Nullius in Verba

A list of newspaper articles demonstrates Stephen Harper’s prescience one year ago.

Stephen Harper was right. This week Harper has been maintained and explained in detail what his Government has been doing over the last year to protect Canada from an economic disaster. The opposition parties all state he should have done “more” or things “differently”. When prodded, they are unable to explain exactly what they mean.

In fact a year ago opposition parties were decrying the notion that Canada could face an international economic disaster, Harper was fearmongering, and that Canada was predicted to only do well.

Here’s what they said:

“Harper ready to give us the squeeze. Tells Canadians to tighten their belts as U.S. financial collapse looms” (Ottawa Sun, December 21, 2007).

“In CTV’s year-end interview with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he says he’s concerned about the slowdown in the American economy and how it could impact businesses north of the border” (Canadian Press, December 20, 2007).

“After almost two years of ‘don’t worry, be happy’, the PM has been raising a caution flag, if not an alarm, about the Canadian economy in the year ahead. ‘I think 2008 will be a more challenging year for the country and for the government,’ he predicted during a recent chat with us at 24 Sussex Dr.” (Greg Weston. Whitehouse Star, December 31, 2007).

“Harper said he’ll be keeping watch on the looming storm on Canada’s economic horizon. ‘We know there is considerable uncertainty in the world economy, in the American economy, and we’ve seen very strong performance from our economy so far,’ he said Monday. ‘So obviously, our wish for the year is we’re able to sustain that momentum and shelter as best we can Canadians from any fallout of global economic problems’” (Canadian Press, December 31, 2007).

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper expects Canada’s economy to suffer next year, buffeted by turmoil south of the border [...]. In a calculated signal to Canadians, Harper said that 2008 will be “more challenging” for his government and the country. “There remains very serious economic uncertainty in the United States and in other parts of the world, and it’s impossible for me to see how Canada can be entirely immune from those developments,” he said in a year-end interview with the Star.” (Toronto Star, December 21, 2007)

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper is warning Canadians to brace for fiscal belt-tightening as a looming economic collapse in the U.S. threatens to make waves north of the border. Looking to an uncertain 2008, [his] government will save for rainy days ahead by foregoing sizeable tax cuts and keeping a tight grip on federal purse-strings in the next spring budget. “[...] We didn’t wait for the spring. We were concerned about the American economy and we thought we had to act quickly,” Harper said.” (CN News, December 20, 2007)

““The [2008] budget will be a stand-pat budget,” he said. “We will be doing what households and businesses do in a time of uncertainty—concentrating on stability and paying down our debt.” And he is braced for unsettling economic times. “It’s hard for me to see,” he said, “how we can continue to have the kind of uncertainty and potential slowdown in the United States and elsewhere without that having some impact on the Canadian economy.”” (MacCleans, December 28, 2007)

ROBERT FIFE (Reporter): As the Prime Minister sat down with CTV to reflect on the past year, he has worries about the next. Top of mind, a threatening downturn in the American economy that will be felt north of the border.
STEPHEN HARPER (Canadian Prime Minister): I believe that 2008 is likely to be a challenging year in terms of the economy… There’s no way we can be completely insulated from what’s going on in the United States or in the global economy (CTV National News, December 20, 2007).

The Liberals and the NDP in December 2007

“[John] McCallum said the government is overstating the risks because many experts expect the Canadian economy to grow by up to 2.5 per cent this year, which would leave room for spending and tax initiatives” (Toronto Star, January 1, 2008).

“McCallum accused Harper of sending a confusing message to consumers by combining talk of a tax cut with a warning the economy could be headed for trouble. ‘This is clearly a triumph of gimmickry over good public policy to announce the GST cut in a store and tell us the cupboard is bare,’ said McCallum. ’I think they’re trying to downplay expectations and then people will be positively surprised’” (Toronto Star, January 1, 2008).

Stéphane Dion recently admitted that ‘It was difficult for us to write a chapter on a U.S. economic crisis when we were preparing our platform’ (Stéphane Dion, Le téléjournal, October 6, 2008).

“NDP leader Jack Layton accused Mr. Harper of trying to ‘create a climate of fear’ to justify government plans for the economy, as he said the government has done to gain support for the war in Afghanistan and to avoid joining the global fight against climate change. ‘If the economy is getting into some trouble and the government’s finances are in some trouble, it’s because Mr. Harper has paid no attention to that issue (climate change) at all,’ Mr. Layton said, adding that his party will continue to vote against the government on no-confidence motions” (Ottawa Citizen, December 24, 2007).

JACK LAYTON: “Well I think he is trying to create a climate of fear, and, you know, that’s been his approach unfortunately on some issues, whether it was the way in which we have gone to war in Afghanistan” (CTV, Question Period, December 23, 2007).

h/t to RDoyle

Anyone else have anymore examples to aid this project? I’ll add them to the collection.

The Conservatives should use these newspaper articles to make an advertisement. I think it would ring truth in the minds of voters at the current time. Pointing out the other guy’s faults, your forewarning, and then a few of your prudent actions: that is the stuff killer election advertisments are made of.

(Some Oracles are More Substance, Others are Not Leaders)

Theme: Oh crap, we’re living in a fragile economy!

Everybody Say: Quick government, tax us and give more money to car companies so they can produce more cars no-one wants.

Dion: I dream, plan 30 points. First carbon tax, then economic summit to think way out of foolish tax.

Layton: Oil companies are evil. Antichrist. What do you mean average people work for big oil? You mean they might lose their jobs due to my crazy ideas, blue collar workers? SARS! I’m from Toronto.

May: When you’re done, Dion, don’t forget the money you owe me for raking Harper over the coals. Didn’t get it done. Not a leader.

Duceppe: What do you mean? Why the hell shouldn’t the rest of Canada pay for Quebec to have more artists?

Harper: I can’t believe I just said laissez-faire is bad. Don’t they know the housing crisis was caused by government? Oh wait I’m in government and I am the Prime Minister of these 4 imbeciles. How did it end this way?

The reader will benefit from reading the blog article previous to this one.

Drs. David H. Douglass, John R. Christy, Benjamin D. Pearson and S. Fred Singer have published an article in the International Journal of Climatology in which they explain that serious discrepencies exist between the computer models of climate change and the 25 year data from satellites and weather balloons.

Christy and Dr. Roy Spencer are the world’s experts on satellite data and Christy is a United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) editor. Ironically Christy and Spencer also have serious problems with the IPCC report, claiming it is a politically biased publication and misrepresents a lot of the science, reasons for why Christy left the IPCC process recently. (Christy and Spencer however, do think the evidence suggests CO2 can cause local climate change.) 

Why am I not surprised? As I have said before, having created computer models myself, you have to be concerned with the raw data used and more specifically the assumptions you make. Garbage in can easily equal garbage out. Sometimes even good data in can equal garbage out if your assumptions are wrong. As I have mentioned before at this time the surface station data is suspect.

From the publication:

On the whole, the evidence indicates that model trends in the troposphere are very likely inconsistent with observations that indicate that, since 1979, there is no significant long-term amplification factor relative to the surface. If these results continue to be supported, then future projections of temperature change, as depicted in the present suite of climate models, are likely too high.

In summary, the debate in this field revolves around the idea of discrepancy in surface and tropospheric trends in the tropics where vertical convection dominates heat transfer. Models are very consistent, as this article demonstrates, in showing a significant difference between surface and tropospheric trends, with tropospheric temperature trends warming faster than the surface. What is new in this article is the determination of a very robust estimate of the magnitude of the model trends at each atmospheric layer. These are compared with several equally robust updated estimates of trends from observations which disagree with trends from the models.

The last 25 years constitute a period of more complete and accurate observations and more realistic modeling efforts. Yet the models are seen to disagree with the observations. We suggest, therefore, that projections of future climate based on these models be viewed with much caution.

(Bold faced emphasis is mine.)

Scientists recommending caution, imagine that? But that is what real scientists do. Just like real doctors are cautious about making promises to patients. That’s how I was trained.

Politicians and fake scientists, on the other hand, like Al Gore and the Suzuki make all kinds of hot air promises.

Which reminds me of the ancient Babylonian inscription:

Psychics who make predictions that are found incorrect shall have their heads seized from their bodies and placed upon the southeast gate.*

(How long did it take for the politicians to screw up this earthly delight created by ancient scientists?)

* The one about doctors who fail to save their patients sucks just as bad.

Update:

From the comments:

Models aren’t perfect, but they are our best means to predict the consequences of increasing GHG in the atmosphere. 

- Grant

You mean you trust this data, Grant?:

(Official NOAA Suface Station Sensor, Livermore California)

I firmly believe that both the mainstream media (MSM) especially CBC, as well as most socialists would rather see Iraq (and Afghanistan) a destroyed smoking heap than for the Americans to have any success there. That’s how selfish they are.

(The twisted irony is that Socialists more than any other group of people seem to have all the traits of the Seven Deadly Sins)

Whether the invasion was right or wrong, at this moment in life it is what it is.

The real question is now what? Leave when people are most vulnerable and your job is half done?

More news from yet another independent journalist Michael Totten, that you will never hear from the biased MSM. Ramadi in Anbar province was one of the worst places in Iraq and possibly on the planet. Literally the people of the entire city were terrorised and blown to bits by Al Quaeda simply for the benefit of the cameras of the Mainstream Media. Now that the surge is working and the city has been intelligently turned and the people are on the side of sanity things have cleaned up. No attacks in 81 days. The city is boring and the MSM is nowhere to be found.

Violence has declined so sharply in Ramadi that few journalists bother to visit these days. It’s “boring,” most say, and it’s hard to get a story out there – especially for daily news reporters who need fresh scoops every day. Unlike most journalists, I am not a slave to the daily news grind and took the time to embed with the Army and Marines in late summer.

…

“We have one Iraqi lieutenant here who speaks pretty good English,” Marine Lieutenant Jonathan Welch told me. “You should talk to him. He has a sarcastic sense of humor and a really interesting point of view.”

“That would be terrific,” I said. “Can you introduce me to him?”

He went to find the lieutenant, but came back with bad news.

“He won’t talk to you,” he said. “Apparently some reporters recently spent a few days with him and his men. They wrote an agenda-driven story with a few quotes yanked out of context. He said the story was a total lie and that he refuses to have anything to do with the media.”

I heard complaints of that sort about the media every day from American Soldiers and Marines, but this was the first time I had heard it, albeit indirectly, from an Arab Iraqi.

Totten’s report is worth reading. Unbiased reporting is hard to find and thanks to the internet, the power of blogs, and the power of individual private donation we have real reporting.

I was greeted by friendly Iraqis in the streets of Baghdad every day, but the atmosphere in Ramadi was different. I am not exaggerating in the least when I describe their attitude toward Americans as euphoric.

Grown Iraqi men hugged American Soldiers and Marines.

…

Ramadi has changed so drastically from the terrorist-infested pit that it was as recently as April 2007 that I could hardly believe what I saw was real. The sheer joy on the faces of these Iraqis was unmistakable. They weren’t sullen in the least, and it was pretty obvious that they were not just pretending to be friendly or going through the hospitality motions.

…

The Iraqis of Anbar Province turned against Al Qaeda and sided with the Americans in large part because Al Qaeda proved to be far more vicious than advertised. But it’s also because sustained contact with the American military – even in an explosively violent combat zone –convinced these Iraqis that Americans are very different people from what they had been led to believe. They finally figured out that the Americans truly want to help and are not there to oppress them or steal from them. And the Americans slowly learned how Iraqi culture works and how to blend in rather than barge in.

Finally this exerpt I found especially profound:

“We’re learning to use local conflict resolution strategies,” said Colonel John Charlton. “Living with Iraqis every day helps us understand local culture. We’ve actually become attached to these people on a personal level. We feel responsible for their safety. We’re concerned about what will happen to our Iraqi friends if we don’t succeed in this country.”

I heard quite a number of Soldiers and Marines express the same sentiment. Whether it’s true or it isn’t, and whether it’s supposed to be this way or not, sometimes I sensed they feel like they’re fighting for Iraqis more than they feel they are fighting for Americans.  

When one considers exactly how little most of the socialists on campus at either of my universities actually contributed to the lives of others, it is a tiny list indeed. In fact out of all the folks on this planet I meet, socialist are the most selfish people of all. I’ll say it out loud but many people feel the same way.

(This is how socialists truly feel. Greed Jealousy…)

Ontario is about to embark upon the same referendum that BC participated in a short while ago. Bascially the referendum involves deciding on what kind of voting system we want to use. More information can be obtained here.

There are currently two options:

A) First Past the Post (FPTP)

B) Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)

In the FPTP system everyone in a riding votes for one person and the guy with the most votes wins. This can be a problem when only 30% of people actually vote for the winner, a usual occurance in Canada, as the other 70% get a guy they may or may not like.

In the MMP system everyone still votes for a guy in their riding as the FPTP system but you also have a second vote where you vote for a party. The party votes get divided up proportionally and then the party picks a bunch of people to sit in proportion to the number of votes they get.

(Laws are handed down to us from the meddlers in Toronto with the same profound righteousness as if they were from God himself) 

So why am I against this system? In my honest opinion this is the worst system we could have ever come up with second only to the parliamentary one we currently use. What we will have on the political party list is a bunch of party hacks who basically have never faced the crucible of public trial. Moreover these hacks can be from anywhere which means most of the Liberal ones will come from Toronto.

We’ll end up with a bunch of people who no-one really voted for deciding what to do across the province, people with no direct links to the general population and no direct responsibility to answer to the people. At the end of the day we’ll have a bunch of Toronto people deciding to raise the taxes of the rest of us since they think they know best. Great.

Secondly in Canada party leaders have a vice like grip around the votes of the members of the parliament already. With a bunch of party hacks being elected what’s the point of having members? Last thing we need is more corruption like I described in my previous post.

I propose we change to a republic system with the executive and legislative branches separated. Secondly at the ballot box voters should be able to rank the candidates from 1 to last. The top candidate will be chosen based upon the ranked choices of the voters. For example Fred, Tom and Belinda are candidates. 40 people choose Fred as their number 1 choice, 20 choose Tom and 42 choose Belinda. No candidate has the majority of the votes. The bottom candidate is excluded (Tom) and the voters for Tom give his votes to their second choice. In this case 15 for second rank votes for Fred and 5 for Belinda. Fred wins with 55 votes to Belinda’s 47. This is known as the Instant-runoff voting system.

Can anyone change my mind?

Spin spin spin spin….

This is probably better than Hillary Clinton’s 9/11 speech advocating taking out Hussein.

The Year is 1992. President is G. Bush Sr.

Hypocrite on stage is Al Gore. Aka Goreacle. (I remember when he used to be pro-free trade, how the mighty have fallen).

Spin spin spin spin spin spin….

Apparently the Liberals are now a second rate party as they aren’t going to run a candidate in Peter McKay’s riding of Central Nova so that Green Party leader Elizabeth May can parachute into the area and try and win the “progressive” vote. This kind of concoction kicks the degenerating relevancy of the representative riding system in the nards right when it is down. What a way to sell out all those happy Liberal voters in Central Nova.

(Dion and Judas Iscariot should meet for dinner, at least the tip should be worth it: silver)

A while ago I predicted something stupid like this happening in one of Janke’s discussions about what May was thinking trying to take on one of Harper’s top dogs (no Belinda’s hurt in this blog). I figured that something fishy might be going on to try and make a big scene or that possibly a gang of fools provoked by the media would launch a “take out McKay” campaign behind a mediaphile like May. Here’s how Central Nova broke down in the last election:

MacKay 17 134
Alexis (NDP) 13 861
Liberal 10 349
Green 671
Marxist 124 (are there really 124 lunatics in that riding?)

If the NDP and the Liberals team up they could gain enough votes to topple McKay. This is the kind of thing that might happen during a University student council election so why not in the esteemed Parliament of Canada?

In the future there are two things that I can see happening:

The Conservative manage to win a majority. The Liberals under a socialist moron like Dion and the NDP decide to merge to try and form a mega “progressive” lunacy party.

Or this current minority thing keeps happening so the Liberals and the NDP merge to from a mega “progressive” lunacy party.

This would require one thing, an ivory tower socialist with no clue to how economies work or how normal people live in charge of the Liberal party. And currently, bam the dog Dion is just that kind of glittering fool.

Fortunately not all Liberals believe in socialism and some will tack their votes onto the Conservative party once they realize what kind of Liberal-NDP disaster would be. That being said, the Conservatives need to remember their roots in sound economic theory that they seem to have forgotten lately.

It really doesn’t get any stupider than this. It is bad enough that we still have this state supported aparthied system in Canada where natives are somehow separated and many live in 3rd world conditions.

The following story is the reason why the Liberal party is for the most part composed of morons. And why Dion should move back to the Ivory Tower where he really belongs. In fantasy land.

(Ivory Tower ideas are fragile like ground glass)

Coderre urges military base for natives

Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre is calling on the federal government to build a Canadian Forces base for native soldiers. “I think that we have to show sensitivity since Canada is also composed of first nations,” Mr. Coderre said yesterday. “The Canadian Forces have always reflected what Canada is,” he said.

The base, which would be a first in Canada, would be built in the Restigouche area of northern New Brunswick. The idea was first floated by Serge Noel, a local resident who noticed that many natives from the area were crossing the border to join the armed forces in the United States.

“The Canadian Forces have taken steps in the past to attract more aboriginals to their ranks and have achieved a certain level of success, but not as much as they would have hoped for,” Mr. Noel said. Mr. Noel added that Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor has already rejected his idea. However, Mr. Coderre said the issue could resurface during the next election campaign. “I promise to speak about this project with our leader, Stéphane Dion, and I hope that it can become a campaign promise,” Mr. Coderre said. Mr. Coderre also said he plans to meet aboriginal leaders to gauge their support for the native base.

Sounds like a great idea. We should also have a special army for dumb politicians…

Dear Enlightened Sirs,

It is with deep regret that I “turn in” my friend Carlo Artieri, however I feel that I must for the good of human relations to denounce this heretic of the worst kind. While many of my friends and colleagues are heretics, Carlo is sufficiently far enough away from me as I write this that he cannot punch me in the head or singe me with the flame of his dangerous evilly evil-ness.

(Carlo won’t be laughing long when the PC police burn his hide on a pile of faggots)

Recently your esteemed organization the UN Human Rights Commission (noted for the fact that none of its works has helped anyone, see the video below) passed this resolution on religion. By religion I take it to mean all UN approved religions including Christianity, one of the religions Carlo always attacks.

Alarmed at the continuing negative impact of the events of 11 September 2001 on Muslim minorities and communities in some non-Muslim countries and the negative projection of Islam in the media, and the introduction and enforcement of laws that specifically discriminate against and target Muslims, Alarmed also at the serious instances of intolerance, discrimination and acts of violence based on religion or belief, intimidation and coercion motivated by extremism, religious or otherwise, occurring in many parts of the world and threatening the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Noting with concern that defamation of religions is among the causes of social disharmony and leads to violations of human rights,
Noting with deep concern the increasing trend in recent years of statements attacking religions, Islam and Muslims in particular, especially in human rights forums,
1. Expresses deep concern at negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief still in evidence in some regions of the world;
2. Strongly deplores physical attacks and assaults on businesses, cultural centres and places of worship of all religions as well as targeting of religious symbols;
3. Notes with deep concern the intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions, and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities, in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001;
4. Expresses deep concern that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism;
5. Also expresses deep concern at programmes and agendas pursued by extremist organizations and groups aimed at the defamation of religions, in particular when supported by Governments;
6. Deplores the use of the print, audio-visual and electronic media, including the Internet, and any other means to incite acts of violence, xenophobia or related intolerance and discrimination towards Islam or any other religion;
7. Recognizes that in the context of the fight against terrorism and the reaction to counter terrorism measures, defamation of religions becomes an aggravating factor that contributes to the denial of fundamental rights and freedoms of target groups, as well as their economic and social exclusion;
8. Stresses the need to effectively combat defamation of all religions, Islam and Muslims in particular especially in human rights forums;

In favour (24): Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Gabon, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

Against (14): Canada (Damn you McKay, you non lap-dog of progressive thought), Czech Republic, Finland, France (WTF), Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Abstentions (9): Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Peru, Uruguay and Zambia.

Carlo continually offends humanity by defaming, criticising and attacking religion so its high time for him to be hauled up on the pulpit of the International Criminal Court. Like right now. In fact I hope you don’t wait because he may defame me soon. Carlo can be found in Canada somewhere and I expect that he will be quickly deported to the Hague because unlike that nation of evil gun-toting inbred Jesus worshippers in the United States, we quickly signed off on our citizens and subjected them to the whims non Canadian judges and laws.

(Burn you mother of all deniers)

Defame, is defined via Websters as to “harm the reputation of by slander or libel” and to “humiliate by a superior showing”. Libel can also be defined as “the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures.”

Carlo does all this. (And he’s done it like seven times seven times.)

Carlo’s particular modus operandi is attacking creation, which is a sacred tenet of all important religions like Islam and Christianity, but specifically Islam because its like the most importantest (bless the war-prophet). (Judism doesn’t count because they’re subhuman democratzi-Nazi-wank-off posers in the eyes of the glorious Human Rights Commission and deserve what they get. And should get it as much as possible.)

Some may notice that the signers of this Human Rights Council declaration are well noted for their esteemed beliefs in and strident protection of Human Rights. Of course someone like me, a good Canadian socialist trough feeder, would never consider them complete hippocrites. After all the one religion noted in the declaration would never be intolerant, right?

(All your bases are belong to us)

But listen up all you other fundamental fook-twads. This is currently allowed:

(Before: Ancient Buddha statue in Afghanistan)

(After: Take that you lame ancient statue, yeah.)

Taking the “fun” out of “fundamental” every time. But with quotes like this you cannot go wrong:

Ishaq:470 “We attacked them fully armed, swords in hand, cutting through heads and skulls.” - YEAH!

Qur’an:61:11 “Believers, shall I lead you to a bargain or trade that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and that you strive and fight in Allah’s Cause with your property and your lives: That will be best for you!”
Qur’an 61:12 “He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens under which rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Eden: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement. And another (favor) which you love: help from Allah for a speedy victory over your enemies.” - Gimme my reward!

Tabari IX:25 “By Allah, I [Mohammad] did not come to fight for nothing. I wanted a victory over Ta’if so that I might obtain a slave girl from them and make her pregnant” - Stupid women, weak subspecies.

Thanks UN Committee I’m glad my taxes go to you.

 - langmann

PS

(This guy thought he ended all the fundamentalism with quotes like “love your enemies” etc.
Look where it got him. Oh yeah.)

As someone who works as a doctor, the following is all too common.

From On The Fence Films

Now I am not arguing the US system is perfect, no system is. But the US spends as much per capital on socialized medicine as we do! They have socialized medicine down there, Medicare and Medicaid. A single woman with 2 kids making under $30,000 a year is covered by Medicaid.

I have seen the frustration of not being able to get on certain medicine in Canada because its “not covered yet” - but is covered for those in government or working for government, of course.

Then of course we have idiot socialists like Ehrenreich of the LA Times in the US railing as often as they can on the unfairness of the public medical system down there. How there are rooms filled with crap from the last patient, long waiting lists etc.

Once you get past the emergency room, friends assured us, the quality of care at County-USC is quite good. And it was, if you could ignore the previous patient’s bloody bandages left on the base of your gurney, or the towels stained with urine — some wet, some already dry — that covered the floor of the bathroom on the ward. The doctors, when you saw them, were attentive enough. But seeing a doctor was no easy task.

If idiots like that think the same thing doesn’t happen up here, I have some great farmland in Alaska to sell you. 

Time for a rethink.