Jeffrey Aho

In the past I wrote about my opinions of animal “rights” supporters. I talked about how I felt these individuals were misguided and their actions were absurd. My justification: Why would one support the “rights” of animals over the rights of humans? Isn’t the causes of fighting human poverty and crimes against humanity a more just cause than “saving” the animals? It’s not like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Universal Declaration of human rights includes animals…

One angry commentor on my site tried to “trap” me by asking if I’d support human charities always before animal charities (such as PETA). The fact is, there was never a trap, and they were confused. I had thought I made my self clear enough in the entry, but that’s exactly what I explicitly said: Human issues take precident always over animal issues. Until an animal has the ability to solve my differential equation assignment, and the world recognizes their “rights”, my view won’t change, and I find anyone who thinks otherwise very misguided.

This topic comes up with the onset of the 2006 Canadian Seal Hunt. Every year this takes over the news and people protest and we see countless pictures of the “inhumane” activities. The fact is (alot of this taken from CBC) that the methods used have been evaluated by the Canadian Veterinary Journal and given approval. The governement closely watches the hunt and ensures the hunt is performed humanely. Seal “rights” sites twist the truth, such as on this website, Harpseals.org, where the show multiple images of white coats, despite the fact killing white coats is illegal. The still provide links to poaching videos of the 70’s. All of this propaganda is used to advance their cause which is severely misguided. They seem to ignore the fact that the seal hunt provides much needed income for East coast families. I’m sorry, is it wrong to support income for families so they don’t starve at the expense of the death of a few brainless seals?

Of course all the environmentalists don’t talk about the environmental benifit of the seal hunt. Since our society chooses more to breed our food in controlled situations, the ecosystem needs controlled hunting to reduce animal populations to balance the food chain. The government decides exactly how many seals can be hunted to maintain the population and ensure they don’t grow out of control, thus effecting other populations such as fish. As a classmate has said, the only reason people protest this is because seals are cute….no one cries foul when you boil a lobster live or hook fish with barbed hooks and cut them up while still living. In fact, just because nerve spasms show movement doesn’t mean it is alive…like many seal protesters claim. They need to focus their energy elsewhere.

Today the Globe has an interesting article about confrontations between Hunters and Protesters. My favourite part, where they talk about the “angry hunters charged the protesters’ boat and flung seal intestines and other pieces of carcasses at the activists.” A week ago it was reported that Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette responded to a letter from an american couple in regards to the seal hunt. She replied saying that they were misguided and what she finds horrible really is “the daily massacre of innocent people in Iraq, the execution of prisoners - mainly blacks - in American prisons, the massive sale of handguns to Americans, and the destabilization of the entire world by the American government’s aggressive foreign policy, etc.” I’m glad that we have a tenured senate that is willing to actually say what is on the mind of many Canadians.

All this talk about seals has encouraged me to go have a Mammoth Burger at Chill and Grill…or if you are DQ, the Grill.

Random Wikipedia Article: Libertarianism

Currently Listening to: MODS professor drone on

Tomorrow is election day. I urge you all to vote for who you want to vote for. Don’t vote for one party over your preferred party to keep another out. Vote for who you want to win. (Need I remind you that each vote does count, and in fact counts $1.75 into the party coffers that you vote for?) Choose your Canada. (For those Undecided, the Globe’s Platform Breakdown)

All the major Canadian media will be covering it. I think I’ll be watching CTV and checking the Globe and Mail. If you need a ride to the polls, call one of the local party offices and they will be glad to pick you up and drive you there, regardless of who you vote for. Also remember that your employer is entitles to give you 3 consecutive hours off to go and vote. It doesn’t take very much of your time, but it does make a difference.

I hope that all people I know who are eligible will go vote. Getting involved in politics, or just even being informed is a civic responsibility. Yesterday I went to Kitchener to a Liberal rally with 2 of my roommates (note: just because they were there doesn’t mean they are Liberals). The Prime Minister was present for this rally (why we picked it). Unfortunately we never heard anything really new in his speech, but it is nice to see the PM taking time to visit your riding and talk with media so close to the election. (Unlike Harper who has ended media interviews…hiding away like he’s doing some of his candidates) Too bad he totally shafted me (His hand was 2 inches away and he turned!) Can’t really blame him, dozens of people trying to shake his hand, he looked a little dazed.

Well, tomorrow we will have a different make-up of government. I’ll be choosing my Canada, I hope the rest of you do too.

Currently Listening to: Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
Random Wikipedia Article: Port Knocking

My last week in Windsor, and then I’m home for the Holidays. Then back to Waterloo.

Unfortunately for my readership this is going to be more like a regular blog (the HORROR!) than I usually make it. And you also get the *privilege* of listening to me rant about politics and the election. Hurray for you.

First off, I got an ‘Excellent evaluation’ on my work term at Nemak. I’m pretty happy about that. I really enjoyed my work term this time around. Learned alot about mechanical and facilities engineering as well as manufacturing and industrial settings. Hopefully I’ll get to return.

I recently passed 1500 unique visitors, and for the first 6 months of being online, I’m pretty happy. Last I checked I have a PageRank of 5, which is pretty decent. Between searches for my name, and for PDEng related search strings, that is where I get most of my search result referrals.

On to Politics…It’s been almost a month since the government dissolved and the election started. Last week we had the first french and English leadership debates. Nothing really special came from that. I do find it quite confusing though why Harper keeps on bringing up the Same Sex marriage legislation. It’s law, and won’t be changed. He claims that if he becomes PM he will have a free vote in the house to overturn the legislation. He also claims that he won’t use the Notwithstanding Clause to do so and he will grandfather in all current marriages under the law. Now isn’t this confusing? He says he is going to overturn the legislation that 134 law scholars have went on the record of saying that the Notwithstanding Clause is needed to overturn…without using the Notwithstanding Clause. Upon further reading, Harper doesn’t believe the Clause is needed, so he apparently believe he is more of a legal scholar that 134 respected legal scholars. Apparently a Masters in Arts is good enough to prove JDs wrong…

Furthermore, he is proposing to make second-class citizens of a subgroup (mainly gays) while making them also second class citizens to the greater population. The Grandfather clause he proposed (most likely) in an attempt to appease some voters further will discriminate as some individuals will have been awarded full rights, while others will be barred from them. Why is Harper wasting parliament’s time on this issue? It was decided earlier this year with a MAJORITY in the house. Proved that this nation’s parliamentarians (at least the ones who voted for it) are doing their work to preserve minority rights and support the Charter.

I’m going to have a tough time deciding who I’m going to vote for in this election. While I’m a self identifying Liberal, what it really comes down is the individual candidates in my riding. This leaves Joe Comuzzi (Liberal) and Bruce Hyer (NDP) [I won't vote conservative]. I don’t know if I can stomach voting for Joe after he resigned from cabinet earlier this year over Bill C-38. And Bruce is such a nice guy. I heard from my Dad that he stopped by our house looking for me (I volunteered at his last campaign) and even though my Dad noted that I had switched parties, Bruce left the invitation of meeting over the Christmas break to discuss policy and “win me back”. How can I argue with such a dedicated and personable man? The qualities I have witnessed in Mr. Hyer are far greater than anything I’ve ever seen Mr. Comuzzi convey. It’s not like Comuzzi has a cabinet position anymore where he can make an impact for his constituents.

Well, that’s for me to think about I guess. I still have a bit to decide. I do know that I will not ever vote conservative, especially with Harper at the helm. Last week a speech from 1997 came to light in which Harper, speaking to a group of Americans as vice-president of the National Citizen’s Coalition, in which he called Canada “a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the term”. He went on to scold unemployed, bilingualism, Quebec, our established political system, judicial system, and political parties. He even said the “NDP is kind of proof that the Devil lives and interferes in the affairs of men”. Essentially he bashed every aspect of Canada. I’m not sure how even the Conservatives picked such a horrible leadership candidate. He just wants Canada to turn into The United States.

Speaking of them, they had a few issues in the last week as well. The Patriot Act failed to be extended in Senate, with Bush saying “The senators obstructing the Patriot Act need to understand that the expiration of this vital law will endanger America and will leave us in a weaker position in the fight against brutal killers.” Meanwhile, he’s defending himself against illegal wiretaps against his own citizens saying “It was a shameful act for someone to disclose this important program in a time of war…The fact that we’re discussing this program is helping the enemy”. Funny that he will call it war when it conveniences him, and when he takes prisoners in this “war” won’t call them “war prisoners”, but “enemy combatants” to get around international law. The US has committed so many war crimes and should be charged, the administration indicted, and economic sanctions imposed.

And the US media? Did anyone else hear Tucker Carlson say “Canada is a sweet country. It is like your retarded cousin you see at Thanksgiving and sort of pat him on the head. You know, he’s nice but you don’t take him seriously. That’s Canada.” Wow. And you wonder why there is Anti-american sentiment in the world…sickens me.

Currently Listening to: The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
Random Wikipedia Article: Parkour