Ha, over here at the East Coast, we’re already having 5 Degrees plus today!
Tomorrow snow and freezing rain
But then it’s going to go up to 10 Degrees! I’ll have to buy me some T-Shirts!
20ºC and going up, sorry m8s. 
bastard!! :)
Tanned and warm bastard, please…
I read in the paper today that our Ontario flags are made in China!..Well this pisses me off!
The flag represents what a nation stands for. I can’t imagine going to WAR and raising a flag of Canada with the logo Made In China on it!..If the flag is made in China, what next??..will our money be printed in China!!..For Christ sakes, I better start learning Chinese so I can be prepared when China takes over this planet!!
New Democrat Peter Kormos literally wrapped himself in the flag yesterday after getting a shipment of Ontario Red Ensigns with a made-in-China tag on them.
“This just boggles the mind,” the MPP from the struggling manufacturing town of Welland said yesterday.
"I can’t give this flag away in the riding of Welland, so many workers have lost their jobs. I would have this flag thrown back at me, thrown at my face.
“It would be an insult for me to give this flag to any community group in Welland.”
Kormos said he orders flags through the Ontario legislature every year and for the past 12, they’ve all come from Flying Colours International Scythes Inc., on Sterling Rd. in Toronto.
Last year the locally produced, 81x162 cm version cost him $18 a pop. The new, overseas version he just received cost $13 each, feels and looks thinner and less bright in colour and has a less well-rendered version of the province’s venerated maple leaf cluster.
“This is shameful, it’s embarrassing, it’s pathetic, it’s rude, it’s insulting,” Kormos said.
"I just have no possible way of expressing how frustrating and angry it is for me to discover this.
“I will be attempting to return these flags and I will once again be ordering from Flying Colours International. I encourage all the other MPPs to do the same.”
Ontario’s manufacturing sector has been savaged over the past four years, losing an estimated 300,000. Those numbers have accelerated in the past few months as the global recession takes its toll.
Sylvia Nemanic, executive director of administrative services for the legislature, said purchasing at Queen’s Park is done strictly on the basis of the best price available, and that there hasn’t been any “buy Ontario” preference for years.
“We take competitive bids and award it to the company with the most competitive bid,” she said.
“That’s what we would look for – the price. We would not ask where they were made. We wouldn’t specify that.”
MPPs don’t have to buy through the legislature if they choose not to, she said.
Karman Wong, a spokesman for Premier Dalton McGuinty, said the government doesn’t tell the legislative assembly how to operate.
“This is not a decision made by the government and it’s not something we support,” she said.
“We make sure that the flags used for the premier’s events are manufactured in Ontario.”
Just last week, the Liberal government sternly rapped its lottery corporation’s knuckles over a plan to give away luxury Mercedes-Benz cars, even as Ontario-based automakers tottered on the edge of bankruptcy.
Observers pointed out the Benzes are made with Hamilton steel, another struggling industry, but the optics of the situation forced the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. into retreat.
Speaker Steve Peters, who oversees the legislature operations, conceded the flags are a similarly charged issue.
Next will be the Chinas flag , rising over Ontario.
If China deploys to Canada, more specifically Ontario(Chevan, you would need one f**king HUGE flag to raise above all Ontario :)), I think Russia would be involved and down for the count. That, or an ally of China. :mrgreen:
Actually, oddly enough, I can see Russia coming in as an Ally, regardless of NATO.
Reason being, Russia certainly would not want to be surrounded on two sides, so to speak.
China is in manpower terms at least sufficient of a threat to Russia for Russia to Ally herself very rapidly with the Western nations.
Regards, Uyraell.
China is facing huge problems, some of which would be solved by a war.
Her easiest targets are the northwest, into Siberia and Kamchatka.
If China did attack Canada though, I think Russia would align with the Western nations.
Doing so would likely serve Russian interests to a greater degree.
That’s just a personal view, but seems logical, in as much as, China would replace Japan as Russia’s enemy in the east. There are usually (or were usually) minor clashes on the Russian/Chinese border yearly, when I was growing up.
Regards, Uyraell.
Well, but when you were growing up, they were two Communist dictatorships fighting for the leadership of the communist world. Now it’s one communist dictatorship and one phony republic.
But you’re right, Russia would be better served if they allied themselves with the West, just think about how much money they’re making through their Exports - almost all of which goes to Western nations!
Ja, du hast Recht!
That was why I took the view, I do, in part.
For Russia, NATO is in effect an “old fear”, whereas China is a never ending fear.
And make no mistake here: while the west has always somewhat daftly feared Russian expansion, Red China will eventually have no choice BUT to expand, which goes a VERY long way to explaining Russia’s attitude towards China, since Russia is the easiest and logical target of said expansion. This is a fact long known in Russia, predating the Revolution.
Regards, Uyraell.
Here’s my view (completely etic, so if any Russians want to comment, please keep that in mind):
Putin’s Russia wants to get closer to the West. In a way, it wants to achieve the same position it had in the 19th century, before the Communist revolution: A dominating player in World Politics with a sphere of influence over Eastern Europe and the Eurasian nations (Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, etc), however, still close to the Western nations in trade and culture.
Allying itself with a nation like China or North Korea might have been in the interest of the Soviets and their spread of Communism, but it would be very counterproductive to the modern Russia, as they do no longer share a common political system. Also, getting too close to those nations would force them to move away from the Western nations, on which a lot of Russia’s economy is based now. I can’t see the Russian elite supporting Putin in policies that would endanger their newly found wealth. And without the support of his Upper Class, even the almighty Putin would have a hard time governing…
Das ist stimmt.
And I certainly agree.
To my eyes, Russia is trying to regain the 1903-04 style of influence and prestige it had in the west.
The rest of your analysis follows as corollary.
However, Red China does have serious problems facing it, and those are things Mao and his early associates could not have foreseen.
Those problems could in theory push China into a conventional war with the west. I don’t see China employing nukes, for the simple reason that there are at least three nuclear armed nations that would be likely to retaliate.
Thank god this is a gen off topic tho, because we’re a long way off topic.:mrgreen:
Russia would be far better to not worry itself over NATO, and in fact Join it.
Reason being that the western nations have no great wish to expand eastwards, and would rather have Russian cooperation in defence matters than antithemy.
Regards, Uyraell.
Didn’t Russia try to join NATO at one point? I think they were blocked off, partially because the entire idea of NATO was a network that would protect nations from Russia, so it would be weird if they were part of it…
True. And wiser heads than mine can go into detail over it.
However, Nato too can change it’s focus, and to a large degree, should do so.
After all, (arguably) the Russia Nato was formed in response to is no-longer the same Russia that the modern world lives alongside.
We in the west keep saying we want the Russians to be our friends, but we then still keep them at arm’s length, and don’t truly give them the chance to interact with us.
How then, is the Russian populace supposed to interpret that behaviour, and what is the Russian leadership likely to conclude from it?
The west cannot continue to have it both ways. If Russia IS to be a friend to the west then the west too needs to alter its’ perceptions and behaviours, or pay the eventual price of Russia feeling as alientated as certain elements of the Arab world, for example.
Frankly, I’d rather the west dealt Russia a fair hand, and stop trying to treat her as European only when it suits us, and as Oriental at any other time. If we are to live with Russia, then we need to treat her fairly, and not as some odd cousin, so to speak.
Regards, Uyraell.
It pisses me off that there are goody two shoes peoples out there that believe in giving to charity because it makes them feel better. Get real people! Now I have more proof of the corruption inbread with our charity system. It just never ends. The corruption and scandal is rampant.Why give to Charity?.Rather Keep the economy going by buying Beer with the money you would have given to charity. If you give it to Charity, chances are, that some other jerk is going to buy beer with the money you donate, so why piss your money down the toilet.
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:92O_2iohWiMJ:fathersforlife.org/actions/unitedway.htm+united+way+charity,+corruption&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=caThe Toronto Star reports:
Billions lost in charity scandal
One in six spends a lot, gives a little
KEVIN DONOVAN
STAFF REPORTER
More than 12,000 Canadian charities — almost one in six — spend more money on fundraising and administration than they do on charitable work, a Star investigation reveals.
Some are well-meaning but inefficient, while others run blatant scams preying on the public with aggressive, often abusive, fundraising tactics.
These troubled charities, all federally registered, spent a total of $10.5 billion of donor money on fundraising and administration in 1999 but contributed just $1.9 billion to charitable works. That’s 15 cents on the dollar. (Full Story)
The article identifies that since 1999, the number of Canadian charities has grown:
Today [Nov. 2002], there are 79,000 charities in Canada, with about 1,000 new ones registered by federal authorities each year. On average, the approval time is just one month. In 1999, the most recent year for which electronic data are available, Ottawa’s charity database held 73,000 organizations.
Feb. 6, 2002. Toronto Star
Abused-women charity skimmed $1MKevin Donovan
STAFF REPORTER
A charity claiming to support abused women and children was actually a scam that put most of the $1 million it raised into the pockets of its directors and their companies, an Ontario judge has ruled.
The National Society for Abused Women and Children has been stripped of its right to collect donations.
In passing judgment, Mr. Justice Ernest Loukidelis of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said he was shocked at how easy it was for a charity to dupe the public.
According to auditors for the Ontario Public Trustee, only $1,365 of $1 million the National Society raised ever went to charitable works.
“The ability and swiftness by which the main principals (of the Society), or indeed anyone acting within the system, can extract from trusting citizens a large amount of money is rather stunning,” Loukidelis stated in a Jan. 28 ruling.
Thousands of unsuspecting people donated to the National Society for Abused Women and Children, which claimed to offer domestic violence counselling, a crisis line and a library. None of that was true. Most of the money went to fundraising agencies related to the charity’s directors.
“The whole operation was a scheme whereby charity was used as a cover to raise money for the benefit of the (fundraising) agency,” the judge said. He recommended that the federal government require charities to tell the public exactly what portion goes to charitable uses.
The Public Trustee took the National Society to court after a series of Toronto Star stories exposed the charity’s operations. The case against it was not a criminal action. Instead, the Trustee sought an order to stop the Society’s operations.
National Society founder Ronald Perrin had admitted in an interview with The Star that his charity was providing none of the services it told the public it was offering. He also told The Star that almost none of the money raised was going to charitable works, although he hoped that would change in five years when the organization was more established.
In his ruling, the judge lauded the Star’s “vigilance” for making the matter public.
The National Society for Abused Women and Children was first granted a charitable number from Canada Customs and Revenue in 1999.
Its application consisted of a brochure, an outdated list of shelters to which it planned to contribute, and a promise to donate at least half of funds raised to shelter work. With 70,000 charities in Canada, the federal agency does little checking.
Based in a Newmarket office, Perrin and associates sent canvassers into neighbourhoods across Ontario with a simple pitch about the plight of abused women and children in Ontario. If pressed, canvassers would tell prospective donors that some of the funds would go to a particular shelter.
The scheme began to unravel a year later, when a canvasser appeared at the door of the executive director of a legitimate domestic violence shelter. The canvasser said the organization was raising money on behalf of that shelter, which the executive director knew to be wrong. The shelter contacted The Star.
“A distinct odour emanates from the facts of this case,” Mr. Justice Loukidelis stated.
He noted that neither founder Perrin nor associates Heather Dobbs and Don Corriero have any background or expertise in dealing with abuse of children or women.
The National Society raised money using three fundraising companies, each of which took about 80 per cent of funds raised to cover expenses, a share that, “if known, is bound to shock the conscience of any citizen,” the judge stated.
The directors had affiliations with at least two of the agencies, and also took expense account money from the charity.
The judge ordered the directors to repay all money received from the charity if the Public Trustee demands it.
Perrin and his colleagues did not return calls yesterday.
Ok, now what pisses me off is how these old people always tend to win the lottery. this guy who is almost 100 wins 4 million dollars. I mean, like whats he going to do with it? Give it to CHARITY probably, and then its the charities who will swindle his win or bank it and collect interest on it, while somebody who is young could have won it and used it . i just don’t understand first of all, why someone who is like the age of Moses is playing the lottery in the first place. Every day I read about people old as a prune winning big on the lottery, and i never win. maybe I’m jealous, but it pisses me off…At least this old crouton was a WW2 Vet, so I will at least Salute him for his service to his country!
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/03/26/8887066-sun.html
OAKVILLE – This win was almost a century in the making.
Maurice Ducharme, 90, claimed a $4.4-million lottery prize Tuesday – making him one of the oldest Lotto 6/49 winners in the game’s history. But, not surprisingly, Ducharme told the Sun he’s felt a whole lot younger since the win.
“I feel pretty young,” he joked at his house yesterday. “It really helps you.”
Shortly after quietly accepting the cheque for $4,448,017 in downtown Toronto, Ducharme went to the bank to cash the jackpot.
“It really felt good,” he said. “It’s hard to explain the feeling you get, it’s magnanimous.”
He learned of the win Sunday when he started checking the numbers he has played off and on since 6/49 started.
"I said to my son, Paul, ‘I got it, I got it,’ " Ducharme said, recalling the moment. “I’ve been trying for years but it never happened.”
The Second World War veteran and retired Ford supervisor says he’ll use his multi-millions to live a good life.
“I have been living a fair life so far,” he said.
The Oakville father of four and grandfather of eight bought the winning ticket in town at the Hopegate Mall’s Lottery Stop.
Although he plans to share the jackpot with his family there is one person he wishes he could share it with – his wife, Pauline, who died two years ago.
“I miss her terribly,” Ducharme said. “Especially at times like these.”
With the winning draw happening on the same day as his late mother’s birthday, he can’t help but wonder if he got some heavenly help.
“I don’t know if she had anything to do with it,” Ducharme said. “Between her and my wife maybe they cooked something up.”
The Windsor native was 22 when he went to war with the Canadian army. He spent five years fighting in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He came back to Canada and worked as a supervisor at Ford in Windsor and Oakville.
Ducharme won’t be quitting his day job – he retired in 1975.
“Now I won’t have to cut the grass or anything anymore,” he chuckled.
He’s got some travel under his belt but wants to ramp it up with trips to Barbados and Florida.
Ducharme, who still drives, may replace his car with a new Ford Mustang.
Despite the win, Ducharme found time to fit in one old habit. He headed down to the Lottery Stop to make sure he had his ticket for last night’s draw. At his age, why worry about pushing your luck?
Well, he can’t take his money into the Grave with him, so I guess he’ll have a lot of very friendly and supportive family members for the rest of his life…
Far left morons, liberals, and democrats make me sick.
Do you want to put a capital D on democrat, or are you just hostile to people who support democracy?