Stares at the World

Category: Society

Only Hacks Get Paid 0

Society

Only Hacks Get Paid

Let me tell you about Writing. In the words of the Great Charles Bukowski, “Doctors, Lawyers, Plumbers – they make all the money in this world! Writers? Writers starve. Writers suicide. Writers… go mad.” No truer words have ever been spoken. One doesn’t become a writer – or a standup comedian – or an artist – or a musician – because of a bit of native talent, and an eye on opportunity. Only actors do that, and only because their parents make them. For the True Artist, it is a calling; at our hearts we are all misfits, incapable of...

The Blogger-Journalist is Here 0

Society

The Blogger-Journalist is Here

Oh, he’s been here for a while, certainly; I meant here *officially*. Two big stories bouncing around the Interwebs; the first, as I’m sure you’ve heard, is the Occupation of Wallstreet.  The streets are swarming in New York, police are beating down White Women (and the police state is finally noticed), there are allegedly similar events happening in other cities, and… …the Press isn’t reporting on it. Or so I hear at least; my television serves the roll of Ceremonial Fireplace, and I still haven’t bought one of those digital-whatzit-boxes which I apparently now need, so I’m going by word...

Falling Birthrate Pt II 0

Society

Falling Birthrate Pt II

I know, I know, it’s been a while; in my defence, I’ve been working hard on the Second Novel; it’s 1/3 of the way to final copy, and as for the First, well, my Agent just got back to me with some positive news.  Expect some updates over the next few months. But as to the whole Birthrate issue; I need to get this out of my head before the ideas start to rot, and I wind up laying on the couch with an ear canal full of sodium bicarbonate. Last time we discussed why immigration is a Non Starter. ...

Falling Birthrate 2

Society

Falling Birthrate

Today on the radio they were discussing our birthrate here in Canada; it should come as no surprise to any of you that, like all Western Nations, we’re below replacement levels. The government’s main concern, of course, is the baby boomer retirement – and there are plenty of damned problems with the children of the Greatest Generation; there’s a lack of skilled workers to replace them (thanks to tenure), the upcoming generation is pathologically obsessed with Bread and Circuses rather than civic virtue, and then, of course, there’s the elephant in the room: It may well be that people are...

Parabolic 1

Society

Parabolic

So, let’s start with the Massive Drop in the DOW we’ve all heard about: Holy shit!  Pretty significant, ain’t it? How’s it compare to the last five years? Wait… so we ain’t even hit bottom yet?  What about the past fifty years? Hmm… now I ain’t no mathematician, but I’m detecting suggestions of a parabolic curve there. Suggestion: the economy is improving DESPITE government intervention.  Meddle as much as they want, they can’t stop the iPod. None of this is to defend Obama, mind you – August 2nd was the most embarrassing and pathetic instance in American politics since the...

Tiny Little Red Pills 0

Society

Tiny Little Red Pills

So the other day I was browsing through Reddit, as is my wont, when I stumbled upon this perfect gem of neo-enlightenment thinking. So perfect! So flawed! This snippet should be preserved for future historians, to help them understand this crazy age. I present to you: your perfectly stereotypical – nay – archetypal example of the modern University Educated Leftists mindset: Anyone else wanting a “Pro Choice, Legalization, Gay Marriage, Scientific, Net Neutrality, Atheist” politician? Hah! I’ll bet you know twenty of these guys. Which isn’t to say that I disagree with him – far from it. I just think...

Prick Error 1

Society

Prick Error

Now mind you, I’m fairly certain that none of these folks have managed to zero in on the incredibly simple (and rather obvious, in my opinion) solution to these Woes That Ail Us, but I fully support their ridicule of Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Idiocy of his National Day of Prayer for Free Money:

Bureaucracy and Sexual Harassment 0

Society

Bureaucracy and Sexual Harassment

Let’s talk about Sexual Harassment.  And get ready for a ride, because we’re going to be tearing apart some Orwellian Double Speak. To start off let’s get our definitions straight – because like most words in our Modern Era, this one has two distinct meanings, and they ain’t nothing alike.

Why I support Constable Sanguinetti 4

Society

Why I support Constable Sanguinetti

A brief history, in case you haven’t heard about the slut walks appearing all over the country: Last January, at University of Toronto, Police Constable Michael Sanguinetti was giving a lecture to ten students on how to maintain personal safety.  At one point he said the following: “You know, I think we’re beating around the bush here.  I’ve been told I’m not supposed to say this – however, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.” This off the cuff remark led to an explosion of protests throughout the western world known as ‘Slut Walks’ where...

So they tell me Osama’s been killed… 0

Society

So they tell me Osama’s been killed…

Good lord, this month has started off on a sour note.  First, another bullshit election here in Canada (nobody worth voting for, as usual), and then to top off my piss-poor mood the entire Internet decided to collectively suck Obama’s dick. In disgust I spent yesterday on the balcony with a BB gun, sniping the Canada Goose who decided to nest on the office building across from me.  It eventually figured out what I was doing, though, and now the balcony’s off limits; the damned goose is perched on the railing, making some sort of awful moaning noise, and pecking...