Owner: Prairie Fire URL:www.saskprairiefire.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:05:26 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: A true Saskatchewan Grit. From the bright lights of Saskatoon’s synchrotron, to the intrigue and inspiration of Canada’s capital, to the political heart of the free world, and back again – commentary on real life, politics, and everything in-between Site statistics:Click here
I know what I'm doing next Friday, do you? 2008-04-25 15:37:22 If I may paraphrase Mark Twain: "The reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated. " Come join us for an evening of non-partisan fun - because you don't need to be a Liberal to have a good time (but it helps!). Read more:doing
, Friday
And For The Record 2008-04-27 00:45:45 I find it unexplainable that while Obama continues to get heat for Rev. Wright, John McCain's cozying up to John Hagee seems to largely get a pass. But Obama obviously has a much closer personal and spiritual relationship with Wright than McCain to Hagee you say? Sure, that is no doubt true. But I find it tough for a reasonable person to argue that Wright's worst "soundbites" are on the same level as Hagee's worst (see video below).Moreover, neither of these guys are running for President, right? So why does this continue to be an issue? Read more:Record
The Wright Stuff 2008-04-27 00:13:24 If you have a little bit of time on your hands, I'd strongly recommend watching Bill Moyers interview with Rev. Jeremiah Wright
that aired on PBS this past Friday. It certainly gives a much fuller and more sympathetic view of the man who has been defined for so many people by short soundbites.One clip of his from the introductory portion of the show struck me in a way I did not expect - a clip of him giving a sermon where he says the following:REVEREND WRIGHT: In Genesis:2 it says God breathes into the nostrils of what God had formed from the dust. God donated some divinity to some dirt and we became living souls. That’s God breath you have in you, that’s God’s breath that you just breathed. God is the giver of life. Let me tell you what that means. That means we have no right to tak
Federal Election Watch 2008-04-26 16:56:18 I haven't been commenting much over the never ending election speculation that seems to be all that the Parliamentary Press Gallery can will itself to write about. Mostly because I just don't buy any of it - it is in no one's self-interest right now to have an election and I think that the game theory dynamics of the current federal political scene would point towards a fall 08' election at the earliest, with my bet being sometime in 09'.That said, I am bringing this up because in the last few days I have been at presentations by both Paul Martin (yes, he is still alive and actually in fine fighting form) and Martha Hall Findley, and have conversations with friends and colleagues involved with the Liberals and other parties both here in Saskatchewan and in Ottawa. My conclusion - a 50/50 c Read more:Federal
, Election
Giving Credit Where It Is Due 2008-05-06 02:14:51 I want to somewhat belatedly congratulate International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda on this announcement last week, specifically:-------------------Untying food aidThe Government of Canada has changed its food aid policy to remove restrictions on sourcing food aid allowing for greater flexibility in where Canada’s food aid can be purchased. Canada will increase the untying of its food aid from 50% to 100% this year, which will open up to 100% of its food aid budget to international procurement with a special emphasis on purchasing food in developing countries. Purchases from developed countries will be limited to countries with similar policies on untying food aid. By untying restrictions on where food is purchased, Canada is promoting the development of local and regional markets and m Read more:Giving
A Good Weekend to be a Saskatchewan Liberal 2008-05-05 20:16:21 Between the over 100 people who came out to the In The Red event on Friday night (and an outstanding performance by Doll Talk and Ransom) and the three dozen or so folks who invested a beautiful Saturday to start talking about where we have been, where we are, and where we should go as a SaskatchewanLiberal
Party, I am feeling for the first time in months like there is some real momentum again.To spark some conversation, here is the front-page story in today's StarPhoenix about the renewal workshop. I will note however that though it gives a bit of the flavour of the weekend, I do think that the characterization of "Liberals may try leaning to right" (as the headline read in the Regina LeaderPost) is a gross over-simplification of the discussions that are taking place right now.---------- Read more:Weekend
In Memoriam - Arthur Kroeger 2008-05-11 19:32:18 I was given the news by a friend late last night that Arthur
Kroeger has passed away in Ottawa at the age of 75.For those who don't know of Arthur Kroeger, he was considered by many of those who work and study in the field of Canadian public administration to be the "Dean of Deputy Ministers" and one of the exemplary public servants to come from the "golden age" of the Canadian civil service in the 1950s & 60s.A much younger generation of those interested in Canadian public administration (myself included) got to know Arthur Kroeger when he went by a different title - Chancellor. Not only was he the Chancellor of Carleton University from 1993 until 2002 but he was also instrumental in setting up the first undergraduate program in Canada specifically dedicated to training the next gener
I'll quit procrastinating...tomorrow. 2008-05-15 02:20:53 A pair of great articles by Slate on the nature of procrastination in the relm of writing (though it could frankly apply across the board) and the biggest procrastination enabler of them all, Solitaire.As for me, my poison of choice is still Snood. Read more:tomorrow
Portland says go big or go home 2008-05-19 23:21:20 Regardless of whom you are cheering for, you have to admit that this is pretty impressive!Looks like that after tomorrow night's primaries in Oregon and Kentucky, it is just going to be a matter of dotting the "i"s and crossing the "t"s before Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President of the United States of America.
Caution: Turtle Squishing Ahead 2008-05-21 11:14:49 On my way back to Saskatchewan after a couple weeks in and around Ottawa. Over the long weekend I ended up heading to Quebec City with a few friends and as we passed through Rockland I discovered what must definitely be in my top 3 of most absurd road signs ever:Absurd primarily because...well....it is a sign to avoid running over turtles. But at second glance it is even more absurd because if you Read more:Caution
Coming full circle 2008-05-21 00:03:55 I'll let Barack speak for himself:
On surprise and inspiration 2008-05-24 20:03:36 A few months back I was going to write a post inspired by an impromptu visit I made to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts when I was in Nashville in early March. It was one of those lazy days a person sometimes has when they are visiting in an unfamiliar place where you unexpecidly have no agenda for the day, no commitments, or even a particular direction in mind.I was staying at a bed and break
...the harder they fall 2008-05-26 20:21:14 This latest dispatch from the Prime Minister's Office is certainly quite the exercise in spin on all sides of the aisle. If leaving "classified" documents laying around a spouse's/partner's/significant other's residence was an offence worthy of dismissal from Cabinet, it would be a literal revolving door given the hundreds of briefing papers Cabinet Ministers are given each and every week to diges
Off to the races! 2008-05-29 21:58:52 Just in case you hadn't heard the news, yesterday the race to pick the next leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party officially got underway.I strongly suspect you won't see any candidates officially announcing for about a month or so, as per past precedence. But rest assured, I will have quite a lot to say about the leadership race and the future of Saskatchewan Liberal Party over the coming week
So you think the race down south is pretty exciting do you? 2008-05-29 21:42:59 Well here is some counterintuitive think
ing which says actually it isn't. Key quote from David Runciman's article in the London Review of Books:Followed day by day, the race for the Democratic nomination has been the most exciting
election in living memory. But viewed in retrospect, it is clear that it has been quite predictable. All the twists and turns have been a function of the somewhat random
But maybe knowledge is hell? 2008-05-31 00:15:19 While I am on the topic this evening of social connectedness, no doubt the exact opposite of my previous post would be this amusing (and embarrassingly useful!) piece on social networking etiquette in the age of Facebook.I have in fact noticed recently that a lot more people have been undertaking what Salam refers to as a "Great Facebook Purge". As my friend count slowly climbs towards the physiol
Is ignorance really bliss? 2008-05-30 19:58:20 I found this piece in today's Globe and Mail quite fascinating. It is about an Amazon tribe in Brazil that has remained almost completely cut-off from the rest of the world, albeit with the caveat that "Anthropologists say almost all of these tribes know about western civilization and have sporadic contact with prospectors, rubber tappers and loggers". The article also mentions the Sentinelese who Read more:ignorance
So much carbon, such little taxes 2008-06-09 03:37:05 Was doing my usual weekend catch-up on the blogosphere and seems there is, predictably, a lot of talk about carbon taxes as of late. You have heard most of the arguments from both sides already (and really, until Dion puts out the specifics of his plan most of the arguments against aren't really based on much more than hot air). So aside from all the usual noise, two items really caught my eye:1) Read more:little
Liberals behaving badly 2008-06-09 16:46:51 Two items caught my attention today in the psydo-MSM:- David Akin on the dueling press releases between Gerry Ritz and Ralph Goodale. The interesting thing here is that Ritz is brandishing about polling done on the future of the CWB and is trumpeting the fact that former Paul Martin strategist David Herle is the one who did the polling. This leads to Ritz making ridiculous comments in the press re Read more:Liberals
Daddy needs a new pair of wooden shoes 2008-06-12 20:08:04 An interesting take over at Daily Kos on tech-savyness (or at least basic competence) as a job requirement to be President in the year 2008.Key Quote from McCain when asked if he is a PC or a Mac guy:"Neither, I'm an illiterate that has to rely on my wife for all of the assistance I can get." Yeah, that's cute and all, but Kos actually has a point. It is pretty tough to understand your country (an Read more:Daddy
, shoes
Tugging at the heart strings 2008-06-17 14:58:39 Was struck by this latest anti-McCain ad by MoveOn.org for it's low-budget feel and straight to the heart message. Very effective. Read more:strings
Bater Announcement Speech (Update w/ Audio) 2008-06-30 21:24:41 I had meant to post this earlier, but for those looking for some long-weekend reading here is Ryan Bater's announcement speech from last week's press conference:Update
:For your listening enjoyment: Ryan Bater Press Conference Audio
(MP3)------------------------------------------------Ryan Bater AnnouncementSpeech
Below are the prepared remarks for Ryan Bater's announcement in Saskatoon on June 25,
Ryan Bater Campaign Launch - Media Round-up 2008-06-26 02:36:06 Here are links to some of the media coverage from Ryan Bater's annoucement this morning that he plans to seek the Leadership of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party:Saskatoon StarPhoenixCTVNews Talk 650Saskatoon Homepage (also see footage from the press conference in the video news section)The Canadian Press Read more:Campaign
, Launch
A New Day Starts Tomorrow for Saskatchewan Liberals 2008-06-24 19:38:03 You heard it here first - the Leadership race for the Saskatchewan
Liberal Party and the next step in our renewal process will be starting in earnest tomorrow!Ryan Bater to Launch Liberal Leadership CampaignOn Wednesday, June 25th, Ryan Bater will officially announce his candidacy for the Leadership of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party. Please join us Wednesday morning for his announcement to the med Read more:Liberals
, New Day
Some Sunday Entertainment 2008-07-06 20:35:31 Now for something completely different...a few clips from my step-brother Matt's performance of "Singing in the Rain" down in Nashville this past spring. I had the chance to see it live when I was there visiting in March.And in case you are wondering, Matt played Gene Kelly's role of Don Lockwood. Great job buddy! Read more:Entertainment
, Sunday
The Front Lines of Blogging: Afghanistan 2008-07-04 01:34:50 Stumbled upon this fascinating article in Slate this evening about Nasim Fekrat whom is a pioneering Afghan blogger and is actively organizing bloggers across Afghanistan
as part of an effort to push for more openness and transparency in the media and government in his home country.They even have an Afghan blog aggregator set-up with about two dozen English language blogs and by my quick count ove Read more:Blogging
, Lines
, Front
Recommend Site To A Friend
