Government Inaction

I am probably the last person who can criticise the policy of broadcasting regulations, but I have a very big beef over how the Canadian Radio-Telecommunications Commission is working from case to case.

The appropriate decisions the CRTC have not made recently really have bugged me. In late 2004, the company who ran MTV Canada was taken over by the parent of MuchMusic, CHUM Television. Because of branding contracts, MTV Canada had to adopt a new brand name, and as a result MTV Canada and MTV 2 became MUCH-branded channels.

When the parent of MTV, the American Viacom conglomerate, signed an agreement with CTV to reincarnate MTV Canada, CHUM Television had thew their chins up, worried that the new-old old-new channel will swamp the ratings of MuchMusic.

What I don't like is the fact that there are over 10 MUCH channels and the government hasn't done anything about the issue.

PUNCHMuch, MuchMoreMusic et al is swamping the music television market with a multiopoly, if that even is a word. As soon as a possible competitor moves in natural MUCH turf, the CHUM mafia started swiping with their claws. Why is the CRTC so hush hush about CHUM running a dangerous monopoly?

While the two companies snot each other out, the television channels relating to music has swamped the digital spectrum, while people are gradually watching less television.

I've been on the MuchOnDemand audience before, and like a communist government, we clapped when they wanted us to clap. Eeek.

Tax Blues

This week is a hectic one for many people; whomever earned income from the previous year will have to file an income tax return. This year is probably the worst one to file a return for me because my former employer was the first to send me three separate slips. I never thought that I would have trouble figuring out paperwork before.

The language is confusing, the guidelines can be hard to follow, and if you spend money in donations it adds to the confusion. That would explain why so many people are employed in the field of income tax preparation.

There are so many H&R Blocks that are closed until tax time. I used to wonder how they can afford the rent! But then again, it's not my money that funds it. I prefer to file by myself, even if it confuses me.

Behold the misery of accounting we all have to go through. A high-school like class where, like a high school class, students don't understand the work assigned.

You could say those tax preparation people are the smart elite that you pay to do your homework. For those of us who have to earn money somewhere else, it is their pleasure to earn money off calculating stuff.

Hey, maybe math teahers should promote the job as the true "stay at home" job. All you need to open up this type of business are a bunch of tax forms and a pen or two.

With little start-up cost and high income potiential, why don't all of us open an H&R Block-type business?

Blasted Curfews

A Toronto city councillor proposed, for the umpteenth time now, a bylaw imposing a curfew on children and teenager at a certain time. And, for the umpteenth time, the motion was voted down by Toronto City Council. This represents yet another attempt to apply unfair ageism, governmental parenting to those who cannot even vote.

Like some opponents to this bylaw, I believe the parents should do the parenting on this issue. The last thing we need is for a civic government to spend less time on a deteriorating transit system and other more important issues.

I will not deny that there are a few bad apples among the population who have yet to approach the age of majority. Which reminds me of youth city councillors.

In my opinion, they don't make sense either. For one to truly represent the youth of a muncipal government, the person has to be elected. In other words, if every member of a City Council have to be elected, why must a seat be appointed? This isn't right or democratic at all.

On Vaughan City Council, they require people to have impeccable grades and a spotless record. This limits many possible applicants as the city only wants people from an academic elite, an academic bourgeiosie. So when do you need good grades according to the School Board, to be wise in representation?

What an undemocratic corner of a democratic country we live in.

Canadian Drama?

Why, in this whole wide world, must we Canadians be abandoned from homegrown soap operas? Whilst the Japanese have doramas, and Latin-origin Canadians get to watch novellas acted out in their language, we English-speaking Canadians must live in a drama-less life. But this is everyone's fault, of course.

The government's handling on the issue is at best, ambiguous. The definition "Canadian Drama" could mean a plethora of series, where even comedies count as long as the regulators think they count. Very depressing.

In this cost-cutting world, the best drama I've ever watched in this decade was the courtroom drama "This is Wonderland", starring none other than young adult startlet Cara Pifko. It was the best series in years, at least until public broadcaster CBC cancelled it earlier this year. It had the serious moments that another series, Street Legal, was famous for; coupled with the more bashful comedy of Red Green, but more city like.

Must I remind you that a few of the great stars that front "This is Wonderland" happen to star in Street Legal? Though they are two separate series, it twinkled the CBC's logo while they lasted.

Officials at the CBC believe that low ratings caused its cancellation. It's a whole new world now that the public broadcaster attempts to act like its commercial rivals. The result? Utterly depressing.

I have to admit: I am no fan of the new Degrassi, nor Falcon Beach. When there seems to be a new drama with meaning, its broadcasters suddenly shy away from it, leaving flamour skeletons like the former on air. And that is just plain sad.

Those Cute Little Seals (Part 2)

I find it ridiculous to hear that the McCartneys actually care about the seal hunt. It sounds like they were pawns of the animal welfare organisations that engage in extreme tactics to line their coffers.

A big first reminder is that Paul and Heather McCartney were invited by these protest groups, including The Humane Society of the United States. When have Americans actually give a care about Canadian issues, especially one where misinformation is rampant?

This is not a fully factual debate but a crazy tactic meant to publicise one bias, one view of an issue that has many shades of gray. Opportunity to be publicised, the use of the McCartneys on false pretenses. How would I know, being such a "Mainlander" Canadian? I am certainly not against the hunt, but I am not a cold barbarian like what animal rights groups label me for not opposing it.

I am proud to be a card-carrying member of the New Democrats, a centre-left party here in Canada. I do believe in conservation and the protection of the environment. But there are two extremes on issues such as this.

The McCartneys claimed during the debate that they were in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador after being invited there by Premier Danny Williams. But they were in Prince Edward Island. If they don't even know which province they were in, how the heck do they know about the Seal Hunt issue?

P. MCCARTNEY: Well, we're here, Danny. You don't need to invite us. Thanks for the invitation, but we're here. We're actually in the studio here. We are in Newfoundland. And we saw the seals yesterday...

WILLIAMS: Heather, first of all, Paul, you're in Prince Edward Island now. And I'm in Newfoundland and Labrador. I'm inviting you to come to my province to see that.

Premier Williams was right in that debate. Killing is still killing and no matter what gets killed, it's killing. It's Opportunism in my opinion. Even CNN took advantage, publicising about the McCartneys. And no word on a "debate" until minutes past the hour.

Those Cute Little Seals

The Canadian government has given valuable answers to dispel charges made by animal rights groups and the Hollywood Bourgeoisie.

Must we be reminded of that useless shirt worn by magnate daughter and American snobhead Paris Hilton. Club sandwiches, not seals the shirt says, blatantly disregarding the fact that the ingredients that make club sandwiches may have been clubbed! This, for animal rights advocates, was a campaign to stop the so-called brutal, senseless killing of baby whitecoat seals.

Whitecoat seals, first of all, are untouchables here in Canada. It's illegal under Canadian law to actually club a whitecoat seal, and even though that might not dispel all clubbing, this fact makes the claim seem ambiguous at best. It is also not right to lie, folks!

I am sick and tired of celebrities charging and barking at government authorities about issues they don't even know correctly about. A lot of these rich guys have profited at the expense of others, as claimed by these activitists. It's heartless, and offensive to stick your nose in issues you have almost no knowledge about.

Try that club sandwich Paris Hilton has been encouraging people to eat, rather than killing seals. Chickens, cows, and pigs are slaughtered too, and probably the only reason why Paris here cares about baby seals are because they look cute. I, for one, reject that kind of thought, which is rather bigoted in my opinion.

Paris, just go and continue on your sex tapes and voyeur shots. Leave the Seal Hunt to those who actually know more about baby seals other than their looks.