Our Troops

I read a piece in the Globe the other day concerning our troops in Afghanistan. Apparently Canadian troops are being killed at three times the rate of other allied forces. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, Canadian troops are stationed for the most part in the more dangerous areas of the country. However, the second reason is more compelling. Nearly all the casualties are the result of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED'S), implanted bombs that destroy ground transport. Canadian troops are more susceptible to these attacks when moving personnel because they have no helicopters. The obvious question is why the hell not? Young Canadian women and men are giving their lives because our government hasn't seen fit to outfit them properly. The war itself is questionable at best - we're fighting the Taliban because Dubya didn't bother to finish the job after 9/11. He was too busy inventing reasons to invade Iraq. Last week I saw Prime Minister Puddn'head Harper standing beside Dubya, smiling like a jackass. He should have been asking him for choppers.

And we should be asking ourselves, come election time, why Canadian troops don't have the full and utmost support of the country they're serving. It's criminal - and Harper, McKay and the rest of those tinhorns running the show in Ottawa should be made to answer for it.

Barroid Bonds, Chicken Golf, Hog Farm Bye Bye

Okay, let's get this out of the way first. Baseball is the greatest game ever invented. No other game is even close. Barry Bonds is a lying, cheating embarrassment to the game of baseball, and to mankind in general. He does not possess a fraction of the class and grace of Henry Aaron, nor the smallest percentile of the baseball skills of George Herman Ruth, let alone the Babe's ravenous and unmitigated joie de vivre. As for the despicable Bonds, we shall speak of him no more.

The first annual CB Open was held this week at the prestigious Freedom Oaks Golf and Country Club on the fair shores of Lake Erie. Played under a doubles format, the coveted Port Maitland Cup was captured by this blogger and his partner, the golfing comet Liz MacDonald. The tournament, named for a famed banty rooster from nearby Haldimand Trail, is already being touted as the "fifth" major. Finishing second this year - in a gallant effort - was the team of Sue Sabbatini and Sergio Plug. Condolences to them. And um...better luck next year. Nice try. Etc.

It was revealed this week that the hog factory slated for Ramsay Road is no longer in the works. This was a proposal for a factory farm, to house 3000 sows, with a lagoon slated to contain (allegedly) 1.25 million gallons of liquid pig shit. Oh...all of this on a piece of property less than one mile from Lake Erie, and a mile from the Grand River. HogWatch Dunnville fought against this environmental-disaster-in-waiting a few years ago and managed to bring the project to a standstill. The owners have now asked that the building permits be revoked. HogWatch Dunnville was told that this battle was not winnable. Well, they won and they helped to rid the county of an incompetent mayor in the process. Never underestimate the power of a grassroots group...with access to the internet.

All Hat the film is slated for the Toronto Film Fest for September 11. Time and venue to be announced.