Simmering Hope

If you think that the bank account confiscation happening in Cyprus is not going to happen here in Canada, you better think twice.

Harper Government included some interesting proposals for the next ‘Economic Action Plan 2013’, presented on March 21, 2013 in the House of Commons.

This is what Minister Flaherty has declared:
“As always, our Government’s top priority is jobs, growth and long-term prosperity,” said Minister Flaherty. “Those who took part in this year’s consultations can be assured that their ideas are being carefully considered as we develop Economic Action Plan 2013 in this difficult and uncertain global economic environment.” Source: http://www.actionplan.gc.ca/en/news/harper-government-announces-date-economic-action.

In the mean time, the Economic Action Plan 2013 paints a different image
“The Government proposes to implement a “bail-in” regime for systemically important banks. This regime will be designed to ensure that, in the unlikely event that a systemically important bank depletes its capital, the bank can be recapitalized and returned to viability through the very rapid conversion of certain bank liabilities into regulatory capital”

I wonder what is the meaning of ‘bail-in’? What are the ‘certain bank liabilities’? Would they get the regulatory capital via our saving accounts?

What if one morning we wake up reading that Canada adopted the new proposed European Parliament law stating that “Deposits below 100,000 euros are protected … deposits above 100,000 euros are not protected and shall be treated as part of the capital that can be bailed in,” Hokmark told Reuters, adding that he was confident a majority of his peers in the parliament backed the idea.
The European Commission has written the draft of the law, which now awaits approval from eurozone member states and the parliament on whether and when it can be implemented. It’s been reported, the law is planned to take effect in the beginning of 2015.

Interesting times to come.

After two days of voting and deliberations, the new Pope has been elected.
He is Pope Francis I, formerly the Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Cardinal of Argentina Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

It should not have come as a big surprise considering that Latin America is probably the strongest Catholic enclave in the world.

In Canada, there was a hope that Cardinal Marc Ouelett might have a chance. However, Pope election is just another political move and based on that, it would not have made any sense to choose a Canadian Cardinal. And maybe it’s for the better for Canadian unity not to have a Pope from the secessionist Quebec.

JonBenet Ramsey grand jury voted to indict parents in 1999, but DA refused to prosecute
According to Boulder Daily Camera, back in 1999, the grand jury (GJ) voted to indict parents of JonBenet Ramsey on charges of child abuse resulting in death in connection with the events of Christmas night 1996, which carries a potential sentence of 4 to 48 year in prison.

The District Attorney Alex Hunter refused to sign the indictment and prosecute the case, citing his belief that they could not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

After 13 years of silence, the truth is trying to come out. Back in 1996, people were puzzled by the level of incompetence exhibited by the Boulder Police. Or was it?
Nothing made sense and Occam’s Razor (and apparently FBI as well) would tell us that if evidence points towards an inside job, then it was an inside job.

Do you remember the 10 pages ransom ‘note’ and the money requested? $118,000, the same amount of money received by John Ramsey as a Christmas bonus. Or the forensic report stating that JonBenet has been molested more than once? The truth is that Boulder Police helped Ramseys to get away with what happened. Maybe not the whole police force, but the people with the power to bury evidence and testimonies.

Some people may cheer right now, hoping that finally the guilty ones are going to be brought up to justice. However, there is a statue of limitation to the child abuse resulting in death indictment, and that expired three years after the dead occurred. Therefore, no, it’s not going to be any justice because it’s too late.
The true story was the incest that took place for some time. The rest of it it’s just the cover up.

In the mean time….

Putin is believed to have a second child with Russian gymnast, Alina Kabaeva
Althought not officially confirmed, it looks like the ex Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, gave birth to Putin’s youngest daughter, in November 2012. Rumor has it that there is a 3 year old son as well conceived by the gymnast and the Russian president.

Putin’s wife has not been seen in public since his last inaugaration and according to New York Times, the Russian leader and his wife are widely believed to live apart. Their daughters (Maria, 27 and Yekaterina ,25 )attended college under assumed names, and many of their classmates did not know their true identities. Even now, it is not known if they live in Russia or abroad, and what, if anything, they do professionally. And the horror, they don’t have a Facebook account!!

Four arrested in Brazilian night club fire
Brazilian police have arrested four people in connection with a fire at Kiss nightclub that killed 231 people in the southern city of Santa Maria on Sunday.

A co-owner of the nightclub handed himself in to police on Monday afternoon for questioning.
Earlier, police held another owner of the club, a member of the band Gurizada Fandangueira, and its security chief.
Brazil has declared three days of national mourning.

The fire apparently started when a member of Gurizada Fandangueira used some pyrotechnics that “started a huge and fast fire that grew quickly and made a very dark and heavy smoke”.

Officials are also investigating claims that many of those who died were unable to escape as only one emergency exit was available. Some people were found dead in the bathrooms, and it’s believed that due to the heavy smoke, they mistook the bathroom door to exits.One of the owner admitted that the fire safety certificate of the club expired last year.

Oscar Nominations 2013
Best in movies

The 2013 Academy Awards (Oscar) will take place on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and will air live on ABC.

Who do you think it’s going to win?

Best Supporting Actor:
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Alan Arkin, “Argo”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”

Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Field, “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables”
Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
Amy Adams, “The Master”

Best Actor:
Daniel Day Lewis, “Lincoln”
Denzel Washington, “Flight”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Miserables”
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”

Best Actress:
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Emmanuelle Riva, “Amour”
Quvenzhané Wallis, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

Best Original Song:
“Before My Time,” Chasing Ice
“Pi’s Lullaby,” Life of Pi
“Suddenly,” Les Miserables
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend,” Ted
“Skyfall,” Skyfall

Best Animated Feature Film:
“Frankenweenie”
“Pirates! Band of Misfits”
“Wreck It Ralph”
“Paranorman”
“Brave”

Best Foreign Language Film:
Austria: “Amour”
Chile: “No”
Canada: “War Witch”
Denmark: “A Royal Affair”
Norway: “Kontiki”

Best Director:
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
Michael Haneke, “Amour”
Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”

Best Original Screenplay:
John Gatins, “Flight”
Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Michael Haneke, “Amour”
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, “Moonrise Kingdom”

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Chris Terrio, “Argo”
Tony Kushner, “Lincoln”
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
David Magee, “Life of Pi”

Best Picture:
“Beasts of the Southern Wild”
“Silver Linings Playbook”
“Zero Dark Thirty”
“Lincoln”
“Les Miserables”
“Life of Pi”
“Amour”
“Django Unchained”
“Argo”

Golden Raspberry Award (Razzie) Nominations 2013
Worst in movies

Worst Supporting Actor:
David Hasselhoff - Pirannha 3-DD
Taylor Lautner - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Liam Neeson - Battleship / Wrath of the Titans
Nick Swardson - That’s My Boy
Vanilla Ice - That’s My Boy

Worst Supporting Actress:
Jessica Biel - Playing For Keeps / Total Recall
Brooklyn Decker - Battleship / What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Ashley Greene - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Jennifer Lopez - What to Expect When You’re Expecting
Rihanna - Battleship

Worst Actor:
Nicolas Cage - Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance / Seeking Justice
Eddie Murphy - A Thousand Words
Robert Pattinson - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry - Alex Cross / Good Deeds
Adam Sandler - That’s My Boy

Worst Actress:
Katherine Heigl - One for the Money
Milla Jovovich - Resident Evil: Retribution
Tyler Perry - Madea’s Witness Protection
Kristen Stewart - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II / Snow White and the Huntsman
Barbra Streisand - The Guilt Trip

Worst Picture:
Battleship
The Oogieloves in Big Balloon Adventure
That’s My Boy
A Thousand Words
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II

Worst Director:
Sean Anders - That’s My Boy
Peter Berg - Battleship
Bill Condon - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry - Good Deeds / Madea’s Witness Protection
John Putch - Atlas Shrugged: Part II

Worst Screenplay:
Atlas Shrugged Part II
Battleship
That’s My Boy
A Thousand Words
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II

Worst Remake, Rip-Off, or Sequel:
Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance
Pirannha 3-DD
Red Dawn
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Madea’s Witness Protection

Worst Screen Couple:
Any two cast members from Jersey Shore in The Three Stooges
Mackenzie Foy and Taylor Lautner in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
Tyler Perry and his drag in Madea’s Witness Protection
Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg, Leighton Meester, or Susan Sarandon in That’s My Boy

I don’t know about you, but my son is looking forward to getting Ninjini. Probably the poor little one stands no chance considering that probably it is going to be a limited numbers of them, but hope springs eternal, so you never know.

According to squidoo, the release date for Wave 3 of Skylanders Giants is December 21 or/and December 23, 2012. I can only imagine Toys’r Us being assaulted by tired parents and super excited kids. Geez, it looks like a mandatory trip to the mall.
Wait a minute! December 21 is today! I guess I’ll go over there and check.

What is going to be in the wave 3: Eye-Brawl, Hot Dog, Wrecking Ball and Ninjini.

I wish myself luck!