The Assembly of First Nations(AFN) should allow all First Nations people to vote for their leaders

By F.P. Favel:
Last week, Chief Nepinak from Manitoba was threatening to bring the economy of Canada to it’s knees as a protest against the Conservative’s Bill 33, the bill on First Nations education negotiated between Prime Minister Harper and former Grand Chief Atleo of the AFN. Many Chiefs felt that Atleo did not properly consult with the chiefs and Chief Beardy of Nishnabi Aski feels “Atleo did not have the power to enter into and sign agreements, as the AFN is only a negotiating or lobby group on behalf of the chiefs.”
The controversy surrounding this education bill forced Chief Atleo to step down as grand chief, and the organization seems to be in disarray. Many feel the political and public attacks against Atleo were based on the differing political and career ambitions of his detractors and the informed First Nations person is able to see beyond the rhetorical posturing and feather ruffling of the more vocal First Nations chiefs.
The chiefs of the AFN recently brought into motion a little used section of the AFN constitution — the Confederacy of Chiefs. This confederacy was last brought into use in 2003 and although it is legal within the AFNs constitution, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Valcourt dismissed this confederacy as nothing but a few “rogue” chiefs...Continue reading..

A Goat Ends His Hunger Strike After Reuniting with His Donkey Best Friend. PEOPLE MAGAZINE

[image]  By Nate Jones:
A goat named Mr. G received the surprise of his life recently when he was reunited with his best friend, a donkey named Jellybean.

The pair's inspiring friendship began when they lived together for years in the menagerie of a hoarder; after her brood was taken away from her, Mr. G and Jellybean were split up between two different sanctuaries.

Mr. G was taken to California's Animal Place, where the owners soon noted his emotional distress. The buck sat in his pen all day, refusing to eat or even move.

Tests revealed there was nothing medically wrong with him – Mr G's only disease was loneliness.

After four days of Mr. G's unofficial hunger strike, Animal Place realized something needed to be done. The sanctuary contacted their counterparts and asked if they could take Jellybean in as well. The donkey arrived three days later.

Upon seeing his pal again, the goat instantly perked up, but as Animal Place described, "It was only when he smelled Jellybean's unique scent that Mr. G. realized the truth – his dearest friend had returned!"

See the touching reunion above. It's a moment that truly can't be bleat. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20820530,00.html

The Meadows Brothers, "A Train Makes A Sad, Sad Sound"

[image]     

 Meadows Brothers. home         

Ticks crawling back into Saskatchewan

  [image]                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Numbers continue to rise in the province.  Reported by Brady Knight

With the joys of spring come creepy-crawly ticks.

The critters are back in Saskatchewan and their numbers continue to grow. Dr. Henry Kucharski of the All West Veterinary Clinic in Saskatoon explained the two different kinds on John Gormley Live Tuesday morning.

"One can be very small like the blacklegged tick - the one that carries Lyme disease. And one's a little bit bigger, which we see commonly around here, the American dog tick."

Ticks can grow to the size of a small grape, eventually falling off their host and laying eggs. Unlike fleas that jump, ticks wait in the grass looking to hitch a ride.

Kucharski explained ticks come into the province on the backs of deer, moose and birds.

"We're also over a fly zone area and I think some of the ones that may be responsible for things like Lyme disease are not common and have not established themselves here yet," he said. "We see them piggy-backing with various vectors like birds."

Kucharski said it's important for dog owners to check their animals after every walk as dogs can also contract Lyme disease. They often become sicker than humans with fever and liver or kidney disease.

There are various kinds of medication available to help treat your pet. As for owners, simply sacrificing fashion and tucking your pants into your socks is usually enough to ward off the offenders.
bknight@rawlco.com. http://www.newstalk650.com/story/ticks-crawling-back-saskatchewan/354172  Related: Ticks can Kill Moose                                     

REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM: “CHRISTIANS UNDER ATTACK BY ISLAM” – “RADICAL ISLAM IS WHAT ISLAM IS”

[photo]“Let’s stand up for our brothers and sisters in faith around the world who are being persecuted for their faith,” he said.  “Because if we don’t stand up for them, there’s no other voice for them.  There’s no other voice.” Rev. Graham’s remarks were part of his address “Standing Strong on the Controversial Issues,” in which he stressed the importance of pastors speaking out on controversial issues such as abortion and same-sex “marriage.”

Alaska Wildfire: Funny River Fire Burns an Area the Size of Chicago

There is a line "animal-heroes-wunsy-parrot" I do not know how to delete. Sorry, tried for an hr. to fix. Published: May 27, 2014, 8:30 AM EDT

Trees burn to the edge of the water on the south side of the Kenai River at 2:01 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, 2014, across from Kenai Keys. BRIAN LOONEY

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2014/05/26/3478994/funny-river-horse-trail-wildfire.html#storylink=cpy

weather.com:

A massive wildfire in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula grew to nearly 159,000 acres on Monday, leading to mandatory evacuations of 1,000 structures and threatening hundreds of cabins, vacation homes and year-round residences.
The wildfire, which was only 30 percent contained by Monday morning, covered more than 248 square miles, growing to the size of Chicago, Think Progress reports. No injuries or structure damage has been reported, officials said.
Though the fire continues to grow, feeding off the foliage in Alaska's 1.9-million acre Kenai Wildlife Refuge, weather conditions should provide relief in the coming days, according to weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman.
"Relief is ahead this week," said Erdman. "Rain returns to southern Alaska Tuesday. Heavier rain is possible Thursday into Friday, along with cooler temperatures."...Continue reading...                                                    

DAHBOO77 : Published on 25 May 2014

UPDATE: FIRE HAS GROWN TO 140,000 Acres!

A wildfire in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage has grown to cover more than 193 square miles, but it was only 20 percent contained as of Sunday, fire officials said.

http://news.yahoo.com/alaska-wildfire...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/24/us/alas...

http://www.adn.com/2014/05/24/3478994...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkadJhuKM4o#t=141

ROGER MILLER - " ENGLAND SWINGS "

ninetymilesfromtyranny.blogspot.ca  

Mary & Roger Miller Los Angeles, California, 1979.

                                                                                                                                                                             http://www.rogermiller.com/index.html

Wunsy the pet parrot saves female owner from terrifying attack in north London park

Attacked: Rachel Marino with Wunsy (Picture: Ruth Banks/ ITV news)

 by Miranda Bryant:

Traditionally, dogs are considered to be a man’s best friend. But a heroic parrot called Wunsy may have stolen the title after saving its female owner from a terrifying attack.

Rachel Marino, 25, had taken her African Grey parrot for a "walk" in Sunny Hill Park, Hendon, when a man grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to the ground.
But the attacker was stopped in his tracks after the parrot flapped his wings and squawked, startling the man, who ran off down Great North Road.
Ms Marino and the parrot escaped unscathed and called the police.
She told ITV London: "I just saw him in my peripheral vision and then he came on the path behind me...Continue reading...

They say that dog is man's best friend. It may very well be that a bird is a woman's best friend - at least that is the way it played out for Rachel Marino, 25, in a north London park last month. Her pet parrot, named Wunsy came to her defense and scared off the man that had just attacked her. The bird;s quick flapping saved Marino from an uncertain fate, but it was hardly likely to be a pleasant one. - See more at: http://petslady.com/articles/animal-heroes-wunsy-parrot-66196#sthash.HR2P3v1M.dpuf

Muslim group takes next step in court action against PMO spokesman

 By The Canadian Press:

OTTAWA - A national Muslim organization is proceeding with a lawsuit against Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his chief spokesman for a comment it says linked the organization to a terrorist group.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims is filing a statement of claim in Ontario Superior Court after failing to get an apology from the Prime Minister's Office for the January remark.
Lawyer Jeff Saikaley says the council is seeking a public retraction and damages of up to $100,000.
The comment in question came after the council criticized the inclusion of controversial rabbi Daniel Korobkin in a delegation accompanying Harper to the Middle East.
In January the council took its first legal step by filing a notice of libel which quotes Harper spokesman Jason MacDonald as saying, "We will not take seriously criticism from an organization with documented ties to a terrorist organization such as Hamas.''...Read article here.

Related: If the majority of Muslims are peaceful, do we really have something to worry about?

Fleetwood Mac, "Little Lies"

[photo]last.fm. Fleetwood Mac

Washington Redskins Tell Harry Reid And Senate Dems They Won’t Be Changing The Team’s Name…

[image]

By John Solomon

The Washington Times:

...team President Bruce Allen argued the Redskins‘ name “originated as a Native American expression of solidarity” and that the team logo was designed by Native Americans in 1971.
He also noted that 90 percent of Americans in one poll didn’t find the team name offensive, and that an Associated Press survey earlier this year found 83 percent of Americans supported keeping the team name.
“What policy or issue generates 83 percent to 90 percent support is this era of negativity and division?” he asked...Read complete story here.

Mysterious Stone Balls - Only in Russia

Only in Russia: The Champ island is very popular among tourists who sail on a cruise to the Arctic. And no wonder, it has strange objects, the origin of which is still not clear, and this puzzle is not expected to be solved in the near future...Photos here

The 35 Most Spectacular Wildlife Photos From The National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest - Pinterest

Baby Bears! Photo: Oliver Klink for National Geographic Photos here...

Dr Hook, "A Couple More Years"

[image] last.fm. Dr. Hook

Report: Climate alarmists seek jail, death penalty for global warming skeptics

by Joe Newby:
On Wednesday, Newsbusters' Sean Long reported that a number of prominent climate alarmists are seeking to silence their critics, going so far as to demand they be thrown in jail, or worse, sentenced to death.
Richard Parncutt, a musicology professor at the University of Graz, Austria, for example, said in 2012 that those promoting skepticism of global warming should be executed. He went on to say that Behring Breivik, the Norwegian mass murderer who killed 77 people in 2011, should not receive the death penalty, according to an article at WND.
"GW is different. With the high probability it will cause hundreds of millions of deaths. For this reason I propose that the death penalty is appropriate for influential GW deniers. More generally, I propose that we limit the death penalty to people whose actions will with a high probability cause millions of future deaths … the death penalty is an appropriate punishment for GW deniers who are so influential that one million future deaths can with high probability to traced to their personal actions," he reportedly said.
He later took down the writing, WND reported, and replaced the call for death with a message that said: “Please note that I am not directly suggesting that the threat of execution be carried out. I am simply presenting a logical argument.”
A number of others, like history professor Dr. Naomi Oreskes, have suggested skeptics of global warming be arrested under international law. Others, like the Grist’s David Roberts have actually proposed Nuremberg style trials for climate skeptics...Continue reading...

Love After 78 Years of Marriage

By Genesee Keevil:
Photo: Ian Stewart
Arthur John sits by the living room window, clutching a cup of tea in his stiff, cracked hands. At 102, he can’t see much anymore, has trouble hearing and sometimes gets mixed up, mistaking the teacup for something else—a lynx trap, perhaps, or a piece of bone used to scrape fat from moosehide.
He fiddles with the cup, tipping it dangerously to one side. His wife, Alice, younger by six years, raises a gnarled hand in silent protest. She’s used to these antics. She doesn’t bother shuffling across the floor to rescue the cup. Instead, she continues to brew tea for her husband, even though it sometimes ends up on the floor...Continue reading...

“My Bionic Pet” celebrates new breed of animal heroes blind to all prejudices

A piglet named Chris P. Bacon was born without his hind legs but thanks to his caring owners, he can now walk with the help of a tiny wheelchair [photo]

By Tina Page

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”  John Wooden

Animals are the most untapped source of inspiration on our little blue planet.
And although PBS’s “Nature” series often provides us with opportunities from which to admire the strength, fortitude, courage and dedication that animals exhibit on a daily basis, a recent episode called “My Bionic Pet” allows us some needed pride in our own species for our remarkable abilities to help others...Continue reading...

Norah Jones & J Walter Hawkes, "Sinking Soon"

[image]

                                                                                      The Website of J. Walter Hawkes

Mother bear rescues cub from B.C. highway

CBC News
A mother bear hauls her cub to safety from a road in Kootenay National Park, Canada

YouTube/The Telegraph

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mother-bear-rescues-cub-from-b-c-highway-1.2648700

Persian Film Shows Nuke War with Israel - The Times of Israel

By Yifa Yaakov
 A Persian-language animated film shows an Iranian invasion of Tel Aviv, the word “Holocaust” being trampled, and a nuclear attack... Continue reading...

A frame from an Iranian animated film showing Israeli planes poised to attack Iran with nuclear weapons. (screen capture, YouTube)

http://www.timesofisrael.com/persian-clip-shows-nuclear-war-with-israel/

Sam Cooke, "Chain Gang"

[photo]

last.fm. Sam Cooke

E-books & media - McGill University

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McGill Library - everything you need

Presidential Libraries

[photo]   National Archives and Records Administration:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Learn about the Presidential Libraries

The Presidential Library system is composed of thirteen Presidential Libraries. These facilities are overseen by the Office of Presidential Libraries, in the National Archives and Records Administration.
Learn More....

Presidential Libraries are not libraries in the usual sense. They are archives and museums, bringing together in one place the documents and artifacts of a President and his administration and presenting them to the public for study and discussion without regard for political considerations or affiliations. Presidential Libraries and Museums, like their holdings, belong to the American people.
During his second term in office, President Franklin D. Roosevelt surveyed the vast quantities of papers and other materials he and his staff had accumulated. In the past, many Presidential papers and records had been lost, destroyed, sold for profit, or ruined by poor storage conditions. President Roosevelt sought a better alternative. On the advice of noted historians and scholars, he established a public repository to preserve the evidence of the Presidency for future generations. Beginning a tradition that continues to this day, he raised private funds for the new facility and then turned it over to the United States government for operation through the National Archives. http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/contact/

Missing and murdered aboriginal women's families want action from RCMP report

CBC News
Loved ones of missing and murdered aboriginal women say they hope the RCMP will follow through on recommendations made in a new report and work more closely with families.
The RCMP's National Operational Overview on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, released Friday in Winnipeg, found that aboriginal women are over-represented in cases of missing and murdered women compared with non-natives.

• Aboriginal women more likely to suffer violent death, RCMP says
• Read the RCMP report here (PDF)
• Visit CBC Aboriginal for more top stories

The report found that aboriginal women account for 4.3 per cent of the overall Canadian female population yet account for 16 per cent of female homicides and 11.3 per cent of the cases of missing women.
Officials said there have been 1,181 police-recorded aboriginal homicides and unresolved missing women investigations over the past three decades — a much higher number than previously thought.
"Six years ago, 500 was shocking. But since then it's more than doubled," said Wilfred Catcheway, whose daughter, Jennifer, has been missing since her 18th birthday in 2008.
Bernadette Smith, whose 21-year-old sister, Claudette Osborne, has been missing since July 2008, said police and victims' families need to work together.
"We're not asking for information on the case. All we're asking for is, you know, a relationship to be built that's built on trust so that we know that our loved ones' cases aren't sitting on a shelf somewhere," she said.
While RCMP officials spoke to reporters about the report's findings on Friday, a group of people drummed outside and sang an honour song for missing and murdered women...Continue reading...

The Eagles, "Hotel California"

The Silver Fire burns toward the 10 freeway, as seen from the Morongo Hotel and Casino in early morning hours on Thursday, August 8, 2013, in Cabazon, California. www.sacbee.com

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/09/5637520/southern-california-fires-2013.html#storylink=cpy

last.fm.The Eagles

California fires: At least 2 arrested on arson-related charges

http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/16/us/california-wildfires/

Tribune staff and wire reports

9:32 a.m. CDT, May 16, 2014

SAN DIEGO—

California firefighters were battling wind-whipped wildfires on Friday, as some 125,000 people fled their homes in the San Diego area and police arrested at least two people on arson-related charges. The cluster of fires comes as California enters its peak fire season amid its worst drought in decades. Officials worry it could be a particularly dangerous year.
Crews made some progress against the fires, which have scorched thousands of acres this week across Southern California. But they had only a tenuous grip on the so-called Cocos Fire, which was threatening the northern San Diego county communities of San Marcos and Escondido. Late on Thursday, Escondido Police said they had arrested two teens, ages 17 and a 19-year-old, identified as Isaiah Silva, on arson-related charges after locating the pair near a mall. They matched descriptions by witnesses of two people trying to set fires in the South Escondido area...Continue reading...

California Wildfires - The New York Times.

News about California Wildfires, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times. Craig Durling/Associated Press

California Wildfires - The New York Times

Skeeter Davis, "Gonna Get Along Without You Now"

[image] last.fm/music Skeeter Davis

Pet Cat Heroically Saves Boy From Attacking Dog And Proceeds To Chase Mutt Down

My hero ... Jeremy with Tara in a picture tweeted by America’s ABC. Source: Supplied [photo]

Laura Stampler:
The title of man’s best friend might be in contention.
A pet cat came to her small human boy’s rescue when a neighborhood dog began attacking the child out of nowhere. Not only did Tara the cat hurl itself at the dog, but she chased him down the street.

“Thankfully my son is fine!” Roger Triantafilo said in the description of the surveillance video footage he posted on YouTube. The boy’s mother told the Bakersfield, Calif. ABC affiliate that her son needed stitches, but is overall a-okay. The dog is currently under observation — probably plotting his evil revenge. http://time.com/99301/cat-saves-boy-from-attacking-dog-video/ Visit: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/fearless-feline-rescues-young-boy-from-dog-attack-1.1821546

Just Dance Kids 2 - "Hokey Pokey"

Th origin of the "Hokey Pokey"Just Dance Official Website

Good News, Space Heathens! The Pope Is Open to Baptizing Extra Terrestrials

By Victoria McNally
You know all those really inspiring parts of the bible that talk about how Jesus loves the little aliens? No? Right, that’s because they don’t exist. But if Pope Francis has anything to say about it, any interested members of an unknown intelligent race of galaxy-traversing beings in search of a new religion are 100% welcome in the Catholic Church.
In a homily on Monday about the dangers of “closing the doors” on people interested in Catholicism, the Pope compared Simon Peter’s baptizing of the unclean and uncircumcised to the baptism of another inconceivable group of possible converts:

“That was unthinkable. If—for example—tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here… Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them… And one says, ‘But I want to be baptized!’ What would happen?”

Note that he envisions a scenario in which the alien actively seeks out a change in religion and doesn’t suggest that we try to force it on them, which is great, because the latter type of rhetoric feeds into problematic colonialist and imperialist ways of thinking. But also, I suspect that maybe Pope Francis just doesn’t want to piss the aliens off. After all, almost every science fiction story our species has ever written suggests that they’re going to have way bigger guns than we do when they inevitably come knocking on our door.
Of course, the Pope’s main point isn’t “don’t piss off aliens.” It’s “don’t be a dick to people who are interested in your thing.” The thing just happens to be religion in this case. He continues:.. Continue reading...

Capturing Wildlife: How Poachers Are Liking and Using Your Photos

• by Jessica Ramos
  
  
  When it comes to social media, sharing can be a lot of fun. Who doesn’t like making friends, family and followers hungry with mouthwatering #foodporn pictures?
  Capturing and sharing images or videos of your encounters with wildlife can also be a lot of fun, but it turns out that it can also disrupt the natural order of the circle of life. Poachers can secretly be liking and using your content. Your content (and its possible built-in geotagging feature) could help poachers track down, hunt and kill some of the world’s most endangered animals.
  What‘s Geotagging?
  Geotagging adds geographical metadata to a piece of content in real-time. Geotags can be applied to your photos, videos, text messages, websites, RSS feeds and websites; they most commonly indicate latitude and longitude coordinates. Yet, they can also note the altitude, distance, accuracy and the name of a location.
  Poaching and Profit Gets Digital
  Geotagging makes cyberpoaching quick, easy and efficient.
  If you want to understand the risks that geotagging poses to wildlife, then here is how one park put it:
  
  Please be careful when sharing photos on social media. They can lead poachers to our rhino. Turn off geotag function and do not disclose where the photo was taken.
  Emails aren’t even safe. In India, there was a potential scare when a user was trying to access a conservationist’s email account. While this possible hacker was unsuccessful, they could’ve been privy to sensitive radio tracking collar information about the animals’ real-time location and movements.
  According to National Geographic, there is big money in the wildlife-trafficking industry. The industry hauls in profits of $7.8 to $10 billion per year.
  The cybersphere also makes it easier to buy a dead wildlife animal or the parts of a wild animal; it’s more anonymous, the transactions are quicker, and it’s harder to track. Websites dedicated to the trafficking of majestic animals do exist. Apparently, the animal’s blood on an object is a strong selling point...Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/capturing-wildlife-how-poachers-are-liking-and-using-your-photos.html#ixzz31byCsXrq

Photo: CHP cops rescue Chihuahua trapped on busy highway

By PoliceOne Staff
CONTRA COSTA, Calif. — California Highway Patrol officers rescued a frightened Chihuahua trapped on a busy highway in Contra Costa Friday.
NBC Bay Area reports that officers received a call that  the dog was sitting in the middle of the center divider. Officer Alex Edmon and his partner responded and spotted the scared animal.
"We attempted to coax it, we could tell it was very frightened, it was shaking - we were able to pet it a little bit, but other than that we could tell it was not happy," Officer Alex Edmon said.
After Edmon attempted to coax the dog with a snack, the officers decided to call animal control, as they had no way of transporting the Chihuahua on their motorcycles.
The 2-year-old pup was rescued without injury. Officers are unsure how the dog became stranded.
Officials say a home may be lined up for the Chihuahua if an owner does not come forward. http://www.policeone.com/police-heroes/articles/7179461-Photo-CHP-cops-rescue-Chihuahua-trapped-on-busy-highway/

Mule Deer Migration

Mule deer in western Wyoming migrate 18-140 km to high-elevation summer ranges where they access high quality forage and accumulate fat reserves that help them survive the harsh winters. The ability to identify and prioritize these migration routes may improve management and land-use planning... [photo] Read here...

vimeo: Wildlife biologist Hall Sawyer discovers the longest ungulate migration in the lower 48, nearly 5000 mule deer migrate 150 miles in western Wyoming. The journey from the desert to the mountains that these deer undertake is truly remarkable. Sawyer’s groundbreaking science is combined with first ever migration footage from photographer Joe Riis to highlight and inspire the importance of conserving migration corridors around the world.
Film produced by Joe Riis and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Go to migrationinitiative.org for more information. https://vimeo.com/88619272

Medication Madness: The Dark Side of Anti-Depressants

By Lorie Johnson

CBN News Medical Reporter

Far too often we hear news of a deadly attack at a school, mall or military base - violent crimes committed by those we least suspect.

Many of those violent outbreaks have involved guns. Sometimes, however, there's another common thread: anti-depressants.

Anti-depressants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in America. Millions of doctors and their patients appear to like these drugs, but there is a darker side.

Medication Madness

For decades, psychiatrist Peter Breggin has studied the link between anti-depressants and violent crimes.

"The anti-depressants cause violence and they cause suicide, and they do it in all age groups. We have studies in all age groups. There's just no doubt about it," Dr. Breggin said.

Anti-depressants work on the brain, thereby altering the way their users think.

"These drugs are causing agitation, anxiety, insomnia, hostility, aggression, mania," Dr.Breggin said. "In addition to driving the person with this amphetamine-like effect, the anti-depressants do a bit of a lobotomy. You lose your empathy. You lose your caring."...Continue reading...

Jihad becoming ‘as Canadian as maple syrup’ says Calgary man who joined armed extremists in Syria. Update

Todd Korol for National PostDowntown 8th & 8th Musallah, the storefront Islamic centre in Calgary where Abu Dujana al-Muhajir said he started a prayer group.

Stewart Bell: A Canadian foreign fighter in Syria taunted the “evil, despotic and Zionist Harper government” on Wednesday, claiming it was losing the battle against extremism and that fighting jihad was becoming “as Canadian as maple syrup.”
   In a blog post, Abu Dujana al-Muhajir, part of a small circle of Calgary youths who left for Syria to join armed extremist groups, said “so-called radical Islamists” were gaining in popularity and the number of Canadian jihadists was growing.
   He denounced leading Canadian Muslims opposed to extremist violence, naming writer Irshad Manji and imams Muhammad Robert Heft and Syed Soharwardy, calling them “deviant” and saying they were outnumbered by militants.
   “Know very well that for every single sellouts [sic] like Tarek Fatah or Mubin Shaikh, we are gaining hundreds of brave Damian Clairmont and Andre Poulin from amongst you who are willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of Allah,” he wrote... Continue reading... Related: Fighting armed jihad is not "as Canadian as maple syrup." It's completely against our values

National Day of Honour commemorates mission in Afghanistan

CBC News

The 40,000 who fought and the 158 who fell in Afghanistan to be honoured during one-time event

Stephen Good and Mark Pusztai have marked Jan. 7 as a day of remembrance since 2009.
That was the year their brother, Trooper Brian Richard Good, was killed by roadside bomb north of Kandahar at the age of 42.
"I always worried about him, right. But it's one of those things," Good said. "I didn't think it would end like this. Nobody ever thinks that."

• National Day of Honour official program (pdf)
• Canada's casualties in Afghanistan
• Soldier On relay arrives in Ottawa
• Silver Cross mother still stung by 'disrespect' on eve of Day of Honour

CBC's main coverage of the National Day of Honour will be between noon ET and 2:30 p.m. on CBC News Network and will be livestreamed on CBCNews.ca ...Continue reading...

'Unkillable' soldier inspires kids on reserve - The Starphoenix

By Alyssa McMurtry, The Starphoenix:

Cpl. Hilliard Paul Kahpeaysewat

Photograph by: Viewpoint Photographic Design , Submitted photo

         On Sept 1, 2009, Cpl. Hilliard Paul Kahpeaysewat was en route to Afghanistan, leaving Canada for the first time.
        When he stepped off the plane, the temperature was a sweltering 55 C. Six hours later, a rocketpropelled grenade exploded in front of him.
        "That's when I realized it was real. These guys aren't fooling around and I'm going to have to protect myself," he said. It wasn't until later that he noticed his knee had been hit by shrapnel.
        Kahpeaysewat, the first Afghanistan veteran to come from the Moosomin Reserve near North Battleford, was stationed near the Pakistani border in Southern Afghanistan in the Panjwai district. Part of his job was driving an armoured vehicle. He spray painted an Autobot symbol on it because it looked like a Transformer.
        Over his nine-month tour, he was shot at repeatedly and drove over five improvised explosive devices.
The Taliban gave him a nickname - Unkillable.
Kahpeaysewat joined the army when he was 36. Although it had always been a dream of his to enlist, it was only when the army contacted him after Sept. 11, 2001 that he decided to sign up.
       "I'm definitely one of the older guys to join, but I'm like 250 pounds of muscle ... I'm a machine," Kahpeaysewat said.
           At that time, he was working odd jobs and struggling with alcoholism.
"Basically the war saved my life," he said....Continue reading...

Andrew Austin, "If It Ain't This Town"

By Alex Hudson: Toronto songwriter Andrew Austin is known for having his music in ad campaigns from Tim Hortons and Alexander Keith's, and as he gets ready for a couple of hometown gigs at Canadian Music Week, he has shared a video for his song "If It Ain't This Town."

The song is a thoughtfully sweeping folk rock number, and director Eric James Mayer captures the yearning mood with ultra-scratchy vintage home movies. The result is a nostalgic remembrance of snowy drives, family time by the lake, and childhood pony rides.http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/andrew_austin-if_it_aint_this_town_video                                                                                                                                                                         AndrewAustin-home  Andrew Austin myspace.com

Old Photographs of Canada from 1858-1935. vintage everyday

vintage everyday:

The photographs from the Notman Photographics Archives are a priceless testimony to the history of Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries, from its people to its landscapes... 

         Aboriginal family near Prince Albert, SK, 1919
William Notman (1826-1891), his sons, and the photographic studio he founded in Montreal, documented

Canadian life and her people from 1856 to 1936. The Notman studio, among others, was commissioned by William Van Horne (general manager of the CPR) to record the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and to show Canadians the wonders of the western scenery and the majestic Rocky Mountain ranges, with a view to encouraging immigration to the West...Photos here...