Live-G-8-octopus-sea-monkey-evolution

First of all, if you scroll down to my links, you'll find a new one, leading you to Rick Mercer's blog, which is worthy of mention for many reasons, not the least of which that it's funny. It's some good old fashioned lampooning by a professional Lampoon.

Now on to my personal business...

Live 8. Good idea in the sense that I really support throwing the spotlight on the issues of poverty, but after watching a few hours of the concerts on TV and online, I was less than impressed with the efforts by organizers to really make this issue sink in. A lot of people there cared...a lot more were just there for the bands, and this I understand. There are just people who never will care. And I also believe that those celebrities who were there to promote addressing the issues of global poverty truly have the right to voice their opinions. If I can blog, or write letters to editors and so on, then celebs have the right to voice their say. But I digress...trying to sell the message in a "hip and cool" format (ie. "Hey man, you know it's pretty sad that a person dies every, like, 3 seconds because of extreme poverty") is dumbing it down to it's most absurd point. It's mocking the issue. Those folks who are only there for the bands don't give a crap, so don't bother trying to sell them the message.

Sir Bob Geldof, and to a much lesser degree, Bono, have also piqued my ire. Bono, bless his heart, he's out there campaigning and he's been very successful thus far, so when he decided to go after Paul Martin, I was a little leery, but supported him. And to his credit, he's come out and said that he understands Canada's position, even if he doesn't agree with it. But Bob bloody Geldof telling us if we don't play by his rules, Canada should just stay home? In the immortal words of Bob and Doug Mackenzie, "Take off, eh!" Seriously...he's not even a player at the G8 Summit, since when does he get to invite/uninvite people? The movement to reduce/eliminate global poverty needs a less Prickish self-appointed Spokesperson.

Now, on to those frigging Anarchist "protesters" in Scotland. I wish I had the ability to put valium in their water. The debt-ridden poor countries on the planet aren't being done any service by these bloody hooligans who seem to have left their behavioural medications at home. The disaffected anarchists who truly believe that the current "self-help" system of world politics needs to be toppled...I have no idea what to say about them besides 'different strokes' and so on, but those dumbasses who just want to get lubed up and throw rocks or attack cops because they aren't emotionally equipped to deal with their own lives, those folks are getting in the way of a damn good protest by the rest of the anti-global poverty advocates.

On the other hand, the cynic in me has to ponder the effectiveness of peacefully marching through fields some distance away from the leaders who need to hear the message. Protest can work as an effective tool. Protests spurred on the G-77 to effectively stop the last WTO round in Cancun, and rightfully so, but the leaders of the 8 most powerful countries are basically rich enough to flip everyone the bird with one hand and smile and wave with the other. This is a class of people whose gentle admonishments of "Oh no, poor poverty stricken countries is so terrible!" just looks down on the protesters as misguided fools. Hurray for reality. I know, I'm a hypocrite, because with the right finances, I'd be there right now protesting too, but I'm not idealistic enough to think that some significant moves will be made on the part of those 8 men.

Who told Rick Mercer about my CPAC addiction?

Moving on. I truly believe that it's time I step into the role I was born for...this world is crying out for my fair but Iron-fisted dictatorial leadership. I can't get any other job, so I think fate is telling me that it's time to assume my birthright.

and to the morons who decided to party it up on the street at 4 am this morning, I don't care if you are going to call Trish and tell her to come over, and I don't care who you are dating or what brand of smokes you like. Shut up, or next time I'll blare Paul Anka tunes at 8 am directly at your apartments.