Rose's Place

You know, I don't think "NSFW" really cuts it this time. Perhaps "NSFHR"--not safe for the human race--is more appropriate. I am posting a link and a bit of a blurb, but no comment. No doubt you already know what this is about.From WIRED, Feb 28, 2008:As an expert witness in the defense of an Abu Ghraib guard who was court-martialed, psychologist Philip Zimbardo had access to many of the images of abuse that were taken by the guards themselves. For a presentation at the TED conference in Monterey, California, Zimbardo assembled some of these pictures into a short video. Wired.com obtained the … [Read more...]

Ok, just kiddin'. You don't have to touch any Liberals, but I would urge you to email a few, particularly any Liberals with anti-choice bona fides (see page 2 of this .pdf for a list). You see, the House is due to vote on an anti-choice private member's bill on March 5, 2008. The "Unborn Victims of Crime Act" (C-484) was first presented by Conservative MP Ken Epp (Edmonton Sherwood Park). Birth Pangs issued a Call Out for today, Sadie Hawkins Day, asking pro-choice bloggers to post about C-484. The Creative Goddesses at ACR responded immediately with this motivational video:As I said a few … [Read more...]

Lots of strange and outrageous news on the status of the four men held on so-called 'security certificates,' particularly in the last few weeks:Mohamed Harkat was one of the men held on a security certificate who was released on bail, but under VERY strict bail conditions. One of those conditions is that his wife or Mother-in-law had to be in the house (or yard) with him at all times. Well, CSIS got wind of the fact that his MIL had broken up with her partner and moved out of the house, so they came and arrested Harkat while he was in the shower (Jan 29). Last Tuesday, a judge ruled that Harkat … [Read more...]

Well, your delinquent kitty is late AGAIN. I'm finally posting some more notes from the Commons Ethics Committee's study of the Mulroney/Schreiber affair. I got a bit of a reprieve this past week, as the House was en vacances, but I'm still really, really behind.In the meantime, here's some new drama: a coupla days ago, the Chair of the committee, Paul Szabo, said that he's considering whether or not to hold former PM Mulroney in Contempt of parliament if he fails to cooperate with the committee's requests for documents:Szabo sent a summons to Mulroney's lawyers earlier this week demanding documentation … [Read more...]

Okay, I know that as long as Stephen Harper seems to be saying "come on, bring us down, let's have an election now", Stéphane Dion is going to be reluctant to do anything to bring the government down.Still.It's making him look bad. They're both playing political games, trying to make the election happen when it will most benefit their party, but it's Dion who looks like he's basing everything on the polls. We all know that Harper's trying to force the Liberals to bring him down when he wants to be brought down, but he's also getting to implement his agenda, so he at least looks like he has principles. … [Read more...]

Sweet merciful crap, my blogs have been included in the list of finalists for the "Canadian F-word Blog Awards:" H&O for the 'Individual' category, and Foul Deeds Will Rise for 'Humour.'* I'm both grateful and sheepish about these nominations. On the one hand, I'm so thankful that there are peeps out there in the tubez who come visit me. OTOH, I'm totally unworthy of the honour. Look at the others in these two categories: the Birth Pangs crew, Alison and JJ Hippie blog much more frequently and with much greater insight, humour, and frequency than your clumsy kitty. Please go visit ACR … [Read more...]

Finally! The US warrantless-wiretapping scandal made simple, from satirist Marc Fiore: The Spies who Love You!What's that you say? You wannu get into the weeds? If so, go read bmaz at Firedoglake (or just about anyone at FDL, lately; they've gotcher weeds). In the meantime, here are two things that I have tattooed on my arm about US Pres. Bush's warrantless wiretapping program:KITTY! DO NOT FORGET:This program began BEFORE 911: former Qwest CEO says that the National Security Agency (NSA) approached telecom corpses about the program on Feb 27, 2001 (6 months before 911)“We’re one bomb away … [Read more...]

A slippery slope law that is a foot-in-the-door to restrict or re-criminalize abortion is scheduled for a Parliamentary vote in Canada on March 5 - the "Unborn Victims of Crime Act" (Bill C-484). If it passes - and there's a chance it might! - it will be the first ever law in Canada that recognizes fetuses as persons, by making them a separate homicide victim when a pregnant woman is murdered.Bill C-484 conflicts directly with:• our federal Criminal Code, which says a fetus does not become a person until it's born alive• our Constitution, which gives full rights and equality to women• our … [Read more...]

This is way overdue, but I've posted my notes from last Tuesday's Ethics Committee Hearing. Yeah, yeah, I know...NINE days late!Former Mulroney Chief of Staff Norman Spector presented himself to the Commons Ethics committee on February 5. I've annotated my notes and organized them into the following 5 sections:"Don't let this become Frank Magazine"What's a nice hack like you doing in a place like this?Brother, those ain't Girl Guides!Hey! You invited *me*!The return of Grumpy Old TilsonFormer Attorney General and Minister of Justice (1993-7) Allan Rock also presented himself to the Commons Ethics … [Read more...]

"And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends." (Thanks, Prof. Tolkein)I hardly know where to start in my response to Lynne Cohen's article in the Citizen today, aptly titled "Some people deserve to die". I have rarely read an article I disagree with so thoroughly. So let me work my way through some of the highlights (or lowlights, if you prefer)For 13 years, I have been a true crime buff, reading some 35 books a year -- most of them American -- on a variety of terrifying factual situations, … [Read more...]

Our Big-Dumb-Parliament is poised to vote on an anti-choice private member's bill on March 5, 2008. The "Unborn Victims of Crime Act" (C-484) was first presented by Conservative MP Ken Epp (Edmonton Sherwood Park). Just where in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks did this come from? (Vancouver Sun):The sister of slain teacher Manjit Panghali is seeking support for proposed federal legislation that would make it an offence to harm or kill unborn babies during attacks on their mothers.Jasmin Bhambra wants people to sign a petition to Edmonton MP Ken Epp, who is advocating for the Unborn Victims of Crime … [Read more...]

Ok, that's a bit conceited, eh?What I meant was: I totally neglected my Schreiber and Mukasey 'live' blogging duties this week. I was very busy when the House of Commons Ethics committee reconvened this week and, before I knew it, I'd already missed an entire day's worth of Norman Spector and Allan Rock testimony. For shame.As luck would have it, CPAC is promising to re-air both its Feb 5 & 7 coverage on Sunday (12:30 PM and 2:30 PM EST). I will make an honest attempt to watch and je vais faire des notes. My apologies to the faithful readers who have come to my blog in search of those notes, … [Read more...]

Fightin' words from San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom (San Fran Chron):...just four years ago, current Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is said to have declined to have his picture taken in San Francisco with Newsom, who was then at the center of a national uproar over his decision to allow same-sex marriage in San Francisco."I gave a fundraiser, at his (Obama's) request at the Waterfront restaurant," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. "And he said to me, he would really appreciate it if he didn't get his photo taken with my mayor. He said he would really not like to have … [Read more...]

...and Kitty remembers why she stopped watching Meet the Press:Republican Mary Matalin, right; Democrat James Carville, left, MTP, Feb 3Mary is having a tough time these days. The former Cheney adviser and Republican 'strategist' has had a lotta bad luck, lately. Not "hey! I'm stuck in GTMO without access to a lawyer!" bad luck, but still: the woman's had better days.I think the last time I saw Mary, she was heading up the "I'm with Fred!" campaign. Yeah. Even Fred's not with Fred anymore...So what's going on in this picture? Matalin's listening to her husband, James Carville:MR. CARVILLE: … [Read more...]

I've been thinking a lot about the surreal Reagan necrophilia worship goin' on in the American GOP debates, lately. To wit: Wednesday night's debate at the Reagan library in Simi Valley, California. Here's CNN's Anderson Cooper, asking the final question of the evening:Would, and if so, why -- why would Ronald Reagan endorse you? Would Ronald Reagan endorse you? And if so, why?Governor Romney? ROMNEY: Absolutely. Ronald Reagan would look at the issues that are being debated right here and say, one, we're going to win in Iraq, and I'm not going to walk out of Iraq until we win in Iraq.Ronald Reagan … [Read more...]

It's Groundhog Day, mesdames et messieurs, and you know what that means: it's Birth Pangs' 1st birthday! Happy Birthday, sweetie dahlings. Let's all raise a glass and make a toast! 'Martini Time' courtesy of The Imaginative Universal … [Read more...]

In this article about the new movie Honeydipper, director John Sayles is quoted talking about one of the characters' motivations:It's not the club Tyrone is afraid of losing, because his wife makes more money mopping floors. It's the fear of losing the idea that he's his own boss, he's not asking to shine your shoes and he's somebody in the community.(Let me preface the following rant by saying that my problem here isn't really with Honeydipper or with Sayles -- I haven't seen the movie, or even heard all that much about it, and I don't have anything specific to hold against Sayles. But there's … [Read more...]

Good Gawd. ReWind.It and Mandos tell me that Harper is keeping the media from talking to the scientists who work at Environment Canada:Environment Canada has "muzzled" its scientists, ordering them to refer all media queries to Ottawa where communications officers will help them respond with "approved lines."The new policy, which went into force in recent weeks and sent a chill through the department research divisions, is designed to control the department's media message and ensure there are no "surprises" for Environment Minister John Baird and senior management when they open the newspaper … [Read more...]