Leading Canadian Politician.........

[Senor Capper]

Repeats Columbus Error
Fri Feb 27, 1:42 PM ET

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A contender for the leadership of Canada's opposition Conservative Party was unflatteringly compared with Christopher Columbus this week and reminded that aboriginal Indians and people from India are different.



The politician, Stephen Harper, had to apologize after his office sent a letter to a native group, the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centers, congratulating it on a holiday celebrating India's independence from Britain.


Wrong Indians. And the mistake prompted a stinging rebuke from federation president Rick Lobzun, who said Harper's letter, sent in January, recalled Columbus's error of mistaking America for India.


"This is 2004, Mr. Harper, not 1492 ... the last time a man got lost looking for India," Lobzun said. :142smilie


Harper's spokeswoman, Carolyn Stewart-Olsen, said his office had used student interns to compile a database of Indo-Canadian and other groups as part of an outreach program and had got this one wrong.

 

[Senor Capper]

Comedians' View of the U.S. Election Campaign

Comedians' View of the U.S. Election Campaign

Fri Feb 27,10:55 AM ET


WASHINGT0N (Reuters) - With the U.S. presidential election campaign under way, late-night comedy television show hosts are taking a humorous look at the candidates.



Here are some lines broadcast on Thursday:


NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno":


"One critic says today one thing missing from the film (The Passion of The Christ) is they don't show enough miracles. ... We still have miracles today, like Dennis Kucinich beating John Edwards in Hawaii."


"John Kerry beat John Edwards in all three primaries this week. He has now won 18 out of 20. Edwards has one win and 19 losses. I can't tell if he is running for president or playing for the Orlando Magic."
:142smilie



CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman":


"We had a scare down in Washington at the White House. A man hopped over the fence surrounding the White House and he was tackled by Secret Service. I believe this is the first person to get into the White House unlawfully since Bush :grins:

 

[Senor Capper]

Baseball Fans Say Goodbye to a Bad Ball

Baseball Fans Say Goodbye to a Bad Ball

Fri Feb 27,10:53 AM ET


By Michael Conlon

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A flash of explosive charges shredded an infamous baseball into a spaghetti-like heap on Thursday as fans of the Chicago Cubs publicly demolished the ball that may have cost the team its first trip to the World Series (news - web sites) in 58 years.


With an international cable-TV audience on hand and beer-drinking fans cheering in a tent set up on a closed city street and in bars around town, the ball was exploded inside a clear protective case by an Oscar-winning special effects expert.


The destruction of the ball followed weeks of hype that also raised money for juvenile diabetes research.


Not present was the Cubs fan who bobbled the ball out of play during the National League playoffs last summer.


The "execution" was arranged by Harry Caray's Restaurant, founded by the late Hall of Fame Cubs broadcaster. The restaurant bought the ball at auction for $113,824 from another Cubs fan who ended up with it during the game.


The long-suffering Cubs were leading 3-0 and five outs away from their first trip to the World Series in 58 years when a Florida Marlins pop-up in the eighth inning of game six sealed their fate. Cubs outfielder Moises Alou said he had a chance at the ball but for a fan who tried to grab it, sending it into the seats and out of play.


The Cubs collapsed, allowing eight Marlin runs in the inning and the win. Florida went on to take the deciding seventh game and later to win the World Series against the New York Yankees.


Umpires ruled there was no fan interference, but the man who deflected the ball was showered with abuse, had to be escorted from the stands for his own safety, and remains an object of ridicule on Internet sites to this day.


The lifelong fan, Steve Bartman, issued a blanket apology saying he had no idea the ball was playable and would never have done anything to stop the Cubs from getting to the championships, which they have not won since 1908.


The ball wound up in the hands of a 33-year-old lawyer who was seated nearby.


Thursday was chosen as the date for the ball's destruction because the restaurant founded by Caray holds a worldwide toast to him on that day, which falls between his birthday and the day he died in 1998.


The restaurant said the destruction occurred along with a simultaneous toast to Caray at drinking establishments in all 50 states and viewing parties were also planned from Uganda and Pakistan to Tokyo.