“The towns of Courtenay and Comox have grown together into a tangle of
suburbs and box stores. Drive straight through,” Liz Bryan, Westworld
Magazine.

Really? This is your Travel advise for tourists exploring the Island! It’s
bad enough that you hire someone that would write such nonsense, but you
then printed this in your summer 2011 magazine! Really? Could you try harder
to alienate an entire community? This statement is so incredibly rude,
ignorant, untrue & hurtful. What about our Museum, our Estuary, Ocean &
Riverside hiking trails, Kye Bay, Goose Spit, Comox Harbor, The Royston
Wrecks, the Filberg House, The Art Gallery, Anderton Gardens, Airport Park.

Really! What were you thinking?

My understanding is that you, the editor, should be watching for this type
of offensive drivel. I expect you will be issuing a statement of apology to
the citizens of the Comox Valley for printing such insulting and damaging
disinformation. A special article extolling the many tourist attractions and
virtues of the Comox Valley would be a good way to show you are sorry.

Your magazine is great for lining my bird cage, let’s see how business at
the local BCAA office is affected.

Their own lawyers resigned over this.

http://firmspy.com/law-disorder/5613/exclusive-oh-heil-arnold-bloch-leibler-represents-company-spruiking-neo-nazi-propaganda

If the youth vote doubles from 2008, I think it’s likely an NDP or Liberal
minority. If the youth vote triples, an NDP or Liberal majority.

If one looks at various vote mob websites, even though they say they are
“non-partisan”, you sometimes see links to articles critical of the
Conservatives, but rarely, if ever, a link to articles critical of the
Liberals, NDP or Greens. Ditto for opinion pieces posted on university
student websites such as UVic’s student newspaper, The Martlet
(www.martlet.ca/sections/opinions/)

And if you research the backgrounds of those organizing vote mobs, many
have been actively involved in issues associated with the progressive side
of the political spectrum.

There is speculation as to what percentage of those participating in vote
mobs will actually vote, but the youth vote has been vastly underestimated
by the pundits and the pollsters.

The youth vote may in fact be the “sleeper” component of this election.

David Buckna
===
Song for Harper

On March 29 Prime Minister Harper played keyboard while singing John
Lennon’s Imagine at a Winnipeg photo op.

Another song on Lennon’s 1971 album Imagine is How Do You Sleep?, directed
at Paul McCartney.

Once you’re familiar with the melody, try these new lyrics. All together now!

Mr. Harper, How Do You Sleep?

So the contempt vote took you by surprise
You better see through the people’s eyes
Those guys were right on the price of the jets
Cost twice as much but what about our vets
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

You made coalition a dirty word
Most Parliaments have them, haven’t you heard?
Policies favoured by most in their land
More moderate than left and right demand
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Prorogue the Parliament, twice down the drain
Can’t hear Afghan detainees scream in pain
Large tax cuts for the largest companies
And for the Tar Sands boys more subsidies
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

At the climate talks, what do we have here
Four times awarded Fossil of the Year
Those Action Plan ads cost twenty-six mill
The G8 and 20, over one bill
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Why did you lose the seat at the U.N.?
Who inserted the word ‘not’ with a pen?
Five times Bruce Carson convicted of fraud
Then secret clearance in a PMO job
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Only five questions, ’cause you are the king
Jump when reporters ask you anything
You keep them more than forty feet away
Behind steel fences, just another day
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

You challenge Michael to a face-to-face
He tell you any time, any place
Next day you say that it can’t be done
You’ll just abide by the consortium
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

Get back on the ‘rights’ track says Amnesty
And how do you define democracy?
Your London rally, two students kicked out
‘Cause of a picture on a Facebook account
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

The AG’s words recycled by mistake
But who says he’s sorry for that fake lake
Why does food with GMOs get no blame
Why is Helena the one you can’t name?
How do you sleep?
Ah, how do you sleep at night?

David Buckna

For further reference:

How Do You Sleep? by John Lennon
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNjTPZW7GCU)

Getting Back on the ‘Rights’ Track
(www.amnesty.ca/files/HRA.pdf)

Hey Canadians!
(www.arcadefire.com/blog/hey-canadians/)

Harper missing the point on F-35s
(http://embassymag.ca/page/view/edit-03-16-2011)

Auditor general to probe lump-sum disability payments for veterans
(www.leaderpost.com/story_print.html?id=3948651)

Government sees no need to test GMOs
(www.commonground.ca/iss/237/cg237_gmos.shtml)

Are we going to reward contempt of Parliament?
(www.ottawacitizen.com/story_print.html?id=4564215&)

The grades are in: the Conservative party fails students’ test
(www.cfs-fcee.ca/html/english/media/mediapage.php?release_id=1232)

The Government of Canada’s record on climate change
(www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/2011/release/index.php?WEBYEP_DI=8)

CYCC Climate Report Card Project
(www.ourclimate.ca/wordpress/how-do-they-stack-up-the-cyccs-climate-report-card-project/)

Tories used praise for Liberals to defend summit costs: Fraser
(www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/story/2011/04/11/cv-election-weston-ag-fraser.html)

Firstly, I would like to point out, before I talk a little about what I am starting to do, I agree with you, on the whole, and am glad that you point out that there are those of us rookies that are decent… Okay, I don’t even know if I’m decent, I’m just trying, because I love photography in all forms, but am loving this venue. Anyway, back to the point.

I have now done two weddings, well, one actually done where I was the photographer. It was short notice, as the other dropped out less than a week before the wedding. I had little to no time to get there, scout anything, etc.., and on top of that, it rained, and the wedding was in a rented single room, plain building where the couple could afford it. I did decent, I think, based on what I had to work with.

That being said, I, personally, am going to their house at an appointed time, will be bringing with me a book with pictures (printed myself), in it, two cd’s, one of unedited pictures, the other the finished product, and two copies of a contract giving rights to print all of their pictures along with allowing me to retain showing rights so I may have them for showing my work.

While I’m not “great” yet, I’m working on it, but I have actually done a little research and put time into it beyond walking up to a computer, burning unedited pictures onto a disc, and walking away till they are done, and collecting payment upon delivery.

I’m not angry at you, sir, because you have not done anything to attack us “rookies”, but I wanted to point out to those who read this and notice your initial statement that some of us are not simple lazy people is confirmed by one. I hope those people who try to get into this without a great amount of experience also see this and realize that you SHOULD go above and beyond a shoot and burn method. When you aren’t quite yet to a potential dream, word of mouth is important, and I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want jimmy to get told by billy that “They took my wedding pictures and gave me a disc and that was that, no editing, I did not enjoy the experience” and have that under my belt, especially not on my first official paid gig.

Joseph