Monday's Radio Show Links

Going to do this as fast as possible without a narrative if you don't mind.

 Beginning with Harper's dreams of one day scrapping the long-gun registry -- it really doesn't take much to make a con happy. All you have to do is support, believe and act on his ideology and all is well. They're hoping to keep playing this divisive political card and so are on a last minute blitz to get people in rural areas worked up over this issue -- divide and conquer is definitely the plan.

From the war that no one wants to talk about and the elections that are supposed to help move the country forward there's been reports of ballot stuffing, poll workers being found dead, light turnout and hundreds of polling stations being closed or under attack throughout the country that will likely discredit the results and a call for President Hamid Karzai's government to allow an independent investigation into reports of widespread fraud, including intimidation of voters and interference by powerful warlords.

In Iraq where American combat operations have ended, on Sunday there were 56 killed and 171 wounded. And because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been so fabulously successful, Senator Lindsey Graham wants to have one in Iran.

When in doubt invoke Hitler seems to be the new rule for public discourse. Recently it was the pope calling atheists Nazi sympathizers, and now here's a GOP dude saying that the idea for the separation of church and state came from Hitler -- not Thomas Jefferson at all. Of course he's wrong.

Here's a great look from the people at Wired at a map of the Arctic Ocean sea floor and why settling the Arctic territorial disputes is not going to be easy or come without controversy.

And finally, since this is kickoff week for Canada's Parliament, an interesting piece from John Ibbitson of the Globe and his opinion that the party leader that tells the best story will get to lead Canada in the near future. My opinion is somewhat different -- the person who who can articulate his ideas and define himself in a manner in keeping with what Canadians believe and hold dear will win. Really, this shouldn''t be a difficult task as the Tories seem ready to discredit themselves at every turn -- as I was putting this together word came of the Conservatives spending $49 million dollars to promote their stimulus plans and $130 million in all for advertising. This is not what fiscal conservatism looks like.

My advice to Iggy and Layton would be to emulate that country song, 'Come From the Heart:' "You gotta' sing like you don't need the money. Love like you'll never get hurt. You gotta' dance, dance, dance like nobody's watching -- it's gotta' come from the heart if you want it to work."



Too Pollyannish? Stop being such a cynic!