It seems, according to Tim Harper who reports in the Monday's Star, that black women in the United States are rallying behind Barack Obama’s bid to be the leader of the Democrat party. Now that Democrats have voted or caucused in three states in three different parts of the country, it appears there is one crucial voting bloc that will not support Barack Obama: older Americans. Obama was able to overcome a consistent age gap in Iowa because of an unusually high turnout by young voters who supported him overwhelmingly. And he may be able to carry South Carolina, where roughly half the Democratic primary voters are expected to be African-American. But Obama’s weak performance so far among older voters substantially increases the odds against him scoring big victories in the slew of states voting on February 5th, "Super Duper Tuesday". There seems to be a controversy that Barack Obama may be a Muslim and has radical Islamic beliefs. His religion may be a problem for Americans, given all the killing and bombings and the 9/11 tragedy perpetuated by Muslims. His middle name is Hussein and that is what triggered this controversy. Barack Obama admits that he had spent part of his youth in Indonesia, which is a Muslim majority, radical Islamic country, and he do have Muslim roots on his father's side. Other people claim that Obama is a Christ Baal worshiper. People who belong to those religions, be it Islam or that Christ Baal religion, tend to lie a lot, so I will not make any comment on it and see where the truth will come out on this whole issue.

According to Peter Gorrie, who is the environment reporter for the Toronto, "thestar.com", most Canadians tell pollsters they're concerned about climate change. Many insist they'd like to do something about it, and would even pay for measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But propose actual cash amounts, like adding 25 cents to a litre on gasoline, or perhaps have a $10 daily commuter toll, and all that environment support, evaporates. "Once you put a price on it, people tend to think twice about it and say, `Maybe not,'" says Mario Canseco of Angus Reid Strategies, which surveyed about 3,700 Canadians on the issue last March. That's just one reason politicians aren't rushing to embrace an idea endorsed by environmentalists. many economists and even some business groups. It's also why this month's report from the National Round Table on the Environment and Economy, while it produced a flurry of media headlines, it appears that report will likely join many others on a long, dusty shelf.

According to the CTV.ca News Staff, two men were killed outside a Vancouver restaurant. The two men were killed in a gangland-style shooting outside an upscale downtown Vancouver restaurant late Saturday night. Vancouver police say the men were shot at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday after pulling up outside the restaurant in a black Land Rover. Const. Tim Fanning said two armed men walked up to the vehicle and shot the two occupants. Other people were in the car at the time of the shooting, Fanning said. One witness described a heavy police presence at the scene. "We watched them open the trunk and pull out four weapons. We're talking heavy artillery here," he said. The victims are reportedly a 38-year-old man from Chilliwack, B.C., and a 37-year-old man from Vancouver. Fanning says the hit is believed to be a targeted attack, with the shooters and victims likely known by police. Police took one man into custody and have questioned witnesses from the restaurant. They are looking for more suspects seen running from the scene. This is something you would never hear about in all of B.C. back in the 1960's and 70's. This is the result of illegal drug-gangs that have established themselves in B.C. in the last 20 years. It will only get worse if this illegal drug business is allowed to go unchecked. We need a war on illegal drugs and hand guns in Canada, rather than worry about Afghanistan, or elsewhere around the world, where we have no business being there. There is a lot of cross-border smuggling of illegal drugs and hand guns coming into Canada from the USA, which arm these drug gangs. If government officials gave as much attention to gangs, illegal drugs and hand guns as they have done with airport security, maby there will be less killings on our city streets. This situation even puts our police force in greater danger, as we have read in news reports during the past few years.

David Wilkins, the United States' ambassador to Canada, wanted his country off the torture list. Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has stated that he regrets the embarrassment caused by the public disclosure of the training manual used in their torture awareness. It contains a list that wrongly includes some of our closest allies. There is irrefutable evidence from the news media that the USA has engaged in torture, and should remain on the list. The well known organization, Amnesty International, have the USA on their torture list and feel it should remain on the Canadian torture awareness list. It is plain to see that our government has caved in from pressure coming out from the White House. People like United States Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama and others made it clear that the United States government should be against any kind of torture. But there is irrefutable evidence from the news media that the USA has engaged in torture, and should remain on the list. The well known organization, Amnesty International, believe it's valid to have the U.S.A and Israel on the list. Besides the U.S., the torture manual also lists Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Syria. I had watched CTV's documentry; Confessions of an Innocent Man where it told the story about Canadian William Sampson who was imprisoned and tortured in Saudi Arabia. William Sampson is a Canadian/British dual citizen who was working as a business consultant in Saudi Arabia with his two colleagues who were forced to confessed on live television in orchestrating a car-bombing that killed British engineer Christopher Rodway. For the next 31 months, Sampson was held in solitary confinement and regularly tortured by his captors. CTV News had also covered the story about Canadian Maher Arar who was tortured in Syria after being "renditioned" there by the United States in 2002. CTV also covered the story about the uproar that had broke out last year when some Afghan militant detainees alleged they were tortured after Canadian forces turned them over to Afghan authorities. CTY also covered the story about the U.S. prison on Guantanamo Bay on the island of Cuba as places of torture for the alleged terrorists that are held there. CYV news reported the horrendous abuse of prisoners on Guantanamo Bay, and in Afghanistan. detainees had been taken out and tied to a post and having rubber bullets fired at them. Sexual degradation, forced drugging and religious persecution and were being made to kneel cruciform in the sun until they collapsed. The so-called “war on terror” has led to an erosion of a whole host of human rights issues. The United States are resorting to practices which have long been prohibited by international law, and have sought to justify them in the name of national security. It is a well known fact that hundreds of people are feared to have been unlawfully detained and transferred, usually in secret, to countries where they face further human rights violations, including torture or other ill-treatment and enforced disappearance. The detainment areas on Guantanamo Bay consist of three camps on the base. Camp Delta (which includes Camp Echo), Camp Iguana, and the now-closed Camp X-Ray. The facility is often referred to as the place where detainees are held by the United States who are classified as enemy combatants. We heard news reports about the number of suicide attempts by detainees and the level of their mental health is evidence of the treatment that they are receiving. It is plain to see that our government has caved in from pressure coming out from the White House.

Cuba's election is the first step in determining 81-year-old Castro's future influence over the country. A single candidate appeared on the ballot for each district. Unfortunately, the Communist party is the only choice people can vote for. No campaigning was permitted prior to the election. The new parliament will meet Feb. 24 to select a governing council of states, which will then elect a president. It is then that Castro's official status will be determined. While I may not agree with all of Castro's actions or his choice of Communist rule, I can understand his reasons behind his actions. At the time Castro became involved in politics, Cuba had been taken over by American interests and their economic power, while Cubans became less than second class citizens in their own country at that time when Cuba was deemed as America's privet playground. Castro's heart was for his fellow Cuban's and wanted to get rid of that degrading influence and corruption which had infected his people and native land. During that time, the Roman Catholic Church did little to help the people out of their misery and poverty. Instead, they choose to support the wealthy, lavish in the wealth of the insurgents, as they have done throughout the Latin American countries. Telling the native people to just accept their fate in life, and hope for that better life in Heaven. I can well understand Castro's fear that Cuba may one day revert back to be taken over by outside influence once again, once he relinquish his hold on what he had set out to do. That was to free his people from economic slavery, so that Cuba may be the ruler of its own destiny and give back to his people the self respect and dignity of a free people.