Oh. Fuck. Off.

Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. Does anyone see any Canadian parallels here?

Support the Troops, Installment #125

Turns out that the troops just don't matter all that much.

The Canadian Forces is not tracking how many of its soldiers are suffering from service-related hearing loss and traumatic brain trauma, two of the so-called signature injuries of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Wait, not tracking the two biggest groups of injuries our soldiers suffer? That can't be... oh.

Forces members are examined for a variety of possible injuries in theatre and when they return from a deployment, but the data in most cases is contained in a paper record that goes into individual files.

But it's not like anyone else bothers to keep these kinds of... oh.

Unlike the British and American militaries, which have better means of tracking conditions affecting their troops, the Canadian Forces has yet to implement computerized programs that can digitally compile information and point to any trends for certain injuries.

Surely the Forces are looking after the troops once they come home, though, right? ...oh.

To test for hearing loss at home, military doctors have to rely on antiquated 1970s-vintage audiometres for which replacement parts are not being made and can produce only a paper document.

But how big a problem is it, really? ...oh.

[T]he numbers of troops indicating mild traumatic brain injuries could range up to 20 per cent, but... most wouldn't likely have long-term problems.

Kind of hard to say that when you don't even have decent records of the incidence of the injuries, isn't it? And that doesn't exactly reflect the latest research on the subject, either.

But the problem isn't even short-term treatment -- it's dealing with a veteran who shows up in 10 years' time, complaining about problems with memory, balance, irritability and concentration. Think the piece of paper in a DND filing cabinet is going to help that person out? Yeah, I've got some doubts myself.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we haven't even begun to pay for our adventure in Afghanistan -- and pay we will, make no mistake.

The question is whether our country is going to pay up front with the dollars and political will needed to really take care of our military, or whether we're going to let the men and women involved pay with their physical and mental health, their destroyed marriages and families, their substance addictions, and their high suicide rates. 

Red shirts and yellow ribbons aren't going to fucking cut it.

Fly on the wall: The Joe Lieberman Chronicles.

"So here's how it's going to work, Joe. Even after you bad-mouthed Barack and campaigned openly for his opponent and, well, pretty much lied and were a total fucking asswipe, we're going to keep you in the Democratic caucus and even let you stay on as chairman on your committee."

"Really? Seriously? Wow, that's ... that's ... generous. I don't know what to say."

"There will be a couple conditions, of course. First, you won't be allowed to go on any political talk shows. None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. We'll decide what you say and when you get to say it. Is that clear?"

"Um ... that's kind of harsh, I don't know if that's fa ..."

"And, secondly, if you get uppity and do anything to obstruct us or annoy us, we'll have you taken out and killed."

"I'm sorry ... what?"

"You heard us -- we will have you killed. Dead. Stone fucking cold dead. Face down in a gutter somewhere. Seriously, Joe, you have no idea how many favours we called in to keep you here, but the price is that you behave. Utterly. Totally. Without a single goddamned complaint. And the instant you get out of line, you're a dead man. And, no, we're not talking politically or metaphorically. I mean fucking snuffed, bullet to the brain dead. The only value you have for us is a Senate vote, and if you can't deliver that every fucking time, we'll kill you and worry about replacing you later. Do we understand each other?"

"Well, I ..."

"We'll take that as a 'yes.' Now fuck off. And we'll be watching you. Thanks for coming."

Thanks, Jason, but we'll take it from here.

The law firm of Jason Cherniak and his ego:


Or maybe that's Ezra. I always get those two confused.

Oh, those wacky Pentecostals.

Whatever will they dream up next?

Last night Channel 4 broadcast Saving Africa’s Witch Children, as part of its Dispatches strand. The programme focused on children accused of being witches by Pentecostal pastors in Akwa Ibom state in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, and the work of the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network.

OK, so the Pentecostals are being typically brain-damaged, that's not really news. And what's the worst that could happen? Oh ...

The problem makes for grim viewing: we see children who have been horribly mutilated, and in one case left brain damaged after having had a nail driven through her skull; others appear withdrawn and tearful after being rejected by their families and threatened.

Yes, it makes for delightful reading. And people wonder why I'm an atheist.

Go. Read.

Via commenter Noni Mausa, we learn ... well, nothing we didn't already know. And, really, is there any better money quote than:

... unfortunately, too many Republicans are still refusing to acknowledge that idiocy has consequences, too.

AFTERSNARK: After you read that article, read it again. And again. And upon each re-reading, appreciate how deliciously and devastatingly it applies to Canada's Right, particularly the anti-intellectual mob known as the Blogging Tories. The equivalence is downright spooky.

Sometimes, the irony is truly crippling.

"Five Feet of Fecal Matter" Kathy Shaidle wants you to stop your fucking whining:

"Words can hurt/are powerful" is a favourite anti-free speech argument. And yeah, I guess if you're a wimp, words can hurt. So man up.

In unrelated news, the entirety of the Canadian, right-wing Whackjob-o-sphere is petrified of engaging in intellectual discourse with any members of CC HQ because, well, sometimes we use mean words and those folks are all pants-pissing, pearl-clutching cowards who are clearly incapable of "manning up."

Yes, I'm agreeing with Kathy Shaidle. Feel free to mark that on your calendar.

Change we can believe in.

Except not so much - could the Democrats be more fucking spineless?

Seriously.

And furthermore. When someone pulls shit like this, you boot their double-dealing ass to the curb. Got it? You don’t smack them on the wrist and leave them in a plum committee post where they’ve done sweet fuck-all with their gavel for the past 2 years.

And so what if he threatened to join the Republicans? He’s been a Republican in everything but name for quite some time.

Douchebaggery!

There is your perpetual SDA douchebagitude:



And, mercifully, there is reality in this universe.

Remember: Actual facts come to those who wait.

Let me explain this to you very slowly ...

Blogging Tory "Gay and Right" Fred seems a little unclear on the concept:

Gee, so far the reaction from Conservatives to Gay Dominion has been terrific. Lots of positive comments on this blog and directly to the Gay Dominion e-mail. Last night, I was on Calgary radio and the hosts were totally supportive. The only people who are unhappy seem to be left-wing bloggers - they just can't understand how a gay person can have conservative thoughts.

Oh, dear ... you might want to pull up a chair there, Fred ... I suspect we're going to be here a while.

I'm sorry ... come again?

Blogging Tory and dead minority aficionado "Neo Conservative" tries his hand at standup comedy:



After which Neo returned to his police scanner with a hankering for reports of dead blacks and a box of Kleenex.

Probably more than you really needed to know.

Caption contest!

Via Alison:



"How wingnut welfare rescued me from a life of serving fries to people!"

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!! Speaking of blatant wingnut welfare ...

Looks good on you – Part II.

Dear shrieky, homophobic god-botherers:

Reading this merely reinforces my belief that karma truly is a beautiful thing.

Colorado Independent reports that Focus on the Family “is poised to announce major layoffs to its Colorado Springs-based ministry and media empire today.” The layoffs come after the right-wing group spent more than $600,000 to defeat marriage equality in California. Praising the passage of Prop. 8, the group said that the measure “helps protect millions of children from radical indoctrination in the homosexual lifestyle.” The group also touted its involvement collecting signatures and gathering donations, patting itself on the back for being “integrally involved” in the fight against marriage equality.

So you’re out of a job just in time for Christmas in an economy that’s rapidly circling the drain. Wow, that kind of sucks. No doubt you’ll be able to take great comfort in knowing that your sacrifice ensured that gay people can’t get married in the state of California ... for now.

Now go fuck off to the unemployment line.

Yours in endlessly amused disdain,
LuLu

Oh my ...

Impolitical speak, you listen.

Yes, now.

*Sigh*.

Sometimes, I am crushingly depressed by my species.

The Perfect Xmas Gift!

Swiped from Boing & Boing Inc.

Oopsie.

People who really wish they had a do-over. Coming soon to a remainder bin near you.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Bring it on.

P.S. Conservative douchebags who characterize naughty language as unforgivable attacks and horrific persecution against them will now describe overt and ominous threats against the judiciary as nothing more than their right to free speech. That's because they're assholes. See how that works?

How the heroes have fallen.

Once upon a time, when men were men and, well, real men were real men:

Two Island veterans of the Second World War who served with the fearsome Devil’s Brigade have been awarded the prestigious U.S. Bronze Star Medal.

Lawrence (Junior) Durant of Charlottetown and his cousin Ray Durant, who now lives in Ottawa, can add the bronze star to their impressive list of military accolades...

The one-of-a-kind military unit was perhaps most noted for conducting silent night raids on the German lines, their faces smeared with black boot paste, leaving casualties in their wake and a special calling card that read, in German: “The worst is yet to come.’’

The FSSF was known for special training that included parachuting, skiing and mountain climbing, as well as conducting extreme marches with immensely heavy packs on their backs.

Fast forward to 2008, where Canadian right-wing Blogging Tory military heroism appears to consist of the stamina to remain motionless for hours at a time except for the rapid-fire thumb motion of playing World of Warcraft, and conducting the occasional raid on Mahmood's convenience store for the dill pickle-flavoured Cheetos while being able to yell up the stairs, "Mom! Is there any Dr. Pepper left? Mom? Mommmmmm!!"

To paraphrase Dostoevsky, try to read the above and not think of Blogging Tory "Neo Conservative." Go ahead -- I dare you.

P.S. I would be remiss if I did not take you down memory lane.

Damn.