Canada day attacks on freedom - not so much · Saturday March 28, 2009 by colin newell
In a blog entry from 2 years ago, I wrote about illegal search and seizure during the Canada Day celebrations in Victoria B.C. Canada. I cited sections of our Charter Rights – on how the fuzz have no damn right to fish through your personal space while you are trying to, ironically, celebrate these very freedoms in our great country of Canada.
During the past 4 Canada Day celebrations, Police Officers from the surrounding communities boarded buses, set up road blocks and blocked pedestrian egress to look for open liquor. In setting up checkpoints around the downtown core, they actually restricted free movement of civilians going about their business. I actually had friends talking a bus across town and had their bags searched and their Pinot Noir confiscated. Shame!
My wife and I actually eschewed any plans to do anything on Canada Day – knowing full well that I would resist this police tyranny – and my resistance to this home-grown Nazism likely netting me a night in jail. My regular readers know all too well how I would react to some pinhead in a uniform barking orders at me to look in my ruck-sack.
So. Lucky me. The RCMP Public complaint watch dog is in agreement with me and those other awful bleeding heart liberal types.
The Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP released the findings of their investigation yesterday after two members of the public took issue with the way police officers from across the region — in an effort led by Victoria police — searched people on Canada Day.
Officers boarded buses to look for open liquor and set up checkpoints around the downtown core, something they have been doing since 2005.
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association filed a complaint in July after a local woman, who was not carrying alcohol, and outraged at being searched three times on her way to the Canada Day celebrations – spoke up. The association said the searches violated people’s Charter rights against unreasonable search or seizure. Well, ya!
The commission agreed, saying that the searches were not authorized under the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Act, the Transit Act or common law police powers and therefore were unreasonable.
This change will force Victoria police to change their strategy on how they curb the drunken revelry that has come to characterize large events, said spokesman Det. Rick Anthony… so instead of being lazy cops by throwing a net over everyone… might actually considering getting off their asses and doing their jobs… legally.
I say… Bravo!
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Spring forward - Bail out - Chapter 1 · Tuesday March 24, 2009 by colin newell
Thousands upon thousands of American families are destitute – their retirement savings vaporized. Job markets in the U.S. are drying up faster than a California watershed.
And yet executives at numerous bailed out corporations are getting golden buy-outs.
And we are surprised. Why are we surprised? We live in a culture of greed. Where pecuniary success is more important that ethics, decency or honest to goodness moral behavior in a civil society.
Thing is… we do not live in a civil society. We live and die by the free market system. It is what it is. And our Western World revolves around it.
Fat cats get their bonuses because that is what the culture dictates. It is a culture of class. Of societal division. Old folks scraping for their pensions do not count for anything. The middle aged dude who has worked at the mill for 35 years does not count for anything. His pension is washed up like so much flotsam and he might end up living in his car – but the Wall street executive will not go a fortnight without his pound of chocolate.
This is reality. President Obama getting all steamed in front of some committee is not going to change anything. It’s window dressing.
One official for one of the corporations getting the golden tinkle from the U.S. government said… “We have contractual obligations to fulfill these bonus contracts…
we are legally obliged to deliver…”
Legally… Obliged
Which is another way of saying… F*ck you, we are the rich, you are the poor – get over it.
Folks. We are either on the cusp of a social revolution like nothing we have ever seen before…
or we are in for a long sleep.
Pick one. And go for it.
Colin Newell is a Victoria resident and pop culture maven. His semi-coherent rants will become somewhat more common place now that he has dug himself out from underneath a pile of dung.
Getting back into the groove - with the launch of V2 · Saturday March 7, 2009 by colin newell
There is a sense of relief when you hit the crest of any hill. And in life, there is no shortage of hills. Why do we climb them? I don’t know. Maybe because they are there and we like the view.
Anyway – The Coffeecrew.com V 2.0 is out – for all to see. And dang it, I am a little bit proud… like a new Dad, whose new child has 5 hands and 12 toes (kidding…) – In this case, I have a website… that has taken the content and photos and features from the previous version and moved it forward a click or two. I hope it pleases coffee lovers on some level.
Other things I am working on: Writing a review of the ECM Cellini espresso machine. Reviewing the Sara La Piccola Pod espresso machine. Reviewing a Black box that allows you to turn your PC into an air traffic control center (as an observer of course) with some delays built in. A nice toy with a frighteningly high price tag… So if you are an aspiring pilot or ATC specialist, this might be a wise investment.
Food reviews… have been writing for EAT Magazine British Columbia for the past 3 months – and that is a gig with an almost monthly guarantee of some activity.
I get the feeling sometimes that I have way too much on the go. Then again, you only get one life and this one is not a dress rehearsal.
Anyway. New website. Almost all of my sponsors and ad clients have gotten on board to hand out some prizes and promotions – so if you are looking for some free stuff, check the website from time to time.
As things calm down a bit, I may get back to a rant or two – if I am suitably prompted or provoked. Think of me as a poorly behaved junk yard dog on the end of a very short and rusty chain. Go ahead. Poke a stick at me.
Hats off to Bubby Roses Bakery and their glowing review in Monday magazine. I have been preaching this for years – if you want the very best of anything baked, there is only Bubby Roses. Every other bakery in Victoria are miserable shadows of The Bubby – there, I said it… that should generate some hot water.
Onward!
Love Canadian Style · Saturday February 14, 2009 by colin newell
An elderly man stands over the grave of his wife. He is visiting here for the 2463rd day in a row. Rain or shine.
A happy pooch (click on photo below) waits patiently outside of Habit Cafe waiting for his master. His expression is priceless.
My coffee companion tells me about the love of his life that he has been courting for the last 3 years. Unrequited. But there is progress.
A bedraggled barista drags himself into the cafe for the first time in 2 weeks. He is a new dad.
I worry about a friend. Is he doing the right thing?
I wish my mother “Happy Valentine’s Day…” – she says… “Back at you Son…”
I remember meeting my sister for the first time. And my Dad.
My wife and I dine at the Fifth Street bar and grill and reflect over 15 previous valentine’s days.
It’s love.
Hawaii vacation blogging - Return - Phil Fontaine - Air Canada · Tuesday January 6, 2009 by colin newell
Our return flight from Honolulu was at 10:45 PM On Sunday last… Andrea and I arrived at around 8, planning on chilling and exploring the lovely airport. Checking in at the Air Canada kiosk, we were informed quite gently by one of the gals that there was some snow in Vancouver and that the flight had been delayed getting out. So we were to be delayed. Initially the board showed about 1 AM. Then it moved quickly to 3 AM. Then 5 AM.
But the flight was never canceled – and I never doubted it would be. And maybe it was the culmination of a quietly creeping sleepiness that softened my nerves – I do not know. Either way, I was calm the whole time.
We got through the TSA Check-points effortlessly, like all the other TSA check-points at the other airports – coming to, in and around the Islands.
Truth be told, the TSA is brilliant. I have never had a problem. I do not anticipate ever having a problem with the TSA – and they were good-natured as heck – making the experience as seamless and painless as humanly possible.
American customs are typically more human and gentle than their Canadian counterparts.
Example: I am passing through TSA at Kona-Keahole Airport. My camera bag, bristling with unusual electronics and gadgets – more than enough to get a command module to the moon, catches their attention. The officer holds it up and asks, “Can I look at this again, please?”
Why sure officer. “What you got in here, Camera equipment?”
Yup.
“No problem… have a great day… safe travels…”
Yea. Pretty much it.
When officially crossing into America from Canada, a youthful male Customs officer commented as Andrea and I approached… “Hey! You two… Holding hands! My wife stopped holding hands with me 3 days after we got married!”
Welcome to America. Have a nice stay.
Back to Honolulu again. We wandered slowly around the International Departure area and finally found our tentative gate – there were few people there by 9 PM – having obviously figured out that they were not going anywhere… anytime soon.
Who I did notice almost right away was Chief of the Assembly of First Nations in Canada, Phil Fontaine (Photo above) sitting and reading quietly.
Being who I am; inquisitive, curious, bold, annoying…
I wandered up and asked: “Are you Phil Fontaine?”
“Yes, “ he volunteered…
“It is… an honor… Sir. I am humbled to meet you… having followed your illustrious career all these years…
“And you are?” He countered…
Honestly, I think I said I was nobody. The mere fact that we had one of Canada’s most important and influential people… in our departure gate… flying Economy no less (Yes, he WAS flying Economy…) that I knew everything was going to be fine. He and I had several opportunities to talk story – but I tried not to impose. Andrea got the thrill of a lifetime meeting up with him as well. Our conversations about current political things were candid, open and at times, illuminating – And ALL off the record thank-you very much (so if you are a journalist reading this, do not bother e-mailing me for details…)
Anyway – that is part one of the story. More to follow!
