John Stall

The horror unfolding in Myanmar is taking me back to a couple of personal experiences. I’ve stood on the Thailand side of the Mekhong river looking across at the shore line of the former Burma. From my vantage point at the time, all you could see on the other side of the river was the edge of jungle and wasteland although some river people were wandering the shoreline and some boats were crossing  to the Thailand side with local crafts to sell at the market.  I was being escorted through the “Golden Triangle” by Thai tourism officials. 

The Golden Triangle is where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand converge and where the Mekhong and Ruak rivers come together. It’s a little more than a stones throw across the Mehkong to the former Burma. The Golden Triangle is the notorious zone that used to be the centre of world opium trade because of the fields that grew poppy like southern Ontario farms grow corn.  Although the poppy fields had been eradicated when I visited about 15 years ago,  I distinctly remember seeing local nomads wandering through the dirt back roads clearly disoriented and numbed by the “opium gum” they would have no trouble acquiring and using. 

In a strange and perverse way, I am almost hoping that victims the of the cyclone who have been abandoned and discarded by their repressive military rulers were, and remain so numbed by opium that they are unaware of their predicament and destiny. The magnitude of this catastrophe and loss of life I fear is going to astound the world when and if outsiders get their eyes on the remnants.

I’ve  also been caught in and reported from the wreckage of two devastating hurricanes, one in Jamaica and one in Carolina.  Just three days without water, food, gasoline and communication is enough to trigger panic, corruption and desperation.  And that’s in relatively prosperous countries with democratic governments who are willing and anxious to accept help from the outside world.  I can’t imagine what it must be like in the outposts of Myanmar after 10 days without any help from anyone who knows or cares what they are doing.  We may find out in the days ahead and I predict will be shocked beyond belief!

Given the way things unfolded last Friday night and the TTC strike that followed , it is clear that the transit union leadership has lost the confidence of, and the ability to lead its members. It has also lost the goodwill of the public it was skillfully able to attain right up to and through the original negotiations.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton admitted to me on Sunday. as we gathered at Queen’s Park for the back to work legislation, that the transit union leadership tier was crumbling.

 What’s clear now is that the current leader does not have the confidence of his membership. He was not able to convince them that the deal he negotiated at the table with the city was the best they could get, and that they should ratify it rather than strike . Or,  he is so far out-of-touch and out-of-sync with his members that he was not able to follow their instructions and expectations at the table – so he came away with less (than what we now know they expected).

Ratification of a negotiated settlement rarely fails as this one did, because the members usually trust that their leader has taken their interest as far as it can possibly go before recommending they accept it.

Leadership is not an easy job, and it can be lonely because that’s where the buck stops.  But you gotta lead, follow, or get out of the way! 

I don’t doubt for a second that if Buzz Hargrove recommended a negotiated settlement to his CAW members and they rejected it — he’d get outta the way.

We are in Las Vegas for a few days of R&R and for a family celebration.  This place is, on many levels, like no place on the planet. A place where money loses all value in a casino.  A place where no amount of money has been spared building the hotels and casinos that are larger than many small towns, and it’s a place where you could spend from hundreds to millions of dollars on anything want from condo’s to cars, to jewelry to Lear jets - but it’s hard to find an OUTDOOR patio bar-restaurant-where you can smoke. 

Now this may not sound as bizarre as I’m making it out to be when you consider the number of North American cities, including Toronto, that have extended their smoking bans to outdoor patios sheltered by umbrellas that are touching as opposed to those with no umbrellas, but this city allows smoking INSIDE many of the grandest of hotels and in ALL of the casinos.  Ash trays are happily passed out at all if not most of the card tables and slot machines.  Anyone who sits down at a black-jack table or row of slot machines  and who objects to those around them who are smoking, quickly realizes this place is different from where they come from.

I guess the by-law makers of Nevada figure the air-cleaning technology inside the casinos and hotels that gambling money can buy is more capable of saving the lives (from second-hand smoke) of the gazillions of people who spend 24-7 in them than mother natures open air desert can of the few who sit outside.  In fact, it’s hard to find an outdoor patio on which you can sit and have a drink or light meal.  Wonder why they want everybody inside? Where smoking is allowed and their is no limit to the amount of money you want to gamble.

Viva Las Vegas! 

Of all the rites of spring, from the icicles weeping at the final departure of winter, to the season opening ball games, for my money nothing can trigger the endorphins of a middle-ager the way driving a sports-car or motorcycle can, along a dry road in the first warm sunshine of spring. My “babe-mobile” (as my oldest step-daughter dubbed it at first sight) came out of winter storage this week and ooooh baby, does she ever look and feel good!

It was the summer before last that I succumbed to the mid-life pull to put at least one more sporty-like car under my seat, before maybe beginning to consider the possibility of giving into practicality and maturity. It’s not exactly a Porsche, but a very snappy looking pearl white, five-speed Mitsubishi that’s way too low for the snow, but high enough to clear any railway track on the back roads of my regular path to and from Georgian Bay.  Her name is “Mitsy”– she’s  smooth and sleek, with some great curves in the right spots.

The first day I brought her home, my very attractive 24-year-old  step-daughter dropped her jaw and screamed “it’s a sex machine!,” “a babe-mobile!” — so I coaxed her into the front seat to see how many heads we could turn driving down Yonge Street, with the sunroof open, the windows down and the tunes cranked a little louder than usual. Yes, the heads were turning big time, but I’m not sure if they were looking at her, the car, or the sight of a 50-something alongside a babe who was 30 years younger. Doesn’t matter. It was fun, felt great, was trouble-free and scratched the itch of winter, not to mention mid-life! (just kidding sweetie).

The only other “babes” who have been in the front seat since (apart from my gorgeous mate Marlane), are our two dogs, Tia and Moe, who dig the leather seats, the tunes, the sunroof and who know how to pose for the heads they turn at traffic lights. In the meantime, this older dog is diggin’ it all, especially this weekend’s first coat-free, window down, tune crankin’, run up the ribbon of back roads to Georgian Bay, to the tune of Mack the Knife.  Look out, ole Mitsy’s back!

After 30 yrs. or so in this business, I am still surprised at what people think they hear on the radio or read into what they hear.

I received an e-mail this past week from a listener who wondered why we,  (not necessarily me) did not point out in the early and first reports about New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s ” hooker hell” that he was a DEMOCRATIC governor? He answered his own question by concluding  ( in his mind) that all media – political reporters, commentators, analysts — were left-wingers and he was sure that had Spitzer been a Republican, his political affiliation would have accompanied every mention of his name as the story was being reported.  And this is a Canadian listener referring to Canadian coverage of the story.

I sent him a note back pointing out that those reporting the early and first hours of Spitzer’s problems here in Canada would probably not be aware of his poliltical affiliation much less leave it out because they might be like-minded. They probably hadn’t even heard of him until the American media pack propelled it to “world worthiness”

The listener’s conclusion of course is that most media is left-wing, Liberal or Democrat and will slant the story they are reporting because of their own personal politics. As a political analyst and reporter I can assure anyone who thinks the same way that nothing could be further from the truth.  I have to deal with these accusations all the time and the only conclusion I can come to is that people will hear what they want to hear and those who are among the most vicioulsy partisan in their own lives are the ones who will “think” all of the people reporting are like them and would do what they do every waking hour of their lives.

Not true!

I’m back down to Florida for some sunshine - Happy Easter.

Not only is a week a long time in politics, but it sure has been a long week for the Prime Minister hasn’t it? He goes from celebrating and being “somewhat celebrated” for a fiscally prudent budget containing a creative surprise tax shelter for average Canadians, to the Cadman affair, to Nafta-Gate, all in just over a week and the Dion Liberals are loving it hoping that the next round of national polling resurrects their election prospects as a result. 

In the last week alone, the Prime Minister he has had to defend against allegations his party attempted to bribe a dying M.P. to bring down the Liberal government of Paul Martin as claimed by Chuck Cadman’s widow and daughter. He’s had to explain his own admission in a tape recorded conversation that party officials did indeed pay a visit to Cadman just before the Liberal budget vote and that financial considerations were to be discussed.  And now his own chief of staff is being fingered as the source of information that is rocking the U.S. Democratic Presidential Primaries.

Untill now, Mr. Harper has been able to keep a lid on his simmering minority government’s agenda partly by stigmatizing Stephen Dion and partly by keeping his own people quiet, but the heat has been cranked from simmer to boil and Stephen Harper is about to learn what P.M’s before him have all endured:  The Loneliness of Leadership. 

I had a first-hand look at how bad the housing market is in the U.S. last week, particularly in Florida, where I was snooping around for properties that may one day be more pleasant to spend winter time in, than these frigid snowing streets.

What you hear is true, and the time to buy is now or in the near future, because it is a buyer’s market — the likes of which I have never witnessed in Canada.

I spent a few days on the Gulf side of the sunshine state driving the coast from St. Petersburg up to Tarpon Springs, and it seemed like up to 30 per cent of the houses or condos on every street I wandered along were for sale, with nary a “SOLD” sign in sight. I’m not sophisticated enough to know if it’s all because of the sub-prime meltdown or a lousy economy in general, but my gut tells me it’s a bargain at the moment.

Some houses (mostly those that are for sale by owner) have signs on the lawn that read “make an offer, all offers will be considered.” To my eyes the bargains were in the $150,000 to $300,000 range, in terms of houses or condos. They seemed to be reduced by 20-30 per cent. I did see some basic bungalow houses in average neighbourhoods that were selling for $80,000 to $100,000, but they looked pretty shabby. I’m told by some who are closer to the market than I am that there are no, or very few American buyers, those who are shopping are Canadians and Asians and that prices are expected to drop another 15-20 per cent before it bottoms out.

I didn’t buy anything, nor did I make any offers, but kicked a few future tires that were a hell of a lot warmer than the frozen Michelin ones I’m riding on now – and the orange juice was sweeter! 

As the political guy here at 680News I’ve been glued to the U.S. primary leading up to the Super Tuesday vote. I’ve been watching CNN for most of the coverage and especially during the early morning hours from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m.

For my money CNN has led the pack – John Roberts has been doing a fabulous job of anchoring the early morning coverage at various diners throughout the U.S., while interviewing all the presidential candidates.  He’s knowledgeable, experienced and good-looking. CBS should never have let him get away. He should have been Dan Rather’s successor, etc., etc. 

I was surprised; however, to see him appear at the beginning of this week with a hair colour change from a naturally silver-grey mop to a toned down brown. I shake my head wondering who decides hair colour matters when someone has so much talent, knowledge  experience and hard-won credibility? Yes, of course, it takes a lot of years and some grey hair to get the wisdom and experience to do the job at that level. Why hide it once you are there?

Don’t know if it was John who changed his colour (perhaps feeling a little old and insecure), or the network executives who demanded it for some marketable reason that I don’t get.

Am I the only one who thinks that grey looks good on T.V. guys?

More on Roberts and me in a future blog; we were up for the same job once and he got it — which was the one that propelled him to CBS. 

Never mind talk of recession taking a toll on the North American economy. I came across an addictive website for golfers this week that I suspect will take a toll on executive productivity for the rest of the winter, if not beyond. 

Worldgolftour.com is the latest, greatest simulated golf thing, not unlike the many golf simulator games that you can buy, but the hook is that this one is streamed free online (at least for the time being) . It is still in the developmental stage, but it is awesome and addictive, with a lot of legs as it develops.

The producers have digitally photographed some of the great golf courses in the world and can place you on the tee with the same views and sounds as you would see and hear if you were there.  I read about it in Fortune 500 magazine, so the buzz is already making its way through Bay and Wall streets.

From what I can gather, the owners of the site have big plans for online competitions, tournaments and skin games. The current prototype is a nine-hole closest to the pin competition that is inviting world response and feedback.  At the moment you can play a demo version, but be warned, it could cost you a marriage or a job or, at the very least a lot of sleep!

Keep your head up! 

Until now, I’ve always believed Canada was doing the right thing by contributing to the coalition war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.  As the interdependant neighbour of the America that came under attack on 9/11, I felt we had a joint responsibility to protect the North American continent from further terrorism and to be part of the coalition that goes after it.  But like so many others this week , I was deeply offended (as I’m sure the loved ones of the 77 Canadian soldiers who have so far sacrificed their lives for Canada and the U.S. are)  by the  recent comments of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates who told the Los Angeles Times that NATO forces were not doing a good enough job against the Taliban and may not be as well trained in “counter insurgency” as the Americans are. 

He has since tried to clarify his point , backtrack and even called Canadian Minister of Defence Minister Peter MacKay (the day after the latest Canadian Soldier was killed) to make the point that he wasn’t pointing fingers at Canada and was embarrassed over the report. But for many in Canada the clarification is too little too late.  I suspect public opinion polls will find that opposition to the Canadian mission climbs higher  in the weeks ahead that the close to 50 per cent who oppose it now and would like to see Canadian troops return as soon as possible.

Canadian Forces have been doing most of the heavy lifting in Kandahar, have lost more soldiers, more equipment and more nights of sleep than the forces of any other NATO country and without a lot of whining, despite the lack of support from other NATO countries. 

Don’t know if Gates was aware when he made his diplomatically reckless comments that a panel appointed by Prime Minister is about to recommend a new role for Canada after the scheduled commitment ends around this time next year. But if he thinks Americans can do a better job on the front lines, then he will be happy to learn that the John Manley report is expected to recommend that Canadian soldiers make room for others on the front by beginning to withdraw.