Goofball Of The Month: Borys Wrzesnewskyj

The Goofball of the Month for August is the Liberal's associate foreign affairs critic; Borys Wrzesnewskyj... say that 5 times fast. For his comments indicating Canada should remove Hezbollah from the country's list of terrorist organizations.

Joel Kom, CanWest News Service; Ottawa CitizenPublished: Tuesday, August 22, 2006

OTTAWA - An Ontario Liberal MP came under political fire Monday, including his own, for comments indicating Canada should remove Hezbollah from the country's list of terrorist organizations remarks he denies making.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj, the Liberals' associate foreign affairs critic, was quoted in media reports Monday from Lebanon saying he favoured lifting the terrorist label from Hezbollah, which has been on Canada's terror list since 2002.
But Wrzesnewskyj, who was in Lebanon with two other MPs on a fact-finding mission over the weekend organized by the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, released a statement Monday saying he made no such comments.
''On the contrary, Hezbollah is a terrorist organization and I stated that it must remain on Canada's list because it has committed war crimes by sending rockets into civilian areas,'' the statement said.
What he did say, the statement added, was that Canada needs to evaluate anti-terror legislation so that it can negotiate with groups on the list in order to implement a peace process.
Wrzesnewskyj could not be reached for comment Monday as he prepared to board a flight out of the Syrian capital of Damascus en route to a Liberal caucus retreat in Vancouver.
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said he was glad to see Wrzesnewskyj denied the initial reports, but Day criticized talk of altering legislation.
''You don't accommodate people who are carrying out a plan of genocide,'' Day said from his B.C. riding.
Canada has indeed communicated to Hezbollah despite its terror listing, Day said, referring to a G-8 communique that called for the group to disarm and disavow its intent to destroy Israel.
Wrzesnewskyj's comments also attracted the attention of his own party.
In a statement, Grit Leader Bill Graham said his party views Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and it ''should be treated as such under all applicable Canadian laws.''
''Hezbollah is committed to the overthrow of the state of Israel and has demonstrated in both words and actions that it is committed to a policy of violent anti-Semitism. The government of Canada must condemn such groups as strongly as possible ... That is why it was the Liberal Party of Canada that originally listed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization under Canadian law and why we still strongly support keeping Hezbollah on that list. Any suggestion to the contrary does not reflect the official position of our party.
Dr. Keith Martin, the Liberals' acting foreign affairs critic, also said the comments didn't reflect the Liberal position and he would be talking with Wrzesnewskyj ''as soon as he gets off the plane.''
''I'm certainly going to have a word with him that in such a sensitive place as the Middle East, we do not have the luxury of simply voicing opinions that are diametrically different from what the party's position is,'' he said.
As for possibly remaking terror legislation to negotiate with Hezbollah, Martin said the group has to ''renounce their position that they want to obliterate Israel and kill Jews'' before negotiations can start, something with which Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe later agreed in a statement The Canada-Israel Committee National called on Graham to censure Wrzesnewskyj and relieve him of his position as deputy foreign affairs critic.
"Hezbollah, like its Palestinian cousin Hamas, has been identified as a terrorist entity by Canada alongside scores of our traditional allies, both for its rejection of Israel's right to exist and its long and horrendous inventory of terrorist attacks throughout the world,'' committee national chair Marc Gold said in a statement. ''A terrorist organization is always at the core of the problem, never part of the solution; this merits no consideration by Canada or any other civilized state."
NDP MP Peggy Nash, who was in Lebanon along with Wrzesnewskyj and Bloc Quebecois MP Maria Mourani, said Hezbollah is responsible for starting the latest conflict with Israel that led to ''incredible, incredible devastation'' in Lebanon. The terrorist label on Hezbollah could hinder any progress the Lebanese government might make towards peace, she said. But she said she has not called for Hezbollah to be removed from the terror list.
''I'm not here to set policy on Hezbollah,'' she said from Damascus, where she was awaiting a flight to Cairo. ''We did not meet with them because they are classified as a terrorist organization by our government.''
NDP Leader Jack Layton said he didn't understand why Wrzesnewskyj raised the issue of a list at all.
''I doubt that at this point the question of lists is very important to the combatants,'' he said from Quebec City.
Hezbollah should be involved in ceasefire talks because of its primary role in the conflict, and Canada should be working as a mediator a role Prime Minister Stephen Harper has abandoned to marshal global support for those talks, Layton said.
It was under the Liberal government of Jean Chretien that Hezbollah was put on the terror list four years ago. Criminal or security-intelligence reports are submitted to the government when it considers listing a group, said Canadian Security Intelligence Service spokesman Giovanni Cotroneo. The list is reviewed every two years to see if any group should be removed, Cotroneo added. The last review came earlier this year, and now there are now 39 groups on the list.
While it's not a crime to be listed, it is a crime to contribute to such a group in any way, and being on the list means a group's property can be frozen, seized or restrained.
Ottawa Citizen

Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj has resigned as foreign affairs critic following his controversial remark.
Jason Kenney you were a close second. Unfortunately Borys came first before your goof. But I'm sure it won't be the last we hear from you.

Congratulations Borys! You're the Goofball of the Month for August 2006.

A Great CD

Lately I've been listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers new album Stadium Arcadium and I can't turn it off. It's a great collection of soon to be Red Hot Chili Peppers classics. The entire CD is actually a 2 disk set; Jupiter(disk 1) and Mars(disk 2). I've listened to both CD's. But it's the first one, Jupiter, which really has me hooked. It's difficult to rate each song as they are all great in their own way. But, my favourites are track 4- Stadium Arcadium; Track 8-Torture Me; Track 9-Strip My Mind; and Track 10-Especially In Michigan. Tracks 8,9,and 10 are like the heart of the order for me. They make this CD(Jupiter) one of my all-time personal favourites. Plus, there's still Mars to listen to.

I first got Stadium Arcadium when it came out in May just prioir to Camp Spoot. I listened to it then and it sounded like a good CD. The more i've listened to it the greater it's become. It's one of those CD's where you're constantly singing the songs in your head and that's a good thing. If you're a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, then you'll love this CD.

Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante and Chad Smith you have outdone yourselves again. Keep it up and Rock On!

Goofball Of The Month: Mel Gibson

This month's Goofball is Mel Gibson. For a DUI and also for unleashing a tirade of anti-Semitic remarks during his drunken driving arrest.

Mel Gibson was arrested after deputies stopped his 2006 Lexus LS 430 for speeding at 2:36 a.m. Friday. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said deputies clocked him doing 140 km/h in a 70 km/h zone.
A breath test indicated Gibson's blood-alcohol level was 0.12 per cent, Whitmore said. The legal limit in California is 0.08 per cent. Gibson posted $5,000 US bail and was released hours later.
In his statement, Gibson also said he has struggled with alcoholism and had taken steps "to ensure my return to health."
He won a best-director Oscar for 1995's Braveheart. He also starred in the Lethal Weapon and Mad Max films, What Women Want and The Man Without a Face, among other films.
Gibson said in his apology that he said "despicable" things to deputies during his arrest.
"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable," Gibson said.

Congratulations Mel Gibson, you're the Goofball of the Month for July 2006. Take a bow.

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