01 May 2007

Fair deal of bureaucratic gobbledygook

Update: Sometime after the original post went live, the according2.ca crowd wiped out the website entirely.

There's now just a white page with some black text about a rally at noon on May 11.

The budgetary process thingy is gone (see below) and instead, we are all being encouraged to "Stand-up for Newfoundland and Labrador."

Let's see what happens in the next 10 days.

**********Original post begins:

The Giant Rally in Support of the Great Leader is taking its own sweet time getting off the ground.

If the website is any indication, the whole thing is going to die a slow and painful deal. Tons of pages aren't even up as dummys with an "under construction" note.

Including the "Rally" page itself, which, as of May 1 leads to a "page cannot be found" warning.

Then again, if you look at the objective of the whole thing, then maybe it's just as well. Someone please put the whole thing out of our misery.

Apparently, the Giant Rally is designed "to prove it's place in the Canadian budgetary process."

The "it" in there is Newfoundland and Labrador. While Bond Papers is given to its fair share of typos, it's a one-man affair. The steering committee for the Gumball Rally has produced enough typos on the front page as to be painful to the eyes. Like the objective which is "to prove it is place...".

Arrrgh.

Just think about that goal for a second.

It isn't to secure Newfoundland and Labrador's rightful place in the universe.

Nope.

It isn't aimed at getting the prime minister to fulfill his commitment to this province and to Canadians from coast to coast.

Nope.

Apparently, the steering committee's goal is nothing quite so emotive, quite so edifying.

This bunch of fellows has decided we must all band together to secure our place in something called the "Canadian budgetary process."

Are you getting all tingly yet?

Didn't think so.

Even government's own financial accountants wouldn't get misty-eyed at that idea. Talk about words sucking the life out of something.

Here's a suggestion, if the steering committee is intent on steering this whole thing for a few more days or weeks.

Just set the goal for what it is: "securing Newfoundland and Labrador squarely on the fore-tit of Sow Ottawa."

Meanwhile, while these guys are busily promoting the independence in growing more dependent on federal hand-outs, the rest of us will be figuring out how to get the province's oil and gas industry back on track.

And Steve Harper?

He's likely quaking in his boots just like he did when Sue started the Recall Harper campaign.

That one lasted...what was it?...a month, before it folded under the weight of its own uselessness.

-30-

Update: One of the Gumball rally organizers called Bill Rowe's Crap Talk shortly after this post appeared. Peter Whittle chatted at some length with the host.

Here's a clue Peter. By excluding politicians you have denied the premier his sopabox and the chance to lead the crusade. Therefore, the Pitcher Plants have taken a dim view of your efforts. In case you haven't noticed, Peter, Bill Rowe is a pipeline straight into the Premier's inner circle. If there's a line to be spread, odds are good Bill has it.

Therefore, he is branding your idea silly because it doesn't showcase his patron.

Now the rally is still a waste of time, but at least if you listen to the Premier's unofficial spokesperson, maybe you'd get a clue as to why the whole Rally hasn't been getting much support.

People would come to see Danny.

Would they come to see you, Ward and Ron?