Just reset the theme of this site to the standard WP one since I did such a hatchet job on the old HHD one in pink. Need to come back and fix this.
BTW, damn Facebook takes away all of the fun of blogging and having a bad attitude. 
Still trying to figure that one out.
The New York Times reports that Ikea is putting a hold on all new investment in the country as a result of ongoing problems with corruption.
Unfortunately, the Russians are probably too fucking stupid to understand why this is important. Keep waving and smiling on the decks of the Titanic. Dasvedanya !
Seems the Canadian government decided to finally address some of the issues that have a created a tragedy of the commons dynamic around Canadian citizenship. In an op-ed piece from last week in the Globe and Mail,
The writer, Natalie Brender, reports that,
“On April 17, a new law comes into effect changing the rules of citizenship. From that date on, when foreign-born Canadians have children born abroad, those children cannot inherit Canadian citizenship. Under the current rules, such children do receive citizenship and can retain it as adults – even if they’ve never stepped foot in this country – by showing knowledge of Canada and ability to speak English or French.
The new law stems from the 2006 removal of 15,000 Canadian citizens from war in Lebanon, many of whom subsequently returned there. At the time, Stephen Harper’s government condemned so-called citizens of convenience who use citizenship as insurance against turmoil in their home countries. The new law ensures that only one generation of emigrant Canadians will gain such “conveniences” in the future.
It seems this is not the only citizenship reform afoot. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has recently made comments suggesting that further steps be taken to make citizenship more difficult to obtain.
At an event in Alberta last month, Mr. Kenney was asked about “birth tourists,” who come to have their children in Canada so they can acquire citizenship. He said his department is considering how to prevent such people from abusing our generosity. He mentioned the estimated quarter of a million Canadian citizens living in Hong Kong and the 50,000 or more in Lebanon – and the current right of these citizens’ great-grandchildren to become Canadian citizens – as further evidence of abuse. In another recent speech, Mr. Kenney suggested there be tighter enforcement of the existing rule that immigrants be able to speak an official language before being granted citizenship.”
Who can argue with that?
Here at HHD, we are in favour of immigration, just not immigration in bad faith.
’nuff said.
Sitting down for some pizza. Going to watch some hockey. Maybe watch some Ulysses on Jaman and rank up on Call of Duty. Throw in some income tax returns and whipping freeto.be in to shape and you have yourself a weekend. ’nuff said.
On the topic of Russia, the NY Times reports, “The United Nations predicts that the country will fall to 116 million people by 2050, from 141 million now, an 18 percent decline, largely because of a low birthrate and poor health habits.”
What’s the bad news? There is none.
The Guardian reports that Moscow and Russia are experiencing hard times. The babushkas are even finding it hard. Hey, they voted for Putin, they can deal with the consequences.
The Schadenfreude place to be exact.
In Friedman’s column today on the Great Reset (nod to Richard Florida), there is a great quote that goes to the heart of the matter of why things have to change.
“We created a way of raising standards of living that we can’t possibly pass on to our children,” said Joe Romm, a physicist and climate expert who writes the indispensable blog climateprogress.org. We have been getting rich by depleting all our natural stocks — water, hydrocarbons, forests, rivers, fish and arable land — and not by generating renewable flows.
“You can get this burst of wealth that we have created from this rapacious behavior,” added Romm. “But it has to collapse, unless adults stand up and say, ‘This is a Ponzi scheme. We have not generated real wealth, and we are destroying a livable climate …’ Real wealth is something you can pass on in a way that others can enjoy.”
[From Op-Ed Columnist - The Inflection Is Near? - NYTimes.com]
My sense of Schadenfreude goes up when I read articles like this one. Especially stupid peoples who don’t realize they are pawns in a Russian game. No pity from my end. What is happening in the Ukraine right now ranks up there as well.
So what exactly is the difference between Sarah Palin and Miss Teen USA 2007 contestant from South Carolina.
Not much. Read the excerpt from Palin’s interview with Katie Couric, then watch the Q & A from the pageant. (Her answer is better explained here.)
Which one is the elected official and which is most qualified to be one?