track 4

faith,

my mother has informed me
that I should let you know that I have
shaved my head,
and then ask if you still love me.

its true, and I cant even tell you
why I did it...I suppose I have reasons...
most of which were good...

I have to say that I am a relatively
good-looking bald man...
but Ill let it grow out again...
especially because my mother informs
me that you may not love me because of it.

I wanted to write you this long narrative
about this past weekend...
but really...now it doesnt seem that interesting...
in short.
I spent the night in Banff.
Went to the Banff Springs...
remember that women that was playing
Jazz the night we were there together?
She was there, and I wandered the same route
that we did with my cohorts...
odd to think about how much has changed since
that night.

We broke into some places and slept on the roof.
Good times.

Its strange to be relied on...
odd to have people that depend on you...
frightening really...
I don't generally feel up to it...

really though, I cant wait to be back there.

I also had alot of things that I wanted to mention
politics wise...but Im much rather talk to you about
them in person...let me just say...

that I believe there was a reasons for Afghanistan...
both from a military strategic standpoint,
and from an economic standpoint.
Conspiricy theorists (who are sometimes right)
will talk about an american old company called Unocal
that had been seeking to build a pipeline through
the Afghan countryside for years, from the rich Turkmenistan
oil fields to the Pakistani Border....
the taliban was having none of it...
but it was approved soon after Karzai goverment took power...
and a former consultant for Unocal was named
the US special envoy.

I say this though really because I think its interesting...
I think you know that I agree with both wars faith...
for much different reasons than your friend...
the hard fact is that in this world (and maybe others)
for any large events to happen there generally have
to be several (sometimes conflicting) motives behind it.
Good Men must work with Bad Men.
Idealists must work with Criminals.
Its the nature of the system...and it means that most
international actions are round compromises.

There is no doubt in my mind though that the US
is seeking to gather as much influence as it can...
that they are seeking to extend the horizon of their empire...
in space, and therefore...time

(as a side note, there is a very interesting article in this months Harper's
about the American misinterpretation of Christs message...that the
majority of them believe that the bible teaches
"G-d helps those who help themselves")

As for the structure of the Canadian Government...
its abit complicated.
the Queen is our head of State...
she techinically appoints our prime minister
on the advice of the prime minister she appoints
the governor general who acts as her representative.
We do not have true representational goverment...
and one of the bodies of our parliament (the senate)
is composed of appointed officials.
and our MPs are elected in a system similar to
the electoral college to the south.
The house of commons and the senate act very much
like house of representatives and the senate in the U.S.
Our constituition gives the Prime Minister much more
potential power than the president.

Im not really sure what you were asking.
But is this close? I can go into more detail if you like.

I really hadnt thought about what we would do when you arrived.
I have a very large group of people that would like to meet you...
but I think that we can save most of them...if not all of them...for another time.
I think it might be best for you if we went to saskatoon that night.
It would be nice for you to sleep in your own bed...
and I know you have
things to do.
Are you sure its wise
that I come home with you? ;)

I miss you faith.
I'm so looking forward to
the time we'll get to spend together.
(you know...if you can get over the hair thing)

I love you