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Cardinal Acknowledges Sexual Misconduct

On the eve of the first meeting of the cardinals in the sede vacant, there is this:

Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, acknowledged Sunday that he had been guilty of sexual misconduct … Cardinal O’Brien, the head of the church in Scotland, is the highest-ranking figure in the church’s recent history to make such an admission.

via Cardinal Keith O’Brien Acknowledges Sexual Misconduct – NYTimes.com.

and the more scathing report in London’s Daily Mail:
Gay sex rings, ‘The Filth’ corrupting the Vatican…and why the Pope REALLY quit

Suffering the slings of Suzuki

“Last week, I discovered that the nature of things can be extremely unpleasant when you challenge the wisdom of the arrogant.I was attending a reception when suddenly the host of CBC TVs The Nature Of Things was in my face.”I want to talk to you!” a red-faced and agitated David Suzuki said, finger pointing at my chest.”You have no right to demonize me!” he yelled, causing people around us to back away.”

No, that’s not Suzuki yelling at a Sun News Network reporter but hollering instead at the Adrian Dix-supporting, left-leaning columnist for 24 Hours and The Tyee Bill Tieleman. (I quite like Bill’s commentary and reporting, BTW, and he’s generous enough with his time to share some of that with me often on my Sun News Network show Battleground). Some might have received the apparently incorrect impression that the experience of my colleague Jessica Hume from earlier this week was unique to her because she’s a Sun Media reporter and Sun Media employs Ezra Levant and Ezra is, to say the least, no fan of Suzuki.

But no, it’s not just us apparently. Read Bill’s account, from 2009, mind you  – “How I Demonized David Suzuki” right down to the end where Suzuki swears at him.

But it’s not just us journalists who sometimes suffer Suzuki’s ire. Sometimes it’s his fans, too. Continue reading Suffering the slings of Suzuki

Background on Cash and his CBC cash

In our papers today, we report : “NDP MP draws fire over CBC conflict of interest”

We started working on that story after reviewing Cash’s “Disclosure Summary”, a document all MPs file with the Commissioner of Ethics and Conflict of Interest and which is published on the commissioner’s Web site. You can review right here. Among other things MPs are required to disclose are any contracts with the federal government. Cash disclosed: Continue reading Background on Cash and his CBC cash

Paulson to Mounties: "Keep up the good work"

RCMP Commissioner Robert Paulson
RCMP Commissioner Robert Paulson has sent a morale-boosting message to his Mounties. (JOCELYN MALETTE / AGENCE QMI)

RCMP Commisioner Bob Paulson sent the following by e-mail late last week to the approximately 29,000 uniformed and civilian members of the force he commands:

Keep up the good work – A message from Commissioner Bob Paulson

I wanted to speak to you today about the report on harassment from the Commission for Public Complaints (CPC) against the RCMP and our Action Plan for the Force. Both were released yesterday. However, the report from the Human Rights Watch was also released this week. I want to address this report as it has raised a lot of concerns, particularly among our members in remote policing assignments. Continue reading Paulson to Mounties: "Keep up the good work"

The job-killing carbon tax. Again and again and again.

Speaker's Parade
The Sergeant-at-Arms carries the Mace into the House of Commons during the Speakers Parade at Parliament Hill in Ottawa Jan 28 2013, the first day of the new year for MPs. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Hon. Andrew Scheer follows on the right. (Andre Forget/QMI Agency)

We now have Hansard for the first week of 2013 in the House of Commons. Each day, there is a 45-minute Question Period. You’ve seen this. It generally gets the most media attention of any daily event on the Hill.

But just before Question Period gets underway (at 2:15 pm ET M-TH and 11:15 am on Fri) there is a 15-minute period for Members’ Statements. This period is provided for under Standing Order 31 so these statements are often referred to on the Hill as “S.O. 31s.”  The Conservatives mostly, but exclusively, are now using this period to bludgeon their opponents. (See my earlier post for more explanations: “The evolution of the SO31: From happy thoughts to political mud fights”) Used to be that Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals were the objects of the Conservative SO 31 ire. No more. Here’s what those of us who are paid to watch that 15-minute period of SO 31s have been suffering through for the first five days of this year in Parliament (and have every expectation of suffering through for many more days to come). I’ve excerpted just the juicy “carbon tax” bits … Continue reading The job-killing carbon tax. Again and again and again.

Tonight's Super Bowl ads now – with commentary

Marketing professors at the University of Texas at Austin have a great (and timely) post up in which they assess Super Bowl advertising. Canadian readers ( who may have trouble seeing the American ads on Canadian networks) can get some sneak peeks of what the big ads will be during tonight’s big game.:

Remember the ad where a little kid dressed up as Darth Vader uses “the force” to turn on his dad’s car? That Volkwagen spot was among the most-talked-about commercials during the 2011 Super Bowl.

The annual National Football League championship is not only a contest between the two best teams, it’s also a venue for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of viewers. The rise of social media has amplified the annual commercial fest as people take to cyberspace to express their opinions about the much-anticipated ads.

“For many — not only those teaching and practicing advertising — the ads on the Super Bowl have become a major reason for watching,” says advertising professor Neal Burns. “Social network technology lets us all participate in a meaningful and fulfilling way.”

Burns (whose Twitter handle is @berryboy316) and three other advertising experts from the University of Texas at Austin will be joining the virtual water cooler during the game, live-tweeting their thoughts using the hashtag #SBAdJudge. Burns will be joined by assistant professors Kevin Thomas, (@kevin_d_thomas), Angeline Close (@angelineclose) and Robert Lewis (@robertjoellewis).

Because several ads have been released on YouTube before the game this year, we’ve got a preview of their expert opinions.

via Advertising Professors Rate Super Bowl Ads « Know.