Steve Murphy of CTV conducted an interview with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper today on Tuesday, December 16, 2008.

Realizing that possibly 582,000 jobs could be lost if the big three automakers do fold, Prime Minister Harper can confirm that Canada is now in a recession. Since December 2007 though, Canada has created jobs, and has been one of the only western countries to do so; however, job loss is now coming to effect in Canada as we head into 2009.

"I suspect that 2009 will be a very tough year. I think we will see probably about zero growth, probably negative growth at the beginning of the year, hopefully a little better as the year goes on," said Prime Minister Harper on assuming what the future economic landscape will look like in Canada. Harper also added that he has "never seen such uncertainty in terms of looking into the future."

The interview touched on a number of topics, one obviously regarding the coalition threat as they seek to overthrow the Conservative's minority government in January. Stephane Dion recently stepped down as leader of the coalition, per request by the Liberals, and was promptly replaced by Michael Ignatieff for an interim position.

Michael Ignatieff remains relatively unknown to Prime Minister Harper, but he does mention his intentions to work closely with him. That will only happen if the Conservatives remain in power after the vote of confidence on January 26, 2009 once Parliament resumes after this period of suspension. During the interview though, Harper didn't want to speak much of the coalition "shenanigans," as he termed it, because the real problem at hand is the economy, and that's what should garner his full attention as Prime Minister of Canada.

Prime Minister Harper states that he is extremely worried about the Canadian economy heading into 2009, and even into 2010 with the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but he also says he's "very worried about the state of the world economy, particularly the American economy."

Harper added that, "It's pretty obvious to me that both the current (Bush) and the future (Obama) administration will do whatever is necessary to sustain economic activity in that economy."

Now Canada has joined the global recession, and though it was much later than other countries, the time to act is now rather than the delayed response by the American government all year. Prime Minister Harper will reveal the federal budget and stimulus action plan in January during the vote of confidence.

Prime Minister Harper has spoken with President-elect Barack Obama on a few instances, but nothing in sort of a prolonged instance as he has done recently with President Bush thus far. Harper does look forward in working hand-in-hand with Obama, come the New Year.

Regarding the future for Canada, the United States, and the rest of the world, Prime Minister Harper warned that we "could be" heading towards another Great Depression. He explained though that through the lessons learned of the recession in 1929 upon the fruition of the Great Depression in the 1930's, he believes that we have the knowledge and capability to avoid the mistakes upon prompting another Great Depression.

Regarding Canada's future plan, Harpers says he will, "Stick with a year of slow growth, run a deficient, do some spending measures we hadn't planned on doing." Harper believes that if we "do those things we should be able to come out of this pretty strong in due course."

"We want to bring in some recovery programs that will help us sustain economic activity and avoid some of the worst problems," explained Prime Minister Harper. Though this will essentially create more deficits for Canada, they will not be long-term deficits as it should rebound the economy into producing more avenues for jobs down the line.

Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, definitely has a plan going forward. Unfortunately for Canadians from coast to coast, we are still left in the dark as we have no idea who will be running our country after the vote of confidence on January 26, 2009.

I believe it's make or break for Canada come January 26th, and we'll make it if we can keep Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party in power. Sadly, we Canadian citizens do not have the power to keep the Conservative's minority government intact because the Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition looks to overthrow the government by nullifying our electoral votes.

We may be in for some dark days.

n Thursday, December 11, 2008, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stated during the Egyptian ruling party that Teheran, Iran has been plotting to devour Arabian states.

The recent strenuous relationship between Cairo and Teheran has been well documented up to this boiling remark by President Mubarak of Egypt. However, the timeline of events have not made the press to a large extent, as the affairs of the new Cold War between United States-Israeli-European allies and Russian-Iranian opposition has been the forefront of world despair during the global economic crisis.

Throw in the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai that may instigate a potential war between Pakistan and India. Should the war come to fruition, a calling for global attendance may be needed. Stories like these are exactly why the bantering between Egypt and Iran has been pushed below the radar.

Basically Egypt has been out of sight and out of mind, until now.

During several demonstrations in Iran that led up to President Mubarak's comments yesterday, the topical threat of hanging Egypt's leader was realized. Iranian demonstrators threaten death to President Mubarak because they believe that the Zionist regime's severe crimes in Gaza were part of Egypt's plan to exert pressure on the Palestinian people.

Also outside the Egyptian diplomatic missions in Teheran, a hoard of people were heard chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel," while burning an Israeli flag.

You can choose your side to this story, but as the timeline goes, Iran threw the first punch by accusing Egypt of faulty exertion over the Palestinian people. Furthermore, the death threats to President Mubarak are very undiplomatic but it's to be expected during this time of chaos erupting in these regions.

The Bush Administration has not reacted to any of this back and forth role-play, and it's likely that this issue will go unrecognized by President Bush for the remainder of his term in the White House.

President-elect Barack Obama will have to peddle towards a resolution once he is sworn in as President, should matters escalate further towards military action.

Meanwhile, President-elect Obama has his hands full with Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, China, North Korea, Georgia, Israel, Poland, Germany, France, and Czech Republic among various different issues on both the allied front and the oppositional front.

One of the most well-known publication papers within the United States is now up for sale due to great deficits.

The Herald is one of the largest of 30 daily newspapers publicized by The McClatchy Company, with a daily circulation rounding to 210,000. Having won 19 Pulitzer Prizes puts The Miami Herald into a prized class of prestigious papers worldwide.

With newspaper sales shrinking at an alarming rate now during the current recession, The Miami Herald, which was part of the Knight Rider group that was originally purchased for $4.5 billion in 2006 by McClatchy, has now plunged to a $2 billion debt burden.

One of the main reasons for this dramatic drop is because advertising firms are no longer spending their money to place ads in the paper. So what prompts these firms to discontinue their spending with The Miami Herald, or any other paper for that matter? The consumer rate prompts it.

We are living in the modern age where newspapers have become an infrequent process of attaining information. Instead, people around the world are using the Internet as their number one source for all information they attain. Access through the Internet has increased tremendously by means of computers, cell phones, iPods, handheld devices, etc.

Thus far there have been no serious inquires regarding a purchaser of The Miami Herald. I cannot see anyone wanting to buy the paper unless they have a new innovative way of marketing The Herald. Even then, I don't see purchasing The Miami Herald a viable option for anyone during this recession.

I believe we'll soon see various newspapers become extinct.

I would like to direct fellow Canadians to the search "Canadians 4 Democracy" on Google.

Please go there to sign Prime Minister Stephen Harper's petition of the Conservative Party. The petition will be sent to the Canadian members of Parliament upon saying NO to Stephane Dion's Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition.

I voted Conservative on Canada's Election Day 2008 on October 14, and Stephen Harper won the election by Canada's choice that day. Harper was the re-elected Prime Minister, NOT Stephane Dion. So if you care for stability within Canada during these recessionary times, it would be best that you sign this petition!

I will be writing more about this matter tomorrow, after Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks pubically at 7 PM EST today. It is expected that Prime Minister Harper will suspend Parliament.

To my favourite neighbours,

With each passing year we relapse the Day of Thanksgiving, and for Americans on this day, there should be a lot to be thankful for.

First and foremost, we should all be thankful for the brave men and women, really our heroes, for battling through the depths of hell upon maintaining peace during the difficult War on Terror in the Middle East. We owe a lot of thankful wishes, prayers, and gratitude to them because without them this world would be a lot more chaotic than it already is. The armed forces are thankful for our support in return.

Secondly, be thankful to be given the greatest gift of all from God, and that's your life.

Life is what you make it, so keep on striving forward with your plan. Don't worry about how you are perceived by your peers, just know that you are satisfied with your self-being upon living the life you have constructed. If there are falls or mishaps just pick yourself up and keep moving forward.

There's always going to be an obstacle or two in life and you have to be willing to take those falls. Reason being is because I believe it's really not about how hard you can hit, but rather how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.

Those who experience the worst are often those who prosper to the greatest length because they weren't afraid to take that risk upon reaching the ultimate reward in the end. Since they know the worst, they know how to counter the worst, and now they're thankful on Thanksgiving Day for the life they live a share.

Everyone is capable of creating happiness upon any degree. It's just a choice on if you want to or not. I know it's hard to fathom such an expression like happiness during tough global recessionary times, but it is possible my friends. Money isn't everything.

All the best on this Thanksgiving Day for America as we move forward to the plan of great "change" with the Presidential inauguration drawing near for President-elect Barack Obama on January 20, 2009.

From your friendly Canadian neighbour and ally,
Marcus Cyganiak

In Memory of Brandon Lee, 1965-1993.

Brandon Lee was an actor who was often linked to his legendary father, the great Bruce Lee. However, he desperately wanted to break away from his father's shadow and become a self-iconic actor. The only way to do that was to no longer take roles in martial art-related films, and instead move towards more dramatic action stylistic films.

The lead role in the 1994-released film, The Crow, was his calling card for individuality.

Shortly before Brandon Lee's tragic death on March 31, 1993, he took part in an interview on set of The Crow.

In relation to The Crow, Brandon said that, "The world of this film is going to be a better place, once... once the bad guys aren't there anymore."

Taking a look at our world beyond the film today with all the wars on-going, those words still hold up today. The bad guys are still here.

Brandon understood life though. He knew that starring in The Crow was a moment to be remembered as the film was to become the quintessential ground roots prospering him to superstardom in Hollywood. He wasn't going to take it for granted either.

Brandon Lee described a goodwill life reminder to us by saying, "Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, and yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood... an afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps 4 or 5 times more. Perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps 20. And yet it all seems limitless."

That is by far my favourite quote out there, and just from reading it, you really get that sense of appreciation for every matter in life. Sure you can read what's on the surface of this quote, but you can dig deeper and apply it to every sense and action played out in this world. Apply the quote to yourself too.

For instance...

How many times have I written a blog? Well let's see, it's been 48 times now.

How many times have I voted in a Federal Election for the Canadian Prime Minister? Once so far.

How many hockey games have I played? 378 games since 1998.

How many times have I visited my relatives in Italy? Three times - 1996, 2000, and 2007.

How many more times will I remember that evening when my nonno Alfredo Vannucci introduced me to watching wrestling in 1994? Would I not have landed my job with TNA Wrestling in 2004, if it wasn't for that moment ten years prior?

How many Vancouver Canucks games have I attended? Maybe 20-30 games or more.

How many times will I remember my grandpa Stan Cyganiak carving me a wooden toy during Christmas 2001 in Kitimat, BC?

What about when my late Godmother Dorothy Grabowski took me and my brother on an action figure shopping spree for our birthdays when we were kids?

Or how about when I angered my mom Cristina by putting gum in my brother Derek's hair when he was still in his stroller, and I was about 4 years old...

It all seems limitless, but the point is that once you put a number to it you truly become grateful for the times you were able to experience each moment in time. No matter the reward or consequence of each matter, they're learning experiences that we look back on in life.

Don't take life for granted, or it will take you for granted. Remember to cherish each moment in time because it never comes back.

Brandon Lee cherished all 28 years of his life before he was accidentally killed on set of The Crow. Though he never got to see the release of The Crow in 1994, he went to a better place after fulfilling his personal goals and the task of leaving a positive mark on each and every one of us.

Brandon will forever be remembered best as the white-face painted Eric Draven, a dead-brought-back-to-life character, from The Crow film. That's individual originality, officially taking him out of his father's shadow.

One of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself is the feeling of success and reward, and while some often stop there, Brandon Lee didn't. He decided to spread the gifts by providing wisdom, care, and inspiration to us all. He exuded a balanced thought process, one that should be replicated within us all.

The world would surely be a better place if we followed Brandon Lee's words. They're not words of encouragement, nor are they advice; they're words of reminders.

Realize every moment in time is now and never again. Live each passing moment to the fullest before leaving your life with the sense of completion, no matter how soon or late you pass away.

Though Brandon left at the age of 28, his mother Linda Lee Cadwell said, "You might die at the rightful age of 80, and not have used your life well, or you might have lived your life fully and well at the end of 28, and I think Brandon did that."

As my 87-year old grandpa Stan tells me, "Life is what you make it."

It has been reported today on multiple sourced websites that on-going anonymous threats have been sent out to world leaders within the past 72 hours. Among the threats is that of a nuclear bomb attack in the very near future on United States soil.

Such an attack on America "would make 9/11 insignificant," said Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

On Barack Obama's first day as President-Elect, he immediately received threats via US intelligence that Israel are plotting to attack Iran before he is sworn into the White House on January 20, 2009. Russia has also gone into high-gear in noting that they are enforcing their own missile defense systems bordering Poland to counteract the US-stationed missile defense system there.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said, "we will not retreat," when dealing with the United States in Europe. Former Russian President Putin believes that President George W. Bush has setup multiple missile defense shield systems across Europe to keep a close eye and target on Russia. Contrary to that claim, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice diligently state that these stations in Europe are nothing but goodwill safety measures put forth for the EU, Nato allies, and American interests upon fending off terrorists, extremists, and notably Iran.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ignored President Bush and Condoleezza Rice's claims with triggers ready to attack.

So with Russia visibly upset with the United States and Iran being an ally of Russia, one has to wonder where these world leaders outside of that inner circle are receiving the nuclear bomb threats from. You can go ahead and add in Korea and China into the mix since they have nuclear bombs as well, and are too allies of Russia.

Among the nations that have publically stated they have received the cryptic threats include Australia, England, France, and the United States.

Is any of this a surprise for anyone though?

The now Vice President-elect Joe Biden had some chilling comments to make during the campaign trail just a week prior to Election Day. He repeatedly told us, "Mark my words, mark my words." Barack Obama is going to be tested with a "generated crisis" within the first six months he explained.

So would an attack on America, potentially larger in catastrophe to 9/11 as Australian PM put it, be the crisis Joe Biden is referring to? Does Biden know something we do not?

Joe Biden also went on to say, "I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate, and he's (Barack Obama) going to need help. And the kind of help he's going to need is, he's going to need you - not financially to help him - we're going to need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not going to be apparent initially, it's not going be apparent that we're right."

Confused yet? Well while I can join you on that trail of confusion, I still want to figure this out.

An obvious note of observation is that these high level politicians around the world all seem to be coordinated with these warnings received. I'm talking about Vice President-elect Joe Biden, even former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, another former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and finally Admiral Lord Alan West of the British Home Office as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

Are all these high level politicians preparing the world for a crisis of gigantic fatal measures?

When looking back at the US invasion in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003 as part of the War on Terror, and most recently the US embarking on attacks in Syria and Pakistan shortly after the Russian invasion in Georgia, you just have to wonder if these events are the prelude to World War III. These high level politicians are certainly painting the picture that way.

So now I take you to the overall big picture:

• Russia continues to threaten a new Cold War, with missiles lined up to attack Poland because of the US missile defense shield system agreement that was signed. Should that shield system officially be built, Russia states that they will deploy missile attacks.
• Russia has the capability of launching missiles from Russian soil to American soil.
• Iran too claims to have the same capabilities in being able to launch missiles over to US soil.
• Israel continues to send out warnings that they will be attacking Iran, which would call for US troops' help.
• President George W. Bush has expressed an interest in attacking Iran before his run in the oval office is over because of Iran's nuclear program to produce nuclear weapons.
• Russia will attack US troops and Israeli troops, should an attack on Iran become apparent.
• Korea has sent out threats of attack to the United States in the past and they too carry the capacity of nuclear bombs while being allies of Russia and Iran.
• You can add China into the list of allies with Russia.

Does this not look like one big circle of tension to you? It sure does to me, and it's one that is growing far too tight in tension now. As a result, it could only be a matter of days, weeks, or months before one nation pulls the trigger to ignite World War III (WWIII).