I'm Not Joking

If anyone's conducting a science experiment out there, we have a pound of margarine that's been sitting around the office in a less than air-tight container for almost three years now that you can have.

Did The Owner Of A U.S.-Hired Security Company Working In Iraq Murder Employees?

According to this doozy of an article in the Nation, a sworn affidavit, the answer is "maybe". Even if that's not the case, there's all sorts of horrible stories about Blackwater (the private security company hired by the United States to provide soldiers for Iraq) in this article. Yikes.

Rosie LaRose’s Top Six This Fine Morning …

1 OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING … I don't know anything that would cheer a person up more on a day such as today than a photo essay of public and private fallout shelters from around the world. (Good Magazine)

2 AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS? IF WALTER CRONKITE WERE ALIVE TODAY HE'D TURN OVER IN HIS GRAVE … Apparently, nobody's doing much fact checking at the Old Grey Lady (The New York Times) any more. All those typos or mistakes in a 700-word career retrospective. (The Guardian)

3 ALL THE NEWS WE FIT TO PRINT … Well, you know how we ragged on here about Harper and Wafergate? Well, the Irving family owns the Telegraph Journal. And they also own major shipyards in Saint John. So, can one connect the dots between an announcement by the DND that we're buying a whole bunch of ships, to be built by Canadians (The Galloping Beaver) and the Telegraph Journal's grovelling backtracking of the story? (Telegraph Journal) I know, Warren Kinsella, (Warren Kinsella) trying to determine policy differences between the Cons and Iggy's Liberals is as hilariously exasperating as watching a Calgary Stampeder fan trying to determine his a$$ from a hole in the ground, but it's clear that Harper's attempt to shut up the remaining parts of the Canadian media who refuse to sing from the Conservative songbook is a bit more brazen than usual (A BCer in Toronto).

4 CHRIS GETZLAF? WHO? Fire the coach! Shoot the quarterback! Kill the cheerleaders! Burn down Taylor Field and sell the ashes to the Indians! Oh … wait … (YouTube). I know you were to carry the pitchforks and I was to bring the torches, but we'll have to wait a week. (TSN).

5 MISS TEEN-AGE FREE LOVE '69 SHE AIN'T ... maybe 20 years from now somebody is going to think she's political material (Leader-Post) just like ... 0h, God, no ... (YouTube).

6 ANY WAY OUT OF HERE? Two more Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan last weekend. (Globe and Mail) In lieu of any real ideas from anybody else about how we're going to get out of that mess, may I present to you the Round Mound of Sound (The Disaffected Liberal).

Folk Festival Countdown: Basia Bulat

Here's a video by Basia Bulat, an up-and-coming folky, rootsey singer with a great voice and terrific songs. I saw her open for Final Fantasy (AKA Owen Pallett) at the Exchange a couple years back and she was great. I think you will like her.





Bulat, a Torontonian, will play the Folk Festival mainstage Friday evening at seven but if for any reason you can't make it she's also playing an open-to-the-public show on Sunlit Stage 2 (north end of Victoria Park) Saturday afternoon at 3:15. Presumably her CD and T-shirts will be available in the merch tent should you feel inclined to support her capitalistically.