Whatever Tarek, just get me another beer:

I spent my day with Canadian author Tarek Fatah who I have been a fan of for a number of years.  He is an amazing person and also as funny as hell. If you haven't got it already I really suggest picking up his book - Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State. It is required reading...

Tomorrow we are up to no good again as we are hanging with some guy named 'Mubin'.. Stay tuned for that one!

Dr. Keller recently sought government permission to do a field trial of genetically modified wheat that has been bred to resist a fungus. He first had to debate the finer points of plant dignity with university ethicists. Then, in a written application to the government, he tried to explain why the planned trial wouldn't "disturb the vital functions or lifestyle" of the plants. He eventually got the green light.

I'm ready for you and I hope your ready for me!

{mp3}Eddie_Martin_Blues_With_Feeling{/mp3} 

Saturday night is when I come out to play and there is a communal gathering scheduled at The Fiddler's Green starting around 6PM -- Everyone welcome.

Amid turmoil in the world financial sector, the International Monetary Fund predicted Wednesday that China's economy would grow at more than 9.0 percent next year while much of the West faces recession.

"China is now a major influence in the world economy and it's significant that the IMF doesn't downgrade its growth prospects," Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner told national radio Thursday.

"So we are well positioned to continue to sell an awful lot of exports to China and we believe that that's one of the important factors that's protecting Australia, to some extent, from the influences of the US financial crisis," he said.

CTV news did the right thing against the wishes and threats of the Liberal Party of Canada - Liberal leader Stephane Dion behind the scenes goes into an incomprehensible meltdown when asked on national TV - What would you do if you were prime minister today:

{youtube}GrliDQs1Jps{/youtube}

This next segment covers the meant to be broadcasted version and after the show on Mike Duffy Live where Liberal strategist Geoff Regan calls it a physical impairment:

{youtube}BfGnTWMKQSQ{/youtube}

The Liberal Party - putting Canadians at ease for about 15 more seconds.

::

Heh heh:

A buoyant Stéphane Dion declared Thursday a "significant" milestone in the Liberal party's election campaign because for the first time, he and rival Stephan Harper agree on something.

::

Yeah right:

"The leader (Dion) has a slight hearing problem," said Munson. "He said that he didn't quite understand it. The interviewer agreed to stop and restart the tape." 

Just seemed fitting for some reason.....

{youtube}jHPOzQzk9Qo{/youtube} 

Pundits say Liberal carbon tax may result in Tory election gains in Alberta

So what's up with the rest of the country?

"This is intended to send a strong message of denunciation in respect of this violent and opportunistic crime against a vulnerable visitor to our community," said Ontario Superior Court Justice Charles Hackland, reading from his four-page sentencing decision. (Ottawa Citizen)

24 year old Ethiopian refugee Gideon George Antonatos was given a five year sentence for a violent rape of a Nunavut woman in 2006. He gets a two-for-one credit for the 27 months he has already spent in custody and so he will be out in six months with three years probabtion. He also faces a deportation order.

Of interest is that none of his prior convictions such as assaulting a police officer, theft, drug possession and breaching court-ordered conditions along with seven misconduct reports at the Innes Road jail where he has been held were taken into consideration because they were of a none 'sexual nature' and the rape was an 'isolated incident'. He has been in Canada since 2000 and justice has apparently been served.

The Beer: Welcome Quatre-Centieme a stong ale on lees by Unibroue in Chambly ,Quebec. It is commemorative beer brewed to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec on July 8, 1608. Clearly a beer brewed for celebration and that's what we're doing here today. She pours golden made slighly hazy by the the lees. A bright white fluffy long lasting head was created from the pour. Sweet bready malt to the nose. She tasted of buttery pouch tobbacco and malty over ripe cantaloupe. Packaged in a corked 750ml bottle and contains 7.5% alcohol. 3.5 feathers out of 5 but you can always get a second opinion.

The Blues: This compilation of Blues was created using requests, some where interpreted because I didn't have the music, from fellow Broomers(Leslie, OMMAG, Wl Mackenzie Redux, Fortitudine ,cherenkov, J.M.Heinrichs, Dinosaur, Pablo, Dmorris, WingWalker, Just Another Jaybird,Temujin, ChrisinMB, Beachnut and of course Shere Khan! If I missed any and I'm sure I did, I apologize.). A big thanks for all your contributions. All just trying to give a bit back and wish Darcey a Happy 40th Birthday! 

The Playlist: Buddy Guy (Done Got Old), Jimmy Thackery And The Drivers (Wild Night Out), The Homemade Jamz Blues Band (Blues Concerto), Lowell Fulson (I'm Tough), Guy Davis (You Don't Know My Mind), Little Axe (Finger On The Trigger), Taj Mahal (Cakewalk into Town), Big Bill Broonzy (Key to the Highway), Howlin' Wolf (Killing Floor), Albert King (Born Under a Bad Sign), Craig Erickson Project (Break Free), Delbert McClinton (I Used to Worry), Roland 'Lut' Luttick (Diamonds And Pearls), Bugs Henderson (Big D shuffle), Chris Ardoin And Double Clutchin' (Gon' Be Jus' Fine), The Witch Doctors (Global Economy Blues), Keb' Mo' (One Friend) and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (Life By The Drop).

Lyrical highlight: No wasted time, we're alive today - Churnin' up the past, there's no easier way - Time's been between us, a means to an end - God it's good to be here walkin' together my friend

The Videos: The Broom received a couple of video requests to help celebrate. The first from J.M.Heinrichs can be found here. The second from Dinosaur and it can be found here. Enjoy!

See you inside!

{mp3}101008_FridayNightBlues{/mp3}

01:02:25 28.5 MB 

Friday Links: Subscribe | A big thank you to M.C. Records, Stony Plain Records, NorthernBlues Music, Red House Records, Alligator Records, South Side Records, Delta Groove, Black & Tan Records, Blues Leaf Records and of course all our wonderful artist friends | Reminder - BAD in Toronto 2008 - drink up with the broom on his birthday

Here's the junk science headline of the year ....and you all know why a "study" like this is released at this time when Onterrible is in the midst of a massive policy-generated deindustrialization and revenue gaps. At first glance this propaganda seems to be just jealous vindictiveness. But a little closer examination reveals justification for some  self serving fear mongering aimed at cutting a large chunk of energy industry revenues.

Oil sands will pollute Great Lakes, report warns

The environmental impacts of Alberta's oil sands will not be restricted to Western Canada, researchers say, but will extend thousands of kilometres away to the Great Lakes, threatening water and air quality around the world's largest body of fresh water.

The report says the environmental effects in Alberta from tar sands development – from dying ducks caught in tailings ponds to massive carbon dioxide emissions – are well known, but the implications for the Great Lakes “are less well-understood and less extensively explored.”

Policy makers around the lakes, in both Canada and the U.S., are largely unaware that the tar sands will lead to massive industrial development in their region, and consequently have no strategy to minimize the environmental impacts, it says.

Oh horrors!!  They're exporting wicked ol' capitalism/jobs/prosperty along with their filthy earth-murdering oil....Gaia weeps! Now here is the money quote and a hint to what this junk science is setting up:

Among its recommendations is a call for refineries to offset all of the additional carbon dioxide emissions they produce because of the difficulty of processing oil sands crude.

CA-CHING! The carbon hysterics are attempting to export the Moe-Strong carbon trading looting system to the US as well as Kanadar...so the oil, prosperity,  jobs and lower fuel costs will be welcomed IF you pay off the carbon credit raketeers in the AGW mafia for the privilege...So, we chased all the evil capitalist industrialists out of the lakes region with Green Bolshevism but we may let the fuel business stay if they take on the carbon credit mafia as silent partners.....frik get a rope!