For many decades there has been no greater debate between the Left and the Right than the issue of Social Welfare. Fundamentally, how much support should taxpayers, via their government, give to people who are currently not earning enough to support themselves?
Boston talkshow host Michael Graham recently debated the issue with Irish broadcaster George Hook. Well worth a listen.
Free McGill!
The flames have been fanned in light of the media attention, according to students so upset with the microaggression flap that they are prompting calls for the society’s equity commissioner to resign.
“The backlash has happened, quite frankly, because it’s ridiculous that this is happening,” said third-year political science student Ameya Pendse. “We’re McGill, we’re one of the best universities in the world and we’re getting in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.”
In an editorial he wrote shortly after the apology, Mr. Pendse said (tongue firmly in cheek), that “we’re slowly coming to grips with the fact that we are all racist, sexist, patriarchs, and so on. If I learned anything at McGill, it’s that a vocal minority has deemed us all to be both oppressed as well as oppressors.”
Told. You. So.
The apologetic left in Canada can die for all I care. They have blood on their hands.
WE TOLD YOU SO.
O, Sweet Saint Of San Andreas
Hear my prayer. (h/t Iowa Jim)
Boycott Russia and Boycott The World
What’s The Opposite Of Diversity?
I would like to propose a more rigorous standard: one of “academic justice.” When an academic community observes research promoting or justifying oppression, it should ensure that this research does not continue.
The power to enforce academic justice comes from students, faculty, and workers organizing together to make our universities look as we want them to do. Two years ago, when former summer school instructor Subramanian Swamy published hateful commentary about Muslims in India, the Harvard community organized to ensure that he would not return to teach on campus. I consider that sort of organizing both appropriate and commendable. Perhaps it should even be applied more broadly.
This Is My Brother Mohammed, And This Is My Other Brother Mohammed
Reader Tips
Tonight we shepherd you into the tips thread with 19th century Belgian composer Henri Vieuxtemps’ turbulent but romantic Élégie for Viola and Piano, Op. 30.
For those keeping score at home, it’s in F minor.
The comments thread is open, as always, for your Reader Tips.
Honey, I Finished The Internet
Stephen Harper calls out the leader of the Ukraine
Harper made his remarks to many of the 500 Canadians who will shortly depart for the Ukraine to be election monitors. It is one of the largest contingents of election observers Canada has ever deployed and the fifth time since 2004 Canada has sent observers to an election in the Ukraine.
There is a poll about Harper as a statesman.
Bachelor Pad Economics
No doubt many of you are aware of my new book, “Bachelor Pad Economics.”
But for those of you who are unaware of my new book it’s called….um…”Bachelor Pad Economics.”
Now before the peanut gallery starts yelling about “self promotion” and “selfless plugging,” Kate gave me permission to make this plug. And you might be interested in the plug because, frankly, it is my best work to date. Not necessarily in writing, but in terms of the benefits it will convey upon any man (or woman) that reads it.
In short it is a financial road map to your life. It goes through all the major (and minor) financial decisions everybody has to make. But instead of wishy washy, touchy feely, “follow your heart and the money will follow” BS, it’s based in reality with a heavy dose of street smarts. And yes, it also has my cynical, dry, nihilistic observations you all hate to love.
Ideally it would be picked up by a 14 year old as the earlier one reads this the more effective those decisions will be over the course of one’s life. However, it covers the ENTIRE financial life of a human. Everything from choosing a motorcycle over a car when you’re 16 (because it saves you money picking up girls) to estate planning when you’re about to keel over. So whether it’s for you or a loved one, there’s something in it for everybody.
Please consider purchasing it as it can only earn itself back multifold in terms of ROI.
You can find in in paperback or kindle.
Your Moral And Intellectual Superiors
We Don’t Need No…
The Stupid Party
Pleasing their Enemies: Dems Can ‘Attack Palin’s Whole Family,’ But GOP Won’t Dare Target Hillary”
O, Sweet Saint Of San Andreas
Oh, Shiny Pony!
Lucky y-chromosome economics – “As I said, it’s a head-scratcher.”
Y2Kyoto: Hide The Incline
Note that the most recent [polar bear] status table released last week, for 2013, did not include a new total — if you wanted to know if the global total had changed (and if so, by how much), you had to add the figures up yourself. Nowhere on the PBSG website does it now list an official population estimate. What’s that about?
The Decline And Fall Of The American Empire
Nancy Pelosi spoke lyrically about how Obamacare subsidies will allow people to leave unfulfilling jobs to pursue their passions: “Think of an economy where people could be an artist or a photographer or a writer without worrying about keeping their day job in order to have health insurance.”
Nothing so lyrical has been written about work since Marx (in “The German Ideology”) described a communist society that “makes it possible for me to . . . hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticize after dinner.”
Just noticing now?
h/t Ken (Kulak)
CRA Audit: Environmental Defense Breaking The Law
Renegade Regulator
Dear Minister Moore[…] Re: Auction of Spectrum Licenses for Mobile Broadband Services
As you know, the deadline to submit applications was September 17, 2013 and the auction itself began on January 14th, 2014. As you also know, RestoreCSA did not submit an application to participate.
Relatedly, we note that your Department granted the Canadian Standards Association (“CSA”) full Standards Council of Canada (“SCC”) accreditation for Modular Home Certification on September 29th, 2010 in spite of the absence of a CSA filing for that accreditation. Actually, the CSA wasn’t accredited for any such certifications for eight full years, between 2002 and 2010. Throughout this period however, the CSA was selling illegitimate certifications for modular homes and, worse, these buildings were not compliant with Canadian safety regulations.
We further note that your Department permitted SCC accreditation of the CSA with no public hearing and before the deadline for objections.
The CSA did not file for accreditation, yet they were accredited, and they did not comply with regulations, yet you have granted them full legal standing.