Monday, January 26, 2009

That kind of day

This was one of these days where I think I was simply better off not checking news feeds. About the only good thing I saw was Obama allowing individual states to create stricter car emissions standards if they want. In fact, Obama's first week in power has been one of the few news highlights of the past week.

What has the rest of the day, and the past week, given us.

1. The apparent collapse of Iceland as a functioning country. And the fact nobody really wants to step up to lead.

2. I don't why this site fascinates and depresses me, but it does - Magazine Death Watch. Thankfully, Esquire, Wired, Discover, Mental Floss, National Geographic and Mother Jones are nowhere to be found. So far.

3. A "muted" throne speech. Call me crazy, but I have no faith, at all, that tomorrow's budget is going to go anything to help Canada. The US might be well and truly fucked, but you get the notion that for the first time in eight years there are adults in charge. Up here I have no faith in the government and no faith in those lying in wait to become government.

4. Wow, that was a depressing rant, even by my standards.

5. GM slashes another 2,000 jobs. Sprint to lay-off 8,000 people. IMG sheds 7,000 jobs. Overall, companies worldwide cut 70,000 jobs today. Jesus wept. I'm just going to stay up here and be scared shitless for awhile, if nobody minds.

6. I guess all of this is why I find it so hard to get worked up over petty bullshit corruption like this. Burke appoints a huge campaign contributor to the Board at the College of the North Atlantic. The week before she punted another MUN Board of Regents member. I have no idea who Kathleen Roul is, other than the basic biographical information, but I bet it wouldn't take much digging to find a link to the Conservatives.

People think Burke is Williams' lapdog to mess around with education, that she does all of this with the express approval of the premier, which is how she can get away with being so sloppy and obvious with her corruption. I'm beginning to wonder if Burke has pictures of Williams being blown by a cheerleader or something. There are ways of rewarding your supporters more subtly than this. If Burke wound up and kicked me in the balls, it would be more subtle than what she's been doing in Education the past year.

Plus there was that foolishness last Friday. My curling buzz is already gone. Has anyone got anything cheerful to pass along?

Last Five
1. Here comes the sun/The inner light - The Beatles
2. Move away - The Killers
3. I guess that's why they call it the blues (live) - Elton John and Billy Joel
4. Sodomy - Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies
5. Like lovers do - Lloyd Cole

8 comments:

Jennith said...

The only thing that makes me more crazy than reading the news is reading some of the comments on the news... which helps me understand why our elected government is dysfunctional - but doesn't give me much hope for the future

SBB said...

Well, something good....let me see, the Leafs are assured to be in the playoffs, Israel and Hamas have kissed and agreed to treat each other as humans, Russia has pulled it head out and wants to join the rest of the planet, Africa has deposed and deported its last dictator, South America has beaten its culture of coruption and poverty is on its way out, and the US has a cohesive energy policy for the first time in.... well, i'll get back to you. Happy days are here again!

Kate Nova said...

I locked myself out of the house, but my neighbours took me in and fed me. That's cheerful!

Chris Windeyer said...

The Montreal police have decided they are bored with the charter of rights and freedoms and want city council to pass a law making it illegal to insult police or cover your face at a demonstration.

Oh wait. Cheerful? Dude, look who you're talking to....

Actually, my word verification for this comment was "fatingin." For some reason, that amuses me.

Nancy Crozier said...

Deforestation in the Amazon dropped sharply in late 2008, according to a Brazilian environmental group. The government says it's due to improved law enforcement, but environmentalists say a slowing economy likely contributed.

Of course, when (if?) the world economy picks up deforestation will too - humans never learn.

Sorry, not really so cheerful after all...!

towniebastard said...

Wow, you guys are....not at all helpful. Although I'm glad you didn't freeze to death and starve, Kate.

Now if the rest of you need me, I'll be wandering around the top of the 8-storey.

tanker belle said...

I'm really not all that great at cheerful, but how about silver linings?

The financial sector is/will shrink dramatically and will probably take another 100 years to get so out of line again. This will be good for people like you and me, because all the financial sector is is a middle man that has been charging exhobitant fees for little in return.

Other than that, I'm stumped...it just looks like misery. Maybe I'm watching too much news.

towniebastard said...

I think the problem is that my friends, the old ones at least, can sometimes be a touch shaky on the "hey, cheer-up skills", what with their many years of wit, intelligence, caustic charm and brutal honesty being so thorough ingrained.

You're good for a dose of reality. but in terms of cheering people up, ehhhh....