Wolves on the Wing

....but because they were Muslims praying in a mosque do they matter? They do to me.

As per my usual policy I'm going to hold off further commentary until more news is released. Needless to say I am NOT happy about this.

There are people on cbc.ca saying we need to invoke the War Measures Act and suspend civil liberties. To them I would just say that those who would give up their liberty to gain security would gain neither and lose both.

And that's all I have to say for now. I've got to get back to work. If anyone has anything light hearted, fluffy or non-serious that you're afraid to show me because of the serious nature of today, please don't be. In fact, go ahead. I am calling in the airstrike of cuteness on my position.

I've been watching Peter Mansbridge's coverage on cbc.ca and they showed video from the gun battle that happened in the Hall of Honour in the Parliament Building. The video itself didn't show anything owing to the cameraman getting himself behind cover but it sounded like a big shotgun blast followed by a hail of pistol fire. It did not sound like an assault rifle, nor did it sound like anything was being used on full auto.

What does that mean? I don't know but twelve gauge shotguns are not difficult to get in Canada while assault weapons and handguns are. That would seem to indicate that this is possibly homegrown terror instead of something that has received material support from outside Canada. As to the question of what type of ideology this is, I don't know. It could be right wing extremists, ISIL sympathizers, radial environmentalists, or God knows what. All I know is this is shaping up to be a really shitty week in the True North, Strong and Free.

:(

1. IEDs in crowds, Ricin in the mail, Exploding fertilizer factories = holy shit this has been a rough week for those south of the border. It's enough to make me wish all my American friends and family a nice exciting tornado and hurricane season just so you can have some "normal" disasters.

Moving from the half serious to the full serious all I can say is keep calm, carry on, and know you'll be alright. Any nation that has marathon runners running an extra two miles to go give blood immediately after completing a gruelling, glucose sapping race is going to come through in good form, Al Queda/Right Wing Extremists/Lone Wolf whack job nutcases be damned.

2.  Regardless of the fact that Justin Bieber has become an embarrassment to Canada (seriously, a bag of pucks and he's yours*) I'm going to say his comment about hoping Anne Frank would be a "belieber" is ok. I'm not saying its not a self absorbed thing to say, I'm just saying that teenage girls are supposed to be dancing around the house annoying their family with devotion to the teen idol of the day, not dying of typhus in Auschwitz.

3. I thought Justin Trudeau (Leader-Liberal Party of Canada) made some very good points in his interview with Peter Mansbridge  (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) right after the Boston attack.  Since I won't be able to paraphrase it as eloquently you can see it here: http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/ID/2380243778/



And that is the week that is right now. Here's hoping it gets better soon.

*Canadian insult. To say you'd trade someone for a bag of pucks means you don't consider that person to have much value.

That was Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls' Twitter comment regarding the recent death of Amy Winehouse. Considering all the bad news of the last 24 hours or so it seemed painfully appropriate.

I'm honestly not really surprised Amy Winehouse is dead. Throughout her entire career she battled addiction and clearly seemed to be losing in recent months. Still its a shame that some people seem to only achieve rock immortality by dying. I know people are commenting on the "Curse of 27" that people think of in these cases but I think its just a case of averages. Some musicians with addiction issues survive long enough to beat them. Some don't. Amy Winehouse has unfortunately joined the list of those who didn't.

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Back in my past life many years ago I spent many summers working as a summer camp counsellor and program leader.  It was a great time of my life and I have many wonderful memories. It was really rewarding to be able to help many young people develop their skills and talents, and its also rewarding to realize that many of the kids I led back then went on to become leaders, to go on to college and live productive and fulfilling lives.  I'm not saying it was all me, I'm just saying it was great to be part of the village raising those kids. 

I think that's why I found yesterday's savagery in Norway so horrible is that I get the fear, horror and guilt the adult leaders of that youth camp must be feeling.  I'm sure there are some there who honestly wish they'd died with their charges, and who are blaming themselves for not seeing through the gunman's deception, or for not taking a bullet that killed a youngster.  There are no easy answers here for anyone to find but there was nothing they could have done that would have prevented or stopped this slaughter, and I want that message to get through to them and to all affected.

A youth camp is not armed for a reason. It is a place for youth to come together in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, to learn of each others differences and to celebrate the common threads that bind us together in the great fabric of humanity.  One extremist with a gun cannot, must not dictate to the youth of Norway, Europe, and the World that they must cower in fear as debate is silenced by the sounds of guns and the sunlight covered in gun smoke. 

The spirit of youth is to challenge the world around it, to question, and to grow. As adults we may not always be able to protect them but we can encourage them to press on, both to honour themselves and the friends they have lost.

That was Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls' Twitter comment regarding the recent death of Amy Winehouse. Considering all the bad news of the last 24 hours or so it seemed painfully appropriate.

I'm honestly not really surprised Amy Winehouse is dead. Throughout her entire career she battled addiction and clearly seemed to be losing in recent months. Still its a shame that some people seem to only achieve rock immortality by dying. I know people are commenting on the "Curse of 27" that people think of in these cases but I think its just a case of averages. Some musicians with addiction issues survive long enough to beat them. Some don't. Amy Winehouse has unfortunately joined the list of those who didn't.

******************************************************************************************

Back in my past life many years ago I spent many summers working as a summer camp counsellor and program leader.  It was a great time of my life and I have many wonderful memories. It was really rewarding to be able to help many young people develop their skills and talents, and its also rewarding to realize that many of the kids I led back then went on to become leaders, to go on to college and live productive and fulfilling lives.  I'm not saying it was all me, I'm just saying it was great to be part of the village raising those kids. 

I think that's why I found yesterday's savagery in Norway so horrible is that I get the fear, horror and guilt the adult leaders of that youth camp must be feeling.  I'm sure there are some there who honestly wish they'd died with their charges, and who are blaming themselves for not seeing through the gunman's deception, or for not taking a bullet that killed a youngster.  There are no easy answers here for anyone to find but there was nothing they could have done that would have prevented or stopped this slaughter, and I want that message to get through to them and to all affected.

A youth camp is not armed for a reason. It is a place for youth to come together in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, to learn of each others differences and to celebrate the common threads that bind us together in the great fabric of humanity.  One extremist with a gun cannot, must not dictate to the youth of Norway, Europe, and the World that they must cower in fear as debate is silenced by the sounds of guns and the sunlight covered in gun smoke. 

The spirit of youth is to challenge the world around it, to question, and to grow. As adults we may not always be able to protect them but we can encourage them to press on, both to honour themselves and the friends they have lost.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Mumbai had some bomb blasts go off today. I'm waiting for word on casualties and hoping none of my friends there were hurt.

This terrorism shit needs to stop. People have suffered enough.

Mumbai had some bomb blasts go off today. I'm waiting for word on casualties and hoping none of my friends there were hurt.

This terrorism shit needs to stop. People have suffered enough.