EU losses to Fraud

This buried headline in today's Vancouver Province could well be the most important story of the year. The European Union loses some $800 million to suspected fraud every year and it will consider setting up an office to combat it, a senior official said Tuesday.

This is relevant because that is a huge drain on the system. It is also relevant because the Greek financial crisis was the result of investment fraud. That massive fraud was hidden by Goldman Sachs who ripped off the EU of that massive bailout.

Allegations against Goldman Sachs highlight the pressing need to break up big banks and introduce strict financial regulation. Deregulation opens the flood gates wide open to investment fraud.

Kelowna Grow op bust and GHB

Another grow op bust in Kelowna in the 500 block of Gowen Place Friday. More than 1,200 plants were seized.

In the last two months police had shut down five marijuana grow-operations in the Central Okanagan including a business in West Kelowna (1,600 plants), two homes in Lake Country (1,800 plants) a warehouse next to a home on Belgo Road (3,600 plants) and a home in the Upper Mission (5,500 plants). Police also seized 23.5 litres of GHB, five gallons of unprocessed marijuana oil, over $12,000 in cash and several thousand dollars worth of growing equipment. Street value of the drugs is well over $100,000.

That's quite a shopping list. So in the past two months the police have raided five grow ops in the area and have also made a large date rape drug seizure. It doesn't say that the GHB was found with the pot but it does imply it. I suppose that technically could have been a separate bust.

What I find interesting is that we all know who controls the grow ops in Kelowna. If police found and seized date rape drug with or at a Kelowna grow op, then that would mean you know who was selling date rape drug again. Just sayin.

Ohio school shooting leaves one teen dead, 4 wounded

Another tragic school shooting in the States. This month alone, at least four shootings of students have occurred in schools across the country, including today's deadly attack outside Cleveland, Ohio. We can talk about guns, bullies and violence but one thing is certain - something is wrong.

The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999 where two students killed 12 other students and one teacher and wounded 21 others. Michael Moore's movie Bowling for Columbine was thought provoking.

The Robocall Scandal widens

The robocall scandal continues to widen. It certainly wasn't just one riding where one young kid was involved. Elections Canada and police are currently believed to be looking into reports that automated calls in as many as 18 ridings falsely advised voters that the location of their polling stations had changed. Opposition parties claim it's more like 27 to 34.

The Conservative Party does not need to look into "robocalls" made during the last federal election any further, Defence Minister Peter MacKay says. "It's certainly not something our party condones," MacKay said Sunday of the fraudulent calls to voters. "It's inappropriate behaviour to say the least." But he told CBC News in New Glasgow, N.S., that he believes the calls directing people to wrong or non-existent polling places were isolated incidents.

Yeah, right. It's not something we condone. Just like we don't condone torture of prisoners. Much. Harper initially said the Conservative party had no knowledge of the scam. Yet with the rapidly expanding magnitude of the scandal, that is really becoming hard to believe.

I'm not a fan of Bob Rae but he did say one thing in question period that made sense. When will Stephen Harper begin to take personal responsibility? Excellent question. Unfortunately the answer is never.

Elizabeth May was profoundly eloquent on the matter. She said she was enraged because this scandal is an assault on Democracy. Turns out the robocalls were used in her riding as well to discourage non conservative voters from voting by telling them where they vote was moved. Elizabeth May said we don't have a smoking gun here. We have a dead body on the floor. I like her. She is a welcome addition to the debate. Clearly the police should investigate the matter because it is fraud.

Hells Angels Arrested in Funeral Shooting

Police have arrested a Hells Angel gang member several months after he was suspected of fatally shooting a fellow member at a funeral for the regional leader of the motorcycle gang.

Steve Ruiz surrendered Saturday evening after San Jose police surrounded his motel in Fremont, police Sgt. Jason Dwyer said Sunday.

Ruiz, 38, had been the subject of a widespread manhunt since Steve Tausan was shot and killed during memorial services for Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew on Oct. 15. Police believe that Ruiz shot Tausan when a fight broke out at the San Jose funeral, which was monitored by police.

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What's the matter? Isn't anyone going to scream and claim that the Hells angels didn't have anything to do with this shooting either? Just because the accused is a member of the Hells angels and just because the guy he shot was a member of the Hells angels and just because it happened at a Hells angels funeral doesn't mean it involved the Hells Angels. Much.

Dave Pickton's revolting cover up

Well, convicted sex offender Dave Pickton is in the news again. Earlier this month, scared women on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside put up posters warning that the brother of infamous serial killer Willie Pickton has been seen in the area. “BEWARE!!! Don’t be fooled!” reads the poster, under a 1995 picture of Dave Pickton.

Now, he contacts the newspaper claiming he has started another nonprofit and is fundraising for poor children in Africa. I think we have a legal liability to notify the good people of Ghana that Dave Pickton is a convicted sex offender.

Dave Pickton was convicted of rape in 1992 on the same pig farm his brother was convicted of murdering and mutilating numerous women. Not only that, but during Pickton's trial Dave was accused of another rape. The victim claimed in 1999 he tied her to the bed with bungee cords and tried to shove pills down her mouth. Sgt. Dan Almas said he was aware of that allegation, and agreed that pills and bungee cords were found in a search of the younger Pickton's bedroom but stated "Someone who is alleged to have committed a serious sexual assault does not a murderer make." No but someone alleged to have committed a serious sexual offense should be charged and tried for that serious offense.

One of the most disturbing elements of the Pickton case was that Dave Pickton knew where bodies were buried on the farm. If that doesn't make him an additional suspect it surely makes him an accessory to the crime.

Recently we heard that the Hells angels ran an illegal booze can on sight right across from the Pickton farm which also contained a grow op run by the Hells angels. Yet Dave Pickton was the one who ran another supposed charity called the Piggy Palace Good Times Society. So was it a Hells angels booze can or was it Dave Picktons? Sometimes it's hard to tell. Either way letting him raise money for the disadvantaged is shocking to say the least. It's rather disappointing he still shows no regard whatsoever for the East Vancouver homeless. You'd think he'd have a little more compassion and remorse since so many of them were murdered and mutilated on his farm.

Syrian Intervention

There’s a lot of talk about military intervention in Syria these days. Clearly the situation has gone from bad to worse. I’ll be the first to admit that military intervention in Libya and not Syria was suspect. Syria was firing on unarmed civilians. Libya was firing back at armed rebels. There was a huge difference. Even Saudi Arabia was firing on unarmed protesters at one point. Oh but they let US troops in and contribute massive amounts of money to US presidential campaigns. That means it’s OK if they shoot unarmed civilians. The bottom line was Libya had oil and Syria didn’t.

It was shocking that China and Russia both vetoed military intervention at the UN when Syria started firing on unarmed protesters. The allies didn’t wait for China and Russia’s approval to overthrow Gadaffi. They went in under the guise of enforcing a cease fire and started bombing one side. Why? Because Gadaffi was a socialist and he had oil just like Kuwait and Iraq did.

I remember arguing with someone during the Gulf war. They claimed the US went in to liberate Kuwait because they had oil. I said you’re crazy. Iraq invaded another country. Then I found out that not only did the CIA put Saddam Husseinin power, but Saddam asked the US what their position was if he invaded Kuwait before he did. They told him the United States has no position on that matter. Then when he goes in, the US freak out and lead a huge coalition of the willing while Saddam is scratching his head saying what the hell? They set me up.

So now we’re looking at Syria and it’s a mess. Russia argues that the protesters have now taken up arms and the UN is encouraging them. The UN is telling them if you keep fighting we will support you just like in Libya. That kinda makes sense but if I was protesting and the government started shooting at me, I think I’d take up arms too.

No one likes to stand by and watch a dictator kill civilians. Rwanda was a horrible genocide. Where was the UN there? Oh right, they didn’t have oil either. Clearly we are free to choose and we don’t have to wait for the UN’s permission to do anything.

Yet I’m not sure if military intervention in Syria is timely. We can say we oppose you killing civilians. We can say we won’t do business with you if you do that. That is the first step. The Arab League is meeting and discussing the matter and well they should. They are able to do something themselves. They don’t have to wait for our approval and they don’t have to wait for us to do it for them. One minute they’re burning flags and saying F the USA then the next minute they’re crying please help us.

The news showed footage of Syria and locals saying where is the UN? My response is where is the Arab League? It’s their neighborhood. The problem with using our military to overthrow a foreign dictator who hasn’t invaded any other countries, is that we don’t know who we are supporting in his place. In Libya, the rebels had ties to the Taliban. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just if you are trying to convince the world the Taliban is bad, supporting them in a separate conflict is somewhat hypocritical.

Don’t get me wrong, if Hitler hadn’t invaded any other countries and just started killing Jews or Muslims in his own country, we would still have been morally bound to stand against him. The situation in Syria does concern me greatly. I just think we should let the Arab League lead the way while we support them in trying to bring peace to that war torn nation.

Koran burning in Afghanistan

I was shocked to hear that US soldiers had accidentally burned a couple copies of the Koran that were accidentally placed in an incinerator. I realize that the Koran is a holy book just like the Bible. Burning it intentionally is offensive. Just like burning a country's flag is.

When that wacko false preacher in the States sent out press releases about his intent to intentionally burn a copy of the Koran, that was offensive. That is not something a Christian is supposed to do. Yet to kill someone over the burning of a holy book is in itself the epitome of hypocrisy.

The Koran and the Bible both teach thou shalt not kill. Historically, Jerusalem and Belfast have both misunderstood the old law of an eye for an eye. That primitive law meant that if you commit murder, you were to be put to death. It did not mean if someone commits murder that you randomly take some innocent person from the same race, religion or country and execute them. That would be another murder. That is what Martin Luther King meant when he said the old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.

The BBC is reporting 20 people have died since the protests began. The whole idea of murdering an innocent person because someone burned a holy books is disturbingly hypocritical. I don't think that is something the Dalai Lama or a Buddhist would do. Although burning a Bible is also sacrilegious to a Christian, I don't think you'll find many Christians who will murder someone, especially murder some innocent person, just because someone burnt a Bible. I think that says a lot about the two different religions.

The "activists" in Pakistan foaming at the mouth while they burn an effigy of the US look like crazed animals. They don't look like inspired holy men to me. So what does an enlightened sage really look like? Like Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa or Martin Luther King perhaps. Someone who's life is evidence of a peaceful enlightened mind. Not a crazed lunatic foaming at the mouth in a drunken rage of vengeance.

The whole mission in Afghanistan was tainted from the beginning. Bin Laden was found in Pakistan not Afghanistan and there is a huge amount of evidence questioning his involvement in 9/11. Osama and Colonel Gadaffi were both executed without a fair trial. Something a democratic society promises.

Three months before 9/11 the Texas oil barons were wining and dining the Taliban trying to win the contract for the oil pipeline. As soon as the contract for the oil pipeline was taken from UNOCAL and given to an Argentina firm named Bridas, Afghanistan was invaded and that decision was reversed.

Canada has been significantly involved in the Afghanistan mission. We have lost many good soldiers who went there to help the people of Afghanistan and gave their lives in their service. One name stands out in my mind. He was a reservist from Edmonton named Bill Turner. He was involved with the kites for kids program there. At his eulogy they said he was the type of soldier who would say "Hi, my name is Bill. I'm here to help." That was a good soldier. Just like the soldier who took his helmet off as a sign of trust meeting with some local elders and a crazed assailant attacked him from behind with an axe. That was a good soldier. He had also written about the missing women from the DTES.

Burning any holy book is disrespectful just like burning any country's flag is. Yet killing someone for doing so is shamefully hypocritical. We need to aspire to something higher.

UN arrests in Mexico

We haven’t heard much from the UN after the arrest of Clayton Rouche and the crack down after the UN were charged with shooting at the Bacon brothers outside Tbarz in Surrey. Other than the recent UN member who was murdered in Mexico.

One reader sent me these articles about two UN members they claim were arrested in Mexico for money laundering. I can’t read Spanish and the pdf files won’t cut and paste in a online translator but I will link to the articles for your reference. Basically, the UN do what the Hells Angels do but are more on the radar so to speak.

This is a copy of the news article and this is a copy of the police report. The peanut gallery will claim that this wasn't sent in from any source at all and that I just made it up. Although I don't know Spanish.

BC Teachers Strike – Mediation or Legislation?

Nobody likes to see schools shut down from job action. Yet removing free collective bargaining rights from Canadians is a bad precedent for everyone. Throwing out collective agreements and rewriting them through acts of legislation is not only wrong, it is illegal. If you deem something to be an essential service, which may well apply to teachers in schools, then you need to adapt mediation and arbitration. Unilateral acts of legislation changing the status quo to impose a settlement are wrong. Education is important.