What's up with Steve?

Alright, here's more copy and paste. But I got to post about this.


OTTAWA (CP) -- Never mind such weighty subjects as continental ballistic missile defence, Canada-U.S. border security or the softwood lumber dispute.
Inquiring minds really want to know: what's up with 'Steve'?
When a jocular U.S. President George (Dubya) Bush referred to his visiting Canadian counterpart by the diminutive, casual version of his given name this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper managed not to wince.
Nonetheless, it was just about the only awkward moment for the two conservative leaders during Thursday's media availability at the White House.
It could have been worse.
Bush is known for his use of nicknames -- many truly cringe-worthy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (Pootie-Poot), former prime minister Jean Chretien (Dino, as in dinosaur) and any number of rangy White House journalists dubbed Stretch have been Bushified.
And judged against other known Bush monikers such as Big O, Chuck Wagon, Corndog, Balloonfoot and Turd Blossom -- the latter apparently reserved for White House strategist Carl Rove -- Steve seems harmless enough.
But as most everyone recognizes, there are Steves in this world and there are Stephens.
Think of actors Steve McQueen, Steve Martin and Steve Buscemi. Or musicians Stevie Wonder and Stevie Nicks (whose given name was Stephanie). Then consider physicist Stephen Hawking, diplomat Stephen Lewis, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and composer Stephen Sondheim.
Longtime friends contacted yesterday say Canada's 22nd prime minister has always been known as Stephen to family, friends and teachers since grade school. Never Steve.
The U.S. president calling Harper Steve was cause for much amusement among old friends and family of the prime minister, according to sources.
A senior American official says the president did not call the prime minister Steve during their bilateral meeting or working lunch, but used the name as a sign of collegiality during their media encounter.
Don't expect the handle to stick.
Harper's staff refer to him as "prime minister" out of respect for the office.
And to his old friends, he'll always be Stephen.


It's too late...'Steve'. From now on you'll be referred to as...'Steve'. The same way everyone refers to 'Dubya'. Alright...'Steve'! You're a man of many hats.

Goofball Of The Month: Ben Roethlisberger

Instead of going after a politician (which is soo easy). This month's goofball is Ben Roethlisberger; the Quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He earns this honour for his motorcycle accident June 12th in which he smashed his face into a car, breaking his nose and his jaw. The big thing is he wasn't wearing a helmet. Nice one Ben. He's lucky to be alive if not severely brain damaged or even paralysed.

From now on he should leave his football helmet on when he goes out in the public. Just to be safe, OK Ben.-----franks and beans, franks and beans------

Congrats Ben, you're the Goofball of the month for June 2006!

Flames Trade Leopold for Tanguay

The Calgary Flames have traded defenceman Jordan Leopold and a second-round pick in the 2006 NHL draft to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Alex Tanguay. The Avalanche also get a conditional second-round pick in either the 2007 or 2008 entry draft.

Tanguay, 26, is a restricted free agent and his qualifying offer will have to be $3.23 million US.
The six-foot, 190-pound left-winger from Ste.-Justine, Que., was second behind Joe Sakic in points for the Avs with 29 goals and 49 assists in 71 games during the 2005-06 regular season.
Colorado took him 12th overall in the 1998 draft and played in the 2004 NHL all-star game.

Leopold, 25, had two goals and 18 assists and had a plus-minus of plus-6 in 74 games for the Flames. He averaged 22 minutes per game. He also played for the U.S. at the Olympics in February and had a goal in six games. Leopold was a second-round pick of Anaheim in 1999 and was dealt to Calgary at the 2001 NHL draft.

This is another suprising move from Darryl Sutter. Who said he was going to leave the team the way it was. But with Dion Phanuef anchoring the powerplay, Leopold was expendable. Here's hoping Tanguay can stay healthy for a full season and give the Flames that extra scoring punch, besides Jarome Iginla.

On The Move

Well, these prior 3 months I've been looking to buy a house on some property in or around the Calgary area. I'm happy to say that as of June 1st, 2006 I'm the proud owner of a manufactured home in the Village of Hussar. Which is located 50 minutes East of the City of Calgary. It's a nice place, of course it's not my dream home but it's a start.
I has originally intended to purchase something in Calgary. But during my 2 month search the house prices in Calgary out priced themselves for me and my financal situation. FYI: Calgary home prices rise $500 a day. It's frickin' unbelievable.
I commute to work everyday from Hussar. It takes me an hour each way. Let me tell you a few little things about this Village ( yes it's considered a village) of Hussar, AKA: "middle of butt-fuck nowhere". It's almost exactly 30 minutes direct east of Strathmore and 30 minutes direct South of Drumheller. Hussar is located in the Wheatland County. I'm sure there's gotta be a boss hog, but I'm yet to meet him. It's a quiet farming community. Not alot of noise, except for the local kids riding their motorbike's all around town. Population is 182, it was 181 but since I moved here it's now 182. The only real drawback, besides the distance from Calgary, is that there's no high-speed internet. Dial up works, but's it's slow. I never realized how easier high speed was. Oh, all the talk around town is of their upcoming rodeo on June 18th-19th. they say they like to party, but I don't know.
Anyways I still have alot of unpacking to do. I'll keep I touch.
CYA

Goofball Of The Month: Stephen Harper

This month's goofball in none other then the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper. Man it just gets easier to pick this guy as the days go by. The reasons this month are;

#1. Fighting with the national media... It's not going to work Stevie. Even if you whine the media is anti-conservative. Sure there are some journalists who are more biased towards the left. But there are just as many that are biased towards the right. But trying your Bush-style media tactics is literally stupid and it won't fly in Canada. If you keep this up, the rest of Canada will just be waiting for the Liberals to get their shit together. I don't even care that you're up in the polls right now. It won't last.

#2. Breaking an election promise by suggesting the new equalization program will include natural resource revenue...Stevie, meet our man from Alberta. Ralph "lick my ballz Ottawa" Klein. Alberta's suppose to be your home base Stevie. But if all you're trying to do is gain brownie pionts in Ontario and Quebec. You're done in for. If this goes through and the Liberals get their shit together. I wouldn't be suprised if their are a few more red seats in Alberta after the election. If this continue, it won't last.

Congratulations Prime Minister Stephen Harper. You're the Goofball of the Month for March 2006.

P.S. nice hat!

;)

Goofball Of The Month (April): Dr. Clawmonkey

I fucking forgot about the goofball of the month for April 2006. So it has to be Dr. Clawmonkey, what a loser!
This guy has this post thing (on his blog) every month to highlight a specific goofball(s). But, 4 months in and he fucking forgets. When asked about this gaff he said;

"I apologize for this unfortunate event. (damn monkey) I'll take the necessary steps to reach our goal of 1 goofball every month and it will be on time. We'll do a follow up with the brains of the operation. To get this problem corrected. Thank You."

Well there you have it. The goofball for the month of April. Only a week late. Only 3 weeks til the end of May, the clocks ticking. Will Dr. Clawmonkey fulfill his commitment. You'll have to check back to find out.

Congratulations Dr.Clawmonkey, you're the goofball of the Month for April 2006!

Where all those taxes go

OTTAWA -- After all those billions of dollars of head-spinning election promises (frankly, we lost track), the Conservatives present their first federal budget today, detailing exactly how they plan to put our money where their mouths are.
Listening to all the political hype and hoopla over the past few months, ordinary Canadians might be excused for thinking that Stephen Harper is about to radically rewrite the way the feds will spend almost $200 billion of our money this year.
Maybe next time. Truth is, short of blowing up entire departments and programs (and that's not likely in a minority parliament) even the most grandiose of Conservative measures expected in today's budget -- for example, the 1% reduction in the GST -- won't make more than a relative dent in overall government spending.
For instance, the largest single expense for taxpayers is interest on the national debt. That works out to your paying $170 on each $1,000 of taxes pulled from your paycheques and family pocketbook.
(Put another way, if you are paying $10,000 a year in income taxes, GST and other federal levies, you will be paying $1,700 of that just in interest on the debt.)
By contrast, even Harper's rich plan to give families with pre-school children $1,200 a year per tot isn't such a crushing expense in the overall scheme of things, costing each taxpayer about $22 per $1,000 of taxes paid.
Here are some of the government's other big-ticket items, most of which won't likely change in any huge way from last year's Liberal budget to the one being presented today by the Conservatives. Again, the amounts shown are what you will pay from each $1,000 of your tax bill. (Warning: Some nausea may occur.)
- The second-largest spending item in the federal budget is old age pensions and support for poor seniors: $140.
- Federal departments and agencies such as Justice (home of the infamous money-eating gun registry); Public Works (home of AdScam), Human Resources Development (home of the billion-dollar boondoggle) and Industry (home of the great technology partnership swindles): $115.
- Employment Insurance payments (not premiums), including job-training programs and various parental and compassionate leave schemes: $75.
- Direct transfers of federal cash to the provinces for spending on health care: $75.
- National Defence: $70.
- Equalization payments intended to spread the national wealth around from richer provinces to the so-called have-not provinces and territories: $65.
- Payments under the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the GST credit, both for lower-income families: $60.
- Various forms of federal support for aboriginals: $45.
- Transfers to the provinces for post-secondary education, social assistance and other related programs: $40.
- Miscellaneous giveaways to the provinces for things such as reducing medical wait times, and Paul Martin's special equalization deal for Newfoundland: $30.
- National safety and security, including the costs of running the RCMP, the federal prison system, and policing international borders: $25.
- The cost of the Canada Revenue Agency squeezing hard-working folk for all the money to pay for all of the above: $20.
- Foreign aid and other international assistance: $18.
- Federal handouts to Bombardier (every year guaranteed) and other corporate welfare programs, including regional dole schemes: $18.
- All spending on Parliament, including salaries for MPs, senators and staff, to oversee the public purse on behalf of beleaguered taxpayers: $2.38.
As always, you get what you pay for.

By GREG WESTON