For Feb.6, section A news is as trivial as usual. The editorial is, as usual, pretty soggy, too. My it would be nice to have an editorial writer who could handle topics besides parking laws and recycling garbage.
Norbert's is the usual "we gotta balance the budget stuff". Actually, we know that Norbert. Your problem (and our government's) is that you start with the answer of cutting services. But that's not where you start in dealing with a problem.
If it were the way to go, I could balance the budget this year and forever. Close all roads. Tax the rich at 50%. Close down the Irving press. Make the police walk on patrols. Close the hospitals entirely. Close the schools. Make all students walk for their education, and hold classes in fields. Once people reach 70, shoot them. It will save on pension plans.
But that's not really a good way, Norbert. What you do is to find out what is causing the problem. Then you look at what the needs of your society are. (I notice you never do that.) Then you look at possible answers. The lack of that is why the grandly titled Institute for Public Research and Public Policy, and it its much quoted book "Over the Cliff?" is such a pile of hokum. (But Norbert likes it because it thinks just like he does - so there's a danger sign right there.)
It's really disturbing to see how universities are letting their names be tied up with this sort of propaganda.
Why are our budgets out of wack? That where you start. And, if you're dishonest (or stupid), you begin by saying the health system or education or pensions or all of those are too expensive. Now, let's try really hard to be honest.
1. The very rich have been increasing their share of the world's wealth by giant steps for decades. They also get special gifts in the form of contracts and, say, forest lands, grants.....
2. The rich of North America - and especially New Brunswick - pay among the lowest taxes in the world. The result is that we get poorer. As well, the rich get to decide how the money they don't pay in taxes will get spent - and usually it won't be in New Brunswick - or even in Canada.
Gee! d'ya think that might have something to do with our budget problem?....and why do I think here of the words...events...centre....
3. The Bank of Canada was designed to lend money to Canadian governments at no interest. But now they have to borrow from international banks at high interest rates. It also means that international banks get to determine what Canada's economic policies must be. We are getting robbed by international bankers with a reputation for imposing hardship and even starvation and death on countries.
By the way, thank Pierre Trudeau for that one.
So, first, let's find out where our money is going.
Then Norbert says that is a waste of time to create jobs by spending public money. Well, Norbert, it depends on how you spend it. If you give it to private companies that are buddies with the government, you're right. It is a waste of money. (even though you often approve when that is done.)
But you should read a little bit of history, Norbert. Not ancient history, just back the the 1930s. Those were very bad years. And what snapped us out of it? Government spending for World War 2. And the prosperity went on for years after - until business got back into full control. Now we have deficits.
Incidentally, the first Canadian prime minister to catch on to this W.A.C. Bennett who was born just a short drive from Moncton. And who was even smarter that you are, Norbert.
In the next stage, you look at the needs of our society to determine what services are important for our quality of life. And on all that, you draft solutions.
Your slash and burn policy will do nothing but create even worse poverty (we've been there before because we've believed books like "Over the Cliff? before.)
Worse, the people of New Brunswick have elected a typical New Brunswick premier who has "visions" without having any philosophy of what government is for. The people read a newspaper which is full of lies and propaganda much of which, I am sure, is believed by most of the columnists.
And God help New Brunswick. It's in for one hell of a time as international banks and home-grown politicians pick its bones clean.
That's what is happening to Ukraine. That's what is happening to Greece. That's what's happening all over the world. And, of course, all those bone-pickers are "philanthropists".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Cole Hobson has a column of pure gush about a baseball player who occasionally came to Moncton. He provided, "important life lessons for all New Brunswickers." So I patiently worked though paragraph after paragraph of adolescent gush. The important life lessons turned out to be just one. It's based on his record which, it seems, had its share of strikeouts; but when he hit a ball, it went a long way.
And they talk about Plato and Aristotle.
What does that have to do with life? Well, when things go bad, keep going with full effort, and you will launch yourself to success. What that has to do with hitting a baseball a long way I have no idea.
Good column by David Suzuki. And, if I may draw an analogy with baseball, Alec Bruce writes a great one on the census that's a home run.
___________________________________________________________________________
The sports page, as usual, has no column for commentary or analysis. Is it, like politics, something that Monctonians are afraid to discuss in public? I mean, how are people going to learn lessons for life without sports commentary?
At last, though, it has a book review. But that's only because it was written by a local woman. Most newspapers have several book reviews in a weekend copy - and they don't usually include Harlequin romances.
_____________________________________________________________________________
For those who need a laugh, go to B3 for the story of how Canada's Conservative party is telling Russia to 'back off' in Ukraine. I guess Putin must be hiding in his closet now. Grow up all you Harperites. Years of neglect have left Canada with a military force not capable of doing much of anything. As for the Conservatives telling NATO what it should do, well - Canada has no international status with NATO or anybody else. There was a time when Canada had respect and influence as a sort of honest broker. But that's all over with our years of being a flunkie to the US and, worse, with Harper making tough-sounding talk that everybody knows he can't back up.
In any case, many NATO countries are not crazy about provoking Russia, including major ones like Germany, France and Britain. In fact, that's part of a major story on B5, and another one on B6. Doesn't the news editor read his own newspaper?
For Canada to use provocative language on an issue that would almost certainly lead to nuclear war is wildly irresponsible. So maybe it's a good thing that nobody gives a damn what Harper and his cronies say.
Page B4 has the story about new security arrangements in Ottawa. Playing a role, apparently, will be government-appointed (which meansHarper appointed) and reporting only to the prime minister. This is the House of Commons committee on intelligence service. Alas, some of them were not available in Ottawa today.
The chairman, Arthur Porter (appointed by Harper) is in the Bahamas. And he really can't leave. That's because if he enters Canada, he'll be arrested on very serious charges of fraud, breach of trust, and forgery. Then there's two others who have had to temporarily step down for similar reasons. Gee. I guess The Canadian Press didn't know that.
This whole idea of an expanded intelligence service, apart from its record of moral rot, is an absurd response to just two, unrelated attacks - with no evidence of any organized influence. So why are we setting up a huge and dangerous expansion of our intelligence service?
After all, it's very dangerous indeed. The service would get the power to jail Canadians with no charge, no evidence if they see any even remote connection with terrorism. And terrorism could mean anything. It could, and does mean environmentalism. It can also mean being anti-shale gas. (If you're pro-shale gas, you can terrorize all you like.) It could mean simply talking to a person who is an environmentalist. It could be me for writing that our wars in the middle east are driven by oil billionaires. In fact, it could mean expressing critical views of Mr. Harper because that might induce some fanatic to kill him. (None of this is exaggeration. This is a bill now going through parliament.)
This isn't an intelligence service. This is a gestapo. And neither the Liberals nor the NDP will say much about it. Why not?
Because Canadians are scared. We're catching up on a process the US began over fifty years ago. Fifty years ago, communists were evil, even satanic, and ruthless, and would murder us all in our beds. That was the message of Senator McCarthy, played up in all the news media.
People were made to be terrified, to hate. The Russians aren't communist any more (the never were, actually),. but our news media have been reviving hatred and fear again - but of Russia. And with oil billionaires setting up wars in the middle east to loot the region even more, our news media have been blowing up hatred and fear of Muslims. Politicians just love people who hate and are scared. You can sell them on all sorts of absurdity.
Why did the US and Britain invade Iraq? We know we were lied to. We know Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 -or with Afghanistan. But Canadians were sent to die - and to kill - in Afghanistan. Why? We've never been told. When people are scared and hating enough, you don't have to give reasons.
Why are we in Iraq again? You seriously think it's because of ISIL? Get real. The US alone has killed far more people than ISIL has. The US alone, has burned more live people to death than ISIL ever could. No, ISIL is not nice. We are at least as murderous and as cruel. But our news media have not trained us to hate what we do.
Our news media has us scared and hating. We'l fight and we'll kill anybody anywhere no matter what the danger to the world.
Result - any party that opposed Harper's gestapo law would lose the election. That's why they aren't likely to oppose it. And that's why we, in hate and fear of Muslims (or whoever the flavour of the month is) will destroy our own freedom and our nation.
_________________________________________________________________
I didn't even get to January 7.------------tomorrow.
Norbert's is the usual "we gotta balance the budget stuff". Actually, we know that Norbert. Your problem (and our government's) is that you start with the answer of cutting services. But that's not where you start in dealing with a problem.
If it were the way to go, I could balance the budget this year and forever. Close all roads. Tax the rich at 50%. Close down the Irving press. Make the police walk on patrols. Close the hospitals entirely. Close the schools. Make all students walk for their education, and hold classes in fields. Once people reach 70, shoot them. It will save on pension plans.
But that's not really a good way, Norbert. What you do is to find out what is causing the problem. Then you look at what the needs of your society are. (I notice you never do that.) Then you look at possible answers. The lack of that is why the grandly titled Institute for Public Research and Public Policy, and it its much quoted book "Over the Cliff?" is such a pile of hokum. (But Norbert likes it because it thinks just like he does - so there's a danger sign right there.)
It's really disturbing to see how universities are letting their names be tied up with this sort of propaganda.
Why are our budgets out of wack? That where you start. And, if you're dishonest (or stupid), you begin by saying the health system or education or pensions or all of those are too expensive. Now, let's try really hard to be honest.
1. The very rich have been increasing their share of the world's wealth by giant steps for decades. They also get special gifts in the form of contracts and, say, forest lands, grants.....
2. The rich of North America - and especially New Brunswick - pay among the lowest taxes in the world. The result is that we get poorer. As well, the rich get to decide how the money they don't pay in taxes will get spent - and usually it won't be in New Brunswick - or even in Canada.
Gee! d'ya think that might have something to do with our budget problem?....and why do I think here of the words...events...centre....
3. The Bank of Canada was designed to lend money to Canadian governments at no interest. But now they have to borrow from international banks at high interest rates. It also means that international banks get to determine what Canada's economic policies must be. We are getting robbed by international bankers with a reputation for imposing hardship and even starvation and death on countries.
By the way, thank Pierre Trudeau for that one.
So, first, let's find out where our money is going.
Then Norbert says that is a waste of time to create jobs by spending public money. Well, Norbert, it depends on how you spend it. If you give it to private companies that are buddies with the government, you're right. It is a waste of money. (even though you often approve when that is done.)
But you should read a little bit of history, Norbert. Not ancient history, just back the the 1930s. Those were very bad years. And what snapped us out of it? Government spending for World War 2. And the prosperity went on for years after - until business got back into full control. Now we have deficits.
Incidentally, the first Canadian prime minister to catch on to this W.A.C. Bennett who was born just a short drive from Moncton. And who was even smarter that you are, Norbert.
In the next stage, you look at the needs of our society to determine what services are important for our quality of life. And on all that, you draft solutions.
Your slash and burn policy will do nothing but create even worse poverty (we've been there before because we've believed books like "Over the Cliff? before.)
Worse, the people of New Brunswick have elected a typical New Brunswick premier who has "visions" without having any philosophy of what government is for. The people read a newspaper which is full of lies and propaganda much of which, I am sure, is believed by most of the columnists.
And God help New Brunswick. It's in for one hell of a time as international banks and home-grown politicians pick its bones clean.
That's what is happening to Ukraine. That's what is happening to Greece. That's what's happening all over the world. And, of course, all those bone-pickers are "philanthropists".
_______________________________________________________________________________
Cole Hobson has a column of pure gush about a baseball player who occasionally came to Moncton. He provided, "important life lessons for all New Brunswickers." So I patiently worked though paragraph after paragraph of adolescent gush. The important life lessons turned out to be just one. It's based on his record which, it seems, had its share of strikeouts; but when he hit a ball, it went a long way.
And they talk about Plato and Aristotle.
What does that have to do with life? Well, when things go bad, keep going with full effort, and you will launch yourself to success. What that has to do with hitting a baseball a long way I have no idea.
Good column by David Suzuki. And, if I may draw an analogy with baseball, Alec Bruce writes a great one on the census that's a home run.
___________________________________________________________________________
The sports page, as usual, has no column for commentary or analysis. Is it, like politics, something that Monctonians are afraid to discuss in public? I mean, how are people going to learn lessons for life without sports commentary?
At last, though, it has a book review. But that's only because it was written by a local woman. Most newspapers have several book reviews in a weekend copy - and they don't usually include Harlequin romances.
_____________________________________________________________________________
For those who need a laugh, go to B3 for the story of how Canada's Conservative party is telling Russia to 'back off' in Ukraine. I guess Putin must be hiding in his closet now. Grow up all you Harperites. Years of neglect have left Canada with a military force not capable of doing much of anything. As for the Conservatives telling NATO what it should do, well - Canada has no international status with NATO or anybody else. There was a time when Canada had respect and influence as a sort of honest broker. But that's all over with our years of being a flunkie to the US and, worse, with Harper making tough-sounding talk that everybody knows he can't back up.
In any case, many NATO countries are not crazy about provoking Russia, including major ones like Germany, France and Britain. In fact, that's part of a major story on B5, and another one on B6. Doesn't the news editor read his own newspaper?
For Canada to use provocative language on an issue that would almost certainly lead to nuclear war is wildly irresponsible. So maybe it's a good thing that nobody gives a damn what Harper and his cronies say.
Page B4 has the story about new security arrangements in Ottawa. Playing a role, apparently, will be government-appointed (which meansHarper appointed) and reporting only to the prime minister. This is the House of Commons committee on intelligence service. Alas, some of them were not available in Ottawa today.
The chairman, Arthur Porter (appointed by Harper) is in the Bahamas. And he really can't leave. That's because if he enters Canada, he'll be arrested on very serious charges of fraud, breach of trust, and forgery. Then there's two others who have had to temporarily step down for similar reasons. Gee. I guess The Canadian Press didn't know that.
This whole idea of an expanded intelligence service, apart from its record of moral rot, is an absurd response to just two, unrelated attacks - with no evidence of any organized influence. So why are we setting up a huge and dangerous expansion of our intelligence service?
After all, it's very dangerous indeed. The service would get the power to jail Canadians with no charge, no evidence if they see any even remote connection with terrorism. And terrorism could mean anything. It could, and does mean environmentalism. It can also mean being anti-shale gas. (If you're pro-shale gas, you can terrorize all you like.) It could mean simply talking to a person who is an environmentalist. It could be me for writing that our wars in the middle east are driven by oil billionaires. In fact, it could mean expressing critical views of Mr. Harper because that might induce some fanatic to kill him. (None of this is exaggeration. This is a bill now going through parliament.)
This isn't an intelligence service. This is a gestapo. And neither the Liberals nor the NDP will say much about it. Why not?
Because Canadians are scared. We're catching up on a process the US began over fifty years ago. Fifty years ago, communists were evil, even satanic, and ruthless, and would murder us all in our beds. That was the message of Senator McCarthy, played up in all the news media.
People were made to be terrified, to hate. The Russians aren't communist any more (the never were, actually),. but our news media have been reviving hatred and fear again - but of Russia. And with oil billionaires setting up wars in the middle east to loot the region even more, our news media have been blowing up hatred and fear of Muslims. Politicians just love people who hate and are scared. You can sell them on all sorts of absurdity.
Why did the US and Britain invade Iraq? We know we were lied to. We know Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 -or with Afghanistan. But Canadians were sent to die - and to kill - in Afghanistan. Why? We've never been told. When people are scared and hating enough, you don't have to give reasons.
Why are we in Iraq again? You seriously think it's because of ISIL? Get real. The US alone has killed far more people than ISIL has. The US alone, has burned more live people to death than ISIL ever could. No, ISIL is not nice. We are at least as murderous and as cruel. But our news media have not trained us to hate what we do.
Our news media has us scared and hating. We'l fight and we'll kill anybody anywhere no matter what the danger to the world.
Result - any party that opposed Harper's gestapo law would lose the election. That's why they aren't likely to oppose it. And that's why we, in hate and fear of Muslims (or whoever the flavour of the month is) will destroy our own freedom and our nation.
_________________________________________________________________
I didn't even get to January 7.------------tomorrow.
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