Liberal Debate Outline: C-

If you watched today's Canadian Leaders Debate on CTV then you would have had your healthy dose of politics for tonight and you should stop reading this. The debate went something like this.

"The Conservatives. Steven Harper looking to ride on his record of a sound economy."

"Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff looking to press Harper about trust and ethics."

"The NDP Jack Layton. Trying to make himself the anti-Harper choice."

"And... Bloc Quebecois Gilles Duceppe appealing only to Quebec."

Harper is always the usual calm and collected leader than never looks at the camera when he talks to you. Layton is charismatic as usually dropping unrealistic proposals left and right. Duceppe with the language barrier that prevented him from being understood. As you would have come to expect from the modern Canadian political climate.

Here's the new guy and kicker. Michael Ignatieff, sounded like he winged the damn thing. I am especially picky because I see him representing me up there. Of course you're not going to get a straight answer from Harper. Do you expect to actually answer your questions.

"Why give cooperate tax cut?s"-Ignatieff, Layton, Duceppe x3

"There's no corporate tax cuts" -Harper x3

"Why do you keep saying that?" -Layton

 "HA!" -(me at home)

If everyone had to submit a debates outline to the speaker and was graded on their performances. Miky bombed it. What else do you have? Oh! That's it? You can see Harper grinning the third time he said "You just get rid of what ever you can't control". That's the Liberal vibe I am sensing recently. It's this half-assed indecisive platform that tries to makes too many deals with other parties than it is capable of actually fulfilling. But at the end of the day he maintains there will be no coalition. Ignatieff failed his assignment and that's clear. It's winged, half-assed, unsupported, and jumps to conclusions.

Border Control: Alien Entry

I recently drove across the USA/Canada border with my father and a friend of mine. We were planning to do some shopping since the CAD was so strong. Below was the transcript of the conversation I had with the American border agent:

me: Hello sir!
ABA: ...
(I hand our passports to him)
ABA: Where are you guys from?
me: Vancouver.
ABA: And where are you guys going?
(I almost said USA in a rush)
me: Seattle mostly.
ABA: What is the purpose of your guy's trip?
me: Touring and shopping.
ABA: Why Seattle?
me: Because it's the closest metro American city.
ABA: Why do you want to go to a big American city?
me: ...
ABA: Why do you want to come to my country?
me: ...
(Now I am glad I didn't blurt out USA when he asked me where I was going. That would have resulted in me getting a very thorough check in the interrogation room)
me: ...
ABA: Who's that guy behind there? (he was referring to the back passenger seat)
me: My father
ABA: Daddy bringing you on a shopping trip?
me: ...
(Well... I was bringing daddy on a shopping trip since he never drove down the USA before. But I didn't want the clarify this)
(He hands our passports back and waves us off)
****************
me: What a jerk!
friend: He was probably a little racist.

I had never thought in my life that I would hear "Why do you want to come to my country?" from an American. Maybe because the USA is so f**king awesome people want to come? Honestly I was really about to say that but the sober chamber was telling me not to. And it was probably a good idea. But Come on! We're Canadians. Let's get with the 2011 program here. America's great because they are the most ethnically diverse country in the world. Geez, isn't Obama black?

Lesson upon entering America:
-If you can afford it. Never fly coach!
-Don't drive to Seattle. Fly to Seattle! (Then again, they'll ask why don't you drive instead)
-Bring money!

Exams - A Quicky Affair

What do you think about exams? Do they really serve as a method where schools or other institutions use to measure a student's learning experience? Or have they become a different form of disenfranchisement? Most countries are entertained by the idea of tests as a system to determine the capacity of students. It lacks comprehension in most cases. You mean to tell me that my life rests on a series of examinations and that may determine what I do for the rest of my life? Your life paths may as well be concentrated in these short hours. Maybe ritalin should be sold over the counter after all. Or NZT in the movie "Limitless" would be perfect. If not, there is always alcohol. :) Please drink responsibly and in moderation. Before this this becomes a rant. I must retain that they are not complains. For too many times people have been written off. Their talents gone unrecognized. Well... while our school system are not perfect it seems like aptitude will continue to be measured in 2-3 hour sessions at a time.