at least i don't smoke...

...but I do have some Cohibas and Panter Mignons stashed away in my freezer.


March 17th

I'd like to have seen that. When's the next marble going to expand? (The biggest bang of all. Apparently the universe was originally the size of a marble and then boom.)


Did they check his mind? I'm sure a lot of poison could have been found there. (No poison found in Milosevic's body, tribunal says.)


March 16th

alistair MacMartin from Toronto, Canada writes: It is such a relief to know that we have soldiers in Afghanistan 'destroying' the bad guys, as Captain Larose puts it. No more dithering - Canada is out there kicking ass. At last we can say to our neighbour, 'look at us, we're a real country just like you'.

That first post says so much, in all its (unintentional?) facetiousness. I find it uncanny how Canadians manage to elect a Bush administration patsy like Stephen Harper just as we're required to step up our military presence in Afghanistan so that more American sons, daughters, mothers and dads can shift over to Iraq for target practice. Funny how the world works. (Troops flex muscle in Taliban stronghold. I'm sure all the girls were impressed.)


Bob Kortright, how exactly did the virus get from east Asia to Africa? And does the U.S. test all the migratory birds in Alaska? If the strain is already present there, a much closer destination for migratory birds from China or Korea than Africa is, I might add, I give twelve weeks or even twelve days as my cautious estimate. It is only when the wildfowl reach highly populated areas such as Europe that the virus' presence in domesticated birds is finally detected. But nice try, Bob. I'm assuming you teach science? (Bird flu possible in Americas within 12 months, UN says.)


March 15th

We've got wads of cash; let's hire a lot of smart, educated people and see if we can make more. I think I can figure out where Google's headed... (Googlemania hits Waterloo.)


I'm still pondering something. The recent court-ordered settlement between the makers of the Blackberry and the patent holder who alleged infringement was in the millions of dollars. How many unhired employees does that equal? (Boom has tech grads mulling their options.)


March 14th

Herb Alpert has always had class. To be inducted along with Miles Davis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and still be able to come up with a one-liner: you rock, Herb! (Crazy night at Rock Hall of Fame, too. Mr. Alpert mentioned something about a Bar Mitzvah.)


It's finally happened. A South Korean politician has shown more integrity than his Canadian counterpart. I'm seriously considering staying here in sunny Daegu, at least until Mr. Harper is out of office. (South Korea's golfing Prime Minister resigns. The only comment. Apparently no-one cares.)


Aahhhh. Now we know the winner. In case you missed it, I had the following comment posted over a week ago. There was only one other comment to the story at that time, by the way. (C.R.A.Z.Y. night at the Genies. I re-posted my comment which I'm assuming you've already read. Heck, if the Globe can recycle stories...they subsequently published two on the same day about Google at Waterloo. These comments are here in reverse chronological order, remember.)


March 13th

If amnesty was offered to all draft dodgers and deserters from the Vietnam conflict, why is Mr. Abney no longer entitled to it? Mr. Harper should be in Washington asking some very pointed questions instead of in Afghanistan pretending to be significant. (B.C. man nabbed at U.S. border for desertion. The comments on Harper's visit were closed. I've got to get my digs in somehow.)


It might be interesting to contrast this judge's culpability with that of others involved in mass slayings in Iraq.

"Baghdad — Car bombs — one detonated by a suicide attacker — and mortar rounds ripped apart two markets Sunday in a Shiite slum in Baghdad, killing at least 41 people and wounding 140. The carnage came after Iraqi politicians decided to move up the date to convene parliament, an indication of resolve to form a unity government." (Hussein-era judge says death sentences were fair. I can use unattributed quotes from the same newspaper in my comments, can't I? This ain't no poli-sci essay here.)


'We had lots of positive audience reaction about the universe these kids inhabit, the look of the show and the independent soundtrack,' says Leo. 'These are good things to build on.' Did anyone think it was funny? (The fresh face of CBC comedy? I'm still waiting for my phone call, Mr. Rabinovitch. By the way, I think I might have woken up early back in the day to make pastries with your daughter or niece, Daphna. This redhead guy from Vancouver and I used to have her in stitches.)


Let me be the first to congratulate a team that still finds the heart to make an effort, not unlike other professional squads in Toronto. Go Raptors! Go Leafs! (Raptors grab rare close win. Funnily enough, the only comment before they closed it.)


James Chipman, are you really a Leafs fan? In 1999 Mats Sundin captained his team to the Eastern Conference finals only to lose out to the Sabres and Hasek. The Leafs were in the conference finals again in 2002, this time against Carolina where they lost only one game in regulation, the other three being given up in overtime. Curtis Joseph was playing with an injured thumb. That's darn close, twice in three years. Please don't assume that real fans don't read comments posted to the Globe. (Leafs bolster playoff hopes. Chipman thought Gilmour's Leafs were the only ones that came close. He's got a thing against Europeans.)

We will not approve comments that include personal attacks on Globe journalists or other participants in these forums; comments that make false or unsubstantiated allegations; comments that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified... Could you please start applying these standards to comments about Canada's team, the Maple Leafs? (I just thought it needed pointing out.)