf. – I have a new pile now
Get my grandmother’s chicken soup recipe from my mom.
…and learn to make it.
Convince my mom that the world isn’t going to end in 2012, regardless of what the Mayans said. – I’m still not sure she’s entirely convinced
Go karaoking.– we all live in a yellow submafine
Go kayaking.
Laugh a lot.
Spend less time in front of the computer making these lists, and more time actually doing the things on them. – been too busy to blog, does that count?
Grand total? That’s 76 out of 12o items accomplished, or 63% of the list. That’s up from 46% at halftime, making the second half of the year arguably less productive than the first. On the other hand, I did accomplish some biggies, like the new apartment, so I’ll say it’s a wash.
A man slipped away from the scene of a week-long armed standoff in Newfoundland and got a lift out of town to buy smokes while police guarded what turned out to be an empty house for nearly 16 more hours, the RCMP said Monday.
The Mounties said the man snuck past their security perimeter on Friday night after they gathered on one side of his house to pump water into it with high-pressure hoses in an effort to resolve the standoff in Bay Bulls, N.L.
“In essence, we had one side of the house fully covered and positioned and another side that wasn’t,” Sgt. Boyd Merrill said in an interview.
Right, because it’s not like it would ever occur to someone to try the other door.
This is the kind of amateur-hour tale that you might expect from a small, underfunded local police department, not from the highly-trained and professional RCMP. I don’t think that this is quite what they meant by the Mounties “always get their man”.
(Please, no Newfie jokes, or Red Rabbit and Damian Penny might get together to kick your asses.)
The World I Know is updated on a semi-regular basis by segacs.
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