Why I hate politicians, part 1

Auspicious start...blogger ate my first attempt at this. Let us try again.

I don't hate all politicians. I really don't. Some of them can almost pass for human. But every now and then, one of them pulls something like this.

Which drives me nuts. Because I was talking to Bill Rowe last Friday. Last Friday! I was asking him about possible fallout in Ottawa about the Atlantic Accord deal. One of the questions I asked was how long was he going to stick with his job in Ottawa. He left a lot behind to take that job, so it was a fair question.

So he rambles on (as Rowe is want to do)...that it's a four year contract, and that while he doesn't know if he'll stay for the full four years, he's looking forward to the work ahead...blah, blah, blah.

And today he quits. And he knew, he had to know then. All he had to do was say "Look, off the record, you might want to give me a call on Tuesday and there might be some developments."

Instead, I do this story, which is published on Wednesday. Thursday, he's gone.

It's not the first time something like this has happpened. Where I talk to a politican, they say one thing and two days later, bang, the opposite happens. (Most famously for me was when I spoke with Trinity North MHA Ross Wiseman when I was with The Packet and asked him "what's new?" "Not much," he said. Three days later he crossed the floor and joined the Tories.) It makes me want to grab them by the throat and shake them repeatedly.

I hope everything is okay with Rowe's family. Honestly. Still....grrr...

Lo, there shall come a beginning

I've been threatening to do this for ages and ages, but always kept putting it off. Blogs are almost this cliched thing. Everyone has one, goes mad on it for a few months and then it gradually peters off.

But, over the past few months, there have been things happening that have driven me nuts. The entire Atlantic Accord and flag flap, Newfoundland nationalism, different movie and comic book stuff, and I haven't had the outlet to vent on it. Yes, there is The Express. And yes, with columns and the occasional editorial I can vent some of it, but not all.

Besides, a couple of friends of mine lamented there were no sites locally they could find that comment on local news items. And lord knows I'm opinionated and arrogant enough to share my view with others. I've been doing it in columns for six years now.

So consider this an outlet valve. A chance to blow off steam on things I can't in other places. We'll see how it goes.

Also, I'm very rusty at some of the more cool aspects of producing a good blog. So the links to cool articles, sites, and bloggers, along with photos...give me a bit of time on that...okay?