CanuckInUSA

It's time the DEMs seriously consider putting Ted Kennedy out to pasture. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

No it was a good read ... we in the west do not know as much as we should know from such a complex region and a couple of years ago I worked with a Serbian male and female in Vancouver. They were both good people. So I know Serbs are not the monsters some people in the media have made them out to be. PS: It is interesting that Serbia and Montenegro were able to split with each other peacefully a couple of years ago. But I guess the enthic tensions did not exist there like they do in Kosovo. Oh and I am interested in the stability of this region because I know someone in neighboring Bulgaria and I would hate to see problems spill over into that entire region. It's bad enough what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan (and now Turkey is in Iraq). Yikes ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Well in that case Montana and Alberta should join forces to create their own independent country. I wonder if the moron in the White House would recognize an independent Mont'berta? or better yet an independent Albert'ana. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I stand corrected. Told you I was no expert on the Balkans. But since it was the region that set off the start of "The Great War", we should probably not ignore it and we should get our leaders to think twice before they just blindly accept independent declarations of complex enthic regions with histories going back long before the concept of an independent USA was ever conceived. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Since the beautiful state of Montana does not appear wanted by some of you, I will trade you a 6th and a 9th round draft pick for the state of Montana (heck you can keep the eastern plains, we just want Montana's mountains). Albertans need more vacation property and we've pretty much already bought up most of eastern BC. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I think they still are. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Maybe you can help educate some of us in the west to the complexities if the region. I am no Serbian/Kosovo expert. Any knowledge I have of the Balkans is only from the last 10-15 years and of course I have never physically been there. My feeling is that the USA, the UK, Germany and all the other western powers that immediately recognized Kosovo's independence claim, jumped the gun a little to fast and while the rioters shed a negative light on Serbia, their frustrations with the west are real. Correct me if I am wrong ... but ... Kosovo is currently populated by a majority of Albanians, not Serbs. But many of these Albanians are mainly recent immigrants to Kosovo. It is not like Kosovo has been dominated by Albanians for centuries. These Albanians are fairly new to Kosovo. Then throw in the Serbs are mainly Christian and Albanians are mainly muslim with both sides commiting crimes against each others religions institutions. At least in my mind I can understand why the Serbs would be upset and I wonder how much the US leadership (we know GWB can not think for himself, he has proved that time after time) as well as the other western leaders thought this situation out thoroughly before they decided to recognize Kosovo. The area I live in Calgary Canada as well as most of Vancouver is dominated by Chinese immigrants. It is as if these Chinese immigrants moving into my country just declare themselves an indepedent country. I wonder if the USA would recognize an independent Hongcouver or how about an independent Jerusalem? I wonder if the USA would recognize an independent Mexi'fornia? Once again please correct me if I am wrong about Kosovo. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

There have been two close Quebec independence referendums. The first one back in 1980 was close, but the 2nd one in 1995 (the one you speak of) was even closer. But I think Canada should hold a referendum to see if Quebec should be allowed to stay or if we can kick it out. Obviously Ontario and the Maritimes would vote to keep Quebec, but you would see less support the further west you travel. As I said, I am a closet Alberta separatist. I would love to divorce Ontario and Quebec. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

If he is allowed to keep a CCW permit, it just mocks the whole premise behind these permits. This man is not stable and should not be thought of as a responsible person in society who is allowed to own and carry firearms in public. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I would celebrate!!! and I grew up in Quebecistan. But then again I am a closet Alberta separatist. Alberta and Montana should form their own new country just to piss off all those easterners in both countries. Then again Alberta doesn't need Montana. PS: the reason why Canada has not recognized Kosovo yet is because they don't want to give those Quebecers any ideas. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I am no Serbian/Kosovo expert (in fact I don't know all that much about the history there). But yes that is a good analogy. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

but yes ... this situation is more ethnic ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Well D'uh ... Serbians are predominately Christians and Albanians predominately aren't. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I do not view the Serbs as innocent, but they are not 100% at fault here. Fucking humans ... far too many of us like to hate/judge people who are different from ourselves and when you throw religious intolerance into the mix, it just compounds itself. No the world would be a better place without man made religions. John Lennon - Imagine Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Just thought I'd let some people who may not be aware of this that there is rioting going on in the streets of Belgrade Serbia right now as I type this. The US Embassy has come under attack (as well as many other Western Embassies) ... LOL the Canadian Embassy has been attacked and Canada has yet to even recognize Kosovo unlike some of the other western powers who have. Mob mentality in the works ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Andrew kind of hit the nail on the head earlier. This is Premiere Campbell's scheme to show off to the world during the up and coming Winter Olympics and the BC urbanites (with all their political power) who support Campbell with their easier access to public transit are all too happy to jump on the Carbon Tax bandwagon. With all that said though ... it is interesting to actually see a government doing something instead of blowing hot air. LOL ... the provincial government of Alberta, the province next door to BC, the richest province in Canada with some of the largest oil reserves in the world (mixed in sand) is promising to the public that it will clean up it's polution by the year 2050. Plus they are promising they will create new hospitals and medical schools 20 years from now while we have major issues with our healthcare in Alberta today (LOL like a cancer patient can wait 20 years for empty promises of new doctors and new hospitals). No it is interesting to see a government trying to do something for a change. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

The actual city of Vancouver is not that bad when it comes to public transportation and a considerable amount of people do currently use it. But the further away you get from Vancouver (especially when you must cross some of the many bridges) the more public transportation becomes less viable. But once you leave the Vancouver metro area, public transportation is not a good option and the majority of the province land mass is mountainous, rural and sparsely populated. A lot of families can not afford the real estate of Vancouver, so they moved to the suburbs. But they work in the Vancouver area. This carbon tax will not effect the people in Vancouver nearly as much as it will effect the people living in the burbs. Let me put it this way. The cities of Vancouver and Victoria are pretty much driven by a socialist mindset (people living in the cities with easier access to public transportation) and the rural areas are pretty much more conservative but lack the political power to counteract the socialist agendas of the big cities. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

LOL ... my title of this thread was messed up ... Carbon NOT caron ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

This story is actually a few days old now. But since this web site is dominated by Americans and the American media rarely covers very many stories outside of it's own borders, I guess no one has picked up on this yet. Anyway the province of British Columbia (western Canada for all those geographically challenged people) have brought in North America's first carbon tax in an effort to tackle it's own greenhouse gas emissions. You can read more about the tax here. To be fair to both sides of this story let me present (briefly) the basic ideas behind the tax even though I do not think it will have the effect the politicians and environmentalists want. The carbon tax is added to gasoline purchases on top of the existing taxes the provincial government already taxes consumers. This year it will only be in the two cents per liter range but within the next four years it is supposed to jump up to about seven cents per liter (and who knows how much higher it could go). The idea here is to make driving more expensive and make people think about alternates before they fill up. It is supposed to be a revenue neutral tax since the provincial government says they will be cutting taxes in other areas. But come on let's get real, governments cutting taxes? You know any tax cuts will be temporary. BC is holding the Winter Olympics two years from now in Vancouver/Whistler and the costs for the these Olympics is rising almost daily, I doubt the good people of BC will be getting too many tax breaks. Anyway I can see the tax working for some private citizens driving their cars in and around Vancouver, but it will not make people living in rural parts of the province stop driving and it also effects businesses and you know the businesses will only pass these new expenses on to the customer and it will make BC businesses less competitive to other businesses in Western Canada and the Northwest of the USA. BC has set an ambitious plan to cut their greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels by 2010. Now you have to start somewhere if you want to have a government that does something besides just make promises like many governments seem to do. Personally I do not think it will make that much of a difference. It will just make living and doing business in BC that much more expensive than what it already is. But you have to start somewhere if you want to make a difference (there is no doubt humans have done damage to this planet) and here is a rare example of a government actually trying to do something. Agree with their policies or don't agree, it is rare these days to see government do something besides just talking. So do you think new BC's carbon tax work? and will other provinces/states follow BC? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Trudeau and Mulroney are two of Canada's worst ever PMs. Both of them racked up massive debts levels. Trudeau forced his vision of confederation down the throats of the country (to this day Quebec still has not signed on), he forced the country into official bilingualism which has been a complete waste of money and he (temporarily) destroyed the economy of the West to appease the voters in Ontario and Quebec with his ####ed up National Enegery Program which forced the West to sell it's resources to Ontario and Quebec below market values. No I am sorry the late Pierre Elliot Trudeau and his son Justin with his left learning political ambitions to continue where his father left off can kiss my sorry ass. Despite that the hard core Liberals believe PET to be the savior to the Liberal cause, to many of us in the West, we view PET as one of Canada's worst ever PMs. Now Lying Brian Mulroney wasn't much better with his arrogant corrupt ways. Those two sorry ass excuses for a Canadian politician created the Reform movement. Canadian PMs I remember as a youth/adult: Pierre Trudeau (Liberal) Joe Clark (Conservative) Pierre Trudeau (Liberal) the unelected John Turner (Liberal) Lying Brian Mulroney (Conservative) the unelected Kim Campbell (Conservative) Jean Chretien (Liberal) Paul Martin (Liberal) Stephen Harper (Conservative) US Presidents I remember as a youth/adult: Richard Nixon (GOP) the unelected Gerald Ford (GOP) Jimmy Carter (DEM) Ronald Reagan (GOP) George HW Bush (GOP) Bill Clinton (DEM) George Walker Bush (GOP) - IMHO the worst ever US Prez But if one wants to look to little change in political leadership, one only needs to look at Alberta premieres (like Alberta or hate Alberta, they have had little change in the last 37 years). Alberta premieres I remember as a youth/adult: Peter Lougheed (Conservative) Ralph Klien (Conservative) the unelected Ed Stelmach (Conservative) BTW: Ed Stelmach is in the midst of his first election campaign as a leader, so assuming he wins the provincial election a few weeks from now, he may be able to shed himself from that "unelected" label. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

But I am fond of "curling one out in my aunties tea pot". Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

What if you eat food that you purchased at the grocery store and that you assume was safe but in reality was contaminated? I am all for personal responsibility, but we make assumptions about the food supply and sometimes the food supply is tainted with things like e-coli. I am going to stay out of the mortgage debate, but I would like to know that the food at the grocery store is safe to eat. But this isn't always the case. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

This is not about gun control. Once again, it is just a sad reflection on society to feel that they must walk around 24/7 armed to the teeth. Nothing more, nothing less. It is just a sad state. But this is the reality the US society has created for itself. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Can you be any more obtuse. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You are missing the entire point I make. You people in the USA (and some of it has spilled over here into Canada) have created a culture where you as individuals put yourself ahead of your fellow citizens. You people think nothing of picking up a gun and shooting anyone because [insert your favorite reason here]. It is your reality. You created it. Your guns are going now here because enough of you feel that it is your right to walk around armed to the teeth ready to beat that other guy to the trigger. Once again, it is a sad state for society to feel they wake up each morning and arm themselves before they venture out there into the world. You can have your guns. I am not calling for anyone to remove them from you. Just remember that not everyone feels the same way that you do. Let the flames begin. We live in a "ME ME ME" society!!! Try not to worry about the things you have no control over