Repayment Myth

Me and a couple of my buddies, financial analysts both of them, had a laugh when Obama claimed the GM bail out wasn't going to 'cost a dime.'

Governments don't make sound economic investments. They make political investments.

***

Aside the stupidity of bailing out a failed company, Obama is banking on GM's rebirth through green policies. A high risk indeed. If taxpayers are going to be "repaid" then the return on investment needs to be quick and high. Forget the money already loss due to favorable write-offs that already has "investors" in the hole.

But he's hardly alone. From Der Spiegel:

"The seemingly wondrous properties of the electric car are being touted in Germany and elsewhere. In the United States, it is officially described as a "zero emission vehicle" -- words that reflect a dream too good to be true. Although the electric car has no emissions, the electricity to charge the batteries has to be generated somehow: through solar, wind or hydroelectric power, through nuclear power or in coal power plants. An electric car can be more or less environmentally friendly, depending on what makes up a country's energy mix.



"We have a perception problem," says Bosch CEO Franz Fehrenbach. According to Fehrenbach, if the industry says that a mid-range car will consume only 3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (77 mpg) in a few years' time, this generates little enthusiasm. For an electric car, however, "you get a massive round of applause," even though the carbon footprint of the 77-mpg car with an internal combustion engine is "smaller than that of an electric car."

The German Automobile Club (ADAC) has calculated that a Smart with a diesel engine emits 86 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer driven. An electric Smart with its battery charged with electricity from coal power plants is responsible for 107 grams of CO2 emissions. In other words, its carbon footprint would be bigger, at least in China, where more than 80 percent of electricity is generated in coal power plants. But if the batteries were charged with electricity from sources based on the current German energy mix, the emissions would drop to only 71 grams."

"...Without government subsidies, electric cars are virtually unmarketable. France offers customers an incentive of €5,000, China offers €6,500 and the United States offers €5,500 (see graphic)."


"...According to a study by Deutsche Bank, about 5 million electric cars could be registered in the European Union in 2020, which would still only amount to 2 percent of all cars. "But even this proportion can only be attained," the study states, "if the costs of electric cars come down dramatically in the next few years."


Similar fate awaits the Volt. Even if they attain the units sold touted by Obama, it will be nowhere near enough to repay anything.

"We want the battery technology, and we're working on it at full speed," says VW CEO Martin Winterkorn, "but it's important to tell people the plain truth." The costs are still too high, the ranges too short and the charging times for batteries too long. Safety is also a concern, at least with the controversial lithium-ion batteries. Laptop and mobile phone makers have already had to recall some of their products because of a risk that the batteries could catch fire and explode."


***

If the Germans say it, then it must be...true.

Classic case of the ideal outrunning the reality.

No Brainer

I keep reading how President Obama was "courageous" to give the go-ahead and kill Bin Laden.

If there ever was a no-brainer in life, it's making that call.

Really. I mean, even a Quaker president with a low IQ would have given the thumbs up to the Navy Seals.

Choice Limited Inc.

The beauty of technology is it provides people with choice.

Until some outfit like the CRTC decides what's good for you that is. And in Canada, we're getting screwed on a few levels. From high mobile prices to the lack of access to U.S. products. In Canada, everything is tightly regulated. It stablizes things but it also weeds out competition and monopolizes our markets. The customer doesn't win necessarily on a price level. Hence, why savvy shoppers head for Plattsburgh, Vermont and outlet shops down south. I certainly don't pay Canadian prices on certain items.

It's no secret most people want access to American media and entertainment sources. There's absolutely no comparison in terms of choice and production value despite what some Canadians may think. For example, go out and look at what you get from Direct TV or Netflix in the U.S. Now come back up here. It's pitiful.

We have a lot. But we don't have a lot more.

We can't even get Hulu for some reason. We have to pay for the best channel on TV today in HBO.

That annoys me because there's no good reason for this. No one seems able to explain this.

Today, I asked a tech savvy person if there's a way to get Google USA.

The only way, I was told, is to rerout from a U.S. based IP address into yours.

If you work for an American based company, chances are you get Google USA. If not, the masters that be put you to Google Canada. When I was in France, it was Google France - yikes!

I sometimes feel like a Russian looking for American rock'n roll records on the black market during the insidious Soviet Union years. Good times.

"American rock'n roll. Chuck Berry, yeah?"

Bureaucrats Should Be Silent Assistants

I know exactly what he means.

I face the exact same issues.

As I've mentioned in the past, for example, I was forced to buy a sign I didn't really need and because of regulations regarding ratios, I have to hire an employee I really can't afford. If I don't, I run the risk of losing my permit. What this means, is I can't pay myself and not paying myself means I can't service my personal debts and affairs a little longer than I should. And if I need an extension on a loan to keep me going, I'm faced with tight banks who won't lend.

Small business ALWAYS get hit hardest with interventionism.

Since the majority of people are not entrepreneurs, they don't know this first hand.

You can always tell who the non-business owners with little financial sense are on comments threads.

***

“Government should act like my assistant, not my boss.”


Amen.

It's exactly what I beg for here on this blog. I accept the government's role in society. What I don't accept is having to justify my decisions to them at every turn.

It really doesn't feel like they're partners but bosses.

Carter's Brain Tumor Likely Cancerous

#1
#2
#4
#9
#10

Those are the numbers of iconic Habs.

#8 easily fits in.

That's how popular Carter is here.

Stammerin' Obama

Obama doesn't stutter. He intellectually stammers:

"But consider this: It's not that Obama can't speak clearly. It's that he employs the intellectual stammer. Not to be confused with a stutter, which the president decidedly does not have, the intellectual stammer signals a brain that is moving so fast that the mouth can't keep up."

Oh. So that's what it is!

Holy Slowly Bat-Man, we're dimwits after all!

So. What does that make Dubya?

***

Well, I always thought thinking faster than you speak is NORMAL. It's not proof of intelligence. Feigning intelligence is an art.

***

'Um's' and 'ah's' are not signs of intelligence. It just means they aren't polished speakers. We hear it often on the radio now.

***

People are having trouble with the fact (maybe Ms. Meghan Daum is one of them, I don't know) that perhaps Obama is pedastrian in his thoughts?

Alas, he inherited such a mess he's literally spinning in his mind!

Ici, On Blog La Liberte

Since I'm too lazy to take my own pictures, finally I found a site - Fail QC - that posted the epic fail 'ici on commerce en Francais' stickers on store windows.

Idiots. I'm sure a few other people are like me and don't even bother going in.

Loss sales.

Another Thing

About the NDP.

Jack Layton said he wanted to add 'decorum' to Parliament.

Then he turns around and makes the impetuous and loose-lipped Thomas Mulcair the House Leader.

A Love Scene

Love scene between Ah-nold and his mistress:

Schwarzenegger (zips pants, picks up plastic sword): I'll be back.
Housekeeper (giggles): Sí, mi bárbaro Conan!

NDP Shadow Cabinet Named

Let's see. What's in the news? Oh. Jack Layton named his shadow cabinet. 43 in fact. Mostly young and female - with many inexperienced critics.

Not bad considering he criticized the Conservatives for having 39.

A team of 20 somethings doing the critiquing leaves me skeptical. Lack of experience and lack of wisdom. 

Olivia Chow, his wife, was given transportation and infrastructure.

Imagine if Harper, Canada's Dubya, gave his wife such a prominent role! Fin du monde!

Just saying.

Anyway.

Question

What exactly does "fundamentally sound" mean?

Is there a concrete, solid, seeable foundation for economics like there is, say, when you build a house?

UnClarity Act Back

Layton's first challenge: The Clarity Act.

You wanted Quebec, Jack?

Enjoy.

Complaints Not Reasonable

PM Harper is facing criticism for not having visited areas affected by the flood as well as for taking the decision of not sending in the army to help out in the clean up. During the ice storm in the late 1990s I don't remember us making a stink when Chretien didn't send them in for a clean up.

Defense Minister Peter McKay, who visited homes, explained the army is used for defense. While true, it's not like Canada does much defending...or attacking for that matter. It's not the duty of the federal government and army to do any cleaning up.

This crap about being sent in late shows how disconnected we are from how things work. No one gets sent in, BY LAW, unless asked by the PREMIER. Imagine if the Feds landed in Quebec before being asked what the reaction would have been! More of the 'Harper doesn't respect procedures and protocols' line.

Like in New Orleans, it begins with the local authorities. Incidentally, I watched a documentary about Katrina in which the Feds (under Dubya), took the initiative and asked the Governor at the time if they could step in (before being asked) but she declined. When she was ready it was too late.

Naturally, by the time the natural disaster occurs and wreaks havoc it's 'too late.' Perhaps the province should be more prepared next time? Complaining about it, especially with the 'Quebec voted NDP' nonsense, makes no sense.

I understand people have a problem with Harper's hidden right-wing agenda, but piling up here is hooey patooey. Lay the blame, if any, clearly where it belongs: With Premier Jean Charest. If not, how intergovernmental politics work.

***


I've always wondered why Canada never put more effort into something akin to the National Guard in the USA.

Would it be feasible to consider this option?

***

I though Jack Layton was supposed to speak for Quebec? Nah. He does what he does best: Bash.

Ministry Fines Farmer

In the aftermath of the major floods hitting Quebec, a farmer in St.Paul de L'ile aux Noix, has been fined and issued a fishing permit:

"Farmers’ efforts were hampered by neighbours who called police to complain they were pumping water out of their fields and back into the river, which residents were concerned could flood their homes anew. Another farmer noted that the Ministry of the Environment and Wildlife fined him $1,000 and took away his pump for a month when he used it during a flood in previous years. It could kill the German carp stranded in his fields, he was told, even though they would have likely died there anyway. Bisaillon, who is president of the local chapter of the Quebec Farmer’s Union, has been in touch with the ministry and arranged to have the military help them transfer the fish back to the river."


No comment.

So...tired.

Comments Issue

Been trying to reply to a couple of comments but for some reason there's a problem with Blogger...again.

Hope to get them up soon.

Classic Movie Moment

The Apartment (1960)

Musta seen it, what, four times now?

Harper All Post-1967

I don't see why people are so upset that Harper is not going along with Obama's 'pre-1967' borders plan.

First he's a lap dog of the Americans but when goes against them, he's a nutty right-winger?

Oof.

***

Not impressed with the comments one bit.

Pre-1967 ain't gonna happen. Next time don't fricken attack.

Move on.

Toast This!

Dunno much about Royal protocol, but living here in Canada one thing we do know is you don't mess with 'God Save the Queen.'

People defending Obama's unfortunate and uncomfortable mishap and deflecting it on a pompous monarch are missing the point and are in need of a British history lesson.

Again, it's easier for Canadians to grasp because we remain part of the Commonwealth and so are familiar with Royal protocols. It's irrelevant if we think it's "old." It just is.  Americans built a Republic that overthrew the monarchy so there's less of an interest in going with that line.

Still, shouldn't the President of the United States be somewhat aware of this sort of stuff? Or at least informed by staffers? Curious.

I kept waiting for the NCAA bracket to come up.

"Oh. Sorry. Look at my picks, Liz!"

Question

Are there more liars and thieves than honest folk in the world?

Green, Green Grass

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Mind you, it looks pretty good to me. Stupid cow wasn't bright enough to get there. And along came an opportunist...

Student Loans In The U.S.

Some suggestions on how to get out of it.

One way, is to make smarter decisions. But at 18 that's easier said than done.

It's funny how a student loan is given with no collateral to back it up not only in the USA but I believe up here as well. Mind you, our tuition fees are absurdly and artificially low.

I can't get a loan without some proof of income, mortgage, savings or revenues to back it up.

Lottery Winner Still On Welfare

Man on welfare wins lottery. Ergo, man should get off welfare, right?

Wrong.

Leroy Fick of Michigane gets to have his cake and eat it too.

The Rapture

Everywhere I go, it's Harold Camping this Harold Camping that.

So he believed the world was coming to an end in The Rapture.

Big deal.

I really couldn't care less. Just like William and Kate.
\
Each has its own set of fans and all the power to them. Again, to use another example, just like American Idol.

However, I will say this: Using Camping as a chance to bash Christianity is misguided.

He's no more representative of Christianity than I am (or Bin Laden was) for Islam.

Move on.

***

I came up with a new sandwich name: The Wrapture.

No. You can't use it.

A Tale Of Two Holidays

Today is a holiday in Quebec. To French Quebecers it's La Journee Des Patriotes (formerly Dollard Day), for everyone, including me, else it's Victoria Day.

Patriotes day is for separatists. Not my gig, man.

Habs Hamper Their Chances

The reason I could care less about the Montreal Canadiens these days is because they're not committed to winning.

Let me explain.

There's an "unofficical" rule that the coach of the club should be bilingual in order to communicate to fans and the media. To me, a coach's mandate is to win and not pander to anything else. We put up all sorts of superficial bullshit to confuse this crystal clear mandate. Alas, bilingual must he be and with it a smaller talent pool to choose from. But we can live with this since there are many excellent bilingual coaches the Habs hire, fire and let go: Alain Vigneault, Claude Julien and Guy Boucher for example. The more astute among you will notice that these gentlemen represent three of the four final teams left in the NHL playoffs.

Where I simply don't tolerate the nonsense is at the upper management level. I can just imagine how many qualified candidates the Canadiens organization not only didn't interview but consider for their President and/or General Manager's job. Case in point, I hear Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman wasn't even called. Why I single this out? Well, the Habs are on record as saying they want to be a "puck possession" team like the great Detroit Red Wings. Yzerman is from the Wings system and aside from being widely known as one of the classiest legends in hockey, is a well-regarded hockey executive.

No sooner he entered the world of upper management, he assembled the team that won gold at the Vancouver games - although I still can't believe they chose to not take Martin St. Louis. But that's just a personal quibble.

What better person for the job to execute your plan than he? Instead, the Habs went with Pierre Gauthier. Go figure.

Back in the day, teams copied the Habs. They were the blueprint for success. The New Jersey Devils dyansty was but a knock of the Habs. GM Lou Lamiourello said he wanted to copy the Habs and went out to get former Habs legends like Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson to turn them into winners.

Outgoing President Pierre Boivin repeated the bilingual albatross during his tenure but admits it restricts the organization.

Duh.

Until the Habs quit the nonsense in a highly competitive world, expect more mediocrity from a has-been organization spinning its wheels.

***

Anyone who watches soccer knows the great teams go out and get the best available coaches and managers regardless of language, nationality and creed. Cripes, one of the all-time great coaches Giovanni Trappatoni has coached in Austria, Germany and currently is head of the Irish national squad despite his limited German and English; never mind Gaelic.

Why should we accept anything less from a hockey club?

Spinning Its Wheels

Interestingly, while the Conservatives failed to make a dent in Quebec and the left-leaning NDP swept the province, a 'unite the right' sort of movement is taking shape here. Namely with Francois Legault's 'Coalition for Quebec's Future' and the ADQ.

Legault is tackling issues very little people want to confront because of A) the massive self-interest in the public sector and B) the accepted mantra that a public oriented society is the only option. He's fighting an uphill battle in a province psychologically not that friendly to private interest and business.

Quebec is like running on a treadmill. We come up with all sorts of expensive social programs ($7 dollar a day care, Bixi etc.) with little real wealth to back it up - wages, productivity and innovation are stagnant.

A new wave of thought is sweeping through the province one in which a call for a slow down in the welfare state is recommended. This mostly comes from right of center politicians. First among them now is former sovereigntist Parti-Quebecois member Francois Legault who, among other things, asserts:

« Actuellement le revenu moyen des Américains est 45 % plus élevé que les Québécois, on ne peut pas vivre avec ça, on a des réseaux publics qui ne fonctionnent pas, il faut faire des changements au Québec. Est-ce que Pauline Marois, Gérard Deltell et Jean Charest sont prêts à les accepter? »

Translation: The average revenu earned by Americans is 45% higher than Quebec and he claims this must not go on. Of course, although Legault would like to change this, we'll never come close to it but we can work towards it. I don't know why he's using the Americans as an example. He just had to compare it to British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Next to our fellow Canadians, we under perform...badly.

It's no secret Quebec is the "sick dog" or "black sheep" of Canada - to borrow a term by the Irish and Scottish who once described themselves in Europe. Charest's Plan Nord is set to help this out (9000 jobs are expected to be created) but that's all in a resource based setting. An economy should be far more diversified. At the moment, Quebec's economy is fonctionnaire or resource oriented.

Legault argues we should let go of the sovereingty option for now but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be monitored:

« Je ne suis plus souverainiste, mais c'est une option qui doit être gardée. Il faut envisager soit un fédéralisme renouvelé ou la souveraineté. Ce que j'ai ressenti lors de la dernière élection, c'est que les Québécois étaient rendus ailleurs. »

I completely disgaree with this. It's a false dichotomy. "Renewed federalism" is a vague term that threatens another round of boundless Canadian bickering and political sclerosis. Quebec has no leverage any more as the West continues its upward march. It is Quebec that will either have to accept Confederation - which we did in 1867 - or consider reinventing itself within the nation called Canada. The option of independence will only be viable when Quebec is a legitimate economic entity. At the moment, I can't see in its current state how we can be independent.

Fix Quebec first and then we'll talk. Enough of useless "nationalism."

I don't believe nationalism and rationalism work well together.

Multiple Tumors Found In Baseball Great's Brain

If there's one athlete on the Montreal sports landscape that rivals our hockey legends it's former Expos catcher Gary Carter - The Kid.

Netanyahu Makes His Case

Yeah, Obama's plea that peace be negociated pre 1967 (with land swaps) was a bit much and open to misunderstanding. Ain't gonna happen as Netanyahu said (did he come off strong in the video?). If there's one thing I know about the Israeli-Palestinian question, it's exactly that: You're not going to sway Israel.
The other thing Netanyahu said was Israel absorbed Jewish refugees while Arab countries did not absorb Palestinian refugees. That's not exactly true. As my late father in-law who was of Lebanese heritage once explained to me. While it is true the Arabs did not lift a finger (or even care much for the Palestinians) choosing instead to fight Israel's legitimacy using Palestine as a wedge, Lebanon and Jordan did attempt to to help Palestinians. However, they proved to be more problematic than first thought and were asked to leave.

Obama And The Mid-East

Reactions to President Obama's mid-east speech.

U.S. Peak Productivity Discussion

At McKinsley.

I agree we haven't even begun to harness the internet age. I remember talking and listening two internet geeks friends argue over whether the internet is already saturated or not. The internet marketer felt it was, the other argued we're only at the tip of the iceberg.

Should I Join?

The Church of Ed Wood?

Watched Plan 9 From Outer Space for a second time the other night.

The thing is, "bad" as it is, the guy did it for the love of his craft.

That has to have some value right?

Question

Does Middle-East peace really run through the Palestinian-Israeli divide?

I wonder.

Quote

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

C.S. Lewis

Amen.

Online Poker Not Safe

I remember in 2008 when people with an Obama hard on were asking if 'The Hard Thinker' was going to help online poker.

Yeah, right.

But hey, he's for gay rights - not marriage. And he's loved for the contradiction.

Bah.

Meanwhile, here in Quebec, the state runs the casino racket.

Libertarians sided with Obama during the election. Now we watch the backlash.

Amish Raid And Other Stories

In Delaware we'd buy salsa made by the Amish.

Now there's a mix: Amish making Mexican food.

But unpasteurized milk wouldn't be on my list. I hate milk.

However, sounds like there's a market for it. So why raid it? I know it's illegal but really, if people want it let them buy and use it. People eat all sorts of things.

Reminds me of the ethics and religious course hoopla here in Quebec. Aside from the course itself, the problem I have is the government's paternalism forcing every school to heed to its demands.

I just don't get how the state can involve itself in a contract between a private citizen and private school. If a private parochial school and its parents want a product why does the government intervene?

***

Reminds me of another story. The municipality where my daycare operates is, for a lack of a better word, special. They have all sorts of frivolous bylaws that irritate the heck out of local shops. Recently, they obliged store owners to comply with a decision whereby they had to change their signs. The changes would cost, on average, $2000. That's a lot of money to impose on small businesses. My sign will cost me $1300. My plan was to wait a year before hanging one - you know, because I have to prioritize my costs. Alas, as the saying goes, "you can't fight city hall."

Not only that, they choose the size, colour and material used for the sign. Not you for your business. And if the owners or landlords don't comply, it is met with fines and in some cases the threat of revoking busiess permits. So if you have a Lavender store, naturally, you'd want a purple sign. No way say the tyrants at city hall - it's green! Incidentally, that's the colour they chose for my sign. We lucked out because our official emblem matches green perfectly. But I'm still irritated by the fact a bureaucrat indirectly has a say on my business.

Look, for a lack of a better word, it's a form of communism. None of these people have a clue what it's like to run a business. Aside the financial imposition, think of what that does to the creativity of shop owners? It zaps it. If you're the type who sees the logic in all this idiocy that's because you likely don't run a business.

Nonetheless, it's the imposition through coercion that bothers me.

This is a clear cut example of how bureaucrats reach into your pockets. They really have no business doing stuff like that.

So it's an added debt to everyone's ledger.

And then I have to listen to politicians talk on the news about how we take on too much debt.

But that's not the story I wanted to tell. One of their bylaws is you can't build your establishment with more than two types of materials. For example, if your house is made with brick and stone you can't add wood to it - unless you get their permission and that's a loooonnnnggg process. My landlord made that mistake. He was forced to cover the brick on the extension part of the house. The mayor even went as far as to say she doesn't "like red brick" after personally looking at it.

Me and the owner? We liked it. Parents? They liked it too. They were a little surprised that the city would go that far.

Me? Surprised? Nah.

This after they had ordered the owners to remove a wood material of higher quality because it wasn't exactly the same as the existing one which was inferior. The owner figured it's a better quality and would be an easy sell to the council. Ha!

They never heard of the material and would have to study it. So we had to change it because it would have cost me another month or two before common sense prevailed - if at all. I had already lost two months due to slow renovations and two because the bank I was dealing with cost me another three months for not releasing funds I needed to pay workers.

Speed is key in business. Time is money. Credit departments and (some) bureaucrats could care less.

The other day, we noticed an inspector (I heard the average salary for the urban civil servant is $65 000)  hovering around our place taking pictures. I really didn't like it. It makes you feel you're living in a communist state. The least they can do is show up after hours. Oh wait, they knock off early.

My director, as governmental as they come,  looked at me and summarized it perfectly: "Sont incroyable."

They're incredible.

***

My point in all this is we waste so much time and energy with nonsense. There's no real good reason why they do the things they do.

They do it because they can.

Jon Stewart Takes On Quebec Asbestos

Excuse the poor quality but this is just too good. "How many friends does asbestos have on Facebook?"

Priceless:



Quebec just gave the asbestos industry a loan of $58 million.

More dead money for dead industries.

You Can't Say That...

...these days anyway!

...Candy came from out on the island,
In the backroom she was everybodys darling,
But she never lost her head
Even when she was given head - she said


Hey Babe, take a walk on the wild side,
Said hey honey, take a walk on the wild side.
And the coloured girls go, doo dodoo"

Lou Reed, Walk on the wild side (Transformer)

Wo, there feller. Coloured? Isn't that a tad racist? I'm surprised Reed's classic song hasn't been singled out by the PC army. If Mark Twain isn't safe, no one is. Sleep with one eye open.

I'm just waiting for someone to come in with the suggestion to remove the word 'coloured' with 'African-American.'

***

You know. I think not only is the art of satire and creative use of metaphors may be dead, our ability to read and comprehend it as well may be on the way out as we try and "clean" up our past.

Harper's Western Nationalist Impulse Showing

The tax susbsidy is back on the table.

While I'm as a matter of principle against any form of "subsidy" for political parties (democratic my foot) and for failing businesses, the cost is low to taxpayers compared to the 75% tax credit we get.

I wouldn't mind if the PM cut subsidies to oil companies.

***

Harper's apparent hatred for liberalism is understandable once you see it from a Western perspective. Because Quebec has absorbed all the attention on matters of unity, I fear we've completely under estimated western alienation. And this feeling of isolation was hastened under Pierre Trudeau and his National Engergy Program.

Paternalistic interventionism gone awry and the price was a permanent wedge between Ottawa and the West.

The result is what you see with Harper. It shouldn't surprise us one bit.

Wine Statistics

From the Wine Institute.

Meet The NDP

What's that saying? A picture sez 942 words with some colorful adjectives?

This is the NDP. On the lower left in a black t-shirt with a slight pot belly is Outremont's pride and joy Thomas Mulcair (aka Uncle Tom North). Right next to him is NDP leader Jack Layton.  To the left of Layton is hard sovereignist-socialist Amir Khadir and some guy from the OLF.

What's the problem? They seem to be having  a grand old time at some rally, right?

Well, it's not just any rally. It's a Le Mouvement Montreal rally. Which basically is a nationalist outfit predicated on eradicating anything English in a city they deem to be only French. A rally most moderate people would not be caught attending.

On their site, it clearly urges to vote NDP - the least offensive of the federal parties.

This is who the NDP courted to gain their superficial seats. They made a bed that may never be able to sleep in. Non-English speaking, non-nationalists are glad the Block are gone but may or may not realize the NDP court nationalists that serve against their interests. The bottom line is for us 'Anglais' there were but two options: Liberal or Conservative - or some other party like the Greens. The NDP were a deceptive choice.

See. I'm wired differently from other folks who voted NDP for "change" or "to kick the Bloc out." To me, the NDP are everything I stand against on matters of personal rights and individual sovereignty.

I don't believe in stepping on someone else's rights to pump up another.

Alas, plenty of people do. Mulcair and Layton first among them.

These are the guys who will "restore" democracy to Canada?

C'man.

I Am The Resurrected Scientific Frog Prince!

Just some scattered thoughts:

The line between myth (and rituals) and reality is tight indeed. Finding a point of origin is something abled minds haven't been able to really figure out with any conclusive confidence. No doubt, despite our rational and secular heritage inherited from the Englightenment (and begun during The Renaissance and Reformation), we did incorporate into our common Western civilization "barbaric" mythology. We see it all around us everyday. From our prayers, to our superstitions, right to our beliefs in the spirit world and even modern advertising to explain (and in the latter sell) all sorts of things.

If the Roman-Germanic worlds collided, so did our ability to rationally speculate in conjunction with scientific skepticism and philosophy crash head on with irrational rituals and mythology.

Of course, the (often illogical and confusing to us modern morons) mythology most familiar to us are the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Romans. In North American, Indian (Native) mythology is also well known. Yeah, sure, the Raven was the origin of earth. You do that.

***

But here's the interesting thing. To me anyway. We tend to romanticize Native mythology as if it contains a degree of wisdom and nobility we somehow overlook or lack, yet, when we look upon, say, the Middle-Ages and its superstitions, we mock it. Though I never did quite get that. In a few hundred years we'll be mocked as well. Maybe the political ideology is but a mere form of modern mythology? Who knows!

The irony of course, is when Missionaries came to convert the 'savages' they used Christian religious mythology which in itself was alien to Natives at the time - to say nothing of our freaky technology. It was like The Terminator descending upon the Red race. Two wrongs made a right apparently. Or is it the blind leading the blind? In defense of Christianity, it at least help spawn the age of the Englightenment.

Native tribes around the world did not, though curious, expand or develop any form of speculative investigation choosing instead to use nature as an answer to what ailed or cured them. To explain, in other words, the world around them. I suppose this is why we say they were 'primitive?'

We also have described, in our narratives, that the White Man's arrival on the scene was violent if not nothing but a mistake of history. There's some truth to this (the Indian Wars were indeed violent (with both sides committing atrocities) and the use of Indian nations as pawns by the British and French weren't exactly peaceful) but isn't this a fact of history? The constant movement, collision and warring of one tribe or nation to merge, conquer and form another?

To obsess over this (and worse, apologize for it) is beyond the scope of logic when one confirms and accepts this is man's history. Yes, even its natural state.

To be angry with our imperfect past it is as petty as it is pointless.

Bixi Gets Loan

Raise your hand (and roll your eyes) if you just knew this was going to happen?

$108 million for a Bixi loan and credit line. Not sure if this is a bail out per se but sill. I guess it is.

The math with this project is plain off.

$6000 to build one bike?

Seven years before they see a profit?

In the meantime, we have to fund it?

Tell you what. Give everyone in the city (and in the Plateau in particular) $300 to go buy their own bike at Wal-Mart or Canadian Tire. If they're so into the environment, they'd buy their own bicycle. Actually, I would love to see how many would actually buy a bike with the cash.

In any event, if forced to buy a bike, it would be cheaper that way. No?

Good luck to Bixi. I hope they make it work if anything for our collective sanity. The last thing we need is to have their bikes languishing on every street corners colored in graffiti.

***

Love this. They're just not into you:

Leader of Projet Montreal Richard Bergeron seeeezzzzz,

“This kind of service everywhere ion the world is a public service. It does not have to be profitable.”

Freudian (financial) slip? Proof that officials are just not into cost efficiency?

The way I see it, taking constantly from taxpayers for grandiose schemes only to watch them be "unsustainable" is immoral.

***

No one, and I mean nobody, should be surprised. Montreal's track record when it comes to contracts and projects is abysmal. This city's legacy of mismanagement and corruption is legendary.

Bixi, Water meter scandals, metro cars bidding joke, gaping pot holes the size of Hawking's black hole, the Olympic Stadium, Adscam, and soon the Superhospital.

Yup.

We're in good hands.

And it's not Allstate.

***

Finally. The message is if your business fits the current narrative of the times, you will be saved no matter what.


No believe me? Go try and get a $20 000 loan or RCL from your local bank for your (profitable but outside the trendy realm) business and get back to me.

Pagan Holiday

I missed Walpurgisnacht again this year.

I swear I won't the next.

Question

One thing I have a hard time accepting is listening to a sports announcer, writer or host (and God there are way too many) who knows less than me. I tune in to be challenged and enlightened. So, whenever I hear some putz I tune out.

All I ask is the person behind the mic knows more than me.

I feel the same way about politics. I can't stand listening to someone who clearly is out of their intellectual element. Nor I'm much interested in watching a political rookie learn the ropes on my dime. I expect my leaders to be wiser and, yes, even smarter than me.

Alas, this is not always the case.

Question: Should we increase the barriers to entry as to what is required from our politicians?

Death Of A Player

NHL player Darren Boogaard's death Linked to his past concussions? An autopsy is expected within a couple of weeks.

Call Me When It's Conclusive

Seriously.

At what point do we stop listening?

Coffee is good one day. Bad the next. Same with chocolate, wine, sugar, and salt. For years and years every once in a while a "study" or "research" suggesting (read not conclusive) something is bad is usually followed up with a "but in moderation it's ok" report.

The media runs after each like groupies at a Zep concert.

This is why it's plain bad dumb to legislate (and support) laws declaring war on our health.

For example, what if a study is conducted determining pepper is bad for us is found to be faulty later, it may be too late since a politician looking to score off the fear of voters may have already made into law banning or limiting its use.

Where does that leave us as a "progressive" society?

Aside from a little less spice on our food, nowhere.

That's where.

Hand In The Cookie Jar

Oh, it's something I've been mentioning on and off for years here.

Koch brothers and Murdoch? Fine.

But what about George Soros? King of Liberal causes.

Both sides have their sugar daddies.

Soros, as I've repeated multiple times, is a currency profiteer. He's a financial pirate making dough off the misery of entire nations. He can do to nations in 24 hours no leader can.

He's the last guy I'd listen to on matters of "moral compass" pontification.

But that's just me.

Harper's Supreme Move

I don't know.

Seems to me Harper gets to choose from a list of capable candidates for the Supreme Court.

What's the problem?

Interesting debate about our Charter and whether the Supreme Court is heading towards a more conservative bench. Echoes a similar debate down south.

SCTV Classics

Nothing beats the Ugazzo Pay TV Proposal. Can't find the video but SCTV's parody of The Godfather was priceless:



Why does Lawrence remind me of Pierre Trudeau? Swedish meatballs!






Farm Film Report with Joe Flaherty and John Candy.

Goodbye Michael Scott

All he wanted was to be liked and loved.

Question

Will the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches ever merge?

The New Way

-We go on and on about how the government gets in your way but what about how large corporations make things hard for the 'little guy?'

-I've always pictured the government as the person who says "sure, you're free to leave" but then immediately gets in your face and adds, "but before you do..."

It's all for the better - there, there - they tell us.

-Socialists rail against all things religious but they just as quickly defend - or at least are not as vociferous in their moral indignation - similar corrupt bull shit in public institutions. True or false?

-Question: In the greater context of history who has done more for civilization, the institution of organized religion or the secular state? Both have their bad side, we know this, after all both are run by mere mortals. Instead, I ask in terms of 'force of good.'

Canada's Black Mark

I think this position explains well my position about Canada - or the myth that we're committed to freedom.

We're not.

We're, in fact, hostile to it.

When you think beyond the confines of political boundaries, there's nothing rational, French or English, just or free about our benign form of segregation.

As I wrote way below in a different post:

Any citizen , let alone a non-Francophone one, that agrees Bill 101 is a "good law" is a fool and anti-democratic. The law mocks the fundamental values of liberty we claim to have. You can't rationalize it any other way. You can't be free some of the time. Either you are, or you are not. In Quebec, we're not until we have a right to choose. Right to choose is not something that falls exclusively under abortion.


To me, it's a black mark on the Canadian landscape and is a reason why I smirk whenever I hear a Canadian nationalist babble on about our supposed freedoms while inevitably pumping their chest bashing the Yanks down south.

Quebec can claim to be 'proud' of it all it wants. That's ok. They made the choice. Just don't turn around and tell me you're democrats.

They're looking at it from their own private parochial prism. But in the larger picture where we remove ourselves from the tribe and view our existence as sovereign individuals, then the law is nothing but paternalism hostile to our private interests.

Less Is More

U.S tax burden lowest in decades.

Plan Nord

Sniff.

Look at Canada all grown up.

No more talk and more action finally.

The claim to the Northwest Passage, is tied into Quebec's Plan Nord.

This is huge news and its impact is not just a regional one but a continental one as well.

It's well known northern Quebec is rich in natural resources. Developing it was another matter.

Until now.

GM Volt Sales Slow

Can they pick up?

The one million target by 2015 is unlikely. I wonder who died and left the President an expert on car demand.

Still, if they can find a better battery source and bring costs down, it's a project worth exploring.

Fat Tax

Like most other dumb places, Quebec is considering a 'fat' tax.

Any 'tax' used to 'discourage' a certain behavior is stupid. Taxes are inherently inefficient. The rationale 'as long as the government does this and that' is pure bunk.

Once again, when will people A) face the consequences of their own actions? and B) quit turning to the effen government for what ails society?

The problem in Canada of course is we don't have a choice. Because health is 'universal' and the most rigid of all the OECD systems, I'm forced to go with the 'well it keeps health care costs down' logic.

Which is a lame logic considering, as I've said, there are plenty of people who would jump the public system and go private but the government won't let them for certain procedures. Basically, it's a way of keeping an open-ended option on taxing our lives and lifestyles.

All these taxes and still mediocrity reigns in health and education. Go figure.

Can it be we're looking it things all wrong?

A tax claiming to come in peace and good health is a money grab.

Question

How is President Obama not "neoconservative?"

Well Worth The Time

Quite a few people have expressed that while happy, were perplexed if not cynical it took the United States 10 years to get Osama bin Laden. Yeah well, they could only get Capone on tax evasion.

I say, he was the most wanted man in human history. He probably knew it and was skillful enough to elude justice with a little help from some friends. Beyond that, it is indeed possible some other factors came into play that we may or may not ever know about.

I'm sure there was some relief among the majority of Arabs too.

Mission accomplished as far as I'm concerned.

Good on America.

The Conservatives And The Web

How will the Tories govern the internet?

As for the CRTC, I dream of the day that dated, unelected, paternalistic, anti-free market, organism is dismantled and thrown away into the abyss never to be seen or heard again.

"Daddy, who were the CRTC?"
"Well son, it was 2011. Daddy left for war..."

It will be one big party around here. People would be like, "what's going on?" and I'd be like, "The CRTC is dead! Wooooo!" And then they'd walk away perplexed.

Take The Money And Run

Here's the thing about Gilles Duceppe's $141 000 pension: He's entitled to it.

Why? Because our system allows it. Simple as that.

Sucks. I know.

Philosophically of course, separatists who take the money and run really, when you think of it to its profound end, don't have honor. If they truly believed in their cause, they'd reject the money. Hate it? Grow a pair and put an end to it.

In the meantime, who in their right mind rejects cold hard cash?

It's like an athlete being overpaid. It's not the athlete's fault an organization inflates their pay cheque. Why would they turn down a massive contract?

Words From Melville

Fast Fish and Loose Fish:

"...But if the doctrine of Fast-Fish be pretty generally applicable, the kindred doctrine of Loose-Fish is still more widely so. That is internationally and universally applicable.



What was America in 1492 but a Loose-Fish, in which Columbus struck the Spanish standard by way of wailing it for his royal master and mistress? What was Poland to the Czar? What Greece to the Turk? What India to England? What at last will Mexico be to the United States? All Loose-Fish.


What are the Rights of Man and the Liberties of the World but Loose-Fish? What all men's minds and opinions but Loose-Fish? What is the principle of religious belief in them but a Loose-Fish? What to the ostentatious smuggling verbalists are the thoughts of thinkers but Loose-Fish? What is the great globe itself but a Loose-Fish? And what are you, reader, but a Loose-Fish and a Fast-Fish, too?"

Henry Melville, Moby Dick. Chapter89.

***

Chapter 90

"Why should the king get the head and the Queen the tail. A reason for that, ye lawyers!"

Twitter Of the Moment

I don't use or follow Twitter but if there's one journalist I would follow on the issue of global terrorism it's J.M. Berger.

Sleeper Cells In Canada

Just a reminder to Canadians.

There are sleeper cells here. We do get threats.

Al-Queda Confrims Osama Death

Good enough for you, Mr. Mulcair?

What about you douchebag conspiracy theorist?

***

They vow revenge. I think we knew that was coming. But it's really a Mossad-CIA plot.

Bob Rae As Liberal Leader

Bad idea.

I speak strictly as a voter. I don't see how if the Liberals are to embark on a bottom-top soul searching mission as some have said, Bob Rae is the man to show them the light on such a spiritual journey. Interim or not.

Why? Because Chretien endorses him. The whole point is to distance themselves and erase the memory of their scandalous past.

Progressive Thinking

Ah, those nutty smart liberals.

Oooh, the unsubstabtiated, banal, insulting, hyperbolic claims, Madame Heather Mallick!

How is this not "journalistic fear mongering?"

"The tasmanian devil (Harper) is on the loose!"

Census Us Or Else

The short-form census was mailed and received by every Canadian.

And like good sheep we have no problem disclosing personal information to unelected strangers. It's all perfectly normal especially the way they sell it. If you "choose" to not provide them with the requested information the world will basically end. Not only that, and it's clearly stipulated in bold, it's the law.

The questions were harmless enough: Name, gender, age, mother tongue, address.

What's the big deal? Just do it and shut up.

Here's the thing. If you're not into all the personal freedom stuff, then you may not consider this but some of us do.

The thing is, if someone of free will chooses to not answer the question they should not be threatened or coerced into doing so under any circumstance.

That's freedom. 

Freedom's imperfections in its contract between citizens and their government is part of the deal.

Alas, this notion is but a mere minor belief these days. The Harper government was morally right, to me personally anyway, to have attempted to make the long-form census voluntary. Some people have reservations in revealing information about themselves. We should respect that no matter how important we deem it.

Nothing is worth much if it's taken by threat or force.

I passed it off to my wife to answer. She harbours no worries about such trivialities.

Bin Laden: Hypocritical Coward

Here's a surprise. Bin Laden orders his children not to become terrorists.

"The instruction to his 24 children not to fight jihad cites a precedent from the Islamic texts."

Reminds me of Quebec nationalists who by law (Bill 101 which is by the way supported by NDP screwballs like Mulcair) criminally tell Quebecers they can't go to English school but turn around and send their kids to English or American schools.

One of my comments lost:

From Tony:

"...and the procedure used by the provisions of bill 101 are, in places, word-for-word for the now-defunct Apartheid statutes of South Africa. Having to ask: Who are your parents and what is their classification in order to determine rights for an individual -- and then pass those rights down through heredity -- is used by both systems. It is a violation of the basic tenet of free and democratic societies: that all are equal before and under the law.


See chapters 2 and 5 of http://www.WhyCanadaMustEnd.com"

I agree.
No matter how you dice it, ITS PREJUDICIAL.

Any citizen , let alone a non-Francophone one, that agrees Bill 101 is a "good law" is a fool and anti-democratic. The law mocks the fundamental values of liberty we claim to have. You can't rationalize it any other way. You can't be free some of the time. Either you are, or you are not. In Quebec, we're not until we have a right to choose. Right to choose is not something that falls exclusively under abortion.

To me, it's a black mark on the Canadian landscape. Quebec can claim to be 'proud' of it all it wants. That's ok. They made the choice. Just don't turn around and tell me you're democrats.

They're looking at it from their own private parochial prism. But in the larger picture where we remove ourselves from the tribe and view our existence as sovereign individuals, then the law is nothing but paternalism hostile to our private interests.

Canada Asked For American Help

Canada asking for the Americans for help in the event of a nuclear attack?

Not surprising. Anything related to security and the military in a serious scenario would lead to our asking for outside help. A friend of mine in the RCMP believes Canadians are woefully unprepared for a terrorist or nuclear attack despite credible threats. Not only that, as I've written in the past, if Canada were to ever be attacke, psychologically it would shock and change Canada forever.

The link comes by way of Wikileaks.

Fiction Friday

My latest surreal piece at The Warehouse.

Slightly edited and expanded, it was originally sent in to a local sports radio contest for a trip to Wrigley. The only reason why I did was because the hosts were babbling on about how they wanted creative entries and that out of hundreds they received only a handful were fit to qualify for a lousy t-shirt at worst and tickets to watch the Cubs.

Me, being the literal cat I am, set to write something "creative."

I kinda knew it was a long shot but I put my faith in their commitment to creativity. I like to push our natural tendency to cater to the lowest common denominator.

So much for faith.

Entry after entry was nothing but typical, banal "top 10 lists," "I drive my wife crazy" and "I'm a big baseball fan" stories.

I must admit I was perplexed by my omission. If you call for "creative" writing remember that some of us out there take it seriously.

Anyway. Read it for yourselves. Catch the symbolism, history and pop culture references, alliteration and foreshadowing if you must.

I think that was the Nike "swoosh" sound I just heard.

***

You know. In a way, it's good shows like American Idol are on. Before, all judgement rested on the minds of a few. Now, an entire nation gets to decide.

They should do one for writing.

I Ain't Ever Satisfied

Daycare Permit Scandal

It's simple.

There are scandals in daycare because the government is doling out the permits and makes the process so long (average 18 months) that people find ways to, you know, live.

It's not friggen complicated.

Article is in French but worth translating.

That Didn't Take Long

In honor of the special "Here Come the 'DP At The Comedy Cellar" I write this post in orange.

Before we begin, recall that this one of the NDP's most experienced politicians!

Not a fan and never will be a fan of Thomas Mulcair. Nonetheless, with all the scrutiny being placed on the fact four university students and fraudster are heading to Ottawa to earn 150k, Mulcair didn't exhibit much wisdom.

Tommy, this ain't Kansas anymore. You're now part of the official opposition. Your party won a baffling 102 seats. Act like it. People will actually critically assess your comments. Unlike the language crap you pull here in Quebec. A Quebec sports writer can be prejudicial because no one can read French or much cares on the continent but not you anymore. You big time now, got it?

About Bin Laden and the Americans hethinks:

"I said that’s the decent thing to do, but on the other hand, it doesn’t get rid of the fact that if there are other things that can prove or disprove whether or not there was a weapon and whether or not there was an issue of self-defence as opposed to a direct killing, then that also becomes germane with regard to international law and American law.”

Are you fucking kidding me? One of the most important manhunts in the history of American politics and military for a murderous jack off terrorist and he's worried about whether he was "pulling for a gun?"

Get ready for gratuitous anti-American gibberish from the NDP. If you think the Liberals under Chretien weren't anti-American enough, wait 'til this bunch talks without thinking. It's likely a little George Galloway lives in all of them.

In fact, a little sovereignty too. I think it's a no-brainer that Quebec has the NDP in its back pocket.

***

And then there's Maud.

Ruth Ellen Brousseau. Fraudster.

Even being told she can't talk to the media. Transparecny, democracy, honest politics? Blah, blah, blah.

What's worse is the people of Berthier Maskinonge actually voting for here. No excuse for that either.

Sttteeeeee-rike TWO!

***

Man, I have so many scripts in my head ready to be written the NDP are GOLD!

Quebec Health Data System A Mess

And these people want to build a "super hospital?"

*Face palm*

Chicago Principal Oversteps Her Boundary

I know I'd be pretty pissed off at this if they forced me to not send my kid with her own lunch to school. Forcing parents without their consent (is there any other way?) to pay for lunches is plain wrong.

Pure bull shit it's about the "health of the kids." This has more to do with paternalism encroaching in the private lives of people. To say nothing of the suspicious monetary interest involved. Cui bono? indeed.

It never ends does it?

What do you expect when you give up some of your liberties to the public interest? Your kids become "our" kids.

Sad Ending

For Jolene Riendeau who went missing in 1999 when she was 10 years old. Police found her body.

Ignatieff Resigns

While the Liberal brand has annoyed me for years now, I had nothing against Michael Ignatieff (or Stephane Dion for that matter), personally. Ignatieff, I happen to think, is a brilliant mind academically speaking. I actually felt bad for him. He did give an eloquent speech. He truly looked dejected, shocked, and dismayed. Losing is tough.

He just took over a Liberal party that was a shell of its former self. I voted less against him than the party itself.

He was, however, hopelessly misguided in calling this election. But it had to take this shake down for the Liberals to hopefully reform and reshape their visions. That they were possible suitors with the NDP in a leftist merge showed they had become less "centrist" and shifted left. That lost me.

That Didn't Take Long

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

***

Justin 'My father said' Trudeau didn't back the Michael Ignatieff camp opting for Gerard Kennedy who lost last night. Recall he said Ignatieff "lacked wisdom." Not surprising some are angling for him to be the next leader of the party soon or down the line.

Personally, he's not the answer. He has the same, tired, Canadian liberal messeage. But that's me.

Conflicting Purging Of The American Soul And Justice

The killing of Osama has had quite an effect on Americans. Well, the ones at sports games anyway.

I don't think you could fake these images if you tried.









Nonetheless, while I don't want to overplay his killing, I do think there's nothing wrong in their sense of pride for bringing the prick to justice, but the celebrating is a bit weird.







***

There were reports they were using a woman as a human shield as the Seals wiped the suckers out. Turns out, it was Osama doing it. A true warrior until the end.

***

Speaking of the Navy Seals, I was reading the story on how they executed - excuse the pun - the plan. Cool stuff. Right out of the movies. Or is it right out of real life? I smell a movie coming. Props to the President for going with special-ops for this. High risk, high rewards.

***

The Playboy Mummy

Imagine that.

You know, once upon a time, when our community bounds were strong and civil, a neighbour would have found Yvette Vickers much sooner.

We've become more diconnected and even disenchanted with one another.

We Did What?

Man, this is going to be interesting.

It's ok, Layton will blame the Tories for his decision to nominate people with so little experience - four McGill students suddenly will be part of the opposition.

Nothing beats Ruth Ellen Brosseau, an assistant manager in a pub who was put on a ballot in a French-speaking riding even though she can barely speak the language. She did what any dedicated professional does in such matters. Rather than campaign and build credibility, she split for Vegas.

And won!

*Shakes head*

As bad as the Liberals are, the NDP are rank amateurs.

I hope they prove me wrong.

***

Back to Quebec electing the NDP. The problem is that despite the 102 seats, the Conservatives how more power than before and the NDP can't threaten them with a coalition thus limiting what they can possibly do. In many ways, it's a symbolic election in that Quebec gets large representation as official opposition.

***

You know, I just realized that most of the time I never had an MP I supported. My vote always went to the party but the candidate in my riding was usually Bloc. In other words, I was NEVER represented.

Some system.

No wonder there's a democratic deficit.

Healthy Diet In Jeopardy?

In a discussion about whether or not the United States is in decline usually encompasses metrics like demography, economic trends and growth and innovation. However, someone pointed to me something we may be overlooking: Diet.

Her claim that in the West in general (don't tell that to the French or Italians), diet is in decline given the source of our food is often questionable. From sugar content, to gluten to corn products to all sorts of other preservatives and ingredients, we're likely killing our body. People point to the rise of cancer as "proof" but as I posted a while back, cancer rates as a whole across the board have been stable for the past 50 years in North America.

The other alleged problem is the link between bad food with autism and allergies which seemingly are on the rise.

Although, we're ironically living longer than we ever have.

Poor diet and no exercise means less energy and more sloths in society. This can manifest itself into poor academics and a weak military.

Thoughts?
***

Which made me wonder as I cruised around an organic store. If "mainstream" food being sold through grocery stores are bad for us the alternative, we're told, is organic food.  Or at least food produced as it was "meant" to be eaten: Fresh from the freshest sources.

We often hear about how education and health are a "right" that should be universally available to all. What about food? What's to stop in the future advocacy groups and the government from making organic food a public service? After all, organic food is too expensive for the under privileged. Private enterprise, it is believed (though I have my reservations about this argument), would never cater to the poor (although stores like Dollarama do exactly that for basic items). Therefore, it is up to the state to make sure people are eating right.

Actually, I don't think this new "value" is not too far off from entering our political discourse. It's already begun with the silly war on fast food chains.

Election Thoughts; NDP Hype And Frivolous Bob Rae

Because you asked I offer my useless but charming opinion on what transpired last night.

The Conservatives won 167 seats easily surpassing the 155 seats needed to form a majority government.

To say it was interesting goes without saying. For you Americanos reading, picture Ralph Nader coming in second in your election to understand what the NDP as official opposition means.

So. Now the NDP suddenly find themselves in the middle of power for the first time in its history.  "What? You mean I have to actually explain and justify my promises, now?"

How they will perform is anyone's guess. I imagine some of their phone calls went a little like: "Hi Mom, I'm on TV!" and "Cancel that trip to Ogunquit I have to work!" Again, for you Yanks, Ocunquit is a popular destination for Quebecers.

***

The new buzzword this election cycle is "cooperation." Every election, we learn a new word like an espisode from fricken Sesame Street. Can you say, "eviction?"

***

It has been espoused the new conservative-socialism dichotomy in parliament will function better than most think. Perhaps. However, there's a little wrinkle in that belief. The reality is despite its impressive meteoric rise to opposition, most of the NDP seats (58 in total) came from Quebec all at the expense of the Bloc Quebecois (more on those clowns later). They capitalized more on a "protest" vote than their actually policies. People did vote either strategically or with their emotions but not out of conviction or based on issues.

Quebec has given NDP a hold on power they could never have imagined. For the province, it makes more sense to vote for a party that actually can form an opposition. Better to go with a socialist national party than a regional separatist one as the thought went.

It's now a double-edge sword for thr NDP. As a true national party (which is good for Quebec given they actually have a voice as opposed to a bunch of seperatists sitting throwing useless, rhetorical stones in Parliament), they may find themselves naturally pandering to Quebec's needs.

Strategically, it was simple: People were fed up with the pointlessness of the Bloc Quebecois - the party founded by Lucien Bouchard. In fact, it was an opening for Quebecers - thoroughly sickened by the fact a separatist party earning a Federal paycheck and pension on their dime - to skin them alive.

***

I mentioned the NDP garnered 58 seats in Quebec but only 44 (22 in Ontario) in the rest of Canada. In Saskatchewan, the spiritual NDP flatland - they managed no seats at all.

The Conservatives on the other hand conquered British Columbia and Alberta and left Quebec to the wolves.

The Liberals, for their part, roamed around the country asking people if they can you spare a nickel for their thoughts.

Can you spell regional split?

We'll see how this plays out.

***

I don't trust the NDP won't pander to nationalists. After all, I wouldn't be surprised if some of their MP's elected are soft nationalists or even separatists themselves.

***

Elizabeth May won the first ever seat for the Green party. Canada's Green movement is in its infancy stage. Surprising, no?

***

About 62% of Canadian voted. Voter turn out in tiny PEI (pop. c. 130 000) exceeded 70%.

***

As for the Bloc Quebecois, Good riddance. It bothered me to no end to have listen to them whine about Canada while earning a cheque from Ottawa. Duceppe's entire strategy was to go to the rest of Canada to provoke and then go back to Quebec and say, "See, what they said about you!" It was such a lame game.

Buh-bye.
***

Last but not least, I listened to Liberal Bob Rae after winning his seat somewhere in Ontario. They say conservatives feed on ignorance, but liberals say stupid things too in an effort to win support.

I don't know when the crappy logic of "60% of Canadians didn't vote for Harper ergo he doesn't have a true majority and moral right to govern as he wishes" crept into the country's political vernacular, but it's a shameful one rooted in political ignorance. I even remember websites going up yapping on about "2/3 of Canadians didn't vote Harper."

Bunch of history deficient drones I must politely say.

Rae's own Liberals won the election with 37% of the popular vote in 2004. In 2000, the Liberals won 41% thanks to the right splitting itself between the Canadian Alliance and PC who got 38% of the vote.

In both elections, 60% of Canadians didn't vote Liberal! In fact, it was the case in the 1990s as well when Chretien dominated the landscape with his majorities.

Obviously, when Harper was elected they decided to move the goal posts and speak gibberish.

60% of the population not voting for a governing party is the norm Makes perfect sense with three major parties in the mix and until last night a regional block from a big province. To say nothing of fringe parties and indepdendents who manage to get votes .

Naturally, it's rare a government wins more than 50%. And in the pre-war era, it was generally a 50/50 split between the Conservatives and Liberals.

Only TWO parties have ever won more of the popular vote than the other parties combined and that was in 1958, again with the Conservatives under Diefenbaker and the Liberals in 1953.

It has happened where a party wins an election with less of a popular vote than its opposition but this is not the case with Harper. His percentages are roughly in line with historical averages. Actually, given the amount of parties on the ballots, I'd say hitting close to 40% is pretty damn good.

So for Bob Rae to repeat the ignorant claim says two things about him: Either he's a clown-idiot (which I doubt) or he's being coy in deceiving the electorate banking they won't fact check his claim. I don't know which is worse.

The latter is likely but it shows he's no different than any politician in their attempt to prey on the ignorant.

Let the Liberals wallow in nothingness for crap like this.

God Is Not Funny

In both my home and work ridings, the NDP have won.

Ugh.

More wagging of the finger to come as there's a left of center shift in large parts of Quebec.

Conservatives Win

It's only 15 minutes since the polls have closed but the networks are already calling a Conservative victory.

That would be three straight victories. We just have to wait if it's a majority or not.

The NDP are poised to form the official opposition.

Not surprised by what's happening to the Liberals.

If this holds, it will be unprecedented as the NDP never acted as opposition while the Liberals don't know what it's like to come in third.

Since Confederation, Canada has been governed by either the Tories or Liberals.

So, it's a historic development.

Daycare Update

So.

I'm told.

The government is "involved" in daycare for the general interest of the public.

Blah, blah.

Here we are, following every lousy rule in the book. I mean, right down to the lock and key thing for apparently the government posts every "issue" on their site for each daycare.

Meanwhile, don't I run into a daycare, with no park in sight, with a play area...on the roof.

How they got a permit to begin with is beyond me.

Bah.

Using A Woman As Human Shield

On one side, you have elite Navy Seals killing Obama with a bullet to the head and on the other, the "freedom fighters" using a woman as a human shield.

Osama Makes Obama Tough

Obviously, President Obama is taking credit for nailing Osama down. We pretty much knew if that was going to happen under any leader, they would hog the attention. The same will happen when Iraq - when and if - it settles down. Human politics is like that.

However,  if memory serves me right, Obama and the left in general were against any of the wars to begin with - remember those human shields who went to Iraq in protest. Afghanistan may be a different case, but as a whole, the man of peace basically once again showed he is Bush on steroids.

It was interesting to listen and read liberals, who under Bush did nothing but undermine anything he did on the war effort, speak lofty about how Obama is finding his stride and voice as a leader in the aftermath of killing a terrorist. Blah, blah.

But now, it is all different since their guy caught the enemy.

I know I was against it but I inherited it!

Sweet. 

Hey, do not get me wrong, all things aside, good on America. Just saying.

Osama Bin Laden Killed

We've been hearing about his death since at least 2007.

The Americans finally got their man ten years after 9/11.

Now we wait to see what the ramifications will be.