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Wednesday Night Salon
#1365 30 Apr 2008 Page 2
Introduction
The Report
News and Events
The Metropolitain went to press as Wednesday Night was assembling. Distribution of the first edition starts on Friday. Excitement is intense. Beryl brought proofs for inspection and the consensus is that it not only looks good, but will provide major stimulus to intelligent discussion. Kudos to Beryl, Tony Philbin, Rob Galbraith and all others involved.
Those who attended the Octet Plus concert on Saturday were delighted by the quality of the singers and the programme. The next time the opportunity presents itself, it should not be missed.
Couchiching
Leading up to this summer’s Annual Conference (The Power of Knowledge, the new global currency), on Tuesday evening the first Couchiching Institute of Public Affairs Montreal round table examined “The Role of Online Communities as Agents of Change“.
Online social networks are an enormous medium of change in terms of scope and rapidity, enabling the spread of uncensored news, group ideas and action with unprecedented speed. Virtually all knowledge is now available, almost instantaneously, through Internet-based interest groups, sometimes before publicly edited sources. News events are posted and errors corrected within seconds. Global exchanges will soon be enhanced through technology currently being perfected that will not only enable accurate voice activated data entry, but will have a global translation component, enabling exchanges between people currently incapable of conversing because of language barriers.
The social networks (e.g. Linked-In, Face Book, My Space) are a phenomenon that is also changing our relationships. Linked-In, principally dedicated to business networking, confines its members’ information to professional biographies and exchanges; the others provide a means for younger users, starting with pre-teens, to share any and all information. While some use it for doing homework and gossiping with friends, there may be much personal information that would best be eradicated later when potential employers (adult friend, in-laws) can view it. The problem is, as was recently reported in the New York Times, “While the Web site offers users the option to deactivate their accounts, Facebook servers keep copies of the information in those accounts indefinitely. Indeed, many users who have contacted Facebook to request that their accounts be deleted have not succeeded in erasing their records from the network . Furthermore, BBC has recently released a report that demonstrates that personal details of Facebook users could potentially be stolen. [there is also the ugly threat of paedophiles and others preying on young children which has been recognized by Facebook and MySpace] On the positive side, many long-lost friends and family members have been identified and connections reestablished.
A second Couchiching round table is planned for June 17 at 7pm to which all Wednesday Nighters are invited. The topic: The Death of Intellectual Property. Is it a nineteenth century concept imposed on a twenty-first century world? is obviously timely. On May 6, the Fraser Institute is holding a luncheon conference entitled Piracy and Other Policy Impediments to Export Growth with guest speaker Stevan Mitchell of the Entertainment Software Associationwho will address intellectual property rights and piracy, and how they relate to the video and computer gaming industry.
Wednesday Night - a social network?
It has been pointed out that Wednesday Night constitutes a social network, albeit not Internet-based. The difference is that the core group is face-to-face in the same room, and is possibly more diverse than the communities of Facebook Friends.
Steven Lightfoot confirmed that the recently launched monthly West Wing of Wednesday Night (WWWN) held a very successful inaugural evening in Vancouver. The quality of the guests and the discourse was superb and augurs well for the continuing effort. Unfortunately, Alexandra advises that the West Wingers are not yet ready for publication, even on an anonymous basis. We hope someone will maintain archives in preparation for a change of mind. Steven mentioned the possibility of an exchange visit from West Wing-er Shauna Sylvester, a Fellow at the Simon Fraser University Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and the Director of Canada’s World, a national citizens’ dialogue on Canadian international policy. She sounds like a great addition and we look forward to a visit from her. Meantime, Ron Meisels will carry the flag at the May 7 session of WWWN.
Afghanistan
Each time a Canadian casualty in Afghanistan is announced, every time that the cost of our commitment in Afghanistan hits the news, we question the utility of our presence there. The truth of the matter is that virtually the only news that the military is permitted (by the politicians) to disseminate is casualty figures. NATO governments are wary of the effect on the population of news that might be offensive, distasteful or embarrassing. But the stories of the good accomplished by the military go untold. On the other hand, [the ‘stone-age’] conditions that existed under the Taliban have been greatly reduced since the arrival of the ASAF, foreign NGOs and others.
What is rarely explained is that it is the southern part of the country that is dangerous because of its proximity to the porous border with Pakistan, the haven of the Taliban. In fact only about five to six percent of the population of 25 million lives in the South, and out of that number a much smaller number are actually radicals - a minority within a minority. Very few journalists [are allowed by their military ‘minders’ to] risk being injured or killed outside the relatively safe haven of Kandahar.
Kabul is the most progressive city in the area. Despite the news of the assassination attempt on President Karzai during Independence Day celebrations earlier this week and some alarmist reports, it is not at risk of being overrun.
According to Wednesday Nighters who have been there, it is not the aid agencies (read CIDA) or NGOs, but the ASAF including the Canadian Forces who have been most constructive in putting Afghanistan on its feet. The army has worked to re-establish not only the physical but the social infrastructure as well. Education, especially of women, and freedom of thought and expression has created a generation with hope and vision. If we persist in efforts to hold back the Taliban until they ultimately mature and take over, they will prevail in the long run thus aiding not only the Afghani, but our own security as well.
There is a sharp division of opinion concerning the responsibility of developed nations to actively pursue the betterment of societies in less favored parts of the world. Recognizing that corruption is a large part of the problem in Afghanistan today, some believe that it is up to the Afghani people to rise up and demand change. Others are convinced that there is a moral obligation for this generation which has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity to assist nations to develop and thrive as we have done. Pragmatists point out that NATO is in Afghanistan to prevent Bin Laden and his allies from setting up more positions from which to launch attacks on the West and that Canada, as a NATO member is bound to participate. The by-product of the military presence is the improvement of the lot of the Afghani people. Moreover, whatever is done to improve conditions in Afghanistan and similar regions will help to eliminate the grievances that lead to violence, denial of civil liberties and attacks on more fortunate societies.
In viewing Afghanistan, it is helpful to draw a parallel with events in World War II and the reluctance of the western world to intervene in a conflict with a cruel Nazi dictator whose goal was to take over the world. It was the belated combined efforts of the allies that narrowly thwarted that plan. That the Afghan population neither looks nor acts like us, should not deter us from viewing the situation from the point of view of prevention of what has the potential of becoming a devastating world conflict.
There has been some talk of the change of crops from poppy to wheat with the rapidly increasing price of cereals. If true, this would be an unforeseeable but desirable event, a single bright spot in an otherwise intractable problem. [Editor’s note: unfortunately, as the Globe & Mail’s Doug Saunders points out in “Solving Afghanistan’s poppy problem“, things aren’t that simple]
Do see our Video staring Robert Galbraith with Sam Stein | also on
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The economy
We keep hearing that interest rates are lower than at any time since 2004. How do they compare to 1929? The resident economist believes that they are about as low as we can get and reminds us that everything is being done to avert financial collapse disaster. BUT, there are a lot of loose ends behind the scenes. At some point, all the liquidity that is being pumped into the market will have to be absorbed. Watch for rising interest rates and falling markets. No idea when.
The relationship between the rates announced by the Bank of Canada and the lending rates for banks’ clients leads some to wonder if we might be better off with one national bank, however this solution has been tried elsewhere with dismal results, notably higher inflation. Our economist actually has some sympathy with the Canadian bankers who have discovered risk in the last year. What is often overlooked is the role of the Business Development Bank, a government bank that loans not to individuals, but to small business. The other “socialized” banking arm is that of the credit unions (Caisses populaires) that are owned by the people
With the news that Ontario may have become a have-not province , the question of equalization payments which pay out to poor provinces rather than poor people needs to be reexamined. The erosion of the manufacturing sector of Ontario and Quebec creates a situation in which the Canadian economy is reliant on natural resources that in the past were locally owned and used as an engine feeding our manufacturing sector and today are increasingly foreign-owned, as is the manufacturing sector itself. In the longer term this has the capacity to impoverish us and make us much more dependent on those who own our resources.
At the political level, the redistribution of wealth among the provinces, devolutionist philosophy of Stephen Harper, lack of “executive federalism” (not a new problem) and absence of a vision for the country combine to create a real reason to worry about the future of Canada.
To day NYT Podcast | Menu
Radio
Like the report of Mark Twain's death, reports of the death of radio –at least FM – are greatly exaggerated.
Real estate
Canadian dollar is expected to decline against its U.S. counterpart.
The economy
See also JACQUES CLEMENT: Pages ON THE ECONOMY
Previous Videos
Notes by Herb Bercovitz OWN
Editor: Diana Thébaud Nicholson OWN
Radio, the long-lasting treasure
intro Wed1365 | Wed1365 slide show
Oil
Note
Wednesday-Night creates charts and follows stocks, including timely related financial news items, in which Wednesday Nighters are interested and in order to demonstrate a service that could eventually be developed and marketed. Wednesday Nighters are invited to participate and help to test the service.
see Wednesday-Night.com Flip charts
QUOTES of the EVENING from recent
Wednesday Nights
2007
Past Quotes Best or All
W-N Links for this W-N
nsnbc Economy Where Next
2008 Notes for this Wed-Night
Diana's site
Friday 09 May 2008 Mr. Mugabe’s Cynical Plan
After years of enabling Robert Mugabe, it is time for South Africa and all of Zimbabwe’s neighbors to enable democracy.
October-November 2007/Kabul Province, Afghanistan---These photos show coverage of Kabul City and Province in October and November 2007. Also Amsterdam, Holland and Dubai. The photos accompanied the text for stories I wrote for a number of publications. Some show patrols with the Germans and British. Others show demining operations and mine victims in hospital. There is also the training of the recruits of the Afghan Border Police. A suicide car bombing and general photos showing the people of Afghanistan. Anyone requiring any info on any of the photos can contact me at eyewitnesstowar@yahoo.com or by phone at (514) 602-5248. Robert J. Galbraith/Montreal, Canada.
Wednesday, April 23 2008 Ex-Tory candidate refused money scheme
David
Marler wouldn't accept funding manoeuvre
Rex Murphy's
Point of View index
see also Wednesday-Night.com MedicalNotes
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