“If any of what I say or do or make offends you, take a number. And when your number is called, pound sand.”
So, what, exactly, was Ms. Wynne’s fussing all about, again? http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-holds-1st-meeting-with-kathleen-wynne-in-more-than-a-year-1.2890045
After all the media ballyhoo about the “evil” Stephen J. Harper not meeting with the “majority” premier of “Canada’s largest province”, this all came down to drinking water on First Nations reservations, a matter Ms. Wynne acknowledges is essentially none of her business? Have I got that right?
Ontario, by the numbers:
2011 (federal) — 73 Conservatives elected with 44.6% of the popular vote (2.446 million votes), with 33 opposition members elected.
2014 (provincial) — 58 Liberals elected with 38.7% of the popular vote (1.850 million votes), with 49 opposition members elected *1.
And Ms. Wynne owns the “pixy-dust/star-power”? What? I think I need a version with pictures, because I’m just not getting this latest fiasco for her.
__________
*1. Ontario’s Legislative Assembly has one more seat from Northern Ontario than the House of Commons of Canada.
Kathy Shaidle at PJ Media on Weasel Zippers re: #BlackBrunch http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2015/01/05/conservative-blog-hacked-for-posting-top-secret-racist-blackbrunch-protest-manual/
“As of 7 p.m. ET tonight, if you try to reach the venerable conservative blog WeaselZippers.us, you’ll get a 521 error message, telling you the site’s server is down.
According to TheRightScoop, the blog was hacked after it posted the Alinskyesque how-to manual distributed by those #BlackBrunch protesters who’ve been pestering white people (and only white people) in restaurants this week.
According to the documents themselves, only African-Americans are allowed to read them.”
… How dare you report on us! http://weaselzippers.us
EBD’s reader tip yesterday is worth repeating.
[ So long as our minds marinate in electronic wonderlands and see the regular burdens of reality as a prison cell to escape, the American soul will always be slouching toward political and cultural collectivism, because we will ever be susceptible to promises that things can “change for the better” or that the world can become “a better place” provided we support some person or movement promising the fulfillment of that hope. We’ll also be ever seeking that charismatic leader sold as the voice and promise of the collective vision.
The Gnostic meta-narrative pretends non-conformist individuality, its focus on the Self and all. It seems so rebellious and antinomian, but only in the way a television ad convinces you and 20 million other people you’re being unique by rebelling against convention and buying these jeans. The dynamic defines so much of Leftism: Rebel against convention, be yourself, and now join that throng of zombies linked arm-in-arm to save the world while the emotive chords of “Imagine” tinkle in the background. Because together we can make a difference! ] http://thefederalist.com/2015/01/02/is-2015-the-year-history-rebels-against-progressivism/
I hope the author is right, broadly speaking, but that article is a jumble. Having glanced at most of it I would call it more mysticism than rational thought.
There are a few obvious truths: “Does progressivism put too much stock in the abilities of scientific elite to manage the collective?” Obviously yes. They tout as “experts” anyone who parrots their point of view, then claim to be making “evidence-based” policies based on their testimony. In reality, government policies are coercive and coercion does not help human life in any way, shape or form. It’s only useful in self-defense, and government’s purpose is to protect the rights of individuals. Perhaps the best way to defeat progressivism is to remind the planet that government is coercive, and coercion is (in popular vernacular) an “epic fail” where human lives are concerned.
“Is Keynesianism a failure and the free market the way to go? Think the economic stimulus vis a vis the oil boom as the true driver of job creation.” Yes to the first sentence, but the true drivers of job creation are human needs and wants. An economy is the totality of all acts of production, trade and consumption performed by every individual within it (which really means every individual on earth). People trade voluntarily for mutual benefit. All progress (meaning a higher standard of living) stems from people finding ways to make more or better or less expensive products. The division of labour allows individuals to gain expertise in their occupations. Capitalism is the system that does not interfere with this voluntary trade for mutual benefit. Mixed economies and socialism do, and they are responsible for the state of the economy today, in which a rising standard of living is no longer a given.
But: “Progressivism was birthed from the marriage of Darwinism and social gospel millenarianism.” It probably would not have been possible had it not been for the philosophical depredations of Immanuel Kant and G. W. F. Hegel. Kant divorced reason from reality, essentially because we human beings don’t have automatic, infallible powers of perception and cognition. Hegel then chose reason (he thought), discarded reality, and concocted a mystical fairy tale of sub-Scientology drivel, part of which regarded reason not as the human attribute it is but as a God-like Being on its own. Then along came Karl Marx, who tried to put physical reality back into the mix, but who only managed to substitute society for what passed for Hegel’s version of God, and to write a philosophy that completely obliterates the individual, that is, real human beings. This philosophical chain, which actually begins as far back as Plato, still holds sway today. It’s why Ayn Rand said she was challenging the philosophical traditions of 2000 years.
“Progressives falsely premised their movement on the unassailable assumption that the only way to attain a collective vision is through centralized government action.” Collectives don’t have “visions”.
The author is broadly correct to state that the culture is “progressive”, which was part of the goal of the political correctness agenda that arose, as part of the Marxism chain, in the 1920s. But I’d rather read Mark Steyn on that issue. Plus there are a few grains of truth in it.
He also mentions the familiar “narrative”, which means taking control of the distribution of information. That likely comes from Gramsci’s notion of infiltrating the institutions rather than trying to prompt the revolution of the “working class”. The political correctness agenda attempts to use the underclasses, like the poor, minorities, immigrants and so on, as a substitute working class for the purpose of overthrowing capitalism, once the true working class discovered they were doing quite well under capitalism. Which is no surprise, given that it’s about trade for mutual benefit. It’s also worth noting the economic principle that real wages rise in relation to capital investment per worker. What destroys capital investment is taxes and regulation, and wasteful government spending. “Progressives” are not really interested in the working class, only in seizing power and ruling. But we knew that.
To sum up: a few good points in the article but little that can be used to help bring his thesis to fruition.
Well nv53 and ron in kelowna, no matter who discusses it and how, hopefully the signs of reversal bear fruit as that “progressive” thinking resulted in the deaths of a 100 million and arguably another 50 million just in WW2.
Plainsdrifter@ 11:24
“Max speed is 112 MPH. A well tuned Cessna 172 could catch it!”
Agree, but low and slow would be where danger lies. Below radar, hard to detect and identify plus it’s nothing the Airforce could do much much about before it reaches its target in urban settings. Under the right circumstances the damage potential is worthy of speculation.
“If any of what I say or do or make offends you, take a number. And when your number is called, pound sand.”
So, what, exactly, was Ms. Wynne’s fussing all about, again?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stephen-harper-holds-1st-meeting-with-kathleen-wynne-in-more-than-a-year-1.2890045
After all the media ballyhoo about the “evil” Stephen J. Harper not meeting with the “majority” premier of “Canada’s largest province”, this all came down to drinking water on First Nations reservations, a matter Ms. Wynne acknowledges is essentially none of her business? Have I got that right?
Ontario, by the numbers:
2011 (federal) — 73 Conservatives elected with 44.6% of the popular vote (2.446 million votes), with 33 opposition members elected.
2014 (provincial) — 58 Liberals elected with 38.7% of the popular vote (1.850 million votes), with 49 opposition members elected *1.
And Ms. Wynne owns the “pixy-dust/star-power”? What? I think I need a version with pictures, because I’m just not getting this latest fiasco for her.
__________
*1. Ontario’s Legislative Assembly has one more seat from Northern Ontario than the House of Commons of Canada.
Kathy Shaidle at PJ Media on Weasel Zippers re: #BlackBrunch
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2015/01/05/conservative-blog-hacked-for-posting-top-secret-racist-blackbrunch-protest-manual/
“As of 7 p.m. ET tonight, if you try to reach the venerable conservative blog WeaselZippers.us, you’ll get a 521 error message, telling you the site’s server is down.
According to TheRightScoop, the blog was hacked after it posted the Alinskyesque how-to manual distributed by those #BlackBrunch protesters who’ve been pestering white people (and only white people) in restaurants this week.
According to the documents themselves, only African-Americans are allowed to read them.”
… How dare you report on us!
http://weaselzippers.us
I wonder how long it will take to put these weapons into the wrong hands? The Chinese are selling and I doubt if they care who’s buying.
http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20150104000112&cid=1101
peterj: Re: drone.
Max speed is 112 MPH. A well tuned Cessna 172 could catch it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisheng_ASN-209#Specifications
EBD’s reader tip yesterday is worth repeating.
[ So long as our minds marinate in electronic wonderlands and see the regular burdens of reality as a prison cell to escape, the American soul will always be slouching toward political and cultural collectivism, because we will ever be susceptible to promises that things can “change for the better” or that the world can become “a better place” provided we support some person or movement promising the fulfillment of that hope. We’ll also be ever seeking that charismatic leader sold as the voice and promise of the collective vision.
The Gnostic meta-narrative pretends non-conformist individuality, its focus on the Self and all. It seems so rebellious and antinomian, but only in the way a television ad convinces you and 20 million other people you’re being unique by rebelling against convention and buying these jeans. The dynamic defines so much of Leftism: Rebel against convention, be yourself, and now join that throng of zombies linked arm-in-arm to save the world while the emotive chords of “Imagine” tinkle in the background. Because together we can make a difference! ]
http://thefederalist.com/2015/01/02/is-2015-the-year-history-rebels-against-progressivism/
All over America, malls are dying.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/business/the-economics-and-nostalgia-of-dead-malls.html
Intel wants to use your face as a password:
* http://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2015/01/05/goodbye_passwords_new_intel_app_opens_sites_with_your_face.html
But it turns out that iris (eye) scans and fingerprint scans can easily be hacked by taking a picture of the target eye or finger by a cellphone camera:
* http://armstrongeconomics.com/2015/01/03/iris-scan-beaten-with-cell-phone-cameras/
* http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/28/chaos-computer-club-claims-it-can-reproduce-fingerprints-from-peoples-public-photos/
How long before thieves can steal your identity by using a close-up photo?
How long before people are getting photo-mugged? “Hands up! Look at the camera!”
At least this makes the other scenario I’ve worried about less likely: people getting kidnapped for their fingers. The thieves presumably cut their victims’ fingers (or hands) off so they can use the biometric fingerprint ID to loot their bank accounts. If the photo hack works, they won’t have to cut your fingers off, but merely take pictures of them.
I hope you urban Obama voters made sure you got your free ObamaPhone.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/01/fbi-says-search-warrants-not-needed-to-use-stringrays-in-public-places/
Thieves steal house
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/27760342/thieves-steal-house
Money quote:
“I’ll be completely honest – I didn’t even know that a hitch lock was a ‘thing’ before our house was stolen.”
I hope the author is right, broadly speaking, but that article is a jumble. Having glanced at most of it I would call it more mysticism than rational thought.
There are a few obvious truths: “Does progressivism put too much stock in the abilities of scientific elite to manage the collective?” Obviously yes. They tout as “experts” anyone who parrots their point of view, then claim to be making “evidence-based” policies based on their testimony. In reality, government policies are coercive and coercion does not help human life in any way, shape or form. It’s only useful in self-defense, and government’s purpose is to protect the rights of individuals. Perhaps the best way to defeat progressivism is to remind the planet that government is coercive, and coercion is (in popular vernacular) an “epic fail” where human lives are concerned.
“Is Keynesianism a failure and the free market the way to go? Think the economic stimulus vis a vis the oil boom as the true driver of job creation.” Yes to the first sentence, but the true drivers of job creation are human needs and wants. An economy is the totality of all acts of production, trade and consumption performed by every individual within it (which really means every individual on earth). People trade voluntarily for mutual benefit. All progress (meaning a higher standard of living) stems from people finding ways to make more or better or less expensive products. The division of labour allows individuals to gain expertise in their occupations. Capitalism is the system that does not interfere with this voluntary trade for mutual benefit. Mixed economies and socialism do, and they are responsible for the state of the economy today, in which a rising standard of living is no longer a given.
But: “Progressivism was birthed from the marriage of Darwinism and social gospel millenarianism.” It probably would not have been possible had it not been for the philosophical depredations of Immanuel Kant and G. W. F. Hegel. Kant divorced reason from reality, essentially because we human beings don’t have automatic, infallible powers of perception and cognition. Hegel then chose reason (he thought), discarded reality, and concocted a mystical fairy tale of sub-Scientology drivel, part of which regarded reason not as the human attribute it is but as a God-like Being on its own. Then along came Karl Marx, who tried to put physical reality back into the mix, but who only managed to substitute society for what passed for Hegel’s version of God, and to write a philosophy that completely obliterates the individual, that is, real human beings. This philosophical chain, which actually begins as far back as Plato, still holds sway today. It’s why Ayn Rand said she was challenging the philosophical traditions of 2000 years.
“Progressives falsely premised their movement on the unassailable assumption that the only way to attain a collective vision is through centralized government action.” Collectives don’t have “visions”.
The author is broadly correct to state that the culture is “progressive”, which was part of the goal of the political correctness agenda that arose, as part of the Marxism chain, in the 1920s. But I’d rather read Mark Steyn on that issue. Plus there are a few grains of truth in it.
He also mentions the familiar “narrative”, which means taking control of the distribution of information. That likely comes from Gramsci’s notion of infiltrating the institutions rather than trying to prompt the revolution of the “working class”. The political correctness agenda attempts to use the underclasses, like the poor, minorities, immigrants and so on, as a substitute working class for the purpose of overthrowing capitalism, once the true working class discovered they were doing quite well under capitalism. Which is no surprise, given that it’s about trade for mutual benefit. It’s also worth noting the economic principle that real wages rise in relation to capital investment per worker. What destroys capital investment is taxes and regulation, and wasteful government spending. “Progressives” are not really interested in the working class, only in seizing power and ruling. But we knew that.
To sum up: a few good points in the article but little that can be used to help bring his thesis to fruition.
O’s Bow Job*.
…-
“The coming showdown between Canadian and Saudi oil producers on the U.S. Gulf Coast”
“U.S. could virtually eliminate all OPEC imports with Keystone approval.””
“Bottom line is Keystone will continue to have a huge role in displacing heavy crudes from countries overseas that the U.S. continues to rely on — with Canadian and American oil,” Mr. Cooper said in an email.
“This makes Keystone just as relevant because the U.S. could virtually eliminate all OPEC imports with Keystone approval.”
http://business.financialpost.com/2015/01/05/the-coming-showdown-between-canadian-and-saudi-oil-producers-on-the-u-s-gulf-coast/?__lsa=6064-5208
…-
O’s Bow Job*.
“Obama Bows to Saudi King”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WlqW6UCeaY
Well nv53 and ron in kelowna, no matter who discusses it and how, hopefully the signs of reversal bear fruit as that “progressive” thinking resulted in the deaths of a 100 million and arguably another 50 million just in WW2.
AGW RIP.
…-
“Windfarm closed until cause of collapsed turbine is found”
“A wind farm in Northern Ireland will not re-open until an investigation reveals why an 80-metre wind turbine collapsed on a mountainside.”
“The turbine which collapsed on Friday evening, in winds of about 25mph, was one of eight in the Screggagh windfarm near Fintona in County Tyrone. The remaining seven have been shut down until the investigation is completed.”
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/05/windfarm-closed-until-cause-of-collapsed-turbine-is-found
…-
“Record-breaking snowfall extends holiday break in Kelowna, BC”
“… the timing of Kelowna’s latest snowstorm has become one for the history books.”
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/record-breaking-snowfall-extends-holiday-break-in-kelowna/43081/
Plainsdrifter@ 11:24
“Max speed is 112 MPH. A well tuned Cessna 172 could catch it!”
Agree, but low and slow would be where danger lies. Below radar, hard to detect and identify plus it’s nothing the Airforce could do much much about before it reaches its target in urban settings. Under the right circumstances the damage potential is worthy of speculation.
AGW Kills.
…-
“Toronto to open warming centres at Tory’s request after 2 deaths”
“The city of Toronto will open warming centres for homeless residents at Mayor John Tory’s request, following the death of two men outdoors on consecutive frigid days.
The emergency warming centres normally open only after an extreme-cold alert.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/man-hospitalized-after-being-found-without-vital-signs-at-toronto-bus-shelter/article22310126/