I feel like Chicken Little, shrieking about the falling sky, but dudes the Empire is falling. I've said it before, sadly I need to say it again. The American Empire is ending and this lovely country is going to be sucked down with it.
Beautiful Charlotte, NC, the second largest financial centre in the USA next to New York city, headquarters of Bank of America and a little something called NASCAR, an economic leader in the American south, and now a shining example of the decline. The county has announced $81.1 million in cuts. They are closing three libraries in June with the potential to close a dozen more in July. Charlotte was in better shape financially than many areas of the US and this is what they have become. It makes me wonder what hope there is for the rest of America.
Libraries are great equalizers offering all people access to information - something that is vital for a thriving democracy. I could go on, but this article does it better. It all makes me wonder where is Bill Gates? Hey, Bill I appreciate you putting computers in so many libraries across America and the world (we won't mention that these institutions would later be required to purchase your software, which does rather make your philanthropy look a lot like self-interest). Will you step up and save these vital institutions? Do you actually care about increasing access to information?
It isn't just libraries that are being hurt by this economic crisis, some estimate as many as 300,000 teachers will be laid off across the US. No libraries, no teachers - even if America can pull itself out of this financial mire, how will they be able to compete in a global economy without an educated workforce?
Before we in Canada sit back, feeling smug that we aren't in their shoes. Dudes, we're getting there...Vancouver's school board is planning to close schools and Ontario continues to close schools.
Confused liberty with greed.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Dear Steve,
Are you f---ing kidding?
I've said it before, but clearly it bears repeating:
I've said it before, but clearly it bears repeating:
Access to contraception and abortions are cornerstones for maternal and child health. Period.If you don't believe me ask Marie Stopes International. They will tell you that every seven minutes a woman somewhere in the world dies from an unsafe abortion. Don't call yourself pro-life because clearly you don't give a shit about the lives of women.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Dear Ukraine,
Once again, I find myself praying for you. It is fascinating that at the same time as you are giving the Russians permission to retain a naval base in Crimea, the European Parliament is preparing to declare Holodomor a crime against humanity.
Reporter Mevlut Cavusoglu noted that his own fact-finding mission to the region leaves “no doubt that the Soviet regime bears the responsibility for the deaths of millions of people in Ukraine as a result of its actions and policies, and is guilty of the crime against its own people.”
Now here you sit ready to make nice with Russia and all I can do is pray for you.
Reporter Mevlut Cavusoglu noted that his own fact-finding mission to the region leaves “no doubt that the Soviet regime bears the responsibility for the deaths of millions of people in Ukraine as a result of its actions and policies, and is guilty of the crime against its own people.”
Now here you sit ready to make nice with Russia and all I can do is pray for you.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dear America,
Have you ever heard of a company called Magnetar? No, me neither, but guess who made a fortune betting that Americans would default on their mortgages? A little hedge fund from Chicago named after the powerful magnetic field created in the last moments of a dying star/supernova. How perfect is that? They saw an opportunity to make money in the last moments of a dying empire.
It's quite a complex story, my understanding of it (and please read the ProPublica story linked above to get the full picture) is that Magnetar pushed bankers to include increasingly risky mortgages into CDOs. Magnetar would then sponsor the most risky portion of the CDO. The rest of the CDO would be covered by other investors - you know mutual funds, pension funds, everyday suckers like you and I. Then Magnetar would bet that the CDO sponsored would fail by purchasing "hedging instruments" called credit default swaps that covered the value of the entire CDO, even though Magnetar only had an interest in a portion of the CDO. Meaning that while the other investors in the CDOs lost their money, the people with the risky mortgages lost their homes, and the banks lost their money, Magnetar made billions (almost $6 billion).
It's the story of American ingenuity and a good old-fashioned fuck everyone approach. It's the sort of thing that made America great and exactly what is cutting short the American empire. God bless them all, but the dream is over. Ayn Rand was wrong, individualism and self-interest will not make a country great, but it will make a few selfish assholes a stack of cash. It's time to ditch the shoddy objectivist philosophy and attempt to salvage your country.
On a side note, I had the good fortune to come across the fantastic podcast, This American Life. The very first episode I heard was one called Inside Job, which lead to this posting. Give it a listen.
It's quite a complex story, my understanding of it (and please read the ProPublica story linked above to get the full picture) is that Magnetar pushed bankers to include increasingly risky mortgages into CDOs. Magnetar would then sponsor the most risky portion of the CDO. The rest of the CDO would be covered by other investors - you know mutual funds, pension funds, everyday suckers like you and I. Then Magnetar would bet that the CDO sponsored would fail by purchasing "hedging instruments" called credit default swaps that covered the value of the entire CDO, even though Magnetar only had an interest in a portion of the CDO. Meaning that while the other investors in the CDOs lost their money, the people with the risky mortgages lost their homes, and the banks lost their money, Magnetar made billions (almost $6 billion).
It's the story of American ingenuity and a good old-fashioned fuck everyone approach. It's the sort of thing that made America great and exactly what is cutting short the American empire. God bless them all, but the dream is over. Ayn Rand was wrong, individualism and self-interest will not make a country great, but it will make a few selfish assholes a stack of cash. It's time to ditch the shoddy objectivist philosophy and attempt to salvage your country.
On a side note, I had the good fortune to come across the fantastic podcast, This American Life. The very first episode I heard was one called Inside Job, which lead to this posting. Give it a listen.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Note to John McKay, Dan McTeague and Paul Szabo
Gentlemen, access to contraception and abortions are cornerstones for maternal and child health. Period.
Shame on you for voting against the motion put forward by Bob Rae. Shame on your cowardly cohorts who refused to show up for the vote.
"This is a moral issue for me and I voted based on my conscience," said Szabo.
My response to Mr. Szabo is to quote my beloved Helen Philpot:
Shame on you for voting against the motion put forward by Bob Rae. Shame on your cowardly cohorts who refused to show up for the vote.
"This is a moral issue for me and I voted based on my conscience," said Szabo.
My response to Mr. Szabo is to quote my beloved Helen Philpot:
Abortion has no business being a political game… a sound bite to make the evening news. It is a medical decision between a woman and her doctor. If you have a moral dilemma or a religious issue, then don’t have an abortion. It really is that simple. Trust me. I know.Blessed is Helen.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I knew it
Some time ago I noted that the new citizens' guide, Discover Canada, appeared to represent ideology rather than a balanced view of our country. Strikingly absent was any mention that same sex marriage is legal in Canada or any mention of equality rights. Now the news is out that there were sections covering these topics in early drafts and Jason Kenney blocked it.
Minister Kenney has consistently voted against same sex marriage and clearly has his own issues with homosexuality. I can't help wondering how much he has in common with a politician from California...
Minister Kenney has consistently voted against same sex marriage and clearly has his own issues with homosexuality. I can't help wondering how much he has in common with a politician from California...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dear Canadian Voters,
Yeah you. Where have you been? It's not enough to join Facebook protest groups - you must stand up for your rights. Call your MP. Tell him/her that you want democratic representation, now. Opposition parties need a call to arms before they'll force an election. We need to tell them we're ready for a new leader.
This country needs real change. Our Fearless Dictator (OFD - the PM formerly known on these pages as Steve) cannot continue to lie about the state of the economy.His shiny, happy economic outlook is strikingly different than that of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. "PBO’s estimates suggest that the Canadian economy was operating significantly below its potential in 2009." This downward trend has been evident since 2000 and is projected by the PBO to continue in the foreseeable future. Strange that Jim Flaherty's outlook is that "Canada's strong fiscal condition going into the recession would be a bonus coming out and that a good chunk of the deficit would disappear when the stimulus spending stops by March 2011." Why would these two views differ? Who benefits from lying about the economy? Oh that's right the politicians. But they never lie!
If the economy continues to under-perform (and it looks like it will) government revenues will also be reduced. The Conservative budgetary projections, aka lies, will have my boy paying down our deficit when he's gray.
Rest assured OFD has been busy working at more than faking numbers, he's also been giving out patronage appointments. 1,500 of them since 2006. I believe he's well past any Liberal records in this department. My favourite so far is appointing a lobbyist from Pfizer to the Canadian Institutes on Health Research. Guess which drug company is about to rich on our dime? Pfizer stock, anyone? Mention that when talking to your MP.
If you need more convincing check out the links at the bottom of this post, Our Fearless Dictator has been very busy centralising power.
Help me, Canadian voters, you're my only hope.
PS to Jack Layton: Sorry about this. Now that your health challenges have come to light, I feel rather shame-faced for complaining about you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. (However, the NDP should have a presence without Jack or is that ship a dictatorship as well? Apologies aren't my strength, does it show?)
This country needs real change. Our Fearless Dictator (OFD - the PM formerly known on these pages as Steve) cannot continue to lie about the state of the economy.His shiny, happy economic outlook is strikingly different than that of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. "PBO’s estimates suggest that the Canadian economy was operating significantly below its potential in 2009." This downward trend has been evident since 2000 and is projected by the PBO to continue in the foreseeable future. Strange that Jim Flaherty's outlook is that "Canada's strong fiscal condition going into the recession would be a bonus coming out and that a good chunk of the deficit would disappear when the stimulus spending stops by March 2011." Why would these two views differ? Who benefits from lying about the economy? Oh that's right the politicians. But they never lie!
If the economy continues to under-perform (and it looks like it will) government revenues will also be reduced. The Conservative budgetary projections, aka lies, will have my boy paying down our deficit when he's gray.
Rest assured OFD has been busy working at more than faking numbers, he's also been giving out patronage appointments. 1,500 of them since 2006. I believe he's well past any Liberal records in this department. My favourite so far is appointing a lobbyist from Pfizer to the Canadian Institutes on Health Research. Guess which drug company is about to rich on our dime? Pfizer stock, anyone? Mention that when talking to your MP.
If you need more convincing check out the links at the bottom of this post, Our Fearless Dictator has been very busy centralising power.
Help me, Canadian voters, you're my only hope.
PS to Jack Layton: Sorry about this. Now that your health challenges have come to light, I feel rather shame-faced for complaining about you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. (However, the NDP should have a presence without Jack or is that ship a dictatorship as well? Apologies aren't my strength, does it show?)
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