The Great Global Warming Hysteria

In the middle ages the earth was 3⁰C warmer than it is now. There were no glaciers in the tropical Andes – now there are three. Viking communities farmed in Greenland, which is now covered with permafrost. A Chinese naval fleet is said to have sailed round the Artic in 1421 and found no ice of substance. Global warming existed then, but this fact has been expunged from the UN’s global climate change ideology – its an inconvenient truth.

So too is the effect that the sun is having on our climate. The sun is hotter now than it has been for the past 11,400 years, according to a variety of sources. This inevitably has an impact on the earth’s climate. Recent Danish Space Centre research appears to confirm this. While the earth can absorb some of the new heat from the sun, some of it is reflected back, warming the atmosphere.

Another inconvenient truth is that there has been no atmospheric warming over the last 70 years, according to a significant group of scientists (see www.co2science.org ) . Data from the 1,221 sites of the US Historical Climatology Network demonstrate this – many places are actually cooler. This is not the same as surface warming, which is taking place. What is more, the climate change models used to predict the “catastrophic future” of the planet cannot be used to model past behaviour of the planet – that is, when they are used to reconstruct the last one hundred years they are inaccurate, predicting a much warmer climate than actually occurred.

In the last thirty years, a great expanse of Antarctica has cooled – as much as 2⁰C in some places, with the ice mass growing significantly in some places. While some warming of the western Antarctic ice sheet has occurred, the net result is a small (not catastrophic) loss of ice mass. While this supports some aspects of the so called climate change consensus, it does not support the “catastrophists”.

It is claimed that there is a consensus within the scientific community about climate change. There is not. 17,000 scientist signed a petition some years ago indicating their dissent. More recently, 41 of the leading scientists in Britain wrote to The Daily Telegraph indicating their rejection of the interpretation of climate change by the climate lobby. 60 leading scientists wrote In April to our own Prime Minister asking for science, not polemics, to determine strategy on climate change.

The Director of the UK’s Climate Research Unit suggests that the growingly “catastrophic” predictions about climate change by some scientists reflect their concerns about ongoing funding, the new round of post Kyoto negotiations and the blurring of the line between science and politics. Lord Monckton of Brenchley goes further and suggests that there is a blurring of the line between scientific discourse and politics – a blurring which damages both. The last time we saw such a “scientific consensus” was when it was understood that the earth is flat.

Scientists that do not follow the consensus, such as Bjon Lomberg, (author of The Skeptical Environmentalist) are castigated by others for challenging their view – yet the very foundation of science is challenge. “Group think” dominates and controls the flow of research funds and impairs our ability to get to the heart of the issues. Governments and the UN use science selectively. A recent report of a UK parliamentary committee which looks at the way in which government uses science suggests that it is selective, politically motivated and often just twisted to meet the policy position the Government has taken. There is no reason to think that any Government behaves differently. It is “politically correct science”.

There is, however, consensus that the “hockey stick” view of climate change – showing a relatively flat line that suddenly spikes at an angle upwards between the years 1800 – 2000 – is unfit for use and is based on questionable assumptions and a manipulation of different kinds of data. Yet many continue to use it. There is no consensus on the temperature of the last thousand years, other than recognition that the earth has been warmer than it is now.

What all of this has lead to is misguided policies, public fear about the future and a discrediting of science. It also leads to a focus on the wrong thing. The real focus needs to be on the future mix of our energy supplies, especially now that we know both oil and natural gas are (or will soon be) past peak production – supplies are in decline. We need reliable, abundant sources of energy. We need to revisit nuclear power, focus on substitutes to natural gas and oil and leverage investments in new energy technologies. This is the real scientific agenda.

A Small Surprise

Its been a week now. Last Thursday I had a small stoke, seeing double, feeling feint and generally anxious. Blood pressure 198/122 and blood glucose levels at 16. Admitted to the stroke clinic.

Both the Royal Alex hospoital and the University of Alberta looked after me well - saw me quickly, were very thorough and exhausted all f the resources available. I had a cat-scan - no cats were found - ultrasound (recordings of Barry Mannilow) on my arteries and I am soon to have an MRI.

Back on the meds (including 80mg of Lipitor - Lynne is on 10mg), diet and exercise - lost 4lbs in a week (at this rate I will be a sliver by Xmas).

Its a wake up call. I heard it. Thanks to all who have let me know their concern. I will be around a while.

November Films

Borat – schoolboy humour with a cynical twist – it makes American’s look thick and uneducated. Sasha Baron Cohen has done a magnificent job of revealing American’s for being American. Film is doing well – top box office two weeks in a row. I saw it opening day! Brave stuff.

Inside Man - Clive Owen, Denziel Washington, Jodie Foster and Willem Defoe in this bank robber thriller (which begins with great Bollywood music and terrific images) directed by Spike Lee. Hostage taking and negotiation drama - exceptionally well done, as we might expect from Spike Lee. Solid movie. Must see.

The Prairie Home Companion – fell asleep. I blame Garrison Keeler, he is so bored with his own show that it comes across in the movie. No wonder its no longer on the radio. Shouldn’t be on DVD either.

The End of Silence – an independent film. A ballerina from Russia stays in Toronto, has a relationship and then decides to go back to dance. That’s the plot. Gripped? I wasn’t. Dull as ditchwater. As exciting as a barium enema.

The Murders on Rue Morgue – George C Scott, Val Kilmer in this 1982 made for TV movie of an Edgar Allen Poe story. A period piece, set in Paris, not worth renting and hardly worth watching.

The Night Listener – a very strong, focused movie starring Robin Williams in one of those dark roles he plays so well. Toni Collette, who plays the female lead, is exceptionally strong. A great piece of writing here by Armistead Maupin, Terry Anderson and Patrick Strettner. It is based on a novel by Armistead Maupin.

Black Dahlia – an attempt at a cross between film noir and Mickey Spillane which doesn’t really come off. Interesting idea, but a slow film which needs stronger acting to carry the nuances and better direction and editing. A film with potential which is unfortunately not realized.

The daVinci Code – A good film – well executed version of the novel. Hanks is good.

Recent Films

Stay – a strange 2005 movie with Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and others. A psychiatrist tries to intervene to prevent a suicide. Pretentious, yet clever movie. Time warped story telling is a it of a currrent fad.

Greenfingers – based on a true story with Clive Owen and others. Prisoners find solace in gardening and enter a major garden show. Good story, well executed with Helen Mirren playing the grand dame of gardening. An outstanding performance by David Kelly (O'Reilly the builder from Fawlty Towers) as an aged Irish prisoner who is dying of cancer.

School Ties – Matt Damon, Ben Aflick, Chris O’Donnel in a 1992 (pre Good Will Hunting) movie about a posh school who admits a jewish boy because of his skills on the football field. Prejudice is the basis of the story. Good movie – interesting.

Bounce – Ben AflicK, Gwyneth Paltrow, Edward Edwards in this 2002 movie – nicely written and filmed. A man switches his plane ticket with another man and the plane crashes. Aflick loses himself in self pity and connects to the dead man’s wife and children…the story follows.

Niagara Motel – an odd group of people living in and around a motel tell provide the basis for these interlinked stories. Interesting small Canadian film, made in 2005.

Angel of Death – set in Seville in Spain and starring Mira Sorvino (who does not include this film in her IMB filmography under this title but uses the Spanish Semana Santa)about the avenging angels of a mother raped by the fascists. Not a bad film.

The American President – Anette Benning and Michael Douglas do a fine job of playing out a comedy with a message circa 1995 (pre Bush II). OK, its not a great movie, but its well done and both of these starts are at their best. Nice role for Michael J Fox (who now appears on political ads and gets the ire of Rush Limbaugh – he has also done a lot in Boston Legal and has a new film coming out in 2007).

Friends with Money – I had thought that Jennifer Aniston was become a skilled, quality actress after her appearance in Derailed. Sadly, she is in this pile of pants. Ego drivel, self centred shite from start to finish. Nothing redeemable about this film, other than the site of JA dressed in a sexy maid’s outfit. However, by the time this very short scene appeared, I was snoring… Poor writing, sloppy editing, no attempt at drama. Its pure California angst crap. JA made a big mistake doing this film.

The Break Up – Ms Aniston slightly redeems herself in this much better written and acted movie, thanks to Vince Vaughn (who wrote some of the script and was producer on this film). It’s a clever idea, well executed and you get to see JA nude (ish).

The Devil Wears Prada – a fun film, with the ever wonderful Meryl Streep and the very beautiful Anne Hathaway (Brokeback Mountain, Havoc, The Princess Diaries). Streep is excellent as the demanding boss (one or two of my colleagues didn’t see anything “devil” like in this performance at all – they saw as like some of the boss’s they have worked for) and the story line is strong (though at time far fetched).

The Da Vinci Code – a lot depends on whether you have read the book (I have). The book is far fetched, so is the film. The book is full of errors, so is the film. The plot line is basically silly in the book, so is the film. So get over these issues and see it as pure entertainment. Hanks is good as the lead character, but he is overshadowed by the acting strength of Audrey Tauto (Dirty Pretty Things, No Where to Go But Up and many French films) who plays Agent Sophie Neveu. The other strong performance here is from Paul Bettany (Wimbledon, Master and Commander), who plays Silas. Worth watching.

Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest – not a good sequel. Too long, too convoluted, too much of a pastiche. Depp is actually taking the “p” out of his portrait of Capt. Jack Sparrow. Too flighty.

Kinky Boots – a great UK film in the tradition of good northern comedy dramas like the Full Monty. A shoe factory is likely to go out of business unless the recent CEO (by inheritance) can find a niche product to manufacture and sell. Boots for transvestites is the answer (obviously!), Based on a true story, this film revolved around one super piece of acting by Chewetel Ejiofor (Melinda and Melinda, Canterbury Tales, Dirty Pretty Things, Amistad). He is very convincing as an ex boxer turned transvestite called Lola. Good story, nice realistic drama. Favourite line comes from Lola’s landlady who asks “Are you a man or a woman?”. Lola hesitates (dramatically) and answers “a man” – then the landlady says “Oh that’s fine, just needed to know how to leave the toilet seat when I clean…” – landlady played by the Welsh character actress of undertimed age, Gwenllian Davies (Little Britain, Onegin..).

The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio – another true story finds its way onto film. Julianne Moore plays a woman who keeps her family together by entering and winning competitions. Woody Harrelson plays the lingering, lackluster husband who loafs and squanders while the family struggles.

THE NEXT SECRETARY GENERAL

The next Secretary General of the United Nations has now been chosen. It will be Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea. An informal vote on Monday October 2nd of the key members of the Security Council confirmed that he would be their choice.

Ban Ki Moon (62) has been Foreign and Trade Minister of South Korea and a diplomatic politician. Mr. Ban sees himself as a 'harmonizer, balancer, mediator'. A quiet, careful and deliberate man, he has shown courage in a number of small ways. He was the first South Korean foreign minister to visit Israel and took the initiative to find new ways of connecting with the regime in North Korea. He has also played a leading role in the six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions. He is a backroom diplomat with little charisma. This concerns some, who see him as too low profile and not ambitious for the UN.

He faces major challenges. The UN is in need of significant and urgent reform – it needs to focus, do what it says it is going to do and reduce the rhetoric and increase performance. For example, the current Secretary General has talked eloquently and often about the need for intervention in Darfur - but the UN has done nothing. While Kofi Annan started a reform process, it was too timid, too little and took longer than anyone anticipated.

There are also concerns about corruption and sexual exploitation – UN troops exploiting their position for sex and corrupt UN officials in the food for oil scams which plagued the UN during 2005. Many have also expressed concerns about the growing complexity of the UN’s structure and the inability of many of its “parts” to deliver against their objectives.

The UN’s finances are also very problematic. As of May 2006, unpaid membership fees amounted to over US$1.2b, with the US being the largest single debtor.

The US continues to express serious reservations about the ability of the UN to act in a decisive, informed and effective way. They cite not just Darfur, but also the UN response to natural disasters, the growing concerns over the UN Human Rights Council’s membership (which has as members Cuba, China, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia), and the financial state of the UN. Other key security council members are concerned about the reluctance of member states to back their vocal commitments to peace with troop commitments – the US bearing the brunt of this work.

A more fundamental problem is that the UN has clearly failed in several key situations. It failed to prevent a coalition of its members from invading Iraq; failed to secure middle east peace – as was most clearly seen in the recent Hezbolla-Isreal war in Lebanon; failed in Rwanda – the list goes on. The UN is an institution with great ambitions, but may not be an institution capable of delivering to these expectations. The US sees the UN as an ineffective talking shop. It is convenient for them to do so – it gives them license to act as a world police force independently of the UN. Their support of Nam Ki-Moon (known by journalists in his own country as “slippery eel”) is seen by some as cynical – they don’t think he will change the UN, and so they continue to behave independently.

Then there is a problem of some of the UN members violating the UN charter and their obligations of membership, but continuing to be members – Zimbabwe comes to mind. No UN Secretary General has had the courage to ask the organization to expel a member.

Canada supports the nomination of Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, and we should all wish him good luck in the position he will assume on January 1^st 2007. It will not be an easy task and the world will be watching his every move.

GUNS N TEACHERS

Following the shooting of Amish children at a school in the US – one of a series of shootings at schools in the US – there is a serious conversation about arming teachers. That is, giving teachers guns. This is being proposed by Representative Frank Lasee (no relation to the dog) of Wisconsin. He notes that this is the case in Israel – a place where terrorists attack with some frequency.

When I went to school in Britain, my teachers were armed. They each had leather straps with which they used to beat us whenever we broke some rule which they had just made up. One teacher refused to carry this weapon, he used a large ruler instead. Another used a pair of serving spoons which he hit us on the head with.

Arming teachers may help improve reading and literacy skills. I’d quickly learn to read if I had a gun to my head. A couple of discharges into the ceiling and I’d memorize Proust.

Think what a twelve gauge shotgun could do for mathematics or an Ouzi for science. The possibilities are endless.

Such a good idea, Frank. I think I’ll offer to sponsor the guns at my local kindergarten.

BRINGING DEMOCRACY TO ALBERTA

One slogan we have yet to see from the Progressive Conservative leadership candidates is “restore democracy to Alberta”. It is not surprising – the leadership race itself lacks some of the basic electoral oversights most democracies would insist upon.

There are no controls over how much can be spent by an individual candidate or his campaign. Nor are their rules restricting the source of funds wihin Province – funds can be raised in other Provinces, though there are limits on individual donations. Membership of the party is the basis for “winning”, so candidates are measured by memberships sold – and some individuals have more than one membership (the PC web site actually encourages multiple membership purchases). The old slogan “vote early and vote often” seems to apply. Not exactly a role model for an advanced democracy.

But the democratic deficit is not just within the PC party, it is in the Province. Our legislature sits for a very short period of time – making it difficult to hold ministers to account and to seriously debate legislation. It needs to sit for longer and to have a more focused, rigorous agenda.

Too many decisions are processed through regulation passed through cabinet but not debated in the house. More needs to done through serious debate and disclosure through legislation, white papers and policy review. The fact that tuition policy for post secondary education can be decided without debate in the House demonstrates that the house is not taken seriously.

Standing policy committees are weak – simply subsets of caucus pushing the party line. We need to reform these and make them all party committees with tough powers to hold ministers and their officials to account and to challenge the performance, policy and practice of Government. We will know these are successful when they begin to report on policy and practice as strongly and effectively as the Auditor General does on value for money.

Business plans from government ministers vary greatly in their focus, clarity and value. Strengthened standing policy committees should challenge these, demand more and hold ministry’s to account against them. They should also receive monthly scorecards showing how the Departments are doing against these plans – scorecards that should be made public.

Alberta also needs whistleblower legislation that protects public servants who find it necessary, as a last resort, to blow the whistle on malpractice, inefficiency and deception. Public servants are dedicated, skilled and committed individuals who take their work seriously and wish to do public good. When they encounter serious issues, they should tackle them with all the professional skills and resources at their disposal. But if there is something seriously wrong, they should be able to speak out.

Access to government information has improved in Alberta during the last five years – look at what we know about the use of the Government jet. It could be improved further, reducing the power of Government to declare subjects “off limits” to the press and others seeking information and requiring a faster turn-around for this information.

The public expects tough controls over spending and to receive quarterly reports on the financial performance of Government. We should also expect quarterly reports on the performance of Government against its business plans – what is working, what is not, what issues are emerging, what challenges are being faced. For example, reports on the labour shortage, on progress on environmental issues or on the governments own staffing issues – all would be examples of a Government making its work transparent, open to debate.

Public consultation on such things as land use, environment, education need also to be more rigorous. Groups wishing to engage in consultation should have access to quality information, “what if” models being used within Departments for planning and be able to work with public servants to access quality data. Such access is currently varied and needs to be improved.

Alberta faces many challenges. This is a tipping point for our future. It would be good to have confidence that a new leader saw democracy as a key feature of our future. Right now, its open to debate.

A LOAD OF BALLS

It’s good to see a real crack down on crime. Britain’s Daily Telegraph reports this vigilance from a robust police service: “A grandmother described yesterday how she was arrested and questioned by police after her neighbour claimed that a football had been kicked into her garden and that she had failed to return it. Angela Hickling, 56, was taken to the police station, quizzed, fingerprinted and required to give a DNA sample. Police searched her garden and every room in her house for the ball but failed to find it and dropped the case two days later for lack of evidence. Although he found nothing, he arrested her on suspicion of theft and took her to the station, where she was questioned, fingerprinted, and had a DNA sample taken. She was freed after an hour and a half.”

Imagine that! A wicked, nasty grandmother hiding a football kicked over her garden fence by well mannered, neatly dressed, "do good" children. What is the world coming to. Its this kind of thing that led Britain to deport people to Australia not that long ago. Thank goodness it wasn’t a cricket ball – no earthly chance of finding that. She may have boiled it up and served it with a rice pudding.

The DNA sample, which the police have a right now to keep under the Anti Terrorism legislation, will help to track down ball hoarders – obviously a new crime under British law. Her behaviour obviously requires an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO), preventing her from being near a ball for 100 days. I am sure the police are working on it.

Another Film..

The Lake House – Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves star in this simple, elegant story about a woman who leaves a house and a man who takes it and what happens between them. Nothing special about the script – but a nice film. She starts to write love letters to the new tenant, even though they have met (remind me of the Steve Wright line “I had a relationship with a psychic once, but we broke up before we met”). - and there is a reason for this, which is the film's twist. Christopher Plummer makes an appearance – elegant, stylish as always. A film for a winters evening.

Films to Watch Out For

Looks like being a promising few months at the home cinema. The History Boys - Alan Bennet's award winning play - found its way onto the screen with a Royal launch on Monday October 2nd. I find Alan's work compelling, and this is meant to be outstanding. Then there is Dame Helen Mirren at The Queen (Elizabeth II this time) - the story of the 2 weeks after the death of Princess Dianna. FInally there is Forrest Whittaker as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland - a compelling and convincing performance looking at the complex psychi of this madman.

I am also trying to track down The Deal - the story of the Blair-Brown agreement before he became Prime Minister, a "deal" which is playing itself out on a grand scale right now.

I have been reading some trashy novels - for example, Peter Abrahams Oblivion. These are largely crime thrillers, but occassionally there is some good writing. Abrahams, for example isnt bad.

The Zen of Fly Fishing

There is something about fly fishing – rainbow trout. Steelhead, artic char this season – that I find deeply satisfying. Just spent 30 hours in a boat over 4 days at Dee Lakes near Kelowna in British Columbia with Mike (50), Matt (19) and John (75). The fishing is wonderful – we brought back 24 fish, ate 4, put back 50+. But it’s the concentration, focus, passion and engagement that strikes me as the core.

The routine is simple. Hearty breakfast, on the lake by 0930 and back to the cabin by 1930. Continuous fishing. We concluded that there are four kinds of fish: rainbow trout, gay fish (I caught one with a hook up the rear end), blow fish (they suck the fly in and blow it out again) and bastard fish (you know they are there, they show themselves, but refuse to be caught). Such taxonomies do not assist the task of catching, but offer comfort to we anglers.

I have become so enamored by the art of fishing that I have decided to tie my own flies. Bought a kit and materials on ebay and intend to tie several basic patterns – Tom Thumb, Royal Coachman and so on. I used to do this when I was very young (and I did it very badly), but now there are great resources online and in print and wonderfully useful CD roms – I feel sure I can get at this. I think it will be satisfying and will stop me working.

That’s the other thing. Fishing is both hard work and not work at the same time. You put a lot of energy into fly fishing – just one example, I suspect I cast every 2 minutes. Taking into account travel on the lake time, this means I am casting with my right arm and wrist some app. 250 times an hour for around 9 hours – 2.250 times a day for 4 days or 9,000 times. This is a lot of exercise for the right arm.

Enough. Now its back to work. Challenging organizational change issues in northern Ontario, intellectual property challenges in Alberta and the future of the ICT industry - should see me through till Xmas.

September Films

The Weatherman – Nicolas Cage in a solid, underplayed performance. Not a great screenplay, but good casting and well made. Not a waste of time, but not a film to go out of the way to see.

The Man Who Was Never There – Billy Bob Thornton in a powerful film noir, Coen brothers movie - murder mystery with James Gandolfini and others. Enjoyable.

Mrs. Harris – Anette Benning (still stunning) and Sir Ben Kingsley in a dreadful account of this well known murder.

The Ice Harvest – another Billy Bob movie with John Cusack. Two guys steal from the mob with consequences. Enjoyable.

Mr Holland’s Opus – second time around, still a good movie.\ - made in 1995. Richard Dreyfus is a skilled and able actor and this is a benchmark performance (as is his performance in Rosencrantz).

The Matador – an interesting little film with Brosnan as a drinking assassin who is partly burned out and who befriends a man who is a marketing guy – a solid story

Sojourn in Oxford Street, London

In London for a few days, getting ready for a workshop at the Jenner Institute for animal health. Took time out to enjoy a few days rest.

Charlotte Church, who used to be an angelic little girl singer, has turned into a hot totty with her own late night chat show on channel 5. In one segment she managed to get the words “shag”, “twat”, “fuck” and “tits” into a paragraph. Not quite the girl who sang Palestrina.

An afternoon with the National Ballet of Cuba dancing Don Quixote. I used to think one went to the ballet to see the girls. While the girls of Cuba are very attractive, the men are stunning – brilliant, energetic, focused dancers. My friend Jean Grand Metre (Artistic Director, Alberta Ballet) recently worked with them to choreograph their next works…bet he had fun. Last night of the proms – now has matching concerts in Swansea, Hyde Park, Edinburg, Ireland and its become quite something. A good musical day.

Sitting on a bench in Oxford street outside Debenhams (where I was once mentor to the CEO and the Board coach), I saw eleven pairs of women’s knickers (mainly thongy things) stroll by, seven women wearing stocking of various kinds that showed because their skirts were too short, two women whose breast were not exactly technically exposed but might as well been. I heard dozen expletives being shouted into cell phones – mainly at builders who didn’t arrive to fix shower doors or a broken kitchen cabinet or a leaking toilet. I saw two kids being hit very hard by their mothers and one women hit her bloke with such a thump that he was on the pavement. All this in less than twenty minutes.

Tate Modern for the Kadinsky exhibition – he didn’t start painting until he was in his mid 30’s (was a law Professor before). Moved from representational art to abstract and produced some stunning work. The exhibition shows his transitions to his final leadership of the abstract movement in Paris between the two great wars (being in exile from Russia). Well worth the entry fee.

Now resting in the hotel (which is very sensible place all round – and, by English standards, not bad from a cost point of view). Watching good old British television.

Films and Updates

We have been away a lot during the period since Augsut 1st - Oregon for 10 days, a few days back home and then Canmore - fishing (artic greyling, trout, steelhead), walking (lovely Larch Valley Banff walk), eating (found a great place in Oregon), Shakespeare at the Globe theatre in Ashland in Oregon and lots of reading...

Also the odd film..

Dot the I – a creative, intelligent suspense drama with a great many twists and turns, not to mention quality acting by Natalie Verbecke and Kit Winter. Strongly recommended.

The Sisters – based on an idea from Chekov’s Three Sisters, this stage to screen adaptation is a strong, emotional drama with strong stage like acting from Elizabeth Banks, Maria Bello and Erika Christensen. Emotion, raw edge drama and surprises. You need to be in a mellow mood – some scotch recommended.

The Sentinel – Michael Douglas, Kieffer Sutherland, Kim Bassinger (always welcome in a movie). Thriller about US President and an assassination attempt - possibly by someone inside the FBI guard detachment. Douglas plays his usual self and Sutherland plays a version of Jack Bauer of CTU/24 on the big screen. OK.

Russian Doll – (second time around) – Australian quirky little film, fun and frivolity. Hugo Weaving (of Matrix, Lord of the Rings and other great movie fame) stars with a vivacious Sacha Horler lead this cast into an intriguing love triangle.

V for Vendetta – probably the best film I have seen in a while – compelling, demanding, intriguing and well written. Hugo Weaving plays V (not that you would know) and the other lead part is the very stunning Natalie Portman, with an interesting role for John Hurt. A largely British cast plays this well and it’s a very good story.

Derailed – Jennifer Aniston is turning into an excellent actress, seems to me. Here is a very good example of her new work, working alongside Clive Owen (this is also a strong role for him) and Vincent Cassel. Strong and interesting story line, very well directed and filmed suspense drama. Up there as a good film, despite the critics…

The Bridge of San Luis Rey – this simply dreadful 2004 film has a strong cast – Robert de Nero, Kathy Bates, F Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel and many other normally excellent actors. It lacks energy, commitment, passion, direction (it was directed by Mar McGuckian – not her first effort). Avoid at all costs.

- no doubt I have missed some of the ones we saw while traveling - the good news is that I am home. The next news is that I am about to go on the road again – Sept 6 – 20^th inclusive (UK, Banff again and Ontario).

Listening the complete Mozart Piano Concerto's (Ashkenazzy) right now - what a stunning achievement. Also writing until my hand wont work (well, wont type - good enough for fishing).

Being in Toronto

Saturday, 15th July

Toronto is, to say the least, an interesting place. Take today as an example.

It began, after a decent but expensive breakfast at the Sutton Place hotel, with a pedicure and manicure – something I believe is a civilizing thing to do if you intend to wear sandals without socks (if you intend to wear sandals with socks, especially white socks, then its time to get back to Britain). A man came in and wanted his bikini wax. I was there at 0930 – by 10am the place was packed – almost all men, almost all wanting waxing (some just their legs). Just doesn’t happen in Edmonton.

Caught two parades which followed each other down Yonge Street. The first was five persons wide and over one thousand lines of people deep – a celebration of Hari Krishna. Amazing. It was pure 1960’s / early 1970’s. I though these guys had died out, along with Bhagwaan Shree Rajnish and Dallas, but no they are alive and well and busy in Toronto. Unlike their Dutch counterparts, the Toronto Haris’s have a lot of East Indian members – they used to avoid these guys like the plague.

Behind these Hari’s and their thumb-bells was another parade with pipe bands. It was the annual Orange Day Parade – a parade to celebrate Irish Protestantism and their support for William of Orange. In Ulster, this has often been a violent day – a parade of defiance which deliberately goes through the Shankhill Rd so as to aggravate Catholics. Here, given the peace and calm created by the Hari Krishna lot, all was fine. Mind you, given that the average age of those parading was 65+, I was not really expecting much troeuble (unless someone stole one of their walking frames).

By then it was very hot. So off to Sam The Record Man’s classical station, where I came upon fifteen members of the Huddersfield Choral Society singing various well known hymns along with a CD of the same. I used to watch these guys sing with the Halle – Messiah, Britten’s War Requiem – so a very nice half hour was had by all. I joined in. (Given that they almost closed their classical store some years ago, it is nice to see it so vibrant – all thanks to their classical music manager who is a “one off”).

Then strolling Yonge Street. The breast popping out count was 4.5 (the .5 was deliberate and frequent – so I am not sure whether it counts at all – she was a flasher). The too short a skirt showing panties count was 3 while walking, and six while sitting having lunch, coffee or my evening meal. The pan handler count was four and the guys reciting weird poetry three, selling weird things without a permit or license seven or selling themselves two.

Now the evening meal was interesting. A young couple – he with the jeans 28 sizes too big, crotch at the ankles. T shirt down to the knees, beanie hat and black and she white, see through blouse (no bra) and white skirt that doubled as a belt (black panties). Pasta place (very nice meal, including dessert and coffee for $17). He broke up with her as soon as she paid the bill. Told her he never wanted to see her again, but ate a good meal beforehand. She sat. He left. His trousers followed closely behind. She looked at me and said “he’s a jerk – I always knew it!”. She ordered another plate of pasta and kept pulling at her non existent skirt.

Walking back from my pasta, a couple were “at it” in the doorway of a store that had just closed. It was 6pm on a very bright evening. People inside the store, who were tidying up and getting the place secure, had a better view than those of us walking past. I think you could have made money selling tickets.

Back to the hotel. Thank goodness for air conditioning. The good news is that I have found several nice places to eat – great dim-sum at lunchtime (three dishes, nine dollars) and had a nice Nepalese meal last evening for $25, including a beer. The other good news is that I finished my writing assignment – another $4,000 in the bank. A good day.

Now tomorrow…

Yet More Films

Rumour Has it – Jennifer Aniston stars in this Rob Reiner comedy (produced by George Clooney and several others) with Kevin Costner, Shirley McLaine – the idea is that Aniston’s mother is the lady from The Graduate…funny. Nice script and a pleasant distraction. (There seems to be a lot of family movies around – Junebug, Family Stone..).

Syrianna – another problematic movie. I am sure all concerned are very earnestly concerned about oil and politics, but this is a messy piece. Poor storylines, not very credible stories mixing with credible ones. The audience does the work of editor. I am not sure its worth the effort. Good acting by George Cluny. If you miss it, you wont have missed much.

The Libertine – Johnny Depp plays a realistic 2nd Earl of Rochester – a debauched, odd, brilliant courtier to Charles II. The film is based on a play of the same name, which is itself based on a great deal of historical work about the Earl. Odd bloke. Interesting story. Not a film for family (lots of words most people are offended by).

Eve and the Firehorse – a nice Vancouver made film about a Chinese family’s two daughters and their emerging Catholicism. Compelling acting by the two girls and a good family story. Well worth watching. Won a special jury prize at the Sundance film festival.

24 Season 2 – Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good thriller and I admire the team behind this TV show. But really. This is very silly. Too many far fetched stretches of the imagination, suspensions of belief and poor plot lines get in the way – just how dim is Kim Bauer, how many shouts down the telephone can Bauer have with the President and how dumb is he? Anyway. Starts strong but then just gets silly. Suggest the next series be called 4.

A Good Woman – set in the 1930’s with Helen Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Wilkinson and many others. Set in the Amalfi coast of Italy (super scenery), strong writing (some great one liners - just as one would expect from Oscar Wilde, this is an adaptation of Lady W's fan) and very good period setting from a costume/props point of view, it’s a strong story line and Hunt is excellent as a mature, professional mistress. Good acting all round. Strongly recommended. Best line in the whole thing: *Saussages and women are best not seen as they are being prepared".

Tim Bits

Thank goodness.

We are in day three of Wimbledon and Tim Henmann - the British public school pain who has dogged Wimbledon for years by raising British hopes only to be dashed by grim, painful, sometimes traumatic and excessively passive tennis - was beaten today by Roger Federer. I am so relieved I could start playing myself.

For years and years we have watched Tim struggle, win some, loose a lot. He sometimes gets as close as a quarter final or semi final, only to collapse under pressure. At least its done with.

And so convincingly too - 6-4,6-0,6-2 - cant get much better bashing than that.

The other good news is that his co-star the British (or is it Canadian) Greg Rusedski is out. He's another pain - always promising, never delivering....

Now I can watch and enjoy...

I also look forward to England's world cup game against Portugal, having enjoyed France vs Spain the other day (we shan't talk about the debacle with Portugal's game against Germany... tho the good news is that the ref has been sent home!!).

Sports

I can hardly be described as a follower of sports, but these are unusual times.

First of all, The Edmonton Oilers ice hockey team are in the Stanley Cup finals. While they are down 2 games to 3 they have the advantage of emotional and community support. Game six is tonight and I hope they win. Its a must watch game.

Then there is the world cup. I caught the Czech vs Ghana game which Ghana won in fine style with a tremendous free flowing game. Then it was Italy and the the US. Italy scored two goals in the first half, sadly one in their own net. They also are down to 10 men, since the ref sent one off. He then sent a US guy off too. WHat drama. This is only the first half of the game.

Soon, starting Monday June 26th it will be Wimbledon - must watch TV. Sadly, Tim Henman will still play creating angst and pain throughout Britain - but there will be lots of excitement, especially now that the Williams sisters are basically "done".

Doesnt end there. In July, England plays Pakistan in a cricket testmatch. Difficult to catch on Canadian TV, but where there is a will (and a TiVio) there is a way.

So, sports look like my summer..

Films to Watch and Some to Avoid

The White Countess – a good film – Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson (as the Countess), Vanessa Redgrave, Lynn Redgrave, John Wood – set in Shanghai in the 30’s shortly before Japan invades China. Strong storyline, good acting and excellent images – story by Ishiguro. This was the last film James Ivory made before his production partner, Ismail Merchant, died in 2005 (they were also gay partners), and it is very much in the style of Merchant Ivory productions. Keep an eye on Madeleine Daly (the young girl playing Katya) – a young actress who will do well.

Secret Agent – a quiet little film with Robin Williams, Bob Hoskins (producer and actor), Depardieu, Jim Broadbent, Patricia Arquette, Eddie Izzard (as Vladimir, the Russian ambassador) and a strong overall cast. This is the Joseph Conrad novel – not exciting, but classic 1920’s drama. Well done.

Anytown, USA – IMBd summarizes this documentary in this way “Candidates, Two blind Politicians, One Race. Anytown USA follows a tightly run race in the small town of Bogota, New Jersey and resonates as an all-too-familiar look at partisan politics in our increasingly polarized nation”. (Bogota is pronounced Boga da). A great little documentary – Kristian Farga (Mind’s Eye, Severe Clear) directs. Enjoyable, amusing, intriguing and well worth watching on a rainy day.

The Family Stone – Diane Keaton plays her usual role in this misfit family movie, which is both dull and predictable. Some nice starts, but no strong finishes in either dialogue or plot. Craig T Nelson (Coach) best actor in this movie and Sarah Jessica Parker does a good job as a stuck up “bitch-like lady – Claire Danes is a very stunning lady with not enough to do in this movie.

Ǽon Flux – Charlize Theron stars in this sci-fi thriller along with the “hunky” Marton Csokas (Bourne Supremacy, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and several others), directed by Karyn Kusama (Girlfight). Brief glimpse into the future after a pandemic wipes out 95% of the world’s population. Has a kind of strange familiarity to it – Minority Report pace and feel. Sophie Okonedo also appears alongside Charlize – she’s an interesting (and busy) actress who also appeared in Hotel Rwanda, the TV series Spooks as well as the Inspector Lindley Mysteries and several films. Not a great film this, but amusing (and occasionally sexy with a few nice visual effects). Nice minimalist settings and poor dialogue. A very atheletic Charlize shows no sign of the knee injury, which forced her out of the Joffrey Ballet in New York. She did however get injured in making this movie – neck problems – and production stopped for a time.

Dominion – The Prequel to the Exorcist – what a total and absolute pile of pants – crap from start to finish. Avoid at all costs. Cant believe this was made in 2005 – its almost as bad as Michael Winner’s first films.

Black and White – Robert Carlyle (2002) movie with Charles Dance (fresh from his performance as Mr Tulkinghorn in Bleak House and his directoral debut – Ladies in Lavender). Set in Australia, based on a true 1958 story of the aboriginal sentenced to hang for the murder of a young white girl. The aboriginal part is played by David (Ned Kelly, Rabbit Proof Fence, Harry’s War) – excellent court drama. My friend the Judge checked out the details and thinks its not that bad from a dramatic point of view, though there are errors of fact.

Break a Leg – an actors movie about acting. Written by actors. It is a total an absolute pile of pants (probably underpants). Rent it or buy it and destroy – do us all a favour! If you are about to watch it, go for a long walk – with luck, it will be over by the time you get back. Not only is the script poor, the acting is dire and the plot is as imaginative as a one legged beetle trying to make it with a dandelion.

Torpedo Run – this 1958 movie has Robert Hardy in one his ealy roles, Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine.. usual 1958 U-Boat drama. Give me Das Boot anytime.

Elizabeth 1 – Helen Mirren, Hugh Dancy, Jeremy Irons in this visually stunning, made for TV well written piece (3hours plus) focusing on her relationship with the Earl of Leicester (Irons) and Early of Essex (Dancy). Strong performances all around, with good political vignettes. Well worth watching. Mirren, as usual, outstanding.

Flightplan – I generally like Jodie Foster – she is an intelligent, smart and skilled actor. She was roped into this at the last minute and would have been wise to drop out – its not a good film. Predictable, slow, repetitive – no thriller at all. Sean Bean (Sheffield lad) plays the aircraft captain, Jodie the mother of a girl who goes missing during the flight and the rest of the cast do average job with a poor script and far fetched plot. Avoid.

Freedomland – directorial debut of Joe Roth, a well known studio executive. Big cast – Samuel L Jackson, Julienne Moore (The Hours), Edie Falco (The Soprano’s), Bill Forsythe (The Last Marshall) – based on the novel by Richard Price. A car is hijacked in one of the projects, inside is supposed to be small 4yr old boy. Car driven by white women. Lots of levels, good acting, lots of drama. Ebert didn’t like this movie. I do.

World’s Fastest Indian – a nice film with Sir Anthony Hopkins as an old New Zealander who wants to break the world land speed record. Amusing, sensitive, textured. Good film.

If Only.. – a gentle, UK film looking at what would happen if you could anticipate the future. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul Nichols carry this film, which she also bankrolled it. Good evenings viewing.

Prime – intriguing film with Merly Streep as a therapist whose client dates her estranged son. Uma Thurman is the love interest here and it’s a well crafted piece with a set of Jewish lines. Good entertainment for a pleasant evening with a nice wine.


Films I am still wanting to see:

Da Vinci Code (Tom Hanks)
The Libertine (Johnny Depp)
Take the Lead (Antonio Banderas)
Syriana (George Cluny)
What the Bleep do we Know?
Nine Lives (Dakota Fleming, Kathy Baker, Glenn Cose, Ian McShane)
Hustle and Flow (Terence Howard)
Friends with the Money (Aniston)
Magnolia (William H Macey)

Hancock for Premier

Dave Hancock is a good choice for Premier of Alberta. He is passionate, intelligent, creative, focused and was probably the best Minister of Advanced Education we have had in a considerable time. Though not brash and glamorous, Dave "gets it". He knows that the future is a challenge and not "God given", knows that there is work to be done and understands this work well - he was key in developing the 20 year strategy for Alberta (which, whatever you think about it, is important - we actually have one!). Read more about what Dave is up to and why he should be supported at his web http://www.davehancockcrew.ca/

I will be working for Dave and pushing the strong line that this is a crucial choice for Alberta - we have 2 years before another election, and he could refocus Government in this time. Whatever happens, he needs to be one of the key influencing voices - the intelligent man's choice.

I would like him to focus on:

• Our democratic deficit
• Rethinking our reliance on commodities
• Reimagining the innovation system
• Reducing government spending and slimming down government
• Increasing taxation
• Reiventing health care and social support systems

There is a lot to do...

Lyle Oberg is another interesting candidate - but I find him weak and wishy washy. Jim Dinning (who I worked with on the non fiscal side of his first two budgets when he was Provincial Treasurer / Finance Minister) is also able and bright, though I dont see many policy statements and he is very busy kissing babies, shaking hands and walking the mile...all key tasks, but I will be voting for imagination, plans and action.

630 CHED puts Dave in the lead....so hey, I could be on a winning team!!

Robot Does Surgery...

For the first time, a robot surgeon in Italy has carried out a long-distance heart operation by itself. "This operation has enabled us to cross a new frontier," said Carlo Pappone, who initiated and monitored the surgery on a PC in Boston, ANSA reported. Pappone is head of Arrhythmia and Cardiac Electrophysiology at Milan's San Raffaele University.

The 50-minute surgery, which took place in a Milan hospital, was carried out on a 34-year-old patient suffering from atrial fibrillation. Dozens of heart specialists attending an international congress on arrhythmia in Boston also watched. Pappone has used the robot surgeon in at least 40 operations. "It has learned to do the job thanks to experience gathered from operations on 10,000 patients," Pappone said, pointing out that the robot carries the expertise of several human surgeons used to boost its software.

From http ://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-20060518-16332100-bc-italy-robotsurgeon.xml

Game Boy 911

Nice story for today - thanks to 630 CHED. A 12 year old had his game boy temporarily confiscared, due to his bad behaviour. The mother explained why. He argued that it was a human right to have a game boy. It was still locked into a cupboard. The boy rang 911.

Sign of the times ?

The other story I picked up today is from a headline in The New Scientist. Under the headline Did Humans and Chimps Once Interbreed? the article by Bob Homes explores the evidence..and concloudes that we dont know....so how about Did Humans and Once Interbreed?

Doing the RIGHT Thing in Alberta

The two most radical policies the new progressive conservative Premier of Alberta will need to pursue, once elected are: (a) reduce government spending and lower expectations of the Alberta government’s future prosperity; and (b) increase taxation so that people start to pay more of the real costs of Government services. This is what a true conservative would do and here’s why.

First, the Government are subsidizing a range of services and, by doing so, encouraging demand for these services to grow. As demand grows, the cost of these services also grows and they become increasingly difficulty to pay for. Health care is a good example. The more we provide health care services at modest costs to people, the more these services are demanded. If growth in health care costs continues at its present rate – around 11% each year – that at some point in the future, health care expenditure will cause the Province to return to deficits and debt.

Alberta has been spending too much. Annual growth in government expenditure is around 6% on average – some 1.5% more than the rise in inflation and the growth of the population would suggest as appropriate. To balance the books on a continuing basis, annual growth in expenditure needs to be no more than 4%. This will minimize the risk of Alberta returning to debt.

Just tackling spending does not solve the problem of responsible Government. If Albertan’s are serious about key issues – education, health, environment and the future – then they should start to build up the Heritage trust funds and focus on adequate base funding for the services they need, preparing Alberta for an inevitable fall in commodity prices. Our taxes should be around 19-20% of GDP, not the 17% Alberta now enjoys. Why? It is at this rate that citizens become much more critical of Government services and waste and use the level of taxation to determine what really matters. They challenge government to get out of some areas of activity and to focus on the real work of Government.

Cutting spending without increasing taxation rarely works – it simply stimulates special interest groups to complain and creates a “defensive” government who then avoid taking bold measures. Increasing taxation without reducing spending also rarely works, people will pay more for specific services like health and education provided that they can see the additional taxes being used intelligently. It is the combination of “tax and cut” that produces real changes in attitude and behaviour. “Tax and spend”, in contrast, is the mantra of another political party.

As taxes increase, the nature of these taxes needs to change. We need to shift the tax burden from personal taxation to consumption taxes – higher taxes on environmental spending (gasoline, for example) and lower taxes on environmentally friendly fuels (bio-diesel or ethanol blends, for example). To reduce demand for health services, there should be a strong focus on prevention and patient education and encouragement of self-care. Patients who abuse the system by not showing up for appointments or seeking medical help for the common cold or similar non treatable ailments should face penalties. We need to change attitudes and behaviour to change the demand for service.

None of the declared candidates for the Premiers position are likely to push the argument for smaller government and higher taxes. More likely, we are going to hear bigger government and lower taxes – exactly the opposite of what Alberta needs. It is when times are good Government needs to be bold and show courage – protecting the longer term interests of Albertans by doing the right thing.

Imagine this scenario. Government spending continues to grow at current rates; taxes are reduced and we all continue to receive $400 bonus payments each New Year. By 2008, the Province will be looking at annual deficits and by 2018 debt will be the same as it was in 1992. If oil prices fall below the estimated $60/barrel for oil, as most serious commentators think it will, then Alberta will start debt funding sooner. Health care costs double every nine years – and by 2015, health care and education will account for almost 80% of Alberta’s government expenditure, leaving little for other areas. This is where we are headed unless someone shows courage, calls a spade a spade and does the right thing.

Alberta Ballet

I have become involved in an art form which is about passion, inspiration, movement, music and dance. The ballet. I have joined the Board of Alberta Ballet.

Its an interesting company - at a tipping point in terms of its reputation. Well able to produce outstanding neo-classical and modern pieces, really able to command respect and poised to become one of the most interesting middle sized ballet companies in north America. New works this coming year include a ballet tribute to Joni Mitchell.

Like all arts companies, there are issues - but there always will be. So, I am learning...

Celebrity News: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a baby girl. She weighs 7 pounds 7 ounces and is 20 inches long…wait that's Tom.

China News: President Hu of China visited the White House and gave President Bush a traditional Chinese gift, a pirated bootleg copy of "Mission Impossible 3", two weeks before it came out.

China News: There was an awkward moment during President Hu's visit to the White House. A protester yelled, "Stop the persecution, stop the torture" and President Bush ask, "Which one of us are you talking to?"

National News: Here is some good news. President Bush is creating thousands of new jobs. Unfortunately, all of them are at the White House.

Pentagon News: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced that we are making progress and we are very close to capturing some high ranking officials. Unfortunately they are all retired U.S. generals.

China News: While in the United States the President of China made the rounds at Wal-Mart stores. You know, doing inventory.

Nevada News: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he will not run for the U.S. Senate saying he prefers Las Vegas to Washington D.C. He prefers to stay in a city where trading cash for favors is still technically a crime.

Fashion News: The Bikini turned 60 years old this month. In a related story Liposuction turned 59.

Pentagon News: Despite six retired generals calling for his resignation, Donald Rumsfeld said he will stay until the entire Middle East is safely in the hands of warring religious fanatics.

FEMA News: Seeking repayment of $4.7 million from victims of hurricane Katrina, FEMA today ordered those victims "to stop being homeless" so that it would have somewhere to send the bills.

China News: The White House agreed to allow China to export chickens to America despite the outbreak of the bird flu virus in China. Republicans won't interrupt global trade until there`s a lobster flu virus.

FDA News: The FDA released a statement saying they have found no sound scientific studies showing benefits of medical marijuana. There are benefits, it`s just that researchers are too listless to write the report.

Random Thought: Both Condi Rice and Donald Rumsfeld made "surprise, secret visits" to Iraq last month and said things are going well. Our question is then why do they have to keep making "surprise, secret visits?"

Pentagon News: General Charles Swannack became the sixth retired general to demand Don Rumsfeld's resignation. The Pentagon isn`t taking this lying down. They just canceled all retirements.

Iran News: The bad news from the Middle East is that Iran is now capable of making a nuclear bomb. The good news is they have to drop it from a camel.

US National News: On his tax return President Bush listed Scooter Libby, Tom Delay and Jack Abramhoff as dependants. Then he caught himself and said, "Dependants? Oh, I thought it said defendants!"

Income Tax Update: The IRS now allows you to write off weight loss plans because the Bush administration considers obesity a disease. As opposed to the Clinton administration, which considered obesity sexy.

Pentagon News: Six retired generals are calling for Donald Rumsfeld to step down. But not all the generals are against him. He still has the support of a lot of generals: General Electric, General Dynamics, General Motors.

US National News: President Bush dismissed reports that the U.S. is planning to attack Iran as wild speculation. He then left to go to the Pentagon War Room to help plan "Operation Wild Speculation."

Reminder: Ask your accountant if paying taxes is right for you.

White House News: A man jumped the fence and made it onto the White House front lawn. It is the fourth time the same man has done this. We want to build a fence along the entire Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration and we can't even keep people out of the White House!
Mexico News: This is what we don`t get about this. They`ve got oil. Their citizens love the United States. Forget Iraq, we should have invaded Mexico.

Immigration News: Hispanics took off work in ninety U.S. cities to stage amnesty protest marches. It seemed to go well, but when they got back to their jobs they had been replaced by illegal aliens.

More Films..

Wicker Park – thriller made in 2004. A young Chicago advertising executive believes a woman he sees in a cafe is his long-lost love. His conviction leads to obsession, as he puts his life on hold to trail her – that’s the plot. Played largely by unknowns, likely to remain so. Exceptions are Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbour, Virgin Suicides and several other films) and Rose Byrne. A very average film,.

Capote – excellent film and strong acting from James Seymour Hoffman, who well deserved the Oscar for this performance. Outstanding.

Mrs Henderson Presents – the true story of the Windmill Theatre between the wars with Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Will Young, Thelma Barlow (who plays a wonderful 1900’s Lady – a far cry from Coronation Street) and many others. Good, old fashioned story – excellent character acting and a well deserved Oscar nomination for Judi. Well worth watching.

An Unfinished Life – Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Lopez – a pastoral modern rural story with quality acting (as you would expect). Nice interweaving story, well crafted script. Strong film.

The Lord of War – Nicholas Cage, Ian Holm. Dreadful, dull, predictable film. I think Cage has lost the plot.

Earth – wonderful film set in India at the time of partition (1947). Strong storyline, excellent cinema photography. Good acting, especially by those in female roles. Part of a trilogy (Earth, Fire, Water) directed by Deepa Mehta in 1998.

Water – another excellent film (with a terrific soundtrack) by Deepa Mehta made in 2005 but set n India in 1938 just as Gandhi was becoming important. Powerful. Great story telling, good casting. Won 3 Genies – Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Cinematography and Best Music.

Fire – the third of the Deepa Mehta trilogy, the first made and the weakest of the three. Two married women become lesbian lovers when their husbands either become holy and celibate or celebrate marriage by sexing up a mistress.

Agata and the Storm – an Italian film, focusing on a very beutifiul middle aged women and her brother (who turns out not to be) and her attempts to find meaning in her life. Mildly amusing, but good film.

Ginger and Cinnamon – also Italian and a strong story line, with strong acting and good scenes. Highly recommended.

Antares – This is what one review said: The convoluted love-lives of three women living in a Viennese apartment block provide the emotional payload for this gripping, at times devastating, drama. From married Eva's steamy, reckless affair with a kinky businessman, to Nicole's harassment by her obsessive ex-husband, the film is intricately constructed (with each of the three stories illuminating some hitherto-unseen aspect of the others). Faultlessly acted by its ensemble cast and utterly convincing throughout, this is an occasionally shocking (ie. explicit sex) yet always insightful study of infidelity, deception and sexual hunger, shot in wintry tones that contrast sharply with the heat of the passions aroused. Its a long film, but interesting...

Raja – a Moroccan film – about a man wanting to seduce a 19 year old girl who works in his garden in Marrakech. There are other story lines here too, but the core is an old man of 55 trying to seduce a young woman who in turn wants to be captured. Nice set pieces, strong story and convincing characters. Also recommended.

Memoirs of a Geisha – beautifully filmed, good story line and excellent acting (though sound quality could be better). Recommended.

The Last Remake of Beau Geste – the great Marty Feldman film with Terry Thomas, Peter Ustinov, Roy Kinnear, Trevor Howard, Irene Handel, Sinead Cusack, Spike Milligan, Michael York and many others. Good, 1970’s (it was made in 1977) laugh.

Match Point – very well made, clever Woody Allen movie. Serious, creative and a terrific storyline. His best in a long time.

Get Ready for a Major Conflict - Iran

The world is suddenly a very dangerous place. More dangerous than the Cuban missile crisis and as dangerous then the lead up to the Second World War. The reason: Iran. The cause: the nuclear threat that Iran poses to the world.

Many dismiss the Iran “crisis” as just another Bush created scenario. It is not. In fact, Bush is showing a great deal of caution and is seeking a multinational diplomatic solution, through UN institutions. But all NATO allies should be engaged in contingency planning for a military intervention if diplomacy and sanctions fail.

Here is the problem. Iran is using nuclear power to meet its growing demands for energy. It is also using its nuclear program to generate the capacity for nuclear weapons production and it has made clear that it intends to both use the weapons against Israel and to share the technology with other states.

Some think that the threats to use the weapons and share the technology are “empty” threats – aimed at increasing Iran’s revenue from the increased price of oil caused by promoting regional “uncertainty”. They seek appeasement. Others, including the majority of serious regional analysts, are not sure. They vacillate between believing that, while Iran’s intentions are complex, they are unlikely to use any weapons they create to indicating that use is inevitable while the current power structure remains in Iran. In short, we need to be ready for all possibilities.

The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has challenged the reality of the Holocaust and said that Israel must be “wiped off the map.” He has repeated these comments several times – they are not “off the cuff” remarks, but part of his thinking about Iran’s position. He has held rallies to promote these ideas and the rallies have been well attended. He has replaced well trained Iranian diplomats and foreign office officials with members of the revolutionary guard and is following a “script” which puts real pressure on the West, with the script being written (or at least approved) by the Supreme Ruler of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei. This is the same cleric who is a clear supporter of terrorist groups.

No one is sure how long it will take Iran to build a nuclear weapon – estimates vary from three to ten years. This gives some room for diplomacy, though Iran shows real defiance in the face of such threats. Sanctions are likely, but they have power too: oil. By their defiance, they will force up the price of oil and benefit from lowering their supply of oil to the world market.

The International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) will try and ascertain what is going on in Iran, but will be denied access to key sites and key information. It is likely, as was the case with Iraq, that only partial information will be available when some key decisions will need to be taken. This time, the IAEA should be given the opportunity to undertake their work and recommend action to the UN Security Council.

But get used to the idea of an air strike against Iran. Get used to the idea that, despite the debacle in Iraq, Iran poses a real and present danger to peace and stability in the world. Get used to the rhetoric of this conflict become more dramatic and shrill. Get used to the Israeli’s becoming increasingly concerned about their vulnerability. Get used to having poor information on which to base your judgment about whether Iran or the UN is right of this issue. Get used to the US being willing to act alone, or with a limited number of coalition partners, with the aim of regime change.

The prelude to the Second World War was one of confusion, denial, hope, appeasement, defiance. There was a prelude when, with hindsight, more could have been done to prevent widespread war and to reduce the generational impact of conflict. Now is a moment of prelude – a time for wise counsel, focused action and intelligent planning. We should use it wisely.

My Bid for the Liberal Leadership

I am considering running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. It’s just one option – I may also look closely at the coming race for the Premier of Alberta or the race to succeed Pat Quinn at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Difficult choices.

I have strong qualifications. I have lived in Canada for at least eighteen months – more than some candidates for the Liberal leadership. I have imagination, but I am sure I can soon learn to curb it. I have strong communication skills, though I understand that this is not a particular asset for the Liberal leadership race. I understand many of the key issues and can set up to five priorities at a time, which always sounds convincing, even if limited and not entirely true. I used to have a sense of humour until a combination of high gas prices and trying to buy goods at The Bay knocked it out of me. I have a high regard for democracy.

Reading this last paragraph again, I see my attributes rule me out of running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives, who increasingly have scant regard for democracy, scorn effective leadership and have no priorities. So that’s it. It has to be the Liberals.

I understand that the key issue in the Liberal leadership campaign will be finding someone who is eligible to vote who is not also a candidate. This is often a problem, especially in small towns and decaying political parties. My solution – persuade the Liberals to join with the Green Party to form the Griberal’s or Libereen’s. We would then have to adopt an environmental policy. I have always favored the idea that we should get rid of the environment – it’s too big and difficult to keep clean. I suspect, however, that we will support Kyoto, though we will also follow our last thirteen years of focused government by not actually doing anything.

Another key issue will be our attitude towards the US. It is clear that we have the upper hand. We have infiltrated their entertainment system and can quickly pull the plug on key game shows, news programs and hit TV series.. We should use this power for good, and demand an immediate settlement of the soft wood lumber dispute as a condition of Kiefer Sutherland’s contract for the next three series of 24.

Our policy towards health care should be simple. Sick people should be made to join the NDP. Once there, we can demand that the NDP have a clear policy for health care, since most of those in need of it are their members. People needing hospital treatment could then follow Jack Layton’s example and attend a private clinic.

On gas prices, I think we should all be subsidized to own a hybrid vehicle. I borrowed one from a neighbour – the cart works well, but the horse is difficult to park.

Finally, I have been asked to make clear my position on education. I have always said that any Canadian can get an excellent K-12 education – it just takes four years of University study to do it. Our policy will be to make education affordable, if you have the money to pay.

So that’s my platform for the Green/Liberal alliance. I will choose a hard ass as my Deputy - Belinda Stronach comes to mind. She has strong views is very determined and has been a Liberal now for almost a year.

Reading over all of this again, I wonder how I can get in touch with the Toronto Maple Leaf’s.

A Pressing Apology

The Spectator is a great (British) magazine, full of comment, reviews and excellent writing. One of its columnists, Taki, is a bit of a wild boy. The Speccie felt a need to apologise for one of his comments. Take a boo -

In his "High Life" column of 4 December 2004 (accidentally reproduced on this website as part of his 11 December 2004 column) Taki wrote that the author Lady Colin Campbell had once been a man who had persuaded her former husband to marry her by passing herself off as a woman. We accept that Lady Colin Campbell is a woman and had no need to pass herself off to her former husband as something she was not. We apologise to Lady Colin Campbell for the distress and embarrassment caused and have agreed to pay her damages and legal costs.

Dont you just love this kind of stuff...

New Ways of Working

Since I left full time employment and started my own companies, I have been creatively busy. The good news is that I am doing well. The bad news is that I hadnt realized just how much of an addiction work is.

I guess for me, it doesnt matter. Work for me is reading, writing, eating, talking, thinking, laughing, shaking my head. Not exactly difficult.

My dad, for example, was a carpenter and had to work inside and outside in all weathers and do exact measurements, build things, hit nails into wood and screw around (if you know what I mean) - very physical labour. The fact that he did this for a brewery kind of helped, but he also worked on building sites and in an old wool mill. Then there are friends who work on oil rigs off the north sea or are in the hotel trade. That's work.

Work for me is fun. I am on a couple of boards - Alberta Ballet, Heritage Community Foundation, Galileo Educational Network (where I am chair) - and helping to create the Alberta Chamber of Technologies (see www.2020network.ca). I have been able to write some very interesting pieces for the Edmonton Journal (see my journalistic blog - look to your right and click), Alberta Venture and even Lifestyle 55+ (where I am their technology editor). Alberta Venture also took a piece recently (see http://www.albertaventure.com/abventure_4621.html ) and I have real hopes of my piece for Atlantic Monthly.

I have consulting work through networks and links with others, including a nice piece for Molson and have just finished a very significant piece for Alberta Sustainable Resources and another for Alberta Human Resources and Employment.

I have someone pay me to look systematically at the future of various technologies, both for e-learning (Contact North) and for ICT (ICT Council, Alberta) as well as being hard at work on the fibre roadmap for Alberta (via ARC) and the strategy for innovation in Canada (thanks to Innovation & Science).

So fun. But work.

Maybe its time to drive to San Fransisco and then onto Oregon and visit the working son.

Things, They are a Changing....

This report from the BBC web site: “A so-called super tomato bred to have unusually high levels of a substance which may cut the risk of certain cancers has been launched by Tesco. The supermarket giant says its Healthy Living Tomato on the Vine contains up to twice the level of lycopene found in other vine tomatoes”. Here’s the kicker: The new tomatoes will be sold in a pack of four or five costing £1.89 ($4.25Can = $1.06 a tomato).

But this is not the only new invention coming to a store near you. Sports clothing firm O'Neill is set to launch a jacket with a built-in keypad that lets you control your iPod or mobile phone without exposing your hands to the cold. A microphone sewn into the collar of the coat works via Bluetooth short range radio with the control box in the jacket so wearers can make and take calls while ski-ing. A backpack with similar controls built in, plus a camera that sits on one of the shoulder straps, will go on sale at the same time. The backpack should cost about 350 euros (£240 or $540Can).

NEC is developing a product called Sala that integrates a radio tag into an item of jewellery, such as a wedding ring - associated with an important event. When the ring, earring or brooch is placed near a display device that can read the tag it calls up the images, movies or sounds the owner has associated with it.

Metro (a large store company) is developing a prototype smart changing room that could help those looking for clothes see what they look like wearing them without actually having to put them on. The system used radio tags to identify clothes and when the items of apparel are put near a large display, sensors read the tags and show an image of a model wearing an outfit made up of those items. Early versions of the system show all the clothes on models but future versions will include a body scanner so the exact shape of shoppers can be used in the display.

Its getting interesting out there.

Goodbye and Good Luck, Mr Klein

So, Ralph has decided to step down as Premier in the fall. There will be a leadership process and he will go in September.

Good thing too. A skilled street smart politician, it was clear that the time has come for him to move on. The question now we should ask is not who will succeed, now what are the key characteristics of the leadership that Alberta now needs to see. Here are my thoughts.

First, the leader has to have a strong, compelling and challenging vision for Alberta’s future. They cannot simply look at revenues and wonder how to best distribute wealth – they need to recognize the need to diversify the economy, to support development and challenge Albertans to think of the future in a positive but more realistic way.

Second, they need to understand the power of democratic institutions, effective government and public: private partnerships for the work that Alberta needs to do. They need to understand the balance between these different kinds of organizing forces and push for productive, effective and accountable government. There is much to do under this heading.

Third, they need to understand that less but focused government is better than more government. They need to get spending back under control – we have been spending more than the growth of the population and inflation requires and we need to cut again while we have a chance to do so. Spending avoids responsibility. They need to make focused investments and think long term about funding, rather than short term.

Fourth, they need to understand that Alberta needs to build a capacity for innovation and support focused efforts to do so. Innovation is about companies, supports for commercialization, market development and the flow of skilled people. We need to do much more here. We have done much to support basic research in the Universities – we now need to focus on strengthening the flow of new products from Alberta into the world’s economy.

Sixth, they will have to stop talking about health care and the “third way”, and face up to the fact that health care spending is a major challenge and needs a long term solution. Smart, brave rethinking focused on management, productivity, skills and prevention are key to the thinking needed here. This will mean that the new Premier will have to face down critics and challenge the system to do much more with less cash than the system wishes to see. The fundamental problem is not money, but imagination and courage.

Seventh, they need to have a clear and believable strategy for sustaining our natural resources – balancing development with stewardship, extraction with renewal. Albertan’s are strongly committed to sustainable natural resources and to prosperity – they look to leadership to balance these competing forces.

Finally, Albertans expect to be engaged and informed. They expect their Premier to be a world-class communicator, a team player as well as a leader and consummate politician. They will look for new ways of public participation, not bogus consultations or gimmicky surveys. They will look for a twenty first century leader to use twenty first century technologies to intelligently involve Albertans in policy formulation, deployment and execution.

Whoever ends up in this role has a lot going for them – a thirst for a new kind of politics, adequate resources to manage change and a growing acceptance that the resource revenues will not last for ever. There is also a tiredness in government which will readily respond to an injection of new blood, new thinking, new energy.

Political honeymoons are short – ask Stephen Harper. It is more important to have a clear, focused plan which the new Premier will act on than to have “spin”, “slogans” and marketing gimmicks. The next leader will need a plan to lead our future, not just “build on the past”.

Best Comedy Show on Television

Today I caught Prime Ministers Question period in the UK parliament. It was an interesting event. Tony Blair, sometime British Prime Minister, is away in Australasia and the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, took his place. David Cameron, leader of the official opposition, is also away, so a former leader, William Hague, took his place.

Both are Yorkshiremen from Rotherham. Both are seasoned performers. Hauge is widely regarded as the best speaker in the house. Prescott, a bruiser, is well known to have a serious problems in mangling the language (English, we think).

It was a great show - probably the best comedy on television today. Here are some examples (thanks to the BBC):

John Prescott: "The Tories have been going through leaders so fast they have started at the beginning again". (Hauge was 4 leaders ago)

William Hague: "He is over 65 yet he did not pay council tax at all. What was so special about election year that pensioners needed £200 council tax help just for that year?"

John Prescott: "The Tories are so green they are recycling their leaders".

And there was more

William Hague: "There was so little English in that answer, President Chirac would have been happy with it".

John Prescott: (On the prime minister's retirement timetable) "That's for me to know and him to guess at".

And here's another one from my blue bookWilliam Hague: "At least I got through that campaign (2001 election) without hitting anybody". (Prescott thumped a man who threw an egg at him - Prescott was widely admored at the time for being a real man not a girly boy).

John Prescott: "I thought we had finished with Punch and Judy politics. I know I will be called Mr Punch, what does that leave him as?"

William Hague: "The prime minister has fled the country before the police turn up". (A reference to the scandal surrounding the loans for peerages deal, which has now turned into a corruption case).

It was great fun. Bet we wont see this kind of stuff next week when the Canadian parliament opens again after a break for election, corruption and moving the chairs about.

Pension Chaos

Britain is on strike - 80,000 public sector workers walked off the job today in a dispute over pensions. The argument is not about the size of the pension, but about when a person is entitled to it. Under the existing rules, a person who has worked for the equivalent of 35 years (the formulae is that a persons actual age plus length of service must be 85 or higher) can retire on a full, index linked final salary pension. The government wants to scrap this rule, and require a person to work to 65 (which may be changed to 70) before being entitled to a pension.

It is an interesting development. A strike over the right not to work.

The context is simple. Britain's demographics are the same as Canada's - the boomers are approaching retirement and many are eligible to pensions under this rule and many of them are smart enough to say that not working is likely to be more fun than working. The government, however, have a major problem. Unfunded public sector pension liabilities are £960b (according to Watson Wyatt) and will soon reach one trillion pounds. This is equal to £40,000 per household in Britain and is larger than the public sector debt in the UK.

The private sector fairs not much better. Many used to have final salary pension benefits, but most have abandoned these for new entrants into their firms. Over half of the working population in the private sector in the UK have no pension arrangements - they are either earning too little or have opted out. Of those in schemes, 40% have opted for the minimum scheme, which will give them just £31 a week on retirement.

Striking draws attention to the pension crisis in Britain. What will it take for Canadian's to wake up to the fact that the situation here is not much different?

The Future Isn't What it Used To Be

The Australian Foresight Institute has closed.

Bet they didn't see that coming.

A Tribute to Jen Anderson

It is rare to come across someone in one's professional life that becomes both a role model and a friend.

I met Jen Anderson in 1999/2000 when I was working with the team at Lifeskills. Jen had been Barrie Hopson's ex (founder of Lifeskills) and had been in consulting for a long time. We needed help with some work at Metropolitan Housing on our leadership development / project management work and Jen arrived to help. She was wonderful - organized, smart, focused, funny, supportive, challenging, imaginative, creative and well versed in the "stuff" both in terms of substance and process. We got on well.

In 2002/3 she won some work with Sunderland Hospital and again we worked together - just the two of us. We created a program, delivered it and trusted each other a lot. We spent time socially here too, where I found out more about her hopes and ambitions. Given that she had beaten cancer once, the only thing "odd" about Jen was that she continued to smoke.

She wanted to move to Kenya, to live there with her partner Phillip and rest. She had battled with cancer and won, but it had left her conscious of the frailty of life. They had a place in Kenya - they were getting ready to go. The idea was to do a bang up job on their house in the north, sell it a profit and retire to Kenya on the basis of this (and other cash set aside).

She couldn't, however, leave her father - who was frail and a little dementia got in the way of their relationship, which was a grumpy one anyway.

Then she got hit with another bout of cancer, this time she was finding it tough to beat. She tried chemo, she tried alternatives, she tried, well anything and was very systematic about it too - I can just picture her colour coded binders, key points underlined, power point slides with the focal points of various therapies... She kept us all informed of progress and was for ever optimistic, though her last note had a sense of running out of options.

She died yesterday. Her partner was there with her when she moved on and was able to spend the time caring for her.

But I will miss her. I will miss her smile. Her energy. Her commitment and her ability to show empathy with people. I have lost an exemplary colleague and a friend. I have lost someone who knew the value of life, and lived it to the full as long as she could.

Take care Jen, wherever you are. I know you will spend time in Kenya - be there whenever the mood takes you.

Films Watched in 2006 (so far)

Sidney Lumet, on Charlie Rose the other day, suggested that the 2005 films were among the best he had seen for many years. I obviously watched the wrong movies.

Here are some I have seen so far in 2006:

Broken Flowers – fell asleep and snored my way through a totally dreadful movie. Bill Murray plays the same character he played in Lost in Translation and fails here too. Avoid at all costs.

North Country – almost fell asleep, but did manage to write 3,000 words before the film finished. This is Charleze Theron playing a puffed up, angry woman again. Not much drama and a totally predictable film, based on pathos. Watch if you really have to get a job done.

A History of Violence – very strong, focused movie. Excellent production values and a good, compelling story. William Hurt good and deserved his Oscar nomination for best supporting actor (and I really thought Maria Bello did an excellent job as the wife of the main character, played by Viggo Mortensen).

Dear Frankie – a family movie, but a good one about a boy who believes his dad is at sea, when in fact his mum simply left him (and he’s now dying of cancer). She persuades someone to play Frankie’s dad, who then falls in love with the mum. Lead played by Emily Mortimer – daughter of Sir John Mortimer (Rumpole).

Crash - very surprised this won anything, anywhere. Dull movie. Potentially interesting story, lost in translation to the screen. Poor acting generally.

Ladies in Lavender - Judi Dench played a whistful spinster beautifully. Nice little film.

Junebug – disappointing movie, with a pretentious story line and the odd moment of acting. Embeth Davidtz plays the lead female role, but the real star of this film (and nominated for best supporting actress at the Oscars) was Amy Adams. Movie not really worth the energy.

Callas Forever – a Jeremy Irons movie about trying to persuade a fading Maria Callas to revive her career by doing full length feature films lip-sync’ing the words. Fanny Ardant (who learned to speak English for this film – you wouldn’t know) does a magnificent job of playing Callas. It’s a long movie, but well worth the watch. Great music too (if you like Carmen). Some trivia: Fanny was Truffaut’s partner.

Pride and Prejudice - the new version with Donald Sutherland, Keira Kinghtley and others. Stunning cinematography and good story telling (very condensed version of the story). Enjoyable.

Oliver - Polanski's version of this Dicken's classic is powerfully told, with Sir Ben Kingsley as Fagin. Again, story well told and stunning cinematography.

November – When her boyfriend is shot to death in a robbery, LA photographer Sophie Jacobs (Courtney Cox) tries her hardest to put the event behind her. But as she struggles to get over the murder, Sophie's life begins to change, leaving her clueless as to what's coming. But worst of all, the line between reality and fantasy is beginning to shatter. Its an interesting movie, leaving you wondering – a bit like Sixth Sense with grown ups. Its OK.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill – a charming, effective documentary about San Francisco’s wild parrots. Very nicely made movie, and an Oscar nominated film.

Grizzly Man – film about the couple who loved grizzly bears so much that they got eaten by one. True story – it’s a documentary – of self0indulgent guy. Not very inspiring.

March of the Penguins – terrific documentary film, which deserved the Oscar in the documentary category. Compelling story of what it takes for an Emperor Penguin couple to create, incubate, birth and look after a baby penguin. Morgan Freeman’s narration strong. Highly recommended.

Downfall – A vivid, compelling and powerful version of Hitler’s last days. Very strongly recommended.

Wedding Crashers - came recommended as a funny film, but was not at all funny. The odd smile. Predictable, poor and occassionally pedestrian.

The Last Hour – a grieving widow is allowed to spend one last hour with his wife. In my view, he needn’t have bothered.

Mr and Mrs Smith - well, hope their real love life isnt this predictable and poor. Brad Pitt and Ms Jolie ramp around with guns.

The Great Raid – about getting PoW’s out of a Japanese war camp in the Philippines. Very realistic film, well made. Of specialist interest, but good.

In Good Company – a corporate morality tale with Dennis Quaid and Scarlett Johansson. Quaid plays a middle-aged ad exec faced with a new boss who's nearly half his age ... and who also happens to be sleeping with his daughter and it has some funny moments, an irony.

Constant Gardener – very powerful film, effective acting (Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz – the latter won an Oscar) and a good story. Classic.

Good Night and Good Luck – powerful Clooney written and directed film (he’s also in it and won an Oscar for best supporting actor) about Ed Morrow’s campaign against McCarthy in the 1950’s. Black and white works well.

Almost at the end of the first quarter of the year, the last two films above being the best so far (with Callas).

Movie's I would like to see

Capote
The New World
Memoirs of a Geisha
An Unfinished Life (Redford)
Matchpoint (Woody Allen)
Nine Lives
Mrs Henderson Presents
Casonova
The Libertine (Johnny Depp)
Freedomland
Syriana
Hustle and Flow
Pirates II (and III when it comes out)

- we have a home theatre system, so I guess we'll just have to wait.