Monday, October 17, 2005

News comments...

Some random bits of snarkiness from the headlines:

1. Say, I wonder if Danny Williams' threat to quit the premiership and leave the Tories if Fabian Manning remained in the party might have anything to do with the caucus continuing to support his explusion?

"I just basically stood up and asked caucus what their feeling was, was there any change in position on Mr. Manning's status, and that hasn't changed," Premier Danny Williams said.

Sure they did, Danny. Just our curiosity, did they act anything like these toys when they were agreeing with you?



Sorry, I couldn't find a Tory bobblehead doll. And if I were better at Photoshop, I would change the hair colour and make it "The Danny" instead of "The Donald." But you get the idea. However, if some industrious person would like to make one that has one body and 32 bobbing heads, I think you might have a real selling item there by the time the next election comes around.)

2. What would happen if you threw a leadership contest and no one ran? Or how about if almost no one bothered to show up to vote? I wonder if that's what's behind the Liberal's decision to open up the voting rules for the leadership race next year?

I think it's great they've lowered the voting age to 15. I have no signifcant problem lowering the voting age in federal/provincial/municipal elections to 17 or even 16. And the bit that anyone, even if you're not a Liberal party member, can vote, really smacks of desperation. Yes, it's more democratic, but it still feels more like a desperate attempt to get some warm bodies in through the doors when the election happens. Nothing sadder than holding a race and nobody shows up.

As for Lush's assessment that they're not worried about non-Liberals trying to rig things, he has a good point. They shouldn't be. Why on earth would the Tories bother trying to rig it when Williams, barring a catastrophic collapse in the next two years, is going to annihilate the Liberals.

3. I'm curious as to how they did it. I was at the youth correctional centre this summer working on a story (fell apart just after I left the paper so it never ran) and got a tour. I was impressed with the level of security at the place and the measures they took. They also told me it had been years since there had been an escape. Ooops.

Then again, as one of the workers there told me (and I'm paraphrasing from memory): "I spend eight hours a day trying to make sure they stay put. They spend 24 hours a day trying to figure out how to escape." Guess the odds were going to balance out eventually. Pity the escapees didn't work a bit harder on the whole "Once we're free, then what?" aspect of the plan.

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