Random Thoughts - June 10, 2011

Some random thoughts for a Friday...

• Compare and contrast time. Adam Daifallah on Wednesday about the Conservative Party of Canada's success:
  

  Another point has been the professionalization of the Conservative Party. Before Harper first won, the Tories had a weak, gaffe-prone communications operation. Since winning government, the Conservatives have (for better or worse) become a case study in professional political organization, from its tight scripting to message control to the way it has defined its political opponents, especially the last two Liberal leaders. It would be difficult to find another political party in the Western world today that has a better-oiled communications machine than Harper’s Tories.

  
  And his co-author Tasha Kheiriddin on Thursday, regarding the $50MM spent on Muskoka upgrades:
  

  The report also makes you wonder about the communications plan in the Prime Minister’s Office. The government took major heat over the budget for security costs when it was made public. Yet, as Fraser points out, officials knew that they were likely to come in under budget – so shouldn’t someone have advised the Tories to downgrade the estimates, to minimize public opposition to the price tag?

  
  That's the best communication machine of all Western world political parties?


• Speaking of the National Post, Canada's best sports columnist, Bruce Arthur, has a fantastic article about how non-fans of the Canucks or Bruins feel about the series: No One is Pure in the Stanley Cup Final. And Down Goes Brown takes a contrarian stance by giving us positive things associated with both teams.


• Toronto arrests their creepy weirdos who violate women by taking photographs up their skirts. Meanwhile, in Franklin County, Ohio, they make it much easier. (Money quote: "She speculates that men, who didn’t take half the population into account, designed the stairs." You think?)


• Kelly McParland is confused that Shania Twain claimed to not be able to sing due to the trauma of her divorce, but has now announced a residency at Caesar's Palace. Maybe he missed the fact that it will start in December 2012?