arcane

Tuckers Marketplace (in the Market)

Does "Works" count? I know it's burgers, but it's damn fine burgers.

If you blow it up, it's just gone. By shooting it, you can take it apart, piece by piece.

I've heard that a .3030 can turn a rabbit into a pink mist.

The Mercenary ended up in the hospital in a near-fatal condition. He had to leave as soon as he could move well enough to get into a taxi so he could check on his cat.

By the way, the age of consent in Canada is 14. That's one of the reasons Canada is attractive to child pornographers. (When I was 14, I easily could have passed for 11.)

Police allege that more than 1,000 electronic files, including pictures and movies, of "prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity" were found on a computer. Some of the images - showing children having vaginal, anal and oral sex with adults - involve girls and boys as young as one year old.

canada.com

Are we still playing with "limited material on the field"? Is this information "vague and sweeping"?

Yes, this is still limited information, but it is relevant additional information. As for the specificity of it, I wouldn't want to make a legal case based solely on the description in the news article. It also doesn't make my point any less valid as it was based on what was presented, not on what reasons I might I have speculated on for his guilt.

As Bouche pointed out, it is possible that the files were planted through P2P. A description of the content doesn't make that point less relevant.

It makes sense to me that if someone wanted to make such material available, he would want to store it on a patsy's machine. I'm not saying that that is what has happened, but I think it's possible. The probability of it would depend on evidence I don't have.

If I'm being dissed for speculating on explanations for innocence and not speculating on reasons for guilt, then diss away. I'm not concluding one way or the other until I see enough compelling evidence. It looks likely that he's guilty, but there isn't enough proof presented here that would withstand a challenge. In other words, there is a reasonable scenario to the contrary. Is it a likely one? That, I don't know.

The two issues of child pornography and accusations of child abuse are too easily turned into causes for witch hunts. I tread cautiously around these issues, being a "fair trial" kind of person. I've seen too many lives ruined by false allegations and seemingly convincing evidence that turned out to be misrepresented or downright false.

If he's guilty, prosecute him to the full extent of the law.

Brad: I agree with your point, but the two types of investigation are related since child pornography is a heinous form of child abuse. Sexual abuse is a popular false allegation. You can bet that the CAS will be involved with his own children, and there is probably a child protection order before the court right now. The CAS will also call in the police at the drop of a hat. In the majority of child protection cases, the police can't justify a criminal investigation. In other words, they can't reasonably prove that any laws are being broken. That should tell you something about accusations of child abuse.

As I noted, I find it relevant that this *is* a police investigation and not strictly a CAS one. They can point at evidence and a law and say, "We think a law is being broken," and the Crown can step in. In my view, that makes it more likely to expose a guilty party.

As well, the police are certainly subject to the same overeagerness as the CAS but with the limitations imposed by a certain amount of public scrutiny and the need to follow stricter rules of conduct (CASs have next to none that are set in law or are available to the public).

that's a lot of photos of his young children in the bathtub for the family scrapbook.

And as I said, the charges could have merit. Or not. We haven't been given enough information to say for sure. Right now we're playing armchair judge, and we're playing with limited material on the field.

One of the ways that people get nailed with child abuse that they didn't commit: Put out enough just enough information--preferably vague and sweeping--to condemn someone, and suppress any details that might mitigate or counter the allegations.

I'm not saying that the guy isn't guilty, because frankly, I can't tell. That's the point. This article was phrased in the same manner as a false allegation designed to stick by virtue of its kneejerk emotional impact. Unfortunately, this has become acceptable practice--even common practice--to the child protection system. Worse, the system has reason to condone it and is actively trying to prevent any means of external accountability for its actions (as is evident in statements from the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, which represents 52 of the 53 CASs in Ontario--I can dig up the references upon request).

The bottom line is that its easy to make someone look guilty of child abuse and condemn them, and it's damned near impossible to counter or correct a false allegation.

If this guy is guilty, then prosecute him to the full extent of the law.

I should point out that even if he's exonerated of all charges in a court of law, the CAS could force him into family court during the criminal proceedings and remove his children. I suspect they will. Regardless of the outcome of such a family law case, the CAS could put him on a child abuse register. I've certainly heard of cases in which that has happened, under the pretense that the CAS has a higher standard than the court. CASs don't like losing cases, and some workers tend to get vindictive about it as it reflects on their compentence. Some of them seem to take great pride in their ability to "take down" parents, so much so that the scoring is more important than the truth. The children, well, they get lost in the wash. If the government cared, they'd listen to the children being abused by the child protection system. They don't.

I'm with Velvet on this one, although I'm not a target shooter. Long guns have a use for hunting and as varmint guns in the country.

Handguns tend to be used for "personal protection," which means they're often easily accessible. Which means your kids can find them. So can thieves.

As the Mercenary is fond of saying: "90% of accidental shootings occur with 'unloaded' weapons." This, coming from a guy who arranged for the destruction of a pistol range by 10,000 rounds of ammunition over the course of four days.

I'm inclined to wait for more information. I see the potential for a lot of spin here.

The authorities have gotten themselves in a twist before, by accusing someone of child pornography simply for having pictures of his own naked baby. Remember the Wal-Mart case? Internationally speaking, remember the Pete Townshend case?

Doesn't this article say this guy has two young sons? Pictures of your kids in the bathtub sure sound incriminating when it's phrased as "children as young as a year old."

Child pornography is a deplorable industry, but false accusations of child abuse feed an equally deplorable industry.

Did you know that the annual number of child abuse investigations in Ontario has exceeded the annual birth rate? Did you know that the Ontario Children's Aid Societies are funded based on the number of children they apprehend? At $71 per day per child, his two young boys would get the Toronto CAS or Catholic CAS (cross-reference that with the Baldwin starvation case) $142 per day. Roughly $60 of that would be paid out for their foster care.

Even the Ontario ombudsman is incensed at the lack of accountability in the child protection industry. Right now, if you're falsely accused of child abuse, you have no recourse within the system. Simply put, you lose you children, and no evidence is required beyond an accusation. The laws (and case laws) are written in such a way that judges are pressured to side with CASs. The Minister is refusing to amend legislation under the current Bill 210 to allow the Ombudsman to investigate accusations of abuse perpetrated by CAS workers. Basically, parents have no protection from accusations while CAS workers have nearly bulletproof protection, regardless of the validity of the accusations.

From a press release dated 15 Feb 2006 ( http://www.ombudsman.on.ca/PR_details.asp?PRID=220 ): '"We are the only province in Canada where there is no independent oversight of our child protection system, which is in private hands," [Ombudsman Andre] Marin said in an interview.'

Also from that release: '"There is absolutely no oversight mechanism, yet we cut these private agencies $1.2 billion a year with no checks and balances on the administrative decisions they make," [Marin] said.'

False accusations are part of a big business. When someone can make an accusation and no evidence is required to make it stick (and that is the way the child protection laws are written), it degrades the relevance of true child protection concerns. The way the Ontario laws are written and applied (and the application is the important thing), *every* parent and caregiver can be seen as a child abuser.

In short, the notion of "innocent until proven guilty" simply does not exist where allegations of child abuse are concerned. The accused is expected to prove innocence. How can you be expected to prove something you didn't do? If you can't, and a child protection worker says you're guilty, chances are that a judge will assume you're guilty. That's the way the laws are written--rather than taking any chance that a parent might be abusive, the courts will force a child into foster care. Without independent oversight of the child protection system, the rampant child abuse in foster care is pretty much hidden. The courts assume that the CASs do their jobs and there is no abuse in the system.

In this case, the fact that this is a police investigation rather than a CAS one indicates that there is some merit to it. The police have some oversight and public accountability. Still, I'm cautious for two reasons: This guy is a public figure, hence he's a good attention-getter; and the system is unanswerable for false accusations of child abuse.

If the charges are dropped, the guy still has to live with the stigma of an accusation of child abuse without so much as an apology.

Don't get me wrong--I'm not defending anyone here, and I'm certainly -not- in favour of child pornography. What I *am* saying is that there is so much incompetence in the system that the coverups are getting blatant (cross-reference with a recent scandal about parents of autistic children having to relinquish custody as a condition of getting help for their children), the financial incentives for seizing children are significant, and the government is steadfast in its determination to avoid public accountability. The number of child protection investigations has become ridiculous because every rumour has become a "child protection concern."

Maybe the guy is guilty, maybe not.

Be prepared with a question or two to ask them at the end of the interview; questions which display your knowledge of the business they do, and specifically their company.

Be cautious with this one. The problem is, if you're being interviewed by an HR monkey, you might just intimidate him with specific questions that he can't possibly answer.

Or you might impress the bejeebus out of him.

As for the "perfectionist" thing, that's a nice idea but it's something that would keep me from being hired. "Perfection" delays the deliverables.

Won't anyone think of the children???

That's why they have kids' size cups.

Add on half a dozen Timbits and you've got an Anglo Canadian breakfast. Mmmmm.

Y'know, I think I like Garfield better without Garfield's dialogue.

More can be found in this discussion.

Neeeeeeeeat.

Maim That Tune!

This is one of those "ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod" things, and not in the good, "I need a towel" kind of way.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because I posted that link.

I want it.

I'll be having my nipples yanked on ... by the baby.

Just like every day.

YoYOyo.

By five weeks old, Rhianna had already developed a 'tude. :cool:

I discovered HTF several months ago. It's great for those times when "Itchy and Scratchy" just isn't doing it for you (as I assume is the case for Lazlo).

L'Affaire Dumoutier (Say To Me… )--The Box

Wow! Rhianna, Mercenary and I overwhelmed by jammy good wishes! :)

She's a good little sprog, eating well and sleeping about as well can be expected Mercenary and I are still quite sleep deprived.

Let's see if this site prevents image linking:

This photo was taken in the hospital, so our Rhianna Jade was fresh outta the box

IIRC, Scientology teaches that, when a child is born, it should be done in complete silence (even the mother should be silent; no screams or grunts)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Moonbats, both of 'em.

and the child should also have complete silence for the first week after birth. If silence is not enforced, the child will be "imprinted" with bad things.

If the silence *is* enforced, the kid will grow up to be a frelling mime.

I've heard that some cultures believe the more mom screams during delivery, the healthier the baby's lungs will be. I think it heard it from a nurse while I was in labour with my son ... heard it over the screams of the 747 taking off in the next room, that is ...

With the current uterine sprog, one of the questions I was sure to ask on the hospital tour was "So, how's the soundproofing here?"

Then again, the nitrous might help with that. The tour lady was careful to spell out that it was Not For Dad, though

Does anybody know what kind of sound (and how much sound) one of those machines emits?

Ultrasound?

Sounds right to me. I've also heard a theory that the ultrasound waves somehow end up modulated into the baby's hearing range, so they shouldn't be used willy-nilly.

I can't say for sure about sonograms, but I can tell you that my little uterine sprog absolutely loathes Doppler heartbeat monitors. Not all babies react to them, but this one whacks frantically at the probe and tries to squirm away from it. Labour is going to be so much fun ...

I was told that Doppler monitors are sometimes used to try to wake up sleepy babies in utero. The phone seems to do it for this one.

Since everyone has had the decency to avoid mentioning William Shatner, I'll mention him now.

There. Scrub that out of your ears.

I tried to buy Nothing today, but my local store didn't have any in stock.

Not even an Acme Portable Hole?

On the humourous side, "Domino Death" by Tom Smith ( http://www.tomsmithonline.com/lyrics/domino_death.htm ):

Well, the pizza biz ain't what it used to be,

It's a dangerous job for a boy like me.

Jay-walkers stare like you lost your mind,

Speed-traps ahead of you, muggers behind.

I've been robbed eight times at somebody's door,

I'm mad and I ain't gonna take no more,

So the next time somebody goes for the cash,

I've got a turret-mounted laser wired up to the dash.

Domino Death, we're gonna have some fun,

Domino Death, you better duck and run,

Domino Death, you better do your best,

Or I'll deliver you to Hell in thirty minutes or less.

I've got an armor-plated van with a Teflon sheen,

A Plexiglas windshield, Polaroid green,

Bullet-proof tires with a Kevlar mesh,

And a hotbox to keep your pepperonis fresh.

I've got an on-board computer to do my math,

A big cow-catcher to clear my path,

And I'll fry the brains of anyone I miss --

I've got a tape of Frank Sinatra singing Grace Jones and KISS.

Domino Death, I'm crazy as Hell,

Domino Death, I hope you tip real well,

Domino Death, you better watch for me,

And if you manage to survive, you get the pizza for free.

Well, you can beg and plead, but it's just no use,

I'm over the edge, I don't need an excuse,

I'll blow off your head for getting double cheese,

And I wouldn't say, "NO ANCHOVIES, PLEASE."

I keep the streets empty night and day,

Fire trucks and funerals get out of my way.

Now I'm looking around to see who I've missed,

And I guess Little Caesar's is next on the list.

Domino Death, it's no big loss,

Domino Death, you'd better love the sauce,

Domino Death, just give us a call,

We're courteous and friendly -- like Steven Seagal.

Domino Death, I've got a double for you,

Domino Death, I'll get your roommate ('family', 'neighbors', pick one), too,

Domino Death, you'll go like the rest,

I'll deliver you to Hell in thirty minutes or less...

Or... else... it's... free!

Another from Tom Smith, "The Worst Job There Is," isn't humourous, and you gotta admit that the job sucks ( http://www.tomsmithonline.com/lyrics/worst_job.htm ):

In all things there must be balance, said my physics prof to me,

And in the days of sailing ships, the ballast was the key,

Some sand and garbage in the bilge are all you need at sea,

But things work slightly differently when you turn in zero-gee.

The ballast must be accurate to ten places, maybe more,

Whether you are dodging asteroids or just going to the store.

When the spaceships first used ballast, they tried everything in sight,

And inert materials at first worked out all right,

But when spaceships first went past light-speed, the laws of physics changed,

Gravitation pulled unequally, several ships were... rearranged.

They finally discovered that the ballast must float free,

To go where it's most needed -- so the ballast now is me.

I tried to be a Space Marine, but they wouldn't let me go,

My vision was myopic, my reflexes way too... slow,

And all my dreams of Space Marines and interstellar fame

Were dashed to Hell by defects in my undernourished frame,

But still I made it into space, although my job is dull,

For now I serve as ballast sealed up inside the hull.

Now inert, unliving ballast will not do the job -- instead,

They've got me in a Kevlar jumpsuit, pockets lined with lead,

The hyperdrive computer says where we'll need extra mass,

We accelerate to F.T.L. and inertia kicks my ass,

I bounce around between the seams, grabbing anything at hand,

Like a plane whose one wing tears and falls, the ballast wants to land.

"Welcome to the Machine"--Pink Floyd

"Car Wash"--Rose Royce

"Nine to Five"--Dolly Parton

"White Collar Holler"--Stan Rogers

To me, this acapella tune is the quintessential "I ain't gonna let my soul-numbing job break me" song: http://stanrogers.lyrics-online.net/WhiteCollarHoller.html

WHITE COLLAR HOLLER

Well, I rise up every morning at a quarter to eight

Some woman who's my wife tells me not to be late

I kiss the kids goodbye, I can't remember their names

And week after week, it's always the same

And it's Ho, boys, can't you code it, and program it right

Nothing ever happens in the life of mine

I'm hauling up the data on the Xerox line

Then it's code in the data, give the keyboard a punch

Then cross-correlate and break for some lunch

Correlate, tabulate, process and screen

Program, printout, regress to the mean

Then it's home again, eat again, watch some TV

Make love to my woman at ten-fifty-three

I dream the same dream when I'm sleeping at night

I'm soaring over hills like an eagle in flight

Someday I'm gonna give up all the buttons and things

I'll punch that time clock till it can't ring

Burn up my necktie and set myself free

Cause no'one's gonna fold, bend or mutilate me.