The Freeway to Serfdom
"One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the difficulty of finding somebody to blame your problems on. And when you do find somebody, it's remarkable how often his picture turns up on your driver's license." - P.J. O'Rourke
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hour of Power
Yeah, it's been dark here - but not tonight!
Just a friendly reminder that the Hour of Power is upon us. Get those furnaces fired up, haul out the xmas lights and take a longer road trip than absolutely necessary today. We can all make a difference.
More coverage from Tim Blair, who really gets into the spirit, silent protests from Samizdata, sing along with Hippy Sympathizer, and the real meaning of Earth Hour as spotted by Drizzten.
Yeah, it's been dark here - but not tonight!
Just a friendly reminder that the Hour of Power is upon us. Get those furnaces fired up, haul out the xmas lights and take a longer road trip than absolutely necessary today. We can all make a difference.
More coverage from Tim Blair, who really gets into the spirit, silent protests from Samizdata, sing along with Hippy Sympathizer, and the real meaning of Earth Hour as spotted by Drizzten.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
30 days without political blogging - and I feel great!
Seriously, if you have a friend or family member suffering from Political Debilitation Disorder* try my proven withdrawal program. Stop blogging or engaging in political analysis for 30 days and I guarantee you'll feel better. Want to know what I think about the stimulus package details, Ron Paul's latest youtube clip, the most recent gotcha moments in internet combat punditry or the proposal by the City of Moose Balls, SK to institute a 1 cent plastic grocery bag tax? That's fantastic, because neither do I!
Why allow events far outside your sphere of control to impact your physical and mental health for any longer? Get started today and experience results almost immediately.
*symptoms include nausea, elevated blood pressure, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Seriously, if you have a friend or family member suffering from Political Debilitation Disorder* try my proven withdrawal program. Stop blogging or engaging in political analysis for 30 days and I guarantee you'll feel better. Want to know what I think about the stimulus package details, Ron Paul's latest youtube clip, the most recent gotcha moments in internet combat punditry or the proposal by the City of Moose Balls, SK to institute a 1 cent plastic grocery bag tax? That's fantastic, because neither do I!
Why allow events far outside your sphere of control to impact your physical and mental health for any longer? Get started today and experience results almost immediately.
*symptoms include nausea, elevated blood pressure, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Yikes
I usually comment around this time of year on the latest offerings at the Detroit Auto Show, but it sounds like the latest installment was a real zombie fest.
Jalopnik runs down the 11 Most Depressing Moments Of The 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
I usually comment around this time of year on the latest offerings at the Detroit Auto Show, but it sounds like the latest installment was a real zombie fest.
Jalopnik runs down the 11 Most Depressing Moments Of The 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Leave of Absence
As y'all might have noticed, TFTS is taking a break in 2009. I've just become tired with the blog and its content, and I find myself more interested in reading others than adding my own contributions (see my starred items list to the right for a sampling). I'll still be kicking around the net here and there, either over at my Hockey or Racing blogs, the Book of Face or the Freedomain Radio Boards. I'm more interested in career and personal growth than politics per se, as I have much more control over outcomes in those matters.
Take it easy, and if you're ever in the Vancouver area drop me a line.
All the Best,
-Jay
As y'all might have noticed, TFTS is taking a break in 2009. I've just become tired with the blog and its content, and I find myself more interested in reading others than adding my own contributions (see my starred items list to the right for a sampling). I'll still be kicking around the net here and there, either over at my Hockey or Racing blogs, the Book of Face or the Freedomain Radio Boards. I'm more interested in career and personal growth than politics per se, as I have much more control over outcomes in those matters.
Take it easy, and if you're ever in the Vancouver area drop me a line.
All the Best,
-Jay
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Frosted
Some pics from out my cubicle of the first good blanket to hit the Lower Mainland. Almost time to snap on the snowshoes / XC-skis and head across to Cypress.
[more here]
Some pics from out my cubicle of the first good blanket to hit the Lower Mainland. Almost time to snap on the snowshoes / XC-skis and head across to Cypress.
[more here]
Thursday, December 11, 2008
My favourite Blago observation so far
Even the "revolving door" ethics legislation he championed (and sold to a sufficient number of gullible fools) has a Public Choice whiff to it. Clearly, the intent wasn't to prevent senior staff from taking jobs with well connected contractors (that door, surprisingly, continued its revolution) - the "waiver" availability simply served to enhance the governor's control over any potential rogue senior staff members. In a rat's nest like that, a career path veto is a sure tool for instilling discipline and loyalty prior to crossing the very vague boundary defining the "private" sector.
Peter Samuel's Toll Roads News has some background dirt on the infamous Tollway. As a libertarian, it's my duty to appreciate the contrast between the soccer mom focus-grouped press release (Environmentally Conscious! - Tomorrow's Transportation Today! - A Progressive Improvement Plan!) and the audacious shakedown behind it that would make Tony Soprano blush. The old iron fist beneath the velvet glove, or something like that.
Even the "revolving door" ethics legislation he championed (and sold to a sufficient number of gullible fools) has a Public Choice whiff to it. Clearly, the intent wasn't to prevent senior staff from taking jobs with well connected contractors (that door, surprisingly, continued its revolution) - the "waiver" availability simply served to enhance the governor's control over any potential rogue senior staff members. In a rat's nest like that, a career path veto is a sure tool for instilling discipline and loyalty prior to crossing the very vague boundary defining the "private" sector.
Peter Samuel's Toll Roads News has some background dirt on the infamous Tollway. As a libertarian, it's my duty to appreciate the contrast between the soccer mom focus-grouped press release (Environmentally Conscious! - Tomorrow's Transportation Today! - A Progressive Improvement Plan!) and the audacious shakedown behind it that would make Tony Soprano blush. The old iron fist beneath the velvet glove, or something like that.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
The Devil got to me first, convinced me to buy a Mazda
As always, the 21st century's stubborn mysticism, economic illiteracy and hostility to rationality is best captured for the benefit of future generations with a picture and a brief caption:
As always, the 21st century's stubborn mysticism, economic illiteracy and hostility to rationality is best captured for the benefit of future generations with a picture and a brief caption:
"Bishop Charles Ellis (C) prays for the future of the American auto industry during a special service called "A Hybrid Hope" at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, Michigan, December 7, 2008."
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Tim Blair FTW
Be sure to hit all the links. I have to think this is the first of many.
[c/p BFR]
"Japanese car giant Honda – whose Formula One team was dedicated to saving the planet – has now reduced its F1 carbon footprint to zero."
Be sure to hit all the links. I have to think this is the first of many.
[c/p BFR]
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Crisis? *yawn*
I'm about as far removed from Ottawa as you can get without a passport, and was mildly amused at how the two local dailies bit down hard on the latest sales job originating out of Parliament Hill. A NATION DIVIDED, CHOOSE YOUR SIDE thundered the Sun and Province, respectively. A little too liberal with the bold face type methinks. On my morning walk, I certainly didn't witness neighbours hoisting battle flags or speaking in hushed tones. Deliveries were being made, traffic kept on rolling, construction sites were active, steam kept rising from the mills (the sun was actually out for the first time in weeks it seems).
I think the only people (out here) falling for this attention getting (and relevance asserting) stunt are those who have made the mistake of conflating a crisis that is limited to the internal business units of the country's largest mafia organization with a crisis affecting the population under its control.
Don't get drawn into the shit-flinging spectacle. It's beneath you and there are more productive tasks on which to expend your energy.
I'm about as far removed from Ottawa as you can get without a passport, and was mildly amused at how the two local dailies bit down hard on the latest sales job originating out of Parliament Hill. A NATION DIVIDED, CHOOSE YOUR SIDE thundered the Sun and Province, respectively. A little too liberal with the bold face type methinks. On my morning walk, I certainly didn't witness neighbours hoisting battle flags or speaking in hushed tones. Deliveries were being made, traffic kept on rolling, construction sites were active, steam kept rising from the mills (the sun was actually out for the first time in weeks it seems).
I think the only people (out here) falling for this attention getting (and relevance asserting) stunt are those who have made the mistake of conflating a crisis that is limited to the internal business units of the country's largest mafia organization with a crisis affecting the population under its control.
Don't get drawn into the shit-flinging spectacle. It's beneath you and there are more productive tasks on which to expend your energy.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Just wish I had the energy
It's the most fatiguing time of the year. On the work side, the clients understandably want a 2008 on their report rather than a 2009, so the bulk of our current work has to be wrapped up and out the door in two weeks. Climate wise, you can't get a much more definite example of GLOOM than Vancouver in December. Looking out my window, I have been unable to obtain ground confirmation for the past several days. There could well be thirty stories of cotton balls stacked up against the building for all I can see. Oh, and the MUZAK - I'm in an active retail district which means unavoidable exposure to the toxic levels of tackiness - both audio and visual - that apparently must come with the season (have the savages starting shooting each other over Tickle Me Elmo's yet? - close enough). Well at least my hockey team is putting an entertaining product on the ice, right!? No, no, actually they are not.
The good news is I won't be enduring any traveling this year, leaving that chore to "Team Jardine" and my adorable new niece. Of infant transportation, I know next to nothing except that they share my hatred of the flying cattle car. My last trip to Washington, DC featured a pint-sized howler on each of the four trip legs, taking their little lungs through a different shriek octave with every breath. I'm all like, testify brotha! You mean I have to sit through this federally mandated aircraft safety mime show all over again?
Well then, while I work myself out of this funk, I will turn you over to the more active and interesting members of my blogroll. Billy Beck is always the go-to guy on Endarkenment chronicling, Cosh and Coyne will get you up to speed on recent Canadian political distractions (try Mike for some "fire them all" stuff from the left), Freedomain is still the most comprehensive and challenging philosophy site on the internet, and of course if you need more on the financial wreck, switch off the mainstream yammerheads and go read Howe Street, Mish or Lew.
It's the most fatiguing time of the year. On the work side, the clients understandably want a 2008 on their report rather than a 2009, so the bulk of our current work has to be wrapped up and out the door in two weeks. Climate wise, you can't get a much more definite example of GLOOM than Vancouver in December. Looking out my window, I have been unable to obtain ground confirmation for the past several days. There could well be thirty stories of cotton balls stacked up against the building for all I can see. Oh, and the MUZAK - I'm in an active retail district which means unavoidable exposure to the toxic levels of tackiness - both audio and visual - that apparently must come with the season (have the savages starting shooting each other over Tickle Me Elmo's yet? - close enough). Well at least my hockey team is putting an entertaining product on the ice, right!? No, no, actually they are not.
The good news is I won't be enduring any traveling this year, leaving that chore to "Team Jardine" and my adorable new niece. Of infant transportation, I know next to nothing except that they share my hatred of the flying cattle car. My last trip to Washington, DC featured a pint-sized howler on each of the four trip legs, taking their little lungs through a different shriek octave with every breath. I'm all like, testify brotha! You mean I have to sit through this federally mandated aircraft safety mime show all over again?
Well then, while I work myself out of this funk, I will turn you over to the more active and interesting members of my blogroll. Billy Beck is always the go-to guy on Endarkenment chronicling, Cosh and Coyne will get you up to speed on recent Canadian political distractions (try Mike for some "fire them all" stuff from the left), Freedomain is still the most comprehensive and challenging philosophy site on the internet, and of course if you need more on the financial wreck, switch off the mainstream yammerheads and go read Howe Street, Mish or Lew.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Now's your chance
I know it's hard to keep on top of things with the bailout now ringing in at almost 8 Trillion and Citi added to the heap, but if you missed the opportunity to point and laugh at Peter Schiff through 06-07, here he is again on Lew's show [Episode 1, 2] warning of wage, price and emigration controls followed by general civil unrest and decay. Hahahahaaaah!
I know it's hard to keep on top of things with the bailout now ringing in at almost 8 Trillion and Citi added to the heap, but if you missed the opportunity to point and laugh at Peter Schiff through 06-07, here he is again on Lew's show [Episode 1, 2] warning of wage, price and emigration controls followed by general civil unrest and decay. Hahahahaaaah!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Stuff too good to excerpt
"America the Illiterate" from Chris Hedges. As always, if the article rises too far above your vocabulary level, there is a ten minute Youtube condensation of the general idea that's making the rounds.
[links via Karen De Coster and Distributed Republic]
"America the Illiterate" from Chris Hedges. As always, if the article rises too far above your vocabulary level, there is a ten minute Youtube condensation of the general idea that's making the rounds.
[links via Karen De Coster and Distributed Republic]
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hope? Change?
The sobering opening lines of a Financial Post report on international interventionism:
Not to give Flaherty any undue praise here. Like any government financial administrator, he's angling to expand his own regulatory powers at home and keep the French and the rest of the euros away from his tax-producing livestock.
However, let me reiterate that although things are bad here (I think it was TJIC who said living in Canada must be like living on one gigantic college campus), looking at that suffocating nanny / police state across the pond and Barack Obama inheriting George W. Bush's executive powers south of the border makes me content to stick around in this relatively unexciting, if left-leaning, neighbourhood while the noisier parts of the world continue to wig out. Pretty bad though, when the best hope for your regional political bosses is that they fail to adopt the thundering statist rhetoric of their counterparts.
The sobering opening lines of a Financial Post report on international interventionism:
We are living in unusual times indeed when Canada emerges as the last bastion of free-market capitalism.
But with Barack Obama advocating a barrage of new U. S. financial regulation in the wake of the credit crunch and the Europeans pushing for a remake of the entire financial world order, the home of the milk marketing board, the wheat board and the liquor-monopoloy [sic]-conspiracy board has become the chief defender of the invisible hand.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, was keen to press the "don't go overboard" message at the G20 finance ministers meeting in Brazil this weekend.
Using a wholly Canadian metaphor in Sao Paulo, Mr. Flaherty said now is not the time to engage in a round of "constitutional" talks regarding the global financial system.
"Now is the time to putting out the fire and not to be planning grand new schemes," he told reporters.
Not to give Flaherty any undue praise here. Like any government financial administrator, he's angling to expand his own regulatory powers at home and keep the French and the rest of the euros away from his tax-producing livestock.
However, let me reiterate that although things are bad here (I think it was TJIC who said living in Canada must be like living on one gigantic college campus), looking at that suffocating nanny / police state across the pond and Barack Obama inheriting George W. Bush's executive powers south of the border makes me content to stick around in this relatively unexciting, if left-leaning, neighbourhood while the noisier parts of the world continue to wig out. Pretty bad though, when the best hope for your regional political bosses is that they fail to adopt the thundering statist rhetoric of their counterparts.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Yes We Can! [conscript your ass]
"an unfortunate direction for the new administration" is slight understatement coming from the Examiner Civil Liberties blog, which details the new Chief of Staff's views on compulsory community service. Shit, dude are the Obama youth going to have to move en masse to BC if they want to stay out of inner-city war zones?
More analysis on Barack's god-like supply-curve inversion prowess and ersatz revenue extractions over at Coyote Blog.
[link via Lew]
"an unfortunate direction for the new administration" is slight understatement coming from the Examiner Civil Liberties blog, which details the new Chief of Staff's views on compulsory community service. Shit, dude are the Obama youth going to have to move en masse to BC if they want to stay out of inner-city war zones?
More analysis on Barack's god-like supply-curve inversion prowess and ersatz revenue extractions over at Coyote Blog.
[link via Lew]
War on Drugs Fail
From a rather torqued-up report from CFRA's Gord McDougall:
Like just legalizing the drug trade and getting rid of the violent, wasteful and corrupt black market that goes along with it?
The report leaves us hanging there, unfortunately, but we can safely assume he means more of the futile crackdowns undertaken barely a month before this tacit admission of abject failure.
From a rather torqued-up report from CFRA's Gord McDougall:
Ottawa's youth drug problem is out of control.
That's the jarring statement from Ottawa's police chief. Vern White says it's time the people of Ottawa wake up and stop being complacent.
"There's not a grade 7 to 12 student in this city that couldn't buy drugs in about half an hour. Not one!", according to Chief Vern White.
[...]
"My goal is that people stop being shocked by that number, and instead, say that they're going to do something about it"
Like just legalizing the drug trade and getting rid of the violent, wasteful and corrupt black market that goes along with it?
The report leaves us hanging there, unfortunately, but we can safely assume he means more of the futile crackdowns undertaken barely a month before this tacit admission of abject failure.
