Mirror Mirror On The Wall ...

Whose The Dirtiest Of Them All ?



As in Suppliers & Users of Dirty Oil that is.



At the writing of this Blog, Two Hearings are in progress - one in Europe, the other in Washington, both questioning whether or not to admit "Dirty Oil" from Canada's Oil Sands.



And, let's be frank, other than those engaged in the Oil Industry - world wide - no one particularly likes Oil - you and me included. But what's the Option?



Oil to the world economy, is like Blood to an Individual. It would make about as much sense to replace an ill person's blood with water or cola as it does to think you can successfully replace oil with wind or solar or whatever.



Some day yes - but not now or even in the foreseeable future.



Even those opposed to the Oil Sands, have to admit, albeit grudgingly, the validity of this statement.



But they continue to call our Oil "dirty".



So who is supplying them now.



We'll take Europe first.



About 60% of their oil comes from the Dictatorships of the Middle East. The remaining 40% originates in Russia a country that is slowly but surely slipping back into Totalitarian Rule.



Let's not even get into the Human Rights abuses committed by the Middle Eastern Countries, most notably against their women - but rather look at where Europe's purchase dollars end up. Simply stated - they help fund Islamic Terrorism. The same Terrorism that has raised its ugly head throughout Europe and will continue to increase as Muslim extremism grows.

And Russia. Hardly a reliable source of energy.

Russia has shown itself on several occasions actually and /or threatening to cut off their oil and gas pipelines to Europe for their petty political purposes. If things get tough - as they will, I would not want to be dependent on Putin to come through in the pinch.

Thankfully for us in Canada, the European Move against our "dirty" oil is but an Academic Exercise since we do not export much if any oil to them.

But then there is the United States, where nearly 100% of our Oil Exports go South of the Border.

Key elements there are fighting a planned major Pipeline from Alberta to the Texas Gulf for refining. Some one million barrels per day can be expected to flow through this line proposed by Trans Canada Pipeline.

Many there do not want it - primarily because our oil is dirty and "dirty" in the sense that it is mined via our 'tar sands'. Their secondary complaint is that the flow would be subject to spills that would damage the environment.

Good arguments both if the alternatives were better - but they of course are not.

They too get much of their oil from the Middle East and thus are equally guilty as are the Europeans in funding Terrorism. It is like paying a hit man to kill you.

In the matter of damage to the environment, the United States is also on flimsy ground. Few things are more dangerous to the environment than an Oil Tanker Spill. And 10 or so of these Super Tankers enter US waters each day delivering some 20 million barrels of oil. It is not a question of if, but rather when,one of these Tankers breaks up and spills its contents somewhere along America's coastlines. It has happened before in the case of the Exxon Valdez and will most certainly happen again.

Pipelines are safer. Dirty Oil from Canada does not fund killers.

To the United States we provide a safe and reliable source of their needed life blood.

Studies have shown that our Oil Reserves in Western Canada are equivalent to those of Saudi Arabia.

So what to do if the US does the unexpected and blocks our Oil. They won't of course but let's just pretend for a moment.

We here in Canada would not lose out since we have other customers for our oil exports primarily China and to a lesser extent Japan and India.

Trans Canada Pipeline could easily construct a line from Alberta through to the BC coast for transport to the Far East and that is what it would do if our source of oil export to the south disappeared (it won't remember we are just pretending here since America would not be that stupid).

And unlike the do-gooders in Europe and America who pretend to be 'Clean', China acknowledges that it is 'Dirty' and is not too proud to use our "Dirty Oil".

China knows that to get ahead it needs power - clean, dirty or indifferent and is willing to do what is needed to obtain it.

In that regard, China is not the hypocrit the other two are.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Harper and Company....

Are doing a lot of Good Things.







Most recently of course, is the way in which they handled the Shipbuilding Contract. That is to say, they did not handle it but kept it at arms' length to insure that it was not subject to political interference as has been the case with all past Governments - Tory and Liberal alike.






Many of us remember Mulroney's fiasco 20 years ago concerning the CF-18 Contract that should have awarded to a Manitoba Company but went to a Quebec one instead. It was one of the major reasons for the birth of the Reform Party.







But less remembered, was the statement made at that time by his then Defence Minister Paul Dick who proffered that in order for a Province to get a piece of any DND Contract it would have to "partner with Quebec".



And of course the Liberals were even worse in pandering to La Belle Province.






But I do not for a minute rejoice in Quebec losing out in this round of contract issuance; I do though see it as being fair - a fair process for a change and fair in the sense that Quebec has always been unfairly favoured.






But that is not all the Tories should be thanked for. Let's look at a few others:




First on the Economy - granted it did extend both the Debt and the Deficit but it was pushed into doing so by the combined weight of the Libs, Dipers and Bloc. If rolls had been reversed, Canada's fiscal position today would be much worse and we would certainly not be fiscally the best amongst the G-7 nations as we currently are.


They have also significantly lowered the GST and Corporate Tax Rate. Both are job creators.




Second in regard to our Traditions / Heritage - they are restoring our links to the British Monarchy which Pierre Elliott was determined to abolish during his corrosive time in Office. In a multicultural world it is nice to have something to unite our combined focus.




Harper's appointment of the current Governor General has restored dignity to that Office. For the first time in years we have an occupant who understands the role's historic importance and acts accordingly.

In the area of Law - the Tories may not be totally correct, but they are well intentioned with their goal of putting the citizen and victim ahead of the interests of the criminal.

They have also devised an all Party process for the appointment of our top Judges. No longer are we stuck with Lawyers with an agenda being appointed to the Top Bench itching to make law as opposed to interpreting law as they should.

In Foreign Affairs - we are once again respected for having our own agenda and for "punching above our weight" (although I personally dislike that analogy). This is especially the case with our support of beleaguered Israel. Currently we are seen by Israel as their main world friend replacing the ever more unreliable USA.

The Bureaucracy - not since Paul Martin and Jean Chretien teamed up to help tame the Civil Service in the mid 90s has a Government attempted to get a handle on its out of control growth. Harper is making such an attempt now. Departments have been given strict reduction targets and the growth is finally beginning to recede.

Democracy - The Tories commitment to increase seat representation amongst Ontario, Alberta and BC, which have been under represented for many years, is also a plus. No other Party has the guts to make this adjustment despite the fact that Democracy demands it.

And last but not least -The Military. Harper has restored our Military which was allowed to languish in decline under countless Administrations - most notably Liberal. The Military has been modernized and continues to receive up-to-date equipment needed to do the job - planes, ships and tanks. We talked about ships and with our huge coastlines it makes imminent sense to have a fully functioning navy / coast guard. I have been a critic of the plan to purchase expensive new planes on the grounds that although they would be nice to have - they would be just too expensive. More recently though the Manufacturer has promised to keep the cost per plan at $65 million rather than the feared price of twice that amount. If that lesser sum can be nailed down - a price that experts say is less than the actual cost of construction, it would be a good deal for Canada. (The less than cost price can be explained by the Manufacturer's need to have volume of production in order to make the whole manufacturing process viable).

So when you start to itemize their list of accomplishments it is quite impressive.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

OBama Is Playing With ...

Matches.

With his support of the Occupy Wall Street Protest.

Since his Election, Obama's main way of Governing is to Blame Someone Else for any (his) Shortcomings.

He has certainly been doing this for sometime now in connection with the Stagnant US Economy and Ballooning Debt / Deficit.

Despite his wasted Expenditures and Harmful Policies, he finds Big Business and the Richest 1% to be to Blame. They have become the villains in the piece and Obama is hoping to ride this wave of Resentment back into the White House next year. It may be good politics for him - but disasterous for his country.

Part of Obama's divisive strategy is to support the Wall Street Protests; to lend them comfort and support. But all this is accomplishing is to split the country even more between those who blame Government for what ails America (i.e. the Tea Partyers) and those who blame the rich ( ie the Leftists represented by the Wall Street Protesting Crowd).

Some - (many) - Commentators, try to compare the two groups but there really is nothing similar about them. The Tea Party holds Government responsible since it sees Run-away Debt to be the cause of America's economic decline while the Wall Street Protesters blame Big Business for this decline. (It goes back to my recent Blog about the "two streets of protest" - Pennsylvania Avenue vs. Wall Street).

As you know, I happen to agree with the Tea Party, i.e. that it is Obama and Company (and Bush before him) that are to blame. State indebtedness is rampant right across the West and is paralysing governments from being able to take needed action.

But I am getting off topic.

One more thing though before I get back to my main message. It is interesting to note, that when the Tea Party was so influential in last November's Congressional Elections - the Left referred to them as being Racist. And yet, the Tea Party's main man today is Herman Cain - a Black Businessman who stands front and centre for the Tea Party Objectives even though he is Black. Rather undercuts the Left's labelling of Racist does it not?

Anyway I started off pointing out the danger in Obama's public support for the Occupy Wall Streeters s0 let's get back to it.

These people might be well intentioned but most are being dubbed. I say that because unlike the Tea Partyers who are middle peaceful America, the Occupiers are composed of a cross section of the Left which includes in their ranks anarchists, those fearful of losing entitlements, as well as the current majority who are simply looking for some attention and good times. It is a combination though that will in the end explode in violence.

And dear reader, make no mistake, that is exactly where these demonstrations are headed. All you need do is Look To Europe.

Right now the demonstrations for the most part have been peaceful - even fun for many. But the agitators are getting their ducks in order and those fearful of losing benefits when government cuts back, are going to get more and more worked up as time goes by. And given the support of their President, their sense of injustice will only intensify.

Look Out - it is coming and will sadly, spread to our fair country as well.

The sooner Obama is gone from office the better but even his going will not stop what is now in motion.

As I see it....

'K.D. Galagher'

There are pictures ...

Then There Are Pictures !!

Longer term readers will know that I believe Smokers are the unsung Heroes of our Society.

Not only do they die younger than non-smokers thereby sparing the Health System - but over the course of their reduced life-span they pay way more than their share of taxes through the totally obscene revenues governments take in from the sale of their addiction.

So they are true Heroes.

And when I come across Smokers these days - and admittedly it is getting harder and harder to do - I often shake their hand in gratitude; not for their premature dying nor for their enhanced payments of tax but because they are in the vanguard in the fight against the Politically Correct (aka The Do Gooders).

These Do Gooders tend to be of the Left Wing persuasion and never pass up an opportunity to tell the Rest of Us (ROU) how we should live and behave.

Recently, this fine group of Busy Bodies, came out with new horrific pictures to grace the pack of each and every cigarette deck. You've no doubt seen them.

The most attention getting (read obnoxious) is that of a poor 42 year old woman on death's door from cancer. The picture alleges she contracted her cancer from smoking cigarettes which probably was the case. It shows a skin and bone skeleton as being all that remains of this poor lady. (As an aside, I would not want to see a family member appear in such an offensive advertisement in the same way I would want to see a close relative play the role of the Circus' Fat Woman. Call me compassionate).

But let's for a moment pretend the Do Gooders really care about the health and welfare of smokers and pray for them to have the strength to kick their habit.

So if pictures work - what the heck - it is all done in a good cause.

But this scenario breaks down when one considers the Plight of the Unborn Child.

Right to Life also uses Pictures - and they too are often quite graphic since it is hard to cut up a baby to pieces and have the pictures look tame.

But when Right to Life attempts to show these pictures in public - the Do Gooders go into their Morale High Road Dance of how can anyone display such horrible photos. Many DGers claim the pictures of such innocent dead have caused them emotional pain but fail to realize that it is nothing to the physical pain these young ones have had to endure while under the knife.

And is it not convenient for them to claim emotional pain and damage caused by these types of pictures when at the same time, graphic pictures on cigarette packages are A-OK?

The Difference?

That's easy - The Do Gooders want to stop Smokers from smoking - so anything goes - including horrid pictures.

But the Do Gooders do not want to stop Abortion - so pictures that have as their goal the encouragement of life must be blocked at all cost.

Hypocritical? You be the Judge.

As I see it....

A Place Of My Own...

As in Parking Place.

Some Readers may recall I did a Blog awhile back wherein I complained about all of the restricted parking spaces in mall lots - but none for the healthy, mobile, well adjusted, and child unencumbered.

I pointed out then, that there were spots reserved for the Disabled, for the Pregnant, Mothers with Children, Fathers with Children and more lately, even spots reserved for hybrid vehicles.

With all those spaces reserved, it left little for the ROU - the Rest of Us - other than at the extreme back of the Lot.

I predicted the day would come though when there would be but one sign on these Lots - to be used by the ROU since all the other parking places would be reserved and therefore Lot Owners would not have to go to the bother of marking off those spots.

I figured though that day was somewhere well off in the future; how wrong I was.

In fact, it is here now.

Just back from shopping at a good sized Mall - anchored by a 400,000 sq ft IKEA including several other stores of note.

But here is the thing - There was only One Set of Reserved Signs available - 8 in all, and all reserved for "Family".

My first thought, and probably yours, was/is that this was just another form of restriction, but I reflected on it and then realized we are all "Family" in one way or another.

Now let me be totally honest with you - these 8 signs included a picture of a man, child, and woman with a carriage which, admittedly, falls within the definition of family. But so do all of the Rest of Us.

In fact, just to be sure, I looked up the definition of Family and found, among other things, it provides for "all ...members of a household living under one roof".

My wife Anne was with me - so the two of us certainly qualified under that definition, having not yet resorted to living under separate roofs.

But Dear Reader, the Definition is not just limited to a man and woman living under one roof. The Definition of Family is so broad it also includes "a group of people sharing common ancestry". And you will note here, there is nothing in this wording that requires this "group of people" to be living under the same roof. It could just be little olde you - living alone - but still part of a Family at large - ie your parents live next door - or you have a sister / brother / cousin living across town etc. Or even in another Country. Yup you are family.

So there you have it - finally an all inclusive definition that at first blush appears to be restrictive, but on closer examination, includes us all.

So no more restrictive parking. Hallelujah !!

We've become one big family again. I just wish they thought to reserve more than 8 spaces.

As I see it....

'K.D. Galagher'

Baaaaa Baaaa Baaa ....

Sheep ....All of Us.

I am on record as saying that the Terrorists - to date - have won.

Western Countries have spent $$$ Trillions of Dollars on "enhancing" Security; there are now more Security Organizations in Government than for any other activity.

Borders have hardened and travel has been impaired especially when it comes to flight.

And it is with respect to this last activity that sparks this Blog.

On the weekend - this Thanksgiving Weekend - one of the busiest for airports across the country, saw airport security staff, at Toronto's Pearson International, walk off their jobs in strike protest.

Thousands of passengers were affected, flights missed, time wasted, tempers flared.... But,

Nothing Was Done, Save For Some Bleating.

I'd like to think that if I had been there amongst the affected fliers, I would have tried to organize a 'walk through security protest'. I would not have attempted to do it myself for fear of being branded a nut bar but if enough joined together it would force the Airport Authorities to look seriously at the nonsense of screening innocent men, women, and children even to the point of having them endure virtual strip searches.

If this caught on, it would take Authorities no time at all to find replacement ways in which to deter Terrorists. Israel does it effectively, we can do so as well.

To regain our freedom, we need to regain our courage and as a first step we need to walk through Airport Security sans the intrusive screening.

As I see it....

'K.D. Galagher'

Wall Street Protestors....

Are Barking Up The Wrong Tree.

We're hearing lots these days about Protesters in the United States taking their frustrations out on Wall Street (i.e. the Financial Industry) and the contagion is spreading here to Canada.

But they've got it wrong - the real culprit is their very own Government.

That said, Wall Street makes a nice target since it lends itself to envy on the part of the disenfranchised.

Wall Street has the money while they are stuck with mass unemployment, housing devaluation and loss of spending power as their dollar tanks with quantitative easing (read 'printing money without an underlying value').

But it is Government that is doing the quantitative easing, and it is Government Policies that have failed to spark more employment.

And, it was Government Policy that led to the Housing Crisis by offering mortgages to anyone that - as some wag has said - could 'fog up a mirror'.

So they should really be marching down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington.

I mentioned in an earlier Blog, that there are really two distinct economies in Western Democracies; One that is Private Sector Based; the other Government Based.

Private Sector Based are all those entities that depend on the citizens, in their own country and often around the world, to buy their products and services. If they cannot entice the buyer to do so, they go out of business. It's called Capitalism.

The Other - the Government Based Economy takes money away from its citizens and it does the buying. It buys people - the bureaucrats, it buys ships, and pays out pensions etc. In essence, it robs Peter to pay Paul and sometimes even Peter gets some of his own money back in the form of government services.

But it does not produce the wherewithal (read money) to do the buying and to effect the dispensing of its services. That wherewithal comes from you and me - the taxpayer.

And in the United States the number of taxpayers paying this freight is diminishing since over 50% of its citizens pays no tax at all.

It's the Rich and Richer that do the heavy lifting but to hear Obama and the Wall Street Protesters tell it - it is these Rich that are not paying there way.

But even with the Rich paying more than their fair share, and with over 50% paying nothing, Government Spending continues to out-pace taxes collected. Debt and Deficits are now at record levels - so high in fact, that even in our children's lifetimes, they will not likely be paid off.

Not only is Government Spending on this level unsustainable, it takes away money that would othewise be spent in the private sector which in turn would create the jobs necessary to stabilize the economy.

Sadly, in place of this, we have the spectre of Obama egging on the Wall Street Protesters in an activity that is not only futile but will likely become quite dangerous.