You either believe in you or you believe in the state caring for your needs. You believe in contributing to your own good health or waste your health and expect your government to pick up the tab for your maladies. You believe you can support your children’s growth or you believe that it’s the state’s responsibility. You believe in a free market with responsible regulation or you believe that your government should dictate how and from whom you should purchase goods and services. You expect that your country should pay its bills or you believe that that perpetual increases in debt and deficits have no consequences. You believe that natural resources should be harvested responsibly or you believe that a service oriented economy will in and of itself will be sufficient to provide for the quality of life that you expect. You believe that leaders should be held responsible for corrupt behavior, or not. You believe that the welfare of your neighbor’s children is their responsibility or you believe that your income taxes paid should subsidize them. You believe in lower taxes with governments strictly burdened with administering services specific to the public good such as roads, the rule of law, public education, disease prevention, and reasonable regulation as opposed to higher taxes attributing resources toward the financing of special interest groups such as artists, industry, or hockey players. You condone wasteful government spending or you do not.
Mike MacKenzie Band Covers Led Zeppelin
My best ten bucks ever spent was last night for a ticket to a cover of Led Zeppelin II at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino. The Mike Mackenzie Band paid tribute with select pieces recorded 50 years ago in addition to this album which most likely launched Zeppelin into super stardom. The huge take away from the evening was the affirmation that there are superb musicians amongst us today that are undiscovered and perhaps even under appreciated. MacKenzie’s vocals are stellar. He played lead while absolutely matching the high pitch of Robert Plant. The acoustics of the venue were good in spite of encountering subtle feedback from keyboards. Mackenzie turned to an old faithful he’s performed with past projects, The Rover from Physical Graffiti. Other standouts included Ramble On and Killing Floor. Killing Floor was one of those 1969 releases which showcased the talent of John Paul Jones on bass. The bass player last night can easily be excused for any misses given the complexity. What Mackenzie may be missing in soloing prowess, he makes up for with versatility and chord voicings.
A standout in the set’s second half was “No Quarter”. I just love the keyboard intro and the subtlety of this song. It takes good unrushed time in order to pull this one off and apparently the keys player is new to this Mackenzie ensemble.
Notable omissions were “Kashmir”, “Dazed and Confused”, and “Since I’ve Been Loving You”.
The merchandise sales lady referenced a formal jazz education by Mackenzie right here at Mount Royal College here in Calgary. The man has stage presence and puts the audience at ease with his charisma. With Bonham’s death, Page and Plant espoused that nobody could take the place of the legendary drummer. Well, the rhythm section last night was great support and in fact such confidence was bestowed the drummer that he performed his own solo. The rhythm guitarist pitched in admirably with adept acoustic pieces.
Twenty Election Ideas – None including Giving Our Money Away
- Eliminate public funding to First Nations reserves.
- Prosecute corrupt political activity
- Ensure all Canadians are treated equally. Taxed equally. Served by justice system equally.
- Evaluation of federal transfers to municipalities deemed irresponsible in their spending.
- Suspension of defined benefit pension program for public servants
- Increased law enforcement measures for online cyber crime and telephone extortion
- Increased fines for distracted driving and tinted front seat windows
- Expedited processing of natural resource development initiatives with potential amendment to Constitution in context of interprovincial trade related barriers.
- Improved civil curriculum for those acquiring citizenship with restored approach to “multiculturalism and pluralism”
- Regulated service minimums for taxpayers requiring CRA access.
- Reduced taxes for first income tax bracket to start.
- Beefed up protections for whistleblowers who address corruption and public spending leaks
- Common sense reduction of tax complexity
- Modest user fees for doctor visits
- Actual enforcement of criminal sentences with new facilities if required
- Home schooling support for parents inclined. Testing and curriculum.
- Year over year deficit reductions with goal of tackling the debt.
- Elimination of “Canada Child Benefit” and restoration of “child non-refundable tax credits”.
- Evaluation of administrative pay to public health care professionals and efficiency of public health care system.
- Cross the board budget reductions.
Vote Buying In Face of Corrupt Leadership
That’s Trudeau folks. Our Prime Minister is as corrupt (SNC Lavalin – evidence is clear) as Donald Trump (election interference – evidence is clear). Your first world ideals are under attack by ambivalent weak leadership, right now. Your only hope in a democracy is your vote. You stand for the ideals of individual autonomy or socialism. You stand for pay based on merit or income redistribution. You stand for reduced taxes or increased taxes. You stand for strong law enforcement or weak law enforcement. You stand for fiscal prudence or deficits and debt. You stand for limited government or an overbearing one. You condone corrupt activity with your vote or you do not. If you believe in you, vote conservative. If you’re compelled to turn to the state for your needs, vote otherwise.
Perturbations Arising From Technology
It’s happening. Behavioral patterns are being negatively impacted by technology and perturbations are arising. The full deployment of Artificial Intelligence is rapidly approaching and there is relatively little push back in the context of understanding consequences. Few have read any study regarding the impact technology will have on relationships as we delve mercilessly into the AI age. Decorum, etiquette, empathetic response, expressions of subtlety and anxiety are all variables of communication which possess linear paths to a non-digital centre of human sentient which no computer should be expected to calculate. Yet, objectives will be programmed mechanically in a stale environment free from considerations of nuance. The machine will be granted credit instead of crafty hands gifted in experience. Time made available to under employed workers non-resilient to economic change will choose causes detrimental to the health of humankind. The moral compass will be eroded with citizens’ sense of power through work and contribution eroded.
As we speak, legislators have proven to be indifferent to mass murder. The suicide rate in the U.S. has increased 24 percent from 1999 to 2014. Metro cultural zeal has waned in place of commercial real estate interests. Inner cities are being routed in favor of profitable single family dwellings in suburbia where few know their neighbors. Police departments regularly turn a blind eye to civic infractions. The western hemisphere now also identifies matters of corruption specifically. Intransigence between special interests and the common good is alarming. Personal insults by politicians are apparently deemed positive for the campaign trail. Tailgating is now epidemic with zero appetite for enforcement. Drivers spurn distracted driving laws with tinted windows all around. Bullied kids still have no advocate to affect justice. Hockey parents lose their mind over a bad call. Politicians grant subsidies to millionaire athletes and billionaire owners in lieu of a populous apparently charmed by idolatry instead of their own creative pursuit.
I remember Canada differently than the aforementioned prior to the new millennium. I contend that the evolution and deployment of technology in our lives without the capacity of the person to restrict its usefulness is one variable among others which have contributed to civic decline. Oh yes….I did not use “Grammarly” to write this piece. In fact, I’ve come to learn through my relationships that kids are now no longer taught how to hand write in school.