So for the last five weeks I've been working. Construction. As usual. Not nearly enough time for working on Archangel, but I'll get to that on the Archangel blog. It's been fun, another 4-6 weeks on the current job which will bring in another 10-12 thousand after taxes.

A fond farewell

Last Thursday I received word that a lady that I dated for a while a few years ago overdosed on either cocaine or heroin, or a combination of the two, during a party the previous Monday. While the idiots who she was partying with did take her to the hospital they left her on the sidewalk rather than take the effort to take her inside. Apparently she had been dead for several minutes by the time a nurse, who was leaving the hospital after having just gone off-duty, found her.

REWIND

I first met her and her kids through her mother on July 6, 1998. They were visiting from BC for a few weeks, so her mother figured she should introduce us.

Considering what I knew about her at that time, I knew that I should have ran like hell.

But I didn't.

We spent a lot of time together while she was here and I got along great with the kids, so things were looking pretty good. And she was interesting. But she had a problem, she couldn't drop the party-girl persona for very long. Then she went back to her life in BC's Lower Mainland. She came back in 1999 and we pretty much picked up where we left off. This time she had the intention of making the move permanent when she made the decision to make a permanent break from her long-time boyfriend. And she did, at least for a few weeks. She was making a life for herself. With a regular job and the whole nine yards. Then he came out to see the kids, at her invitation, and he brought the party-lifestyle with him. He didn't leave and she reverted back to the person that she was. So my reaction was, 'see ya!' I went to Vancouver for a year to attend film school and didn't think about her directly again. When I came back I stayed away. From everything I heard she was not nearly the same person she was when I left, and the person she became, and arguably always was, was a person that I didn't want to know.

She left him one more time after that and we got back together briefly. But I knew, from experience, that it wouldn't last. And I was right. It didn't. Eventually they moved back to BC and I was somewhat relieved. It was a cycle that would not repeat itself again.

Christ, am I glad I had no idea what would eventually happen...

THE PRESENT

The doctors revived her, and they didn't exactly do her a favour in doing so. She is paralyzed from the waist down and non-responsive to outside stimulation. They suspect massive brain damage. To top it all off she has pneumonia and it's killing her. The likelihood of her surviving the next week is slim.

I am unsure to this day whether I meant anything to her at all back then or if she was just using me as a diversion, but I suspect the latter. But either way, she mattered to me back then and that's all that's important at right this moment.

For Alyssa:
While I was there for you in the past, I'm so sorry that I couldn't be there for you this time. If there was anything I could do for you, I would, but this is one fight that you have to face yourself.

Scott

The Highway of Heroes

Named for the stretch of Ontario's Highway 401 between Trenton and Toronto that is used for returning our fallen heroes home.

The following is a list of all Canadian personnel who have fallen in Afghanistan. I will not duplicate it again, but I will add to it when necessary.



1. Sergeant Marc D. Léger / 3 Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / April 18, 2002 / Bomb dropped by US F-16



2. Corporal Ainsworth Dyer / 3 Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / April 18, 2002 / Bomb dropped by US F-16



3. Private Richard Greene / 3 Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / April 18, 2002 / Bomb dropped by US F-16


4. Private Nathan Smith / 3Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / April 18, 2002 / Bomb dropped by US F-16


5. Sergeant Robert Allan Short / 3 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment / October 2, 2003 / Landmine


6. Corporal Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger / 3 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment / October 2, 2003 / Landmine


7. Corporal Jamie Brendan Murphy / 1 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment / January 27, 2004 / suicide bomber.


8. Private Braun Scott Woodfield / 2 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment / November 24, 2005 / LAV III rollover


9. M/Corporal Timothy Wilson / 2 Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / March 2, 2006 / LAV III rollover


10. Corporal Paul Davis / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / March 2, 2006 / LAV III rollover

11. Private Robert Costall / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / March 29, 2006 / US Special Forces

12. Corporal Matthew Dinning / 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group / April 22, 2006 / improvised explosive device

13. Lieutenant William Turner / Land Force Western Area Headquarters / April 22, 2006 / improvised explosive device

14. Bombardier Myles Mansell / 5 Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery / April 22, 2006 / improvised explosive device

15. Corporal Randy Payne / Wainwright MP Platoon / April 22, 2006 / improvised explosive device

16. Captain Nichola Goddard / 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery / May 17, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations

17. Corporal Anthony Boneca / Lake Superior Scottish Regiment / July 9, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations

18. Corporal Francisco Gomez / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 22, 2006 / suicide bomber

19. Corporal Jason Patrick Warren / The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada / July 22, 2006 / suicide bomber

20. Corporal Christopher Jonathon Reid / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 3, 2006 / roadside bomb

21. Sergeant Vaughn Ingram / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 3, 2006 / RPG attack

22. Corporal Bryce Jeffery Keller / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 3, 2006 / RPG attack

23. Private Kevin Dallaire / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 3, 2006 / RPG attack

24. M/Corporal Raymond Arndt / Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4 PPCLI) / August 5, 2006 / vehicle collision


25. M/Corporal Jeffery Scott Walsh / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 9, 2006 / Accidental weapons discharge by squadmate.

26. Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom / 1 Field Ambulance / August 11, 2006 / suicide bomber


27. Corporal David Braun / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 22, 2006 / suicide bomber


28. Warrant Office Frank Robert Mellish / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / September 3, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations


29. Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / September 3, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations


30. Private William Jonathon James Cushley / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / September 3, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations


31. Sergeant Shane Stachnik / 2 Combat Engineer Regiment / September 3, 2006 / anti-insurgency operations


32. Private Mark Anthony Graham / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / September 4, 2006 / Attack by US A-10


33. Corporal David Byers / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 18, 2006 / suicide bomber


34. Corporal Shane Keating / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 18, 2006 / suicide bomber


35. Corporal Keith Morley / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 18, 2006 / suicide bomber


36. Corporal Glen Arnold / 2 Field Ambulance / September 18, 2006 / suicide bomber


37. Private Josh Kulkie / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / September 29, 2006 / Improvised Explosive Device


38. Sergeant Craig Paul Gillam / Royal Canadian Dragoons / October 3, 2006 / insurgent attack


39. Corporal Robert Thomas James Mitchell / Royal Canadian Dragoons / October 3, 2006 / insurgent attack


40. Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson / Royal Canadian Dragoons / October 7, 2006 / Improvised Explosive Device


41. Sergeant Darcy Tedford / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / October 14, 2006 / insurgent attack


42. Private Blake Williamson / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / October 14, 2006 / insurgent attack.


43. Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / November 27, 2006 / suicide bomber


44. Corporal Albert Storm / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / November 27, 2006 / suicide bomber

45. Corporal Kevin Megany / Nova Scotia Highlanders / March 6, 2007 / accidental shooting

46. Sergeant Donald Lucas / 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

47. Corporal Aaron E. Williams / 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

48. Corporal Brent Poland / 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

49. Private David Robert Greenslade / 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

50. Private Kevin Vincent Kennedy / 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

51. Corporal Christopher Paul Stannix / Princess Louise Fusiliers / April 8, 2007 / roadside bomb

52. M/Corporal Allan Stewart / Royal Canadian Dragoons / April 11 / roadside bomb

53. Trooper Patrick James Pentland / Royal Canadian Dragoons / April 11 / roadside bomb

54. Anthony Klumpenhouwer / CANSOFCOM signaller / April 18 / Accidental fall from communications tower

55. Corporal Matthew McCully / 2 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron / May 25, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

56. M/Corporal Darryl Jason Priede / 3 Area Support Group / May 30. 2007 / helicopter crash

57. Trooper Darryl Caswell / Royal Canadian Dragoons / June 11, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

58. Sergeant Christos Karigiannis / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / June 20, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

59. Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / June 20, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

60. Private Joel Vincent Wiebe / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / June 20, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

61. Captain Matthew Johnathon Dawe / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

62. Corporal Jordan Anderson / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

63. Corporal Cole Bartsch / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

64. Private Lane Watkins / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

65. Captain Jefferson Clifford Francis / 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

66. M/Corporal Colin Bason / Royal Westminster Regiment / July 4, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

67. Private Simon Longtin / 3 Royal 22^e Régiment / August 19, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

68. M/Warrant Officer Mario Mercier /2 Royal 22^e Régiment / August 22, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

69. M/Corporal Christian Duschene / 5 Field Ambulance / August 22, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

70. Major Raymond Ruckpaul / NATO Allied Land Componant Command Headquarters / August 29, 2007 / suicide

71. Corporal Nathan Hornburg / Royal Canadian Armoured Corps / Septembe3r 24, 2007 / Mortar attack

72. Corporal Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp / 5 Field Ambulance / November 17, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

73. Private Michel Levesque / 3 Royal 22^e Régiment / November 17, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

74. Gunner Jonathon Dion / 5 Royal Canadian Artillery / December 30, 2007 / Improvised Explosive Device

75. Warrant Officer Hani Massouh / 2 Royal 22^e Régiment / January 6, 2008 / vehicle rollover

76. Corporal Eric Labbé / 2 Royal 22^e Régiment / January 6, 2008 / vehicle rollover

77. Trooper Richard Renaud / 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada / January 15, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

78. Corporal Etienne Gonthier / 5 Combat Engineer Regiment / January 23, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

79. Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze / Lord Strathcona's Horse / March 2, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

80. Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet / Royal Canadian Horse Artillery / March 11, 2008 / Under Investigation

81. Sergeant Jason Boyes / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / March 16, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

82. Private Terry John Street / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / April 4, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

83. Corporal Michael Starker / 15 Field Ambulance / May 6, soo8 / Insurgent attack

84. Captain Richard Leary / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / June 3, 2008 / Insurgent attack

85. Captain Jonathon Snyder / 1 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / June 7, 2008 / Accidental death during night patrol

86. Corporal Brendan Anthony Downey / 17 Wing / July 4, 2008 / unspecified

87. Private Colin William Wilmot / 1 Field Ambulance / July 5, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

88. Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / July 18, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

89. M/Corporal Joshua Brian Roberts / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 9, 2008 / Insurgent attack

90. M/Corporal Erin Doyle / 3 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / August 11, 2008 / Insurgent attack

91. Sergeant Shawn Allan Eades / 1 Combat Engineer Regiment / August 21, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

92. Corporal Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden / 1 Combat Engineer Regiment / August 21, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

93. Sapper Stephan John Stock / 1 Combat Engineer Regiment / August 21, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

94. Corporal Andrew Paul Grenon / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 3, 2008 / Insurgent attack

95. Corporal Michael James Alexander Seggie / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 3, 2008 / Insurgent attack

96. Private Chadwick James Horn / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 3, 2008 / Insurgent attack

97. Sergeant Prescott Shipway / 2 Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry / September 7, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

98. Warrant Officer Robert John Wilson / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 5, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

99. Corporal Mark Robert McLaren / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 5, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

100. Private Demetrios Diplaros / 1 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 5, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

101. Corporal Thomas James Hamilton / 'G' coy, 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 13, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

102. Private Justin Peter Jones / 'G' coy, 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 13, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

103. Private John Michael Roy Curwin / 'G' coy, 2 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 13, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

104. Private Michael Bruce Freeman / 'N' coy, 3 Royal Canadian Regiment / December 26, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

105. Warrant Officer Gaetan Joseph Roberge / Royal 22^e Régiment / December 27, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

106. Sergeant Gregory John Kruse / 2 Combat Engineer Regiment / December 27, 2008 / Improvised Explosive Device

107. Trooper Brian Richard Good / Royal Canadian Dragoons / January 7, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

108. Sapper Sean David Greenfield / 24 Field Engineer Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment / January 31, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

109. Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown / Lincoln and Welland Regiment / March 4, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

110. Corporal Dany Oliver Fortin / 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 3 wing / March 4, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

111. Corporal Kenneth O'Quinn / 2 CMBG Headquarters & Signal Squadron / March 4, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

112. Trooper Marc Diab / Royal Canadian Dragoons / March 8, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device

113. M/Corporal Scott Vernelli / 3 Royal canadian Regiment / March 20, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device


By scott_t at 2009-04-25
114. Corporal Tyler Crooks / 3 Royal canadian Regiment / March 20, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device



Trooper Jack Bouthillier / Royal Canadian Dragoons / March 20, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device


116. Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes / Royal Canadian Dragoons / March 20, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device


117. Trooper Karin Blais / 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada / April 13, 2009 / Improvised Explosive Device


118. Major Michelle Mendes / April 24, 2009 / Under Investigation

God be with you all. You will be missed and your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)

Random thoughts

I haven't been active for a while, so I figured it was time to dust off the place.

ENTERTAINMENT

It looks like it's happening again! A major US television network has picked up another Canadian series for it's prime time lineup. Following the success of the CTV police drama Flashpoint on CBS, ABC has picked up 13 episodes of the Global Television series Copper, a series billed as "Grey's Anatomy" in the world of rookie cops.

To date there are currently four Canadian TV series either currently broadcast, or scheduled to broadcast, on the major US networks in primetime:

Flashpoint (CTV/CBS)
The Listener (CTV/NBC)
The Bridge (CTV/CBS)
Copper (Global/ABC)

And most likely more on the way. I like this. After decades of Canadian networks buying American programming, while doing very little to tell and promote our own stories, it's about time the trend started to reverse itself. And with good story-telling as an added bonus.

POLITICS - CANADA

HA! Liberal Leader of the Opposition Michael Ignatieff was in Washington for a few days after accepting an invitation to speak at a conference on Afghanistan. While there, he also took the time to speak to members of Obama's inner circle and speak at a Human Rights conference organized by the Carr Centre of Human Rights Policy at Harvard. Canadians of the Conservative bent are more than a little put out by the fact that he had dinner with the likes of Richard Holbrooke and David Petraeus and is having meetings with Obama's economic advisor, Larry Summer and foreign policy advisor, Samantha Power, saying that since he's not the PM, he has no right to speak for Canada. True, but he's the LO, and has a real shot of being the next PM, so he does have the right to feel out the moods of others towards Canada, especially those of our largest trading partner.

That being said, I am uncomfortable with any politician who is too close to the White House. Under the Bush administration our current Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was well known for doing almost anything for a belly-rub from the former President, from the billion dollar theft from the timber industry to his decrying global warming/climate change as a myth (ironically, his stance did a complete 180 after Obama won the election last November).

So, Michael, after you get the PMO in the next election (and no, I won't be voting for you), don't do what pretty much every PM has done for the last thirty years and sell us down the river.

Represent Canada, not American interests in Canada.

POLITICS - US

This torture thing is getting fun. Everybody is so busy pointing fingers after the Obama administration released the CIA memo's that Washington is finally getting interesting again. Now with the possibility of criminal prosecution of those of the former Bush administration who drew up the legal basis for torture, this is turning into must-see tv.

Afghanistan

Well, we can add another name to the roll of the fallen in Afghanistan. Major Michelle Mendes of Wicklow, Ontario was found dead in her quarters at Kandahar Airfield.

According to authorities, it wasn't war related. More as it comes available.

On this (current) clusterfuck in Ottawa...

I have to admit, I'm getting my fair share of laughs out of the political turmoil in our nation's capital. Two months ago, Prime Minister Steve Harper won his second minority government in just over two years (For those unfamiliar with the Westminster Parliamentary System, a minority government is run by the party who won the most parliamentary seats, but has less than the combined number of the opposition parties. Check out Wikipedia for a more concise explanation.) and decides that he wants to -- literally -- destroy the more left-leaning opposition parties by cutting taxpayer-supplied government funding to those parties and paving the way for his ramming his agenda down he throats of every Canadian. And the minor detail of failing to address a stimulus package concerning the economic downturn.

The self-styled "master tactician" didn't foresee those three other parliamentary parties disagreeing with him.

So now we have two of those parties forming a coalition with the tacit backing of the third and threatening to (legally) depose King Steve and his Conservative Party.

It's going to be interesting.

Did Steve win the last election? Undeniably yes. However, he won with only 37% of the vote. That means that 63% of the voters voted for a more liberal approach to government, and whether he likes it or not, Stephane Dion, Jack Layton, and Gilles Duceppe represent that 63% in Parliament.