Red Ensign Standard XXIX

Red Ensign Standard XXIX



Welcome back to my little corner of the blogosphere for this day-after-Thanksgiving edition of the Red Ensign Standard. I hosted Standard XXVI back in July, and liked the experience so much I decided to do it again. Let's get right to it; here are the top Brigade posts since September 26, 2005:


This first one gets its own category, as I don't think we do this enough: Temujin of West Coast Chaos thanks a veteran. C'mon people, it isn't just something to do on November 11th and then forget about for the rest of the year. Go down to your local Legion and do it today.


David Dingwall and Liberal corruption

The former president of the Canadian Mint (and prior to that, MP and cabinet minister) was in a lot of hot water from the blogosphere these last few weeks, resigning over allegations of padding his expense account - followed by the government's outrageous offer of severance pay totalling a half million dollars.

The Phantom Observer says that John McCallum is stuck on stupid when it comes to David Dingwall and that the Canadian government's scandal problems are only going to get bigger. The London Fog puts a pig's snout on David Dingwall and calls Paul Martin a liar. Stephen Taylor has lots to say about David Dingwall and the absurdity of paying severance to someone who has quit particularly under a cloud of corruption. Rootleweb came back to the topic of David Dingwall again and again. M.K. Braaten thinks David Dingwall might know too much. Keith at Minority of One is furious at David Dingwall. Just Between Us Girls has a theory on David Dingwall and hush money. Grandinite connects David Dingwall with the raping of watermelons. Andrew at Bound by Gravity says that David Dingwall is not entitled to severance pay. Angry in the Great White North piled on David Dingwall as well. A Chick Named Marzi takes the opportunity to laugh at Paul Coffin and the Liberal Party.

On related topics, Toronto Tory finds some shenanigans in the funding of Paul Martin's leadership bid. And finally, Chris at Striving Against Opposition thinks that the Martin government is nihilistic, a Seinfeldian/Neitzschean government about nothing. Shane at The High Places wonders at the minority government's ability to cling to power. M.K. Braaten thinks this sitting of Parliament should be an interesting one and theorizes that Stephen Harper has something up his sleeve. Meanwhile, the Raging Ranter says that Parliament has been neutered. Andrew at Bound By Gravity says that the Conservatives and the NDP ought to work together to defeat the Liberals. The Phantom Observer says that Ralph Goodale can take lessons in class from Stephen Harper. Enter stage Right has a message for Canadian conservatives.


Brian Pallister and Svend Robinson

No, they aren't getting married, silly. These two are characters in their own right though; Pallister for singing in the House of Commons and Robinson for wanting to return to the HoC after leaving in disgrace, having been caught on tape stealing a $25000 diamond ring for his boyfriend.

The Phantom Observer has a musical critique of Brian Pallister singing in the House of Commons as does Andrew at Bound By Gravity. Ray at Raging Kraut isn't surprised that Svend Robinson is musing a comeback and the Raging Ranter isn't surprised at the return of Svend Robinson either.


Serenity

Few non-political, non-tragic topics have captured the blogosphere this year as the movie Serenity, a film based upon the all-too-short-lived TV series Firefly.

Ith at Absinthe and Cookies saw Serenity - twice. Nicholas at Quotulatiousness loved the movie. Kate at The Last Amazon went out into the Black and took the tribe to see Serenity. I got into the act too and review the movie here.

In contrast, Chris of Taylor and Company thinks the movie Flightplan is junk.


Piglet, Saint George, and Islam

At first glance, one would think that the lovable character from Winnie the Pooh and the dragon-slayer had nothing in common. Well, over the last few weeks, they do.

John of Argghhh! joins the crusade to free Piglet. Kate at The Last Amazon's inner pig is roasting. John the Mad defends both Piglet and St. George. Alan at GenX at 40 asks how Al Qaeda could establish an empire. Canadian Comment has some advice for Muslims. Angry in the Great White North says that Norway has surrendered to Al Qaeda.

Keith at Minority of One is upset with Canadian ambassador to the USA Frank McKenna and Islamic terrorists.


Michaelle Jean

Keith at Minority of One fumes at the new Governor-General. Just Between Us Girls says that the new Governor General isn't showing too much in the way of smarts. John the Mad isn't impressed either.

The London Fog has some harsh words for former Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson.


hockey, football, and baseball

This is the time of year when Canadian wives lose their husbands to the TV and sports bar. With all three sports going on at once, it's a wonder they ever see their husbands in late September and early October.

Ace at Raging Kraut Ace welcomes the return of the NHL. Ryan at Blue Perspective gets off to a bad start in his hockey pool. ChrisCam finds solace in baseball so his world was crushed by the Chicago White Sox. Alan at GenX at 40 says Don Cherry has lost it. John the Mad plays Dodge the Scooter. Chris at Striving Against Opposition likes the new NHL rules and shares his hockey pool picks. The Meatriarchy also does some hockeyblogging. Enter Stage Right does some Monday night quarterbacking as A Chick Named Marzi laughs at some football players.

And while it isn't quite a sport, it is similar to hockey: Darcey at Dust My Broom talks about getting beat up and giving a beating in return.


Church and morality

Shane at The High Places has a dissection of "Emerging Church" complaints and points out why Christianity is unique. North Western Winds looks at an ad campaign by Australian churches and says that there are no pro-family political parties in either the US or in Canada. Keith at Minority of One is troubled by the ravages of social relativism. Rebecca at Doxology admires Mother Theresa and has some good advice from an old farmer. Angry in the Great White North has comments on both the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church. Finally, Ith at Absinthe and Cookies alerts us to the return of the Temperance movement.


MPs' gas allowances

Rootleweb had lots to say about the MPs' gas rebates. Hammer Into Anvil is miffed at the MPs' gas allowances.

Shane at The High Places asks for government to cut taxes rather than paying us with our own money and complains that government is pissing away our money studying a problem they have no interest in fixing (gas prices).


Cindy Sheehan

Angry in the Great White North must have a crush on Cindy Sheehan. Sometimes it seems like his blog is All Cindy All the Time. He posted so much about her in the last two weeks that his posts deserve a category of their own.


Miscellany

These last few weeks the Red Ensign Brigade has been all over the map as far as post topics go. Although I have attempted to categorize them all, it just isn't possible. So, here are the rest of the top posts of the last two weeks, all mashed together in one big pile of Thanksgiving stuffing:

Turning 30 and a Half is disappointed with her photography teacher, is afraid of spiders, likes the idea of merit badges for grownups, remembers her surgery as her niece goes through the same operation and thinks some happy thoughts.

Toronto Tory smirks at Carol Jamieson and her supposed "conservative" supporters and shows Liberal bias in the media (as if you needed more examples).

Tipper has found something nice (comparatively speaking anyway) to say about Ontario motor vehicle bureaucracy and Canadian healthcare.

The Phantom Observer says that underfunding of the Canadian Forces has taken a toll on its peacekeeping operations, that the guidelines for use of the government Challenger jets is in need of revision, that the blogosphere has a role to play in catching lies told to the Gomery inquiry, shows the differences in the selection of Supreme Court justices in Canada and the USA, and questions whether Canada's military could handle a Katrina-level disaster.

The Monarchist remembers the Battle of Trafalgar in a great many posts, and is spitting mad at the Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The Meatriarchy says that his readers are funny.

The London Fog thinks that the city of London, Ontario's garbage pickup plan is, well, garbage, doesn't like the idea of being forced to vote, promotes the Freedom Party of Ontario, is disinclined to believe that governments can solve anything, urges Bono to crawl back under a rock, says that France and Chicken just go together, that the CBC never sounded better than when they were on strike, that while criminals might grow marijuana, marijuana is not the cause of criminality, and how on some days, the London Fog hates Canada.

Kate at the Last Amazon alliterates: Keystone Cops brought to you by Kaddoumi, says happy birthday to Margaret Thatcher and questions whether Canada is more peaceful and law abiding than 30 years ago, or whether trauma medicine is just better.

Shane at The High Places asks if a Goliath is signing up to take on David in Surrey North.

The Freeway to Serfdom dreams of a free-market freeway and says that if a loved one goes missing in Vancouver, forget calling the police. Hire a private investigator instead.

The Conservative Hipster welcomes Janeane Garofalo to The West Wing and calls Toronto the capital of lost opportunity.

Chris of Taylor and Company says that the average Canadian citizen is grossly ignorant about the army, that the crash of Air France flight 358 could have been avoided, but disses the Toronto Star's suggestions as to how, and takes to the streets in search of a good book.

Stephen Taylor expressed hopes that Peter McKay would stay with the federal Conservative party, hopes which were answered in the affirmative, and rails against hooligans at the Queen's University homecoming.

Rootleweb calls for fixed election dates and says that Canadians have forgotten what the concept of justice means.

I play with Katherine Harris's photograph, have a picture of the 10th planet and its newly-discovered moon, point out the new breathing tax, and have some stills from a totally cool (and probably fake) video of a meteor striking mere meters from the camera.

Paul at Ravishing Light still isn't dead and says that in the US, a life sentence once again means a life sentence.

The Raging Ranter says that Canada has the best health-care system in the world, as long as you're not a human.

At Raging Kraut, Ray has some thoughts on the 15th anniversary of the reunification of Germany.

Nicholas at Quotulatiousness talks about the right to die, questions the end of oil, laughs at the idea that news organizations are objective and has a synchronicity moment at lunch.

North Western Winds questions a British reporter's journalistic integrity, looks at the politics of paranoia and the philosophy of biology and critiques Ayn Rand.

Jason at Musing asks why people still look to the government for disaster relief, takes the ALF to the woodshed for threatening preschoolers, and shows that for the amount being requested by Louisiana senators, the US could buy 10 to 15 Nimitz class aircraft carriers, complete with 51 aircraft each.

Just Between Us Girls looks at an impending Rural Revolution.

Italics Mine sees something sinister about the UN's attempts to take over the internet root servers from the USA, mocks Donald Sutherland, and laughs at the supposedly "brutal" winters in Afghanistan.

Hammer into Anvil reviews Eric Idle's latest book. He also calls for the privatization of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

Grandinite sees FedEx as a global economic indicator, asks why the taxpayer-funded CBC has commercials, posts some truck porn, has a theory on why Canadian blogs haven't yet had their Dan Rather moment, says that a surplus of lawyers in politics creates a surplus of laws, talks about Albertan plans to build a nuclear power plant for the heat to extract oil from the tar sands, and eats a llama.

Alan at GenX at 40 agrees with David Frum and takes a swipe at futurists.

Enter Stage Right says "duh" to Sunni Iraqis, explains why England lost its empire and takes the road to hell.

Dust My Broom had a murderer living next door, finds that Canadians and Americans are more alike than we think, says that PETA kills animals, has pizza with Joe Volpe , shows that money won't buy happiness, has thoughts on urban reserves, has a list of reasons to like Canada, warns of yet another change to Canada's flag looks at the federal government's attempts to buy native votes, and asks why work if you can make a better living on welfare?

Huck at BumfOnline had a great time at the Arcade Fire show at the university of Calgary.

Andrew at Bound By Gravity gets rid of Microsoft Office, looks at the cynicism of Canadians regarding the federal surplus, and points out that if global warming is caused by people, then Kyoto is the exact wrong approach.

Ryan at Blue Perspective wishes Margaret Thatcher a happy birthday and has a good swift kick in the ass for ruffians at Queen's University.

Babbling Brooks has given up blogging.

Asiapundit says that South Korea is likely to nominate one of their own to be the next UN Secretary-General, visits a Korean sex museum and admires one woman who is standing up to North Korea.

CW4BillT of Argghhh! remembers the good old days of Hollywood Squares and rules of engagement. John of Argghhh! talks about milbloggers' rules and is troubled by a lack of clarity on the treatment of detainees.

Anthroblogology does some underwater photography.

Angry in the Great White North highlights moonbattery in American schools
and animals in the same schools. He also has fun with bigamy and Ward Churchill.

Rue at Abraca-pocus reveals some wisdom from her children, smells like a cupcake, and shows her boobies to the world.

A Chick Named Marzi takes a swipe at Al Gore and at Donald Sutherland.
Rebecca at Doxology buys a workout DVD.

That's it for this edition of the Standard. Nicholas at Quotulatiousness will be hosting the Red Ensign Standard XXX (that's the Roman numeral for 30, you perverts) in two weeks' time.

Oh yeah, one last thing. Be sure to go over to Small Dead Animals for the Small Dead Blog Awards, and vote for me under the category of Weirdest Canadian Blog. With your help, I just know I can beat Buckets of Grewal.

Update: Now listed on the TTLB übercarnival.

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