TN! of the Week: Julian Fantino, Commissioner Ontario Police

Tasers, tasers, tasers!

If you were waiting for this week's report on taser abuse in Canada then you can keep waiting for while.

A report on [taser use] that was expected this week at a police chiefs convention has been delayed until next year.

I suppose it's tough to report on such an inconvenient truth when one of your main sponsor is so heavily involved in the outcome of the report.

Taser International is one of the top $ponsor$ of the police chiefs' conference.

Indeed, the always humble Taser International. Not that Steve Palmer (Canadian Police Research Centre) would tell you about this particular conflict of interest, no, there's a better explanation (wink, wink):

"It's important that this (report) is done well and that this is done in a way that brings value to a broad group of stakeholders: public, police, and policy makers," Palmer said at a news conference Tuesday at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police convention.

I see, "done well". Yes of course, now I get it, "well done" Steve. Taser's sponsorship of the convention has got nothing to do with it.

Taser International is one of the top $ponsor$ of the police chiefs' conference.

Oh really? Gosh, I had no idea. Are you sure?

Taser International is one of the top $$$$$ponsor$$$$$ of the police chiefs' conference.

But that wouldn't affect any of the "events" at such a conference, would it?

Ontario's provincial police commissioner says there is nothing wrong with Taser International sponsoring a police chiefs' conference.

I told you so, didn't I?

Taser Nazi of the Week - Julian Fantino
Now here's how Julian Fantino got himself nominated for Taser Nazi of the Week.

Julian Fantino says the weapons have saved many lives and are a tool like any other.
"The issue is not so much the tool as the rhetoric that revolves around it," he said. "I think the debate has gone off the rails.
"In my experience that particular device has saved many lives."

Fortunately the lazy-lapdog-journalists of "the Canadian Press" had for once their follow up question ready, asking for some evidence of this so often repeated but false claim that tasers save lives:

....

Indeed, lazy-lapdog-journalists don't ask such serious questions, nor would there be a valid answer (which I've explained before here: tasers DON'T save lives).

Congrats, Julian Fantino, you're the "Taser-Nazi of the Week"!

LINKS
- the Canadian Press: We at the Canadian Press only ask soft-ball questions about the safety of Tasers
- Getting it Right: Tasers save lives? You decide!

Democracy Now!'s TWO HOUR shows on the Democratic National Convention in Denver

One word: Wow!!!

Watch it.

LINKS
- Democracy Now!

Ron Suskind reveals Bush administration ordered Iraq/9-11 fakery

From Democracy Now!
Thursday August 14, 2008

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind joins us for part two of an interview on his new book, The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism. Suskind reports that in 2003 the White House ordered the CIA to forge and disseminate false intelligence documents linking al-Qaeda and Iraq. While much of the attention on the book has focused on the forged letter, Suskind also reveals that the Bush administration and the British government knew prior to the war that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. We also speak to Rep. John Conyers, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating some of the explosive findings in Suskind’s book. [...]

The CIA allegedly forged a letter from the head of Iraqi intelligence to Saddam Hussein. It was backdated July 1, 2001 and stated 9/11 ringleader Mohamed Atta was trained for his mission in Iraq.

While much of the attention on the book has focused on the forged letter, Suskind also reveals that the Bush administration and the British government knew prior to the war that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.

Ron Suskind interviewed Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, Britain’s secret intelligence service. Dearlove said that Britain received intelligence in the beginning of 2003 about Iraq’s lack of WMDs but the Bush administration buried the information.

Dearlove told Suskind: “The problem was the Cheney crowd was in too much of a hurry, really. Bush never resisted them quite strongly enough.” Ron Suskind joins us again here in the Firehouse studio. We are also joined on the phone by Congressman John Conyers, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee. John Conyers has said his committee will review some of the explosive findings in Suskind’s new book, “The Way of the World.”

Lots more at Democracy Now!: After Ron Suskind Reveals Bush Admin Ordered Iraq-9/11 Fakery, House Judiciary Chair John Conyers Opens Congressional Probe