Odd Decision By Quebec

This. This is just bad karma.

CBC:

Quebec's energy regulator has turned down a request from Newfoundland and Labrador to intervene in an ongoing dispute over pushing power from a proposed hydroelectric megaproject across Quebec's power lines.

Nalcor, Newfoundland and Labrador's Crown-owned energy corporation, has been locked in a dispute with Hydro-Québec over the transmission of power from the $6.5-billion proposed Lower Churchill development in central Labrador.

Regulators. No kidding.

I don't get why they just can't hammer a deal that's fair and just to all. I mean, Quebec is always demanding Canada treat them with respect too, right? It's not like they didn't benefit from a sweet deal back in 1969. To say nothing of equalization payments we get. All this tit for tat bull shit only makes Canada look dumb, greedy and immature.

Under that deal, negotiated in 1969, Hydro-Québec purchases power from Newfoundland and Labrador at inexpensive rates and pockets profits from resale to other markets.

Pockets the rest.

What I'd like to see - and it won't happen - is a privatized Hydro or at least allow competition into the market. That way we'd see just how smart they really are. It's easy to be businessmen of convenience when you're a crown corporation.


Let's not forget Quebec was all over Copenhagen like a stripper on a greased poll thumping its environmental chest. And now it prevents Newfoundland from providing clean energy to residents in the Atlantic, Ontario and Northeastern states.

Which makes me wonder, given the decision, what does NAFTA have to say about this and how will this impact Ontario/Quebec and U.S./Quebec relations?
Let goodwill prevail and give Newfoundland fair access to Lower Churchill for cripes sakes.

Nfld shouldn't waste too much energy - excuse the pun. Lower churchill is a bonanza waiting to happen. It may take longer and cost more, however, it may be in Newfoundland's interest to do it alone. Go through the States if you have to.

Canada. Parochial. Petty. Pathetic.

The Commentator: Canada's Blog

Now that the Montreal Canadiens have unexpectedly made it to the Conference final, I'd like to make my peace with the headlines over the last couple of weeks. Apparently, the Vancouver Canucks had been ordained "Canada's team" by various papers west of Montreal. As if the Habs weren't even playing. Pft.

Let's get one thing straight once and for all, Canada. While I'm no fan of the lame politics that permeates the organization and some in the media, the fact is the Habs are the most storied and decorated hockey franchise in the world. 24 Stanley Cups and 32 finals in 101 years of hockey. Only the Yankees and Celtics (and Packers, Bears, Steelers and Cowboys) sit next to them on the pantheon of great teams in North America.

Not the 'Nucks, not the Flames, not the Senators, not the Oilers (despite the legendary teams of the 80s) and not the Leafs; 13 cups notwithstanding.

The Leafs and Habs possess the most fans across the country but in terms of excellence, nobody approaches the Montreal Canadiens.

Canada's team that remains standing.

Capiche?

Besides, how does one determine exactly who gets to be "Canada's" or "America's" team? Who cares?

God Is God

Heard that some left-wing nut claim "God is a democrat" after 10 people lost their lives on an oil rig explosion. Implied was that those pricks deserved to die because they were wrecking the environment and God may sure of it. The mere fact this person had the guts to showcase her idiocy on a life radio program with such a retarded statement says all you need to know about her. Capitalizing on death to score a cheap political point. To which point she went on to the standard "blame Bush" routine. Since we're on the conspiracy platform, why not start one where Obama blows up oil rigs to further his green agenda?

Then the left wonders why they're ignored by moderates. Liberal radio personalities are equal to the task of those on the right. Only difference is they're way less entertaining.

Anyway. As cap & trade talk heats up, I wondered about the cost of diesel gas and how that would impact transportation in North America. What impact will that have down the road? It can't be good.

Darwinism shows up in the unlikeliest of places:



During the 1994 World Cup the great Bulgarian soccer player Hristo Stoichkov said (at least I think he said it then. No troubles, he did say it) "God is Bulgarian." I turned to my buddy and replied, "if that's true we got it all wrong."

Confessions Of The Commentator

I buy all kinds of stupid shit. I'm one of those guys who "runs" in to get coriander and leaves with a $50 bill 15 minutes later. Why, just the other day I bought cone shaped coffee filters. Not sure why. I don't drink filtered coffee. Just espresso and the coffee machine we have has a built in filter. I bought it because I figured you always need a cone shaped item in your house. Meh.

Speaking of cone shapes, I used to have a cone head. It turned quite the heads at shopping malls.

How An Apostrophe Almost Destroyed An Entire Language

Driving along a lonely but crowded road I came to a red light and did what all people do at a red light. I picked my nose. As I dug in, the famous McDonald's golden arch came into my field of vision. I observed the apostrophe 's' and recalled one of Quebec's most embarrassing law in the hey day. You know which one I'm talkin' 'bout Willis and Tootie. Remember at the height of the insane language paranoia and the little twirps in power demanded one of Montreal's landmark department stores Eaton's drop the apostrophe 's' because it signified an English symbol?

Yeah that one. It single handidly saved the French language. Let's celebrate!



The irony I thought (as I contemplated chomping down on a shnott) was how the word "Mc Donald's" escapted the moronic law because of franchise laws or something and yet...yet, no one fricken cares.

More importantly, it's proof an apostophe can't take down a language.

Knuckleheads. All of them. The ones who came up with it.

I decided to flick the sucker out the window. It hit and cracked the windshield of the car behind me. I sped off. Is it a hit and run?

Graham James In Mexico But Remains Under Investigation

The most notorious hockey coach in Canadian hockey history, Graham James was found guilty on 350 counts of sexual assault and sentenced to a paltry and laughable 3 1/2 years. He was incomprehensibly pardoned by the Parole board causing rightful outrage for Canadians including this blog.

His most famous victims of course were former NHLers Sheldon Kennedy and Theoren Fleury.

James is now living in Mexico but is still being investigated by Winnipeg police for other sexual assaul crimes as more victims step up. The CBC found him. Watch the video here.

Criminals all head for Mexico. At this point, isn't that a little predictable? Shouldn't they go further south and deeper into Central and even South America?

Those Crazy Dutch

Prostitute sues her former school for becoming a prostitute.

And then her pimp takes her to court for slander. Translated poorly by Google from Dutch.

Funny (in a nervous way) as this is, don't laugh. I can totally see this coming here.

From what I understand, according to my friend in Holland, public opinion is not in favor of this.

Thankfully.

Germany's Role In The EU

Speaking of the great German nation, I've detected an irony in the image of the strong German.

After WWII, Europe was for all intents and purposes destroyed. Finished. The torch carrying Western civilization was passed on to the United States. Europe, given its pride and glorious history, weren't quite ready to give the torch so easily and decided on creating the European Economic Community consisting of the originals: Germany, Benelux (Belgium and Holland), France, Luxembourg, and Italy.

The way I see how the Germans were talked into it is this way. Already a pariah on the world stage, what with "starting" two of world history's bloodiest and costliest wars, Germany was also in economic shambles but possessed the added problem of being despised. The French, not interested in being over run and bent over by the Germans any longer, decided the best way to keep the Germans at bay is to unite with them in a common market focusing on common interests. Notably in countering growing American power.

It was a no-brainer for France. It got to keep a close eye on Germany plus it could claim they were helping to foster a movement last tried under Charlemagne who tried to unite all of Europe under the Holy Roman Empire. His model was Rome. Equally if not more important, it was a great way to pretend to still being a great power and a thorn in the side of the Americans.

Everybody happy? France yes. Germany was just a dumb big dog following hoping to be loved. Britain no. The French under De Gaulle deliberately kept the UK out. While the English whined about it, the interesting thing is they never really were sure if the wanted in in the first place! Some believed their destiny lay with the United States (and its satellites Canada and Australia).

The EEC eventually morphed into the EU which then impressively spawned the Euro. On both counts, I think, Germany gained less out of it. They were pulled into the EU at which point weaker nations were benefitting off their backs (for Germany is the economic engine of the EU) while Germany found itself as the babysitter.

Fast forward to today and how Germany keeps getting the short stick. I can't see how it's Germany's business to bail out Greece. France I get. Italy more so. These are Mediterranean countries. In the case of Italy, a cousin which shares part of its heritage with Ancient Greece. But Germany? They were again played like a fiddle under the guise of "catastrophe if we don't do anything" crap.

***

Speaking of which (again) of "we must act" mots de morts, Obama was lecturing Spain that they must get their financial house in order. Now that's rich. The one guy who set America's spending policies into unsustainable overdrive (he may go down as the President who put the stake in the heart of American liberalism and tax and spend theories) is telling another country how to run its affairs?

Hey, I happen to think Spain is one of the few poor countries that actually didn't make a mockery (hello Greece) of being part of the EU. It did manage to improve its image and economic affairs. From what I hear, they also have a competent central bank.

If anything, Mr. President, they probably should be lecturing you!

Question On Welfare

I left this question on SE:

Who creates the demand for a welfare state? Politicians or citizens? Or both?

And why?

The first welfare state in the Western world came by way of Otto von Bismarck (still one of my all-time favorite names. So strong) in Prussia. In this way, the answer to the question is politician. So if it's correct to assume they start it using the Bismarck or even FDR model, then it follows some but not all citizens will like it and demand for more. At which point the vicious circle begins since politicians will have an incentive to oblige in order to get votes.

Buddy Holly's Uncomfortable Days With Decca

Picked this up at Skeptical Eye.

Imagine that. The great Buddy Holly having to beg to gain control of his own work and failing! Screw the record labels and all their crying about downloading. What comes around goes around. They literally made a fortune by taking advantage of musicians who didn't think or care to read the "fine print."



The story of That'll be the Day:

Quebec On The Wrong Side Of Regulation

Who would have thought that the words "regulate" and "Quebec" would be mutally exclusive on creating a national securites regulator?

Note to self: Canada is the only G7 country without a single national federal securities regulator. Not sure if this is a bad or good thing (thought I would say it's needed and actually good for investors) but it does make doing business with Canada much harder as there are 10 different regulators to deal with. Quebec claims it will hurt our economy (you know, the one which takes in more than it gives out to Canada, the one with the highest concentration of union members on the continent, the one with where the "shining" light or darling is a corporate bum in Bombardier and a nationalized outfit monopolizing electricity in Hydro- Quebec, the one that lost all its major corporations to Toronto in the 1970s because of the political situation and the one that no longer has the Montreal Stock Exchange - that one) or what's left of it. Hate to say it but it's already damaged.

Now. If Quebec was a bastion of free market principles where the intrusion of the Feds would disrupt a good thing, then yeah, count me in as supporting this. But that's not the case here.

I witnessed first hand how counter-productive the Canadian financial markets are. When I was a broker Albertans weren't licensed to trade in Quebec and vice-versa because of some stupid, parochial battle played between two - all things considered - tiny minnows on the world stage. Just dumb. What do you expect from a country that still has inter-provincial barriers and is still "studying" how to reduce them. Sign a free trade deal with the Americans, Mexican and Chileans but among us we act like independents. Lame.

Once again from the top: What hurts Quebec, and everyone outside these borders knows it, is our own insularity.

Keep those transfer payments coming in though!

The Many Ways To Make Money In America

This is classic.

An illegal immigrant since deported back to his native Barbados got $145 000 from the state of New York.

I imagine 145k is good coin for the gent and can go a long way in Barbados.

*Shakes head, sips Camomille*

Galiani In The Written Flesh

Rob over at Wind Rose Hotel (link in sidebar under Italy blogs) was kind enough to provide the link to one of Ferdinando Galiani's works titled Dialogues sur le commerce des blés, (1769). Don't let the title fool you, it's a most engaging dialog between Le Marquis de Roquemaure and Le Chevalier de Zanobi  discussing what caused the famine in Rome at that time.

I've only read the first 25 pages but I do like the reasoning and logic of the writer.

As I wrote in my comment to Rob: It's interesting to note the discussion about Rome and the mention of Naples. The 18th century wasn't kind to Italy but it did belong to France. I also like the line of thinking about the misapplication of experiences to solve modern problems.

Yes, the book is in French. If you can translate it do so. It's a good read.

It's One Vision Of Canada

"For the past 150 years nationalism has been a retrogade idea. By an historic accident Canada has found itself approximately 75 years ahead of the rest of the world in the formation of a multinational state, and I happen to believe that the hope of mankind lies in multinationalism."

Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

I can accept the first part of the quote. Not so sure about the rest of it though. I loathe nationalism with all my heart. It is a retrogade idea. As for multinationalism is that code for multiculturalism? If so, not a fan of the concept to the extent it has to be written down and enshrined in the Charter. Canada is not the first and will not be the last "multiculturalnational" state.

Discuss.

Facts About Goldman Sachs

Great, great article about Goldman-Sachs at The Big Picture. Thanks to Looney Canuck for the heads up.

God I love when people lead me to good stuff.

One way to look at what they did is to look at how recipes for food products can be bastardized. For example, stating you're olive oil is 100% Italian but take 20% from Tunisia and 10% from Turkey because it's cheaper and widens your margins. It "is" 100% Italian - if you consider just the Italian part. It also happens with hamburgers, wine and anything you care to add.

GS did the same with all their junk and hedge games. I don't think much of any argument defending GS can be made (I think) but I still think the government playing the "I can't believe it" line is a bit rich considering how close in bed they were with these dudes.

Just another night on Wallshington St.

Speaking of typical nights with these old dudes:

Ici Ont Commerce En Francais Part Deux

Quebec is hilarious sometimes. I was out shopping today. I hit two places that were littered with those idiotic "Ici ont commerce en Francais" stickers. Really? I took one look at the sticker and didn't even bother to set foot in it. The first place was Zellers. The second was Le Marche (I forget the name) which sells vertical blinds and the like.

Fine. Be like that. Pft.

Thankfully, competition remains (for now) and so I went to the competitors (in this case Fabricville) who professionally and courteously served me while having no problem speaking the dreaded English language. It was a pleasant give and take scenario. That's where my money goes.

Stick a frivolous ignorant sticker on your window and I'll stick it back by not giving you my money.

Why would a company, a place of business that should be blind to such stuff, do that? Do they not stop and think "Well, maybe I may offend a few people and it may very well cost me $200 in lost sales?"

Meh. Alas, that's how I would think. Obviously, some don't.

***

That's why I no longer support the Montreal Canadiens - despite their excellent run in the playoffs. When the president of one of the best brands in sports comes out and essentially says, "you have to speak French because 66% of our market is French" he alienates me in the following way.

The best available talent is overlooked and bypassed. All that does is keeps you wallowing in mediocrity because you've cornered yourself to one segment of a talent pool. If the Yankees or an NFL team pulled that shit they'd be rightfully attacked for discriminatory practices. The media would wreck them to smithereens.

In world soccer, managers of different nationalities are hired at clubs all the time. They learn the customs and language of the team they represent. So why doesn't Le club hockey Canadiens accord the same chance to a non-French speaking candidate; especially if that person is coveted?

Imagine if the Yankees said, "Well, our market is increasingly Spanish speaking ergo we must have a manager who speaks Spanish." Or if the past to reflect its demographics, "Well, given we have so many Germans and Italians our manager must speak those languages." Dumb, huh? I doubt New Yorkers would accept such parochial logic?

But here in Montreal, Quebec (partly because we're shielded by language and that no one in the States really cares what goes on up here) we get away with it. No ACLU here. Human Rights Commission here in Canada? Bah. They're busy attacking freedom of speech.

The majority of people don't look at it this way but I do. So. Pft. Convince me the errors of my ways.

Beaut Of A Quote

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."


"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Thomas Jefferson.

Save Us, Save Us!

Just thought of something. With Obama on a rampage to set the world straight - in his image of course - including the financial markets - with the same a-holes who created the mess. Everyone's ka-chinging along - it occured to me that if he feels innocent people are being "bilked" then why isn't he going after Hollywood or Television networks as well? I mean, don't they all employ some measure of deceit to rake in ratings? They may not "bilk" people in the same way unscrupulous Ponzi schemists posing as investors do but do they not rob people of something more? Like their minds? Nothing on TV; not Court Tv, not reality TV, not Moore documentaries, is real. Where are the calls to "regulate" them? Should they not be forced to produce good stuff? Maybe we can create a new bureacracy equipped with the "Movie police" to make sure they conform to basic standards - sorta like how we want to regulate, like, effen everything.

Bah.

They all try and pull a fast one on us for they too are "greedy" in that they make millions feeding us crap and lies.

Screw them too.

The Dutch Forever Grateful To Canada

Holland continues to honor Canada for the liberation of their country in World War II.

It really is remarkable to see how the Dutch maintain clarity about the war. It looks like they will always teach their students about the sacrifices made by allied troops in Europe. Too bad here we do little to keep the spirit of our role in liberating Europe alive.

Still to this day Holland sends Canada tulips as a token of their gratitude.

Forge On I Must

Sometimes I wonder who frickencares about the opinions expressed on this shitty blog? Actually, I often say this. Who cares? Nobody cares! But then I watch Chris Matthews and figure if that guy can make a lot of money making a living by just talking nonsense then my free pontifications don't seem so pitiful.

The irony in Matthew's assertions in the linked piece is while he claims hedge-fund managers "aren't productive" given the nature of their jobs, the same can be said for his existence as a talking head. After all, what do commentators actually produce?

Italian Influences On The Austrian School

Talk about forgotten economic theorists. I wonder how much discussion is given - if at all - to the thinkers like Ferdinando Galiani in Italy mentioned in this article.

Isolated excerpt:

"Galiani believed that government generally should not interfere in the natural workings of the economy. A government that attempts to stimulate all sectors of the economy, agricultural and industrial, stimulates nothing. Stimulation means that a particular sector is given preference over the other sectors, and how can one sector be given preference over another if all sectors are stimulated?"

A question that still goes unanswered these days. In a similar vain, why do some companies in certain sectors keep getting subsidies at the expense of others? Where the government pours in, it comes out somewhere, no? Who's on the hook and when will it be demonstrated once and for all what the benefit is? "Saving jobs" has become the mantra for those who espouse giving money to companies. I want to see more studies attempting to proce this as opposed to just being accepted as normal procedure.

Searching For Truth About The Gulags

This is a valiant (and useful) attempt by the author to dispell traditional understanding about the Gulags and how many prisoners and deaths took place during the Soviet Empire between 1929-1953.

While much that is mentioned may be accurate (the Nazi angle and how media integrates itself through manipulation of information for example) - if not interesting - it still doesn't sufficiently debunk fully the inherent injustice of the Gulags. Blaming economic conditions alone may not be enough. In the end, it becomes a game of statistical semantics. No matter how you dice it, many people were taken to the Gulags and millions (about a million according to the Soviets) did die. What's a million here or there in a revolution and in times of war?

Speaking of Soviet historiography (by way of the Central Committee), the fact remains some (if not most) of it is dubious as to the nature (ie. to conform to ideological bias with the state) of how they collected and reported information to be transferred into historical accounts.

McGill University Raises Tuition For MBA

It's about fricken time.

Students were paying $2000 per year to for such a privilege despite the actual cost to run the program is around $22 000. Guess who paid the difference?

McGill's Desautels school of Management wants to raise tuition for Quebec students to increase self-financing and better fund its programmes.

Courchesne doesn’t agree and has threatened to withdraw $28,000 in funding annually for each student enrolled in the programme.

An actual MBA degree costs about $22,000 per student, per year. Quebec residents who enrol in the program pay only a fraction of that, and the government subsidizes the rest

Desautels is right and Courchesne is wrong.What else is new with the education ministry and all their follies? If I'm McGill I tell the government to stuff the money where the sun don't shine. They can do better without having to be slaves to the government to justify their every move. In the process, students who truly deserve and want the program will pay for it like they do any service or commodity - monthly payments. Nothing wrong in that.

Misguided Thinking

To call off off shore drilling because of an oil spill - dramatic and unfortunate as it is - is an over reaction. It's like a sports league caliing off the season because of an inury to a couple of players. Fear is overcoming common sense. Drilling, from what I read, is an incredibly complex process. All things considered, the track record of oil spoils - or lack thereof - is pretty good over the last 50 years.

The environmental fervor has the upper hand now. It drives the mindset of politicians; especially President Obama and Governor Terminator in Cally-fornia.

Burgerville Montreal

I didn't realize the founder of 'Dic Ann's' burgers - an institution here in Montreal  passed away in 2009.

We are proud of our achievements, particularly in serving a quality product, at a fair price and at a quick speed. In 1987, we achieved a world record, serving 1,306 cheeseburgers in 1 hour, each with custom condiments, all dressed by a single person. In 1998 at our St-Jérôme location, another world record was set when we served 1,542 hamburgers in one hour. Also, in 2006, we prepared what we believe is a world record for the largest order, for 800 hamburgers and cheeseburgers. The order was placed by “Location Turbo”, and prepared at our Pie IX location.

Dic Ann's is fanous for its paper thin burgers topped with their secret sauce.

From Wiki:

The name, Dic Ann, is an amalgam of the founder's names, Dominic "Dic" Potenza (1918 - 2009)[5] and wife Ann Collecchia. Potenza was born in Century, West Virginia and was raised in Utica, New York. "Mr. Dic," as he was known died on October 28, 2009. During the 1940s, he worked as a head-waiter in the supper-club restaurants in the Rochester, New York and Buffalo, New York areas. It was at one of these clubs that he met his future wife, a jazz accordionist who performed using the stage name of Ann Russell.

If you ever find yourself in Montreal head to Dic Ann's and simply say "hamburger all-dressed" at the counter and let them do the rest. You may have to eat a couple of them.

***

Speaking of classic burger joints founded by Italians, Dilallo Burger - home of the Buck Burger -  in Ville-Emard (where my mother grew up. Incidentally, also Mario Lemieux) was founded in 1929 and continues to thrive today.

For more burger info check out the Montreal Burger blog.

Populist Mumbo-Voodoo-Jumbo Drives Democrats

Personally, Obama's mxing of class warfare and identity politics leaves me in discomfort. I automatically twitch when I listen to him speak about Wall St. and it bums me out. The scary thing is that people actually buy into his populist drivel. After all, it's all Wallshington St. now.

During the health care reform debate it was charged that conservatives were breaking all sorts of critical thinking laws. Yet, the same people (professors) who charged this are silent on Obama's bull shit about business. Sometimes I listen to him and his cronies and it boggles the mind what this guy is saying.

What Goldma Sachs (the folks who, you know, politicians willingly took campaign funds from) did was not against the law per se. Unethical? Perhaps. If they broke rules or misled people (and it looks like they did) then penalize them and move on. Assuming it's an isolated case. As for manipulation of the markets, hate to break it to you but that happens every single day on a multitude of levels across not just the markets but in our daily lives. Despite this, the markets have persisted in all its imperfections. 

Ethics - or lackthereof - and risk are part of the whole process. Buyer beware for cripes sake. Have we become so pathetically weak of mind that we need the government to regulate everything at every turn? Is it that much of a stretch, given Obama's rhetoric, that he wants the state to have more control of the markets?

(Excessive) state regulations on the markets are like ragweed. Pull one out and the next day another pops up elsewhere. I don't defend - and never will - bad behavior, however, the way the government is looking to make Wall St. the sole scapegoat leaves me with two words: Cui bono?

My father used to always tell my mother: Stop babying the boys. Let them get hurt and then they'll learn.

Guess who was right in the long run?

But this is just a personal take.

From Capitalism Magazine:

The housing crisis of 2008 and the recession are products of political mismanagement, not Wall Street fat cats. It was government that coerced banks into loaning billions in the form of mortgages to unstable home-buyers whom no lender would have touched with a 39 and a half foot pole otherwise. It was government that, through the federal reserve, manipulated interest rates throughout the 90's and 00's to keep the housing orgy swinging. It was government that spent away the wealth of the internet age on unsustainable entitlements, bungled adventures in the Middle East, and Alaskan bridges to nowhere. It is government that is spending still more on the harebrained stimulus package, bailouts for GM and Chrysler (the former recently demonstrating mind-boggling cynicism with the lie that it has paid back the American people) and ObamaCare. And it is government that will bankrupt this country once socialized healthcare takes full effect, entitlements devour trillions each year, and the private sector is bled dry of every last job by a VAT, regulations, mandates, and progressive taxation.

Of course, there's no way he can prove health care will bankrupt a nation - a more appropriate angle is it can put a severe strain on it. Moreover, I wouldn't absolve the private sector completely, but I do feel we under estimate the corrosive  role of government in the process. On the other hand, one can offset this remark with successful measures passed by the state to make the markets more "functional." What those can be I'm not entirely sure. In other words, it's a counterfactual.

Giving Blood

Just came back from donating blood at Hema-Quebec. It was my first experience offering my blood to a stranger I'll likely never meet. It went well. Feel slight light-headedness but nothing to complain over - for now.

My veins are nice and thick so it only took six minutes. The nurses, after asking my nationality, couldn't stop gushing about Italy and how much they love it and so on. At one point, they were talking to one another trading family experiences. "O, sta morendo qui!" (I'm dying here!) I wanted shout. I thought better of it. Not sure if they'd get my sense of humour.

It was a wonderful experience. The nurses were very caring and made sure I was ok before I left. I like the way they were confident I'd be back. We'll see.

Let's see, I've now given blood and ticked "yes" on the back of my driver's permit as an organ donor - what? Like I'm gonna need it when I'm dead.

Call me The Humanitarian from now on.

Gas And Oil Prices DO Impact Personal Income

Dunno where these guys have been but during my time in investments, it was obvious to us there was a relation between personal income, oil prices (which serves as a tax) and debt.

I don't quite get folks who rail against tax cuts and consider cutting them to have been an abysmal failure in Canada in the USA. What are they proposing? Increase them? For what exactly?

Less taxes, more in your pockets. What's so hard to comprehend?

How does gas act as a tax? When I put gas in my truck at around $1 a litre it would cost me $70. Say, I did this three times a month. I spent $210 a month on gas. Now, with the gas tax increase, for equal frequency I pay $80 or $240 per month. That's $30 less in my pocket.

Simplistic sure, but my personal economics is not complicated. I line up the numbers, compare them to the past and deduce my own private economic universe.

***

Look. It doesn't take a genius to know things are not good economically including in Canada. I was talking to a courrier and he was telling me how orders have been dried up for nearly two years now. No one is moving merchandise. It's a massive crunch. Why do I point to courriering? Because they're in the middle of the action. They deliver to all sorts of industries. They're in the trenches and are one of the first to see when the economy retrenches and comes back. For now, volume is off significantly.

Should U.S. Bail Greece Out? Dumb Question

The answer has to be a resounding no. The first people to help Greece out are the Greeks themselves. For such a proud nation, one would think they would. If austerity measures (unfortunate shock treatment) prove elusive, next in line should be the EU. Along cultural lines it should technically be the Mediterranean nations but of that bunch only Italy and France really have the financial means to do so. In the case of Italy, it's less probable given its own fiscal problems. That leaves Northern Europe and Germany in particular. Either way, let them figure it out.

Then there's the whole notion of alliance. Greece hasn't exactly been pro-American over the years. Part of the reason, I reckon, is because of America's close ties to Turkey.

The only rationalization that could apply to all, and this is a macro angle, is to consult Ancient Greece's legacy and its contributions to Western civilization. In this way, all of the EU and America could argue they have a vested interest in maintaining Greece's solvency.

Nonetheless, America is in no financial condition to bail other nations. Charity, after all, begins at home.

It's going to be interesting to see how all this plays out if it does indeed mean a financial reconfiguring of the system.

***

I hear a lot about how this is the result of over spending by governments but I hear very little about why governments spend excessively. No doubt corruption plays a role but how did we in the West - and I group us all in the same boat for we pretty much have similar structures and policies tailored to fit our respective nations - become so addicted to "tax and spend" ideas?

Moreover, while the people of Greece are likely to get hit hard and blaming incompetent politicians and tax evaders may be justified, they shoulder some of the blame as well. Populations too demand unrealistic services from government and politicians are all too willing to provide them so long as they bring votes. Blame can go in circles but everyone had their bit to play in it. The EU has effectively subsidized the living standards of Greece. Tick, tock finally rang. And the shitty thing is the people will pay.

Tracking Tolerance In Western Culture

Classically Liberal traces the evolution of tolerance in the West. It's a long post but informative:

Commerce rewards tolerance by increasing the number of trading possibilities. Trade undermines prejudice in all areas: be it religious, ethnic, racial or sexual. Bigotry flourishes when the bigot can pass that cost on to the entire society, but when he must bear the direct costs of his own prejudice he is more reluctant to do so. Some may still prefer to engage in traditional, prejudicial practices, but they are at a competitive disadvantage to competitors who fail to do so. Brittan said: Capitalist civilization is above all rationalist.’ The entrepreneur, as a profit maximizer is forced to ignore the “traditional, mystical or ceremonial justification of existing practices.” This rejection of the traditional, means depoliticized markets are inherently anti-conservative. The gay marriage debate is a good example. Private businesses have largely adopted measures to recognize gay relationships among their employees. It is the political sphere that is behind the times. The state rarely forces change. Most of the time it is an impediment to social changes and only plays catch-up once the cultural revolution is over.

I once a letter to the editor, I know so 90s, discussing how the state and politicians who rail against capitalism are in fact the ones who act as "lagging indicators."

The intricacies of the decision making process for an entrepreneur is delicate and filled with considerations it's difficult for a non-entrepreneurial mind to grasp.

It's All About Satisfaction

John C Reilly in Satisfaction Guaranteed from Adam "Ghost Panther" McKay

Betcha if the Stones ate at 'Pepperbee's' the iconic 'Satisfaction (I can't get no) would have been changed to 'Satisfaction (I can get some).

Injustice By The Hands Of People Who Swore To Seek Truth

Wow. All those pins and flags. Nice little bio too for former Missouri politician in Kenny Hulshof.

Until you read this at Barbara's Journey Towards Justice.

Not so long ago I went off on Martha Coakley for basically throwing an innocent family in jail. It still burns me.

Could you imagine how many of these immoral and unethical dolts are in power? Power OVER you! But go. Go ahead and vote for these people and make heroes of these zeroes.

Kezer was 17 when he was arrested for shooting a Southeastern Missouri State University student three times. He was prosecuted in Scott County and served 16 years in state prison. He was exonerated last February after a rebuke of prosecutor-turned-Congressman Kenny Hulshof.


In a 44-page decision, a Cole County circuit judge said Hulshof withheld key evidence from defense attorneys and embellished details in his closing arguments. Conflicting testimony and three jail inmates who had claimed Kezer confessed to the killing later acknowledged they lied in hopes of getting reduced sentences.

In a similar vain, travesty of misjustice that is, the other day I watched people protesting the Arizona law walk hand in hand with Al Sharpton. The man who basically, along with a prosecutor, who potentially ruined the lives of boys who played the Duke lacrosse team.
 
These people don't care about justice. They care about advancing their own careers.

Q&A With The Commentator

Dear Idiot,


I can't believe morons like you are allowed to have blogs. There oughta be a law against that. But for now, I have to accept you exist and might as well ask this question: How do you feel about celebrities voicing their opinions about politics?

Mike, Rouyn-Noranda.

First, you spelled 'Idiot' with a capital 'I.' I appreciate that. Second, it's a free country. If they want to talk politics, let 'em. However, that doesn't immune them from criticism and for that you've come to the right place. If you ask me, thety're idiots. And I don't capitalize the 'I' on purpose. Seriously, what the fuck is in their intellectual training to be interviewed by fucken Charlie Rose or Larry 'My suspenders are whithering' King?

I really could care less about what these actors think. They seem to believe because they're "famous" and are able to recite lines, they have some sort of natural intellectual advantage to not just offer their opinions but pretend they're actually pundits. Pretend is the operative word here. They make a living out of pretending. The problem is, major publications like The Economist have jumped on the "hey, they're famous so they will sell mags" bandwagon. Doesn't matter they possess little actual knowledge "who" they are is suffice. Who's next guys? Paris Hilton and her thoughts about Iran? Gweneth Paltrow and her ruminations on the Holy Roman Empire?

I'm ranting a little but it's my blog and I'm the Idiot, remember? In conclusion - I hold people in low regard who close their term papers that way - yes, they're free to speak out. No, that doesn't make them experts. Yes, I ignore them. No. Wait. First I laugh my ass off and then I cry. Then I ignore them.

Speaking of actors, I was watching TV and saw a commercial for Inside the Actors Studio (IAS) and an interview with Mickey Rourke. No big deal until the voice over spoke about how he overcame "tragedy" and then panned to an over concerned audience member.

Fuck me. Let me get something off my chest. A person getting killed by a drunk driver is a tragedy. A great man losing his life to cancer is a tragedy. A senseless murder is a tragedy. A man losing his family because his wife is a cheating cunt is a tragedy. What Rourke went through - from what I've read - was all self-induced. He has but himself to blame for beating up girls and taking fucking drugs. I don't care he lost all his money. He had enough "cache" to make it all back because of who he is. I mean, three  famous sex scenes with Carre Otis, Lisa Bonet and Kim Bassinger? Shwing!

So forgive me if I don't categorize the former eccentric pugilist as a "tragic" figure. I hate all of you.

Anyway. I'm cranky because I cut the skin on one of my toes while clipping nails. I cried hard. Like a baby. Whenever I hear an actor babble on about political gibberish it reminds me of this scene in Seinfeld when Kramer was fired:

Honda In 'Harmony With Humanity'

I don't want to come off sounding like a Luddite but really, we're already struggling to keep people active and now we encourage them to ride an enhanced unicycle to get from one office to the next?

I can totally see studies into the loss of leg power coming in the next 50 years. I can also see Keystone Kops inspired comedy videos with fa, erm, over-weight people riding on these suckers smashing into each other. Road rage will soon transform into office rage.

Honda rider: But officer I had the right of way to get to the photo copying machine! She came into me!
Other Honda rider: Not true! He didn't signal!
Cop: Why didn't you just walk?
1st Honda rider: Walk? What's that?
2ns Honda rider: So fail. This baby is epic!

Cripes, I just thought about the disaster in grocery store aisles! No man, this thing has to be banned.

That being said, it's a neat device from Honda. I won't be buying one since it'll make me feel somewhat incomplete if you get my drift. It would make a hyper guy like me feel way too lazy. But don't look to me. I'm not much of a gadget guy.

On the positive side, the human mind continues to evolve. Such devices can certainly help the elderly or physically challenged (handicapped) people. Just keep it out of the hands of the moronic, arrogant boss firing air hand pistols while winking around the office.

Boss: Keep up the good work, Jane. Wanna ride to the janitor's room?

*Winks*

Italians Fight The Mafia

I picked this up on an Italian site and used Google to translate the article. It's not perfect but you'll get the gist of how Italy continues to battle the mafia. In this case, the notorious and most vicious of crime organizations the feared 'Ndrangheta in Calabria.

Illegal Immigration Continued

From U.S. News and World Report on how the Arizona law can lead to a consensus:

I like the idea of granting citizenship to anyone who spends two years willing to give their life for our country, and as law enforcement officers--who also either know or are themselves people who are willing to sacrifice their lives as Army reservists, National Guardsmen, and first responders in their communities--they felt the same way. We soon realized that all three of us seated in the same row were either first- or second-generation descendants of immigrants. Our parents or grandparents all came to this country legally, and at considerable delay and difficulty. My grandparents already spoke English, but theirs did not and they had to learn the language before they could become citizens--something that has become controversial these days. “They had to go to some trouble to become citizens, and that’s all we’re asking now,” said one guy. “Just put forth some effort, and come in legally, like our families did. That’s all we’re asking.”


Maybe a mainstream consensus is emerging from the debate over this unreasonable law in Arizona: that securing our border has to come first--and then fair, reasonable but well-enforced immigration rules should follow. It’s like he said: “That’s all we’re asking.”

***

Interesting tidbits from Foreign Policy

***

Mexican military incursions into U.S. territory?

Liberalism's Unhelpful Narrative

D--d-did you notice that? No, not the Old Spice. Look, here, snap, snap. I'm talking about how the left, who are sooooo smart, tend to paint everyone they don't like with one brush. It seems the advice they give about not confusing Arab terrorism with Islam (and it's the right advice) they completely ignrore when it comes to right-wing groups - militia and religious - in the United States.

Now, yours truly knew what they spewed was poppycock hysteria (hysteria spewed on mainstream papers and networks. It's ironic they call such groups paranoid when they themselves exhibit similar traits - under the guise of "rational" thought of course) because, well, I actually explore further than the narrative dictated by the press. The more you explore the more things tend to balance out.

Why is it, to find sober articles, I have rto go beyond the Washington Post and NYT? Why? Why is it that Reason online can provide this sort of information about American right-wing groups but in the mainstream media they depict it as if their being invaded? Yet, when a real "invasion" takes place through illegal immigration they remain silent?

It's the same old, predictable narrative we hear. Even with Bore-me Elmo Obama this stance is prevalent with his natural anti-business outlook.

Blah, blah, blah.

Excerpt:

The militia subculture itself is far from united. The University of Hartford historian Robert Churchill—author of an excellent book on the militias, To Shake Their Guns in the Tyrant's Face—has identified two distinct though sometimes overlapping elements within the movement: the "constitutionalists" and the "millenarians." While the first group stresses civil liberties and organizes in public, the second segment is more prone to paranoid, violent, and apocalyptic rhetoric and is more likely to form secret cells. The Hutaree hail from the far end of the millenarian side of the spectrum. There doesn't seem to be any love lost between them and the area's dominant militia, the constitutionalist Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia (SMVM), which greeted the March arrests by denouncing the Hutaree as a religious cult. Mike Lackomar of the SMVM even told The Detroit News that the Hutaree had called his militia asking for assistance during the raids and had been rebuffed.

And:

And that leads us to the biggest trouble with the dominant media narrative: It misdirects our attention. The historian Leo Ribuffo coined the term Brown Scare to describe a wave of countersubversive activity in the 1930s and '40s, when an understandable fear of Nazis unleashed some much less defensible calls for, in Ribuffo's words, "restrictions on the right of native 'fascist' agitators to speak, publish, and assemble." In the process the authorities conflated some very different people together, leading to surveillance not just of German sympathizers but of reputable conservatives. Other historians have identified two subsequent Brown Scares, one in the early '60s and one in the 1990s. Like the better-known Red Scares, but pointing rightwards rather than leftwards, a Brown Scare both exaggerates the threats at hand and obscures the distinctions between genuinely violent plotters, radical but peaceful activists, and members of the mainstream.


You can see such a mindset at work in the SPLC's watch list. You can see it in press accounts that blur still more boundaries, so that there seems to be little difference between a terror cell and a Tea Party. You can see it in documents like the Department of Homeland Security's report. You're even beginning to see it in legislation. Late last month the Oklahoma House voted 98-1 to amend a bill that, among other provisions, increased the penalties for recruiting new gang members. Under the revised legislation, the same penalties would befall recruiters for unauthorized militias.

That is where we stand today. We can reenact the Brown and Red Scares of the past, or we can pull back from a mentality that has never been good for either liberty or security; we can plunge further into madness like the Oklahoma bill, or we can adopt the measured skepticism displayed this week by Judge Roberts. Choose wisely.

B..I.N.G.O. And Bingo was his Name-O.

Fighting For Freedom In Distant Lands Futile

Again, thanks to SE for this. Great piece at Tom Mullen's blog about how using the military as means to preserve freedoms has not rendered the desire results. In fact, one can assert it's pointless and does nothing for freedom - the Great Wars notwithstanding.

I know many people have a problem with Pat Buchanan but he's been steadfast in his convictions that the Iraq war or maintaining an empire is not in the best interest of the United States.

Bill C-61 - Canada Mulls New Copyright Law

This is unfortunate.

Very unfortunate that Harper would take this route.

Border Security Continued

From Reason:

"Very few Americans, on the other hand, are inherently opposed to immigration. For the most part, the controversy we face isn't about immigration at all. It's about the systematic failure of federal government to enforce the law or offer rational policy. There's a difference."

"...Americans value immigration. They recoil from lawlessness. And frustration over the impotent border enforcement has manifested itself in a flailing overreach. Arizona's law isn't a referendum on Latinos or even immigration itself. It's an unambiguous rebuke of Washington."

Miserable People Who Engage In Pointless Activities Like...

Texting.

If you text while driving you're an idiot. I hate you.

Bye.

Incompetence Saves America; Navy Cuts

Perfecting how America nabs terrorists is a work in progress. In two of the last three attacks(Detroit and Times Square), it was thanks to the ineptitude of the criminal that America escaped tragedy. It looks like preventing or identifying would-be attackers is still a weak point. Part of the reason for this is tied the laws (including racial profiling) we must uphold which makes catching these folks all the more difficult.

There have been about 30 foiled attacks since 2001 in the U.S. 10 in the last year alone. Moreover, Pakistan has now replaced Afghanistan (along with Somalia and Yemen) as the main breeding ground for Islamic terrorists.

***

As China's military rises, America's sinks? Great, long piece in Armed Forces Journal about navy budget cuts and the potential ramifications of that decision.

Crunch Time In Greece

It's getting ugly in Greece.

But it just needs to be done. Other nations should heed this example.

When socialists (who govern Greece) pass austerity bills, you know the situation is dire.

Coercing Education

Can education be "over valued?"

I was reading how the Parti Quebecois want to increase the age for mandating kids stay in school from 16 to 18.

What else is new? Rather than come up with real, innovative solutions we coerce people into doing something they don't want to do under the guise of "what's right for them." We sure ain't surgical when it comes to dealing with issues. It's the same crap down south with "Hope and change" guy. Obama's presidency is more like "Lull and Maintain."

Forcing students who have no intention of or interest in academia to stay in school is draconian and nonsensical. People who think this way can lick my...lollipop.

I'm not suggesting we pimp out people who can't read or write (although that's happening anyway given the the current state of educational affairs) what I'm saying is to be more enlightened. Ah, therein lies the rub! For statists who want to make everything they deem necessary obligatory it's about creating an "enlightened" society by keeping a kid who could care less in school. Of course, once they remove the will of a person from the equation the student then becomes the problem of the school and parents. "He or she doesn't like school? Make them" is their insidious advice.

Rather, I'd work it backwards. I would remove the paternalism of the state and reduce them to a true partner; a mediator between student, parent and teacher if you will. Who knows better if a kid belongs in school? A parent and teacher or a bureaucrat? They say sports radio is all local. So is education.

Once it's determined a person shouldn't be in the education system, this is where the state in concert with corporations if need be, can create thoughtful options for those students. For example, a trade and other vocations. What is so wrong to take a person who demonstrates a special skill, say, in electricity and send them to electrical school as opposed to letting them rot in English class reading Poe? You know (glazed looks and cheek in palms usually are dead give aways) Poe has little value to them. No one wins. Not the kid, not the school, not society and not the macabre writings of Poe.

This is where I submit we over value education at some point. When I was in high school, it was easy to spot how many kids went through the motion. I'm gonna go Jose Canseco on everyone and say as many as 50% of students were probably not cut out for school. So what does the system do? Make them wallow within grounds of academia. Hey, better there than...anywhere I suppose.

Thinking back, there were three types of students. The first group knew their destination. It's as if they had a destiny to fulfill. Your engineers, doctors, lawyers, police officers and the sort. Within that group were entrepreneurial people who really couldn't care either way. Some wanted an education, others didn't. They just wanted a business. I fell into that group. I knew I could never work with a higher authority unless I truly respected them. The odds were against me and so it proved correct. The second group were the absolute clueless. Neither coming or going. Just going with the flow like cattle on their way to Bovine University to be slaughtered. I sometimes fell in that lull. The third group were the people who knew they didn't belong in school. They weren't interested and weren't going to be strong armed into being interested. These were the pragmatic realists. You know the type, they always knew stuff. Street smart, they wanted to earn income. To be productve early and fast.

My buddies fell into mostly the first and third groups. A couple of us touched the second group for a time (one ended up a diplomat, the other selling software. Both successful. I'm still a work in progress). The guys who were in the third group couldn't understand why they had to waste their time in chemistry class given they already had a passion and interest they could score off. Far from being dolts (as socialist/liberals will hav you believe because they didn't want diplomas) one was a Hot Rod mechanic and restorer. As one man said, "tu connais Joe? Tabernak, y'a vider'l Quebec!" "You know, Joes? He emptied Quebec!" Meaning, he was extremely good at finding American muscle car classics sitting in sheds and outhouses across the province, buying them, fixing them up and shipping them off to American buyers. Once he "emptied" Quebec, he split for Florida and hasn't been back.

The second "vocational" guy was Johnny. He not only wanted to be an electrician, he was actually at peace with it. We all looked at him strange. Little did I know, we were buying into the propaganda of the time. Stay in school, because...

No one knew why. Johnny didn't care. Moreover, he foresaw business in his trade in Canada was a dead-end. He was all stars and stripes. After spending years as a troublesome student causing headaches for all involved (then the state wonders why we have fucked up kids), including a bad first marriage, he refound his first high school love, hitched up and packed for Florida where he became a general contractor at 23. He would later move to North Carolina and is doing well. He never regretted his decision. America for him, is and will always remain the land of opportunity. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up taking advantage of a construction boom in Tennessee as well.

I on the other hand, was made to explore. I didn't do it for various reasons. I do think back on the decisions but don't dwell on it. I have a clearer picture and will move in that direction now. Maybe all those books I read - I have a library of over 500 books and thousands of journals, magazines and periodicals - only messed me up more. Bope. Meh.

We should let our children fly. If they fall, they fall. They'll get back up. Man, that sounds effen cheesey but when you think of it, it's the only way to truly producde happy and productive citizens.

History Of Private Military Contractors

This post at Polo's Bastards is four years old but really worth a read. It's a short history of private military contractors in the United States. Their role in Vietnam is especialy interesting.

Cooking In Tuscany

My e-Talian blog is on temporary hiatus so excuse my "Italian-themed" posts from time to time.

If you have a problem with it vaffanculo.

If you're a lady, that is not a man or alien, you may want to visit Tuscan Women Cook. If that doesn't make you want to go 'Tootsie' and hop a plane over to that part of Italy then you have no soul.

Imagine making love on a bed of tagliatelle. Noodily erotic.

Harvard Has Its Share Of Hams

From the Black Side:

White people really, really piss me off sometimes. But I’m not open to the possibility that white people have a genetic predilection for oppressing others, raping the Earth, and hoarding wealth. I don’t dismiss the possibility because I’m unwilling to engage in vigorous academic debate, I dismiss the possibility because I’m not a goddamn idiot.

Dude.

Let me amend that, ok?

ALL people, really, really piss me off sometimes.

Boy, that chick really sparked a uproar with her comments. Harvard is not immune from letting pea-brains into their (once) hallowed but now seemingly hollow grounds.

People still think exploring if Jews were conniving and sinister moneylenders is a legit subject.

True story. One I keep telling. My friend once sat in with me for a European history class. A guy who likes history, he was enrolled in international business and figured it was a perfect way to kill time between classes. During the class some bonehead was having a go with the professor over some stupid insignificant issue. He was holding up the class to boot. Clearly he didn't know I had some business to take care of at the campus bar.

As he went on and on and on and on...and on, my friend remarked, "that guy is gonna have a degree some day." To which I answered, "the screening process is way too lax. If I can get in..."

Spinning Away Without Rationale The NYC Bombers

It really is bizarre how domestic right-wing extremism is being equated to terrorism imported from Al-Queda and/or the Taliban.

The rhetoric, in fact, is ghastly if not shitty if you ask me. We still don't know why there was a bomb attempt in Times Square, but that still doesn't stop some from speculating.

Consider New York mayor Mike "Demrepind" Bloomberg's recent comments.

"There is no credible evidence so far that this attack was more than at least one person, the driver," said Mayor Mike Bloomberg. "After that there is no evidence that anyone else was involved. It may be, but we can't say that it is."



Followed by this lovely ruby:

"If I had to guess, twenty five cents, this would be exactly that," Bloomberg said. "Homegrown maybe a mentally deranged person or someone with a political agenda that doesn't like the health care bill or something. It could be anything."



A quarter? High roller him. Still he lost it for that's exactly what didn't happen. Of course, now that (dare I say) a Pakastani has been arrested his reasons has been spun into the fact he lost his home or something.

Whatever. Bloomberg sure is no Rudy Giuliani. Gotta love that "menatlly deranged" angle. Somehow, people who don't like health care reform have been grouped in as terrorists. Which I suppose would be most of the American population as anywhere between 60% and 78% of Americans in several polls have said they don't like the bill. By extension, apparently listeners of Beck and Limbaugh and who read Drudge have also been tagged as potentially dangerous. I just wish people who think this way would actually, you know, focus on the real threat.

Then there's these priceless words of wisdom by one Contessa Brewer. Just read it. Don't drink Sprite as you read. It may induce laughter and Sprite running through your nose.

Normally I breakdown nonsense but this is beyond reason.

The head spins me into vertigo I tell ya.

Italy Weighs In On The Burqa

I guess the West is drawing the line at the burqa.

I can't imagine what's happening in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Italy and possibly Quebec happening in the United Kingdom.

Bombardier Running Scared With Scare Tactics

Want something for nothing? Just scream "disastrous" or "catastrophic" consequences and see how fast the cash comes in.

Bombardier is playing that game with the Metro contract:

Bombardier Inc. and its French partner Alstom SA have taken the unusual step of warning the city’s transit authority and provincial and municipal politicians that a would-be rival supplier from Spain lacks the chops to fill such a large order. The letter goes onto say that any further delays in an already prolonged bidding process could have “disastrous consequences” for the authority and transit users.

Not buying it. Call their bluff I say and lets see what happens. G'ahead. Make my day, punk.

Corporate Bumbardier is merely flexing its political muscles but I find it hard to believe they're the only ones capable of meeting this demand.

Germany Spend $30 Billion In Greece Crisis

It's a mother load of a credit crunch and the EU led by Germany will be left to another rounds of lousy bail outs. Shots of steroids I say. Temporary energy boosters.

Whatever happened to the "stringent" economic rules to get into the EU anyway? Greece never was in good economic shape to begin with and by all accounts never really took advantage of changing its economy a-la Ireland thanks to joining the EU. Of course, Greece was a key "outpost" country and seen as an important cultural entrant. Am I off in suggesting the economic issues were overlooked for geo-political reasons?

The way I see it, and it's a simplistic thought, is let Greece and its lenders flop over. That way everyone learns the value of austerity. The massive welfare programs and entitlements in Europe is unsustainable. The problem is people have gotten used to the government bailing them out. Good luck trying to cut back. Remember when Canada tried to cut back by closing inconsequential art programs? See the uproar? Try and cut something more substantial. We'll see how far Mr. Day gets. I'm not holding my breath. Conservatives are hardly fiscally responsible either.

Anyway. Economics is attached to democracy and both are attached to the psychology of a people. Steve Erlanger of the NYT:

There are serious questions about whether the deep cuts in salaries and benefits the agreement calls for are politically sustainable over time, even as deflation will make it impossible for Greece to grow its way out of debt…


“How can Greece grow out of its debt if there is deflation?” asked Jean-Paul Fitoussi, a professor of economics at the Institut d’Études Politiques in Paris. “Deflation increases the debt burden, so we are following this virtuous circle that is bringing us toward hell. Economics has nothing to do with virtue, which can kill an economy.”…

“Unfortunately for economists, there is democracy,” Mr. Fitoussi said. “If you impose too strict a program, the population will refuse.” Some countries, he acknowledged, have responded quietly so far to deep cuts, like Ireland and Latvia. “But Greeks are not Latvians,” he said.

Politically, it may not be feasible, however, at some point it has to be done. If Greek workers take to the streets they can't expect Europe to bail them out so what's their plan? In the West, the ability to meet the cost of those entitlemets have eroded over time. Cost realities is forcing us to reform our psychology of what constitutes a healthy society. Having welfare programs for its own sake is not progressive.

The $30 billion Germany is forking over is just to meet Greece's short-term obligations. There's still the issue of actually reinventing its economy.


Even Slovakia has reservations as reported by The Inflation Trader :

Already there are concerns because little Slovakia – which is contributing less than 1% of the rescue money – is insisting that they will not disburse any monies until Greece actually cuts spending as it has pledged to do. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said: "Personally, I don’t believe that the Greek parliament will be able to approve the restrictions passed by the government yesterday."

Indeed, Greece is not alone. Many countries "fudge" their accounting to hide the true cost of their spending. Nonetheless, the only way (and I acknowledge it's not a perfect solution) is to let it crash and remind them they were living on borrowed money...and time.

Germany Calls For Europe-Wide Burka Ban

Not to be outdone by the Belgians, Germany wonders why stop at national boarders to ban the burka? Just ban the sucker within the EU.

NYC Bomb Scare

Sure.

America is not at "war."

Sure.

Economics Of Convenience

I find it intriguing that, as one friend told me, on one end we're told, when we debate the cost of welfare/universal programs, it's not about the money. Yet, these same people turn around and justify government laws intruding on personal choice on the basis of cost. "We have to have seat belt laws because if you get hurt you're a drain on the system and burden to your family." In other words, it's all economics all the time.

If I had to choose when I could apply economics it would be in the former case and not the latter. Telling someone they should consider assisted suicide on the basis of cost is frightening to me.

Bill C-232: Nothing But Coercion By Other Means

All in favor...Nay!

C-232 is simply not a good idea. What else is new in Canada? Coercion in the name of "progess" and "fairness."

How about competency over language?

Who Named America?

According to this  link a German cartographer/geographer named Martin Waldseemuller:

And who wrote Vespucci's Christian name on the maps? The King of Spain? Our founding fathers? Vespucci himself? No -- it was none of these. We were given our name by an obscure German clergyman and amateur geographer named Waldseemuller. Waldseemuller was a member of a little literary club that published an introduction to cosmology in 1507. In it he wrote of the new land mass that Vespucci had explored:



"I see no reason why anyone should justly object to calling this part ... America, after Amerigo [Vespucci], its discoverer, a man of great ability."

Waldseemuller changed the name on a different map in 1507 but by that time the pressed had been printed and released so to speak.

Great-Man Theory

History tends to be top heavy. That is, it focuses on the great figures and evolves from that point.


We know, or at least should be aware, history isn't just about the "great" figures for how to define exactly what made men "great?" We've been conditioned to think or take for granted, well, men were mythical in their greatness. It gets us into all sorts of trouble. Just look at how we deal with athletes and celebrities. Moreover, we treat with suspicion figures we don't know who could very well be "great." This comes in the form of "Who? Never heard of him." Ergo, he didn't exist and can't be important.

"Greatness" is personal and all local.

Meaning? Meaning we all meet great and extraordinary people on this highway of life. It's personal and local. We can sometimes see with our own eyes who a "great" person can be made and not just born.
I can only attach the word "great" to a person I know. Or, if I must, restrict its usage by ascribing a narrow definition to describe a "great" act or invention. Or by seperating a "great" piece of literature from a great man. To me then, an author becomes a "great" writer but necessarily a "great" man. Both can merge no doubt. The game then becomes how to not be deceived on the great man part of the equation.

NYC Bomb Scare: It Was A Matter Of Time

Police probe South Park link to Times Square Bomb is the title of the Ottawa Citizen article but no mention of South Park in the report.

In any event, it was a matter of time before terrorists would almost succeed. Who knows how many have been thwarted?

What Is Libertarianism?

At the six minute mark, PJ O'Rourke asks people "need to stop asking government for help." Something I've been writing about for a while. In my terms, instead of "the government should" the narrative needs to switch back to "I should" with the emphasis on "I."

Once we reverse the trend a little, only then can we spared like we see here in Quebec public monopolies earning millions without competition handing out hefty bonuses to SAQ, Hyrdo and Loto Quebec workers. Seriously. Think about that for a second. Digest it.

Corporations are no better. We have to be equally vigilant against them too for they too squish and step on individuals where they can. However, I'm nowhere near Obama's populist and simplistic "they bilk poor us" stance. All that does is shift the power from corporations to the state.

At the seven minute mark listen attentively to Stossel's history lesson for it's pretty much how it evolved. Liberals once stood for what libertarians and some conservatives now want to preserve. Liberals have abandonded that route for a more socialist outlook. The modern liberal, to me, has no business claiming Thomas Jefferson, John Stuart Mill, John Locke or Adam Smith. They cut those ties in the early 20th century.

Thanks to SE once again.

Stand Together

Or be squashed seperately.

Via Skeptical Eye how corporations too try and destroy the liberties of the little guy.

It will be left to the "little" blogs like this one here to fight a battle government nor corporations are willing to engage in. After all, freedom of speech, real freedom of speech free where bull shit "limits" in "charters of rights" are absent.

The more we seek to not offend, the more we seem under stress from censorship tyrants of any stripe.

Bah. You're reading a guy who still can't believe the government imprisons people for not paying their taxes. Imagine that, people who want to keep what's rightfully theirs thrown in jail!

I see, I see

I see a menacing buttefly-like symmetrical image. I also see the stern look of disappointment my imaginary gnome gave me after I confessed sleeping with his sister. Then again, it also reminds me of the logo (seen below)of the WolverhamptonWanderers who play soccer in the English Premier League.

One Official Language Is Much Simpler

It's unreal how people against the Arizona bill spin it as anti-immigration and racist. Maybe it's misguided or gives too much powers in the hands of police thus threatening basic liberties but, as far as I can tell, it is not racist.

Again, from the top, it's about immigrants gaining access and entry into a country illegally. What's so god dang complicated? Why can't people make this distinction? Arguing that "we love their food and culture" (as one liberal commenter said) is a strawman fallacy. Stick to the original point. That being entering a country lawfully. The taco's for everyone will work itself out.

This debate has now morphed into a discussion about national identity including the notion of official languages in the United States. Touchy subject. I'm not allergic to touchy subjects. With that here's my advice: Don't have more than one official language. Or else America will find linguistic peace fleeting. No matter how much legislation is in place - and mark my words, if you have two official languages one will always seek a law from the state - there will always be one language that feels the pinch. It may get messier if Arabic eventually joins the party.

It makes me wonder, relative to the population at the time, with their great numbers why didn't German, Italian or Chinese become a "second" language in America? What were the social and cultural conditions at the time that made this impossible?

English as a common language in the end played a decisive role in maintaining its American identity while aborbing new nationalities I reckon.

Like most things in human nature, language is a battle between competition versus compromise. Here in Canada, we pride on being "officially bilingual" but Quebec doesn't. True, it has not led to violence but it's also a social annoyance if not disturbance.

Belgium too has its own linguistic conflicts and one that goes back centuries. 

Even the greatest and possibly only model in the West - if not the world - has its issues: Switzerland. Sounds like the practical Swiss winged it so to speaks. That Switzerland has functioned so well is more a freak of historical happenstance mixed in with willing consensus than deliberate design. Nonetheless, the Swiss believe Switzerland is greater than the sum of its part and by that they can foster a strong sense of nationhood. I don't think this is the case here in Canada. Quebec nationalists have succeeded in "two-tiering" Canada to the point we don't really have a strong, united country. It's more like two in one now.

For example, the Swiss accept a certain "common" language to communicate most likely to be French. They adjust on the fly. Here in Canada, it's less so. It's not uncommon to have a Quebecois refuse to speak English to a person and vice-versa. Call it immaturity and it doesn't help when politicians - especially in Quebec - contribute to this thinking by their "nationalism of convenience."

America is not Canada, Switzerland or Belgium. It has a different path. As a society that integrates cultures as good as any (if not better) country, it doesn't need to "officialize" a language to legitimize acceptance. This doesn't mean to discourage Americans from learning more than one language - most Swedes or Dutchmen speak English without official status.

Quite frankly, I don't see the connection. Americans can become fluently bilingual if they choose to without the extra paper work.

AC/DC As Homeland Security

I got the solution to flush out terrorists. Or instead of waterboarding you can...

BLAST AC/DC:





Yeah, baby.

Omar Khadr: Canada Doesn't Have Much To Stand On

The Khadr's are not my cup of tea but unfortunately they have a Canadian passport and must be treated as such.

Faced with weak evidence all along, the Americans are set to ask Canada take him back and I don't really see how we can refuse - connections to radicalism and terrorism notwithstanding.

Should be fun watching this kid and his family moving forward.

Italian Diversity

While Italy is largely culturally homogeneous, the roots that make up that culture are wickedly diverse. Anyone with a reasonable grasp of Italian history is aware of the sheer number of societies, tribes and cultures that have impacted and influenced the locals - and vice-versa.

One of the areas affected is diet and cuisine. To my non-Italian friends, they can't quite grasp the depth to which Italian cuisine reaches. It's far, far more than just "spaghetti and meatballs." Or as one classic Quebecois invention: the Pizzaghetti. My French friends in the neighborhood would sit stunned when they'd listen to me explain the varied styles of tomatoes sauces we use. They all thought it was basic tomatoes (Marinara) or sometimes with "viande hachee" or minced meat - which would make it a Bolognese. Though they were unaware the original recipe calls for butter to be used.

I explained to them the fragmented nature and regional particularism that exists in Italy. I always told them to almost treat them as indepdendent entities within greater Italy in order to understand the history and of course what drives its cuisine.

Interestingly, while we in North America define Italy as a "southern European" or "southern Mediterranean" state, it's actually more than just that. In fact, it paints a slightly wrong picture. Northern Italy in itself is a different entity than from the south including in diet. In the book "Don't know much about Geography", the authors "loosely" categorize Italy as an "Alpine state" alongside France, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. I'll let you guess why. To make it more confusing, Italy can also be part of "Mitteleuropa" as well.

In the North, the diet was influence by these Alpine states especially when the Austrian-Hungarian empire ruled Italy. Along the way, the use of sauerkraut, potatoes and other fine starches. The other interesting thing about Italy is how, despite its relatively small geographic size and enormous size of its food industry, many products found in one part of the country isn't available elsewhere. It happens here in Canada too thanks to inter-provincial barriers. Not sure what the reasons are in Italy.

I've had the pleasure of kicking around both in the North and South of Italy and the customs, dialects and of course diet change with each passing kilometer it seems. So if you find yourself in Venezia or in Roma or in Genoa or in Palermo - always remember: Different countries! It helps, I find, to make sense of things.

Image: Lake Como.

Violin And Karate It Is!

My daughter has expressed interest in two things: learning an instrument and martial arts. At first, she wanted to play the trumpet - easy there Louis and Dizzy. I kindly pointed her to other instruments like the guitar and piano. Being the indepedent, hard-headed Calabrese that she is, she opted for neither and suggested the violin.

I like the violin.

Next was to choose a martical art. She settled on karate.

She will also be learning Italian. Her French is coming along. She speaks a mean Gaspesie accent. I kid.

Now to whip my budding Paganini into shape:

A Conjunction's Function

We use to sing this, much to my mother's distress, at the supper table:



And what's a conjunction anyway?

Technically, I don't think starting a sentence with a "conjunction" is all that bright but what can you do?

More Perspectives On Arizona Law

As I've mentioned, there is legitimate concern for police abuse. Shoot, here in Quebec three black people were shamelessly "cited" by the cops for the following "infractions": For being slouched over against a wall in the metro fighting a stomach ailment, setting a school bag on a park bench and for merely having the temerity for sitting on the passenger side of an idle car around midnight at a local tabagie.

But there remains this issue: How to preserve the rule of law and balance it against civil liberties? Seems to me Americans really, really need to quit quarelling for its own sake and get it done.

Another thing that intrigues me is that for all their "freedom" talk, conservatives (who naturally like the law which has since been amended) do tolerate government interference when it suits them. Liberals, for their part, who are hollering over this really shouldn't because they're even worse at accepting government chipping away at personal freedoms.

Belgium Bans Burka

Who knew that Belgium could be so controversial?

I'm not sure if I agree banning it in public spaces - ie streets, malls etc. That to me tramples on civil liberties.

However, the interesting dilemma is whether the burka should be removed for any photo ID including passports, driver's permit. Common sense would tell us yes. Quebec is considering a similar ban.
Unless someone can persuade me otherwise, the burka should be allowed in public spaces but for privileges given by the state secular laws must apply to all.

Alas, the burka ban strikes me as a bit of a strawman in some ways. Europe's Muslim problem extends way beyond religious symbols and dresses.

Is this the beginning of a bigger battle or just a misguided attempt at protecting Western values? Can we separate, as I have done above, use in public-private spaces and use within government spaces?