An opening of one's knowledge,capabilities, vision and guidance. The Kenaz is about creating a relationship,learning and allowing room for interpretation. When you are in the darkness,an opening with light is the best and most gracious thing to have bestowed upon you. This is a great time for putting energies into new opportunities. Come share my world as I see it.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
July 3,2008
Brendan was the type of guy who would have given you the shirt off his own back," said his friend, Dave Duckworth of Edmonton. "He joined the CF to make a difference.
Downey, a 36-year-old military police officer from 17 Wing Detachment Dundurn, was found dead of unknown circumstances in base living quarters in the Persian Gulf. Downey was serving at Camp Mirage, a base at an undisclosed Gulf location used to stage Canadian airlifts to Afghanistan. His death is now the subject of a military investigation.
He quickly marched in to see his Regimental Sergeant Major to indicate he was eager to serve in Afghanistan,” said Brigadier-General Denis Thompson, the top Canadian commander in Kandahar. “He was selected to fill a vacancy soon after, because he was motivated, he was skilled, and because he was eager to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Afghan people.
Private Colin William Wilmot was serving with a field ambulance unit in Edmonton and was not originally scheduled to deploy to the battlefield, but he lobbied for the job and eventually got attached to the Canadian battle group. Wilmot died while on night foot patrol. The blast happened around 1 a.m. local time on Sunday and did not immediately kill the medic. He suffered critical injuries and his comrades gave him emergency first-aid, lifting him onto a stretcher and moving him in an armoured vehicle to the nearest Canadian outpost. A helicopter later took him a military hospital at Kandahar Airfield but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The words are the same seven words the brilliant mind of the recently lost George Carlin made us laugh nervously at so many years ago and will never be uttered on this blog. That is where the comparison between the mother f*!@er a!#$oles at the Mayors office, City Hall and Liuna Station ends.
Lister Block is dead
This week has been a cornucopia of lies, ineptitude and border line corruption down at Hamilton City Hall. Lets start in reverse order, on Friday it was revealed that on this Monday Hamilton will return a $7-million cheque to the province after failing to reach a deal to save the Lister Block and restore dignity to a joke of a downtown.
LIUNA and partner Hi-Rise have decided to cry like babies and take their ball home after the city rightfully accused them of dropping the ball way to many times. LIUNA served official notice to the city yesterday that their compromise in the $25-million negotiations is off the table. LIUNA also advised the city that its other planned developments on King William, including replacing the fallen Balfour building, are on hold. Plus, they said they will fight an attempt to put a heritage designation on the Thomas Building beside the Lister on James Street North.
Why is LIUNA saying they've had enough making compromises?, even though the city has had to walk on egg shells trying to get a working deal together. The Lister deal fell apart this week after both sides couldn't agree on the terms of a $1-million guarantee on the second phase of the project.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger appealed to the province yesterday morning for another extension of the hefty grant, which was intended to make the deal more affordable for the city. He was flatly refused. Rightfully, the province had already extended the deadline twice.
The stymied deal,
Councillors want the additional development to offset the cost of buying the Lister. It will cost taxpayers an extra $1.3 million a year for city offices compared to existing leases.
The developers proposed they would get their guarantee back if they built a commercial building or seniors home of at least 65,000 square feet, or 130,000 square feet of residential space. Either development would generate $550,000 a year in taxes for the city -- just $50,000 less than originally requested by council.
But LIUNA also wanted a sliding scale if they built a smaller development. The union would only lose the entire $1 million if they built less than 40,000 square feet. If they were between 40,000 and 60,000, they would only give back a part of the guarantee.
Think about how that looks to Hamilton taxpayers, to developers with an interest in downtown redevelopment, and to Queen's Park. It looks like our local government is so dysfunctional, so parochial, so short-sighted and outright ineffective, it couldn't find adequate common ground, even for a $7-million grant.
This is unfair to the hardworking people of Hamilton. There is adequate blame to go around all parties in the Lister negotiations. The developers have been inconsistent about project components and their willingness to commit to guarantees. And the childish rhetoric emanating from LIUNA on the subject in recent weeks hasn't been helpful.
In a reasonable world outside the vacuume of council chambers, the parties involved would realize what's at stake and work right through to the Monday deadline to find compromise and salvage the grant money. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen, which raises the unfortunate question: Now what? Try your spin on that one Mayor Fred.
Eisenberger leaked tape scandal(see video at the bottom of the post)
If this story wasn't so pathetic it would be funny. Stoney Creek Councillor Brad Clark admits to circulating the stolen tape that landed Mayor Fred Eisenberger in hot water for leaking confidential information, but stops short of admitting to stealing the tape himself.
Clark says he gave a digital file and transcript of the tape to a Hamilton Community News reporter and his best buddies councillors Sam Merulla and Scott Duvall out of what he says is "compelling public interest."
"The mayor is the gentleman who admonished city council for breaching codes of conduct for talking about personnel matters ... and then I get this package (showing) that he had clearly done what he had admonished people for doing."
Eisenberger, who has asked for a police investigation of the missing tape and a city review of his apparent code of conduct violation. Meanwhile, Duvall kept his big mouth shut, on the other hand Merulla known famously for his run off at the mouth if you ever catch a city council meeting in person or on the local public access station, pathetically tries to cover his ass arguing, if that was the goal to distribute the tape as a way to "whistleblow", he(Clark) wouldn't have distributed the file and transcripts so selectively.
Merulla believes Clark wanted to politically embarrass the mayor for his own purposes and tried to use him to do it. Right!(sarcasm) Wanna buy some real estate right for development, needs a little fixing up.
Here's where it sounds like another episode of the Sopranos, Clark tells Merulla the story of the mayor's presumed code violation should be told as soon as possible and suggests Merulla should pass the files on to reporters. Clark refuses to say who provided him with the files. But it's clear from his e-mail that he had been in contact with someone who allegedly had access to the mayor(Who's Deepthroat?).
A friend of both councillor's regularly recorded the mayor's interviews Clark said in the e-mail to Merulla but does not want his name mentioned because he is suing the city for wrongful dismissal. The newspaper crack team of investigative reporters(if you want to know where the best place to eat is) learned that Ian Dovey, Eisenberger's former communications adviser who taped some of the mayor's media calls, is suing the city for breach of contract. Eisenberger let Dovey go last summer after five months on the job.(the man in the shadows is revealed! Is this just a ruse!)
Meanwhile, council has directed city staff to hire an outside investigator to review whether Eisenberger broke council's code of conduct by revealing in-camera information in an off-the-record interview with reporter Andrew Dreschel. Any off-the-record conversation is strictly confidential. God! haven't we learned yet from these dumb celebs who get caught doing something they shouldn't have on tape. Get rid of the evidence!
It gets better, Clark brushes off any suggestion he himself may have violated the code of conduct by circulating the Eisenberger interview. The code forbids councillors from disclosing any confidential information to the public. Clark believes he's clean because he merely distributed a transcript of an interview.
Media in this city is becoming more like a gossip column every day. It's no secret they are hurting for revenues so they rely on this type of crap. "Leaked" or down right stolen information that finds it's way into the media hands is rarely divulged for compelling public interest. More than enough it's released to serve a personnel agenda. Both Eisenberger and Clark, who have been banging the integrity drum louder than any other members of council and now both their hands are dirty.
Politics is the dirtiest legal profession their is. Clark was not playing the part of whistleblower he nothing more than a political opportunist, his actions are bound to revive the distrust and suspicion that descended on council in the wake of Councillor Dave Mitchell's code of conduct troubles.
To be squeaky clean and above suspicion, Clark would have served his own and the public interest better if he had openly put the tape before council or the city's legal department rather than indulging in this backroom crap.
Just outside Makuan village here, Noor Mohammed, deputized as a security guard at a radio tower, goes to work in plainclothes. "If I wear a uniform, they will kill me," he tells Canadian army Capt. Jonathan Snyder, 24, who is patrolling the area two days after a Canadian convoy was ambushed nearby. Snyder is exasperated: "You shouldn't fear for your life," he tells the frightened man. "They should be fearing for their lives because of you."-Capt. Jonathan Snyder, trying to quell the fears the Afghan have for the Taliban. source 6/20/2006 article in USA Today.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
"He believed in the mission and he wanted to do what was right."-Father of slain soldier.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
I also found this video tribute to our fallen soldiers.
Canada's latest casualty in Afghanistan is a Brantford native who married his high school sweetheart and was looking forward to having children. Captain Richard (Steve) Leary, 32, was shot while leading a foot patrol involving Canadian and Afghan soldiers that was ambushed in the Panjwaii district yesterday morning. He is the 84th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.
Leary was born and raised in Brantford, where he met Rachel. They married there in 2002. He attended Brantford Collegiate Institute and played on its football team. He later attended McMaster University, where he received an undergraduate degree in history and religion, working for a bricklaying company on the side.
Leary was with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., where he lived with his wife, Rachel.
"Rich Leary - Steve as he was known to his family - was a very stoic individual, very solid leader, extremely loyal and renowned for his loyalty to his troops," Lieutenant-Colonel Dave Corbould told reporters afterwards. "It was always the mission and his men. more
Four new baby falcons hatched on the ledge atop a bay window high above King Street West adding too the growing Hamilton Peregrine Falcon population. Two were female and two male, ranging from 23 to 27 days old. The chicks where named Blashill, Duncan, Elstone and Miles, for four now-deceased club presidents, Betty Blashill, Bruce Duncan, Robert Elstone and John Miles.
The Hamilton nest is one of 16 urban sites being monitored in southern Ontario. To date it has been one of the most successful, in use since 1995. Three adult females and four adult males have nested there over the years, producing 38 chicks, 36 of which have fledged and flown away.
The above picture is from the Falcon cam perched a top the Sheraton Centre. When you right click on the picture and select reload image, this will bring up the up to date photo with curent date and time. Or if you don't like to reload please visit http://falcons.hamiltonnature.org/ and view their cam shots which reload automatically.
The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The Cat People Tarot paints a picture of faraway lands trod by mystical archetypes and their feline companions. This deck is a perfect tool for dreamers and idealists, and is a great choice for divining the nature of human imagination.
The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Wheel of Fortune, when reversed: Failure. Ill luck. Broken sequence. Unexpected bad fate. Interruption or inconsistency due to unexpected events. Outside influences not contemplated.
The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Knight of Pentacles: A mature and responsible person. Reliability. Methodical and patient person. Persistence. Ability to conclude a task. Laborious, organized, capable and dependable person.
The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Page of Pentacles, when reversed: An unrealistic person. Failure to recognize obvious facts. Dissipation of ideas. Illogical thinking. Rebelliousness. Wastefulness. Loss. Unfavorable news.
The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Eight of Wands (Swiftness), when reversed: Thorns of dispute. Jealousy. Harassment. Discord. Stagnation. Domestic quarrels.
The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Queen of Pentacles, when reversed: False prosperity. Suspense. Suspicion. Responsibilities neglected. Vicious person. Untrusting person. Fear of failure.
The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Knight of Swords: Bravery. Skill. Capacity. The strength and dash of a young man. Heroic action. Opposition and war. Impetuous rush into the unknown without fear.
The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. The Sun: Satisfaction. Accomplishment. Contentment. Success. Favorable social relationships. Love. Joy. Devotion. Unselfish sentiment. Engagement. A happy marriage. Earthly happiness. The contentment derived from extending oneself toward another human being. A good friend. High spirits. Warmth. Sincerity. The rewards of a new friendship. Pleasure derived from simple things. Liberation.
The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Ace of Swords: Great determination. Initiative. Strength. Force. Activity. Excessiveness. Triumph. Power. Success. Fertility. Prosperity. Deep emotional feeling love. Championship. Conquest.
The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Four of Cups (Luxury): Wariness. Aversion. Disgust. Disappointment. Unhappiness. Bitter experience. Stationary period in one's life.
The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. The Moon, when reversed: A minor deception recognized before any damage is done. Trifling mistakes. Overcoming bad temptations. Gain without paying the price. Taking advantage of someone.
The Cross spread is used to plot the arc of your life and the forces acting on it. It is the most popular spread, giving a very complete view of the situation. Ice Runes are most commonly used for questions about struggle, conflict, and achievement.
The left rune represents an important element of the past. Wunjo is the rune of Joy. Since joy is least frequently a solitary emotion, this rune often represents mutual or communal bliss. Wunjo is also seen as a rune of the gods and a rune of perfection, carrying with it the elation that blazes from the creation of a perfect work - perhaps this is the true joy of the gods, that they can create perfection. That aside, this rune does not focus on the struggle for perfection or on our inevitable imperfections, but rather on a job well done and the satisfaction that comes from it.
The middle rune represents a deciding element of the present. Uruz symbolizes the Auroch, a member of the ox family that became extinct long ago. This rune represents the strength, bravery, and endurance of this animal of old. Uruz portends the ability to meet problems head on and to overcome them. When the world was new, warriors used to test their strength against the Auroch. Hence, this rune has come to represent the masculine principle and the capacity to meet a challenge.
The top rune represents a force that works for you. Laguz is the most strongly feminine of runes, representing water. Deep sexuality is suggested by this rune. Through Laguz, water is seen as the ocean - vast, uncontrollable, ever-changing, and vital. When interpreted as the returning tide, Laguz can also predict the inevitable return from a long journey.
The bottom Rune represents a force that works against you. Othila is the homeland. Land was the purest form of immovable wealth in Norse civilization, distinct from the movable wealth represented by Fehu. This rune speaks of stability and safety stemming from inheritance, both material and genetic. With respect to the question asked, consider the background of the people and families involved...
The right rune represents the critical element of the future, at the core of the final outcome. Nyd represents many things, most of them unpleasant - heed it well. Constraint, delay, loss, need, and sorrow are all frequently seen in this rune. Nyd speaks most strongly of pause, the hallmark of the both the timid and the patient, and is often interpreted as foretelling a delay in the effect of other runes that it accompanies. Fortunately, even where there is misery and danger there are valuable lessons to be learned - the trick is to learn them before you are overtaken by despair.
"Like the judge said, he has three years and after that if he behaves himself, then he's free to go," Kelly said outside the courtroom. "I'll be suffering with this forever."
Some solace was delivered this week for the victim of a vicious swarming that left him without the ability to perform music. The last of three young men tried for their role in beating local musician Eugene Kelly will serve three years in a federal penitentiary.
Bronson Vinerskis, 20, was sentenced yesterday in the Ontario Court with his parents present. He was given credit for 114 days in pretrial custody on a two-for-one basis. Vinerskis earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in adult court.
Earlier this month, two teens were found guilty of aggravated assault and additional charges and sentenced to 12 and 18 months. Kelly, 46, was beaten in the Pizza Pizza parking lot at Fiesta Mall on Highway 8 on Nov. 12, 2006.
Travis Carter defined bravery
In sad news this week, the boy who captured the Hamilton area's attention while he fought a terminal illness has died. Travis Carter died this week at the McMaster Children's Hospital. He was 10. Travis, who was in Grade 4, died from complications of Batten's disease. Travis was diagnosed with the rare degenerative brain condition in 2002. It usually takes a child's life after age seven or eight.
No this isn't a reveal for a new line of gay and lesbian GI Joe toys, yup you’re looking at the newly unveiled Canadian Olympic uniforms.
Opinions are like rear ends, everyone's has one, just some are better than others. Some liking the styles, some not, I have to say I’m on the ‘definitely not’ side.
At first glance they remind me of Hugh Heff's hand-me-down pajamas or some late period Jackson Pollack painting. The only thing I am sure of is that they certainly don’t appear to be fitting for the national Olympic team, but rather more in line with a Saturday morning jaunt to the surplus store.
Suddenly, I'm having vivid memories from my childhood. I see visions of the bargain basements at the BiWay, Kresge’s and Giant Tiger. Remember those terry cloth jumper suits? Anyway I regress back to the present, but the designer of these fashion travesties sure hasn't. What’s with the 80's aerobics instructor headband on the one guy?
These are, apparently, eco-friendly and organic. Why mess with success? Our bold red and white Canuck Maple Leaf combo is known and respected world wide, why give us this? The clincher to this madness has to be that the materials used in these leisure suits. Apparently to help keep out the Chinese smog.
“Designers have incorporated an element into the gear, called a B-Tube, which could help protect athletes from Beijing’s pollution. The sun-blocking polyester tube can be worn as a head cover, hair band or mask to filter out the particulate matter in the air.”
How about a mini, portable oxygen tank?
Our Canadian athletes’ suits also use materials such as bamboo, organic cotton, and cacona, which is, so I’ve read, derived from coconut. When the suit gets wet can you ring it out and make a fruit drink out of it?
How eco-friendly is this crap if its made in China and shipped into Canada? But that’s not to be spoken of. It’s a far better marketing strategy to con everyone with the eco-everything adverts and remove as much cash from today's consumers, and forget the real-time pollution and environmental costs behind the vendors’ ‘green’ claims.
I applaud the designer for trying to continue Canada's trend setting ways at the Olympics. Remember the backwards Roots cap? But the new Canadian outfits are embarrassing. The German team will wear to Beijing a uniform that is conservative, maybe a little boring, but at least their athletes will look professional.
"He died helping Afghans build a better future for themselves and their children. His dedication and sacrifice will not be forgotten."-Brig,-Gen. Guy Laroche, the commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
Taliban militants unleashing an ambush that killed a Canadian medic on a goodwill patrol in a hotly contested district west of Kandahar. Cpl. Michael Starker, of the 15th Field Ambulance Regiment, was pronounced dead in a military hospital after his Civil-Military Co-operation team (CIMIC) patrol came under fire in the Pashmul region of Zhari district, about 25 kilometres outside the city. A second, unidentified soldier was wounded. He is reported to be in stable condition, and well enough to be able to call his family at home.
Starker was born and raised in Calgary, where he worked as a paramedic for three years. The death brings Canada's toll in Afghanistan to 83 soldiers and one diplomat since the mission began in early 2002.
Plans for a concert at Ivor Wynne Stadium by country superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have been shelved in response to a city staff report predicting it would cost $400,000 to bring the venue up to safety code for the event.
Last Wednesday, the community services department recommended to a city council committee that the Aug. 23 concert be allowed to go ahead if upgrades were made. However, that was reversed Friday when department staff decided the cost would be too high.
"I'm awaiting a full report on where the $400,000 comes from, what it is for, and what options there might be," Duncan Gillespie, CEO of HECFI, the city-owned corporation that wanted to rent Ivor Wynne for the show, said yesterday. "They said apparently the stadium is safe for almost 30,000 people to watch a football game, but not 25,000 people to watch a concert, if 3,800 of them are (seated) on the field."
Gillespie said city staff were chiefly concerned about added fire safety problems created by the 3,800 people sitting on the stadium field. He also said he wasn't sure if city staff had taken into account "the economic impact on the city of 25,000 people coming to see a concert and whether that could have offset some of the costs."
The country double-bill would have been the first major concert to be held at Ivor Wynne in almost 30 years. The city has been reluctant to allow concerts there since some 55,000 rock fans filled the stadium in 1975 to see Pink Floyd. City officials were flooded by complaints about noise and rowdiness.
Hamilton officials insist on living in the past, Hill/McGraw fans are not the same as Pink Floyd fans. They wouldn't be there to rip up and burn the field, gimme a break. We have come along way, proper precautions to protect the turf and adequate police enforcement would have turned the old dump on Lottridge into a palace for one night and the money spent would have brought in further investment. Instead Hamilton officials once again show they have no love.
"Private Street served his country with pride and selfless dedication. He will forever be remembered as an example of bravery and outstanding dedication."-Prime Minister Stephen Harper
I found this fitting song composed by MacPhee, Schram, Howe in my files simply entitled "Ode To The Canadian Soldier "and uploaded to imeem. Please give a listen. The lyrics pay tribute to the men and women who are "Fighting for freedom and staying the course.
Pte. Terry John Street, 24, of Gatineau (formerly Hull), Que., was killed at about 6:15 p.m. local time (Friday) in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar province, Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters early Saturday at Kandahar Airfield. Street was a member of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Man., said Laroche, commander of Canadian forces in Afghanistan. The soldier and his colleagues were redeploying for the evening following their day's activities in the area when the device detonated, Laroche said. The death brings Canada's toll in Afghanistan to 82 soldiers and one diplomat since the mission began in early 2002.
"You don't hit somebody when they're down."-Eugene Kelly
He was kicked, stomped and pepper sprayed by three Hamilton pieces of trash who thought they could get away with it. Eugene Kelly got up, heeled himself and fought back in court and this week he got the vindication he deserved. Kelly, 47 was outside the courthouse where two Hamilton youths were convicted of participating in a mob attack on him on Nov. 12, 2006.
Ontario Court Justice Bernd Zabel found both males, who were 17 at the time, guilty of aggravated assault. He convicted one of them of assault with a weapon and administering a noxious substance (pepper spray). The pair, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, will be sentenced May 2. A third accused, Bronson Vinerskis, who was 18 years old, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in adult court and will be sentenced on April 9.
Kelly, a married father of two grown daughters, has no memory of being stomped and repeatedly kicked in the head. He learned only weeks later, after awakening from heavy sedation and semi-consciousness, that doctors in the emergency room observed a distinct boot impression on the side of his bleeding face.
Witnesses said Kelly was pepper-sprayed by one youth and minutes later knocked to the pavement outside the Pizza Pizza at Fiesta Mall in Stoney Creek. He was unconscious as soon as his head hit the ground. A group of teenage boys surrounded his defenceless body and administered a flurry of kicks to his upper body and head.
The lead singer in a Celtic rock band called Crooked Jack, Kelly was returning home from playing a gig at the Corktown Pub. He stopped into the pizza shop sometime after 2 a.m. for something to eat. He admonished a teenager at the counter for failing to say thank you to the server. A friend of the youth took offence and challenged the older man to meet them outside.
Kelly suffered closed-head injuries and permanent memory loss, along with chronic impairment of his equilibrium. He has recently returned to work at Dofasco, but in a limited capacity. The steelworker has difficulty maintaining his balance and now walks with a cane.
"It's been just devastating," Kelly said, referring to the struggle he and his family faced to return to their normal lives. What hurts most is not having the dexterity to play guitar or the strength to stand for long and perform onstage. "It's not there yet. I tried a couple of times, but it's just not there yet."
I hope the justice system finally says enough is enough and hands out adult sentences to a bunch of coward "youth offenders" who committed adult crimes.
The good: The draft bylaw to establish an city council integrity commissioner will go out for public consultation. It’s expected to be finalized in June. Councillors today allocated $50,000 in the 2008 budget to cover the potential costs of the commissioner for the last six months of the year.
The very bad: Controversial amendments were added to the bylaw last week at the Accountability and Transparency sub-committee, including charging a $100 fee to make a complaint and automatically cancelling investigation if the complainant speaks to the media.
The tragic comedy that is city hall continues it's sickening run at King and James. This weeks 'farce' includes a proposal that would render a complaint to the city's integrity commissioner null and void if the person complaining about a councillor goes public before the investigation is complete.
In other words, if you talk to the media, an investigation would be automatically be scrapped, regardless of how serious the allegation is. What draconian piece of shite is this? When did democracy cease in Hamilton?
That amendment to the draft bylaw was approved last week by the integrity and transparency subcommittee, which is made up of councillors and citizens. Council has transformed a piece of legislation intended to ensure that councillors live up to their ethical obligations into both a blatant attempt to gag free speech and a ruse to shield themselves from being accountable.
And, as citizen committee member Joanna Chapman, who voted against the proposal, rightly notes, "Anything that stands in the way of having a complaint properly investigated ... is a huge mistake."
The council members hiding behind the curtains pulling the strings are no mystery. Their the same ones, time and time again, who wish to waste time and money in order to save their old tired butts.
There's nothing nefarious behind the proposal. It's simply a misguided attempt to discourage "frivolous and vexatious" complaints.
Councillor Terry Whitehead, a member of the committee, argues imposing confidentiality on members of the public will help protect councillors from "bad-faith complaints" intended to politically embarrass them.
"The majority of the committee felt if someone was genuine in their complaint and had no agenda and they respected the independent process of the integrity commissioner then they would allow the commissioner to do the work before going public," Whitehead explains.
Councillor Brian McHattie, another committee member who supports the muzzle, notes the restriction is an extension of the same confidentiality rule that would apply to the integrity officer, if and when one is hired.
"I'm hearing very clearly from my fellow councillors unless they have those kind of protections in place then they won't support the commissioner bylaw," McHattie says.
Nice try, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Like Shakespeare's two courtiers in Hamlet the two councillors bumbled this one. The proposed restriction is not only out of step with an open and free society, it flies in the face of the rules governing investigations by the provincial integrity and environmental watchdogs.
Councillor Brad Clark points out that rather than protecting councillors from trivial and trumped up allegations, the gag would make them more vulnerable. For example, if a complainant goes public with an allegation and the investigation is dropped as a result, a councillor will have no way of clearing his or her name. The shadow of suspicion would linger forever.
Councillors should, within reason, be sheltered from unscrupulous special interest groups and political rivals looking to get at them, but they already have legal and moral ways of doing that. Imposing a muzzle on the public at the expense of what may be a legitimate allegation and serious investigation is way out of bounds for members a democratic political arena to conduct themselves.
"He announced to the dressing room that his mom and dad had been killed in a big car accident...But he didn't want to let his team down with what had happened. He wanted to play, he wanted to be with his team."
An incredible quote from a minor hockey league coach about an incredible six-year-old.
The championship hockey game against the Maple Leafs was on the line for the Rosedale novice Canadiens. But just before 2 p.m. on Super Saturday, six-year-old Clark Parker entered what would normally have been a room filled with the raucous shouts of excited little boys. Instead, you could have heard a pin drop as the courageous lion heart made his impassioned statement.
Former Dunnville deputy mayor Norm Parker, 41, and his wife Nadine Parker, 36, a respected certified management accountant, died Thursday when their minivan slammed headfirst into an elevated highway support in east Hamilton. Alcohol, weather and road conditions were not factors in the collision.
Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up. That he has to leave the nest, the security, and go out to do battle. He has to lose everything that is lovely and fight for a new loveliness of his own making, and it's a tragedy. A lot of people don't have the courage to do it.-American Actress, Helen Hayes in 1966
Back in January I posted my Winter reading and I have to say parts of it where pretty accurate once again. Unfortunately this guy popped up,
The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. The Devil: Ravage. Bondage. Malevolence. Subservience. Downfall. Lack of success. Weird experience. Bad influence or advice. Black magic. Unexpected failure. Seeming inability to realize one's goals. Dependence that leads to unhappiness. Controversy. Violence. Shock. Fatality. Temptation to evil. Regression. Self-destruction. Disaster. Astral influence. The tearing apart of one's self-expression to such an extent that the person becomes ineffectual. An Ill-tempered person. Lack of humor except at another's expense. Lack of principles.
Yes, Hotz Environmental had their share of "little devils" running around and that meant another new beginning for me with another company. Spring seems to be looking brighter, I look forward to what the new equinox brings. I've had to say goodbye to my cat Emilly who I have had for all of her fifteen years, but I look forward to many more years of joy with my new kitten Eden.
What does the Spring have in store for me?
what does the Spring have in store for me?
The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The Cat People Tarot paints a picture of faraway lands trod by mystical archetypes and their feline companions. This deck is a perfect tool for dreamers and idealists, and is a great choice for divining the nature of human imagination. If you would like your own copy of the Cat People Tarot, you can !
The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Emperor: Worldly power. Accomplishment. Confidence. Wealth. Stability. Authority. Indomitable spirit. Leadership. Maturity. Father. Brother. Husband. Male influence. Direct pressure. Conviction. Domination of intelligence and reason over emotion and passion. Attainment of goals. Achievement. Desire to increase domination in every direction. A capable person who is knowledgeable and competent.
The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Ten of Cups (Satiety), when reversed: Loss of friendship. Unhappiness. Family quarrel. Pettiness. Rage. Combat. Strife. Opposition. Differences of opinion.
The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. The Empress: Feminine progress. Action. Natural energy. Development. Fruitfulness. Accomplishment. Interest in day-to-day details. Mother. Sister. Wife. Marriage. Children. Feminine influence. Material wealth. Evolution. A leader. Decisions founded upon all the facts at hand. The motivator of a successful partner or husband. Businesswoman.
The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. The Tower, when reversed: Continued oppression. Following old ways. Living in a rut. Inability to effect any worthwhile change. Entrapment in an unhappy situation. Imprisonment.
The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Page of Swords, when reversed: An impostor revealed. The unforeseen, illness is possible. Powerlessness in the face of stronger forces. Lack of preparation.
The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Queen of Wands, when reversed: Jealousy. deceit. Possible infidelity. Unstable emotions, Fickleness. Resistance. Obstacles. Opposition.
The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. The Hanged Man, when reversed: Lack of sacrifice. Unwillingness to make the necessary effort. failure to give one's self. Preoccupation with the ego. False prophecy. Useless sacrifice.
The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Page of Cups, when reversed: Inclination. Deviation. Susceptibility. Temporary distraction. Seduction. A flatterer.
The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. The Sun, when reversed: Unhappiness. Loneliness. Possibly a broken engagement or marriage. Canceled plans. Triumph delayed although not necessarily completely lost. Clouded future. Lack of friendship.
The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Seven of Wands (Valor): Success. Gain. Overcoming obstacles and challenges. Advantage. Victory.
what does the spring have in store for me?
The Cross spread is used to plot the arc of your life and the forces acting on it. It is the most popular spread, giving a very complete view of the situation. Ice Runes are most commonly used for questions about struggle, conflict, and achievement.
The left rune represents an important element of the past. Ken is the rune of light and knowledge, driving away darkness and ignorance and revealing hidden truth. This rune also brings forth images of friendship and comfort. Ken is the light of inspiration, the light of imagination, and a beacon in the darkest hours.
The middle rune represents a deciding element of the present. Ehwaz is representative of the eight-legged horse ridden by the god Odin. As such, this is the rune of controlled movement and travel, including the pursuit of an objective or station in life. Since some older sources show Odin not as a man riding a horse but as a centaur-like being, this rune can also represent the union of man and nature, or the fusion of two entities in perfect harmony. As this rune is reversed, this could bode poorly for travel or for the vehicle involved. In the more spiritual sense, this rune could represent difficulties in self-improvement or other attempts at advancement. Finally, it may represent a splitting of two or the inability of two to act as one.
The top rune represents a force that works for you. Thurisaz represents a thorn, the most basic of barriers to our boon or our bane. In the case of hedges, thorns protect our encampments from that which skulks towards us from the outlands. In the case of rosebushes, thorns keep us from beauty. Though thorns are passive and have no thoughts, they puncture, tear, and may even be poisonous. Hence, this rune may also represent irrational violence and anger.
The bottom Rune represents a force that works against you. Dagez means daylight, and represents divine light. This rune generally refers to dawn (the initial sparking of energy) or to midday (the climax of energy). Both dawn and midday are symbolic of change, but unlike the changes in the perpetual circle of the year which are slow and subtle, the changes over a day are much faster and more dramatic. The breaking of a new day is symbolic of the rapid illumination of dismal circumstances, and is suggestive of Satori. Be careful - although this rune generally suggests a positive change, the symbology of a peaking point suggests that there must be a change downward as well. Fortunately for some, this rune is cyclic and irreversible, and so permanence is not promised - the only thing you can be sure of is an exciting ride.
The right rune represents the critical element of the future, at the core of the final outcome. Laguz is the rune representing water. Laguz is a strongly feminine rune, and like the ocean contains much power of an uncontrollable nature. Here the rune is seen in the reversed, symbolic of the ebbing tide. This may suggest power being drawn away, or may perhaps the start of a journey. Since this is a rune of sexual power, the reversal can also suggest sexual problems or dissatisfaction.
