In 1941, the BBC adopted the 5th symphony’s introduction as the theme introducing all of it’s WWII broadcasts. Why? The opening of the symphony, “bum bum bum BUM” equated to the letter V in Morse Code (dot dot dot dash) which was Winston Churchill’s silent sign to win the war. The symphony became known as the “Victory Symphony”.

I must confess that I have never put much faith in conspiracy theories. I never gave a second thought that Trump was an agent of the Russians, or that the Russians had a major impact on any U.S. election. The idea that a hacker in Bolivia or Mongolia tapped into our voting machines and robbed Hillary of the Presidency was silly from the get-go. Sorry, I never put credence in the theory that the FBI paid Jack Ruby to kill Oswald and no, the moon landing happened. Why? Well, some theories are just too silly to begin with but the one sure way to tell if the theory is plausible is by looking at who supports them. I could name numerous television talk show hosts who have managed to broadcast their ignorance with great relish, along with icons from Hollywood and of course, the world of politics.

Recently however, I have begun to think there might just be an international conspiracy afoot as I am reluctant to believe that so many national leaders can possibly be as stupid as they appear. When a nation like the U.S goes from energy independence to energy shortage due to an almost mystical belief in imperfect and immature alternative energy sources in just one year, and is supported by national leaders around the world, theat is something to support a conspiracy theory.

Think of it; Germany closes it nuclear power plants, spends tens of billions on solar energy in a country where the sun does not shine for many months of the year. When the German economy is threatened by the cut off from Russian energy, the Canadian Prime Minister turns down an opportunity to sell its energy and continues to create debt at a record pace. Meanwhile Sri Lanka has food shortages and riots in the street due in large part to a “green” agenda while at the same time in Canada and the Netherlands the governments are demanding farmers use less fertilizer which is heavily dependent on fossil fuels in production. The result will be higher food costs, less production and food shortages from countries that are major contributors of food to third world nations.

Can national leaders be so ignorant of the results of their policies? Are they that detached from the lives of those they claim to represent? Are they all part of a global coven or are they just that stupid? It is scary as the worse science fiction scenarios I read when I was young seem to be happening right before my eyes.

The attached article by Eric Nuttall lays out a solid argument for a change in Canadian energy policy which of course, shall be ignored. But, more importantly, it highlights the very real advantages to average Canadians by such a change, one that is certainly no different than the advantages in any other fossil fuel producer country. Plentiful, cheap energy is the life blood of economic growth and nations which deliberately ignore that idea do so at their own peril and to the detriment of other nations and peoples.

https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/oil-gas/eric-nuttall-canada-give-world-more-natural-gas

The attached article by Mr. Lomberg raises a key question: in a society based on competition and the freedom of consumers to find products that best fit their needs, why does the government mandate you accept a product they prefer? What exactly is the benefit to the consumer? Is it:

• Less costly
• More efficient
• Provide better service/value

If the mandated product does not address the points above, then what is the rational for the mandate? It should raise significant questions for when the last time was the government mandated a product which altered the consumers buying pattern. The one example that comes to mind is the Affordable Care Act which among other things, promised that it would be less expensive and that you could keep your old doctor. How did that work out?

Bjorn Lomborg has excellent environmental credentials, and he often suggests options which are not only less expensive to all parties, but less traumatic. I hope you enjoy his article.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/policies-pushing-electric-vehicles-show-why-few-people-want-one-cars-clean-energy-gasoline-emissions-co2-carbon-electricity-11662746452

California is politically, a one-party state. Those who belong to that party decide when to enforce a law or ignore it and anyone who questions their right to function as they do must be “corrected.” This leads to, as Pierre Manent calls it, “the fanaticism of the center;” a fanaticism which seeks to eliminate those who resist their power and position.

In pursuit of solidifying the one-party control, the California legislature has taken upon itself the authority to dictate to businesses the pay of the employees for fast food workers, the transition from cheap, reliable power to inefficient and expensive power and most recently, has decided not only to eliminate the free speech of doctor’s but has also become the final arbiter of medical science.  Under Assembly Bill 2098, all information provided by doctors regarding Covid-19 can be reviewed for misinformation or disinformation. Statements, writings, interviews will be subject to review the states medical board. This means that a statement by a doctor contrary to or perhaps not enough in favor of the “consensus” medical opinion will be a basis for review. Who exactly, will determine the “consensus” on any given day and how will it be disseminated? Will doctors received tweets or emails with the latest “consensus”? Will each new “consensus” be read out at the beginning of the new day, and will intra-day updates be provided?

This new law which is sitting on the Governor’s desk comes after the confusing and contradictory statements from the NIH, CDC, Dr. Fauci and President Biden. How exactly can any doctor keep track of the “truth of the day” when agencies and “experts” are often at odds with one another as they practice during a time of great stress, ignorance, and misinformation from those at the very top of the power pyramid?

The attached article by James Breslo provides more information on the proposed “Ministry of Truth” in California. Then, be sure to only speak in whispers with your doctor as someone may hear the two of you and turn in your doctor.

https://thescotfree.com/opinion/californias-legislature-votes-to-ban-all-covid-19-vaccine-dissent-by-doctors/

Here is the good news:  Canada is increasing its military budget in an attempt to reach the NATO target of 2%. Here is the sad news: the increase will only increase the spending to 1.59% from its current 1.36%.

While the increase does not sound like much, Canada is making a major change in its uniforms which have seen minor change since 1945. Why is this important? Because as several NATO members have stated, Canada is several years ahead of other nations in this area. How have they managed to move ahead of the U.S., the U.K., and all the other NATO nations? By liberalizing the dress codes to allow cross gender dressing, earrings, nose rings, green hair (if it does not conflict with the camouflage uniforms, and more (much, much more). It is wonderful to see Canada step up and assume its rightful place of leadership with these important improvements.

I am confident that when a Canadian color guard is on display at some international conference, the attendees will appreciate the wonders of diversity and individuality. Lucky the officer who will command that unit.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/first-reading-get-ready-for-green-haired-soldiers-inside-the-militarys-new-dress-code/ar-AAZjuCm

Pity the small business owner in Great Britain! Imagine their feelings of trepidation as they are ready to renew their three-year energy contract with their local provider. They know the price of energy has been going up and the last contract was a just bearable $31,000 but the new contract has finally arrived. They open it and there must be a misprint! $135,000! (NYT, 9/3/2022, B1) No, it is not a misprint, it is the result of years of just in time energy deliveries (not enough storage), the war in the Ukraine and most importantly, two decades of green energy policies which has cut into the North Sea oil fields and stopped fracking.

Unfortunately, the above story is all too common in Great Britain today. Energy bills are going up 80% for homeowners and the new Prime Minister has moved quickly to put a cap on these increases for the next two years. The cost? About $115.35 billion or 4% of annual economic output. Given that the government debt is already at 95.5% of annual economic output, such subsidies will cause higher inflation for years to come. All this while estimates are that 100,000 businesses could close due to high energy prices. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of workers in transportation, trash services and energy have walked off their jobs to protest the excessive cost of energy and the resulting inflation.

Not the best of time to be the new Prime Minister! Fortunately, she has acted quickly and has eliminated the band on fracking and hopes are that it will pay off as soon as March 2023 which will help. Some people do learn and are willing to lead from the front.

The world is facing a crisis in its climate policies. The U.S. has gone from energy independence and being an exporter of fossil fuels to being an importer; will our leadership continue to ignore reality as Janet Yellen has (see link below) or will some adults appear and take the children in hand? The time for daydreaming and wistful ideals is over.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/janet-yellens-fantasy-economy-biden-administration-inflation-wages-dearborn-michigan-11662674409?mod=opinion_lead_pos1

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-coming-global-crisis-of-climate-policy-europe-germany-energy-prices-bankruptcy-winter-subsidies-borrowing-green-nuclear-11662651070?mod=opinion_featst_pos3

The riots and political upheaval in Sri Lanka demonstrate that food and energy are the basic building blocks of a modern society. Political leaders who temper with them in the name of “going green” or other “enlightened” ideals are putting their nation at risk as they increase energy costs, decrease the food supply, and disrupt the equilibrium in society that is the result of many years of growth and compromise. Humanity has seen this type of upheaval before, during the “famine” years of the Soviet Union when Stalin imposed collectivization as well as the Cultural Revolution inspired by Mao. In fact, it is difficult if not impossible to find any radical restructuring of society in human history that has produced a better society. It is an unfortunate truth that those type of disruptions come had a high cost of human suffering and pain.

Why then is humanity still plagued by “enlightened” groups who believe they have found a faster, surer path to nirvana? Their blind faith in their righteousness and lack of historical perspective seems to be a never-ending curse on humanity.

Check the link below for a short overview of the disaster in Sri Lanka and what we can learn from it.

https://www.dailyindependent.com/opinion/john-stossel-going-hungry/article_d07aa7b6-2ede-11ed-b130-13c01a03210c.html

The prime function of a military is to be prepared to inflict and sustain violence. Other functions include socializing an individual into a given society, creating a sense of order and discipline in the individual and creating a bond which will, when needed, allow the individual to take an action that is more important than the narrow self-interest of that individual. We see this in what we call “heroic actions” or acts of “bravery.” It is reinforced through group recognition and the awarding of medals and citations. To achieve its goals, the military must constantly be involved in training which will not only help to achieve those goals but will also enhance the individuals’ chances of survival if there is a call to violence.

Anything during an individuals’ time in the military which lessens or diminishes either the period of training, or which hinders the creation of the military bond is a distraction which could put the individual and the group in greater danger due to the loosening of that bonding process or the missed training.

The link below looks at the rise of Wokeness and its cost in the military. What exactly is the upside to such a program and what sort of measurement if any, is being used to judge its impact? For generations, the U.S. military was seen by most as an equal opportunity operation. Not always, not perfectly, but its mindset like society’s and like the weapons it employs has been in a constant state of evolution. Does the ideology of Wokeness enhance or subvert that natural evolution and distract from the primary functions of the military? The margin for error in the military is small and can easily be a mater of life and death. Is it correct to experiment with an organization on which the fundamental security of the nation depends? Read the article which may help you decide.

It has been said that the parable of the three sieves by Socrates is but a myth, but be that it may, it is still worth repeating: 

One day, when Socrates had just left the place where he used to interact with young people about their way of conceiving life, he met a man he knew who told him, in a confidential tone:

Listen, Socrates, there is among your listeners a disreputable young man, unworthy of your trust. When I tell you what he’s doing, I think you’ll ban him from your group.

I am ready to listen to you, replied Socrates, and to take the necessary measures. But let me first look closely at what you are about to tell me. Have you passed your words through the three sieves?

The three sieves, questioned the man, what is it?

The first is the sieve of Truth. Are you sure that what you are going to tell me is true? Have you heard it yourself or watched with your own eyes?

To tell the truth, said the man, after a moment of hesitation, I just overheard it.

The test of the first sieve is not successful, says Socrates. Let’s examine the second: the sieve of Goodness. Will you tell me something good or positive about this man?

On the contrary, said the other, I was going to say bad things about him.

Your words do not pass the second sieve, says Socrates. Let’s use the last sieve. Is it necessary to tell me what you’re so excited about?

No not necessary, the man says.

Well, Socrates says with a smile, if the story you’re about to tell me isn’t true, good or necessary, just forget it and don’t bother me with it.

There are voices in the land forecasting a new American Civil War; I disagree. I do believe however, that we have unknowingly been in a revolution for a few decades. It is a revolution from the radical Left which has sought to alter many of the fundamental institutions and beliefs which has driven our nation. Attacks on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, Electoral College, the police, and others has served to split our Republic into a variety of warring tribes. Add to this the attack on the rights of parents from the medical and educational establishments and the flaunting of basic biological facts have driven many on the center and right to demand a counter revolution.

The failures of highly touted and well-funded governmental agencies during the recent pandemic have shown that they have lost sight of their primary responsibilities; working to protect the public from the exact type of challenge offered by Covid. Where have they gone wrong and how do they regain any degree of legitimacy in the eyes of those not aligned with the radical Left? The attached article suggests that those charged with specific duties have gone astray and need to be brought back to center

https://www.dailysignal.com/wp-content/uploads/220823_Fauci-1260×650.jpg