Stop Bush Calling Our Canadian PM 'Steve'!

[Full Bug]

Bush gaffe: Prime Minister Harper definitely a Stephen, not a Steve


OTTAWA (CP) - Never mind such weighty subjects as continental ballistic missile defence, Canada-U.S. border security or the softwood lumber dispute.

Inquiring minds really want to know: what's up with 'Steve'? When a jocular U.S. President George (Dubya) Bush referred to his visiting Canadian counterpart by the diminutive, casual version of his given name this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper managed not to wince.

Nonetheless, it was just about the only awkward moment for the two conservative leaders during Thursday's media availability at the White House.

It could have been worse.

Bush is known for his use of nicknames - many truly cringe-worthy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Pootie-Poot), former prime minister Jean Chretien (Dino, as in dinosaur) and any number of rangy White House journalists dubbed Stretch have been Bushified.

And judged against other known Bush monikers such as Big O, Chuck Wagon, Corndog, Balloonfoot and Turd Blossom - the latter apparently reserved for White House strategist Carl Rove - Steve seems harmless enough.

But as most everyone recognizes, there are Steves in this world and there are Stephens.

Think of actors Steve McQueen, Steve Martin and Steve Buscemi. Or musicians Stevie Wonder and Stevie Nicks (whose given name was Stephanie). Then consider physicist Stephen Hawking, diplomat Stephen Lewis, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and composer Stephen Sondheim.

Longtime friends contacted Friday say Canada's 22nd prime minister has been known as Stephen to family, friends and teachers since grade school. Never Steve.

The U.S. president calling Harper Steve was cause for much amusement among old friends and family of the prime minister, according to sources.

A senior American official says the president did not call the prime minister Steve during their bilateral meeting or working lunch, but used the name as a sign of collegiality during their media encounter.

Don't expect the handle to stick.

Harper's staff refer to him as "prime minister" out of respect for the office.

To his old friends, he'll always be Stephen.

:D

[Full Bug]

Bush says he's flexible on passports but decision is still up to Congress


WASHINGTON (CP) - President George W. Bush heaped praise on Canada's anti-terrorism efforts Thursday, telling Prime Minister Stephen Harper he's flexible on new U.S. border identification plans but Congress must agree to delay them.


"If Congress provides flexibility, of course we will work with the Canadian government to extend deadlines," Bush said after his first real bilateral meeting with Harper, held on the president's 60th birthday.


"If the Congress says: 'No, this is what our intent is,' we will work with the Canadian government to make the law work," promised a warm, casual Bush, who kept referring to Harper as Steve and said he was "impressed" by his leadership style.


Harper, who came bearing gifts that included an RCMP Stetson, cufflinks and a Calgary Stampede belt buckle, was cordial but more business-like, even when those attending the news conference broke out in song to wish Bush a happy birthday.


Canada has been frustrated, he said, by little co-operation from Americans about the technology they'll use in a new passcard to be accepted at the border as an alternative to passports by Jan. 1, 2008.


"We need more information. And we've been pressing for that for some time," said Harper, standing by Bush's side in the opulent East Room of the White House filled with chandeliers and flowing silk curtains.


"If the fight for security ends up meaning that the United States becomes more closed to its friends, then the terrorists have won. And I don't think either of us want that," he said.


"So we're prepared to co-operate and also urge Congress to apply some flexibility in reaching their objectives of security," said Harper.


"I would hate to see a law go into place that has the effect of not just limiting or endangering trade or tourism but endangering all those thousands of social interactions that occur across our border every day."


That's one reason Canada and the United States have the strongest relationship "in the history of mankind," said Harper.


The two leaders talked for 40 minutes in the Oval Office before an hour-long working lunch, followed by Harper's departure from nearby Andrews Air Force base.


They hit on a long list of global issues, including North Korea's missile tests this week and worries about its nuclear ambitions.


Bush said he didn't press Harper on Canada's participation in the U.S. ballistic missile defence plan as a result, although he raised the spectre of a North Korean strike going astray and hitting north of the border.


For his part, Harper said he wasn't prepared to open the contentious issue in Canada "at this time," prompting critics back home to worry that he'll push the issue if he wins a majority government.


There were no dramatic results from the meeting. Harper promoted Alberta's oil sands as a solution to U.S. future needs and the two leaders have directed officials to co-operate on energy issues and climate change.


But they did seem more comfortable with each other than at their last meeting in Cancun in March.


For Bush, fighting an unpopular war and facing crises around the world, it was a chance to enlist a new buddy with a conservative bent who can lend support.

And he filled the news conference room with his top people, including Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Michael Chertoff, head of Homeland Security.

Harper, aware of critics at home who don't want him to be too cozy with Bush, wanted the visit to be taken very seriously but remain as low-key as possible, with none of the flash accorded other leaders.

And after criticism from some U.S. legislators that Canada is a haven for terrorists because of lax immigration laws, Bush's praise of the country's recent sweeping anti-terror busts was a welcome respite.

"It just goes to show how safe Canada is," said Bush, who also applauded Canadian efforts in Afghanistan.

"When you've got a government that's active and a police force that's capable, people ought to rest assured that Canada is on top of any plots."

Harper reassured Bush that Canada shares U.S. "security concerns and objectives" and is "defending exactly the same kinds of values."

Bush noted that Harper was "a little impatient" and "straightforward" about the border ID law passed by Congress in 2004 to closely monitor who is entering the country.

But he said it was perfectly understandable.

"It makes sense for the prime minister of Canada to say: 'Look, we just want to know what the rules are, to determine whether or not it is compatible with our relationship,' " said Bush.

"As I have told Chertoff, who is responsible for implementing the law, I would like, to the extent the law allows, for there to be a lot of flexibility and simplicity."

"I'm impressed by his leadership style. I appreciate the fact that he doesn't mince words, he tells me what's on his mind. He does so in a real clear fashion."

Bush noted that the Senate has passed plans to delay the border ID requirements until June 2009, although the House of Representatives has yet to move on the issue.

Many states are also worried the measure won't be ready in time and will cause huge delays at the border that will dent tourism and commerce.

Harper has made improving bilateral relations a key priority and he emphasized the close ties Thursday.

He also got in a dig at the media, which traditionally stands when Bush comes in.

"Thank you for doing something I never thought I'd see, which is have the Canadian media stand when I enter the room."

The two men touched on other global issues, including Iran's nuclear ambitions and the crises in Haiti and the Darfur region of Sudan.

[Full Bug]

Show respect and have Bush call him 'Stephen' you Yankee bastards......:D :D
Steve sounds better anyway....

[frets5150]

Prime Minister Harper should just call him Chimp

[FORD]

I'll just keep calling him "Little Stevie Wonderbush", since he's a Chimp wannabe....

[jcook11]

Originally posted by frets5150
Prime Minister Harper should just call him Chimp

BWAAHAAHAAAHAAAHAA........

[Full Bug]

Originally posted by FORD
I'll just keep calling him "Little Stevie Wonderbush", since he's a Chimp wannabe....

And yet still better then Paul Martin......

[frets5150]

Originally posted by jcook11
BAAHAAHAAAHAAAHAA........

The sheep has spoken

[FORD]

Originally posted by Full Bug
And yet still better then Paul Martin......

You won't be saying that when you find out he's tapping your phone lines, reading your e-mails, and sentencing you 20 to life for that ounce of weed you got stashed under your subwoofer.

[Full Bug]

Funny, thats what people who share your views said when we elected him.....Yet the sky isnt falling, hmmm.....
I for one am happy with him so far.....And yes I voted for him....

[FORD]

Hey, if the guy is a Chimp wannabe, then he's gonna act like the Chimp eventually. He just needs the excuse first, and you know what that means.

These neocons aren't conservatives, either by the classic American definition, or the classic Canadian definition.

[Jerry H]

Originally posted by FORD
You won't be saying that when you find out he's tapping your phone lines, reading your e-mails, and sentencing you 20 to life for that ounce of weed you got stashed under your subwoofer.

PARANOIA

the term paranoia is usually used to describe excessive concern about one's own well-being, sometimes suggesting a person holds persecutory beliefs concerning a threat to themselves or their property and is often linked to a belief in conspiracy theories.

The term is more typically used in a general sense to signify any delusion, or more specifically, to signify a delusion involving the fear of persecution. The exact use of the term has changed over time, and because of this, psychiatric usage may vary.

Explanation

paranoia was used by Emil Kraepelin to describe a mental illness in which a delusional belief is the sole, or most prominent feature. In his original attempt at classifying different forms of mental illness, Emil Kraepelin used the term pure paranoia to describe a condition where a delusion was present, but without any apparent deterioration in intellectual abilities and without any of the other features of dementia praecox, the condition later renamed schizophrenia.

In the original Greek, παράνοια (paranoia) means simply madness (para = outside; nous = mind). Kraepelin developed a definition from this root involving delusional beliefs. Notably, in his definition, the belief does not have to be persecutory to be classified as paranoid, so any number of delusional beliefs can be classified as paranoia. For example, a person who has the sole delusional belief that he is an important religious figure would be classified by Kraepelin as having 'pure paranoia'.

Although the diagnosis of pure paranoia is no longer used (having been superseded by the diagnosis of delusional disorder) the use of the term to signify the presence of delusions in general, rather than persecutory delusions specifically, lives on in the classification of paranoid schizophrenia, which denotes a form of schizophrenia where delusions are prominent.

More recently, the clinical use of the term has been used to describe delusions where the affected person believes they are being persecuted. Specifically, they have been defined as containing two central elements:

1. The individual thinks that harm is occurring, or is going to occur, to him or her.
2. The individual thinks that the persecutor has the intention to cause harm.

Paranoia is often associated with psychotic illnesses, particularly schizophrenia, although attenuated features may be present in other primarily non-psychotic diagnoses, such as paranoid personality disorder.

Examples of clinical paranoia

In the unrestricted use of the term, common paranoid delusions can include the belief that the person is being followed, poisoned or loved at a distance (often by a media figure or important person, a delusion known as erotomania or de Clerambault syndrome).

Other common paranoid delusions include the belief that the person has an imaginary disease or parasitic infection (delusional parasitosis); that the person is on a special quest or has been chosen by God; that the person has had thoughts inserted or removed from conscious thought; or that the person's actions are being controlled by an external force.

Many despotic rulers (for example Stalin) allegedly suffered from paranoia. This presents an interesting question because in Stalin's case, it is quite likely that many people really were out to get him (some theories concerning his death hypothesize that he was poisoned). The possibility exists that with enough enemies, it is impossible to be clinically paranoid. It still might be possible to identify a paranoid in that situation via his unrealistic assessment of the relative threat presented by various enemies, but it is not clear that non-paranoid persons are all that good at this. This raises interesting philosophical questions about the criteria by which we can diagnose a belief as paranoid or delusional, as well as prompting the joke that "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you".
[edit]

Paranoia depicted in popular culture

In popular culture paranoia is often represented as including:

* Belief in having special powers or being on a special mission (a "delusion of grandeur")
* Conspiracy theories, such as seeing seemingly unrelated news events as parts of a larger, typically conspiratorial plan
* Black helicopters and other mass surveillance
* Persecution from powerful adversaries such as UFOs, terrorists, the Men in Black, secret societies or demons
* Mind control through invisible rays, and tinfoil hats to combat them
* Fear of poisoning, adulterated food (e.g., aspartame) or water (e.g., fluoridation) as part of a secret plot
* Reading a story, watching a movie, or listening to a song and feeling that one's life is exactly like that of the subject of said story, movie, or song. The movie The Truman Show, which depicted a man who discovers his entire life has been filmed as a TV show, is one of the more commonly referrenced films.
* The maxim: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't really out to get you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia

:D

[Big Train]

All of North America is now conservative, you libs might want to notice. STEPHEN is fine if that is what he prefers.

[4moreyears]

Originally posted by frets5150
Prime Minister Harper should just call him Chimp

Come on Ford you can do better than that.

[4moreyears]

Originally posted by FORD
I'll just keep calling him "Little Stevie Wonderbush", since he's a Chimp wannabe....

I guess that I will call fret5150 "Little Ford Wonderbush" because he is a Ford wannabe