And So This Is Christmas; Peace 2 All

Peace and Blessings to all good folks everywhere! Many happy returns in 2011!

Yuya Joe College


Happy Christmas by John Lennon

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...

Homicidal Taliban blows up starving people on Christmas Day

The news out of Pakistan is fucking depressing to say the least, in that 43 people were killed while waiting at a food distribution checkpoint. A woman wearing an explosive vest threw two grenades into the crowd before setting off her suicide bomb, which also injured another 100 or more people.

Officials stated it was the first suicide attack by a woman in Pakistan. The homicidal bomber attacked in the northern city of Bajur, a conflicted region near the Afghan border where the military has clashed with the Taliban and al Qaeda. While it is understood that many of those attacked belonged to the Salarzai tribe, who were among the first to set up a militia – known as a lashkar – to fight the Taliban, it remains difficult to fathom how attacking the hungry will win over public support for the Taliban neanderthals.

The Wahhabi believe that the 10th and 11th century represented way too much liberalism, and believe that things should be exactly as they were in the 8th Century, when Mohammed's descendants laid down the original rules of Islam. Although the 7th to 11th centuries represent the ascendancy of Islamic faith and culture, with crucial progress in mathematics, architecture, art and music, this beneficial development was deemed degenerate by early Wahhabis, who could already sense how globalization would reduce their power.

In the excellent book Militant Islam, the author points out how losing wars and experiencing cultural erosion has made many Arab and Muslim nations feel victimized, and Wahhabis have played on these emotions. In the 21st Century the battle will not be won with guns and bombs; Peace in the global Gaia Village will come from human compassion and understanding, consciousness and wisdom.

Evidence of al-Qaeda observing Canada; Canadian Press / Yahoo News

In an article by Marten Youssef of the Canadian Press, re-published by Yahoo News, there is a report of 200 Arab Christians being listed on an al-Qaeda website as opponents of Islam, and over 100 of these reside in Canada.

Now it is well known that Canada is a multicultural Mecca, however, what are the odds that over half of those identified would be from one small country? With over 4 million Coptic Christians living outside of Egypt, is it a coincidence that the majority of those named are in Canada?

One explanation is that the info on the Canadians may have been more readily available online, yet it seems that a more likely answer would be somebody hovering nearby, or acting like they are close to the Coptic community, when the reality could be otherwise...

Is Justin Trudeau Canada's Barack Obama?

Speak and Be Heard



If you think about it, the table is really set for a charismatic Liberal Party leader to emerge, and who has more star power than Justin Trudeau. The fur is flying and PET is smiling and you just gotta love the gall of the guy.






Justin Trudeau links:

Justin Trudeau wikipedia page

Justin Trudeau official website Internet webpage

Google search Justin Trudeau images photos

Justin Trudeau online photo album

Toronto Maple Leafs; Kitty-cats or Lions???

When the puck drops in Vancouver tonight will we see the Toronto pussies we witnessed in Calgary, or the rock-em sock-em lions we enjoyed in Edmonton? The blueshirts have to play smart, however if they don't play fast and tough, then they're not playing to their own strength.

Take the man, win the battles; the rest takes care of itself!




Video of Colton Orr / Zack Stortini fight, Toronto Maple Leafs at Edmonton Oilers

Phaneuf leaves PEI, returns to Lion's Den in Calgary

Dion Phaneuf working out on a PEI sand dune, photo by Matt Barnes of top Toronto photography company Westside Studio

Fredrik Sjostrom, Keith Aulie also came to Toronto via Calgary trade

After attending his grandmother Roma's funeral in Prince Edward Island yesterday, Dion Phaneuf tonight faces his former teammates, the Calgary Flames. Though there are many rumours and much innuendo, Leafs GM Brian Burke claims they researched the situation fully before trading for Phaneuf.

In any case, the trade had seemed one sided from the beginning, so maybe watch for Freddie Sjostrom and Keith Aulie to steal a little thunder this evening, as the Flames must have given up on them also.

Should be fun!






Toronto Life cover shot by Matt Barnes of Westside Studio, top Toronto photographers



Cool new blogs:

21st Century Architecture green buildings blog

Harness Horses Info breeding racing blog

GJ581g Zarmina's World, Earth-like planet

Idol's Crystal Bowersox a survivor of child abuse

For those who endure significant smarminess to catch a glimpse or snippet of genius, watching American Idol pays off when someone like Crystal Bowersox arrives on the scene. The rootsy, hippie-like Crystal always seemed to embody a deeper pain, as if internalizing her blues and releasing them via that soulful serenading.

Well, it turns out she had an alcoholic mother who had anger issues (was this written the night before the finale??):


Farmer's Daughter, by Crystal Bowersox

Halfway to crazy, not far from sane
Fuckin' sick and tired of all your games
All I ever wanted was you to take care of me

Honor thy mother and father too
But I know there ain't no way in hell that God mentioned you
All I ever wanted was you to care for me

Now I'm stuck in this hotel room, your grandson and me
Tomorrow we're gonna find out our destiny
All I ever wanted was you to be there for me
All I ever needed was you to be here for me

This time is the last time you're gonna see us around
This was your last chance to prove you wouldn't let me down
So go on, get going and get away from here
All alone is how you're gonna spend the rest of your years
No farmer's daughter anymore, mommy dear.

Remember back in high school, my brothers and me
Willie put his head through the door to find clarity
You'd come home with bourbon breath, Jack in the air
And when you broke my bones I told the school I fell down the stairs
All I ever wanted was for you to be there for me
All I ever needed was for you to be here for me

This time is the last time you're gonna see us around
This was your last chance to prove you wouldn't let me down
So go on home, get going and get away from here
All alone is how you're gonna spend the rest of your years

No farmer's daughter anymore
I ain't no farmer's daughter anymore
No farmer's daughter anymore, mommy dear

Sexy Wikileaks scandal a harbinger of info to come

If you believe the recent Wikileaks brouhaha is a tempest in a teapot or much ado about nothing, wait a month or two until after you have learned about some of the human behavior at major Wall Street banks. This bonfire of the vanities expose is sure to illuminate the naked underbelly of the New York City whore houses, proving that Madoff was not a lone wolf, but rather a poster boy for the wider, larger corruption he was in the midst of, and ultimately symbolic of.

After trying for a week or so to access the www.Wikileaks.org website to research cables about Ethiopia, Canada, Ghana etc, I was finally able to get through to a mirror site today at this URL:

http://mirror.wikileaks.info/

Wikileaks temporary mirror website


All the links don't work, however it feels great to see them back up and distributing information!

Peace 2 All,

Joe

Leafs WIN, after i changed channel

Even though I had a hunch a few days ago that the Toronto Maple Leafs were about to go on a winning streak, last night when the score became 4-1 for Washington I gave up and switched channels, watching some horses race on 420.

To my surprise i grabbed the paper this morning, only to see the Toronto Star sports page headline Leafs rally to beat Capitals.

Clarke McArthur broke out of his goal scoring slump to net 2, while Grabovski had one goal and one assist plus the shootout winner. Tim Brent also scored, with Kaberle and Kulemin each contributing 2 assists.

Keep it goin, Buds!!!

Punk Anger Management in the 21st Century

Like many a punk from the Day, it is my belief that the best punk rock bands (Pistols, Clash, DOA, Ramones, Dead Boys, The Damned etc) lived their creed, whatever it may be. Sideshow bands that presented the worst of society as rock theatre (Viletones, Forgotten Rebels), made for good train-wreck viewing however they weren't and aren't the agents of social change that bands like The Clash, DOA and Green Day are.

I remember at one point about six or seven years ago (early 21st Century) there was an interview with Joni Mitchell and she was asked why she hadn't released an album in years, and her reply was something to the effect of "Sometimes things get so dark and evil that the most appropriate response is silence."

Even though that was both terrifying and profound, it's not the punk ethos. We'll protest injustice every day of our lives, loudly whenever possible, and things haven't exactly gotten more dignified for the common man in recent years.

Personally, I inherited some angriness from my dad and his dad, though my own father has calmed remarkably in his senior years, and I hope and pray that I can emulate my parents in this regard. I've decided to focus on just trying to be a good person, you know, keep up the good struggle however don't let it bring you down, it's only castles burning...


In my life it means learning to be more patient, accepting this wonderful life, however flawed, as a thing of beauty. I am happiest when listening carefully to others and responding to their concerns, yet that doesn't always come naturally to me, defensiveness seems to linger. My family rocks and the new job is going great, so even though I was maybe despairing a bit only months ago, keep in mind that the world turns quickly, and the first one now will later be last.

Peace 2 all,


Yuya Joe College

PS - Upon reflection, a couple of hours later, I would like to add that thirteen years ago I gave up drinking alcohol for the third and final time, and that one step is likely why I am alive today. In addition to desiring to emulate my parents, I also believe my sister is a wise, intelligent and loving soul, and I can benefit from being more like her.