Happy 150th Canada

Tomorrow Canada celebrates its 150th birthday and it has good reason to cheer and rise to applaud it.

With all that goes on around the world we should take a moment from the political squabbling and take pride in our vast, beautiful, stable and peaceful kingdom.

Americans too should take a moment to appreciate and salute if but for a few seconds a nation that offers it nothing but order and good cheer.

We all make jokes about North North Dakota because we love but in the end, when God looks down on this crazy country he can but crack a smile.

Liberal Tax Cuts? Not Quite

I read a Liberal party pamphlet the other day titled, 'Empower the Middle Class'.

Below it was a picture of Justin Trudeau and the Minister of Finance Bill Morneau in Wonder Twins costumes tagging each other's fists shouting, 'Middle Class powers ACTIVATE!'

Let's delve right into a couple of the claims made in the brochure.

-Since December 2015, Canada's unemployment rate has decreased from 7.1% to 6.6%

This is true. Except, the rate was at around 6.5% when the Liberal came into power, spiked up and then went back down albeit to its lowest rate since 2008.

The historic national average since 1966 is 7.7%.

Which ties into....

-The Canadian economy, has created close to 250 000 jobs in the past 7 months.

Good news: This probably helped to reduce unemployment. Bad news: those were mostly part-time jobs.

In addition but no less important, Canada's anemic growth rates are well below 1% which puts it in-line with the EU area. The United States are posting stronger growth numbers but can still do better.

It will be interesting to see how this changes once the Liberal spending budget kicks into high gear. Not to mention their plans to remove income splitting in the 2017 budget.

-The other claim is the tax rate was cut from 22.5% to 20.5% claiming it 'will result in about $3.4 billion in annual tax relief.

Except those cuts are offset by increases in CPP contributions. In fact, whatever 'savings' garnered from the tax cuts are surpassed by CPP taxes. 

So we actually don't benefit from tax cuts.

As if the Liberals would put money in your pockets. Besides, it runs contrary to their tax and spend budget. 

It all ends up adding up to one reality: You won't be richer than you think under Trudeau's Liberals. 

And you shouldn't be surprised.

What In The World Is The Canadian Supreme Court Thinking?

Canada just made a weird, if not absurd ruling against Google. I notice a bunch of stories going after Google recently. Smells like a good old shakedown.

Anyway.

Tech Dirt explains it here.

Excerpt:

"For the past few years, we've been covering the worrisome Google v. Equustek Solutions case in Canada. The case started out as a trademark case, in which Equustek claimed that another company was infringing on its trademarks online. That's fine. The problem was that the lower court issued an injunction against Google (a non-party in the case) that said it had to block entire sites worldwide. Blocking sites already raises some concerns, but the worldwide part is the real problem. In 2015, an appeals court upheld that decision, and earlier today the Canadian Supreme Court agreed with both lower courts in a 7-2 decision.

The court is dismissive of any concerns about how an order from one country to block things on the internet globally might be abused -- calling the concerns "theoretical" and unproven. That may not last very long. First, let's look at the decision itself, and then the horrific possible consequences for free speech and innovation...."

"...I recognize that some Google haters are cheering on this ruling because they will cheer on anything that makes Google look bad -- and the RIAA/MPAA types are celebrating this new power over Google. But this is extremely short sighted. Enabling countries to reach across borders to censor the internet does not end well. You are giving veto power over speech to the most repressive regimes, just because you dislike a company. If that's your view, you should perhaps check your priorities more carefully. And this goes doubly for the RIAA and MPAA. Those two organizations both used to fight for free speech. They both used to fight for the ability of musicians and filmmakers to express themselves. This tool that they helped create (they were involved in this case, pushing the view that the court eventually sided with), will be turned around and used to censor music and movies worldwide -- and the legacy recording and film industries will have no one to blame but themselves."

Canada leaves its mark.

And it''s not a good one given its apparent short sightedness. 

The Russia Narrative Finally Implodes. Trump...Wins...Again.

We all knew, well the observant ones anyway, the Russia story was bull shit and probably all orchestrated by the DNC.

All it was from the onset was howling and hooting and general all around barbaric behaviour in terms of respecting a new government.

The left pushed it hard and the harder they pushed the more we find out about their indiscretions and lies.

And boy have their been lies.

First comes the story of three CNN staffers resigning in the Scaramucci lie.

The comes the possibility the FBI retaliated against Flynn.

"The FBI launched a criminal probe against former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn two years after the retired Army general roiled the bureau’s leadership by intervening on behalf of a decorated counterterrorism agent who accused now-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and other top officials of sexual discrimination, according to documents and interviews."

Oh, the irony in Flynn siding with someone alleging sexual discrimination. 

More from The Intercept and Greenwald who has been covering this and saying as much from the beginning. 

CNN, NYT, WAPO and other news services pumping this DNC stupidity = derelict of journalistic duty.

My advice for people continues to be: STOP WATCHING AND READING those broadcasters and publications.

They will continue to deceive you because, as Greenwald points out, it's a narrative to pays dividends. Problem is, it's corroding the national discourse and respect for Office of the President. 

Trump Wins Again; SCOTUS Embarrasses Court Of Appeals For the 9th Circuit...Again

SCOTUS reinstated parts of the Trump's administration's travel ban overturning the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit (a rather common occurrence - something like 90% of their judgments reviewed by SCOTUS are overturned - apparently with this activist liberal court) in a 9-0 ruling.

Long story short, Trump won. Again.

And it's a big story.

Not bad for a guy described as knowing what he's doing.

That's another wedge issue gone from the impeachment narrative. At this point, it takes a special kind of misinformed supported of the DNC to believe the Russia story and now this.

Never mind Bernie Sanders' wife is now under official investigation for fraud and Loretta Lynch is walking on thin waters too.

Not a good week for the left. The more they resisted the more it exploded in their faces.

In any event, the President has every right to do this as anyone who knows these things already knew.

Despite this 9-0 spanking, progressives still think it's a Muslim ban and unconstitutional.

Moreover, the bottom line is Arab countries don't take in the refugees. Maybe it's time they do?

The Spirit Of Liberty Has To Be Protected At All Cost

Just wanted to provide some insights as to how I arrived to the latest theme around here.

You may ave noticed this blog has taken a decided turn on two fronts: Uncompromising on matters of civil liberties and the identifying of progressivism as an illiberal ideology.

I spend hours a week reading, researching, keeping a catalog of thousands of articles and links, trying to make sense and finding the energy to write about my findings in a lucid and concise manner as best I could.

Preferably with much humour.

Despite my efforts - I believe my blog to be as good as any in terms of content and originality - it has rendered much of anything financially or popularity.

As much as I wouldn't mind more recognition, it's not what drives me.

What matters is to lend my voice to these topics I consider crucial to the advancement of Western civilization.

There's no question we have our backs against the walls as the serpent tongue of progressivism is lashing out spraying its venom poisoning the minds of individuals.

We can but withstand it, regroup, and hit back in the halls of debate. Something the left is completely disinterested in as we've seen.

I join many other blogs and websites of a conservative, libertarian and classical liberal bent. We must join forces to defeat progressivism and maintain and even restore liberties lost.

The United States gets the most focus because it is the singular most important nation of our times. Indeed Rome. It is the lone nations standing and fighting for its Constitution - the finest document where individual rights and sovereignty are concerned in world history.

If it were to be over taken, this would be a huge loss for mankind. There isn't a nation in the world willing to speak on behalf of liberty like the Americans do. If they go, exit freedom and enter tyranny.

Yes, it's simple as that.

No one can sit there and tell me what's going on in Europe is a good thing; one to emulate. Same with Canada with its unfortunate and wrongheaded approach to freedom of speech and opinion.

If Canada could just cross the Rubicon and more in line with our American cousins, we'd be so much richer for it. We have little in common with the EU in its current formation with its technocratic powers funnelled into Brussels. This is not my idea of freedom.

Europe are our cousins and we can but hope one day they begin to realize it's not them the Americans should be copying. They should be looking to the Americans.

Not the Democrat or progressive portion of America for this is nothing but European socialism wrapped in the Star Bangled Banner.

No.

They need to rediscover its liberal roots.

Canada too has a part to play in this production. Hopefully one day our Charter could be rewritten so that our commitment to FREEDOM AND LIBERTY is uncompromising. No unelected human rights tribunal scorching citizens; no hate speech laws; a rescinding of progressive ideals that only serve to aggrandize the state for the myth of the greater good.

Fighting for liberty doesn't come at a cost.

It costs you nothing - except perhaps a bruised ego - to defend the right for people to speak their minds. I loathe much of what's become of progressivism but have you ever read anything here demanding we ban or censor progressive points of view? Of course not, this would mean I am of a weak mind incapable of offering a rebuttal. People who demand to suppress people's rights are tyrants who deserve no respect. To advocate for the closing of ideas is an unconscionable assault on humanity.

Alas, a man can dream, no?

It's been claimed I am conservative and even I sometimes label myself as libertarian. Like many North Americans I'm a mix of these - minus the socialism and progressivism.

Above all, I suppose one thing I've learned after 13 years and thousands of post (most of which are original content) is that my spirit does indeed fall in line with classical liberalism.

To me, being so makes you a true humanist.

Gay Pride March Resisting White Supremacy Kick Jews Out

I swear can't make this shit up anymore.

Gays feel threatened by whites and Trump but engage in naked anti-semitism.

Awesome. Someone should explain to them the tyranny birds and the bees. At the end of the day, gender queer issues aside, these people are just insufferable, ignorant Marxists.

Democrats and their rational and sciencey base:

Why Democrats Will Keep On Losing

Jon Ossoff, the Democrat candidate running in Georgia progressives were hoping would win, lost.

Here's a quote from his concession speech:

"We all know an ominous dark cloud is engulfing America. Thank you for being some of the brave few fighting against this."

This from a guy who outspent (a reoccurring theme among Democrats who scream there's too much money in politics) his Republican opponent by a decent margin and isn't even from the district he ran in. His ads were designed to be centrist (focusing on fiscal responsibility) but as the quote above reveals, they're nothing but far left progressives.

While progressives keep acting like the world is ending banging on their pots and pans like toddlers, the rest of the country will keep on moving forward. 

I keep looking for that ONE Democrat who will say the right, mature and wise thing.

I can't find him, her...or it.

All the GOP has to do is be less stupid than the DNC and they will continue to hold power for some times I reckon. 

It's The Economy, Idiots: Let Freedom Reign Without Chains

Germany in the late 19th century and the Middle-East of the 20th century are prime example of societies who need to get out of the way of economic progress.

Or else you end up, as in the case with Germany, producing over-educated insufferable people like Marx who railed against a system that didn't reward him and with the Wahhabi strand of Islam in places like Saudi Arabia that spread a murderous death cult across the globe.

An economy is a delicate eco-system that shouldn't be disturbed by busy bodies and political twits looking to score cheap political points off it. That way, it could absorb people with too much time on their hands. Idle hands are the devil's workshop as they say.

That's why you see so many angry Arabs in slippers shouting gibberish in the streets of Arab St.

When people don't work they dream up stupidity as was the case of Karl Marx. Don't believe he wasn't influential? Think again. He was immensely influential. Marxism or socialism had plenty of schools from The Fabian Society to the Frankfurt School that have penetrated the psyche of the average North American.

Don't believe me?

How do you view capitalism? Probably along the lines of 'it needs to be chained or else', right?

That's Marxism, socialism and modern progressivism whispering their degenerate ideology into your ear.

They have too much time to ruminate about toxic crap.

One of the most severely ignored aspect of this outlook that has found its way into our value system is the idea of blaming others currently brought out to it height under the DNC.

Notice how each time a celebrity is got red handed exposing them for the light-weight, middling minds they really and truly are for various violent comments they shift blame and claim victim status.

This is a feature, not a bug, of progressivism.

Blame others.

Lost an election?

It's because of those icky deplorables.

Failed as a leader?

It's because of the previous guy.

It's a mind set tailored for losers.

And we need to cut that shit right out of our discourse.

People need to work. Not stick their faces in books that teach them to think like mindless drones setting them off into a market that sees no value in them.

A tenured professor of various 'studies' managed to find their little nest and can continue acting like fools because they get a pay check.

But what about the students they indoctrinate with their drivel?

Not everyone can be an activist.

More of a rare long shot, not many can be an activist and become President as Obama did.

But we saw in the flesh what a mediocre mind who never worked can pull off.

Not much.

All fluff and no substance.

So we need to stop thinking we can outsmart the economy and its endless permutations of intricate activities and decisions (and Mother Nature where climate change is concerned) and let it roll and unfold organically.

Don't look to put a leash on capitalism. Embrace it.

It's the only proven system that has brought mankind to its greatest heights.

Marxism/Socialism and increasingly progressivism, on the other hand, has shown mankind's darkest shadows and soul keeping the human spirit in chains.

Liberty for all. Or liberty for none.

Pick your side.

Couillard Says What More And More People Are Thinking

“Unfortunately, you cannot disconnect this type of event – terrorism – from Islam in general,” Couillard said in Quebec City."

I don't appreciate, moreover, being made to be feel as if I'm the problem here. In Europe* and the Federal Liberals, for example, are looking to crack down on free speech focusing on its own citizens rather than pouring their energies exactly where it lies: Within the Muslim ranks.

Peter Egghead in Sarnia making his thoughts public isn't the problem nor is he inciting anything. He's exercising his right to free speech.

I also don't like cast as a 'racist' while Muslims paint themselves as victims.

Statistically, while acts of violence have increased against Muslims they pale in comparison to those committed against Jews.

The most troubling thing is what I just wrote could be considered 'hate speech' in Canada soon.

And for this I can but raise a middle finger to Trudeau and the Liberals for what they're about to do to Canadian free speech and opinion. 

ALL Canadians should be concerned by this short-sighted and pathetic development. 

*European governments are realizing the path they led their populations onto and are literally paralyzed on what to do. They were repeatedly asked and warned not to let in refugees by the millions lest their nations could not properly vet and assimilate them. Led by Merkel and countries like Sweden, the left and progressives ignored the pleas of their people choosing instead to push back calling them racists.

Now Europe lays in practical tatters thanks to its foolishness.

There's massive unrest in Europe. We just saw tens of thousands of Italians march in the streets (described as 'right-wingers' by the traitorous cucks in the media) asking their government to cease letting refugees in. From the footage I saw, they were far from 'extremists'. Sure, there are elements of  the far right that will be attracted to this but notice the total absence of violence during their marches. Unlike those we see from Antifa, or anything from the progressive/socialist left where violence is at the core of their ideology and identity. 

This unrest could conceivably lead to civil war. If it does, guess who the Europeans will turn to?

The United States. The country they often like to mock. 

Thursday Afternoon Music

Make sure you're not eating jello because it's likely to put you in a trance and you may not swallow.

Critical Theory Is Cancer

Poison. Put it out of its miserable misery.

Quote Of The Day

“I’m like many Americans, in that it isn’t that we like Trump or at all trust the Republican party, it’s that we absolutely despise the Democrats and all they stand for because they’re terrible assholes who suck beyond all comprehension. We’d vote for a head of cabbage before we’d vote for a democrat. Judging by the senate, congress, governor, and state legislative races over recent years I am not alone in this feeling.

Larry Correia

SJW Teachers Coming?

Scary thing about all these idiot SJW on campuses is they may end up in education teaching.

Think about that.

Quote Of The Day

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one."

Thomas Paine, Common Sense

Fall Of The West Reason #46565866070

Been meaning to resurrect (is it still safe to use this word? You never know anymore with all the easily offended screaming screeching monkeys these days) the Fall of the West segment. I haven't been able to keep up with all the crazy stories I read. People have simply lost their minds and where they haven't they allow for ignorance to triumph over reason.

I still maintain we're wallowing in a Dark Age. Albeit it may be shallow at the moment but I fear it's about to get deeper before we're able to fish out the dead.

Here are a couple of stories that caught my eye:

Dr. Timothy J. Farnum gets to be the lead off for wanting to ban smart phones. Naturally, CNN (being the statist buffoons they are) likes the idea.

"You know, to most of the people that are saying things like, 'Well, it's a parent's right; how dare the government do this,' I would like to say, I'm not the government, I'm a parent. And us parents need to decide what is best for our kids," Farnum said. "And we can't do it alone." 

You need a village to tell your kid they don't need a Smartphone? How bad a father are you, Timmeh? 

There is no other answer but 'go fuck yourself'. How arrogant does one have to be to presume what's best for other people's children? Worse, to seek the government to enforce how people raise their own families?

How do I know he has no control?

"One of my sons, I took it away, and it was a pretty dramatic, very violent outburst," said Dr. Timothy J. Farnum, a father of five who is an anesthesiologist by training. "He was very addicted to this little machine. It kind of scared me, and that's really how it started." 

First off, his first mistake was to let his kid get addicted to it. I bet you he tried to reason with the kid and not parent him in trying to get him off it.

Also, not all kids react this way. When we took it away from our daughter she understood and went off to do other things. It's call parenting you dips hit. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean it's the same for others. 

In other words:  want others to pay for my lack of parenting abilities. 

*****

England's answer to terrorism? To destroy liberty.

May doubles down on her wanting to crack down on the Internet.

I look forward to the unintended consequences of this utterly absurd plan.

*****

Sigh. Another company decides it's a smart thing to play politics.

This time Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario (I always marvel at left-wing CEO's. The left constantly berates their salaries and how bad corporations are, yet there they are taking it in the face. Stockholm Syndrome is a helluva disease. Anyway....) promises to join the 'resistance'.

“I don’t have a lot of faith in politics and politicians right now.”

I highly doubt she was woke during Obama's reign of banal mediocrity and violence.

These people truly are dangerous in their delusions.

*****

Not to be outdone as Europe's worst when it comes to SJW idiocy that threatens liberty, Germany looks to ban 'beautiful but dumb' ads.

Germany and England. Two adversaries acting very much in the same way. Stupidly.

Other than that, do people really want to leave gauging intelligence in the hands of Germans? How are they going to determine this anyway?

****

Otto Warmbier's death is being propped up as an example of 'white privilege' by straight up racist idiots.

First up, Ebony magazine (via Reason). 

*****

I'm going to keep this for when the GOP does it to the Democrats in the future. 

So when Democrats scream about it you can show them this.

****

A new trend among the left is to use teens as pawns in politics.

It's interesting to note the default position for teenagers is progressivism. Hm. Immature and under developed minds attach themselves to an immature and under developed ideology.

Win!

Check Teen Vogue *educating* people on Native American culture.



Okay that's it for today.

I need a drink.

I know it's early but.../points to above links.

More Bad Analogies: Trump As Caesar

Literally Hitler or Caesar? 

Another day, another example of progressive ignorance is on full display. This time some play in a theatre performing Shakespeare. Long story short, the basic play here is - excuse the pun - Trump is a tyrant like Julius Caesar so, ergo, it makes perfect logical sense to stab him as a metaphor for the tyranny Caesar represented.

I would imagine to a bunch of 'wooos!' and standing ovations I'm sure.

Anyway.

I fear they mistakenly (and insultingly) took a complex figure operating in interesting times and reduced him to a caricature to fit a contemporary narrative. Here, Caesar destroyed the Republic and was a tyrant. On the other end, take Trump, assume his goal is to install a dictatorship to destroy the Republic and you have a natural analogy!

Or is there?

Julius Caesar was one of the finest military generals in world history as well as an effective orator.

Donald Trump is a businessman with no military background of no specific intellectual capabilities that he has written about. Much like his predecessor.

The former took Rome through a series of military campaigns outmaneuvering his opponents, the latter was democratically and legally elected by the people.

Right there this should end any notion of comparing the two as individuals.

If Trump resembles anyone it's Crassus - the wealthiest man in Roman (world?) history who made his money in land speculation. Not only that, both of them had a wealthy father.

But again, the analogy has its limits as Crassus was also a military man and formed the First Triumvirate alongside Caesar and Pompey.

Tyrants or tyranny don't just happen. They evolve over time.

It's been posited that Rome's fall from Republic to Empire began three hundred years before Caesar when the Gracchi brothers were killed by Senators.

But we need only go to Sulla to see a dictatorship operating in Rome. It's worth noting, in a strange twist of historical fate, Sulla had pardoned Caesar. Speaking of analogies, it's worth noting Sulla willingly ceded power once he stabilized things much like George Washington did centuries later.

We need not get into details here. Suffice to illustrate how dictators emerge and how the conditions for one to seize power sometimes are laid decades if not centuries before.

To that end, if Trump was to ever consolidate power into the Executive further, the actions of previous administrations who expanded that power through precedence have to be considered in laying the ground work for such a situation.

If one examines, for example, Obama's track record on issues of liberty, they'd find a barren forest of failures as his administration's record at SCOTUS reveals. Obama already laid down tracks of tyranny; as did other Presidents before him.

Concluding a tyranny suddenly emerged under Trump is preposterous and defies the facts of history.

Ultimately, the play seems to take the position I presume, that assassinating Caesar saved the Republic but it did nothing of the sort. It plunged the country into chaos leading to the eventual rise of a real dictator, albeit an enlightened one, in Augustus was later followed by (mostly) less abled men. Under Augustus, the only real option was to feign democratic - everyone knew it was a lie but it did lead to Pax Romana - the happiest period in human history according to Gibbons.

Chaos would result if Trump were to be killed. This was not a man who took the office though force or illegal means. He won it within the prescribed rules of American politics so people are not likely to take this lightly.

And justifiably so.

Advocating for his removal is to directly violate a legal and legitimate outcome.

Laying the seeds for civil war.

******

While I think it's only fair the left gets a taste of its own medicine as we saw with protestors interrupting the play itself, ultimately they can't win using such tactics. It's the old 'the person who retaliates gets penalized' axiom.

The only way to ensure victory is to keep fighting them in the hall of ideas. The left, egged on by the rhetoric from the DNC leadership, are doing all the provoking and committing the violent acts.

Antifa is too far removed from reality and is wallowing in abject ignorance of history.

Imagine that. A bunch of ignorant, degenerate, rabble-rousing idiots are actually comparing themselves to WWII servicemen without a shred of self-awareness that their behaviour and tactics would have them  wearing Black and Brown shirts.

SCOTUS Continues Its Impressive Record On 1A: Free Speech Wins

In a couple of Supreme Court rulings regarding a rock band called The Slants and the NFL's Washington Redskins, SCOTUS has fallen heavily on the side of free speech. If there's one thing the court has always been consistent on it's the First Amendment. The justices have always held a certain clarity understanding very well where suppressing speech can lead.

This highly nuanced understanding of the concept of freedom of speech and expression is what separates the United States from the rest of the world including Canada. In fact, Canada under the Trudeau Liberals take an opposite position on free speech believing it's the job of the government to regulate. Even on touchy subjects the Americans stay true to its principles.

It shouldn't have to be demonstrated to anyone why this is a bad idea and can lead to all sorts of problems. History is littered with examples of what happens when the government controls speech. From the Soviet Union to China to Cuba to even contemporary Europe.

The U.S. stands alone and a true beacon for countries to emulate. Alas, they seem hell bent on taking away freedom of speech and expression.

I don't think people understand the importance of the U.S. constitution where rights are concerned. Essentially, it protects people from tyranny. So if 320 999 999 out of 321 000 000 people decide you can't say something or dress a certain way or have to love according to their mores and standards, the principle of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' protects that lone person and their inalienable rights. Or else you have tyranny; be it through a dictator or a committee of bureaucrats aka totalitarianism.

So when Canadians tolerate the Liberals cracking down on speech for criticizing Islam, what they're consenting to is tyranny. The idea that balancing speech in the name of civilly is a grotesque lie. Why should one group of people have the right to suppress the rights of others? Tyranny of the majority is plain tyranny once it uses coercion to ruin a person's life over their right to freedom of speech and expression.

A culture, community, country doesn't have the right to be protected from speech that offends. This is the mark of regressive progressives. What they have a right to is to speak their minds without fear of being arrested.

It really isn't complicated nor can it be negotiated. You either have it or you don't.

The latest ruling on The Slants is the latest slap down of the Obama administration (and its woeful and dreadful record in the Supreme Court and its hostility towards the subject) who demonstrated a breath taking arrogance. Basically, the government wasn't telling a Chinese band on how to correctly behave when it came to its own culture.  And there's more where that came from (someone should have taught Obama on how to properly grip a football).

The court sided with the band. Samuel Alito, for his part, was on fire:

"The Government has an interest in preventing speech expressing ideas that offend." As Alito noted in response, "that idea strikes at the heart of the First Amendment. Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express 'the thought that we hate.'"

"It is thus far-fetched to suggest that the content of a registered mark is government speech, especially given the fact that if trademarks become government speech when they are registered, the Federal Government is babbling prodigiously and incoherently."

A society that off-loads its right to free speech and expression is not a free society but one in which is a slave to the tyrannical whims of the state.

Canadians should join their American cousins in vigilantly protecting such a precious right of individual agency. 

Entertainers, Starbucks, Paypal And Others: Do Your Jobs And Spare Us The Social Justice Hypocrisy

I don't know about you but I've grown extremely tired and impatient with entertainers and companies playing social justice warrior.

The other day a friend was at a Roger Waters concert. He said the show was fantastic but he and his apolitical wife could do without all the senseless anti-Trump nonsense that came with it.

This poses a problem for me. I'm not interested in paying good money for something only to be lectured. When I pay for something I'm paying for the item, service or product. In the case of Roger Waters people are purchasing the music of Roger Waters. Not his takes on politics. Once he goes beyond his prescribed job he's disrespecting his customers.

Sure, there are performers out there where you can reasonably assume they will get political - i.e. Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Steve Earle. All singers I've come to enjoy and respect enormously. However, my politics is on the opposite end of their views. 

Which means, I now think twice about paying to go see them.

I own a business. It would be foolish and disrespectful of me to presumptuously banter over politics with a customer. Most people are just polite and listen and so you would never know how they feel unless they just stop being your customer.

Keep business and politics separate. Just like it's rude to discuss it at the table. Once upon a time we understood these basic common forms of etiquette.

Now every public space is fair game for people to accost you with their views.

And it's déclassé. 

It lacks a certain degree of integrity and dignity and high levels of arrogance to treat your fellow man in such a manner.

Roger Waters, by plastering anti-Trump propaganda, basically told some in his audience to eat shit.

Is Roger Waters worth it?

Not to me he is; wonderful music notwithstanding.

Starbucks is another example when they thought it was a good idea to have their baristas hassle and assault their paying customers on issues of race.

The concept of a corporation acting as social justice police is an outrageous, if not creepy, development in contemporary society.

I have no idea who these people are, what their backgrounds are, where they're heading in life or what their credentials are to speak to people that way. 

Paypal is another company that has absurdly entered the social justice foray.

This time they hung their credibility on transgender bathrooms in North Carolina. They weren't the only ones. Artists, including Springsteen, promised to not go perform there. Bryan Adams, such the brave soul, stuck his chest out against the Tar Heel state only to not cancel his tour dates in....the Middle-East. Not exactly a place known for its tolerance or respect for human rights.

Either Adams is an ignorant fool or just your run of the mill left-wing individual lacking any self-awareness for their actions. 

As it were, the state of California had a similar law on the books but no one dared to threaten California. What, with all that cash to be made, right? I don't expect Springsteen to have a team of legal experts wading through all the laws in the land he may disagree with.

That would mean really being serious about your causes and maintaining a level of intellectual consistency. Rather, they do what they do best: Emote. Celebrities exist for us to sharpen our critical thinking skills.

CEO's have proven to be every bit as frivolous. Be it Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Howard Schultz before he left Starbucks, Mozilla, and Paypal CEO Dan Schulman among many others.

Paypal is tough on North Carolina. Not so much on Russia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore - not exactly bastions of LBGT rights. 

Alas, much easier to virtue signal against a small state who had every right to do what it felt right for its constituents.

Instead, they were bullied by faux-righteous individuals who left themselves open to heavy criticism. Without the double standards company's who engage in social justice would have no standards at all.

It's hard to take this seriously and it's enough to make a cynic of any intelligent person with morals. 

Maybe it's time they knock it off and, you know, DO THEIR JOBS.

Spare us your bull shit.

Thanks!

Merkel Looks To The Pope And Has Visions; Vaclav Klaus Prepares For Czechexit

While Merkel and the Pope met to continue pushing for madness, the Czechs may be the next country to leave the EU.

It's quite amazing how history repeats itself. Once upon a time it was Central and Eastern Europe who stopped the Mongol Horde and Huns from over running Europe. Today, they're taking a stand against Muslim refugees and migrants who are causing friction and in some cases wreaking havoc through terrorist acts all across Europe. 

The obscene part of this is the main powers in the EU have decided it was better to crack down on free speech and challenge people's beliefs rather than respect their will while protecting their citizens at all cost from harm.

Forming alliances?

Germany, France, the UK, Belgium and Sweden are by far the worst offenders who have blood on their hands. Sweden is still yet on another level of stupidity as ironically Stockholm Syndrome is setting in their psyche.

Italy for their part are closer in line with Central and Eastern Europe on this issue it turns out. Don't be surprised if Italy is the next big member to make noise about leaving the EU. All these countries will find an ally, I presume, in the United States under Trump. 

So. It looks like this is how the teams are forming. Germany, England, France, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, and Holland on one side and Italy, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic on another. I don't know yet where countries like Austria and Spain sit. I'm guessing Russia falls in line with the latter group. Which, in turn, probably aligns them with the United States.

To be perfectly frank, it's the former group that worries me most.

Here's one of Europe's real and true leaders on the Czech Republic leaving the EU:



*****

Angela Merkel, Europe's most aggressive leader, spoke with the Pope and he encouraged her to keep plugging and plucking away at the Paris Accord because 'earf' needs to defeat the evil Mr. Burns-Trump.

"It is a world in which we want to tear down walls and not build them, and in which we all seek prosperity, wealth, honour and dignity for mankind."

She's some piece of work. A country that lets in 1 million refugee/migrants while asking its own citizens to move to from their own homes to make space for them while arresting comedians for criticizing Islam and threatening member nations to follow their policies while causing unnecessary friction for debt repayment is not an example of 'honour'. 

It's utter disrespect for citizens. 

And it points directly to the myth of the EU as a fully, integrated, democratic entity as they're more than wiling to take fellow members to court if they don't toe the line. If anything, the immigration and debt issues point directly to its shortcomings and how difficult (if not impossible) it will be to align all members with all issues into one cohesive unit. 

In theory it's nice, in practice it can be problematic.

For example, take a look at France's protectionist posture in the the possible merge of two shipping companies. Macron is looking to block Italy's Fincantieri a French rival. I thought Europe wanted to be fully integrated, yet they apply nationalist ideology when they feel their sovereignty is challenged?

Makes you look at the Paris Accords in a different light doesn't it?

"Merkel told reporters after an unusually long, 40-minute private audience with him: “The Pope encouraged me to continue and fight for international agreements, including the Paris agreement." 

She added, 'I am the Germanic Joan of Arc!' Okay, I made that up but would you be surprised if she did?

Germany under Merkel clearly is showing it can be aggressive when it doesn't get its way. The messianic zeal she's showing on immigration and climate change is quite...I'm not sure. 

Beyond this, I don't understand why they're so upset with the United States. The USA doesn't belong to them. They do more than enough to cover Europe's expenses. 

If the EU is right about the PA, the Americans will regret it and the EU can boast until the sun don't shine. Why does their views on climate change hinge on the Americans so much? Already the data on whether climate change is man made is dubious and cloudy at best, how is one country (never mind China and India) going to change this? 

If the EU believes in it so much, they can lead the way. 

For now, the Americans did the right thing in pulling out. 

Know Your Place: Canada Is Inferior To The United States On Freedom Of Speech And Expression

When it comes to matter of free speech and expression there's a huge difference and gulf between Canada and the United States.

In fact, despite recent events, the USA is a completely unique phenomena when it comes to freedom as evidenced by the 1A while Canada falls closer in line with the European model (i.e. illegal to criticize certain groups etc.). I know the USA doesn't score as well as it should on the Freedom Index while Canada consistently ranks ahead of them but when it comes to protection of free speech, none of the countries ahead of the USA hold water to it.

And in my view, if you're not free to express yourself unimpeded by the threat of state action, then you're not a free sovereign being armed with your own moral and intellectual agency. Everything flows from there. Why in the world would an individual cede their right to speech to the state? It's irrational as it is anti-humanist.

In addition to Canada, we have absolutely nothing to learn from Europe on this front.

Nothing. They're backward; not progressive. Regressive.

If you cede speech to the government you've given the single most precious asset that makes you an individual. 

Canada = Dependence.
United States = Independence.

The best way I can express how I view the difference between the two I guess I'll have to defer to The Simpsons where Canada is represented by Mr. Skinner (controlled thought) and the establishment while the United States is more like Lisa Simpson (free thought).

Bill C-16 An Attack On Canadians: Time To Consider A Non-Confidence Motion In Parliament

Justin Trudeau 

✔@JustinTrudeau

Great news: Bill C-16 has passed the Senate – making it illegal to discriminate based on gender identity or expression. #LoveisLove

Min. Wilson-Raybould 

✔@MinJusticeEn

Proud that Bill C-16 has passed in the Senate. All Canadians should feel #FreeToBeMe

Not great news. Horrific news where freedom of expression and speech are concerned.

An abomination. 

The Liberals are criminalizing speech and making criminals of Canadians.

I'm not one to get hyper about taking down governments but it's seriously time to pass a non-confidence motion in Parliament. The Liberals are putting us on the path of the UK and Germany where they imprison or fine comedians, go after people on social media and investigate so-called hate speech. 

My wife said in response, 'well, it's okay. People will defend themselves in court and will prevail'.

Except she's not realizing a) people shouldn't be in that position to begin with and b) the process is the punishment. Some people will lose their jobs; their families over this rubbish. In doing so we will weaken our communities more than any good such a piece of thoughtless and anti-freedom legislation could bring. 

I have no interest in becoming those shit holes and Canada should not be emulating them. There is but one country on the planet we should support and that's the United States. Full stop. 

The Liberals are treading dark waters with this while they continue to plunge the country into debt.

****

#loveislove?

Party of science folks. Oh, where is the science backing their decision? Oh, that's right. There isn't any.

What in God's name is wrong with the Liberal  Progressive party of Canada? 

*****

This sort of attack on liberty can only come from a social justice warrior mind like Trudeau and his merry band of vacuous MP's. 

How anyone thinks protecting one group at the expense of another through punitive measures backed by dubious science is a good idea is beyond me. 

The progressive left are absolute grotesque monsters when it comes to civil liberties.

To get an idea where the progressive ethos will land us just watch this from Evergreen:

Northern Europe And The EU Should Be Ashamed And Embarrassed; Italy Shows The Way

As the West looks on in horror at the faux-religious murderous rampages of a bunch of Muslim lunatics, I fear Europeans are not reacting well to it at all.

Rather than strengthening their resolve and resigning themselves to the facts of reality in their midst, they seem to be settling into a mindset of acceptance.

What they're showing terrorists is they have no pride in their people, communities and country.

Whenever I hear Angela Merkel double-down on her immigration policies and Teresa May looking to curb free speech for citizens who are not the problem, I see two weak countries with no backbones.

Worse, in the case of Merkel, she takes an aggressive posture demanding other countries follow suit.

Equally as troubling is the EU's willingness to take members to court if they don't toe the line.

Ladies and gentlemen, what your seeing is friction and we all know how friction can explode as history has taught.

And the main players in this absurdity are Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, the UK and France.  The UK in particular have the grotesque added feature of having on its once majestic resume the act of not protecting children from rapists as the scandals at Rotherham, Oxford and elsewhere have shown.

They say England hasn't been invaded since 1066. I'm beginning to wonder if that's true.

Germany in particular is playing a large part in this. Antagonizing countries over immigration while demanding repaying of debt may seem on the surface as a responsible nation simply asking for its money back is actually a country stirring up trouble at the wrong time. They say Germany is an 'intelligent' country but is it a wise one?

These two countries, along with France, have an image of being two great strong nations but in the face of terrorism they look like nothing more than weak little people bullied by an even weaker entity.

The time for discussion and moral equivalence has passed. European nations have to stand up and be accounted for by protecting its citizens lest this madness continues indefinitely.

It's not xenophobic to defend your lands. On the contrary, it's a call of duty.

One country that suffers no existential confusion or delusions of fabricated moral dilemmas on the issue of Islamic terrorism is Italy. The political correct impulse is (thankfully) muted and kept at bay in Italy. When I brought up the idea of 'moral relativism' to a friend over there, the concept was completely alien to him because Italy has not succumb to its corroded ideas.

The perception in the media of Italy is generally a negative one. They rarely ever show the positives of this country. It is neither weak nor is it a PIIG. It's a country that's once again showing its more organized neighbours on how to do things right when it comes to protecting its identity.

Italy is a fascinating country on multiple levels. A high IQ nation with a cultural patrimony that is almost unrivalled in the world. A country that has been at the forefront of civilization for centuries has seen the magnificence of mankind as well as its debauchery. It has seen all the cycles of history: Glory, wealth, empire, pestilence, famine, invasions,

America has a natural connection to England. But it's not from them they must take their cues.

It's from the Italians. And Eastern/Central Europe.

A conversation I recently had with a French-Italian national about Italy with embedded links:

"Italy is the best at fighting terrorism. They don't erect notions that confuse the task at hand. They take ISIS at face value and approach it accordingly unlike in Germany, France and England. I don't know what those countries are thinking but they have no excuse. The killers were citizens and should have been caught before the act. We all share information with each other plus all the technology available should make rounding them up easier. Italy's fight against the Mafia over the years meant they acquired knowledge and techniques used in the fight against terrorism which is why they've managed to avoid what we're seeing in the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, countries have generally been naive and short-sighted in all the data the Italians send them about the Mafia whose power extends across Europe; the world. I wonder who are the 'smart' ones here. Then there's the dicey matter of allying with the Mafia - Camorra, Cosa Nostra and 'Ndregehta. Short of it, they're killing terrorists behind the scenes and cooperating with police where necessary. They have no interest in terrorists encroaching on their territories." 

I can imagine a scenario where the police tell them to hand over suspects the mafia send body parts. When the police said why they did that they reply, 'you didn't specify dead or alive'.