Building The $6 Man

Professor Von Fission is quite mad.

$6...including tax!

Make Some Use Of It

You lazy fucks!

It's funny that Paul Krugman has a blog called The Conscience of a Liberal.

It should be renamed  Blatant Contradictions of a Liberal Partisan Hack.

Walter Block cuts through the bull shit and calls out the nonsense in Economic Policy Journal.

"Several of the very prominent signatories of that support for min wages (I think Krugman and Stiglitz, maybe a few others) have also published textbooks on intro econ. There, they give the usual analysis: minimum wages create unemployment for unskilled workers. Period. 1. It would be good to quote from their texts, and juxtapose that with the fact that they signed the letter favoring the min wage. Do these people SUPPORT unemployment for unskilled workers? 2. Sometimes, they have been interviewed on this blatant contradiction of theirs. It is hilarious to watch them squirm in trying to reconcile the irrenconcileable. Do a bit of research to unearth these cases where they are caught with their (intellectual) pants down around their ankles."

Amen, brotha.

Yonge: Longest Street In The World

I've driven on Yonge st. in Toronto numerous times over the years. It always intrigued me because it goes on forever...like the Mackenzie.

For 1 896 kms to be specific.

What I didn't know is that it holds the Guinness world record for longest street in the world.

It's not a street, it's a fricken highway like the Trans-Canada.

Are You Our Type?

"We’re looking for people with physical or mental (or both!) disabilities who are willing to write at least one article every two weeks."

They actually wrote this? It's one thing for an idiot blogger like me to write this, but a real website?

Is stupid a disability?

Venezuela: Socialist Success

From The Atlantic.

Interview With A Bogeyman

Charles Koch.

"He criticizes business leaders who say they believe in a free-market system, but do their best to manipulate that system by working to impose regulations on their competitors or going for “smash and grab, short-term profits.”

Heroes! Cops Losing The Plot In The U.S.

Cops in action.

Make that criminal thugs in action.

The first link is from The Daily Caller which is a conservative site. Conservatives tend to not shy away from heaping over praise on cops. However, even they have their limits.

They kill homeless people in broad daylight, fathers in parking lots, family dogs on private property, arrest kids for throwing snowballs, bully people who film them and the lot.

I can't understand how anyone would claim they're heroes. They're bums. Worse, investigations that finds 'no evidence' of wrongdoing is also culpable in a system that seems derelict at this point. If they keep this up, they will lose credibility among citizens.

And they want to disarm citizens?

Shit, I would start with taking the guns from cops who kill without reason or provocation before going after peaceful citizens.

Intimate White House Conversation

Joe Biden: Obama! You look wrecked, nigga!
Barack: You try and fix 228 years of mistakes in eight!

Words That Should Raise Red Flag...And Eyebrow

Investment.

As in the government saying things like "investing in our future" to support or sell a specious program. Or a businessman using tax dollars to build himself a babelle stadium.

Investing demands a concrete return on your money. Investors scrutinize their investments so as to gauge progress. For example, if the investment begins to go awry, they have the option of cutting their losses.

You can't cut your losses when the government fucks up a program (remember when I warned that the Super Hospital would be a super mess? Yeah well, it's bad and it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. In the end, the hospital will be 'functional' but nowhere near as intended nor as efficient) or a stadium falls apart.

***

My father, a businessman, used to say "the government is not your friend. Don't fuck with it because it'll fuck you worse. Pay your taxes and shut up."

I used to think he was 'crazy' when he would say this. Now that I'm older and see things from the perspective of a business, I can see the crazy old man was actually wise. He was only deemed to be a nut by the progressive narrative. Only today we're called 'extremists.'

Yeah, there's nothing extreme in forking over 50% of your income to the government. I ask, what rational person would 'invest' their money with a partner who has all the cards stacked in their favor?

 

Twitter Twit

A guy with a twitter handle 'WomanizingPrick' is upset at Katie Perry's 'blasphemy' against Islam.

Douche.

Quote Of The Day

"Panics do not destroy capital; they merely reveal the extent to which it has been destroyed by its betrayal into hopelessly unproductive works." John Mills

On Credit Cycles and the Origin of Commercial Panics (1867).

Read more on Malinvestment.

Basically it's the distortion of pricing thus preventing investors from correctly assessing the market. In my case, government setting "scales" distorts the actual worth of a worker thus needlessly increasing my costs.

St. Louis Asks For Trade; Shout Out For Mikan

It's been reported Martin St. Louis asked to be traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The rumour is he's bitterly disappointed having not been originally selected to Team Canada's roster.

To be honest, I don't blame him.

This may sound as crying over spilled milk and utterly pointless given Canada won the gold medal, thus confirming the selections were accurate, but we humans are a queer folk and athletes scorned can leave deep marks.

Man, I'm still pissed off I was cut off an elite soccer squad 27 years ago mostly because it was unjustified. How do I know? The player they chose was vastly inferior.

So I (and many others I'm sure) can relate to St. Louis's disappointment. A couple of things are at play here from what I hear, read and observe. One, is the fact Steve Yzerman didn't use his influence and final voting power to put his player on the team. It's not like St. Louis is a marginal player in the NHL. He's an elite player and more productive than players selected before him like Kunitz, Carter, and Nash - especially Nash. You can forgive him for being perplexed about this. Moreover, his teammate Steve Stamkos - the player he replaced - was chosen despite having a broken leg.

We heard a lot about how the selection committee put quite a bit of emphasis on duos and pairs from the the same team to balance the team and establish "chemistry." Fair enough. Some of those duos are pure dominant - like Getzlaf and Perry were. If this be true, how in the world would they omit St. Louis since he plays with Stamkos forming one of the NHL's premier scoring duo? I like Kunitz but when was the last time he won an Art Ross like, say, St. Louis who did it twice?

Back in the later 1980s and early 1990s, ironically, Steve Yzerman was usually the odd man out of a deep Team Canada squad. In the 80s, people kinda got this sleight because he was young and the Oilers were so dominant they took most of the spots. But in the 1990s, fans reaction to his omission was strong as he was slowly morphing into a dominant player and leader particularly when Scotty Bowman came into the picture.

Players being left off rosters are nothing new. In soccer, debates are furious in places like Italy and Brazil and even Argentina when it comes to selections. It's no different with Canada in hockey and USA in basketball.

Good, even great, players are sometimes left off.

Last Olympics, it was defenseman Mike Green who was unhappy about being left off. American forward Bobby Ryan was another player not picked that raised some eyebrows among observers.

But, to come back to St. Louis, the fact is he earned the right to be in the top 14. And it looks like he's not accepting having been over looked.

***

Reading some basketball stuff - particularly the Top 50 players of all time, and brushed up on some names I wasn't too familiar with. One player every basketball fan and player should know is George Mikan. 

Quite an influential and illustrious career. To be honest, among hard core fans he may be a household name, but given his biography it should go beyond this. It should be as memorable as, to borrow from hockey, Gordie Howe.

Pioneers like that are just too precious to be overlooked.  

This was just a quick shout out from a sports fan.

Tom Harkin (D) Is An Idiot

What is it with fricken Western liberals and their sick fetish for Cuba?

Cuba is a shit hole.

Know why?

It's run by a fucking dictator. It's a communist regime. Communism (and its derelict offshoot socialism) excels at shittiness. It excels at enhancing death and despair. It bullies, imprisons and even murders its own citizens. Wonder if that figures in Harkin's dumbass, infantile, vapid takes on Coooba.

Communists are miserable, envious dopes and Western progressives who keep singing its praises intellectually - nay! morally - defunct assholes. They're ideologies fit for natural born losers.

Seriously. I've grown tired by this crap.

It's not a sleight on the people of Cuba.  From my interactions with them, they're wonderful folk. But that they produce great ball players and musicians doesn't mean things are a-okay there. And I wouldn't accept any stat - or at least take with a grain of salt - that comes out of a communist regime - including China.

A couple of my buddies are from Cuba and they can but look on in horror listening to these idiots fawn over a dictatorship that effectively destroyed Cuba.

Bah.

I'll let Rubio take it from here.

As for the rest of you who think Harkin has a point, go lick a frozen fence post.

Facing Reality: Women In The Military

A while ago I read somewhere that in order to pass some military physical all you needed to do were five chin ups. Five!

I do 15 for fuck sakes and I'm not about to join the army. Not with these weak knees anyway.

But it stuck with me nevertheless.

If affirmative action could infiltrate national defense, then nothing is safe or too sacred from its ravaging consequences.

Women are inherently weaker than men. It's just a biological fact. Sure, there are some women who are stronger than men, can wield a hammer better or shoot the puck harder, but (outliers aside) when it comes to national defense, it makes no sense to lower standards simply to prove a point or for some "equality" nonsense.

I suspect this is a dirty little secret but can't possibly be talked about in the current overly sensitive, PC construct. Women are equal and that's final!

Forget about my regressive thoughts.

Fred Reed discloses some interesting facts about women in the military.

I had friends who served both in the Canada and U.S. military. All they would tell me is "you have no idea"how bad it is.

Federal Transfers: States And Provinces Compared

Doug says: "Is it still lying if he believes what he says?" That's the scariest thing about this particular president... he believes in what he is doing and damn the unintended consequences.

I don't know. You tell me.

The source for table in the link is the U.S. Census Bureau.

Federal outlays per capita from Mercatus.

Just to be clear.

I mean, the stats are the stats at some point. You can spin all you want but it's there in the flesh.

If there isn't ONE person that gently takes the President's arm and shows him his own government statistics, there's a problem. But if someone does, and he ignores it? Then, Doug is correct in being frightened for the President willingly ignores and lies.

***

Speaking of spending, I came across an economist blog looking at Federal spending between the provinces and states.

It's a little tricky comparing the two countries. Yes, both are Federal structures but they do operate differently.

In any event, the two countries are intricately intertwined economically. So much so, I don't even know why there are borders to be honest. Canada's exports and imports from the U.S represents 87% of trade. That's pretty much one economy if you ask me.

The interesting thing is Alberta is the least dependent on transfer payments out of 60 jurisdictions. Quebec looks decent enough on this graph but upon inspection, it does rely on Fed cash as we all know. In Canada, it still takes in more than places like Ontario and even Saskatchewan.Moreover, on a per capita basis, the picture changes still some more as it moves up higher on the table seen in the link.

It was brought to my attention the figures don't seem to include income tax subsidies states get from the Federal government.

Worthwhile Canadian Initiative:

"Interestingly enough, according to 2012 state government finance data from the U.S. Census Bureau, federal transfers to state governments in the United States make up about 27 percent of their total revenue.   As well, much of the recent growth has been for income security programs as well as Medicaid – which is funded by the Federal and state governments but managed by the states.  Moreover, the Canadian federal system of provincial-territorial transfers is relatively simple compared to the diverse and pluralistic set of programs available to state governments in the United States.  There are literally hundreds of federal aid programs for U.S. states in areas such as education, housing, health care and transportation as well as many other programs also for local governments.  This suggests that there must a higher level of bureaucracy and administration when it comes to intergovernmental transfers in the United States relative to the Canadian system."

The Canadian system does seem less complex indeed.

Then again, we're 35 million.

They're 310 million.

Public Wait Times Obscene

My ear doctor is requesting an MRI. As is usually the case, I have a private and public option. Naturally, the doctor is sending me to a public hospital - which I detest.

But I'm a rational person so I wanted to call and see what the wait time is like before I go private.

The first thing I hear after I dial? A special message telling patients there's a 15-hour wait to see a doctor in the emergency ward.

Fifteen. Hours.

Welcome to public health.

Mediocrity in all its compassionate glory.

I can but slap my forehead.

But hey. I should just keep quiet, because America.

Anyway.

Wait time for an MRI?

Six months.

Private it is.

Got an appointment inside two weeks. I made the mistake of going for a blood test on the public side wasting 3 hours of my life. A private service takes 30 minutes. Yeah, I have to front $300 but I get most of it back through insurance. Best $90 one can spend if one values such things.

Does this make me a bad person? I mean, I once read someone claim people who go private are killing the public system and are 'greedy' for not thinking of others.

I kid you not.

Apparently, I have to sit in pain for this person all for, I don't even know anymore they're so irrational.

You Lie!

"And when I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely." President Obama. 

All the President of the United States seems to do is lie. He needs to in order to pass his personal agenda.

The latest phrase uttered by him sure to rank alongside 'you can keep your plan if you like it' is the 'era of austerity is over.'

At this point, save for the brain dead, how can anyone in the entire United States lend any credibility into what he says? 47 million Americans are on food stamp under Obama for crying out loud up from 31 million!

There was no austerity. Not in Canada, not in Europe and not in the United States.

Know how I know?

Spending either flattened or increased. It didn't go down.

Government spending continues to rise and so does household spending.

In fact, credit report agencies in Canada are predicting the consumer debt will increase in the next year from roughly $27 200 per household to over $28 000.

Stop being a fool.

***

Quick word on Obamacare and jobs.

Look, just use the T.C. Acid Test. It stipulates, simplistically, if the the cost of employing someone increases, a business will naturally seek to cut expenses to maintain margins.

Only a rube would think that because the government says you must do this at a higher cost for the common good, ergo the business will eat the cost because they 'have the money.' In the end, you - WE - pay as that business, where possible - will look to pass on the costs to consumers.

It's really not rocket science.

Shoot, I do it myself. If an employee requests a perk, I must seek ways to PAY FOR IT. Either I pass it on through higher prices, I defer purchases, I scale back hours. Whatever. I'm careful to explain this to workers (some refuse to understand so I let them walk). The smart ones make their choices.

For example, I have educators who want to be paid to 'government scale' which does necessarily correlate to my cost structure. I'm actually responsible with my money; the government not so much. This poses a problem for me in terms of revenues to salaries cost ratios. I'm currently about 5% above where I need and want to be. I tolerate it because I'm still growing and haven't maximized my revenue potential yet - at least I hope there's room to grow. Add the debt load that has enough of an impact and you get a tight budget. So when they come to me they would like to have a health plan, I explain that it's one or the other. Do you want to focus on your wage or do you want health? Health plans are expensive and I prefer to only offer it to loyal employees who have earned it. I have three such employees but two have chosen to get their raises. They made their choices. I can't do both.

Until the government compels me to do so and believe me, if they could, they would but that would be suicide on their part. Businesses are the most rational and objective entities around, if they offer it it's because they can; if they don't, they can't.

I haven't given myself health either in case your wondering. I'm looking into it for this year. But I also don't pay myself a big salary. It's amazing when I tell my employees I pay myself the average of the daycare how they thought I was 'getting big bucks.' Nope. I put the money back in the business.

No one can ever excuse me of being irresponsible or greedy.

That's why every single progressive or Pequiste who say stupid things like that can go fuck themselves.The vast majority of small business owners are their own moral agents and do what's right for their businesses. Sometimes decisions go against employees, sometimes not. But that's not for some hipster-doofus asshole with a social agenda axe to grind to judge.

I digress.
 
You want green policies to save the polar bears? Fuck you, pay.

You want subsidized health insurance? Fuck you, pay.

Here in Quebec, you want subsidized anything? Fuck. You. Pay.

That's all it amounts to. 

Now, I understand there are people who will say 'I'll gladly pay more in taxes for 'x' program' but they be irrational. For, I believe, many of these social issues we want "fixed" can be done at the personal and community level. You don't need a giant bureaucracy to run everything.

***

Last night, our motorcycle instructor was telling us about how corporations have stepped up to provide funding for his robotics program at the school he works at.

That's good.

However, I'd be careful about concluding it's all corporate generosity since the companies he mentioned - Bombardier and Pratt and Whitney - accept a lot of government subsidies. Who knows how much of the money ends up being taxpayer dollars in the first place?

***

Ok. Let's end this disjointed rant.

Blunting And Dealing With Axes Looking To Grind

A (great) story in Lapham's Quarterly from 1903:

The coat of arms of the human race ought to consist of a man with an axe on his shoulder proceeding toward a grindstone. Or, it ought to represent the several members of the human race holding out the hat to each other. For we are all beggars. Each in his own way. One beggar is too proud to beg for pennies but will beg a loan of dollars, knowing he can’t repay; another will not beg a loan but will beg for a postmastership; another will not do that but will beg for an introduction to “society”; one, being rich, will not beg a hod of coal of the railway company but will beg a pass; his neighbor will not beg coal, nor pass, but in social converse with a lawyer will place before him a supposititious case in the hope of getting an opinion out of him for nothing; one who would disdain to beg for any of these things will beg frankly for the presidency. None of the lot is ashamed of himself, but he despises the rest of the mendicants. Each admires his own dignity, and carefully guards it, but in his opinion the others haven’t any.

He could have added, people want something for nothing if they can get it.

Anyway. I've always been aware of what's depicted in this story. It, truth be told, has always - I think - held be back since I can't bear to come off as a beggar; as someone trying to take advantage of someone. Which is why I'm terrible in sales - even though I'm constantly told I'd excel at it for my apprehensions are nothing but a product of over thinking. But I could never shake the notion that the other person knows I want their money despite selling a good product in return.

This wretched fear of being tagged a beggar has ruled me more than I think.

Harry Reid Calls Americans Liars

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) declared Wednesday that all of the "horror stories" being told in relation to the federal health-care law are false.

"Despite all that good news, there's plenty of horror stories being told," Reid said on the Senate floor. "All of them are untrue, but they're being told all over America."

The only liars I see from up here and without emotion are the Democrats. They lied so much the juice from their lies oozes from their nostrils, noses, ears and above all, assholes.

Libertarians are extremists, critics of Obama racists and now the people are liars.

What sparkling leadership!

Bad Movies From The 1980s

Personally, I still want to punch half the characters in The Big Chill.

See list here.

Connecticut Demands Citizens Surrender Their Guns; People Ignore It

The people of Connecticut have given public officials the middle finger when it comes to registering guns. Good for them. It's a heartening to know America still has a heartbeat.

They understand it's confiscatory in nature.

Remember when the fools said only 'paranoid' people believed 'common sense' gun control would lead to confiscation?

Anyone with a sober and rational mind knows that's exactly the first step towards that.

The State of Connecticut is now demanding that gun owners across the state turn in all newly-banned, unregistered firearms and magazines or face felony arrest.
The State Police Special Licensing & Firearms Unit began mailing out notices to gun owners who attempted to register their firearms and accessories with the state but did not do so in time for the Jan. 1 deadline of Connecticut’s newly enacted gun control law.
The law bans the sale of magazines holding over 10 rounds and “assault rifles” manufactured after 1994 and requires that residents who possessed either before the ban to register them with the state.
- See more at: http://www.thedailysheeple.com/surrender-your-firearms-connecticut-tells-unregistered-gun-owners_022014#sthash.8FiNnKo8.dpuf

Beer Taste Test

Story On How VHS Outwitted Communism

Personally, I still can't believe VHS prevailed over Beta but that's neither here or there anymore.

But I'm glad that it served Romanians living under a ruthless communist regime well.

The thing that always gets me when I watch these videos is how it exposes just how stupid and insipid apologists for socialism and communism in the West are. There are plenty of dopes on Slate, Rolling Stone, Huffington, The Nation, Salon, The Guardian and other liberal sites still trying to intellectually defend the human travesty that were socialism and communism in the 20th century. Makes me wonder about their state of mind.

I also wonder about the class of people who think it's okay to call for all sorts of bans and censorship under various excuses for the collective good. Taken to its logical end, their position simply take you on a road to communism. 

I highly doubt any of these folks would voluntarily live under such conditions, yet, still advocate for coercion and punitive measures to support their agenda and ideals.

*Six minute video from The New York Times. I wonder if their editorial boards connect their positions to what's in the video. I do see a faint connection.

Ukrainian Ambassador Takes Trudeau To Task

"Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada has called for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to apologize for a “silly” joke he made suggesting Russia could intervene in Ukraine after the Olympic host country’s hockey humiliation.

Vadym Prystaiko told CTV’s Power Play on Monday that Russia’s relationship with Ukraine is much more important than a hockey game and Trudeau’s tongue-in-cheek remarks minimized the upheaval in Kyiv.

“You have to be extremely careful when you talk about 82 people who died fighting … for their future and everyone’s in danger,” Prystaiko said. “[Trudeau's] just sitting in a nice room, and talking about things in such a light manner; it’s just inappropriate.”

Got that, Tonka Trudeau?

"17% Of German Households Energy Poor"

Increased household energy costs courtesy of questionable green policies significantly impact and constrain household income and budgets.

It's part of the equation environmentalists and their pals the progressives prefer not to look at when talking finance and economics. Rather, notice how to them, it's the fault of low wages, rich people and all that.

Yet, it's policies of this sort - among other issues like consumer debt -  that directly hit the pocketbook we should be pondering when wondering where the money goes at the end of the month.

Never mind the actual consequences on the environment as the article points out.

From the center-left Der Spiegel: 

"Overall Germany's energy revolution has made the country's energy unaffordable, unreliable and has ruined its own idyllic landscape, and ravaged rainforests abroad."

Geez. Which Koch brothers infiltrated Der Spiegel?

California Corporate Religious And Social Responsibility Case

"If corporations can’t have religious beliefs, then it follows that they can’t believe in climate change, sustainable investment or any other beliefs embraced by the corporate social responsibility movement."

Interesting.

From California Corporate and Securities Law.

Should Children Pay For Elderly Parents?

 "Urpo Kangas, a Professor in Civil Law at Helsinki University, argues that adults should be obliged to pay for their elderly parents’ institutional care if their own pensions are insufficient to cover costs.
There was a similar provision in Finnish law as part of the 1922 Poor Relief Act. It was repealed in 1970 on the grounds that it was inappropriate for a welfare state."

Emphasis mine.

Statists gonna statist.

Cutting Businesses Slack

"The Obama administration regularly cuts a break for businesses that hire illegal immigrants, reducing their fines by an average of 40 percent from what they should be, according to an audit released Tuesday that suggests the government could be doing more to go after unscrupulous employers."

It's good to be emperor.

Settled Science: No Proof Man Is The Cause Of Earth Warming

Statement of Patrick Moore, Ph.D

Before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight:

"There is no scientific proof that human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are the dominant cause of the minor warming of the Earth’s atmosphere over the past 100 years. If there we re such a proof it would be written down for all to see. No actual proof, as it is understood in science, exists. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states: “It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.”

Extremely likely” is not a scientific term but rather a judgment, as in a court of law. The IPCC defines “extremely likely” as a “95 - 100% probability”. But upon further examination it is clear that these numbers are not the result of any mathematical calculation or statistical analysis. They have been “invented” as a construct within the IPCC report to express “expert judgment”, as determined by the IPCC contributors. to express “expert judgment”, as determined by the IPCC contributors."

Pft. Which Koch brother got to this guy?

/via The Daily Caller.

Pot Sales Revenues Stun Officials

Been reading about how officials in Colorado are freaking out about how much taxable money marijuana sales are bringing to the state.

No shit, Newton.

With More tax revenues comes the potential to squander and waste.

Something they excel at.

Bureaucrat: "Look at all that money, boss!"
Boss:"Know what this means? We can get that giant steel lollipop honoring transgenders we always wanted to get for Capital Mountain!"
Bureaucrat: "Shouldn't we pass it by the legislature and suggest we save it so we can keep taxes low?"
Boss: "What flavor do you think we should get?"

Quebec Charter Poses Problems Abroad For Ottawa

Canada's diplomatic relations with countries have been made complicated as a result of Quebec's charter as an envoy to Turkey discovered.

But then again.

This is what you get out of Quebec:



Jesus.

Christ.

Notice the two people in the background. 

And they say Americans are ignorant and stupid?

I fail to see what people do in their own countries have anything to do with the Charter. Are they looking for a tit-for-tat excuse to justify it? If so, it's a false analogy to use. "They made me take off my shoes, ergo we must do 'x'' is specious at best in its logic.

The Tyranny Has Arrived

And has its feet up on the table. 

Wake the fuck up, Samuel!

Greenwald in The Intercept:

"One of the many pressing stories that remains to be told from the Snowden archive is how western intelligence agencies are attempting to manipulate and control online discourse with extreme tactics of deception and reputation-destruction. It’s time to tell a chunk of that story, complete with the relevant documents.

Over the last several weeks, I worked with NBC News to publish a series of articles about “dirty trick” tactics used by GCHQ’s previously secret unit, JTRIG (Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group). These were based on four classified GCHQ documents presented to the NSA and the other three partners in the English-speaking “Five Eyes” alliance. Today, we at the Intercept are publishing another new JTRIG document, in full, entitled “The Art of Deception: Training for Online Covert Operations.”

"I noticed a few people who seemed confused about why these kinds of tactics are used. It’s because there is a technologically enabled time-window for the fight between totalitarianism and constitutional democracy, and right now totalitarianism is making a large power play. Us hackers for far too long have relied upon the idea that we will always be one step ahead of the behemoth 3/4-letters of the world, because that’s how it was in the past. I would say this attitude is a mistake in the current situation. Even the most technologically capable of us are having a hard time going anon these days, with bios, mbr, and hdd firmware level backdoors and rootkits as revealed by some of the Snowden docs, the man is catching up."

Obama falls on the totalitarian side. In case you're confused.

*******

The great ruse and false narrative he's managed to swindle people with is that Bush - who has been out of office for six years now - left such a mess it takes time to fix while positioning the President in a way such that he's impotent to make 'meaningful' decisions because Congress refuses to 'work with him.'  By this they mean, to agree with everything he says. When they challenge him it's 'obstructionism.'

Instead, what we're seeing is not only an American government unhinged but one that is leaderless and rudderless. It has no ideas as it runs clueless. 

Obama wants the freedom of the press muzzled and whisle-blowers punished. 

Remember this next time he insufferably babbles about freedom and transparency.

Publishing Gibberish

"The publishers Springer and IEEE are removing more than 120 papers from their subscription services after a French researcher discovered that the works were computer-generated nonsense."

What will the Obama administration do now for citations?

From Nature.

***

Speaking of which, what do you folks think of my paper?

Vintage Finland

Ever wonder what vintage photos of accidents in Finland look like?

Well?

BMO Report: Montreal Economy Stinks - In Other News Sky Is Blue

Like the Kama Sutra, there are many ways (positions) to talk about how shitty the Montreal economy is. I don't know if there are more ways to dice it up. It stinks. The Bank of Montreal's report is just the latest study to lament Montreal's poor economic record and performance.

Especially when the boneheaded buffoons in the Parti Quebecois and are in power. This petty band of losers excels in mass producing divisiveness and masterminding Machiavellian social disorder that negatively impact the economy.

The BMO and The Boston Consulting Group have concluded Montreal is in need of a revitalization program and proposed ways to achieve this for the once bustling metropolis.

Good luck with that.

As long as you have a political entity addicted to luxurious social programs, high debt and the threat of separation, the city and the province will continue to languish. In addition, in order to begin the process of improving Montreal. a change in our bureaucratic and unionized mentality is necessary.

Won't happen. This will take an 'economic revolution.'

Montreal has all the tools and advantages to become a true world class city (not the one we think it is in our minds) but unless it gets special status, there will be no revival. Quebec City's interests are not ours. Montreal is a sitting duck in a political power game.

Here are their findings:

• Strong and clear leadership at the metropolitan level, leadership that is supported by the higher levels of government;
• Targeting centres of excellence in order to spearhead growth;
• Private and public sector funding around a limited number of initiatives;
• The upgrading of transportation and telecommunications infrastructures with an eye to sustainable development and improving citizens' quality of life;
• The importance of human capital and institutions of higher learning, colleges and universities;
• Branding actions with a single signature in all the cities of the metropolis and developing a marketing and promotion strategy under this single brand;
• Perseverance, because turning around a slow decline is a long-term effort that transcends individuals and elections.

Read the rest in link.













 

Trudeau: Not A Leader

He's leaving a trail of evidence that confirms he's not a natural born leader.

"It is very worrisome, particularly since Russia lost in hockey, they will be in a bad mood and we fear Russian involvement in the Ukraine."

Here's the thing. It doesn't take much to understand the gravity of what's going on in Ukraine. A large, important country lying on Russia's border under going political unrest is not a target for jokes.

As it stands, the country - once divided along Russian and Ukrainian sympathies - is now rallying under the Ukraine. This is enough to make one wonder how Russia views all this.

Trudeau has a knack for dramatic flair. But when it comes to actions of substance - especially intellectual - all I can say is the Tonka truck is yellow. This is not the only gaffe he's made.

"He seems to apologize quite a lot" my wife said.

Yes. Yes he does.

Yet, he climbs in the polls.

Surreal.

On Authority

Speaking of authority, the pharmacy I buy my stamps from keep giving me Royal stamps with pictures of William and the Queen and shit. I asked for a 'The Littlest Hobo' stamp but apparently they don't exist. No Canadian has helped more people.

/tear drops.

The Smell Of Freedom

And jobs!

From Investors.Com:

"Released into a news black hole last Friday, an official Obama administration report finds that ObamaCare will push premiums up for two-thirds of small businesses. Cross off another ObamaCare promise."

Massachusetts Governor Patrick Open To 2016

"I don't want to be a senator" Gov. Deval Patrick once said.

Instead, it looks like, he wants to be President.

In theory, one would think, Patrick should stall before he gets out of the gate. The thought of a Patrick/Warren ticket would be absolutely frightening in its potential for uber-derpness.

Patrick's administration has faced incredibly loathsome scandals costing taxpayers millions. Dare I say, worse than anything I've seen here in Quebec.

Both immorally and incompetently waste money but Massachusetts cranks up the volume a little. One need look no further than the Annie Dookhan debacle which forced the state to set aside $300 million anticipating a great number of wrongful conviction suits as a result of her actions. 

Then comes this sad story:

"NECC reportedly shipped more than 17,600 doses of tainted steroid injections to 23 states more than a year ago before inspectors said they found mold, standing water and other unsterile conditions at the NECC facility.

More than 750 people were infected, and 64 of them have died, according to federal investigator."

The state body charged with overseeing such matters in the public interest failed in its duty and this falls on Patrick's desk.

People's lives have been ruined and destroyed as a result of these two incidences.

Need more? Boston Business Journal reported:

"...the state's top gaming official, said he will seek an independent review of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's spending and travel policies following a Boston Business Journal report that uncovered dozens of questionable agency expenditures at high-end hotels, restaurants and airlines throughout the world."

In keeping in step with Obama's green policies, Patrick felt it was his duty to also waste money into green companies that eventually went belly up. A123  and Evergreen Solar for example.

Boston.com:

"With scandals engulfing two state agencies, shuffling of key staff, severe fiscal problems, and the potential for a tax ­increase, Patrick will have to draw on his leadership skills to navigate what could be a hazardous political landscape."

The comes the scandal out of the Department of Children and Families (where children have been lost). There's also been controversy surrounding his policies giving illegal aliens free education, and providing the Tsarneav brothers privacy protection he felt they were entitled to. 



How can this gentleman even consider he's Presidential material? I know the bar is now low but do Americans want it to be set even lower? He can't even run a state properly now he thinks he can run a country? 

None of these stories, by the way, were reported by The Boston Globe. Seems to me that's another paper that needs to be bought by a libertarian.

Quick! Over there! Bush! Jews!





 

Obamacare Worker Loses Job

Don't know the details, but found this interesting:

Rich Girl, Rich Guy?

If you can't trust Hall & Oates who can you trust?

What the hell is the world coming to?

Kidding aside.

Great song.

"Typically Pequiste"

Honestly, why is anyone surprised by this? The PQ have zero class. None. Never have, never will.

We always joke during national anthems and hockey games about how the separatists must cringe.

They're predictable and parochial jack asses.

And Marois is a cunt and all her minions dicks.

Sky is blue.

For la p'tite Pauline:

Actor And Director Ramis Dies

Comedy actor Harold Ramis passed away at the age of 69.

Loved some of his movie including Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters and Stripes.

I first saw Ramis on SCTV.

Awesome.

Excessive Red Tape Costs Everyone

I wonder if anyone has calculate how much government regulation inflate the price of homes and automobiles specifically- two of the most expensive items we buy in our lives.

Heritage looked at the astounding and astronomical cost of red tape. I reckon this applies to Canada as well.

Can't Fool A Chess Player

"I've said it before, but if Barack Obama had been president instead of Ronald Reagan, I'd still be a citizen of the Soviet Union." Garry Kasparov.


In my humble opinion, the world is divided into two camps. Those who buy into Obama's bull. And those who don't. The smart ones fall into the latter.

Which Koch brother got to Kasparov and turned him into a right-wing teabagger anyway?

As I've said in the past, it's quite remarkable how people who actually experienced communism and socialism consider it a malignant evil on humanity while pampered limousine liberals still think it's a noble ideology worth exploring. Because Wal-Mart.

 

Quote Of The Day

"The mediocre are always at their best." W. Somerset Maugham

My Old School

For the first time since 1989 I went back to my old high school to attend a ceremony for a writer's contest my daughter entered in a local magazine.

***

Wife: The contest will be at your old school.
T.C. (nervously): Damn, I hope they won't throw me in detention.
Wife: What are you talking about?
T.C.: Never mind. I have to go.
Wife: It's the middle of the night.
T.C.: You don't understand. The box. They may find it!
Wife: Are you insane?
T.C. (biting fingers): I have to call Viper.
Wife: Viper?
T.C.: Yeah, Viper. He knows where the 'box' is.
Wife: You're spooking me.

Next day.

T.C.: Look, honey. That's where daddy dealt his for drug score in that corner! And that's the detention center where I spent a lot of my time...plotting. Oh, that's where Ms. Virginia lost her virginity if you get my drift.

Wife: (looking on in horror as T.C. smiles longingly): T.C.!!! You mentally diseased and defective dipshit! Not in front of your daughter!

Daughter: What's a a virgin, mommy?"

****

Anyway. My daughter wanted to see my graduating class picture and sure enough, she found my graduating year frame on a wall displayed in the main hall of all places.

Looking over the pictures, including my buddies who I still communicate with, was a slightly depressing experience. All those dreams (whatever they were) and endless promise we possibly represented....now I'm blogging.

My daughter got a kick out of it.

"Daddy had a lot of hair! And look at Patrick!"

Damn.

The day couldn't move any slower. All those people. Some familiar faces others simply punchable. I really hate crowds.

The ceremony was held in the fucking cafeteria for some reason. I have no idea why 500 people weren't placed in the auditorium. Again, being the keen little social butterfly she is, my kid wanted to know exactly where me and the guys ate. I showed her the very table where 15 of us sat;a defunct group of derelict Knights of Deformity. Eventually it got started and just when the pain of the past was starting to recede, it was announced one of the judges was my sixth grade teacher.

This in of itself means nothing except she didn't really like me for some reason - and vice-versa

"Well, she's screwed" I told my wife with my arms nonchalantly leaning back on the table. "Why" my wife asked. "She was my grade six teacher" I replied. "And" "And. She hated me." I look over at my daughter and add, "Sorry about this honey. Karma is a bitch. My wife being a teacher herself stared at me with utter contempt. "Good job, T.C." "Yeah, like I knew that my sixth grade teacher was going to be a judge in my daughter's writing contest 30 years into the future."

My daughter didn't win and being the sore loser she is (even though she is always the first to go congratulate people - one of her friends won and she ran to her and the mother to hug them) wasn't happy. I had to explain to her award ceremonies suck and mean jack shit. If you love to write, you keep writing. I further told her I found her story to be creative and surreal. Honestly. And that sometimes judges just look for safe stories. I didn't find any of the stories to be particularly original but the themes were right up a judge's ally.

I never won or win these things because I have a fucked up mind and head so the mainstream is not that into it. Not that I think I'm a great writer or I often joined contests.

She didn't give a shit.

She wanted her recognition. Her Sunset Boulevard moment. But she was also tired after a week-end at winter camp so we let her blow off steam with her little "I'm never writing again" rant.

She calmed down and the day ended.

My day at my old high school.




e.f.

Delusional Financial Expert

Last week, a local radio show had a financial expert (I forget the exact title) on as a guest.

Thus concludes this post.

I joke. I jest.

While this in of itself isn't remarkable, his perspective on investing in Montreal was.

In a nutshell, to him, everything is hunky-sexy here and that, in fact, Montreal is the bestest place in the whole wide world to be.

I could but nod and shake my head. What planet is this guy on I wondered? Has he been paying any attention?

His comment runs smack in contradiction to what I've observed on the ground talking to current and potential business owners.

It is true, the grass isn't greener on the other side and that all places have problems as he mentioned. However, none have a structural issue of language and repressive sign and cultural laws like we do here. Here, I like to invoke the 'unseen' forces of such parochial and destructive policies.

It does not take a genius to figure out that the political climate - especially under the PQ - lowers confidence in business and has hurt this economy to a point, honestly, I don't think can be measured anymore. But I rather not rehash this obvious point.

Rather, I'd like to (albeit anecdotally) point out what I've been hearing 'on the streets.'

Simply, people (specifically, non-Francophones) are fed up and there seems to be a second exodus brewing. I have not met too many people who have not said "if I could" or an 'opportunity presents itself I'm outta here.'

All agree with my sentiment that there's nothing for us here.

This may have little value in terms of votes, but I believe, our group represents and good chunk of any economy.

The problem many of us face is we're tied into businesses or hard assets difficult to unload. We're anchored but increasingly angry over handing our money to a government that actively serves against our interest whether it be through higher taxes or the language we speak.

You're an absolute fool if you're an English-speaking Quebec of ethnic origin to stay in Quebec.

Far, far more opportunities lie elsewhere minus the headache of having to deal with the fucking Parti Quebecois and the yokels in their ranks.

As for the expert, I take the opposite stand.

Invest elsewhere. The key for for any investor is STABILITY. Stability entails the consideration of how fast and safely can I get my money back. Quebec drastically lags with this perception in my view.

I concluded this and handed my money to the state of Florida investing in a business there.

The PQ wants to fuck with me, Quebec doesn't get my money. Sad but it's the only power in my hands. The last thing I want to do is hand over more of my money to those jerk offs.

Canada Wins Hockey Gold To Close Olympics At Sochi

In absolute dominant fashion I might add as they blanked, swarmed and hounded Sweden 3-0 to victory.

I have to admit, I thought they were hard pressed to repeat (the probabilities of repeating in any sport these days is tough) but not only did they win, it's quite possibly the most dominant Team Canada performance I've seen yet in international hockey. It was that strong.

Sweden were without key players in Zetterberg, Sedin and Backstrom which I'm sure would have changed the dyanmics of the game a little. However, Canada's defense was solid to the point of invincilbility.

With the women's team bagging their own gold (after an epic come back against their fierce American rivals), Canada has won the last four gold medals in two Olympics.

And to do it in Russian ice is all the more sweeter.

The win earned Canada its 10th gold medal and 25th medal at the Olympics. This puts them third behind Russia's 13 and Norway's 11 while finishing 4th overall behind those two countries and the USA.

One interesting fact is Canada were in a gold medal position 20 times second only to Russia's 24.

All in all a good Olympics for Canada. They didn't beat Vancouver's tally but they remained competitive which is key. For me anyway.

For the second straight Olympics Canada wins more gold than the United States.

Blog Of The Day: Iconic Photos

Victor Hugo's funeral.

Di Blasio Limousine Socialist; Michelle Knucklehead; Nation Of Takers

New York mayor Di Blasio is some piece of work. Classic 'fuck you because I say so and do what I want' kinda man.

From the New York Post:

"Now he’s jaywalking!

Mayor de Blasio and his security detail crossed a Brooklyn street against the light Friday on his way to his morning workout – just a day after his SUV blew through two stop signs and was speeding in Queens."

I enjoy the New York Post. There's a certain indifferent and irreverent cadence to their writing. Far more enjoyable than the boring, predictable crap the New York Times spits out. Unfortunately, Montreal has nothing comparable to it.

He speeds too.

But fret not, ole Di Blahzio will be sure to bring his brand of interventionist progressive nonsense into your lives for the good all citizens.

***

Speaking of pieces of work, Michelle Obama went on national tv and called the American youths 'knuckleheads.'



Wow.

"Well, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, young people can stay on their parents' insurance until they are 26," said the first lady of the United States. "But once they hit 26 -- they're on their own. And a lot young people think they're invincible. But the truth is, young people are knuckleheads. They're the ones who are cooking for the first time and slice their finger open, they're dancing on the bar stool."

Could you be anymore vapid?

Yeah, yeah, she's knows what's best. We get the picture. 

***

On the heels of Obama getting ready to insanely claim the age of 'austerity' is over (they've convinced themselves that because the pace of the deficit has slowed, it's time to spend, spend, spend!), Americans taking some form of welfare now outnumber the productive class.

Not good.

Americans who were recipients of means-tested government benefits in 2011 outnumbered year-round full-time workers, according to data released this month by the Census Bureau. They also out-numbered the total population of the Philippines.
- See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-bureau-means-tested-govt-benefit-recipients-outnumber-full#sthash.eSd1xzvX.dpuf

Americans who were recipients of means-tested government benefits in 2011 outnumbered year-round full-time workers, according to data released this month by the Census Bureau. They also out-numbered the total population of the Philippines.
- See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-bureau-means-tested-govt-benefit-recipients-outnumber-full#sthash.eSd1xzvX.dpuf

Americans who were recipients of means-tested government benefits in 2011 outnumbered year-round full-time workers, according to data released this month by the Census Bureau. They also out-numbered the total population of the Philippines.
- See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-bureau-means-tested-govt-benefit-recipients-outnumber-full#sthash.eSd1xzvX.dpuf

Olympics: You Can't Say That!

Interesting.

"On her Olympic mask, the Finnish goaltender Noora Raty included the words “Hakkaa paalle,” which loosely translates to “Cut them down.” It is a battle cry with roots that go back four centuries, to the Thirty Years’ War, and it has become the national team mantra, something the players recite before every game."

Yeah, but to the sensitive souls in the PC patrol - who also infest the IOC - they hear something else. They always do.

“First they told me you can’t have something that says my country’s better than your country,” said Raty, 24, a three-time Olympian. “But that really doesn’t say it. It’s just ‘cut them down,’ but then they decided no slogans or quotes.”

Dutch Speed Skating Coach Should Lay Off The Brownies

What a clown this Anema guy who coaches the Dutch speed skating team.

"You have a lot of attention on a foolish sport like American football and you waste a lot of talent, athletic talent, on a sport that is meant to kill each other, to injure each other. ... You're so narrow-minded, and then you want to compete against the world [in other sports] when you waste a lot of time, good talent on a sport that sucks," he said"

That's a whole lotta stupid going on here. The nerve of this guy. Doesn't he know Yankee bashing is a Canadian pass time?

Speaking of us thin-skinned Canucks. So, I guess Canada  - who has won 35 medals in Olympic speed skating historically - focuses too much on a 'foolish' sport like hockey according his specious logic?

He claims the Americans are narrow-minded, yet chimes in with a piece of narrow-minded stupidity himself. I love how he tries to pigeon-hole the Americans sports landscape which is perhaps the deepest in the world.

Last I checked, the Americans have a massive collegiate, professional and amateur sports machine no nation on earth can match.

In my opinion, the United States are not only the most well-rounded athletic nation excelling in numerous sports, they also have a sports fan base unlike most countries. Specifically, the crowd and hooligan violence that litters European sports is absent here in North America making our fan bases superior when it comes to the fan experience. You can safely enjoy a day at the football game and not expect Steelers or Dolphins fans to go on a rampage burning shit, chanting racist slogans, saluting despicable political figures, and even excessive violence sometimes graduating to murder so familiar to soccer. You just don't see it.

I suppose this turd was unaware that the United States boasts two other sports they historically adore and dominate: Baseball and basketball.

Why stop at that? Has he watched College basketball and football? They generate more money for the U.S. economy than speed skating could ever muster.  The U.S. has produced more champions than any nation (World and Olympics) in track and field, the greatest boxers and a steady stream of legendary tennis and golf players. They're not too shabby in motor racing (motorbiking and auto alike; having manufactured and produced their own cars and bikes I might add) and cycling. Americans have produced champions in a breathtaking amount of sports from surfing to X-games disciplines like snowboarding to alpine skiing to even ice hockey. And that's just scratching the surface. Yes, as many a darn European and South American will point out, they don't dominate or even care much for soccer. To this I say true and who gives a shit?

In any event,  they have a competitive national team and are arguably on track to becoming a consistent soccer power.

It's not surprising this came from a Dutchman. The Dutch are notorious for internally imploding in soccer. And there's Spyker:



But let's bring this back, I chuckle as I write this, to speed skating. Let's look at some statistics shall we?

All-time speed skating medals including 2014:

Holland: 33-36-34 - 103
USA: 29-22-16 - 67

Hm. 4 more gold medals over a country who is to 'foolish' to play one sport? Let's be even more blunt. America manages to be competitive in a sports that represents and uses up, what, .01 of the American sports energy?

See how ridiculous and out of whack (to say nothing of insulting and ignorant) his comment was?

Let's look at something else. All-time (Winter and Summer) medals.

Ready?

Holland: 106-116-130 total 352
USA: 1063-853-737- total 2653

Right. ONE trick pony sports country.

Honestly, I hear this crap all the time from Canadians. It gets tiresome after a while because in the end, the laugh is on those who make such silly assertions.

****

Continent Of Psychos, Cry Babies, Victims And Pussies We Have

"If our university community opposes racism, sexism, and heterosexism, why should we put up with research that counters our goals simply in the name of “academic freedom”?

In order to be 'free' and 'open' you mustn't challenge me, m'kay? 

Jesus Christ. This is Harvard? How the heck does it top the university rankings with crud like this lurking about in its papers. Mother me, slap me silly with a multi-grain, gluten-free bread.

Which brought me back to this article I read in the National Post and was sitting on unsure if I should post it.

I guess it fits in nicely with the theme of academia.

It goes back to the 'micro-aggression' (it always brings a smirk to my face) boobery at McGill not too long ago. Seems like the students have had it. Funny thing happens when you without base of fact call everyone a racist and sexist for anything and everything...they get angry.  

Anyway, the reaction to an Obama clip is retarded. Something tells me had they shown a movie about assassinating, say, Dubya would pass without much of a fuss.

Twirps.

***

I was joking with a buddy of mine laughing about our days in university. We were making fun of dumb cry baby students who couldn't accept bad grades they earned. Or how they would demand professors to tell them exactly what parts of a book they should focus on for an exam. "Read the fucking book you lazy piece of shit!" I always wanted shout. But that would frighten the little cabal of frightened special minds. Or how they would fall apart whenever an exam date was changed.

These people were going into the fucking work force. 

Armed with useless degrees combined with an inflationary sense of self-worth, the future belongs to them!

World: Venezuela And Ukraine

Watching with sad dismay what happening in Venezuela, I wondered why people still believe in socialism.

Funny how Obama remains silent. Not really given Chavez was his pal.

Ukraine, on the hand, he draws another one of his infamous lines he won't keep to.

Saving The Environment Means Higher Cost Of Living

About 20% of the price of food is tied to transportation. With green regulations imposed on the trucking industry (including a shift from reliable diesel energy to less reliable ethanol) this increases the cost of doing business which in the end, leads to higher food prices.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. We've already seen that outlawing the incandescent light bulb for green alternatives is an expensive and less efficient proposition.

They're not done.

Not by a long shot.

Slicing Up California Into Six States

Signatures have begun being collected to advocating dividing California into a multi-state region.

"Physicians are Healers, Not Killer"

 "The American physicians of pediatrics take a moral and professional stand against recent developments in Belgium permitting child euthanasia. 

It is the role of every medical professional to deliver care to ailing patients with  compassion, always striving to preserve the patient’s life and dignity. The American College of Pediatricians is appalled by Netherlands’ recent legalization of Neonatal Euthanasia and Belgium’s legalization of euthanasia for terminally ill children of any age, and alerts healthcare professionals to the possibility of similar legislation in the United States.

The concept of euthanasia is based on a utilitarian worldview that defines the value of the individual in terms of that individual’s contribution to society. This ideology relegates neonates, especially those infants with congenital defects, to an expendable status.  Dr. Den Trumbull states, “This belief system underlies many of the current proposals for the allocation of healthcare resources in America.  Even the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prescribes that scarce resources be focused on adolescents and adults under 50. The youngest who have not yet contributed to society and the oldest that have already “lived long enough” are to receive only attenuated interventions.  Under this system, certain newborn infants would be considered the least worthy to be recipient of available medical resources.” 

Physicians are healers not killers. An individual’s future quality of life cannot be predicted by caregivers. The role of the physician is to promote health, cure when possible, and relieve pain and suffering as part of the care they provide. The intentional neglect for, or taking of, a human life is never acceptable, regardless of health system mandates.  The killing of infants and children can never be endorsed by the American College of Pediatricians and should never be endorsed by any other ethical medical or social entity."

It does stink of eugenics if you ask me. 

It will find its way here and it will be the progressive states and provinces that will consider it. Just my guess.


Unfortunately,

Cossacks And Pussies

Protesting Russian punk group Pussy Riot get horsewhipped by a Cossack. 

Remember, Cossacks were smart enough to oppose the Bolsheviks only to be over run by the Soviet army. Meanwhile, Western liberals fell in love with communist shitheads.

Figure Skatings Is A Joke

Seriously, every fucking Olympics that sport is ruined by shitty, corruption.

I don't even bother watching it.

What a disgrace.

The Korean girl was jobbed.

That's all I'm gonna say about this.

Equality And Liberty Mutually Exclusive

It astounds me people still confuse equality and liberty believing them to coexist.

They don't. They can't.

There's a very simple explanation why. In a society that calculates equality as its top priority, when individual liberty and equality for the collective clash, it is the latter that prevails.

One can hide behind the notion that it's the 'democratic will of the people' but it still leaves itself open to tyranny of the majority.

We. See. This. All. The. Time.

I think it's worth noting and repeating:

If the individual is weak, the collective is weak. 

PQ Underestimating Budger Deficit

No, no, no! You don't understand. We have all these 'ifs' in place and we believe we will hit our 'If targets' because will of the people, you know?

“According to our estimates, the 2012-2013 annual deficit is underestimated by $626-million,” the report, released on Wednesday, stated. Interim provincial Auditor-General Michel Samson also questioned the government’s debt figures. “As for the net debt and accumulated deficits, they are underestimated by $8.1-billion.” The government had estimated that as of March 31, 2013, the net debt was $175.4-billion."

The AG said the PQ won't achieve squat unless, surprise, they raise taxes. It's the only way. No shit.

But the PQ say they won't raise taxes.

Yes, because I believe that bunch.

Anyway. Marois is already sharpening her knife to place at the neck of Ottawa to squeeze more coin from Canadian taxpayers to support a spendthrift Quebec economy.

Blast From The Past: Clowns

I'm glad they found this amusing.

I think Americans should embrace the fact he plays so much golf. Every round he spends on a piece of grass means he's away from Washington.

The Anti-Science Government

I mentioned the one of the themes these days is Harper's anti-science stance.

So, in the interest of balance, here are a couple of articles-  here and here -  who think why this is so.

You decide.

CBC Begins Process Of Creating Trudeau Myth

Like the media narrative down south sentimentally and emotionally succeeded in creating an image of Obama being 'the smartest man in the room' and a man who will 'transform' America thus managing to get him elected twice, the Canadian media led by the CBC attempt to do the same with Justin Trudeau.

Already, people are buying it. I blame his ability to not button up his shirt.

As I said the day Trudeau announced his entrance into politics, he will be leader of the Liberals and possibly the Prime Minister.

The plot is simple. Trudeau: A brilliant, progressive, pro-green and compassionate liberal who brings light to all. Harper: A cynical, social conservatives, anti-science (because he cut funding to some departments), evil oil drinker who eats babies. 

The CBC can go fuck itself for picking sides.

As for the choice, I like neither the Liberals or Conservatives.

I dread the day another election comes because both parties increasingly don't reflect most of my views.

Minimum Wage Hike Will Cost Jobs

From Reuters:


"Raising the U.S. federal minimum wage to $10.10, as President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress are proposing, could result in about 500,000 jobs being lost by late 2016, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated on Tuesday.

The non-partisan CBO also said that increasing the hourly wage could reduce U.S. budget deficits by a small amount for several years, but then increase them slightly in later years.
The current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour."

"Altogether, 16.5 million workers would see their earnings rise with a $10.10 wage, while 7.6 million would benefit with a $9 wage, according to the CBO report."

Obama keeps costing jobs according to the CBO, eh? First, Obamacare is expected to impact jobs and hours negatively and now this.

Hey. Bush left such a mess Obama's best efforts can't fix them!

***

I wish we'd have reports like the CBO here in Canada keeping an eye on government finance. Quebec and Ontario each raised their minimum wages ($10.35 and $11 respectively) but I haven't see any report discussing the potential impact on the economy.

Personally, I don't accept these decisions as an article of faith that it will improve our lot.

 

Canada At Sochi

Some thoughts on Canada's performance at the Winter Olympics thus far.

Going into the games, emboldened by the results in 2010 Vancouver, the COC audaciously proclaimed that it wanted to win the medal table.

Unfortunately, it isn't turning out that way. If I were a betting man, if I had to wager on the over under on whether Canada would win more than the 26 medals and 14 gold in 2010 going into the games, I'd hands down bet the under.

14 gold medals was a no-brainer - that was an all-time record.

Overall medals was more achievable but only if all things fell into place and as we've seen, they haven't. Particularly on the ice. Last Olympics Canada bagged 10 (four gold) medals in long and short track speed skating. This year a disappointing four (one gold). It didn't help our short track team has been falling all over the ice thus leaving medals on the table. Had that not happened, I think Canada had a real shot at beating 26. The country is currently at 17. Interestingly, they've been in a position to win a gold medal 13 times. That's more than any country except for Russia also at 13.

Contrast this to the Netherlands who have won a whopping 19 medals (6 gold) in speed skating! They've always been a power in speed skating but this is ridiculous - especially considering Canada has just two medals.

Let me put this in perspective. Holland has won more medals in ONE sport than entire countries have won. In fact, as I write, they lead all nations with 20 medals.

That being said, I won't be too hard on Canada this time around.

Why?

Mostly because I like the rhetoric coming out of our athletes and leaders. They want to win and say so unlike in the past when merely participating seemed to be enough. No more are our athletes proud to finish 24th. Not that it's a bad thing to finish outside a medal but my point is we shouldn't accept it so easily. This kept Canada languishing in splendid mediocrity in sports for too long in terms of medal counts.

It all changed in Vancouver. We pumped a little money into the sports program and discovered what it's like to be on top. And lo and behold we like it.

Staying on top, though, poses yet another challenge. Everyone guns for you and as we've seen, Canada is not quite ready for prime time. 

Nonetheless, I think the mentality has changed for the better. I think now Canada is committing to winning putting the country on a proper track to achieve success.

Developing a winning mentality is new to Canada and sometimes there are slight setbacks which is how I choose to view Sochi.

Everyone Gets A Ribbon!

NYT:

 "It is not with a hearty handshake and pat on the back. It is not, as some athletes suggested (presumably jokingly), with a swift kick to the rear end. Rather, the near-medalists — and a few not-so-near-medalists — receive a personally inscribed, autopen-signed, formal Olympic diploma.

“It’s kind of like the one you get for participation,” said Mercedes Nicoll, a Canadian snowboarder who finished sixth in the women’s halfpipe competition at the Vancouver Games in 2010 and was given such a certificate. “It’s really nice. I mean, it’s not the same as medaling, of course. I know some athletes who win medals like to show them around to everyone, but I don’t do that. It’s a piece of paper. I think that would be kind of dorky.”

****

The practice of handing out a ribbon for all participating athletes happened in my day.

Athletes, and I mean real hardcore athletes - like Olympians and professionals - don't subscribe to such progressive feel-good projects.

Sports and athletics are about WINNING. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, it's important for kids to get out there and play and participate but we shouldn't ignore the basic premise of competition is to beat your opponent. It's unfortunate some kids are better than others but it is what it is.

When I was in grade school a friend named Bruno (who thought I was the best player. Oh, the pressure) organized a 'who was the best soccer player' battle royale during lunch. It was to determine who was the best soccer player - me or Mario.

Mario and I later ended up team mates in our early to mid teens and formed a talented partnership on the field. Admittedly, while I had my strengths, he was probably more talented. He went on to play longer while I fell behind because of a knee injury.

Anyway. I think I lost 6-5 or something in a tightly contested game.

Point is, I had to deal with the loss and accept that there were possibly better players than me at an early age all by myself. I didn't need a teacher to come and give me a fucking ribbon. Recognition is nice but don't patronize me.

That's how sports people think and it annoys me to have to listen to non-sports people try to tell me what's a 'healthy' view on things. We hate to lose and don't need to be told 'what matters is you participated!" Maybe some kids need it but not us.

That's the value of being in sports. It teaches you so many life lessons it can't be quantified or measured in a piece of paper or diploma.

That's what these boobs who come up with all this garbage - including the increasing disturbing trend of games ending in ties - don't get. Largely because, they probably were on the losing end of things and never got over it. So they project by handing out ribbons to make sure no one is hurt. In their efforts to keep self-esteem healthy, they actually do a disservice to kids because they actually think they're better than they really are.

Nothing is worse than seeing a kid brimming with over confidence ultimately fail at a try-out. I've been my share of those and lemme tell you, when we felt someone was too good for their own good, we were relentless in putting them in their place.

I remember a time at a practice when one player was fluffing his peacocks a little too much for another player (the best player around who ended up with Team Canada). He nudged me and said, 'that guy bugs me. I have to put him in his place.'

The first chance he got he cracked him with a vicious slide tackle. He ran back to me, and winked 'Think he got the message?'

That's sports. And we mustn't - nay - can't remove this tribal reality. We should ignore outright a proposal that would attempt to do so.

I hate to lose so much that I don't play team sports anymore because I can't put in a full 100% because of my knees. So why bother?

I know people say play 'for fun' but it doesn't work with me. Nothing burns me more inside than watching someone I know I can match but can't because of my knees. So I have to, for example, let them run by me for a goal. How is that fair to anyone?

Pisses me off.

So, yeah, in my case, they can take their diplomas and shove it.