Now I know why all my applications to the federal civil service were turned down years ago. I should have ticked the box marked “non-white Latin American” or perhaps “Japanese”.
My civil rights have been violated. I demand justice. And it looks like it’s on the way thanks to the Conservatives “throwing their base some red meat”.
“We have perhaps the most multicultural, inclusive, egalitarian society on the planet. It’s time to end state-sanctioned racism against pale-faces in the form of affirmative action.” Discuss.
An excellent series in The Propagandist on why most Israel lobby critics really ought to spend far more time doing some personal soul searching rather than ganging up on the marketing people for the Middle East’s only Western democracy.
When one boils it down to the bare essentials: the Lobby is interested in presenting Israel in a positive light, of course. It recognizes that the honest and effective means of doing this is not by presenting Palestinians as evil, but to show the honest views of all parties with a vested interest in the region.
The anti-Israel gang of activists (I’d call them pro-Palestinian, but what have they ever done for the Palestinians they claim to represent?) strive to show Israel, as a place of intolerance, racism and illegitimacy. And I’ll give this to them: their propaganda methods are effective…
As my loyal readers know, I like few thinks more than a cold pint on a hot day. But if I ever saw a sideways-stumbling friend of mine about to get behind the wheel of their car, I’d give them a karate chop to the throat and liberate their car keys. And I’d expect the same courtesy from my colleague if I ever tried to do the same thing.
On that note, I’m pleased to offer this public service announcement:
Impaired driving can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Come out and Walk in support of keeping our roads safe.
Bring your friends, family, and your co-workers to the annual MADD Metro Vancouver 5km signature walk, Strides for Change!
Every step taken and pledge made will help raise funds and awareness for MADD Metro Vancouver’s programs and services that will serve to keep our children and communities safer.
When: Sunday, September 12, 2010
Registration: 10:00 am, Walk begins: 11:00 am
Where: Central Park, Burnaby (near picnic area)
What: A 5km non-competitive walk/wheelchair event
Why: To raise awareness & to enhance the health & safety of our communities!
A memorial wall will be there for family and friends to
remember those loved ones injured or killed by
an impaired driver.
As a bit of a follow-up to the article about climate change skeptics I published a few days ago on this blog. As far as I’m concerned, the weird vitriol that resulted in the comments section pretty much proves the point that climate change skeptics are thick-headed reactionaries.
The funny thing is that the very evening I posted that article, I attended a business networking event in downtown Vancouver with representatives from clean tech companies.
The people I met there were the very definition of entrepreneurial — not one Russian accented apparatchik in sight. Though the green technology that they offered was cutting edge, many of them were already profitable or in the process of winning contracts worth millions of dollars (and if some of these technologies start getting exported, as is the plan, we’ll be looking at billions). These firms employ skilled professionals and executives who are earning big bucks and doing award-winning work.
This business reality is diametrically at odds with the view of climate change skeptics.
They still look at the green movement as something that is going to be a net drain on our economy. It’s weird, because most of them are rational enough to recognize the value of what these companies are offering.
Some would certainly see the theoretical appeal of an electric vehicle with excellent range that you never have to fill up. They would see that a company with technology that can lower energy use and utility costs by 15 to 20 per cent is good, too. Hell, they can see the value of a longer-lasting lightbulb.
The skeptics see these, but they cannot see the big picture. Our country has hemorrhaged good-paying manufacturing jobs. China, India and other rapid-growth countries are increasingly eating our lunch. Now, here we are at the start of a technological revolution that can help us start actually building industries again and selling stuff besides oil, lumber and copper.
And what do the skeptics say? “Thanks, but no thanks. We’ll stick to the way we’re already doing things. Things are going just swimmingly.”
Some theorize that climate change skeptics could be persuaded about the need to make significant changes to the way we work and live, if only they would listen to the vast preponderance of scientific studies on the issue. I don’t think so.
I think the main problem is that the skeptics are not, by and large, entrepreneurial. They know little to nothing of running a business. And they wouldn’t see an opportunity if it was delivered to them on the back of a polar bear.
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