Run for the Hills, the Earth is on Fire!

At least that is what one doomsayer is telling any journalist within earshot:

Climate change will wipe out most life on Earth by the end of this century and mankind is too late to avert catastrophe, a leading British climate scientist said.

[...]

His apocalyptic theory foresees crop failures, drought and death on an unprecedented scale. The population of this hot, barren world could shrink from about seven billion to one billion by 2100 as people compete for ever-scarcer resources.

Flaherty’s stimulus is a total mistake

Talk about the under-statement of the year! The whole stimulus is a mistake.

Government Job Creation – Making You Pay More for Everything

The Ontario government’s solution to a slumping job market is to make homeowners pay for mandatory “green audits” of their homes energy:

The Ontario government is prepared to impose a green regime that will direct how homeowners sell their property, set prices on alternative energy and cut municipalities out of decision-making where wind and solar energy projects can be located.

The sweeping legislative package known as the Green Energy Act will amend 15 statutes and the government says it will create 50,000 jobs.

For homeowners already facing one of the worst markets in decades, the new law will mean they will be forced to pay for an energy audit before putting their house on the market. [Emphasis mine]

Quebec separatists should stage their own Battle of the Plains of Abraham

There is so much petty nonsense that has been instigated over this matter. What I find interesting is that some folks condemn the threats of violence (on the part of modern separatists) but yet the horrifying violence (on the part of Wolfe and his pirates) is ignored. The short battle around Quebec City is held up as a moral justification for a political fate that was not chosen by Quebeckers.

I am actually glad that the re-inactment of the battle on the Plains of Abraham has been cancelled. Now, I recommend that the separatists stage their own re-inactment themselves and tell the complete history. I doubt very much that English Canada would be happy to see a dramatization of all the rapes, the murders, the burnings and the pillaging of all the farms and villages leading up to Quebec City.

Unmanned Spyplanes Over British Skys

United Kingdom’s version of Big Brother has been busy lately with inventive ideas on how to spy on its citizenry. First it was over 4 million CCTV cameras blanketing the country, now it’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with sophisticated cameras and heat-seeking equipment:

Plans to introduce the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is outlined in the Home Office’s Science and Innovation Strategy.

It states: “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are likely to become an increasingly useful tool for police in the future, potentially reducing the number of dangerous situations the police may have to enter and also providing evidence for prosecutions and support police operations in ‘real time’.”

George Clooney discusses Darfur with Barack Obama

Before anybody dismisses George Clooney’s audience with the President, I want to praise him for bringing the plight of the poor people of Darfur to public attention. These may be public relations stunts but I give Clooney the benefit of the doubt. He risks his own life and safety when he visits Sudan or Tchad. This is not like Madonna or Angelina Jolie adopting an African child.

It may seem bold for a movie star to get the immediate attention of the head of state. However, I think Clooney is using his celebrity status the right way. I think more movie stars, rock stars and athletes should do the same. Naturally, that will lead to some kooky stuff too but like any market, there should be freedom of choice!

As more and more celebrities risk their careers over causes that mean a lot to them, they are effectively offering a parallel competing market in politics. This is exciting.

When Red Tape and Bureaucracy Get in the Way of Good Ideas

Captain Capitalism rants and we’d all better listen:

It’s the assholes and jerks who make the tough decisions, blow the whistles and eat yes-men for breakfast who [are] going to be your next boss…that is unless of course you would prefer the company to go bankrupt and have no job at all.

Conservative Messaging: Are we taking control?

I’ve long been frustrated by what appears to be a lack of control over the conservative message by the Conservative Party; the people who are supposedly responsible for maintaining and advancing a conservative movement and agenda.

I’ve heard time and time again that ‘the media is biased, and they’re no friends of ours’. So what? Does that mean we stop trying to keep our message on course? Do we just give up and leave our ‘message’ in the hands of 1) The Opposition Parties (who will spin the message as negatively as possible in order to demonize the Conservatives) or 2) the media itself (who, when given no alternative, will resort to educated guesses, but guesses none-the-less).

Obviously, we expect the Opposition Parties to work against us to their own benefit. What’s not so reliable, is that the public will see it that way too. I’ve heard from non-politically active friends that “they’d know better than me what’s what”…. Seriously, is that something we want to allow by inaction?

Understandably, if the media-types don’t have official information on something of public-interest, they will start to speculate on the “possible” meanings, or the “potential” outcomes of the issue-du-jour. This only serves to feed the Opposition Parties ammunition to use against us and will claim it’s the truth by virtue of non-denial (even if non-admittance is also part of that equation).

For far too long, we have done exactly that. And it has taken its toll.

Suddenly, the Prime Minister seems to have been enervated and is taking our message on the road. He’s getting face time all over the US, and Americans are paying attention! Not only is he looking knowledgeable, but he’s also looking convincing and competent; very Prime Ministerial! Momentum is starting to build again, albeit very slowly, based on that confident and capable image as well as what looks to be a possible resurgence of the conservative social agenda.

It’s my sincere hope that this face time is extended in Canada as well. I sincerely hope that the Prime Minister, the PMO and the Cabinet Ministers all get on board and get out there! Take back control of our message! Grab the attention of conservatives again and give them something to hold onto! Let’s not waste this opportunity, and instead grow it and learn from it!

Quebec schools closing, decreasing student enrollment

Public schools are closing in Quebec. Parents, teachers and public educationeers are struggling with a decreasing student population. Not surprisingly, high school students have the highest décrochage in the province but the birth rate is also falling.

The Quebec press is quick to portray this situation as dire but I am not. The students who drop out of Quebec high schools today do not fall off the face of the planet. I want to believe that Quebeckers are simply demonstrating their preference against public schooling.

A few decades ago, a high school education was valuable and not all adults had one. Not all adults had the ability to complete high school and many did not need to. The labor market was different back then. The current labor market in Quebec could be evolving whereby young people appreciate taking time off during the course of their life-long training or education.

Maybe young Quebeckers are going to be able to weather this economic recession a lot better than expected because they are not wasting their resources or their time.

Goose-Stepping Towards 1984 – The Fascist State of Britain?

Has everyone in Great Britain gone mad? Big Brother is just about to get a lot bigger across the pond:.

Big Brother CCTV cameras are to be fitted inside shops and supermarkets on the orders of the state to keep track on anybody buying alcohol.

A law is being quietly pushed through Parliament giving councils the power to order licensed premises to fit the surveillance cameras. Pubs will also be covered.

The footage of people innocently buying a bottle of wine in a shop or a pint of beer in a bar must be stored for at least 60 days, and be handed over to the police on demand.

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Critics say it will mean that citizens will now be tracked everywhere they go. The UK already has more than four million closed-circuit TV cameras covering the streets – the largest number in the world. [Emphasis mine]

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