Martin Sticks it to Bush

I enjoy the rivalry and politicking that goes on between us Canucks and our main trading partner, the US. Prime Minister Paul Martin and President Bush were in South Korea today for an APEC meeting. Martin used the opportunity to berate Bush on empty promises, and his ill treatment of our resources, namely, how he's slapping huge tariffs on our wood. What Martin is saying, is that if US is pushing for Free Trade, he should at least give Canada and Mexico something to tempt us.

Canada is mostly a raw resource exporter, and one of our biggest exports in lumber. Our softwood industry is not heavily subsidized as Bush claims, so he's not playing fair. It hurts us when we're blocked from foreign markets like the US by such aggressive protectionism. Of course, the APEC meeting was not about trade. For the second year in a row, it was about terrorism. Terrorism, terrorism, terrorism. Iraq is unstable, Afghanistan is in worse shape than it was in 2001, as it's drug trade and terrorism strains the military, which might even be reduced soon. North Korea's surely has nukes, so do half a million other non big five countries. What's with the US randomly raiding and finding 170 detainees in Iraq who bear signs of torture? If I weren't so naive, I'd think they were planted there by the US military themselves. Is this supposed to boost the war effort morale?

Ok, so I'm not talking about international affairs anymore. I left the comfort of my home and went for a jog through the forest. The leaves were almost all gone from the trees, but they made a colourful collage on the forest bed. My legs dodged sticks and mud, I bounded over the creek, and felt the soothing negative ions that were generated by it, making me feel full of life and energy. My dog followed me along, loyal escort that she is, and I got back home safely.

I started my new job yesterday. I won't tell you that I'm a salesman lest you hate me, but I am. I need the experience. The good thing is that I'm not paid commission, and the product I promote definitely has it's own niche. Customers were generally unfriendly, uninterested, or not qualified to be considered part of the right target market, but I did have some good interactions with several people considering the purchase in question. I suppose this is good training in rejection. They will come back and someone else will be credited for the sale. Oh well, I know I've done my part.

I enjoyed viewing some sexy HNT pics yesterday, like this one. Many people had creative ways of exposing their bodies, and what's more beautiful than a body au naturale? When I was in Germany, they were much less sensitive about nudity. We could lollygag on the beaches in the buck no problem. Here it's a little cold for that, so I empathize and console all of you that were hit by snow yesterday. 91.5fm 'The Beat' radio station did an amusing rendition of an East Side Boys song, but they changed the words to roughly the following:
"From the K-Dub, to Toronto, the snow just has to fall, drive traffic to a crawl, it's so cold that you can't even walk, your face freezes til you can't even talk...you need skis skis skis skis skis, everyone needs some skis skis skis...hey, I have a toboggan!...no you need skis skis skis."

They did a great job of doing the lil John voice: "OK!!! Yea!!!" and the ski part was great because it almost sounds like the nonsensical word that they use in the real song "skeet." Thanks Big Mike and Mocha for the laugh.

The highlight of the day though, is that I FINALLY GOT PAID!!! I am no longer eating out of garbage pails, grovelling at the feet of innocent pedestrians, or cleaning windsheilds with a squeegee. (I joke). Getting back on my feet feels good. It definitely takes some pressure off of my head.

Have an excellent weekend all and stay cozy! If you need some warmth, why not heat up your fire with a couple Canadian logs?...that is, if Bush makes them affordable.