2015-02-26

Obama Predictably Vetoes Keystone Pipeline

"The vetoed bill — which was co-sponsored by Manchin — would’ve allowed construction on the Alberta-to-Texas pipeline to continue despite continued stalling by the Obama administration over the international venture. “How many times have you seen us do something bipartisan?” Manchin said on Fox News’ Cavuto, noting that nine Democrats voted for the bill. “The Canadians agreed on everything we ask for,” the senator continued, explaining how the nation agreed to use American-made steel and keep all oil that flowed through the pipeline in the U.S. domestic market. 
He also lamented the lost construction jobs and the safety concerns with transporting oil by rail. “I just can’t figure [the veto] out, I really can’t,” he said."

Obama has managed to hurt the Canadian economy as well since it impacts the tar sands in Alberta.


Daily Round Up: Fall Of The West Edition Continues

At the moment, we're seeing in the flesh what putting middling, mediocre minds in positions of power provides.

It's not pretty.

***

MIT architect behind Obamacare Jonathan Gruber overcharges state of Vermont. 

Look. The guy is as dishonorable (and disreputable at this point) as he is smug. That's what happens when you give private citizens access to public funds.

They take it.

Duh.

I have to say, Vermont has been quite sober and responsible in their dealing with the public purse. Recall, they decided to not opt for single-payer because of its costs. You would think a liberal nanny-state like VT would jump on SP no matter what. But it's not the case.

Never mind how it would spiral out of control down the line.

***

This excerpt (sent to me from a concerned citizen) is from the WSJ (paywall): "Greece Struggles to Get Citizens to Pay Their Taxes"

"At the end of 2014, Greeks owed their government about €76 billion ($86 billion) in unpaid taxes accrued over decades; the government says only €9 billion of that can be recovered, with most of the rest lost to insolvency.
 

Billions more in taxes are owed on never-reported revenue from Greece’s vast underground economy, which was estimated before the crisis to equal more than a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product.

“Greeks consider taxes as theft,” said Aristides Hatzis, an associate professor of law and economics at the University of Athens. “Normally taxes are considered the price you have to pay for a just state, but this is not accepted by the Greek mentality.”"


The Greek mentality, of course, being give us free shit that we don't want to pay for. Something Quebec excels at. Except, the difference being Quebec has the advantage of being in a larger, wealthier and more advanced country where they can extract (or extort depending where you sit) more cash from other provinces in the Federation to pay for their unfunded welfare excesses.

It's not just Greece. The West has created this entitlement monster and it doesn't know how to quell or kill it.

Think Godzilla-King Kong and that alien monster in Cloverfield all rolled into one.

*** 

How do you say, "Mommy, what happens when the gravy oil train ends?" in Norwegian?

"Oil slump threatens easy life of affluent Norwegians"

 "The average Norwegian has just gotten too much. We have a welfare economy and an expectation from youth, who expect wealth to come down from heaven," Sunde said. "When we come down to periods like this, it comes down to good old values of working hard and competing. A country like Norway needs to go through that."

I see Big Fjord Troubles on the horizon.

/narrows gaze. 

***

Speaking of progressive and enlightened Scandinavians:

 "Bird watching has long been a popular and seemingly harmless weekend activity in Sweden. Its innocence, however, came to an abrupt end when many of the country's bird lovers were suddenly confronted with allegations of racism. "

Ah. Let's not deal with racism in any meaningful manner. Let's just play with words.

It's a new hobby on the left here in North America too. Change the words. What's the big deal, man? PROGRESS!

Here's my take on Scandinavia. From what I can detect from afar, racism is pervasive in those countries. So, to the bureaucratic asshats in power, it makes sense to project and treat racism with political correctness lunacy. 

It's pretty obvious. They're applying cologne to treat bad odor.

***

Heard Gordan Mianscum recently passed away. If you recall, rode the streets of Montreal on a wheel-chair that looked like a stretcher.

I remember seeing him in the news in the 80s.

*** 

Tweeting someone to call them back is a pretty douchey move. Something tells me Politifact wasn't interested in getting in contact with Williamson.

Gotta protect that narrative.

Kevin D. Williamson @KevinNR
Jesus H. Christ, you useless rube--I have an office with a receptionist and everything. Pick up a goddamned telephone, genius. @loujacobson

Kevin D. Williamson @KevinNR
You feckless, gormless, servile, water-carrying lackeys are an embarrassment to a once-proud trade. @loujacobson @AngieHolan

I think he's angry.

Rightfully so.

***

Speaking of the media, gotta love how they're engaging in tu quoque nonsense in defending Brian Williams.

Look. They can find all the bull they want on Bill O'Reilly, but it won't change what Williams did.

***

Polar bears invading Black Tickle, Nfld. 

*** 

Marie Harf 'clarifies' 'terrorists need jerbs' position. No it's not 'too nuanced for some' you arrogant, sniveling Democrat.

I loathe how political civil servants let slip that mask of superiority. 

And note to John Kerry. I'll make fun of whoever I damn please including you.

Make frivolous comments, say erroneous things, be elusive or contradictory and you will feel MY WRATH.

Which is worse than Khan's. 

Be wary of people who use the word 'nuance' in such a manner.  

***

Whenever you want an example of revisionism or just plain historical spin, just go to Salon for stupidity.

Apparently, America is one gigantic progressive experiment.

"...The fact is, our entire history – from our revolution to healthcare reform – is filled with progressive accomplishments, and it’s hard to sell the Conservative brand to people who know that history. "

Notice what this buffoon did. He simply reworked history to fit his narrative.

The stupid. It hurts.

***

Scott Walker doesn't care what the media thinks. Reminds me of Giuliani.

The fact they're trying to make an issue of him not having a University degree points to their group think credentialism.

***

My name is Frankenstein! Or Frankensteeno:

"It sounds like the plot of a bad horror film, but doctors are gearing up to do the world’s first head transplant.

Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero wants to take the head from someone with an incurable illness and graft it on to a healthy body.

He claims the first operation could be done in just two years’ time."





***


Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice-President of the United States.

In all his vacuous glory.

***

In the 'you don't say?' files of academia: 

"Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India".
Students who cheat on a simple laboratory task are more likely to prefer public sector jobs in India. We show that cheating on this task predicts corrupt behaviour by bureaucrats, implying that it is a meaningful predictor of future corruption..."

No shit.

Reminded me of this:

"By running an experiment among Germans collecting their passports or ID cards in the citizen centers of Berlin, we find that individuals with an East German family background cheat significantly more on an abstract task than those with a West German family background. The longer individuals were exposed to socialism, the more likely they were to cheat on our task. While it was recently argued that markets decay morals (Falk and Szech, 2013), we provide evidence that other political and economic regimes such as socialism might have an even more detrimental effect on individuals’ behavior."

Remember kids. Socialism = civilization.

***

The Lindros clan were pains in the asses then and are pains in the asses now.

Eric Lindros has launched a $250,000 defamation lawsuit against onetime NHL referee Paul Stewart and the Huffington Post, after Stewart wrote a column for the online news website that allegedly made the former Philadelphia Flyers star forward look like a "dickhead."

Something tells me he's not getting it.

***

More inanity from the New York Times (sorry lost the link. In any event, it's not like it's in me to make this shit up:
"As Cuba opens the door wider to private enterprise, the gap between the haves and have-­nots — and between whites and blacks — that the revolution sought to diminish is growing more evident. […]
Raising the [U.S.] remittance cap, along with allowing more Americans to visit Cuba and other steps toward normal diplomatic relations, will help "support the Cuban people," the Obama administration contends.
But some will enjoy that support more than others. Cuban economists say that whites are 2.5 times more likely than blacks to receive remittances, leaving many in crumbling neighborhoods like Little Swamp nearly invisible in the rise of commerce, especially the restaurants and bed­-and-breakfasts that tourists tend to favor.
"Remittances have produced new forms of inequality, particularly racial inequality," said Alejandro de la Fuente, director of the Afro­Latin American Research Institute at Harvard University."
Always remember. They sucked communist cock back in the day. And they still do.

***

Speaking of failed liberal journalism on the NYT model, wonder if they wrote about places like Holdomor.

Probably not.

"Extermination by hunger" or "Hunger-extermination";derived from 'морити голодом', "to kill by starvation" was a man-made famine in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1932 and 1933 that killed an estimated 2.5-7.5 million Ukrainians, with millions more counted in demographic estimates. It was part of the wider disaster, Soviet famine of 1932–33, which affected the major grain-producing areas of the country. "

***

"A Mankato man was jailed for months while he waited for the state crime lab to process suspected drugs that turned out to be vitamins.

Joseph Burrell was arrested in November and charged with two felony counts of drug possession. His bail was set at $250,000. The 31-year-old Burrell says he's not happy it took so long for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to process the evidence."

The war on drugs.

It wreaks havoc on civil society DESTROYING families and communities.

***

"I trust science. I'm a Democrat."

The only science they trust is the one they blindly like.

I weep for their side.

***

We knew the Climate System Change Inquisition was coming.

Remember. When you fail to debate in good fatih, you want to silence the opposition.  In the end, these socialist-animists who worship Sock Puppet enviro-gods always over reach. Hopefully, this is their tipping point.

"Let the climate inquisition begin. The ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, has written to seven universities about seven researchers who harbor impure thoughts about climate change.

One of the targets is Steven Hayward, a blogger, author and academic now at Pepperdine University (as well as an occasional contributor to National Review). As Hayward puts it, the spirit of the inquiry is, “Are you now or have you ever been a climate skeptic?”

Hey, Raul. Go fuck yourself.

Seriously.

***


I just don't get what the ATF (an oppressive Nixonian agency that's seen better days - if ever) is up to here.

Seems like Sandy Hook has left the 'reality based community' unhinged in its unsubstantiated hysteria.

They will never quit until they get the control they want. Going after ammo was the next step.
 
"Gun-rights groups are in an uproar over an ammunition ban proposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF says it wants to ban M855 ball ammunition, a .223 (or 5.56 mm) rifle bullet that has been used by American citizens for decades. The ATF says it wants to ban this popular bullet because it is “armor piercing.”

The law at the basis of this debate is the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). As amended, the GCA prohibits the import, manufacture and distribution of “armor piercing ammunition” as defined by a few terms Attorney General Eric Holder’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is attempting to broaden.
The definition for what constitutes “armor piercing” reads: “a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely … from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium.”

Now, to be as nitpicky as the law, the M855 ball ammunition the ATF wants to ban as “armor piercing” doesn’t have a core made of the metals listed in what legally makes a bullet “armor piercing.” The M855 actually has a lead core with a steel tip. Also, the M855 is traditionally a rifle cartridge and the ban only covers handgun ammunition. The DOJ argues this doesn’t stop them because the law stipulates they can ban a bullet that “may be used in a handgun.” And, after all, any cartridge may be used in a handgun."
 
This is the action and reasoning of a bureaucratic entity that will never stop in the demand to know where the guns are.


2015-02-25

FIFA Continues To Make An Ass Of Itself

The day Qatar was awarded the World Cup, soccer fans around the world said, 'wha?' 

Is it not, like, super hot in Qatar in the summer?

Ah. But Qatar and their corrupt officials lackeys promised there would be air conditioned, state of the art facilities!

Now we know there isn't gonna be no AC so FIFA basically, as it's apt to do whenever it fucks up royally, told the world they'll simply move the tournament to winter.

Problem is, professional leagues in Europe (governed by UEFA) are in full swing during the winter and wonder about the feasibility of this decision while asking for compensation.

FIFA, naturally (because you know, they're a bunch of incompetent corrupt individuals on the take), gave them the middle-finger salute.

What a mess.

And a joke.


2015-02-23

Daily Round Up

No care-cash for Greece:

"...Even German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said he didn’t “want to make it more difficult for them,” concluded Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will have a “difficult” time selling the agreement at home. That’s because Tsipras’s populist rhetoric of ending austerity was overpowered by the united front he faced.

A “complete political surrender to the world of reality” was how Erik Nielsen, London-based global chief economist of UniCredit Bank AG, put it. Societe Generale SA and Berenberg Bank both labeled it a “u-turn” by Tsipras, who won election Jan. 25 promising an end to budget cutting. "

Greece needs to shape up. Simple.

*** 

Speaking of Germany:

"Late last year, as the German Bundeswehr was considering rebooting its expensive, failed Euro Hawk drone program, the army of the country with the fourth largest economy in the world fielded its newest armored vehicles in a major military exercise in Norway with broomsticks painted black and lashed in place of missing machine gun barrels. That detail was part of a German Defense Ministry report leaked to Germany's public television network ARD that exposed widespread shortages of basic combat equipment."

Back during my Uni (that's right, my short hand for University) days, scholars from Germany came to speak at a European political science class I took. One student (from the Greek student association), during question period, went off on an embarrassing trek over praising Germany. If they stuck their dicks out he would have sucked them. As it were, they looked at him perplexed and thanked him for his kind words and proceeded to paint a rather sober picture of what ailed Germany at the time. The country was but a few years removed from reunification and the challenges were great.

I don't think things are that much better. Call me a Euro-pessimist at this time.

Anyway.

It all adds up to one thing: Asking for American help and support.

Germany's army is roughly the size of Italy's army at about 180k. Britain and France are slightly larger at around 200k. All (including Japan) spend about 1-1.5% of GDP on the military except for the UK who spend about 2%.

Perspective: France under Napoleon's Grande Armee had close to 600 000 men.

My how the mighty have fallen. 

***

In the 'duh' and 'no kidding' category:

"Gallup's annual World Affairs survey shows that only 48 percent of those identifying as Democrats sympathize more with Israelis in tensions in the Mideast than with Palestinians. In contrast, 83 percent of Republicans side with Israelis. The figure for all Americans is 62 percent."

***

Limpet Man, Limpet Man does whatever a sea snail can spins a web, any size:


"Spider silk may lose its claim as the strongest known natural material after researchers found that limpet teeth have more mettle.

Spider silk is hailed by scientists for its strength and structure, but researchers in Britain have discovered that limpets -- snail-like sea creatures with conical shells -- have teeth with structures so strong they could be copied and used in making cars, boats and planes.

"Until now we thought that spider silk was the strongest biological material because of its super-strength and potential applications in everything from bullet-proof vests to computer electronics," said Asa Barber, a professor at Portsmouth University's school of engineering, who led the study."

***
McGill students can't calculate averages. I no believe! I'm constantly told we're not as dumb as Americans!

The children are our future.

Seriously. As I've said in the past, the general ignorance on full display about economics and finance I read is shocking as it is frightening. If you can't count, you're especially vulnerable to all this 'pay your fair share' bull shit rhetoric.

***

New York Times in lap tops in 1985:

"The limitations come from what people actually do with computers, as opposed to what the marketers expect them to do. On the whole, people don't want to lug a computer with them to the beach or on a train to while away hours they would rather spend reading the sports or business section of the newspaper. Somehow, the microcomputer industry has assumed that everyone would love to have a keyboard grafted on as an extension of their fingers. It just is not so."


"...But the real future of the laptop computer will remain in the specialized niche markets. Because no matter how inexpensive the machines become, and no matter how sophisticated their software, I still can't imagine the average user taking one along when going fishing. "

BOOYA!

And in 25 years we'll be reading the same thing from these Times only it will be bout global warming.

Kidding aside, not the end of the world. He made a call. He missed. Big deal.

Bob Ryan thought Michael Jordan was going to be a flop. The Toronto Maple Leafs passed on Bobby Orr. Economists and meteorologists notoriously miss their marks while climate change scientists have been spectacularly wrong about the 'future of the planet.'

History is filled with misses. In fact, we miss more than we hit.

If I were to guess what our historical batting average is, I'd say about .275. The big ones we predicted were outliers more than anything. Look at it this way, career average of .275 with a couple of solid .300 seasons.
 

2015-02-21

General Motors Logo Screams Of A Time Long Gone

Driving along Montreal's highway 40 (part of the Trans-Canada) on a cold, dreary day the month of February excels at, I passed by a General Motors facility.

The once mighty and proud symbol of the American automobile industry was reduced to a climate metaphor. Its GM sign meekly erect, in its mundane mediocrity, in the backdrop of clouds reminding more of a nationalized enterprise in the Soviet Union or East Germany than a member of a dynamic capitalist class. It's depressing. I mean, look at it, it's the letters G and M in extremely boring font with a dash under it. Hello. 1986 wants its image back.

Logos and branding can be powerful things. Unfortunately, when I see GM I don't see excellence or innovation. I see a corporate ward of the state.  No one is asking for anything awesome but Lord me.

GM should consider, it seems to this consumer anyway, redesigning their logo. It's telling me they make Ladas. By contrast, Ford is coming to market with excellent cars and trucks.

And their original logo expresses it very well.

Even Jeep-Chrysler (now owned by Fiat) has avoided such a drop in status like GM has. Chrysler is clearly benefiting with its access to design ideas from Europe.

While both Ford and Chrysler offer consumers competitive and quality products, GM continues to fail to connect to customers and has failed to find or reinvent itself in the process.

Something its logo is telling us all too well.

Occupy It All

As if you didn't already know they're about coercion, control and confiscation:


The mindset is 'it' was all stolen from them.

2015-02-20

MP Pat Martin Learns One Size Doesn't Fit All


"Comartin asked Martin whether he would like to respond to Galipeau, and Martin explained why he left his seat “briefly” in the middle of the proceedings.

“I can blame it on a sale that was down at the Hudson’s Bay,” Martin said. “They had men’s underwear on for half price. I bought a bunch that was clearly too small for me and I find it difficult to sit for any length of time.”

By this point, many MPs had begun to laugh.

“So I apologize if it was necessary for me to leave my seat briefly, but I did not mean to forfeit my right to vote,” Martin concluded.

After Martin sat down, Comartin paused to consider his ruling before saying that Martin’s vote counted because he was in his seat for the actual vote."

At least the NDP are good for a laugh.
 
Maybe the NDP could introduce 'better labeling' legislation for the underwear industry seeing they're big fans of the nanny-state. 

Other than that, I think we guys know how uncomfortable tight under wear can get.


The President Needs To Knock It Off With The ISIS Doesn't Represent Islam Shtick

I've grown a little tired of listening to the most powerful leader in the world engage in professorial sophistry regarding ISIS.

I don't understand his pointless obsession in trying to 'school' people into understanding the difference. In fact, it points to his arrogance if he thinks we're not able to distinguish what is a derelict bunch of immoral murderous assholes and Islam.

However, the President is fooling himself if he thinks Islam doesn't permit this sort of nonsense no matter how much relativism he engages in.

Best the President keeps to a basic tenet of any employment: DO YOUR JOB.


2015-02-19

Quote Of The Day

"Last night I dreamed I made it to the promise land
I was standin' at the gate and I had the key in my hand
Saint Peter said "Come on in boy, you're finally home"
I said "No thanks Pete, I'll just be moving along" 


Steve Earle. From I Ain't Ever Satisfied.


Canadians - Predictably - Trade Freedom For Security

A majority of Canadians support (last I heard hovering around a whopping 81% - and we didn't even have a catastrophic event like 9/11!) Bill C-51 (Patriot Act light). The Conservatives sure hit the jackpot. Hey, if there's one thing that works in politics it's playing the security card.

C-51 in my view is just plain a bad idea. Just like the Patriot Act has evolved into a Kafka-1984- esque monstrosity.

For all our alleged differences we share the same tribal fears.

For now, there's no provisions of power of arrest like in the USA but that will come in due time. Small steps.

And sooner than you think. I was listening to callers and was frightened by what I heard. One guy suggested (and don't laugh) a 999 call for 'terrorist and hate crimes.'

All we need to do is pick a different color worn by the Stasi, Black and Brown shirts. A color that reflects our kinder and gentler nature. After all, we're Canadians. And we Canadians are, if anything, very polite.

As we abdicate our civil liberties.


Daily Round Up: Fall Of The West Says Do Not Offend The Weather Gods

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Lost Americans

The Obama has lost complete control on his foreign policy - whatever it was to begin with - is obvious to those who follow it. Take your pick. Libya, Syria, Benghazi, Russia and Ukraine and the meeting with the Muslim Brotherhood against the Egyptian government's wishes - the Americans are winging things under Obama without much strategy looks like. The messages between Rice, Clinton, Hagel, Schumer, Kerry, Biden and the President have been ridiculously disjointed.

Particularly when it comes to his rhetoric on Islamic terrorism. Clearly the President has an issue with the term 'terrorism'. So much so he engages in inappropriate analogies and historical relativism (yeah, extremists are bad but remember when we were bad, like, eons ago?).

All this is not lost on international observers. At least, under Bush there was a consistent message. Everyone knew where they stood. Not so with this administration. 

Time and again, again and persistently, the President fails to display his alleged oratorical strengths.

True, militarily, the President has been all too ready and willing to accept, support and enhance the Bush doctrine. However, his message remains too confused for allies; which is perfect for enemies.

***

The most recent example of how bizarre and even absurd the position of the White House can be seen in Marie Harf who is selling a point long proven to be misleading if not wrong. That is, poverty is what leads to terrorism.

No it doesn't. Most of its leadership and 'middle-management' come from privileged or comfortable backgrounds; often with an education. They don't lack for funds or smarts. So why would anyone in the high rises of American power politics continue to believe such nonsense?

Well. It's not that hard.

Look at the cherry on top.

The chocolate (or caramel) syrup flows down the sundae from that point.




2015-02-18

Troubling Events On Gun Control

"As it wanes, the Obama administration grows bold, and even reckless, on matters that send a thrill up the leg of its most leftward supporters. Its new attack on so-called armor-piercing ammunition — which is, in reality, a very broad attack on ammunition across the board — is a dangerous and destructive example of the administration’s late-days slide into rule-by-decree.

A little background, which is unavoidably weedy: In 1986, Congress revised the Gun Control Act, inserting prohibitions against the manufacture and import of “armor-piercing ammunition.” Armor-piercing ammunition does not mean ammunition designed to defeat body armor — that would be too simple. It means, most broadly, ammunition that could defeat the soft body armor of the sort that was cutting edge in the 1980s. But banning all such ammunition as “armor-piercing” would have meant a ban on practically all hunting rifles. One of the truly ignorant and insipid aspects of our gun-control debate is that the gun-grabbers spend so much time wringing their hands over “assault rifles,” which are relatively low-powered but kinda-scary-looking firearms generally chambered for rounds (mainly the .223) that are too small even to legally use for deer hunting, while at the same time insisting that they do not wish to bother us about hunting rifles, which generally are much, much more powerful than the AR-15s that so dominate the progressive imagination."

Very disturbing. 

Let's cut the bull shit. They want the guns.

And they will use any statistic, however irrational or flawed, to justify grabbing guns.

Remember when they used to dismiss concerns that smoking bans would eventually encroach onto private property?

Yeah.

Well, we shouldn't believe a word when they say they just want 'common sense' gun control. The end game is total ban just like Obamacare's end game is single payer.

It's how they role.

Progressives that is.


Potential Valentine's Day Massacre Thwarted In Halifax

But.

This is not supposed to happen in Canada!

Seriously. Those are some disturbed and deranged kids.




2015-02-17

DON'T OFFEND THE WEATHER GODS!!

With the North East from Montreal to Boston to Washington all the way to the Carolinas and Georgia getting hammered with snow, I guess now is a good time to bring up this gem courtesy of the New York Times titled 'The End Of Snow?'

You know, the more they - Tempastas' children - scream about 'statistics' and 'science' as well as screaming to arrest 'climate deniers' the more I'm getting the distinct cold shiver they're nothing but a bunch of hyperbolic cultists. Everywhere they look climate change is wreaking havoc including infectious diseases.

Bow before GAIA! If there's snow it's because of 'climate change'! If there's no snow it's proof of 'climate change!" And it's all man's fault! Him and his stupid patriarchal industrial capitalism. Pft,

Never mind that many of them really are anti-capitalist commies.

Forgive me if I've decided to turn my back on their message - including Gore, Suzuki et all.

Watch. When all this will add up to NOTHING some time down the road, you will not find one person among this sorry bunch who'd admit they bought into the hysteria.

They'll find a way to spin it so as to not make them look so incredibly naive and stupid. It never was about 'climate change' but SYSTEM CHANGE.

Even their message is confused.

Now if you don't mind I have some shoveling to do.

New Jersey Is Retarded

Seriously.

What kind of a shit hole does this to citizens?


"Gordon Van Gilder, a 72-year-old retired schoolteacher in New Jersey, faces a 10-year prison sentence for possessing an unloaded 18th-century flintlock pistol in his car.

Mr. Van Gilder, a collector of 18th-century memorabilia, said he had the gun unloaded and wrapped in a cloth in the glove compartment of his vehicle when he was pulled over in November by a Cumberland County sheriff’s deputy for a minor traffic violation, according to a video posted last week by NRA News.

After consenting to a search of his vehicle, Mr. Van Gilder said he alerted the deputy of the pistol in his glove box. The deputy let him go that night, but four police officers showed up at his home the next morning with an arrest warrant, he told NRA News."

Are they fucking for real? Are those cops for effen real?

Holy shit. 

Stay away from Jersey.

Remember, this is the state that was ready to throw a mother in jail for a similar offense.

2015-02-16

Socialism: It Works

We should give it a try!

"The U.S. government lost $9.26 billion on the auto industry rescue, according to the final accounting released late Monday.

In its report, the U.S. Treasury Department said it recovered $70.43 billion of the $79.69 billion it gave to General Motors Corp., Chrysler LLC and auto lending arms Ally Financial Inc. and Chrysler Financial. The government was repaid through a combination of stock sales, partial loan repayments, dividends and interest payments."

I swear, each time I hear the asinine assertion 'the government made money on the bail out' I want to scream like a lunatic.

The government is not good at turning a profit.

***

Venezuela gets more absurd by the minute.

"The Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, has ordered the takeover of a private supermarket chain by the state food agency.

Speaking on television, he accused Dia a Dia of hoarding food during huge shortages in the country.
This week, soldiers and government workers were sent to branches of a large supermarket and pharmacy chain to supervise sales.

Venezuela's economy has been heavily affected by the drop in oil prices."

My Lord these people are priceless.








This is what happens when you have an ignorant ideologically driven political class.

Tax Havens Made Pariahs For No Good Reason

Guess these progressive paradises with:

Personal income tax: NONE
Corporate income tax: NONE
Capital gains tax: NONE

Taxation of dividends: NONE
Taxation of interest: NONE
Withholding taxes: NONE
Payroll tax: NONE
Social Security tax: NONE
Wealth tax: NONE
Inheritance/estate tax: NONE
Property taxes: NONE 


"...Compared to the levels of taxation in the US, Canada, and Europe, to say the above is a breath of fresh air would be a major understatement.

Now, there are only three jurisdictions in the Western hemisphere that do not levy property taxes, so that should narrow the field. The mere existence of property taxes is a ridiculous notion that should offend anyone with a respect of property rights. I have already covered this topic here in case you’re interested.

Those three jurisdictions are the Cayman Islands, Dominica, and Turks and Caicos Islands."





"...The aversion to even the concept of direct taxation in Cayman is extremely important. Because once the principle is conceded—and you give politicians an inch—it’s only a matter of time before they’ll take a mile.

You’ll recall that when the federal income tax was introduced in the US in 1913, those making up to $20,000 (equivalent to around $475,000 today) were only taxed at 1%—that’s ONE PERCENT.
The top bracket kicked in at $500,000 (equivalent to around $12 million today), and the tax rate for it was only 7%.

Of course, once the principle was conceded in 1913, the politicians naturally couldn’t resist ramping it up until we have the monstrosity that exists today in the US tax code, which most Americans passively accept as “normal.”

In my view, it’s Cayman’s unique culture and history that’s opposed to the very principle of direct taxation, which is the best guarantor it will continue to be a beacon of light well into the future."

"...Spendthrift politicians the world over have long despised Cayman—something that should be taken as a badge of honor, as far as I’m concerned.

This is because productive people and companies gravitate to places where they’re treated best. And it’s hard to find a place where you’ll be treated better with respect to taxation than in Cayman. This healthy dynamic is called tax competition.

No shit.

I find it's best to read the above paragraph in Mr. Burns' voice for full effect. It's hilarious listening to bankers and politicians talk of Cayman Islands as if it's some sort of criminal enterprise. They want to close 'off shore loopholes' because they want the money. So they start a campaign of talking shit about these islands using their lackeys in the media. Yeah, I'm channeling my inner Dale Gribble but after watching The Wire, wouldn't surprise one bit.

"Another way Cayman has been pressured is through demonization in the media and popular culture as some sort of shady money-laundering center. Never mind the fact that unlike murder, robbery, and rape, money laundering is a victimless make-believe crime invented by politicians. "

B-b-but, where's the price for civilization?

Wow: Saturday Night Live

Did. Did they seriously and actually make fun of Fox News given the utter and uber joke NBC has become?

Did they really?

Yes they did.

Wow.

Last I checked, Fox News doesn't have a Dan Rather and Brian Williams on their roster. Of course, I'm still waiting exactly to know what's 'fake' about Fox News.

It's okay we can trust the liberal mainstream media to cover ISIS beheading 21 Christians in Egypt.

Or not.

Remember when that clown from the NYT was claiming the Times is fair with its coverage about religion? Yeah.

Here was their chance to prove us extremists wrong and they curled like the little gutless pukes they are. Go write about stories protecting Brian Williams and let real journalists do the reporting New York Times.

2015-02-15

Non-Sequitur Soccer Statistic

The oft (generalized) comment I get critiquing Italian soccer (I've even read the same tag against Germany) is that it's 'defensive'.

The same thing was said when Serie A was using Europe as its playground during its dominant years in the 1990s. But when we consult the numbers we realize it has less to do with Serie A being uniquely defensive and more with an overall trend that took over in Europe particularly among the 'Big Four'. It's just that Italian clubs and the national team made playing defense into an art form is all and played it better than most. There's inherent beauty in playing defense properly. In any event, it was nowhere near as defensive as the 1970s and 1980s.

Anyhow. Notice the league averages. The highest goals per game recorded was 1.49 in Germany with the lowest at 1.10 in Spain where La Liga also had the lowest GPG of the four leagues. You'll never hear Liga be called defensive despite the lowest total of the four.

Its national team during its period of dominance (c. 2008-2012), contrary to popular perception, wasn't an offensive juggernaut by any stretch of the imagination (its World Cup win in 2010 was the lowest goal tally (eight in seven games) of any champion). Rather, it was actually a system of play rooted in fit play through relentless pressure, solid mid play - and defense.

Serie A and EPL, in fact, were roughly on par with one another.

Regardless, a GPG of under 2 is low.

SERIE A        LIGA            EPL        BUNDESLIGA

90-91: 1.15          1.10            1.38            1.45
91-92 :1.14          1.20            1.27            1.31
92-93: 1.40          1.26            1.33            1.46
93-94 :1.20          1.22            1.29            1.46
94-95: 1.26          1.27            1.29            1.50
95-96: 1.32          1.35            1.30            1.36
96-97: 1.32          1.38            1.28            1.49
97-98: 1.38          1.10            1.34            1.44
98-99: 1.38          1.10            1.26            1.42
99-00  1.25          1.31            1.39            1.45           

AVG: 1.28          1.23             1.31            1.43

2015-02-13

Daily Round Up: Fall Of The West Edition

Wow. CNN. For true and for real?

CNN mourns the loss of Brian Williams (a vain liar), Jon Stewart (a jester but not really a comedian journalist some of the time - or some thing - who resigned by choice) and the death of two other guys. Who are they? Right. David Carr and Bob Simon.

CNN - Clown News Network. 

***

GET. RID. OF. DINOSAURS!

Who's with me?

"I'm really concerned about dinosaurs, and I think something needs to be done. The science behind them is pretty flimsy, and I for one do not want my children being taught lies. Did you know that nobody had even heard of dinosaurs before the 1800s, when they were invented by curio-hungry Victorians?

Charles Darwin's later theory of evolution entirely disproved dinosaurs, yet the dinosaur lie was twisted and adapted to try to make it fit. Any proper look at the facts will reveal that dinosaurs simply never existed."


Cool story, bra.

***

Adults behaving badly.

Lord, the lesson they're teaching their kids is just horrible.

And leave it to Chicago to have the Mayor try and have the Little League committee over turn their just decision stripping Jackie Robinson West (somehow I doubt Robinson is proud in his grave). It sucks the kids have to pay for it (and like they really give a shit because if they did they A) wouldn't have cheated and B) allowed the Mayor to enter the sad fray.

Bunch of disingenuous  children - the adults I mean.

Right. Racist.

Onto the next story.

***

Cabinet must Tweet bilingually NOW.

In Quebec hospitals two English speaking workers must speak French to one another.  Freedom of expression? What's that?

Real fucking normal.

Such a fair and just society we have.

THAT'S SARCASM.

***

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous that suddenly you need an education to run a country.

After all, ome of the most successful people in world history got by without one.

Not really. And given by the standards in our schools now, I think it's actually a good thing someone outside the extremely narrow academic world gets a kick at the can.

I think Scott Walker just scares the bejeesus of leftists that's why they're going after his education - or lack thereof.



Fall Of The West Reason 45858559: Presumed Guilty In Britain

Seems to me Britain is pouring all its energies in the wrong places.

On one end they have the disgraceful episode of Rotherdam and the growing problem of domestic Muslim terrorism, and on the other end...well read on.

Both are disturbing and troubling  to say the least.

One of the most chrerished inventions of Western law is 'innocent until proven guilty'' and England is looking to reverse it. It's unfortunate this cheer leading is coming from the seat of a once proud and enlightened empire.

Britain is dead.

Buried. 

From The Telegraph:

"Men accused of date rape will need to convince police that a woman consented to sex as part of a major change in the way sex offences are investigated.

The Director of Public Prosecutions said it was time for the legal system to move beyond the concept of “no means no” to recognise situations where women may have been unable to give consent.
Alison Saunders said rape victims should no longer be “blamed” by society if they are too drunk to consent to sex, or if they simply freeze and say nothing because they are terrified of their attacker." 

Go fuck yourself Alison you dangerous twit.

"...Instead, police and prosecutors must now put a greater onus on rape suspects to demonstrate how the complainant had consented “with full capacity and freedom to do so”.

Campaigners described the move as “a huge step forward” in ensuring fewer rapists escape justice."

VERY SCARY SHIT. FULL RETARD FRIGHTENING STUFF.

I'm gonna go and bet it will have ZERO impact on rape stats. Taking bets NOW.

For one thing, if the Brits are collected their stats from flawed studies like President Left-Wing in the U.S., they're operating from a flawed premise. Even the police in the article is basically saying you can't trust the stats. What is likely to happen is ruining the lives of a bunch of innocent boys (The Duke Lacrosse Effect - that girl's influence on the world is greater than we think I reckon) and other unintended consequences.

The campaigners are a bunch of assholes. If they believe this to be a good thing then I stick by claim they're piece of shits.

***

Oh.

You think this bit is isolation?

Oh, honey you so naive.

It's a trend and best you get used to it.

The orthodoxy of 'safe space'.


2015-02-12

Daily Round Up

Naomi Klein's hideous Marxist face:

"Another point I would make, [about] carbon pricing, is that when we make the argument that this is a rogue sector, that their business plan is at odds with life on earth, we are creating an intellectual and political space where it becomes much easier to tax those profits, to increase royalties, and even to nationalize these companies. This is not just about the fact that we want to separate ourselves from these companies, it’s also that we have a right to those profits. If those profits are so illegitimate that Harvard shouldn’t be invested in them, they’re also so illegitimate that taxpayers have a right to them to pay for a transition away from fossil fuels, and to pay the bills for a crisis created by this sector. It’s not just about dissociating ourselves from their profits, but potentially getting a much larger piece of them."

We have to murder people to save humanity.

What a profoundly pathetic dolt.

***

Thinkprogress does what it does best. Act opposite to its name.

On Sunday, Germany’s impressive streak of renewable energy milestones continued, with renewable energy generation surging to a record portion — nearly 75 percent — of the country’s overall electricity demand by midday. With wind and solar in particular filling such a huge portion of the country’s power demand, electricity prices actually dipped into the negative for much of the afternoon, according to Renewables International

No. Just no.

"Indeed, despite the massive investment, solar power accounts for only about 0.3 percent of Germany’s total energy. This is one of the key reasons why Germans now pay the second-highest price for electricity in the developed world (exceeded only by Denmark, which aims to be the “world wind-energy champion”). Germans pay three times more than their American counterparts.
Moreover, this sizeable investment does remarkably little to counter global warming. Even with unrealistically generous assumptions, the unimpressive net effect is that solar power reduces Germany’s CO2 emissions by roughly 8 million metric tons—or about 1 percent – for the next 20 years. To put it another way: By the end of the century, Germany’s $130 billion solar panel subsidies will have postponed temperature increases by 23 hours."


Der Spiegel reports  Germans don't share Thinkwhatever's views.

Never mind it has cost the lives of people as well.

***

I wonder if, you switched Obama with Bush, if the commenters would be as forgiving. 

Doubt it.

"...The U.S. did not think British intelligence was good enough to act on and waited a month to launch a mission to rescue ISIS's hostages. By then it was too late.

The U.S. government obtained intelligence on the possible location of American captives held by ISIS in Syria last year, but Obama administration officials waited nearly a month to launch a rescue mission because of concerns that the intelligence wasn’t conclusive and some of it had come from a foreign service, U.S. and British officials told The Daily Beast."

They got the information. They just didn’t trust it. And they did sit on it, there’s no doubt about that,” the official said."

Of all the left-wing publications, I like The Daily Beast. They make an effort to get to the truth. 

***


A nation dedicated to liberty:

"...In a report released Thursday, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission blames the mistakes on poor leadership, lack of guidance, and failure to communicate with the public.
The RCMP had legal authority to forcibly enter evacuated homes during the natural disaster and even to seize loose firearms in plain view, the commission report says.

The Mounties say the guns could have posed a hazard, as there were reports of break-ins and thefts, and there were over 300 people — including one high-risk offender — who refused to evacuate.
Under the Criminal Code, such seizures did not require a court-approved warrant, but officers failed to take the necessary next step of reporting their actions to a judge."

They can make criminals of us all if they so choose.

***

Sickening killing of an unarmed man who threw rocks at Pasco police.



2015-02-11

Bush Has Nothing To Do With Brian Williams And His Fibs

Been reading various media pundits and their little pretties (fans) make some remarkable claims in defense of Brian Williams.

It goes something to the effect of 'Buuuussssh!'

As in, 'it's funny how Bush lied but he never lost his job!'

Seriously?

Seriously? They pulled on the Bush card?

This is what we call in the business a false equivalence. They appear to be equivalent but they're not.

What does Williams embellishing or lying have anything to do with Bush?

Of course, to any sane and sober mind, the answer is absolutely nothing.

They're two separate things that didn't even occur in the same year for crying out loud.

***

About that Iraq thing. The argument (which really it isn't. It's a lame ploy to distract from Williams shameless behavior as a journalist bringing into question his integrity) is hollow.

Here's why:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions.

Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle announced Thursday morning he would support Bush on Iraq, saying it is important for the country "to speak with one voice at this critical moment."

Daschle, D-South Dakota, said the threat of Iraq's weapons programs "may not be imminent. But it is real. It is growing. And it cannot be ignored." However, he urged Bush to move "in a way that avoids making a dangerous situation even worse."

Wikileaks weighed in as well:


"By late 2003, even the Bush White House’s staunchest defenders were starting to give up on the idea that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
But WikiLeaks’ newly-released Iraq war documents reveal that for years afterward, U.S. troops continued to find chemical weapons labs, encounter insurgent specialists in toxins and uncover weapons of mass destruction.

An initial glance at the WikiLeaks war logs doesn’t reveal evidence of some massive WMD program by the Saddam Hussein regime — the Bush administration’s most (in)famous rationale for invading Iraq. But chemical weapons, especially, did not vanish from the Iraqi battlefield. Remnants of Saddam’s toxic arsenal, largely destroyed after the Gulf War, remained. Jihadists, insurgents and foreign (possibly Iranian) agitators turned to these stockpiles during the Iraq conflict — and may have brewed up their own deadly agents."



Here's Hilary (the great Liberal Democrat hope) on the matter:

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show
that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."

Hillary Clinton, Oct. 10, 2002




Like I said. Not only is it a false equivalence but I assert people taking this position are disingenuous. 

Bush didn't lie on his own. The American political class thought this as well. 

I  don't understand the mindset of these people who single out Bush but give Congress a pass.

And I'm glad I don't.

A Tale Of Two (Sports) Cities

The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs have always been great hockey rivals. Once upon a time, it was even a rather even one. Not so much anymore.

Since 1967 (the year the Leafs last won the Cup) the Habs have finished ahead of the Leafs 37 times (including 27 straight years between 1967 and 1994) while Toronto have only managed to pass the Canadiens 10 times (with most of those taking place between 1999-2004 when the Maple Leafs put together of six straight seasons of surpassing their rivals).

I had nothing better to do.

Daily Round Up

This is awkward.



For fuck sakes. Of course, the Jews were fucking targeted.

Good for the journalist.

***

NBC is really a joke of a news organization.
  
"NBC Wanted to Hire Jon Stewart to Host Meet the Press".

***

The uber-arrogance of an empty suit.

Obama goes after Staples.

I musta missed the part when Obama was an employer or held down a real job in the private sector.

*** 

"The Quebec police ethics commission announced on Tuesday that it has suspended Sgt. Michel El-Khoury for five days and Constable Simon Jetté for two days after the police ethics committee ruled last year that the officers used illegal force when arresting Dr. Jeffrey Sirzyk.
The incident began in February 2012 when police called the emergency room requesting information about a child who had been taken to the emergency room.
Citing privacy rules, a nurse refused to give details about why the child was brought to hospital, but said the child had been transferred to another hospital.
A short time later, two officers turned up and arrested Sirzyk. One of them grabbed him by the arm, pushed him against the wall and tried to drag him out of the busy emergency room as shocked patients looked on. Other police officers then arrived and instructed the officers to release the doctor. 

He was never charged."

The thing that really bothers me about this two boneheads is they could have affected someone's life as a result of their brutal and illegal behavior.

Idiots.

As usual, cops get a slap on the wrist for their unacceptable actions.

***

More police brutality.

This time in Alabama. 

Yes. I believe we should expose this every single time it happens.

Two excuses I notice are used to justify the indefensible. One is 'what did they do to provoke the officer?' and the other is 'why didn't they obey?'

Both are increasingly becoming tiresome. 

***

Fifty Shades of Steve Buscemi: 







 



2015-02-10

Daily Round Up

Since 2008 Obama has been treating us to his pseudo-professorial ruminations. Nothing new here.

"...If the president truly believes that ISIS poses a dire threat to the United States — one requiring a military response that puts the lives of American soldiers at risk, costs billions of dollars, and leads to the death of hundreds or thousands of people on the other side of the conflict — then it makes no sense at all for him simultaneously to encourage Americans to adopt a stance of moral ambiguity toward that threat.

Does Obama want us to kill the bloodthirsty psychopaths of ISIS? Or does he want us to reflect dispassionately on the myriad ways that they’re really not that different from the grandfather of my friend from Mississippi?"

"A wise president understands that his role is categorically different from that of a journalist, a scholar, a moralist, or a theologian. It’s not a president’s job to gaze down dispassionately on the nation, rendering moral judgments from the Beyond. His job is to defend our side. Yes, with intelligence and humility. But the time for intelligence and humility is in crafting our policies, not in talking about them after the fact. When the president speaks as he did at the Prayer Breakfast, he sounds like a man who believes that executing his own sometimes ruthless policies is too narrow-minded, too partial — a word, too political — for a man as worldly and cosmopolitan as he."

This is the chosen tactic of the left: Relativism. 

"...as an intellectual exercise, Obama’s remarks weren’t wrong. Christianity has been invoked to justify a wide range of moral atrocities down through the millennia, and the Crusades, Inquisition, and Jim Crow are all excellent examples."

No. He's dead wrong when applying it to ISIS.

I just don't see how Jim Crow falls under the banner of Christianity. Cannon Law must come from The Vatican. Saying Jim Crow happened in the USA - a Christian country ergo is part of the Christian faith is a stretch and misleading. Jim Crow is no more Christian than the Nazis or Communists were.

My God, think about it for a second, pal.

Obama is asking us to understand ISIS because Jim Crow.

To this I say, cool story, bra.

*** 

I'm not for mandatory vaccination (everyone is free to make their choices) but I do consider anti-vaccinists to be irrational and their fears without scientific merit.

"Queen’s University says a professor who has come under fire for teaching anti-vaccination materials will not lead the course in question for the rest of the term."

I'll leave it to Rex Murphy to set things straight:




"When anybody listens to, or seeks medical guidance from, Jenny McCarthy, or any of her fellow neurosurgeons on the View, they have confessed to having the intellectual power of a dead tree stump. And may even be living in one."

PERFECT AND AMEN.

***

From the comments:

"Interesting how Rex correctly denounces medical science deniers for their stupidity & ignorance when it comes to vaccines, while Rex himself has been, for years, the most vocal anti-climate-science, global warming denying, crank in the Canadian MSM (he wrote countless news columns denouncing climate science's findings). And to paraphrase Rex, "When anybody listens to, or seeks guidance on climate science, from noteworthy 'climatologist' (not!), Rex Murphy, they have confessed to having the intellectual power of a dead tree stump. And may even be living in one." Take that, Rex."

Ah yes. If you don't believe in climate system change then everything else flows from there and leaves you to be anti-science.

Nonsense that can only come from the climate change community despite the mounting evidence pointing to the entire movement's arguments being rooted on false premises and fabrications. 

No such thing happens with vaccines. It's rock-solid science.

Man made climate change is on far more shaky ground than vaccinations. It's not even in the same stratosphere.  

In any event, it's a false equivalence.  


***

"The tally of closed retail stores in Canada keeps growing".


"The tally of retail closures continues to grow in Canada with a new report from real estate company CBRE pegging the total to 1,114 stores in a little over three years.

Jones New York added its name to the long list Thursday when it announced it was closing 127 stores, 36 of which are in Canada.

The retailer’s decision comes on heels of Target’s decision to leave Canada and shutter 133 stores in the coming months. In total 16 brands have left the country since 2012.
Here’s the list, the number of locations and the year the chain closed:

Jones New York, 36, stores, 2015
Target, 133 stores, 2015
Sony, 14 stores, 2015
Mexx, 95 stores, 2015
Smart Set, 107 stores, 2014
Bombay, Bowring & C0. Inc. and Benix & Co. Inc. 110 stores, 2014
Jacob, 92 stores, 2014
Juicy Couture, 5 stores, 2014
Grand & Toy, 19 stores, 2014
Petcetera, 18 stores, 2014
Big Lots/Liquidation World, 78 stores, 2014
Zellers, 220 stores, 2013
Espirit, 46 stores, 2012
Fields, 141 stores, 2012



***

"A 28-year-old man from Sydney is facing a hefty fine — and possibly a higher than expected vehicle rental fee — after allegedly being clocked at 226 kilometres an hour on the Trans-Canada Highway in Pictou County.

Cpl. Mark Kellock of the RCMP’s Eastern Traffic Services said police stopped the westbound driver Monday at 5:30 a.m., just east of New Glasgow.

The man was alone in the vehicle, a rented Chevrolet Malibu, and was driving in a 100-km/h zone."

Confessions of T..C: Me and my cousin took my father's Alfa-Romeo to 230 km/h back in the day.

***

Congressman Lee Zeldin of New York wonders if Obama is campaigning against Netanyahu.

Would not surprise me in the least if it were accurate.

***

WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS!

New Jersey is a laughable joke.

"...In the process, Matt Molinari and Eric Schnepf, both 18, also learned a valuable lesson about one of the costs of doing business: government regulations.

The two friends were canvasing a neighborhood near this borough's border with Bridgewater early Monday evening, handing out fliers promoting their service, when they were pulled over by police and told to stop."

One can but nod their head in disappointment.

 ***

Greece should really knock it off. Begging and bullying other nations should cover their debts they wholly incurred is embarrassing. The EU and Germany don't owe Greece squat. No one forced Greece to hand out lavish public sector jobs while operating in an obscenely corrupt landscape in a country with a small population little industry that relies on tourism to get by.

Greece entered the EU in 1981 and from that point forward have never really been a model member. That they would demand reparations for WWII is outrageous and the Germans are correct to tell them to piss off.

I wonder if their left-wing, socialist 10 plan tin pot plan includes them manning up for their own troubles.

The reparations is a strawman; a neat ploy on the part of the Greeks to try and guilt Germany into covering debts they alone incurred. 

*** 

Right out of the left-wing play book. NEVER GIVE UP until you get the answer you want. Sorta like the PQ here in Quebec.


"Vermont rejected a beverage tax in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Now, only a few weeks into 2015, and some folks are pushing once again for new beverages taxes on Vermont families.
This time there’s talk of a whopping 2¢ per-ounce tax on grocery items like sodas, juice drinks, sports drinks, teas, and other beverages."