I see where President Mountain Dew Coma.... oh sorry, I meant President Trump, has referred to the homelands of some of the huddled masses yearning to be free as "shithole" countries.
What's the problem? They are shithole countries.
A more productive discussion might focus on the reasons why those countries are shitholes.
Take Libya for example. Who can doubt that Libya today is a shithole by any metric? But a mere seven or eight years ago Libya was by far the most successful nation state in all of Africa. Who made it the shithole it is today?
Hint; it wasn't the Libyans.
Iraq's pretty much a shithole too, isn't it? Did the Iraqis make their country a shithole, or did they have help from outside?
And Haiti? We've been so busy gifting Haiti freedom and democracy that we've had to remove a democratically elected government not once, but twice over the past quarter century.
We could go down the list of shithole countries one by one and analyse why they are shitholes, and believe me, we'd spend a lot of time discussing American foreign policy.
The irony is that the Exceptional Nation is itself becoming quite a shithole. I've known America first-hand from the sixties right up until they said I had to get a passport to catch a Sabres game. Across those fifty years I met many fine Americans, but it was also plainly obvious that the Exceptional Nation was sliding inexorably towards shitholedom.
Are we there yet?
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Oprah 2020
Oprah's speech at the Golden Globes the other night set a million hearts aflutter.
I wouldn't get my hopes up. Not that she couldn't win. If a condo hustler from Manhattan can find his way to the Oval Office, I'm sure Oprah could too.
No, the reason I wouldn't get my hopes up is because after she wins, it's gonna be plenty more same-old same-old. The same old Yankee Oligarchy pushing the same old plutocratic agenda, in other words.
That's pretty much the story with Trump, isn't it? The hyperventilating of the punditocracy aside, has anything really changed with Trump?
Hell no!
Same old rancid exceptionalism.
Same old rampant bullying of the less exceptional nations.
Same old contempt for the working class.
Same-old same-old all across the dial.
But, she's a black woman! Things would HAVE to change...
No they wouldn't. How did things change when America's "democracy" coughed up its first black president? Why would a black woman president be any different?
Don't let her skin tone fool you. Oprah may be a black woman, but she's also a billionaire. As such, she's got way more in common with her fellow billionaires than she does with the minimum wage gals changing the sheets at the Super 8.
As America's first female president, she'll do more for her billionaire friends than she will for those minimum wage workers.
That's democracy in the USA.
I wouldn't get my hopes up. Not that she couldn't win. If a condo hustler from Manhattan can find his way to the Oval Office, I'm sure Oprah could too.
No, the reason I wouldn't get my hopes up is because after she wins, it's gonna be plenty more same-old same-old. The same old Yankee Oligarchy pushing the same old plutocratic agenda, in other words.
That's pretty much the story with Trump, isn't it? The hyperventilating of the punditocracy aside, has anything really changed with Trump?
Hell no!
Same old rancid exceptionalism.
Same old rampant bullying of the less exceptional nations.
Same old contempt for the working class.
Same-old same-old all across the dial.
But, she's a black woman! Things would HAVE to change...
No they wouldn't. How did things change when America's "democracy" coughed up its first black president? Why would a black woman president be any different?
Don't let her skin tone fool you. Oprah may be a black woman, but she's also a billionaire. As such, she's got way more in common with her fellow billionaires than she does with the minimum wage gals changing the sheets at the Super 8.
As America's first female president, she'll do more for her billionaire friends than she will for those minimum wage workers.
That's democracy in the USA.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Irving's shipyard has moved to Nova Scotia
Pretty sure it was in New Brunswick when I worked there.
If the folks who make these decisions ever make the decision to push the throttles on the last twenty years of shipbuilding announcements, that Irving yard in Halifax is gonna be a jumpin' place.
And I think things may be stirring.
Been hearing through the grapevine that they're hiring on at the Halifax yard. Irving doesn't even think about hiring unless all the eye's are crossed and all the tees are dotted in the latest cost-plus taxpayer-funded bonanza for Irving and a couple thousand of his shipyard workers.
You'll probably read something about it in your Globe and Mail in a month or two.
In the meanwhile, I think I'll send JD my resume. Ya, I haven't actually done much of anything since the Saint John gig, and I'm half blind and way too shaky to hold a welding whip, but they've made some great medical advances in the last twenty years, and I know for a fact they've got serious health care benefits at Irving Shipyards.
Count me in, byes!
If the folks who make these decisions ever make the decision to push the throttles on the last twenty years of shipbuilding announcements, that Irving yard in Halifax is gonna be a jumpin' place.
And I think things may be stirring.
Been hearing through the grapevine that they're hiring on at the Halifax yard. Irving doesn't even think about hiring unless all the eye's are crossed and all the tees are dotted in the latest cost-plus taxpayer-funded bonanza for Irving and a couple thousand of his shipyard workers.
You'll probably read something about it in your Globe and Mail in a month or two.
In the meanwhile, I think I'll send JD my resume. Ya, I haven't actually done much of anything since the Saint John gig, and I'm half blind and way too shaky to hold a welding whip, but they've made some great medical advances in the last twenty years, and I know for a fact they've got serious health care benefits at Irving Shipyards.
Count me in, byes!
Derek Sanderson's white skates
For a brief shining moment Derek Sanderson was the highest paid professional athlete in the world.
Not too long after, he was a has-been.
But in between this and that, he was my hockey idol.
I don't recall if he actually wore the white skates, but I definitely remember him talking about it. Lacing up a pair of white skates was gonna be a red flag for the opposing team. After all, white skates were girlie skates. Figure skates.
By pulling on a pair of figure skates he was not-so-subtly telling the opposing side that even girls could whup 'em. That would have the effect of discombobulating the other side even before the opening face-off.
Sheer genius!
I was so impressed that I looked for a pair of white size 12 hockey skates myself, the better to intimidate the opposition in the second or third tier of industrial league hockey I played at the time.
No luck.
Did find a pair of white hockey gloves though.
If they ever intimidated anyone, I never noticed.
Not too long after, he was a has-been.
But in between this and that, he was my hockey idol.
I don't recall if he actually wore the white skates, but I definitely remember him talking about it. Lacing up a pair of white skates was gonna be a red flag for the opposing team. After all, white skates were girlie skates. Figure skates.
By pulling on a pair of figure skates he was not-so-subtly telling the opposing side that even girls could whup 'em. That would have the effect of discombobulating the other side even before the opening face-off.
Sheer genius!
I was so impressed that I looked for a pair of white size 12 hockey skates myself, the better to intimidate the opposition in the second or third tier of industrial league hockey I played at the time.
No luck.
Did find a pair of white hockey gloves though.
If they ever intimidated anyone, I never noticed.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Ontario economy in full collapse after minimum wage hike
It is doing no such thing, but you could be forgiven for believing otherwise based on the hysterical stories on view at CBC, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post and others. After a full week of the new minimum wage, the told-you-so crowd are ecstatic that they can find examples of minimum wage employers cutting back hours and benefits for their workers.
In reality, of course, one week and a few scary stories isn't enough to draw conclusions one way or the other. What this caterwauling obscures is that by not addressing the issue of a liveable minimum wage, we would be legitimizing the perpetual immiseration of the working poor. How is that even remotely justifiable in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?
Never mind justifying it; how can we even contemplate such a thing?
Obviously, if your business model is dependent on keeping your employees toiling in poverty, you've got a profoundly flawed business model.
Case closed.
In reality, of course, one week and a few scary stories isn't enough to draw conclusions one way or the other. What this caterwauling obscures is that by not addressing the issue of a liveable minimum wage, we would be legitimizing the perpetual immiseration of the working poor. How is that even remotely justifiable in one of the wealthiest countries in the world?
Never mind justifying it; how can we even contemplate such a thing?
Obviously, if your business model is dependent on keeping your employees toiling in poverty, you've got a profoundly flawed business model.
Case closed.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Millennials coming home to roost
Our five Juniors, via their networks of friends, workmates, and schoolmates, allow us some insights into how tough it is to be young these days.
And it's really tough. Most of them have post-secondary educations. Most of them got a raise last week when the Ontario minimum wage went to $14/hr. Most of them live in Toronto, where a smallish one bedroom apartment close to public transit runs $1500/month or better.
Meet Mike and Hanna;
They're gonna beat the system. They've given up their apartment near U of T. They kept a building key, though. They'll stay here on weekends, in the igloo they just built in the yard. They'll commute to Toronto and live in a quiet stairwell of their former building during the week to keep their jobs. If they pack away that $1500/month in rent money into a high-interest savings account, they should have saved a down-payment on their own place by the time they're in their forties or fifties.
And the igloo's not a half-bad abode. Beer coolers built right into the walls! I'm thinking of letting them sleep in the house and I'll take the igloo, I like it so much!
And it's really tough. Most of them have post-secondary educations. Most of them got a raise last week when the Ontario minimum wage went to $14/hr. Most of them live in Toronto, where a smallish one bedroom apartment close to public transit runs $1500/month or better.
Meet Mike and Hanna;
They're gonna beat the system. They've given up their apartment near U of T. They kept a building key, though. They'll stay here on weekends, in the igloo they just built in the yard. They'll commute to Toronto and live in a quiet stairwell of their former building during the week to keep their jobs. If they pack away that $1500/month in rent money into a high-interest savings account, they should have saved a down-payment on their own place by the time they're in their forties or fifties.
And the igloo's not a half-bad abode. Beer coolers built right into the walls! I'm thinking of letting them sleep in the house and I'll take the igloo, I like it so much!
RIP Wilmer Nadjiwon
It's been a bleak start to 2018, and I resolved to avoid saying anything about it until I found a story that grabbed my attention. I found it yesterday at the Topnotch.
The proprietors had set up a small shrine in honour of a long-time customer, Wilmer J Nadjiwon. It included a couple of paintings, a small sculpture, and a copy of his book, "Not Wolf Nor Dog." I bought a copy of the book. The woman behind the counter says I should have bought it last week - I could have had it signed.
Ya, I said. Too bad he didn't give us a heads up.
Funny how that works; a guy buys the farm at age ninety-six, and everybody around them is like "where the hell did that come from... we had no idea!"
One reason you had no idea with Mr. Nadjiwon is that he looked a good quarter century younger than his ninety-six years. And what a run he had! From surviving the residential school system to surviving the depression to surviving front line action in WW II with the Canadian Army, Mr. Nadjiwon was a survivor many times over.
But he was so much more than that.
He was an Ojibway elder who devoted his life to the betterment of his people. He was highly respected locally and nationally by Native and non-native alike.
Godspeed, Mr. Nadjiwon; you'll be missed.
The proprietors had set up a small shrine in honour of a long-time customer, Wilmer J Nadjiwon. It included a couple of paintings, a small sculpture, and a copy of his book, "Not Wolf Nor Dog." I bought a copy of the book. The woman behind the counter says I should have bought it last week - I could have had it signed.
Ya, I said. Too bad he didn't give us a heads up.
Funny how that works; a guy buys the farm at age ninety-six, and everybody around them is like "where the hell did that come from... we had no idea!"
One reason you had no idea with Mr. Nadjiwon is that he looked a good quarter century younger than his ninety-six years. And what a run he had! From surviving the residential school system to surviving the depression to surviving front line action in WW II with the Canadian Army, Mr. Nadjiwon was a survivor many times over.
But he was so much more than that.
He was an Ojibway elder who devoted his life to the betterment of his people. He was highly respected locally and nationally by Native and non-native alike.
Godspeed, Mr. Nadjiwon; you'll be missed.
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