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Little Tobacco

Slowly but surly, everyone is going to come over to my side....

Liberal tactics disturb CEOsMartin clinging to power, group says
Urgent for Canada to think globally


STEVEN THEOBALD
BUSINESS REPORTER

Big business is losing its patience with Paul Martin.

The Liberal minority government is "frittering away the fruits of years of sacrifice" in favour of short-term thinking aimed solely at clinging to power, says the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, a lobby group representing the country's largest corporations.

"The very idea of strategic policy-making is drowning in the swirling search for momentary tactical advantage," it said in a 16-page statement titled Canada First! Taking the Lead in a Transforming Global Economy, being released today.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/23/2005 02:59:00 p.m. TITLE: Election next week ...Why not? ----- BODY:
I had a conversation this morning in which I posed a simple question - why are the Liberals allowing their government to continue. In the same manner that the iron was hot a couple of months ago for the Tories, the iron is hot now for the Liberals. I would have thought that they would have gotten themselves defeated today, but I guess with the Air India stuff and with the ambiguous news on Sgro they have decided to put it off for a while ...By "a while" I would not be surprised to see the Liberals engineer their own defeat next week.

I know that this is just idle speculation, but I am seeing the writing on the wall and I will expand on this next wee.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/23/2005 02:53:00 p.m. TITLE: Property Privileges ----- BODY:

Over at Marginal Revolution we find that the US Supreme Court is continuing on its statist way:

This is just awful:

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses -- even against their will -- for private economic development.

As a result, cities have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes to generate tax revenue.

Read more here.

-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/17/2005 07:53:00 a.m. TITLE: Unions care about the children ----- BODY:
This from the Montreal Gazette: Day-care workers vote solidly for strike.

If we are honest we would admit that national day-care is not a top of mind issue. It is not a national dream. It is just one of those things that Canadians are supposed to say they care about. A thing that the unmarried 60 year old lesbian NDP supporter is willing to protest for is not what the average family, say mine, gives a second thought. The Unions however, who have not been able to sign a new members for years, are chomping at the bit to get national Day-care...or should I say national Day-care workers. With national day-care will come the monopoly and that will mean that every new dollar put into day-care in the future will go to wage increases for unionized workers who really do care about your kids. Honest they do.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/16/2005 09:54:00 p.m. TITLE: Canada's NATO position ----- BODY:
CNews reports that Canada is regaining its credibility with NATO (if not with the USA) ...let's hope that "NATO" doesn't see this report by CNews.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/16/2005 04:31:00 p.m. TITLE: Evolution as a threat to religion ----- BODY:
Interesting posting at the Volokh Conspiracy.
Comments are open.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/16/2005 12:22:00 p.m. TITLE: India in Slow Motion ----- BODY:
Over at Marginal Revolution - India has a long, long way to go.

I recommend a book called "India in Slow Motion" by Mark Tully. It tells the tale of over-regulation and the corresponding corruption.

India should be kicking China' s ass in economic growth; plenty of cheap labour, adequate supply of educated labour, a workable judicial system and they speak english. The problem is that India's corruption is not organized. Export taxes here, straight bribes over there. China builds it corruption into the system It is the benefit of being a police state.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/16/2005 07:54:00 a.m. TITLE: The Purpose of Parliament ----- BODY:
Apparently Prime Minister Martin, does see a use for Parliament.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/16/2005 07:37:00 a.m. TITLE: Getting priorities Straight? ----- BODY:
A budget that is indefensible at any policy level? Who cares? Certainly not the Tories who willing to walk fiscal conservatism to pitch to social conservatism. The Tories will let the NDP's budget Bill, perhaps the worst piece of budgetary crap in Canadian history, pass without comment if, and here is the big if, the Liberals will postpone the debate on gay marriage into the fall. Wow, I guess the social conservative vote must be in play. It is a free vote (not completely as cabinet ministers must vote with the government. I forget what that is called ... A single line whip or something like that) so it is not like the government will collapse over the issue. It is not an issue that can win an election. And from what I can see, the obvious solution of having the government get out of the business of marriage and simplifying the tax act is not what the Tories are talking about.... Harper wants to soften his image? This should work.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/15/2005 10:29:00 a.m. TITLE: Some promises were made to be broken ----- BODY:
Donald McGinty is breaking his promise to close all coal fired power plants by 2007. What a surprise! It was a promise that could not be kept and never should have been made. However, the political parties in this country, particularly the Liberal parties have all learned a valuable lesson, they do not need to keep promises so it is great to promise the moon and the sky, particularly when it comes to motherhood issues.

The Libs are claiming that they will most of the plants shut in time, however they have that great out ...we all want electricity. One blackout has changed the electorate's appetite.

No tax increase? How about chewing on a health care fee? Going to vote me out when I am being compassionate with your money? Close the coal fired power plants? No can do... Well, we can probably get some of them shut... at some time in the foreseeable future... if everything goes right ... But it sure is hot! Doesn't that air conditioning feel good? Do you want to import energy from the dreaded Americans? We don't want another black out! Besides, you knew that it was impossible to do when you voted for me .... You wanted lip service and I delivered it ....

So no more complaining about broken promises. The electorate rewarded the irresponsible promise and they will not punish its breaking.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/14/2005 07:38:00 a.m. TITLE: $40,000,000,000 down the drain ----- BODY:
This should be good.The G8, led by Bush and Blair, are going to subsidize non-production and corruption. It has failed every time, but this time will be no different. Africa clears its credit cards so that its corrupt leadership can run it again. (Actually, the debt situation is not so bad, Uganda's debt is only about 33% of Newfoundland's. Newfoundland only has 500,000 people. See subsidization& dependency below) In any event, foreign aid is a subsidy that will create dependence. The answer to poverty lies in production and trade... clarify...private production and trade. There will be no production and trade that will help out the worker so long as there is excessive regulation and the coresponding corruption. So taxpayers, kiss $40,000,000,000 goodbye.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/13/2005 03:58:00 p.m. TITLE: Jacko not guilty ----- BODY:
Michael Jackson was acquitted on all counts....
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/13/2005 11:06:00 a.m. TITLE: Don't worry about China ----- BODY:
Mark Steyn is telling us not to sweat China's role in the world so long as they are a police state. A buddy of mine, D.K. McMananmon, summed it up even better after living on Hong Kong/PRC for a year:
"Don't worry about the Chinese taking over the world. They can't get their own shit together."
When I was preparing for my own trip to the PRC Iemailed himt to ask what to expect ... In a one line reply:

Have you ever heard of the expression "...like a chinese fire drill"?
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/09/2005 08:28:00 a.m. TITLE: Coming soon- The Health Care Decision ----- BODY:
The Health Care case is about to be ruled on by the Supreme Court of Canada. I am going to review the final decision before really commenting...However I note that the fear mongering and disinformation has already begun.

"“If the court were to grant the appellants' claim it would be huge,"” said Martha Jackman, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Ottawa. "“It really would be the commodification of health care."

Dr. Jackman represented pro-medicare groups when arguments in the case were heard last year. She said she believes much of the pressure to strike down the rules for medicare comes from health-care companies that want new market opportunities.

"“There's so much money to be made and the pressure is unrelenting."


The question is not about the commodification of health care, or the court impostwog a two-tier system, or about what Canadians want. The question is whether the majority can dictate to the individual how that individual will look after his/her own health? Or to put it another way, can the state force a one-tier system on an individual?

Not according to the "universality" lobby:

She said she was puzzled that the Supreme Court would even agree to hear the case after it was struck down by two Quebec courts. The year-long delay in rendering a verdict has added to the suspense.

"Clearly, it means the court is struggling,"” said Ms. Maioni.

Oh, I don't know why the court would dain to answer a question about the most fundamental of rights. The Government does not say that you cannot pay for health care - that would be a clear violation of your rights. The Government goes after the service provider and does through the back door what it cannot do through the front.

What will the SCC do ...let's wait and see. The current make-up of the court have been very liberal in their interpretation of good government and are more collectivists than individualists. To put it another way, the Bertha Wilson's are winning. The Court has drifted away from its role as the protector of individual rights from state encroachment. It now seems to view itself more as a guiding hand in the creation of a utopian state.

In any event, this is a lot of comment for qa guy who was not going to comment. I will be back after I have a look at the decision.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/09/2005 08:24:00 a.m. TITLE: 2nd choices ----- BODY:
The latest Decima Poll has the Tories fighting it out with the NDP for second/third place in the Canadian heart. While that is interesting in an of itself, it does confirm the concept that the Tories are the default position for the pissed off Canadian outside of urban Ontario who favour the NDP as a second choice. When things settle, the drift is back to the Libs.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/07/2005 09:45:00 p.m. TITLE: No evidence necessary on the Moral High Ground ----- BODY:
A study released Toronto's public health department claims that heat and smog are killers. No one can name anyone killed by the said heat and smog, but 121 of the great unnamed/unknown/nonexistent apparently died in Montreal, beating out Toronto by one fictional death. Evidence is not necessary as your intuitive thought would say that it must be true. Better rush out and sign that Kyoto Accord. The study, in typical fashion is calling for a massive increase in this non-problem by 2050 and I guess the world is coming to an end in 2080 unless we stop the urban sprawl and sign that Kyoto Accord. Predicting the weather in 2080? How about next week? Seriously, creating public policy based on models with biased, agenda driven parameters is probably a mistake. As such, I think we should see the Feds, the Provinces and T.O. jumping right in with both feet.

Here is a version of the story:

Study shows heat and smog are killers

Last Updated Mon, 06 Jun 2005 21:34:28 EDT
CBC News

Smog is responsible for more than 800 deaths a year in Toronto, and extreme heat makes the problem even worse, a new government study has found.


The issue appears to be just as bad, in relative terms, in three smaller cities – Montreal, Ottawa and Windsor, Ont. – that were studied by a team of scientists from Toronto's public health department, the federal government and McMaster University in Hamilton.

Data from the study were released in Toronto on Monday, which happened also to be the first day this year that that city announced a heat alert, advising residents to:

Monday was also the 14th day this year that Ontario's environment department issued a smog alert for Toronto. That matches the total number of smog warnings that were issued in all of 2004 – and this year's summer has not yet officially started.

The study measured the impact of extreme cold, extreme heat and air pollution on premature deaths in the four cities over a 46-year period.

It concluded that extreme heat was killing an average of 120 people a year in Toronto, 121 in Montreal, 41 in Ottawa and 37 in Windsor.

Extreme cold was responsible for an average of 105 deaths a year in Toronto, 143 in Montreal, 54 in Ottawa and 32 in Windsor.

The air pollution that causes smog was found to be the cause of 822 deaths a year in Toronto, 818 in Montreal, 368 in Ottawa and 258 in Windsor.

The study predicted that heat-related deaths will double by 2050 and triple by 2080 because of global warming.

Increased air pollution will cause a 20 per cent increase in smog-related deaths by 2050 and a 25 per cent increase by 2080, the study estimated.

The scientists recommended the federal government introduce a national heat warning system such as Toronto's.

And they urged the federal government to focus on mandatory, rather than voluntary measures to meet Canada's targets under the Kyoto Protocol for reducing smog and greenhouse gases.

-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/07/2005 01:19:00 p.m. TITLE: You do not need to be an expert ----- BODY:
You don't need to be an expert to analyze tapes for the Globe & Mail. Nor do you need to be an expert to know that you should not invite Mr. & Mrs. Grewall over for dinner. If you see Ujjal Dosanjh, just run away. You will have to excuse my language, bit what a collective pack of shit.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/07/2005 09:38:00 a.m. TITLE: Liberal foreign "policy" may cost flyers ----- BODY:
While I am blogging, I might as well keep going..... last week in the Globe & Mail: Cost of Flying Could Soar. Why may said cost soar you ask? Because American anti-terrorism legislation is going to require the provision of passenger lists for any flights that cross into US airspace, which is about two-thirds of Canadian domestic flights.
The price of airline tickets between Canadian cities could go up if the United States implements an anti-terrorist strategy that would force domestic airlines to fly new routes far north of the U.S. border, Transport Minister Jean Lapierre said Wednesday.

The minister said he is fighting hard to keep Washington from getting its hands on Canadian passenger lists for domestic flights that stray into U.S. airspace.

But if he fails, Canadian carriers might have to take pains to avoid conventional routes that cross over northern U.S. states, he added.

Calling it a “very hot issue,” Mr. Lapierre said Washington hasn't finalized its proposed new rules but he's already lobbying to protect Canadians' privacy.


Ah the Liberals. The party that will protect your rights. They seem to leave out the simple fact that only the Canadian Government can, in fact, violate your rights, and they have a lonhistoryry of doing just that. Once the feds have access to the passenger lists all privacy issues are out the door. On top of this, the US government cannot violate your Canadian rights. But why quibble over these things..It is unCanadian to think that it is an independent judiciary that will protect you from the government because it is unCanadian to think that you need protection from the government. The government is the protector. So while it is legally impossible for the United States Government to violate youprivacycy rights in the manner that Mr. LaPierre is suggesting, it is easy to blame the United States so no one will ask whether it is in fact the Canadian government that is violating your rights.

The Liberals, willing to violate your rights to protect you from impossible or improbable evils. Free speech in an election? Why you may be influenced by an evilobbyistst. We will violate your right to expression to protect you.

After proving ourselves their mosunreliablele ally, I do not expect that we are going to get any special treatment from the USA on Canadian domestic issues. We have refused in every capacity to help and now claim that we were in the right. If those countries committed to the freedom of the individual would have gotten together in a unified stance against terror anIslamicic extremism, the 'insurgency" would never have risen its head.

What kind of double standard is it when we insist that the US ask if they can fire over our airspace to shoot down a nucleamissilele heading for them and then insisting that it would be most unneighbourly for them to ask who is on the planes flying over their airspace.

Finally, why would I care if the USA had my name if I am in their airspace? If I am flying to their country I need to provide my name. As Canada is apt to point out, their airspace is theisovereigngn territory. I hate to bring this up but you have left your country once you enter their airspace and you are subject to their jurisdiction.

I am a frequent flyer for business and personal reasons. An increase in fees hits me where it hurts. However, I cannot complain about the US position, I can only complain about the way our government has acted in pure political self-interest on this file and about the way that they are attempting to portray this as a rights issue.
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/07/2005 08:40:00 a.m. TITLE: Once Again - There are no rights in China ----- BODY:
Where is Paul Martin to talk about Chinese democracy and rights when you need him?

June 7, 2005
China orders all websites, blogs to register with government or face shutdown
By ELAINE KURTENBACH

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - Authorities have ordered all China-based websites and blogs to register or be closed down, in the latest effort by the communist government to police the unruly world of cyberspace.

Commercial publishers and advertisers can face fines of up to one million yuan, or the equivalent of about $120,000 US, for failing to register, according to documents posted on the website of the Ministry of Information Industry.

Private, noncommercial bloggers or websites must register the complete identity of the person responsible for the site, it said. The ministry, which has set a June 30 deadline for compliance, said 74 per cent of all sites had already registered.

"The Internet has profited many people but it also has brought many problems, such as sex, violence and feudal superstitions and other harmful information that has seriously poisoned people's spirits," the MII website said in explaining the new rules.

All media in China is controlled by the state, though limits on the Internet have tended to lag behind as advances in technology outstripped Beijing's ability to keep tabs on users and service providers.

The government has long required all major commercial websites to register and take responsibility for Internet content. But blogs, web forums, chat rooms and other virtual venues have been harder to police.

Now, however, the government has developed a new system to track down and close those caught violating the rules, the ministry said.

"There's a 'Net Crawler System' that will monitor the sites in real time and search each web address for its registration number," said one document listing questions and answers about the new rules. "It will report back to the MII if it finds a site thought to be unregistered."

The press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders protested the new rules, saying they would force people with dissenting opinions to shift websites overseas, where mainland Chinese users might be unable to access them due to government censorship filters.

-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/06/2005 11:23:00 a.m. TITLE: The Worm Turns ----- BODY:
Pat O'Brien has quit the Liberals. Apparently it has something to do with gay marriage. The confidence question again raises its head but it is of no avail. The Libs have made it clear that they will not abide by any non-confidence motion in the house of commons until they want an election. The new standard is the public opinion polls until such time as they are inconvenient. The Libs are goiong nowhwere.

The tories are likewise going nowhere. My best advice to these guys is get an election if you can. You will lose (and in some ways you have earned it) but at least the liberals will stop spending like drunken sailors.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/06/06/1073777-cp.html
-------- AUTHOR: Little Tobacco DATE: 6/02/2005 07:57:00 a.m. TITLE: Tagged - I'm It! ----- BODY:
I've been tagged by David Janes so I guess I'm "it"....

Number of Books: Probably in the thousands if you count those at the homes of my parents' and my brother Jake's.

Last Book Read: 46 Pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense and the Turning Point to Independence by Scott Liell.

Last Book Purchased: Brothers Under the Skin: Travels in Tyranny by Christopher Hope. It is not in my 5 books that mean a lot to me list but I highly recommend it.

Five books that mean a lot to me:
  1. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Given to me by my elementary school librarian when I was in the 3rd or 4th Grade, it is the first book that made me really think. I give it as a gift all the time.
  2. 1984 by George Orwell. It was meant as a warning and it became a guide book.
  3. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Income tax is indeed theft.
  4. The Dagger of Islam by John Laffin. I read it while the cold war was just ending. It convinced me that the new threat to freedom would come from the ideology of Islam.
  5. The Old Man and the Sea, by Hemingway. I have read it 50 times and can read it another 50.
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