This one is great:

I was surprised that the Liberals had this kind of gall. One of their banner pictures shows the Canadian Forces saluting with the Liberal Party of Canada logo super imposed onto the picture: http://www.liberal.ca/images/headers/header_10.jpg
This from a party that when in Government did nothing for the Canadian Forces and allowed equipment to fall apart. Cancelled a helicopter purchase to replace the flying coffins (also known as the Sea Kings) and gave us some of the worse MND the country has ever known.
Get Real!

I really enjoyed this one:

One of Colbert’s catchphrases to his audience is that they “Get It”. Actually Stephen Colbert Gets It. He is one of the few TV shows that embraces the Internet and we have embraced him right back.
Mark over at What is the (Next) Message? writes a great post entitled: Stephen Colbert Gets It
After reading Mark’s post, go over to the Stephen Colbert Green Screen Challenge to see the videos for yourself.

http://www.codebot.org/colbert/

This is a lot of fun to see.
My favourite so far is this one:

The First!
I remember watching the first episode of Colbert back in October and I was hooked.
I have to download it from the internet in October because at the time, Colbert was not available in Canada.

This episode has still not been played in Canada.

This was a very well expressed post on the Larry Di Ianni situation in Hamilton here.
From Kenaz’s Blog:
http://theeternalkenaz.blogspot.com/2006/08/larry-di-ianni-pleads-guilty.html

In a court-approved sweat-hearts deal yesterday, Hamilton Mayor Di Ianni pleaded guilty to six counts under the Municipal Elections Act. He agreed to pay $4,500 to a charity and write an essay for Municipal World magazine so others can learn from his experience. Thirty-five other charges were withdrawn.
What happened to the 35 others that were originally laid against Di Ianni by Wilkin, the hired gun who had been given carte blanche by city council to decide what charges to lay and which to take to trial? The one who was hell bent on getting justice.

Go to Kenaz’s Blog to read the rest: http://theeternalkenaz.blogspot.com/2006/08/larry-di-ianni-pleads-guilty.html

From 900CHML:

Ticats fire Paopao & Kauahi
Aug, 28 2006 – 11:00 AM
HAMILTON (AM900 CHML) – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have swung the axe again.
Offensive coordinator Joe Paopao and offensive line coach Kani Kauahi have been relieved of their duties with the struggling 2-and-9 team.
For complete details, click on the Ticats Nation banner on our homepage.

Now, there is still a bit of a season to go. If the Cats can win the next two against Toronto, we are back into playoff contention. GO CATS GO….. oh yeah, bring back Marshall!

They need a bridge named after Stephen Colbert!
Vote here, you first have to register but that is easy… just ignore that it is in another language and you will be fine.
http://www.m0hid.gov.hu/regisztracio

Reading the Oracle of Ottawa tonight for the first time in awhile. (The OoO really needs to get a RSS feed so that I keep up to date on his or her writtings)
The OoO had a link to this great site that hosts 80′s music videos:
http://www.1500videos.com/
The OoO was directed to the site after seeing it mention on Warren Kinsella’s blog: http://www.warrenkinsella.com/musings.htm
The OoO also has a link to the famous 1960 Nixon vs. Kennedy debate:
http://www.veoh.com/videoDetails.html?v=e87521tQJWkN7S

Damn Grizzly Bears, if you did not believe they had an agenda; here is the proof:
(Mirror Image of the Hack)
http://hahaimusingtheinternet.com/colbert/colbertnation/colbertnation.com.htm
Down with Bears!

I asked to see at least some of the information used against me by McMaster University on behalf of MSU Inc. I was denied at first. I took it a step further, I filed a Freedom of Information Request. It has been denied after a request by MSU Inc. to deny me the information. (I know this due to a source within MSU Inc.)
Anyway, here is the first page of the denial (I have been advised that posting can result in more charges against me, so I am trying my luck by merely doing this.) The other pages merely quote the sections and gives the reasons that the MSU expected the information to remain secret and as such has to remain secret.
So much for a fair hearing and a fair opportunity to show that the MSU is lying with this ridiculous bull—- allegations.
All this because I tried to ban their corporate gifts.

The sum of all this, I will probably have to graduate somewhere other than McMaster because this is something that may prevent me from further studies after my BA. Sadly, this is the price I will permanently pay for daring to expose the truth.
I have to thank all the people who continue to support my cause and me. This is tough and now that I realize how much harm the MSU Inc has been able to inflict and that I will never get a fair hearing, it is tougher.
In other (better) news, I am thinking about taking a course at Mohawk College this coming fall to upgrade my math!

The title can mislead you into thinking that I am talking about the so-called budget crisis here at McMaster University. Surprise, surprise, UofManitoba is having a so-called budget crisis as well. Unlike the MSU Inc., the student union at Manitoba (yes UMSU) is doing something about it.
UMSU’s work informing the local media of the reality that the so-called budget crisis is a ploy by Senior Administration for even more money as paid off in press coverage.
Here from the Winnipeg Sun is the article: http://winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2006/08/10/1731406-sun.html

U of M brass do OK
Give selves fat raises despite school’s woes
By TOM BRODBECK
They don’t have enough money to fix their crumbling infrastructure or to keep class sizes down, but senior brass at the University of Manitoba have plenty of cash in the kitty to give themselves fat raises.
U of M president Emoke Szathmary was paid a staggering $320,135 in 2005, according to the university’s compensation disclosure report.
That’s up from $261,341 in 2003, a 22% raise over two years.
Not bad. That’ll pay for a few Caribbean cruises this year.
But she’s not the only senior executive on campus to belly up to the trough.
Some senior brass received pay hikes as much as 28% to 30% over two years.
HOW DO STUDENTS FEEL?
Deborah McCallum, vice-president (academic), was paid a cool $192,273 last year — a 30% increase over the $148,360 she got in 2003.
Elaine Goldie, vice-president (external), received a 28% pay raise over two years, cashing in $191,386 in 2005.
I wonder how U of M students, who are paying a new $100 ancillary fee this year, feel about that?
It’s not just senior brass getting rich pay hikes at the U of M, either.
Directors, deans and a slew of middle managers have been raiding the cookie jar, too, with lavish pay hikes as high as 15% to 20% over two years.
U of M spokesman John Danakas, for example, was paid $87,061 in 2005.
That’s up 23% from the $70,899 he was paid in 2003.
It will take a class of 162 students paying the new $100 ancillary fee this year to cover his pay hike alone.
Pretty tough to stomach.
More importantly, though, it makes it very difficult to take the U of M seriously when they whine about how cash-strapped they are and how they have no choice but to cut services and jack up student fees.
There’s sure no shortage of cash when it comes to lining their own pockets.
John Alho, the U of M’s associate vice-president (external) — what’s up with these goofy titles, anyway? — says senior brass are actually on the low end of the pay scale compared with other universities in Western Canada.
“It’s a very competitive market when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff at universities and salary schedules need to reflect what the market is,” said Alho. “Our folks are fairly low on that scale in terms of how much they get paid.”
For example, Szathmary — the president — is the second lowest paid in Western Canada, said Alho.
What a trouper.
“I think her salary’s competitive with what’s going on in the market,” he said.
Of course, the U of M only compares itself with four other universities when it comes to salaries — University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Calgary and University of Saskatchewan.
That’s our “peer group,” said Alho.
Sure it is.
“No disrespect to our colleagues over in (the University of) Winnipeg or Brandon (University) — wonderful institutions, both of them,” said Alho. “But we compare ourselves to what’s taking place at U of S in Saskatchewan, at UBC — U of A.”
Of course you do. That way you can jack up your salaries.
Look, when Manitoba can get its economy anywhere near that of Alberta or British Columbia, the U of M can start using that as a barometer.
Until then, they should get their hands out of our pockets and start spending our money more responsibly.
They’re bleeding us dry.
—
SENIOR UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVES BELLYING UP TO THE TROUGH
TOP 10 U OF M BRASS PAY:
2003 2005 %-age change
1. Emoke Szathmary (president) $261,341 $320,135 (22%)
2. Joanne Keselman (VP-research) $180,193 $210,601 (17%)
3. Robert Kerr (VP-academic) $180,969 $204,362 (13%)
4. Deborah McCallum (VP-administration) $148,360 $192,273 (30%)
5. Elaine Goldie (VP-external) $149,715 $191,386 (28%)
6. Digvir Jayas (associate VP-research) $167,833 $181,319 (8%)
7. David Morphy (vice-provost) $140,510 $161,664 (15%)
8. Leanne Burkowski (comptroller, 2003; associate VP-finance, 2005) $122,014 $151,986 (25%)
9. Richard Lobdell (vice-provost) $136,874 $151,827 (11%)
10-Peter Cattini (dept. head, 2003; associate VP, 2005) $121,701 $150,709 (24%)
– U of M compensation disclosure reports 2003, 2005

(— Clubsfest is the one day that student groups are given to recruit during the McMaster Orientation. —)
The MSU Inc is charging all student clubs a $15 user fee if they participate in Clubsfest. The MSU Inc. is claiming that this is so that Clubsfest is a break-even event as the MSU Inc. runs it as a revenue neutral event and since the clubs are advertising themselves and not the MSU; the clubs should be picking up the tab for the event.
I am very strongly opposed to taking this money from clubs for putting up a table at an event that should be free for clubs. This is not a commerical convention we are talking about, this is a day for new (and returning) students to connect to student clubs to enhance their McMaster experience.
This works out to 20% of the MSU funding for most clubs. Most clubs (if they get any money) only receive the standard $75 in clubs funding from the MSU.
I have checked around and no other student union that I know of charges its clubs to be involved in Welcome Week activities.
This is frustrating to see the MSU Inc continue to treat student clubs like this. Every year, we here the same promises from the MSU types – more funding for clubs. Every year, clubs funding is never increased and new fees are charged against clubs.
If the MSU is so short of money, I have a few suggestions on what to cut:
The Executive (Board of Directors) took a weekend retreat to Niagara Falls in May all paid with MSU money. (Yes, instead of taking corporate gifts to go have a good time, they are spending our money instead)
The Executive Board took a harbour cruise on the Hamilton waterfront as a retreat. Again at MSU expense. The Executive also paid to rent a meeting room on the Hamilton waterfront for the nine of them to have their meeting. This instead of having the meeting for free in the MSU office.
The MSU spent almost $20,000 on the MSU weekend retreat to Haliburton.
The MSU has spent tens of thousands of dollars on new computers and furniture this summer.
The last year that financial statements are available for say Quarters lost $200,000 in one year.
The MSU is paying a lot of money to fund the Hamilton Police officers patrolling Westdale looking for student “nuisance offenses” this year. The MSU refuses to release the amount of money they are spending on this but based on what the police have said about this contract, it appears the MSU is spending in the $25,000 – $30,000 dollars range towards the crackdown. Since I cannot get the MSU to say how much they are spending, I have filed a Freedom of Information Request with the Hamilton Police Service to get a copy of the contract and how much of our money is being spent on this.
Cut the 15% discount that the MSU Executive takes on all their non-alcohol purchases in Quarters.
Cut their free coffee and tea in Union Market.
Cut their 10% discount on purchases in Union Market.
Cut their 50% off copying in Design and Copy.
And the list goes on….
In short, the MSU does not need to be charging student groups user fees to run clubsfest. They just need to redo their spending priorities.