Once a society trades freedom for safety it is finished. Pigs are safe in their pens too as are all livestock being prepared for slaughter.
-Mike Krieger via Zero Hedge
The Eagle and the Viper
Il y a 2 ans
vendredi 31 décembre 2010
mardi 28 décembre 2010
Le libre marché, créateur de richesse depuis plus de 200 ans
À voir, cette vidéo incroyable illustrant de façon frappante la hausse du niveau de vie de l'homme moyen sur les 200 dernières années:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo
La charité créée des incitatifs contraires à ses buts supposés
But we can still question motives: if people give you money because of a cause, does that properly motivate you to eliminate the cause? With big charity comes big compensation: half-million dollar packages for top employees appear frequently on Christian Science Monitor's list of top 50 US charities, which is also peppered with a few million-dollar-plus packages. What's the motivation for a cure?
-Stephen Mauzy, Mises.org
-Stephen Mauzy, Mises.org
lundi 27 décembre 2010
Respecter les politiciens, une habitude malsaine
Having fixed in our minds the fact that the State consists of a number of people who are up to no good, we should proceed to treat them accordingly. You do not genuflect before an ordinary loafer; why should you pay homage to a bureaucrat? If a prominent politician hires a hall to make a speech, stay away.
-Frank Chodorov
-Frank Chodorov
vendredi 24 décembre 2010
Le gras laitier, protecteur contre le diabète
Via Whole Health Source:
Here's a nice quote:
Our findings support potential metabolic benefits of dairy consumption and suggest that trans-palmitoleate may mediate these effects***.
They also suggest that efforts to promote exclusive consumption of low-fat and nonfat dairy products, which would lower population exposure to trans-palmitoleate, may be premature until the mediators of the health effects of dairy consumption are better established.
Never thought I'd see the day! Not bad, but I can do better:
Our findings support eating as much butter as possible****. Don't waste your money on low-fat cream, either (half-n-half). We're sorry that public health authorities have spent 30 years telling you to eat low-fat dairy when most studies are actually more consistent with the idea that dairy fat reduces the risk obesity and chronic disease.
Here's a nice quote:
Our findings support potential metabolic benefits of dairy consumption and suggest that trans-palmitoleate may mediate these effects***.
They also suggest that efforts to promote exclusive consumption of low-fat and nonfat dairy products, which would lower population exposure to trans-palmitoleate, may be premature until the mediators of the health effects of dairy consumption are better established.
Never thought I'd see the day! Not bad, but I can do better:
Our findings support eating as much butter as possible****. Don't waste your money on low-fat cream, either (half-n-half). We're sorry that public health authorities have spent 30 years telling you to eat low-fat dairy when most studies are actually more consistent with the idea that dairy fat reduces the risk obesity and chronic disease.
L'immoralité de l'État
“The supreme law of the State is self-preservation at any cost. All States, ever since they came to exist upon the earth, have been condemned to perpetual struggle – a struggle against their own populations, whom they oppress and ruin. A struggle against all foreign States, every one of which can be strong only if the others are weak. And since the States cannot hold their own in this struggle unless they constantly keep on augmenting their power against their own subjects as well as against other States, it follows that the supreme law of the State is the augmentation of its power to the detriment of internal liberty and external justice.
For there is no terror, cruelty, sacrilege, perjury, imposture, infamous transaction, cynical theft, brazen robbery, or foul treason which has not been committed and all are still being committed daily by representatives of the State, with no other excuse than this elastic, at times so convenient and terrible phrase Reason of State.”
– Mikhail Bakunin, The Immorality of the State, 1870
Merci à Doug Casey
For there is no terror, cruelty, sacrilege, perjury, imposture, infamous transaction, cynical theft, brazen robbery, or foul treason which has not been committed and all are still being committed daily by representatives of the State, with no other excuse than this elastic, at times so convenient and terrible phrase Reason of State.”
– Mikhail Bakunin, The Immorality of the State, 1870
Merci à Doug Casey
mardi 21 décembre 2010
Les effets du réchauffement climatique en Europe...
Un photoreportage via Zero Hedge:
Snowed In: A Photo Journey Across A Paralyzed Europe
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/21/2010 10:30
Traveling to Europe? Not so fast. Most airports in western and central Europe are at best open on an intermittent basis, and at worst completely shut down, with the UK taking the brunt of the storm. Disruptions in traffic continue for a fourth day as travellers across the continent are paralyzed and scrambling to find way to get home, with just 4 days until Christmas. For all those reading Zero Hedge from some airport terminal, our condolences. As always, nothing conveys the story as well as a few simple pictures: we have compiled a representative sample of snapshots from across Europe to show just why all those hoping for a strong holiday retail season in Europe will be very disappointed.
Snowed In: A Photo Journey Across A Paralyzed Europe
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 12/21/2010 10:30
Traveling to Europe? Not so fast. Most airports in western and central Europe are at best open on an intermittent basis, and at worst completely shut down, with the UK taking the brunt of the storm. Disruptions in traffic continue for a fourth day as travellers across the continent are paralyzed and scrambling to find way to get home, with just 4 days until Christmas. For all those reading Zero Hedge from some airport terminal, our condolences. As always, nothing conveys the story as well as a few simple pictures: we have compiled a representative sample of snapshots from across Europe to show just why all those hoping for a strong holiday retail season in Europe will be very disappointed.
dimanche 19 décembre 2010
Le mythe du 'conservatisme' des banques Canadiennes
Par Mike Shedlock:
Canadian Borrowing Gone Mad: A Look at BMO's Misguided Balance Sheet Theory and the Keep on Dancin' Market Share Theory of Toronto-Dominion
Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:55 AM
Theory has it that Canadian banks are in far better shape than their US counterparts. If so, it's primarily because the Canadian Central Bank (Bank of Canada) has assumed nearly all the default risk on Canada's massive property bubble.
Is that supposed to make everyone stand up and salute the Loonie?
Canadian Borrowing Gone Mad: A Look at BMO's Misguided Balance Sheet Theory and the Keep on Dancin' Market Share Theory of Toronto-Dominion
Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:55 AM
Theory has it that Canadian banks are in far better shape than their US counterparts. If so, it's primarily because the Canadian Central Bank (Bank of Canada) has assumed nearly all the default risk on Canada's massive property bubble.
Is that supposed to make everyone stand up and salute the Loonie?
samedi 18 décembre 2010
La liberté d'expression: ennemi juré des gouvernements, et particulièrement du gouvernement US
No government sees an advantage to itself in a free press, though countries with decent governments feel much less threatened. Our government fears nothing more.
The only free press in America is the internet, and the government does not like it. Washington now moves to “regulate” it. To promote fairness, you see, to prevent piracy, and to maintain national security. Then it will be found necessary to suppress “hate sites.” Just now you are reading a site that has been blocked on many federal installations for promoting hate. There is no recourse.
-Fred Reed
The only free press in America is the internet, and the government does not like it. Washington now moves to “regulate” it. To promote fairness, you see, to prevent piracy, and to maintain national security. Then it will be found necessary to suppress “hate sites.” Just now you are reading a site that has been blocked on many federal installations for promoting hate. There is no recourse.
-Fred Reed
jeudi 16 décembre 2010
Vancouver: plus violente que NY
Croyez-vous que la solution passe par le contrôle des armes à feu?
Via CBC.ca:
The figures show people are far more likely to have their car stolen or be the victim of a break and enter in Vancouver than in New York City.
"I think that's one of the most shocking things about this [report]," said New Democrat MLA Mike Farnworth.
"People think New York and other places are dangerous and they forget that in Vancouver, we have a disproportionately high rate of property crime."
Property crime in Vancouver, while lower than in previous years, is still more than twice as high than in Toronto or New York.
Via CBC.ca:
The figures show people are far more likely to have their car stolen or be the victim of a break and enter in Vancouver than in New York City.
"I think that's one of the most shocking things about this [report]," said New Democrat MLA Mike Farnworth.
"People think New York and other places are dangerous and they forget that in Vancouver, we have a disproportionately high rate of property crime."
Property crime in Vancouver, while lower than in previous years, is still more than twice as high than in Toronto or New York.
mercredi 15 décembre 2010
Les monopoles sont rarement payants pour les clients
Par David Descôteaux:
Le cadeau de Noël de la SAQ
13/12/2010
Décembre… Pour plusieurs d’entre vous, ça veut dire un voyage ou deux à la SAQ, question de faire provision de bons vins et d’alcool pour le temps des fêtes.
Pour moi, ça veut dire écrire une chronique sur la SAQ. Et à quel point les consommateurs québécois se font plumer.
La nouvelle est sortie hier. La SAQ va hausser les prix de ses bouteilles dès février prochain. Une hausse de 5 ¢ sur les bouteilles de vin et de spiritueux. Ça lui permettra de piger 15 millions $ de plus dans vos poches en 2011.
Pourquoi chialer pour cinq sous? Parce qu’on paye déjà un prix de fou. Savez-vous quelle marge se prend la SAQ sur chaque bouteille? De 40 % à 135 %. Elle achète un vin 5 $, se prend une cote de 7 $ et vous le revend 15 $ (incluant les taxes). Pour en savoir plus, lisez l’éclairant Où sont les vins? de l’économiste Frédéric Laurin.
L’État engraisse? Vous payez!
Faudra vous habituer à payer toujours plus cher. La SAQ est une société d’État, qui a comme mandat de verser un gros dividende annuel au gouvernement. Lors du dernier budget du Québec, la société a promis de livrer 115 millions de dollars additionnels au gouvernement d’ici 2012. (Elle lui verse déjà environ 750 millions par année.)
La SAQ pourrait y parvenir en diminuant ses coûts. Mais en janvier, elle a donné des augmentations de salaire à ses employés. Jusqu’à 31 % d’augmentation sur huit ans. Sa masse salariale va passer de 100 à 123 millions de dollars. Peut-être en réduisant les bonis? Bonne chance. Ils ont augmenté de 134 % entre 2005 et 2009.
Non. La SAQ va faire la seule chose qu’elle sait faire: hausser le prix de ses bouteilles. Si on est chanceux, elle va peut-être aussi économiser quelques sous en augmentant sa productivité.
Les consommateurs de vin vont encore une fois payer pour l’incapacité du gouvernement à réduire ses dépenses.
À quand la concurrence?
Remarquez, je ne blâme pas la SAQ. Elle maximise son profit, comme toute bonne entreprise. Le problème, c’est le monopole que lui confère la Régie des alcools. Si on veut du vin, on doit l’acheter à la SAQ. Et sans concurrent, celle-ci peut nous saigner.
Pour que les prix baissent, il faut permettre à des boutiques de vins de concurrencer la SAQ. Et permettre aux gens d’acheter des bouteilles de partout dans le monde via l’internet, sans passer par cette société d’État. Vous aimez le Shiraz Jacob’s Creek 2007? On en trouve à 6,53 $ au New Jersey. À la SAQ, la même bouteille coûte 14,90 $. Ce vin et des milliers d’autres s’achètent par l’internet. Livrés à votre porte en moins de deux semaines.
En Belgique, pays dont la population et la culture ressemblent au Québec, le marché est libre. Des centaines d’entrepreneurs se concurrencent. La diversité de bouteilles est le triple d’ici, pour le tiers du prix.
Mais cessons de rêver en couleur. Comme le gouvernement refuse de réduire ses dépenses, il aura besoin de la SAQ et de son monopole dans les années à venir. Attendez-vous à de nouvelles hausses de prix, jusqu’à ce que les finances publiques soient en équilibre. C’est-à-dire pour encore très, très longtemps.
Que voulez-vous? Chez nos politiciens, la modération a bien mauvais goût.
Le cadeau de Noël de la SAQ
13/12/2010
Décembre… Pour plusieurs d’entre vous, ça veut dire un voyage ou deux à la SAQ, question de faire provision de bons vins et d’alcool pour le temps des fêtes.
Pour moi, ça veut dire écrire une chronique sur la SAQ. Et à quel point les consommateurs québécois se font plumer.
La nouvelle est sortie hier. La SAQ va hausser les prix de ses bouteilles dès février prochain. Une hausse de 5 ¢ sur les bouteilles de vin et de spiritueux. Ça lui permettra de piger 15 millions $ de plus dans vos poches en 2011.
Pourquoi chialer pour cinq sous? Parce qu’on paye déjà un prix de fou. Savez-vous quelle marge se prend la SAQ sur chaque bouteille? De 40 % à 135 %. Elle achète un vin 5 $, se prend une cote de 7 $ et vous le revend 15 $ (incluant les taxes). Pour en savoir plus, lisez l’éclairant Où sont les vins? de l’économiste Frédéric Laurin.
L’État engraisse? Vous payez!
Faudra vous habituer à payer toujours plus cher. La SAQ est une société d’État, qui a comme mandat de verser un gros dividende annuel au gouvernement. Lors du dernier budget du Québec, la société a promis de livrer 115 millions de dollars additionnels au gouvernement d’ici 2012. (Elle lui verse déjà environ 750 millions par année.)
La SAQ pourrait y parvenir en diminuant ses coûts. Mais en janvier, elle a donné des augmentations de salaire à ses employés. Jusqu’à 31 % d’augmentation sur huit ans. Sa masse salariale va passer de 100 à 123 millions de dollars. Peut-être en réduisant les bonis? Bonne chance. Ils ont augmenté de 134 % entre 2005 et 2009.
Non. La SAQ va faire la seule chose qu’elle sait faire: hausser le prix de ses bouteilles. Si on est chanceux, elle va peut-être aussi économiser quelques sous en augmentant sa productivité.
Les consommateurs de vin vont encore une fois payer pour l’incapacité du gouvernement à réduire ses dépenses.
À quand la concurrence?
Remarquez, je ne blâme pas la SAQ. Elle maximise son profit, comme toute bonne entreprise. Le problème, c’est le monopole que lui confère la Régie des alcools. Si on veut du vin, on doit l’acheter à la SAQ. Et sans concurrent, celle-ci peut nous saigner.
Pour que les prix baissent, il faut permettre à des boutiques de vins de concurrencer la SAQ. Et permettre aux gens d’acheter des bouteilles de partout dans le monde via l’internet, sans passer par cette société d’État. Vous aimez le Shiraz Jacob’s Creek 2007? On en trouve à 6,53 $ au New Jersey. À la SAQ, la même bouteille coûte 14,90 $. Ce vin et des milliers d’autres s’achètent par l’internet. Livrés à votre porte en moins de deux semaines.
En Belgique, pays dont la population et la culture ressemblent au Québec, le marché est libre. Des centaines d’entrepreneurs se concurrencent. La diversité de bouteilles est le triple d’ici, pour le tiers du prix.
Mais cessons de rêver en couleur. Comme le gouvernement refuse de réduire ses dépenses, il aura besoin de la SAQ et de son monopole dans les années à venir. Attendez-vous à de nouvelles hausses de prix, jusqu’à ce que les finances publiques soient en équilibre. C’est-à-dire pour encore très, très longtemps.
Que voulez-vous? Chez nos politiciens, la modération a bien mauvais goût.
vendredi 10 décembre 2010
Qui surveille les surveillants?
Via The Globe and Mail:
Whistleblower watchdog attacked her own staff, auditor-general finds
GLORIA GALLOWAY
OTTAWA— Globe and Mail Update
Published Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010
Christiane Ouimet was supposed to shield federal whistleblowers from reprisals and expose government employers who were operating outside the lines.
But Auditor-General Sheila Fraser says Ms. Ouimet, Canada’s first public-sector integrity commissioner, instead engaged in the very activities she was hired to prevent, berating and marginalizing her staff while seeking vengeance against those she suspected of reporting her misdeeds.
Whistleblower watchdog attacked her own staff, auditor-general finds
GLORIA GALLOWAY
OTTAWA— Globe and Mail Update
Published Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010
Christiane Ouimet was supposed to shield federal whistleblowers from reprisals and expose government employers who were operating outside the lines.
But Auditor-General Sheila Fraser says Ms. Ouimet, Canada’s first public-sector integrity commissioner, instead engaged in the very activities she was hired to prevent, berating and marginalizing her staff while seeking vengeance against those she suspected of reporting her misdeeds.
Les économistes modernes: frauduleux charlatans
Almost all the "economists" coming out of school today aren't actually economists. An economist is someone who describes the way the world works. But these people – Bernanke being a perfect example – aren't interested in describing the way it works. Rather, they want to prescribe the way they want it to work, and then get the state to enforce their views on society. The state, of course, welcomes such advice when it serves its agenda.
-Doug Casey
-Doug Casey
BS Corporatif, analyse
Par David Descôteaux:
Prêtez l’argent des autres, c’est payant. Parlez-en à Pierre Shedleur.
C’est le président sortant de la Société générale de financement (SGF). Un organisme qui prête et investit votre argent dans des entreprises. La SGF vient de fusionner avec Investissement Québec, alors M. Shedleur doit quitter son poste. Mais pas les mains vides : prime de départ avoisinant les 300 000 $, et surtout, une rente annuelle de 167 000 $ pour le reste de ses jours.
Gracieuseté de vous, contribuables.
Son exploit : au cours des deux dernières années, la SGF a perdu 500 M$. Sans stratégie claire, elle a fait plusieurs choix douteux. Comme investir 258 millions dans l’industrie du cinéma, sans qu’aucun membre de sa direction ne possède une expertise dans ce domaine.
À force de mettre de l’argent dans des canards boiteux, la SGF a coûté 2,6 milliards de dollars à l’État depuis sa création en 1962. Avec cet argent, elle a généré un rendement annuel moyen de… -1 %, selon l’actuaire Claude Garcia. Si les Québécois avaient collectivement investi cet argent à la Bourse, ils auraient aujourd’hui plus de 9 milliards de dollars.
Prêtez l’argent des autres, c’est payant. Parlez-en à Pierre Shedleur.
C’est le président sortant de la Société générale de financement (SGF). Un organisme qui prête et investit votre argent dans des entreprises. La SGF vient de fusionner avec Investissement Québec, alors M. Shedleur doit quitter son poste. Mais pas les mains vides : prime de départ avoisinant les 300 000 $, et surtout, une rente annuelle de 167 000 $ pour le reste de ses jours.
Gracieuseté de vous, contribuables.
Son exploit : au cours des deux dernières années, la SGF a perdu 500 M$. Sans stratégie claire, elle a fait plusieurs choix douteux. Comme investir 258 millions dans l’industrie du cinéma, sans qu’aucun membre de sa direction ne possède une expertise dans ce domaine.
À force de mettre de l’argent dans des canards boiteux, la SGF a coûté 2,6 milliards de dollars à l’État depuis sa création en 1962. Avec cet argent, elle a généré un rendement annuel moyen de… -1 %, selon l’actuaire Claude Garcia. Si les Québécois avaient collectivement investi cet argent à la Bourse, ils auraient aujourd’hui plus de 9 milliards de dollars.
mercredi 8 décembre 2010
L'incompétence crasse de la classe politique
Par Charles Kadlec de Forbes.
The sovereign debt crisis now threatening Europe, as well as major American states and cities, discloses the sheer incompetence of a political class that has over-promised, under-delivered and squandered vast amounts of their citizens' wealth.
Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, California, Illinois, Los Angeles and Chicago are simply the poster children for what happens when elected officials engage in reckless and irresponsible management of their economies, their banking system or their respective government's public finances.
California's budget deficit has soared to $25 billion, or more than 25% of total spending. And, according to a recent study, the City of Chicago's unfunded pension liabilities total $45 billion, or more than $40,000 per household.
Politicians may not be solely responsible for this fiscal mess. But they are responsible for using borrowed money to pay for current expenses until they had borrowed more than they now seem able to pay back.
Merci à Mike Shedlock.
The sovereign debt crisis now threatening Europe, as well as major American states and cities, discloses the sheer incompetence of a political class that has over-promised, under-delivered and squandered vast amounts of their citizens' wealth.
Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, California, Illinois, Los Angeles and Chicago are simply the poster children for what happens when elected officials engage in reckless and irresponsible management of their economies, their banking system or their respective government's public finances.
California's budget deficit has soared to $25 billion, or more than 25% of total spending. And, according to a recent study, the City of Chicago's unfunded pension liabilities total $45 billion, or more than $40,000 per household.
Politicians may not be solely responsible for this fiscal mess. But they are responsible for using borrowed money to pay for current expenses until they had borrowed more than they now seem able to pay back.
Merci à Mike Shedlock.
lundi 6 décembre 2010
Rothbard sur la moralité de Wikileaks (1982)
Merci à Michael Rozeff du blogue de Lew Rockwell.
“In some areas, a radical distinction between private persons and government officials is acknowledged in existing law and opinion. Thus, a private individual’s ‘right to privacy’ or right to keep silent does not and should not apply to government officials, whose records and operations should be open to public knowledge and evaluation. There are two democratic arguments for denying the right to privacy to government officials, which, while not strictly libertarian, are valuable as far as they go: namely (1) that in a democracy, the public can only decide on public issues and vote for public officials if they have complete knowledge of government operations; and (2) that since the taxpayers pay the bill for government, they should have the right to know what government is doing. The libertarian argument would add that, since government is an aggressor organization against the rights and persons of its citizens, then full disclosure of its operations is at least one right that its subjects might wrest from the State, and which they may be able to use to resist or whittle down State power.”
“In some areas, a radical distinction between private persons and government officials is acknowledged in existing law and opinion. Thus, a private individual’s ‘right to privacy’ or right to keep silent does not and should not apply to government officials, whose records and operations should be open to public knowledge and evaluation. There are two democratic arguments for denying the right to privacy to government officials, which, while not strictly libertarian, are valuable as far as they go: namely (1) that in a democracy, the public can only decide on public issues and vote for public officials if they have complete knowledge of government operations; and (2) that since the taxpayers pay the bill for government, they should have the right to know what government is doing. The libertarian argument would add that, since government is an aggressor organization against the rights and persons of its citizens, then full disclosure of its operations is at least one right that its subjects might wrest from the State, and which they may be able to use to resist or whittle down State power.”
samedi 4 décembre 2010
Le mythe du 'contrat social'
It is important to remember that the State has historically come into being by means of violent conquest and enslavement. It was established as an effective tool of exploitation – it was never a 'voluntary arrangement', where a bunch of people suddenly decided it was better for them to be ruled by others instead of remaining free.
-Acting Man
-Acting Man
Quelle surprise!
Les politiciens ont des caractéristiques de personnalité communes avec les tueurs en série, selon une étude de 2009 publiée par le LA Times:
Using his law enforcement experience and data drawn from the FBI's behavioral analysis unit, Jim Kouri has collected a series of personality traits common to a couple of professions.
Kouri, who's a vice president of the National Assn. of Chiefs of Police, has assembled traits such as superficial charm, an exaggerated sense of self-worth, glibness, lying, lack of remorse and manipulation of others.
These traits, Kouri points out in his analysis, are common to psychopathic serial killers.
But -- and here's the part that may spark some controversy and defensive discussion -- these traits are also common to American politicians. (Maybe you already suspected.)
Yup. Violent homicide aside, our elected officials often show many of the exact same character traits as criminal nut-jobs, who run from police but not for office.
Kouri notes that these criminals are psychologically capable of committing their dirty deeds free of any concern for social, moral or legal consequences and with absolutely no remorse.
Using his law enforcement experience and data drawn from the FBI's behavioral analysis unit, Jim Kouri has collected a series of personality traits common to a couple of professions.
Kouri, who's a vice president of the National Assn. of Chiefs of Police, has assembled traits such as superficial charm, an exaggerated sense of self-worth, glibness, lying, lack of remorse and manipulation of others.
These traits, Kouri points out in his analysis, are common to psychopathic serial killers.
But -- and here's the part that may spark some controversy and defensive discussion -- these traits are also common to American politicians. (Maybe you already suspected.)
Yup. Violent homicide aside, our elected officials often show many of the exact same character traits as criminal nut-jobs, who run from police but not for office.
Kouri notes that these criminals are psychologically capable of committing their dirty deeds free of any concern for social, moral or legal consequences and with absolutely no remorse.
Le State Department Américain avertit les étudiants de ne pas lire Wikileaks
Un pas de plus vers le monde de 1984...
Spokeswoman Says Commenting on WikiLeaks Not a Good Move for Any Citizen
by Jason Ditz, December 03, 2010
Vérité=trahison?
As Ron Paul notes, “in a free society, we are supposed to know the truth. When truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.”
As Ron has also long noted, the American State claims the right to know every single thing about us: every dime we earn and spend, every phone call we make or email we send. To track our movements. To know what we are teaching our children. To ascertain our shower head and toilet tank. Now even to see all of you naked or feel you up. And a million and one other insanities, indignities, and outrages. Every single aspect of life is within the State’s jurisdiction, or so it claims.
But for us to know anything about the State, aside from its propaganda, is treason. That is, of course, because the State is a criminal enterprise that depends on our consent. The more we know about its murders, its looting, its lying, the less willing we are to consent, to be good little robots, indeed, to worship it as a god, which is always its ultimate ambition, pharaonic Egypt being its ideal.
Pledge allegiance to this gang? No thanks.
vendredi 3 décembre 2010
Assange: Flanagan devrait être accusé d'incitation au meurtre
WikiLeaks founder wants Flanagan charged over flippant assassination comments
By The Canadian Press | The Canadian PressOTTAWA - The founder of WikiLeaks says former Stephen Harper adviser Tom Flanagan should be charged with incitement to commit murder for suggesting he should be assassinated.
Julian Assange was speaking Friday in an online forum run by Britain's Guardian newspaper and was asked about flippant comments Flanagan made during television broadcast this week.
"It is correct that Mr. Flanagan and the others seriously making these statements should be charged with incitement to commit murder," Assange replied to the online question-and-answer session from an undisclosed location.
Flanagan mused on a CBC political talk show panel that U.S. President Barack Obama should consider assassinating Assange.
"I think Assange should be assassinated, actually," Flanagan said.
"I think Obama should put out a contract or maybe use a drone or something."
The University of Calgary professor has since apologized for the remarks, saying he wasn't seriously suggesting Assange should be killed.
Flanagan couldn't be reached for comment on Assange's latest remarks.
Flanagan has not advised Harper for years and the Conservative government has disavowed all connection to him in recent days.
A spokesperson for WikiLeaks has noted that various pundits in the United States and Canada have called for Assange to be hunted down or killed.
Campagne de calomnie contre Julian Assange
Comme on s'attend, l'État n'aime pas être exposé au grand jour. C'est pourquoi une campagne de salissage mondiale est en cours contre Julian Assange.
Il est accusé de 'crimes sexuels', expression lourde de connotations.
Toutefois, son 'crime' semble être d'avoir eu des relations sexuelles sans condom (!).
Tous les prétextes sont bons pour mettre un individu dérangeant à l'ombre...un autre signe de l'Orwellisation de notre société...
Arrest Warrant for "Sex Crimes" Against Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Is Only for "Sex Without a Condom"
nterpol has issued an arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for "sex crimes".
Everyone assumed it was for rape.
But it turns out it was for violating an obscure Swedish law against having sex without a condom.
As Newsweek wrote in August:
A Swedish lawyer representing two women whose allegations triggered a sexual-misconduct investigation of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has given [Newsweek column] Declassified the first on-the-record confirmation of the allegations that led to the issuance—and then rapid cancellation—of a warrant on a rape charge and to a parallel investigation into alleged “molestation." Claes Borgstrom of the Stockholm law firm Borgstrom and Bostrom, who is representing two women who said they had sexual relationships with Assange, said his clients complained to the police of Assange's reluctance to use condoms and unwillingness to be tested for sexually transmitted disease.
jeudi 2 décembre 2010
'Mon message à la présidente de l'université de Calgary
Suite aux commentaires de Tom Flanagan (professeur à l'université de Calgary) sur CBC hier, je crois qu'il est plus que légitime d'exiger sa démission, ce que j'ai fait par le email suivant :
| to: president@ucalgary.ca This message concerns the troubling comments made by a professor employed by your University, Tom Flanagan, on CBC. I think it would be a high priority for the University to fire professor Flanagan immediately, since he uttered death threats (a serious crime) on national television. Furthermore, these threats were directed at a man whose organisation simply revealed fraudulent and hypocritical behavior by public officials. Thank you for your attention, Michel Boyce Merci à Mike Shedlock d'avoir diffusé l'adresse de la présidente sur son blogue. |
Le travail héroïque de Wikileaks
The whole idea of Wikileaks is terrific. They've become one of the most important watchdog organizations on the planet, helping to expose a lot of government action for what it really is.
And on a more fundamental philosophical level, this is in keeping with my sense of justice. Crooks should not get away with their crimes just because they hold lofty titles, wear spiffy uniforms, and call their crimes great deeds necessitated by "national security," "economic stimulus," or whatever other nonsensical lies they come up with.
A handful of nonviolent individuals took on the world's greatest superpower, as a matter of principle, and won. That just goes to show yet again how technological advances tend to flatten the power pyramid of society.
La demande pour l'individualisme comme moteur du progrès technologique et de la civilisation
The People on the Move
There are moments in history when the people are on the move, consistent with the logic of history, and no force on earth can stop them. You can see it in the images of Russians in 1990 pulling down cast-iron statues of Lenin. You can see it in the images of the Romanian people charging Ceausescu's palace in 1989.
And I just saw it last night at Bed, Bath, and Beyond as the people raided the towers of K-cups holding coffee and tea to go into the Keurig coffee maker that is the blazing-hot item for the holidays (second only to our new pocket paperback of Human Action).
To understand why the Keurig coffee maker is firing up the forces of history in a progressive direction, we need to reflect on the dynamics of the relentless technological trend from the collective to the individual. In ancient times, bathing, for example, was a community activity: one pool of water that all people would visit. With technological progress came the family tub, in which people would dunk themselves one after another. In modern times, we each fill our own bath or take an individual shower.
So it is with phones, which, when first invented, were found one per community in the general store. Then there were party lines that several households would share. Then the phone came to the single-family home. Finally, the process of individuation culminated in the pocket cell phone, with one phone number per person. And so it is all over the world, and throughout human history, provided there is the freedom to innovate, produce, and distribute.
It's true with books too. There was the Library of Alexandria for the whole world. Then there were public libraries for whole cities. Then we progressed to private libraries in homes. Now we long for the ultimate individuation: libraries on our cell phones and books we can carry on our person. This relentless push to fulfill the demands of individualism is the driving force of human history.
And so it is with coffee. For too long we've lived with a community form of delivery. Whatever collectivist pot was made for the whole group is what we drank. Never mind that it is burned from the heating pad. Never mind that it is too strong or too weak, too dark or too light, or that it is just plain gross. Never mind that the preparation and clean up requires that we stare at unappetizingly soaked coffee grounds that clog our sinks and stink up our trash. It was what we had, and we made do.
Then came Starbucks and other specialized shops. Here we could order what we wanted and every drink was prepared fresh and according to our specifications. We are all, after all, individuals, each of us with different tastes, desires, and demands. When given the chance to express our wishes, we take it, and therein lies a great entrepreneurial opportunity for those who are daring and creative enough, and willing to take on the responsibility for giving history a push forward.
mercredi 1 décembre 2010
Il pleut sur Montréal
Une pluie de taxes
01/12/2010Ouf… Je suis content d’être déménagé en banlieue il y a trois ans.
Montréal subit une pluie record, selon Météomédia. Les Montréalais, eux, ont subi une pluie de taxes, hier. En tout, leur fardeau fiscal grimpe de 4,3 % en moyenne – qui s’ajoute à la hausse de 5,3 % en janvier dernier, rappelez-vous.
Impôt foncier, taxes sur le fonds de l’eau et des infrastructures, taxe sur les terrains de stationnement, taxe d’immatriculation de 45 $, hausse de votre carte mensuelle de Métro… Ça, c’est votre effort. L’effort de l’administration pour réduire ses dépenses? Rien. Au contraire, on va engager quelque 600 employés de plus, et augmenter les dépenses de 5 %.
Oh, j’oubliais. Il y a une vague promesse d’essayer de réduire les dépenses de 250 millions. Sans mesures concrètes, sans plan pour y arriver. Faites-nous confiance, contribuables.
Ça ressemble au dernier budget du gouvernement du Québec, vous ne trouvez pas? Tout ce qui implique de fouiller plus profond dans vos poches, c’est très concret. Noir sur blanc. Mais pour réduire les dépenses : que des promesses floues.
L'État de surveillance n'aime pas gouter à sa propre médecine...
...et musèle les chiens de garde.
- Font:
NEW YORK — The WikiLeaks website has left its U.S. Web host, Amazon.com, and moved back to a Swedish provider.
The site, which just released a trove of sensitive U.S. State Department documents, took up residence on Amazon.com Inc.'s self-service Web servers after a rash of Internet-based attacks started Sunday against its regular Swedish host, Bahnhof.
The attacks made access to the site a hit and miss affair. The site was also unavailable for hours on Wednesday, as Amazon's servers stopped responding to requests.
La lutte des classes
On connait le refrain Marxiste comme quoi l'histoire humaine serait basée sur la lutte entre les travailleurs (prolétaires) et les rentiers (détenteurs de capital).
Toutefois, il semble que la vraie lutte des classes réside entre les contribuables (tax payers) et les récipiendaires de ces 'contributions' (tax eaters).
Cette lutte risque de déterminer la prochaine décennie.
Les blindés, et le reste
30/11/2010Devrait-on payer plus cher nos fonctionnaires québécois? C’est la conclusion à laquelle on pourrait arriver en lisant le rapport dévoilé aujourd’hui par l’Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ).
La rémunération globale – incluant avantages sociaux – des employés de l’État québécois accuse un retard de 5,6 % sur celle de l’ensemble des autres Québécois, apprend-on. L’an dernier, ce retard était de 3,7 %. Comment expliquer ce recul?
En grande partie parce que les autres fonctionnaires – du milieu municipal et fédéral, des sociétés d’État et du milieu universitaire – ont vu leurs conditions s’améliorer, et font grimper la moyenne. L’écart entre ces derniers et les fonctionnaires québécois s’établit aujourd’hui à 16,7 %, en hausse de 3,2 % par rapport à 2009.
Qu’en est-il des travailleurs du secteur privé non syndiqués – soit la majorité des Québécois? L’écart entre leur rémunération globale et celle des fonctionnaires de l’administration publique québécoise s’est réduit quelque peu en 2010. Mais les fonctionnaires demeurent avantagés (+ 7,8 %).
Les « vrais » avantages
Notons en passant que l’étude de l’ISQ n’inclut pas les ententes de principe signées il y a quelques mois entre l’État et ses fonctionnaires. On se rappellera que le syndicat s’est assuré d’une hausse de salaire de 7 % sur cinq ans. Les syndiqués peuvent aussi obtenir une majoration de 3,5 %, dépendant de la croissance du PIB.
Mais surtout, le concept de « rémunération globale » de l’étude exclut deux éléments cruciaux, qui avantagent nettement les syndiqués de l’État. D’abord, l’avantage d’avoir des régimes de retraite à prestations déterminées. Trois employés de l’État sur quatre en possèdent, selon l’ISQ. La beauté de ce régime : vous êtes assurés d’obtenir des prestations de retraite établies d’avance. Si le marché boursier chute, les contribuables vont le renflouer. C’est ce qui se passe en ce moment à Montréal, où le maire Tremblay doit hausser les taxes pour renflouer les régimes de retraite des syndiqués. Seul un travailleur du privé sur cinq jouit d’un tel régime « Cadillac ». Le reste d’entre nous prie pour que la bourse tienne bon, afin de préserver ce qui reste de nos RÉER.
Autre élément crucial : les données de l’ISQ occultent la sécurité d’emploi. Or, trois employés de l’État sur quatre en jouissent, selon l’institut. En période de crise économique, cette sécurité vaut de l’or. Combien? L’ISQ est incapable de le chiffrer. Mais pour obtenir un ordre de grandeur : de source sûre, on a offert aux employés de la défunte Agence des PPP du Québec de renoncer à leur sécurité d’emploi… contre une hausse salariale de 17 %. Et ils ont refusé!
Deux classes moyennes
Bref, quand on considère l’ensemble des avantages des employés de l’administration québécoise, on voit que ces derniers s’en tirent beaucoup mieux que la majorité des travailleurs du privé non syndiqué. C’est encore plus vrai pour les employés municipaux et des sociétés d’État, les « gras dur » du système.
La crise économique est loin d’être terminée. Plus elle va secouer le Québec, plus elle jettera des travailleurs à la rue. Conséquence : dans les années à venir, la sécurité d’emploi et la pension de retraite garantie deviendront des luxes. Ce qui va compter, c’est avoir un travail. Peu importe le salaire. Et des sous pour survivre à la retraite.
En ce moment, seuls les employés du secteur public (pas tous) possèdent une sécurité d’emploi. Le reste d’entre nous se croise les doigts pour éviter le couperet, qui peut tomber à tout moment.
La classe moyenne se scinde tranquillement en deux au Québec : une classe moyenne blindée, et une classe moyenne vulnérable, qui fait vivre la première.
Un professeur de l'Université de Calgary et conseiller de Stephen Harper en appelle à l'assassinat de Julian Assange sur les ondes de CBC
Pour ceux qui croient que le gouvernement Canadien est moins fasciste que celui des USA...
Je trouve fascinant de constater que ces gens (les bureaucrates touchés par le Cable Gate de Wikileaks) ont si peur de voir leurs agissements rendus publics.
It is not a good week for Wikileaks. Following yesterday's Interpol arrest warrant, also yesterday, Tom Flanagan, a senior advisor and strategist to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, called for the assassination of Wikileaks director Julian Assange. On CBS News. On Live TV. As the video notes, "it is believed to be the first ever televised "fatwa" since the edict by the Iranian leadership of the late Ayatollah Khomeini against British writer Salman Rushdie in February 1989." It's a good thing western society, where due process used to mean something, is so much more evolved than that of Iran. Additionally, although news anchor Solomon afforded Flanagan the opportunity to retract his statement, Flanagan balked at doing so and instead reiterated that U.S. President should put out a "contract" on Assange or use "a drone" and that he would not be unhappy if Assange "disappeared." Flanagan who is a trusted member of PM Harper's inner circle of Tory strategists joins Sarah Palin in calling for the death of the Wikileaks director as retribution for the website's release of confidential diplomatic and intelligence "chatter" this week. How long before any senior political advisor has the freedom to issue fatwas on national TV on anyone who dares to utter or publish something that they consider offensive?
Les nazis du Climat, en voyage à Cancun tous frais payés par les contribuables de leurs pays respectifs, planifient une pauvreté planétaire forcée
Il serait intéressant de savoir si les bureaucrates ont l'intention de montrer l'exemple en remplaçant leurs meetings tous frais payés dans des villes balnéaires tropicales telles que Cancun ou Bali par des vidéoconférences...à ce que je sache, les avions à réaction et les limousines sont plutôt polluants...
Imaginez la quantité de CO2 qu'on éviterait de rejetter dans l'atmosphère!
Global warming is now such a serious threat to mankind that climate change experts are calling for Second World War-style rationing in rich countries to bring down carbon emissions.
In one paper Professor Kevin Anderson, Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said the only way to reduce global emissions enough, while allowing the poor nations to continue to grow, is to halt economic growth in the rich world over the next twenty years.
This would mean a drastic change in lifestyles for many people in countries like Britain as everyone will have to buy less ‘carbon intensive’ goods and services such as long haul flights and fuel hungry cars.
Prof Anderson admitted it “would not be easy” to persuade people to reduce their consumption of goods
He said politicians should consider a rationing system similar to the one introduced during the last “time of crisis” in the 1930s and 40s.
This could mean a limit on electricity so people are forced to turn the heating down, turn off the lights and replace old electrical goods like huge fridges with more efficient models. Food that has travelled from abroad may be limited and goods that require a lot of energy to manufacture.
“The Second World War and the concept of rationing is something we need to seriously consider if we are to address the scale of the problem we face,” he said.
Prof Anderson insisted that halting growth in the rich world does not necessarily mean a recession or a worse lifestyle, it just means making adjustments in everyday life such as using public transport and wearing a sweater rather than turning on the heating.
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