Well, it's sometime in early January and I'm sitting at home, feeling rather sick and wishing I was outside frolicking in the snow with my girlfriend Kitty. Instead, I've been watching horrible TV and slowly sorting through all my music to make mixes for assorted family and friends. My television screen has most recently been graced by Tom Hanks in his unforgettable role as a marooned Fedex executive, Chuck Nolan. I actually have fond memories associated with this movie. Carl and I went to see it on Christmas eve three or four years ago.
In my quest for entertainment I have been sifting through some news sites. We'll save the story that makes me the most irate for last (it happened right here in my hometown).

Apparently we should all be on the lookout for leprosy (source: Globe and Mail). There are currently about five hundred cases in Canada and a couple dozen more pop up annually. There have been outbreaks in Texas and Louisiana. That's why we call it the dirty dirty south.

Mr. Black (Conrad) has finally proved himself the crook (not yet in a court of law) we've always suspected him to be. If you haven't been paying attention, he has been accused of misappropriating company funds.
Now just for a minute, I'm going to step outside of my left-wing reactionary hole and say that one of the negative side effects about the discovery of innumerable instances of egregious acts of white collar crime over the last few years is that it gives reactionary critics and activists credible fodder for their ill-conceived kvetching. I shouldn't limit my kvetching to left-wingers; my real complaint emerges from the adversarial split in so many parts of our society. I think we can blaim the birth of the nation state for the beginnings of this mentality and the mob mentality engedered by professional organized sport for its present day maintenance.

Any one catch the Sugar Bowl yesterday? LSU play a great game against Oklahoma, defeating them 27-14.

Wahoo! My coffee drinking has been vindicated! Apparently (as reported on CTV news this evening), if I drink more than 6 cups per day, I will reduce my risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 50%. Now of course, in my new found joy, I will ignore the negative effects of coffee (kidney stones, heart problems, increased rate of miscarriage) and the easiest way to prevent type 2 diabetes (exercise). Bring on the cappucino.

Snow report: The flakes are bigger. Wahooo!

Getting to the aforementioned source of my rage. About a year ago six VPD officers took 3 men (all with long criminal histories) to Stanley park and kicked the crap out of them. All of the officers plead guilty. Yesterday (Jan 5th) they were sentenced. The harshest (relatively speaking because none of these sentences were harsh) sentence was handed to Constable Gemmell. He received a 60 day conditional sentence which restricts him to his house between the hours of 8pm and 7am and 6 months of probation. Ouuchh, poor Mr. Gemmell has to sleep in his own house.

Constable Gabriel Kojima got a 30 day conditional sentence and six months of probation. He will also be sleeping in his own house at night.

Constables Raymond Gardner and Brandon Steele both received suspended sentences (9 months and 6 months respectively) and 6 months probation.

Constable Christopher Cronmiller received a conditional discharge and six months of probation.

Finally, Constable James Kenney received an absolute discharge. Absolute discharge! Though apparently he never touched any of the men, he did nonetheless standby as fellow police officers dished out some beatings. As an officer of the law he at the very least deserves a criminal record. I should add that Constable Cronmiller also escaped without a record. Despicable.

Speaking after the hearing, the president of the police union said there was no reason the police officers should lose their jobs. It's comments like this that give unions a bad name.

I'd just like to say that all of these officers deserve, at the very least, a criminal record. Any who physically took part in the beatings deserve jail time. Let me briefly say why. Police officers, as officers of the law, are entrusted with a great deal of power. The key word in that sentence is "entrusted". We bestow upon them a great deal of trust. Without this trust, and the proper maintenance of it, they can not serve their function in society.