Tuesday, March 13, 2007

What REALLY Happened at MP School?

ChuckerCanuk divulges the real story. Linwood Barclay, eat your heart out.

48 comments:

Red Tory said...

A bit of shameless self-promotion here. Harper's Gender Gap. Opinion hasn't been too flattering... Perhaps you'd like to offer a different perspective.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I'll pass, thanks.

Tarkwell Robotico said...

more shameless self-promotion.... I have produced a spin-off of the original series.... what if Garth and Belinda were shacked up together for the MP Academy?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Chucker, that kind of self-promotion I'll check out.

Red Tory said...

Joanne -- That’s unfortunate. It would be interesting to get an alternative perspective. As a staunch supporter of Harper, a fanatical “Harperoid” as you said, I’d be interested to know what it is you and other fans of the PM see in the man that others apparently do not. The discussion over at my place in this instance is not about policy, issues or ideology, but just the visceral impression of the man. The exercise is not to demonize Harper, but to understand what’s at the root of the negative animus that seems to exist amongst many women.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I see the bait, but I'm not biting. This fish has too many battle scars.

Red Tory said...

I think that's rather craven and, as I said, disappointing. It wasn't meant as "bait" (as in setting some kind of a trap) but a very straightforward request that you provide an alternative opinion from the perspective of someone who is an unashamed "fan" of Harper. Conservatives often criticize those with differing opinions of not wanting to engage in honest discourse or dialog, but in my experience it seems they have things topsy-turvy. More often than not they're reluctant to venture beyond the predictable confines of their echo-chambers and the Hallelujah Chorus of like-minded individuals.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I think that's rather craven

More often than not they're reluctant to venture beyond the predictable confines of their echo-chambers and the Hallelujah Chorus of like-minded individuals.

And that just reaffirms my decision.

Go find yourself another sucker.

Anonymous said...

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/189858
«Tories gain women, urban supporters in poll
March 08, 2007
ALEXANDER PANETTA
CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – A new poll suggests the federal Conservatives have regained support among women and city-dwellers, crucial demographic groups that are key to any hope of a Tory majority.

The Decima survey, provided to The Canadian Press, suggests the trend is the reason for the Conservatives' six percentage point lead nationally over the Liberals – 35 to 29.»

RT, maybe you're hanging out with the wrong women? Or maybe you're asking leading questions?
Whatever the reason, maybe your interlocutors prefer a fuzzy-wuzzy, really sensitive metrosexual kind of guy as PM.
They may be looking for love in all the wrong places ...

Anonymous said...

Tango Juliette sez:

Hey there, Raht Toeree:

Jest what part of "No thanks!" was it that you didn't quite understand in that little petulant set-to you tried to embark on, with JoanneTrueBlue?

Harper Groupies are kinda like Clinton and Dion Groupies. Only the belle l'Harperoidiennes don't have to indulge in RazorBack Willie's "genufluctions," if'n ya gets my drift. Nor do the l'Harperoidiennes et l'Harperoidians have to participate in any bizarre mental and psychological gymnastics to demonize the Prime Minister of Canada while pretending that their knap-sack-packin' pepe le pieou did not blow a very large bundle more of tax dollar$ to deliver a Liberal version of a 'de facto' denial of the vaunted Koyoto Accord and dog-racing team.

You're toast. Learn to live with the up and coming nation-wide rejection by the voters of Canada.

P.S.

Personally speaking: Harper, far as I know, to date, hasn't ripped this generation of taxpayers off to the tune of million$, for the benefit of hisself and his pals.

I, again, speaking very personally, find this appealing and attractive starting point to serve as a most appropriate cornerstone for the foundation I have established in my support of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the CPC.

I cannot imagine what it is that you find even remotely appealing about Dion and his alleged dream team, all out of central casting of the BoyzInDaBKrume Productions.

This, BTW, is in no way nir fashion to be construed by you, and your minnions, to be an invitation to flood Jo's blog with pamphleteering for the lost boys of Steffi. Unless she might choose to let you folks trot out your tired and tortured rationlizations and demonizations. Most already getting better than average, "free," lineage and airtime, in most MSM.

The 'net, the cel 'phone, the palm devices, and all those other little "samizdat," in-the-palm-of-my-hand, immediacy of communications, are going to contribute to the final eradication of the LPC here, just as these devices helped demolish the most oppressive lefty regime in recent history.

In Georgian, in Ukraine, in other former Soviet Slave States, freedom over-came Communist, Statist, totalitarianism and tanks and men in the streets with guns.

It's coming to Canada next. Give your local Liberal Thug a hug. Soon (s)he'll trying to find an honest job.

Tough gig to land, if honest is as unknown a feature in their tool-kit as a Stanley Cup is to long-suffering Toronto.

ciao, chooch!

e.&o.e.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Jest what part of "No thanks!" was it that you didn't quite understand in that little petulant set-to you tried to embark on, with JoanneTrueBlue?

That's right. Thanks, Tango. When a woman says no, she means "no".

End of discussion.

Red Tory said...

Gabby -- Or maybe you're asking leading questions?

I guess, if you consider "What do you think of Stephen Harper?" and a follow up consisting of "Why?" to elicit a more detailed explanation to the initial response.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Zzzzzzzzzz...

For a far more entertaining discussion, please check out ChuckerCanuk.

Anonymous said...

red tory
you don't strike me as a ninny
why don't you read Joanne's post before you ask questions ?
is your blog lacking something? that you have to beg for input?

Florence

Anonymous said...

Sorry, RT, I'm watching the debate (Quebec elections coming up, remember?), so I'll have to answer your penetrating question some other time.

Sorry to have bored you, Joanne! Will try to do better next time :-)

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Sorry to have bored you, Joanne! Will try to do better next time :-)

Not you, Gabby! What's happening in the debate anyway? I'm watching the French version but only picking up every third word or so, and I hate listening to translations.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

is your blog lacking something? that you have to beg for input?

Florence, you nailed it.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Gabby, Chucker has a debate redux up now.

Red Tory said...

I was simply looking for honest input on the subject from a conservative perspective. Rather a hopeless quest it seems.

Anonymous said...

"I'm watching the French version but only picking up every third word or so, and I hate listening to translations."

I too hate listening to translations, which BTW are not always accurate, although I don't envy the job of the interpreters.

I don't quite agree with all of ChuckerCanuck's assessment.
1. Mr. Charest was rather laid back for the first part of the debate, what some pundits called trying to appear prime ministerial (is there an equivalent for premier? premierly??), but in my opinion he seemed almost too relaxed at the beginning. All in all, he did OK.

2. On the other hand, Mr. Boisclair was too aggressive, repeating the same question over & over, interrupting his opponent. A real turn-off for me when anybody engages in those tactics. I learned very little about what he proposes to do, other than the neverendum referendum.

3. Mr. Dumont drove home his message, attacking his opponents AND explaining what his objectives are for Quebec. However, a few of his ideas are questionable IMO.
E.g. Quebec being more autonomous but within Canada; eliminating school boards in order to lessen the heavy Quebec bureaucracy, yet promising an inquiry into the conditions the elderly face (that's what we need, MORE studies); promising $100/week per child under six not enrolled in govt.-funded daycare, but where's the money to come from?

Mr. Dumont did get in one zinger, though: defending his preference for private/public partnerships in healthcare, he replied to Mr. Boisclair's questions that for someone who wanted out of Canada, he (Boisclair) was certainly supportive of the CANADA HEALTH PLAN.

All in all, better than the 2004 federal debates.

Anonymous said...

"I was simply looking for honest input on the subject from a conservative perspective. Rather a hopeless quest it seems."

OK, RT, I don't claim to be representative of conservative women, but here are my ideas:

What I'm NOT looking for in a PM:
• a father figure
• a huggy bear, someone whose slippers I wouldn't mind under my bed
• a good actor /comedian /entertainer /Armani-suited / from the pages of GQ kind of man
• a "yes" man that will kowtow to lobby groups' bidding
• someone who'll promise the moon & deliver moon dust

What I AM looking for:
• someone who's clear in his vision for the country
• someone whom I intuitively feel is honest
• someone rational & pragmatic
• someone whose ideas/policies generally jibe with mine
• someone who's direct & down to earth in speaking to the public
• someone who's genuine, not a plastic makeover

And for those women who are turned off by Mr. Harper's steely blues, I advise him to wear his glasses more often. They look good on him.

Red Tory said...

Gabby -- Thanks for your opinion. That's just the kind of thing I was looking for.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

And for those women who are turned off by Mr. Harper's steely blues, I advise him to wear his glasses more often. They look good on him.

Good point. It softens his appearance a bit. Also more casual clothing.

Thanks for your debate assessment too, Gabby. Very interesting. I am cheering for ABB.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I was simply looking for honest input on the subject from a conservative perspective. Rather a hopeless quest it seems.

You and your sycophants too often choose to vilify anyone with a differing opinion. The "quest for honest input" becomes a gang-attack. Who needs that? I have better things to do with my time.

Anonymous said...

Tango Juliette sez:

Much of the anti-Harper, scary Steve demonization stuff, is spawned in the partisan breeding grounds of much of the mainstream media, primarily to bamboozle the gullible, who don't seem to want to be bothered with devoting too much time in analysis of issues.

Spoon-feed us how we're supposed to think and act and vote, tell us nice stories, and everything is kewell.

Judicious photo selection, photo-retouching, colour adjustment and re-balancing, digital pixel-by-pixel, recreation of images, and presto spiffo! Voila!!anything can happen. And has.

Most people who claim anything along the line of "He gives me the willies, or the creeps, 'cause he's got scary eyes," have, more than likely, never been close enough, to the person, long enough to actually see, and get a good look at his eyes. Or the colour, and weave of his shirt and tie, for that matter.

They may well harbour serious concerns on divisive issues such as philosophies, concepts, specific issues. Fine. Understandable. Go after Harper on these grounds. Choosing to convert these concerns into easily understood demonizing personal attacks by reducing all of this to verbal characature techniques, is easier and more effective communication, and far sleazier, to boot. But the message truly stick in one's mind for a long, long, very long time.

I can understand, and perhaps even accept, the first part of the above equation. The second part, however, while understandble, is unacceptable. Even when I employ these techniques myself. I do it with words, and with images, both photo-mechanical/digital, as well as good old-fashioned, traditional propaganda-style hand-drawn artwork.

i.e.:

The Harper "eyes." Specifically as used in many newspaper reproductions, but most specifically in the highly insulting Liberal Party "Men With Guns -- In our Streets." TV ads. I call them insulting, for I write here, as an Army veteran.

The whole eye thing, is very much a visual reference to the "nasty-looking eyes" look of our dear friend and Droog, Alex, of Clockwork Orange notoriety. There are undoubtedly many other visual references along similar veins.

By the way, might you be interested in a poster-sized reproduction of my wokr on environmentalism?

It's called "Nobody does Kyoto Quite Like Stefane Dion Does Kyoto." The cartoon image includes a rather sweaty and flushed looking Dion, a greenish cross between Teen-Aged Mutant Ninjas and Kermit the Frog,tie askew, trousers at the fashionably and Liberal accepted position of Clintonesque half-mast, so to speak. Crooked grin on slack-jawed face, though there really ISN'T any jawline there to speak of, is there? Steffi (not Stiffi) is standing behind a rather stunned and surprised looking, large, white canine.

If notions of "pumpin' da pooch" or "diddlin' da pup" or "screwin' the dog" etc, or even stronger and baser terminology spring all far too readily and easily to mind, so much the better. 'Cause that's the way Steffi approached the environment.

Now, the poster? $49.95 each / $2.64 per dozen. appropriate taxes extra FOB our Press Shops in Gopher Muscle Saskatchewan.



actually . . . there really is no such poster. . . outside of your fertile mind that is. Shame on you, eh?

But that's how it all works. You want to destroy the liberals and their cronies, for keeps?

Let me at 'em. Two years, they're toast, 'cause they don't totally control communications links any ore.

Like the internet, for example.

Out of curiosity: What sort of images dod you conjure up, with just a hint of wording to get you started. Male / female split here?

I think that males might respond more readily to the visual graphic representation, moreso than the females reacting to the words themselves.

ciao!

Tj

typos, e.& o.e.

Anonymous said...

unfortunately the Fiberals will try to market the flip flopper Dion under that guise
better to be Joanne and not answer those leading questions
i agree Our Prime Minister is one of the best
first time in many years that i have been proud of our Prime Minister
to those who criticize his appearance his appearance is one of a winner

Florence

Anonymous said...

RT, you're welcome.

Sorry, Joanne. I'm not up to date with all the current abbreviations. What's ABB?

"... the Fiberals will try to market the flip flopper Dion under that guise ..."

Florence, that has already started. On my local radio station, some Liberal insider/strategist was talking about Dion's proposal for fighting crime by putting more police on the streets.

This proposal from the same gang whose 2006 ads claimed a Stephen Harper government would instal martial law - "soldiers - with guns - on our streets - we didn't make this up."

"i agree Our Prime Minister is one of the best first time in many years"
I agree completely.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

What's ABB?

Anyone But Boisclair. ;)

Anonymous said...

Here's one for you, Joanne: IARD

Anonymous said...

just finished reading red tory's blog i drop by occasionally
i find he presents good arguments and most are ALMOST persuasive but none for me so far
people leaving comments on his blog are something else
no wonder he was begging for your opinion
thanks for saying NO

Florence

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Florence, yeah. I've come to realize that it's a waste of time commenting there; except for the odd non-partisan issue.

Gabby - Do I get a hint?

Anonymous said...

could IARD be
investment
advisor
registration
depository

Florence

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Inept
Awkward
Rudderless
Dion?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I've been watching (finally) the documentary Global Warming Swindle.

IARD? Great guesses, Joanne & Florence.

Actually, it means I Am Really Dense, the I referring to me, of course, for not guessing Anybody But Boisclair.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Gabby - lol!!

What did you think about the GWS?

molarmauler said...

I loved the GWS documentary. I'm paying my teenager 5 bucks to watch it (just kidding, she's promised to watch it for free :D )

BTW, a big debate is scheduled to happen tonight in New York. I can't wait to see a transcript. Thanks for linking me to ADogNamedKyoto. The site is on my favourites now.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

That debate looks interesting, Molar. I see that Michael Crichton is on the panel. I want to read his "State of Fear".

Anonymous said...

GWS: Finally, some sanity to stop the mass hysteria!

That doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying to clean up OUR environment, like PM Harper is trying to do through the Eco-Trust announcements.

Makes me wonder, though:
1. What will Elizabeth May, Pablo Rodriguez, Nathan Cullen, Stephane Dion & Bernard Bigras - all of them devout Kyoto disciples - what WILL they do? Is there any hope they will turn down their volume? Will they stop talking altogether? Allelluia!

2. In a couple of years' time, will those same people point an accusing finger at PM Harper, saying he spent TOO many millions of $ on the environment?

MolarMauler, thanks for the info re: the debate. Sounds interesting.

Tarkwell Robotico said...

Joanne,

" I want to read his "State of Fear". "


READ IT! Its fantastic!

Tarkwell Robotico said...

Hey Gabby!

Whoever said you have to agree with me?

My buddy at work and I completely saw 2 different debates last night!

He threw out the "Boisclair performed better than expected?"

I said, "so what? This isn't a contest for most improved player!"

Arrgh! But the fun is not agreeing.

Okay, I'm going back to my blog to sulk because Gabby wouldn't disagree wtih me on my site and push up my comments!!!!

Tarkwell Robotico said...

Like, if anything, my enthusiasm for Charest's performance is from the same thing:

he did a lot better than I expected, since I'm a Dumont-maniac.

I thought to myself - can I really say, property taxes aside, that Charest did a bad job?

Mt. Orford should be developed - its awful as it is and hardly more than an environmental trinket.

And he gets government-whopping flak for that???

Joanne (True Blue) said...

READ IT! Its fantastic!

Chucker, thanks. It's available at my library, but I've got two other books on the go, and I see that Chantel Hebert's book is ready for pickup. (French Kiss).

Maybe I'll read it in a few weeks.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Okay, I'm going back to my blog to sulk because Gabby wouldn't disagree wtih me on my site and push up my comments!!!!

Gabby, you would make Chucker's day if you left a comment at his place. ;)

Anonymous said...

"Gabby, you would make Chucker's day if you left a comment at his place."

I did, I did! but on another thread.

I often lurk in the shadows over at CC's blog. I'll have to make a point of becoming more visible.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I often lurk in the shadows over at CC's blog. I'll have to make a point of becoming more visible.

Great! He's an unabashed comment seeker. You can even just say stuff like 'hi Chucker', and he'll be pleased. No comment too trite.

Tarkwell Robotico said...

which is joanne's non-Garth way of saying I'm a traffic whore....

see Garth, its just that easy. polite and true without diluting the point one bit! :)

Joanne (True Blue) said...

which is joanne's non-Garth way of saying I'm a traffic whore....

Ah, but you're so much more lovable and better looking!

Candace said...

Tango Juliette, I'm so bugged that poster isn't real, I'd have bought one!