Salve, calceum lambens!

Isn’t Canada a fantastic country? We often tease the Americans for having two virtually indistinguishable political parties reigning over the land (although the distinction between the two is becoming more apparent in the 21st Century, ‘praise Jesus’). However, now Americans can shoot back at us with similar claims of having political parties difficult to demarcate. After all, when someone can come in second place for the leadership of one political party only to change teams fourteen months later to the very team your party is trying to bring down. Belinda Stronach must be do-or-die in favor of gay marriage or she must really want to be a cabinet minister. One way or another, it's a very Churchillish move for her, and that can never be a bad thing.

But how irresponsible was it to let Stronach go? Aside from Harper himself (now that would have been a coup), Stronach was the worst person that could leave the party, after all, she's a high profile Conservative and she's good for the party (read: she’s a woman and she’s filthy stinking rich). Shame on Stephen Harper for not keeping her happy. Then again, I don’t want the Conservatives running my federal government, so I guess I owe Harper one this time. Although the comments coming from Harper about Stronach today were pretty disgusting. But, if any and all chances of me being Prime Minister when it seemed so close were abruptly yanked from under my feet, I’d probably be spitting venom, too.

What a funny couple of years it has been in Canadian politics.

Two Random Notes:

1. 'Brothers in Arms' by Dire Straits is an awesome album, if for no other reason than the titular track. Its a song that works especially well if you are going to be swearing at God in Latin and then putting out ciagrettes on the floor of a church in a show of defiance and mislaying veneration.


2. I have always known that the open steppe, fleet horse, falcon on your wrist, and wind in your hair is not the pinnacle of human experience. But last night, it came to my attention that crushing your enemies, driving them before you and hearing the lamentations of their women is not, in fact, what is best in life.
   

Two questions today:

1. Name two non-historical films that the writer of the not-so-hidden film quote in my post has directed. (5 points)
   
   
2. Name the largest berry. (15 points)