Author: Stephen Taylor

One of the fundamental freedoms in any democratic society is the freedom of the press to report facts and uncover the truth wherever it may be. The press should investigate unhindered and express newsworthy information to public. With this principal democratic right comes the critically non-pervertible responsibility to report in an unbiased and truthful manner free of influence.

Recently, however, the Conservatives are crying foul as a few journalists have been netted by the Liberal party to vocalize points of view rather than points of fact. The Globe and Mail’s Drew Fagan recently left his post as that paper’s Ottawa bureau chief to work for Foreign Affairs as a senior economic advisor. Most notable has been CBC Radio’s loss of Susan Murray who left to go spin for Scott Brison. The previous Liberal prime minister, Jean Chrétien appointed CTV reporter Jim Munson to the senate (Munson had worked for Chrétien for a mere 16 months before he got his golden ticket).

“Too many media people are right in bed with the Liberal government and that’s scary” — Conservative Party of Canada House Leader John Reynolds

Stephen Harper even joked about the situation at the annual Press Gallery Dinner when he expressed mock sympathy for journalists having to endure a 35 day interview period before being hired on by the Liberal government.

Don Martin, columnist for the National Post, has suggested a cooling-off period for the government to hire journalists. He proposes a one year period after an election. Further, Martin writes, no national affairs journalists shall be entitled to receive the Order of Canada, a Senate appointment or a patronage assignment until they are no longer employed by the news media. Sounds like common sense.

Along the same lines of the paradox that asks: “if you strapped a piece of buttered toast, face-up, on the back of a cat and tossed it into the air, which holds true: A cat lands on its feet or a piece of buttered toast always lands face-down?”

I don’t know if the following video is more cool or cruel (but I’m sure the cat got over it). It comes from the American Air Force Academy’s training on the KC-135A Reduced Gravity Research Program which flies an empty passenger jet (affectionately called the “Vomit Comet”) in a parabolic arc at the appropriate speed over the appropriate amount of time to simulate weightlessness within the Earth’s atmosphere. Researchers suspend a cat in the weightless environment while it tries to figure out which way is up.

Cat in 0G (Quicktime)

Homecoming weekend was a success. I met up with some old friends, introduced new grad school friends to some Queen’s traditions and met up with a few fellow bloggers.

It turned out that Alfie’s was in fact closed and Clark Hall Pub was open (contrary to the homecoming weekend schedule posted in the Journal) so after the initial meet-up inside the JDUC, we decided to move the fun to the QP where beer and good times were had by all. Al McLeod of Gen X at 40 joined the fun for a short while before going out for a night on the town with his better half (hopefully he caught the latter half of the BoSox game). John Hamilton, Matt Fletcher and the elusive “Blackhole” from View From In Here and myself talked about everything from AMS politics to, well, federal politics to our blog war stories and l’affair Kinsella.

The party then spilled out onto Aberdeen where we joined about 3000 Queen’s students, past and present, for the greatest Kingston block party of the year. I believe that the police presence didn’t dampen the party too much; however, it was the first year that I saw an alumnus (a 40 year old alumnus) in handcuffs and under arrest. I’m sure that even he would agree that the party was a mad success and that we’ll see everyone back on Aberdeen next year.

Cha Gheill!

(L-R) “Blackhole”, Stephen Taylor, Matt Fletcher, John Hamilton at the QP