tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.comments2023-05-07T11:44:14.915-04:00the disgruntled democratBrian Gibbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-75702995171541073802021-11-24T18:58:44.697-05:002021-11-24T18:58:44.697-05:00Thanks. I’ll give it a look.Thanks. I’ll give it a look.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-79385424859714165382021-11-24T18:39:27.231-05:002021-11-24T18:39:27.231-05:00Well, Brian, you seem to have summed it up pretty ...Well, Brian, you seem to have summed it up pretty well. Thanks. Have you read Jared Diamond's "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed"?The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-36501979316457905672021-11-02T12:07:15.149-04:002021-11-02T12:07:15.149-04:00I would like Canada to get more "woke" t...I would like Canada to get more "woke" to the very real effects of economic imperialism that are playing out today with respect to climate change. Without question, the exploitation of fossil fuels gave rise to an incredible creation of material wealth but at a cost: global warming, the loss of biodiversity, and the possibility that many parts of the planet will become uninhabitable. Regardless of your ethnic origins, climate change will impact everyone. I wonder what the former residents of Lytton, British Columbia would say.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-69370841723142974172021-11-02T06:28:30.663-04:002021-11-02T06:28:30.663-04:00I hope Canada doesn't get more woke, wokeness ... I hope Canada doesn't get more woke, wokeness is the old racist ideology of White Man's burden 2.0, with added Post Modernism. It's decries colonialism and then behaves like colonialists with cult like tendencies. The people who created the residential school system where the Woke of their time, they believed, in their ignorance, that they were "saving" the FN and bringing them up to their "level" aka waking them up. The Woke share the sake arrogance and intellectual elitism of the people who created the residential school system, the specifics are just different, white guilt replaces European false sense of superiority is all.<br /><br /> Gyorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06773307017058386989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-82082996825513831942021-08-11T20:19:08.883-04:002021-08-11T20:19:08.883-04:00Your post crystalizes some of the things that I ha...Your post crystalizes some of the things that I have been thinking of late. Thank you.Lornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15741324981120408977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-88613855329610850712021-08-11T18:00:40.770-04:002021-08-11T18:00:40.770-04:00I'm guessing you're from eastern Canada, B...I'm guessing you're from eastern Canada, Brian. Here, on the left coast, we're bracing for another three day heatwave. We hope it will be a few degrees cooler than the July inferno. <br /><br />My house on Vancouver Island is about 100 yards from the sea and I always thought that would moderate temperatures, summer and winter. It turns out that's not always the case.<br /><br />We're getting a lot of climate migrants in the form of marine species: fish, mammals and birds. A variety of whales, dolphins, transient Orca, seals and sea lions, even brown pelicans are taking up residence. We don't know what that portends for native species.<br /><br />The last heatwave is said to have killed off a billion creatures, mainly mollusks, along the coasts of the Salish Sea. Shellfish are temperature sensitive. <br /><br />Who knows what's next?The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-76807616919299082292020-02-02T15:31:36.396-05:002020-02-02T15:31:36.396-05:00love thislove thisAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04366769939734865112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-71223295508390656052019-12-24T07:27:27.713-05:002019-12-24T07:27:27.713-05:00It has long since entered the realms of out right ...It has long since entered the realms of out right tyranny and criminal secret oppression, with New World Order fanatics making use of advanced surveillance technology, like Quantum supercomputing reality mutation technology (as if it wasn't mutated enough) like that shown here to perform atrocities on victims of Agenda 21, essentially a genocide program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UNldJkAZUAPaul Anthony McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16708597231635158618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-90327175981610711272019-09-12T09:01:18.812-04:002019-09-12T09:01:18.812-04:00I know what you mean. Very well put.
If you happe...I know what you mean. Very well put.<br /><br />If you happen to like driving a responsive car and sightseeing as I do or just motoring around meandering aimlessly and relaxed, my semi-recent trip to Penticton reminded me that there wasn't much of interest there. One road south to the US border, the same road north to Kelowna, and a tiny network of roads going east and west. Boring. I mean two days of gawping at the mountains and looking at Lake Okanagan and fruit trees and grape vines sufficed. Nice place, now pass the carafe of local wine or craft beer and veg out for the rest of the vacay while planes continually come and go to the airport and interrupt your snooze in the shade.<br /><br />Back home in Nova Scotia, we have roads going into every nook and cranny all around the coast, dozens and dozens of little villages and towns set picturesquely in coves and on rivers. The landscape varies from rich farmland to craggy coast to miles of empty sandy beaches set with white or beige granules, to Bay of Fundy tidal bores and crazy tides to "mountains" in Cape Breton and around the inland sea of Bras d'Or, desert (bet you didn't know about that, well, it's not a dry desert but things don't grow). A day out is actually satisfying and stimulates the appetite. Looxury as the Brits would say. And you can have a different drive next weekend and the one after that ad nauseam. <br /><br />After almost 40 years of calling Central BC home, my brother decided enough and came back to a more interesting place with less wildfire smoke and more hurricanes. Had to drive back with some belongings and the truck itself - how was the drive? Boring. Now understand this is a one-time communique from a Nova Scotian to the rest of Canada that we have you beat when it comes to living in a place for pleasant day trips where you're never far from the next town. Wouldn't want to broadcast that too much and attract the rest of you in droves to clog up the roads! The fall season coming up with its riot of colours and thousands of miles of curvy highways and byways and back roads sees lots of local self-generated traffic and neck craners and veggie and apple stands to raid for next to no cost. Baked goods? Fill yer boots. Although, "traffic" is perhaps too bold a term. A car a mile instead of every ten minutes with a dozen vehicles concentrated at lookoffs perhaps. Yeah, it's pretty darn pleasant. Being bisected by the 45th parallel, NS is far south of the West and much more lush, but weather maps put us at the Arctic circle to fit the country on a page. Too bad. Your average Canuck calls us down home, but never realizes the truth of the matter!<br /><br />But along with South East Quebec and the Niagara Peninsular, it's about the closest we get to Europe, with Blighty having the Queen of roads to every little farm gatepost and village as Number One and sheep actually shuffling down and across the back roads interrupting your reverie on the moors. <br /><br />Like New England, NS is not just boring highways to get from one "big" place to another. Toronto to Montreal? Where's my NoDoz? The lake shore drive is more stimulating when the 401 satiates the mind with sameness. <br /><br /> MoreBill Malcolmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15815258799473130453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-10527270771247531042017-05-14T09:16:23.041-04:002017-05-14T09:16:23.041-04:00Interesting topic for a blog. I have been searchin...Interesting topic for a blog. I have been searching the Internet for fun and came upon your website. Fabulous post. Thanks a ton for sharing your knowledge! It is great to see that some people still put in an effort into managing their websites. I'll be sure to check back again real soon.<a href="http://www.soulalivebarrie.com/blog" rel="nofollow">Eid Collection</a><br />naveedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07158032062765868232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-65461824733634762342016-11-09T16:01:36.042-05:002016-11-09T16:01:36.042-05:00This election was 2004 all over again.
Dems selec...This election was 2004 all over again.<br /><br />Dems selected a weak candidate. That weak candidate let her opponent off the mat when she should have been kicking him to make sure he stays down. Lastly Dems ran an inferior voter turn out operation.<br /><br />Lowest voter turn out in more than a decade tells the whole story. Dem voter turn out down in Michigan, down in Pennsylvania, down in Wisconsin.<br /><br />You just can not make these kind of mistakes and expect to win. I thought after Kerry, we had learned that lesson.LeftCoastd00dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11804210190378086275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-31290676450508365732016-04-09T09:59:45.073-04:002016-04-09T09:59:45.073-04:00I would add that one of the reasons why Donald Tru...I would add that one of the reasons why Donald Trump has done as well as he did is the fact that he's running after 2 terms of a black president. The red-neck portion of the population that is angry and upset about this was ripe for prejudiced rhetoric. And Trump fed it to them. This only adds to your argument that there are not enough educated Americans to connect the dots. It's about education insofar as education can help immunize people against emotionally charged prejudiced rhetoric. So many Americans have bought in to the toxic Fox News way of thinking about politics - visceral reactions are promoted, fear, xenophobia. This is a powerful poison, it paves the way for a guy like Trump.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01687164815568053121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-74460544599147886522016-03-29T17:36:43.139-04:002016-03-29T17:36:43.139-04:00America has first-past-the-post, so a split in the...America has first-past-the-post, so a split in the center-left vote would put Trump in the White House. <br /><br />The US and Canada would be served better with some kind of electoral reform (ranked ballot voting or proportional representation) and two center-left parties. <br /><br />That way there could be a Bernie Sanders party and a Hillary Clinton party. The votes would be distributed among the two parties (without vote splitting benefiting the Republicans.) And the people would decide which center-left vision they like best.<br /><br />This is why electoral reform is so important in Canada. With even simply ranked ballot voting, there will be two center-left parties (NDP and Liberal) and two right-leaning parties (Red Tory and Reform.) <br /><br />Right now, the Liberals have to split the 40% conservative vote to win a 40% false majority, leaving the 60% center-left without real representation in government. This enables government of, by and for the establishment. Which is why the establishment media is so fiercely opposed to voting system reform.<br /><br />BTW, of all 181 democratic countries, 74% have reformed their voting systems. That puts Canada and the UK deep down in third-world territory.<br /><br />Ron Wallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120060083437508997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-80923139847175138402016-01-20T14:42:08.784-05:002016-01-20T14:42:08.784-05:00I agree. I just hope that he brings a voting meth...I agree. I just hope that he brings a voting method that makes a positive qualitative change to the electoral system. Above all, it needs to become democratic.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-80716920817345785332016-01-20T13:51:29.035-05:002016-01-20T13:51:29.035-05:00I hope Trudeau follows through with asking for a c...I hope Trudeau follows through with asking for a changeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04539023130908716724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-16204483471925130782015-12-24T11:20:18.724-05:002015-12-24T11:20:18.724-05:00Indeed the World is plagued by the "Emperor&...Indeed the World is plagued by the "Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome" (ENCLOS) - http://thedisgruntleddemocrat.blogspot.co.uk/.../the... - We just have to be relentless in our campaign to make them realised that not everyone is blind to their nakedness.CHEZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07243988019143829630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-80367752245891368232015-12-08T18:06:16.733-05:002015-12-08T18:06:16.733-05:00"Consequently, we need not get bogged down ar..."Consequently, we need not get bogged down arguing the benefits of the Single Transferable Vote as opposed to the Mixed Member Proportional system. "<br /><br />Unfortunately unless we do just this then we get the STV (RB) option forced on the unwary masses because it is the Libs favoured option. AND we know that this option will game the system for the Libs.Ben Burdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06372169478978720740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-25677764636485799682015-10-27T15:53:19.965-04:002015-10-27T15:53:19.965-04:00As Prime Minister Trudeau (sounds weird to say tha...As Prime Minister Trudeau (sounds weird to say that) is soon going to find out, the Senate is not powerless. Remember the Liberal majority in the Senate refused to ratify NAFTA and sent Canada into a general election. We'll soon find out how the Conservative majority in the Senate will react to a Liberal majority in the House of Commons.<br /><br />Moreover, we are talking about realpolitik here not political science. It is all fine and well to discuss how political institutions should be crafted in the abstract, but in our present situation, our history as a British colony (the BNA Act) places serious constraints on what can be done. In other words, we can improve, but we can't start over from scratch.<br /><br />I don't think that there is a single democrat that would agree that it is better to have an unelected Senate than an elected one. Yes, the devil is in the details, but there has to be the will, determination, and vision to make the institutional changes to move us closer to becoming a democratic country. Presently, we are far from it: a majority government formed with only 39% of the popular vote and an unelected Senate. Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-44004294299342134312015-10-26T13:50:15.791-04:002015-10-26T13:50:15.791-04:00I agree that not everyone will support the proposa...I agree that not everyone will support the proposal. The first part, preferential voting, essentially corresponds to the Liberal platform and they control the House of Commons. The second part is more of a challenge. The NDP want proportional representation, but want to abolish the Senate whereas the Conservatives want an elected Senate, but want no part of proportional representation. As far as the Senate, the powers are already there, but they are not used as they could be. In Australia, the Senate actively uses its power. In Canada, most of the time the Senate is a rubber. stamp. In moving awat from the status quo, no one gets exactly what they want when change is made. Hence, the quote applies, "Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable -- the art of the next best." Cheers.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-13437623526721682092015-10-19T13:14:37.797-04:002015-10-19T13:14:37.797-04:00There is a long, long way between making promises ...There is a long, long way between making promises during an electoral campaign and adopting legislation that changes the voting system. In Quebec, legislation was tabled but was never adopted. In BC, a referendum was held with the requirement of a super majority of 60% required to change the voting system. Although 58% of the electors voted for change, no change occurred. In my opinion, politicians elected by first-past-the-post are very comfortable with the status quo and the citizenry is far too complacent to effectively demand for democratic reform.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-45944531503328626142015-10-19T08:34:29.370-04:002015-10-19T08:34:29.370-04:00Yup .. throw your hands up in frustration and walk...Yup .. throw your hands up in frustration and walk away .. way to go slugger ! #FAIL leftdoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06936887870919391739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-10213636002492310272015-08-17T21:59:04.085-04:002015-08-17T21:59:04.085-04:00It is difficult to imagine how someone who oversee...It is difficult to imagine how someone who oversees the administration of a 290 billion dollar budget could be ousted for mishandling a 90 thousand dollar expenditure. It strikes me as being a performance of political farce.Brian Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361320319319431428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-43322378654784785402015-08-17T20:56:21.874-04:002015-08-17T20:56:21.874-04:00In both cases the underlings were following direct...In both cases the underlings were following direct orders from the boss. In an odd way, I'm reminded of Henry II and Thomas Becket "will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-46198791245396613432015-08-17T09:19:21.624-04:002015-08-17T09:19:21.624-04:00Achieving proportional results in elections isn...Achieving proportional results in elections isn't even all that difficult. So easy in fact you don't even need to abandon FPTP. A while ago I came up with an idea that leaves the current voting system unchanged but makes Parliament proportional. You simply need to give MPs of each party a number of votes equal to their party's share of the popular vote.<br /><br />Learn more: <br />http://torypirate.weebly.com/politics--policy/electoral-reform-bennett-method-20 Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11248110528412887659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4408415205100913549.post-50621735770642915982015-08-17T09:11:30.907-04:002015-08-17T09:11:30.907-04:00"In both instances, an unpopular leader of th..."In both instances, an unpopular leader of the country had to deal with the bungling of his underlings"<br /><br />Actually, going into 1973 Richard Nixon had a 70% approval rate. His approval rating fell throughout the year as the scandal became more closely associated with him. There was, in fact, a time when Nixon was well-liked.Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11248110528412887659noreply@blogger.com