Saturday, August 26, 2006

Straight, Not Narrow

Hate is NOT a Family Value.

The Meek Are Getting Ready (September 22, 2003)

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Boy

Robert Barrington Leigh 1986-2006

Who can say where the road goes,
Where the day flows?
Only time...

- Enya


A scholarship fund has been established in memory of Robert by the Departments of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Toronto. Donations (payable to the University of Toronto) may be sent to:

Robert Barrington Leigh Scholarship Fund
Office of Advancement
Faculty of Arts and Science
University of Toronto
100 St. George Street, Room 2032
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3

For more information about the scholarship fund please contact John Bland by phone (416-978-3320) or by e-mail (bland @ math.toronto.edu)

Friday, August 11, 2006

Because Philosophy Begins in Wonder


Would you reach out your hand to a drowning man if you thought he might pull you in?



Is it better to do the Right Thing for the Wrong Reasons or the Wrong Thing for the Right Reasons?

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Waging a War for Talent

Renewing the One Party State today has a post entitled "You'd think Dave would do something."

Reading through the post I came to realize that the post itself was an attack against Ken Chapman and what rights he has to express his opinions freely on his own blog. Well, being a blogger myself, I think Ken's personal blog is Ken's personal blog - where he writes about his own opinions and thoughts like any of us do on our blogs - and he has enough guts to express himself under his own name, therefore actively engaging and encouraging the dialogue that we party members need during this Leadership Race.

To clear up a big misconceptions central in this attack, Ken Chapman is "not on staff" as is suggested – rather Ken is a volunteer with an opinion and a high regard for free speech (he has already clearly expressed on his personal blog that his ideas are NOT the ideas of Dave or of his Campaign. It's a personal blog).

Freedom of speech is both a powerful right and a powerful tool. People are allowed to have a different opinion or point of view than others and I know that Dave Hancock is more than able to develop his own policy that falls well within his own values and convictions regardless of the personal opinions of his volunteers.

I am slightly disturbed/shocked by the suggestion that Dave should muzzle his volunteers/supporters or even dictate what their publicly expressed opinions should or could be. What kind of leader would that make Dave Hancock? What kind of party would that result in?

The fact of the matter is that Dave Hancock IS an inclusive guy. He believes that EVERY Albertan has a valuable place in the diverse future of OUR province. He has an amazing sense of integrity and everything he does, including his very real loyalties, comes from his own strong moral code of values. That's the kind of guy Dave Hancock is.

Yes Dave is a leader for everyone, even Ken Chapman.

If the other candidates are allowing someone else to create their policies for them - then shame on them. Dave Hancock has an honest vision for the Alberta he wants to live in and it is from that passion that his policy comes - not from anyone else.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Out, Out Damn Spot!


Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention is considered the universal minimum standard of treatment for civilian detainees in wartime. It requires that people be treated "humanely," barring "violence to life and person," (including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, torture), "outrages upon personal dignity" (humiliating and degrading treatment) and sentencing/execution by courts that fail to provide "all the judicial guarantees … recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples."

The US Supreme Court recently determined (Hamdan v. Rumsfeld June 29) the Bush Administration's policy of not honoring the Geneva Convention (US ratified 1949) was illegal and that even prisoners in the "War on Terror" are entitled to the protections allowed in the Geneva Convention.

According to reports in the Washington Post, US officials have since responded in three ways:

  1. Asked Congress to pass legislation blocking the prisoners' right to sue for the enforcement of those protections


  2. Drafted legislation allowing the consideration of intelligence gathering needs during interrogations, in place of an absolute human rights standard


  3. Formulated amendments to the War Crimes Act that would retroactively protect policymakers, political appointees, CIA officers and former Military Personnel from criminal charges (for authorizing or administering any humiliating or degrading treatment of prisoners) and eliminate the risk of prosecution

The Bush Administration is obviously trying to cover it's collective ass. Makes me wonder what else they have done that they are so worried about.

Read more here:
Bush officials draft law to protect administration from war crimes (Washington Post)

War Crimes Act Changes Would Reduce Threat Of Prosecution (Globe and Mail)

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Just a Thought Away

Chris giving Wes a "Horsey Ride"


UP HORSEY, UP!


A poem I saw somewhere had the lines "It's memory's lovely garden that soothes the hurting heart." I guess it's true - two years after my brother's death I smile more at the memories and thoughts of him than not.

In some respects it is hard to believe it has been two years without him. And in others it seems like a lifetime.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Blog Catch Up - Would you like Fries with that?



Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
See all the Arlington Pictures here