Purple Jacket Magpie

Purple Jacket Magpie

I just finished booking my trips through Greece, Italy and Paris... I've some how managed to pull a few luxury hotels in to the mix and I'm still scratching my head as to how I pulled it off but I did and I'm really excited about it.

H. and I start our 3 week adventure in about 4 days, and we're both pretty excited about the prospects. Anyway, I will be updating at least once a week, so fret not.


I'm going to use today to address a comment, since I'm not doing anything adventurous but packing up my apartment, which you completely do not want to hear about. So boring, and the little dramas that occur in packing up your life are too aggravating to recount.


A few days ago, Geek In The Pink wrote:

First of all, I am not going to respond to the anonymous coward who thinks you should stick to "what you are good at", as it would be a waste of typing.

Second, I am very interested in your political stance. When i say interested I mean that in a positive way. So you answered my question very well. You are obviously a democrat when discussing the United States, but I am having trouble figuring out which Canadian political party you support. I've always been a supporter of the PC party, however lately I have found myself leaning more as a liberal (provincially). Don't get me wrong, I will not vote for Dion because of his obvious incompetence. I think Harper has done an excellent job in some of the areas of Canada, but do you not agree that Harper has taken a larger interest in the events occurring in the middle east? Whether you call them peacekeepers or soldiers of war, they are still there fighting. By glorifying a name only masks the situation, it does not improve it.

There is not much use of discussing NDP or Green Party because NDP has never worked in Canada (at least not lately) and Green Party is just a recycled conservative party.


1. Thanks. I find that person to be utterly obnoxious as well.

2. I'm a card carrying Liberal, but I vote on issues, not people or parties. The Liberal ideology tends to coincide with my stance on the issues. I do, however, find Dion to be a whiny prat some times. It's like loving a certain restaurant but all of a sudden the waitstaff are total incompetent jerks.... I'm so torn.
I also believe in a multi party system, and if the majority don't agree with me, that means that our system is doing it's job. So long as everyone understands that I am always right and somewhat of a supreme genius (That was a joke.... for those of you who are thinking to call me arrogant again**)

3. Let me preface this answer quickly: I believe in the military, and I support them. I am so happy to have brave men and women willing to die for my freedom, because let's face it... I'm obviously not going to die for it myself. In fact, I support them so much that I think it's ludicrous to see them lose their lives while fighting a war on the ground that does not match up with the war being fought in the international political arena.
Canada has always had a vested interest in Peace and Peace processes in Afghanistan. CIDA was on the ground for years before this mess, they were only pulled out when the USA decided to go in. And, they were doing a good job.
Harper is involved because he's a typical man and he likes to fix things. I don't know that he's spent too much time and effort over there. I think his thinking is in the right place ... we're never going to be able to pull our troops out ahead of the USA (despite the fact that we're now front line on someone else's war because they chose to fight another front....in another country).
Harper reminds me of my father.... sadly. If you have to do a job that you don't really want to do.... get it done quicker, and faster and better than everyone else. Be an asshole to deal with, but be the asshole that gets it all done.
I'd love to see more diplomacy, but to be honest, I know one of the CIDA members who had been on the ground in Afghanistan and diplomacy only works if two parties are willing to be diplomatic. Harper can't reach out the olive branch himself, he'd have to do it on behalf of the United States as a neutral third party negotiator. But he's not neutral...and we can't be because we rely on the United States. We're not powerful or rich enough to be neutral on anything. I'd love to see some more CIDA involvement and education programs in the rural parts of Afghanistan... because do you know what happens when hordes of young boys are forced into idle displacement camps (by Western troops) for their own safety? They get bored. Do you know what happens when a bored teen aged boy gets a gun and someone preaching ideology to him? Ya, here we call it gang warfare.... there we call it terrorist training.
Does Harper neglect domestic affairs in favor of international? Yes. Is it impossible to balance them equally? I'd say Yes again, but some Trudeau supporters may have a different mind frame.

4. I love that the NDP is our third party. They keep our domestic and social agendas in check. I feel that their minimal status is what keeps Canada great. Would I ever want to see them rule the roost? No. But they are a good way to swing your vote if you feel like either of the other fore runners are getting too many seats and aren't focusing on domestic problems.

5. You think the Green Party is useless? Look up our Humanist party. Sorry Jayz. But isn't it nice to know that someone cares if you have enough water to drink in 30 years? I know I like water....and being hydrated. Think of how life threatening keg parties would be if you didn't have enough water to replenish your H20 the next day during a wretched Hangover....



**Did you know that 50% of things said in jest are actually true?***

*** Did you know that 50% of statistics are made up?


Thanks for the comment, I hope I hit the points you were asking... I'm kind of a tangent seeker.

KK.