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January 26, 2006
Conservative Platform 2006
I just read through the Conservative platform, its quite basic. A lot of fluff, with virtually no action plans.
I wonder why no one picked up on Harper's ending statement right after the election was conceded by Paul Martin. Harper ended with 'God Bless Canada'. There seems to be a striking resemblance to the American "God Bless America".
Isn't there suppose to be a separation between Church and state? I mean not everyone believes in 'God'. Some cultures have many 'gods'. I guess I just have to get use to his inexperience, but he'll learn in time. I do have to give him kudos for standing up to the US ambassador when it came to a conservative campaign promise around 'arctic sovereignty.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 8:33 PM
January 24, 2006
Conservative Minority
So it looks as though Stephen Harper and the Conservatives have attained power over the Government of Canada.
Great news for the NDP, they gained approximately 13 new seats (two of which are in Hamilton).
Two top Liberal ministers have departed, Anne Mclleland and Tony Valeri.
Paul Martin announced that he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, the question now becomes who will take his place?
Voters have made their voices heard, they voted less for the Conservative Party, and more for against the Liberal Party. THe conservatives do not represent the majority of popular votes. The Conservatives do not represent the needs of our larger metropolitan centres. Stephen Harper and his government will be kept in check - voters of Ontario are sending a message to parliament that they wanted 'Change' - whether it is good change will be determined over the next few years.
I anticipately await the starting of the next session of parliament.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 12:30 AM
January 23, 2006
Election Day in Canada
So the day which took what seems like an eternity to be realized is here. I urge all of you to make an informed decision. Election day is a day where you can stand up and be heard.
It should come as no surprise, but I am voting Liberal. Why am I voting Liberal? The majority of the Liberal Party of Canada's values and vision align almost perfectly with my own. I believe in low Post Secondary Tuition costs - the Liberals are proposing that half of a student's first and fourth year tution will be paid for by the government. The Liberal's have signed a historical agreement with all of the provinces around a National Health Care Strategy. The Kelowna accord was signed, providing our Aboriginal people to have the funds and programs necessary to keep up with a prosperous Canada. The Liberals will fight for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - ensuring that social injustice amongst minorities is prevented from occurring.
The Liberal Party of Canada was responsible for Canada's economic turnaround, and our position as the most financially stable country in the G7. Paul Martin has a vision, a vision which is about inclusion. Stand up for your rights, Stand up for you Country, Stand up for Liberty - Vote Liberal today.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 8:28 AM
Brokeback Mountain
So I went to see Brokeback Mountain on Saturday with Phil, Mom, and DD. What an amazing movie, it strikes a chord with me as the movie dipicted just how much social injustice plagues the vast majority of rural/small town gay people. In fact, in some respect I believe that the events, and feelings of shame still affect a number of closeted gay people all across the world.
The movie is about the inner struggles two men face in overcoming societal norms and pressures. An inner journey of self realization in which decisions of the past will haunt the two men for the remainder of their lives. My mom stated "Everybody in the world should see this movie" - the world would be a better place.
The tragic love story, ended with applause from the vast majority of the moviegowers in the theatre. I give this epic film a five star rating.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 8:22 AM
January 17, 2006
Nano CUBE Pics
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 6:21 PM
January 16, 2006
Politics
Martin revealed something new during the ethics debate. He said the Liberals would have the Constitution amended so that the federal government could not use the notwithstanding clause to override the Charter of Rights.
"Quite frankly ... the courts shouldn't be overturned by politicians," he said.
WOW! Talk about progressive politics.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 10:26 PM
January 15, 2006
Characteristics of Belonging to an Open Organization
Your work day resides within a welcoming, open environment
You believe in the power of new ideas
Where one of your policies is "Honesty is the best Policy"
You have an "I can do it, and will" attitude
You know the power of "Execution, Execution, Execution, and more Execution"
Everytime a roadblock appears, you speed right through it
You understand the matchstick analogy
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 4:52 PM
January 14, 2006
Snow Squalls - by Ralph A. Meiers
In amidst the snow we sit
Blizzards White
Frigid, cool, warm, hot,
Soothing harshness awaits
Delicate, billowy puffs of ecstasy.
A life of decisions, pondering of what tomorrow will become
In our infinite capacity,
Synapses of memories flash.
Selfish Stupidity, and Arrogance;
Welcoming, I think not.
Ignorance - not a bliss I would undertake.
Knowledge without knowing
Harmless heed make way.
Breathe, live life a little.
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 3:23 PM
January 10, 2006
HOSTEL
Over the weekend I went to see Quentin Tarantino's new flick "Hostel". I personally had never heard of this movie (my friend Dee Dee suggested we go see it), so I went into the movie with zero expectations nor the slightest notion of the plot. Well let me tell you, Quentin's whacked mind mixed with his creative flair and attention to detail really came out in this movie. The first half consisted of three european traveller's pursuit of getting lucky with eurochicks (the movie starts off in amsterdam). Sex drived and crazed, these men are on a mission to get laid. Unfortunately, Amsterdam wasn't doing it for them (and why would it when you have women stripped bare dancing in street windows for any passerby to see). Two words which would best describe the first half of the movie would be "Naked Women", lots and lots of naked women. The second half consisted of some of the goriest scenes in film I have ever laid witness to.
Psychotic and deranged - HoSTEL
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 9:33 PM
January 7, 2006
Vista Media Centre - Converged Home Entertainment Hub
So if everything goes as Microsoft plans (and Bell's IPtv service comes to fruition) Q4 2006 will be an internet entertainment nut's dream come true.
Contrary what I had previously mentioned in my article "Windows Vista", I believe that the launch of the newest iteration of Windows will indeed be revolutionary. Maybe not revolutionary in the sense of traditional windows xp computing, it will be the only standard multimedia entertainment platform. This platform will allow digital citizens a truly remarkable home experience. Bill Gate's dream of a semlessly integrated TOTAL home entertainment solution will finally become a reality.
Here's my current setup:
2 Dell Desktop PC's (1 wired, 1 wireless)
2 Dell Ultrasharp LCD monitors (1 with DVI input)
1 PC Camera (with Audio)
2 IBM Thinkpads (Currently - only wired LAN capability)
1 Bell/Audiovox Thera Pocket PC (1X wireless)
1 Bell/Sanyo 8100 Camera Phone
1 XBOX (Currently - only wired LAN capability)
1 Kenwood Surround Sound System
1 Kenwood Dobly Digital 5.1 Receiver
1 Panasonic DVD Player
2 Siemens Gigaset Cordless Phones
1 Bell Vista 350 Corded Phone
1 Bell 9220 HD/PVR
1 Bell Home Networking Modem (Sympatico Ultra Edition)
1 Analog Sanyo 27" TV
Planned Setup in Q42006
1 Windows Vista Media Centre PC with Intel ViiV (dual processors)
1 Xbox Media Centre Extender
1 Xbox Microsoft 31338C Wireless-G Network Adapter
1 Samsung 40" LCD Panel
1 Bell IPtv box (to be confirmed)
1 Bell IPtv service
or
1 Bell 9220 HD/PVR with smart Vista Media Centre Technology enabled
Finally I'll have a distributed digital home entertainment solution.
Benefits: Distributed access throughout my entire home (on the vast number of Digital Output Displays I have available) to ALL of my entertainiment media. I will no longer be restricted in having my entertainment media content to audio/video outputs connected to a single device. Today I can only watch ExpressVu content on my Sanyo TV, I can only use media player on my PCs. I can't view my pictures on my Sanyo TV. I can't easily listen to songs from my PC through my Dolby Digital Surround System.
Watchout!
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 3:13 PM
January 3, 2006
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Although "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" has been on the air for over 12 seasons, I only begun watching the program this season.
Gavin Crawford makes me laugh so hard that I can hardly breathe. His Mark Jackson skits are absolutely BRILLIANT! But my all time favourite has to be the Discovery Planet skit. Gavin's rendition of Natasha Stillwell was flawless...I PVR'd the episode and play it back whenever I need a histerical outburst of laughter. Check out the Mark Jackson Much Music VJ search clip (not my favourite...but worthy of mention) http://www.cbc.ca/22minutes/video.html
Shaun Majumder is also hilarious. In fact, I find the entire cast to be so freakin funny. Kudos to Cathy Jones for her cut-the-crap comedy style. Is there anything else in the works for the cast members?
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 8:43 PM
2006 - A New Year
Hi Everyone,
It's been qutie awhile since we've last chatted. I hope your holiday season went well, as usual mine was quite hectic (but festive and memorable at the same time).
My parents and grandparents went in together and gave me my NANO CUBE...it's awesome. It's taken awhile, but I now have the correct specific gravity (salinity of water) and my live sand substrate in the tank. I'm ordering the live tonga rock from BC (the supplier is currently out of stock) and I am hoping to have it live in the tank by mid month.
Now...as for 2006. I've decided that 2006 is going to be dedicated to the re-invention of myself. You might be asking yourself...why would you need to re-invent yourself. Well the answer to that question is that I had become complacent, and frankly quite bored with my life. Now this isn't some new years resolution (although it may seem like one). I've been slowly re-inventing myself and the things I do, over the past month and a bit.
I have always lived by my mantra of 'continuous improvement'.
I started this blog over a year ago, as a means of self expression. The intent of this blog was for no one elses benefit but my own. I always found writing to be an effective tool for self expression, and it made and continues to make logical sense to use this medium.
I have significant milestone coming up in 3 months, it's my induction into the 'Quarter Century Club'. Scary...yes real scary. What's even more scary is that five years ago I would never have imagined my life to be as it is today(both good and bad).
I think I'm starting to ramble...oh well. Just a reminder to all of you out there, January 23, 2006 is election day in Canada. It appears that the Conservative camp have released what it seems to be the first negative campaign ad. Interestingly enough, they aired the ad based on speculation that the Liberals would be launching a negative ad campaign. AU contraire, the somewhat slow and obviously ill-strategized campaign seems to have made the last half of the election campaign. GOod ones Harper clan...now that Liberals can state that it was in fact the conservatives who launched the negative campaign...and that in fact they were merely "REACTING".
Hahahahahaha...this is going to be quite the interesting election night lead up
Posted by Ralph A. Meiers at 6:29 PM