“You’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank that high on the truth meter,” he told the students. “And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation. So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it’s putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy.”

Not sure I agree with the fellow who said that – and that’s significant, because I pretty much agree with him on everything – but he has a point, at least in respect of the blogosweird. When unashamed racists are treated like informed analysts by broadcasters – using your tax dollars, no less – then it is certainly inarguable that “truth” has become so relative that it lacks all meaning.

But Obama is wrong, I think, about the iPad – and plenty of you have written to me to ask me if you should buy one, and I have said yes in every instance – because it isn’t merely about entertainment, or because it’s a diversion.  Since getting it, I am reading way more fiction (via iBook and Kindle) than I have read in years.  I am staying up to all hours, downloading free public-realm classic literature with wild abandon.  I can read newspapers in the way they are supposed to be read, and advertising can be offered thereupon in a way that isn’t irritating (check out the New York Times app to see what I mean).  And my kids are fighting to read on it, all the time, because it is so easy to use and so much fun.  The iPad makes – or will make – learning easier.

Do people download shooting games and stuff like that on it?  Sure, you can do that.  But you can do that on the Presidential Blackberry, too, but I can’t recall seeing him flinging it into the Potomac, either.

When it finally makes its way into The Great White North, you’ll see: the iPad ain’t no Xbox.  It’s amazing, and it’s going to change the way we do a lot of things – good things.

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My dog, Satan, experiences the early Summer up at the cabin.

Happy day, Mom. We love you. (There was snow greeting me and the boys and the dog at the cabin this morning – that should make your day.)

International, national, provincial and municipal bits:

• It ain’t over until it’s over, etc. The second-place position of Rob Ford in a couple of recent polls is more than an illusion – it‘s on crack. The more city voters get to know Ford and the full-on-crazy stuff he’s said over the years, the more they’ll gravitate to Rocco. Believe it.

• All roads lead to JC. If, as The Economist opines, Canada is in pretty good shape, it’s because (a) we didn’t allow the banks to do what they wanted and (b) we paid down the deficit when we had to. Who, um, did both those things? Jean Chrétien, that’s who.

• Minority-rule Britannia. We were at the British Consulate Thursday night – where I had a nice chat with John Turner, among others – and watched events unfold, or not. Friday, I spoke to labour leaders, and one of them – a Brit expat – asked about the result the night before. “Politicians, for obvious reasons, don’t like minority governments,” I said. “Voters, increasingly, do. A pox on all of your houses has become the practice, and not just the theory.”

• Big drugs, bigger profits. I’m a tad biased, but I’d say that Dalton McGuinty is kicking the proverbial stuffing out of the big pharmacy lobby’s slick, self-interested campaign of disinformation. And is that Timmy Hudak’s Regressive Convertibles I see supporting said lobby? Hmmmm. Could one of their campaign managers have a connection to the big drug stores, too? Stay tuned.

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What a load of facile horseshit.

They “hold the powers that be to account.” They spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend a journalistic principle on behalf of all media.” They “cast important light on powerful individuals and institutions.” They valiantly provide “a free press, an educated citizenry and an accountable government.” Canada is “a vibrant society” that has been “built,” well, by them.

No, actually, Canada was built by lots of other people – not editorial writers.  And, to put a fine point on it, what the case was about – WHAT IT REALLY WAS ABOUT – was that the National Post lied about “Shawinigate,” and then relied upon forgeries to buttress that lie, and then went to court to prevent their lie from being exposed.  It’s a bit like what newspaper editorial boards argue, all the time, about the need for government openness and transparency and so on.  Except that they don’t think the principles of openness and transparency should apply to them.

But, really, why am I so exasperated, after so many years?  I mean, after all, these are the people who “built” Canada’s vibrant society.

I should know better.

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Well, the last three are in town.  And I  know someone who plans to suggest to Geldof and Bono that they stop being boring old farts, and come to the show.  So you never know.

So come by! It’ll be massive.  And you never know who you might meet at the bar!  It might be a gazillionaire or a Knight!

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Also, Johnny Rotten, Bob Geldof and Bono are in town! Perhaps they will all drop by!  You wouldn’t want to miss that, would ya?

Poster by Bjorn, Inc.

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Yesterday’s wee post, linking to Don Martin’s Post column, generated quite a bit of commentary about my friend Jean Chrétien.  Some of it was highly, highly critical.

A sampling:

• I ran into Jean at the Stampede some years ago. He was wearing a battered cowboy hat, jeans, and boots. I introduced myself and we chatted briefly. Next year’s Stampede I ran into him on the Stampede grounds again. He shook my hand, looked closely at me, and remembered my first name. Now that’s political style! – Joel Coates
• Chretien, though, was definitely one of the better ones… I shudder to think about where we would have been if he [hadn’t been Prime Minister]. – M. Bellecourt
• I remember they used to call Chretien “yesterday’s man” when he was low in the polls in opposition – now how did that go? Ah, yes – consecutive majorities. – Sandra Gifford
• I think he’s tops. – Derek Lipman
• Agree or disagree with his direction for the country, at least he proved himself an able leader and someone who was willing to find pragmatic and workable solutions, unlike this lot we’re stuck with now. – Gord Gilmour
• In Europe, we loved Trudeau and highly respected Chretien. – Allegra Fortissima
• I heard Jean Chretien speak at the University of Guelph in 1989, when he was out of politics. I was just so impressed by his engagement with the audience, his self-deprecating style, and his natural wit. And yes, damn, it it was inspiring. – Domenico
• Unlike the last couple of PMs we’ve had to endure, Chretien knew how to govern. He had a vision, and while he was not always profoundly illuminating, he knew where he wanted Canada to go, and, more importantly, he more or less got us there without dividing and conquering Canadians. And, when it mattered, he could make the right call. He spared an entire generation of Canadians a tremendous amount of blood and suffering by keeping us out of Iraq, and along with his support of same sex marriage (and enduring direct attacks from the church for doing so), I’ll always hold Chretien in very, very high regard. – Kaplan
• I remember Chretien giving a speech in Prince Rupert, BC cica late 1989 / ‘90. It inspired and convinced me that better days were ahead for both Canada and the Liberal Party. Everyone there understood and felt that Chretien was one of us, that he understood what Canadians were thinking and what they wanted out of a leader. – Francesco Sorbara
• There are other great Liberals, I’m sure. But none have his presence or his innate ability to know what the average Canadian actually wants from government. With apologies to the current leader and to those very committed, genuine folks who support him, there is a gulf the size Canada between where we were with Chretien and where the party is now. – Michael Hale

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…by my former fellow Herald alumnus, Don Martin. Don apparently sat down with the Last Elected Majority Prime Minister on Monday, the same day I saw Da Boss.

Comments are open.  And be very, very careful what you say about my friend Chretien.  I’m not at all afraid to find out where JC-haters live and, if warranted, terminate with extreme prejudice.

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We’re opening for Rebecca, who is terrific and doesn’t actually sound like the Ramones.  We of SFH valiantly try to, however, so you’ll have all Da Brudders bases covered.

Here she is:

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This makes me super depressed.  Shoot me now, someone.

Slowly but surely, Chris Bosh is giving Toronto the kiss-off, and causing a minor Twitterquake in the process.

The Raptors’ all-star forward – at least, that’s his designation until July 1, when the NBA declares open season on players out of contract – changed his location from Toronto to “Everywhere” on his Twitter account, and removed a biography section that noted his status as Raptors captain. Meantime, his website was listed as down for maintenance on Tuesday morning.

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