Colleen: "You're a big boy now"

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

So we're down to another couple of Advissory Committee meetings over on Laurier Avenue while some councillors and staff take care of a few other things.

What's up with the week-end; attempted murder, car crashes, swarmings ...

Seems the list of student supporters over that bus pass fiasco continues to swell. Even Ottawa-Centre Liberal MPP Yasir Naqvi got into it over the weekend poking city council - who said Alex Cullen - with a stinging letter that appeared in the Ottawa Sun.

Still with the students bus pass - Alex "choose between us Theresa" Cullen continued with his fence sitting and the alienating of even more in the community is quoted in today's Ottawa Citizen saying; "I warned my colleagues that we could expect a reaction once the policy came into play." The thing of it is Cullen voted for the fu_kin' policy when it was introduced. Go Alex Go.

Interesting how little media play Ottawa Police Deputy Chief (Operations Support) Sue O'Sullivan got over her testimony during the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Although she wasn't on the stand very long she pretty much backed up the Crown saying that she did in fact speak to cue ball at the time and not only did he mention to her about the offer of money but also the parole board appointment. Any bets Justice Cunningham will pay just a tad more attention than our media did. Gonna be interesting ...

Guess local historian and some time columnist Phil Jenkins is getting ready to write a couple of stories on Ottawa's former mayors "and the deeds they have wrought in our name" from "businessman Larry O'Brien clear back to lawyer John Scott". Once again another reminder of an embarrassment. Sad really.

Notice barely a whisper about cue ball's 60th - annoys and frustrates him to no end when folks don't pay attention to him.

Well what can ya say - Watson gave it his all but in the end Stewart Cinq got the better of him on a play-off.

Sixty years ago today ...

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

From all of us over here at zeromeanszero.blogspot.com a big sixty - that's 6-0, pats on the chrome dome as cue ball tries to celebrate a birthday.

We had a quick check of O'Brien's "Wikipedia" page and found this interesting opening line to describe our "On a leave of absence" mayor, "Larry O'Brien (born July 19, 1949 in Ottawa) is the current mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is being prosecuted for illegal activities relating to the last municipal election." - Not sure that's the way most would be wanting to start out their sixties hanging over their head. Go Larry Go.

"Why can't we just name it 'The Remi'"

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

Seems the move to find a new name for our Ottawa Civic Centre is being met with the raising of eyebrows of a few and other obstacles that might just prevent this from going through - at least for now.

Still with the naming of the Civic Centre - as the Ottawa Citizen reported earlier in the week - "There are some restrictions on who may enter. The contest is not open to individuals, media or auto rental companies, for example. Businesses whose 'reputation or name could prove detrimental' to the city or the 67's, as well as organizations that make their money from tobacco, gaming, the sale of weapons or pornography, may not enter." Just wondering if cue ball is in fact found guilty might that put his (O'Brien's) company Calian on the list. Hmmm ...

Might just be that only Fred Sherwin - you know one of O'Brien's buddy pals - picks up on this comment - well him and the one or two who read any of Sherwin's stuff. Is it "house" or is it "hose"?

"I did not offer a job to that man"

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

Well it's Friday and typicallly over on Laurier Avenue that's a day of returning phone calls and emails but with a number of folks on holidays might not be much of that going on.

Seems a few more notables are stepping out - okay maybe not publicly yet - to suggest that in their opinion the verdict will indeed be guilty on those two Larry O'Brien criminal charges come August 12th.

Guess the students are a tad upset at that bus pass age limit thing the city implemented on July 1st. You know - if you're over 28 years old there's no longer any discount available on a bus pass. Not too sure how pissed off you wanna make the students.

How 'bout that Watson - 59 years old and he shoots a 65 at the British Open.

O'Brien: "But Colleen, how come I wasn't invited"

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

So with no standing committee meetings taking place today over on Laurier Avenue we're left to let you know that there are in fact two advisory committee meetings taking place - the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee folks get together at 6:00pm in the Colonel By Room - while at 7:00pm it's over to the Richmond Room for a meeting of the Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee. Now some might be sayin' huh?? what the heck does an advisory committee do?

Seems Jan "my family comes first" Harder continued to be frustrated and annoyed with Ottawa residents and the media over her being singled out and blamed for causing all the embarrassment to the capital - well if O'Brien's away. Add to that the significant media the band KISS and Shannon Tweed has been receiving, in part, as a result - who said jealous. Jan might not want to look at the front page of both of our city's newspapers today with the Citizen's front page "KISS DRIVES OTTAWA WILD" and the Sun's front page "GOODNIGHT KISS - Verdict is loud and clear capital goes KISS crazy" - including two very large photos - oh ya did we say 30,000 people turned out. Go Jan Go.

Still with KISS - so no invitations nor photo ops for a few people who thought they should have been invited to that dinner the other night. Pretty busy place that dinner was as folks like; Jim Watson, Pierre Poilievre, the Citizen's Tony Lofaro, Earl McRae, Richard Patten, a couple of councillors including College Ward's Rich Chiarelli, Heather Tessier (now where did we hear that name before) all attended - but alas no Larry O'Brien and no Jan Harder - who said organizers didn't want either of them within 500 metres of the place. Gotta love it.

We're not saing there's any truth to the rumour that Bob Monette has privately told a few people that he's so upset with Orleans MPP Phil McNeely that he plans on running against McNeely as a Tory come next provincial election.

So that famous Denley-Chiarelli feud seems alive and well. After Randall Denley wrote a column earlier this week on the city's need to adopt some kind of "lobby register" referencing Bob Chiarelli - who said taking a shot - and his work on behalf of Mitel - quick draw Chiarelli fires back with a pretty good rebutall that is sure to sting Denley. Here's Chiarelli's letter appearing in today's Ottawa Citizen with the title, "There's nothing sinister about city lobbying"

Anyone thinkin' that if Larry O'Brien was still hangin' around - that threatened lawsuit against the city by Mitel would be taking place rather than quietly going away.

Bark for camera, Remi

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

Well, it's mid-week and another summer day so nothing to speak of officially taking place - meeting or otherwise - today over on Laurier Avenue.

We're hearin' cue ball was none too pleased that he was excluded from all the hoopla - did we just use the word hoopla - surrounding Shannon Tweed and Gene Simmons yesterday. We didn't say anything about a request for a certain pooch to be in a certain photograph.

If you haven't had a chance to read Walter "I'm holding three jobs, or is it four, wait I think its five jobs" Robinson pity piece in today's Sun - ya the one where he almost seems to take Randall Denley's column on lobbying that Denley wrote yesterday and go with the "lobbying" theme - don't bother. Of course one might suggest that Wally is having a tough time coming up with his own ideas and ends up using others for his pity articles. Others might suggest that it seems rather odd that Wally who is directly involved - one of those three, or four or five jobs - with a "lobbying" company by the name of Tactix Government Consulting has even the tiniest bit of credibility and neutrality when it comes to the issue. Go Wally Go.

How 'bout those Libs over in Ottawa West Nepean? Just when you thought it was safe to come out of Britannia Beach along comes the possibility of a Janet Yale and David Pratt face-off for the nomination. Any bets John "Kilrea's telling the truth" Baird isn't paying attention. Intersting article by the Citizen's Mohammed Adam in today's paper. Here's the piece with the headline, "Pratt home from Baghdad to defend bid for seat"

But Remi, they seem to think I'm already gone.

For those interested the Ottawa Citizen, CBC, the Ottawa Sun and CTV each have web sites devoted to the Larry O'Brien criminal trial. Here's the Ottawa Citizen Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the CBC Larry O'Brien trial site, here's the Ottawa Sun Larry O'Brien trial site and here's the CTV Larry O'Brien trial site.

Once again - no committee meetings to speak of although the Business Advissory Committee folks might take offence to that.

We over here had to chuckle to hear that little Steve "maybe he did do it" Desroches has backed down from attempting to get a day - did we say special day - put aside in honour of "Stompin' Tom". Gotta love it ...

No question there's a number of notables in the city who for one reason or another have ties to Rockcliffe's Ashbury College. Interesting front page piece in todays Ottawa Citizen by reporter Geoff Nixon - that's sure to be noticed by some of those folks and maybe others. Here's Geoff's piece with the headline, Two teens charged in classmate's assault during 2007 Boston trip - Four students left private school following disciplinary process. or some might want to check out the Sun's Jon Willing who writes City students face U.S. justice

Seems the discussion over at city hall has turned from wondering when cue ball might be back to he ain't coming back at all - as all sides try and battle it out in respect to how to fill the mayor's vacancy until the 2010 election. Gotta love it - did we already use that today ...

The one thing folks in Ottawa can pretty well be assured of not seeing in our city this morning; Shannon Tweed and Jan Harder having breakfast together.