Wishing everyone the Best for the Holidays …and then we’ll get at it all again, with no doubt lots to talk about once the politicians, protesters, pundits and all the other protagonists pick up the pace again.

A reminder …if interested in checking out some topics you may have missed … and judging how accurate any of us were with predictions … just click your favorite topic in the Archives on the side.

And anyone who wants fast alerts of New Postings as soon as they are published, just follow me  @harveyoberfeld on Twitter.

Now… enjoy the most important things.

Harv Oberfeld

Meanwhile some interesting facts;  this is my 440th blog since opening this forum  … and I’m really happy to report that more than 40,000 visit here EACH  month, and tens of thousands others read it on other sites I allow to republish … free of course. Not bad for a hobby!   But the best number?  More than 6,600 Comments have also been posted, giving so many people an opportunity to have their ideas, thoughts and opinions read by such a large audience … including some very powerful and influential political, media, business and community members, as well as the many, many  people  I’ve heard from elsewhere in Canada, the U.S. and even overseas.

The blogosphere rocks:  there are many successful “professional” bloggers, as well as a host of hobbyists like me,  who bring … for the most part … intelligent discussion and commentary on issues to the forefront. 

 In fact, the recent HST debate showed that bloggers had more influence, and credibility,  than the mainstream media, the government and corporate-financed propaganda machine and all those right-wing media pundits combined. And those who fail to understand the growing importance and influence of this still relatively new medium will pay a heavy price for that.

Back online in three weeks.  Meanwhile,  good chance to enjoy some of our discussions you pamy have missed on topics you care about: just click on or search your favorite topics: media, national, BC etc. or just names … Campbell, Clark, Dix …and see what we all said and how our discussions on here actually turned out.

And remember by sigining up to follow me on Twitter   …. @harveyoberfeld …  free (of course), you’ll get advance word on when the next blog is ready to go …and all subsequent bloggings too.

Chat, and/or debate,  again soon,

Harv Oberfeld

There have been other versions of this film epic, but this is my favorite.  Turn up your sound….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C7AYsfB_dM

If you can’t get the link to work for you, try You Tube and search Vancouver Bike Lane Nazi. 

Enjoy the weekend.

ho

The blogosphere is alive and well …and over an over again having an impact on society.

For those who are new, or even long time readers/contributors who want some fun reading and debate, may I suggest clicking on the various archive categories and take another look at some of our topics … and how “right on” many of you …and even I occasionally  … have proven to be! 

Chat again in a week.

Harv Oberfeld

But I do NOT try to kill off comments from people who disagree with me (although I wonder how could they!  .   I don’t disqualify them because their submissions  have spelling  mistakes; I don’t invalidate them because of grammatical mistakes; and, I don’t throw them out because their writing style fails to meet some esoteric standard.

I believe the most important thing is allowing people to express their opinions, give their point of view, provide their information  … and if we can understand what they mean to say, it get’s accepted, it gets published, it gets circulated to readers of this blog around the world!

Which brings me to the lawsuit by BC’s “business community” trying to kill off the anti-HST petition.

 More than 700,000 British Columbia voters expressed their opposition to the HST:  they did so democratically; they did not use violence or intimidation; they exercised their right, as allowed under the law; and they met the numbers required to achieve success. 

 To try to have the anti-HST petition dismissed on some technicality about wording or form etc. shows a clear discrespect for democracy, a refusal to listen to what  the public have said,  and an attempt to silence the wishes of 700,000 of their own “customers” just because an “i” was not dotted or a “t” was not crossed.

No wonder their friends in the mainstream media  usually just describe the lawsuit financiers as “six business groups” but seldom identify them by name: … probably don’t want to bite too hard on the hands that feed them.

HERE they are:  the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, the Council of Forest Industries, Coast Forest Products Association, The Independent Contractors and Builders Association,  the Mining Association of B.C. and Western Convenience Stores (owners of Mac’s Stores and 7-Eleven). 

This attempt to set aside the public’s  democratic expression of opinion is so significant they should ALL be identified in each and every story done on this court case.  The public has a right to know!!!  Not just “six business groups”.

This lawsuit by these  businesses goes far beyond taking a stand for or against the HST:  THIS is trying to cast aside the expressed will of 700,000 British Columbians who signed a petition in good faith.  

I believe by trying deliberately to set aside this petition these groups have disgraced themselves completely as corporate “citizens”.   

It doesn’t even matter if they win or lose their lawsuit: the fact that they refuse to accept and have tried to destroy  the clearly expressed desire of more than 700,000 British Columbians  shows, in my opinion, their disdain for democracy and the clearly expressed point of view of enough people under the legislation to have the matter referred to our elected representatives. 

Shame on them.

Harv Oberfeld

The segment will air from 3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m and for those outside the Vancouver area, it can be heard on CKNW.com … listen live or via the audio vault after that.

Have a wonderful sunny weekend, all.

ho

And if interested, you can also listen in on the Internet live: Talk 1410.

Take a look:

 http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=j3Y8qPQflx_7nhZLUPU3nzc2MDQyNzE-&referred_by=12917110-KE73Inx

Regards,

Harv Oberfeld