Tales from the Edmonton Journal

Was reading through yesterday's Journal at work.. a few neat things:

1. David Letterman's bogus restraining order was lifted. FOX News examines some of the implications. The case itself was idiotic.. a woman who's likely never been within a mile of Letterman files a restraining order because of his use of code words, gestures and "eye expressions" to convey his desires for her. She claims he's sending her subliminal messages to be his wife and co-host, and as a result she's suffering sleep deprivation, bankrupcy, and mental anguish. She actually GETS THE ORDER passed (FOX's article comments on that), and it takes two weeks to get it quashed. This is, of course, the patent nonsense inherent in these restraining orders. Anybody can go to court, get a restraining order passed, and the first the restrained learns about it is when the legal papers of the order are given to them. This is, of course, patent bullshit. The feminists claim its needed for "emergency protection" of the claimants. This is also complete nonsense since anybody who is going to act that quickly and dangerously is going to be breaking the law anyways. A restraining order should be to prevent non-criminal harassment, if it exists at all (I'm not sure it should). The scary thing is that such an obviously fradulent order from a person who was clearly delusional not only got passed (by a judge who apparently read the specifics of the order), but that it took David Letterman (who lives halfway across the country and can afford high-priced legal help) two weeks to get it removed. How hard would Joe Ordinary who happened to live in the same city as a woman who he knew and who accused him of harassment have to fight in order to get a bogus order removed. I know that the U.S. has slightly easier standards (varying from state to state of course) than we do, but its still disturbing. More disturbing is this website for restraining orders in Ontario where they caution police "will want to see the restraining order. Keep it with you at all times. They may also ask you if your spouse/partner knows about the restraining order. If the police believe that your spouse/partner has disobeyed the restraining order, he or she can be arrested and charged with a crime." What the hell? How can the person be unaware of the order, unless in Ontario (and perhaps other provinces, too lazy to look it up for Alberta) you can get a restraining order against somebody and then NOT TELL THEM. That's just sick.
   
2. Not meaning to stay on the same topic, but the same Ontario website cautions "Restraining orders and exclusive possession orders may not be enough to stop a violent person from hurting you." Well, you'd better hope they are! Paul Martin is banning handguns while the RCMP are ignoring 911 calls. The federal government is botching things so badly that you can only dream of the provincial governments only botching them slightly.
3. The Journal also contained this story about Gay Hollywood: Apparently, "gay roles are still taboo" in a small community just north of the City of Angels. To which I can only say: are you freaking BLIND???? Gay roles are apparently "taboo" because only 98% of movies contain a gay character? This actually got published in a newspaper? "In 2005, several straight actors have played homosexual characters in mainstream films to critical buzz, and many have been nominated and earmarked for major awards. Nonetheless, it still doesn't seem all that accepted to be a gay actor in Hollywood." Well gee, I don't know what to say, except perhaps maybe they need to look at Republicans and Christians and people who think abortion is murder. That's the real list of people who aren't given fair portrayals by Hollywood.
4. Finally, the Journal featured a letter from a guy who's name I forget, about animal rights. It turns out not to matter though: its a form letter than you can view at the bottom of this page It's a form letter: you can also find it here and here. The last paragraph is where the "meat" is, so to speak: this google rundown of some keywords from the last paragraph tell all. The same guy has written in before, usually to spout off some nonsense about going vegan. Turns out likely they were all form letters too. I remember one at Thanksgiving, and probably at other major holidays too.
5. Add in the recent discovery that a Liberal campaign staffer was writing letters in without mentioning her party biases, and that the SUN/Journal are doing a poor job with their policy of not allowing letters the other has published (this guy with the form letter got it in both for Thanksgiving), its even more maddening that the letters I regularly write to both papers (and the National Post and Globe and Mail) are so routinely ignored. That's right folks: the only place to read my brilliance is right here. (or any comments I may make on other blogs)