The end of the Surrey Leader creates an opportunity

Well this is nostalgic. It represents the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. After all, every end represents a new beginning so it does. My Goddaughter was telling me she heard the Surrey Leader and the Surrey Now are merging. They are no longer going to exist as separate papers. Instead of two papers there's only going to be one now instead.

Sure enough, I pick up the paper off the ground and the headline reads July 17 1929 - March 31 2017 "Here lies the last edition of the 88 year old Surrey Leader. Join us inside for a celebration of life for this storied newspaper of record." It's kind of sad but it kind of makes sense too. Having one local paper instead of two reduces duplication, cuts costs and can reach a bigger market. I just thought it would have made more sense to keep the Leader and get rid of the Now.

Without the Surrey Leader the quality, credibility and objectivity of the local media will be greatly diminished. That in turn affects our democratic system. When big business kills small business it also kills the freedom of the press because centralized news becomes much easier to control. Now, I'm afraid the market isn't going to expand it's going to collapse and we are entering the Brave New World of corporate propaganda.

This leads us to ask, in the world of globalization and corporate mergers, is there still a place for local news? I boldly declare yes there is and I'll tell you why. Because there is money in it. There's still a place for television which is paid for through commercial advertizing. Wherever there is a market, there will always be people wanting to target that market and advertise their products and services. Not to mention the freedom of the press represents a democratic system.

Small business is local. They want to reach out to local consumers. That's why there will always be a need for local news. Jimmy Pattison and your man John Volken from Price Pro understand this concept. Price Pro regularly advertises in the local papers because they want to reach local consumers. Price Pro is a nonprofit supermarket in Surrey. It wouldn't make sense for them to pay for advertising in Toronto when they are located in Surrey. Hence the need for speed in local media. After all, small business represents the free market.

Local media benefits consumers too. In every small town, locals know each other. Local reporters get the inside scoop on local stories because they have local sources. Take Kevin Diakiw. He is a local reporter with the Surrey Leader that stands out as a leader in his community. Kevin broke the Janice Shore story when everyone else was too busy to notice.

He also got the inside scoop on the Larry Mizen story from doing his own footwork on the Whalley Strip. I myself gave Kevin an exclusive interview during my overly publicized court case because of the respect I have for him as a journalist.

I've seen Kevin at press conferences where the politicians all line up to acknowledge him and kiss his ass because they respect his credibility. This means there's still a need for local talent. As we speak the Surrey Leader has a timely article about the shocking not guilty verdict in the Craig Widdifield murder trial. Clearly we still have the need for speed in local media.

Yo Kevin, let us know when your new blog is up and running.

We're also waiting to hear with what Paula Carlson and the others come up with next as well.

Video killed the radio star but digital heroes live. Patrick Lamontagne's political satire continues.



The end of the Freedom of the Press

The more I think about it the more scary this becomes. This wasn't a merger of two local papers. With one sweep of the pen some pencil neck corporate hack just wiped out the most credible media outlet in the City. Surrey is a pretty big city to not have it's own local media. Yes the Now exists but they didn't keep on the employees from the Leader they fired the whole team.

So who's next? Since Postmedia News own the Vancouver Sun as well as the Vancouver Province are they going to get rid of one of those papers? We have Kim Bolan from the Vancouver Sun writing for both papers now and Keith Fraser from the Vancouver Province doing the same. Since the take over all the local papers sound the same. Is the Press still free? Where is the room for different opinions? What about supply and demand? Don't different papers appeal to different readers? Does one paper lean slightly to the left while the other lean slightly to the right? Are we all now going to be force fed one homogenous cloned propaganda driven by the big corporations because they pay the most for advertising?

The biggest concern is that this media blackout has happened right before a provincial election. An election driven by massive campaign contributions from the Communist party of China to a political party so corrupt it made the New York Times but barely mentioned in the local media. A political party being sued for fraud for using tax dollars on advertising and political contributions to pay themselves a wage. Perhaps the timing of this media blackout has been well planned.

My beef with corporate monopolies is that it leads to the wrong place. I believe in free enterprise and small business. That is what a right wing conservative party is *supposed* to support. Yet corporate monopolies are more profitable since they destroy the free market and gouge consumers. As a trade off the corporate monopolies bribe the politicians through political contributions and control the media through advertising dollars. Remember the Rothschilds used hostile takeovers to gain a monopoly on the oil industry. They also funded the Communist revolution in Russia. This is where the right goes wrong and ends up extreme left. Communism is not good. Neither are corporate monopolies and the political parties that endorse them over small business and the free market. Buyer Beware. The BC Liberals are more left than the NDP.

Free Enterprise can protect the Freedom of the Press

Here's an idea. Since the end of the Surrey Leader has created a vacuum in a viable market how about free enterprise respond to the opportunity? We all complain about corporate mergers and the fall of the mainstream media but are we willing to do anything about it? Are we willing to seek out alternate media sources? Now that all the staff at the Surrey Leader have been laid off and are free agents, how about them forming their own company and creating their own digital newspaper online for not only Surrey but the rest of the world to read as well just like the White Rock Sun? I'd read it. Behind the dark clouds the sun is still shining. Peace.

David Giles recives 18 year prison sentence for cocaine trafficking

Kim Bolan is reporting that Skeletor received a 18 year prison sentence for cocaine trafficking. Finally. This is the long time member of the Hells Angels that was directly involved in numerous drug busts including the Western Wind drug seizure but always seemed untouchable. That's why I referred to him as Skeletor lord of the underworld. He looked just like him.

I've been writing about him for a long time. People in Kelowna would send me pictures of him on a regular basis. I'm glad Postmedia News is a little more open with the sharing of pictures of known criminals now. I do believe that's in the public's best interest. I have on occasion used some of their pictures of criminals to raise public awareness. Likewise they regularly use this one of Giles from my web site. That kind of information sharing is in everyone's best interest.

Giles was originally from the 13th Tribe and first became a member of the Hells Angels in Halifax. I wrote about his first stolen motorcycle that he received from the Lennoxville massacre. Members of the Hells Angels in Quebec wiped out one of their own chapters and gave him one of their dead brothers motorcycles as the spoils of war. That kind of selfishness and greed exemplified his tenure with the club. To understand the future you have to go back in time.



Giles was caught on wire stating that his friendship is for sale and that he was only interested in friends that could benefit him and the club. That is what he was taught and what he learned from Mom Boucher himself in Quebec. I saw a picture of Giles beside Boucher when he got out of prison on the history channel. Still ugly as f*ck. Not like back in the day when he visibly looked like an active member of the Village people.



They say Giles is terminally ill. That's too bad. What's worse is the disappointing legacy he has left behind. As Gladiator once said, what we do in life echos in eternity. Choose wisely. Peace.

Vancouver Hells Angel Meltdown

Kim Bolan is reporting that the New Hardside chapter of the Hells Angels is located in Vancouver BC. God help them. Hooking up with a brown guy certainly doesn't make them look cool. Nothing could help these two rejects look cool. Look at the picture they posted. It's like a picture of Huey, Dewey and Louie. Mental midgets trying to look scary. Well it certainly backfired. Now they all look like idiots. No wonder the other chapters didn't want them. What happened to Larry Naicker after he posed for a picture with Larry Amero? Oh right, he was shot dead. Cub pack.

Surminder even looks embarrassed standing beside the fro hoe and the duck dynasty decoy. He's thinking they dont pay me enough for this sh*t. We used to make fun of clowns like this back in college. Surminder has more IQ in his toenail than the other two clowns put together. Poor guy. What people will do for money. Some people just have no self respect any more. Pity.

Justice for Hudson Brooks - Cop shot herself

The Peace arch News is reporting that "A police audio recording from the morning Hudson Brooks was shot and killed by the RCMP in 2015 confirms that the South Surrey man “did not stand a chance,” his mother says. “Within four seconds of them approaching Hudson he was shot! You can not hear a word from Hudson. The officer did not say a word, not stop put your hands up nothing! Just shot him down!” Brooks’ mother wrote on the Justice for Hudson Facebook page Wednesday. Last Friday, a YouTube user posted an audio recording identified as an exchange between emergency officials on the morning Brooks was killed. The recording includes a statement by a female officer indicating (I) think I shot myself.”

This confirms what I originally reported when it happened. Hudson was running to the police for help. He wasn't saying kill me he was saying Help! They are trying to kill me! He was running from a mob at the same park where a mob beat Dario Bartoli to death. The female officer admitted on the radio she shot herself. Hudson was unarmed running to the police for help. A female officer drew her gun and shot herself by accident and everyone else just heard shots fired officer down and shot Hudson dead. It was a heart wrenching tragedy.

Man shot dead in Edmonton

The Edmonton Journal is reporting that Police are investigating the death of a man found in a northwest Edmonton park over the weekend as a homicide. An autopsy by the medical examiner found Benedicto George, 25, died as a result of a shooting. CBC is reporting that "George was known to police and had a lengthy criminal record. He previously pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen credit card and credit card data. He was due to stand trial in provincial court next month on a series of unresolved charges, including possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and obstruction of a peace officer."

This isn't the first time a drug dealer was shot dead in Edmonton before his case went to trial. April 2014 full patch Edmonton Hells Angel Blake Christie was arrested along with 9 other associates for numerous drug and weapon offenses. Six full patch members including Dominic DiPalma faced criminal organization charges. They killed Blake on July 21, 2015 before his case went to trial.

One of Blake's co accused, Dominic DiPalma Jr the tiny full patch Edmonton Hells Angel was sentenced to six years for cocaine trafficking. Brent Koziak, the full patch Hells Angel from the Red Deer Nomads is still out and about. He was the one Blake worked for. With friends like that, who needs enemies. The Edmonton HAs are dirty as f*ck. So is the EPS. Thank God for ALERT.

Hells Angels Dark Business in Thailand

There have been some new developments in the Hells Angels meltdown in Thailand. ABC Australia is reporting that Thaksin "Sin" Monthonthaksin was one of the founders of the outlaw motorcycle club's Pattaya branch a year ago. But now he is worried about the direction it is taking. "It's changed so much because there are many Australians, whose roles and power has been increasing," Mr Thaksin told the ABC. Charity rides and oversized cheques are being replaced with what he describes as "dark business". Big Surprise.

Aside from Thaiboxing, what is Bangkok famous for? What dark business are the Hells Angels trying to take over? Thaksin was the founding member in Thailand. What was his crime? He chose an Asian as a prospect. The Australians Hells Angels didn't like that so they beat him up. Glen Norris, an Australian Hells Angel who lives in Bangkok is at the root of the dispute.

Wayne Schneider was involved in a large drug network on behalf of the Australian Hells Angels. They had his bodyguard kill him and put Glen Norris in charge of that network. AFFA Not.

Independent Soldier shot dead in Vernon

Castanet is reporting that the body of Dustin Rogers, 26, was found March 23 on Silver Star in Vernon. He was shot dead. Photos on Facebook show Rogers with a large Independent Soldiers tattoo on his torso. One has to wonder if he was a member in good standing.

The Prevention Coalition to the rescue

A blog reader recently sent me a link to a very interesting website for a non profit organization called the Prevention Coalition. It contains a vast amount of resources for parents of high risk teens and an interesting article from the U.S. surgeon general about addiction.

Prevention is one of the four pillars that get's cast aside and overshadowed by the harm reduction obsession. Another relevant link is to a website known as Drug and Alcohol Treatment. Treatment is another one of the four pillars that gets overshadowed by harm promotion.

"With the legalization of marijuana in many U.S. states and the overall prevalence of drug use in many communities, it can seem as if substance abuse is becoming a national norm. At the Prevention Coalition, we’re fighting that sense of complacency. We believe that every child and young adult deserves the opportunity to make a fully educated decision on drug use."

The new report on addiction from the US surgeon general states: "More people use prescription opioids than use tobacco. There are more people with substance abuse disorders than people with cancer. One in five Americans binge drink. And substance abuse disorders cost the U.S. more than $420 billion a year." This ties into the pharmaceutical scam Macklemore sang about.

Christy Clark government sued for fraud

It' about time. CBC is reporting that "Two Vancouver lawyers have filed a lawsuit against the B.C. government for allegedly misusing tax money. The civil claim - filed Monday morning by David Fai and Paul Doroshenko - alleges the government broke the law by spending as much as $15 million a year ago to enhance the image of the governing BC Liberal party. We are seeking that the money being spent by the government on non-essential advertisement be reimbursed to the government coffers, said Doroshenko. We look at all these advertisements that the government is running right now as breach of the obligation the government has to spend money for the benefit of British Columbians. They are not spending it for the benefit of British Columbians, they are spending it for the benefit of the BC Liberal Party."

1130 News is reporting that "Doroshenko says they’re acting on behalf of a concerned taxpayer seeking certification of this case as class action. “They’re spending our taxpayer money. Your money, my money, money that should go to hospitals and firefighters, to advertise the government to try to help their re-election hopes. That’s wrong. It’s a breach of the duty that they owe to taxpayers.” It' about time somebody said something about this missuse of tax dollars.

Last election the NDP were ahead in the polls. The BC Liberals bought a commercial during the Superbowl with tax dollars. That was obscene. Local hero Bill Tieleman wrote about it. Why do they do it? Because it works. If you tell the same lie enough times the majority of people will start believing it. They haven't balanced the budget. They created a tsunami of debt through BC Hydro.

Here's the flip side to the fraud: The Christy Clark government gets millions of dollars in political contributions from special interest groups who receive political favors in return. Developers that want the government to flip agricultural land into industrial so they can make a killing. Dirty developers or corporations that want monopolies on the market so they can gouge consumers and taxpayers at the same time. The BC Hydro fraud was the ultimate example.

So not only do they get millions of dollars in political contributions, they dont even spend that money on their political campaign. They spend tax dollars on their political campaign and use the money they raised to pay themselves a wage. That absurd corruption even made the New York Times. The New York Times referred to British Columbia as The Wild West of Canadian Political Cash. It's about time they got sued for using tax dollars on partisan adds.

The Recurring Deception

Adolf Hitler burned down the German parliament building and blamed it on terrorists so he could become Chancellor. Then he burned down a German radio station and blamed it on Poland to justify an invasion. The rest is history. This recurring pattern was eloquently illustrated in the original Star Wars saga. Senator Palpatine got the trade federation to attack his planet and he used that attack to get himself elected Chancellor. Then he used another attack to suspend the free republic and become a galactic empire. The rest is history. It is an timely allegory for our day. History tends to repeat itself until we learn from it.



Then there was Operation Northwoods. A plan submitted by Allen Dulles, the Director of the CIA, to kill innocent civilians on American soil and blame it on Cuba to gain public support for an invasion. That plan was real. The declassified document is part of history. It was signed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If Kennedy hadn't vetoed the insane plot the US government would have actually implemented it and would have killed some of their own civilians to gain public support for an invasion exactly like Hitler did during the war.

Then there was 9/11. The list of discrepancies with the official version of that heinous event keeps growing to this day. No planes hit the third tower which also collapsed at freefall speed into its own blueprint just like a controlled demolition. Experts in the field of controlled demolition state the only way a tower can collapse at freefall speed into it's own blueprint is if the load bearing beams are blown out just like a controlled demolition. Ever since that horrific event, the main stream media entered the twilight zone.



Even the Lockerbie bombing was suspect. CSIS provided the explosives for the Air India bombing. The recurring deception surrounds terrorist attacks that have no real motive. There was a bombing in London but the evidence showed the bomb was placed under the train not left in a bag on the train. The soldier stabbing in London was absolutely surreal. Buyer Beware.



Recently there was another "terrorist" attack in London. Another lone wolf with no motive. They came up with the lone wolf scam because they couldn't get away with falsely accusing actual organizations because they would deny responsibility like how the Taliban asked what proof do you have that Bin Laden did 911? The confession video didn't even look like him.

Don't get me wrong. The recent attack in London was horrible - people died. That was very real. I'm just saying the prime suspects are once again tied to the intelligence community just like Operation Northwoods. The whole idea of a conservative MP just happen to be near by and was photographed doing cpr on one of the victims is just a bit too much to swallow.

So the Islamophobes seize the opportunity to pass around a picture of a young woman wearing a hijab right after the attack. If you look at the expression on her face she looks terrified. What on earth do you think is going through her mind? First it's shock of seeing people dead or injured. Then it's fear because she knows everyone is going to look at her hijab and blame her when it is obvious she had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Back in the day, I have no doubt there used to be lots of Palestinians who were bat sh*t crazy and celebrated when civilians were killed. That was a long time ago and was because they were stuck right in the middle of the conflict. It was the you kill one of ours and we kill one of yours mentality. Belfast was like that for years. Nobody feels that way any more. The Irish Proclamation saw through that scam and declares:

"The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all of the children of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien Government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past." It was the alien government that fostered the sectarian violence.

In contrast, I just stepped out briefly to the store and ran into my Syrian neighbour wearing her full hijab going for a walk with one of her young daughters. She had a big smile on her face and says Hello, how are you? I am good she says with a big smile on her face. She is so proud that she is starting to learn English. So are her kids. They are learning English faster than I'm learning Arabic. I went to the friendship centre to take a class in Arabic. It was fun but I had to cheat. I had to write all the words with English characters phonetically. Unlike French, Arabic is a completely different alphabet. That's very hard for me. I totally understand her frustration learning English at first because she didn't know the alphabet. Now she's doing great.

The other day we bumped into each other and she introduced her new friend to my daughter and I. A local caucasian woman from Surrey was a volunteer and was helpig her learn English. With her full hijab on the neighbor put her arm around her and said this is my new sister with a big smile on her face. The volunteer no doubt felt the love and appreciation of her service. This is the way it's supposed to be. Like the Jewish Rabbi that spoke at the Muslim Mosque in Vancouver. This is the Vancouver I was born and raised in. When people come here they retain their cultural heritage but they leave their differences and animosity behind.