LIMERICK LANE
DISCLAIMER: Those seeking limericks in strict classical form will be disappointed. The limericks below are often aberrant in metre and line length. The bizarre whimsicality and odd non-sequiturishness of the best limericks are achieved with difficulty, and these qualities have been sacrificed to our satiric purpose. These "limericks" may be viewed by some as significantly flawed, but we will not allow purists to spoil our deviant fun.
Note: A complaint (See Diary, May 27, 2013) from the Limerick Purity Defence League of Canada, which threatens significant pouting and stamping of feet, has forced us to abandon our claim to the term "limerick." Henceforth our five-line compositions will be known as "limerishes." A limerish is a limerick found guilty of metrical apostasy. Thus, we will continue our deviant fun -- but under a deviant name.
Most recent limerishes are found after the index below.
| Index of Subjects Abbreviated songs
August 9, 2014 |
Haiven, Prof. Judy January 23, 2015 Hall, Barbara February 22, 2010 Harry and Meghan February 23, 2023 Harvard Consistency February 3, 20124 Harvard Charade February 1, 2024 Harvard Choice December 27, 2023 Harvard Halls December 12, 2023 Health Care System February 28, 2011 Hodge, Darin July 1, 2018 Hope January 17, 2017 Howson, Pamela March 11, 2012 Houle, Francis
March 26, 2010 |
Pope John Paul January 27, 2010 Pretence, World of January 9, 2020 Principals -- politically correct
December 9, 2017
RCMP
July 16, 2011 |
| Progressivism Explained Some have marvelled at the success of Progressivism. It is an apparent puzzle that the progressive narrative is replete with fine intentions and redolent with virtuous signalling – but the results of progressive policies are invariably characterized by misery, dysfunction, and failure. In the interests of relieving stress and discomfort everywhere, we have long adopted a policy of banishing awkward puzzles and confounding mysteries with simple explanations whenever it is in our power to do so. In this case, the answer is so disarmingly simple, that we feel the need to complicate it. There is always the danger – in giving a simple, one word answer – that we will be dismissed as hasty, facile, and lacking the gravitas needed to suggest authority. Let us begin, then, with Dr. Samuel Johnson, who famously said: “Hope is necessary in every condition.” We think this to be an accurate comment on the human circumstance. The real world – viewed without some filter of illusion – is somewhat depressing. Thus -- for instance – while we all have the intellectual perception we must eventually die – we function best in the illusion of immortality. Optimistic illusion, then, seems essential in ordinary life. We are doubtless programmed for it by our evolutionary legacy. But – as we are fond of saying – every virtue contains the seed of vice. A certain degree of optimism is necessary; too much is more than enough. There is, alas, no slide rule of virtue to give us the precise distinction between “necessary” and “too much.” We are condemned to walk the tightrope of optimism over the abyss of gullibility. So there you have it! Progressivism deals in fine intentions and signals of virtue. It never looks beyond the end of its optimistic nose to see the disaster of its practical end-result face. Repeated failures are never recognized; the excuse is always good intentions gone inexplicably wrong. Fulfilling Einstein’s theory of insanity – the progressive solution to failure is to repeat the exact process which was its genesis. Progressivism represents is the triumph of façade over function. Then why does progressivism succeed? In short – it is because façades are seductively attractive -- and there is an inexhaustible supply of human gullibility. In the past, we have suggested that every high school should have a mandatory course in skepticism. But we suspect it might be taught by the intrinsically gullible, and miss the point entirely. The Inexhaustible Supply (September 5, 2024) Marvel not at progressive “success” – Nor question the end result mess; They sell fine intentions Prance pretty pretensions – Find gullible fools in excess! |
| Limitarianism We learned this day of a certain Ingrid Robeyns, a Dutch
philosopher at Utrecht University. Ms. Robeyns advocates for
Limitarianism – the placing of limit on individual net worth. |
| The Woke Joke
Perhaps it has always been thus – but our era seems particularly
addicted to buzzwords, slogans, and catch-phrases. Such short-cuts are
easy substitutes for critical thought. They provide a ready arsenal for
reflexive response. They are examples of a sort of tribal hypnosis:
Yours is not to reflect and consider; yours is to repeat the preferred
narrative.
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| On occasion, we think that living in the present era is the
equivalent of residing in an unexpected, perplexing rabbit hole. The
absurdities are theatrical: success has the taint of immorality;
victimhood is a sure marker of virtue. Equality – an impossible ideal –
unachievable in reality – destructive in the pursuit – is assumed to
represent the height of virtue. Merit is demeaned, demoted, and denied.
People are valued – or devalued – on account of group membership; their
individual competence is deemed irrelevant. What is certain, reliable, and intrinsic – hierarchy – is thought to be the work of the devil. Biology must defer to psychology. Feelings must trump facts. Fiction is more valued than freedom. Survival is less important than signalling virtue. Appearance looks down on reality – insists that it must be gilded over before it can be allowed in the Parlour of Correctness. Self-esteem has nothing to do with accomplishment – it can be slathered on – like marmalade on a wilted crumpet. With such epidemic of distortions and absurdities, it might be assumed that we inhabit a discombobulation-free zone. Yet, when Senator Chris Murphy said – at the Democrat Convention in Chicago: "For 20 years, Mayor Harris has been tough as nails when it comes to securing our border...” we felt a small tingle of surprise. As Vice-President, Kamala Harris was tasked – by President Biden – with managing the border. Unless the term “manage” has now become synonymous with “ignore” – the senator's remark would seem to be an assertion contrary to fact so egregious that we look, hopefully, for a magic bottle labelled: “Get Me Out of Here.” We will – thankfully - not bore the reader with comments about Kamala Harris’s reputation for being incompetent, vacuous, and unintelligible. Such a dissertation would run to many pages, and tax our feeble cognitive resources. Nor will we engage in a diatribe on the folly of selecting people on the basis of group membership instead of competence –a manifestation of the currently popular death wish of western civilization. We will, instead, turn to the relative sanity of Limerickville: Tough as Nails (August 22, 2024) On the border, she’s tough as a nail – So claimed on the lie-festing trail; When the facts just won’t do-- Well – just bring on the pooh– Glib lies over truth must prevail.
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| We are intrigued to see the Koronation of Kamala proceed. She is
now the only candidate to be the Democrat Presidential nominee. If we
were writing a novel -- including such an absurdity -- we could be
assured of rejection by any publisher operating outside the APP – the
Asylum of Progressive Pathology. The absurdity is, perhaps, instructive. A focus on rewarding people for group membership will result in satisfying appearances of progression towards group equality – and a concomitant decline in competence displayed by the individuals rewarded. The ticking of boxes is superficial; actual function can only be assessed by opening the box, and examining the contents. An empty box may be taken as a subtle hint with respect to function. But – we repeat – opening is a pre-requisite. If there is, inside, an actual gizmo with appliance cord attached – it will be necessary to insert the plug into an electrical outlet. If nothing lights up – and pressing the “on’ button results in blank screen – it would be prudent to return the item to Amazon. We always assumed that Ms. Harris was, essentially, an empty box. The box was attractively marked as progressive, female, non-white, attorney general. It was admirably tickable. Opening the box might reveal that her achievements were based on peculiar relationships, her record sketchy, her competence questionable. But why open a so superbly attractive box? The truth is seldom important in the advancement of a virtue-signalling -- but destructive -- narrative. When Ms. Harris was chosen as Vice-President, we assumed that the box had been opened. It was not, actually, empty -- an odd corded appliance had been revealed. Plugged into an outlet of convenience, the gizmo blank screen did, in fact light up. It flashed, consistently and interminably: “Protect Joe Biden,” Protect Joe Biden,” “Protect Joe Biden.” The function of Kamala Harris was to represent such an extreme degree of hopeless incompetence, that any hopeless incompetence of Joe Biden would be, of necessity, ignored. Finding Mr. Biden senile, criminal, or comatose would necessitate the hiring of a convincing double, who could be trained in basement hiding, gaffe-making and the fine art of bad decisions. Anything but Kamala Harris. It will be fascinating to see what happens next. Those who had been consistently arguing their undying loyalty to Mr. Biden, managed, within a day or so, to advocate for his immediate withdrawal. Politics requires a flexibility and dexterity – intellectual and moral – which would be the envy of any circus contortionist. In similar fashion, Ms. Harris, known widely for word salads, border incompetence, and a 92% staff turnover rate, has become – within nanoseconds -- the darling of the mainstream media. The tickable box is once again on display; Nirvana is not only attainable, but imminent. We shall see. Kamala Harris ( August 1, 2024) In full flail, now see Kamala Harris: The Democrats’ poisoning chalice – Her record is bare – She’s scarcely all there – Her talent – to dismay and embarrass. The Harris Word Salad O, where is the ode or the ballad – Dressing fit for a Harris word salad? So hopeless/confusing So hapless/amusing Such salads cry “thinking invalid.” |
| We have been utterly gobsmacked by an article in today’s Toronto
Sun. We know not where to turn or what to do. The firm ground of
certainty has been replaced with the shifting tides of
incomprehensibility. The universe will be forever changed. A professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, David Haskell, has concluded that Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DIE) training is “divisive, counter-productive and unnecessary.” Hmmm. Does anyone remember the dark old days when Martin Luther King Jr. thought people should be judged on the content of their character? How naive that sounds in the light of modern sophistication! The much superior modern view is that people should be judged according to group membership – and each group is identified by skin colour. In an attempt to banish racism, it is pretty obvious that the best approach is to talk a great deal about people with different skin colours, and try to think of the best way of showing that each group is equal to all the others. That means that people with skin colours associated with success should be denied equality of opportunity – and other groups not universally associated with success should be given positions of prominence. The matters of merit and competence should, of course, be largely ignored. It’s the only way to manufacture the desired appearance – the virtuous result of equality – or “equity” as it is now known. It’s a logical corollary that much time should be spent making people associated with success thoroughly ashamed of themselves for having the wrong skin colour. (It is obvious that skin colour controls thought processes. It’s a kind of electrical osmosis – little, as yet, understood by science – but justified by general consent.) People from other groups should be made to feel resentful and mistreated – and also given a sense of entitlement based on their appearance. It’s easy to see how this will banish animosities, and encourage mutual feelings of bonhomie and goodwill. It’s clear that defining groups in clear opposition to one another – by pushing people of some colours down and lifting others up – Nirvana will soon be on our doorstep. It is a well documented fact of human nature that what everyone wants is equality. It matters not a whit whether one achieves it by moving up from a lesser position – or down from a higher position. As long as equality is achieved – an instant satisfaction for all can be guaranteed. We hardly need add that it is also obvious and logical that achieving “equity” is most efficiently done by ignoring individual competence or function. We look, once again -- to the realities of human nature. People don’t really care whether their competency is rewarded or not. The truly competent person does not mind if his or her reward matches that of the incompetent – because he or she is comforted by the notion of equal result. The incompetent person will have no aversion to being rewarded as if he or she were competent. It will be seen as a just recompense in the great movement towards egalitarian harmony. It should be clear, then, to any sensible, well-meaning person, that as long as the competent and incompetent in any organization are equally valued – happiness is assured. Lest there be any lingering doubt on this matter – it has been shown that function and competence are highly – even amorally – overrated. A recent poll by the Egalitarian Institute of Higher Thought has revealed that 91% of those with cognitive impairment believe that a bridge that bears the weight of traffic is just as good as the bridge that collapses. They both tried equally hard – and that is what counts. We do hate to belabour truths of such obvious merit – but if further evidence were needed – the practical results of diversity policies are clear. Those hired or elected on the grounds of diversity and inclusion have been unimpeachable models of competence, integrity, and industry. We are sure that the reader conversant with current events will have many names come to mind, starting with Claudine Gay, the former President of Harvard, who has recently stepped aside to spend more time writing, and furthering her commitment to virtue. We must conclude, therefore, that the good professor is completely wrong. It’s a pity he has caused us to waste so much time in refuting his foolishness. The Race Problem/"DIE" (February 13, 2024) The ideal we are destined to chase – Is to banish distinctions of race: But false fixin’s and fussin’s With divisive discussions Will not bring us close to that place. Look then, to the Reverend King Who dreamt of a cultural spring: All should be assessed On merits possessed – Free at last from the tribal nose-ring. |
| Observation 2223: The most potent argument against diversity
policies is their results. In times of rapid -- and sometimes
upsetting – change – it is no wonder so many of us seek a haven of
consistency. Our usual immediate resource is the pope. If ever we are in
doubt of the correct opinion on any important matter – we simply attempt
to determine what the pope thinks. We have never been disappointed. The
pope is infallible. He is reliably wrong on every conceivable topic.
Once we know his opinion, we can put our mind at rest: the opposite is
reliably and undeniably true. |
| Observation #2222: When you choose façade over function, things will fall apart. We have been somewhat remiss in recounting the final posturing in
the Harvard charade – which began late in 2023. At that time, the
president, Claudine Gay, began to encounter criticism on a number of
grounds. It began to look as though her selection as president involved
the ticking of certain boxes -- vibrantly painted in appealing hues of
egalitarian virtue -- without much regard for real, functional virtues
such as common sense and worthy scholarship. This, of course, is a
common practice of the age – which is most anxious to pretend the world
is constructed reliably on a pleasant sea foam of equality, rather than
on a less pliant bedrock of awkward hierarchy.
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| Are we obsessed with Harvard? Well, perhaps -- yes. It
seemed so iconic. It was the brand name for higher education. And
now it's rubble. Had you predicted – thirty years ago – that Harvard
university would subvert its academic standards in favour of pursuing a
false and unreasonable “virtue” – you would have been classified as a
complete crank – probably with some personal, hopeless axe to grind. So here we are in 2023, with a president, Claudine Gay – apparently unsuitable on many counts – but fervently supported by the Harvard Foundation and her peers. Ms. Gay has presided over a university rated the worst in free speech,* and found guilty by the U.S. Supreme Court of pursuing a racist admissions policy.** Some examples of plagiarism were found in Ms. Gay’s doctoral thesis – but these were not of great concern -- described as mere “duplicative language” by the university. They are so tolerant and broadminded. Everyone lets a little duplicative language slip into an academic paper from time to time. Sometimes the quotation mark key is temporarily obscured or currently unavailable. The scholarly research must go on. (Breitbart News, December 21) But -- more recently -- further examples of plagiarism have been discovered: Calls for Ms. Gay to resign are mounting as the plagiarism claims snowball. She now stands accused of 41 instances of failing to give proper credit in seven articles over 30 years, according to the latest tally by Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher F. Rufo, who aired the first public charges two weeks ago. The seven published writings in question represent more than half of the 11 articles listed on her resume, a conspicuously thin record of scholarship for the president of what many consider the nation’s most prestigious university. (The Washington Times, December 21) Quite possibly, Ms. Gay will offer --
proactively -- that seems to be the magic eraser of duplicative language
-- to make a few alterations, and the Harvard universe will unfold as
it, equitably, should. It is our perception that "studies" is the word used to describe a field of " inquiry" which is not much concerned with discovery -- but very much with agenda. The focus of propaganda is not facts, but belief.
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| Yesterday, we predicted that Claudine Gay would survive calls for
her resignation. We did so from a cynical recognition that political
correctness -- the progressive narrative – wokeism – whatever term you
prefer – is in the ascendant in much of society – but overwhelmingly in
universities. We are tired of repeating the argument – but this phenomenon arises from a determination to find or create equality of result – and the tribal propensity to prefer to think with the crowd of virtue signallers rather than reflect – with the apparent minority – on what constitutes practical virtue. Equality of result is a socialist pipe-dream which ignores the quality of input which would make the result fair and reasonable. Function matters. However – in the current climate – Ms. Gay simply ticks too many virtue-signalling boxes for her to be fired for a failure to condemn antisemitic sentiments or unprofessional scholarship. Those who are hired on the basis of diversity and inclusion can hardly be dismissed for incompetence or plagiarism. The original rationale remains unblemished and secure. In fact, Ms. Gay has received the full support of the Harvard Alumni Association. And the Harvard Corporation – the governing body – has declared: As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University. Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.* (Breitbart News, December 12) Some concerns were expressed about the issue of plagiarism – but these are minor matters easily fixed with a bit of post hoc piety: With regard to President Gay’s academic writings, the University became aware in late October of allegations regarding three articles. At President Gay’s request, the Fellows promptly initiated an independent review by distinguished political scientists and conducted a review of her published work. On December 9, the Fellows reviewed the results, which revealed a few instances of inadequate citation. While the analysis found no violation of Harvard’s standards for research misconduct, President Gay is proactively requesting four corrections in two articles to insert citations and quotation marks that were omitted from the original publications. (Breitbart, December 12) So all’s well that ends well. A proactive request is obviously akin to a miraculous, life-saving drug. We can now turn our attention to the latest sports news. Well – actually – we are not so sure. What is evident here is a radical shift in cultural values. There was a time when competence, achievement, and honesty were considered desirable values. It would appear that these have been replaced with diversity, inclusion, and equity. The choice seems dangerous. We doubt that “equity” will redeem a society choosing incompetence, mediocrity, and corruption. The current stance of Harvard University would seem to augur exactly that kind of failed society. The Halls have become -- robustly -- unhallowed. We do not rule out the possibility that Ms. Gay’s unsuitability may surface again. In that event, we suspect she will leave Harvard for a prestigious post with the United Nations. She will head a Committee for the Promotion of International Equity Solutions for Emerging Economies. The Harvard Halls (December 12, 2023) The pooh-bahs at Harvard have spoke – Their allegiance is clearly to “woke;” The Halls now unhallowed – So ethically shallowed – An outrageous, pathetic, bad joke. *We thought knowledge, discovery, and the pursuit of truth were the primary concern of universities. We have obviously missed the directional drift and the target transformation announcement. We need to pay more attention to the Stupidity Accretion Index. |
| We have further news about the carefully legalistic presidents of
the three progressive universities – Harvard, MIT, and Pennsylvania
State. ( See Limerick Lane, December 10th.) Some politically incorrect individual has had the temerity to examine the scholarly writings of Harvard president, Claudine Gay. A journalist, Christopher Brunet, has discovered examples of plagiarism in an element from Ms. Gays’ 1997 PhD. dissertation: “Taking Charge: Black Electoral Success and the Redefinition of American Policies.” (Breitbart News, December 11) The claim is that some material is taken from other scholarly works, without proper attribution or quotation marks. The academic protocol – as we remember it from our university days – is that authors should studiously avoid using the words of others without quotation marks and attribution. If this procedure is not followed – it is a kind of intellectual theft – an intellectual dishonesty. The author is pretending to language and ideas not his own. It isn’t playing the game fairly. His or her scholarly reputation could well be destroyed. Indeed, the Harvard policy reads thus: When you paraphrase, your task is to distill the source’s ideas in your own words. It’s not enough to change a few words here and there and leave the rest; instead, you must completely restate the ideas in the passage in your own words. If your own language is too close to the original, then you are plagiarizing, even if you do provide a citation. (Breitbart News, December 11) It is entirely inappropriate, we believe – that a professor or university president should fail to recognize this requirement for straight shooting. We have a cynical observation: “Lies are like cockroaches -- if you find one, there are more where it came from.”(#2146) We have a suspicious mind. We somehow doubt that Ms. Gay was chosen as president on the basis of scholarly excellence. Of course – that view is probably somewhat naive. University presidents are likely chosen for their ability to raise funds. But perhaps some degree of intellectual integrity is expected as a prerequisite. We somehow suspect that Ms. Gay was chosen to reflect “progressive” values. “Equity” rather than function. The great deficiency in signalling virtue is that it seldom – if ever – leads to practical virtue. The prime purpose is self-congratulation – not societal amelioration. The Breitbart article to which we have – studiously – referred, suggests some functional deficiencies: “As dean and then president, Gay has been accused of bullying colleagues, suppressing free speech, overseeing a racist admissions program, and, most recently, failing to stand up to unabashed antisemitism on campus in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel.” Our bet is that Ms. Gay will survive the turmoil. She ticks more boxes than Liz Magill. The Diversity Hire (December 11, 2023) Behold the diversity hire – Feet held to the scholarly fire: An ethical blot Of plagiarist rot – Will “equity” whitewash the mire? |
| Progressivism must be regarded as a kind of mental virus: certain
false assumptions are made about the nature of reality – and then an
edifice is constructed which turns out to be less crystal palace and
more toxic cave – with life-threatening vapours. It is viral in nature because it seems attractive, morally superior, and is satisfyingly self-congratulatory. It is a kind of perfection available with modest effort – painlessly fuelled by good intentions. Thus it spreads rapidly. Unfortunately there is no recognition of the underlying paradox: what is virtuous in moderation becomes toxic in excess. While there may be virtue in reducing some inequalities, the attempt to create equality of result while ignoring quality of input is not benign. The focus of progressivism is, in fact, equality of result – or at least the appearance of it. The progressive narrative assumes that all people, cultures, and nations are equally worthy. The corollary is that success bears the taint of immorality, and failure is a sure marker of virtue. What is unsuccessful is a breach of the Law of Goodness. It cannot be the result of bad ideas, incompetence, or even bad luck. The only possible explanation is oppression by the successful. The answer is clear, simple, compelling, and wrong: The successful must be brought down – and reparations must be paid to the unsuccessful. Unfortunately, this is a clear contravention of the other reality – the one that doesn’t sound so good. We are the products of the evolutionary law of survival of the fittest. While it is true that that law must be modified in civilized society – it cannot be dismissed. To condemn competence and function is to welcome incompetence and dysfunction. A successful culture is no longer capable of being successful or civilized if it does not exist – because it has destroyed itself or has welcomed its destruction by others less successful. This problem has become news since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th. Israel is a successful society in a region of mediocre competence. Add in the awkward corroborating fact: while Jews represent .2% of world population – they account for 22.4% of Nobel Prize winners. It’s a disgraceful refutation of egalitarian theory. Apply the progressive formula – and it suggests a clear response to the Hamas atrocities. Palestine is a place where the dominant ethos is concerned -- not with creating a prosperous and free society – but one fuelled by a religious hatred of Israel. Thus it is quite obvious to any progressive that Israel must be condemned for its success, and Hamas must be rewarded for its primitive, vicious – and hence unsuccessful -- world view. Now – nowhere is the progressive disease more evident than in our universities. It is no surprise that university personnel are chosen not for their competence – but for their ticking of progressive boxes. The ideal University president would be one from the most unsuccessful culture on the planet, burdened with as many cognitive and physical maladies possible. They have not yet come close to that ideal – but there can be little doubt there is a Progressive Purity Foundation working on it. It should be no surprise, then, that at a recent testimony before Congress – the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Pennsylvania State University, were very careful when asked if calling for the genocide of Jews on their campuses would be considered harassment. Their responses were not unreasonable in a legal sense. They all said it would depend on the context. True, an ironic written statement, suitably distanced in quotation marks, would not count. Ms. Magill, of Penn State said “If the speech turns into conduct it can be harassment.” That, unfortunately, suggests that actually killing someone would be the defining factor. The president of MIT, Sally Kornbluth, and Claudine Gay, of Harvard, had similar responses. One might easily argue that the context of the Hamas attack might have some bearing in the matter. What was expected from the presidents was something a bit less carefully considered legal nicety – and a bit more moral outrage. It is our view that all three presidents were – probably without awareness -- constrained by the progressive virus: Israel successfully bad, Palestine wretched, but good. We suspect that calls for the obliteration of Palestine would have been harshly condemned. Islamophobia is possibly the most terrible sin in the modern lexicon. It represents the condemnation of a world view which has been significantly less successful in creating a high standard of living, opportunities for self-fulfilment, or freedom for citizens. In the perversity of progressivism, it deserves, therefore, every compensatory protection possible. We are sometimes given to idle speculation -- what would have been the presidential responses if the question had been whether misuse of gender pronouns was acceptable on campus. In that case the progressive virus would dictate considerably more outrage. Those with gender dysphoria are unfortunate. Their misfortune needs to be relieved, their feelings coddled, and the fortunate need to pay the cost. If the misgendered wish to force the general population into ignoring biology, and respecting feelings – and if they wish to compel otherwise rational citizens into accepting statements such as “not all boys have penises” – or “some men can give birth” – well – so be it. General insanity is a small price to pay for pandering to particular feelings. We suspect that all three presidents would not have been so legalistic. Their moral fervour over the correct use of pronouns would be compelling and convincing. It might be worth pointing out that the progressive elevation of feelings as the sacrosanct determiner of morality is ignored in the case of Jewish people intimidated by pro-Palestinian demonstrations and rhetoric – but seems often strictly enforced in the case of the misgendered. Some feelings, apparently, are more important than others. We wonder why. Ms. Magill – having experienced considerable backlash – and having been threatened with withdrawals of donations – has resigned. It will be interesting to see if either of the other progressively virtuous presidents succumbs. The Progressive Virus (December 10, 2023) There once was a careful Magill – Evasive with “equity” drill: “No evil condemn: First ‘haw,’ and then ‘hem;” Moral compass -- set plainly at ‘nil.’” |
| A year or so ago, we noted the opposition between the justice of
function and the justice of being. We see this as an essential
antithesis at the heart of every society. The justice of function is the
law of the jungle – and like capitalism – its derivative – must be
modified among tribal creatures. Otherwise, your 84-year-old grandmother
– her ability to sew mukluks having become impaired by age and infirmity
– would be escorted to a convenient peripatetic ice floe – and you would
happily send five-year-olds to work in the coal mines. The justice of being rejects hierarchy – and sees virtue and morality in “equality” – all should be rewarded equally – just for “being” there. It is no surprise that society should modify the law of the jungle. Morality, in fact, is socially derived. There is no such thing as morality without tribal context. There is no morality for the lone shipwreck survivor on a desert island, for he can neither be sinned against nor sinning. The modification of jungle law on moral grounds, however, has its limits. The tendency is to believe that if jungle hierarchy is amoral, equality of outcome must be good. While a reduction in inequality may have social benefit, “equality” itself is not virtuous. That is because – contrary to popular belief – every virtue is subject to the law of diminishing returns. What appears to be virtuous in moderation – becomes problematic in the extreme. Alexander Pope made the observation in the 18th century: “The difference is too nice/ Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.” This is such a shocking idea that we feel the need to give examples. Let us imagine a wealthy industrialist who supports a number of worthy social causes. One day he decides to hand over his enterprises to the local church, distribute his other assets to the Felicity Foodbank, and retire to a mountain cave in Bingo Bongo, in order to subsist on roots and berries, and lead a life of impoverished virtue. The church soon runs his businesses into the ground, the Felicity Food bank distributes his assets to the poor, and the formerly wealthy man is in no position to help anybody. Charity has been taken to a less than virtuous extreme. Similarly, if you are being tortured by the Evil Regime to reveal the location of your dissident parents, perhaps honesty is not the best policy. Finally – although you may love your doofus daughter, Samantha, getting her into Harvard by paying a bribe to a university official might be seen as an excessive expression of that regard. And thus it is with equality. Oversimplifying -- a moderate amount
may be good -- but too much is counter-productive. The prognosis reads:
dysfunction, mediocrity, stasis, and death. In contrast, the ruthless law of the jungle is the evolutionary
process that has resulted in the success of our species. That is why we
are here. That underlying amoral ruthlessness still has a moral lesson:
survival itself is a kind of virtue. Survival morality is a
pre-condition for social morality. The egalitarian yearning of social
morality is ultimately suicidal. Practical virtue must reject the
principle of equality. Practical virtue must allow for survival. |
| Equality is the “virtue” of the age. We are not, of course,
speaking of equal opportunity, or equal rights. We are speaking of the
assumption that equality of outcome is a noble thing – regardless of the
quality of input. It underlies every modern folly – socialism,
multiculturalism, affirmative action, open borders, and the absurd
mantra of “diversity, inclusion, and equity” – “DIE.” What is not often considered is that equality – so virtuous -- is the enemy of liberty. Liberty implies the freedom to choose – and – as we are fond of pointing out – every choice ever made is a rebuke to the principle of equality – since every choice declares that one thing is better than the alternatives. People – left to their own miserably selfish devices – do not choose equality if they can have something better. The natural tendency is to choose that which is perceived to be best – not that which achieves “equality.” The preferred narrative of the left is that “equality” is the natural condition of mankind. It is not – of course. Some things are better than others. But the attempt to create equality – through socialism or the repetition of mantras like “diversity, inclusion, and equity” is actually inimical to freedom. Socialism is determined to make people equal – except for the central planners at the top, of course. In order to do so it must hold back the competent, and lift up the also-rans. This, obviously, requires a restriction of choice and liberty. Rather than have production and distribution of goods in the hands of competent and ingenious entrepreneurs, free to make advantageous choices, it is better to require them to operate fork-lifts and road-paving machines. All the necessary work of producing millions of excess left foot shoes in the wrong size should be in the hands of dedicated central planners. If your beloved mantra requires you to uphold “equality” – you cannot choose what is best. If you are building a bridge, for example, you cannot choose those with knowledge of engineering – or those with experience of having constructed bridges. To do so would be discriminatory, unfair, and philosophically heretical. The fact that a poorly constructed bridge might lead to disappointment, injury, or even death is hardly relevant. In fact those who might die as a result of a bridge collapse will feel a sense – in the afterlife – of having contributed to the promotion of egalitarian principles – and will be grateful for the opportunity provided for doing so. Equality – the Enemy of Liberty (November 18, 2023) It’s better to win – not to lose – To cherish our freedom to choose – We like – or detest – Then choose what seems best – Not fall for “equality’s” ruse.
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| “In the misfortunes of our best friends we always find something
not altogether displeasing to us.” (Francois de La Rochefoucauld) How much more – and less guilty – pleasure we get from the misfortunes of our enemies! It appears that “sanctuary cities” in the United States are now – completely predictably – reaping the just rewards of their idealistic folly. It’s just another example of the dangers of mindless virtue signalling. Virtue signalling – so easy. Consequences – so hard. We take evil delight in being the bearer of realistic tidings. Unlimited compassion – which sounds so good – won’t actually work in real life. Yes – in the ideal world – all people living in miserable countries should – in the name of equality – move to well-organized, relatively free countries with high standards of living, and wonderful opportunities for self-fulfilment. They will immediately adapt -- acquiring the language and cultural nuances of the host countries in a few short weeks – and soon prosper – probably rising – in six months -- to positions of power and influence. Alas –that ideal world does not exist. It takes time for immigrants to adapt. Sometimes they expect to move to countries which value freedom, competition, and competence, and then -- while ignoring freedom, competition, and competence – expect to gain the same advantages. Advanced countries also have highly developed social security systems – which cannot expand limitlessly to take care of an infinite number of unemployed migrants. The problem is that the speeding bullet of unlimited compassion ultimately comes in contact with the immovable object of self-preservation. The occupants of the small lifeboat may wish to welcome aboard the hundreds of other survivors of the sinking ocean liner. The terrible reality is that too many will reduce the freeboard of the craft – and capsize becomes inevitable. Cruelty is at the heart of self-preservation. The amount is undoubtedly variable – but the law of the jungle lurks in us all. So - it appears that the Democrat mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, has said: “Never in my life have I had a problem I didn’t see an ending to. This will destroy New York City.” (ABC News, Sept. 8) And New York Times columnist, David Brooks, has said: “...if you’re going to have a sanctuary city...then, when people are allowed to come in through our dysfunctional system, they’re going to come to your city... A lot of the most dysfunctional cities are the most progressive cities. That’s Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and they’re looking to be ungovernable.” (PBS News, September 8.) Exactly. Progressive ideas – without careful monitoring for practicality – simply don’t work. Reality will exact its terrible revenge. It’s not rocket science.
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| We are fairly confident that the end of western civilization is
nigh. It seems to have reached that tipping point – the loss of
confidence – which ensures a rapid decline. There can be, surely, no
better proof of the matter than the fact that universities – supposedly
the institutions where rational thought has its most cogent expression –
are filled with nutty professors, and mad administrators. As Thomas
Sowell has remarked: “Much of the social history of the Western world,
over the past three decades, has been a history of replacing what worked
with what sounded good.” Universities have decided, apparently, that merit – formerly considered a useful concept in determining competence – is far too tainted with the evil of hierarchy. It should be replaced with the soothing egalitarian mantra of “diversity, inclusion, and equity.” The acronym – DIE – is appropriate. In fact, of course – universities are merely virtue-signalling. “Diversity” means conformity to a left-wing perception of reality – it has nothing to do with an intellectual joust in the marketplace of ideas. Indeed – in universities – any ideas contrary to the “preferred narrative” are an existential threat to mental health. Universities are far more worried about microaggressions than free speech. But – we digress into a world of muddied murk and convoluted complexity – too dark a threat for our own fragile mental equilibrium. Our purpose here is to “enlighten” our reader – possibly hypothetical – to some recent conclusions drawn about William Shakespeare by Kathryn Vomero Santos – an assistant professor of English at Trinity University in Texas. Ms. Santos has discovered that Mr. Shakespeare was a racist! (Breitbart News September 3) Apparently, the language in Macbeth – with words such as “bat,” beetle,” “black,” and “night,” can be described as “racialized.” Oh, the horror of it! Of course – seen through the correct racial lens – words used to create atmosphere and suggest evil – must surely reflect the racial bias of the author. What could be more cogent and rational? One of our observations reads: “There can be no innocence where a feeling is determined to be hurt.” Similarly – for the racially obsessed – any reference to the dark is a racist nail which must be struck with the hammer of indignation and reproach. These are simply more vapours from the stygian depths of academic insanity. Kathryn Vomero Santos (September 4, 2023) Behold, the left wing-nut professor – Cites the Bard as a racist transgressor – Her pathetic attack On “bat,” “beetle,” and “black” -- Shows professor as pin-head possessor.
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| We are saddened to report a significant social tragedy. It appears that Harry and Meghan have been mocked by South Park! It is difficult to see how celebrities of such rank and standing can have been treated with such disrespect – but we live in time uncertain and dangerous – and almost anything seems possible. According to John Nolte, writing in Breitbart News (Feb. 21), Harry and Meghan were portrayed as the Prince and Princess of Canada, a couple anxious to protect their privacy by going on a “Worldwide Privacy Tour” – with all the fireworks, bright lights and general hoopla required by such occasions. They were described as a “royal prince, millionaire, world traveler, victim” - and “sorority girl, actress, influencer and victim.” We are not surprised that the victimized couple are considering a lawsuit. They doubtless wish to ensure that their reputations suffer no further damage. We must confess that we have noticed, of late, some dimming of their stars. Hard as it may be to believe, some have come to see them as having an exaggerated sense of their own importance – and their celebrity of the kind which rests on happenstance rather than that which arises from accomplishment. They are seen as attempting to exploit their celebrity status as quickly as possible – before their essential emptiness becomes – abundantly and destructively -- clear. We recently discovered a cruel example of this misconception in the form of a disgraceful and technically inept limerick. Alas – we have no hint of the identity of the author. We publish it here only as a warning to the irreverent wretch that there may be legal consequences for his – or her – impertinence. Adrift (February 22, 2023) There once was a flotsam called Harry – Sought a suitable jetsam to marry – He chose as his wifle An ambitious trifle – And launched a career pecuniary. |
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Logically, the cure for discrimination is cessation of discrimination – to give up cocaine and alcohol and switch to exercise and the Mediterranean diet. The only possible argument in favour of affirmative action is that it is a recognition of the deep-seated cliqueiness of human kind: if you are part of the established in-group, you will never judge those outside the group on their merits: rejecting them comfortably continues your favoured position, and the universe is seen to unfold as it has – always -- been destined. In the light of this human reality, it can be argued that affirmative action is a way of confronting prejudice with shock therapy: if outsiders are welcomed into the clique, their true merits will be revealed, and there will be a forced re-evaluation of old prejudices. In a sense, it can be argued that affirmative action policies attempt to allow merit to triumph over prejudice. Yet the difficulty still remains: discrimination on the basis of group identity is not the same as discrimination on the basis of merit. Favouring one group invariably penalizes another. To establish an affirmative action policy without a time limit simply entrenches a discriminatory policy. Further, it could be argued that limitless affirmative action subverts the premise – that people should, ultimately, be judged on merit. It may be an unintended consequence – but if some groups are indefinitely favoured, it suggests that they are inherently inferior, and thus require perpetual favouring. It suggests that what is really going on is not the overcoming of prejudice – but the contriving of an apparent – but misleading -- equality among groups. “Unlimited” affirmative action policies would appear to reflect virtuous intent -- but entail deplorable consequences. Affirmative Action (October 25, 2021) The balm of affirmative action
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Sometimes, we are tempted to despair. The evidence that we are living in a rabbit-hole of madness is all around us – with the leftish, manic hordes espousing open borders, multiculturalism, defunding of police, the rejection of history, the cancelling of culture, and the establishment of a Great Reset – a conception as unrealistic and as incompatible with the realities of human nature as socialism itself. Yet – the toxic bottles of “Drink Me” -- the contents guaranteed to turn brains to mush – seem so pervasive and tempting, that it has become difficult to find even modest reminders of reason – small bolt-holes of sanity and sobriety. A case in point is Erin O'Toole – the new Leader of the Conservative party. Mr. O'Toole seems to believe that the best way to attack the madness is not to decry, but to mimic it. He seems resolved to silence the voices of conservatism and pretend he is pretty much the same as Justin Trudeau – but without the hair and the moral vacuum in the cavity below. We read, somewhere, that he plans to make “climate change” the focus of his platform. We think this is less than wise. We think that, partly – of course – because we have yet to see conclusive evidence that mankind can control the climate – that greenhouse gasses are a major determinant of temperatures. It's been all theory and no proof. Nor does anyone seem interested in calculating the actual cost or feasibility of shutting down industrial civilization as we know it. And beyond all that – Canada's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is so insignificant* that the entire country could be washed away in a flood – and no one would notice any difference. In other words, the Canadian preoccupation with climate change seems driven by sentiment, not fact. By our own scientific estimate, it is 97% virtue-signalling. Why, then, would Mr. O'Toole not focus on the unfitness of Mr. Trudeau to hold office – on his proven moral vacuity, on his appeasement of China, his budgetary insouciance, and his failure to support the oil industry – and hence the economies of the western provinces? Apparently Mr. O'Toole wished to include the silly phrase “Climate Change is Real” in the party platform. Surely, his is a stupidity of truly Trudeauian proportions. Nobody this side of the asylum denies that climate change is real. That is not the issue. The issues are – what has mankind got to do with it – and whether it is reasonable to expect human control of the climate over the long term. Saying “climate change is real” is dumbing down the debate, and making Conservatives look like simplistic idiots. The delegates to the recent Conservative Party Convention – quite rightly – voted down that absurd inclusion. But Mr. O'Toole responded: “We've now fought and lost two election against a carbon tax because voters did not think we were serious about addressing climate change.” (CTV News, March 23) The madness does not end there. Mr. O'Toole has further said: "The debate is over." (cbc.ca, March 19). As a matter of principle, scientific matters are always open to new evidence. As a matter of practicality, we must ask how Mr. O'Toole would view the European Climate Declaration -- in which 500 scientists claimed that there was no "climate emergency" -- the current buzzword of alarmism -- and that the computer models were insufficient to their predictive task. It would appear that Mr. O'Toole wishes to out-signal one of the chief Virtue-Signalling Boobies of all time – Mr. Trudeau. This does not seem like a sensible plan. It would appear that Mr. O'Toole is
determined to facilitate the election of Mr. Trudeau once again – with
the concomitant decline of the nation which that implies. The Warmed-Over Fool (March 27, 2021) There once was a leader, O'Toole -- *About 2% currently.
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The China Connection Justin Trudeau is infamous for – among other things – his admiration of China's “basic dictatorship.” The years do not seem to have dimmed his misperception. Despite the evidence of China's true nature – it is a ruthless dictatorship which makes up its own rules – Mr. Trudeau cannot seem to overcome his prejudice. You would think the jailing of the two Michaels -- Kovrig and Spavor -- the economic retaliations, the crackdown in Hong Kong, the treatment of the Uyghurs, and a general stance of aggression, would be enlightening. They have not. It is our observation that -- if the flaw of the conservative mind is to focus on threatening realities -- the flaw of the leftish mind is a kind of gullible optimism. The left-wing mind does not believe in evil. It holds that all problems can be solved with tolerance, understanding, and a goodly supply of platitudes, topped with fudge sauce. Mr. Trudeau, instead of rejecting the advances of Huawei, and pursuing a course towards economic independence from China, seems still to believe that Canada and China can, hand in hand, travel into the sunset with mutual admiration and a robust economic partnership. He seems not to understand the schoolyard wisdom: If you give the bully your lunch, he will want your money and mittens next. Mr. Trudeau obviously attended the wrong schools. The nature of the people Mr. Trudeau does not want to offend is revealing. Many years ago , he was outraged that honour killings should be called “barbaric” -- since that might offend immigrants – the only relevant immigrants being those who rather enjoyed honour killings. A bit of a side note: We are reminded of Mr. Obama -- who thought that the best way to deal with Iran – a country which hangs gays and enthusiastically chants “Death to America” on every possible occasion --would be to send them pallets of midnight cash and allow them to develop nuclear weapons at a discreetly unhurried pace. More recently, we have learned that Mr. Trudeau invited the China People's Liberation Army to a training exercise in Northern Ontario in 2019 -- and was mightily displeased when the Chief of Defense Staff, Jonathan Vance, cancelled it. Indeed, that arrangement was not a singularity: there were 18 other joint projects in that same year. I suppose we must be content with admiring Mr. Trudeau for his consistency: he chooses stupidity over common sense every time. The China Connection (March 19, 2021) See Justin and China so cozy!--
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The Unsolved Riddle
of Social Justice. This is the title of a book written by Stephen Leacock in 1920. Almost exactly a hundred years later, the problem remains: what is the formula for creating a “just” society? The difficulty becomes clear when we realize that there is a central fault line in every society – the line between competition and co-operation. The essence of life is competitive – evolution is the story of ruthless competition – Tennyson's world of nature, red in tooth and claw. Tribal animals – that would include us – have hit upon an interesting competitive ploy – banding together co-operatively to succeed against environmental challenges – and other tribes.
Individuals modify
their competitive instincts in order to co-operate – in order to enhance
their overall success. We find it convenient to label these forces “merit” and “equality.” Every individual seeks to be recognized for superior merit – but society dreams of a harmony of co-operative equality. When we speak of “justice” in society – we need to understand that we are seeking to resolve two types of justice. The first type is competitive justice -- the justice of merit. This is the justice of function – which requires that rewards be given for strength, speed, determination and cunning. But that, of course is the cruel, ruthless justice of the jungle. If that were the only consideration, civilization would not exist. The other type of justice is quite different: it holds that rewards should be given regardless of merit – there is a civilized standard which protects the weak and uncompetitive. We like to call this the “justice of being.” The civilized society seeks to reduce the inequalities of competition, to ensure that those with varying degrees of competency are allowed to thrive. We have delineated the problem thus: The man with no legs will not win the footrace. Jungle justice declares his failure to be final and complete; compassionate justice, obsessed with equality of outcome, says his reward should be no less than that of the most proficient runner. Civilized justice must find a middle ground between cruelty and stupidity. (Observation #1706)
Now – the question is
– what is the balance? Social Justice (January 31, 2021)
Social justice is
harmony's riddle -- |
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Mr. Biden is the forty-sixth president of the United States. We admit that his election occurred under circumstances so suspicious that it is difficult to believe no skulduggery was involved. It is noteworthy that Democrats lost seats in the House -- suggesting a certain disenchantment with the Democrats generally. Yet Mr. Biden – a man whose record of public service has been unblemished by any mark of accomplishment – who scarcely campaigned – and who elicited an enthusiasm akin to that inspired by a soggy blanket in a leaky tent when he did – triumphed. We will not detail the plethora of affidavits, allegations, and accusations of irregularities. But we think that the constitutional issue raised by Texas -- that Georgia failed to abide by its own legislative standards – should have been heard. When no one seems willing to examine the evidence, it is a stretch to conclude with any degree of certainty -- that the evidence is invalid. No matter – we expect to be amused. Train wrecks – and other disasters – providing they occur at a distance and involve complete strangers -- can be viewed with a horror safely leavened with the fascination which tragedy often inspires. Predictably, Mr. Biden has announced his devotion to politically correct principles: “...in the weeks ahead I'll be affirming the federal government's commitment todiversity, equity, and inclusion.... building on the work we started in the Obama-Biden administration.” The problem is that “diversity, equity, and inclusion” are words which signal virtue – but have scant relevance in the real world. “Equity” -- equality of result – is a pipe-dream. No such thing exists in the natural world – which operates on the basis of competition – with its real world implications of failure and success. And competence is more important than “diversity” and “inclusion.” Nobody – really -- wants to drive over a bridge built by those innocent of engineering principles – people chosen because they wanted to be included – those with a wonderfully diverse set of opinions on how to make the thing safe for traffic.
Mr. Biden is a bit like Mr. Trudeau:
there is no “there” there.
Mr. Biden (January 28,
2021)
No surprise – we will scarcely be sidin'
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Mothers and Sons Our position on matters of gender is simple but clear. There are two of them – one is male and has a penis; the other is female and gives birth. We know this is hopelessly old-fashioned – but the classification does correspond with reproductive function. The modern enlightenment pretends that
gender has nothing to do with reproduction – it's all in the mind. The
politically correct – full of compassion and desperate to find
“equality” under every unequal bush – would like to pretend that
normally gendered and misgendered people are exactly the same. They are
not – but – in order to gloss over this unfortunate truth – there is a
movement to get rid of references to actual genders -- the two genders
defined by appearance and reproductive function. Thus Ms. Pelosi,
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives – has decreed that terms
such as “mother,” “son,” “brother,” and “daughter” be banished from that
place. We suppose the thinking is that such references to the old system
of fixed and invariable genders – based on reproductive function – is a
constant hurt and rebuke to the “normality” and self-perception of those
with gender dysphoria. Additionally – we have heard that there are at
least 64 terms used to refer to nuances of gender perception. Those suffering from unfortunate conditions – like gender dysphoria – may be worthy of our sympathy. We have little doubt that their perception of their “true” gender is genuine. But a man who perceives himself to be a woman cannot escape the reality that he cannot give birth, and in athletic competitions he will have the natural advantages of his male physical characteristics. Making people feel good about themselves may be an admirable and compassionate impulse. But there are limits to the enterprise. To say that not all boys have penises – is the quintessential politically correct response. But that favouring of feelings over facts – that “sentimentalization” of reality is a kind of essential dishonesty. That degree of dishonesty is one which compassion should not countenance – and creating a “newspeak” of absurd contradictions has overtones of the oppressions of 1984. Oppression is also to be seen in the requirement that the population at large alter conventional language by refusing to use traditional terms relating to gender -- and to employ a variety of peculiar pronouns for the use of which no corresponding physical evidence can be produced. A world in which
feelings must always triumph over facts is not viable. Taking the matter
to its logical absurdity – deaf people should never be reminded of their
unfortunate disability: in order to protect their feelings, society
should cease making and listening to sounds. Sign language should
replace the invidious use of ordinary human speech. Brave New World of Gender (January 14, 2021) The simple old notions of gender -- The Pelosi Standard
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Racism is a bad thing -- except when sponsored by government. Then it becomes the white rose of virtue. (Observation #1909)
We understand that the Solomonic Mr. Trudeau has decided to invest forty million dollars to assist people in purchasing homes. The people who will receive help will be chosen according to their skin colour. They will have to be black. (Breitbart News, December 20) The argument used to justify the method of selection runs, according to the press release, as follows: In Canada, systemic racism and discrimination is a reality for Black Canadians. Global events during the pandemic have also shone a light on these realities as racialized Canadians face additional socio-economic barriers as a result of racism, particularly anti-Black racism.” The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing systemic barriers faced by Black Canadians. Hmmm. It would appear that the scheme is to be a benign and judicious counter-balance to “systemic racism.” The assumption is that all black people have suffered from racism – we assume equally -- and that all black people should be – equally -- compensated for this by a government program. Will any distinctions be made among individuals? Will a recently arrived wealthy individual be judged – not on his particular circumstances – but on a general assumption that he has suffered significant barriers to self-fulfillment over a lifetime of oppressive and stultifying conditions in Canada? Will there be any attempt made to ascertain the appropriateness of the assistance? Will the professional basketball player and the shop janitor be treated equally – or will financial discrimination rear its shameful head? Will there be some assessment made of capacity to pay the mortgage cost after the assistance is received? The history of making home ownership too easy is not promising. In the United States – when home ownership was excessively encouraged – with similar good intentions -- lenders, realizing the potential danger – could not wait to get rid of the loans to unsuspecting investors. It can be argued this was the chief cause of the 2008 financial meltdown. We understand that seeing people – not as individuals – but as representatives of a particular group – is popular – and is often seen – as in the case – as virtuous. There is no doubt that there has been and there continues to be – racial prejudice. It seems entirely sensible to work to create equality of opportunity. But the attempt to create equality of result by compensating people on the basis of skin colour – or culture -- seems unwise. The principle is that one kind of discrimination makes up for another. The end justifies the means. But once a certain kind of compensatory discrimination is established – when will it ever end? Will there come a day when everybody agrees – we have compensated Group “A” enough? We do not think this is in accord with human nature. An unfair system, once established – is resistant to reform. No matter that people often claim they want equality – they do not. They want improvement. And further – as with Black Lives Matter – they appear not to be opposed to revenge.* In principle – we think emphasis on group identity is a mistake. It establishes factions and puts them in a war for “equality” which can never be won. We confess we see further difficulties in using skin colour as the basis for compensatory reward. We think it entirely possible that someone will prove that very dark skin leads to more discrimination than a lighter tone – and the cash will need a tone adjustment. And then again, someone will establish degrees of brown skin discrimination – with competitive claims on behalf of indigenous, Asian, and Middle-eastern tones. The Chinese and Japanese suffered discrimination in the past, and it seems only fair that their housing costs be carefully and judiciously addressed. We see no end of Bureaucratic Bloat. Thus, while every effort should be made to provide equality of opportunity, the attempt to establish equality of result among groups is doomed. The cure is worse than the disease.
Once again – Mr. Trudeau has fulfilled
our expectations of him. He lacks common sense. Group Identity (December 21, 2020)
When you're
judged by your colour or group *We have always thought the name ill-considered – because it follows the error it is meant to address – seeing people on the basis of colour rather than the “content of their character.”
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We see that everyone is abuzz and a-flutter about the Great Reset. We are told that it will be a building-back better. Even the Pope is all aboard – which is pretty much a guarantee that it's a really bad idea. We have heard that no one will own anything, that the global temperature will be obedient to our slightest command, social disquiet will vanish -- we will luxuriate in a comfy egalitarian bed of multicultural bliss -- and capitalism – that ogre of misery – will be happily re-imagined. Oh dear! When will people learn? This enchantment with the societal crystal place simply must stop. As Mr. Dostoevsky has noted, there is an inherent flaw in the crystal palace – an irremediable flaw which runs the entire length of its hypothetical foundation. Crystal palaces are static ideas of perfection – mankind is obstinately living, changing, and imperfect. For men to inhabit the crystal palace, they would require a revolutionary and deadening transformation. In Mr. Dostoevsky's terms – men will reject perfection in order to maintain the freedom to reject it. Freedom is inconsistent with perfection. Men are not piano keys. They do not, ultimately, wish to be manipulated to create the harmony envisaged by the theoretical central planners. They would rather be imperfect composers. To this we would add that evolution has a much better track record than revolution. Great changes can occur – but they are achieved over time. With mutations, evolution proposes innovations which are tested for viability in the environment. If the change is inappropriate to the environment, it will fail; if it is helpful to the organism and viable – it will succeed. So too should societies progress. Radical changes that are unsupported by the existing environment will fail, or cause more problems than are solved. Socialism is the perfect case in point. It promises an equality which is not in the blueprint of nature. The attempt to create an egalitarian paradise is always oppressive – because human beings are not equal. Indeed, socialism involves the notion of unequal central planners to begin with. It is no surprise that socialist experiments often end as dictatorships. Our Observation #1903 explains the Crystal Palace Paradox: The Crystal Palace Paradox: The societal crystal palace requires a sacrifice of freedom -- a degree of conformity -- which renders it uninhabitable by actual human beings. The oppressions required in its construction herald and guarantee failure. The paradox applies to socialism, the multicultural paradise, world government, and the Great Reset. The Crystal Palace Paradox (December 5, 2020) Those dreams of the crystal-built
palace --
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| One of the great problems of the human condition arises from the
failure to appreciate a fundamental law of human interactions: the law
of diminishing returns. That law does not operate solely in the world of
economics. It applies to the social world, as well – where each step in
the direction of “virtue” brings a smaller return – and eventually leads
to the negative return of vice. We are not sure whether Alexander
Pope was the first to remark on it – but his comment is probably the
most famous: “The difference is too nice – where ends the virtue or
begins the vice.” A recent re-iteration of the idea comes from Paul Simon: “The nearer your destination – the more you're slip-slidin' away.” Virtues such as kindness, honesty, loyalty, determination, compassion – all reach their limit of utility. It is not kind or compassionate to give a serial killer just one more chance to redeem himself. Being loyal to a cruel dictator – or being tolerant of honour killings – Mr. Trudeau's favourite – these do not show virtue – but a lack of moral compass. The most profound relevance of this law may be seen in the desire to create a wonderful economic world in which the government ensures that everyone has an income which provides a comfortable lifestyle – or a wonderful psychological world in which no one suffers a lack of self-esteem. These goals seem irreproachably virtuous until one considers some unpleasant facts about human nature. If everyone is guaranteed a comfortable lifestyle, there will be no incentive for a significant portion of the population to work. If everyone is protected from insult – injury to self-esteem – stupidity and error will go unchecked. Bad ideas and good ideas will be given equal respect – and the world will disintegrate to a putrid mess with alarming alacrity. The road to hell is paved with good intentions; every virtuous step should be examined for its potential unintended consequences. It's not comforting – but real life is incompatible with “perfect” virtue. We must always settle for something less. Virtue (November 15, 2020) We regret that we need to alert you --
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| We are fond of pointing out how dangerous words can be – they
often give the appearance of a smooth, reliable plank – but have sharp
nails which protrude – dangerous but often unnoticed. One of these dangerous words is "tolerance" – it suggests the unalloyed gold of empathetic sensitivity and the angelic piety of unimpeachable virtue. But – of course – the virtue of "tolerance" is determined by its direction. Tolerance of wife-beating and drive-by shootings suggests some disrepair of the moral compass. Those anxious to advertise their broad-mindedness run the risk of competitive virtue-signalling -- they find it necessary to approve of increasingly questionable people and ideas – simply to retain their advertised level of purity of soul. We call this the "Tolerance Trap." If your neighbour – wishing to signal his tolerance of Islam --approves of some elements of Sharia Law, then you must opine that the Danish cartoons were a blot on the escutcheon of civilized society and the resulting mayhem to be quite understandable. He will then admit to a secret admiration of the good intentions of Mao Tse-Tung and Fidel Castro, and you will feel the need to approve of dictatorships in general. He will then be obliged to say that honour killings are probably not all bad – and have their place in certain communities – and you will feel the urge – but will hopefully resist – to say that Justin Trudeau is not as foolish as he is often portrayed. Anyway – we are sure you get the idea. That idea was expressed – in essence – many years ago by G.K. Chesterton who said: "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." Consistent and reflexive tolerance may pretend to virtue – but it carries the risk of moral failure – the failure to distinguish between good and evil.
The Tolerance Trap (August 16, 2020) You’re set for a sticky mishap
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| Fish that live in unlit caves eventually lose their capacity to
see. We can only assume that Mr. Trudeau has occupied his moral dystopia so long that he has lost any ability to distinguish even the outlines of conventional morality. He has thought that terming honour killing as "barbaric" is worse than offending those who might approve of them. He has thought that a holiday visit to the Aga Khan – a lobbyist of the Canadian government – might be excused on the basis of a personal encounter remote in time. We believe he referred to a "close" family friendship. He has thought that the preservation of jobs would justify putting pressure on the Attorney-General in her treatment of SNC Lavalin. Now, it appears, he failed to recognize a conflict of interest in awarding a contract to the "WE" organization – with which he and his family have close ties – by being a party to the decision. Subsequently, we have learned that the "WE" organization paid both his mother and brother for speaking engagements. Mr. Trudeau has explained the matter by attempting to focus attention away from the conflict of interest – and towards the manifold benefits to needy and deserving students: "What is important to remember here is that this is about a charity supporting students." There is a pattern to this, of course. The visit to the Aga Khan, perhaps, does not fit – but in the other cases, the moral lapse is justified by a "greater good." It is more important to make immigrants feel comfortable – even though they may approve of honour killings – than utter the truth. Jobs are more important than the independence of the Attorney-General. Helping students is more important than avoiding conflicts of interest. We have noted the pattern in one of our observations: "Being on the side of the angels allows for many a pact with the devil." It is – we have to say – a particularly "leftish" pattern. Being on the side of the angels is a common assumption of those on the left. Their intentions are impeccably noble. They want to lift the unfortunate, depress the successful, create equality, enforce harmony, put two chickens in every pot – and – in the case of politicians – get themselves re-elected as a result.. So – in a sense – Mr. Trudeau is an exemplar of left-wing thinking. He seems to believe that the noble ends he espouses should justify the questionable means he sees no reason to question . There is doubtless a more personal element. Mr. Trudeau has not had much experience of adversity – and has probably come to the conclusion that he can do pretty much what he wants. And – we must admit – there is evidence to support his perception. Despite Mr. Trudeau’s obvious unsuitability for the position of Prime Minister, Canadians – in an extraordinary and peculiar expression of collective dementia – voted him in for a second term. Never underestimate the powers of good hair, a familiar name, and a moronic populace. Trudeau on the Side of the Angels (July 11, 2020) No puzzle how Justin’s mind works –
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| The world proceeds down the rabbit hole apace. We have despaired
of keeping up with it. Just as we feel confident of being able to
introduce a calming element with a rational comment – some new idiocy
appears which reminds us that there is no point in making rational
comments in a world devoted to fantasy. Well, we have to start somewhere. Mr. Delingpole has drawn our attention to a tweet by the BBC.* They have commemorated the death, in 2005, of Philip Russell as follows: Philip Russell, 28, was killed while en route to work on 7 July 2005, when the bus he was on exploded. As Mr. Delingpole points out – the cause of Mr. Russell’s death appears to have been quite unremarkable – simply one of the many dreary random bus explosions – the kind that barely makes the back page news on a weekly basis. In fact, the bus did not explode of its own accord. There was an Islamic terrorist on board who blew himself – and the bus – up. The Randomly Exploding Bus (July 8, 2020) No point in a flap or a fuss – (It is currently fashionable to suppress the truth in favour of harmony. But such bargains usually end with the Devil unscathed, and everything else in flames.)
* Frankly, we were unaware that the BBC is given to tweeting. We have always thought a hundred and forty characters somewhat limiting – insufficient – in the absence of great focus and care -- to express very much.
|
| The Pope has now had ample time to establish his credentials for
silliness. Of course, we expect silliness from religious leaders –
fantasy is their stock in trade. But we rather expect them to show a
certain restraint in their silliness – to restrict it to matters of
religion. The present Pope seems incapable of observing such boundaries – he seems determined to advance socialist fantasies and climate alarmism. We do not think history will view him kindly. Last Sunday, he celebrated Mass at a church outside the Vatican, and expressed his dream of a post-corona virus world – one free from inequalities. "The time has come to eliminate inequalities, to heal the injustice that is undermining the health of the entire human family!" (Breitbart News, April 19) Perhaps we are being too harsh. Expressing a desire for a world free from inequalities has become so commonplace – so reflexive – that it is not meant to be taken seriously. It’s like asking "How are you?" The question is merely a formality – a perfunctory expression of concern which anticipates: "I’m fine." It is ritual, not a request for information. But the Pope’s unthinking socialism annoys us. We want to hold him to a more rigorous standard of critical thinking. Inequality is not subject to elimination. As we are fond of pointing out – if there had not been an unequal distribution of matter after the big bang – the galaxies would not have formed, and the Pope would not have an opportunity to engage in mindless virtue-signalling. If the original single-celled organisms had adopted a policy of equality, the world would now be entirely populated by single-celled organisms, and the Pope would not be able to yearn for post-virus equality. Reducing inequality may have some merit – but inequality is essential: the imperative of life is change – it is the struggle for unequal outcomes. Equality – if it could ever be achieved – means an unvarying sameness. It is inconsistent with change: it implies stasis and death.
Equality (April 19, 2020) The kingdom where everyone’s equal
|
| We are much relieved that Mr. Trudeau has decided to cut short
his trip to Barbados, where he had planned to make an important appeal
to leaders of the Caribbean Community, for their assistance in Canada’s
bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council. He appears to have decided that this crucial matter can be safely delegated to others; he will gallop directly back to Canada to deal with the rail blockades which threaten to upend the Canadian economy. No one, surely, is better qualified for the job. Mr. Trudeau wisely refused to enforce the First Nations Transparency Act – which would have required indigenous leaders to publish audits of band expenses, including their compensation. No doubt that would have proved far too burdensome to the leaders, and possibly have forced them to alter agreeable, time-honoured practices. It clearly establishes his competence to deal reasonably with whatever demands indigenous leaders might come up with. It is worthy of note that, as early as 2015, Mr. Trudeau also promised to enforce all ninety-four of the aspirational recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The fact that only ten of them have thus far been completed is a testament to Mr. Trudeau’s sound, grounded, and realistic approach to indigenous matters. It should also be noted that Mr. Trudeau’s stance on climate change will assist him in dealing with the blockade problem. Despite the fact that the theory of anthropogenic global warming is still unproven – and despite the fact that – even if it were proven, Canada could turn out the lights and starve in the dark – and the effect on global temperatures would be negligible, Mr. Trudeau has been an enthusiastic supporter. He believes that fossil fuels are a regrettable indulgence – to be allowed only until the development of the Fairy Dust Batteries Industry – now in its final stages – has been completed. His clear positioning on the side of virtue has encouraged a vocal minority of people who – quite reasonably – think that Canadians can live without visible means of support – possibly relying on the Canadian abundance of roots and berries -- living in the numerous caves with which the country is most fortunately endowed. These people – although a minority – have turned out in force to lend credence to indigenous demands. Thus – we can expect a rapid resolution. Western Canada – everything west of Ontario – will be handed over to a dozen western hereditary chiefs – to be managed as they see fit. The remaining bits will be renamed "Wee–wee-wobigon" – which, roughly translated means – Place of the Happy Indian Waters. It will be divided up according to old maps of traditional Indian Lands, and will be ceded to the relevant Indian tribes. It is entirely possible that Kathleen Wynne, Carolyn Bennett, and Mr. Trudeau himself will be named Honorary Assistant Band Chiefs,* in recognition of their long and continued support of indigenous claims of inherent moral superiority. Mr. Trudeau to the Rescue (February 17, 2020) After protests, and blockades, and beefs –
*Perhaps this is a tad unrealistic. More likely is membership in
the Teresa Spence
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| We have been distressed to hear of the passing of Christie
Blatchford at the age of 68. She was uninfluenced by political
correctness – and called things the way she saw them. We often thought
her opinions were exactly right. In particular, we remember her accounts
of the aboriginal barricades in Caledonia, and the pusillanimity of the
McGuinty government in favouring the protestors and failing to protect
residents.
It is unfortunate that a powerful voice against injustice has been silenced. She will be missed. Christie Blatchford February 13, 2020 Unique in the journalists’ patch –
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| Everyone knows that in the lexicon of political correctness,
"feelings" comes at the top of the list. Feelings are an endangered
species – they must be protected from the terrible marauding ravages of
truth at all cost. If feelings were to be in any way slighted, ignored,
dismissed, affronted, contradicted, or insulted – the solar system would
grind to a halt, the universe would wobble, and the whole shebang would
disappear in a cloud of indignant dust. And that, of course, is because being human comes with a guarantee of equality. All human beings are equal in every respect – and a perfect sense of self-esteem and worthiness has been written into the contract. If a feeling were to be hurt, that principle of equality would be broken – the foundational principle of the universe would be shattered, and the Creator – with much sense of failure and chagrin -- would have to go back to the drawing board. That is why we must never make critical generalizations about another culture. If you were to say, for example, that you think Pakistani culture would benefit from removing the death penalty for blasphemy, you would hurt the feelings of millions of Pakistanis who think that the death penalty is scarcely sufficient for so odious a transgression against the will of Allah. Similarly, if you were to voice the absurd opinion that the Iranian tendency to hang gays seems somewhat over-enthusiastic – and that life in prison would do just as well – untold numbers of Iranian religious fanatics would see that as a rebuke; their feelings might take hours -- possibly days – to recover. And – of course – those eventualities are merely hypothetical – before the feelings of the Pakistanis or the Iranian fanatics had got to the festering stage – the universe would be long gone. It would seem that we have already had some narrow escapes from universal collapse. Only recently has the fragile nature of individual feelings become recognized. The parsing of micro-aggressions has become a full-time study at most universities. Only recently has it been realized that to admire the new shoes of a woman of power and influence is an act of irreparable insult. To focus on such fripperies is to ignore her intellect and competence. Similarly, to ask members of an audience who wish to comment to "stand and be recognized" will leave those confined to wheelchairs with a sense of anguished impotence. And we hardly dare mention that the word "niggardly" has been – probably just in time – removed from all English dictionaries. Why the universe did not collapse before these important discoveries were made – we do not know. We will simply rejoice in our thankfulness. Feelings (January 31, 2020) When feelings come top of the list –
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| We have discussed the awkwardness of the word "tolerance" in our
Drivel section, January 18. The essential problem is that it implies virtue – but – carried too far – represents evil. You cannot be tolerant of everything – because some things should not be tolerated. It is the great moral failure of the Left to extend tolerance where it should not go. It is not proper to be so "tolerant" of immigrants – as Mr. Trudeau was -- that one would express outrage that anyone would call honour killings "barbaric." Honour killings are barbaric – and the refusal to recognize them as evil, enables their persistence. What is needed are terms which clearly indicate the dangers of "tolerance" – terms which may be used to identify expressions of tolerance which promote evil under the guise of virtue. We have three neologisms we think are appropriate to the challenge: 1813. "Tolernuts:" A tolerance to excess which assumes the equality of all things, and therefore refuses to make moral distinctions or value judgments. It results, paradoxically, in intolerance of any attempt to discriminate on moral grounds, or to claim that some things are better than others, and thus may be said to enable evil, and champion absurdity. 1814. "Tolernazi:" One who embraces, exhibits, or exemplifies tolernuts. 1815. Tolernaziism: The condemnatory stance and oppressive measures taken by those who believe that the equality of things justifies undiscriminating tolerance __ or tolernuts. It is the moral failure implicit in the refusal to make moral distinctions and value judgments. (An example of condemnatory stance would be Trudeau's outrage that honour killings should be termed "barbaric." An example of an oppressive measure would be the Austrian law which criminalizes the "disparagement of religious precepts -- since some religious precepts are clearly cruel and harmful.")
The "Virtue" of Tolerance (January 20, 2020) Though tolerance claims to be king –
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| Trump Derangement Syndrome is a malady readily
transmitted -- without the necessity of physical contact – through a
variety of informational pathways – and represents a significant threat
to the limited resources of sanity and moral adequacy available in the
United States and Canada.
The latest manifestation of the disease is to be found among those who accuse Donald Trump of being responsible for the downing of a passenger jet headed for Russia. In fact – as Iran has admitted – the jet was hit by an Iranian missile during attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq. Thus, the rational mind would hold the Iranian military responsible. The mind ravaged by Trump Derangement Syndrome blames Mr. Trump. We have been most fortunate to have obtained details of a specific case of the Syndrome – and its public manifestation -- in statements made by Michael McCain, the president of Maple Leaf Foods in Canada. Here are the tweets which illustrate his unfortunate mental condition: I’m Michael McCain, CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, and these are personal reflections. I am very angry, and time isn’t making me less angry. A MLF colleague of mine lost his wife and family this week to a needless, irresponsible series of events in Iran... U.S. government leaders unconstrained by checks/balances, concocted an ill_conceived plan to divert focus from political woes. The world knows Iran is a dangerous state, but the world found a path to contain it; not perfect but by most accounts it was the right direction… A narcissist in Washington tears world accomplishments apart; destabilizes region. US now unwelcomed everywhere in the area including Iraq; tensions escalated to feverish pitch. Taking out despicable military leader terrorist? There are a hundred like him, standing next in line. The collateral damage of this irresponsible, dangerous, ill_conceived behavior? 63 Canadians needlessly lost their lives in the crossfire, including the family of one of my MLF colleagues (his wife + 11 year old son)! We are mourning and I am livid. Michael McCain. It will be seen that in order to hold Mr. Trump responsible, Mr. MaCain must argue that his action in killing Mr. Soleimani was unjustified. His approach is two fold. |
First, he maintains that Iran – although a "dangerous state" has been contained. Such a proposition is questionable at best. Indeed Mr. McCain suggests that very problem by the language he uses. The nuclear deal is "not perfect," but "by most accounts" is considered a move "in the right direction." In fact, the nuclear deal did nothing to prevent the Iranians from obtaining nuclear weapons – it merely slowed them down. It may have seemed to be in the "right direction" for Mr. Obama – because it safely postponed any confrontation with Iran until his term as president was over. But Iran did not cease to sponsor terrorism – and Mr Soleimani did not spend his time playing croquet. Indeed, by lifting sanctions and sending the Iranians a planeload of cash – Mr. Obama -- with his nuclear deal – encouraged rather than contained Iran. Pursuing his argument, Mr. McCain then turns his focus to Mr. Soleimani. Although Mr. McCain admits he is a "despicable military leader terrorist" – he contends that to remove him is pointless – since there are a "hundred like him, standing next in line." The essence of Mr. McCain’s contention would appear to be summed up thus: there is no point of fighting evil, because it is so widespread. If Iran is contained, and there is no point in fighting Soleimani evil anyway – where do we go next for the cause of the tragedy? To anyone suffering as Mr. McCain – the answer is obvious. No – it is not the Iranian military – which has admitted responsibility for bringing down the passenger jet. No – it is not Mr. Solemani whose murderous activities drew Mr. Trump’s ire. Nor is it Mr. Obama – who created the conditions for continued Iranian terrorist activities. Nor is it King George III – who caused the American Revolution and enabled the rise to power of the United States. No – if we must sift through the multiplicity of antecedent causes – only one will do – it is Mr. Trump. In combatting evil, Mr. Trump committed a great error. Instead of letting terrorism continue, he stirred up a nest of hornets. One of the hornets stung the plane. Thus the culprit is obvious: Donald J. Trump. The particular case of Michael McCain is instructive. Trump Derangement Syndrome leads, inexorably, to loss of perspective, emotional instability, and cognitive impairment. Victims may truly be said to exist in a regrettable state of moral dystopia. Trump Derangement Syndrome: (The moral dystopia of Michael McCain) (January 14, 2020) A fool with a brick for a brain,
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| We live in a world devoted to pretence. The real world -- grubby,
competitive, and inegalitarian -- is not the world that "should" be – so
some of the most successful nations – scorning the competitive values
which have brought them to their current state – have decided to pretend
that it doesn’t exist. The key word is "inegalitarian." Inequality is so wretched -- inequalities are seen as the chief barrier to Nirvana. Thus there is much current favour of multiculturalism, affirmative action, equal representation of all groups in anything desirable, and the virtuous notion that no one should suffer hurt feelings. There is even a renewed interest in socialism – and Democrats in the United States often favour open borders and decry the odious distinction between legal and illegal immigrants. It is all very soothing and optimistic – but it has nothing to do with reality. As Thomas Sowell has pointed out, we are anxious to ignore what works, and, instead, embrace what sounds good. Multiculturalism, for example, assumes that all cultures are equal – but true "multiculturalism" is not possible in the real world since it would mean accepting cannibalism, slavery, honour killings, and human sacrifice to the Gods. Some cultural values are simply incompatible with others. The related notions of open borders and failing to make distinction between legal and illegal immigrants are similarly impractical. Sweden is the canary in the multicultural coal mine. They have been naive in not realizing how damaging a foreign culture can be. It is questionable whether they can recover – especially since they persist – in official circles – in not making the obvious connection between immigration and social turmoil. Similarly, political correctness pretends that feelings are more important than facts. It is held that the chief virtue is that everyone should have an equality of self esteem. But self-esteem – in the real world – is earned by accomplishment; it is not equally distributed. And when feelings are sacrosanct – no one can be honest: truth is the costly casualty. The equal representation of all groups in anything desirable overlooks the fact that – for example – women may not have the same ambitions as men to become real estate moguls, astrophysicists, or the chief executives of multinational corporations. And socialism has always failed because it pretends that human beings have all the ambition of a well-programmed ant. We believe that those nations most obsessed with an unattainable equality will founder as a result – leaving the way open to others who understand the importance of competition – who accept the unpleasant reality that some things are better than others.
The World of Pretence (January 9, 2020) We live in a world of pretence –
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| We see that Mr. Trudeau has been found, once again, to be
"ethically challenged." We suppose that this is not surprising when the
philosophy of "me first" comes in contact with policies designed to
protect the integrity of government and the public interest.
It is interesting that Mr. Trudeau’s response to being found guilty of ethical lapses is reliably consistent: he accepts the blame – but then explains how his actions were justified after all. When he was accused of groping a journalist in 2000, he first said that he recalled nothing. It was later revealed that he had apologized: "I’m sorry. If I had known you were reporting for a national paper, I never would have been so forward." Thus, his perception that the reporter was of a lowly status was exculpatory. Mr. Trudeau also later allowed that perceptions of the incident might be perceived differently by those involved. He attempted to deflect criticism from himself in this particular situation by transforming the matter into a moment of "social awakening" – the "long awaited realization that it’s not just one side of the story that matters." As Rex Murphy said in the National Post: "And as for the incident being 'an awakening we’re having as a society,' that is delusionary nonsense, a string of 'tone' words, the vague, anxious music of virtue-signalling hummed by someone in a tight political spot." Similarly, Mr. Trudeau’s response to the revelation of his inappropriate visit to the private island of the Aga Khan – a lobbyist – was that the two were close family friends. In fact, they had not been in contact for many years. Mary Dawson, the federal ethics commissioner found that with the exception of Pierre Trudeau's funeral in 2000, the current prime minister had "no private or personal interactions" with the Aga Khan between 1983 and the fall of 2003. In the current matter, Mr. Trudeau has been found guilty of pressuring the Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould to protect SNC Lavalin from criminal prosecution. Mr. Trudeau has admitted responsibility, but has said that he would not apologize – his superior virtue lay in his attempt to protect Canadian jobs – those working at the engineering firm: "I can’t apologize for standing up for Canadian jobs because that’s part of what Canadians expect me to do." In fact, the job Mr. Trudeau was chiefly concerned about was his own. "Trudeau acknowledged having mentioned to Wilson-Raybould during one discussion on the matter last September in the midst of a Quebec provincial election, that he was an MP from a Montreal riding." (City News, August 14) The Wonderful World of Justin Trudeau (August 15, 2019) It’s a world with "me first" at its core – Mr. Trudeau’s Moral Compass In pointing directions most ethical,
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| We saw last evening a program called "The Trouble
with Tolstoy" – a documentary from 2011. Leo Tolstoy struggled with the realities of the human condition, had a "spiritual awakening" and became a Christian and pacifist. One of the narrators said that while Tolstoy concluded that the world needed love – he was one of the least able to give it. This statement might give a clue to the huge disparity between the ideal world and the real – but we were intrigued to find, at the end -- another narrator seeming to admonish the viewing audience with the notion that, as uncomfortable as it may be, Tolstoy’s insights about love were correct. Now, we think love is a very admirable thing. But we are also convinced that mindless idealism gets us into more trouble than is generally realized or admitted. It is particularly fashionable, in the vacuousness of the current age, to excoriate hate, and look to love as the healing panacea. It isn’t. First, love implies hate. If you love strawberries and chocolate, there is at least a possibility you hate spinach and licorice. Or if not, spinach and licorice have a lesser position in your list of enthusiasms. You can’t love everything equally. Not only can you not love everything equally, some things are properly worthy of hatred. Our list would include murder, honour killings, cannibalism, slavery, and human sacrifice to the Gods. The virtuous man must hate evil – just as he loves virtue. But – you protest -- those are things and actions – not people! All right – but the principles still apply: love cannot be egalitarian and appropriate in every situation. While it may sound noble to love your neighbour – the assumption is that he is both lovable and given to reciprocity. But – in the real world – he may be plotting to kill you. Your strategy may be admirable – but the affair may not end well. In summary – in the ideal world, love is the answer. When everyone loves everyone else, there is no friction, and the human condition is immeasurably improved. In the real world, everybody cannot love everybody else. Things are too complicated for that. One person may be a chocolate, another clearly and undeniably a stick of licorice. Thus, in the real world, love is not the answer. It may sound good – but it won’t always work. In the real world, there are no easy idealistic solutions. Saying that love is the answer may make you feel better – but that is just virtue-signalling. You will have to be more thoughtful to engage meaningfully with the problems of the real world. Mr. Tolstoy may have been a great writer – but he was not much of a philosopher.
Love (July 9, 2019) In a world where push leads to shove
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| We admit that Mr. Trudeau is a never-ending
source of fascination. It was remarkable that he was actually elected by
a populace not certifiably insane – or at least – if certifiably insane
– not actually committed to an appropriate institution. At the time we
predicted an experiment in idealistic folly – a series of grand
pronouncements followed by even more grand and noisy failures of
implementation. We did not expect the ethical lapses and the
accumulation of events which could be properly described as the Prime
Ministerial Gaffology Chronicles. These events reflect Mr. Trudeau’s
capacity for self-absorption – his complete failure to see how he is
likely to appear to others. It has been like a long, costume-filled trip
to India. The most recent example is his self-righteous accusation directed at the premiers of five provinces and the Northwest Territories who have complained, in writing, about Bill C-69 – which allows for a Federal review of infrastructure projects, and Bill C-48 – which bans oil tanker traffic along most the the British Columbia coast. Their letter said that C-48 "will have a detrimental effect on national unity." (National Post, June 13) The signatories represent more than half the population. The Senate agreed that Bill C-69 should be revised. But Mr. Trudeau has chosen to characterize objections as an attack on Canadian unity. Outraged and righteous attacks on those who would destroy our beloved Canadian Unity certainly sound good. Perhaps Mr. Trudeau, ever-dramatic, anticipates mobs in the streets. But the Unity proclaimed is Mr. Trudeau’s particular conception of it. What he is really saying is that his unity is better than the Premiers’. Our gloomy view of human nature is that Leopards seldom change their spots. Mr. Trudeau has excellent Leopard credentials. Some years ago – when honour killings were termed "barbaric" – Mr. Trudeau was outraged. The term was "unacceptable," he said; it might make some immigrants – we assume those who approve of honour killings – feel "defensive." Mr. Trudeau could not resist signalling his self-righteous virtue before thinking things through. Surely it is more appropriate to call honour killings "barbaric" – which they are -- rather than protect the feelings of those who think they are not such a bad idea. Mr. Trudeau has not changed his spots. He still likes to signal virtue. He still seems incapable of thinking things through.
Mr. Trudeau (June 19, 2019) The show-off impulsiveness haunts –
|
| The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, an executive of the Chinese firm,
Huawei, has drawn attention to some significant differences between
China and the West. For full disclosure - we are not without bias in our attitude to China. We have invested in two companies operating in that country – Noble China and Sino-Forest. We made money on Sino-Forest, and lost money on Noble China. There was an interesting similarity, however. As we recall, Noble China, a company which attempted to produce beer in China, in co-operation with local breweries, foundered on a fraud for which there seemed to be no judicial recourse. With respect to Sino-Forest, the chief executive, Allen Chan, was found by Ontario Superior Court Justice Michael Penny in 2018, to have run the company to "orchestrate an extremely large and complex fraud, resulting in the loss by Sino-Forest of billions of dollars." We do not conclude from these two instances, that China is completely crooked. However, it does suggest that assumptions made in Canada about how businesses are usually run, may not be applicable in China. There appears to be a laxity of oversight with which Canadians are unfamiliar, and for which they may not be prepared. We must also note that China is a dictatorship, and concern for freedom and human rights is not high on the scale of priorities. Such matters are secondary to surveillance and the maintenance of government control. The social credit system envisions a society more like an ant colony -- or the Oceania of 1984 – than one in which human freedoms and initiatives are important. Companies like Huawei are not like the public companies we are familiar with in Canada – they can be considered as extensions of the Chinese government and could easily be used to further its aims. The fact that the Chinese government is so concerned about the arrest of Ms. Wanzhou supports this idea. It has arrested two Canadians – held under much more oppressive circumstances than those experienced by Ms. Wanzhou – and appear to be retaliating with suspicious claims about problems with products which it imports from Canada. It appears that China is not concerned with niceties; it is concerned with winning. To be dependent on China for any great value of exports would appear to be in the position of an ant, tip-toeing around the edge of a Venus flytrap. It has been claimed that the Huawei smart phones could be – or are being -- manufactured in such a manner that they could relay information, or be disabled from afar. Although such speculations may seem bizarre, we think being safe – in dealing with China – is better than being sorry. It is worth noting that Chinese appear to be embarking on an economic conquest of struggling countries. The "Belt and Road" policy seeks to provide valuable infrastructure in return for debt and influence. We think it is a mistake to consider China as a "friend" – or as a reliable nation with which to do business. Wary and guarded beats warm and gooey. In our view, they have an agenda in which the influence of ethical considerations is either minimal, or non-existent. China (June 4, 2019) Confronting the dictator’s China –
|
| We have learned that Theresa May, the truly awful Prime Minister
of Britain, has finally offered her resignation. It is about time. She
has schemed for years to effect a Brexit in name only – a "separation"
of Britain from the European Union which keeps it securely imprisoned,
with no hope of parole except at the pleasure of the European gaolers.
She proposed a graduation ceremony which would exchange mortarboards for
diapers – a lifelong commitment to Depends.
We can only assume that her stupidity arises from timidity. She has no confidence that the British people can survive in the absence of a European perambulator and a Brussels nursemaid. It is our belief that human beings remain tribal and territorial – they do not like giving control over their affairs to unelected officials in remote locations. The globalist project -- of which the European Union is a tentative example – which seeks to transform competitive national economies and cultures into a single giant ant colony -- will not succeed. Trade arrangements are beneficial – but progress is achieved through freedom and competition. Mandatory "co-operation" imposed by unelected planners is the road to stasis and misery. It is usually called socialism. The Awful Ms. May (May 24, 2019) Our baggage of angst and dismay
|
| We have always maintained that religion is dangerous – since it
embodies certainty about things which are unknowable and hence –
unavoidably -- uncertain. As Voltaire pointed out – once you have made
the "leap of faith" and believe in absurdities – atrocities can be made
to seem entirely reasonable. Christianity appears to have passed its
peak of certainty – the Inquisition – but Islam seems to be experiencing
great difficulty in rejecting the certainties of seventh century
thinking. The most recent example concerns the Sultan of Brunei, who seems anxious to return, as quickly as possible, to an era of primitive cruelty. In 2014, the country adopted Sharia law, and, as of this month, will institute death by stoning as a penalty for homosexuality and adultery. We note that Oxford University will "reconsider" an honorary degree which it awarded the Sultan in 1993. (Breitbart News, April 26) We will be interested in the outcome of the reconsideration. We imagine that there will be a weighing of two evils – and a conclusion which will determine the appropriate hierarchical relationship. On the one hand, there is the deplorable business of stoning to death – the outcome of certain principles of Islam. On the other is the terrible crime of Islamophobia. We do not actually know the position of the University of Oxford on Islamophobia – but it does seem very high on the list of evils in western countries generally. Our own Parliament -- noted for its infallible wisdom and the unfailingly just exercising of its powers – has recently condemned Islamophobia, suggesting that it is a "hate crime." In the United Kingdom, and many other European Countries, criticism of Islam is not something that the ordinary citizen would be advised to undertake without competent legal advice. Indeed, we do not think we are in significant error were we to say Islamophobia is at the top – or very close to it – of the general hierarchy of known evils in the western world. If Oxford were to rescind its doctorate – would that not imply some criticism of Islamic principles? Would this not be considered the greater evil?
The Problem of the Sultan of Brunei (April 9, 2019) How awkward – that guy in Brunei –
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| The SNC Lavalin scandal proceeds apace. We have learned that it
was the company itself, which, in 2017 – facing a ban on business with
the government because of corruption charges -- urged the government to
adopt mitigating legislation. It did so -- obligingly -- in the budget
bill of that year. According to Global News: SNC Lavalin lobbied the government for the creation of a remediation agreement tool – but the federal director of public prosecutions ruled late last year that its case was ill-suited for such an agreement. Wilson-Raybould agreed with the director’s decision and declined to overturn it, though she had the power to do so. (March 7, 2019) Ms. Wilson-Raybould has resigned from cabinet, claiming undue pressure was placed upon her to reverse her decision. Subsequently, Jane Philpott, President of the Treasury Board, has resigned saying that she has lost confidence in the government’s handling of the matter. Now Mr. Butts has testified to the effect that Ms. Wilson-Raybould’s perception of a series of discussions was flawed – it was a question of "perspective:" the pressure was not undue. However, as Marni Soupcoff notes in today’s National Post – towards the end of his testimony, Mr. Butts said: "Had everybody on the team done what the prime minister asked of them, then we would not be having this conversation today." In other words, this is not a question of principle – but simply of reasonable co-operation. The assumption is that once the God in Power has decided on a course of action (possibly at the suggestion of his chief Archangel) – it is expected that the minor angels will hop to it -- regardless of any pacts with the Devil that may be deemed necessary. Ms. Soupcoff also notes that Mr. Butts was unable to provide any evidence for his fear that if SNC Lavalin were tried and convicted, 9000 jobs would be lost.
The Kingdom of Justin and Gerry (March 7, 2019) In the Kingdom of Justin and Gerry,
|
| Mr. Trudeau, the master of the unexamined platitude, has seldom
deigned to visit earth. He believes in Canada as a post-national society
where the virtue signalling approval of climate alarmism is more
important than selling oil to keep the lights on – where approving of
multiculturalism is more important than preserving freedom of speech. It
is not surprising that he exhibits ethical lapses – when you live in a
charmed bubble at some considerable distance from reality – the ordinary
rules hardly apply. In that bubble, visits to wealthy lobbyists should arouse no concern; both the Aga Khan and Fidel Castro are old family friends and should be seen through the lens of a hallowed tradition of chumminess; visits to India are a Mr. Dress-up opportunity; reporters may be groped according to their status – local or international; no celebrity opportunity should be missed -- it’s cool to be a buddy of Trevor Noah; "Sunny Ways" are the fortunate legacy of Canadians blessed with a Prime Minister with impeccable hair. Now, of course, Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould has testified to consistent pressure to interfere with the criminal prosecution of SNC Lavalin for bribery and fraud. Fear was expressed that the company might fold its tents and disappear, taking with them important Quebec jobs. Quebec jobs, unlike Alberta jobs, are important in helping to secure the re-election of the Liberals. It appears that, while many were involved in the pressure, Mr. Trudeau was the prime mover. Ms. Wilson-Raybould continued to insist that she would not interfere, and was demoted from Attorney General to Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. This does not reflect well on the Prime Minister. The pleasant, platitudinous bubble which he ordinarily inhabits has drifted earthward. For onlookers, it has already popped. It may take Mr. Trudeau some time to take note. At the moment, he seems undaunted and unperturbed. Mr. Trudeau, the Narcissist (February 28, 2019) He lives in a smug little bubble –
|
| We note the resignation of Gerald Butts, the malign influence in
the administrations of both Dalton McGuinty and Justin Trudeau. His
chief flaw appears to be an uncritical acceptance of the theory of
anthropogenic global warming - a hypothesis which still awaits the proof
of prediction in accord with experience. His chief talent seems to be an
ability to sway gullible politicians to his point of view. He is a
Svengali/Rasputin of the modern age.
It would appear that he envisions -- much like Maurice Strong -- a society low in fossil fuels, high in caves, huts, roots and berries. He has resigned claiming virtue with respect to the Wilson-Raybould scandal -- apparently relying on that tried and true political adage -- the resignation of the falsely accused will stop all rumours, and the humdrum of normality will resume. We await further revelations. Butts the Alarmist (February 24, 2019) In the annals of climate change nuts
The Devil's Due There once was an eminence noire
See also Drivel, February 24
|
| The Strange Case of Jussie Smollett
We do not wish to rush to judgment – but it now appears that Mr. Smollett has been "economical with the truth" with respect to his claim to be the victim of a Trump-inspired hate attack. It appears that the attack may have been a follow-up scheme to an odious "poison pen" letter – now thought to have been sent by Mr. Smollett to himself – as a means of raising his profile, and, commensurately, his salary. When the "hate" letter did not achieve its desired result, it is claimed that Mr. Smollett paid two extras on the "Empire" set to attack him below a surveillance camera.* The attack was staged to appear a direct result of the election of Mr. Trump. Mr. Smollett claimed the attackers wore a MAGA hat, and made reference to "MAGA" territory. They employed bleach and a noose to suggest the racial nature of the attack. The hatred of the Democrats for Mr. Trump seems to know no bounds. He "stole" the election and has injected a note of realism into politics which is most unwelcome to fanciful idealists. There are Democrats calling for the dismantling of all existing border walls – calling them "hateful" and "racist" – not because there is a shred of common sense to such a proposal – but simply because it contradicts Mr. Trump’s stated aim. Mr. Smollett must certainly have had confidence that his story would be believed. Perhaps he had no regard for the possibility of inciting violence. He certainly wished to place blame on Mr. Trump. As we have often remarked, once people convince themselves that they are on the side of the angels, pacts with the devil seem entirely justified. The Covington incident in Washington on January 18th showed the eagerness of many Democrats and the Media – who almost universally have a liberal bias -- to follow the preferred narrative: white people are evil supremacists; those with other skin colours are infused with virtue, and are incapable of any human sin or misdemeanour. It seems that, initially, there was a similar response in this case. But, awkwardly, some inconvenient facts have surfaced. Mr. Smollett has lied to the police before. When pulled over for "driving under the influence" in 2007, he pretended to be his younger brother, Jake. Ola and Abel Osundairo, the supposed attackers, have said they were paid for their performance. A photo of them before the incident shows them buying MAGA hats, masks, gloves, and sunglasses. Mr. Smollett has now been arrested and charged. The "hate crime" in this incident seems to involve an irrational obsession with smearing Mr. Trump and his supporters. Jussie Smollett (February 21, 2019) There once was an actor, Smollett -- All right -- we admit it -- we had no idea that "Smollett" would have an accent on the last syllable. This was our first version: There once was an actor called Smollett –
*As it turned out, the camera was not pointing in the direction necessary to record the attack and support Mr. Smollett’s account. Mr. Smollett referred to it in his initial report: he appeared to be counting on it.
|
| Trudeaumania We have always regarded Mr. Trudeau as utterly unsuitable to become Prime Minister of Canada. When he was elected, we could hardly believe that Canadians could have been so stupid. We took the result as proof that people are not, primarily, rational; they often make decisions based on reflexive emotional responses. Mr. Trudeau -- we suppose -- was seen as young and attractive – and he promised sunny days. Good hair on top was more important than good brains beneath. The media were infected with Trudeaumania, and gushed, as if helplessly, their unconditional enthusiasm. Our response was thus: We are resolutely suspicious. Mr. Trudeau has "an unbearable lightness of being." We have been appalled at the rise to power of a man without any experience, qualifications, or apparent aptitude for the position which he has now achieved. Mr. Trudeau has – like Mr. Obama -- been elected on the basis of appearances and hopeful expectations. He promises a retreat from reality – a belief in the equality of cultures, an acceptance of climate change delusions, deficits without consequence, and a disengagement from the nastiness of conflict. What voters will get is an experiment in idealistic folly. And again: We expect his government to be characterized by a series of grand pronouncements and high sounding ideas followed by the sounds of crashing as they fracture on reality and the swish of suction as they are borne away in the unaccommodating tides of implementation. Now, we are aware that some – the ignoble and petty-minded -- whose contrarian predictions are vindicated – will have no hesitation in exhibiting immoderate exultation. Attempting to elevate themselves by climbing the heap of misfortunes endured by others, they will -- cruelly -- declare: "We told you so." And we, quite frankly, are no different. Mr. Trudeau has encountered a heap of misfortunes. They could not have happened to a more deserving character. No pipelines have been built. No reconciliation with aboriginals has been achieved. Deficits have mushroomed. The trip to India revealed a fanciful preoccupation with show and gesture. The tweet to Noah Trevor showed a preoccupation with celebrity. There has been no coherent policy for dealing with illegal immigration. It appears as though Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is being unjustly pursued; Scott Brison has, suggestively, resigned to spend "more time with his family." Mr. McCallum has been defended, then fired for suggesting that Meng Wanzhou might have a good defence against extradition. And now, Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould has resigned from cabinet. It appears that she refused to interfere in the prosecution of the Quebec company, SNC Lavalin, and was demoted as a result. She is now attempting to determine what she can properly reveal about the circumstances of the affair. We told you so. Trudeaumania II (February 13, 2019) When days are predicted as sunny –
*We think "turn funnily crummy" is actually better -- but we fear to offend the Limerick Purity League of Canada with a partial rhyme.
|
| It is extraordinary that socialism, so flawed in theory and so
discredited in practice, still seems attractive to some with IQs above
the average Arctic temperature in July. We take this as proof that some are unable to resist pleasant fantasies; they are so hypnotized by thoughts of an egalitarian Nirvana that their brains cease all rational function. The most recent example of the strangely hypnotized is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a recently elected Democrat in New York. She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist organization in the United States, with approximately fifty thousand members. She has introduced a "Green New Deal" as a means of tackling climate change -- with the aim of eliminating "pollution and greenhouse gas emissions." All power is to be based on "clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources." The internal combustion engine will be found only in museums, and in as yet untidied scrapyards. (Breitbart News, February 8) She thinks the money needed can be raised by increasing taxes to 70% on those making ten million a year, and by the creation of a marvellous new Green Deal financial system, based on magic wand economics. She thinks that all Latinos have an inalienable right to migrate to the United States. Overlooking the fact that Latinos are not native Americans, she has claimed: "It is a right. We are standing on native land, and Latino people are descendants of native people." (Breitbart News, February 7) It will come as no surprise that she is in favour of guaranteed jobs, universal medicare, the abolishment of all customs and immigration enforcement, free college education, and the reconstruction of all buildings in the United States.* She actually graduated from Boston University in 2011, majoring in international relations and economics. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (February 8, 2019) O hear the Cortez siren call! --
*It is worth noting the link between the theory of anthropogenic global warming and the massive government intervention which all socialist schemes require -- the theory provides moral justification. When the planet is at risk -- who can deny the right of government to set things right -- by whatever means it claims are necessary? |
| The Covington incident reveals the reflexive nature of left-wing
thinking. Seeing the picture of a white youth wearing a "MAGA" hat
smiling at an elderly aboriginal, the left wing brain does not require
further information or reflection.
The young man already has one strike against him – he is white. While racism is ordinarily an abomination not to be countenanced – there are exceptions. It is quite legitimate make negative generalizations about people with white skin. Everybody knows that they are irretrievably tainted with white privilege, and are 95% certain to be white supremacists. Similarly, everybody knows that people who do not have white skin are card-carrying members of the Heavenly Host Brotherhood Co-operative, and are inherently virtuous. The "Make America Great Again" hat is the nail in the young man’s prejudicial coffin. The idea that any nation might be "greater" than another is the kind of retrograde, disgraceful, satanic thinking that is incompatible with the brave new world of tolerant equality. That thought is, indeed, associated with Donald Trump, who is proven and acknowledged to be the primary source of evil in the modern world. That is why so many news outlets and bien pensants were quick to judge on the matter, and declare Mr. Sandmann the aggressor, and Mr. Phillips the innocent victim. It was a "no brainer." (When you are on the left, thinking is a distraction. And entirely unnecessary.)
Virtue Signalling and Thundering Hooves
If your brain’s a bit lacking in heft –
|
| The level path is easy, but it will not bring you to the
mountaintop. (Observation # 534) The cherished ideal of the modern age is equality. The hopeful idea is that "equality" is the bedrock truth about the human condition. Any apparent inequalities are unfortunate, misleading, temporary, and capable of being erased with sufficient good will: the struggling must be raised up, the successful must be reminded of the illegitimacy of their achievements, and, if possible, be depressed, demoted or disqualified. "Equality" is the principle which informs, not only socialism, but affirmative action, identity politics, multiculturalism, and the new religion – political correctness. As we have often pointed out, "equality" is not in the blueprint of nature. If there had been no variations in the distribution of matter after the big bang, the galaxies would not have formed. If the original single-celled organisms had voted to pursue the egalitarian dream, the world would now be populated entirely by single-celled organisms. Without inequality, we would not be here. Progress is a result of the competitive struggle for unequal outcomes; the pursuit of "equality" can lead only to stasis. One might speculate that our institutions of higher learning might have avoided falling into the trap of the unthinking acceptance of "equality" as a universal good. One would be, of course, entirely mistaken. Our universities are at the forefront of "progressivism" – the modern term for gormless gullibility. For evidence, we have to look no further than a seminar to be conducted at the University of Washington-Tacoma – at which faculty members will be urged to ignore the quality of student writing in the grading of assignments.* The suggestion is that to do so encourages "white language supremacy." We suppose that this means that the University believes that high quality writing is associated with the white race; other races tend to express themselves in language of lower quality. By adopting a standard of "high quality" language – two sins against the principle of "equality" are committed. First it suggests that some types of expression are better than others. This is the first anathema. The second anathema is that adopting a standard of language and requiring all to adhere to it will have a negative consequence: those accustomed to the standard will prosper; those unaccustomed to it will struggle. This will have the effect of creating more unequal outcomes. The principle is that, if standards are lowered, more will be able
to achieve them. Following that principle to its logical absurdity – it
would seem reasonable to abandon all standards. A student’s time at
University might well be reduced to two weeks of playing cards and
sports, drinking, and sexual experimentation. Graduation would occur at
the end of the period – and – in a satisfaction of the most cherished
principle of the age – all students would graduate, and they would all
have equal marks. The Level Path is Easy (January 15, 2019) The student’s best path to success *See also Diary, January 12, 2019
|
| Mr. Trudeau, an actor – a dabbler in verisimilitudes rather than
a confronter of realities -- is drawn to centre stage as a moth to
candlelight.
Rather than announce the pledge of fifty million dollars of taxpayer money to Education Cannot Wait in a press conference, at a meeting of Concerned Citizens of Kapuskasing, or at the opening of a new educational facility before the installation of its windows, Mr Trudeau, in his infinite wisdom, decided to do it in a tweet to Trevor Noah -- notable as the host of a late night comedy show. Mr. Noah was at a Global Citizen festival concert in South Africa, where the legacy of Nelson Mandela was being celebrated. Here is what Mr. Trudeau said: "Hey Trevornoah-- thanks for everything you’re doing to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy at the GlblCtzn festival. Sorry I can’t be with you -- but how about Canada pledges $50M to EduCannotWait to support education for women & girls around the world? Work for you? Let’s do it," The fifty million, apparently, was part of four hundred million dollars in aid announced during the G7 Summit in Quebec in June. According to John Ivison, writing in the National Post, the tweet was not a spur-of-the-moment affair: it had been planned for three weeks. In view of that lengthy period available for sober second thoughts, we must wonder why insanity prevailed. It is hardly appropriate to make an announcement about the expenditure of fifty million dollars to a television "celebrity." Was Mr. Trudeau thinking that both he and Mr. Noah are in the celebrity business – and there is nothing better for one celebrity than to be seen palling around with another? Or was he hoping to burnish his own meagre Canadian politician celebrity status by appearing to be on a "hey-bro" basis with a well-known U.S. television host? The tweet reads like an exultant selfie – a showing off of one’s cool and hip credentials. The tweet has been described as "tone deaf." It is too breezy by half, and too cosily conspiratorial by more than that. "Hey Trevornoah" is the pallsy greeting given to a "brother." "How about Canada pledges" -- is he asking for Mr. Noah's approval? "Work for you?" suggests that Mr. Noah is an equal partner in the decision to spend the money. "Let’s do it" similarly suggests a joint effort, and a kind of exultant meeting of minds. Nowhere lurking is the notion that it is not Mr. Trudeau’s money which is being spent – but that of the Canadian taxpayer. At least we can give Mr. Trudeau marks for consistency; he continues to surpass our expectations for facile foolishness and puerile posturing.
The "hey-bro’" Trudeau (December 6, 2018) His shallowness deep beyond ken –
|
| Theresa May was never in favour of Brexit – thus it is not
entirely surprising that she has no passionate intensity in negotiating
the best result for her country. She may also suffer from a debilitating dementia resulting from a infection by the globalis nutsis virus – which leads its victims to think that nationalism is something that can be wished away. They view the best future of mankind as a kind of giant ant colony, in which human beings have been programmed to a semi-robotic state – their loyalties directed to a single unelected queen, or a cabal of self-perpetuating United Nations drones. She may just be congenitally weak-minded. In any event, she seems to have arrived at a "deal" for Brexit which involves a 39 billion pound divorce payment, and an agreement which exchanges the right to withdraw from treaties with two years’ notice to having no rights to withdraw at all. It would not allow for the development of trade with other parts of the world: Britain’s departure would be followed by a lengthy "transition" period in which it would remain subject to all the rules and regulations of an EU member-state, but without representation in the EU’s institutions. (Breitbart News, November 25) It appears that Ms. May has also agreed to allow Spain to decide the future of Gibraltar – a loyal British territory since 1713. As someone born in England, -- imbued with the notion that Britons would never become slaves -- we can hardly exaggerate our anger and dismay. It is our belief that some ideas about the conduct of society are better than others – and that culture is an important element in success. Trade deals are fine – but all nations should compete to create the most prosperous and free societies for their citizens. This cannot occur when political control of such important matters as immigration and trade policies are handed over to unelected officials in distant locations. We hope that the United Kingdom parliament rejects Ms. May’s nefarious dealings, and that she is forced to resign. If not, the United Kingdom will no longer be a sovereign nation, but a vassal satellite to the European Union. Theresa May (November 26, 2018) There once was a madwoman, May –
|
| The march of the nannying state continues without pause. In the
citizens’ search for security, liberty is always the cost. It takes two
to tango, and both partners have shown some enthusiasm for the dance.
The citizen, increasingly, demands that the state give him security
against the vicissitudes of life. The state responds, assumes
responsibility, and requires more power to organize the lives of
citizens. The human desire to tell others what to do is encouraged and
emboldened by the conviction that it is, after all, for their own good.
On occasion, it seems that we are headed for life like that in a giant
automated ant colony – or an existence of contented buzzing in the
reflexive virtues of the beehive. Initiative and risk will be concepts
unlamented and forgotten. The construction of the nanny state will be
complete. In 2009, Bela Kosian was seen in a subway station in Laval, failing to observe the pictograph which urges pedestrians to grip the escalator rail. A police officer told her to obey the instruction: "hold the handrail." (CTV News Montreal, November 15) Ms. Kosian refused, saying she did not consider the sign to be a legal requirement. She also refused to identify herself. Two officers detained her, issuing tickets of $100 for disobeying the sign, and $320 for obstructing the work of an inspector. Sensibly, in 2012, Ms. Kosian was acquitted in municipal court. She then launched a lawsuit for $45,000 against the subway, the city, and one of the officers. Her suit was rejected by a Quebec court in 2015, and a Court of Appeal in 2017, which concluded Ms. Kosian was the "author of her own misfortune." One sane judge on the panel, Justice Mark Schrager, disagreed, saying that the officer’s "false but honest belief" did not absolve him of responsibility. This seems sensible in such a matter, where the "honest belief" is clearly a result of ingrained officiousness and mammoth stupidity. The case is now proceeding to the Supreme Court. The result will be fascinating. We would note that, officiousness and stupidity aside – once the government provides "free" health care – the door of intrusiveness is opened significantly. The state can increasingly justify laws which have safety as their goal – since the health care system is responsible for cleaning up the messes of misadventure. If you should be so unfortunate as to fall over a cliff, the state would prefer that you quietly and inexpensively expire, awaiting help from designated professionals, rather than risk costly injury with the unauthorized, amateur initiative of personal scrambling. We would not be surprised to see the gripping of escalator railings become mandatory. The pictograph will be altered to include the warning of a $100 fine for reckless endangerment. The Cop of the Nannying State (November 18, 2018) The cop of the nannying state
|
| We see that Adrienne Clarkson – long retired as
Governor-General – is once more in the spotlight. This time, it has been
revealed that – despite the dimming of her star – she still requires
over a hundred thousand dollars a year in expenses. There is,
apparently, a cosy arrangement with the government, which agrees to pay
such claims without being insufferably nosy about what the money was
spent on. We might be more forgiving, had we such a happy and rewarding retirement arrangement; but that, alas, is not the case. No matter. It does seem to us, however, that the office of Governor-General should perhaps go the way of the Dodo and the Passenger Pigeon. It seems to present significant moral challenges which some Governors-General are unable to resist. The first female Governor-General, Jeanne Sauvé, will surely be remembered – chiefly – for her $600,000 kitchen renovation. And we are led to wonder whether Michaelle Jean’s recent $500,000 expenditure on her rented home in Paris – when she served as Secretary -General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie -- reflects the "let-them-eat-cake" mindset acquired from her stint as Governor-General. Alternatively, we might require that the position be reserved for those who have already achieved some financial success, and are not journalists, unable to cope – suddenly – with unlimited expense accounts. They seem to respond like birds uncaged, ready for the lark of any expensive, taxpayer-funded adventure. (Clarkson will be remembered for her multi-million-dollar nineteen-day "Northern Identity" tour.) Our observation #10, by the way, reads as follows: Expense accounts tend to corrupt; Government expense accounts corrupt absolutely.
Adrienne Clarkson (November 3, 2018)
There once was a spender called Clarkson,
|
| We see that Mr. Kavanaugh has been confirmed as a Justice on the
Supreme Court of the United States. But the margin was slim. The process has been instructive. It illustrates the depths to which those on the political left have sunk. They have created their own alternative reality, based on the principles of Political Correctness. Political Correctness, as we have observed, values feelings over facts, and, consequently, seeks to restrict the freedom of those who would criticize the resulting fictions. Despite the fact that there was no evidence produced for Ms. Blasey Ford’s accusations of sexual assault over thirty years ago, it appears that large numbers on the Left – including many college students – following the politically correct principle that women cannot lie or be in error over such matters – simply assumed – and continue to assume -- that what she claimed is factual. On this basis, of course – we can do away with much pettifogging preoccupation with legal procedures. In any conflict, a woman’s testimony is correct – a man’s is false. Centuries of concern to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt through legal process can be ignored – and that notion can be consigned – apparently – to the trash heap of foolish fantasies and desperate, hopeless follies. We can only imagine that those on the Left look forward to the day when legal proceedings will become drama contests. Judges will not need to know any law: they will be required to have at least ten years’ experience in the acting profession. The most convincing, technically accomplished performance -- with the most affecting display of emotion – will triumph.
The Party of Sinister* Teas (October 6, 2018) Now evidence no longer matters --
*In both the Latin and English senses.
|
| It was once thought that freedom of speech was a good idea.
Now that everybody knows what the good ideas are, the importance of
freedom has declined precipitously. (Observation # 1404) The Campus Freedom Index of Canadian Universities for 2018 shows that freedom of speech is not a priority for most universities or their student unions. Sadly, the 2018 Campus Freedom Index shows no improvement over 2017. Seven universities joined the "Flunk List" in 2018. Wilfrid Laurier University, Acadia University, Dalhousie University, Saint Paul University, University of Guelph, University of Waterloo and University of Victoria earned new "F" grades in 2018 for failing to uphold campus free speech.* (National Post, September 19) The notion of freedom of speech appears to be incompatible with the new religious faith of political correctness – which emphasizes the sanctity of feelings, and seeks to protect the self-esteem of individuals at any cost. Because the self-esteem of an individual is inextricably linked to his or her concepts and ideas, those too have become sacrosanct; certain "distressing" ideas – those which contradict the "progressive" narrative are legitimately worthy of censorship. If you think there are only two genders, that the transgendered should be content with choosing from the two existing designating pronoun types, or that Jordan Peterson is not the Devil Incarnate, your views are not welcome. Political correctness – as we have noted elsewhere – thus favours feelings over facts, and restricts the freedom to criticize any dearly held progressive notions – no matter how fictional or questionable.
Campus Freedom (September 22, 2018)
The notion of freedom, it seems *The complete report is available from Mr. Google. See also Diary, September 20, 2018
|
| We cannot explain, very well, our desire for cultural suicide. We
suspect that it may have arisen from the new idealism of political
correctness – which has, as its bedrock principle, that equality is the
true and proper condition of humankind. Political correctness, it has been well observed, places feelings over facts, and fiction over freedom. Feelings are, indeed, sacrosanct. The reason that feelings must not be hurt is that everyone is entitled to an equally high sense of self-esteem. Any hurt feelings, are, by definition, unequal to the pristine and unblemished feelings of the serenely confident. They must be avoided at all costs. Similarly, a subset of political correctness -- multiculturalism -- is only possible if one assumes that all cultures are equally worthy. The great difficulty here is that – by the evidence – cultural values do not seem to be equally worthy. Some cultures have achieved a higher standard of living – greater longevity – greater technological and scientific advances – more opportunities for self-fulfilment and freedom of citizens -- than others. Even worse – some values are antithetical and incompatible – but that is a topic for another day. When the real does not match the ideal, a certain amount of judicious juggling must take place. Cultures that have been less successful must be praised, encouraged, and molly-coddled; cultures that have been more successful must be denigrated, disparaged, and demeaned. Bad ideas attract foolish people, and it is no surprise that Mr. Trudeau is at the very forefront in the promotion of the new religion of political correctness. When, in 2011, the government termed honour killings "barbaric," Mr. Trudeau’s reflexive response was to say that the term was "unacceptable." The reason, he opined, was that it might make immigrants feel "defensive." Now, the only people we can imagine feeling "defensive" about calling honour killings "barbaric" would be those for whom honour killings were considered pretty much normal. A little defensiveness would perhaps not be the worst thing in the world. Notice the messages Mr. Trudeau was sending. First – feelings are very important. It is more important that the feelings of immigrants be protected than that unpleasant facts be brought to our attention. Second – the freedom to criticize culture should be restricted. It is more important to maintain the fiction of multicultural equality than to exercise the freedom to point out that some cultures are more worthy than others. That, of course, was 2011. Mr. Trudeau, being a intelligent man, has seen the error of his ways, and has shown a great deal more common sense. Well – not exactly. In 2017 his government passed Motion M-103 which shows exactly the same 2011 mindset. Feelings and other cultural values good, criticism and free speech bad. It condemns "Islamophobia" – without defining it – and uses language which suggests that, along with "racism" and religious discrimination, it might eventually become a "hate crime" subject to legal penalties. The motion was introduced by Iqra Khalid, who comes from Pakistan. What is significant here is that the Motion reflects – not our traditional culture – which emphasizes freedom of speech – but that of Pakistan – where there is the death penalty for blasphemy. Once again, Mr. Trudeau ignores the facts in favour of fiction. Sharia law – a central facet of the ideology of Islam -- not only enshrines gender inequality and bizarre and inhumane punishments -- it has been declared "incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy" by The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. No matter. Who cares about the fundamental principles of democracy, when feelings of believers are at stake, and homage must be paid to notion of cultural equality? One of the most frightening aspects of Islam is that it calls for the deaths, not only of apostates, but also unbelievers. Further, it claims to be beyond criticism -- on those or any other accounts. Motion M-103 conveniently reinforces that absurd notion that Islam should never be criticized, and, by implication, assents to the idea that infidels should be killed. We can hardly fail to add that, in suggesting that religions should be protected from criticism, the Motion upholds the sanctity of primitive superstitions for which no reasonable evidence has ever been presented. It is both anti-secular and anti-science. We think Motion M-103 is the most disgraceful and frightening betrayal of principle imaginable in a free secular society. It suggests the sale of our birthright of freedom of speech for an unsavoury mess of oppressive religious pottage. Motion M-103 (August 24, 2018) The betrayal of M-103
|
| Andrew Coyne accurately points out in the National Post (July 6)
that Mr. Trudeau finds himself in a pickle with respect to an accusation
of "groping" eighteen years ago. The politically correct stance
advocated by Mr. Trudeau is to believe all women – making it difficult
for him to say his accuser is making a mountain out of a molehill. But
if he admits to the mountain, it might crush him – or at least leave him
significantly disabled -- limping from peak to diminished peak -- with a
heavy backpack of hypocrisy for failing to suspend himself pending an
inquiry. Mr. Coyne points out that in Mr. Trudeau’s apology, he exhibits Multiple Cake Syndrome – a condition characterized by the attempt to have his cake while still savouring it down to the last chocolatey crumb. Mr. Trudeau allowed that his accuser might have viewed the incident differently – giving her the full and unassailable right to be offended – while at the same time asserting his view that nothing significant happened. This, of course, is absolutely in accord with the principles of political correctness: feelings are more important than facts – and one feeling is just as good as any other. The problem is that, in real life – some determination must be made about the facts: Was there a mountain, or a molehill? There must be some way of making an objective statement about the nature of what occurred. This, it would seem, is exactly the determination Mr. Trudeau wishes to avoid. As Mr. Coyne further points out, Mr. Trudeau’s first response to the recent news of the incident was that he did not remember any "negative interactions." Yet Mr. Trudeau has since remembered the incident, his apology to the accuser, and the reading of the article in which the accusation was made. Most believable memories are not so conveniently selective. Mr. Coyne concludes that Mr. Trudeau’s response has been incoherent. Rex Murphy, in another National Post article of the same date, also deals with the incident. Apparently Mr. Trudeau had said "I’m sorry. If I had known you were reporting for a national paper, I never would have been so forward." The implication is that –" forwardness" can be determined by the perceived rank of the forwarded upon. Principles are malleable; status rules. Mr. Murphy also notes Mr. Trudeau’s attempt, in his apology, to deflect attention from the particular incident, and see it in a larger context – as part of a mysterious "awakening" of society to the fact that events may be viewed differently by different participants: Part of this awakening that we’re having as a society, a long-awaited realization, is that it’s not just one side of the story that matters. This is truism artfully dressed in the resplendent mantle of revelation. Mr. Trudeau suggests that he is a mere cork bobbing on a greater sea of societal discovery. His guilt or innocence is, essentially, irrelevant; what is important is the great, ineffable tide of social sensitivity, in which all such personal experiences are subsumed. His problem – arising from differing perceptions of a single incident -- merely serves to illustrate the difficulty of coming to any reliable conclusion in an era when feelings are more important than facts. But once again, while political correctness suggests that different interpretations must be left as sacrosanct, and untouchable – the criticism of feelings being hurtful and anti-egalitarian – the real world demands some adjudication: Was there a mountain, a molehill, or a fabrication? Mr. Trudeau seeks to conjure away his difficulties by taking refuge in the vague ambiguity of feelings, and appeals to the world of political correctness – where failure to make judgments is considered a virtue.* It remains to be seen how many are taken in by the illusion. Conjuring with the Facts (July 8, 2018) Behold the magician Trudeau
We see the PM in a pickle –
* Political correctness values empathy above all; thus it eschews criticism, and refuses to pass judgment. (Observation # 968) Political correctness is the barometer of a society which does not wish to confront reality. (Observation # 1270)
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| We note with interest the action of Darin Hodge, a restaurant
manager in Vancouver. Mr. Dodge spotted a patron wearing a hat with the
Trump slogan "Make America Great Again." Mr. Hodge – whose political
sympathies obviously lie in a different direction – found the hat
offensive and told the patron he would not be served unless he removed
the hat. The patron decided he would rather leave. Mr. Hodge was later
relieved of his position at the restaurant. We must admit that, while we have some respect for Mr. Hodge as a man with a passionate commitment to principle, we must fault him for a lack of cautious prudence. Sometimes it is wiser to reflect before making decisions which are likely to be irrevocable. We also question his judgment. We suppose that the least disruptive option -- getting the restaurant to establish a policy which would bar the serving of patrons expressing political sympathies of any sort -- would be unlikely. At any rate -- Mr. Hodge obviously wished to go out with a grand, public, expression of virtue-signalling. Those who take such actions must, of course, be prepared to accept the consequences. It is hard to imagine the restaurant owner who would have supported a manager making decisions about whom to serve on the basis of his personal political opinions. Mr Hodge has subsequently expressed his sense of moral justification in a statement to the CBC: "I stand by my decision," he wrote via Facebook. "The MAGA hat has come to symbolize racism, bigotry, Islamophobia, misogyny, white supremacy, [and] homophobia." As a person with a strong moral backbone, I had to take a stand against this guest's choice of headwear while in my former place of work. Absolutely no regrets," he added.
Out to Lunch ( July 1, 2018) In a restaurant, the manager, Hodge,
*We often wish Mr. Trump were more considered and careful in pursuing the goals which we view as entirely legitimate.
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| Inequality, we have observed, is the bite of the apple – the
original sin, both necessary and deplorable, at the heart of existence.* Inequality is the law of the jungle – where the fittest survive: the weak, and the unable to adapt must perish. Human civilizations modify that basic law – paradoxically – in able to improve survival. When competition is modified – melded in just the right proportion with co-operation – individual survival is enhanced. But there always remains an inherent conflict between the individual competitive instinct – and the co-operative requirements of society. The social dream is of a perfectly co-operative society; the bedrock reality is constant striving. The ideal is that everyone is equal; the reality is that within the co-operative framework, equality sounds good – but merit works. People who have not thought about it very much, are often entranced by the notion of "equality." They do not stop to think that "equality" is not in the blueprint of nature, and will not be found among living creatures. They have never observed that much of the professed desire for "equality" is really the old competitive instinct for improvement – conveniently disguised. Anyone who achieves "equality" in some respect is never satisfied: the desire is still for improvement – even if the fulfilment of that desire should create inequality. "Affirmative Action" policies – and schemes based on that template – assume that group "equality" is the desirable goal, and that justice and equality are synonymous. The attempt to achieve the goal of equality involves treating groups of people unequally – favouring the unfavoured, and oppressing the rest. It ignores relevant individual differences. It can be argued that some reduction of inequalities may benefit society – but the general aim of individual or group "equality" is unrealizable, and attempts to achieve the unachievable become, at some point, patently oppressive. The principle that injustice is best countered by further
injustice is inherently flawed. The just society will attempt to provide
equality of opportunity – but allow the inevitable inequalities of
result to stand – subject to the principle of compassionate response to
individuals in desperate circumstances. The Just Society (April 9, 2018) In making society "just" – * Observation #857 |
| The popularity of dictatorships, we imagine, has to do with our
genetic legacy. Tribes are, essentially, hierarchical – they have few
leaders and many enthusiastic followers. Doubtless we – as tribal
members – have been programmed to follow. It is interesting that China – after many years of oligarchy – has finally opted for dictatorship – with the removal of term limits for its leader, Xi Jinping. The dangers of dictatorship are well known – as Lord Acton noted -- power tends to corrupt – and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Any human being who gets his way often enough and long enough must eventually conclude he has a monopoly on wisdom. As Robert Fulford notes in today’s National Post – Winnie the Pooh is one of the casualties of the new regime. Apparently – a few years ago -- someone noticed a resemblance between Xi Jingping and Winnie. People began referring to Xi Jinping as Winnie the Pooh. Such an element of mockery can scarcely be allowed in a dictatorship. Laughter has a certain corrosive power – and pretension is always vulnerable. Thus the book – Winnie-the-Pooh has been banned, and references to the story-book character cannot be made on social media. Dictatorships always require more conformity than can be freely given.
Xi Jinping (March 17, 2018) O say that it cannot be true –
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| We told you so. From the beginning, we have thought Mr. Trudeau to be an unlikely Prime Minister. He had given no evidence of accomplishment: his chief claim to fame has been that he is the son of Pierre Trudeau. He seemed to live in a world of liberal platitudes untested by reality – thus his infamous outrage -- not at honour killings -- but that honour killings should be termed "barbaric." The outrage is based, of course, on the notion of multiculturalism – a stupid idea which holds that all cultures are equally worthy. Beginning with that premise, of course, no barbaric cultural practice can be called barbaric: reality must be ignored in favour of egalitarian theory. Mr. Trudeau’s recent trip to India simply appears to confirm our misgivings. Mr. Trudeau, who favours appearances over substance, who has never encountered a cloudy day, seems to think that the world runs on fine sentiments, charisma, and unvarying optimism. His job is to grace the world with his presence, and, by that benevolence, our arrival at Nirvana will, inevitably, be hastened. Notable on his trip to India have been the cheerful Trudeau family photos, with everyone wearing elaborate Indian costumes and displaying the namaste gesture. This is meant, no doubt, to suggest his warm multicultural embrace of all that is Indian, and impress the folks back home – both the potential voters of Indian background – and those whose multicultural instincts are more pedestrian than his own. It appears, however, that his costuming is a case of too much being enough – it has been more Indian than Indian. How would it be taken if the Prime Minister of India were to travel to Canada, and make a point of being photographed wearing a toque, a lumberjack outfit, and a series of hockey sweaters? Apparently Mr. Trudeau also brought with him a chef to cook Indian food. We suppose this was meant to be another symbol of commitment to Indian culture – but, of course, it might be considered a tad presumptuous – a suggestion that local Indian food is insufficiently glamorous. Finally, of course, it has been revealed that one of the guests on the trip was Jaspal Atwal, a former member of a banned Sikh terrorist group who was convicted of an attempt to murder an visiting Indian cabinet minister in 1986. Since Mr. Atwal was not unknown in Liberal circles, it is a considerable mystery that he was invited on the trip. His presence would hardly be welcomed by the Indian government, which is less than enthusiastic in its contemplation of Sikh separatism. The circumstance seems to be a considerable puzzle. Possibly it reflects, in the end, a habit of unthinking multicultural tolerance. Remember – no cultural practice could possibly be barbaric. Trudeau on the World Stage (February 24, 2018) On the stage, once again, Trudeau’s leapt –
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| Mr. Trudeau can always be counted on to provide occasions for
outrage and amusement. Recently, he corrected a questioner in a town
hall meeting in Edmonton who used the word "mankind," saying: "we like
to say peoplekind, not necessarily mankind. It's more inclusive." His remark was an unnecessary piece of virtue signalling made awkward by his suggested alternative – not "humankind," or "humanity," but the somewhat bizarre "peoplekind." Some considerable ridicule resulted, and Mr. Trudeau pretended that he had made a bad joke. But this is nonsense. Someone who would contrive such an elaborately awkward alternative would have been exaggerating the posturing contortions of political correctness itself – for comic and mocking effect. But Mr. Trudeau is politically correct – and he would never mock any alteration of language which could be described as enhancing "equality" or "inclusivity." He is simply trying to put the best face possible on his egregiously awkward signalling of politically correct virtue. The Politically Correct Justin Trudeau (February 10, 2018) Trudeau has no love for ‘mankind’ –
(When laughter arose from some folk
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| We recall the day that we learned that Mr. Trudeau had been
elected Prime Minister of Canada. We thought that we had fallen down the
rabbit hole of fantasy into a world of the eerily bizarre. How could
Canadians have actually elected someone on the basis of a familiar name
and great hair? At the time, we focussed on his lack of intellect; more recently we have learned that he is "ethically challenged." His visit to the Aga Khan in 2016 has been condemned by the Ethics Commissioner, Mary Dawson as breaching conflict of interest rules. Mr. Trudeau should not have accepted gifts from the Aga Khan – since the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada is a registered lobbyist. He also should not have flown on a private aircraft without prior permission. Most interesting is that Ms. Dawson pointed out that Trudeau’s exonerating claim to have a prior personal friendship with the Aga Khan is unconvincing. Their relationship was slight; they had not spoken for more than thirty years. And – according to Ezra Levant of The Rebel – Sophie Gregoire subsequently visited the Aga Khan’s island -- when he was not there. Few people are in the habit of visiting – we assume for free – fancy islands of close personal friends when the friends are somewhere else. It would appear that Mr. Trudeau – in order to make his holiday hob-nobbing more palatable – has been somewhat economical with the truth. When confronted with this issue by Rosemary Barton at a press conference, Mr. Trudeau stumbled significantly, seeking time to "re-order his thoughts." We find it interesting that he initially referred to Mary Dawson as the "lobbying commissioner" – an indication that the issue of lobbying was, in fact, at the forefront of his mind. He attempted, also, to reiterate the rejected notion of close personal friendship by referring to the visit as "a family vacation with a personal friend."
Trudeau of the long Nose (December 28, 2017) When charm and good looks fuel your star – Addendum, December 30 Drama-turgid Pretentious, the lines often wrong –
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| One day – perhaps – political correctness will be seen for what
it is: an unreasonable expectation of societal perfection which
justifies the search for inadvertent broomsticks as evidence of
modern-day witchcraft -- the holding of unacceptable opinions. The latest example of the lengths to which the politically correct will go to find sin – in this case the sin of racism – is shown by principal Nancy Keenan and vice-principal Edita Tahirovic at the High Park Alternative School in Toronto. Acting on a complaint, they concluded that a school play which contained the song "Land of the Silver Birch" – a Canadian summer camp favourite – was racist and inappropriate. The line of thinking which led to this conclusion is not so much a line as a series of exaggerated, unlikely leaps. The lyrics – which express the desire of an indigenous person to return to a romanticised version of aboriginal life are not, they admit, racist. But the "historical context" is. What that means is not clear. Surely it cannot mean that the song was written at a time of political incorrectness, when sensitivity to the marvels of indigenous culture were not as developed as they have been in recent years. On that basis – we might as well get rid of all music composed before – oh – say – last year. Perhaps the good principals believe that the song was written by E. Pauline Johnson. They appear to believe so – for they refer to the fact that she performed for mostly non-Native Audiences in a Style that "depicted Native people and culture in romantic ways, while lamenting the dying out of Native civilization to be replaced by a superior western civilization." The problem here is, that the song was not written by Ms. Johnson. It is – reputedly – based on a poem she wrote. But even if we assume that Ms. Johnson did indeed, write the song, and the "historical context" is her life and opinions – wherein lies the racism? It can’t be "cultural appropriation" – that sin applied to those who would "appropriate" a voice, stance, or costume of -- not every culture -- but any culture generally regarded as sufficiently inferior that it will be sensitive about its inferiority. Ms. Johnson was indigenous. The only possible suggestion we can find comes from their perception that she --in the words of an email composed by the principals --"lamented the dying out of Native civilization to be replaced by a superior western civilization." Perhaps the sin was to "lament" the dying – instead of proclaiming its manifold virtues. We do not know if Ms. Johnson considered western civilization to be superior. It appears to us that it is* – but such a view is sufficient to cause – at the present time -- the piling of sticks for a grand bonfire of sacrifice and purification. Possibly the principals are applying today’s standards of political correctness to the perceptions of a different era. It would appear, then, that the "racism" in the song is at many removes. It is not in the lyrics – but in someone -- not the author – connected to them by reputation. And that person had the temerity to express – perhaps – sentiments with which the politically correct educators would find lacking in proper enthusiasm for indigenous culture. How do such people gain positions of authority in our educational system? We would note that they are being sued by the teacher who put on the play. Violet Shearer is seeking $75,000 – for damage to her reputation – the suggestion that her judgment and conduct were inappropriate. We hope that she is successful.
The Politically Correct Principals (December 9, 2017) These principals deserve the top prize
*We prefer automobiles and central heating.
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| Three nutty professors at Wilfrid Laurier university naively
confuse their opinion with gospel. This, of course, is typical of
political correctness generally: it elevates feelings above facts, and
holds that freedom should defer to a pleasant "preferred narrative." In this particular case, the professors believe that the use of special pronouns for the transgendered is appropriate. Doubtless they view this as a proper bolstering of the feelings of those troubled by the facts of their unco-operative anatomy. This impulse to bolster, in turn, we would argue, has its roots in the desire for "equality." It is thought that equality may legitimately be promoted by special compensatory treatment of certain chosen groups. It is an interesting facet of human nature that, once one becomes convinced that one is firmly on the side of the angels, small pacts with the devil may not only be easily forgiven – but should be encouraged. The noble end justifies the scurrilous means. Thus, the three professors see any contrary opinion, not as contrary opinion, but as irredeemably and perversely evil. When a teaching assistant, Lindsay Shepherd, had the temerity to show a video clip of a debate concerning Professor Jordan Peterson, a pronoun skeptic, it was thought mere routine benign coercion to claim that her actions were equivalent to showing, without condemnation, a speech by Hitler. It was suggested that she was in breach of Canadian law. The professors expressed the idea that students must be protected from a "toxic climate"– using their definition of "toxicity." Ms. Shepherd had the foresight to record the intimidation. The university has been roundly condemned, and has issued a "necessary" apology. Of the three professors, Nathan Rambukkana, Herbert Pimlott, and Adria Joel – the "manager of gendered violence prevention" – Mr. Rambukkana has admitted to overzealousness in the Cause. Doubtless he will check for recording equipment on future, inevitable, occasions. Without the publicity, it would seem that coercion in the name of political correctness would have been simply "business as usual" at an institution of "higher" learning.
Three Nutty Professors (December 4, 2017) Behold our three nutty professors –
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Our new Governor General, Ms. Julie Payette, has addressed a convention of scientists in which she has used a mocking tone towards those whose beliefs lack evidence. Among her targets were those who believe in astrology, those who have religious beliefs, and those who deny man’s rôle in climate change. Unfortunately, Ms. Payette’s job is not to make waves, but to calm them. Her rôle is as a ceremonial figurehead; the Governor General is one who is sufficiently bland and platitudinous that – because little fault can be found – can be seen as universally admirable – and hence function as a unifying element. Thus – it seems unwise to court controversy with remarks on religion and anthropogenic global warming – both of which are controversial. From our personal perspective, the remarks on global warming do not enhance Ms. Payette’s stature. We think that the evidence for man’s rôle is lacking. We do not, of course claim that there has been no warming; nor do we deny that mankind may play some part in it. However, that part is unclear – and the models based on an assumed relationship between greenhouse gasses and global temperatures have not made successful predictions. We would go further, and point to the relationship between the climate alarmist position and politics. In about 1993, the Club of Rome made it quite clear that global warming was a tool to be used to frighten people into giving up democracy and accepting a world run by "experts." Maurice Strong, a powerful early advocate of alarmism, thought it was our duty to destroy industrial civilization. Possibly he anticipated a return to the Golden Age. The United Nations has enthusiastically endorsed the cause of warming alarmism; it is entirely in accord with the concept of world government -- through the United Nations. In the practical proposals to reduce carbon emissions -- some animals are seen to be more equal than others. It appears that alarmism is used as a means for transferring wealth from advanced countries to those less developed. In view of the fact that no computer model predicted the recent pause in warming, but the enthusiasm for the cause remains undiminished, it seems clear that the political cart is dragging the scientific horse. And what is the nature of the political cart? In its preoccupation with centrally planned virtue, it seems akin to socialism.* In its reluctance to confront evidence, it is akin to religion. Perhaps that is why the proponents of alarmism are often so touchy and sensitive when criticized: they know how thin the scientific ice is. But at least it can be said that the agenda is anti-capitalistic and anti-democratic. The true interest would appear not to be science – not truth per se – but rather a view of the world which is part of a "virtuous" agenda. The world will be run -- not on a nationalist, democratic basis -- but on a global basis under the central control of unelected experts. We do not claim that all believers in climate alarmism have an ulterior political motive. The propaganda has been so effective that millions of people certainly believe that unless we reduce our "carbon footprint" the world will be squashed into Climageddon. But the proof is not there. The models don't work. One day, they may. At that time -- when the influence of mankind on global temperatures has been reasonably evaluated -- the decision must still be made -- is it better to adapt, or to return, metaphorically, to the caves? Thus, we see Ms. Payette – in commenting on anthropogenic global warming – as straying into a matter which is more "political" than "scientific"-- and which is inappropriate to her rôle.
Ms. Julie Payette (November 4, 2017) I We’ve heard from Ms. Julie Payette-- II Ms. Payette has defied the convention –
*Those on the left are often so enamoured with their ideal conceptions of man and society that they deem them unassailable virtues – to be finagled when possible --_ or imposed when necessary. This explains why all socialist schemes -- even those approved, initially, by the majority -- are eventually revealed as coercive. It is why "socialism," in time, becomes indistinguishable from dictatorship. (Observation # 1215)
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| The recent passage of a bill in Quebec banning the use of face
coverings when giving or receiving public services has occasioned the
expected outrage from the true believers – the believers in
multiculturalism and the infinite tolerance which it appears to demand.
In fact, hiding one's face during ordinary social interactions is ridiculous, divisive, and subversive. Everybody knows this, but it is politically incorrect to say so. Among the number of the politically correct is, unsurprisingly, Kathleen Wynne, the Premier of Ontario – yes, that same Premier who dares not speak without first acknowledging that the ground she stands on actually belongs – in some ideal world – to somebody else. She has said: "This is the kind of action that drives wedges in communities." According to CBC News: The law, which would effectively force Muslim women who wear a niqab or burka to uncover their faces to use public services, will push women already at the margins "further into isolation," Wynne continued. (CBC News, October 19) We find it interesting that Ms. Wynne recognizes that women who hide their faces are "already at the margins" and is in favour of keeping them there. Surely her logic is entirely false. The division in our community is caused by those who wear masks. Whether they do so because they are compelled by an ideology which is hostile to women – or whether they do so deliberately as a symbolic rejection of the culture in the place they have chosen to live – in either case the masking of faces is divisive – both practically and symbolically. What hope is there for integration of Muslim women into our culture if they continue to mask and separate themselves from the greater community?
Kathleen Wynne (October 21, 2017) "A wedge," claims the woopy* Ms. Wynne –
*A neologism constructed for this occasion – a combination of "woozy" and "loopy." Woozy: unsteady, dizzy, or dazed Loopy: silly or crazy
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| We note the spreading stain of compassionate
egalitarianism. A professor at the University of Georgia, Richard
Watson, concerned that an unpleasant grade might cause his students
undue stress, conceived the brilliant idea that students should be
allowed to replace the troubling grade with another more pleasing. With such a system – involving an incipient student veto of any particular grade -- it seems most reasonable to assume that instructors would award the highest grades possible – in order to save time and trouble. Professor Watson also proposed examinations under an "open book" policy, and proclaimed that the purpose of such tests was to ensure only a "low-level mastery" of the course material. We would suggest that compassionate egalitarianism has the unfortunate consequence of mediocrity. "When equality is the aim, mediocrity is the result. When excellence is the aim, equality finds its true place." We understand that Professor Watson has been unable to follow through on his insanity; but we take it as a sign that the asylum is at considerable risk.
Professor Richard Watson (August 16, 2017) I There once was a teacher called Watson – II Afloat and at sea is our Watson,
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| We see that Mr. Khadr – the teenage terrorist – has been awarded
ten and a half million dollars in the settlement of his lawsuit against
the government. His claim was that Canadian officials were complicit in
his mistreatment when they visited him at Guantanamo Bay in 2003 and
2004. He was seeking twenty million dollars. While Mr. Trudeau has sought to give the impression of distance from the "judicial process" -- we think it virtually certain that the settlement had his approval. There seems to be no need for such a large and abrupt settlement. It would appear that Mr. Trudeau, who sought to understand the "root cause" of the Boston Bombings is showing his typical bias: the world is a place of sunny days and multicultural tolerance. People do bad things – not because of an evil ideology – but because they have been wounded by a flawed, uncaring society. Every perpetrator is best and most accurately seen as a victim. The fact that Mr. Khadr was undoubtedly a brainwashed teenager at the time of his engagement in treasonous and deadly activities no doubt carries much weight with Mr. Trudeau. Our position is that killer bees – no doubt brainwashed and incapable of Machiavellian evil – are still dangerous. Mr. Khadr has only recently disavowed violent jihad, and we are suspicious that his change of heart is a matter of convenience rather than conviction. Considering all the circumstances, we think that his present state of freedom is adequate compensation for his mistreatment. This settlement sends the message that terrorism is not a significant crime -- if you are young enough. If you can successfully commit terrorist acts when young, you will subsequently be treated with more concern and compassion than if you had been a soldier fighting in our defence. Mr. Trudeau continues to justify our opinion -- that he is naive and absurdly gullible. Trudeau’s Khadr Decision (July 8, 2017) Trudeau gives ten million to Khadr!
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| Mr. Trudeau inhabits that wonderful world of sunny ways – where
the skies are always clear and cloudless – where rainbows may be had for
the asking -- without the awkward inconvenience of precipitating
raindrops. Thus he has appeared at the Toronto Pride Parade wearing socks in rainbow hue – bearing the text "Eid Mubarak" – a Muslim greeting meaning "blessed celebration" – used to refer to Ramadan -- the end of which, this year, coincides with the day of the parade. No doubt Mr. Trudeau sees this coincidence as a wonderful opportunity to express "inclusivity" – a condition blessedly abundant in his preferred, envisioned Canada – in the Happy Valley of Eternal Sunshine. In this case, however, the rainbow symbolism seems somewhat flawed. While the rainbow of the Pride Parade is used to suggest an acceptance of diverse sexual orientations, the rainbow socks refer to a religious and political ideology which is notably intolerant. Muslims are generally homophobic; in Iran, gays are executed; in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen and Mauritania, sodomy is a capital offence; in Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, and Syria, the penalty is imprisonment.* These facts, of course, are unpleasant, and would find no welcome or resonance in the happy but incomplete circuitry beneath the Trudeau locks.
Mr. Trudeau (June 27, 2017) See the rainbow of Ramadan socks –
*Details from The Guardian, June 21, 2016
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| "Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well." (Shakespeare)
Theresa May has gambled and lost. Instead of achieving a greater majority, she now heads a minority government. She perceived an opportunity to strengthen her position at the expense of the unpopular Jeremy Corbyn, but the future is prone to perversity; it delights in mocking its eager predictors. It is said that many young people voted for Corbyn. The young are almost always foolishly idealistic and tend to vote for those who promise Nirvana with a generous helping of Utopia on top. If we were elected World Dictator, we would ensure that no one was allowed to vote until at least the age of thirty-five, by which time most sensible people have exchanged their youthful enthusiasm for a modicum of seasoned sobriety. We suspect, also, that large numbers of those opposed to Brexit voted against Theresa May as a rebuke to her endorsement of the policy.
Theresa May (June 13, 2017) There once was a leader called May,
Youthful Voters The problem eternal of youth
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| We note the strange case of Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. He
apparently announced to a gathering of security experts in New Delhi on
April 18: on my first deployment to Kandahar in 2006, I was the architect of Operation Medusa where we removed 1,500 Taliban fighters off the battlefield … and I was proudly on the main assault. Apparently this account is somewhat "economical with the truth." One retired Canadian officer familiar with the planning called it a "bald-faced lie." (National Post, April 28) Mr. Sajjan has now amended his statement: What I should have said was that our military successes are the result of the leadership, service and sacrifice of the many dedicated women and men in the Canadian Forces. I regret that I didn’t say this then, but I want to do so now. Perhaps Mr. Sajjan was simply a victim of the dreaded Al Gore Syndrome. This is an insidious affliction which leads politicians to imagine themselves as approximately a million times more important than they are. Mr. Gore himself has had difficulty recovering from his claim that he "invented" the internet.* Or perhaps it is simply that politicians get used to operating in a world where promises are never in accord with the facts – and things always sound better than they really are. Harjit Sajjan April 28, 2017) A "mastermind" Liberal – Sajjan –
* He was actually a promoter and supporter of the concept.
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| United Airlines has managed to unite a great deal of public
opinion. On a flight last Sunday, when they were unsuccessful in
offering cash to induce passengers to leave their seats to make way for
four employees, they choose four already seated passengers at random.
One of them, Dr. David Dao, refused to leave. The police were called,
and Dr. Dao was dragged down the aisle by force, sustaining injuries to
his face. This wonderful example of the company’s deftness and expertise in public relations was further enhanced by a statement by Oscar Munoz, the chief executive of the airline which apologized for having to "re-accommodate" the passengers. It is apparently the practice of airlines to "overbook" flights in order to ensure there are no vacant seats. This sometimes results in the need to induce some passengers to take a different flight.
United Airlines (April 13, 2017) I There once was an airline – United – II When United is poised for a flight –
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| Our theory of life (well, one of many) is that excessive optimism
invariably leads to disaster. Optimism, of course, is far more
attractive than pessimism, and is maintained – naturally -- under
adverse conditions. Thus it can take a very long time for a recognition
that excessive optimism has, once again, led to unfortunate
consequences.
We confess to a congenital pessimism -- and usually find ourselves at significant variance with popular opinion. We see that Carolyn Bennett, the Minister for Northern Affairs has decided not to enforce The First Nations Financial Transparency Act – which requires band leaders to explain their financial manoeuverings to band members and to the world at large. (National Post, March 2, 2017) As our Diary of March 2 explains, this is part of the "preferred narrative" – that aboriginal leaders, innately superior, should not be coerced into transparency: they should be encouraged to let their natural goodness be revealed at the pace which they deem to be appropriate. We remember that Carolyn Bennett was one of the many Liberal and NDP luminaries who saw fit to attend the "hunger-strike" tent of Theresa Spence in 2012. Ms. Spence had managed to tap into the "preferred narrative" in order to claim that the wretched conditions on her reserve had nothing to do with her own mismanagement, but were entirely the result of government neglect and ill-will. In our particular universe, those like Ms. Bennett are naive optimists, unwilling to see any aspect of reality which is at variance with their preferred narrative: aboriginals are, by virtue of their past oppression, possessed of an indissoluble saintliness. We thought her support of Ms. Spence was entirely discreditable. But she is now Minister of Northern Affairs. We would be remiss if we failed to note that Justin Trudeau, and John McCallum, also made the sacred pilgrimage to the Spence tent. Justin Trudeau is now Prime Minister of Canada, and John McCallum, until recently, has been Minister of Immigration. Our opinion has not changed; they are all naive optimists; no good can come of excessive optimism; disaster lurks. Carolyn Bennett (March 3, 2017) Her support for Ms. Spence should’ve finished her – See also limerishes from January 14, 2013. |
| Politics and Government Someone has to run the tribe. Among the chimpanzees, and other tribal animals, there is one strong leader; monarchy has been popular until relatively recently -- and there are still forty-nine dictatorships in the world. In some places, of course, humankind has progressed from this political model, since one-man rule tends to be oppressive: absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely -- as Lord Acton has noted. The "ideal" system is socialism – where everyone is equal. But this is only theory; in practice, some animals are more equal than others, and socialism inevitably deteriorates into dictatorship. Socialism is based on the idea of benevolent central planning – but this is hugely inefficient and is necessarily coercive. Socialism is simply not consistent with the competitive realities of the human condition. The great advantage to democracy is that the people have the opportunity of throwing the governing rascals out on a regular basis – a partial check on the inevitable, intrinsic corruption of all government – the abuses which arise from power. But even regularly elected democratic governments increasingly respond to the demands for security, which can only be met through restrictions on liberty. It is a common flaw of government that the most ambitious cures prescribed and administered turn out to be worse than the disease they are meant to remedy. Government (February 24, 2017) Every tribe needs to have at the top –
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| It has been proposed, quite convincingly, by Mr. E. O. Wilson that men are instinctively tribal. Evolution has favoured those brains – those ways of thinking – which allow for co-operative effort. What this means is that individuals have a capacity to inhibit, to some extent, their competitive instincts, in order to benefit from the functioning of the group. As we have noted elsewhere, some degree of conformity is necessary for a tribe to function successfully. This does not mean that competition is completely eradicated; nor does it mean that competition is still not essential in any human endeavour. There is always a hierarchy of skills, of strength, of intelligence, of imagination, of wisdom. Some ideas are always better than others, and the successful tribe can never be so conformist – or egalitarian – as to pretend otherwise. We may regard, then, each society as a blend of the forces of competition and co-operation – complementary opposites necessary to make up the whole. It is tempting, but not wise, to say that one of these elements is morally superior. The fashionable notion is to emphasize co-operation: idealists like to pretend that the world is a warmer, fuzzier, more chummy place than it can ever aspire to be. But this is a mistake. The underlying bedrock truth of all living creatures is that life is a competitive battle for survival. Co-operation is, in fact, merely a strategy employed for competitive advantage. Chumminess is not an end in itself – but merely the means towards a competitive advantage for the group. The tribe that eschews competition may, perhaps, claim moral superiority – but the period allowed for such tiresome moralizing will be rather short.
Competition and Co-operation (February 9, 2017)
To promote a world equal and yummy –
*We yearn to alter the metre of the last line with an extra strong beat. Our Poetic License (#3874) allows for this, but the Limerick Purity League of Canada (Toronto Branch) will not hear of it. Readers may decide whether they wish to endorse our inventiveness -- or not. "Without which the yummy turns decidedly crummy."
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| Truth and Illusion
Francis Bacon, in his famous essay on truth observed that "a mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure," and T.S. Eliot, hundreds of years later, noted that "humankind cannot bear too much reality." Thus, while one’s instinctive reaction is to prefer truth -- in fact, it is probably true that our devotion to truth is always tempered. Truth has many advantages. By finding out how the world actually works – as opposed to following the hypotheses of religious faith -- scientists have immeasurably improved the lot of mankind. The best decisions, we must assume, are based on fact rather than fancy. And telling the truth – at least most of the time – is essential to trust, and to the functioning of society. But whether humankind can afford to look truth in the eye – without the protective prism of illusion – that is another matter. The truth is that we exist in a universe of mysterious origin, and are part of a scheme of necessary murder. Death is inevitable, and its timing is uncertain. Capriciousness and chaos are a refutation of our desire to see the world as an ordered benevolence. Thus, truth and illusion would appear to be complementary concepts – another illustration of the yin and yang of the human condition. Truth, reality, and science are all related to their complementary but opposing concepts of illusion, ideals, and faith. The definitive manual for finding the appropriate middle ground between the necessary recognizing of essential truths, and escaping into the protective realm of illusion has not yet been published.
Truth and Illusion (February 1, 2017) We much prefer truth to illusion –
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| Religion is such a problem. It has been exceptionally useful in
man’s past as a potent force in tribal success. The tribe that has an
unquestioning belief that God is on its side, and believes that death is
merely the portal to paradise, is going to be triumphant over a tribe
that has its doubts. The religiously motivated suicide bomber is not to
be swayed by the argument that death is messy, limiting, and
inconvenient. The agnostic bomber can be dissuaded by the idea that life
is, most often, better than the alternative.
Blind belief is "better" than rational belief, simply because it admits no rational criticism. Once you have made that leap of faith, you have entered a rabbit-hole land where reason is no longer relevant. All absurdities become possible, and "reasonable." And there are other benefits to religion. It provides hope, comfort, and a sense of community. Against all these benefits stands the simple fact that it is all fantasy – there is no reasonable evidence for any of the various Gods. Belief in fantasy often blocks the path to real knowledge – an understanding of how the world actually works – which can lead to a more reasonable structuring of human societies. And the advantage to the tribe in winning battles becomes less compelling in an age of nuclear weapons. The tribal/religious impulse that has served man so well in the past may well lead to his extermination. That is why we think that religion is so dangerous. It needs to shed its terrible certainty about how life should be lived, and become, rather, a source of comfort derived from communal ritual. It should not be a dogmatic conclusion – but rather, a tentative searching for hope.
Religion (January 31, 2017) Into neat slot we must pigeon
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| One of the chief follies of the age is the determined pretence
that tribalism is an old-fashioned inconvenience that can be banished by
enlightened policies of multiculturalism, or be reduced to irrelevancy
by a determined and high-minded egalitarianism. Typically skeptical, we think that this is unlikely. Mr. E. O. Wilson has suggested that tribalism is instinctive – that it has the sanction of the evolutionary process. We are utterly convinced by this argument, because we see tribalism operating in every sphere of society. People identify with -- and like to feel part of -- groups. We feel ourselves linked by both geography and cultural norms. We feel loyalty to cities, to political parties, to Lutheranism, and good old Mapleview High. We tend to root for the home team – regardless of the logic of its track record. It makes sense that tribalism is associated with a territorial instinct: we tend to regard other tribes with suspicion to the extent that they have different values, and to the extent that they wish to invade our territory. We tend to be particularly upset when they move in and ignore the values that represent our ways of being in the world. The old adage used to be: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." That ancient wisdom has been replaced by a new notion: "When in Rome, behave as you please: the Romans will just have to get used to it." Yes, in that ideal world on the Big Rock Candy Mountain, we are sure that people with completely opposing views on the separation of church and state, gender equality, and freedom of speech, live in complete harmony. In the real world, not so much. We think that multiculturalism is an unworkable idea. It is far more reasonable, from a practical perspective, to emphasize our expectation that immigrants should respect those cultural norms which are intrinsic to the place where they seem anxious to live. That place is attractive for reasons – and those reasons have to do with ethos, as well as with geography.
Tribalism (January 30, 2017) Though many the idea doesn’t suit --
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| The Human Condition
(January 29, 2017) When it comes to the human condition –
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| "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" This is the title of a book published by Charles Mackay in 1841. Mr. Mackay simply observed: "Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one." Nothing has changed since then. People are entranced by bandwagons, and seem unable to resist hopping on to be with the crowd. Modern day examples abound. Besides religion, which is perhaps the most ancient popular delusion, we have anthropogenic global warming, multiculturalism, and political correctness. The reason for the persistence of such madness -- or madnesses -- is quite simple. We are tribal animals, and are genetically programmed to function as members of a tribe. The great advantage of tribalism arises from the fact that people co-operate in groups to achieve what they cannot do individually. But most advantages come with some kind of cost. In the case of tribalism – co-operative unity is achieved at the cost of independent thinking. Co-operation requires conformity. Conformity leads to herd-like behaviour -- popular delusions – and the madness of crowds.
The Madness of Crowds (January 24, 2017) It is true, as is often averred --
Popular Delusions (January 8, 2017) We’ll chant the new rhyme and its words --
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| While Mr. Trump has his avid supporters, we suspect that there is
a widespread element of trepidation concerning his presidency. He is,
after all, a political outsider who has achieved his office by being
outspoken and unconventional. Mr. Trump is, perhaps, the logical outcome -- the antithesis – of Mr. Obama -- whose vision of America has been essentially subversive. Mr. Obama has attempted to transform the lion of initiative and enterprise, the "leader of the free world" into a shy pussy-cat of socialist mediocrity. He has been an impractical idealist -- weak and appeasing in foreign affairs, suspicious of capitalism at home – and determined to avoid recognizing the threat of Islamic values which are simply incompatible with those of modern western democracies. Mr. Trump, on the other hand, symbolizes capitalism, wishes to make America great again, and realizes that the United States must have a more sensible policy on immigration. His great weakness appears to be his ego, which seems to be unhelpfully intrusive.
Donald J. Trump (January 23, 2017) In the matter of Donald J. Trump,
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| Our full commentary on Freedom is overlong for this space. It may
be found on the Drivel page for January 22, 2017. Suffice it to say that we see evidence, in western democracies, of a move away from an emphasis on freedom of speech in favour of two religions: the religion of Islam, and the religion of political correctness. Freedom (January 22, 2017) Blind fools – citing virtue and right –
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| The vast majority of people are not climatologists; thus it seems
fair to say that very few have the expertise to understand the details
of the "science" behind the theory of anthropogenic global warming. But some things seem clear. The debate is not about warming, but whether man is the cause of it. Thus the arguments about rising sea levels, disappearing ice, and unhappy polar bears are simply not relevant. If all these things are a result of sunspot activity, alterations in geothermal forces, or the influence of ant-like Aliens beaming malignant rays from the planet Hypothetica, human sacrifice will be ineffective in countering them. Second, the theory that global temperatures have a direct causal relationship with greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere has been dealt a severe blow: over the last nineteen years, the gasses have gone up, but the temperatures have not risen proportionately. The computer models have not worked; the theory has not been supported by the evidence. We are strangely attracted to theories which can be supported by facts; others -- not so much. Then, there is the matter of human behaviour. When people act as though they are desperate to convince you of something, when they make extreme statements, when they appear to be manipulative and devious, they do not advance their cause. Such things must be taken into consideration. Maurice Strong, an early alarmist, claimed that it was our duty to destroy industrial civilization. "Climategate" showed that alarmists were more concerned about establishing conclusions than revealing the process by which they had been reached. The sudden shift from the use of the term "global warming" – when it ceased to occur – to the term "climate change" – which is undeniable – seems a wonderful example of artful dodgery. And then, the rather desperate attempts to make the "pause" in warming disappear by manipulating data does not reflect well on alarmist integrity. Finally, it should be noted that many prominent advocates of alarmism have carbon footprints of Sasquatchian proportions. They obviously do not practice what they preach; their protestations ring as hollow as the knocks on Hubbard's cupboard.
Global Warming (January 20, 2017) We confess to our firm non-conforming --
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| Socialism has never worked, and it never will work. That is
because it is based on a conception of humankind which is unrealistic.
The theory is that we would all be better off if equality reigned: if all members of the tribe were brothers-in-equality, they would all be happy and content. But despite what people claim, they do not, in fact, want equality. They say they do because "equality" sounds good. But they actually want something completely different – improvement. People -- the product of a competitive system of evolution – are strivers; they can never be content with "equality." A related problem is that the attempt to achieve "equality" necessarily involves restricting the competitive instinct – draconian regulation of market forces – and the loss of freedom. All that coercion means somebody has to do the coercing – and that is why socialism, ultimately, is indistinguishable from dictatorship; the ideal of an "equal" society contains the seeds of its very antithesis.
Socialism (January 19, 2017) Fool socialists! -- duped by the theme
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|
Robert Frost wrote a poem called For Once, Then, Something. The narrator, accused of never seeing beyond his own reflected image when he peers into the depths of a well, says that once he saw something "beyond the picture" – "something white, uncertain, something more of the depths --" He wonders whether it was, perhaps, truth -- or just a pebble of quartz. But he concludes -- "for once, then something." The poem is a typically sly Frostian synecdoche; looking into wells is a metaphor for his own exploratory poetic process.
Deep Thoughts and Profound Insights (January 18, 2017) The well of great thoughts we oft plumb
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| When it comes to the traditional idea of God – the omniscient,
omnipotent, benevolent Creator of everything – we just can’t buy it. The
world as we see it is built on a scheme of necessary murder – and the
usual way of getting around the problem – arguing that man is separate
from the animal world – is no longer tenable. To maintain that
proposition, one must ignore both the evidence for evolution, and the
discovery that all life is composed of the same building blocks.
Regrettably, we are part of an order of things which is not consonant
with our desires for harmony, peace, and perfection. We can understand why people wish to maintain a comforting illusion that God’s in his Heaven, and offers a happy afterlife of playing the harp in the clouds. But such illusions should be considered as delightful and comforting fantasies – like living forever – being elected world dictator -- or beating the casino.
God (January 18, 2017) The perfect benevolent "God"
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| Mr. Trudeau has done it again. He seems to have a penchant for
allowing platitudes to pass his lips without benefit of any sort of
filtering by the brain. This does lead us to speculate on the
composition and quality of that particular organ. But perhaps we should
simply assume that the Greater Lifestyle in which he is immersed allows
for this sort of thing. In that world of sympathizing and hobnobbing
with close family friends – dictators and billionaire lobbyists – it is
probably possible to pass many pleasant days feasting on feel-good
platitudes, unencumbered by any intrusion of reality. In the latest episode, Mr. Trudeau paid an injudicious holiday visit to the Aga Khan at his private island employing, for part of the journey, the Aga Khan’s private plane. The injudiciousness arises from the fact that the Aga Khan heads an organization which has received over three hundred million dollars from the Canadian government. There is also some silly rule to the effect that prime ministers must not accept transportation on private planes. Mr. Trudeau emerged from his luxurious retreat on a private island with this remarkable conclusion: I am proud to call His Highness both a mentor and friend. He has shown time and time again that no matter our faith, where we were born, what colour is our skin, or what language we speak, we are equal members of this world. (National Post, January 6, 2017)
Justin Trudeau (January 18, 2017) The truth about Justin – it pains –
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| Ice Cream
January17, 2017 There once was a scoop of ice cream --
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| The certified curmudgeon recognizes that hope – as
Dr. Johnson observed – "is necessary in every condition." Optimism is
better than despair. He would even accept that a certain amount of
illusion may be necessary for human beings to function in the world.
However, he sees that a counterweight is needed to an excess of optimism
– which leads to dangerous delusions. He sees the need for balance. The
stoic approach to life is that which attempts to avoid the extremes; in
not being too hopeful, the stoic is less likely to be crushed by
inevitable disappointments. Hope (January 17, 2017) Everyone needs to have hope –
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| Political Correctness is the child of idealism. In
particular, it is based on the ideal of equality. It appears to assume
that the myriad disparities of ordinary life are merely chimerical – a
fog of confusion which can be dissipated by a breeze of compassionate
kindness and concern for hurt feelings. Once the concealing mist has
lifted, the true nature of reality will be revealed – the dark mountains
of inequality will be levelled, and the shining, even plain of equality
will be luminously evident for all to see. This, of course, is absolute nonsense – but it has a great appeal for idealists. The trouble with ideals – as we have noted elsewhere – is that they are "absolute" conceptions. They are stern, and unforgiving; the attempt to fit the square pegs of reality into the round holes of imagined perfection invariably involves coercion and oppression.
Political Correctness (January 15, 2017) It’s time for a look analytical
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| There are two faces of science. On the one hand, science has
determined many things about how the world works to the lasting benefit
of mankind. Where would the modern world be without electricity,
medicine, or computers? On the other hand – as a result of this -- the
terms "science" and "scientist" have acquired halos of virtue. There is
little realization that there is a huge difference between a scientific
hypothesis, and a proven causal relationship. If "science" – or some
derivative of the word – is attached to an idea, it has the powerful
effect of suggesting that the idea is valid. That is a dangerous
situation. Science (January 15, 2017) What’s truth and what’s "junk" in the "science?" –
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| Connotations for the word "ideal" are positive. One thinks of an
ideal situation as "perfect"-- and people with high ideals are
considered admirable and virtuous. Not so fast. An ideal is an "absolute"– something untempered and pure – but absolutes are inflexible and unforgiving. An ideal may serve as a kind of inspiration, but the real world is not on speaking terms with perfection. The attempt to force reality into the mould of an "ideal" conception is not only doomed to failure, but is likely to be destructive and damaging. Aldous Huxley said: "Dream in a pragmatic way" – and he was right. Ideals are for inspiration, not implementation.
Ideals (January 12, 2017) Admire – if you will – the ideal –
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| Money is too important not to have a limerick written about it.
There are really only two views of money – it is either unarguably
desirable, or unarguably desirable but possibly corrupting. Thus far our
comments have covered both bases. The limerick below fails to throw any
original light on the subject. We wrote it because we were able to find
two usable rhymes for "money." Our comments thus far: 78. (b) A little money is like a little power; it is not enough. 83. Money that is obtained without effort is spent without conscience. 98. If money is sufficient, principle will be deficient. 97. No principle 96. Money is like water: in sufficient volume, it erodes the bedrock of principle, and cuts its own channel. 182. In most things, money matters. 422. All banks are evil. Perhaps that is because they are at the root of all money. 763. There is nothing like a little money to gladden the heart. Our limerick: Money (January 12, 2017) Oh what could be better than money--
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| We are intrigued that Student Union of the School of Oriental and
African Studies in London has insisted that, in the Study of Philosophy,
the Majority of Philosophers should be from Africa and Asia. (National
Post, January 8) From today’s Diary: Apparently the Institution is in the philosophical Grip of a colonizing Mentality, and the Students, quite naturally, wish to escape the stultifying Embrace. They have identified "white philosophers" as those with colonizing Tendencies – and have made a perhaps unnecessarily generous Stipulation – that such Philosophers -- marred by insufficient Skin Pigmentation -- might possibly be studied, as long as they are viewed only from a "critical standpoint." We are pleased to think that such colonizing Philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Spinoza, Kant, and Nietzsche will be avoided. For too long have they been studied and revered – their obvious colonial Biases obfuscated and hidden by a gormless and insensitive academic Community of Scholars.
A Philosophical Advance (January 9, 2017) At last we’ve pin-pointed the blight:
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| Mr. Obama, not content with the damage he has caused to his
country and the world at large during his unfortunate presidency, seems
determined to persist in his perversity to the bitter end. Having provided the Iranians with oodles of cash, and cleared the way for their development of nuclear weapons, he has now allowed a vote censuring Israel at the United Nations. Sometimes we have imagined that he is deliberately malignant – a man determined to cause as much chaos as possible – but it seems more likely that he is simply profoundly stupid. His is the stupidity of a naive idealism – which refuses to see the world as it is – full of danger, self-interest, and deception – but rather as a somewhat rowdy playground – where all the kids have given up their juvenile, 19th century antagonisms, and will respond positively to a few fine speeches which appeal to their basic sense of decency.
Obama the Destroyer December 31, 2016
Obama’s a man so perverse –
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| We are much fascinated by the distance between man’s aspirations
and his reality. It has been our conclusion that man needs idealistic
conceptions as a spur to improvement – but he is often entranced by
notions which – though comforting and flattering -- cannot be put into
effect in the real world. Ideals, as we have noted elsewhere, are for
inspiration, not implementation. We have no solution to this problem – although Aldous Huxley had some theoretical advice: "Dream in a pragmatic way." The recent rise of political correctness reflects, we think, an insistence on the possibility of an ideal world. At its root is the idealistic notion that all apparent differences are superficial – if only they can be ignored or scrubbed away – the true reality of perfect equality and harmony will be revealed; feelings will never be hurt again. Unfortunately, the bedrock of our reality is competitive and cruel. Certain kinds of equality – equality of opportunity, equality of treatment of citizens by government and before the law – are worthy goals. But "equality" itself is not in the blueprint of nature, and will not be found among living creatures. "The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." (Aristotle)
Equality (December 20, 2016) In the let’s pretend world of "all’s equal" –
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| "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the
other..." (Matthew 6:24)
One of the constant battles in the modern world is between the attractiveness of things that sound good – like equality and diversity – and the need for things that work well. If you want to accomplish great things – or make things that work well – a focus on excellence and merit seems appropriate. If you are more concerned about feeling good – then merit must take second place to soothing and comforting ideals – such as equality and diversity. As the Book of Matthew – or Mr. Ruskin -- might have said: You cannot serve two masters: If your work is first with you, and your feelings are second, then work is your master. If your feelings come first, and your work comes second then your feelings are your master, and you are "cowardly, and more or less stupid."* The temper of our times – as shown by the new Religion of Political Correctness – is to emphasize feelings. As Thomas Sowell has noted: "Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good." As a proof of this predilection for what sounds good, we must note that the British Film Industry seems willing to sacrifice the idea of merit, for the more fashionable idea of diversity: Two of the main British Film Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) awards will only be awarded to films which meet diversity targets. The nominations will have to show that they have improved diversity within at least two of four categories to qualify: on-screen characters and themes; senior roles and crew; industry training and career progression; and audience access and appeal to under-represented audiences, the BBC has reported. (Breitbart News, December 16) Such a move is consistent, of course, with the idea that a parliamentary cabinet should have equal representation of males and females, or that a workplace – especially a government workplace -- should reflect, proportionately, the number of disabled trans-gendered left-handed Australovenians in the general population. We suspect that, ultimately, feelings are inadequate substitutes for facts – but it will be interesting to see at what point that truth becomes evident. Bafta Diversity (December 18, 2016) We’ve heard the mad news about Bafta–
* Ruskin, The Crown of Wild Olive. We have distorted Ruskin here: his distinction was between work and fee as alternative masters.
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| Mr. Trudeau has done it again! After expressing his admiration
for China’s "basic dictatorship" in 2013, Mr. Trudeau has seen fit to
send a message of warm and fuzzy condolence upon the death of the Cuban
dictator, Fidel Castro. Mr. Trudeau referred to Mr. Castro as a "legendary revolutionary" and "remarkable leader." He also noted Mr. Castro’s "tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people." Mr. Trudeau seems constantly bedazzled by the surface of things. Mr. Castro did not, in fact, love the Cuban people; what he loved was his vision of the Cuban people. Those are entirely different things, separated by worlds of cruelty and light years of oppression. The socialist-idealist constantly aspires to build crystal palaces, not understanding that only crystal people can live in them. But the vision conquers all: human freedom and autonomy are minor sacrifices to be made at the altar of the egalitarian ideal. Indeed, Mr. Castro shows the necessary link between socialism and dictatorship. While ants have a genetic legacy for socialism, human beings yearn for autonomy and freedom which are inconsistent with the socialist ideal. The aim of socialism is to turn human beings – willy-nilly -- into ants. Mr. Trudeau – like his father before him – is entranced by the essential principle of socialist dictatorships: the philosopher-king has a superior vision of reality; that vision -- a noble end -- justifies necessary but questionable means. The great danger lies in the assumption of superior vision; the ideal world is always inconsistent, in some measure, with the real one.
Trudeau’s Sunny Ways (November 29, 2016)
In a world where the ways are all sunny –
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| It used to be thought – once upon a time – that universities were
places where the truth might be discovered. Science might determine the
interactions of things, and philosophy might ponder the potentials and
limitations of the human condition. The modern university seems to have fallen prey to fanciful idealistic notions which have no consonance with reality. It has been overcome by notions of political correctness – which sees the world, not as it is, but as it "should" be. As we have observed elsewhere: At the root of political correctness is an idealistic fantasy: the world can, in fact, be transformed into a Rose Garden, where the thorns of inequality, failure, and hurt feelings are banished, and each perfect rose blooms in confident, untroubled harmony with the whole. But perfection is elusive: like all ideals, the Rose Garden is absolutist, unforgiving, and oppressive. (Observation #846) Thus, the modern university is concerned with feelings, rather than facts. It sees its primary duty as the protection of students from the evils of hurt feelings. Ideas – that is conservative ideas -- which suggest that the Rose Garden is not, in fact, a realistic possibility are not to be countenanced. The recent response to the election of Donald Trump is telling. Instead of attempting to analyse the forces which have led to a rejection of fanciful left-wing ideals, the universities have attempted to distract students from their "dismay" with puppies, chocolates, and colouring books. "Safe spaces" have been the reflex de rigueur. These " spaces"-- special areas set aside so that hurt feelings can be wallowed in – a haven for supportive communal commiseration – a retreat where illusions can be reinforced – have become the omnipresent symbol of modern academic fatuity.
The Modern University (November 26, 2016) In the groves and the towers there’s a turning –
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| We have learned that Kathleen Wynne, Ontario’s revered Premier,
has "personally" taken the blame for the provincial power fiasco.
(National Post, November 24) For some time, Ms. Wynne’s popularity has been declining; she now has an approval rating of about twenty percent – the lowest among provincial premiers. Yesterday, there was a gathering of about seventy-five citizens at Queen’s Park, protesting the high cost of hydro. Possibly Ms. Wynne has done the calculation, and concluded that there is a causal link between the cost of electricity and her own popularity. No doubt she deems some appearance of contrition to be appropriate, and possibly helpful. In fact, of course, her policies have simply been a continuation of those begun by the hopeless McGuinty, who sought – at huge cost – to put Ontario at the forefront of the "Green Revolution" thereby assuring his legacy as a remarkable visionary and worthy saviour of the planet. Ms. Wynne, as if in a trance, has simply followed the primrose path to perdition. We have seen a determined Ms. Wynne jogging along a country road, in full climate delusion mode – suggesting that she – possibly single-handedly – will save the planet. It would not be surprising to see hydro rates come down. But this will not be a result of any fundamental reform. Rather, there will be a convenient theft from an obscure and compliant Peter in order to pay a noisily grumbling Paul.
Wynne’s Hydro Woes (November 24, 2016) High prices – a sin and our shame!
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| The recent victory of Donald Trump seems to have exacerbated the
psychological fragility of students throughout the United States.
University administrations, largely composed of those unable to
distinguish between mothers’ milk and left-wing idealism, find
themselves in similar states of shock. The world of political
correctness, is after all, a world in which sweetness and light
prevails; any suggestion that life inevitably brings competition,
failure, hurt feelings, and frustration is a suggestion to be ignored –
in the hopes that it will steal quietly away, and self-destruct on the
nearest convenient rainbow. Thus, those institutions formerly thought to be in the business of examining reality and discovering truth, have decided that their chief aim and goal is to preserve those illusions which they find most comforting. Students upset by the election of someone who does not believe in anthropogenic global warming, open borders, multiculturalism, and globalism, must obviously be reassured that this is an anomaly – a painful -- but mistaken and hence temporary – straying from the path to Nirvana. The immediate psychological damage can, it is supposed, be alleviated: exams have been made optional; puppies, colouring books, and chocolate have been provided. Above all "safe spaces" have been created where students may immerse themselves in supportive, communal wallowing, without fear of further – possibly fatal – discombobulation. The chief course in the new learning is -- naturally -- Coddling 101.*
Coddling 101 (November 17, 2016) In learning we see the new model:
* We should note that an Iowa congressman, Bobby Kaufman, has introduced a bill to reduce funding to coddling Universities: Kauffman’s new bill, which he is calling the "suck it up, buttercup" bill, would target state universities who are using public funds to finance "election-related sit-ins and grief counsel[l]ing above and beyond what is normally available to students." Kauffman’s bill would pull funding from the offending institution for twice the amount spent on such activities. (Breitbart News, November 16)
|
| The age of politically correct madness has certainly arrived.
Political correctness is based on the notion of an ideal world where
harmony and equality reign. Human beings move through life as if
wandering in a Rose Garden, where the thorns of disappointment and
failure have been benevolently removed, where high self-esteem --
removed from the necessity of accomplishment – is a universal right, and
where hurt feelings have suffered the fate of socially-mandated
obsolescence.
It’s not a real world, of course – but it would be politically incorrect to make that observation. It appears that students in our institutions of higher learning – and evanescent sanity – have been particularly troubled by the recent election of Mr. Trump, who refuses to accept the premises of the Rose Garden. He appears to believe in nationalism, which is consistent with the notion that some ideas about the conduct of life are better than others, and that it is prudent to maintain the security of borders. This is in direct conflict with the Obama philosophy that America has a highly inflated idea of its superiority, and would benefit from a destruction of its traditional ethos, in part achieved by a dilution of its values through immigration of those holding different – and often antithetical cultural values. Students report feeling threatened by this possible return to reality. The academic institutions, having long become bastions of left-wing nonsense, where feelings have become sacrosanct, and much time is spent parsing casual speech for hints of evidence of microaggression, are entirely sympathetic to the concerns of the students. At Yale, an economics professor, responding to the "heartfelt notes" of distressed students, has made a midterm examination optional. At the University of Pennsylvania, students have been provided with puppies, colouring books, and chocolate – as distractions from the painful reality of Mr. Trump’s victory.* Regular classes have been sacrificed to the creation of "safe spaces" – where students can discuss their apprehensions about the looming reality. It would appear that human beings are eternally vulnerable to "Extraordinary popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds."**
The Art of the Swaddle (November 13, 2016) They now teach the art of the swaddle –
*See Diary, November 12 & 13, 2016. **Charles Mackay
|
| In today’s National Post, Terence Corcoran writes about the
"carbon contradiction." He notes that at the same time that Prime
Minister Trudeau is considering plans to make the Vancouver harbour safe
for tanker transportation of oil and gas, the climate change believers
are meeting in Marrakech to consider plans to stop such traffic. This is the difference between pious protestations and stubborn realities. Those on the side of conventional and public piety – in a recent United Nations report – suggest that even the pledges of the Paris Agreement will not prevent a rise in temperatures of up to 3.4 degrees rather than the agreed-upon goal of 1.5 degrees. As a side note – we cannot help but view the belief that global temperatures can be predicted decades in the future – when no one knows what the weather will be next month – as somewhat presumptuous. Those on the side of secret apostasy are building coal plants. The Chinese are apparently building one every week or so, and Japan is planning to use coal to replace its closed nuclear plants. That’s the trouble with carbon sin – it's a bit like ice cream – easy to inveigh against in moments of dietary resolve, but hard to keep from actually turning up -- surprise! surprise! -- in the freezer.
Carbon Sin (November 8, 2016) Oh, look at the mess we’ve got in! --
|
| Yes. We know it gets dark earlier as winter
approaches. We do not expect the earth to change its customary path. We
have the wisdom to accept those things which cannot be changed.
But we do find the darkness an oppression of the spirit. We are forced into a kind of psychological hibernation. The outdoors becomes -- with awful rapidity -- gloomy, unfriendly, unwelcoming: we are forced inside to seek a light at once artificial and somehow insufficient. But consider the madness! Just as this natural oppression is making itself felt – it has been decided that we must set the clocks back to hasten and intensify the gloom! We care not what silly justification – lost in the mists of time -- there may have been for the changing of clocks during the year. It is our understanding that -- besides the bother of it all -- there are more traffic accidents, curses, socks lost in the laundry -- and measurably greater hair loss – all directly attributable to a setting back of clocks in the fall. Standard Time is an abomination. It should be given a dishonourable discharge. Daylight Saving Time should be made the permanent and unchanging standard in its place. As far as we know, Saskatchewan is the only province sensible enough to have made this move. We think politicians – opposition politicians – so concerned with the trivialities of trade, finance, and security – would coast to an easy victory if only they were to make one promise: the permanent adoption of Daylight Saving Time.
Setting the Clocks (November 6, 2016)
It’s the dumbest of annual shocks –
|
| We have so far refrained from commenting on the U.S. election. We
initially favoured Mr. Trump – since he seems to be aware of the threats
posed by uncontrolled, immigration, the difficult cultural gulf between
Islam and the West, and the political correctness which deems it
inappropriate even to discuss such matters. We know that Mrs. Clinton lied about Benghazi; she appears to be coldly ambitious, deceptive, and completely untrustworthy. The media have glossed over concerns about her private email server, the integrity of the Clinton Foundation, and the sale of influence. The fact that her email transgressions were ignored by the FBI -- after a meeting between the Attorney General and Mr. Clinton -- suggests a significant level of corruption in the "establishment." That the email investigation has now been re-opened simply adds to the perception that there was an initial cover-up of something quite resistant to the usual burial procedures. On the other hand, Mr. Trump seems incapable of getting past his own ego; his knowledge of the matters on which he pronounces appears slim. He appears careless, uncontrolled, and injudicious. It is cruel that voters in the United States must make a choice between two utterly inappropriate candidates. In the end, our loathing of the entrenched left-wing stupidity represented by Mrs. Clinton and the unfortunate Obama still overcomes our grave misgivings about Mr. Trump. His instincts are correct. On its present course, the United States seems destined for irrelevancy. If Mr. Trump should be elected – we would hope that the U.S. political system – which limits presidential power -- might mitigate his impulsiveness, and that some of his misunderstandings might be corrected.* If Mrs. Clinton is elected: God help us!
Two Evils (October 29, 2016) We have to admit we’re near stumped –
*One might argue that the same system might limit the power of Mrs. Clinton. The big difference is that the "fourth estate" -- the mainstream media -- consistently criticize conservatives, and support liberals.
|
| We see that the Pope, with his usual degree of perspicacity,
interwoven with the customary dollop of unjustified hopefulness, has
declared that the world is at war -- but it is not a religious war --
since all religions are peaceful. The Pope told journalists traveling with him that the world is not only insecure, it is at war. "But it’s a real war, not a religious war," Francis said. "It’s a war of interests, a war for money. A war for natural resources and for the dominion of the peoples. Some might say it’s a religious war. Every religion wants peace." (Breitbart News, July 27, 2016 The Pope might wish to cast a casual eye on the rôle of religion in ancient tribal warfare, brush up on the Crusades and the Inquisition, and read some of the less tolerant and forgiving verses of the Koran. When one cannot identify the true nature of a problem, the chances of a solution are almost infinitely reduced.*
The Pope (July 28, 2016) In his mode of unthinking caprice,
*If you can't identify the root of the problem -- your solution will become part of it. (Observation # 737)
|
| Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney-General recently had a
rendezvous with her old friend, Bill Clinton – who, years ago, appointed
her as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Two
planes – carrying Mr. Clinton and Ms. Lynch -- met at the airport in
Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Clinton boarded Ms. Lynch’s plane, and a
discussion of thirty minutes took place. The topic was reputed to be
golf; speculation is that Ms. Lynch might be having trouble keeping her
eye on the ball, and Mr. Clinton, a skilled practitioner, has some
useful pointers. The FBI was on hand with instructions not to permit any photographs or use of cell phones. No doubt Ms. Lynch is anxious to conceal this special coaching advantage from her golfing partners. We are sure that the meeting had nothing to do with the FBI investigation of Mrs. Clinton for mishandling of classified information and corruption while she was Secretary of State.
Loretta Lynch (July 4, 2016) When caught in political pinch –
|
| The British have decided to leave the European Union. This has
occasioned much gnashing of the teeth among the elites, who value theory
over common sense, and egalitarian ideals over real cultural
differences. The European Union has placed much emphasis on autocratic bureaucratic decisions made in Brussels by those not subject to democratic recall or veto. This subverts the idea of democratic national sovereignty. Further, more recently, it has upheld the idealistic notion that cultural differences are unimportant, and that nations have no right to determine who will be permitted to live within their borders. In essence, this makes the concept of "nation" irrelevant. The destruction of national borders may make sense in the ideal world – where cultural differences are minor – but not so much in the real world, where cultural values are sometimes antithetical, and differences are clearly not amenable to resolution. The notion that religion should be the basis of government is simply not compatible with the notion that it should not. What the elites overlook -- in their theoretical approach to the world -- is that human beings are instinctively tribal, and tribal differences cannot be banished with the flourish of a bureaucratic pen.
Brexit (June 26, 2016)
It’s not very hard to conceive
|
| Mrs. Clinton, is seeking the Democratic nomination, with the hope
that she will replace the extraordinarily destructive Mr. Obama. While
we suspect that any citizen selected at random from the phone book – any
phone book – would be an improvement over Mr. Obama, we think there is
little to recommend Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy. She deliberately lied about the cause of the Benghazi raid in 2012 . She appears to have defied regulations when, as Secretary of State, she maintained a private email server. Many expect she will be indicted as a result. She and Mr. Clinton also appear to have sold political favours for cash donations to the Clinton Foundation. She seems eminently unsuitable to be President. Ms. Clinton -- No Valid Currency (June 4, 2016) As they mine the dull ore of Ms. Clinton --
Ms. Clinton – Will the Cabbage Soup Diet Work to Lighten Political Baggage? Ms. Clinton’s in flight with such baggage,
|
| The Pope seems more socialist than Catholic. He seems to believe
– like the socialists – that bad things happen -- not as a result of
human perversity or malignant ideology – but as a consequence of a
flawed and oppressive society. Like all socialists, he is determined to find equality where none exists. Thus, he does not see the Islamic philosophy of conquest as much worse that the early Christian determination to spread the word. In an attempt to minimize the differences between Islam and the West, he has said that western societies place too much emphasis on the separation of Church and State. With a typical socialist refusal to face the fact of evil, he has said: "Every person desires communion and peace." (Breitbart, May 26) Such a statement comes from the socialist belief in original goodness. Whatever happened to original sin? (See more at Diary, May 25, 2016)
Hopeless Popeless (May 26, 2016) There’s no hope, alas, for the Pope –
|
| We wrote on May 9 about the discovery that Facebook is a
left-wing organization which chooses not to emphasize right-wing news
and ideas. Facebook is a private company – and may promote what ideas it wishes. It is unfortunate that it has gained the status of a monopoly which has the power to influence the thinking of the vast numbers of citizens world-wide who are its users. The latest example of Facebook censorship is reported in Breitbart News of this date: The admin of Disdain for Plebs, a pro-Trump, alt-right Facebook page, was banned for arguing that Trump was not anti-Muslim, but anti-ISIS, and that his proposed ban on Muslims was not due to innate racism, but because "Homeland Security cannot differentiate which Muslim is radical wanting to cause harm and which is a harmless refugee." (Breitbart, May 21) Subsequently, Lauren Southern criticised Facebook for banning the administrator. Her account was suspended for thirty days as a result. It is clear that a competitor for Facebook is needed. We would point out that our own National Post requires those contributing to their online commentary threads to have a Facebook account. This would appear to be a support by the National Post for a partisan left-wing organization, and seems highly inappropriate. Some hint of the scope of Mr. Zuckerberg’s left-wing lunacy may be gathered from our diary entry of March 30, 2016.
Zuckerberg’s Facebook (May 21, 2016) See Facebook – now caught with its heft
|
| Mr. Trudeau, the advocate of "sunny ways" appears to think that
the universe is unable to resist his charm. He seems unprepared to deal
with any indication that the cosmos might have a mind of its own, and
his charm might not always be triumphant. Annoyed at a delay By Members of the House in taking their seats before a vote on the Assisted-Dying Bill, Mr. Trudeau crossed the floor and attempted to drag Gordon Brown, the Conservative Whip, from a group of chatting members. In the process, he used a naughty word – which one the media have not reported – and elbowed NDP member Ellen Brosseau in the chest. It has been suggested that Mr. Trudeau, always the actor, was making a grand gesture which he thought might play well to an adoring audience. If that is so, we think he might consider hiring a more thoughtful playwright, and follow a more judicious script. If no calculation was involved, we may have gained further insight to a man we have always considered to be profoundly unsuitable for political office. No doubt Mr. Trudeau’s own life has been a succession of sunny days along paths of sunny ways, and he is unused to obstacles. We have always been uncertain how Mr. Trudeau would respond to frustration and disappointment. Now we have been given a hint.
Mr. Trudeau (May 20, 2016) "Such a ding-dong" we’ve labelled Trudeau –
|
| Evolution trumps revolution. Great changes are achieved
incrementally, each step building naturally on the last. It is the folly
of government to believe in the efficacy of great leaps -- and its
hubris the attempt to implement them. (Observation # 173)
We have learned that Ms Wynne is just as obsessed with the notion that the climate can be changed by governments as was Mr. McGuinty. It is said that the government plans to spend seven billion dollars in green initiatives. Bankruptcy is – apparently -- preferable to climate sin. (National Post, May 17) New homes and buildings will not be permitted to use natural gas for heating; only geothermal and electric power will be allowed. Subsidies will be provided for retrofitting to help us on the paths of righteousness and away from natural gas. Measures will be taken to introduce an electric car into every household within eight years. Money will be spent on purities such as public transit and bike paths. In view of the fact that climate predictions based on the theory that greenhouse gasses are responsible for global warming have been erroneous, such enthusiasm seems misplaced. The theory of anthropogenic climate change is more religion than science. It would appear that Ms. Wynne has gone mad, along with the herds.*
Ms. Wynne (May 18, 2016) Let us now praise our leader, Ms. Wynne –
*"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, one by one." (Charles Mackay)
|
| The New Democratic Party, restless, wearying of Mr. Mulcair’s
attempts to make the organization more credible, have decided to seek a
new leader.
Doubtless working towards credibility is not nearly as exciting as dreaming grand but impractical dreams. The socialist Nirvana has the palaces of crystal, the shimmering towers of perfection, and the grand egalitarian edifices which provide not merely a nobility of goal, but a stick of comparison with which to beat, with withering disdain, all lesser realities. With the "Leap Manifesto", the party seems poised to jump into a new "green " world – where fossil fuels are replaced with renewable energy – not according to economic viability – but according to government directive. A wonderful world of caring is to evolve – in which we care "for the earth and one another." The economy – who cares? The "Leap" is a natural progression from the theory that mankind is primarily responsible for climate change – a theory still desperately in search of validation.
The NDP Leap Manifesto (April 20, 2016) Now Mulcair’s but a smouldering heap,
|
| We see that the election promise prediction of a ten billion
dollar deficit was far too modest. Modesty does not become those with
good hair and a taste for celebrity. The budget deficit revealed
yesterday (March 22, 2016) is nearly thirty billion.
This simply confirms our view that the Trudeau government will be long on drama, short on reality. Grand gestures require lots of cash. We will worry about paying the bills when the party is over. The Budget (March 22, 2016) As the money erupts in a blaze –
|
| In today’s National Post, Matt Gurney calls for an element of
civility in our political discourse. He has objected to a Conservative Party tweet which refers to "Justin" rather than the Prime Minister. He feels that respect should be paid to the office; thus, despite one’s opinion of the holder of the office, a certain decorum should be maintained: I will always speak respectfully of Prime Minister Trudeau not because I voted for him (I didn’t) or because I support his policies (I generally don’t). I’ll respect him because he’s the Prime Minister of my country, and I love my country. And if the Liberals are defeated, I’ll treat the next guy or girl with just as much respect not because of who they are but what they are. There are times in life when we are inordinately grateful for our deficiencies. While we agree with Mr. Gurney’s argument on a theoretical level, we cannot translate his high-mindedness into any reality that we can imagine. We recognize that our view -- that Mr. Trudeau is, in fact, the anti-Christ wearing a "good hair" wig -- is probably not widely shared. But we all need our irrational eternal verities. This happens to be ours. We commented on the article as follows:* It is a terrible dilemma: should one be hypocritical and suffer fools with apparent gladness – or speak one’s mind and be accused of crassness, indelicacy, and disrespect? The Dilemma of Correctness (March 18, 2016) It’s a terrible problem we’ve got:
*With minor editing.
|
| The Prime Minister and the provincial leaders have met to have
earnest discussions about changing the climate. They seem to think that
they will be able to accomplish this goal, not by altering the
operations of the sun or influencing the effects of the heat from the
earth’s core, but by reducing carbon emissions. The notion that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have a direct and predictable effect on global temperatures is a theory in search of validation. Thus far, predictions made using this hypothesis have been erroneous. The fact that temperatures have not risen, despite an increase in gasses over the last eighteen years would tend to make rational people question the validity of the theory. Politicians, of course, do not fall into that category. Belief in the theory has become a religious requirement, and heresy is considered politically inadvisable. Besides, the opportunity to raise taxes in accordance with current pieties can hardly be passed up. The Political Pooh-Bahs of Climate Change (March 6, 2016) New taxes on carbon are seen
|
| The pause in global warming has now been confirmed in a new study
published in Nature Climate Change. The fact that the rise
in temperatures has paused while greenhouse gasses have increased
suggests the theory on which Climageddon is based is flawed. Further,
the fact that Michael Mann, a devoted alarmist, was an author of the
study suggests that the good ship Climageddon is headed for the rapids
of reality and may soon capsize. Some of the rats have decided to
desert. Climate Ship Cools; Rats Leave (February 29, 2016) Fearing an imminent flip,
|
|
"Hope," said Dr. Johnson, "is necessary in every condition." Perhaps that is why voters elected Mr. Obama, who promised hope and change, and Mr. Trudeau, who promises "sunny ways." Mr. Obama’s changes seem to be aimed at the conversion of America from an entrepreneurial engine into a European social democracy, from a world leader to a passive spectator, from a bastion of free speech to an anxious placater of Islam. The result has been a diminution, rather than an enhancement of hope. Mr. Trudeau, a former teacher of drama, has little experience of anything real, and has aims rather more vague. He appears to think that the world is amenable to niceness and general bonhomie. As befitting a drama teacher. he is fond of grand gestures which have superficial appeal for the audience; he gives little thought to the practical realities of implementation. It is hard to imagine that his aim in entering politics had anything to do with any coherent philosophy. We suspect the chief attraction for him was the potential for celebrity. It is our conviction that those who see the world in terms of "sunny ways" are inevitably doomed to discover that those ways often lead unexpectedly into darkness and abyss. We expect his government to be characterized by a series of grand
pronouncements and high sounding ideas followed by the sounds of
crashing as they fracture on reality and the swish of suction as they
are borne away in the unaccommodating tides of implementation. Trudeau’s Star Act (February 27, 2016) Trudeau’s but a star on a stage –
March 7, 2016: We have received a notification of objection from Melanie Paterson, of the Limerick Purity Defence League of Canada with respect to the above. Ms. Paterson usually complains about our casual disregard for the limerick form; on this occasion she has declared our limerick lacking in the gentility which the League advocates. Fearful that our Limerick License might be summarily revoked, we have reworked and revised our effort as follows: The Genteel Version: Trudeau's but a star on a stage --
|
| Oh dear! He’s done it again! First it was the conversion to
climate alarmism, then it was an unseemly chortle with Hassan Rouhani --
then he likened gossip to terrorism. Throughout he has criticized
capitalism and markets -- as if central planning had an unblemished
record of efficacy in the production and distribution of goods and
services, and in the creation of wealth. Now he has accused a
presidential candidate, Donald Trump, of not being a Christian. It is our contention that the Pope is unwise to meddle in politics and pronounce on matters of which his knowledge is deeply superficial. We think that those in the business of speculating on the unseen, the unknowable, and the unbelievable, should confine their remarks to matters of minor importance, such as the number of angels who might comfortably dance – doing the foxtrot -- on the head of a pin. Come to think of it, it does not seem unreasonable to suggest that belief in virgin birth and resurrection of the dead -- pretty much a churchly requirement -- implies a significant level of gullibility, and some degree of cognitive impairment.
The Pope does it Again! (February 19, 2016) From folly to error he lurches --
|
| The least we expect of our Popes is a modicum of informed
hypocrisy. The current Pope, Pope Francis, seems fond of criticizing
greed, materialism, capitalism, and markets. Recently, he likened gossip
to terrorism. Earth to Pope! Earth to Pope! If it were not for the competitive spirit – involving greed and materialism – we wouldn’t even be here. It’s not called the human "race" for nothing! Capitalism and markets are the most efficient means of distributing goods. Gossip – besides being delicious -- is undoubtedly a tool developed as a factor in enhancing tribal cohesion. Lofty ideals of equality, passivity, and harmony – harkening back to an idyllic imaginary Garden – have their place. But that place is amid the endlessly boring round of strumming those infernal harps and the interminable praising of God. Actually expecting fanciful ideals to be put into effect in a real world which is founded on antithetical principles suggests a very superficial understanding of the human condition.
Pope Francis (February 14, 2016)
A clear choice is on tap for each Pope:
|
| We saw last evening "The Sea’s Strangest Square Mile" – which
shows a variety of predatory creatures in an area of sea near Indonesia.
The sea floor might be described as "lunar" – a desolation of loose sand
and gravel unrelieved by any type of coral or vegetation. Thus the
predatory nature of the existence of the inhabitants is put in stark
relief. There are no warm sunny afternoons of ambling in a colourful landscape. This is survival of the fittest in its most ruthless, untempered form. The creatures are often ugly and grotesque. Subterfuge and concealment are at a premium. Some blend into the sea-floor by means of colouration, others by appearing as motionless, encrusted objects. Many of them burrow into the sea bed and lie concealed, ready to attack -- with extraordinary and reflexive rapidity -- any unwary prey. There is no indication that the meals are savoured or enjoyed. This is all business – an automatic, unthinking necessity. We recommend this film as an antidote to any unseemly attacks of sentimentality concerning God’s benign and benevolent creation.
Reality III (February 07, 2016) Thou Shalt Kill The creatures that prey in the deep
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| "Hope," said Dr. Johnson. "is necessary in every condition." This
suggests that every condition is sufficiently troubling to require some
prospect of escape or improvement.
If this is so, it perhaps explains the popularity of religion, which promises an ultimate escape to a situation of somewhat ill-defined but comforting improvement. There does, however, seem to be a logical inconsistency in religious notions. The benevolence and wisdom of God in the imagined future must overlook the terrible actual circumstances his creation presents in the here and now. While life has its inspiring moments in the pleasures of the senses, wonder, joy, and triumph, these stand in contrast to the underlying reality: creation operates on a principle of ruthless predation. Most animals survive and thrive by eating other animals. (Human beings are no exception.) While social animals have established an ameliorating principle of co-operation, the underlying necessity of ruthless competition for survival forms an undeniable bedrock of reality for all sentient existence.
Reality II (February 4, 2016) It’s really quite odd how men think –
|
| The paradoxical nature of human existence is a constant source of
fascination. The imagined ideal may be a necessary spur to improvement –
but ideal notions carried too far have negative consequences. Too much
of a good thing is invariably a bad thing. This is because there are
underlying realities which cannot be altered to suit ideal conceptions.
Human Nature resists perfection, just as equality of result will always
remain an unrealized blue-horned unicorn of the human imagination.
Reality I (February 3, 2016) It’s a puzzle that’s apt to depress –
|
| We have seen a photograph of the Pope sharing a happy moment with
Hasssan Rouhani, the president of Iran. (Breitbart News, January 29.)
Mr. Rouhani is boastfully deceptive and committed to the development of
nuclear weapons and the destruction of Israel. The Pope is reputed to be
a Christian. We suppose important people find themselves in necessary contact with those of whom they disapprove, but surely protocol does not require the shared chortle, the communal chuckle, or the exchange of witticisms. We would have expected, if not a glare of condemnation, at least a glance of frosty reserve. Is this the Pope seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses, or is this a lapse into a moral vacuum?
The Pope (January 31, 2016) With Rouhani the Pope seems so cosy –
(See also Diary, January 29)
|
| Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, announced in 2010 that
multiculturalism did not work – that it had "utterly failed" in Germany. This is not surprising. Cultures are simply expressions of instinctive tribalism, and where deeply ingrained cultural values are very different – even antithetical – the prospects for successful multiculturalism range from dark to stygian. Yet Ms. Merkel has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Syrians who have, apparently, been unable to find refuge in countries where the culture is more similar to their own. Ms. Merkel should be commended for her idealism, but, as is so
often the case, the ideal has been confounded by the reality. The recent
sex attacks in Cologne – and no doubt other practical realities – have
led to a considerable disillusionment on the part of the German
population.
Forty Members of Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party have signed a
Petition to close Germany’s Borders to those seeking Asylum. Ms. Merkel (January 21, 2016) It’s an unpleasant task we can't shirkel –
|
| Yesterday, a meeting of Defence Ministers was held in Paris with
the purpose of discussing a plan to defeat ISIS. Canada was not invited.
The Conservatives claim that this is a snub because Canada has vowed to
withdraw its jets from the battle; the Liberals claim that it is nothing
of the kind. The controversy does draw attention to Mr. Trudeau’s policy of incoherence. He wishes to be on the morally correct side of the battle, while ensuring that it doesn’t involve the messiness of actual fighting. He sees the providing of warm clothing for the dispossessed as the ideal rôle for Canada. This is the old two cake syndrome – eating the cake of world regard for active engagement in battle, while retaining the cake of staying safely at home. Mr. Trudeau (January 21, 2016) Trudeau -- our "sunny ways" child
|
| We seem to detect a resurgence of common sense with respect to
climate alarmism. Judith Curry recently castigated the alarmists,* and
today, James Delingpole, citing three sources, rejoices that
anthropogenic warming has lost its credibility. One of the sources he
cites is: The Most Comprehensive Assault On Global Warming Ever –
written by a US physics professor called Mike van Biezen. Professor
Biezen lists ten reasons why the theory of anthropogenic global warming
no longer has any credibility: 1.Temperature records from around the world do not support the assumption that today’s temperatures are unusual. 2. Satellite temperature data does not support the assumption that temperatures are rising rapidly. 3. Current temperatures are always compared to the temperatures of the 1980’s, but for many parts of the world the 1980’s was the coldest decade of the last 100+ years. 4. The world experienced a significant cooling trend between 1940 and 1980. 5. Urban heat island effect skews the temperature data of a significant number of weather stations. 6. There is a natural inverse relationship between global temperatures and atmospheric CO2 levels. 7. The CO2 cannot, from a scientific perspective, be the cause of significant global temperature changes. 8. There have been many periods during our recent history that a warmer climate was prevalent long before the industrial revolution. 9.Glaciers have been melting for more than 150 years. 10. "Data adjustment" is used to continue the perception of global warming. (Breitbart. com, January 4)
We are caught up in Mr. Delingpole’s enthusiasm. We suspect that it will be only a few short decades before the politicians, one by one, begin to have their "eureka" moments.** The following limerick is probably a bit forward - looking: it assumes the eventual return to normality of even the alarmists themselves.
The cooling Fever (January 4, 2016) To their forecasting fevers quite glum
* (See Diary, December 31, 2015) **Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one. (Charles Mackay, 1814 - 1889)
|
| Yes, we admit it! We find the fact that Justin Trudeau is
actually the Prime Minister of Canada is a matter worthy of obsession.
It is humbling indeed to think that we live in a country in which the
stupidity of the electorate is impossible to overestimate. An article
appearing in today’s National Post is entitled "Liberal Presumptions go
up in Smog."
We think these lines sum things up with some accuracy: "Our new prime minister in particular seems to have very little idea what is going on in the world or how things work." " The Liberals would have been wise to think about fundamentals, and details, before running for office on a lavishly unstudied platform. It is essential that they do so now that the platform is collapsing beneath their feet." We contributed this to the online commentary thread: Trudeau (December 11, 2015) For one thing Trudeau’s got a flair --
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| OTTAWA—Justin Trudeau is putting his money where his mouth is
when it comes to the Conservative government’s newly enhanced universal
child-care benefit (UCCB). The Liberal leader maintains it’s wrong to give the benefit to wealthy families that don’t need help raising their kids. And to underscore that point, he’s going to give his own family’s windfall to charity. With three young children, one under the age of 6, Trudeau is entitled to collect annual UCCB payments of about $3,400. (Toronto Star, July 21, 2015)
Mr. Trudeau’s crusade against the rich has its limits. Mr. Trudeau -- finding a suitable grandstand -- publicly rejected the universal child care benefit last summer – announcing that he would donate his $3400 benefit to charity. He did so on the principle that wealthy Canadians do not need government handouts. That, of course, was Mr. Trudeau speaking simply as a wealthy Canadian. Now, as a wealthy Canadian Prime Minister, he finds that one nanny is not enough – and seems to think that two is about the right number that the government should dole out. We note that, on a CBC panel program this past Saturday, all the participants were willing to overlook the discrepancy on the grounds of Prime Ministerial need. We cannot say for sure – but we suspect that Mr. Harper found in such a contradiction would be burnt in effigy in front of the CBC building. It must be the hair. One Nanny is never Enough. (December 7, 2015) With principled sizzle and flash
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| Every morning that we awake, we wonder whether the election of
Mr. Trudeau has simply been a bad dream.
During the day, we get constant reminders of the reality. The mainstream media have restrained their expressions of obvious glee, cleverly masking it in fawning, gushing outpourings of awe-struck admiration. His secular sainthood seems assured. We are resolutely suspicious. Mr. Trudeau has "an unbearable lightness of being." We have been appalled at the rise to power of a man without any experience, qualifications, or apparent aptitude for the position which he has now achieved. Mr. Trudeau has – like Mr. Obama -- been elected on the basis of appearances and hopeful expectations. He promises a retreat from reality – a belief in the equality of cultures, an acceptance of climate change delusions, deficits without consequence, and a disengagement from the nastiness of conflict. What voters will get is an experiment in idealistic folly. Mr. Trudeau (November 20, 2015) It’s not fitting – the indiscreet drool
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| Mr.Trudeau has been elected with a majority. His chief
qualifications for political office are a familiar name and fine hair.
We classify him as an impractical idealist who gives no indication of
understanding the complexities of the real world with which he must now,
necessarily, become engaged. He believes in both multiculturalism and
anthropogenic global warming – what could be more damning? If we were
younger, we would move to Australia – or possibly Easter Island.
Trudeaumania (October 21, 2015) It’s really quite terribly sad
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| We are relieved that Iran and the International Atomic Energy
Agency have concluded an agreement which will provide for a safe and
effective monitoring regime for the Iranian nuclear program. The
Iranians will perform all necessary checks themselves. This brilliant
plan has the obvious and clear advantage of saving both time and money.
In addition, it introduces a level of certainty in Iran’s development of
nuclear bombs which was, heretofore, sadly lacking. It is seldom that we
see such clear, unambiguous thinking in complex matters concerning
nuclear weapons development in countries known to be sponsors of
terrorism.
Iran (August 20, 2015) An enriching report from Iran –
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| The Obama Administration, together with other world powers, has
reached an agreement with Iran with respect to the development of its
nuclear facilities. The deal – as we understand it -- lifts economic
sanctions against Iran in return for an Iranian pledge to develop a
nuclear bomb more slowly than it might otherwise have done. The Iranians
have also concluded "side deals" with the International Atomic Energy
Agency, the details of which are not to be made public. We suspect that
the secrecy is necessary in order to conceal the further advantages
given to Iran. It is our perception that Mr. Obama’s chief concern was to be able to claim credit for "resolving" the Iranian threat, in order to add a gold star to the leaden lump of his presidential accomplishments thus far. Thus, he gradually ceded ground until the Iranians were satisfied. It is reported that, during the negotiations, the Iranians, knowing of Mr. Obama's desperation, simply shouted the United States into submission. Even now, it appears that the Iranians are interpreting the agreement in accordance with their own best interests. The deal is a farce.
Appearance, not Reality. (July 29, 2015)
When Obama sat down with Iran
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| The Pope has laboured mightily and produced some
entirely predictable squeaks of conventional nonsense on climate change.
If he persists in this fashion, he will lose all credibility. (Hmmm.
Perhaps that’s not such a bad thing.) The Pope’s Descent (June 20, 2015) (Look out below!)
On the rope of faint socialist hope,
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| We are pleased that there are at least a few eternal verities. We can always count on Mr. Obama to give us an insight into the workings of a disordered mind. In a recent speech at the Coast Guard Commencement Ceremonies, Mr. Obama suggested that increased violence around the world could be attributed, in part, to climate change. While careful to state that "climate change did not cause the conflicts we see around the world," Mr. Obama noted that "severe drought helped to create the instability in Nigeria that was exploited by the terrorist group Boko Haram." He added that "It’s now believed that drought, crop failures, and high food prices helped fuel the early unrest in Syria, which descended into civil war in the heart of the Middle East." The difficulty with this theory is that the instigating effects Mr. Obama refers to are elements of weather. Mr. Obama would like to believe that "climate change" – the new phrase which has replaced "global warming" – is responsible for heat and drought. This might be argued if the climate were warming. But global temperatures have not increased for the last eighteen years. If the climate has not warmed, then it cannot be responsible for increased heat or drought in particular parts of the planet. Those phenomena must be attributed to weather. This is a classic case of making evidence fit the hypothesis, rather than drawing conclusions from the evidence. We are not surprised that Mr. Obama is now convinced "that the United States armed forces would now have to factor in climate change in upcoming missions." (Breitbart.com. May 20)
Obama the Committed (Commitable?) (May 20, 2015) Where we long for the rationally calmy –
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| We are not surprised to learn that Bill Blair, the retiring
Toronto Police Chief, has decided to seek the federal Liberal nomination
in Scarborough Southwest.
We have recently seen, on television, the Chief making the announcement, with Mr. Trudeau standing, approvingly, at his side. We have the feeling – we can’t explain exactly why – that he will get the nomination – despite the fact that Mr. Trudeau, the Liberal leader, has never been known to interfere in the nomination process. We confess that, if we have a failing, it is that we are prone to make instantaneous judgments about people, and that those judgments are, frankly, implacable, permanent, and impossible to reverse. We concluded Mr. Trudeau was a politically correct idiot when he objected to the government’s classification of honour killing as a "barbaric" practice. We became convinced that he was a shallow, self-absorbed nit-wit when he referred to himself, in public, in the third person. His later lapses in judgment have only confirmed our initial impression. Similarly, we concluded that Mr. Blair was a politically correct fool when he announced that he was seeking female, hijab-wearing officers for the Toronto Police Force. It is our long-held principled conviction that religious symbols are utterly and entirely inappropriate adornments for police uniforms. The uniform is meant to suggest that the wearer is acting, not as an individual, but as a representative of the legal system of a particular jurisdiction. The wearing of a religious symbol suggests not only a divided loyalty, but that the government approves of a particular religious superstition. Thus it is not surprising to us that mindless birds of such a similarly light feather should flock, in a vacuous warble, together. Mr. Blair and Mr. Trudeau make a perfect pair of unprincipled political panderers.
Bill Blair (April 28, 2015) The hijab-promoting Bill Blair
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| In January (see below) we noted that the Pope had hopped on to
the climate alarmist bandwagon. He was reported to be tuning up his tin
whistle, practising the climate carimba, and revving up the vuvuzela to
emphasize his adherence to a new orthodoxy.
For the religiously inclined, it appears that one faith is not enough. One faith is seductively addictive, and leads, ineluctably, to others. This, of course, is a matter of concern, and we understand that some "prominent scientists, religious leaders, and academics" have written an open letter to the Pope, warning him that he may not have all the facts regarding his new commitment. (Breitbart. com., April 27). "Rather than a careful reporting of the best evidence," they write, "we get highly speculative and theory-laden conclusions presented as the assured results of science. In the process, science itself is diminished, and many well-meaning moral and religious leaders risk offering solutions based on misleading science." We are pleased, of course, that there is increasing caution with respect to climate alarmism. It poses a great risk to common sense, and, ultimately, to the self-esteem of those afflicted. Whether the Pope can be saved or not, is a matter upon which we can only speculate.
The Pope (April 27, 2015) The skeptics are warning the Pope:
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| Ms. Wynne, premier of Ontario, has seen fit to introduce a tax on
carbon. From her statements, she appears to be a true believer in anthropogenic global warming. Like other believers, she ignores the fact that, despite an increase in greenhouse gasses, there has been no warming for the last eighteen years – which raises serous questions about the theory that there is a simple causal relationship between the two. As evidence of her concern, she cites a recent ice storm and a flood – which are examples not of climate, but of weather. (Since there has been no warming of the climate in many years, it cannot be the cause of particular weather events.) We see shades of the awful McGuinty, an ordinary man who so wished to appear at the forefront of the green movement that he made many disastrous decisions which have cost and will cost taxpayers dearly. We are not sure whether Ms. Wynne is simply stupidly gullible, ambitious for a legacy of prescience and perspicacity, or using climate change as a means of raising money to spend on popular vote-getting initiatives. It may be a combination of all three.
Ms. Wynne (April 15, 2015) Intellectually Nullable. Overcome by a build-up of gasses,
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| Mrs. Clinton has announced that she is running to secure the
nomination as democratic candidate for the presidency. This news does
not come as a surprise, since Mrs. Clinton had an earlier planned trip
to the White House interrupted by Barack Obama in 2008. We suspect that Mrs. Clinton may run into trouble, because her accomplishments are not memorable, but her gaffes have the appearance and heft of durable millstones. The attack on Benghazi was known to be a terrorist attack, but Mrs. Clinton pretended it was a spontaneous response to a "hateful" video called The Innocence of Muslims. Later, when the mischaracterization was well-publicised, she tried to wriggle away, asking: Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided that they’d they go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make? (Tampa Bay Times, May 8, 2013) More recently, it has been discovered that Mrs. Clinton used a private, insecure server for State Department correspondence. Emails could be permanently deleted from the server, as opposed to remaining on record in a government system. Finally we must note that Mrs. Clinton has been endorsed by Mr. Obama: She was an outstanding Secretary of State. I think she would be an excellent president. (ABC News, April 13) Such a recommendation should, in a rational world, be the kiss of death. It brings to mind the famous saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, and the preponderance of evidence for a frontal lobotomy becomes difficult to deny." Ms. Clinton (April 13, 2015) See the launch of the crafty Ms. Clinton!
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| In an article on Breitbart.com. (March 24), Ben Shapiro notes the
interpretations of convenience given by the White House administration.
When Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei engages in "Death to America" rhetoric,
it is dismissed as mere posturing for domestic political purposes. At the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks to the effect that a Palestinian state created today would simply serve as a base for attacks by radical Islamists against Israel, and that, as a result, Mr. Netanyahu would not countenance a Palestinian state, were misinterpreted. They were claimed to represent a permanent intransigence in negotiations. It was not suggested that such remarks might be considered as a stance adopted for electoral purposes. Indeed, we see this as merely another example of Mr. Obama’s determination to come to an agreement with Iran, regardless of facts, and heedless of consequence. Mr. Obama reveals that typical mindset of the Left: At heart, everyone’s a jolly good fellow; there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome over a glass of cold beer on a sunny afternoon.
Obama (March 24, 2015) It’s clear that Obama’s a fool
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Alberta’s Minister of Education, Gordon Dirks, has been revealed as
an "Old Earth guy." Our understanding is that "Old Earth guys" are creationists who are willing to grant that the earth may be older that the 5700 - 10,000 years claimed by Young Earth guys. All creationists are involved in a desperate attempt to reconcile reality with the book of Genesis; biological evolution is either rejected, or seen as carefully fiddled with by a meddlesome Deity. While we have some sympathy with the desire to create a comforting narrative despite the contrary evidence, we think such stories should be found only in the "Fiction" sections of libraries and bookstores. Gordon Dirks (March 13, 2015) Education’s the job of Gord Dirks –
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Rick Nicholls is a Conservative member of the provincial Legislature. During a discussion of the shiny new Sex Education Curriculum, Mr. Nicholls suggested that parents be allowed to excuse their children from classes which teach the theory of evolution. He later confirmed that he does not believe in the theory. While we are tempted to award Mr. Nicholls a point for courage in disputing accepted wisdom, we feel we must subtract eleven for disbelieving a theory for which so much evidence exists. It also seems infinitely superior to the only alternative – the theory of a meddlesome Deity who is both beneficent and yet responsible for the cruelty of the predatory circumstances to which most animals are condemned. It is generally thought that Mr. Nicholls has not enhanced the image of the provincial Conservatives. He is likely to be as popular as a Mephitis Mephitis at a garden party.
Rick Nicholls (March 3, 2015)
There once was a pol, called Rick Nicholls--
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| As expected, Mr. Obama has vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline. While
this may be seen as a symbol of Mr. Obama’s commitment to the unproven
claims of climate alarmists, it is also part of a pattern. Mr. Obama
routinely spurns those countries which have been traditional allies of
the United States, while appeasing those which are clearly hostile. Mr.
Obama is a man imbued with a consistent and exasperating perversity.
Obama (February 27, 2015) In summing him up we’ll be terse:
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| Symbols do matter: as a cultural symbol, the niqab is as
appropriate at a Canadian Citizenship Ceremony as a swastika painted on
a synagogue door, or the hoisting of an ISIS flag -- as a gesture of
inclusive tolerance -- on the lawn at 24 Sussex Drive.
However, the ban against the wearing of the niqab by those who are taking the Oath of Citizenship has been overturned by a Federal Court Judge. In his infinite wisdom, Justice Keith M Boswell has ruled: To the extent that the policy interferes with a citizenship judge’s duty to allow candidates for citizenship the greatest possible freedom in the religious solemnization or the solemn affirmation of the oath, it is unlawful. We think the judge is – to put it in technical and legal terms – bonkers. The niqab is not a religious requirement, and even if it were, we can think of no more appropriate occasion than a citizenship ceremony to make the symbolic statement that there are limits to religious practice. Judge Boswell, in his ruling, seems to suggest that, in Canadian society, claims made on the basis of religious practice should be considered a trump card. What then, is the point of pretending that there is a separation of Church and State? The niqab makes a profoundly anti-Canadian statement; it stands in opposition to our cultural norms which hold that citizens should be identifiable, and that there should be an equality of transparency in an interaction among citizens. The niqab is associated with cultures in which women are oppressed, and in which there is no separation of church and state – where religion, in fact, dominates the state. Thus the wearing of a niqab during a Canadian citizenship ceremony is an expression of mockery. It expresses hypocrisy– and implies moral vacuity -- in that it is a symbolic antithesis of the values to which allegiance is supposedly being declared.
The Niqab (February 23, 2015) A concealing niqab at the pledge
See also Drivel, February 17th, and 19th.
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| Mr. Obama is so devoted to the notion that Islam is only
minimally and tangentially connected to terrorism, that he is spurred on
to displays of intellectual contortionism which both astound and
confound. At a "prayer breakfast" recently he said: "And lest we get on
our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember
that during the Crusades and Inquisition, people committed terrible
deeds in the name of Christ." (National Post, February 7) As Rex Murphy has pointed out in the National Post, Christian barbarity in the name of Christ at the time of the Crusades was matched by Muslim barbarity in the name of Allah. Thus the point apparently scored scarcely advances an argument. And secondly, why would one respond to an example of present barbarity by referring to other, earlier barbarities, except to minimize the one immediately under consideration? In fact, the minimization of the barbarity of ISIS seems exactly what Mr. Obama intends. Should we then, shrug our shoulders, and carry on as if nothing is happening?
What game is this? February 7, 2015 To truth our Obama won’t yield --
Mr. Obama in full Contortion Our Obama now takes the cigar! --
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|
Judy Haiven is a Professor at the Sobey School of Business at Saint
Mary’s University in Halifax. She recently participated in a forum on
misogyny at Dalhousie University, a forum occasioned by the recent
uproar over the misogynistic postings of some Dalhousie dentistry
students. Ms Haiven was heard to opine that "Men should not be allowed
to monopolize these forums." (Unews.ca, January 15). As a part of her own contribution to the fight against monopolization and misogyny, Ms. Haiven noted the practice in the corner of the world she is pleased to call home: "In the management department, women get to speak first." This merely follows, of course, the well-established practice of "affirmative action," which has its foundation in the pursuit of an attractive but unattainable equality. Affirmative action is a policy which, perversely, discriminates with the avowed intention of ending discrimination. It always ends by establishing certain groups in society which are accorded special treatment and status: in a word – a circumstance of manifest inequality. We note -- with a certain difficult-to-disguise glee -- that a poll on the ucnews.ca website revealed that 84% of respondents disagreed with the "women speak first policy," and 14% thought the idea interesting, but not a good practice. There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe them. (George Orwell)
I Mother Knows Best (January 23, 2015)
The way to cure male misbehavin':
II A Haiven of Folly A decree from the teacher, Ms. Haiven --
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| Being on the side of the angels allows for many a pact with
the devil. (Observation # 243) We see that the Pope has forged a – we assume -- temporary alliance with the forces of darkness and repression in stating that there are limits to freedom of expression "especially when it insults or ridicules someone’s faith." (National Post, January 16) The Pope reinforced his point with an ill-considered jest: If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch...It’s normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. On the contrary, we can think of nothing more worthy of ridicule than beliefs which have no foundation in evidence, especially when it is claimed that such beliefs are sacrosanct. Punchery-Popery* (January 16, 2015) When your calling card says you’re infallible –
*We should note that this limerish has received an "F," or failing grade from the Limerick Purity Defence League of Canada. Apparently the ingenuity displayed in finding rhymes for "infallible" does not atone for metrical apostasy.
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| It is interesting to note that the CBC has no stomach for showing
a sample of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons, which are considered offensive
to Muslims, and which occasioned the murder of twelve people in Paris on
January 7. David Studer, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Director of Journalistic Standards and Practices, feels that such depictions are not an essential part of the story, and should not be shown because they are offensive to Muslims: A part of our job as Canada's national broadcaster is to promote tolerance and respect and to recognize that unlike some other religions, where you see statues and you see pictures of deities, it's one of the tenets of Islam that the Prophet not be depicted in pictures or cartoons. (CBC, January 9) Thus Mr. Studer reinforces the notion that religious sensitivities
should be perceived, not through the liberating prism of a free western
democracy, but through the narrow lens of those claiming special status
for their own particular brand of seventh-century superstitious
nonsense. David Studer (January 10, 2015) Freedom of speech? – a threat to our Studer!
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| We have learned that the Pope has joined the ranks of the climate
alarmists. He plans to make a pronouncement on the subject in 2015, in
addition to addressing the United Nations. He is also calling for a
meeting of representatives of the major religions. We have no doubt he
will be warmly received at the United Nations, where climate alarmism
has long been part of an insidious political agenda.
We think the theory of anthropogenic global warming is a wonderful example of politics masquerading as science. The predictions of the alarmists have not been borne out; most significantly, there has been no warming for eighteen years, despite an increase in greenhouse gasses. This fact should engender some caution. That it has not, suggests that climate alarmism has more in common with religion than science. The Church has a poor record in its battle with facts; we suspect the Pope will, one day, regret his enthusiasm.
The Pope (January 1, 2015) The Pope’s in the fold like a lamb!
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| There is a United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place
in Lima, Peru. There has, of course, been no global warming for eighteen
years, but, as is typical in religious thinking, facts are no barrier to
piety and faith. Confession, penance, and appropriate human sacrifice
would appear to be the topics of chief concern at the conference. The Climate Alarmists (December 14, 2014) The faithful have flocked to Peru –
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| We heard, this morning, a discussion -- on CBC radio --
concerning the possible accommodations which might be made to enhance
our security, in light of the recent shootings in Ottawa. In the course of the segment, one of the participants on the panel described Mr. Trudeau as possessing "an unbearable lightness of being."* Justin Trudeau October 26, 2014 From the truth we’re not given to fleeing,
The Unbearable Lightness of Being – novel by Milan Kundera, 1984, also film, 1988.
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Mr. McGuinty, having left his position as Premier of Ontario under a considerable cloud, has not –as we expected – retired to a remote cave in the wilds of Pongo-Pongo. Instead of discreetly sinking without a trace, he has burbled to the surface, apparently unchanged: there is no hint that his penchant for "ethically-challenged" decisions has been in the least bit curbed or restrained. He has registered as a lobbyist for Desire2Learn, a recipient of both a $4.25 million grant and $3 million in contracts from the Ontario Government. Mr. McGuinty will be lobbying his former minions and collaborators in the wretched regime of which he was the Culprit-in-Chief. Thus he is able -- with Midas-like manipulation -- to turn the lead of political disgrace into the gold of cash in the bag.
Dalton McGuinty (September 18, 2014) Oh, the depths of the sinister saga!
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| Good-temper triumphed in his face, And in his heart he found a place For all the erring human race And every wretched fellow. (W.S. Gilbert, The Gondoliers) Speak softly, and carry a big stick. (Theodore Roosevelt)
Barack Obama (September 1, 2014) He shoots; words fail to score Our player, a fool called Obama
Directionally challenged -- off the rails There once was a Prez called Barack -- |
| Mr. Putin is up to his usual tricks. His invasion of Ukraine is
denied. Nothing to see here, folks, just a little humanitarian aid for
our brother Russians. No, those are not Russian soldiers – just a bunch
of former soldiers, or guys on holiday. (The Daily Beast, August 28)
Vladimir Putin August 29, 2014
There once was a devious thug –
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| A Calgary radio station, Amp Radio, has decided to play songs
only halfway through. This will enable the station to play more songs
each hour, and programs will be more suited to the attention span of the
modern listener. Scientific studies have shown that the brain of a
modern homo sapiens has the focussing capability approximating
that of an inebriated gnat.
Ode to Abbreviation (August 9, 2014) The leisurely song they will chop!
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| The Liberal Party of Canada has responded to the Conflict between
Israel and Hamas: The Liberal Party of Canada is greatly concerned about the escalating violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. We strongly urge all parties to without delay seek an immediate ceasefire. All possible steps must be taken to protect civilian life. The only path to peace is through negotiation. All sides must demonstrate restraint and a real commitment to peace if this violence is to be quelled. In the ideal world of the Liberal Party – and their leader Mr. Trudeau – no contender in a dispute is more culpable than the other. Division will succumb to the salve of equality; conflict is best viewed when the head is firmly planted in sand; Nirvana is achieved through politesse and a careful avoidance of criticism. Indeed, resolution of differences is best encouraged with a barrage of platitudes. The Liberal Party July 17, 2014 Three cheers for the Liberal Party!
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| Another Trudeau Limerick
We are most pleased to be put out of the misery of our breathless expectancy: Mr. Trudeau has promised, if elected, to institute a tax on carbon. Mr. Trudeau recognizes that our contribution to world wide carbon emissions is minimal. He is more concerned with the "message" that such a tax would send. He evidently sees Canada as a beacon of enlightenment: with a bold and dramatic gesture we would draw accolades and flattering imitation from other jurisdictions less committed to the side of the angels. He seems untroubled by the fact that the unilateral introduction of such a tax would put any country at a competitive disadvantage with respect to its trading partners. The benefits of having a Prime Minister with a background in the teaching of drama become increasingly evident. The Trudeau Carbon Tax (July 13, 2014) So now -- let’s exhale and relax –
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| Mr. Obama’s chief virtue appears to be his reliability. His
response to every situation is predictably erroneous. He has decided
that climate change is anthropogenic, and that the United States can,
single-handedly, stop it in its tracks. He ignores contrary evidence,
global realities, and the economic cost. He has made an exchange of five
high-ranking terrorists for one American deserter. He ignores the
symbolic message that this sends, and the danger it poses to other
Americans. We used to think that Mr. Obama was simply another
muddle-minded idealist; we now suspect that he is mad.
June 4, 2014 How our hopes for the breezy and palmy
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| Premier Wynne has presented a budget for Ontario. Andrew Coyne, writing in the National Post (May2) says that reading it takes him back to "the last days of the Bob Rae government, two decades ago – that same feeling that those in charge had no real grasp on the size of the hole they had dug for themselves, nor any serious plan to get out of it." It would appear that Ms. Wynne believes that benevolent spending is the key to NDP support, popular approval, and a win at the polls. In this, she endorses the thinking of her predecessor, the awful Dalton McGuinty, who placed great store in the theory that problems, smothered with sufficient amounts of cash would magically disappear.
Premier Wynne May 4, 2014 There once was a Premier, Ms. Wynne –
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|
Mr. Obama appears to have achieved a level of incompetence --in affairs both domestic and foreign -- that few can hope to match. His promise to Americans that, with Obamacare, they would be able to retain their doctors and the features of their existing plans turns out to have been "economical with the truth." His preference for fine words rather than effective deeds is also shown in foreign policy. Agreement at any cost in foreign affairs – that is, appeasement – appears to be the cornerstone of his thinking. Such a view overlooks the possibility of malignant intent. Neither the deviousness of Iran nor the aggression of Russia will respond to soft words in the absence of a big stick. ...there was something wanting in him – some small matter which, when the pressing need arose, could not be found under his magnificent eloquence...he was hollow at the core...* Mr. Obama (April 15, 2014) When the words of Obama we follow, * Joseph Conrad -- a description of Kurtz in Heart of Darkness. Mr. Kurtz, an "emissary of pity, and science, and progress," eventually took "a high seat amongst the devils of the land." It appears that he succumbed to the corrupting effects of the adoration and reverence which he so easily inspired among the gullible natives. |
| The climate alarmists are at it again. Filled with religious fervour, and undeterred by the failures of their previous predictions, they continue to preach the terrors of Climageddon.*
The Climate Alarmist (April 5, 2014) The alarmist sure knows where we’re headin' –
*According to one premillennial Christian interpretation, the Messiah will return to earth and defeat the Antichrist (the "beast") and Satan the Devil in the Battle of Armageddon. Then Satan will be put into the "bottomless pit" or abyss for 1,000 years, known as the Millennium. After being released from the abyss, Satan will gather Gog and Magog from the four corners of the earth. They will encamp surrounding the "holy ones" and the "beloved city" (this refers to Jerusalem). Fire will come down from God, out of heaven and devour Gog and Magog. The Devil, death, hell, and those not found written in the Book of Life are then thrown into Gehenna (the lake of fire burning with brimstone). (Wikipedia)
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| Mr. Putin has annexed the Crimea with scarcely a shot fired.
There is a murmuring of disapproval. March 23, 2014 Said the emperor Vladimir Putin,
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| Alison Redford, the Premier of Alberta, has a penchant for taking
expensive flights. We have observed that many politicians, especially
those on the left (we see Ms. Redford as conservative in name only),
often see themselves as doing such good work, as so obviously on the
side of the angels, that a few small pacts with the devil are not merely
excusable, but a laudable contribution to the Nirvana which they expect,
any day, to reveal. Ms. Redford’s attendance at Mr. Mandela’s funeral cost about $45,000. This figure represents an interesting contrast to the figure claimed by Nova Scotia’s Premier, Stephen McNeil – about $1,000. Ms. Redford has been shocked and appalled by the figure, and has taken full responsibility for it – in that wonderful sense that politicians often admit liability: they avow guilt but eschew the idea of penalty. Ms. Redford has seen fit to repay about $3000 – representing the cost of a flight provided for a friend of her daughter. We suspect that if, as a result, a gold-plated statue were to be erected in her honour in front of the Legislature, she would not consider it an excessive display of gratitude. Ms. Redford, like any true modern Canadian, has played the victim card. She argues the difficulty of being a Premier and mother – all at the same time. It would appear that she feels that taxpayers should be only too happy to do anything to ease her terrible burden. It is only reasonable that her daughter should accompany her on political flights; and surely it would be cruel for her daughter not to have company while political business is being transacted.
Alison Redford (March 7, 2014) Behold the fine flights that our gal is on –
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| A Believer in God
(February 2, 2014)
There once was a believer in God –
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| Justin Bieber seems to prove the truth of our Observation # 253:
Early Gods are likely to have power before they have wisdom, and fame
before they have perspective. With an unusual amount of fame and money, he appears to believe that rules and conventions are for lesser mortals only. Thus he has – most recently – been arrested in Miami for driving while impaired, drag racing, resisting arrest, and driving with an expired license. He is currently in Toronto to answer a charge of assault on a limousine driver. He is also the subject of a petition – which has over 100,000 signatures -- for expulsion from the United States. In an ideal world, he would be sentenced to a four-year University Study of Philosophy, History, and Literature. In the real world, he may self-destruct without understanding anything very much.
The Unfortunate Tale of a Bieber Believer (January 30, 2014)
There once was a Bieber believer,
Crash Prone -- Recall Issued There once was a supercharged teen --
|
| Neil Young, an expert on economics, climate change, and Indian Treaties has recently been voluble in his opposition to the oil sands. He has compared Fort McMurray to Hiroshima, stated that Canadian oil goes to China, and has revived discredited notions about cancer rates in nearby populations. In short, he appears to know nothing of the subjects about which he has chosen to pronounce. This has not prevented hums of approbation from the usual suspects. Neil Young Limericks (January 20, 2014) Thanks for the Malady... An anti-oil singer, Neil Young There once was a singer, Neil Young --
|
| The Pooh-Bahs at York University have taken the principle of
religious accommodation to new lows, ordering Professor J. Paul Grayson
to accommodate the request of a student to be exempt from interaction
with female classmates. Principles of gender equality quail before the
sexist demands of religious sensibility. May we suggest that the next
step in political correctness would be to convert all facilities devoted
to the study of science and mathematics to holy rooms where the study of
Voodoo and Scientology might be agreeably accommodated. (See Diary, January 10, 2014)
Comparative Anatomy (January 11, 2014) Original deviant version: The Pooh-Bah at York* has a spine Purist version: The Pooh-Bah at York* has a spine
|
| On a recent Ladies’ Night, which was designed to discuss weighty
matters such as the ladies’ favourite virtues and real life heroes, a
lady -- momentarily distracted from an admiring contemplation of Mr.
Trudeau’s hair -- unexpectedly asked what government Mr. Trudeau
admired. Mr. Trudeau responded: You know, there's a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say 'we need to go green fastest . . . we need to start investing in solar.' There has been some discussion of the wisdom of expressing admiration for a basic dictatorship, particularly among those who have had some personal experience of being oppressed by it. Justin Trudeau (November 14, 2013) Such praise-in-a daze for stern China --
|
| David Suzuki, regarded as a Climate Saint in Canada, probably
owes much of his reputation to the reverential treatment he receives
from the Canadian media, where piety and devotion are more highly valued
than skepticism and analysis of facts. Dr. Suzuki was recently injudicious enough to appear on television in Australia, a remote and generally uncivilized territory where the Gospel has, apparently, been insufficiently advertised, and is consequently still subject to impious scrutiny. Those in the audience were allowed the impertinence of questioning the Saint, and it soon appeared that Dr. Suzuki knows very little about climate change, despite the fact that his preachings and apocalyptic pronouncements on the subject have gained him considerable fame, and not inconsiderable fortune. Little tatters of the less-than-saintly Suzuki also appeared. He still seems to think that politicians who disagree with him should be made penitential, and he mused on the possibility that the government in Canada was planning a retaliatory strike – by building more prisons to house environmental fascists such as himself. David Suzuki October 17, 2013 In magical robes see the saintly Suzuki! *A neologism born of a rhyming imperative. Could also be spelled cluki.
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| A hamburger joint on Provincial land near Caledonia-- with no
running water, refrigerator, or proper toilets – has been ordered shut
down. But nothing has been done, and the Province is not about to step
in and enforce the law. Yes, you guessed it – it is a native
illegal restaurant. And that makes all the difference. Questioned on the
matter, Premier Wynne claimed the restaurant was part of more complex,
broader issues. She was encouraged that the Minister of Aboriginal
Affairs was holding discussions "to work to try to come up with a way
forward on this difficult challenge." (See Diary, September 19) Gee, it sounds as though a resolution is imminent. Perhaps no one will get sick in the meantime.
Premier Wynne (September 20, 2013) There once was a Premier called Wynne –
|
| Our favourite Company, Dynacor Mines, has been waiting for a
construction permit for its new mill at Chala for well over six months.
Almost every month, we are assured that the permit will arrive
imminently. We went through the same process in obtaining the
environmental permit: what was expected to take a couple of months took
nearly a year. Peruvian Bureaucracy (August 20, 2013) The turners of wheels in Peru -- (The last limerick of complaint – December, 2012 – brought the immediate result of an environmental permit. Let us hope the magic works a second time.)
|
| Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, seems intent on passing
oppressive laws which provide onerous penalties for vague offenses. We
would describe such laws as tools for terrorism. They become levers for
intimidation by government and weapons for individuals seeking to
discredit others, to "settle scores." The anti-gay law invites
discriminatory thuggery. (See Diary, August 13, 2013)
The Putin Anti-Gay Law August 12, 2013 A blast from the past – no disputin! –
|
| We note that there are calls for a Leadership Review for Mr.
Hudak, the leader of the Ontario Conservatives. Many are disappointed
that – despite the rottenness of the reigning Liberals -- the
Conservatives were able to win only one out of five seats in the recent
by-elections. We would have thought that the Leader of the Opposition
would have been able to rouse the public to a fury of detestation: the
Liberal candidates should not have been able to muster any votes other
than those from their immediate families, and those to whom they owed
significant amounts of money. Mr. Tim Hudak (August 7, 2013) Twinkle, Twinkle There once was a star they called Tim, Failure to Launch There once was a rocket-man Tim –
|
| Anthony Weiner is sexting again! After his fall from grace in
2011, Mr. Weiner, now an aspirant for the job of Mayor of New York City,
has been revealed as a hopeless adickt, a prey to the dicktatorial
demands of his addicktive predidicktions. Unless his addicktion is kept private, without constant enlargements on the matter by the media, we fear that it may erect an overly rigid barrier to the successful culmination of his current political ambitions. Anthony Weiner (July 24, 2013; see also June 16, 2011) There once was an addict called Weiner –
|
| We have been surprised to see a video showing Liz Sandals,
Minister of Education for Ontario, announcing – with a certain air of
confidence and aplomb-- that she has not read the School Curriculum
which she has approved. (Byline, July 22) It appears that Ms. Sandals
has no interest in what is being taught in the schools: she views her
position as primarily ceremonial. Asked for a self-portrait, she would
doubtless draw a large rubber stamp, with a suggestively malleable
surface. Perhaps this new flowering of political aspiration has its roots in the hotbeds of scandal. In the event of misadventure or disaster, the politician can claim a genuine ignorance of the matters in the Department for which he or she is nominally responsible. Liz Sandals – More Scandals (July 23, 2013) Though a cake not quite baked was Liz Sandals –
|
| It is intriguing to watch how the rot of political correctness
extends its corroding influence into all areas of Canadian life. The latest example is evidenced by Jim Sales, Chief of Toronto Fire Services. Mr. Sales, much troubled by the preponderance of white males on his force, has resolved to increase the representation of women and visible minorities. The fact that women might be less physically capable than males, or that visible minorities may have little interest in fighting fires – these are apparently to be subordinated to a vision of the world in which the quota is king.
Chief Jim Sales July 7, 2013 There once was a fire chief, Jim Sales--
|
| We are pleased to hear of the resignation of Laurel Broten,
former Minister of Education, and currently the Ontario minister
responsible for women’s issues. Ms. Broten had planned to put pressure on corporations to have more women in boardrooms and in senior positions. We see this as yet another example of government’s inability to resist the lure of social engineering, the insatiable desire to force the real world into a Procrustean bed of theoretical perfection. One would think that governments might occasionally reflect on their proven inability to manage anything very well, and display some hesitation in placing extra burdens on the private sector. Ms. Broten is said to be relocating to Halifax. While Ms. Broten is gone, we suspect another, similarly configured mole will spring up in her place. We will keep our limerick bat at the ready.
Laurel Broten June 28, 2013 We hope it's not seen as verboten Ms. Broten,’ tis said, has gone to the boonies –
|
| The other day (Diary, June 22, 23, 2013) we attempted to make a
contrast between Mr. Trudeau’s "Empowering the Young" speech – which we
would classify as political when delivered by a Liberal Youth Critic –
and a speech which might be considered less political. We were suddenly
struck with two bizarre notions. We imagined Mr. Trudeau giving a speech
on either quantum mechanics or the philosophy of Spinoza. The absurd contrast has weighed upon our mind ever since. We have, at last, resorted to exorcism by limerick:
Trudeau Nonsense Limerick (June 23, 2013) We dreamt that Trudeau read Spinoza –
|
| Justin Trudeau, having first rebuffed the request from the Grace
Foundation to refund his $20,000 speaking fee, has now agreed to
compensate groups who paid him to speak at fund raising events since he
became a member of parliament. (National Post, June 16, 2013) In addition to his practice of charging considerable fees for charitable organizations, Mr. Trudeau has been criticized for speaking to those who might be seeking to gain some political advantage, and for receiving payment for speeches which might ordinarily be considered a part of his activities as a member of parliament. We have not heard any of Mr. Trudeau’s speeches, but we understand that they are predictably platitudinous. Justin Trudeau (June 17, 2013) The Modus Operandi A political thespian, Trudeau – The Rescue Flare seen on the Road to Damascus He hauled in the cash from the schools – and the needy –
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| Mr. McGuinty has resigned his seat in the legislature, just as
enquiries are being made into the deletion of e-mails sent by
administrative staff concerning the closure of gas plants. The plants
were closed at great cost, for political advantage. It has been noted
that his action is timely, since he can no longer be questioned on the
matter in the legislature. Mr. McGuinty had earlier said that he would
stay until the next election; thus, it would appear that he has recorded
his last in a long series of broken promises. Our only scintilla of
regret is that, over the years, Mr. McGuinty has provided us with
significant fodder for our scorn and opprobrium.
The Awful McGuinty (June 13, 2013) And now the event for which we’ve long pined –
|
| Senator Mike Duffy is in trouble for claiming a living allowance
which can be obtained only when a senator can show certain technical
evidence of residence in the Province of representation. He also seems
to have billed for senate expenses when not actually engaged on senate
business. Finally, the source of his repayment of ninety thousand
dollars in living allowance has been revealed as Nigel Wright, the Chief
of Staff for the Prime Minister. Mr. Duffy has now resigned from the
Conservative caucus. Mike Duffy (June 3, 2013) There once was a senator Duffy,
|
| Ms. Melanie Paterson, head of the Limerick Purity Defence League
of Canada, has long chided us for our casual disregard of proper
limerick form. With her latest criticism of our limerick on Pope
Francis, she has finally prompted us to invent a new term for our five
line verses: limerish. (See Diary, May 27,
2013)
Melanie Paterson May 27, 2013 There once was a purist, Ms. Paterson --
|
| "Pope Francis has attacked the ‘dictatorship’ of the global
financial system and warned that the ‘cult of money’ is making a misery
for millions...he said free-market capitalism had created a
‘tyranny’..." (National Post, May 17, 2013) Unfortunately, while capitalism tends to create a disparity of wealth, the socialist alternative offers only an 'equality' of poverty. We think Popes should confine themselves to a contemplation of matters angelic rather than worldly. We understand that the estimation of the number of angels which may comfortably dance on the head of a pin has not yet been determined with any consoling degree of accuracy. (See Diary of May 18.) Pope Francis (May 19, 2013) (In a lather) There once was a brave and well-meaning Pope-- Addendum: (May 27, 2013) Ms. Melanie Paterson, head of the Limerick Purity Defence League of Canada, has objected to our casual disregard for the proper Limerick form. (See Diary, May 27, 2013) She has suggested the following:
There once was a well-meaning Pope Our effort to comply would read something like this: There once was a well-meaning Pope --
|
| Mr. Trudeau has recently speculated on the "root causes" of the
Boston Marathon Bombings. He is not thinking, of course, of the
possibility of a malignant ideology or religious conviction. The "root
cause" for those on the left is always to be found in a flawed,
uncaring, inadequate society. Thus Mr. Trudeau expresses the certainty that those responsible for the murderous explosions feel marginalized, excluded, and at war with society. Doubtless he is thinking of the terrible oppressions of inadequate day care, or inferior school lunch programs.
Justin Trudeau (April 21, 2013) That Justin Trudeau – how he gives us such pauses! --
|
| Ms. Jinny Sims, the Immigration Critic for the New Democratic
Party has expressed a fear that Government labelling of honour killings
and other deplorable practices among some cultures as "barbaric" may
result in the "stigmatizing" of such cultures. We can imagine no greater injustice! Once we allow criticism of cultures, multiculturalism will acquire all the characteristics of a superannuated doornail; the health care system and Human Rights Commissions may follow, whingeing and whimpering, into the rubbish heap of best-before dates. Free speech may emerge as a principle worth preserving, and the Canada of walking on the eggshells of political correctness will become a distant, cherished memory.
Jinny Sims (April 7, 2013) O see the bright star of the kindly Ms. Sims!
|
| In its infinite wisdom, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold
some elements of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Legislation. While speech
may be offensive, or ridiculing, real detestation or vilification is a
crime. We dare not give our true Opinion of the Court; perhaps, one day
when citizens in Canada are truly free – we will be able to do so. (See
Diary, February 28, 2013) The Supreme Court of Canada (February 28, 2013)
O how to describe our ultimate court? In their ruling, the Court placed emphasis on possible, theoretical harm which hate speech might cause to self-fulfilment of particular groups. They provided no evidence. They also noted that the truth might also be restricted, if it were deemed to be hateful. It is hard to imagine a more perverse and dangerous decision. Some jurists – so learned –thought to preach to the rabble:
|
| Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Chris Lewis doth stride
above us like a Colossus. Where we see a failure of police to obey
injunctions and enforce the law as a dereliction of duty, he sees doing
nothing as a master-stroke of superior wisdom derived from a
consideration of political nuance and hard-won common sense. We, doltish
and ignorant members of the public, cannot hope to comprehend the
subtleties of police inaction. These concepts and strategies developed from experience, hard work, and common sense are difficult to explain to the general public. First Nations have the ability to paralyze this country by shutting down travel and trade routes. Chris Lewis (CBC News, January 15, 2013)
OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis (February 24, 2013)
Behold the Colossus, the guru Chris Lewis --
The Lewis Philosophy
Nothing is easy in enforcing the law --
|
| We happened to hear Judy Rebick the other day
– oh, all right – it was on the CBC – we find it amusing to hear what
passes for thought on the other side of the great divide – pronouncing
that the recent media coverage of Theresa Spence’s pretense of a hunger
strike was "disgraceful." She seemed to admire Ms. Spence’s engagement in traditional aboriginal fish-broth rituals, and thought that the release of the audit of Ms. Spence’s reserve was a gratuitously impertinent detail in the larger world of passionate aboriginal grandstanding.
Judy Rebick (February 3, 2013) There once was a Judy called Rebick –
|
| Chris Wyatt, the Chief Firearms Officer for
Ontario was accused of creating a "back door" gun registry after the
Federal Registry was abandoned in 2012. Mr. Wyatt told vendors of guns
that they were still required to collect personal information from
purchasers.
More recently, Mr. Wyatt has said that owners of legal guns will now have to carry an "invitation" when transporting guns between their homes and shooting ranges. This is in addition to other rules governing the transportation of firearms, which require them to be unloaded, and locked in cases, and be accompanied by permits. (Sun News, January 28) The "invitation" would be a document from the range to be visited. This regulation is not specified in law, but is of Mr. Wyatt’s making. Doubtless it will require an expanded bureaucracy to enforce. Mr. Wyatt is being taken to Court by gun owners.
Chris Wyatt (January 30, 2013) (a) There once was a Pooh Bah called Wyatt – (b) There once was a Pooh Bah called Wyatt--
|
| We note that the attempt to oust Mayor Rob
Ford based on his use of the wrong stationery when soliciting funds for
his charitable organization, has failed. Toronto’s leftish sophisticates
appear to have been appalled at the election of Mr. Ford, whose
dedication to the saving of taxpayers’ money is in stark contrast to the
left wing devotion to spending it. After his initial court victory, Paul
Madger, who launched the suit, made the aim quite clear. It had nothing
to do with the $3,150 obtained for charity. It had to do with the
fact that George Smitherman, whose triumphs in electronic health records
and air ambulance management had qualified him as suitably incompetent
to be the next leftist mayor – did not win. He is quoted as follows: "This is a sad day for Torontonians, he said , reading from a prepared statement as lawyer Clayton Ruby stood next to him. "It’s sad because we spent so much time and money on this matter, instead of nurturing our city and growing it into a wonderful place to live." (Globe & Mail November 27, 2011) Mr. Ford, being a thrifty conservative, was deficient in his dedication to ‘nurturing’ the city to its potential wonderfulness. Mr. Madger’s lawsuit was simply a way of gaining by lawfare what had been lost at the ballot box. Cunning is the dark sanctuary of incapacity. (Earl of Chesterfield, 1694-1773) Mr. Ruby, we understand, acted pro bono for Mr Magder. His firm also acted for George Foulidis, who launched a defamation suit against Mayor Ford. (National Post, January 26). That suit was dismissed last December. Mr. Ruby appears to be indefatigable in his assistance to the disappointed left.
Clayton Ruby (January 26, 2013) There once was a lefty, a lawyer called Ruby --
|
| Nancy McLean is the Toronto Police Officer who
decided that Mr. Levant, who was interviewing the Idle No More
protestors outside the Sun News Building on January 19, should be
removed from the scene. No breaches of the law were occurring, but Ms.
McLean was concerned that Mr. Levant was "agitating" and "aggravating"
the protestors. In her mind, the asking of "agitating" questions is some
kind of crime. She also admitted to "convenience policing" – suggesting that Mr. Levant was asked to move because it is easier to move one questioner than a group of protestors. Ms. Mclean has also been shown on a video supervising the illegal search of a backpack belonging to a citizen who wished to enter a public park in July, 2010 during the G20 Summit. The citizen made the point that such search was illegal, and proceeded into the park. His backpack was then searched, and Ms. McLean refused to return a pair of goggles which were discovered inside. David Menzies, of the Sun News Network, has termed her Moron of the Morning; we tend to see her as a Tinpot Dictator Drunk with Power.
Nancy McLean (January 24, 2013) (Quite clearly a pain.)
There once was a policewoman, Nancy McLean –
|
| Carleton student Arun Smith made national
headlines after tearing down the Carleton Students for Liberty’s "free
speech wall" in the Unicentre atrium Jan. 22. (The Charlatan,
January 23, 2013) In a segment of The Source on January 23, Mr. Smith was shown in a campaign speech stating that every student’s voice should be heard, and "empowered." In the subsequent interview with Mr. Levant, Mr. Smith claimed that in the haste of composing the speech, he had neglected to include an exception for bigots. Pressed as to who should determine the definition of bigotry, Mr. Smith retreated into bafflegab. Mr. Smith has written that speech should be restricted "where there is potential for triggering the invalidation or questioning of the identities of others and/or the expression of hatred." Hmmm. We suspect that only Mr. Smith's judgement would be worthy of universal acclaim.
Arun Smith (January 24, 2013) There once was a hypocrite, a student called Smith –
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| When it comes to native protests which cause
illegal blockages of rail lines and roads, the police seem determined to
do nothing, citing the potential for violence, and the possibility of
reprisals. Apparently the best way of dealing with illegal behaviour is
to allow it to occur without interference, in the hope that it will go
away soon. It is helpful if police officers join the natives in a drum
circle, to show that they are good fellows and encouragingly
non-judgmental.
The Police January 19, 2013 (a) Oh pity the plight of our stricken police – (b) Oh what is the point of calling the cops?
|
| Lance Armstrong Mr. Armstrong, the winner of many a Tour de France, has finally admitted that his victories were not obtained without the use of banned substances, as he has always claimed. It is a commentary on the modern age that his public admission was neither furtive nor muted, but done in celebrity fashion on television, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. It appears that we are encouraged to see him as simply a victim to the enormous pressures for success in a sport in which doping is the norm, and a liar only as a necessary concomitant of his decision to follow the duplicitous crowd. Liar, liar... (January 18, 2013) Lance Armstrong There once was an athlete called Lance,
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| Carolyn Bennett It has been fashionable of late for Liberal politicians to fawn at the teepee of the nominally fasting Theresa Spence, Chief of the wretched and mismanaged Attawapiskat Reserve. Not the least of these has been Dr. Carolyn Bennett, the Liberal Critic for Aboriginal Affairs. Dr. Bennett had the misfortune to be interviewed near the teepee after the release of the audit of the finances of the reserve which showed that about eighty percent of items audited had insufficient or no documentation. Dr. Bennett looked less that thrilled as she claimed that "There’s no mismanagement. There’s no money missing." She also claimed that the audit was hasty, and suggested that the missing documentation might be somewhere in boxes in a warehouse. (Facts are so unwelcome when they disrupt an attractive narrative to which one has pledged some degree of loyalty.) Dr. Carolyn Bennett (January 14, 2013) (a) There once was a critic of native affairs – (b) Oh, Doctor Bennett, you look ill at ease!
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| The Toronto School Board seems rife with peculiar policies which
suggest a tangential relationship with reality. We were especially
disappointed when Dr. Spence, the Director, defended the holding of
Muslim religious services in the classrooms of a supposedly secular
school system. (See limerick July 26, 2011 below.) Our low opinion of Dr. Spence has now been confirmed: he has admitted to "lifting" an article published in the Toronto Star from a 1989 opinion column in the New York Times. We are always fascinated by the plagiarism of those whose educational background and prominence would seem to preclude such stupidity. The case of Dr. Spence is exceptionally puzzling. How can he head the Board of a School System which must have, as one of its central lessons, the importance of integrity in the presentation of work which purports to be original? If the world were a sensible place, his resignation would be imminent. We will not hold our breath. Dr. Chris Spence (January 10, 2013) A Pooh-Bah of schools called Chris Spence
|
| Will wonders never cease? Paul Martin, a
former Prime Minister of Canada emerged from a two hour meeting with
Chief Teresa Spence, and announced that he found her "an inspiration."
Mr. Martin must be easily inspired. We suggest that he would be well
advised not to visit fortune tellers, read horoscopes, or talk to David
Suzuki: there is no telling to what disappointments his inspirations
might lead him. Paul Martin ( January 6, 2013) There once was a Liberal, Paul Martin – Alternative last line: Or just a Liberal jalopy back-fartin'.
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| Teresa Spence, Chief of the mismanaged Attawapiskat Reserve near James Bay, has gone on a hunger strike and threatens to die unless Prime Minister Harper and Governor General David Johnson meet with aboriginal leaders. (Ottawa Citizen, December 23, 2012) Whenever we have tried hunger strikes in order to get others to do whatever it is that we require, we have been extremely pleased with the results. We can only imagine that conducting such a strike in a tent on an island in the Ottawa River will result in a speedy resolution of Ms. Spence’s difficulties. Teresa Spence (December 29, 2012) There once was a Chieftain called Spence,
|
| The Government of Peru seems to be experiencing an unfortunate
bout of business paralysis. Our favourite Stock Holding, Dynacor Mines,
has been waiting for a permit to begin drilling since February.
Similarly delayed is a permit for their new mill at Chala. Possibly the
new regime aspires to elephantine status, and gestation periods have
been adjusted accordingly. On that basis, we still have ten months to
go. Peru (December 11, 2012)
There once was a land called Peru –
|
| Justin Trudeau
(November 24, 2012) (The sun, the moon, and a star -- how heavenly) Mr. Trudeau has been shown, in a 2010 interview in Quebec, to express doubts about the competence of leaders from Alberta; he longs for the good old days when wonderful Prime Ministers came from Quebec. There was a Trudeau, with roots in Quebec – What is also interesting is the dismissive attitude of the leftish media to this expression of Mr. Trudeau’s parochial and divisive views. It was, they note, a long interview conducted a long time ago. Doubtless Mr. Trudeau was fatigued, in addition to being very young -- a whole two years younger – at the time. It would appear that Trudeaumedia is the misbegotten spawn of the unholy alliance between Canadian mainstream journalism and nice hair. O’er the vacant Trudeau see the media hover We note that, to this point, Mr. Trudeau has inspired no fewer than eight of our ersatz limericks. We think it only reasonable to express our gratitude. Justin Trudeau (He: platitudinous This prominent star is a wonderful gift:
|
.
| Patrick Brazeau
(November 21, 2012) It appears that Senator Patrick Brazeau has been collecting a $20,000 housing allowance based on the location of his residence in Maniwaki, Quebec. In fact he lives near Ottawa; the Maniwaki house is occupied by his father. Local residents confirm that he does not live there. (CTV News, November 20)
There once was a Patrick Brazeau,
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| Justin Trudeau
(November 16, 2012) Grant Humes, a Liberal Candidate in Durham has placed signs reading Support our Veterans bearing a Liberal logo, but not the name of Mr. Humes. The website link on the sign, Durham4Vets.org, leads not to any organization connected with Veterans, but a partisan Liberal website through which donations can be made to the Humes campaign. When a reporter asked Justin Trudeau whether the link would be removed from the sign, he retreated, obviously upset. During his retreat, he responded with an angry attack on the Harper government and the reporter, who was from Sun News.
There once was a Justin, cool-coiffed and high styled --
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| Dalton McGuinty
(October 15, 2012) Each day we scan the news for some morsel of happiness, but the pickings are usually slim. Today, however, we have learned that Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario, has resigned. Short of the Second Coming, we can imagine no better cause for jubilation.
McGuinty Limericks (These are Salsa Limericks – mild, medium, and mean.)
There once was a Liberal boss – There once was a lemon called Dalton –
|
| Barack Obama
(October 14, 2012) We were heartened by the poor performance of Mr. Obama in the recent Presidential debate. We object to Mr. Obama’s collectivism ("You didn’t build that") and consider him naive in the sphere of foreign affairs. We deplore his less than robust defence of the concept of freedom of speech. We are especially upset with his comment: "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam." Those who believe that religion should be protected from criticism invite the tyranny of the irrational. As Thomas Jefferson said nearly two hundred years ago: Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind. It is our view that mockery is the guardian of reason. (Observation #47) Mr. Obama may yet win another term in office. This is a limerick hopeful of the possibility that he may not. There once was a hopeful, a historic Obama,
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| Justin Trudeau
(October 6, 2012) It is now official: Mr. Trudeau will run for the leadership of the struggling Liberal Party. He is renowned for having attracted many Facebook followers. He is also credited with a wonderful charisma, and a concomitant ability to raise funds.
There once was a man with great hair--
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| Pamela McColl
(September 20, 2012) Ms. McColl, has, in her infinite wisdom, produced a revised version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. With a deft swipe of her puritanical broom, she has knocked the offensive pipe from Santa’s mouth, and, vacuum hose in hand, whooshed away the toxic smoke which, for nearly two centuries, has encircled the jolly elf’s head. We are much relieved. The world is a much safer place, now that modern medical knowledge has been brought to bear on the dangerous practices of an earlier era; indeed, we have sufficiently more confidence in Santa’s long-term survival. Nor do we fear that the impressionable, unformed minds of small children will be led, through Santa’s wretched example, to embark on dangerous experimentation with tobacco. We have no word on the condition of the iconic poem, after the radical smoke-ectomy.
There once was a purist, a meddler McColl,
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| Christy Clark
(July 28, 2012) Facing possible dethronement, British Columbia’s Christy Clark appears to have decided to talk tough, and refuse to allow a Pipeline through her Province from Alberta unless Alberta pays big. She appears to believe that British Columbia is a separate country, rather than merely a province within the country. If all Provinces were to adopt the same attitude, the country would dissolve – or perhaps devolve into a squabble of protectorates. Ms. Clark has more braggadocio than brains. I A petulant premier called Clark, II There once was a leader, a premier called Christy --
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| The RCMP has been instructed to avoid "inflammatory" Islamist
terms in a document entitled Words make Worlds. (Sun News, July
13, 2012) Apparently, organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood are not
to be feared, and the term "jihad" refers simply to an internal struggle
-- a "striving in the path of God." It has been noted that the religion
of arrested terrorist suspects is never mentioned. We have not yet heard
that the hijab – as with the Toronto Police – has become officially
sanctioned uniform – but we expect it imminently. We look forward to the
day when mandatory daily prayers in the direction of Mecca are announced
for all RCMP detachments.
The RCMP (July 16, 2012) I Oh where have they gone, the Mounties of old?
II Oh what shall we say of our RCMP?
|
| The Higgs boson has been discovered, lurking in a Hadron
Collider. There is much jubilation as a result. (See also June 17, 2011) The Higgs Boson (July 9, 2012) Oh hear the glad news from the science bigwigs:
|
| Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
has refused to authorize a Hebrew translation of her work. She thinks
Israel is guilty of "apartheid," and participated in the attempt
to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. She has expressed her sympathy
with Palestinian children. She’s obviously a victim of that particular
brand of left-wing nuttery which sees the world through a distorting
prism: the bad guys become invisible; the good guys wear black hats and
twirl the rapier tips of their brooding, evil moustaches.
Alice Walker (June 24, 2012) There once was a writer, a lady called Alice;
There once was a writer, a famed Alice Walker
|
| Now that Bob Rae has decided not to seek
Liberal Party leadership, Mr. Trudeau is increasingly touted (by
prominent Liberals) as the only viable candidate to lead them from the
desert isle upon which the wrecked party is currently stranded. Good
luck with that! Justin Trudeau (June 23, 2012)
O see the wrecked Liberals – how they pine for Trudeau!
|
| Toronto City Council has, in its infinite
wisdom, voted to ban the use of plastic bags. The vote appears
whimsical, uninformed, and dictatorial. The move suggests a vote in
favour of deforestation, and ignores the recyclability of plastic bags,
their importance in the containment of kitchen waste, and their
essential rôle in the scooping of dog poop. It looks like a political
move in response to the mayor’s desire to remove the tax on plastic
bags.
Toronto City Council June 8, 2012 I The council has leapt on the environmentalist nag – II O what can we say of a council so dumb-- III There is something about the political classes
|
According to John Ivison, despite protestations to the contrary, a team is being "quietly assembled" to launch a Liberal Party leadership bid for Justin Trudeau. (National Post, June 5, 2012) While the future is notoriously reticent, and ‘black swan’ events are not unheard of, we think success is unlikely. The gap between profundity and piffle is a difficult one to bridge. Alas, a degree in political engineering is unlikely to be of much help.
Justin Trudeau June 6, 2012
‘Neath the eyelid of coolness, it is said Pierre’s kid
Is burning with fever -- a leadership bid
Such an unlikely hero –
Just a nudge above zero --
The banality flame under a bushel’s best hid.
See also below: March 16 & 20, 2011
| Ron Bradley is a principal at Ross Sheppard High School in Edmonton who has an antipathy to the awarding of zeros for work not done. Lynden Dorval, a physics teacher at the school, refused to go along with the policy, considering that an absence of work should not garner a reward. As a result, Mr. Dorval has been suspended indefinitely. | This would appear to be an example of the increasing
tendency to substitute baloney for common sense. The baloney is
superficially tasty, but is deficient in the nutrients required for
survival. We suspect that this malaise is but an offshoot of "noble
savage" Rousseauism – in which the idea of original sin has effectively
been replaced by the attractive but false notion of original perfection.
Under this philosophy, human beings are best left to the dictates of
their own unsullied impulses in order that their ultimate flowering be
uncorrupted by various social oppressions.
|
Ron Bradley June 3, 2012
Now hear the strange tale of principal Bradley –
Thought zeros were nothing that wouldn’t end badly:
The lazy-bones shirker--
Just the same as the worker –
Oh, that Bradley, how sadly, how foolishly madly.
Into the fray, see him charge without fear - o;
On his stupidity steed, the lax layabout’s hero--
He made the decree –
Rewards should be free!
And claimed the proud prize – an intellectual zero.
In its infinite wisdom, the United Nations World Tourism Office has appointed Robert Mugabe, the murderous African dictator as an International Tourism Ambassador. This may help put to rest any lingering suspicion that the United Nations is not run by the demonstrably evil – or the certifiably insane.
The United Nations
May 30, 2012
Mugabe, ‘tis known, is a murderous thug –
So how to explain the ambassadorial hug?
The U.N. is crazy!
Yes – daft as a daisy!
They’re deep in the daze of some cuckoo-land drug.
Robert Mugabe
Now hear the strange tale of Robert Mugabe;
Destruction’s his game, murder his hobby.
But the U.N. – they ain’t purists:
He’s a draw for the tourists!
They’ve got a neat cage for Robert Mugabe.
| Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment. (From Agenda 21 Website. Yes, you are quite correct. This sentence is meaningless as it stands. Perhaps they meant to write "humanity.") | Essentially it appears that the threat of global warming is to be used to control an otherwise unruly humanity, which seems perversely bent on improving its standards of living. It is perhaps relevant to note here that James Lovelock, the scientist who developed the "Gaia" theory of the earth as a single organism, and who was one of the early scaremongers, has now seen fit to recant. He now admits that his predictions were "alarmist," and claims that Al Gore, has "exaggerated" his arguments. Mr. Lovelock now says the "problem is we don’t know what the climate is doing." (See Diary, May 2, 2012) |
Agenda 21 May 23, 2012
"So what," you may ask, "is the U.N. Agenda?"
It’s slicing and dicing – then into the blenda!
The planet they’ll save –
But for you – it’s the cave;
And that, my dear friends, is the U.N. Agenda.
| Maurice Strong is a driving force behind Agenda 21, the United
Nations plan to control everything in order to save the planet. He has
been quoted as saying: Isn’t the only hope for this planet that the industrial civilization collapse? Isn’t it our responsibility to bring that about?
|
While he was chairing the climate conference in Rio in 1992, some 300 of his followers – called the Wisdom-Keepers, "continuously beat drums, chanted prayers to Gaia, and trended sacred flames in order to ‘establish and hold the energy field’ for the duration of the summit." (From website The Green Agenda.) |
Maurice Strong (May 22, 2012)
Oh, bring out the bong, and sound the green gong--
We’ll chant and blow smoke for our own Maurice Strong –
Then pull out the plug,
Just gurgle and glug
As we swirl down the drain to a save-the-earth song.
| Olivier De Schutter was appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council as Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food in 2008. He has come to Canada with recommendations which suggest that the government has a obligation to supply citizens with food. Considering the mess that government makes of almost everything it tries to run – Health Care comes to mind – we think we would prefer – with all its flaws – the market system. The market may not work for everyone, and there is an argument to be made for assistance for the needy. | However, Mr. De Schutter recommends increasing
"social assistance and minimum wage in line with the cost of living.
Taxes would be imposed on fatty foods and soft drinks; land zone policy
would be amended to bring fresh food outlets to ‘food desserts;’ food
subsidization programs for remote regions should be enriched, as should
support for First Nations trying to access ‘traditional foods.’" (John
Ivison, National Post. May 17, 2012)
|
Olivier De Schutter (May 17, 2012)
I
The U.N. on high has vouchsafed us a tutor--
The bureaucrat Pooh-Bah Olivier De Schutter
Our diet he’ll scan--
He’s got a food plan--
That socialist nit wit, Olivier De Schutter.
II
Olivier De Schutter will do what he can –
Of socialist meddling he’s a confident fan–
With scarcely a pause
He’d change any laws
To bring us in line with his centralist plan.
III
Oh, Olivier De Schutter you socialist shooter
You set yourself up as a czarist food tutor:
In nook or in cranny
You’d put the state nanny–
Get out of our town or we’ll give you the booter.
It has come to our attention that Grove Community School in Toronto is a publicly funded elementary School dedicated, not primarily to literacy and numeracy, but to indoctrination and social activism. They recently conducted a march to call for something dear to the heart every nine-year-old – the banning of the Northern Gateway Pipeline.
Grove Community School (May 9, 2012)
O, now let us praise Grove Community School –
It’s trendily hot, and politically cool –
They’re terribly deft
At tricks of the left –
They puppet the cause, play the socialist fool.
Robert Fulford, in Saturday’s National Post (May 4, 2012), describes the life of Edvard Munch as "wretched but long." Munch apparently suffered from depression and alcohol dependence. One of four copies of his most famous painting, The Scream, sold at auction recently for nearly 120 million dollars. We are depressed that such an anguish-on-angst work should sell for so much; we are looking into alcohol dependence as a potentially profitable life-style alternative.
Edvard Munch (May 6, 2012)
I
Edvard Munch, it appears, was not given to frolic;
His days – oft depressed; his nights – alcoholic.
His nightmarish dream –
A redoubtable scream --
Still shivers and echoes through the mind-scape symbolic.
II
What lessons to draw from the miserable Munch--
So unhappy, depressed -- perhaps out-to-lunch?
The not-very-jolly
A mega-buck folly!
We gasp at the anguish – then reel from the punch.
III
And here we all are, unhappy as hell --
And up to this point, reluctant to tell;
But saying life sucks
Can bring in the bucks--
Get us a paintbrush -- ring the angst bell!
We must record developments in the Bev Oda saga. Initially, she repaid the additional costs of her fancy hotel; she has now seen fit to repay the expense of the limousine hired to shuttle her from the new hotel to the site of the conference – the hotel at which she had initially been registered. We must applaud Bob Rae for his wonderful comment; "This is like conscience on an installment plan."
We are duty bound, of course, to add to our limerickally lyrical celebrations of Ms. Oda. (See below, April 25, 2012 and February 15, 2011)
Bev Oda Redux
The Awakening (Maybe) (April 27, 2012)
It’s not given to all the clear difference to seize
Between proper expense and gravy-train sleaze;
Bev paid for her digs --
Now her limousine gigs --
As her conscience awakens in reluctant degrees.
Feeling the Pain (Sort of)
Now consider the world from a minister’s height:
The lines get all blurry– what’s wrong and what’s right?
And it’s tough to reign in
The ministerial whim! --
Thus – dollar by nickel, one lands in a pickle -- the Bev Oda plight.
Bev Oda has recently apologized in the House of Commons for expenses she claimed last year, terming them "unacceptable." Ms. Oda, International Development Minister, was attending a conference at the Grange St. Paul’s Hotel, where a room had been booked. She preferred to stay at the Savoy at a cost of $665 per night, for a total of $1995. Taxpayers were still on the hook for $287 for the original hotel. And – how tiresome – the new digs required a limousine and driver at a cost of $1000 a day to shuttle her to the conference. As a final insult, Ms. Oda paid $16 of our money for a glass of orange juice.
Now that the circumstances have been revealed, Ms. Oda says she has repaid the additional hotel costs, but, as Bob Rae has noted, not the cost of the limousine.
Ms. Oda was criticized in 2006 for limousine bills amounting to $5, 475 while attending the Juno Awards in Halifax. In 2007, she paid $1200 for a limousine engaged to take her to a government event. (Based on Hamilton Spectator article by Jennifer Ditchburn April 23, 2012.)
Bev Oda (April 25, 2012)
I
Gosh, that Bev Oda – she loves a good time!
Hotels and swish limos and a juice so sublime!
It’s all pretty pricey,
But ever so nicey –
When it’s put on the bill – on the taxpayers’ dime.
II
And now she’s stood up in the House to explain:
How wrong it all was – how worthy of blame.
O, dirt in the news –
How it cleans up one’s views –
And shows there’s no shame in this devious game.
III
Mmm, mmm, – good!
Bev Oda must think she’s a really big cheese!
Lives high on the hog – with gravy to please!
When the facts come to light,
She chews all contrite –
But this dish is just cheesy, with slathers of sleaze.
Students in Quebec have been on "strike" for ten weeks to protest a hike in university tuition fees of $325 each year for the next five years. Lately they have taken to rioting. Quebec fees are already the lowest, and significantly lower than in many other provinces. We may be peevish and irritable, but we are never wrong: we see the student response as a reflecting a mind set not unfamiliar in Quebec, which claims, and has always sought "special" status. It is especially noteworthy that such primacy of place is not to be achieved through successful enterprise – but through threats of secession and disruption. The irony of Quebec’s taking "equalization" payments while protesting an innate superiority has always provided us with significant amusement.
Quebec Student Protesters (April 22, 2012)
I
O, what shall we do about things we don’t like?
Why, the answer is simple: let’s riot and strike!
Our fees may be low –
But we’re special, you know –
We’ll dig in our heels: we’re not taking a hike.
II
Now how best to deal with this hike in the fees?
Riots work well, and strikes are a breeze!
We deserve to be coddled
And pampered and swaddled –
For what is life for but to do as we please?
Ted Thorne, principal at Millarville Community School in Alberta sent out a newsletter to parents which raised questions about the Wildrose Party, and supported the Conservatives. The resulting outrage has caused an apology to be issued by the school board.
Ted Thorne (April 19, 2012)
I
O, hear the sad tale of the unprincipled principal!
Played political games in a letter quite winceable!
The press then did harp
On a Thorne not too sharp,
And a political principal turned to meat all too minceable!
A principal, we think, is both sober and sensible,
Judicious in speech, in actions defensible.
Endorsements too hearty
Of a political party
Show a pants-not-too-smarty in a ploy reprehensible.
It is not surprising to learn that David Suzuki has stepped down from the Board of his foundation. (National Post, April 14, 2012) The foundation, quite bizarrely, has status as a charity, which means that it can issue charitable tax receipts. In fact, the foundation is a lobbying organization. The tax revenues foregone mean that taxpayers are subsidizing a political lobby group. The government is now requiring more information with respect to their political activities from those organizations claiming charitable status. Dr. Suzuki’s move is apparently made to avoid the revocation of his foundation’s status. We hope it is not successful.
David Suzuki (April 14, 2012)
I
There once was a lobbyist, a David Suzuki --
Preached the end of the world, all scary and spooky;
When his political sells
Rang as charity bells,
Well – that was the end of the spooky Suzuki.
II
There once was a alchemist, the wizard Suzuki --
Dabbled deep in dark spells that were wonky and wooky.*
They then put the slam
On his charity scam --
And that wrought a strange change in the kooky Suzuki.
III
There once was a scam, a Suzuki Foundation --
A political wolf bleating sheep’s protestation;
It wasn’t a hobby –
But a political lobby
That fanned the false fears of climate causation.
* wooky: adj. wonkily peculiar, unreliable, spurious, scamiferous, scamatological, Suzuki-like.
Jonathan Kay, editor of the Comments section of the National Post has been observed using "like" as a conjunction – twice in the same article, The thrift paradox (National Post, April 13).
The degree of transgression escalates from "the car market would look like it does in Cuba" to the truly awful, the unimpeachable marker of the inferior intellect and marginal education: "Like I said: a monster."
Jonathan Kay (April 13, 2012)
I
O, what can we say of our Jonathan Kay!
His was a gold we had hoped could just stay;
But he’s used "like" as a conjunction,
With no shred of compunction;
Now lament the decay of our Jonathan Kay!
II
When used as conjunction, that awful word "like"--
It grates on the ear, and elicits a "yike!"
But Jonathan Kay
Has used it that way –
And the "yike" is transformed to a blood pressure spike!
It has been suggested at a High Level Meeting at the United Nations, that old Measures of Progress – such as the Production of Goods and Services -- have been found wanting, since they are not directly related to Happiness. Indeed, the United Nations, that Fount of all Wisdom, has been early in this Advance, having passed in July of 2011 a Declaration of Happiness entitled: Happiness: Towards a Holistic Approach to Development.
The overthrow of the "current economic paradigm" is to be engineered, so that greater Happiness may be achieved. This Happiness will come from a "more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and well-being of all peoples." (Diary, April 3, 2012, based on an article by Terence Corcoran in the National Post.)
The United Nations Decrees Happiness (April 7, 2012)
I
O, praise the U.N., that place of perfections,
They’ve toiled and decreed some bold new directions!
Our regime economic --
‘Tis a plague gone bubonic!
So let’s dose up some happy, and give the injections!
II
It’s time to recant, and stop the eye-rolly!
The U.N. at last has found the grail holy!
The rich are just sappy;
Turn the switch to "just happy,"
Aim to be roly, and poly, and amusing, and droll-y.
Earth Hour, which refers to the bizarre practice of turning out the lights for an hour on the last Saturday in March, was begun by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007. The aim is, apparently, to unite people "to protect the planet," and send "a powerful message for climate change." There has been a considerable response among the "I feel your pain" crowd, and those wishing to show that, whatever other faults they may have, they favour motherhood, apple pie, and keeping the earth’s climate safe from the enormous and disruptive changes it has experienced over the millennia, long before human beings made their extraordinary appearance.
Gradually the enthusiasm for the belief in anthropogenic climate change is waning, as the methods, results, and ethics of the alarmists have been shown to be faulty. In 2009 Michelle Minton proposed an alternative "Human Achievement Hour" for the same time. This is an hour of no restraint: it is an occasion for celebrating our achievements in making life more comfortable, rather than suggesting the benefits of a symbolic return to the dark, damp, and frigid caves from which we emerged thousands of years ago. Turn on the Lights!
Earth Hour, 2012 March 30, 2012
I
There once was a movement to turn out the lights,
To put crimps on the future, and lower our sights.
‘Twas based on the lies
Of the climate change guys,
On their faulty ideas, and fondness for frights.
II
There was once a dark drama, a great gesture to earth --
Of our concern ‘twas to show there was simply no dearth:
O, we feel climate Pain!
(We’re completely insane)
We’ll huddle in darkness and banish all mirth.
III
We hate to report that this hour’s in decline
But perhaps it’s a symbol, a marker, or sign:
Climatic change
Is out of our range
And we’d rather be cheerful than gloomily whine.
IV Counter-Productive?
There once was decreed a dark gesture to earth --
‘Twas symbolic and solemn, with ideas full a-birth.
People switched off their lights,
Turned to other delights,
And made sure of our species we’d not have a dearth.
Industry Minister Christian Paradis was recently found guilty of a conflict of interest in telling officials at Public Works and Government Services to speak with ex-Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, who was peddling a green energy plan. He also spent time at the country home of Marcel Aubut, who was lobbying the Conservative government for money to build an arena. Mr. Paradis claimed he drove his own car and brought his own equipment, including a sleeping bag. It is also alleged that Mr. Paradis engineered the move of an employment centre to a building owned by his father’s law partner.
Christian Paradis (March 29, 2012)
I
O sing us song of the minister Paradis!
A tale of decline, old-fashioned and ballady;
Took up a bad hobby --
(The indiscreet lobby)--
And succumbed to bad judgment – the Paradis malady.
II
O let us not speak of a judgmental lapse,
Or suggest any failings, or ethical gaps:
It’s unseemly to nag--
He brought his own bag!
So zip up your zipper; put caps on your flaps.
Terry Nelson, a former Chief of Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba, is planning to visit Iran. He has long sought a greater share of oil, gas, and mining revenues for aboriginals, and plans to seek Iranian support in return for food grown on aboriginal land. (CTV News March 18, 2012) He has been described as a "delusional jackass."
Terry Nelson
I
There once was a dreamer, an Indian Chief,
Fought long on a fare of aboriginal beef --
Then came up with a plan:
Take his beef to Iran!
Oh that day-dream believer, that delusional Chief!
II
There once was a Chieftain, both daring and bold;
Sought Indian rights, and the Status of old;
Made his play for that day
Where the Mullahs hold sway --
But appeared but a fool: eyes everywhere rolled.
Pamela Howson, an Ottawa mother of three, and former Human Rights Commission investigator, applied for a front parking pad because the driveway to her garage was inconveniently narrow. When refused, she declined to apply to the Committee of Adjustment, and instead complained to the Human Rights Commission, claiming discrimination on the grounds of "family status." (The size of her family requires a vehicle of commensurate size.) (March, 2012)
Pamela Howson (March 11, 2012)
O see the bright trail of the star Pamela Howson!
She’s a flame and a fire we can scarce put a douse on!
She’ll bug and she’ll bat us
With her "family status;"
It’s Commission a-fishin’ when she’s got a grouse on.
For Pamela Howson, great defender of rights --
All plums should be plucked in one’s fanciful sights.
A handy Commission
Should confirm your ambition –
Approve of your "status," provide parking delights.
Chinese poet Zhu Yufu has been jailed for seven years for writing a twelve-line poem calling for the people to choose what China will be–since "China belongs to everyone." (National Post. February 11, 2012)
The Hammer of Justice, the Bell of Freedom. (February 14, 2012)
O hear the sad news from mightiest China--
A poet has transgressed with a singing twelve-liner;
It’s into the slammer
For the bell and the hammer--
O hear the sad news from mightiest China.
Lucy, the goose is now free and back on the farm. (See Lucy the Goose below.) A petition to the Ministry of the Environment has resulted in the Minister, Peter Kent, admitting that Lucy should never have been confiscated and threatened with euthanasia. (National Post, January 25, 2012) This is one of the few occasions in recorded history when bureaucratic stupidity has been reversed. (January 25, 2012)
Lucy Released
Now hear the glad news of Lucy the Goose!
The officials are fled in a goosey vamoose!
A fortunate flap
Got her sprung from the trap–
So let’s raise a glass to our Luce on the loose!
Bureaucrats Confounded
We shed not a tear for the bureaucrats sticky!
So uptight and cruel, so dumb and nit-picky!
We bask in the glee--
Our Lucy is free!
And honk our disdain for the bureaucratically icky.
Lucy, the goose was rescued by Diane Vander Wiel, three years ago, and kept as a pet. Although the goose was free to roam, officials charged Ms. Vander Wiel with keeping the goose confined and without a permit. Lucy was confiscated by officials who threaten euthanasia. John Wong, Regional Director of the Federal Wildlife Enforcement Division, is quoted as saying "There’s a number of reasons why wild animals should not be possessed. They should stay wild...there are risks to the natural population and to human health." (National Post , January 19, and Vancouver Sun, January 16.)
Luce the Goose (January 19, 2012)
O hear the sad tale of Lucy the Goose--
Caught by the law, the machine with screws loose;
She was happy at home,
And preferred not to roam:
But officials, stone faced, prepared the noose for poor Luce.
Wong the Wrong
There once was an official, a Pooh Bah, John Wong--
Rigid, unbending, with a face rather long:
A friendly pet goose?
The law says vamoose!
In law, Wong was right; but in all else--very wrong.
An article in the National Post (January 14, 2012) notes that Asma al-Assad, often praised for her humanitarian efforts, has appeared with her husband, Basher al-Assad at a "carefully orchestrated" rally for the Syrian dictator in Damascus recently.
Asma al-Assad (January 15, 2012)
O pity the pickle of Asma al-Assad!
A modernist lady with an image to laud:
Now stands by her Bashar
The Syrian trasher;
Oh, Asma al-Assad, the progressive turned fraud!
Ezra Levant was discovered in congenial conversation with one of the Archangels of Irrationality, Father Raymond J. De Souza, on The Source on December 26, 2011. The otherwise sensible Mr. Levant was heard to utter unkind words about atheists. We had initially thought to make representation to the Human Rights Commission, but have decided, instead, to complain of our wounded feelings in a Limerick.
Ezra Levant (December 27, 2011)
Oh ne’er did we think we’d embark on a rant,
And fault the mostly sensible Ezra Levant!
But it’s terribly odd:
He believes in a god!
Oh Ezra Levant, please reform, please recant!
It has been revealed that our Minister of Defence, Peter Mackay–so soon after his fortunate rescue from an oppressive fishing lodge by a Cormorant helicopter which suddenly found itself on a "training mission"–is accustomed to staying in expensive hotels–the figure of $1400 per night has been mentioned. At the same hotel, members of his staff were forced to endure the ignominy of rooms renting as low as $276 per night. (CTV News, December 15.)
Peter Mackay (December 16, 2011)
(And worth every penny.)
Oh, for the life of our Peter Mackay!
His fishing lodge flight "instructive" they say!
He won’t take a nap
‘Cept in Luxury’s lap–
And we pay, and we pay, and we pay for his play.
Paul Dewar, visionary extraordinaire. (December 9, 2011)
Paul Dewar, a candidate for the NDP leadership has indicated, that if he were to head the government, he would bring back the $2-per-vote subsidy for federal parties –but the amount would be pro-rated depending on the number of female candidates in the Party. At least 50% of candidates should be women, if the full subsidy is to be obtained. (Kelly Mcparland in the National Post, December 9)
Oh, our thanks on this day to the visionary Dewar --
Our traditional view he is anxious to skewer --
He’d love to perplex
With a subsidized sex:
A House bravely newer, with men rather fewer.
We have noted the appearance on television of a Christian dating website, which suggests that "God’s match" is available for Christians still single, but wishing to mingle. (November 28, 2011)
ChristianMingle.com
It’s Hallelujah time for the religiously single!
For now to the rescue–a divine Christian mingle!
God will now hatch
A heavenly match–
How the heart, it does leap; how the toes, they do tingle!
Michael Moore, who has been seen hobnobbing with Occupy protesters, and who considers himself as a David fighting the Goliath of Capitalism, has been exposed as the possessor of a 2 million dollar summer retreat in an exclusive enclave on Torch Lake–the kind of place that symbolizes the possibilities and advantages of the capitalist system. Mr. Moore is a member of the 1%, not the 99%.
Michael Moore November 19, 2011
There once was a rich man–a famed Michael Moore
Who fancied himself as one of the poor;
His hypocritical jigs
Were belied by his digs–
Now tarnished for sure is his deceptive allure.
Ruby Dhalla has introduced Bill C-428 which "proposes to amend the Old Age Security Act to reduce the residence requirement for entitlement to a monthly pension from ten years to three years." (Canadian Forums.)
Ruby Dhalla (October 20, 2011)
There once was a Liberal, a kind Ruby Dhalla,
Lived large in a land of handouts and la la:
Give skittles and beers
After only three years!
Oh that Dhalla–so shalla–and soft as marsh malla.
She’s no Booby
There once was a Dhalla named Ruby–
In Liberal lore–not a newbie--
She’d squeeze a few votes
From the immigrant boats,
With a splash of our cash from dear Ruby.
A recent edition of Ezra Levant’s The Source (Sun News, October 13) has revealed that The Toronto Police Force has a female Officer wearing the hijab. We can hardly conceive of a decision more gratuitously stupid, and we must assume that Bill Blair, the Chief of Police has at least approved of it.
Bill Blair October 15, 2011
There once was a chief called Bill Blair–
Was thought to be "not really all there"--
Didn’t see that the hijab
Was a low-blowing knee jab--
And marched on with his vacant-eyed stare.
****
Oh what can we say of Toronto’s chief Blair?
He must have the brains, the I.Q. of a hare.
Impartiality of law
He’s fed into the maw:
And the triumph of Correctness we are bound to declare.
****
Our Chief of police, that intellectual smidgen–
Thinks officers should bear a badge of religion!
The secular state
Is now out-of-date--
According to our Chief, that intellectual smidgen.
They pay pseudo-scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: "This climate thing, it’s nonsense. Man-made CO2 doesn’t trap heat. It may be volcanoes." Bullshit! "It may be sunspots." Bullshit! "It’s not getting warmer." Bullshit!
Al Gore in a recent Address at Aspen, quoted by Rex Murphy, National Post (August 20, 2011)
Al Gore, High Priest of Climate Change. (October 2, 2011)
Oh what has befallen our guru Al Gore?
He’s sounding quite frazzled, unhappy, and sore!
When the flock starts to ponder
They invariably wander--
And Gore is hard pressed to corral them once more.
****
The trouble with being a climate change priest
Is that famine can follow the spurious feast;
Those niggling doubts
Have turned into shouts--
And the unthinking worship has mercifully ceased.
****
Oh what will the history books say of Al Gore?
That proponent of folly and singular bore?
"He inspired a brief terror
With a notable error--
‘Til people woke up and showed him the door."
Fears that Vladimir Putin was railroading Russia into an outright dictatorship grew on Sunday as he prepared to return to the presidency and set course to be the country's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin. (National Post, September 26, 2011)
Vladimir Putin (September 27, 2011)
Oh, bring out the band for the rootin’ and tootin’!
All hail the "return" of Vladimir Putin!
For none will say ‘nix’
To this obvious ‘fix’--
And there’s just no disputin’ the power of King Putin.
King Abdullah, the ruler of Saudi Arabia, has granted women the right to vote for the first time. (National Post, September 26, 2011)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
It’s hard to believe, but there may be a
Slight hope for the women of Saudi Arabia;
They'll be at the polls--
But not driving the Rolls--
In the misogynist streets of despotic Arabia.
King Abdullah
O let us now praise the good king Abdullah!
He’s kinder and wiser than many a mullah–
Yes, women can vote
But we really must note–
It’s a very small thing in a whole bunch of bullah.
"A week after revealing that General Walter Natynczyk took a government jet to a Caribbean vacation, CTV is reporting that Defence Minister Peter MacKay used one of only three search-and-rescue helicopters available in Newfoundland to depart a vacation spot last year.
The network says Mr. MacKay was picked up at a private salmon fishing lodge along the Gander River last July by a Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter.... DND documents say the total annual cost per flying hour is $32,232 to operate a Cormorant helicopter, and Mr. MacKay's flight was about 30 minutes long. " (Globe and Mail online September 22.)
Peter Mackay (September 24, 2011)
Our defensive Mackay had a salmon-fest day
Then was plucked like a fish in a Cormorant way–
He says it was seductive
Because so awfully instructive
And well worth the money he prefers not to pay.
Walter Natynczyk, chief of defence staff, has been criticized for flying to a hockey game, the Calgary Stampede, and to St. Maarten for a cruise, on government Challenger jets, at taxpayers’ expense. The cost of such jets is said to be about $10,000 per hour. ( September 20, 2011)
Walter Natynczyk (September 24, 2011)
There once was a commander, Natynczyk
With the jet-setter lifestyle became awe-struck:
He loved to go cruisin'
Or hockey match schmoozin'--
While with huge bills for his thrills we were all stuck.
"Faye Dunaway, the Oscar-winning actress, said this week she intends to give up her rent-stabilized New York City apartment after her landlord filed papers in housing court to evict her for not actually living there....the landlord said Dunaway is a California resident. She is registered to vote there, owns a home in West Hollywood and has a California driver’s licence. Tenants who do not use a dwelling as their primary residence are not entitled to the protections of the Rent Stabilization Law..." (National Post, August 5, 2011)
Faye Dunaway (August 15, 2011)
There once was an actress called Faye
O'er a subsidized flat she held sway;
She thought it a hoot
To save so much loot
‘Till a suit for a boot spoiled her play.
****
There once was a Dunaway,-- a Dunaway Faye --
Had a house in the West – out California way;
Yet held on like a brat
To a rent-controlled flat
That outrageous Dunaway, -- that Dunaway Faye.
****
There once was an actress, a Dunaway Faye,
Didn’t live in New York, and liked it that way;
But her subsidized digs
Led to unseemly jigs
‘Till her dance was discovered, and she shuffled away.
The Canada Goose (August 8, 2011)
(Branta Canadiensis)
Oh what can we say of this untidy goose?
With rules of good pooping it plays fast and loose.
It’s especially lax
About where it attacks
It’s anywhere fast, and anywhere loose.
Branta Excrementis Maximus
Oh how oft must we hear this insulting abuse,
This linking of "Canada" with an unpopular goose?
It’s time to rename,
And stop all the blame --
And let all now revile the "Big Pooper Goose."
We note that Dr. Chris Spence, Director of the Toronto Board of Education has defended the practice of Valley Park Middle School in allowing the conduct of Muslim Religious services at the School. He apparently believes that accommodation of the desires of the predominantly Muslim population of the district should trump the principle of separation of Church and State, which is a cornerstone of western civilization as currently perceived.
Dr. Chris Spence (July 26, 2011)
There once was a Pooh-Bah–a Director Chris Spence
For his folly, we fear, there is no easy defence--
His wimpish ad hoc-ery
Made of principle a mockery
Oh save us from Pooh-Bahs so egregiously dense!
In an excerpt from That Time of Year, published in the National Post under the title My Path to Rome, Ian Hunter, Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Law at Western University, speaks of his conversion to Catholicism from Anglicanism with the gravity and enthusiasm which can only be mustered by those who think such matters are important. For those of us who are self-described foaming-at-the-mouth atheists, of course, it’s reminiscent of the mediaeval concern for estimating the number of angels who can happily dance on the head of a pin. We gather that once one has made the leap of faith into fantasy, ordinary perceptions of absurdity melt conveniently away.
Professor Ian Hunter
(July 15, 2011)
O how many angels, both greater and lesser,
May dance in the head of a legal professor?
O, once he slips in
To the fantasy bin--
Who heeds the professor, in the gown of mere guesser?
Please note that this is a Salsa Limerick; it comes in three versions–mild–above, medium–and mean.
Medium
O, how many angels, either greater or lesser
May dance on the head of a pious professor?
Oh see him dip in
To that pure Catholic gin!--
And watch the brain fast-dissolve in that awful head-messer.
Mean
Oh how many angels, both greater and lesser
May dance on the pate of a pinhead professor?
Oh see him drink up
From the wackiness cup!--
And weave from a legal to nonsense professor.
Toronto Gay Pride Parade. (July 5, 2011)
To much huffing and indignation on the part of some participants, Mayor Rob Ford refused to attend this year's Parade. In an idle moment, we wonder with what degree of enthusiasm Michelangelo, Walt Whitman, Tchaikovsky, Cole Porter, Virginia Woolf, Noel Coward, E. M. Forster, Alan Turing, John Maynard Keynes, Somerset Maugham, et al would join in.
We hope we will not be termed snide
For our views on this parade of gay pride:
It’s circus-time wacky,
But terminally tacky--
And this "tide" of gay pride--mere froth to deride.
"Dr. Philip Baker... resigned on Friday, just days after he admitted plagiarizing large parts of a speech delivered to students at their graduation banquet." (National Post, June 18 , 2011) He resigned as Dean, but will stay on as a professor.
Dr. Philip Baker June 19, 2011--see also June 15
Now hot off the press– the news of Phil Baker--
The mover and shaker turned indiscreet faker;
He’s not complete toast--
But he’s resigned his high post–
A down-sizing move for an unsteady shaker.
Jack Layton, the self-styled champion of working families, seems a bit uncomfortable about his posh new digs. He and his wife, MP Olivia Chow were in no rush to pick up the keys to the official residence, waiting more than a month after the May 2 election. (Hamilton Spectator, June 16, 2011)
( The accompanying picture shows a smiling Jack Layton and Olivia Chow holding the keys in a gesture which we would classify as triumphant. However, we have always been peevish and mean-spirited in our approach to socialists.)
Jack Layton and Olivia Chow move into Stornaway June 17, 2011
Behold the reluctance–so touching--of our socialist couple:
They’re pleased but not pleased–it’s terribly subtle;
It’s really too grand--
(But just as we planned)--
(A socialist must be open, and flexible, and infinitely supple.)
****
The problem with Stornoway–it’s just far too grand;
We’d prefer a socialist shack on some hardscrabble land;
But we’ll deal with the hoots–
We’re true to our roots--
At least it’s cheap housing of the subsidized brand.
Higgs Boson June 17, 2011
There once was a Boson called Higgs
Believed lurking in hide-away digs;
They built Hadron to zap it,
And finally trap it–
That reclusive shy Boson called Higgs.
"Resigning Thursday, shamed U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner said he had hoped to survive the cybersex scandal he has faced for almost two weeks, but admitted that the ‘distraction that I have created’ made that impossible." (National Post, June 17, 2011)"
Anthony Weiner June 16, 2011
O what a sight–the Icarus flight of the ambitious Weiner--
Caught in the act--in the heat of a strange misdemeanour:
His case of the hots
Led to indiscreet shots–
And he’s fallen to earth as a Weiner has-beener.
Dr. Philip Baker, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta "is facing criticism and calls to resign after he admitted to lifting much of a speech delivered at the banquet from an American doctor’s graduation address at Stanford University last year..." ( National Post, June 14, 2011)
Dr. Philip Baker June 15, 2011
Behold the strange case of Doctor Phil Baker–
Dean of the school–a mover and shaker;
Gave a wonderful speech–
‘Twas really a peach–
Purloined, as we hear, by that faker, Phil Baker.
****
Through our lists of good speakers, we’ll surely be sifting--
From our criteria clear we’ll never be drifting–
When under the gun,
Who’ll get the job done?
Why--Doctor Baker’s the man for the real heavy lifting!
Harold Camping, the Founder of Family Radio, predicted the End of the World at 6 p.m., May 21, 2011. His previous prediction of a "high likelihood" of the event in September, 1994, was also incorrect.
Harold Camping
or
May 22, 2011
Now hear the alarms of the religious fanatic–
With bells in the belfry, and bats in the attic:
Ding, Dong!
Ding, Dong!
There! Now ignore the alarms of the religious fanatic!
There was an old nutter called Camping,
Had opinions both dire and foot-stamping:
The world was on trend!
It would explosively end!
And Heavenward tramping would go old Harold Camping.
There once was a preacher of apocalypse gloom--
Saw the terrible date of end-of-world doom.
But on the day after
The world was in laughter;
O happy response to the purveyor of doom!
The day of our doom has unaccountably passed--
No fire, and no brimstone, no terminal blast!
Was the failure of terror
A mathematical error?
And as in the past--will a new date be cast to set us aghast?
O would that it were easy to achieve a clear capture
And grasp the great boon of the heavenly Rapture!
It seems certain as fate--
Then it misses the date!
And leaves us in state of grievous faith fracture.
O Canada! (May 16, 2011)
I
O Canada!–That equality-foolish, nanny-ish state:
When hiring's official -- discrimination is great!
And -- in the matter of healings–
There’s cash for hurt feelings-
But not many doctors in that nanny-ish state!
II
O Canada–the home of the weak and the silent unfree
Slaves to correctness and Commission Decree;
As sheep they are led
To the Procrustean bed
Then sized, then silenced, as Equality’s fee.
Pakistan May 14, 2011
O consider the bleatings from the nation of Pakistan–
Of the U.S. an ally! A scourge of the Taliban!
But bin Laden was cosy
Right under their nosy
O Pakistan! O phony clan! O Scamistan!
Self-esteem. March 23, 2011 (See Diary and Drivel of March 22, 2011.)
There once was a model of youthful self-esteem,
In his own mind-- a faultlessly fabulous dream;
When reality greeted,
His esteem overheated,
And he boiled quite away in a cloud of fine steam.
There once was a young man with a dream
Well fed by much false self-esteem--
‘Twas the fault of his tutors--
Not really straight shooters--
And his dream fell apart at the sufficiency seam.
"...Mr. Trudeau, the Liberal immigration critic, said he was ‘uncomfortable’ with the government labelling honour killings as ‘barbaric’.... ‘You could say that it’s absolutely unacceptable as a phrase,’ said Mr. Trudeau, adding that the word could have the effect of making newcomers ‘defensive.’" (National Post March 16, 2011)
Justin Trudeau (March 16, 2011)
We wonder when he speaks on such matters Liberal,
What is knee-jerk response, and what quite deliberal?
A barbarian defensive
Would be so offensive?
O spare us, O please, from such Liberal dribberal!
Pretty far from a limerick--but we couldn't resist:
See the multicultural error!
It cannot name a real terror!
Always smiling
False beguiling
See the multicultural terror!
Justin Trudeau (March 20, 2011)
(Pluto is no longer considered a planet.)
O see the strange flight of the young Justin Trudeau–
Looks a bit like the arc of the marginal Pluto–
A planetary light
Less bright in our sight--
Now zooms at the height of the ambitiously pseudo.
"Ontario Senator Don Meredith, who is black, issued a press release Friday saying Mr. Ignatieff used a slang term commonly associated with the 19th-century slave trade...He described Mr. Ignatieff’s language as "offensive’ and ‘at the very least insensitive.’" ( National Post, March 12, 2011) (Mr. Ignatieff described voters’ potential reaction to contempt of Parliament rulings as: "Now wait a cotton-pickin’ minute here.")
Don Meredith ( March 13, 2011)
There once was a man called Meredith, a senatorial fool--
At the mention of picking cotton, he'd completely lose his cool:
He’d dab his eyes with tissue!
A press release he’d issue!
Of political correctness he was the willing, strutting tool.
We can’t plant taters, and we can’t pick cotton
There’s so many things that we really, really oughten.
With skin so paper thin
What next will be a sin?
With trembling must we speak--lest we breathe the misbegotten.
We hope we may speak with a certain directness:
This man is in thrall to political correctness;
It gives one to sicken!
It’s worse than cotton-pickin’!
Of this sort of folly we’ve a right to expect less!
The routine complaint of a friend is that we take unacceptable liberties with the limerick form. Our retort is always that our alterations of metre and line length permit the inclusion of metrically awkward names, and allow for greater coherence and scope of argument, both of which are significant enablements of our satiric purpose. We feel that we have expanded the usefulness of the form, while admitting that we have sacrificed that peculiar limerick quality–an offbeat, quirkiness which the strict form seems to impose.
The following limerick, while not perfect, is closer to the classic standard:
There once was a senator, Don–
Grew cotton instead of a lawn:
‘Twas offensive to pick–
So it grew very thick–
Till he wished that ‘no-cotton-pickin’ lawn could be gone.
"By mid-morning Thursday, all seven members of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation had tendered their resignations, after rebuffing Mayor Rob Ford’s public calls this week for them to step aside in light of an audit that found staff expensed spa treatments and chocolates, while ignoring rules around awarding contracts....CEO Keiko Nakamura, whom the mayor also wants out, remains in her job." (Natalie Alcoba, National Post, March 4, 2011)
Toronto Community Housing Board ( March 4, 2011)
Keiko Nakamura...(doesn’t have the stomach for it?)
Oh see Ms. Nakamura, the Housing Board’s thick Head!
Her cohorts fallen ‘round her, as doornails all dead!
Yes, it’s really too scary--
That old hari-kari
But maybe quite soon she'll walk the gangplank instead!
"Mayor Rob Ford called on civilian board members of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, including its chairman, to resign Monday after two scathing audits revealed staff at the public housing authority have ignored rules for awarding contracts while expensing spa treatments and boat cruises." (‘Disgraceful’ misuse of Funding by Natalie Alcoba. Financial Post, March 1, 2011)
The Toronto Community Housing Corporation. (March 1, 2011)
Ah--the toot of a gravy train!--It's always arousing!
But hark!--the loud choo-choo called Community Housing:
Does the housing stock rot?
They give not a jot!--
More cruises! More chocolates! More food and carousing!
O what a tangled web we weave
When in government we do believe:
The record is so spotty
And so grungy and so grotty
There’s no ending to misspending with tax funds there to thieve.
"In a speech given Feb. 24 in Toronto, actress Shirley Douglas, daughter of the late Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas, accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of starving medicare." (Editorial, National Post. February 28, 2011.)
Shirley Douglas (February 28, 2011)
There once was a Douglas named Shirley
Caught up in the health care hurly burly
Just give it more cash!
Was her tired old re-hash--
Oh surely! Oh Shirley! Your mind–so giddily whirly--so emptily girly!
There once was a Shirley named Douglas
She’d be smarter if she would just bug less.
Health central planning
Is coercive and scamming--
Which she’d know if she weren’t Shirley Douglas.
The Health Care System
Welcome to the flowering of the Big Nanny state!
Compete for treatment through the hard narrow gate!
And if you don’t fit
We give not a shit*--
Behold the flowering of the Big Nanny State!
What rôle for the patient in the socialist state?
He should wait in the waiting room awaiting his fate!
And if with a sigh
He should conveniently die--
Why--there’s one number less in the waiting room wait.
*In the rare circumstance of polite company--at weddings, funerals and in the presence of Royalty--this can be altered to "We care not a bit." For an extra air of old-fashioned refinement, we would suggest: "We care not a whit."
Mubarak et al February 25, 2011
The Arab dictator is the biggest of cheeses;
He gets what he wants and does as he pleases;
And then one fine day
There’s the Devil to pay
As sharp goads of freedom grate into the cheeses.
Oh for the life of an Arab dictator--
The pay is quite good, the perks even greater–
A possible flaw–
Is the Icarus law–
The flight may seem free–but it’s likely to crater.
" International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda admitted Monday that she is responsible for modifying a memo that had originally recommended funding for an aid group....in December when she was asked who wrote the word "not" on the document...she replied, ‘I do not know’" (National Post, February 15, 2011)
Bev Oda February 15, 2011
The question that is raised by the strange case of Bev Oda:
How long –do you think–till they show her the roada?
That unavowed "not"
Suggests ethical rot-
Not the truth-- but a big loada from Oda.
Canadian Catholic bishops are cautioning married couples to not get [sic--see Misuse of Words #15] too focused on sexual acts other than intercourse, calling them potential misuses of sex that ignore God’s intentions. (National Post, January 28, 2011)
The Conference of Canadian Catholic Bishops February 2, 2011
Oh for the life of a conferencing bishop!
One cudgels one’s brains for a topic to fish up.
"Life’s so terribly complex!
So let’s just talk about sex!
And at the end of the day we’ll have a doozy to dish up!"
Oh what can we say in our Pastoral Letter?
We’re terribly dull–but would like to get better!
We know lots about misuses
And sexual abuses
So what better thoughts to unfetter in our Pastoral letter?
How blessed it is to know God’s Intentions!
There’s an order that’s holy in bedroom conventions!
Thus we scarce need debate--
We can pontifically state
The sexual firsts, and the lasts, and the dishonourable mentions.
Dan Kellar, a doctoral student at the University of Waterloo, managed to frighten University officials into barring Christie Blatchford from giving a speech at the University on November 12. The pusillanimous officials cited "safety concerns"–since Mr. Kellar had locked himself to two other protesters with bicycle locks. Ms. Blatchford is the author of Helpless, a book about the failure of the rule of law in Caledonia.
Dan Kellar November 19, 2010
There once was a poor student, Dan Kellar;
By gosh, he was one heck of a feller!
A loony left nut
With a mind seized tight shut
He dragged Waterloo to the stupidity cellar.
There once was a student, a certain Dan Kellar,
Who one day arose from his intellectual cellar;
Full of correctness political,
But lacking thought analytical,
He played the buffoon in a rôle that was stellar.
Layton/Chow Limericks November 13, 2010
An article by Lorne Gunter in the November 10 edition of the National Post indicates that in the cases of Jack Layton and Olivia Chow, our prominent socialist parliamentarian couple–each has an expense account considerably above the average of $469,00. (629,000/$530,000) Mr. Gunter is curious, and thinks the expenses should be itemized. We recall that many years ago, the couple was discovered to be living, quite unjustifiably, in subsidized public housing.
Oh, that parliamentary couple–yes, Jack Layton and Ms. Chow–
They’re a marvel and a wonder when a-milking of our cow!
Such practical dexterity!
Good-bye to bleak austerity!
Thank God for honest labour, and the sweat upon one’s brow!
If you prefer a tot of Mumms to crying in your beer,
You can hardly do much better than a socialist career!
Oh–a bit of rabble-rousing,
A stint in public housing–
And then the public pay-off–a million bucks a year!
Throw in your lot on the side of the worker–
Fight like hell–don’t be a shirker–
Then just win a seat–
Your life is complete–
Oh, for the life of a public service smirker!
Jack and Olivia–our caps to them we humbly doff–
Their hearts are with the poor, you see–but they’ve really
taken off–
They’re making a stash
Of expense account cash–
A well-practised couple at a convenient trough!
More Sandie Rinaldo Limericks November 1, 2010
On October 31, Sandie Rinaldo appeared again wearing her favourite 'haute couture' black leather jacket.
You could have flattened us all with the proverbial feather!
There was Sandie again, all draped in black leather!
Was it just thoughtless haste?
Or simply bad taste?
Will we soon be seeing Lloyd in the altogether?
Oh, Sandie, Sandie, once again you are splashin’--
Our screens with more waves of black leather fashion!
But the high fashion views
Overpower the news
Could you go back to bland and stop our teeth gnashin’?
The evening news is a sober affair--
About politics, tsunamis, and global warfare.
Attire that’s so fulgent
So plainly self-indulgent
Is fine for display–but discreetly, elsewhere.
Rob Ford was elected Mayor of Toronto on Monday, October 25, much to the dismay of Toronto's left- wing 'progressive' elites. The Toronto Star had been particularly strident in its opposition to Mr. Ford's candidacy.
Rob Ford October 27, 2010
There once was a councillor, Rob Ford
A careful spender The Star plain abhorred;
But Ford won the race
Put The Star in its place--
A bully besmirched and redly begored.
Oh pity the whiners, the liberal-fool left--
Of their comfy world view now cruelly bereft;
Tomfoolery spending
Soon will be ending;
Common sense will be gaining some Rob Fordly heft.
Saturday, September 25, 2010: Sandi Rinaldo appears on CTV News wearing a black leather jacket.
Sandie Rinaldo
Oh, what has become of our Sandi Rinaldo?
As nice as a peach and sweet as a dolldo!
A Hells Angels biker?
A dominatrix striker?
Oh, bring back our demure and delovely Rinaldo!
There once was a Rinaldo–sweet Sandie;
At reading the news she was handy;
But can she still hack it
In black leather jacket
And our thoughts of sweet Sandie turn randy?
National Post Editorial, September 16, 2010: "Wednesday, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty ..[told] a media scrum that the province’s school boards should be open to the idea of allowing cellphones in classrooms."
Dalton McGuinty
Pity our leader, our Dalton McGuinty!
His mind has gone warpy, and woody, and splinty!
Thinks the classroom just fine
For a cell-festing time–
Oh, that loft-lumbered, log-brained Dalton McGuinty!
Oh that wonderful machine, our Dalton!
Is there a mode to be showed to default’m?
He thinks he’s so trendy–
Not a mind needing mendy--
Is there a button to press to just halt’m?
News Item: "Fifty years after the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro has
admitted the country's economic model no longer works...'The Cuban model doesn't
even work for us anymore.'" (National Post, September 9, 2010.
Fidel Castro
(Too soon old, too late Smart)
What a wonder that Castro, the famous Fidel,
Has awakened at last from the Communist spell;
The truth he can't shirk:
Cuba won't work!
A late-clanging bell in an overdue knell!
News Item: Iran said yesterday the sentence of death by stoning against a
woman convicted of adultery that has sparked an international outcry remained
stayed, pending a final decision by the judiciary...On Monday, her son Sajjad
told a news conference in Paris he feared his mother would be executed after the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “Ramadan is coming to and end, and, according to
Islamic law, executions can resume,” he said by telephone. (National Post,
September 8, 2010)
Iran
There once was a place called Iran–
Civilization, some say, there began;
But they enjoy a good stoning,
With loud screams and dire moaning
As a welcome relief from holy Ramadan.
“...Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei–against whom Iranians chant ‘Death to the
dictator’ at public gatherings and nightly from their rooftops–has sought to
reaffirm his authority. Late last month he issued a fatwa declaring that his
opinions had a status equal to those of the prophet Muhammad. The fatwa caused
such consternation that it was removed from his website, then quietly returned a
few days later.” Cracks in the Iranian Monolith –article in National
Post, August 26, 2010.
Ali Khamenei
Have you heard the latest from Ali Khamenei?
A fatwa that’s delusive and conclusively zany?
He’s on a par with The Prophet!
Oh, really, come off it!
(It looks like a power that’s woozily oozing and weakishly waney.)
News Item: “The British woman at the centre of an Internet hate campaign
after being caught dumping a cat into a garbage can said yesterday she was
“profoundly sorry” for her actions....Earlier the woman told The Sun
newspaper she could not understand ‘what all the fuss is about’...She described
her actions as ‘a joke” and added, ‘It’s just a cat.’” (National Post, August
26, 2010.)
The strange, strange Tale
of Mad Mary Bale
Now listen in wonder to the peculiar tale
Of the casual stroll of mad Mary Bale:
In a moment of sin
She put a cat in a bin
And down the river of protest so calmly did sail.
“Judge orders Quebec team to put teen back on the court.” “The coach’s
decision to cut Souleymane, although taken in good faith, constitutes a real
injustice for Souleymane.” Headline and quotation in Globe and Mail, July 24,
2010.
Judge Martin Bédard
(July 29, 2010)
O, let us sing the praises of Judge Martin Bédard!
Now life’s a chain of daisies, and will never be hard.
He’s got a legal ointment
For every disappointment!
Now life’s a perfect plum drop that never will be marred.
“The Conservative government has ordered a review of federal affirmative
action policies, saying the public service should hire based on merit, not race
or gender. (National Post, July 23, 2010)
Affirmative Action
(July 23, 2010)
Oh, what will we do without affirmative action?
There’ll be marches, and protests, and a foot-stamping faction!
What good is this “merit”
If we can’t EQUALLY share it?
And live in a world of complete satisfaction?
“Sarah Palin....raised linguists’ eyebrows when she urged Muslims to 'refudiate'
a controversial mosque, then defended her garbled English as Shakespearean. "
(National Post July 20, 2010)
Sarah Palin
(July 20, 2010)
Frankly, we’re jealous of the neological Sarah Palin–
Though linguists denjudicate a grade that’s plain failin’–
For who could supermeliate
A word like refudiate?--
We’d advocolate no bailin’–keep a-sailin’, Sarah Palin!
A suggestion has been made that the power of Human Rights Commissions should be
enhanced, so that feelings of anger and contempt in the Canadian population be
directed at government-approved targets, and a more concerted effort be made to
align the thoughts of the populace with those deemed consistent with an ideal
society.
Human Rights Commissions
(July 15, 2010)
Soon to be known as The Department of Brotherly Love--
A fist of steel 'neath a velvet glove–
Everything’s bright--
All sweetness and light
In the dungeons and chambers of Brotherly Love.
Michael Ignatieff ( July
7, 2010)
“Despite China’s ongoing (and often violent) suppression of pro-democracy
movements, Tibetan separatists, the Falun Gong spiritual movement, Christian
missionaries, Uyghur Muslims and many others, Mr. Ignatieff believes China has
made more progress in human rights in the past ten years than any other nation,
Canada included. ‘Neither of our countries has a flawless past or present,’ he
insisted, as if there could be any comparison between a democracy such as Canada
and a one-party dictatorship such as China.” (National Post July 6, 2010)
He’s a challenging leader, but if you’re to follow–
Hold your nose, count to three–and then swallow;
On the seductive delights
Of Chinese human rights,
His praises sound--hmmm-- just a teensy bit hollow?
Oh yes–please meet our new man from Beijing;
The praises of China he’s most anxious to sing;
There’ll be no waste of breaths
On repression or deaths–
‘Cause everything’s “right” –all sweetness and light-- in Beijing.
Allan Rock
(July 4, 2010)
“Last March, when controversial American conservative Ann Coulter first proposed
to speak on the University of Ottawa campus, the school’s vice-president
academic and provost, François Houle, sent an infamously smug, patronizing
letter to Ms. Coulter, warning her to ‘educate’ herself about what kinds of
speech are and are not acceptable in Canada...Now, ...we have learned that U of
O president Allan Rock, the former federal Liberal Justice minister–not Mr.
Houle–was the force behind the intimidating email...” (National Post editorial,
July 3, 2010.)
There once was a president Rock,
Came correctly from true Liberal stock;
Speech free and easy
Made him ever so queasy
If it challenged his ‘human rights’ crock.
Hickory, dickory, dock
Allan Rock ran right up the clock.
Ann’s coming to town
Turned him into a clown
And made him a mouse to be mocked.
“Former Hydro Ontario chief executive Eleanor Clitheroe has lost a legal
bid to boost her $25,000-a-month pension.” (National Post, June 19, 2010.)
Eleanor Clitheroe (June 22, 2010)
Oh, shed a tear for dear Eleanor, yes Eleanor Clitheroe,
Covered in money from her head to her little toe!
But the court called her bluff–
Said twenty-five grand’s enough!
You’re greedy, not needy--dear Eleanor Clitheroe.
Helen Thomas ( “dean of the White House press corps”
June 9, 2010.)
“Ms. Thomas, 89, announced yesterday she was retiring as a columnist for Hearst
newspapers after telling an interviewer Israeli Jews should 'get the hell out of
Palestine’ and go back to Poland and Germany." (National Post, June 8, 2010)
It’s probably almost as good as a promise
We’ll be hearing but little from “dean” Helen Thomas;
Is she of caution bereft?
Or just so typically left?
Or a regrettable case of gaga bananas?
“But now we have, not a journalist, but a judge ruling that... a former
prime minister of Canada lied to a judicial inquiry about his cash dealings
shortly after leaving office...” Andrew Coyne in Maclean’s, June 14,
2010.
Brian Mulroney
(June 7, 2010)
There once was a P.M. called Brian,
Seduced by a world of high-flyin–
Took a considerable stash
Of undeclared cash–
And ever since then he’s been lyin.
Alternative version for the sensitive:
There once was a P.M. called Brian,
Seduced by a world of high-flyin–
Took a considerable stash
Of undeclared cash–
And ever since then he’s been economical with the truth.
And again:
There once was a P.M. called Brian
Whose story the judge isn’t buyin:
Big deals done with money
Sound awfully funny
When it’s cash, when it’s quiet, when it’s Karl and it’s Brian.
Sarah Again
Oh Sarah, Sarah, you’ve done it again!
(June 2, 2010)
You went on Oprah to wallow in shame!
It’s terribly tacky,
And woefully wacky!--
Oh, when can we expect some more of the same?
See-- the dim hush of the private confessional
Is now the bright stage of the TV professional;
Celebrity sin
Must make a great din:
It’s obviously obsessional, and deeply depressional.
The Summit
(May 30, 2010)
The only “peak” is the cost of this summit;
It’ll plug up the city and thoroughly gummit;
It’s completely insane;
It’s hot air on the brain;
It’s a depth of such dumbness–no one can plumb it.
Sarah Ferguson Limericks
(May 24, 2010)
There once was a needy ex-Royal
On the prowl for significant spoil–
Was filmed with a stash
Of illicit cash–
What a silly ex-Royal was that goil!
There once was a silly ex-Royal
Found a bribe her relations did roil;
Said: “I’m really quite sorry...
(P’raps I should hire a big lorry
And hold up a bank for my spoil.”)
There once was a crack-pot ex-Royal,
Couldn’t whistle according Hoyle;
With a bribe so egregious
(How un-noblesse obligeous!)
She went straight from a “simmer” to “boil.”
Bieber Limericks (May 23, 2010)
The world is aflame with a Bieberish fever--
Enthralled by the flight of a youthful achiever;
But a fabulous climb
Bears the seeds of decline–
And fame can be kind–or a jesting and fickle deceiver.
There once was a young Canuck called Bieber
Got caught up in a musical fever–
At the age of sixteen
He’d a wonderful sheen–
And shone like a thousand watt beaver.
National Post Editorial (May 4, 2010): Politicizing the appointment of a new governor-general--as Michael Ignatieff did over the weekend-- is an astonishing gaffe.
Michael Ignatieff
A questionable ploy from our Michael–
(Looking ever more odd and unlike-al)
In a scheme to make hay,
Says the G.G. should stay!
(Perhaps it’s time for a Michael recycle.)
A brilliant stroke from our Michael–
A stout stick in the spokes of the cycle–
An opposition intercession
In the wheels of succession--
(Time to dismount and take a well-deserved hike-al?)
News Item: Helena Guergis, the Minister of State for the Status of Women,
may face new political peril after allegations emerged yesterday that her
husband, former Conservative MP Jahim Jaffer, was using one of her BlackBerrys
and that he had boasted of his connections to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s
office to further his private business interests. (National Post, April 9,
2010.)
The Guergis, The Jaffer
Such artifice adepts, the Guergis, the Jaffer!
Imagine a mess–they’ll know how to craft ‘er!
Who are these people?
Do we laugh? Do we weeple?
Those peculiar pretenders, the Guergis, the Jaffer!
The Ottawa Couple
See, in full Icarus flight the Ottawa couple:
They twist and they turn in manner so supple!
It certainly looks
Like a couple of crooks
As they crash to the ground in a flaming kerfuffle.
News item: Sumo suits, the plastic novelties that can transform a skinny sports fan into a comically unstable sphere for the delight of a stadium audience, are racist and dehumanizing instruments of oppression, according to the student government of Queen’s University. (National Post, March 30, 2010.
The Students at Queen's
(April 7, 2010)
What marvels those students at Queen's!
What fine noses for all that demeans!
Up correctness political!
Down skills analytical!
Oh, the juvenile beans of those students at Queen's!
News Item: “Embattled junior Conservative cabinet member Helena Guergis
says she had no idea her office assistant has been sending pro-Guergis letters
to local newspapers posing as a regular voter.” (Hamilton Spectator, March 31,
2010.)
Helena Guergis
So, first was the airport kerfuffle–
The “hellhole” that begged for a muffle–
Now letters quite phony--
And excuses baloney–
It’s time for a cabinet shuffle!
O Helena, it looks just a teeny bit devious,
And really much worse than the previous–
Those letters so smarmy!
(A notion so barmy!)
It's all woozily wobbly, and dodgily weavious!
News Item: “‘This is high-handed and I cannot stay here,’ lawyer James
Millar told B.C. Human Rights tribunal member Murray Geiger-Adams.... He was
furious with Geiger-Adams, who insisted on starting the four-day hearing before
determining whether the tribunal even has the authority to hear the case.”
(National Post, March 30.)
Murray Geiger-Adams
All kneel before Pooh-Bah Geiger-Adams!
His power in the realm of old Saddam’s!
Is his enquiry legit?
He cares not a whit!
Geiger-Adams is Geiger-Adams-is Geiger-Adams!
News Item: “A 32-year-old lesbian, Lorna Pardy alleges that while drinking
at a Vancouver restaurant in 2007, ‘she and her same-sex partner were subjected
to a tirade of homophobic and sexist comments’ by performing stand-up comic Guy
Earle.” (National Post, March 30.)
Lorna Pardy
Shed not a tear in your beer for Ms. Pardy!
To complain of hurt feelings she ain’t tardy!
A twenty grand haul
From a cheap comic brawl
In Canada, that’s routine har-de-har-de.
“Bluster masquerading as Reason”
“The author of God is Not Great [Christopher Hitchens] is one of the most
militant, abrasive secularists of our time, perhaps only second in renown to the
increasingly tedious and tendentious Richard Dawkins. Militant secularism is a
peculiar phenomenon. It prides itself above all on reason, but reason in a very
shrunken capacity–a kind of blustering, blistering, angry half-logic that
perpetually targets the anachronistic straw-man conception of God as a big,
bearded White Guy in the sky.” (Rex Murphy in The National Post, Saturday, March
20.)
Rex Murphy
March 26, 2010
Into Orbit
Consider the plight of our wordsmith Rex Murphy!
That Hitchens piece–wow!–sure touched a raw nerfy!
On a rhetorical flight,
Rex flamed right out of sight–
(Like a cartwheel now circles his former home turfy!)
Hot Air?
A warrior wordsmith of impeccable lustre
Only once was seen in a fumbling fluster:
The sharp goads of reason
He found deeply unpleasin’
But all he could muster was a blustering wind-guster.
News item: "University of Ottawa provost François Houle should apologize to American pundit Ann Coulter, says Canada's main university teachers' organization...even before she spoke Mr. Houle took it upon himself to write the best-selling author a letter warning her against violating Canada's hate-speech laws." (National Post, March 26, 2010)
François Houle
There once was a provost, François Houle,
An acolyte avid at the “correctness” school;
A contrary thought
Made his shorts all aknot,
And him of "correctness" a cowardly tool.
Oh, François Houle, we’re keen on a mission
To make you the Chief of a Rights Commission!
So narrow of mind!
So wonderfully blind!
You’re the perfect choice for such a position!
News item Friday, March 12, 2010: “The Ontario Liberal government will pay severance packages worth as much as $45,000 to more than 1,250 Ministry of Revenue employees who won’t lose their jobs.. [They will change from being Provincial to Federal employees.] Premier Dalton McGuinty defended the agreement...saying his government has a responsibility to respect the contract it signs.”
Dalton McGuinty
The workers won’t be shirkers in praising our Dalton!--
(Who ne’er saw a wound he wouldn’t rub salt in!)
Forty-five grand apiece
From the taxpayers’ fleece,
And our ethical Dalton claims no one can fault him!
Oh to be an employee of the Revenue Ministry!
Free money for all, and not the least bit sinistry!
McGuinty's their hero
An ethical zero,
But things are all good at the Revenue Ministry.
"Climate scientists are now in a maelstrom of competing caricatures...They are also ethical, hard-working and honest." (Elizabeth May in The National Post, March 11, 2010.)
Elizabeth May
Oh, what can we say of Elizabeth May?
Those scientist crooks–they’re mostly okay!
Ignore Mid-Ages smudging
And hockey-stick fudging–
It’s premature judging for Elizabeth May!
Jaffer-Guergis (March 10, 2010)
There once was a Tory called Jaffer,
Clear winner in an odd legal chaffer:
For having cocaine
And booze on the brain,
‘Twas a five hundred buck laugher for Jaffer.
There once was an M.P. Helena Guergis,
A lady quite easy to off-piss:
The rules made her hoity,
And ever so toity,
That M.P. hoigh and moighty Helena Guergis.
Canadian Tire Corporation (March 8, 2010)
There once was a store called Canadian Tire–
Grew from one store to auto empire;
They’ll fix your old car
For ninety-four bucks an hour-
Ain’t it grand–give a hand (and an arm and a leg) for Canadian Tire!
Oh what an icon, that Canadian Tire!
Let us praise with the lute, and laud with the lyre!
It’s terribly speedy
(Just a little bit greedy)
As it jacks up the prices–just higher, and higher, and higher.
Let’s hear a cheer for Canadian Tire!
It’s got mufflers, and mirrors, and mechanics for hire!
The customer chicken
Is expertly stricken
Then plucked and de-bucked and done in the fryer.*
* A ruder version of this line was considered and rejected as inappropriate to a
Christian and family-oriented website.
Our little poem about David Suzuki was not a limerick, and so Mr. Suzuki
does not appear on Limerick Lane. To remedy this deficiency, we have reworked
the verse into limerick form. The second limerick was largely driven by the
search for another rhyme. “Wooky” is a neologism; it means wonkily peculiar.
(March 8, 2010)
David Suzuki
There once was a pundit called David Suzuki,
Made forecasts so scary, and blarey, and spooky;
But the scientist-crooks
Cooked the climate-change books–
Now Suzuki’s less “spooky” than “kooky.”
David Suzuki
(Do not feed.)
Behold the exhibit: Dave Suzuki,
Now safely behind lock and new zoo key:
Scientus Erroneus,
(Often cacaphoneus)
Danger: Can be spooky, and wooky or kooky.
Green Jacket Winner (February 28, 2010)
There once was a green jacket winner,
Deemed clearly a serial sinner;
He went on parade
With a silly charade
So his fat income would stop getting thinner.
February 24, 2010
Tiger Woods
There once was a golfer called Woods;
On his affairs they soon got the goods.
So on TV he made claim
To an unlikely aim:
To trade in his “I coulds” for “I shoulds.”
There once was a golfer called Woods;
On his affairs they soon got the goods.
His TV apology
Was like UFO-ology–
Or a plan to make angels from hoods.
(P.S.: If you find these a bit lame–
We’re only partly to blame–
Trying to “get the goods”
On rhyming words for “Woods”
Is often just abortionist–
Or sometimes weirdly contortionist
That sends you into bad moods*
Or eating rich and carby foods.*
And as for “Tiger”--
We can only think of “From the Congo or the Niger”-
Used by W.S. Gilbert
As he ate a carby filbert
While writing The Mikado
{NOT starring Nelly Furtado.}
If you can think of another “iger”
That would rhyme with “Tiger”
Send it in, send it in–
We’ll be happy as sin.
{Sin so much happier than rectitude
Which smacks, somehow, of ineptitude.})
*Rhymes with “Woods.”
February 22, 2010
Re: the now-famous Parking Lot decision (see below) by the Quebec Human
Rights Commission:
“It was reported that, in the course of her battle with her co-owners, Mme.
Myrand had been subject to ‘degrading remarks’ about using her obesity to get a
better parking space. In her judgment, Michèle Pauzé fined the association
$3,000 in punitive damages because these remarks...conflict with the inclusive
values promulgated by our society.” (Mark Steyn writing in the March 1, 2010
edition of Maclean’s.)
Michèle Pauzé
Hurray, hurray, for our Michèle Pauzé!
She determines our values–yes, day by day.
A degrading remark
Is just the right spark,
And the mode of Ms. Pauzé is in full arrogant sway.
Those all-too-human Commissions of Rights
Afford us so many, such varied delights;
If they deem you abusive
Of values inclusive
They wield their dark power at absurdity’s heights.
Human Rights Commissions
How warm, how cherished the Human Rights Commission,
Steeped in the lore, the long-standing tradition;
Judge and jury for you,
Executioner, too–
Like a ghost of that wonderful, that Grand Inquisition.
Beware the Human Rights Commission
Beware the dark, destructive mission;
Equality’s a siren song,
Leads to shoals of greater wrong–
And greater sins, and damned perdition.
Readers may remember that the Human Rights Commission advocated on the side of
landlords operating student Lodging Houses in single family neighbourhoods, in
which the residents complained bitterly about the presence of unruly students
and resultant declining property values. In mid-December, 2009, Barbara Hall,
Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission argued “We
feel...students should have access to various parts of the city in which to live
and that we should all have that kind of access, and the bottom line is that
none of us can choose our neighbours,”-- a welcome notion which she repeats in a
letter to the National Post: “Everyone in Ontario should have equal access to
housing, without discrimination. That includes students.”
Barbara Hall
For students or rowdies, our own Barbara Hall
Thinks a family neighbourhood just the “right” call.
She inhabits the stars,
Or perhaps planet Mars:
How nice not to live in the real world at all!
"Why do Canadian legislators invest human rights commissions with powers they would entrust to no other agency, including the police? Why are human rights commissions allowed to undermine fundamental human rights?" (Comment by Ian Hunter, National Post, February 18, 2010.)
The Human Rights Commission
(February 18, 2010)
Such a curious case, the Human Rights Commission--
Such alchemist dabblers in Equality fission;
Their lab of rare gasses
And time-bomb morasses
Seems but a truth-spark away from flaming perdition.
News Item: A morbidly obese Quebec woman with numerous health problems has
won her legal fight for a better parking spot. Not only has Marise Myrand won
that parking upgrade outside her condominium, but her condo association has been
slapped with a $10,000 penalty for refusing her request. (Hamilton Spectator,
Feb. 11, 2010.)
Quebec Human Rights Commission
Once in Quebec, to the Commsision of “Rights,”
Came a whiney large lady, a parking spot in her sights;
In their wisdom so tiny,
The Pooh Bahs cheered whiney,
That meddlesome, burdensome Commission of blights.
Adam Giambrone, ending his Toronto mayoralty campaign: "This searing experience has taught me, I hope permanently, that a public career with integrity cannot survive deceit in your private life." (February 10, 2010)
Adam Giambrone
Oh pity our Adam, our Adam Giambrone!
Sought out the keys to the political zamboni;
But as a bit of a conniver,
He was not a survivor--
Too tainted a phony baloney, that Giambrone.
Oh pity our Adam, our Adam Giambrone!
Sought out the keys to the Hogtown zamboni;
But the private conniver,
Betrayed the political driver,
Made the road much too steep, and too stony.
Here’s the message to Adam Giambrone,
Self-revealed as a political phony:
When you’re playing the field,
It can’t be concealed
With that “one pony only” baloney.
News item: “..a senior lawyer with the Crown Law Office in Toronto
withdrew a criminal charge against [Julian Fantino] involving the use of threats
to influence, or attempt to influence, the elected officials of Haldimand
County." [Fantino said,] “I remain proud of the difficult work done by the
OPP over the last several years in Claedonia.” Hamilton Spectator, February 4,
2010.
Julian Fantino
(February 4, 2010)
Kudos to our proud Chief Fantino!
A winner at the legal casino!
His approach to the law
May stick in your craw,
But it’s all a guffaw for Fantino.
How proud is our Julian Fantino!
If a native should bop your poor beano,
He will look far away,
And have nothing to say,
(It keeps life for Fantino serene-oh!)
Comment on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: “Some suggest
the IPCC’s problems might be solved by ditching its beleagered head, Dr.
Rajendra Pachauri.” (Peter Foster, National Post, Feb. 2, 2010.)
The Heat on Dr. Pachauri
(February 2, 2010)
What a dazzler that Rajendra Pachauri,
In a climate sky already so starry!
But, here on the ground,
They prove the “science” unsound,
Stir the carbonari for a Pachauri ‘hari kari.’
Dr. Dreimer
(February 2, 2010)
(What was that guy smokin?)
A derelict schemer, doc Dreimer,*
Saw himself as a Godless Redeemer,
Tried to make people laugh--
But 'twas just a huge gaffe
By a pathetic and woozy pipe-dreamer!
*An observant reader has pointed out that
“Dreimer”should rhyme with “rhymer,”
but this is not the case because of the judicious
and timely application of the “Humpty Dumpty”
principle to the rules of pronunciation. In this case,
the “rei” must be pronounced as in “reify” or
“reinsure.”
News comment: “...Andrew Weaver, probably Canada’s leading climate
scientist, is calling for replacement of IPCC leadership and institutional
reform. Mr. Weaver...has been a major IPCC science insider for years....For him
to say...that there has been some 'dangerous crossing' of the line between
climate advocacy and science at the IPCC is stunning in itself."
(Terence Corcoran, National Post, January 27, 2010.)
Andrew Weaver
Oh pity our achiever, Andrew Weaver, (Feb1, 2010)
A climate-change over-believer;
When the foul play got called,
He stepped back, appalled–
Now a beaver less eager is Weaver!
All praise to our own Andrew Weaver (Feb 1, 2010)
For invoking the climate-change cleaver;
He cleanly forgot
His part in the plot
That so artful a dodger and Weaver!
There once was a hot shot, Andrew Weaver, (Jan. 28,
2010)
A Pooh-Bah of climate change fever;
When the conspiracy flopped,
His temperature dropped,
And he cooled to a “has-been” achiever.
******
Oh pity the hot shot, our Weaver,
A Pooh-Bah of climate change fever,
When the conspiracy flopped,
His temperature dropped
From “red hot” to “much milder” believer.
******
Oh pity the hot shot, Andrew Weaver,
A Pooh-Bah of climate change fever,
With the conspiracy flop,
There was sound of a “pop,”
And just “toast” was our once toasted believer.
******
Oh pity our hot shot, Andrew Weaver,
A Pooh-Bah of climate change fever,
When things went kerflop,
From the hot bed did pop
A singed-at-the-fringe Andrew Weaver.
******
Tony, the Used Car Advocate (Jan. 30, 2010)
There once was a windbag called Tony,
Filled our ears with his cheapskate baloney,
He'd buy an old clunker--
It was always a junker--
And he'd end up arriving by pony.
(The resemblance of any character or circumstance in
this limerick to real persons, living, dead, or undecided,
or actual, real life incidents or circumstances, is entirely coincidental.)
News item: John Paul II whipped himself, according to new book. National
Post, Toronto, Canada, January 27, 2010.
This news of an often self-flagellant Pope
Moves us to pray and most piously hope
‘Twas devotional follies,
Not prurient jollies
That afflicted that oddly self-flagellant Pope.
News Item: “Mardi Tindal, the newly elected moderator of the United Church
of Canada, returned from last month’s climate change summit in Copenhagen with a
deep malaise...an anxious despair that reduced her to weeping.” (National Post,
Tuesday, January 19.)
Mardi Tindal
Oh pity the breast of Ms. Tindal,
Where the climate a pure flame doth kindle;
Such fond foolish fears!
Those climate change tears!
Ms. Tindal! Ms. Tindal! It’s a swindle!
(January 21, 2010)
| Limerick: A kind of humorous verse in which the first and second
lines rhyme with the fifth line, and the shorter third line rhymes with
the shorter fourth. The structure and metre of the limerick seem invariably conducive to humour. The obvious “tum-tee-tumedness” of the metre rollicks along, and the shorter rhyming lines in the middle seem to hold us in abeyance for a surprise return to the original rhyme; the weaker limericks may simply repeat the same last word or phrase of the first line in the fifth; the best limericks provide a humorous twist in the last rhyme. See earlier entries for our experiments with the limerick thus far. We have wondered whether a dark limerick is possible, and whether something of the structure must be sacrificed in order to achieve it. We will allow the reader to make his own judgement. |
(Note: yes, the correct word is “his.” We refuse to be bullied by
the feminists, rolling pins raised, foam burbling unattractively upon
the lips. The current practice, a pusillanimous, weak-kneed, and above
all, irrational retreat to “their” –which is PLURAL not SINGULAR is to
be deplored as a triumph of political correctness over rationality.
“His” stands for both genders, just as “mankind” refers all of humanity,
not just the male variation of it. And yes, we are being deliberately
provocative; the coward’s way out would have been: “We will allow
readers to make their own judgements.”) (If you really want to know, we
find “We will allow the reader to judge for himself” the most pleasing
expression. Would the wimpified say “themself?” “themselves?”)
January 18, 2010 |
January 18, 2010
Ahmadinejad
There once was a leader, Ahmadinejad,
Grew mad from his days as a teeny lad;
Disavowed with a aplomb
He was seeking a bomb
And wielding a power such as Hitler had.
Bin Laden
There once was a madman, bin Laden;
With the writhings of Hell filled his garden,
With every dark breath,
Sowed scorched seeds of death,
And such was the fruit of bin Laden.
Abdulmutallab (January 15, 2010)
There once was a young man, Abdulmutallab,
Longed cold for the kiss of a fine marble slab;
Thought a plane his best chance
With a bomb–in his pants!
That wicked, absurd young Abdulmutallab.
McGuinty (January 3, 2010)
Mugwump: in Algonquian, a great chief
1800's--humorously, a self-important pooh-bah or nabob
1884–turncoat–Republican who voted for Democratic candidate
unprincipled fence sitter–mug on one side of fence, wump on the other
All hail our great mugwump McGuinty!
Square jaw, steely eyes, and nose flinty!
But when a defiance is native,
He can’t be berative (ah--cash–so creative!)
And our flinty McGuinty turns wimpy.
There once was a premier McGuinty
(His vision a little bit squinty)
Said: “Though I may have some flaws
In enforcing the laws,
With your cash, I’ve ne’er been skinflinty."
There once was a premier McGuinty,
His vision a little bit squinty:
When natives laid claim, or their victims laid blame,
His dash to our cash was always the same,
That predictably unskinflinty McGuinty!
Wicked Wit: The Wonderful World of Lethal Limericks and Perverse Verse
(Dec 3, 2009)
There once was a sly man called Jones–
Preached doom in the direst of tones–
But for Climatic thuggery
And e-mail skullduggery–
May we hope Mr. Jones now atones.
There once was a sly man called Jones–
Convinced us with alarms and bemoans;
But he’d have been much acuter
To avoid his computer
And conspire using nothing but phones.
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