The NPA have always been an old boys/girls club and look what happened. Vancouver is a mess! It was a mess 3 years ago when COPE was elected, but NPA wannabes COPE light did nothing and Quissling Campell even got a Senate seat for doing nothing but suck up to the old boys/girls club.

COPE classic, Potvin are good for the ballot, but god help us if Sam or Green get in!

Where is Mr. Peanut or Godzilla Salmi when you need them?!

Nice try to influence the upcoming municipal election in Vancouver. This is obviously a slam to the NPA in hope that the Vancouver civic govt. remains a left wing sinkhole.

This is a disappointing article, because it belies the notion that small/independent media is less prone to blatant partisan journalism. It’s a pattern I’m recognizing in other “small media” publications like the Vancouver Courier and Xtra West, where political allegiances are apparently worn on one’s sleeve. For example, after a blitz of articles on the meth crisis in the gay community over the summer, Xtra West has purged any mention of it from its pages in the lead-up to the coming elections. Instead, readers are being fed oblique endorsements of Vision candidates and platform items. The current issue carries a banal plea for a “queer-friendly” council that will support the bathhouses and the bars. This is the very combination of interests that would rather see attention diverted to the DTES, a shift that would continue to allow drug-dealing establishments in the gay community to “police themselves” (as they’re so fond of saying).

I watched Sam Sullivan speak to a gathering of university students yesterday, and what he had to say made perfect sense. He strikes me as a man who has found his calling, and who knows what needs to be done.

That (nightbloom) is a very predictable ploy that belies the notion that some commenters on Tyee are less likely to be trying to spin an issue.

So you think Sam Sullivan is just wonderful, do you? And what about the looney-tunes, as noted above, he is running with?

It truly is a tragedy for democracy that Mr. Peanut did not come out of his thirty retirement for this election. He would clearly now be the right peanut for the job.

The only "ploy" (your word) here is the article itself. 'Commenters' like us are not pretending to be disinterested journalists when we post. However, The Tyee as well as the other local publications I mentioned above hold just such pretensions to disinterested coverage.

This article relies on ad hominem insinuation to make its case. There's no actual story. That's why it's propaganda, not journalism. You can take any incident from any public personality's life out of context, and then use it to pathologize them into absurdity. It's so easy. At least make the effort and give the readership a real news story to read.

Incidentally, the 'looniest' (to paraphrase your term) anecdote in the entire article is Herbert's demand that Leung be "removed" for being "closed minded". It would be funny if it weren't so Stalinist. Talk about Thought-police. Not endorsing gay politics on marriage is hardly 'anti-gay' as this article tries to insinuate - otherwise half the gay community would have to hand in their membership cards.

Sure, tell us about their history (all of them) - but tone down the spin if you want to pass it off as 'journalism'.

HI Nightbloom, I'm the guy who wrote the article, and I have to tell you that I agonized over writing it, because the media has been getting dished these resumes for weeks. However, journalism has to question possible weaknesses, and preferably in an entertaining way. I support niether the NPA or COPE, but have to write about them as information comes my way.
If you look at my George Chow story, you can see that I question the common wisdom that the Chinese community has in fact accepted harm reduction. And you won't see me giving the four pillars an easy pass.
If you notice, I wrote about Herbert's past relationship with the NPA to balance his comments, which none of the other media sources did, I believe.
And you are probably right that in progressive Vancouver, some parties are getting a free ride. We try to avoid it, and await tips on COPE and Vision candidates.

I love political whack job. They are infinately more interesting than lefties who look the same, act the same, speak the same and believe the same.

Then again, politicans are all whack-o in one way or another. It is the only job (other than real estate agent) you need absolutely no skills or qualifications to do.

Well, here's Jim Green's "looney-tune" remarks on Leung's past non-endorsement of gay marriage legislation:

"What if somebody were making comments, for instance, that Hitler didn't go far enough in dealing with the Jewish question? Would we not be concerned about that person's ability to lead a multi cultural city like this? I certainly would."

These comments are almost a week old. Incidentally, Leung seems to have reconciled himself to the new legislation as it now stands.

[As reported in Public Eye Online:
[url]http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/000960.html][/url]

Let's try that link again, without the brackets:

http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/000960.html

Sorry for highjacking the thread, but Nightbloom, I also noticed from your other posts, a comment that there is an enforcement bubble when it comes to crystal meth in the gay male community. To me it's an interesting story, and perhaps negligent on the part of authorities especially if Vancouver courts the gay male tourist and party dollar but turns a blind eye to harmful drug abuse.

I put this idea to Alan Herbert but he didn't exactly agree that there is pressure to do drugs in the gay community.
It's an interesting story, so if you have any sources or information, call the Tyee and leave a message for Sam Cooper.
Cheers

What's a conservative anyhow?
What is that, in a very general sense, supposed to mean?
i.e. core beliefs, platform, policy

Alan:

Did you mean to write that Ms. Ball is "looney-tunes" because she hurt herself in two accidents?

That's pretty harsh, even for you!

What's a conservative anyhow?

The definition is something like a person why is content with the staus quo in all situations. Kind of like BC's left wing.

maybe christy clarke could put on the mr peanut outfit and run for mayor. if i remember correctly mr peanut was a silent kind of guy. lord knows christy might even be a tiny bit tolerable if she was a mute.

she might have to be a cashew. i understand she was too sophisticated to mix with the common peanuts in port coquitlam.

My god can I actually be reading this in the Tyee. I mean I would never vote NPA in a lifetime. But now we need to attack a comedian and a disabled person to do the anti NPA vendetta. I am sure there are better ways to acheive this. The record of being pro development in this city, legacies of blind adherence to the will of big business and that they produced Gordon Campbell should be enough. But to sink to the levels this article does is mean sprited and borders on bigotry in regards to a disabled person. I truly am shocked.

Is this the best the Tyee/Union movement/NDP/COPE/Vision can come up with ? This is such an amateur sliming it it is actually funny. It is just SO subtle :)

Almost as funny as Mr. Green using the Holocost as a prop for his ambitions at city hall.

Time to rid our fair city of these Fidel loving, tax increase lying losers.

Samsol - Alan Herbert - well there is a legend in his own mind! Another Vancouver twit who should be ignored! This just goes to show how truely silly Vancouver has become.

Sorry Sam. It's an interesting article but...
I agree with those that say it would be better to talk about the NPA candidates' policies, or any campaign statements that they have made.
While I would never vote for the NPA if I lived in Vancouver I think the article doesn't do any service to investigative journalism and the municipal election.
As someone who knows some of the COPE candidates, Kevin Potvin, Pedro Mora and Andrea Reimer I would prefer more of a focus on what the parties and independent candidates plan to do and what they are saying.
I sincerely hope that those I know continue to serve Vancouver well and that some new faces (independents) provide some new ideas.
Lastly, to the right wing commentators...please keep your rhetoric at the door. It's boring and soooo predictable. I can't call you conservative because my long lamented conservative/social credit grandfather knew much better how to argue for a conservative viewpoint (with reason and humour). You sirs/madams are not in is league !

Go COPE classic, Kevin Potvin,Pedro Mora and Andrea Reimer !!!!

Kevan Hudson
Former Richmond (I mean Ditchmond) Boy

You know, it's always interesting to see what the editors here edit and don't. My last post was pulled, although it was on topic and benign.

I suppose I'll be more general.

The NPA has always been an uneasy collective with a small top-down power structure that means only a few matter. The rest come along for the ride for a variety of reasons - often, simply to make the gang look less like a collection of Middle Aged White Men.

This was evident in this round of nominations as they attempted to nominate their first ever Indo-Canadian candidate. Thank god they failed.

Vision Vancouver, on the other hand is nothing more than an ideological gang of thugs. I have some respect for Jim Green, and certainly think he's bright. That he fails to see the impact that his ideology has on this city surprises me. I've worked in offices in Gastown three times in Vancouver - why anybody even wants to go within a ten block radius of Main and Hastings astounds me. The problem is not better today, three years into a COPE government.

I'd like to see Andrea Reimer elected; she's very very bright. I've enjoyed talking to her.

Kevin Potvin as well would be a good choice.

For Mayor, let's face it, it's going to be Sullivan or Green. Given those two choices, I'd rather have Sullivan. I don't think he has the intellectual fortitude to truly move the city forward, but I think he won't move it backwards.

This particular contest reminds of the Simpsons episode where Kang and Kodos ran for president.

Frankly, I'd rather have Christy Clark.

Al De Genova rightly deserves his seat back. As for the rest? Bleh. I'll be quite pleased to see Tim Lous and Tim Stevenson on the street again. Although he's bright, I'd not miss Fred Bass who tends to disrupte council through fillibuster.

Ladner has been weak and ineffective, but I suspect will get re-elected. Perhaps, with more allies on council he can be the Great Hope everybody thought he'd be.

George Chow I like, but I'm not so sure I want him on council. His change of heart on Safe Injection is disingenious at best. This guy has more waffles than a house of Pancakes. (Of course, my support for the Safe Injection site is not strong; it's my view that if this is a medical solution to medical problem it should be happening in hospitals, not in a dedicated site that ghettoizes the activity and becomes a lightning rod for protest and community anger.)

I'll stop. I've gone on too long.

Ball's shopping accidents are a direct reflection of her credibility. It's obvious that she embellished her injuries and it also shows the B.S. that is personal injury litigation. She got a few quacks to write some reports and claimed a permanent injury. That's fraud and she should be ashamed of herself.

Ball is a whack-job. Then again so are Lewis, Stevenson and Woodsworth. C'est la meme chose.

What a mean-spirited, meaningless article that should not even be called "news". I really thought the Tyee could do better than this crap.

So many on here critize the mainstream media yet like to pretend that the Tyee, simply because it reflects their own political bias, is somehow more objective. Some defend the bias of Tyee, saying it's okay there is this blog at the end where people can rant at each other.

But look at the comments here- half the time they aren't even about the article itself, and it seems the goal is often to throw insulting labels at those opposing one's political viewpoint, rather than engage in intelligent open minded debate.

I wonder if any reader on this blog as ever LEARNED something new from an article or from a blogger that they inititally disagreed with?

darcy - no wonder your thread was pulled.
christy clark would have been the absolute worst thing for vancouver, or anywhere else.
kang and/or kodos would be a better choice, clearly.

the npa is really the totally partisan association, and it is the rich and powerful they are partisan for.

they care nothing for minority groups, outside of the votes they may be able to provide.

the shameless solicitaion of east indian voters is an indication of how they think.

much like the federal and provincial liberals, they seek a single popular (they hope) minority member, who can deliver a block of votes, and who will do as he is told.

it matters not that the votes may be bought ($10 seems to be the price) from those who likely know nothing and care nothing about politics, or even the candidate, or even the language, just that the votes have been signed over.

a perfect example of this is health minister dosangh, a provincial ndp leader who became a federal liberal overnight because the liberals knew he could deliver a large block of votes, and he would follow orders in return for his position.

when things go wrong, you get the situation where chuck cadman was elected as an independent. the voters rejected the parachuted minority candidate in favour of the person they felt had represented them favourably already.

when plans are faulty, because the 'brains' have chosen blindness over reason, you get what happened to clark.

but do not dispair, christy fans, as her ambition will drive her to seek public office again, even though her resume has nothing that would qualify her, and plenty that should disqualify her.

as for ms ball, what a remarkable recovery!
perhaps your agent should be in hollywood entering your past performances in the oscar race.

my experience has always been that the persons who strive to be the boss, to have the power, are the ones least able to do the job.

Samsol -

My first reaction was that Herbert is being disingenuous, although it’s possible he’s simply out of touch with his own community. Some people just live with their heads in the sand and recycle their own air.

I came of age just as the North American Circuit Party phenomenon was really taking off. Any socially engaged gay man under 35 has either experienced that vortex or has had friends who were swallowed up by it. Its rise went hand-in-hand with the epidemic and the “après moi la déluge” apocalyptic mentality it engendered among gay men. In fact, the Circuit phenomenon started out as a big-draw AIDS fundraising venture in multiple cities, and still often employs that fig leaf. Now the gay drug-circuit has become a vocation in itself for a lot of people, and there’s no denying the power of so much free-floating $$$. In Montreal, the Black & Blue Circuit Party has grown into a week-long ‘festival’ of drug-associated events, and is one of the city’s biggest annual money-makers. It draws a massive clientele of affluent gay men from across North America and internationally every year. It’s very lucrative for the city, and law enforcement knows their place. “World-class” Vancouver wants in, and has been building a susceptible clientele. It’s just that obvious. We've reach critical mass now.

Most treatments of the issue by media turn into ‘progressive’ apologetics for it (an oblique form of advertising & promotion), or turn into the ‘Dummies-Guide-to-Getting-High’ schtick (another form of marketing pushed by those ostensibly interested in promoting “party safe” practices). However, the tide is starting to shift now that the mainstream media has begun shining a light on the connection between gay drug-culture, the rising HIV infection rates, and the evolving state of the virus itself under these conditions. It has finally become a genuine public policy issue.

The whole nasty set-up is illustrated when occasionally some poor 40- or 50- something wannabe just drops dead on the dancefloor from all the drugs. You’ll never see a faster clean-up detail - And nary a whisper in the gay press. That’s the sound of money talking.

nestingtree

the blog at the end is the whole point.

the mainstream media does not allow this discussion. they do not print the news, but only a version of the news, that is twisted and spun before it is printed.

the mainstream media in bc is controlled by a very tiny handful of rich people whose only interest is to protect their interests.

they do this by controlling the news and
choosing which letters to print.

here you can dispute anything you want, with facts, opinion, hearsay, rumour, innunendo, and even straight unadulterated bullshit.

you can make up your mind from a range of opinions.

you can argue, discuss, or even slag the article and/or the bloggers.

and make no mistake, the mainstream guys, the politicians and the advertisers are watching this space closely.

Hey Nightbloom , I appreciate your comments and everyone that qustions the integrity of this article, because I had a tought time writing it, and, it was a learning experience for me, as a centrist, policy based critic, to have to write about personalities and history.
However, given the envelope of the story, I had to write on what I was given, or kill it.

Maybe the light tone offended some, but I think you can see an undercurrent suggesting we as writers are working with the muck being shoveled to us by political operatives.
In fact, I could tell you of big name Vancouver journalists who actually instigated the Herbert situation, then didn't write about it. Yes, there is bias in journalism, but usually from the people who have been doing it for many years. It is messy in politcal writing, and I'm just a young guy on the front line.

trite hip hop comment time. "Don't hate the player, hate the game."

Sam Cooper congratulations for drawing all these neo-con whiners out into the open in one short article.

"Oh's it's so unfair of journalists to show the quirky side of the rich old white men's political machine".

So friggin terrible.

Note to the right whiners, journalism, unless you hadn't noticed over the past few decades (at least in Canada) has moved far beyond the balance you claim to seek.

Led by the likes of the Asper family which out cheaped Lord Crossharbour, who showed the Thomsom family how to be more mean spirited,
Canada's mainstream media has become an embarassment in biased coverage.

So a little web page news group called the Tyee runs a good story outlining some of the more zany candidates who will represents the angry old whitemens'hopes and dreams.

Sam, I think the only error that really came through in your copy was that great big hole you left where you were supposed to talk about the back-bone of the NPA, the "creme-de-la-creme", as they say to themselves and anyone who can maintain a straight face.

Regardless, good and funny article that managed to inflict a bit of discomfort among the privilaged ones.

Isn't that one of the real goals of real journalism?

On, and it is refreshing to see Working Man acknowledging that at least one of the NPA candidates is entirely deserving of her profiles as a very weird and accident-prone (I'm being generous), character.

re: What is a conservative?

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.

John Kenneth Galbraith

Burner

I disagree. I think the politicos and people making a ton of money off mainstream press are not sitting around reading yours and ours comments.

I agree the mainstream media is biased but I can pick up ANY newspaper or magazine and read very different opinions in the letters to the editor. Sure the newspaper editorials are always biased, but they all pretty much provide a share of diverse views in the letters to the editor. THAT doesn't happen here. And no one reads these blogs but the bloggers, mostly just preaching to the leftly converted and occasionally sending personal slams to the "neocons" that disagree.

Arguing and discussing are great but do a analysis of the text here on these blogs and you'll note its almost NEVER the case that someone says "oaky, you are right, I'm wrong" or "okay thats a good point" or "maybe you've convinced me". Almost eveyron eis an expert that has made up their mind already. Very few people on here seem objective or balanced.

What I'm convinced of is that blogs, on the left and the right, are merely reinforcing people to more and more extreme opinions as people just love to wallow in self-righteousness with identically-minded folks.

It's not news. And it's not educational.

All I can do is imagine him saying this in person and wondering if he is auditioning to be a comedian or a thinking, civilized politician with substance. I think its the former.

To all those that believe the mainstream media has too much influence, I ask, really how much does their preaching influence how you think?
I doubt it is very much.
So, why do so many of you get hung up on the idea that media demons are spinning the truth?
I think it's a superiority complex that drives most to believe that even that they see right through the spin, many stupid people will not.
I don't believe people are as stupid as many think.
That the govt. can affect programming is too scary.
Why are we afraid to have FOX Cable News on the air ?

Not as stupid as many think eh?
Well they did somehow manage to elect criminals like bush and campbell.

Hi Sam !

While I mentioned I didn't really like where you went with your article I must say that I like you attitude !
As your comments posted above make clear you are willing to listen to criticism. For that, I must say that I have respect for you. I commented on another article on the tyee and the author well,...let's just say she didn't take my comments too well.
I look forward to future articles by you as I'm sure you will improve with experience.
Though I must restate that your article was interesting to read.

Lastly, I agree with darcy.mcghee who confirms what I often feel is best for democracy. We need many types of voices in politics. Even though I'm a very progressive former Green (somtimes I feel like a Chomsky anarchist or light green anarchist too) I think that independents, small business people and even real conservatives (not neo-cons) are needed to be represented at city hall, the legislature, etc. Only having two parties of opposite views that hate each other in a legislative body is not healthy for democracy.

Kevan Hudson

Well, if any of these candidates [i]do[i] get elected (there is little wisdom at the election box - just look south of the border), at least that will be one less person who no one else would hire to get a job done due to the obvious lack of any track record of competency. This gives hope to all those who have been hit over the head one too many times - at least you can run for office for the party in which lucidity is an unattractive feature.

Ron Erwin
It's not a "superiority complex" that drives those of us with a different view than that the mainstream media tries to portray. It is an awareness of just how much effort it takes to discover that there are different views. It takes many years and a lot of reading and listening to discover that what one thought was unbiased reporting is in fact largely propaganda.

I am grateful that there is a Tyee and small, independant publishers who do give another point of view that often reflects the view of the majority. There should be major publishers reflecting those views if we were really living in a world with unbiased reporting. Where are they?

The saying, "the best democracy money can buy" was not born in a vacuum.

nestingtree, thank you for your comments above, but I must note, you seem to have slipped some "diverse opinion" into Tyee without any problem.

I'm sure there are many issues that get full and complete coverage in all those mainstream publications you read.

What I worry about, and I suspect most here do as well, is that many letters to the editor that touch on politicians, politican decisions or political parties get played only if specific issues are ignored.

One example is the Vancouver Sun has repeatedly shielded readers from any discussion at all on the fact one of its economics columnists, who happens to have a political view that nicely mirrors that of premier Gordon Campbell, is in fact Gordon Campbell's little brother Mikey.

And believe me, Mikey'll try anything to slant an issue to favour a certain premier's goals.

I think I can safely say you have never read that in the Vancouver Sun.

Regardless Sam Cooper's article was a good read, filled with human interest, a few good chuckles and, it even allowed one of those NPA clowns to take a few cheap shots at Jim Green.

The only other advice I can offer you if you plan to stick around the Tyee is to encourage some of the right whiners who have camped here to provide more intelligent thought.

Yes, we need more diversity, but Working Man, Ron Erwin, nightbloom and Fred and Ethel all appear to have one narrowly-focussed world viewpoint.

So nestingtree, here is your chance to look opportunity in the eye and begin to spew right whine rhetoric that isn't repetative or borrowed.

I mean, that's the least Tyee readers should expect.

I never thought I'd be saying this, heaven knows, but I have to admit that I think Ron Erwin has a point. I for one don't believe a single word I read in any Canwest publication. I even check the date to make sure it's accurate. (Okey, I'm lying about that last part). I'm probably the only leftie around here who'll admit this Ron, but yes, we are worried that stupid people will believe what they read in the Sun and Province and National Post and Times Colonist. I wrestled with that problem for a long time before I saw you express it here. I've come to this conclusion: most people are pretty stupid, eh. I mean, all of the best scientists in the world basically accepted the natural selection-survival of the fittest darwinian-mutation-based view of the origin of species for a hundred and fifty years. (I mean who could ever believe that all of this complexity could be reduced to random events?) Now it's finally being outed as the joke it really is. I knew that Bush was lying about WMD just by the smirk on his face. Every politican knows that the world is full of stupid people. And yes, that's what we're all worried about in our fear of the big media conglomerates: all the stupid people. I admit it.

I think it is very fair to judge people on what they've said and done. For example, here is a nice quote from Ron Erwin:

"They insisted that the potential teacher get spend the last year of their training at SFU or UBC in order for them to hang out with queers and drug addicts ."

Quality individual, eh?

Hey Chris no kidding

Also quoting Ron Irwin

" What's wong with nukes anyway, if I had a choice I would have just nuked Iraq, that was the US our allies would
have no lost soldiers."

We can only judge people by their actions and words , we are our deeds, we must allow folks like Ron to express themselves but not to distract others from important debate.

As far as the upcoming civic election I see an NPA victory and a fragmented left wing vote. You can thank Senator Larry who sold out.

He voted for RAV, he voted to increase transit fares, he voted in slots at the PNE, he even had a fit over not getting his Wal Mart. I don't know if he was just afraid of bad press or he really didn't give a sh** and was put in place to destroy COPE , but either way he slapped the East side and normal people in
the face by abandoning his parties principles, he was a arrogant prick he threw fits everytime he didn't get his way, the media loves him and his disregard for those in his own party.

Anyway he said he's not a politician and then takes a senate seat, he was such a arrogant moron he even creates a new party to spite his opponents. I will be voting COPE and for Jim Green, Tim Stevenson and others can kiss
by butt, no wonder voter turnout is always so low.

I was tinkled pink when Larry Campbell became mayor but now, what with him being a senator and all, well I dunno, eh. I'm not all that impressed with Jim Green bragging about all the low income housing he's "built" either, and Sam Sullivan's right wing attitudes don't impress me. I do agree with his helping drug addicts to buy drugs though. I guess we won't be legalizing all these pain killers until there's a black hummer full of criminals idling in front of all our driveways. But then, I live in Surrey anyway, so I won't be voting.

How about a right leaning mayor with a left leaning COPE/Green Party council/parks/school board ?

I for one like to see colourful political candidates. Articles like this reinforce having the same bland politicians who have nothing to say.

If you want real people elected then they are going to have quirks.

Also to be a successful comedian you have to have a razor sharp wit, a high IQ and be a keen observer of the human condition includings all its follies, hypocrisies and excesses.

Mgeo, oh for sure the quirks are great, I think if it wasn't for the comment on Elizabeth Ball, the rest is probably fair game.

Rocker, It would be nice to see a mized council. A few NPAers, a few Cope, and perhaps a Visioner or two (although I've had enough with Tim). And I think Sam would probably be much more of a uniter than Jim would be. For all his poitical stripes, I think his rational for his decisions have been pretty good. I mean, I would have chosen Jim of Christy in a heartbeat, but until the last election, Sam was typically one of the more progressive members of council when Puil and others were there.

Not as idealistic as Cope, but not as stubborn as Jim and Larry were. I mean, fiscal conservatism and balancing budgets shouldn't be a bad thing. I mean whether you oppose RAV or the Olympics from a general point of view, its the province not the city thats on the hook for the overuns.

Congratulations dangrice for finally being open enough to acknowledge the contributions we rubes from beyond Hope will be making to your Ravish overruns.

My greatest concern is that the flunkies of that former mayor who helped manipulate that obscene transportation system are not re-elected in any of the GVRD area elections.

No, I'm not talking about Larry, but about Gordon Campbell, his boys Doug McCallum et/al and this latest slate of NPA comedians.

I'd like to suggest that another gas tax increase be imposed in the GVRD so that those who create the need for RAV pay the bill rather than we who are still being penalized at $10 a pop for travelling the Coquihalla a generation after it was too hastily built.

The gas tax ought to be double on Vancouver's west side to ensure the riff-raff from the east end don't try to fill their tanks at the same pumps the cremes-de-la-creme take a hosing from.

Hey, give it some thought, won't you? I think I've offered solutions to several of the more pressing problems down your way.

For the record, I didn't say I *wanted* Christy Clark for Mayor. I simply said I'd rather have her than Sullivan, Greene, Kang or Kodos.

I do think she's pretty cute though.

allan, I'll second you on getting McCallum out, although I really think Sam has much more to go.

But really, RAV and the Olympics, I should mention the federal money thats pouring in for both those projects. Wherever you live in this province, just remember, thats money not going to build golf courses in Quebec.

It must be said, Patrick Maliha's jokes about Jim Green being fat are rather lame. What, no zingers about Tim Louis's wheelchair? Hey, that'd have us rolling on the floor, so to speak.

Maliha ain't no Lenny Bruce. He seems to have an unhealthy respect for authority. Last time I heard him say something that was actually funny, it had something to do with announcing his candidacy for the NPA.