Ottawa Radio Host, Humorist, Producer, Writer, Blogger, WebGeek C o n s e r v a t i v e
Friday, October 20, 2006
Still No Mercy From Mercer
It's been a while since I've visited one of my favourite blogs.
Left or right, red or blue, up or down, Rick Mercer takes no prisoners in any sector and is always a guaranteed chuckle.
His new feature ramps up the spirit of the photoshop challenge to a whole new level with video clips.
Even my friend John Baird had to chuckle at the prime example of this week's subject, which is him. Take a look:
In case, like me, it's been a while since you've checked Rick out, you can check out his Mercer Report site at CBC and don't forget to stop by his blog.
With the launching of the new website, the Ottawa West-Nepean Ontario PC's are continuing to build for the future and, more importantly, the next provincial election in November 2007.
With fundraising and event planning ramping up, the membership continues to grow. For those not aware of the new developments and live in the riding, you're invited to visit the home page and click the event link for details on Oct-TORY-Fest set for next Thursday.
A Subscription to the newly launched e-News will keep you informed of further developments.
The website is still in development but if you have any questions, click here for contact information.
I think I speak for Beatles fans everywhere when I say "Thank You"!!
Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn is claiming responsibility for the breakup of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.
Not that I don't like seals. But this bleedin' heart world-travellin' do-gooder was clearly way over her head with the seal hunt and the last thing Sir Paul needed was to be dragged across the Atlantic only to go crawling around an ice flow so that precious Ms. Heather could hug a cod-gobbling seal. (As pictured below, it must have mistaken her for a fish because it attempted to take a bite out of her.)
(Hearn) pointed to McCartney's famous appearance last spring on the Larry King Live Show. McCartney was debating Williams, the Newfoundland premier, on the merits of the seal hunt. Hearn said McCartney appeared to appreciate the points Williams made, while his wife - a vocal animal-rights activist - was "not so gracious." McCartney saw a different woman that night, Hearn said, and that may have changed his view of her. And he joked: "We'll take some credit for that."
Amen to that!
Now her true colours are coming out in the divorce action.
Don't mess with a Beatle.
My friend's bumper sticker says it all: "Still pissed at Yoko".
This morning on the Doc and Woody Show, Randall took another shot at the Conservatives on Doc's pot-stirring cue. This time the target was Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Board President, Pierre Poilievre for the Sun story about Pierre's "threat" to Liberal MP Paul Szabo.
Now, there's no question, Randall plays it down the middle with no particular party preference and when he criticizes a Conservative for something deserved, I have a difficult time refuting. But, once in a while, he can be off-base and I have to rise to the task.
Setting the table, Doc referred back to a couple of Pierre's less-than-shining moments in the media: The F-Bomb and the famous 'right arm' gesture in the house. As always, when things get kinetic on the show, silly stuff ensues. Click the player below to hear the clip
Poilievre may well take one on the chin from time to time, but it should only be for something he deserves. Like I said on the air, there was way too much made of it and it should never have been a story in the first place. And good for you, Szabo, for running to hide behind the robe of Mr. Speaker; especially after such an exercise in provocation. Kids like that shouldn't be allowed outside at recess. It makes them too vulnerable to such schoolyard bullies as...
er...
Sorry Pierre, I can't defend your physiology. You really should eat more.
Try spinach.
As a last resort, do what I do: Three fried baloney sandwiches and a 6 pack just before bedtime.
With no similar plans from the Munterelli camps to run television campaign advertizing, Larry O'Brien launched his television flight yesterday on CTV. The ad not only boosts his exposure but also seems to be generating free media coverage.
Locked in a close race against two longtime city politicians, mayoral candidate Larry O'Brien is counting on a new television advertisement to help voters put a face to his name. The ad features Mr. O'Brien discussing his personal history and campaign goals against a variety of Ottawa backdrops, including the Peace Tower and a Queensway overpass. It first aired last night on CTV Ottawa. View it below:
More Polling
Also From Today's Citizen: Third-place Chiarelli 'should be worried,' poll shows
According to a survey conducted by Holinshed Research Group in the wake of Treasury Board President John Baird's intervention in the city's light- rail deal, 30 per cent of respondents support Mr. Munter. Mr. O'Brien has the backing of 26 per cent of residents and Mr. Chiarelli garners the support of 21 per cent. Another 21 per cent are undecided or wouldn't state a preference, while other candidates in the race have the support of two per cent of decided voters.
Over the past couple of weeks, Larry O'Brien's bid for mayor has slipped into a higher gear.
From rising a whopping 12 points to 20% in the late September Decima/Ottawa Citizen survey to the recent Leger Marketing poll which placed O'Brien at 33%, the evident public desire for change has become crystal clear with incumbent Bob Chiarelli now trailing the pack.
Media Highlights
From CFRA News last Friday: Voters Want Ottawa to Focus on Crime: Poll
Four in Five Ottawa residents want City Hall to crack down on crime and improve public safety in the community.
A Leger Marketing poll conducted for CFRA/A-Channel/Ottawa Sun suggests 81 per cent of voters believe crime is "something the city has to focus on"
The Leger Marketing poll suggests Larry O'Brien has emerged as a crime fighter.
90 per cent of voters who will definitely vote for O'Brien consider getting tough on crime the most import issue.
O'Brien should also be satisfied with his week. His performance in the talk radio debate was markedly more assured and informed that at the beginning of the campaign. O'Brien sounded much more like a leader, avoiding the mudslinging favoured by Chiarelli and copied to a degree by Munter.During that debate, O'Brien offered some insight into his management philosophy, saying "a leader says what, not how."
Larry O'Brien says his battle cry of "zero means zero" is real and under his watch, taxes would be frozen, not increased or kept at the rate of inflation.
"'Zero means zero' actually means zero," he said.
Mr. O'Brien believes the root cause of the problem is runaway spending. He says amalgamation promised huge savings, but, instead, in six years has delivered a 35-per-cent spending increase -- a figure routinely quoted by rural activists, but hotly disputed by the city. Mr. O'Brien sees the city as a bloated bureaucracy and wants to "reinvent government" and set it on a lean and fiscally-responsible path.
To streamline government, he would introduce "alternative service delivery methods," which means contracting out delivery of city services to the private sector to save money and improve efficiency. Mr. O'Brien says he'll spell out the details later in the campaign.
"It is going to require a culture change, it is going to require the council to decide that we want to reinvent the way city Hall works," he said.
"When you start running a more efficient city, the spending decreases and when spending decreases, you are going to control taxes. ... Spending relief will ultimately lead to real tax relief for the citizens of Ottawa."
Mr. O'Brien acknowledges there'll be cuts, but says these can be done humanely, largely through attrition, to ease the pain.
He says Ottawa residents deserve better than his two rivals' plan to peg taxes to the annual cost of living.
"What they are saying is, 'We are going to have a 10- to 12-per-cent tax increase over the next four years. I don't think that's good enough," Mr. O'Brien said.
From A-Channel this weekend, view O'Brien's appearance with Sandra Blaikie:
O'Brien is becoming increasingly comfortable with the political environment and it shows. It should also be noted that he still has more gears left.
Mr. Chiarelli dismisses his opponents' contention that spending has gone up under his watch and his budgets have led to annual deficits. If the mayor has any new ideas on handling property taxes, he is not letting anyone know just yet. But he says cities around the province, including Ottawa, face massive financial pressures and there is no "magic bullet" for the problem.
"People will say it is an expenditure problem and it is not a revenue problem, but every city in Canada will tell you it is also an expenditure problem," he said.
Read it once again, now - only Slower to catch the full effect.
Thanks to BBS for notifying me of my latest award....... Not sure how it happened but I won't look the gift horse in the mouth.
Naturally, when I received the email, curiosity got the better of me so I surfed to the Soapbox for more source info. You, know... things like: Do I show up at a luncheon, eat finger sandwiches and shave for the event???
Two things.
1) 'Preciate the kind words.
2) Not sure if it's burning criteria to be a contender but comments have since been activated, so have at me!! It's something I intended to do, anyway, since I separated my politics from my general blog.
Guess the pressure's on now. Next post better be scintillating or the rescind notice comes next.
But for now, I have a swimming pool to drain.
The life of a BT Site of The Week recipient isn't as glamourous as one would think.
In The Spirit Of Christmas is a grass roots charity initiative serving, primarily, Ottawa West shelters and low income citizens with gifts and food hampers for their families at Christmas time.
Woody has Conservative political affiliation and is a radio personality in Ottawa with several community efforts in progress.
The Chixie Dicks are a non partisan band who, themselves, are a PARTY. We're available for most charity invites. Will work non-charity events for fees forwarded to OUR favourite causes.
It's been a while since I've visited one of my favourite blogs.
ʃəs
