The missing ingredient

I got an email today from someone who was quoting Anthony Robbins, saying that the only thing holding you back is your imagination and commitment. Of course Robbins didn't say anything about intellect, because most people don't have enough of that and would like to think that if they can just dream bigger dreams they'll be successful. Sorry folks, but chances are you aren't smart enough to be a brain surgeon.

Responsibility Exists in Alberta

My hat is off to the government of Alberta. After news broke that the Calgary Flames hockey team jumped the priority line and got vaccinated in a private clinic, the most senior decision maker in this process was fired.

Harsh? Not if you believe in the broken window theory. The theory says that once a few windows are broken in a building, people will break the rest. And it applies not only to vandalism but also to any other sort of social breakdown. Applied to the present situation, people will wait until the highest priority people are vaccinated and will stand in lines for hours... provided they are assured that the system applies equally to all people. But once they believe there is favoritism, the social veneer comes off and it is every man for himself. And who can blame them. If anti-social behaviour is rewarded, who will continue to act in a civilized manner?

In any case, Alberta took strong and appropriate action.

More on the Flu

I can handle the fact that I am not part of the priority targeted group. I don't mind waiting my turn. Well, I wouldn't mind waiting my turn if it were not for the line jumpers. The local hospital immunized their staff, plus whatever staff spouses and children showed up. The hospital said they struggled with an ethical question, but decided to vaccinate the relatives because the care givers would be unavailable to work if their family members were sick. Uh huh. Sounds more to me like they just didn't want to say no to their friends.

And then there are the Calgary Flames, who not only got a vaccination but didn't need to stand in line with the plebes. Yup, a private clinic. And no, they are not part of the priority group but they still got their vaccination. After all, hockey players are important, not like the rest of us.

Frankly, my opinion is that the people making these decisions should be fired. On the spot. Just maybe the rest would learn.

October 31, 1517

Just wishing everyone a very happy Reformation Day.

H1N1 vaccination

At the moment, it looks like the H1N1 vaccination program is a mess. Let's lay aside a discussion of the vaccine supply. After all, the Federal government has purchased enough doses for everyone and the delivery schedule is a factor of the manufacturing process.

So let's concentrate on the factors that we do have some control over. First, there is effective communication as to who gets priority. I've heard different messages from different levels of government, including the municipal, the medical officer of health and the province.

Part of the confusion is how people are treated when they show up for the vaccine. The local news is running stories that the target population is under 5 years of age, but that no child is being turned away. That sends a message that we have no target population, and that it's A-OK to just show up. Federal politician Hedy Fry didn't help when she suggested that Parliament Hill should have its own immunization clinic.

Then there is how the actual implementation is organized. Some people stand in lines for hours. Some are given a ticket with a number. Some pick up extra tickets for family members. Some are told to come back at a certain time.

And by the way, it seems to be a problem that cuts across political divisions. In Ottawa we have a left leaning municipal government, a Liberal provincial government and a Conservative federal government.

There needs to be a single source of information, and a single plan. The plan needs to be clear on how the clinics will be run and who will and will not get the first doses of vaccine (with no exceptions).

By the way, H1N1 is a trial case and we've clearly blown it. The fatality rate of H1N1 is low (I saw 0.5%). If the fatality rate was 5%, we'd be seeing massive social disorder. People can live with a message that they must wait, but they can't live with a message that sometimes line jumpers will be accommodated.

Conservative Dinner

Last night I was out at the annual Fall supper for my Conservative EDA. There was an excellent meal at the local Holiday Inn, but the highlight was a speech my Senator Mike Duffy. Duffy was for many years a journalist with CTV. He was known as one of the smartest men in journalism, and indeed it turns out that he is a very funny speaker. He didn't say anything last night that the Liberal Party could latch onto in a vague attempt at scandal, but he certainly was a conservative's conservative. One of the highlights was his list of firsts for the Conservative Party (such as the first to elect a Muslim MP, first to elect a Hindu MP, introduced simultaneous translation into the House of Commons, etc). I wish I could remember the whole list.

Also present was Laureen Harper. She was as warm and friendly as ever, and in addition to being a tremendous political asset for the Prime Minister, is a really nice person.

More Attempts at Justice

Sucker punch a drunk from behind who is walking away from you, kill him, get a stern warning about how serious the crime is plus an apology that the sentence actually includes jail time. Two years less a day. Would you believe that justice was served if it was your son who had been killed?

Statistics on Paying Taxes

Here are some interesting statistics. In 2006, 0.7% of Canadian taxpayers paid 20.9% of the taxes. 23% of taxpayers paid 78% of the taxes. And 32% of taxpayers paid no income tax at all.

From a practical viewpoint, it means that politicians who call upon the wealthy to "pay their fair share" are populists of the ignorant or lying variety.

It also means that a political party can't win by calling for income tax cuts, because 32% of the electorate will see nothing in it for them, and 77% of the electorate will see little in it for them.

Economically it means the poor don't need tax cuts; they need an economy that generates better paying jobs. Someone who is making $10/hr and paying no taxes doesn't need a tax cut. He needs a job that pays $15/hr, of which $1/hr goes into taxes.

Finally, it means that we had better not lose too many of those 0.7% people to places that have lower tax rates.

Last Night of the Proms

I had it in my calendar, planned to watch it via the BBC, and forgot!

So I'm watching some clips. The highlight of course is "Rule Britannia". And as is traditional, there were many flags waving. The Union Jack of course, but also St. Georges flag. And I can understand why the Australian flag was waving. The Royal Air Force Ensign has a proud history, and certainly belonged. The German flag was there (no doubt in tribute to the House of Hanover, though that line "The nations, not so blest as thee, Must, in their turns, to tyrants fall" has got to sting). But why was the guy in Hyde Park flying the Jolly Roger? Maybe the only flag we had? Maybe a political statement? Maybe drunk? But alas, we'll never know.

You got to wonder...

You got to wonder how some people stay in business. There is a local pizza place that we haven't ordered from in a long time. We're a little under the weather, so I thought we would order some pizza from them. Since the kids like cheese pizza, I asked if they could take their "2 pizzas with 3 toppings each" and put all the toppings on one of the pizzas. The answer was no. They could make sure that one of the pizzas had cheese and the other had 3 toppings. They told me they could pile all the toppings on one side of the pizza. But as for 0 toppings on one and 6 on the other, that wasn't possible. So I politely thanked them and told them I would order from somewhere else. So I phoned mega-chain-pizza-company and they said it was no problem. I threw out the flyer from the other place. Thanks guys, you had your chance.

Will We Ever Learn

Starting under Clinton, the U.S. Government pursued policies that encouraged banks to offer loans to people who really couldn't afford houses. Government was happy, because it could point to a great success. Individuals were happy, because they thought they could afford homes. Banks became happy, and adjusted to the new reality. Unfortunately it wasn't reality. It was a socialist inspired dream, that government policy could flaunt the laws of economics and make life better for the poorest in society.

Last forward to 2009. To get the economy moving again, the U.S. Government has offered incentives for people to buy new cars. And the program has been insanely popular. The only problem is that 1/4 of buyers are having second thoughts on whether they can afford the shiny new cars they just bought. The lesson of course is that governments, by intervening in the market, usually do it in a way that is both popular with the people, and in a way that will ultimately make life more difficult for the poor.

Please understand that I am not saying we should abandon all social programs! But the more a government tries the flaunt the laws of economics, the more it ends up hurting the poor. Socialism ultimately leeches away the vitality of a system that generates increasing wealth for all, and replaces it with a system that simply redistributes ever decreasing wealth.

Loblaws Supply Chain

Loblaws is up to old tricks with their supply chain. Which is to say they haven't fixed it, in the half-decade its been giving them troubles. Case in point, our local "Real Canadian Super Store". They have about 30 boxes of patio furniture piled up. Sorry, but the summer is over. It would take a massive sale to move them. Maybe they'll leave them piled up beside the building until Spring.

Don't get me wrong. In many ways I like the Loblaws chain. I think they are doing a whole bunch of things wrong with the RCSS brand, but the big thing is their supply chain. Trying to sell patio furniture and barbecues after Labour Day? Running out of meat on a regular basis? Looks like something needs a shaking up. Good luck to them. I wish them the very best.

Harper must reach out

Jack Layton is saying that if Harper wants to avoid an election, he must "reach out". I think this Layton speak for "spend lots of tax payers money on socialist projects."

Natural Law and the Ignorance Defence

We say that ignorance of the law is no defense. For example, if a man is charged with murder he can't claim that he didn't know it was wrong. This is based on the idea of Natural Law, that the dictates of God are written on the conscience. But our society is moving away from this, towards arbitrary law based on a Constitution. So... if we no longer believe the requirements of justice are written on our hearts, does that mean that ignorance is now a defense?

It's not TV

Sometimes you wonder if our opinion of the criminal "justice" system is coloured by television. On TV, people are always getting off on technicalities. But that couldn't be real life, could it?

Today the Supreme Court of Canada threw out a drug conviction against a man. The police pulled over his SUV, he was driving with a suspended license, and when the cop searched his SUV the cop found 35 kg of cocaine.

Now I don't believe random searches are justified in a free society, but this guy was already committing a crime by driving with a suspended sentence.

Apparently I am not Supreme Court material. I'm just surprised that our judges didn't order the police to return his "private property" (a.k.a. the cocaine).

It's not just TV folks. The people in our top court truly are on the loony left, making crazy decisions for what they think are higher motives.

Homeschooling

And people really worry about whether home schoolers will develop enough social skills. Actually, in the sphere of education, this is not one of the biggest worries.