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Elections: Politicians on Trial

©2015 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee         [caption id="attachment_3170" align="aligncenter" width="240"]Jail bars Go to Jail[/caption]    

At Election Time --Should Society Put All Politicians On Trial?

  North American airwaves are buzzing with static-talking bobble-heads and political-media overload.   We  don't have to wonder why. Election hype. Politicians on trial...   Politicians on trial? What? Scandalous!  What? Revelations?  What? Here at Incoming Bytes we'd like to  put'em all on trial.  Is there really anything new in politics?   Let us repeat that, is there really anything new in politics? Guess. Our astute readers already know the answer.   It's a game. The same old, same old.  It's a party.  Corruption.  Self-entitlement. Who said this, who knew, when, where and why. Election talk. Gleeful mean-mouthing,  blood-letting, mud-slinging and  political rhetoric; assumptions, pretense, hollow promises,  and deceit..Evil lawyer's tricks, half-truths... Tongue in cheek...Wow another election, another Party. That's exciting isn't it. Canada?  No. it's predictable.   Is it coffee time yet?

In Ottawa,  Nigel Wright,  ex-Chief of Staff, one-time right-hand man for Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, has been testifying at the infamous Mike Duffy Senate corruption trial, a process promising to reveal  little if any genuine and believable truth.  IN the minds of many observers, the trial is promising to be a joke —if uncomfortable for the PM now facing voters.  An endless, expensive trial and sad commentary on the increasingly disgusting, bloated, vortex-shaped hog trough of blatant Senate self-entitlement and coverup of corruption.  A free-wheeling, corrupt institution revealed. Apparently with self-imposed, self-governed, self-approved, rubbery, slippery, and outrageous  discretionary rules, that is.   A glaring,  sucking money-pit of hypocrites and liars Canadians now abhor and an institution Canadians want abolished.

Americans might have Donald Trump in the headlines, but in Ottawa Nigel the smiling, devious  boy    continues to relay heroic tales about his happily/ unhappily 'contributing' $90K or so —by check from his own bank account  to 'help' "Senator" Duffy repay some 'improper expenses which "came to light''.

 That brilliant move by Mr. Wright  was seemingly an effort to aid the Conservative party in hiding an ongoing conspiracy to deceive Canadians in "the House of Sober Second Thought".  Thanks, Nigel, what a helpful fellow.   Nigel  now maintains he took this action unilaterally, —get this revelation, alert people — "without  the approval OR knowledge of 'good to go'  Mr. Stephen Harper". uh, huh!   Um...). And got relieved of his job for doing so. Right.  His replacement, Ray Novak,  Harper's friend, and Wright's 'replacement' "didn't read emails" taking over the job.   Why, sure, we believe that too.

The smell of blood is everywhere,  a blatant cover-up; it may be a daisy, but smells like rot, —with the  election right on schedule.  The Opposition is rumbling, the PM is deadpanning, his body posture betraying him , but he is sticking to his Prepared Creative-Harper Script which is simply not believable.   Picture this, folks,  Duffy, a portly, sweating Harper-appointed Senator,  smiles as he shuffles his way in to court.  Shall Canadians all laugh gleefully  now?  "Improper expenses repaid" with full knowledge of the Conservative Party, Senators,  the now 'ex' Chief of Staff, and the new Chief of Staff  who apparently pretends he does not read emails about significant issues at his new job—as well as other staffers in the PM's office. And with the knowledge of at least one senior Senator reportedly pushing  the auditors  (DT)  for a better, more suitable outcome. —Cool! Is that influence-buying ? Everyone knows.    (But *ahem,*    "not* Stephen Harper, the leader, micro-controlling Stephen,  holding the scripted let's fool the electorate speech in la-la-land  and of COURSE,  he continues to insist he knew nothing...) Why not? Well sure,  all Canadians believe in the tooth fairy and the Mad Hatter  too. Just ask Alice. 

We think Stephen Harper should be called to the stand.  Even some of his own angry troops don't believe his story,  and cuss out the media (with expletives) when questions are asked.  Long-time Conservatives demanding the truth are "escorted" out of the meetings....Too easy.

 

"Senator" Mike Duffy, as crooked as he has been charged,  is only ONE of several Senators either on suspension, trial, heading for jail and/or under investigation by the RCMP.  He and 58 other friends were appointed by  Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the promising, but failed wannabe Senate-abolisher.

 

"We guess 10 years in power with a majority government isn't long enough to start governing, or abolishing anything . Uh, huh. It's a tough life isn't it?  —avoiding off-script media questions and making big political off-script boo-boos, that is.     Electioneering, that's it, we're *electioneering,  we're good to go...with a  big, steaming pile of it.  Alice, we're good to go.  Did'ya get that?


 

Note:  *The country's earliest, most expensive, and longest- ever election call* in Canada  — at an estimated $500M Cdn cost to Canadian taxpayers; a sad spectre of 78 days of political shoveling, wheedling,  blather, stumping , lies, half-truths, impossible promises, rallies by invitation only...You get the idea.

 

 

There is little hope of life returning to normal;  summer is promising to be a steaming pile without sunscreen.  With angry, skeptical voters, we may soon want to begin putting all politicians on trial. No kidding. 

 

Here at Incoming Bytes  alert observers will want to go further;  put politicians on trial AND run'em all out of town on a rail...er...well, okay,  the best solution for Canadians may be  earplugs, beaches, barbecues or some other simple  entertainment.


 

 

       speaking of which...

 

Meanwhile in USA-Land, more Politicians on Trial

    Look no further. Why?  A generic billionaire South of the border  —Donald Trump, that is —has been outrunning  Republican Presidential-nominees into  collective single-digit poll ratings  like sorry,   one-use sneakers.   Trump says it?  It's what he thinks, brash or not.  Ding-ding-ding, Alice.  It comes across as honesty, get that?   A lot of folks take exception to what he says. Or thinks.  That's everything.  Is honesty simple entertainment?   The dreaded Donald is up front in the exciting Presidential chicken-run, leading and thriving in an apparent PC Republican bloodbath. Dice and slice, more of the same old, same old.    Blood from the ears, and wherever else, he says,  but with political sweat and  tears  the media points scratchy, painted rainbow fingernails at Donald Trump's style and  atrocious commentary.  Eyes big and round, political tut-tuts... politically-correct Republicans are having apoplectic fits...listening to Donald, their worst nightmare.

Common sense is  lacking everywhere.  Is Trump the man, a flash in the pan, or serious?  Here at Incoming Bytes  we  smack our heads on our dusty laptop keyboards  and wonder at the  low quality of political entertainment.  Let's go to the beach instead.  You get the idea.  Spend billions building sand castles close to big waves.  Just like politicians do.   Go fishing but not for the truth.  Bury our heads in the sand and practice avoidance.  It's August after all, summertime at its best. Beat the heat.

What's the real fix?

  Maybe we really have to do hard things first. Fix reality.  Maybe we really do have to put all politicians on trial, and demand better.  Feet to the fire for all political liars. Recall. Impeachment for deception, incompetence,  transgressions unforgivable;  no fat salaries, no lifetime  fat pensions, no rewards of any kind for crooks, thieves and devious political opportunists. Real Prison time  for corruption. Jail bars.  No home-free policy for  politicians on trial. No evil lawyer's tricks allowed. In the old West they would say 'hang'em high, pardner" and squint into the sunset.   Okay,  North America, forget it,  just wear earplugs and put on rose-coloured glasses instead.  Pretend, Alice... Don't forget the sunscreen.  There's an idea.     #

 

Is that Incoming I hear?			
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Writing Life: The November Novel

© by Raymond Alexander Kukkee th (2) I can't believe it.  It's almost November again.   The once-spectacular colors of autumn are fading fast,  turning ghostly dull and lifeless in our chilly  rain.  They always do.  We creative types  don't like it much when the Blah's and Writerblocks come knocking either.  At this time of year Northwestern Ontario (which is officially one of the sunniest places in Canada, how can that be?)  is typically  blanketed  by lifeless, pewter-gray clouds. From our vantage point,  they are motionless,  uninteresting,  low, loaded with water,  and magically   propped up only by raindrops.  In other news, gGarden's in, fall cleanup pretty much done, so what to do? It's always a good question, isn't it? What will  you be doing this November?  Blogging?  Niche articles?  More of those brilliant, but never-pay-a- penny  articles for content mills promising great things?   How about a  November novel?  Wait..... Isn't that almost a tradition? Did you participate in NaNoWriMo last year? This is 2013, The Year of the Writer,  so never mind procrastinating and  daydreaming, bending paper clips and teasing the cat, dear scribbler. Sharpen those pencils collecting dust in those wonky dust-covered ceramic mugs on your desk instead if you haven't got a quill pen.  Get paper. Get excited.  Jump up and down. Shout.  Hum. Meditate.   Create  some new, unique  characters that will  drive the world to distraction  instead of waiting for life to happen. Drink some coffee.   Listen to the muse. She'll agree that  November's a great time to write.

 NaNoWriMo

Seriously.  How about tackling a complete novel?  A minimum of 50,000 words in 30 days. Will you be brave enough to join the annual  NaNoWriMo challenge this November?  For writers everywhere, writing 50,000 words or more  to a deadline is a substantial  challenge. I wrote one successfully  last year,  just under 70,000 words,  but then I was  spurred on and competing with that incredibly prolific writer and good friend  Amanda Dcosta, CEO and creator of Mandy's Pages.  The tortoise and the hare. A fine race it was too.  Raised some dust.  Guess who was the tortoise.  I write slowly, methodically, and.....well, good thing there's no obligation to say who finished the race first.  Neither of us has published those novels either.......yet, that is.     How about you, do you dread your November effort will just be another  boring " 50,000 dark and stormy nights" effort?    Hm... Persist. Be encouraged;  maybe it will turn out to be the Great American Novel after all.  We can dream, and we are eternally advised that practice makes perfect. The need for practice  is a great reason to try.  Let's face it, writing is a craft; a skill.  Conscientious effort produces results, however imperfect;  but writing with the intention of practice is usually  improved.   Perhaps this November it will  be honed to perfection. Do you have a unique novel  in the dark files of your mind?  Dig it out; go for it, dial up the muse! November offers other interesting options "What? Anything, tell us, tell us!" you shout with glee.  "What on earth could be as exhilarating as writing 50,000 words in 30 days? " Have you Heard of  GrammoWriMo ?   Recently I was  informed  by  Allison VanNest, Grammarly's Head of Communications —about the folks at Grammarly tossing their hat into the ring for the first time this November with a novel idea —a community novel. It''s an interesting idea;  you can write 800 words and participate in a community novel  that will be cooperatively written by hundreds of authors  including  Gayle Brandeis, who also happens to be a published NaNoWriMo author.   The scoop is that  Gayle will write the first and last lines of this potentially amazing book . To join Gayle and be involved, all you have to do is sign up!   Check out this interesting idea, and by the way, —you can even help decide the plot!  For more information, go to  http://www.grammarly.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/GrammoWriMo-Logo.png Thanks to Allie at Grammarly for that timely information!

Happy November!

Regardless,  whether you decide to tackle a  NaNoWriMo  novel, GrammoWriMo,  short stories or  other options, —choose well, and plan for an exciting November. Pssst....tell me what you're doing, and don't forget to  keep on writing!   Is that Incoming I hear? +    
Posted in Business, Crafts and skills, Life, Publishing, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments