I'm not saying I'm completely in favour of a religious-based party running the show in Egypt, but I am happy that they had free and democratic elections. I am also cautiously optimistic that the military will truly hand power over to the new parliament by the end of the month, which they have pledged to do. Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood party appears to have won the vote with approximately 52% of the vote and, as I said, I am a bit wary of a relious party running a nation and what that means for freedom and progress, but a mostly well-run election is a big step forward for the large African nation, considering insidious dictator Hosni Mubarak had been running the show until last year.
Here is a news story from Al Jazeera on the election, the military's stance on giving up power and Ahmed Shafik's claim to have not lost the election yet (at least in his own mind).
I'm not saying I don't understand why the conservative New Democracy Party won the Greek federal election yesterday, but I am surprised that a country that has played host to major protests against austerity measures has voted for the politicians that will stay the course more than the others. new Democracy played on peoples' fears, claiming that the nation would be in shambles if they renogiated bailouts and risked being kicked out of the Eurozone. I would argue, however, that the nation hasn't actually been doing peachy keen with the Euro and going back to the Drachma might give them some economic control again: the chance to devalue their currency to attract manufacturing jobs, tourists and other outsiders that will slowly but surely boost the Greek economy. Oh well, fear is a powerful emotion to fight against and some days I just don't understand human behaviour.
Check out the video below for the Wall Street Journal's perspective on the election. They, like so many others (I really don't get why!!!) are relieved by the election results.
I'm not saying that I don't appreciate the government and border agents keeping undesirables (criminals and dangerous people) out of the country, but their new monitoring technology crosses the line from protecting people to infringing on our rights and freedoms. HD cameras and microphones are being installed at all border crossings and will soon be online. They will have the capability of picking up and monitoring every conversation that takes place in every car at the border: everything from serious debates to offhand jokes about bombs, drugs and other controlled substances that can't be taken across the border. Many of these light-hearted comments may be misconstrued as factual, which could lead to many innocent people being harassed and searched. The government has no right to spy on people in their cars like this and I have a feeling this new surveillance technology will be challenged in a supreme court and will be deemed in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Below is a link to the Toronto Star story on the issue:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1213052--ottawa-to-eavesdrop-on-travellers-entering-exiting-canada?bn=1
I'm not saying I am a week late, but I still wanted to say congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings for winning the 2012 Stanley Cup finals over the New Jersey Devils. It is the first time in my life that the team I was cheering for since the start of the year has hoisted the cup in June. Now all I need to see is the Leafs win the big prize and my life will be complete...could be waiting a while.
Here is a clip of the last minute of the last game of the final.
I'm not saying I knew him, but my heart goes out to the drum tech who was killed while crews were setting up the stage for a RadioHead concert at Downsview Park yesterday. Scott Johnson was only 33 years old. RIP man!
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