September 8th, 2006
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A majority of Canadians believe U.S. foreign policy was one of the root causes that led to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and Quebecers are quicker to criticize the U.S. administration for its international actions than other Canadians, a recent poll suggests.
cbc via yahoo
Canadians, if given the option, will blame Americans for the high price of gas, global warming, childhood obesity and their Aunt Erma’s ulcer.
The delightful thing about this particular ascription of blame is that it is unintentionally right. If you really want root causes American foreign policy is right up there. As a matter of policy clinton failed to take al Qaeda seriously or kill OBL when he had the shot. As a matter of policy, George Bush Sr. failed to take out Saddam when he had the shot. As a matter of policy Jimmy Carter failed to launch an all out offensive to free the American hostages in Tehran. All contributed to the perception that the Americans were a spent force and that terror on the order of 9/11 would bring about some sort of capitulation to the Islamofascists.
It didn’t work out that way although the appeasement left clings to hope.
Written by jay on September 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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Agenda for Historic Peace talks between Jack Layton and Taliban leader - room 202 Casino Du Lac Leamy, Quebec
8:00 am – Jack Layton opening comments and welcome to assembled media and Taliban representative.
8:05 am – Taliban representative walks to podium, poses for photographs with Mr. Layton.
8:06 am – Taliban representative cleaves Mr. Layton in the forehead with giant axe.
8:08 am – Peace talks end.
8:10 am – Olivia Chow says she is “encouraged by talks” – announces plan to run for leadership of NDP.
rick mercer
Written by jay on September 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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It looks as if the Clare Short wing of the Labour Party is finally going to push Tony Blair from office. They simply cannot put up with blair’s ability to see the world in terms not inconsistent with GWB.
Now, as my friend Kevin Grace - who cannot stand Blair - points out Tony Blair is the winningest PM the Labour Party has ever had. It is not in the least obvious that the anti-American left of the Party and the heir apparent - Finance Minister George Brown - are going to be that much more attractive to the English electorate.
What is obvious is that the ongoing anti-American crusade of the left in England will cost the Labour Party a brilliant leader.
Parallels are being drawn to our own Liberal Party wherein Paul Martin toppled one of the most electorially successful Prime Ministers in history only to be slaughtered in his turn. It’s close; but the the essential difference is that Chrétien was nearly 70 when he was dumped: Blair is 53.
I have a great deal of time for Blair’s steadfastness in support of the anglosphere’s reponse to 9/11 and the overall WOT. I have none at all for his domestic policies. However, whether Mr. Brown or Mr. Cameron succeeds him in Downing Street, if the Islamofascists continue to fight and if they achieve more success, I would not be at all surprised if Blair comes back in five or ten years.
Written by jay on September 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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Part of the reason susan and I want to homeschool Sam and Max lies in the way that the education system has become one of the last holdouts of the industrial era. You put raw material (your kids) in at one end and, thirteen years later, out they pop. Educated. Socialized.
Er, well, no.
In fact education is at one of its more basic crossroads. The internet is here and that, as ever, changes everything. The Tyee is exploring the issue of distributed education, that is where kids can sign up for courses online. Not seen as good news by the teachers’ unions. It is, however, potentially, great news for the actual process of learning.
Imagine for a moment that distributed education became the norm with kids taking a significant portion of their course work online. Would that abolish schools and teachers?
No. What it would do is free teachers to actually teach in small groups where learning rather than custody was the goal. If students were taking courses online with schools offering tutorials and one on on help to those students the entire system would become more flexible and far more responsive. And, I suspect, more interesting for students and teachers alike.
The tradional classroom and curriculum become less relevant as the world changes ever more quickly. While being able to read well, write fluently and actually know multiplication tables are still crucial, almost everything beyond these basics can be approached in a huge variety of ways.
Education - public, private and home based - have as their goal adults who can function well in the society. The problem is that this society has radically shifted. “Knowing” things is largely irrelevant in a world with Google and Wikipedia available on your cell phone. Instead, being able to define a problem and set about solving it is increasingly important.
Schools are going to change or simply cease to be relevant to an increasing portion of the population. Change is hard; but it will happen in any event.
Written by jay on September 8th, 2006 with no comments.
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