Update - Dr. Riyadh Lafta at Simon Fraser

Now the British government won't even give him a transit visa through Heathrow to change planes. Of course, this should not be surprising as the Blair is in bed with Bush and both have a vested interest in keeping the world ignorant of the findings of this report.

We need this data and, as unpopular as it is, we need to complete this work," Dr. Takaro said. "It's extraordinary that the British would have held up something, and it makes me think that they were influenced to do it -- we'd love to know why."

Another thing I have noticed when I have tried to research this story is the way that it has been almost ignored by the media. I found nothing on the CBC website, and this morning, my favourite current events program on CBC ONE "The Current" was supposed to have done a story on Dr Lafta this morning - but didn't. I am really curious to know why and sent an email to that effect. I doubt if I shall receive a response.

Update on the Update: I did get a response from The Current:

I am not sure why this didn't air or if it was a mistake in the promo ... I didn't see it in the line up. We are still intending to do the story though. Stay tuned next week.

Take care,



Lisa Ayuso
The Current

So there you have it.  I, for one, will be waiting.

Winning their Hearts and Minds

Canada offers forum for lecturer barred from U.S.

In short: A highly regarded Iraqi epidemiologist who wants to tell Americans about an alarming rise in cancer levels among Iraqi children will come to Canada instead because he couldn't get a visa to the United States.

Cancer and birth defects are rising in epdemic proportions among Iraqi children since the first Gulf War. the University of Washington wanted Dr. Riyadh Lafta to speak there, but his requests for a visa went ignored. So, he was invited to speak at Simon Fraser.

Spent uranium coating, among other things, are the causes. There is nothing left in Iraq to use such weaponry against, yet still it is being used. And in Afghanistan too. In the years to come it will effect not only the children, but the vetrans of this war as well.

This is just another thing that Bush's propoganda machine does not wish Americans to know about. The effects of this poisoning will likely be felt years from now, just like agent orange, and likely denied, just like agent orange.

Never, Ever Piss Off A Senior - The Story of the OLC

As I said, it was an auspicious day to begin this blog with not only one, but two articles upon which to comment, and it's not even noon yet.

First, allow me to state that I'm not much of a gambler; I've been to Vegas twice in my life; Both times in the 80's, when there were still remnants of the old "Rat Pack" days to be found. Each time, the limit of my gambling consisted of the nickel slots. I have no interest in cards, much to the annoyance of my family and extended maternal family, all of whom seem to have been born with a deck of cards in one hand and a bottle of rye in the other. I can forget how to play a card game as fast as I have been taught, and utterly despise rye whiskey. Those qualties plus the fact that I am the only one on either side of my family who enjoys Shakespeare and would give my eye teeth to see the entire Ring Cycle live, lends credence to my theory that I was stolen at birth by Polish Peasants. but I digress.

I have, however, bought the occasional lottery ticket knowing full well that the odds of winning the big one are not much better than if I had not bought a ticket at all. But, you never know.....

I, like many other Canadians, have been watching with great interest, the story of 82 year old Bob Edmonds and his stolen lottery ticket since his story first broke last fall on The Fifth Estate. If you have an hour or so to kill, I recommend watching both the original story, the follow up and the follow up to the follow up available on the web site linked above.

In short, Mr Edmonds bought a lottery ticket, was scammed out of his winnings ($250,000)by the unscrupulous owners of the convenience store where he had the ticket checked. It took four years, of cover ups, denial, and litigation to have this matter more or less set to rights. The Ontario Lottery Commission spent $400,000, nearly double the original prize, in legal fees fighting Mr. Edmonds. In the end Mr Edmonds won, but the story is convoluted, and to long to explain all the nuances here. The ensuing scandal has rocked the OLC to its very foundation, and cast doubts on every other provincial lottery in the country, when it was found that inside winners (retailers) were winning huge prizes at 10 times the rate of the rest of us. In Atlantic Canada, the inside winner with ratio is 25 times higher.

Yesterday, in a long overdue move the head of the OLC, Duncan Brown was fired and escorted from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission building. This occurs just days before the Provincial Ombudsman is due to release it's report on the wrong doing at the OLC.

It is interesting to note that the hierarchy in the OLC really pissed off not only Bob Edmonds but a lot of people withing the OLC itself. This was indicated by the number of documents "leaked" to The Fifth Estate during its ongoing investigation. The fingers of this cover up even reach into the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

This story isn't over yet.