DVD Review: "Heart - The Road Home" (2003)

The Wilson sisters go unplugged in this intimate performance, taped in the spring of 1995 in their hometown of Seattle and released in 2003. Backed by a string section and using bongo drums, flutes and mandolins, this DVD offers up a cross-section of their career that alternates between Jann Arden-esque adult contemporary and material that sounds like it could have been based on outtakes from the Led Zeppelin III sessions.

Naturally, I prefer the latter.

Hits like "Straight On" and "Crazy On You" are here, but I would have preferred if junk from latter days like "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" was dropped in favour of tracks like "Little Queen", "Heartless" (some of the best harmonies in rock history on that song) and "Magic Man", a tune which provided the backdrop to a classic scene from the movie "Swingers".

Even though she's noticeably aged over the years, Ann can still belt it out and Nancy's picking is excellent, especially on "Barracuda" which loses none of its formidable power when done acoustically. Trusty sideman Howard Leese provides the texture and I believe that John Paul Jones himself was part of this project and contributed to the arrangements.

Tasteful, if uneven, and glad I picked it up in the used section.

Overall rating: 7/10

Wednesday digest

- In this interview, Sen. Joe Biden from Delaware, sizing up the competition in the Democratic field for the '08 Presidential nomination, said the following about Illinois Senator Barack Obama:

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

A quick scan of the homepages of CBS News, ABC News, NBC News and CNN don't mention this. Anyone think that if a Republican said the same thing about Obama, he'd be let off as easily by the mainstream media, much less still be in the race?

- Security forces in the UK have uncovered a terrorist plot to kidnap and publicly behead a Muslim soldier who is serving in the British army.

This has somehow got to be George Bush's fault.

- On Monday, I mentioned a recent poll taken in England where over a third of those young Muslims surveyed said that conversion to another faith ought to be punishable by death. Another look at a number of recent surveys, more global in scope, paints a similarly unsettling picture. I am generally dubious regarding public opinion research, but there's a common thread emerging here that we dismiss at our peril.

Meanwhile, although the language is not the most sophisticated (and we can blame translation for that), the town council of Herouxville, QC is (predictably) being derided as racist for warning potential newcomers to their community that if they're uncomfortable with equality of the sexes, among other things, they may want to reconsider moving there.

Perhaps if the moderate Muslim community in North America and Europe spoke out against the extremists in their midst more regularly, others wouldn't need to defend society's values in such clear (and apparently offensive) language. As we are constantly reminded, if it's such a small minority of Muslims who reject liberal democratic culture, it shouldn't be that difficult for those Muslims who love living in the West to point out that those who don't (but still live here) are out of line and need to adapt.

Should it?

- Today's loony left play of the day comes to us from France, where the government is looking at the viability of sanctioning afternoon naps in the workplace.

- Palestine - equally and eternally an opportunity yet hopeless at the same time.

- As Iran begins to celebrate, it looks like the mullahs have begun to rein in Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. I think that the more this guy's back is against the wall, the louder and more strident the anti-Israel, anti-US, pro-nuclear rhetoric will become. Meanwhile, warnings from Gingrich and Fukuyama.

- Over an inch of snow in Tulsa, OK, today, as the media machine gears up for this week's UN report on climate change. The "Union of Concerned Scientists" (of course they're concerned - their funding would dry up without the threat of global warming) says that the Bush White House interfered with their findings while others are looking into the crystal ball and predicting the next 1,000 years with certainty on top of looking 650,000 years into the past. One can only conclude that the skeptics who dissent both at home and abroad just aren't as talented as those who can predict an entire millenia into the future.

Myself, I agree with my buddy Dave: there's no doubt global warming is happening, but we can't be sure why, especially given the blatant lack of objectivity that has characterized this debate and sloppy, ill-considered conclusions that are now bordering on conventional wisdom. And as for Kyoto, I also agree with the Prime Minister who stated five years ago that it's a socialist scheme indeed that will cripple Western countries while doing nothing to stop man-made emissions by virtue of the fact that China and India are excluded.

(It's also good to see that the hacks in the Liberal research bureau are finally doing their job.)

Tuesday digest

- Mrs. H was tickled pink when she learned this morning that Eddie Murphy's "Delirious" is finally being released on DVD next week. Pre-order your own copy here.

- Today's loony left play of the day: allegations of age discrimination are flying at the University of Ottawa as two ten-year old boys have been removed from a class called "Science and Society" by the school's administration, over and above the head of the professor who knowingly allowed the children to fully participate in what has been nicknamed on campus as the "activist course".

Best to get 'em while they're young, I suppose.

- Listen up! Noted climatologists Josh Hartnell and Pink have issued a warning about the dangers of global warming.

Well, if they say so, who am I to argue?

- Separatist logic: almost 2/3 of Canada's aerospace industry is located in Quebec, ergo, Quebec should automatically get 2/3 of the cash flowing from every federal government contract having to do with aerospace.

Huh?

- Ridiculously short-sighted labour agreements are helping to drive American automakers into near insolvency. From CNNMoney.com:

... (L)abor costs the Detroit Three substantially more per vehicle than it does the Japanese.

Health care is the biggest chunk. GM for instance spends $1,635 per vehicle on health care for active and retired workers in the U.S. Toyota pays nothing for retired workers - it has very few - and only $215 for active ones.

Other labor costs add to the bill. Contract issues like work rules, line relief and holiday pay amount to $630 per vehicle - costs that the Japanese don't have. And paying UAW members for not working when plants are shut costs another $350 per vehicle.

Here's one example of how knotty Detroit's labor problem can be:

If an assembly plant with 3,000 workers has no dealer orders, it has two options. One is to close the plant for a week and not build any cars. Then the company still has to give the idled workers 95 percent of their take-home pay plus all benefits for not working. So a one-week shutdown costs $7.7 million or $1,545 for each vehicle it didn't make.

If the company decides to go ahead and run the plant for a week without any dealer orders, it will have distressed merchandise on its hands. Then it has to sell the vehicles to daily rental companies like Hertz or Avis at discounts of $3,000 to $5,000 per vehicle, which creates a flood of used cars in three to six months and damages resale value. Or it can put the vehicles into storage and pay dealers up to $1,250 apiece to take them off its hands.

Meanwhile, this op-ed from the LA Times argues that it's not favourable Asian exchange rates that have made North American automanufacturers uncompetitive but rather overunionization on top of a misread of the marketplace.

- On that note, a massive influx of baby boomers + a diminishing number of individuals in the labour force / a political culture that penalizes those who attempt to seriously discuss the limitations of government when it comes to providing universal health care and retirement benefits = we're screwed.

Film Review: "Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006)

This slow, subtitled World War Two drama tells the story of the US invasion of the island of Iwo Jima in 1944 from the point of view of a rag-tag bunch of hopelessly outnumbered Japanese conscripts. Left to defend themselves without any legitimate chance of victory, the recruits face a number of very difficult decisions about the honour of surrender and which path to follow when multiple commands are given by incoherent leadership, all under the spectre of inevitable death.

Despite the Best Picture nomination, this morality tale about the horror of war is nothing we haven't seen before. By playing up the common humanity theme, the viewer is reminded that militarization should only be used as a weapon of last resort. This is driven home by several scenes which border on the gruesome, particularly in the second half of the film. Be forewarned. It should also be noted that the soundtrack of the first half is marred by the faint yet extremely irritating sound of air sirens in the distance in probably three-quarters of the scenes. For me, this really took away from the viewing experience.

Bottom line is that if movies like "Platoon" and "Saving Private Ryan" interest you, you'll like "Letters from Iwo Jima". If not, you won't be missing much.

Overall rating: 7.75/10

Monday digest

- Whether the rest of the world likes it or not, American leadership is still the best hope for peace and stability in a dangerous world despite the wishes of folks like this, some of the more kookier of whom went so far as to vandalize the U.S. Capitol building during a "peace" rally this past weekend in DC. Take a look at what would happen should the protesters achieve their goals, here.

- According to a recent poll taken in England, just less than half of British Muslims between the ages of 16 and 24 who were surveyed want to live under Sharia law, with three quarters believing that women should be veiled. Most shockingly, over one-third think that a Muslim who leaves the faith and converts to another religion should be punished by death.

I don't know if this poll has any credibility, but I certainly hope it doesn't. Meanwhile, isn’t it time that the perpetually outraged finally come around and work as hard at opposing radical Islamism as they do at opposing the Blair government?

- Yesterday, I linked to Charles Krauthammer's prescriptions for dealing with the energy crisis. Here's another interesting take.

- It's good to see that those activists who peddle victimization in the African-American community are starting to face some competition.

- From the "pot, meet kettle" file comes Jack Layton's comments last night on CBC News Sunday during a debate he had with a representative from the banking industry on the NDP's push to have Interac fees lowered. He said, "That's the thing with banks. They think that our money belongs to them". Substitute the word "banks" for "governments" and socialist Layton would be sounding like a Reaganite! Of course, with banking we have choice and with governments, we don't, which explains Layton's apparent inconsistency as we all know leftists and the concept of individual decision-making don't usually go well together.

- An example of why Quebec's political class (regardless of party) is so grating, here. Lecturing Ontarians about the need to be more generous in order to preserve national unity? Please.

Sunday digest

- This is absolutely hilarious and would be the beginning of a positive trend if other city councils decided to follow suit. As for Europe, here's an argument that demonstrates how in many respects, they've capitulated, cowering before the threat of radical Islam and crying uncle.

- Krauthammer suggests ways to move the struggle for energy independence from rhetoric to reality.

- Another socialist revolution is driving talent away from Latin America.

Saturday digest

- It's snowing in Phoenix.

Just thought I'd mention that.

- As the spectre of colonialism recedes, it's becoming more and more clear that the prosperity of nations depends economic freedom and ethical government more than anything else.

- What's this?

- Is there a bigger egomaniac than John McCain? For a guy who likes to pattern himself after Ronald Reagan, he has built himself a nice little profile by breaking Reagan's 11th Commandment: "Thou shalt never speak ill of a fellow Republican".

- The latest betrayal of the Reform party by the Harper government, here.

- Speaking of Sweden-on-the-St.-Lawrence, cold, hard economic reality is becoming hard to ignore in yet another area of social policy - education.

- With this provocation, Michael Coren is inviting a wrist-slap from the human rights industry. Regardless of whether you think his statement is valid or not, think about whether or not you believe in his freedom to express it. If we allow the government to have the power to protect us from our own behavior, then there will be no one who can protect us from our own government.

Meanwhile, Catholic adoption agencies are under fire in England for referring gay couples who want to adopt to a secular agency rather than accomodating them under the auspices of the Church.

These bullying radicals don't want tolerance and a respectful co-existence with people of differing points of view - they want complete and total affirmation and won't settle for anything less. Why don't they just admit it?

- Earlier this week, I posted about the upcoming Van Halen mess, er, tour with David Lee Roth. Now, the three living members of Led Zeppelin are potentially going to hit the road. I really don't want this to happen. I saw the Plant/Page tour twice in 1995, once in Toronto and also in Buffalo, NY, and it was phenomenal. I don't think they have the creative juices left to do themselves justice, and I know that Plant's voice is certainly not what it once was. It's going to tarnish the Led Zeppelin legacy. Now, in the interests of full disclosure, although I've been bashing reunion tours this week, I am all over this and cannot wait.

- Increasingly, Martin Brodeur of my beloved New Jersey Devils is becoming, inarguably, the best goaltender of all time.

For the Woman Who Has Everything

Although this public service announcement has a Christmas theme, with Valentine's Day coming up, here's a little something for all of you Hammerheads out there who are looking for just the right way to show the lady of your life how much she means to you.

Thursday digest

- Something that is supposed to resemble the original lineup of Van Halen is going out on the road this summer.

I predict it's going to be a disaster. A 15-year old bassist, a lead singer that will make Vince Neil look articulate by comparison, and a hopeless drunk on lead guitar in front of rock's biggest yes-man on drums? This has bloody mess written all over it.

- Ever get tired of the doom and gloom crowd, who are beyond convinced that everything in Iraq is going to hell in a handbasket despite clear evidence of progress?

- Speaking of optimism, here's an excellent story that makes the case that Rudy Giulani's conservative bona fides are without question. His career reads like a tour de force of common-sense social policy, an infusion of which could be just what the moribound "party of ideas" could use right now. The only question remaining is whether or not he'll go for it.

- On the other side, I find it troubling that Democrats would rather talk about issues like credit card debt - despite the strong economy, it's the government's job to help people rein in their undisciplined spending on new clothes and vacations? - than the need to defeat terrorism.

It seems the President is being opposed these days more for who he is than for any coherent, competing vision, unless you consider the abolition of envy to be a worthy public policy goal.

- I'm a democrat, but if you listen to fools, the mob rules. Is the job of a leader to follow the wishes of the people or to inspire them to a vision? And at what point do you reconcile the two?

Food for thought.

- What gives with Syria? They are near impossible to figure out.

- The other day, I blogged about Russia selling weaponry to Iran. Here are more reasons they ought not to be trusted.

- Take a look at this glaring example of the politically correct crowd using intimidation tactics to prevent competing points of view from being aired.

- The host of City-TV's 80's video show "Toronto Rocks!", John Major, has died.

I was sorry to hear that.

Wednesday digest

- I wasn't able to watch last night's State of the Union address because of a phone call from my mom and a wife who insisted on watching the NHL Super Skills Competition. Aren't I lucky? However, thanks to the greatness of modern technology, I was able to watch it today online. In case you missed it, here's a summary.

President Bush began with a classy acknowledgement of Speaker Pelosi and went right into economic issues, discussing the need to eliminate both the deficit and earmarks (or, if you prefer, pork barrel spending). The words rang a little hollow in that neither the President nor the Republicans have done a good job of preventing either. Nor have they been able to adequately deal with the next issue Bush raised (and one which I comment on regularly); the need to reform entitlement spending - Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid - to ensure the sustainability of those programs well into the future, but at least he's talking about it again.

Next up was social policy. He briefly alluded to voucher programs for education and talked about introducing a tax credit targetted to making private health insurance more affordable, because as he says, patients and their doctors - not governments - are capable of deciding what's best for them. On immigration, he said that investments should be made on border security alongside the introduction of a temporary worker program which will allow agents to focus on the real criminals rather than the low hanging fruit. He also implored Congress to finally get this issue settled. I couldn't agree more, because I'm frankly sick of hearing about it.

On energy policy, he didn't pull punches talking about the need to wean America off of Middle Eastern oil dependence, another subject which I believe very strongly in. Bush spoke of diversifying energy sources to include solar, wind and nuclear power and suggested that the United States aim for a 20% reduction in gasoline use by 2017 on top of enhanced fuel economy standards for vehicles in order to prevent climate change (!) and to prevent terrorist fundraising via access to oil profits in Arabic countries.

The President then briefly mentioned the need for prompt judicial confirmation hearings before moving into the meat and potatoes part of his address - the war on terror. He emphasized the importance of taking the fight to the enemy rather than sitting back and allowing America to be attacked on her own shores, and then went through a laundry list of thwarted terrorist plots followed by a pat on the back to the dedicated public servants who are hard at work within the security and intelligence community.

Sadly, he then went into his familiar arguments about the nature of the enemy, saying among other things that if one "take(s) almost any principle of civilization and their goal is the opposite" in referring to terrorists. He shouldn't need to keep saying this by now, but with idiots like this enjoying a massively disproportionate amount of influence in society, I guess he has to. He then warned about Iran/Hezbollah, saying that Shi'ite extremists are the flip side of the Sunni Islamist coin, with both amounting to essentially the same threat to Western civilization. The President firmly stated that we must defeat them by supporting Middle Eastern reformers build democratic societies, encouraging those who would prefer to be motivated by freedom, choice of conscience and hope rather than resentment for the sake of the United States' own security. This was followed by a list of the milestones realized thus far in the region, acknowledging that a change in strategy is needed to respond to more recent challenges, as John Kerry was seen half-heartedly clapping and most other Democrats were sitting on their hands in stoic silence.

On Iraq, he placed the onus of progress on the Iraqi government but pledged to help via a troop surge, saying that al-Qaeda wasn't driven out of Afghanistan to be allowed to set up shop in Iraq. When the President said that retreat is the enemy's objective, I was stunned to see Nancy Pelosi remain seated. Very disappointing.

Bush then appealed for unity, saying that as both parties were united in their assumptions and convictions at the outset of the war, they should be similarly united in giving the new strategy a chance to succeed.

Not likely, George.

The foreign policy section of the speech concluded with more words of warning to Iran, North Korea and a reiteration of the two-state solution policy as it concerns Israel and Palestine, followed by a recgonizance of the problems in Cuba, Belarus (huh?), Burma and Darfur. He also mentioned work that is being undertaken to alleviate AIDS and malaria in Africa, and the need for more free trade and debt relief as well as less corruption to lift up the Dark Continent.

Finally, the President pointed to NBA star Diekembe Motumbo in the gallery, referring to him as a "son of the Congo but a citizen of the United States of America", followed by plaudits for an entrepreneur, a man who saved another fellow from an oncoming train in Harlem, and a sargeant in the US armed forces.

Overall, I give the State of the Union speech a thumbs up because in my opinion, it showed the correct way forward for America. Matching the rhetoric with results is quite another story as the case could be made that State on the Union addresses are more symbolic than anything else, especially from Presidents facing a Congress held by the other party and who only have two years left in office.

That said, I still support this Commander-in-Chief, perhaps more quietly but essentially as strongly as I have since 9/11.

Video and text here, Democratic response here.

Tuesday digest

- While Hillary Clinton is coming strong out of the blocks in the race for the Democratic nomination, there are some who are questioning both her qualifications and how she's going to hold up to almost two years of scrutiny over the course of a primary and Presidential campaign. Her main competitor, Barack Obama, hasn't picked up any ringing endorsements from self-appointed civil rights leaders, in part because they don't seem to think he's paid the same dues as they did. (On that note, it's sad to see that segregation still exists in America's capital.)

- Tonight, President Bush will give a State of the Union address which is expected to stay away from his pet issue of democratization in favour of other topics like energy policy. This isn't surprising, given the lack of unity in Congress which continues to embolden the enemy despite positive developments as of late. It's certainly no time to quit as not only terrorists but also the Iraqi public are watching closely to see if defeatism will win the day or not.

- Speaking of W., What might have happened if Jeb rather than George was their father's successor in the White House?

- Russia is selling weaponry to Iran - just another reason why it is and always will be the G-7, not the G-8 (France notwithstanding).

- True to form, Marxist-Leninist Hugo Chavez has suspended Venezuela's constitution. Where's the outrage?

- Busybody municipal councillors all across Ontario are now occupying themselves with deliberations regarding laws to force toboganners to wear helmets.

Please. This is government paternalism at its silliest. Are we going to pay bylaw officers to stand on snow hills all across our cities and towns to ensure that 12-year olds out for an afternoon of fun are taking the proper steps to protect their precious little heads?

They should spending their time trying to figure out ways to hold the line on property taxes while ensuring that core services like snow removal are protected instead of worrying about silliness like this.

Monday digest

- During the Leafs-Penguins game on Saturday night from the Igloo in Pittsburgh, they played some great tunes during stoppages in play, including Donnie Iris' "Ah Leah", Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks", the Scorpions' "No One Like You", the Red Hot Chili Peppers' version of "Higher Ground", and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades".

I need to get myself a gig spinning tunes at sporting events.

- So now, Iran is barring international inspections of its nuclear facilities, however, post-Iraq, there are going to be some who tragically are going to demand nothing less than a second holocaust as proof of their existence before any meaningful action is taken. Meanwhile, a lot of controversy about the "Islamists nuke LA" storyline on 24 last week. Take a look at stories like this - I don't think it's that far-fetched a possibility, personally.

- Great article here by VDH on the impact a pullout of Iraq would have on the Democrats. Hawks like myself can take heart that the front-runner in the primary race for that party, Hillary Clinton, is much closer to individuals like this than she is to some of the radicals that have dominated her party in recent years.

- Hitchens comments on Steyn, here.

- More statistical sleight of hand has been used to push a feminist social agenda and bought wholesale and without criticism by most of the mainstream media.

- Why is everyone making a big deal over the fact that Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are the first two black coaches to face each other in the Super Bowl? Is it because we are to be surprised that African-Americans can reach the top of their profession or something, especially without help from white do-gooders? The more I hear about it, the more I'm reminded of the phrase "the soft bigotry of low expectations". These men should be applauded for reaching the pinnacle of their sport and the commentary should end there because talking about their skin colour condescends, patronizes and diminishes their accomplishments as individuals.

- Some scientists seem a little unsure of themselves on issue of global warming. This issue isn't settled by any means.

- I've said it before and I'll say it again: raising the minimum wage harms more than it helps.

- Finally, I am still having a hard time getting my head around the fact that Canadians have to rely on a New Democrat from Saskatchewan to call out the former policy chief of the Reform party and current Prime Minister on his naked determination to curry favour in Quebec by buying votes and screwing over everyone who, for the last fifteen years, thought his commitment to the concept of ten equal provinces - rather than special status for one - was unwavering.

Film Review: "Dreamgirls" (2006)

This musical is based on the rise and fall of Detroit trio the Supremes and takes place during a 15-year period beginning in the early to mid-1960s and ending as disco is all the rage in the US of A. It's a rags to riches and back again tale that has been done a million times before - the ego clashes, betrayal and estrangement that often accompanies fame, followed by the inevitable redemptory ending - but "Dreamgirls" treats its subject matter with the reverence it deserves as a part of American cultural history, shining most when newcomer Jennifer Hudson - who you'll swear is Aretha Franklin herself - more than holds her own in a poised and self-assured performance alongside heavweights Danny Glover, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.

I absolutely loved the first half of this movie as it showed the rise of Motown against the turbulence of the era, with eager and authentic performances from the cast, but I found that the second half suffered a bit under the weight of several musical numbers that were far too overblown for my liking. Why is it that musicals always have to cross the boundary between powerful and downright hokey? Shaving about 15 minutes off the flick by cutting some of the excess of the songs in the last hour would have brought this movie very close to a 10, but as it stands, I think "Dreamgirls" was very deserving of the Golden Globes it won this past week, as Hudson's performance in particular will blow you away, especially if, like me, you were a bit skeptical of her American Idol pedigree.

Definitely worthwhile.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

Film Review: "Babel" (2006)

"Babel" is far less about cultural and linguistic misunderstandings than it is a story about how people react to stressful events when placed in unfamiliar surroundings. Like "Traffic", "Crash" and "21 Grams" before it (the latter from "Babel"'s director), this film ties in four stories, each from far different backgrounds but all linked to the accidental shooting of an American tourist in Morocco, which either sets into effect, or in the case of the character from Tokyo, coincides, with much confusion and pain.

This is not an easy film to sit through as it demands your attention for the full 2 1/2 hours. Nor is it obvious - at times, the viewer may find him or herself perplexed as to where it's going. If you're looking for something with a neat and tidy, straightforward, linear narrative, this isn't for you, but on the other hand, it's a very cinematic (in the truest sense of the word) tale which, in the end, demonstrates that human beings do share commonality by examining the reaction of each of the characters to their own challenges, which are difficult, tragic, and at their core, utterly real.

Overall rating: 7.75/10

Book Review: "Modern Liberty and the Limits of Government" by Charles Fried (2006)

Harvard law prof and Reagan-era Solicitor General Charles Fried examines the definition of liberty by looking at it through the prism of three very close-to-home examples: Quebec's language laws, the Canadian health care system, and a campaign recently launched by the citizens of a small Vermont community to prevent Wal-mart from establishing itself there. Fried's premise is that the greatest enemy of liberty has always been some vision of the good, whatever that "good" may be. He also concludes that in many cases, particuarly the ones above, infringements on liberty (however mild) are usually borne of some quashing of the individual choices that men and women make to further their own well-being in favour of some ideal - which, in many cases, very practically diminishes the satisfaction of all who are chasing it.

Particulary devastating are his arguments which persuasively demonstrate that Quebec's Charter of the French Language equates to thought control, and also, his conclusion that forced participation in state-run health care is necessary because by eliminating alternatives, it is the only way the entire system could exist. He also deliciously concludes that those who would prevent their neighbours from shopping at Wal-Mart is the equivalent of dictating to other individuals what is best for them. The inescapable result is that one is left to ask if these laws, however well-intentioned they may be, are necessary - unless, that is, governments don't trust human beings in Western liberal democracies to make capable judgments for themselves.

"Modern Liberty" is a reminder that the state serves the citizenry, not the other way around, and this is a principle upon which lovers of freedom must always insist. It's also a reminder that the citizenry itself is made up of a collection of individuals, each with their own goals, tastes, preferences and thoughts. Not an easy read, and a little too high-minded for my tastes, but a good intellectual exercise all around that can be very satisfying at times.

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Saturday digest

- Another wrestler has passed away. Bam Bam Bigelow, pictured above laying into the One Man Gang as Andre the Giant looks on, was found dead in Florida yesterday. I remember seeing this guy at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium about twenty years ago, taking on Paul Roma. The way overmatched Roma tried to do a high-cross body on Bigelow, who simply caught him in mid-air and dropped him flat on his back for the three-count. My dad thought it was hilarious. As for my 13-year old self, I was pretty impressed.

- Charles Krauthammer makes a compelling argument that Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki doesn't really deserve an infusion of American troops, given his mutually beneficial relationship with radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr - notwithstanding the recent arrest of one of al-Sadr's cronies. Maliki better rein al-Sadr because with Sunni Saudi Arabia making noise about getting involved and Iran's continued interference despite its poor economy at home, the time for a made-in-Iraq solution is now.

- If Stephen Harper disproportionately favours Quebec rather than promoting fairness for all Canadians in the upcoming budget, I'm going to have to consider drastic measures: voting for Dalton McGuinty this fall.

Thursday digest

- Lots of hype about Obama lately. This article takes a clear-eyed look at what impact his candidacy may have on American politics.

- Every time I read no-nonsense articles about entitlements, I get concerned because there is absolutely no appetite for change on that issue despite how necessary it should obviously be.

- Unmet expectations in Iran bode well for those looking for a change in leadership there, while Robert Baer says the surge in Iraq will just delay the inevitable, albeit with (hopefully) far less bloodshed.

- Our so-called conservative government in Canada is about to further reward the most over-taxed, over-regulated and over-unionized place in North America with another billion dollars because, not coincidentally, it happens to be a have-not province (or is that nation?) under Canada's brand of fiscal federalism. Reportedly, while Quebec's share of the pot will jump by almost 20% over the approximately $5.5 billion it currently receives, none of the other have-not provinces in Canada will see an increase in their annual transfer payments.

Very disappointing for those who expected more from Harper.

DVD Review: "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" (2006)

This Canadian comedy is the story of two cops, one from Ontario and the other from Quebec, who have to work together to get to the bottom of a string of serial killings carried out by a disgruntled hockey fan. It's mildly amusing, I guess, but 90% of the "laughs" are supposed to come from the below-the-belt insults and disrespectful remarks that the characters hurl at each other all throughout for no good reason other than the fact that they speak English or French, as the case may be. There's also a lot of pointless, over-the-top swearing, which the viewer - I think - was supposed to find funny.

It doesn't take a lot of comedic talent to go for the cheap snicker based on mean, smart-alecky digs on top of exaggerated caricatures (turtleneck-wearing "squarehead", the chain-smoking, devil-may-care "Frenchie"), and there's nothing overly clever, subtle or sophisticated here, so if that's what you're looking for, adjust your expectations accordingly. There's promise, though - the scene which follows the grow-op bust is very good.

Here's hoping the sequel will be a little less silly.

Overall rating: 5/10

Wednesday digest

- Much is being made about Muhammed Ali's 65th birthday today, but lost in the celebrating of that milestone is one Susanna Hoffs, lead singer of The Bangles and pictured above, who turns 50 herself on this January 17. Like many hormonally-driven adolescents at the time, Ms. Hoffs occupied my thoughts quite a bit in 1986-1987, and for good reason, too, as you can plainly see.

- The head of Canada's public service, Maria Barrados, is puzzled because visible minorities just don't seem to be getting hired. Allow me the opportunity to point something out to Ms. Barrados and thereby save the good taxpayer the ignominy of having to pay for yet another unnecessary government study.

The major factor at play here is that generally speaking, Canadians who originate from countries like India, China, Pakistan and the Caribbean (not including Haiti) do not speak French, and the ridiculously onerous yet unwritten government requirement which pretty much necessitates that all new hires must speak the language at least at an intermediate level upon entry to the public service is a major barrier to not only vis mins but the vast majority of Canadians who aspire to serve their country through a career in government.

This shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

- Even though several Arab states are applauding the President's forward plan in Iraq, one has to wonder if there's any room left for idealism given recent events. Perhaps the Administration and their backers like me were a bit naive in thinking that there was a higher level of respect for human life in the Middle East than there is, but as we've seen even Canadian clerics echoing comments made on jihadist TV, it's certainly no time to quit the fight.

Album Review: The Wreckers - "Stand Still, Look Pretty" (2006)

Popster Michelle Branch introduces us to pal Jessica Harp and goes country on this enjoyable release from last year. Fans of artists like Keith Urban and Little Big Town who are looking for an alternative to the irritating, nasal tones of Natalie Maines will enjoy this album, which has a traditional Nashville sound with ever-so-slight traces of the California-esque harmonies that dominated AM radio in the '70s.

It's also a great record by which to stealthily introduce the richness of American country music to your dinner party guests.

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Tuesday digest

- Something smells a little fishy about the minimum wage increase just passed in the States (excluding American Samoa).

- This year's Economic Freedom index has just been released. See here.

- FInally, justice.

- What to make of this controversial survey in which almost two in three Quebeckers freely admitted to being at least slightly uncomfortable with people who are different then they are, compared with one in two in the rest of Canada? (See here.) Personally and anecdotally, I think that intolerance is generally more acceptable in Quebec (and particularly among francophones) than it is elsewhere in Canada - the "blueneck" phenomenon.

- Good to see that world opinion is starting to shift on Iran, but nonsense like this, from the "we're our own worst enemy" file, has got to be stopped.

- I'd like to thank the mysterious Good Samaritan who blew out my driveway yesterday, allowing me to enjoy both my new 2007 Michelin Road Atlas and my latest Amazon haul last night without 3/4 of a foot of snow hanging over my head.

- Finally, the list of potential inductees for the 2007 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony has been released. Without question, the Ultimate Warrior, Ted DiBiase, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, the Honky Tonk Man, Randy "Macho Man" Savage and the late "Ravishing" Rick Rude have all got to be first-ballot entries.

Monday digest

- Today we pay tribute to man who, through faith, was a tireless champion of the dignity of the individual.

Let us never forget his words from August 28, 1963: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".

- More on that blatantly dishonest (not to mention laughably facile) Toronto Star piece on poverty from this past weekend which I referred to briefly in Saturday's daily digest, here.

Is it any wonder that we are a nation of economic illiterates?

- I have to say that I don't feel a bit of enmity for Hillary Clinton, and in fact, I can think of quite a few people who would make far worse Presidents than her. Not only is she generally hawkish, but having her in office would be a massive middle finger to Islamists, who don't even let women drive - much less run for office.

- Have you ever wondered why European countries are a thorn in Israel's side? Here's a lengthy, yet informative answer.

- Take a look at how Australia doesn't pull punches when it comes to combatting terror.

Sunday digest

- Tonight, President Bush was interviewed on "60 Minutes". Say what you want about the guy, but at least he's principled, authentic, and accountable, which is more than one can say about a lot of politicians.

- Are you a lefty who's perplexed about whether or not to support the doctrinaire yet authoritarian Chavez regime in Venezuela? Then you owe it to yourself to read this.

- Here's a novel idea: referring Iran's Mahmoud Ahmedinejad to the International Criminal Court on charges of inciting genocide against Israelis.

- A positive move forward from across the pond: Sarko is one step closer to giving France a taste of the tough medicine it so desperately needs.

- Take a look at this chart, which compares GM and Toyota (I've provided some excerpts below).

U.S. Sales in 2005

GM: 4,454,386, down 4.3% from 2004
Toyota: 2,260,296, up 10.1% from 2004

U.S. Market Share

GM: 26.8%
Toyota: 13%

Profitability per Vehicle

GM: Loses $2,331 per vehicle
Toyota: Makes $1,488 per vehicle

Average Plant Capacity Utilization

GM: 85%
Toyota: 107% using overtime workers

Production Time per Vehicle

GM: 34.3 hours, 2.5% improvement since 2003
Toyota: 27.9 hours, 5.5% improvement since 2003

North American Workforce

GM: White collar: 36,000
Production: 106,000
Retirees: 460,000

Toyota: White collar: 17,000
Production: 21,000
Retirees: 1,600

Average Hourly Salary for Non-Skilled, Assembly Line Worker

GM: $31.35/hour
Toyota: $27/hour

Health Care Costs per Vehicle in 2004

GM: $1,525
Toyota: $201

Average Labor Cost per U.S. Hourly Worker

GM: $73.73
Toyota: $48

Speaking in the most general of terms, when per hour labour costs are a third higher than one's competition, it's no wonder that there's a difference in profitability per vehicle of nearly four thousand dollars. How much longer can GM be expected to keep losing money at that rate? I think the North American auto union leadership needs to consider these numbers because inflexibility on these and other workplace issues are clearly putting the employment of their membership at risk.

Saturday digest

- This is probably the most clear-eyed editorial I've read on Bush's forward strategy in Iraq, followed by a look at how, according to one observer at least, Iraqis are hoping that Bush's plan to defeat terrorists in Iraq doesn't become abandoned due to a loss of nerve. Caroline Glick looks at the implications for Israel, and are Republican presidential hopefuls Rudy and Newt telegraphing their intentions to work together by jointly calling for a massive public works program in Iraq?

- Is this what constitutes family values in the minds of California Democrats?

- This just in: discouraging integration and instead, encouraging immigrants to retain first loyalties to their country of origin rather than think of themselves as Canadian has created ghettoism and mistrust while undermining social cohesion. Typically, the Toronto Star's former op/ed page editor encourages visible minorities to go after their piece of Whitey's pie, but what to expect from a paper that, on their front page, cites self-described "class warrior", rioter, loiterer, vandal and all-around public nuisance John Clarke as a credible authority on the issue of poverty? He's so radical, even the Canadian Auto Workers' union de-funded his organization, but no matter to the social engineers at Canada's largest newspaper.

- Speaking of agendas, more commentary on Little Mosque on the Prairie, here, while this blogger looks at the show's website, where it is explained that whenever you hear someone describe themself as a libertarian, what it really means is that they're a bigot.

Well then, I suppose that settles it, doesn't it?

- Another example of the intimidation campaign being waged against those who dare to facilitate discussion of the threat of radical Islam.

- No doubt the fact that the federal government's decision to provide financial assistance and support to soften the effects of a Goodyear plant closure which cost 800 jobs has nothing to do with the fact that that facility is located in Quebec rather than, say, a place like Kitchener, Ontario, where a similar operation was closed in July, costing the community a total of 1100 jobs.

Certainly, the Conservatives wouldn't be giving more favours to the "nation" of Quebec than they would to other regions of the country hard hit by manufacturing losses, would they?!?

Album Review: "Army of Anyone" (2006)

I generally like supergroups - Coverdale/Page, Velvet Revolver, and the Dio-led Black Sabbath, to name a few - so when I heard that the vocalist from Filter was teaming up with the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Plilots, I was into it. Things became even more promising when I learned that the legendary Bob Ezrin was producing, he of Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper and KISS fame.

However, as good as this looked on paper, and as the light psychedelic touches of STP and angry yet restrained vocals of Patrick over top of grungy, left-over Iommi-esque riffs with a modern touch come together as you expect they would, quite frankly, it just doesn't work all that well in the end.

After listening to this album, you're ever-so-faintly satisfied along the same lines as you would be after inhaling of a big feed of Chinese takeout: you know you ate something, and it was all right going down, but your expectations are never quite met and you know you'll end up wolfing down the old familiar bowl of cereal within a couple of hours because sadly, things just didn't hit the spot.

Overall rating: 6/10

DVD Review: "An Inconvenient Truth" (2006)

This sophisticated 90-minute documentary features a relaxed and authentic Al Gore discussing climate change.

Coming into this, my own views on the issue are as follows. While I unconditionally accept that global warming is happening, I'm unsure why, and I'm certainly skeptical of claims that human activity is the main cause of it.

I remain so after viewing "An Inconvenient Truth" mostly because Gore doesn't convincingly demonstrate to me that the correlation between carbon dioxide emissions and an increase in the Earth's atmospheric temperature also equates to causation.

While Gore has certainly done his research, I also think that he makes a number of assertions which I consider to be a little dubious and prevents his case from being bulletproof, which I believe it needs to be on this, a most fundamental issue.

First, he says that the United States permits more carbon dioxide per capita than South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa combined. I'm not sold on that point.

Second, he leaves the viewer with the impression that no credible, peer-reviewed scientific research exists which denies that humankind is responsible for global warming. To that, I have two words: cow farts.

Thirdly, he states that China's automobile emission standards are higher than Americas. I'd have to see that for myself to believe it.

Fourth, he suggests that Toyota and Honda are capturing market share from GM and Ford because the Japanese automakers are more environmentalist in their orientation. (I think it might have more to do with issues like productivity, quality and especially ridiculous union contracts which help drive up the price of domestic vehicles, but I wouldn't expect a former Democratic nominee for President to mention that. Besides, you don't become a two-term Vice-President of the United States without knowing how to play the odd game, right?)

And finally, Gore also points out that every advanced nation save for the States and Oz have ratified Kyoto, which, while true, judges countries like India and China by their stated intentions rather than by actual measures taken to reduce pollution. He also didn't happen to mention that the administration in which he was the second in command didn't do a thing to ratify it.

All that said, it's nice to see a politician who isn't constrained by politics to speak frankly and from the heart about an issue without consideration for electoral gain. He also discusses how personal events in his life like the near-death of his son and his sister's battle with cancer caused him to pursue this issue with more vigour than he otherwise would have. If this was the Gore that America saw in 2000, things might be different.

"An Inconvenient Truth" makes for very interesting viewing and is certainly thoughtful without resorting to the sensationalistic.

Recommended for doubters and true believers alike.

Overall rating: 8/10

Thursday digest

- Here's an amazing story about a real survivor here in Ottawa. Think you've had a rough go of things? Not like this guy has, and he's still thankful and happy to be alive.

- McCain and Lieberman on the troop surge.

- A total of 14 members of the Carter Centre have resigned in protest over Jimmy Carter's book.

Ouch.

- As the Democrats move to tackle income inequality south of the border, here in Canada socialist NDP leader Jack Layton, whose national support usually varies between 11% and 17% of Canadians, is following their lead.

According to Layton, "(n)either Harper nor Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion 'understand the concerns of ordinary Canadians' ... '(T)hey don't get it. They don't understand what is on their minds'".

One then has to wonder why the ratio of the voting public who rejects the NDP is consistently greater than even the ratio of dentists who recommend Dentyne chewing gum (that's four out of five, if you've forgotten).

It couldn't be that ordinary Canadians just don't know what's best for themselves, could it, Jack?

- Add American flags on firefighters' lockers to the list of things the New York city government is trying to ban.

- Today's Daily Digest will conclude with a few observations culled from elsewhere in the blogosphere today.

First, Skeelo discusses the likelihood of Hockey Night in Canada moving to CTV next year and concludes that if that happens, the CBC will become utterly pointless.

Next, David over at the Parking Lot rightfully laments the decline in society's intellectual standards.

Finally, this blogger points us towards something that should have been said a long time ago, and that's this: Robin Williams = embarassingly unfunny.

Wednesday digest II

Gone is the George W. Bush of State of the Union Addresses past who would wink and smirk at friendly faces from the podium. Tonight, a chastened and humble President spoke for twenty minutes about the way forward in Iraq.

In short, and among other things, he said that Iraqi security forces are going to take over in November, the Iraq government is going to spend $10 billion of its own money on reconstruction over the next while, and that a bill will be passed by the Iraqi government to develop the oil industry for all Iraqis. At home, yet another bipartisan commission (that's three since 9/11 by my count) is going to be launched to offer advice to the President. Finally, although he pledged to implement a new military strategy primarily in Baghdad involving the embedding of 20,000-plus American troops alongside Iraqi forces in addition to the current cohort of soldiers stationed there, he placed the onus of progress squarely on Iraqi shoulders while making a by-now familiar case to the American people to support those who are fighting to establish a new Arab world.

As for the delivery itself? Unless you're into this stuff, you would have tuned out at about the seven-minute mark and started surfing to get the latest on Donald and Rosie because it was overly laden with military jargon. By the time he got back to speaking about principles rather than specifics, which I don't think the American public is much interested in, he had also uttered the words "American defeat", which is the first time I've ever heard W. even consider the possibility in such clear language. Very telling.

Certainly not his best speech ever, and far from reassuring, but I don't think it could it have been, under the circumstances.

Episode Review: "Little Mosque on the Prairie"

In the first installment of this new CBC sitcom, pretty much every non-Muslim is portrayed as an ignorant, knuckle-dragging buffoon to varying degrees.

Is anyone surprised?

If the multi-million dollar marketing campaign you're funding as a Canadian taxpayer hasn't clued you in already, the premise of the show is as follows: a burgeoning faith community of Muslims is trying to establish themselves in their white-bred, hillbilly Saskatchewan surroundings, and so they invite a young, idealistic ex-lawyer from Toronto who has decided to quit his job and become an imam to come and help.

My suspicions about the trite and sanctimonious dreck that I expected were confirmed before within the first two minutes, as a blue-collar, ham-n-egg eatin' feller with crooked teeth stumbles upon the group of Muslims worshipping in a rented church basement runs away, spooked, and immediately calls the "terrorist hotline".

Roll the credits.

Then, following the scene linked to above which is a clip of the imam boarding a plane and innocently dropping words like "suicide", "planning this for months", "Allah" and "bomb" during a cellphone conversation, the heavy-handed authorities turn into power-tripping bullies as they question the imam about his time spent in Egypt taking Islamic studies and his year he was in Afghanistan working at a charity camp.

(Those cruel police officers - what must they have been thinking?!?)

Later, the poor imam, frustrated at his new surroundings, finds himself unfairly placed on hold as he tries to buy a single one-way ticket out of town, back to the liberal and tolerant big city. It just so happens that he's a twenty-something male with an Arabic name travelling alone, so I think we're supposed to feel for him.

Even the mayor of the town, which is conveniently named Mercy, cracks a few "jokes" about terrorists. How embarrassing.

In fairness, some of the rhetorical flourishes of hardline Muslims were lampooned, but as we saw last year during the Danish cartoon controversy, there are far safer targets, aren't there?

What it all boils down to is something patronizing, predictable, and utterly pathetic, and totally not worth your time. Go read a book instead.

Overall rating: 2/10

Wednesday digest

- A successful strike against al-Qaeda outposts in Somalia precedes President Bush's crucial speech tonight in which he is expected to call for a troop increase to quell the terrorist insurgency before exclusive responsibility for security is handed over to the Iraqi government. I have believed this is the right strategy for some time now, but will reserve further comment until after I watch the speech myself tonight.

- A lot of class warfare-style rhetoric being heard in the new Congress thus far. Here's a piece worth reading concerning the sloppiness of much conventional wisdom regarding increases to the minumum wage, an idea that makes people feel good but is ultimately harmful to those it is intended to help.

By the same token, a lot of knee-jerk reaction these days to the corporate bonuses being paid out to executives across America. A very, very good article right here argues against tax increases aimed at narrowing that income gap. The author makes and expands on the following three points:

1. Tax hikes hurt the economy;
2. Higher rates are ineffective in producing higher revenues, and encourage both laziness and sleazy strategies of tax avoidance; and
3. High tax rates are wrong and unfair – and only lead to the growth of government.

It's clear that even middle-class working stiffs like me ought to be in favour of keeping tax rates relatively low. (Although it's written through an American lens, the same lessons can apply to Canada.)

Despite common perceptions, those who are against tax and minimum wage increases aren't necessarily selfish and greedy "I'm alright, Jack"-types.

Now if only a frank discussion could be had on entitlements.

- Regardless of your views on global warming and the role that human-driven activity does or does not play on that issue, there's no arguing the following (original article here):

Even if one were one to agree that the scientific case for potentially catastrophic man-made climate change was closed, which it is not, there would still be three unavoidable facts about the pretensions of climate policy. Each of these facts is assiduously avoided by fans of draconian action. The first is that Canada could not meet its obligations under the Kyoto Accord without decimating the economy. The second is that if it were to achieve this suicidal goal, the impact on global climate would be zero. Finally, even if all the signatories to Kyoto were to meet their targets (which they won't), the impact on global temperatures would be minimal. Kyoto was just one draconian step towards a much more draconian future.

- Here's a novel idea - what about China as Africa's saviour?

- True to socialist form, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is muzzling dissent in ways that even the most deluded critics of the Bush administration could only imagine. Also can't wait for the next meeting of the Marx Brothers comedy troupe, millenium edition.

- I didn't catch the premiere of much-ballyhooed CBC comedy "Little Mosque on the Prairie" last night because Mrs. H and I were at Scotiabank Place watching the Ottawa Senators sleepwalk through two periods only to erupt for five unanswered goals in the third period on the way to a 5-2 win over divisional rivals Boston. However, I suspect that the bulk of the laughs come at the expense of hard working, patriotic, play-by-the-rules rural folks, who, although a little simplistic in their worldview, are the type of people who built this country by the sweat of their brow.

I also somehow doubt that issues like this will ever get touched on over the course of the series, nor do I think any Jewish characters will appear. Now THAT would be pushing the envelope - wouldn't it? - but I suppose real controversy rather than poking fun at caricatures of "rednecks" from Calgitoba certainly wouldn't be something that Canada's publicly-funded broadcaster would dare touch.

One viewer's review, here.

Monday digest

- Can you believe the guy who screwed this play up on Thursday night was a first overall pick in the NHL?!?

- I think a lot of the fuss over Barack Obama is hype. Nominating him would be waaaay too premature, given his lack of demonstrated political acumen on crucial issues like this and even if Hillary, like her co-front runner McCain, is seriously flawed. On the Republican side, a big part of me is thinking that dark horse candidate Newt Gingrich may surprise some people, especially given that Congress is now led by individuals who measure success by good intentions rather than real-world results.

- Here's a good look at how hip-hop culture contributes to the glorification of violence in urban communities.

- This Kennedy-penned article suggests that Venezuelan oil wealth can be put to good use by poor New Yorkers warm at night, despite the anti-American rhetoric of the Chavez regime. And why isn't there any drilling going on in Alaska again?

- Yikes - more than ever, it's time to pay off the credit card!

DVD Review: "Snakes on a Plane" (2007)

Can't say I really enjoyed this horror/thriller/action flick too much. It is what it is, and more than enough ink has already been spilled on this overhyped B-movie that would have been more respectable had it been released during the era in which it truly belonged (which happens to be no later than the early 1980s), so I'll just end things on that note.

Overall rating: 3.25/10

Saturday digest

- Here's a picture of a traffic jam in southern China (original article here).

- This rant demonstrates that the rush to reduce inequality (read: promote equality of result rather than equality of opportunity) inevitably results in a growth in the size of government in the short term and a sense of complacency in the long term, both of which are not good things. Here's another sober look, with discussions of how that goal is linked to America's public education system here and social safety net spending here.

- Feeling all kinds of doom and gloom these days? This look backwards shows that things are actually going pretty well in a number of important respects, at least as compared with the 1970s (and it's no wonder, given how disastrous that decade was from a public policy point of view).

- The spectre of Ariel Sharon will loom large over Israeli politics for quite some time, as this article points out.

- Have a look at this difficult description of ethno-cultural trends in America's big cities. After reading it, I'm not sure if "E pluribus unum" is more than a mere slogan.

DVD Review: "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006)

Every now and again, a moment occurs in my life where I say a silent prayer to God and give thanks for having been born a man.

Watching this film was one such moment.

Overall rating: 6/10

Friday mini-digest

- All the mindless Tory Kool-Aid drinkers are jumping up and down about the defection of Mississauga MP Wajid Khan. While I think it's disgraceful that new Liberal leader Stephane Dion has put blind partisanship above collegiality, everyone needs to remember that Khan was the Ontario campaign chair for one Joe Volpe as recently as six weeks ago, to say nothing of the stink of floor-crossing in general. I think that those who find they have more in common with a party other than the one they are currently with should first sit as an Independent and then run for the nomination of the new party in the next election. To do otherwise reeks of cynicism and turns people off of the political process in general.

- This blogger does an excellent job paraphrasing an Economist article about how "fair trade" food products actually keep people like coffee farmers poor because the subsidy undermines any incentive to both change crops and reduce the oversupply of product in the marketplace (original here.) Do yourself a favour and read it.

Book Review: "The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall" by Ian Bremmer (2006)

In "The J Curve", political risk consultant Ian Bremmer discusses the upheaval that occurs as countries lurch toward or regress away from democratization. His thesis is that states can be plotted along a vertical axis of stability and a horizontal axis of openness, and a curve resembling the letter J will result. In other words, in the short term, democratization requires risking stability for openness before countries can reach an equilibrium where both principles not only co-exist but are mutually reinforcing, and as Bremmer details, some countries are better at negotiating the impasse than others.

Examples he uses to illustrate the far left side of the curve are places like North Korea and Cuba (which are relatively stable yet extremely closed), in contrast with other experiences like those in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Russia which exhibit slightly more liberal traits but are still negotiating the way forward as they slide down the curve towards instability at present. Then, in a chapter titled "The Depths of the J Curve", he compares South Africa's shift away from apartheid with the chaos of the former Yugoslavia after the fall of Communism, and then looks at countries which have faced numerous obstacles over their history but for all intents and purposes are on the right side of the curve - Turkey, Israel and India. Finally, he examines China's chances of shifting from the left side to the right side while avoiding the bottom end of the curve altogether.

This is a readable and general yet thoroughly researched and eye-opening explanation of how states develop. Rather than just taking a simple theory and making a book out of what would otherwise suffice as a journal article in Foreign Affairs or what have you, Bremmer also makes some excellent arguments about other issues in global affairs such as the ineffectiveness of sanctions, economic "shock therapy" as practiced in the post-Soviet republics and South America, and the impact of personality, among other things, to compliment the observations he makes about the forward path towards political modernization.

I would strongly recommend picking this one up. It's an excellent 250-page primer on the many changes going on in the world today and it provides a clear lens through which to see the future.

Overall rating: 9.5/10

Thursday digest

- In a twist on the ol' saying "you play with the bull, you get the horn", Cindy Sheehan's mouthing off caused a Democratic press conference to be interrupted and moved to another location on Capitol Hill yesterday.

That's what you get for courting nutters like her.

- Speaking of the congressional majority party, what was this Clintonista trying to hide and why aren't we hearing more about it?

- Still can't say I'm totally sold on John McCain.

- In a very informative article, George Will looks at the impending increase in America's minimum wage rate. The data he cites shows that not only is it unnecessary but it will have a positive effect on unemployment, particularly for youth as it makes it a) more costly for employers to to hire them and b) more attractive for those already employed to drop out of school:

Most of the working poor earn more than the minimum wage, and most of the 0.6 percent (479,000 in 2005) of America's wage workers earning the minimum wage are not poor. Only one in five workers earning the federal minimum live in families with household earnings below the poverty line. Sixty percent work part-time and their average household income is well over $40,000. (The average and median household incomes are $63,344 and $46,326 respectively.)

Forty percent of American workers are salaried. Of the 75.6 million paid by the hour, 1.9 million earn the federal minimum or less, and of these, more than half are under 25 and more than a quarter are between 16 and 19. Many are students or other part-time workers. Sixty percent of those earning the federal minimum or less work in restaurants and bars and are earning tips - often untaxed, perhaps - in addition to their wages. Two-thirds of those earning the federal minimum today will, a year from now, have been promoted and be earning 10 percent more. Raising the minimum wage predictably makes work more attractive relative to school for some teenagers, and raises the dropout rate. Two scholars report that in states that allow persons to leave school before 18, a 10 percent increase in the state minimum wage caused teenage school enrollment to drop 2 percent.

- Finally, it seems that there are two sets of laws in Canada when it comes to public smoking bylaws; one for Aboriginals and one for everyone else.

And what is our so-called Conservative government doing about it?

Nothing.

Wednesday digest

- I fully agree with the sentiment that while one can be against capital punishment, no vigils should be held for Saddam. Also, with the relatively new Prime Minister of Iraq wanting to quit his job already, it's clear that a troop surge is absolutely necessary to stem the violence there.

- With this court ruling, Pandora's box is now officially open. Hey, as long as everybody loves each other, right?

- Voters have named Queen as Britain's greatest rock band of all time in a recent poll, edging out the Beatles, Stones, Take That and Oasis.

Huh?

I can understand Queen, the Beatles and the Stones appearing in the top 5, but Take That and Oasis? What about titans of rock Sabbath and Zeppelin, not to mention lesser greats like Purple and Priest?

- Couldn't help but notice three omissions from Stevie Y's list of great Detroit Red Wings that he's played with as mentioned during his retirement speech last night at the Joe: Chelios, Hull and Hasek.