Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User:ErichB

2022-04-05T16:12:57Z

ErichB: Returned to Conservapedia after many, many years. Updated my profile to reflect my current identity, including my conversion from athiesm to agnostic Christianity

My name is Erich B; my interest in Conservapedia lies little in compilation and more in organization; i.e. correcting typos, fixing broken links, clarifying statements that are unclear etc. I care about accuracy. I'm a certified meatcutter and identify as conservative in some aspects, liberal or leftist in others.

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User:ErichB

2009-04-03T18:48:30Z

ErichB: removed dupe

My name is Erich B; my interest in Conservapedia lies little in compilation and more in organization; i.e. correcting typos, fixing broken links, clarifying statements that are unclear etc. I care about accuracy.

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User:ErichB

2009-02-02T05:20:46Z

ErichB:

My name is Erich B; my interest in Conservapedia lies little in compilation and more in organization; i.e. correcting typos, fixing broken links, clarifying statements that are unclear etc. I care about accuracy.

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Ron Paul

2009-02-02T01:21:20Z

ErichB: /* Political Views */ Removed typo; ancillary punctuation.

[[Image:Ronpaul.jpg|right|250x250px|thumb|Ron Paul]]

'''Ronald Ernest “Ron” Paul''' (born 20 August, 1935) is a conservative 10th-term Congressman, a former Air Force Flight Surgeon, a medical doctor (M.D.) and a 2008 presidential candidate from the U.S. state of [[Texas]]. As a [[Republican Party|Republican]], he has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] since 1997, and had previously served as the representative from Texas's 22nd district in 1976 and from 1979 to 1985.

Paul is a [[pro-life]] states' rights [[libertarian]], also known as a [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarian]]. [[paleolibertarianism|Paleolibertarians]] advocate a limited role of government, low taxes, free markets, strict construction of the [[U.S. Constitution]], and a return to monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He has earned the nickname "Dr. No" for voting against any bill he believes violates the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill. He has never voted to raise taxes or congressional pay. He has always voted against the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], the [[Military Commissions Act of 2006]], and the [[Iraq War]].

==Congressional record==

Ron Paul is noted for his authorship of the We the People Act, an act which removed the ability of the US Supreme Court to hear cases involving discrimination based on sexual orientation or religion. He is also noted for submitting several bills banning [[abortion]], and somewhat controversially was the only person to oppose the Darfur Divestment Act of 2007, a bill which disallowed the US government, corporations, and individuals from sending money to or doing business with the janjaweed rebel group of the Sudan.

== Early life and education ==

Dr. Ron Paul was born in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania to Howard Caspar Paul and Margaret Paul.<ref>http://dailypaul.com/node/53</ref><ref>http://www.wargs.com/political/paul.html</ref> He graduated from Dormont High School in Dormont, Pennsylvania, in 1953. Paul attended Gettysburg College, receiving his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1957, and the [[Duke University School of Medicine]], receiving [[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]] in 1961. He did his [[internship]] and [[Residency (medicine)|residency]] at [[Henry Ford Hospital]] in [[Detroit]], Michigan, from 1961 to 1962, and was a [[flight surgeon]] in the [[United States Air Force]] from 1963 to 1968. He and his wife Carol moved to Texas in 1968, where he began his medical practice in Brazoria County. As a specialist in [[obstetrics]]/[[gynecology]], Dr. Paul has delivered more than 4,000 babies. He and Carol, who reside in Lake Jackson, Texas, are the proud parents of five children and have seventeen grandchildren.

===Political affiliations and support===
Although a Republican, Paul remains on good terms with the Libertarian Party and addressed its national convention as recently as 2004.<ref>[http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-09-num-10.htm Liberator online archive] on Advocates for self-governing accessed at March 4, 2007</ref>

Paul served as the honorary chairman of and is a current member of the [[Republican Liberty Caucus]], a political action organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of individual rights, limited government and free enterprise within the Republican Party.<ref>[http://fl.rlc.org/ Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida] accessed at March 4, 2007</ref>

Unlike many political candidates, Paul receives the overwhelming majority of his campaign contributions (96.8% in 2005-2006), from individuals. <ref>http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00005906&cycle=2006/</ref>

===Political Views===

Paul wants to "reinstate the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] and restore the [[Republic]]." He rejects a [[welfare state]] or [[nanny state]] role for the federal government, and advocates a strong [[non-interventionism|non-interventionist]] [[foreign policy]].

He voted against the [[Iraq War]] in 2002 and has offered alternatives such as granting the President authority to grant [[Letters of Marque and Reprisal]], and arming [[pilot]]s. He is the only Republican presidential candidate to have voted against the Iraq War.

Paul's desire to secure U.S. borders remains a key topic in his 2008 presidential campaign. He opposes the [[North American Union]] proposition and its proposed integration of Mexico, the United States of America, and Canada. Paul voted "yes" on the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]], which authorizes the construction of an additional 700 miles of double-layered fencing between the U.S and Mexico. Paul opposes illegal immigration as well as amnesty for illegal immigrants.

In the May 3, 2007 GOP Debate, Ron Paul stated that as President, he would seek the immediate abolition of the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] and the abolition of the income tax. As Congressman, he has long fought for the [[Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Section_9:_Limits_on_Congress|prohibition of direct taxes]] by repeal of the [[16th Amendment to the United States Constitution|16th Amendment]] which created the [[income tax]]. Ron Paul supports a return to the [[gold]] standard of currency particularly newer theorized pure strain gold.

On March 5, 2008, Ron Paul was the only member of the house to vote against a bill "Condemning the ongoing Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, and for other purposes"<ref>http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll093.xml FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 93</ref><ref>http://pressmediawire.com/article.cfm?articleID=18214 Congressman Ron Paul's Statement on Gaza Bill</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==

Paul formally declared his candidacy for the Presidential election in 2008 in 12 March, 2007 as a guest on [[Washington Journal]] on [[C-SPAN]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA031207.paul2008.EN.74141d9.html | title = Paul formally launches presidential bid | first = Gary | last = Martin | work = San Antonio Express-News | accessdate = 2007-03-13}}</ref> <ref>[http://chbn.com/Clip.aspx?key=1CD9E3A0397BCBEC Ron Paul announcing candidacy on C-SPAN]</ref>. In regards to his candidacy, he had a 30-minute interview with online political analyst [[James Kotecki]] regarding foreign policy, Congress and the Constitution, and personal liberties. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/jameskotecki James Kotecki interviews Ron Paul]</ref>

Paul participated (along with nine other Republican presidential candidates) in the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]]'s 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Debate on May 3, 2007. Ron Paul finished first in the MSNBC poll following the GOP primary debate with 43 percent -- beating second place [[Mitt Romney]] by 5 percentage points.[http://www.ronpaul2008.typepad.com/]

Paul seemed to have dropped slightly in the polls that followed the second Republican debate in Columbia, South Carolina, to 25 percent. This was probably as a result of his suggestion that weekly bombing of [[Iraq]] following [[Operation Desert Fox]] in December 1998 may have contributed sufficiently to [[Arab]] anger at the United States as to make the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]] inevitable. Paul was excoriated by [[Rudy Giuliani]], who said that this was the most bizarre explanation for the attacks he had ever heard. Other Republican commentators sought to explain Paul's continued strength in post-debate polls as the result of multiple votes by his supporters or voting by non-Republicans. In response to Rudy Giuliani, the next day at the National Press Club, Ron Paul offered Rudy a book list to read regarding the issue of American foreign policy. These books are ''Imperial Hubris'' by Michael Scheuer, ''Dying to Win'' by Robert Pape, ''Blowback'' by Chalmers Johnson, and ''The 9-11 Commission Report'' by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks.

Eric Dondero, a former Ron Paul staffer, has declared himself a candidate against Paul in the 2008 Republican primary election to represent the 14th District of Texas in Congress.

Paul has garnered large amounts of support from activists, particularly on the [[Internet]]. Many have come up with creative ways to campaign for their candidate. For example, some Paul supporters, who are not officially affiliated with his campaign, purchased a blimp to fly overhead with the phrases "Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul" and "Ron Paul Revolution". <ref>http://www.ronpaulblimp.com/</ref> The [[neo-Nazi]] organization [[Stormfront]] also provided [[widget]]s on its internet site to enable people to electronically donate cash to Paul's campaign. Stormfront's founder, former [[Ku Klux Klan]] member Don Black, also gave financial support to Paul's campaign.<ref>[http://lonestartimes.com/2007/10/25/rpb1/ Lone Star Times] 25 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2008.</ref>

He dropped out of the race on June 12, 2008, but will keep spreading his [[message]] by working to help elect [[Libertarianism|libertarian-leaning]] Republicans to [[public]] office around the [[United States of America|U.S.]] <ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/12/ron-paul-ends-campaign-will-shift-gears/
Ron Paul Ends Campaign, Will ‘Shift Gears’], [[Associated Press]], ''[[Fox News Channel|Fox News]]'', June 12, 2008</ref>

=== Possible Campaign censorship by the Media ===

Fox News has more times excluded Ron Paul from its programs, even in at least one case removing him from Iowa Straw Poll results. Fox News' results left out Paul (as well as [[Tom Tancredo]]), even though they scored 9.1% and 13.7%, respectively.

=== Straw Poll results ===

Ron Paul was recently established as the most frequent winner of Straw Poll, as reported on his site: [http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/].

==Telephone Hotline==
Ron Paul runs a toll-free [[telephone]] hotline with a recorded message of conservative commentary. It is updated every Monday. The number is 1-888-322-1414.

==Books by Ron Paul==
* ''Challenge to Liberty''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''Gold, Peace, and Prosperity''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''Ten Myths About Paper Money''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''The Case for Gold''. Reprinted by the [[The Cato Institute|Cato Institute]], 1982; Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007. ISBN 0-932790-31-3. ([http://www.mises.org/books/caseforgold.pdf])
* ''A Republic, If You Can Keep It''
* ''Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View''. Auburn, Ala.: [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]], 1984.
* ''Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education, 1987. ([http://www.dailypaul.com/node/65] Book distributed with permission in 7 parts in pdf-format)
* ''A Foreign Policy of Freedom''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education, 2007. ISBN 0-912453-00-1
* ''The Revolution: A Manifesto'', Hachette Book Group USA, 2008. ISBN 978-0446537513

== References ==

* Gwynne, Sam (1 October, 2001). ''Texas Monthly''.
* Bernstein, Alan (May 23, 1996). “Newsletter excerpts offer ammunition to Paul's opponent; GOP hopeful quoted on race, crime”, ''The Houston Chronicle'', p. A33.
<references />

==External Links==
===Official Sites and Publications===
* [http://www.ronpaul2008.com/ Official Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Site]
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/ Official web site of Congressman Ron Paul]
* [http://www.myspace.com/congressmanronpaul Ron Paul's MySpace page]
* [http://www3.webng.com/ronpaul Ron Paul Grassroots Campaign] 
* [http://antiwar.com/paul/archives.php Rep. Ron Paul's Column for Antiwar.com]
* [http://www.mediamonitors.net/ronpaul2.html Commentary by Rep. Paul on U.S. policy in the Middle East]
* [http://www.counterpunch.org/paul03182004.html The Broadcast Indecency Act, An Indecent Attack on the First Amendment] by Ron Paul
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2002/cr062702.htm Is America a Police State?], speech before the U.S. House of Representatives on June 27, 2002

===Positions and Quotations===
* [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ron_Paul Quotes by Ron Paul on Wikiquote]
* [http://senate.ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm On the Issues - Ron Paul] issue positions and quotes
* [http://vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BC031929 Project Vote Smart - Ron Paul]
* [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/p000583/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ron_Paul SourceWatch Congresspedia - Ron Paul]
* [http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/BiosInd/Paul.htm Congressman Ron Paul and Medical Marijuana]
* "He was the most principled man in Congress" - On 2nd Chairman of [[John Birch Society]], Congressman [[Larry McDonald]] passenger on [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] shot down by the Soviets on Sept. 1, 1983

===Third Party Sources about Ron Paul===
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?CID=N00005906 OpenSecrets.org - Congressional campaign contributions]
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/candidates/paul.html Vote 2008: Ron Paul - Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer]
* [http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P80000748 Federal Election Commission - Presidential campaign contributions]
* [http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/ron-paul.html Advocates for Self-Government profile of Ron Paul]
* [http://www.virtuemag.org/articles/ron-paul Virtue Magazine Political profile of Ron Paul]
* [http://dailypaul.com/node/53 The American Dream - Through the Eyes of Mrs. Ron Paul] by Mrs. Ron Paul on TheDailyPaul.

===Articles and Editorials about Ron Paul===
* [http://www.321gold.com/editorials/taylor/taylor031706.html Congressman Ron Paul Talks About Gold, Oil & the Economy]
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/press/press2004/pr042104.htm National Taxpayers Union Honors Ron Paul as one of 29 Congressmen who are "Taxpayer's Friends"]

{{2008_presidential_candidates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Ron}}
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category: 110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]

Ron Paul

2009-02-02T00:57:30Z

ErichB: Grammar

[[Image:Ronpaul.jpg|right|250x250px|thumb|Ron Paul]]

'''Ronald Ernest “Ron” Paul''' (born 20 August, 1935) is a conservative 10th-term Congressman, a former Air Force Flight Surgeon, a medical doctor (M.D.) and a 2008 presidential candidate from the U.S. state of [[Texas]]. As a [[Republican Party|Republican]], he has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] since 1997, and had previously served as the representative from Texas's 22nd district in 1976 and from 1979 to 1985.

Paul is a [[pro-life]] states' rights [[libertarian]], also known as a [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarian]]. [[paleolibertarianism|Paleolibertarians]] advocate a limited role of government, low taxes, free markets, strict construction of the [[U.S. Constitution]], and a return to monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He has earned the nickname "Dr. No" for voting against any bill he believes violates the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill. He has never voted to raise taxes or congressional pay. He has always voted against the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], the [[Military Commissions Act of 2006]], and the [[Iraq War]].

==Congressional record==

Ron Paul is noted for his authorship of the We the People Act, an act which removed the ability of the US Supreme Court to hear cases involving discrimination based on sexual orientation or religion. He is also noted for submitting several bills banning [[abortion]], and somewhat controversially was the only person to oppose the Darfur Divestment Act of 2007, a bill which disallowed the US government, corporations, and individuals from sending money to or doing business with the janjaweed rebel group of the Sudan.

== Early life and education ==

Dr. Ron Paul was born in [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania to Howard Caspar Paul and Margaret Paul.<ref>http://dailypaul.com/node/53</ref><ref>http://www.wargs.com/political/paul.html</ref> He graduated from Dormont High School in Dormont, Pennsylvania, in 1953. Paul attended Gettysburg College, receiving his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1957, and the [[Duke University School of Medicine]], receiving [[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]] in 1961. He did his [[internship]] and [[Residency (medicine)|residency]] at [[Henry Ford Hospital]] in [[Detroit]], Michigan, from 1961 to 1962, and was a [[flight surgeon]] in the [[United States Air Force]] from 1963 to 1968. He and his wife Carol moved to Texas in 1968, where he began his medical practice in Brazoria County. As a specialist in [[obstetrics]]/[[gynecology]], Dr. Paul has delivered more than 4,000 babies. He and Carol, who reside in Lake Jackson, Texas, are the proud parents of five children and have seventeen grandchildren.

===Political affiliations and support===
Although a Republican, Paul remains on good terms with the Libertarian Party and addressed its national convention as recently as 2004.<ref>[http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-09-num-10.htm Liberator online archive] on Advocates for self-governing accessed at March 4, 2007</ref>

Paul served as the honorary chairman of and is a current member of the [[Republican Liberty Caucus]], a political action organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of individual rights, limited government and free enterprise within the Republican Party.<ref>[http://fl.rlc.org/ Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida] accessed at March 4, 2007</ref>

Unlike many political candidates, Paul receives the overwhelming majority of his campaign contributions (96.8% in 2005-2006), from individuals. <ref>http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00005906&cycle=2006/</ref>

===Political Views===

Paul wants to "reinstate the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] and restore the [[Republic]]." He rejects a [[welfare state]] or [[nanny state]] role for the federal government, and advocates a strong [[non-interventionism|non-interventionist]] [[foreign policy]].

He voted against the [[Iraq War]] in 2002 and has offered alternatives such as granting the President authority to grant [[Letters of Marque and Reprisal]], and arming [[pilot]]s. He is the only Republican presidential candidate to have voted against the Iraq War.

Paul's desire to secure U.S. borders remains a key topic in his 2008 presidential campaign. He opposes the [[North American Union]] proposition and its proposed integration of Mexico, the United States of America, and Canada. Paul voted "yes" on the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]], which authorizes the construction of an additional 700 miles of double-layered fencing between the U.S and Mexico. Paul opposes illegal immigration as well as amnesty for illegal immigrants.

In the May 3, 2007 GOP Debate, Ron Paul stated that as President, he would seek the immediate abolition of the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] and the abolition of the income tax. As Congressman, he has long fought for the [[Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Section_9:_Limits_on_Congress|prohibition of direct taxes]] by repeal of the [[16th Amendment to the United States Constitution|16th Amendment]] which created the [[income tax]]. Ron Paul supports a return to the [[gold]] standard of currency particularly newer theorized pure strain gold.

On March 5, 2008, Ron Paul was the only member of the house to vote against a bill "Condemning the ongoing Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, and for other purposes"<ref>http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll093.xml FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 93</ref><ref>http://pressmediawire.com/article.cfm?articleID=18214 Congressman Ron Paul's Statement on Gaza Bill</ref> ",
==2008 Presidential Campaign==

Paul formally declared his candidacy for the Presidential election in 2008 in 12 March, 2007 as a guest on [[Washington Journal]] on [[C-SPAN]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA031207.paul2008.EN.74141d9.html | title = Paul formally launches presidential bid | first = Gary | last = Martin | work = San Antonio Express-News | accessdate = 2007-03-13}}</ref> <ref>[http://chbn.com/Clip.aspx?key=1CD9E3A0397BCBEC Ron Paul announcing candidacy on C-SPAN]</ref>. In regards to his candidacy, he had a 30-minute interview with online political analyst [[James Kotecki]] regarding foreign policy, Congress and the Constitution, and personal liberties. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/jameskotecki James Kotecki interviews Ron Paul]</ref>

Paul participated (along with nine other Republican presidential candidates) in the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]]'s 2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Debate on May 3, 2007. Ron Paul finished first in the MSNBC poll following the GOP primary debate with 43 percent -- beating second place [[Mitt Romney]] by 5 percentage points.[http://www.ronpaul2008.typepad.com/]

Paul seemed to have dropped slightly in the polls that followed the second Republican debate in Columbia, South Carolina, to 25 percent. This was probably as a result of his suggestion that weekly bombing of [[Iraq]] following [[Operation Desert Fox]] in December 1998 may have contributed sufficiently to [[Arab]] anger at the United States as to make the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]] inevitable. Paul was excoriated by [[Rudy Giuliani]], who said that this was the most bizarre explanation for the attacks he had ever heard. Other Republican commentators sought to explain Paul's continued strength in post-debate polls as the result of multiple votes by his supporters or voting by non-Republicans. In response to Rudy Giuliani, the next day at the National Press Club, Ron Paul offered Rudy a book list to read regarding the issue of American foreign policy. These books are ''Imperial Hubris'' by Michael Scheuer, ''Dying to Win'' by Robert Pape, ''Blowback'' by Chalmers Johnson, and ''The 9-11 Commission Report'' by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks.

Eric Dondero, a former Ron Paul staffer, has declared himself a candidate against Paul in the 2008 Republican primary election to represent the 14th District of Texas in Congress.

Paul has garnered large amounts of support from activists, particularly on the [[Internet]]. Many have come up with creative ways to campaign for their candidate. For example, some Paul supporters, who are not officially affiliated with his campaign, purchased a blimp to fly overhead with the phrases "Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul" and "Ron Paul Revolution". <ref>http://www.ronpaulblimp.com/</ref> The [[neo-Nazi]] organization [[Stormfront]] also provided [[widget]]s on its internet site to enable people to electronically donate cash to Paul's campaign. Stormfront's founder, former [[Ku Klux Klan]] member Don Black, also gave financial support to Paul's campaign.<ref>[http://lonestartimes.com/2007/10/25/rpb1/ Lone Star Times] 25 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2008.</ref>

He dropped out of the race on June 12, 2008, but will keep spreading his [[message]] by working to help elect [[Libertarianism|libertarian-leaning]] Republicans to [[public]] office around the [[United States of America|U.S.]] <ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/12/ron-paul-ends-campaign-will-shift-gears/
Ron Paul Ends Campaign, Will ‘Shift Gears’], [[Associated Press]], ''[[Fox News Channel|Fox News]]'', June 12, 2008</ref>

=== Possible Campaign censorship by the Media ===

Fox News has more times excluded Ron Paul from its programs, even in at least one case removing him from Iowa Straw Poll results. Fox News' results left out Paul (as well as [[Tom Tancredo]]), even though they scored 9.1% and 13.7%, respectively.

=== Straw Poll results ===

Ron Paul was recently established as the most frequent winner of Straw Poll, as reported on his site: [http://www.ronpaul2008.com/straw-poll-results/].

==Telephone Hotline==
Ron Paul runs a toll-free [[telephone]] hotline with a recorded message of conservative commentary. It is updated every Monday. The number is 1-888-322-1414.

==Books by Ron Paul==
* ''Challenge to Liberty''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''Gold, Peace, and Prosperity''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''Ten Myths About Paper Money''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education
* ''The Case for Gold''. Reprinted by the [[The Cato Institute|Cato Institute]], 1982; Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007. ISBN 0-932790-31-3. ([http://www.mises.org/books/caseforgold.pdf])
* ''A Republic, If You Can Keep It''
* ''Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View''. Auburn, Ala.: [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]], 1984.
* ''Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education, 1987. ([http://www.dailypaul.com/node/65] Book distributed with permission in 7 parts in pdf-format)
* ''A Foreign Policy of Freedom''. Lake Jackson, Tex.: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education, 2007. ISBN 0-912453-00-1
* ''The Revolution: A Manifesto'', Hachette Book Group USA, 2008. ISBN 978-0446537513

== References ==

* Gwynne, Sam (1 October, 2001). ''Texas Monthly''.
* Bernstein, Alan (May 23, 1996). “Newsletter excerpts offer ammunition to Paul's opponent; GOP hopeful quoted on race, crime”, ''The Houston Chronicle'', p. A33.
<references />

==External Links==
===Official Sites and Publications===
* [http://www.ronpaul2008.com/ Official Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Site]
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/ Official web site of Congressman Ron Paul]
* [http://www.myspace.com/congressmanronpaul Ron Paul's MySpace page]
* [http://www3.webng.com/ronpaul Ron Paul Grassroots Campaign] 
* [http://antiwar.com/paul/archives.php Rep. Ron Paul's Column for Antiwar.com]
* [http://www.mediamonitors.net/ronpaul2.html Commentary by Rep. Paul on U.S. policy in the Middle East]
* [http://www.counterpunch.org/paul03182004.html The Broadcast Indecency Act, An Indecent Attack on the First Amendment] by Ron Paul
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2002/cr062702.htm Is America a Police State?], speech before the U.S. House of Representatives on June 27, 2002

===Positions and Quotations===
* [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ron_Paul Quotes by Ron Paul on Wikiquote]
* [http://senate.ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm On the Issues - Ron Paul] issue positions and quotes
* [http://vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BC031929 Project Vote Smart - Ron Paul]
* [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/p000583/ Voting record maintained by the Washington Post]
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ron_Paul SourceWatch Congresspedia - Ron Paul]
* [http://www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org/BiosInd/Paul.htm Congressman Ron Paul and Medical Marijuana]
* "He was the most principled man in Congress" - On 2nd Chairman of [[John Birch Society]], Congressman [[Larry McDonald]] passenger on [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] shot down by the Soviets on Sept. 1, 1983

===Third Party Sources about Ron Paul===
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?CID=N00005906 OpenSecrets.org - Congressional campaign contributions]
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/candidates/paul.html Vote 2008: Ron Paul - Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer]
* [http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/can_detail/P80000748 Federal Election Commission - Presidential campaign contributions]
* [http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/ron-paul.html Advocates for Self-Government profile of Ron Paul]
* [http://www.virtuemag.org/articles/ron-paul Virtue Magazine Political profile of Ron Paul]
* [http://dailypaul.com/node/53 The American Dream - Through the Eyes of Mrs. Ron Paul] by Mrs. Ron Paul on TheDailyPaul.

===Articles and Editorials about Ron Paul===
* [http://www.321gold.com/editorials/taylor/taylor031706.html Congressman Ron Paul Talks About Gold, Oil & the Economy]
* [http://www.house.gov/paul/press/press2004/pr042104.htm National Taxpayers Union Honors Ron Paul as one of 29 Congressmen who are "Taxpayer's Friends"]

{{2008_presidential_candidates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Ron}}
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category: 110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]

Seattle

2009-02-02T00:09:45Z

ErichB: /* Demographics */ added demographic data concerning religion, or lack thereof.

[[Image:Space Needle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Space Needle]], a Seattle icon.]]
'''Seattle''' (47.606N. -122.33W) with a population 578,700 in 2006, is the largest city in the American state of [[Washington]] and in the [[Pacific]] Northwest. It was named after [[Chief Sealth]], a Suqamish/Duwamish [[Native American]] leader. It was officially incorporated in 1889, but had been a town since 1851, when a group of pioneers from [[Illinois]] settled West Seattle, a peninsula within the current city limits to the west. The city has generally been at capacity since about 1960, since the population hasn't gone up more than 10,000 people since then. However, the population has increased into the suburbs north toward [[Everett]], south toward [[Seatac]] and [[Tacoma]] and east (across [[Lake Washington]]) to [[Mercer Island]], [[Kirkland]], [[Redmond]], [[Bellevue]] and [[Issaquah]].

==Demographics==
The makeup of the population was 67.1 percent White, 16.6 percent [[Asian]], 9.7 percent [[African American]], 2.38 percent from other races, 1.00 percent [[Native American]], 0.50 percent Pacific Islander, and 4.46 percent from two or more races. [[Hispanic]] or [[Latin America|Latino]] of any race were 6.3 percent of the population. Seattle's median household income is $45,736, where the national average is $41,994. The median age of Seattle residents is 37.9. 36.16% of Seattleites are married, 11.5 are divorced, and one third of those who are married have children. The density is 6,886 people per square mile. Seattle was also rated the most educated city in the [[United States]], with 52.7% of it's residents over age 25 holding at least a bachelor's degree. <ref>
[http://neighborhoods.realtor.com/Seattle/2352/Metro The Seattle area]</ref>
Many people have flocked to the Seattle area to work in what's called the "knowledge economy."<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/29/real_estate/brainiest_cities/ America's smartest cities] </ref>
Seattle is the least churched city in America, and Washington State has the highest concentration of people who say they have no religion, including athiests & agnostics. <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/2002/2002-03-07-church-free.htm 'Amen' to a church-free lifestyle]</ref> The Pacific Northwest as a region features the lowest amount of religious people. <ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002552768_harrop11.html The unchurched Northwest]</ref>

==Miscellaneous==

Landmarks include the [[Space Needle]] and the [[Pike Place Market]].

In 1999 Seattle hosted the [[WTO]] at the Washington Convention Center on Pine Street, and found itself the locus of a large protest by anti-globalist activists. Very rapidly, however, anarchists took advantage of the fact that the police were overwhelmed and began destroying property and looting storefronts. The violence of the "Battle of Seattle" raged for several days.

On Ash Wednesday 2001, Seattle sustained damage in the large Nisqually Quake, which cracked the Highway 99 Viaduct and destroyed some vintage brick buildings in Pioneer Square.

Seattle is the home of the [[Discovery Institute]], an influential conservative think tank, and the [[Sasquatch]] Information Society, a group which seeks at educate the public and gather information on [[Bigfoot]].

The popular television show ''[[Frasier]]'' is set in Seattle.

A [[tram|trolley]] line using former [[railway|railroad]] track was operated by former [[Melbourne]] (Australia) trams from 1982 to 2005

==Sports==

Seattle is the home of the [[NFL]]'s [[Seattle Seahawks]], the [[NBA]]'s Seattle SuperSonics, Major League [[Baseball]]'s [[Seattle Mariners]], and the WHL hockey team Seattle Thunderbirds. The SuperSonics have recently been purchased by an Oklahoman and were subsequently moved.

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:United States Cities and Towns]]

User:ErichB

2009-02-01T23:51:02Z

ErichB:

User talk:ErichB

2009-02-01T23:44:33Z

ErichB: New page: If you have a problem or question concerning one of my edits feel free to bring it up here.

If you have a problem or question concerning one of my edits feel free to bring it up here.

User:ErichB

2009-02-01T23:43:54Z

ErichB:

My name is Erich B; my interest in Conservapedia lies little in compilation and more in organization; i.e. correcting typos, fixing broken links, etc. I care about accuracy.

Alcoholism

2009-02-01T23:43:27Z

ErichB: Clarification; study showed correlation between the husband currently having been drunk, not the husband having been an alcoholic or even having a history of alcohol abuse.

'''Alcoholism''' refers to [[addiction]] to [[Alcoholic Drinks|alcoholic beverages]]. The medical term used to refer to alcoholism is ''alcohol dependence''. A person can be diagnosed with alcohol dependence if at least three of these criteria occur during the same 12-month span: (a) tolerance (i.e., more alcohol is needed to produce the same effect); (b) alcohol withdrawal; (c) alcohol is used in larger amounts or over longer periods than intended (i.e., loss of control); (d) chronic desire or unsuccessful attempts to reduce drinking; (e) a great deal of time is spent obtaining or using alcohol; (f) other activities are reduced in order to use or recover from using alcohol; (g) drinking continues despite persistent problems that it either causes or makes worse<ref>American Psychiatric Association (1994). ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', Fourth Edition. APA, Washington, D.C.</ref>.

==Health and other effects==
People with alcoholism have difficulty controlling their drinking, and thus tend to continue to drink despite problems that it causes. For example, being intoxicated or hung over can cause poor performance at school or work, leading to poor grades or loss of employment. Intoxication also impairs judgment, which may lead to legal problems when people engage in behaviors that they would think better of when sober (e.g., driving under the influence). Alcoholism can also be damaging to the family, leading to marital discord or divorce, and can contribute to [[domestic violence]].

Alcohol intoxication is commonly associated with crime; in cases where husbands murder their wives, about 66% of the cases involved drinking.<ref>http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/press/spousfac.pr</ref>

Chronic, heavy drinking also causes a number of health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, cancer, pancreatitis, sexual dysfunction, and alcohol-induced dementia.

==Alcohol withdrawal==
As noted above, alcohol withdrawal is a primary feature of alcoholism. Withdrawal can occur when a person who is normally a heavy drinker tries to quit or is unable to obtain alcohol. Unlike withdrawal from other drugs, alcohol withdrawal can lead directly to death. Heavy drinking reduces the brain's supply of [[GABA]]. Both alcohol and GABA limit the firing of [[synapse]]s in the brain. When neither is present in sufficient amounts, uncontrolled firing of synapses may occur, causing [[delirium tremens]] ("the DTs"). Symptoms of delirium tremens include hallucinations, convulsions, seizures, and heart failure. Delirium tremens can be controlled fairly easily with medical supervision, often with the use of [[benzodiazepine]]s.

==Treatment==
A number of treatments are available for alcoholism, including detoxification, [[psychotherapy]], self-help groups, and medications.

'''Detoxification''' is an abrupt cessation of drinking, often accompanied by medications such as [[benzodiazepine]]s to minimize withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification helps a person to cope with the physiological effects of chronic heavy drinking, but does not help with issues such as urges to drink or underlying reasons for alcohol dependence. Consequently, additional treatment is usually required for a successful outcome.

'''Psychotherapy''' for alcohol dependence can occur in individual or group format. This treatment helps an individual to be aware of underlying issues that may have led or contributed to alcoholism (e.g., depression). Psychotherapy also provides an individual with skills to help prevent relapse, such as avoiding situations in which not drinking would be difficult.

'''Self-help groups''' are commonly used by those suffering from alcoholism. The best known is [[Alcoholics Anonymous]], in which members acknowledge their problems with alcohol and provide support for other members.

'''Medications''' are often used to discourage alcohol use. ''Antabuse'' (disulfiram) interrupts the metabolization of alcohol, increasing the amount of acetaldehyde in the body and leading to substantial hangover symptoms shortly after drinking and discouraging those who have taken the medication from drinking. ''Naltrexone'' is a medication that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, decreasing alcohol cravings and promoting abstinence.

'''[[Faith]] in [[God]]''': The Christian group [[Teen Challenge]] reported the following:
{{Cquote|Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.<ref>http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies2.php</ref>}}

Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.<ref>http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies.php</ref>

==See also==

*[[Alcohol abuse]]
*[[American Medical Association]]
*[[Doctor]]

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Medicine]]

Candidate

2009-02-01T02:48:27Z

ErichB: Gr; removed redundant a & corrected run-on.

A '''candidate''' is someone who is being considered for a position, public office, award or honor. The act of offering oneself as a candidate is called a candidacy. In politics, once a candidate has been selected to represent a particular [[political parties|political party]], they become the party's ''nominee''.

The term candidate is derived from the Latin ''candida'' (white), as those seeking political office in [[ancient Rome]] would often wear bright white togas when participating in public events.

[[Category: Election Terms]]

Alcoholism

2009-02-01T02:39:20Z

ErichB: 'Alcoholism commits heavily to crime' was non-sourced, & that 66% of cases of wife-murder involves alcohol does not imply alcoholism. Moved statistic to where it fit; ascertation

'''Alcoholism''' refers to [[addiction]] to [[Alcoholic Drinks|alcoholic beverages]]. The medical term used to refer to alcoholism is ''alcohol dependence''. A person can be diagnosed with alcohol dependence if at least three of these criteria occur during the same 12-month span: (a) tolerance (i.e., more alcohol is needed to produce the same effect); (b) alcohol withdrawal; (c) alcohol is used in larger amounts or over longer periods than intended (i.e., loss of control); (d) chronic desire or unsuccessful attempts to reduce drinking; (e) a great deal of time is spent obtaining or using alcohol; (f) other activities are reduced in order to use or recover from using alcohol; (g) drinking continues despite persistent problems that it either causes or makes worse<ref>American Psychiatric Association (1994). ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', Fourth Edition. APA, Washington, D.C.</ref>.

Alcoholism commits heavily to crime.{{weasel words}}

==Health and other effects==
People with alcoholism have difficulty controlling their drinking, and thus tend to continue to drink despite problems that it causes. For example, being intoxicated or hung over can cause poor performance at school or work, leading to poor grades or loss of employment. Intoxication also impairs judgment, which may lead to legal problems when people engage in behaviors that they would think better of when sober (e.g., driving under the influence). Alcoholism can also be damaging to the family, leading to marital discord or divorce, and can contribute to [[domestic violence]]. In cases where husbands murder their wives, 66% of the cases involved alcohol.<ref>http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/press/spousfac.pr</ref>

Chronic, heavy drinking also causes a number of health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, cancer, pancreatitis, sexual dysfunction, and alcohol-induced dementia.

==Alcohol withdrawal==
As noted above, alcohol withdrawal is a primary feature of alcoholism. Withdrawal can occur when a person who is normally a heavy drinker tries to quit or is unable to obtain alcohol. Unlike withdrawal from other drugs, alcohol withdrawal can lead directly to death. Heavy drinking reduces the brain's supply of [[GABA]]. Both alcohol and GABA limit the firing of [[synapse]]s in the brain. When neither is present in sufficient amounts, uncontrolled firing of synapses may occur, causing [[delirium tremens]] ("the DTs"). Symptoms of delirium tremens include hallucinations, convulsions, seizures, and heart failure. Delirium tremens can be controlled fairly easily with medical supervision, often with the use of [[benzodiazepine]]s.

==Treatment==
A number of treatments are available for alcoholism, including detoxification, [[psychotherapy]], self-help groups, and medications.

'''Detoxification''' is an abrupt cessation of drinking, often accompanied by medications such as [[benzodiazepine]]s to minimize withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification helps a person to cope with the physiological effects of chronic heavy drinking, but does not help with issues such as urges to drink or underlying reasons for alcohol dependence. Consequently, additional treatment is usually required for a successful outcome.

'''Psychotherapy''' for alcohol dependence can occur in individual or group format. This treatment helps an individual to be aware of underlying issues that may have led or contributed to alcoholism (e.g., depression). Psychotherapy also provides an individual with skills to help prevent relapse, such as avoiding situations in which not drinking would be difficult.

'''Self-help groups''' are commonly used by those suffering from alcoholism. The best known is [[Alcoholics Anonymous]], in which members acknowledge their problems with alcohol and provide support for other members.

'''Medications''' are often used to discourage alcohol use. ''Antabuse'' (disulfiram) interrupts the metabolization of alcohol, increasing the amount of acetaldehyde in the body and leading to substantial hangover symptoms shortly after drinking and discouraging those who have taken the medication from drinking. ''Naltrexone'' is a medication that binds to opioid receptors in the brain, decreasing alcohol cravings and promoting abstinence.

'''[[Faith]] in [[God]]''': The Christian group [[Teen Challenge]] reported the following:
{{Cquote|Teen Challenge claims of a 70% cure rate for the drug addicts graduating from their program attracted the attention of the U.S. Federal Government in 1973. Most secular drug rehabilitation programs only experienced a cure rate of 1-15% of their graduates. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, funded the first year of this study to evaluate the long term results of the Teen Challenge program.<ref>http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies2.php</ref>}}

Teen Challenge has a number of studies that indicate the high effectiveness of their drug treatment program compared to other programs.<ref>http://teenchallengeusa.com/studies.php</ref>

==See also==

*[[Alcohol abuse]]
*[[American Medical Association]]
*[[Doctor]]

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Medicine]]

Benzodiazepine

2009-02-01T02:32:53Z

ErichB: Placeholder for redlink; two quotes & a source are reasonably definitive but is not a full article yet.

"Benzodiazepines are a class of gabaminergic psychoactive chemicals used in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders. This class includes alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin) and others." "Benzodiazepines are both physically addicting and habit forming." <ref>http://www.erowid.org/pharms/benzodiazepine/benzodiazepine.shtml</ref>

User:ErichB

2009-02-01T02:12:27Z

ErichB: creation

My name is Erich B; my interest in Conservapedia lies little in compilation and more in organization; i.e. correcting typos, fixing broken links, etc.

Canada

2009-02-01T01:14:11Z

ErichB: Fixed typo.

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:Canada pol99.jpg|300px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|''Canada''
|-
!align ="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|Flag
!align ="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|[[Image:Flag of Canada.svg|50px|]]
|-
!align ="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|Arms
!align ="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|[[Image:Canada arms.png|48px|]]
|-
|-
|Capital
|[[Ottawa]]
|-
|Government
|[[Parliamentary Democracy]]/[[Federal]] [[Constitutional monarchy]]
|-
|Monarch
|[[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]
|-
|Official Languages
|[[English]] and [[French]]
|-
|Governor General
|Her Excellency the Right Honourable [[Michaëlle Jean]]
|-
|Prime Minister
|The Right Honourable [[Stephen Harper]]
|-
|Area
|3,854,085 sq mi<br>9,984,670 km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|Population (2007 estimate)
|32,907,500
|-
|GDP (2007 estimate)
|$1.105 trillion
|-
|GDP per capita (2007 estimate)
|$35,133
|-
|}
'''Canada''', slightly larger than the United States, has the largest area in [[North America]], and the second largest in the world behind [[Russia]]. It also has the longest coastline of any nation, as well as the longest border, that with the [[United States]] to the south and northwest.

Canada's motto, ''A Mari usque ad Mare'' (From sea to sea), is based on biblical scripture: "He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth (Psalm 72:8)".<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/arm2_e.cfm The Arms of Canada- Description]</ref>

==Etymology==
The name Canada originated in 1535 by [[Jacques Cartier]] is based on the Iroquoian word "kanata", meaning "village." <ref name="Canadian_Encylopedia">[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&ArticleId=A0001216 The Canadian Encyclopedia]</ref> By 1545, Europeans began referring to this region as Canada.

The name ''Dominion of Canada'' was adopted during [[British North America Act|confederation]] in 1867; the term "dominion" was new, and it seemed a better choice than "kingdom" (which might annoy the Americans). The name continued until the [[Constitution Act]] of 1982, when "Canada" became the legal name.

==Flag and anthem==
The Canadian national flag was officially adopted February 15, 1965; prior to that time and subsequent to Confederation in 1867, Canada used a variant of the Red Ensign, a British merchant flag, as its national flag. The Liberal government refused to hold a referendum on the subject; instead the public was invited to submit designs.<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/df3_e.cfm Birth of the Canadian Flag]</ref> The introduction of the new flag was not without controversy.

In a memo from Diefenbaker’s personal files he wrote:
<blockquote>The Pearson flag is a meaningless Flag. There is no recognition of history; no indication of the existence of French and English Canada; the partnership of the races; no acknowledgement of history. It is a flag without a past, without history, without honour and without pride.” (Source – I Stand for Canada: The Story of the Maple Leaf Flag ).<ref>[http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/cultural/flag/national-flag-canada.html The Debate Over the Maple Leaf Flag]</ref></blockquote>

While the debate has been largely forgotten today, the Red Ensign can still be seen flying on some private homes and the debate does reemerge into the public domain occasionally. <ref>[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070321.wxflag21/BNStory/National/ PM wants Red Ensign to fly at Vimy, sources say]</ref>

The Canadian national anthem, '[[O Canada]]', was written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier as a poem, to which music, composed by Calixa Lavallée, was later added, in 1880. The original was composed in French, and was first translated into English by Dr. Thomas Bedford Richardson of Toronto, Ontario, in 1906. However, it was not officially adopted as the national anthem until 1980.<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/anthem_e.cfm National Anthem: O Canada]</ref> It is important to distinguish between 'O Canada', the national anthem, and 'God Save The Queen', which is the Royal anthem, played as a salute to Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]] as Queen of Canada.

==Geography==
[[Image:800px-Canada-satellite.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A satellite image of Canada.]]
At the time of Confederation, Canada was comprised of four provinces: Upper Canada (now Ontario), Lower Canada (now Québec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Since that time, six additional provinces have joined Canada or have been created. From west to east, the provinces are [[British Columbia]], [[Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]], [[Manitoba]], [[Ontario]], [[Québec]], [[New Brunswick]], [[Prince Edward Island]], [[Nova Scotia]], and [[Newfoundland|Newfoundland and Labrador]]. Newfoundland was the last province to join Canada, in 1949. The provinces all elect a single (unicameral) legislature, headed by Premier, who is selected the same way as the Prime Minister. A Lieutenant-Governor represents the Queen, similar to the Governor General.
Canada has three territories: the [[Yukon Territory]], the [[Northwest Territories]], and [[Nunavut]]. Territories have only have those powers delegated to them by the federal government.

*Area: 9.9 million sq. km. (3.8 million sq. mi.); second-largest country in the world.
*Cities: Capital--Ottawa (pop. 1.1 million). Other major cities--Toronto (5.1 million), Montreal (3.6 million), Vancouver (2.1 million), Calgary (1.1 million), Edmonton (1.0 million), Quebec City (0.7 million), Winnipeg (0.7 million), Hamilton (0.7 million).
*Terrain: Mostly plains with mountains in the west and lowlands in the southeast.
*Climate: Temperate to arctic.

==People==
*Population (2008 est.): 33.1 million.
*Ethnic groups: British/Irish 28%, French 23%, other European 15%, Asian/Arab/African 6%, indigenous Amerindian 2%, mixed background 26%.
*Religions: Roman Catholic 43.6%, Protestant 29.2%, other Christian 4.3%, Muslim 2.0%, Jewish 1.1%, Buddhist 1.0%, Hindu 1.0% other 1.3%, none 16.5%.
*Languages: English (official) 57.8%, French (official) 22.1%, other 20.1% (including Chinese and aboriginal languages).
*Education: Literacy--99% of population aged 15 and over has at least a ninth-grade education.
*Health: Infant mortality rate--5.4/1,000. Life expectancy--77.7 yrs. male, 82.5 yrs. female.
*Work force (2008, 18.2 million): Goods-producing sector--25%, of which: manufacturing 15%; construction 6%; agriculture 2%; natural resources 2%; utilities 1%. Service-producing sector--75%, of which: trade 16%; health care and social assistance 11%; educational services 7%, accommodation and food services 7%; professional, scientific, and technical services 7%; finance 6%; public administration 5%; transportation and warehousing 5%; information, culture, and recreation 5%; other services 4%.

In 2005 the city of [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] was voted "the world's best place to live".<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4306936.stm Vancouver is "best place to live"]</ref>
Canada's population is increasingly urban, with 6 cities recording a population over 1 million ([[Toronto]], [[Montreal]], [[Vancouver]], [[Ottawa]]-Gatineau, [[Calgary]], [[Edmonton]]); these 6 cities represent over 45% of Canada's population. Canada is becoming an increasingly multicultural country, with most new immigrants settling in [[Toronto]], [[Montreal]] and [[Vancouver]]. [[Toronto]] is the world's most multicultural city, with 43% a member of a visible minority.<ref>http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=bb0fee45-b305-490a-b161-a21bcb1d7329&k=34160</ref>

====Culture====
Due to its colonial past, Canadian culture has historically been heavily influenced by [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[France|French]] cultures and traditions. In more modern times, Canadian culture has been greatly influenced by United States' culture, due to the proximity and the migration of people, ideas, and capital. Amidst this, Canadian culture has developed some unique characteristics, and many Canadian movies, authors, [[television]] shows, and musicians are equally popular in United States. Canadian culture has also been influenced by indigenous cultures, and by immigrant groups from around the world. It has the highest per capita immigration rate of any country in the world <ref>.http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080402/d080402a.htm </ref>

Canada has two federal official languages, French and English. The province of Quebec has French as an official language, New Brunswick both French and English, and all other provinces English (although in some parts of Ontario French has special status). The territory of Nunavut has Inuktitu and Innuinaqtun as official languages in addition to French and English, the North West territories has eleven official languages, and the Yukon recognises French and English.

Canada tends to reflect more liberal ideals than the United States. Two such examples are the legalizing of [[gay marriage]] in June, 2005<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/06/28/samesex050628.html CBC news article on passing of gay marriage law]</ref> and, in some regions, the decriminalization of medicinal [[marijuana]] and small amounts of other psychoactive substances.

Notable sports which are enjoyed throughout Canada include [[hockey]], [[curling]], [[lacrosse]], and [[football]]. Canada collected 18 medals in the Summer Olympics, more per capita than the United States but less than Australia. The country finished third overall in the Torino Winter Olympics, with a total of 24 medals, one less than the United States and 10 more than next-place [[Sweden]]. The next winter Olympics, to be held in 2010 will be held in Vancouver and Whistler.

====Cultural style====
Canadian culture puts stress on open-mindedness and tolerance of multiple viewpoints.<ref>See [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/features/cucanada.xml&source=EMC-exp_01102008 National Cultural Profiles, a guide from the London ''Telegraph'' to the thinking patterns of all the world's major cultures]</ref> Canadian opinion shows a strong sense of wanting to be independent of the U.S., although their economy, society, and culture closely resembles the U.S., and most Canadians live a short drive from the border. Canada is usually contrasted as a "cultural mosaic" to the United States's "melting pot".<ref>http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/canadian-cultural-mosaic-american-melting-pot</ref>

====Education====
Education in Canada is the responsibility of provincial and territorial governments; curriculum and marking schemes are completely removed from the control of the federal government. Each province uses a different method of administering education, with variation in the number of years and the curriculum. Quebec, for example has five years of secondary school finishing at the equivalent of grade 11 followed by two years of CEGEP, while Ontario has two years of kindergarten. Most provinces have kidergarten beginning at age 5 through grade 12 (age 17) as part of the public system. Some provinces have standardised provincial exams at the end of secondary school and/or at other designated grades.

Several provinces have two publicly funded school systems: public and separate (e.g. Catholic). The constitution also guarantees education in one's first official language and, as such, all provinces and territories have both English and French language schooling. Additionally, private schools both religious and secular exist throughout the country. Alberta has an additional category, known as charter schools. Charter schools are schools that have been created in the community to surround a particular theme. They could be artistic, vocational, etc.

The Canadian grading scale markedly differs from the grading scale in the United States. In the US, a 59% or below earns you an F, a 60% nets a D-, and 80% a B. However, in Canadian universities, only 49% or below is an R, 60% will net a C+, and 80% is an A-. <ref>http://www.federal-realestate.com/info-schools/mcgill-university.html</ref>. Marking in Canadian universities, however, tends to be lower with grades over 90% extremely rare in the humanities and social sciences, and higher entrance marks required for those entering from American high schools.

In some Canadian secondary schools, the mark F is absent and substituted by R. A ranges from 100%-80%, B from 79%-70%, C from 69%-60%, D from 59%-50% and R is any mark less than 50%. However, as education is under provincial jurisdiction marking varies regionally and it is difficult to make generalisations across the board.

This may vary from province to province; it is also important to note that comparison of educational achievement requires more than a cursory observation of grading scales. Perhaps a better source of comparison is the Human Development Index, a measurement of literacy, education, life expectancy and standard of living. Using this scale, with Iceland at number one, Canada falls in at number four and the United States ranks at 12.

====Religion====
For the total population, approximately 44% of the population of Canada is [[Catholicism|Catholic]], with a another 29% being [[Protestantism|Protestant]] (all denominations). However, while 16% of the total population has no religious affiliation (including atheists and agnostics), 20% of the population under 25 has declared no religion, congruent with the world-wide trend of increasing secularism in young demographics. <ref>Statistics Canada - Cat. No. 97F0022XCB2001002</ref> Other religions of significance in Canada include Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism.

==Government==
The government of Canada is split into two orders, federal and provincial, as outlined by the BNA Act. Each has very specific responsibilities, with some overlap. For instance, universal health care is mandated by the Federal Government, but it is administered by the Provincial Governments. Neither level has supremacy over the other. The Federal Government is run out of [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]; the provincial governments are run out the ten provincial capitals.

The federal parliament is bicameral, including both a lower house - the [[Canadian House of Commons]] - and an upper house - the [[Canadian Senate]]. The parliamentary system is based on the British parliament. Members of Parliament represent specific geographical areas, generally chosen to have approximately equal population. A single member is elected from each on a [[first past the post]] system. The [[prime minister]] is usually the leader of the party with the most seats, though two or more parties may form a [[coalition]] to form a government.

The Senate is made up of sentors appointed for life by the prime minister (acting on behalf of the Governer General).

In almost all cases, Acts of Parliament are created in the House of Commons. After passing three readings in the House of Commons, the bill is passed to the Senate. The job of the Senate is to further debate the proposed legislation, before passing it to the Governor General for Royal Assent. The Governor General is the official representative of Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]], Queen of Canada. The Governor General is, in the absence of the Queen, Canada's Head of State, and the Commander-in-Chief of the [[Canadian Forces]]. The Prime Minister of Canada is the head of Government of Canada, acting as the Minister of the Crown, based on the British system.

All provincial legislatures are unicameral. The legislative process for provincial legislation is the same as for federal legislation, except that there is no Senate and the legislation is given royal assent by the provincial Lieutenants Governor, who represent the monarch at the provincial level.

From 1841 to 1844, the capital city of what would become Canada was located in [[Kingston|Kingston, Ontario]]. Subsequently the capital alternated between [[Toronto]] and [[Montreal]] until 1857, when the capital moved to [[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]].
[[Image:Supreme Court of Canada.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Supreme Court of Canada.]]
The 40th Canadian Federal General Election occurred on October 14, 2008.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/09/07/election-call.html "Vote set for Oct. 14"]</ref> Currently, the Prime Minister is The Right Honourable [[Stephen Harper]], a member of the [[Conservative Party of Canada]], while Her Excellency [[Michaëlle Jean]] is the Governor General. At present Canada is governed by a [[minority government]].

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor General--Michaëlle Jean
*Prime Minister--Stephen Harper
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Lawrence Cannon
*Ambassador to the United Nations--John McNee

===Political Conditions===
On February 6, 2006, Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada's twenty-second Prime Minister, succeeding Liberal Party leader Paul Martin. An admitted "policy specialist," Harper rose from the ranks of conservative political party staffers. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, he sat as a Member of Parliament, including as Leader of the Opposition since 2002 when he became head of the western-based Canadian Alliance. He was elected the first leader of the Conservative Party of Canada when it was created in 2003 through the merger of Canadian Alliance and Peter MacKay's Progressive Conservative Party. The January 23, 2006 election victory by the Conservative Party ended 12 years of Liberal Party rule that, in the end, was tainted by corruption and ethics concerns, despite the economic progress Canada achieved while the Liberals were in power. In a subsequent federal election on October 14, 2008, the Conservatives won 38% of the vote and formed a second minority government with 143 seats in the House of Commons. The Liberals won 26% of the vote and 77 seats in the House of Commons. As the party with the second-largest number of seats, the Liberals form the "official opposition."

The Conservatives made unexpected gains in Quebec by winning ten seats in the January 2006 election, but failed to increase their number of seats in the province in the 2008 election. The separatist Bloc Quebecois (BQ) has a majority (49) of Quebec's 75 seats (the BQ offers candidates only in Quebec). The left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) now has 37 seats, and two independents also sit in Parliament.

Policy priorities of the Conservatives under Prime Minister Harper have remained fairly consistent since 2006: improving accountability and ethics in government; lower taxes; fighting crime and urban violence; reinvesting in defense; bolstering Canada's Arctic sovereignty; promoting national unity; and raising the profile of Canada's role abroad, through its combat mission in Afghanistan, contributions to stabilization in Haiti, and renewed partnership with the Americas.

In Canada's political system, a key challenge for any federal government is balancing the conflicting interests of Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories. Recognizing the advantages of a coordinated approach in dealing with the federal government, the provinces and territories created a Council of the Federation in 2003, with their leaders (Canada's first ministers) meeting regularly in that forum to develop common positions. Prime Minister Harper met with the provincial premiers and territorial leaders formally on January 11, 2008 and on November 10, 2008.

Quebec, which represents 23% of the national population (and has a similar proportion of seats in the House of Commons), seeks to preserve its distinctive francophone nature, and is perceived by the less-populous western provinces as wielding undue influence on the Federal Government. At least until January 2006's election of Albertan Stephen Harper as Prime Minister, the western provinces had sometimes expressed concern that Ottawa did not fully attend to their interests. Ontario, believes that it pays out significantly more to the Federal Government than it gets back in revenues, while the Atlantic Provinces seek to assert greater control over fishing and mineral rights off their shores. The Federal Government ceded some power in a few areas of provincial jurisdiction, while seeking to strengthen the federal role in many other areas such as inter-provincial trade and the regulation of securities.

====National Unity====
Popular support for sovereignty appears to be on the wane in Quebec, although pride in that province's unique cultural and linguistic identity remains very strong. Most Quebec voters seem to appreciate the economic benefits of remaining in the Canadian confederation and aim to advance their separate francophone identity within the confederation. In the March 2007 provincial election, the ruling provincial Liberals garnered only 33% of the vote, and Premier Jean Charest heads a minority government. Action Democratique du Quebec (ADQ), led by Mario Dumont, finished second, while the pro-sovereignty Parti Quebecois (PQ) finished a close third.

====Quebec secession movement====
There are separatist movements lobbying for independence from Canada in British Columbia, Alberta, and Québec. The only movement of real significance is in Québec, where the province has twice voted on whether or not to separate from Canada, once in 1980 and again in 1995; the vote in 1995 failed by just 1 percent. On November 27, 2006, the Federal Government passed a motion declaring Québec a nation "within a united Canada". <ref> http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=hansard&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=1&DocId=2544166&File=0#OOB-1799206</ref>

===Taxation===
The average tax rate in Canada is higher than in the United States. In 2003, Canada's tax burden equals about 33.8% of GDP placing it in the middle of the G7 countries, with Japan lowest at 25.3% and France highest at 43.4% <ref>[http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/faq1e.html#Taxation Department of Finance Canada: FAQs]</ref>. The US rate is roughly 25.6%; this discrepancy is consistent with the differing levels of social services which the governments funds. Canada also has managed to run without a budget deficit for a number of years.

Equalization payments, worth 11.7 billion Canadian dollars are made by the federal government to the provinces from richer provinces (currently Alberta, Newfoundland<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/11/03/have-not.html]</ref>, and British Columbia) and the poorer provinces (Ontario, <ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/03/flaherty-ministers.html]</ref>, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) . This is to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.<ref>Budget 2007 [http://www.budget.gc.ca/2007/bp/bpc4e.html]</ref> These payments have not been without controversy as provinces begin to make more revenues from natural resources they do not want to give up the Equalization payments.

British Columbia has the lowest corporate tax rate in North America <ref>http://www.investbc.com/businessclimate.htm</ref>.

Canada also has a national sales tax, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5% on all purchases. Some provinces add an additional percentage in the form of a Provincial Sales Tax (PST), or a combined Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) combining GST and the Provincial Sales Tax. Based on actual income, and a number of other factors, the government will refund GST/HST to eligible tax payers in quarterly installments on the fifth of the month in July, October, January, and April.

====Public Health Care====
In 1984, the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Liberals and The Right Honourable [[Pierre Trudeau|Pierre Elliot Trudeau]], enacted the Canada Health Act. This act was based on the five principles of "universality, accessibility, portability, comprehensiveness, and public administration"<ref>[http://www.fin.gc.ca/FEDPROV/hise.html History of Canada Health and Social Transfer]</ref>. This public health care system is run in partnership by Health Canada and provincial Ministries of Health, who both contribute tax revenues. The federal government sets policy, while the provinces are responsible for actual administration. In 1995, the Canada Health and Social Transfer was created to replace existing systems for the transferal of tax funding to the provinces to administer social programs. The rationale behind the system is to allow all Canadians equal access to equal treatment, regardless of socio-economic status.

In Canada health care is frequently listed as top issue in election campaigns and is both a topic of frequent debate and a point of pride for many Canadians, Tommy Douglas the founder of medicare was, for example, voted the "Greatest Canadian" on a CBC television programme in 2004 <ref>
http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/</ref>.

The current state of Canada's public health care system is gathering increasing media attention due to rising wait times. [[David Gratzer]] wrote:
<blockquote>... government researchers have provided the best data on the doctor shortage, noting, for example, that more than 1.5 million Ontarians (or 12 percent of that province’s population) can’t find family physicians. <ref>[http://city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html The Ugly Truth about Canadian Healthcare] </ref></blockquote>
Most of the blame for the current state of affairs has been placed on successive government mismanagement. This represents a failure of the federal government to properly regulate the level of service being offered in the provinces. People regularly have to wait between four and eight months for necessary surgeries depending on the nature of the surgery, and province of residence.{{fact}} The median wait time for an MRI across Canada is 10.3 weeks in 2006.<ref>http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=nr&id=753</ref> In fact, former Prime Minister [[Jean Chretien|Jean Chrétien]] campaigned on a promise to shut down private MRI clinics because it creates a two tier system, regardless of the demand for more facilities.

In recent years, there has been suggestion from some lobby groups that Canada should adopt a two-tier health care system, while others have expressed strong opposition to this idea, including the federal government under the Liberal Party. Some argue that Canada already does have a two-tier health care system as the very wealthy can go to the United States for treatment. The argument for allowing private health care is twofold. The first reason is that competition may improve the quality of products and services, while the increase in options will allow those with the means to access private health care and may relieve some of the burden off the public system. Critics argue that health is a right, and that everyone should have access to the same standard of care.

Recently, in [[Québec]], a provincial judge has ruled that private health care providers must be allowed to compete with the government-run health care system.

==Defense==
As of the most recent cabinet shuffle, Conservative MP Peter MacKay has assumed the role of Minister of National Defence.

The [[Canadian Forces]] is comprised of the Regular Force, the Reserve Force, and the Special Force (when so in service). The Regular and Reserve Forces employ over 62,000 and 25,000 members respectively. While the various branches wear distinctive elemental uniforms (DEU), the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force were amalgamated in 1968 into one common command structure <ref>http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about/index_e.asp</ref>.
The Canadian Forces are <ref>http://www.canadianally.com/ca/forces-cf-en.asp</ref>equipped with modern vehicles such as the Canadian-built LAV III, the German-built Leopard CII tanks and both the American-built CF-18 Hornet and CC-177 Globemaster III. The Canadian government spends about 17 billion Canadian dollars annually on defence<ref>[http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20072008/me-bd/part1/ME-030_e.asp http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20072008/me-bd/part1/ME-030_e.asp]</ref>.

The Conservative government has continued the trend of increased defence spending initiated by the Liberals, and have also taken steps to decrease red-tape preventing the troops from having the necessary equipment to keep them safe and effective.

Over 3000 Canadian troops are currently deployed around the world, with over 2500 in [[Afghanistan]] where they are assisting in anti-terrorism & reconstruction operations, and another 500 are deployed to the Middle East where they are attached to a US-led coalition fleet and the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). These are prime examples of Canada's capability for interoperability with foreign military forces.

==Economy==
*GDP (2007): $1.266 trillion.
*Real GDP growth rate (2007): 2.7%.
*Per capita GDP (2007): $38,435.
*Natural resources: Petroleum and natural gas, hydroelectric power, metals and minerals, fish, forests, wildlife, abundant fresh water.
*Agriculture: Products--wheat, livestock and meat, feed grains, oil seeds, dairy products, tobacco, fruits, vegetables.
*Industry: Types--motor vehicles and parts, machinery and equipment, aircraft and components, other diversified manufacturing, fish and forest products, processed and unprocessed minerals.
*Trade: U.S. merchandise exports to Canada (2007)--$248.9 billion: motor vehicles and spare parts, industrial and electrical machinery, plastics, computers, chemicals, petroleum products and natural gas, and agricultural products. In 2007, 65% of Canada's imports came from the United States. U.S. merchandise imports from Canada (2007)--$313.1 billion: motor vehicles and spare parts, crude petroleum and natural gas, forest products, agricultural products, metals, industrial machinery, and aircraft. In 2007, 76% of Canada's exports went to the U.S.

== History ==
===Confederation===
[[Image:CANADA1865.jpg|thumb|400px|Canada on the eve of federation]] Canada was officially created by the signing of the British North America Act, which came into force on July 1, 1867. The BNA Act was an [[Act of Parliament|Act of the British Parliament]], and is also referred to as the Constitution Act of 1867. The first Prime Minister, [[John A Macdonald|Sir John A. Macdonald]], was a member of the Liberal-Conservative Party.
===Since 1970===
====1982 Constitution====
The BNA Act was later amended in 1982 by the Constitution Act of 1982. Liberal Prime Minister [[Pierre Elliot Trudeau]], also established the Canadian [[Charter of Rights and Freedoms]] as part of the Constitution Act. The Charter sets clear, fundamental freedoms for all Canadians. It has been cited in thousands of court challenges and is the fundamental legal document supporting the national legalization of same-sex marriages and the prevention of government intervention regarding abortion.
====1993 Election====
The 1993 Canadian general election was an extraordinary one that saw the collapse of a once stable two-party-plus system and the emergence of a less stable one-party dominant system. The governing [[Progressive Conservative party]] went down to the most crushing defeat of any governing party in Canadian electoral history, and two new parties displaced two old ones. A new consrvative party based in [[Alberta]], the [[Reform Party]], captured the political right. The strategic interests of both of the two new parties, Reform and the independent [[Bloc Québécois]] (active only in Quebec), combined to undermine the integrative role that Canadian political parties have traditionally served. <ref>Neil Nevitte, et al. "Electoral Discontinuity: The 1993 Canadian Federal Election." ''International Social Science Journal'' 1995 47(4): 583-599. 0020-8701 </ref>

==See also==
* [[Canadian railways]]

==Further reading==
* [http://www.biographi.ca/ ''The Dictionary of Canadian Biography''] (1966-2006), thousands of scholarly biographies of notables who died by 1930
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCESubjects&Params=A1 ''Canadian Encyclopedia'' (2008)] reliable detailed encyclopedia, on-line free
* Artibise, Alan F. J., ed. ''Interdisciplinary Approaches to Canadian Society: A Guide to the Literature.'' McGill-Queen's U. Press, 1990. 156 pp.
* Bickerton, James, and Alain Gagnon. ''Canadian Politics'' (2004) 584 pages, textbook
* Blore, Shawn. ''Frommer's Canada'' (2004) 828 pages travel guide
* Bumsted,J.M. ''The Peoples of Canada: A Pre-Confederation History''; and ''The Peoples of Canada: A Post-Confederation History.'' (2004). college textbook
* Campbell, Robert Malcolm et al. ''The Real Worlds of Canadian Politics: Cases in Process and Policy,'' (2004) 342 pages
* Conrad, Margaret, and Alvin Finkel. ''Canada: A National History.'' (2003), college textbook.
* Conrad, Margaret, and Alvin Finkel, eds. ''Foundations: Readings in Post-Confederation Canadian History.'' and ''Nation and Society: Readings in Post-Confederation Canadian History''. Pearson Longman, 2004. articles by scholars
* Creighton, Donald; ''A History of Canada: Dominion of the North'' 1958, 626 pp [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9444590 online edition], textbook
* Hallowell, Gerald, ed. ''The Oxford Companion to Canadian History'' (2004) 1650 short entries
* Desmond Morton. ''A Short History of Canada'' 5th ed (2001)
* ''National Atlas of Canada'' (1st ed. 1906; 2nd ed. 1915; 3rd ed. 1957; 4th ed. 1974; 6th ed. 1999 is electronic)
* Prentice, Alison ''et al''. ''Canadian Women: a history'' (1996, 2nd edition)
* Pryke, Kenneth G. and Walter C. Soderlund, eds. ''Profiles of Canada.'' Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2003. 3rd edition.
* Riendeau, Roger. ''A Short History of Canada'' (2nd ed 2007)
* Toye, William, ed. ''The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature.'' Oxford U. Press, 1983. 843 pp.
* Westhues, Anne. '' Canadian Social Policy: Issues and Perspectives,'' 2003

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External Links ==
* [http://www.gc.ca/ Government of Canada]
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/ Parliament of Canada]
* [http://www.pch.gc.ca/ Department of Canadian Heritage]
* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html CIA World Factbook:Canada]
* [http://www.forces.ca The Canadian Forces]

=== Political Party Websites (Major) ===
* [http://www.conservative.ca Conservative Party of Canada]
* [http://www.liberal.ca Liberal Party of Canada]
* [http://www.ndp.ca New Democratic Party of Canada]
* [http://www.blocquebecois.org Bloc Québécois]
* [http://www.greenparty.ca Green Party of Canada]

=== Political Party Websites (Minor) ===
* [http://http://www.fpnpoc.ca/ First Peoples National Party of Canada]
* [http://www.partyofalberta.org/ Party of Alberta]
* [http://www.progressivecanadian.org/ Progressive Canadian Party]
* [http://www.mlpc.ca/ Marxist-Leninist Party]
* [http://www.canadianactionparty.ca/ Canadian Action Party]
* [http://www.peoplespoliticalpower.ca/ People's Political Power Party]
* [http://www.animalalliance.ca/ Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party]
* [http://www.westernblockparty.com/ Western Bloc Party]
* [http://www.chp.ca/en/index.html Christian Heritage Party of Canada]

===Political Advocacy Websites===
*[http://www.canadadivided.com/ Canada Divided]
*[http://www.projectalberta.com/ Project Alberta]
*[http://onthefencefilms.com/video/twowomen.html Two Women]
*[http://www.westcan.org/ Western Canada Concept]

[[Category:Canada| ]]
[[Category:North American Countries]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Canadian History]]

Brooklyn

2009-02-01T01:05:41Z

ErichB: Grammar; switched from passive to active voice.

'''Brooklyn''' is one of the five boroughs of [[New York City]], situated south of [[Queens]] at the western tip of [[Long Island]].
Brooklyn is coterminous with Kings County (a political subdivision of the State of New York), but before the Grand Unification in 1898, Brooklyn was an independent city.
It is sometimes referred to as "America's Fourth Largest City", including on a (now-removed) "Welcome to Brooklyn" sign at the Verazano-Narrows Bridge; if it were still a separate city, it would indeed be the fourth largest, after New York, [[Los Angeles]], and [[Chicago]].
It is the most populated borough in the city, but the borough of [[Queens]] is the largest in terms of area. The borough is connected to adjacent Queens via the infamous [[Brooklyn-Queens Expressway]].

Brooklyn is home to several famous neighborhoods such as Greenpoint, Flatbush, Coney Island, Williamsburg, and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Many famous Americans in the entertainment industry have been born in Brooklyn, such as actresses Barbara Stanwyck and [[Clara Bow]], directors Woody Allen and Spike Lee, and singer Barbara Streisand, to name just a few.

The accent of [[Bugs Bunny]] is combination of [[Brooklyn]] and the [[Bronx]].

==The Borough of Neighborhoods==

Brooklyn is sometimes known as "the borough of neighborhoods" because of its many well-defined and culturally independent neighborhoods. It would be difficult to list every single neighborhood here because there are so many of them, but some of the most notable and famous are:

*DUMBO (acronym for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass")
*Downtown Brooklyn (New York City's third most significant financial center after Midtown [[Manhattan]] and Manhattan's Financial District)
*Brooklyn Heights
*Williamsburg (a well-known community popular with artists and bohemians)
*[[Bedford-Stuyvesant]] (pronounced STY-vess-ent, birthplace of many celebrities)
*Brighton Beach
*Coney Island

[[Category:New York]]

Malcolm X

2009-02-01T00:58:50Z

ErichB: grammar; in "The memory and the image..." & "Moreover he adopted views that were not..."

[[Image:Malcolm_x.jpg|right|250px|thumb]]

'''Malcolm X''' or '''Malcolm Little''' was born in [[Omaha]], [[Nebraska]] on the 19th of May in 1925. Malcolm was the son of a minister who was a strong supporter of the universal improvement of the black person and a supporter of [[Marcus Garvey]]. Malcolm himself was a prominent member of the [[Nation of Islam]] before breaking with the group, and was a victim of assassination.

In 1929 the family moved to [[Lansing]], [[Michigan]]. While in Michigan, Malcolm's father was killed; his body was divided in two from a [[tram|streetcar]] and his head was broken. In his autobiography, written with Alex Haley, Malcolm has alleged that his father was killed by members of the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. His mother was engaged in a mental institution. Leaving the school after the eighth grade, Malcolm made his way to [[New York City]], working for a short time as a waiter in [[Harlem]].

Malcolm did not fight in [[World War II]] because he was found to be mentally incompetent to serve. Malcolm began to sell and use [[drugs]], turned to [[burglary]] and, in 1946, was sentenced to a term of ten years of prison on charges of burglary. While in [[prison]] he was converted to the [[Nation of Islam]], as directed by [[Elijah Muhammad]], and quickly learned the [[Koran]].

To continue his life in 1952, soon he became a frank protector of the Nation of Islam doctrines, accepting their foundational argument that malevolence was one characteristic inherent of the [[Christian]] world "of the white man."

In 1960 Malcolm visited with Castro. When, in 1963, he characterized the assassination of [[John F. Kennedy]] as a case "of the chicken that came to the house to roost," he was suspended from the black Muslim movement. Disillusioned with the instructions of Elijah Muhammad, as well as Muhammad's personal adulteries, Malcolm formed his own organization, the organization of Afro-Americans and the Muslim Mosque. In 1964 he made a pilgrimage to the holy city of [[Islam]], [[Mecca]] and adopted the name ''Shabazz de Malik de El-Hajj'' as he converted to regular Islam.

Moreover he adopted views that were not popular with some black nationalists, comprised of the idea that not all white men were diabolic and that the black men could make their gains working through established avenues.

In February of 1965, his center was firebombed. A week afterwards, Malcolm's life was threatened and he was told that he would be killed in the ballroom of the Audubon in Harlem. He was assassinated while giving a speech on February 21, 1965; he was shot 16 times by a number of men who rushed the stage. Three of the men subsequently arrested have been identified as being members of the [[Nation of Islam]].

The memory and the image of Malcolm X have changed since his death, just as much of his own philosophies changed during his life. First thought to be a fanatic violent man, time has helped us understand he was also a supporter of self-help, self-defense and formation; like a philosopher and pedagogue, he is a major figure in black history, with both religion and mythology integrated in order to establish one structure for his fight against human injustice in the world.

Malcolm's faith, from a point of view, was a prelude to his action; the ideas were feckless without politics. At least three books have published since his death, effectively introducing the world to his thoughts. In 1992, a controversial film from [[Spike Lee]] based on his autobiography renewed interest and understanding in the life and death of Malcolm X.

{{DEFAULTSORT:X, Malcolm}}

[[Category:Nation of Islam]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Children of Clergy]]

Barack Obama birthplace controversy

2009-02-01T00:39:08Z

ErichB: Fixed typos; 'tyoe' to 'type' & 'Obana' to 'Obama'

Barack Obama claims to have been born at the [[Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children]] in [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]],<ref name="maraniss">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/23/AR2008082301620_pf.html |title=Though Obama Had to Leave to Find Himself, It Is Hawaii That Made His Rise Possible | author=Maraniss, David | publisher=''The Washington Post'' | date=2008-08-22 | accessdate=2008-10-27}}</ref> to [[Barack Obama, Sr.]], a [[Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)|Luo]] from [[Nyang’oma Kogelo]], [[Nyanza Province]], [[Kenya]], and [[Ann Dunham]] a US citizen, <ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[FactCheck]] |url=http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html |title=Born in the U.S.A. |date=August 21, 2008 |accessmonthday=October 24 |accessyear=2008}}</ref> of mainly [[English (ethnic group)|English]], [[Irish people|Irish]] and smaller amounts of [[German people|German]] descent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269836,00.html |title=FOXNews.com - Report: Obama's Irish Roots Unearthed - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum |publisher=Foxnews.com |date=May 3, 2007 |accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2008/10/30/barack-obamas-irish-heritage.html |title=Barack Obama's Irish Heritage - John A. Farrell (usnews.com) |publisher=Usnews.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html |title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own - washingtonpost.com |publisher=Washingtonpost.com |date= |accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref> However requests, including lawsuits, asking he make his official birth certificate public have gone unanswered.{{fact|date=November 2008}}

The [[Constitution of the United States|US Constitution]] Article II, Section 1 requires:

"''No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States'' prohibiting even US Citizens that were born in another country from becoming President legitimately.

In total, there are at least 6 lawsuits in the effort to compel President-elect Obama to prove his birthplace and US Citizenship. The lawsuits include those by [[Democratic Party of the United States|Democrat]] former-Assistant Attorney General of [[Pennsylvania]] [[Philip Berg]][http://www.obamacrimes.com/attachments/058_Berg%20v%20Obama%20Petition%20for%20Writ%20of%20Certiorari.pdf], [[American Independence Party]] founder and former-[[Republican Party]] Presidential Primary candidate [[Alan Keyes]][http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/elections/presheadlines/34587804.html], and independent author [[Andy Martin]].[http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80928]

Philip Berg explains his lawsuit in this linked video [http://www.americanpatrol.com/MISCNEWS/2006-UP/ELECTIONS/2008/OBAMA/OctSurpriseVideo081012.html?v=gA6_k3NtXZs]

The Obama campaign released a "Certification of Live Birth" from the State of Hawaii claiming this is proof Obama was born in Hawaii.[http://fightthesmears.com/articles/5/birthcertificate] However, the [[Department of Hawaiian Home Lands]], an official government agency of the state of Hawaii rejects this document as proof of Hawaiian birth. They require instead a "Certificate of Live Birth" (1st word different). The department states:

"''In order to process your application, DHHL utilizes information that is found only on the original Certificate of Live Birth, which is either black or green. This is a more complete record of your birth than the Certification of Live Birth (a computer-generated printout). Submitting the original Certificate of Live Birth will save you time and money since the computer-generated Certification requires additional verification by DHHL.''"[http://hawaii.gov/dhhl/applicants/appforms/applyhhl]

Bloggers note that the "Certification of Live Birth" records Obama's father's race as "AFRICAN" versus "Negro" and that the document contains the word "LASER" in the lower left hand corner identifying the form type. They claim both words are incompatible with a document generated in 1961. They also note the certification number is blacked out.[http://conservativepolitics.today.com/2008/06/25/proven-barack-obama-presented-forged-certificate-of-live-birth/]

Sources favoring the Courts' compelling Obama to prove his birthplace and citizenship:

http://www.obamacrimes.com Philip Berg's website

Sources opposed to the Courts' compelling Obama to prove his birthplace and citizenship:

http://www.stopthesmears.com A Barack Obama Campaign website

{{reflist}}

{{Stub}}