Elsie February 13, 2008 at 6:35 p.m.

The trial was "marred in judicial errors....raising substancial questions". What judicial errors? What substancial questions? These are meaningless sentences.
A sophisticated judge can see through the fog of lawyering.

Alfie February 13, 2008 at 7:13 p.m.

Mr Bell is totally correct to claim conflict of interest with respect to MacClean's Ken reporting on the Lord named after a subway station. $100,000 is a huge sum of money for and editor. Ken should recuse himself from reporting on the Lord name after a subway station.

aris February 13, 2008 at 7:31 p.m.

Probably the lord has second-thoughts about having selected the subway station's name. The lord could have picked a name of a railway station. A railway station is more appropriate for old money. More puzzling is the fact that the lord did not select the name of a napoleonic battle. For example "lord of Austerlitz" or "lord of Waterloo." Then again the lord could have used the name of his corporation: "lord of Hollinger." I personally like
"lord of Hollinger," that would have tide-in with the characteristics of the management of his newspaper business.
"Lord of Hollinger" has a great sound to it. I like it.

ROGER February 13, 2008 at 7:37 p.m.

$100,000 IS A BIG PAY DAY FOR A PROSTITUTE. Ought there to be a self-governing college to regulate journalism? If lawyers can be self-regulated, as well as a host of other occupations with pretensions to being professions, why not journalism? If journalism is that rarefied species which is essential in its unregulated state to democracy, then why is ownership not protected and carefully regulated to ensure the diversity of owners and opinions and the prevention of market concentration, oligopoly and monopoly? The claim for total freedom is really a demand for licence. It is a demand that the privilege of ownership be allowed to abuse their positions, much as Black and Amiel abused their positions. If there was a code of ethics, how would Ken Whyte be treated under such a code and regulatory body?

Ken February 13, 2008 at 7:52 p.m.

While the payoff to Ken Whyte is an insult to journalists, it's not all that surprising. Black enriches his cheerleaders (with stolen money) and issues writs against his detractors. Black and company are a sorry, incestuous lot.

Fillies February 13, 2008 at 7:57 p.m.

For a long time I felt that the name "Hollinger" was associated to something criminal. It was not until the trial in Chicago, that I ralized that is rimed with "Dillinger." Dillinger was guned-down in Chicago and so was Hollinger.

William February 13, 2008 at 10:57 p.m.

Doug Bell's latest offering about Ken Whyte and Conrad Black is totally disengenious, inaccurate and smacks of professional envy. All parties concerned including Whyte, Hollinger and CanWest have confirmed that the bonus was due to Whyte at the time CanWest bought the remaining 50% of the National Post from Hollinger. As CanWest felt Hollinger rather than CanWest should pay the bonus because it related to the period when the paper was effectively owned and operated by Hollinger, Black arranged for Hollinger to pay Whyte and several others their bonuses. Somehow I doubt this would ever happen at Toronto Life even in the highly unlikely event that anyone thought Doug Bell deserved a bonus! You may also recall that Whyte had to sue (successfully!) Hollinger International to get the incompetents who hijacked and destroyed the company to allow him to exercise certain stock options he had been granted while Black was CEO. Again, how many journalists have ever been granted stock options by their employers? The truth is that, like him or not, Black was good for journalism and journalists alike and many must be getting increasingly nostalgic under their new masters!

ROGER February 13, 2008 at 11:17 p.m.

WILLIAM IS INVENTING STORIES. Where is the documentation to support the claims about the $100K? There is no documentation. It comes down to the claim that there was a verbal that Black made to pay. Who makes verbal agreements in employment contracts when things are changing and companies are being sold? Kind of like he claim Mulroney makes about verbal agreements with Schreiber and cash payments. The Black payoff to Whyte does not pass the smell test. Black was a disaster for his journalists, journalism, his media companies, his shareholders and for the public interest. People are not nostalgic for a Black return. They are eager to see him hauled off to jail!

Courtstalker February 13, 2008 at 11:21 p.m.

You're wrong, William. Bell is right. Black wrote a cheque to Ken Whyte so they could remain "professonally engaged", even though Whyte was working for the Aspers at the time, and Black had signed a non-compete with CanWest agreeing, among other things, to leave his former staff alone. It was a violation of the non-compete. But in the tsunami of corruption involved here amounts to a mere jug-full. Whyte tried to dress it up otherwise at the trial, but his explanations were nonsense. He remains a human stinkbomb, polluting the air at Maclean's and at Roger's too for that matter.

charlie February 14, 2008 at 12:02 a.m.

Cornstalker, you must mean Rogers the corporation not Roger the insightful poster...

jab3 February 14, 2008 at 12:19 a.m.

Maclean's has been a lost cause under Whyte's editorship, at least as far as me wanting to read it regularly, or even read most of any particular issue. Whyte is a long-time friend and former business partner of Black (and Radler) isn't he?

A couple of questions:

1. Do the prosecutors get to respond to the latest defense filing before the appellate court rules? If so, how long do they have to file a response?

2. This year, will Babs be giving her Con a Valentine illustrated with
a. an evil-revealing portrait of Eva Braun
b. the Woman in Red (of Al Capone fame)
c. Bonnie and Clyde
d. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beaty as Bonnie and Clyde
e. Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI
f. Norma Shearer and Robert Morley as Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI
g. a picture of a big fat puppy dog chowing down?

jab3 February 14, 2008 at 12:23 a.m.

should be Beatty, I think

Ken February 14, 2008 at 12:57 a.m.

>Black was good for journalism and journalists

Yup, libel chill as practiced by "newspaperman" Conrad Black gives journalists warm and fuzzy feelings about their profession.

Steal --> Get caught --> Face the music --> Suffer the punishment.

The world is unfolding as it should for Conrad Black.

Bubba February 14, 2008 at 1:39 a.m.

Dear Con, Ah's sho'nuff lookin' fo'ward t'seein' yo' when yo' come hyar in three weeks' time. Ah's sho'nuff we is a-gonna be real "fine friends"

http://www.123greetings.com/events/valen...

I Heart Torture February 14, 2008 at 2:46 a.m.

"Who’s Your Maverick? John McCain Votes In Favor Of Torture"

"The Senate voted today to ban the CIA from using torture on suspected terrorists and the most famous POW in the Senate voted against the bill. The Maverick is now most assuredly dead and the betrayal is complete. The blogosphere was all over this issue, and thankfully the measure passed, but for McCain, it was a show of pure cowardice. In other words, the Senator who himself was tortured for years and has previously spoken out against it, voted to allow the use of torture on others to save his political hide and pander to a party base that despises him. Shame on you, Senator. Is this the sort of weakness you want from your Commander in Chief?"

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/13...

Gratuity February 14, 2008 at 3:49 a.m.

Conrad Black is a taker - so much so that he even resorted to outright, illegal thievery - not a giver. Once, when he and the awful missus were still acceptable in British society and someone invited them to their country home for the weekend, they both left envelopes with tips for the servants. When they discovered the breakdown in communications, his nibs - no doubt hokked by Babs - wrote to the host asking for the return of one of the envelopes. Thus Black wouldn't give anyone the steam off his piss on a frosty morning unless there was something in it for him. I rest my case about Mr. Whyte. Just ask yourself what editor would continue to print and pay for the sort of drivel Amiel has been writing for Macleans.

American Hero February 14, 2008 at 4:18 a.m.

The man runing around proclaiming himself to be a hero, voted today to continue using water-torture on political and prisioners of war. This hero has bombed hospitals and schools killing women and children. Forunately his plane was shut-down. For the past 30 years the hero has been claiming to have been tortured. Naturally, there are no signs of mutilation on his old body. While in prision allegedly he gave info on his fellow Americans as a traitor. Upon his retun to the USA, he divorced his wife while with cancer and married a rich wealthy blond to secure funds for his political ambitions. This hero has no self critic and at the age of 77 is ridiculing himself for seeking the toughtest office in his country while his wife is paying his bills. His platform includes a 100 year war in Iraq and pronto nuclear-bombing of the nation of Iran. Today he added torture to his repertoire. This hero should be tried as a war-criminal together with his pal the current occupier of the WH.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 6:56 a.m.

boo-hoo, no one sent me a valentine's card. why doesn't anyone like me?

JONES February 14, 2008 at 8:03 a.m.

Is the "thief" in jail yet?

abraham February 14, 2008 at 8:10 a.m.

Your a good writer; but did you have to include that disgusting quote?
"If you’re going to cover the circus, don’t f**k the elephants.”

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:18 a.m.

Doug Bell - excellent post. There's a lot of 'splain' to be done.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:26 a.m.

Jab made appropriate comments on the previous thread. Even handed as always.

jab3 February 13, 2008 at 11:48 p.m.

Roger, Lit both being parsimonious with the truth, rather than purveying outright lies--except for misrepresentign each others' stands: this sort of disingenuousness doesn't quite represent real argument.

Interesting that Roger apparently has trouble with voluntary transgender female-to-male surgery, not the same as the practice of cutting way part of a child's genitals.

Rene's Cousin, is an outright bigot; and Roger's point on how long Chinese have been an immigrant community in Caanada was, i thought, aimed more at Rene Cousin's comments than Lit's.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:17 a.m.

Jab3

My comments on the Hungarians who came in 1956 is based upon personal experience. Two of them, one now dead, were among my close friends. One of them worked in the mines, odd jobs and as a porter on the CPR. He was, and still is, a chess master of middling acclaim. He became a teacher and taught, and was much respected by, Canadian kids in a small town in BC. The other became a much sought-after tradesman, joined a union and became president of a regional chapter, arguing for better working conditions. Strangely, three that I met and knew became recognized statisticians - Statistics Canada was once jocularly said to be run by the "Hungrian mafia." Four others practiced and taught engineering, one of them contributing to the then-new technology used in the CanadaArm.

Were they paragons? Of course not. But as a group they were high-functioning and contributed strongly to the betterment of Canada and I KNOW they were committed to making a life WITHIN the fabric of Canada as they found it. Not surprisingly, none that I knew wanted to return to Hungary after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

So my knowledge of Hungarians in Canada comes not from books or history lessons - both of which in this case seem to me to be horribly biased - but from personal experience.

The exodus of wealthy and criminal immigrants from Hong Kong is a completely different thing and there can be no question that this sudden influx into the lower mainland had and is having deleterious impacts.

Maybe it's a karma payback for the exploitation of Chinese coolies who slaved on the CPR line through the Rocky Mountains up to 1885.

:-o/

Fintan February 14, 2008 at 9:40 a.m.

Happy Valentine's Leaf.

I love you to bits.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 10:08 a.m.

sans comment:

"BEIRUT, Lebanon - A leading human rights group appealed to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Thursday to stop the execution of a woman accused of witchcraft and performing supernatural acts.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the kingdom's religious police who arrested and interrogated Fawza Falih, and the judges who tried her in the northern town of Quraiyat never gave her the opportunity to prove her innocence in the face of "absurd charges that have no basis in law."

Falih's case underscores shortcomings in Saudi Arabia's Islamic legal system in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present,

Woof woof February 14, 2008 at 10:08 a.m.

Interesting, also the reader's comment:

http://www.soxfirst.com/50226711/conrad_...

Faithful ally February 14, 2008 at 10:16 a.m.

Lit 200 never misses an opportunity for some Islam-bashing. "Falih's case underscores shortcomings in Saudi Arabia's Islamic legal system in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present."

Saudi Arabia is a total puppet state of the USA and its neocon rulers. It is unique in the world in that it doesn't even pretend to be democratic and lacks even a mock rubber stamp parliament à la North Korea. It wouldn't last a week without American support if the people there were free to rise up against their criminal rulers. Lit 200 and Conrad Black and all the other neocons have no problem with vassal states like Saudi Arabia and Bush recently made a deal to sell them several zillions' worth of sophisticated weapons.

Give the racism a rest for even one day Lit! And get a life!

Looking at ethics February 14, 2008 at 10:25 a.m.

A positive spin-off of the whole sad Black affair is that two welcome developments are likely. First, regulatory authorities in other countries are likely to follow the good example that the Americans have set, and second business schools will do more to get it into students' heads that doing crime is likely to lead to doing time. Black can follow the debate from the security of his Federally provided accommodation for the next five years and a bit:

http://www.financialpost.com/working/sto...

wave99 February 14, 2008 at 10:44 a.m.

Faithful.

If what you get out of LIT's comments is Islam bashing,you have got to go on a long vacation and regroup.

Executing a woman who they believe to be a witch = Islam bashing if you suggest it is wrong ?

Nothing more need be said.

Equation February 14, 2008 at 11:15 a.m.

wave99 = Lit

This blog is about Conrad Black. Yet Lit continually fine-sifts the world media to find anything negative about Islam. If she looked hard enough, she could find equally repulsive things in any religious community. Lit is no less nasty than the self-styled liberal writers who kept up an incessant barrage of innuendo, smarmy jokes and tendentious anecdotes about Jews in the days leading up to WWII. Today, Lit would lack the "courage" to write about Jews in the same unjustifiable way that she writes about Islam. There are a billion+ Muslims on this small planet. Live with it and try some outreach and understanding rather than contributing to bringing about Samuel P. Huntington's apocalyptic prophesy. Shame on you Lit, you can't even give it a rest on this day of love!!! You really are as nasty a person as Steyn and Amiel.

sophisticated February 14, 2008 at 11:25 a.m.

The date with destiny is near. The bail-appeal court to rule soon, probably in 7 days. The secret is out, the reason the 3 felons need 7 months to pack is simply because they need time to fit all their necessary belongings in a small back-pack. The sophisticated, learned, experienced and intelligent bail-appeal judges totally comprehend the 3 felons problems, and are going to deny the bail-appeal.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 11:29 a.m.

I wonder what race Faithful Ally thinks I am bashing?

Certainly not the Arabs or the 22 countries where they form a majority. Certainly not with the non Arabs who are also Muslim, such as Indians, Turks and Indonesians. However, I do have issues with fundamental Muslim fanatics and with the traditional forms of Sharia law they adhere to, whatever their race.

Yes, I certainly do.

I have issues with Mullahs who preach violence in host countries, with suicide bombers, with airline hijackers who deliberately kill innocent people.

I am also unalterably opposed to most of the policies of President Bush, the Patriot act, the US war in Iran, Guantanamo, etc. etc.

If you want to criticize me for something, get it right.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 11:46 a.m.

Equation:

"If she looked hard enough, she could find equally repulsive things in any religious community."

Really? name a couple of modern-day examples as egregious as, say, the religious law that mandates chopping off the hand of a thief, mutilating a baby girl's genitals, execution by public beheading, insisting that women clothe themselves in clothing that totally conceals their person, executing a woman who was gang raped because "she asked for it," mandating the death penalty because a woman is a "witch."

If you think these are isolated incidents, or incidents frm the past, you are wrong. They are happening today.

And there are people who advocate the introduction of Sharia into the Western world today.

Titanic February 14, 2008 at 11:59 a.m.

Neighbors of the 3 felons are reporting that all 3 of them have purchased a small luggage on sale at the Bay. All 3 of them have started to pack. They spend all day packing. They get up early and start packing. Then they call eachother and claim that their bail-appeal is secure and June 5th is the new date at the big house. Then the lawers telephone and give them the bad news. The bail-appeal judges are meanies and they have been overheard to say that it is better to have the 3 felons start jail time as soon as possible coz then they can get out soon. Brilliant, like in accounting: first in, first out. [inventory accounting]. The 3 felons grab eachother hand and sing 'old ensign'.
The atmosphere is similar to that of the last hour of the Titanic sinking.

Your defense should rest. February 14, 2008 at 12:13 p.m.

lit opposed the US war in Iran? Is there war there that I have missed? My bad.

conversion February 14, 2008 at 12:15 p.m.

After reading Mr Bell's column, the lord had a conversion. The lord realized that Ken had a conflict of interest, and that in his life long law-obiding mind this situation was not tolerable. The lord telephoned Ken and demanded that Ken return to him the $100,000. Ken told him that "finder's keepers" and the $100,000 are his. The lord alegedly threatened to sue. But Ken knows that no lawyer is to work "pro-bono" for the lord anymore. Too many lawyers have been stiffed. The lord emailed to the-donald, and thanked him for taking away the-rat's Chicago condos, and advised him to call the-rat a liar. The-donald was thankful but refused to lend the lord any funds to recover Ken's money.

RENE'S COUSIN February 14, 2008 at 12:15 p.m.

Lit 200:

Do us a favor as you are so unbigoted, pure, and selfless?

Emigrate to Pakistan.

Take Konrad of SubwayStop and Lady Goebbels with you, menage a trois style.

Or stop contradicting yourself.

Same ol sh*te, different day February 14, 2008 at 12:27 p.m.

This news of Ken Whyte taking payola from Back is only regurgitating a dirty little non-secret: people in the business of informing the masses have always been on the take in one way or another. It ain't no big deal or secret in that it's a perk, just like the expense accounts of executives or the sick time and benefits of government workers. The uniqueness of this story lies in the fact that Whyte has worked hard for that 100k, not unlike Black himself, he is learning a lesson now that one should be careful when moonlighting.

oiyana February 14, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.

"Phony love dies with separation, but true love grows with separation" claimed Napoleon Bonaparte in 1805. Our lord keeps repeating Bonaparte's claim to his concerned wife. "Time is our eternal bond, wait for me 'till I'm out".

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 12:50 p.m.

"Your defense should rest. February 14, 2008 at 12:13 p.m.

lit opposed the US war in Iran? Is there war there that I have missed? My bad."

Easy catch, but my booboo. Liar for a Q.

But just wait for it. I may yet be proved right in the march of time.

I must be saying SOMETHING right. I'm accused of being a racist by one commentator, and of not being enough of one by another.

No interest in living in Pakistan, thanks, though it is an interesting country and I know a couple of smart fellas from there.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 12:54 p.m.

I can’t believe fickton is still posting his phone # on the internet.
Haven’t you learned already, fickton?!!!!

http://www.soxfirst.com/50226711/conrad_...

fael February 14, 2008 at 1:05 p.m.

good try, leaf, but i tried the phone number. it has been terminated.

A sure sign ... February 14, 2008 at 1:08 p.m.

"... and I know a couple of smart fellas from there."

Typical Lit ... "a couple of smart people" in a country of 170 million!

In the same time-honoured tradition of "some of my best friends are Blacks/Jews/Muslims/Arabs/whatever you're having yourself ...

leaf February 14, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.

Try again fael. I just got fickton on the phone. British accent it appears.

Is she a whacko or not ... February 14, 2008 at 1:15 p.m.

Leaf will try anything to attract Fintan's attention. Poor thing.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 1:20 p.m.

all i'm doing is fact checking your info, fael (and other fickton's apologizers)

as usual: your info is WRONG

leaf said it, so it must be right February 14, 2008 at 1:23 p.m.

As we can all see from our resident loser's posts, leaf's credibility is less than 100%. Just look at yesterday's thread, where she made a total idiot of herself. The same goes for the phone number. Does the crazy stalker believe her victim will not have had the number changed after all those weeks since the head case began her campaign of stalking? It would also be nice to hear, just once, if leaf has any views whatsoever on the criminal Conrad Black.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 1:24 p.m.

Now let’s see how great that futuristic state-of-the-art know-it-all answering machine of his performs…

What’s my phone # fickton?
Feel free to share it with the blog ☺

Quit the idiocy February 14, 2008 at 1:29 p.m.

leaf, quite the fooling around. you have never called any number, because you lack the guts to do so. if you had planned to, you would have done it weeks ago and then boasted about it, so we all have to guess this is just empty "leaf" talk. For all we know, the number probably doesn't even exist. A lot of people have been leading you by the nose since you first appeared on the blog. Silly girl!

May he rot in prison! February 14, 2008 at 1:37 p.m.

It looks like the evil Conrad Black helped to foster in his native land will live on after he has gone to the place where he rightfully belongs: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/s...

London Transport February 14, 2008 at 2 p.m.

Please be advised that we are changing the name of Crossharbour tube station to "North of Mudchute". We feel it is inappropriate to have stations named after foreign charlatans who are later exposed and shamed as criminals. Please see our route map. The change will take effect on 3 March, when Mr. Black begins his sentence.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/T...

A. Jobsworth
Information Officer

RENE'S COUSIN February 14, 2008 at 2:44 p.m.

London Transport:

Capital idea! Quite Brilliant! I prefer just North Mudchute myself, for punch and brevity, however I defer to the good taste of the LONDON TRANSPORT, Chief Information Officer. North of Mudchute is perfect and may I add an extremely 'fitting' re-name of the Lard's titular scrap of territory.

Admirable work, good sir!

Perhaps Splif 200 can emigrate there? (She doesn't seem to like Pakistan although she has met a couple of smart people there) LOL!

Curious February 14, 2008 at 3:09 p.m.

If Black greased Ken Schyte's palm, did he grease Mark Swine's as well? And did the last check bounce? That might explain why Swine has been so quiet about his former master of late. A lost cause, as even a tunnel-vision jerkoff like him must plainly see. Perhaps that's also why Swine hasn't responded to Babs' offer of hospitality in Palm Beach if things start getting hot for him in Canada and he needs a place of asylum. On the other hand, the prospect of maybe having to pay for his room and board in kind would deter even someone as devoid of taste as swine.

fael February 14, 2008 at 3:14 p.m.

leaf is the worst blowhard on the planet. and a congenital liar. my theory is that she has no life, probably never leaves the filthy room where she lives and would die if she didn't have the old computer that someone gave her out of pity. obsessed with "fintan", who could be anyone for all we know, she must feel especially bad on a day like this, when real people get cards with hearts and little cupids on them, and she just gets more frustrated, bitter and crazy.

An arcardome meg bossnee February 14, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.

For Lit on Valentine's Day:

http://www.sleazegrinder.com/bgmajalee.h...

leaf February 14, 2008 at 3:52 p.m.

i called fickton's number again. definitely british. even the dog sounded british. believe me. it's true. yes, it is, it is!!!!

Sandy/Donna still lurks February 14, 2008 at 3:55 p.m.

You are not fooling anyone with your same-old attacks, Donna. This one is just too obvious:

"fael February 14, 2008 at 3:14 p.m.

leaf is the worst blowhard on the planet. and a congenital liar. my theory is that she has no life, probably never leaves the filthy room where she lives and would die if she didn't have the old computer that someone gave her out of pity. obsessed with "fintan", who could be anyone for all we know, she must feel especially bad on a day like this, when real people get cards with hearts and little cupids on them, and she just gets more frustrated, bitter and crazy."

.....Frankly, Donna, you describe your own sick self.

Whoever February 14, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.

Whoever it was, (s)he got it right in this:

"leaf is the worst blowhard on the planet. and a congenital liar. my theory is that she has no life, probably never leaves the filthy room where she lives and would die if she didn't have the old computer that someone gave her out of pity. obsessed with "fintan", who could be anyone for all we know, she must feel especially bad on a day like this, when real people get cards with hearts and little cupids on them, and she just gets more frustrated, bitter and crazy."

All that BS about phone numbers is just a loner/loser/flakeo acting out some twisted fantasy.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 4:27 p.m.

[This comment has been removed.]

leaf February 14, 2008 at 5:02 p.m.

fake leaf, i call the shots.

get back in donna's closet and shut your trap.

i'm not done with fickton. he should NOT have messed with me.

someone else in here is wise to sandy/donna and handling her quite well.
where's the henchman? in finland yet?

ROGER February 14, 2008 at 6:11 p.m.

JAB WROTE >>Interesting that Roger apparently has trouble with voluntary transgender female-to-male surgery, not the same as the practice of cutting way part of a child's genitals.<

Nope, I did not express any comment on female-to-male or vice versa surgery with respect to adult transgender surgery. What I was referring to is surgery performed on neonates and young children without consent throughout N America and which has been the subject of complaint by adults who had been subjected to such surgery. That is, I was referring to female genital mutilation of infants and babies in N America. Furthermore, I referred to the sexual genital mutilation for cosmetic reasons of girls and women in N America. Lit200 does not bother to inform herself on this topic, nor has Jab, despite the fact that it has been on the agenda, put there by victims, many years ago! Yet everyone is an expert on the goings on in far off foreign lands. How can one be so ignorant of one's own backyard and blind to the problems and issues at home, while having 20/20 vision of foreign cultures and peoples?

charlie February 14, 2008 at 6:43 p.m.

jab 3: I think the "woman in red" wasn't to do with Al Capone, but rather John Dillinger. From some movie I saw last century I think she came out of a movie theatre with him and her wearing red was the tip=off to the police.

Post Query February 14, 2008 at 8:46 p.m.

Good synposis, Doug Bell, about the Maclean's / Ken Whyte payola. Now, could you look into why the National Post is still publishing the ravings of Conrad "The Con" Black, the guy who supposedly sold the paper which now belongs to somebody else? Just for auld lang syne? I don't think so.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:21 p.m.

I'll save Doug Bell the trouble. The reason the National Post publishes Conrad Black is because guys and girls like you, AVIDLY read everything he writes.

Readership of the Post is WAY UP, thanks to you and everybody else who loves to hate Conrad Black.

Don't you get that? Roger, who doesn't think Black should be allowed to even open his mouth, reads and listens to EVERY WORD that Black utters.

And Conrad Black has NO IDEA who the little pissant Roger is!!

Do you have another question?

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:33 p.m.

Roger again defends the practice of female child mutilation for social purposes in "far off lands."

Roger supports and promulgates Sharia.

Roger believes that the practice is beneficial to society as a whole. A little suffering by the "inferior sex" is well worth the "beneficial effects" as far as Roger and his ilk are concerned.

There is a process in the psychic makeup of criminal minds. They transfer the worst of their attributes on to the objects of their hate - in Roger's case, western thought, western civilization, western morality.

This is the truth of Roger's inner self.

He is an ignorant man but with enough intelligence to prattle on with borrowed thoughts and ideas - from Coles Notes and Wikipedia. He is a Sharia ideolog who attempts to hide his inner convictions with a mask of "multiculturalism" and Islamic superiority.

And he gathers unto his fold the simple and the silly and the westerners who are only too happy, too happy, to throw away centuries of progress and advancement, to follow a charismatic leader who, in fact, despises his followers.

They will follow, follow... back into the dark ages.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:51 p.m.

If I get it right, Roger is charging that the mutilation of female babies is a western idea and has never been thought of or practiced in "far off" Islamic lands.

If I understand him, he is saying that female circumcision is an invention of western thought and has been practiced for millenia by... well, I am guessing now but probably... Christian missionaries.

We should all open our eyes to the fact that Mormons, Catholics, Anglicans, Seventh Day Adventists and all other forms of Christianity are busy mutilating their daughters and have beeing doing this for centuries.

Of course! It all fits! How is it that we have so misunderstood the world that we don't realize that female circumcision is a WESTERN idea! It has never been practiced by Muslims and there is no mention of it in eastern thought! It's a calumny!

How could we all have been so blind for so long?

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 9:55 p.m.

And if you oppose all these ideas of Rogers, well ... of course! you must be a female, right? Only a female would object to the grandeur of Roger's thought, only a female would be unable to penetrate the deeper wisdom of his machismo mind... only a woman would be so foolish as to oppose his ambition to remold Canada into an Islamic state where women know their place and are not allowed to express their opinions.

Ahhh... but here comes the silly rejoinder ... look how many female leaders the muslims have elected!!!

How could we then doubt the superiority of the Islamic mind?

leaf February 14, 2008 at 9:58 p.m.

leaf and fintan sitting in a tree
k-i-s-s-i-n-g . . .

we sang that song alot in school some years ago. please sing it again for me now.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 10:05 p.m.

And the truth of that is, Islamic machismo is so flawed that they had to turn to females to lead them... the men, because of their outdated ideas... were as bereft as Roger is and has proven himself to be, of innovative leadership ideas. Islamic men are dinosaurs, with so much plate armour against any dangerous new ideas that they are incapable of anything but lumbering across the arid landscape of Islamic thought. If they did not have female revolutionaries and leaders to pull them out of valley of ignorance they have led themselves into, they would have no hope at all.

If Islam is to survive, it will be the women who save it. The men are now feckless, effete and useless - like Roger - blowhards who want to keep a disgusting status quo.

water-torture February 14, 2008 at 10:09 p.m.

Terrible news for the 3 felons. Two of the bail-appeal benchers alegedly have been romantically involved with the pretty trial judge. During pillow talk --the fly on the wall-- overheard the pretty trial judge saying to the bail-appeal old sophisticated benchers, if any of you votes to extend the bail for the 3 felons, neither of you is going to get another date with me. Wow, the benchers professed total compliance, no extention will be given. This is devastating news for the 3 felons. All three of them resumed packing. I feel their pain. For the past 3 months all they have been doing is: packing and un-packing. This worse than the "water-torture" of McCain. Actually, McCain alegedly got an email from the lord asking for a pardon. McCain in his reply stated that now he has become a "conservative" to win the nomination and attract the religious right, therefore he voted to use "water-torture"
on innmates. How cruel fate is for the lord, instead of a pardon now his going to get water-torture. The lord would have been better-off asking for a pardon from charlatan Obsama or the immaculate-conception queen hillary.

Lit 200 February 14, 2008 at 10:20 p.m.

Water Torture

Excellent!

five minutes February 14, 2008 at 10:45 p.m.

Many of us did not know that the president of France is also the president of the French Guiana. After First Lady Bon-Bon promised to the French people that she is going to be married to the 'hot-rabbit' until the end of her liftime and is wearing a chastity belt.
Sarko departed to visit French Guiana. Guiana is bordered by Brasil and president Lula joined Sarko. Actually, Lula is an expert in doing the 'samba'. Sarko is getting the rythm from Lula. It is expected that Chavez is to partake in the tete-a-tete. The triangle of hot-rabbits have been enjoying the Guiana 'bordelo-meat-market'. Mitterand from his grave has been salivating threesome's carnal enjoyment despate the fact that he was known as the "five minute man, shower included."

ROGER February 14, 2008 at 11:19 p.m.

LOL! ON THIS VALENTINE'S NIGHT, LIT IS BUSY POSTING LONG-WINDED EMPTY POSTS ABOUT THINGS SHE KNOWS LITTLE TO NOTHING ABOUT.

Given an opportunity to address a serious and contentious matter in her own society, she shies away in favour of cheap shots at foreign cultures. Lit ought to read the feminist critique of western medicine for a history of sexual sadistic misogyny in her own culture and society, before venturing into far off territory, of which she knows even less. The earliest known practice of genital mutilation, which informed the Abrahamic cults, better known as Judeo-Christian-Muslim religions, originated in ancient pharaonic Egypt. In Africa, fgm is practiced by Muslims, Christians and animists. The most famous or infamous defense of fgm was made by the late president Jomo Kenyata (who, for Lit's information, was not a Muslim). The roots then are in pre-Islamic north and central Africa, encompassing Egypt, Sudan, parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Nigeria and other west African countries. Of the over 1.2 billion Muslims in the world, it is a practice that exists in a tiny minority of localized peoples, with roots in pre-Islamic cultures. This is not a Muslim issue.

Sigmund Freud engaged in fgm practices, and also other surgeries of his age, including operating on women's noses to "cure" them of masturbation, removal of ovaries, uteri, cauterizations and a host of gruesome torture which existed in N America well into the 20th century. This has been thoroughly documented for those who care to examine the record. Dr Isaac Baker Brown's fgm lived on in America long after he was discredited in the UK. All of this is available for study by Lit, but she chooses to ignore the record and instead focus on lies, big lies, to defame an entire people. While claiming to oppose big government and proclaiming personal liberty as an ideal, Lit supports fascist big government and refuses the right of self-determination to whole countries! Lit is hypocrisy writ large.

Why did the West oppose Soviet intervention in Afghanistan? Why did the west ship weapons and train the Mujaheddin, including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar? Moreover, why does the west support the Karzai government who have some of the worst rapists, murderers and human rights violators ever to walk the earth of Afghanistan? Those are the issues in dispute of relevance. What is Canada doing in Afghanistan, a country that never attacked Canada?

leaf February 14, 2008 at 11:25 p.m.

psstt.... get your 5 minute man straight: that was Chirac.

ROGER February 14, 2008 at 11:27 p.m.

THE RECYCLING OF TOILET PAPER

I still remember a time when people used old newspapers as toilet paper, not merely to line bird cages. I have personally never ever bought a single copy of the National Post ever. Whenever I read that rag, I find it lying around in coffee shops. However, there are occasionally interesting articles amongst the sewage. It is always a good idea to also observe what direction the fascist disease is taking and to keep an eye on the signs and symptoms to be elucidated between the rantings of the loser columnists and letter writers of the Post. However, research ought not to change and influence the data--don't increase paid circulation by purchasing the rag. Of course they regularly give it away for free so they can make claims about their circulation to gullible advertisers. When will the Post turn a profit? LOL! Anything Black touches loses money.

leaf February 14, 2008 at 11:39 p.m.

I can’t believe that fickton is still rambling about his unsuccessful Playboy tax deduction…

http://www.soxfirst.com/50226711/conrad_...

Toronto Life's posting rules are meaningless February 15, 2008 at 1:18 a.m.

More threats from a cybedr stalker:

leaf February 14, 2008 at 4:27 p.m.

i've finished off fickton. now i'll deal with Donna/Sandy. don't laugh at me. i know what i'm doing.
leaf February 14, 2008 at 5:02 p.m.

fake leaf, i call the shots.

get back in donna's closet and shut your trap.

i'm not done with fickton. he should NOT have messed with me.

someone else in here is wise to sandy/donna and handling her quite well.
where's the henchman? in finland yet?

leaf February 15, 2008 at 1:29 a.m.

getting skeered again, fickton?

“Accordingly, I withdraw and leave the floor to leaf and whatever is behind it.”

leave the floor already, pussy!

Occasional visitor February 15, 2008 at 4:47 a.m.

What a pity Doug Bell's blog has been ruined by one single stalker (leaf, quite possibly BA or one of her close friends), who arrived rather late on the scene and has never once addressed the actual subject of Conrad Black, preferring instead to accuse other posters of, inter alia, paedophilia, indulge in anti-Semitic slurs, and generally behave as a major nuisance.

Likewise a pity that Toronto Life does not seem to take its own posting policy seriously:

"Toronto Life welcomes and encourages your commentary and debate. However, we ***request that you restrict your comments to pertinent matters***. We will not tolerate any ***comments that are abusive, threatening, defamatory or libellous***, or attacks, ad hominem and otherwise, on fellow posters. Should you engage in this behaviour or otherwise violate the rights of other posters, Toronto Life reserves the right to pursue any and all remedies available to it, including, without limitation, ***restricting, suspending or terminating your access to this site***, without explanation, prior notice and liability.

"Neither the authors of the works published in Toronto Life and on this site, nor Toronto Life itself necessarily agree with any comments. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Any comments the editors deem inappropriate will be removed from the site without explanation, prior notice and liability. If you feel a comment is inappropriate, please inform the editors at online@torontolife.com, and we will review the material for possible deletion.

"Toronto Life will not be liable in any way for comments posted on this site, and by using this site, you acknowledge and agree that sensibilities vary among people and that you may be exposed to comments you find offensive or otherwise objectionable.
"—This statement was updated on January 18, 2008"

The above text is way up there with Conrad Black's "I was framed" statement.

Bride of Blackula February 15, 2008 at 7:18 a.m.

Naturally, Lady Black just couldn't get any old dog. It would have to be a breed with some kind of noble connotations. From a description of the one she has just acquired:

"A gift of Kuvasz to a nobleman from the Kings Royal Kennels was a special honor. Among those so honored was Count Dracula, upon his release from prison and marriage to the King's daughter."

Dracula's breed of dog, a portrait of Goebbels on the wall, and a disgraced husband in prison together with other criminals like murderers, thieves, drug dealers, etc. etc. What a sick chick Amiel is!

One thing is sure, Black won't be marrying any king's daughter when they let him out in 2013 or so. And who would wish it on any dog to be entrusted to his care?

former poster February 15, 2008 at 7:32 a.m.

Occasional visitor February 15, 2008 at 4:47 a.m.

Warmest thanks and appreciation to whomever posted the preceding remarks. I departed this site long ago because of Toronto Life's blatant and continual failure to live up to its online responsibilities to its online readership and commentators. This post of mine is the first and only post that I have made in several months and I do not intend to visit here again. Let us hope that the staff responsible for Toronto life Online as well as this blog - Douglas Bell's Black Watch - wake up and commence taking their responsibilities herein seriously and finally repair the sad damage that has been done to this site.

Lit 200 February 15, 2008 at 7:38 a.m.

Roger asks us all not to buy or read or think about the National Post. For one thing, it publishes articles (which he reads every word of, whatever he professes to the contrary) by the bogeyman Conrad Black. If Roger had his way, every issue of the National Post would be piled up in the village square and burned. Anyone caught reading it would be severely reprimanded. When Roger's world is finally put in place in Canada, the National Post will be outlawed as will any cartoonist who draws a picture of the prophet Mohammad.

Roger's post of 11:15pm came not from his own knowledge but directly from Wikipedia, without attribution. Plagarism - the outright theft of someone else's writing - does not bother Roger in the least. He's more of a thief than Conrad Black ever thought of being.

Roger believes deeply in the social, cultural, marital and societal benefits of FGM. And his comments about it are tissue thin. You can see his inner convictions and agenda shining clearly through the murk of words.

Who cares when FGM was introduced into the world? It is a barbaric practice TODAY and it is practiced in many places in the Eastern world and it has now been imported into the Western world, into Canada.

Roger would like to confuse the issue of cutting away the clitoris and labia of babies with a medical procedure (hoodectomy) that some western women CHOOSE to have performed by a surgeon - that is, an elective procedure designed to enhance their sexual pleasure. Roger believes this is immoral and should not be allowed (women enjoy sex? How disgusting!) and will not be allowed when the world wakes up and embraces Islam.

Roger's mysogyny is second nature, now. His prejudice against women is such that he refers to any opponent as "a woman." How pathetic.

speak for yourself and not for me February 15, 2008 at 8:04 a.m.

I too have never purchased the national post but read it all the time. As for articles written by Conrad Black, I have never read them as I consider the man a convicted criminal who has little to offer by way of opinion, I have however read what Doug Bell and others have said about the writings of Conrad Black in the national post and I would have to say that most serious journalists don't think Conrad Black is offering up much for public debate, his comments about the ass of Mrs Obama tells me that he is misguided in what he thinks is appropriate in political debate, he lowers himself to the level of "sick" opinion.
Reading what the character Lit writes here is very telling in that it's obvious this person stands up for crooks based on his distorted political beliefs that are not based in reality. As a woman I don't need a flake like Lit telling me what is wrong or right for me.....I don't need his sick input. The fact that this discussion should not be focused on the mutilation of genitals yet he is unable to let that topic go, makes me wonder where the hell his rational thinking goes when he types for public consumption.

former poster # 2 February 15, 2008 at 8:13 a.m.

" Toronto Life welcomes and encourages your commentary and debate. However, we ***request that you restrict your comments to pertinent matters***. We will not tolerate any ***comments that are abusive, threatening, defamatory or libellous***, or attacks, ad hominem and otherwise, on fellow posters. Should you engage in this behaviour or otherwise violate the rights of other posters, Toronto Life reserves the right to pursue any and all remedies available to it, including, without limitation, ***restricting, suspending or terminating your access to this site***, without explanation, prior notice and liability.

"Neither the authors of the works published in Toronto Life and on this site, nor Toronto Life itself necessarily agree with any comments. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Any comments the editors deem inappropriate will be removed from the site without explanation, prior notice and liability. If you feel a comment is inappropriate, please inform the editors at online@torontolife.com, and we will review the material for possible deletion.....".

It is about time that Toronto Life and Black Watch / Bell's site begin a serious process of living up to its statement of online policy regarding abuse, etc. Those on staff here know who they are and we challenge same to start behaving honorably, decently and honestly about this blog instead of current policy of simply ignoring offensive posts by leaf and others and thereby becoming equally guilty as those who seek to and have already destroyed this site. The respect that is due to staff and administrators of Bell's Blog is completely non existent.

leaf February 15, 2008 at 8:40 a.m.

Fp#2/donna…. Quit your moaning already. quit the blog once and for all, like you said you would countless times.
quit holding everyone responsible for the mess you’ve created.

This goes for fp/fickton as well.

Cowards & hypocrites, both of you!

Milord Earl Allen the Innocent of Leighton Buzzard February 15, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.

I am quite pleased to see that the London Transport Information Office is pressing to have Lord Black’s title either changed to Lord Black of North Mudchute, which has a suitable ring for a convicted felon and charlatan, or to have the subway station known as Crossharbour changed to North of Mudchute, Mudchute being the stop immediately to the south of present Crossharbour.

Very good, I say.

Prisoner #18330-424 should seriously consider giving up his title, as he is a persona non grata in the House of Lords as a convicted criminal anyway, and as changing the name of the subway stop to which His Lardship’s title refers effectively leaves him as Lard of Nothing.

For those readers, who aspire to British titles please go here:

http://www.elitetitles.co.uk/Celebrating...

They cost from £195 Single title or a pair for £299

Enjoy, and do not forget to take yourself very seriously.

- Earl Innocent of Leighton Buzzard

Lying toad February 15, 2008 at 9:38 a.m.

I begg to differ. my sources assure me that Mitterand was the "five minute man, shower included" and Chirac had three permanent call-girls and he called them: "breakfast, lunch and dinner". I'm also standing by my source that an email was sent to Cecillia stating: "if you return to me, I cancel everthing." is true. Because carla complained, and sarko denied it, he was forced to start a lawsuit knowing full well that the president's cell-phone email is privileged presidential information and the french court cannot ask for disclosure. Sarko the amoral bear-faced liar and abuser of power will be caught because Cecillia's cell-phone can be investigated and used as evidence. Cecillia is a willing party to exposing the lying-toad.

Lord Lucan February 15, 2008 at 9:40 a.m.

I have to disagree with Earl Allen the Innocent about taking away titles. Goodness, if they started taking away titles for helping oneself to a few million - less than some of us spend on clothes in a year - where would that leave me?

Besides, Baron Black is an achiever, someone who has done nothing that noone has ever done before. He is the first member of our venerable institution to be sentenced to imprisonment outside our great country. The fact that it has happened in a former colony makes it all the more obvious that he is merely the victim of a grudge. Those callow Americans have never forgiven us for a few minor incidents during their rebellion.

But he will bear his incarceration and suffering with the fortitude that only a true Brit of noble blood possesses. Those who rejoice in the knowledge that he will suffer buggery in prison know nothing of the English character. They have never been to a public school and therefore fail to undersand that we do not suffer from it, but glory in it.

The Pol Pot Charter of Human Rights February 15, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.

Comments and Privacy Policies
Comments Policy

Toronto Life welcomes and encourages your commentary and debate. However, we request that you restrict your comments to pertinent matters. We will not tolerate any comments that are abusive, threatening, defamatory or libellous, or attacks, ad hominem and otherwise, on fellow posters. Should you engage in this behaviour or otherwise violate the rights of other posters, Toronto Life reserves the right to pursue any and all remedies available to it, including, without limitation, restricting, suspending or terminating your access to this site, without explanation, prior notice and liability.

Neither the authors of the works published in Toronto Life and on this site, nor Toronto Life itself necessarily agree with any comments. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Any comments the editors deem inappropriate will be removed from the site without explanation, prior notice and liability. If you feel a comment is inappropriate, please inform the editors at online@torontolife.com, and we will review the material for possible deletion.

Toronto Life will not be liable in any way for comments posted on this site, and by using this site, you acknowledge and agree that sensibilities vary among people and that you may be exposed to comments you find offensive or otherwise objectionable.
—This statement was updated on January 18, 2008

Black and White February 15, 2008 at 9:51 a.m.

The premise in this article is that business ethics is not black or white. But it is. Steal is black (as in Conrad Black) and not steal is white. Good and bad. You don't need to go to business school to know that.

http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?...

Oh Lordy me! February 15, 2008 at 10:31 a.m.

Maybe prison won't be as boring as Black thinks it will be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF5M-h2Iu...

Sun worshipper February 15, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.

Poor, poor sad Babs! She is the laughing stock of even right-wing rags like the Sun now. Very funny article, and I bet the writer got only a tiny fraction of what Ken Schyte pays Babs for her all-over-the-road drivel in Toothpaste.
http://torsun.canoe.ca/News/OtherNews/20...

Earl Allen The Innocent of Leighton Buzzard February 16, 2008 at 6:04 a.m.

Lord Lucan:

Indeed, Sir, you are most correct!

Buggery, the Glory of it all!

Baron Black of North Mudchute will revel in this most noble and traditonal of pastimes during his tenure at his new residency!

- Earl Allen The Innocent Of Leighton Buzzard