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Category Archives: politics
What’s Wrong with Yang’s UBI Proposal?
US Democrat presidential nomination candidate Andrew Yang includes a kind of universal basic income in his platform; and he identifies it as a “dividend” which I prefer because it clarifies that it is not welfare but a deserved share of … Continue reading
When 99% is really 0.01%
The Tyee ( Wall Street Occupiers, Don’t Forget Ballot Box) says it rather too gently. The protesters and their direct supporters are more like a 0.01% than 99%, and the other 99% of the real 99% were too stupid to do … Continue reading
Posted in economics, politics
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More Media “levy” Madness
Howard Knopf doesn’t like the idea of extending the tax (or calling it one). I didn’t like having to pay a tax, or “levy”, on the CDs I bought years ago to store photos and backup my HD, but I don’t … Continue reading
Posted in arts and culture, canada, copyright
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Time for a Change
OK today must be the start of a four year campaign to reach agreement between the NDP, Greens, and remaining Liberals to: Support an electoral reform which will provide for proportional representation – NOT based on party lists but on … Continue reading
Posted in canada
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Only Obama
Only Obama Succeeded Where Bush Failed (“Great shot sir!”) Only Obama can deal with the financial collapse caused by the right wing libertarian attitude towards proper regulation of financial institutions Only Obama could persuade us that the Lion King was … Continue reading
Posted in usa
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Goodbye CBC
As a complement to today’s federal leaders’ debate the CBC had a group of first time voters watch and comment. But while the clear majority felt that the NDP’s Jack Layton was the winner (as demonstrated by holding up pictures) … Continue reading
Retail Internet Pricing – Without Slogans
All sides in the debate on “Usage Based Billing” are off base. The issue is quite complicated and not helped by the use of simplistic slogans which often either ask for the impossible or run counter to the interests of … Continue reading
UBB – How Should Cost and Price be Linked?
Michael Geist is concerned because internet service providers do not match price of service at all levels to its actual cost. But when a commodity is in short supply, selling at the cost price will lead to shortages. (In the … Continue reading
Anti-Nuclear Inflation
I was disappointed to see Geoff Olson’s citation of a totally bogus figure for the number of deaths due to Chernobyl in his anti-nuclear panic piece in the Vancouver Courier on Friday. The particular figure, which he quoted fourth hand … Continue reading
Don’t Stop Darlington
Here is my (slightly edited) version of the Greenpeace Letter. Dear Premier McGuinty: I’m writing to support your plan to maintain the nuclear option by continuing with the development of new reactors at Darlington and to encourage you not to be … Continue reading
Looking a Gift Horse
(via Michael Geist) Some have objected to restrictive license terms on our nation’s new “Open Data Portal” which would stop someone from using the data “in any way which, in the opinion of Canada, may bring disrepute to or prejudice the … Continue reading
This Must be Said
In the light of the apparent opinion of Conservative MP Ed Fast that the mere presence of a digital lock trumps virtually all other copyright rights it must be said that the only appropriate response to passage of Bill C-32 without a … Continue reading
Posted in canada, copyright
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Obama Leadership “Tested” by Egypt
A good part of my recent visit to Toronto was spent glued to the news coming out of Egypt. Then on Thursday, Mubarak finally addressed the nation – and failed completely to satisfy the demonstrators. But by the time I … Continue reading
Posted in world
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Dumb Slogans
I am sick and tired of watching the “left” shoot itself in the foot by trying to popularize its position with dumb and reactionary slogans which actually work against (what should be) their core principles. A recent case in point … Continue reading
Posted in canada, politics, social issues
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Many Views on UBB
Michael Geist provides some useful links to opinions about the “Usage-Based Billing” issue, and has just expanded on his own view, as has also Teksavvy’s Rocky Gaudrault.(More here, here, and here.) My take on all this is that it is … Continue reading
Stop The Meter?
I’d like to hear more of what someone like Stephen Downes or Michael Geist thinks about this. (Both have reported the campaign but not really made a clear statement of their own reasons for doing so favourably.) To me, the … Continue reading
Muslim Reactions to Violence
What a contrast between this and this!
Hitchens on Assange
According to Christopher Hitchens, the WikiLeaks founder is an unscrupulous megalomaniac with a political agenda, and should “turn himself in” in order to accept the consequences of his “civil disobedience”. The character assessment may or may not be true, but … Continue reading
Obama Speech on Religion
This comes from before he was president. But note that (at 2:30 on the tape) he says “politics involves compromise” and perhaps that is being applied also to the very principles advocated in this speech.