Just a heads-up so you don't miss Mark Steyn's in-studio appearance (Tuesday) with John Oakley on Toronto's AM640 talkfest. Mr. Steyn was in Toronto to promote his new book The [Un]documented Mark Steyn. Walt is awaiting a review copy from the publisher, but if it doesn't arrive soon will order one (autographed) no less, from Mr. Steyn's website.
On the way to the book signing, Mr. Steyn discussed with his radio host a number of matters of current interest, including the enforced public recanting by Benedict Cumberbatch, who accidentally referred to people of colour as "coloured people", or vice-versa. Of particular interest to parents with children in Ontario schools will be his remarks on the so-called "sex education" curriculum being pushed by Kathleen Wynne, Ontario's lesbian premier. Mr. Steyn calls it "the appalling and evil hyper-sexualization of childhood as a matter of state policy". Wow!
Click here to listen. And if you want to buy The [Un]documented Mark Steyn, here's the link. Tell `em Walt sent ya!
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Mugabe not a "goblin", sez Chief Justice of Zimbabwe
One of these critters is a goblin. The other one...isn't. So says the Honourable Godfrey Chidyausiku, Chief Justice of Zimbabwe, in a statement on the case against former Nyanga North Member of Parliamet Douglas Mwonzora, who stands accused of labelling President Robert Mugabe a “goblin” during a rally held in Nyanga in 2009.
The judge wanted Zimbabwe's state prosecutors to explain whether it was constitutional for the State to prosecute politicians for calling the Head of State "Gamatox"* or "weevil" while addressing political rallies.
"Politicians call each other names such as weevils and Gamatox, are you suggesting that you prosecute people for that?" Mr. Justice Chidyausiku asked.
"If somebody calls the President a weevil or Gamatox, are you going to prosecute that person? It is part of the trade of politics. Why are you bringing such matters to the Constitutional Court? The President is not a goblin and we all know that. Why should the law bother itself about it? You have to be an imbecile to believe that the President is a goblin."
But, the State prosecutor replied, Mr. Mwonzora’s labelled the Head of State a goblin which "feeds on human blood". (Walt can't tell what's on the plate in the picture, but it doesn't look like blood.)
"The statement causes ridicule to the President who is viewed as a monster, bad person who causes problems and feeds on human blood," the prosecutor went on. "This is why the State insists that the statement constitutes an offence."
However, counsel for the accused argued, Mr. Mwonzora’s statements did not constitute an offence, but were subjective and meaningless since Mugabe was not a goblin.
In the same speech, Mr. Mwonzora is alleged to have castigated Comrade Bob's alleged bad governance, thieving, arrest of innocent individuals and the seizure of their property. The State prosecutor has chosen not to focus on that part.
* "Gamatox" is the brand name of an insecticide sold in Zimbabwe.
VIDEO: Introducing Walt's "Commie" awards for TV commercials
Looks like a lot of you are enjoying the "Cavemen" commercial created by the Montréal advertising agency Bleublancrouge for Olex.
Walt has praised a couple of creative and entertaining commercials in the past. 11 months ago I saluted the creators of The "Nissan's excellent 'Evil Snowmen' commercial" -- agency titles "Guerrier de l'hiver"/"Winter warrior".
If we're going to keep doing this, maybe we should have some kind of a prize. What should we call it? I've got it! How about the Commie -- short for "commercial", geddit?
But we really should have more than two contenders for our inaugural award. Agent 3 recommends this commercial for a fine Canadian cheese called "Oka". I like this spot a lot.
Walt regrets not being able to give you the agency credits. Anyone with this information should send it to the usual e-mail address.
Not everyone has expressed admiration for this commercial. I've seen complaints (on YouTube and elsewhere) that it stereotypes French-Canadians, and tourists from Ontario. I disagree. The actor playing the waiter speaks with an accent which is more Parisian than pure laine Québécois. As for the "tourists", although they're not quite spherical enough, I think they're meant to be Americans!
Afterthought: Yes, yes, I know the Superbowl is coming up, and everyone's going to be looking at the idiot's lantern to see the commercials. Not the football game, but the commercials! That tells you something right there. There are even commercials on the air right now promoting the commercials! You're welcome to nominate for a Commie any of the clever commercials you'll see on the weekend, but the point of this post is to make the world aware that a lot of creative TV advertising is being done outside the USA.
Walt has praised a couple of creative and entertaining commercials in the past. 11 months ago I saluted the creators of The "Nissan's excellent 'Evil Snowmen' commercial" -- agency titles "Guerrier de l'hiver"/"Winter warrior".
If we're going to keep doing this, maybe we should have some kind of a prize. What should we call it? I've got it! How about the Commie -- short for "commercial", geddit?
But we really should have more than two contenders for our inaugural award. Agent 3 recommends this commercial for a fine Canadian cheese called "Oka". I like this spot a lot.
Walt regrets not being able to give you the agency credits. Anyone with this information should send it to the usual e-mail address.
Not everyone has expressed admiration for this commercial. I've seen complaints (on YouTube and elsewhere) that it stereotypes French-Canadians, and tourists from Ontario. I disagree. The actor playing the waiter speaks with an accent which is more Parisian than pure laine Québécois. As for the "tourists", although they're not quite spherical enough, I think they're meant to be Americans!
Afterthought: Yes, yes, I know the Superbowl is coming up, and everyone's going to be looking at the idiot's lantern to see the commercials. Not the football game, but the commercials! That tells you something right there. There are even commercials on the air right now promoting the commercials! You're welcome to nominate for a Commie any of the clever commercials you'll see on the weekend, but the point of this post is to make the world aware that a lot of creative TV advertising is being done outside the USA.
MH370 officially "an accident"; take the money and STFU
"We officially declare Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 an accident... and that all 239 of the passengers and crew onboard MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives." That's the party line, given out yesterday by Azharuddin Abdul Raham, Director-General of Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation.
That clears the way for the airline to pay compensation to the next-of-kin of the 239 people who went down with the plane. Mr. Azharuddin said the airline would start the compensation process immediately. Whether the payoff money would come from the airline or its insurers would not made clear, raising the question (in Walt's mind) of whether the insurers accept the official explanation.
Meanwhile -- again according to Mr. Azharuddin -- the search for the plane goes on. You haven't heard much about that since the search, in the southeastern quadrant of the Indian Ocean, 1000s of miles off the airliner's scheduled route, has yet to turn up Clue One.
Why the Boeing 777 should have veered so far off course is also said to be the subject of an international investigation. And -- get this -- Mr. Azharuddin says that Malaysia is also conducting a criminal investigation!
A criminal investigation? Really? Into what, if the disappearance of MH370 was indeed an accident? Could we have some details please? Without any bodies or even a shred of the supposed MH370 wreckage, what clues have the Malaysian investigators uncovered? Who are they talking to? Have they asked the US military what they know? Have they visited the US military base at Diego Garcia?
Why do I ask those questions? Because I believe, as do many aviation experts, that MH370 was flying west-northwest, towards Diego Garcia, after it was last "seen" by radar, and either crashed or was shot down somewhere in the vicinity of the Maldives. See "MH370 - Just fancy that!", posted on WWW just before Christmas.
Until the Malaysian government (or anyone else) produces at least a scintilla of evidence that MH370 flew 1000s of miles in the opposite direction before plunging into the briny depths, I take Mr. Azharuddin's statement as one of policy -- "politics" is a better word -- not of fact.
As for the compensation to be paid to the victims' families, I call it hush money. Take the money and stop asking questions!
That clears the way for the airline to pay compensation to the next-of-kin of the 239 people who went down with the plane. Mr. Azharuddin said the airline would start the compensation process immediately. Whether the payoff money would come from the airline or its insurers would not made clear, raising the question (in Walt's mind) of whether the insurers accept the official explanation.
Meanwhile -- again according to Mr. Azharuddin -- the search for the plane goes on. You haven't heard much about that since the search, in the southeastern quadrant of the Indian Ocean, 1000s of miles off the airliner's scheduled route, has yet to turn up Clue One.
Why the Boeing 777 should have veered so far off course is also said to be the subject of an international investigation. And -- get this -- Mr. Azharuddin says that Malaysia is also conducting a criminal investigation!
A criminal investigation? Really? Into what, if the disappearance of MH370 was indeed an accident? Could we have some details please? Without any bodies or even a shred of the supposed MH370 wreckage, what clues have the Malaysian investigators uncovered? Who are they talking to? Have they asked the US military what they know? Have they visited the US military base at Diego Garcia?
Why do I ask those questions? Because I believe, as do many aviation experts, that MH370 was flying west-northwest, towards Diego Garcia, after it was last "seen" by radar, and either crashed or was shot down somewhere in the vicinity of the Maldives. See "MH370 - Just fancy that!", posted on WWW just before Christmas.
Until the Malaysian government (or anyone else) produces at least a scintilla of evidence that MH370 flew 1000s of miles in the opposite direction before plunging into the briny depths, I take Mr. Azharuddin's statement as one of policy -- "politics" is a better word -- not of fact.
As for the compensation to be paid to the victims' families, I call it hush money. Take the money and stop asking questions!
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
VIDEO: Olex caveman commercial, in ENGLISH
Ed. here. I've been in Walt's doghouse -- damn cold out there too -- for not having found the English version of the too funny "Cavemen" commercial, created by Montréal advertising agency Bleublancrouge [They've gotta be Habs fans! Poor Len] for Olex, a brand of antacid. Here it is.
And here are the credits: Creative Directors: Gaëtan Namouric, Jonathan Rouxel; Art Director: Sébastien Lafaye; Copywriters: Maxime Paiement, Crystal Béliveau.
Well done, folks!
If you want to see the French version, Hommes des cavernes, you'll find the link in "Funniest. Caveman. Commercial... Ever!", right here on WWW.
And here are the credits: Creative Directors: Gaëtan Namouric, Jonathan Rouxel; Art Director: Sébastien Lafaye; Copywriters: Maxime Paiement, Crystal Béliveau.
Well done, folks!
If you want to see the French version, Hommes des cavernes, you'll find the link in "Funniest. Caveman. Commercial... Ever!", right here on WWW.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
"Worst blizzard in the history of New York City" - LMAO
New York Mayor Warren Wilhelm Jr. -- that's DeBlasio's real name -- warned of the "historic snowfall" that was about to descend on his city. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie -- aka Christie the Clown -- warned people to stay off the roads lest they be trapped in their cars. States of emergency were declared in advance of the impending "Snowmageddon" -- a word which was used sparingly, but used all the same. And in Rome, the Pope was adding a couple of references to his encyclical on the theologically fraught question of global warming.
And then... ... nothing happened! Or at least, nothing that a Canadian suburbanite couldn't handle with shovel. But New York and New Jersey aren't in Canada. [Tanks God for dat! Poor Len.] They are in the Paranoid States of America, where there is no such thing as a minor inconvenience. Everything that happens in America -- especially New York -- is the biggest and best... or worst... as the case may be.
Walt recommends that Messrs DeBlasio and Christie take a trip today -- now that the airports are open again! -- to someplace like Fargo, where the real snow is and where the real people are. That's the real America!
Note from Ed.: Even with the intervention of Poor Len, this is a bit short. So let's fill some space with a little-known fact, which has nothing to do with blizzards or effete Easterners. The decibel was named for the famous British-American-Canadian (depending on who you ask) inventor, Sir Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. [Really? I thought Don Ameche invented the telephone. Walt]
And then... ... nothing happened! Or at least, nothing that a Canadian suburbanite couldn't handle with shovel. But New York and New Jersey aren't in Canada. [Tanks God for dat! Poor Len.] They are in the Paranoid States of America, where there is no such thing as a minor inconvenience. Everything that happens in America -- especially New York -- is the biggest and best... or worst... as the case may be.
Walt recommends that Messrs DeBlasio and Christie take a trip today -- now that the airports are open again! -- to someplace like Fargo, where the real snow is and where the real people are. That's the real America!
Note from Ed.: Even with the intervention of Poor Len, this is a bit short. So let's fill some space with a little-known fact, which has nothing to do with blizzards or effete Easterners. The decibel was named for the famous British-American-Canadian (depending on who you ask) inventor, Sir Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. [Really? I thought Don Ameche invented the telephone. Walt]
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Wise words about liberty from Mark Twain
Walt stumbled upon this quote from the great American writer and humorist, Mark Twain.
I believe we ought to retain all our liberties. We can't afford to throw them away. They didn't come to us in a night. The trouble with us in America is that we haven't learned to speak the truth. We have thrown away the most valuable asset we have -- the individual's right to oppose both flag and country when by one's self we believe them to be in the wrong.
Got that? Don't call Ron Paul, Mark Steyn, Matt Taibbi, Charles Krauthammer, Thomas Friedman et al. [Who's Al? Ed.] unpatriotic. Count them, instead, among those who refuse to utter the mindless shibboleth "My country, right or wrong!"
Footnote: Walt must add to the list of those who dare to point out that the Emperor -- read: the Prez -- has no clothes, the name of Michelle Malkin. See "Obama’s bloody Yemen disaster" for her take on the latest failure of US foreign policy.
I believe we ought to retain all our liberties. We can't afford to throw them away. They didn't come to us in a night. The trouble with us in America is that we haven't learned to speak the truth. We have thrown away the most valuable asset we have -- the individual's right to oppose both flag and country when by one's self we believe them to be in the wrong.
Got that? Don't call Ron Paul, Mark Steyn, Matt Taibbi, Charles Krauthammer, Thomas Friedman et al. [Who's Al? Ed.] unpatriotic. Count them, instead, among those who refuse to utter the mindless shibboleth "My country, right or wrong!"
Footnote: Walt must add to the list of those who dare to point out that the Emperor -- read: the Prez -- has no clothes, the name of Michelle Malkin. See "Obama’s bloody Yemen disaster" for her take on the latest failure of US foreign policy.
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