Working in Ottawa today --Like tears in desert

Good morning folks,

Like yesterday I will be working in Ottawa today.

Stated History,

Absent In Promised Haiku,

Like Tears In Desert.

Have a good day, read some poetry.

Sent from my iPad

Working in Ottawa today --The road to another election

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Ottawa today, and part of tomorrow as well, although I will be heading home in-between.

So we are heading into another federal election.  So we are heading into another federal election.  If it seems that you are hearing a repeating mantra, or that you are hearing or seeing double, don't be alarmed.  You are.

Stephen (Hair club for Men president) Harper, Michael (Just tryin' to be one of the guys) Ignatief, Gilles (why shouldn't Quebec have its own army?) Duceppe or Jack (negotiate, compromise, never give up) Layton, these are the current party leader choices.

And while an interesting question may be, "which of the office seeking Canadians has eaten at Schwartz's in Montréal?", for me it may come down to a strategy vote on how I can help to create another minority gov't.

The Schwartz question is related to the somewhat interesting theory that since the 1970's a federal candidate could ensure a successful majority victory by eating at least one of the famous restaurant's smoked meat sandwiches.  (for maximum eating pleasure, make sure you have extra mustard handy and a few extra pickles).

Pierre (The Playboy) Trudeau, Brian (Smiling Irish Eyes) Mulroney, and Jean (Tough Guy) Chrétien all partook and went on to form majority governments.   Whereas Joe (who?) Clark, Kim (They love me, they really love me) Campbell, and John (Who's fanny can I pat) Turner all declined.  The only anomaly was Paul Martin, who ate, but didn't win a majority.

More on the somewhat interesting front is that there is a new Musical opening on April 1 at Montréal's Centaur Theatre, Schwartz's - The Musical.  Yep, about the very same place.  I hear that at intermission instead of some ice cream you can have a pickle.

Smoked meat aside, why seek a minority gov't?  It is simply that majority governments scare the hell out of me.  I am of the mind that the logical progression of an established country is one that leads it to right wing fascism.

Fascism: a totalitarian philosophy of gov't that glorifies the state and assigns to the state, control over every aspect of national life.

Why Fascism?  Well it's actually its younger brother, Totalitarianism, that occurs, but it's hard to maintain totalitarianism without the distraction of Fascism.

For more fear and loathing, 

See: Totalitarianism

See: Neo Liberalism

I figure as long as two or three political parties are constantly jockeying for position, they have less time to come up with new and interesting ways of screwing with my life and liberty.

Hey, out of time, the plane has landed.  Tune in tomorrow for a brief history of the NDP or presented only in Haiku, that or perhaps a further discussion on the perils and risks of modern man under a technologically sophisticated autocratic gov't --either one sounds like fun ;)

Have a good day, keep looking over your shoulder.

Working in Ottawa today --#2 Pencil time

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Ottawa today.

I'm not trying to scare anyone, but tax time is here upon us.

Have some fun, ask your tax accountant several times if he is using a number 2 pencil.  Ask to see it, for added fun, hold it up and compare it to one that you have brought from home.  After a several seconds, ask if he has a newer pencil, you wouldn't want a pencil that had prepared a return for a person from a lower station to be used on such an important filing.

Have a good day, if need be, Don has extra pencils.

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld -- Envoyé de mon sans fil portatif BlackBerry

Working in Montréal today --It is our government!

New week, same place, different meetings.

<rant>

I was reading the Globe and Mail this morning and read an article about an RCMP probe into allegations of interference by a member of 'The Harper Government' in an access to information request.

I have become sensitized to this inappropriate term or renaming of our federal government in so much as I notice extremely often in print and the spoken word by news agencies.

It is the Canadian Government, our government, not Harper's.  Moreover, we have a minority government (my personal favorite type), so this current sitting government is as much a Stéphane Dion, Gilles Duceppe or a Jack Layton formed government as it is a Harper formed government.

Okay, plane has landed and at gate.

</rant>

Working in Montréal today --Moral hazards and adverse selection

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Montreal today.

Since I will be in several meetings today to discuss insurance coverages of one form or another, I have actuarial studies, moral hazards, adverse selection, price equilibrium, pooled risk all on the brain, but try as I may, I doubt I could instill the same excitement I have for these thing in you.

I tried over the last few days with Jennifer, Don and Mel and was met with only a minor raise of eyebrows. Marko on the other hand could barely contain his awe and wonder and has travelled to Montreal to join the discussion, careful though, I think he is making an insurance scrapbook, complete with cutouts and glitter boarders --if on Monday he asks to speak with you in his office, you'll know why :)

Sent from my iPad.

Working in Ottawa today --Wacky wavy inflatable arm waving terrorists

Good morning folks,

I will be working in Ottawa today.

Meanwhile, the wacky wavy inflatable arm waving guy will still be at his post on Dundas street alerting all an sundry persons of slashed prices on end of roll carpet remnants.

in a continuation of last weeks alert of celebrity haircuts, Justin Bieber's recent coif'd remnant has fetched a cool $40k in auction.  I too will be heading under the scissors in a day or so and since the bar has been set by the young Justin, I will set a reserve bid at say.. $20k per lock?  Let me know, bidding will open on Saturday.

Enough levity, he's a question for you.  What is the distinction between freedom fighting rebels in Egypt or Libya and 'Terrorist' labelled Freedom Fighting Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka?  It is just positive western press or is it simply a measure of the established government's popularity with the U.S.?  What will happen should the people of Saudi Arabia rise up against their royal masters in similar Egyptian style --remembering that the U.S. provides all forms of military aid and support for the ruling class in an effort to stabilize that nations supply of oil for the west, will those rebels be labelled Terrorist?  

Sent from my iPad