Vid: Unintended Consequences of Price Controls

Prof. Antony Davies explains that prices are not levers that set value, but rather, are metrics that respond to value. Therefore, since government cannot legislate value, attempts to control prices will generate unintended consequences. Using the minimum wage as an example, Davies demonstrates that minimum wage laws increase unemployment rates amongst low-skilled workers. 4m44s
More videos at Learn Liberty.

Benefit Dance/Silent Auction for Don Belanger

Posted on PEI Talk forums:

Time
October 8th at 9pm - 12am
Location
West Royalty Hall


Don Belanger is a friend to many.. A husband to Sis, a brother, a father to Crystal, Amanda and Ashley.. and a very loved grandfather of Cole and Kiley.

On Wednesday, September 21st, Don was diagnosed with rectal cancer.

He will have to face an invasive surgery that will be removing his tumor, implanting a colostomy, as well as repairing many hernias in his abdomen. Following the surgery, he will be receiving radiation treatment and possibly chemotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The recovery just from the surgery will be at minimum of 6-12 months. During this time he will not be able to work and will still be receiving treatment. Besides everyday expenses, he will also be accumulating the cost of expensive colostomy supplies.

The family and friends of Don and Sis would truly appreciate your kindness and support by attending the benefit of a man who is cherished by his family.

I now have tickets for sale, please contact at anytime!
Ashley - 393-6601

Hope to see you there,
Family of Don

Please Share This.
We will post more details in the next couple of days.

UPDATE: The contact above, "Ashley", is not the same person as the author of this blog.

PEI passes Freedom of Information Audit

The 2011 Freedom of Information audit by Newspapers Canada showed information flows well in PEI and Charlottetown.

The 2011 audit is the largest in the history of the project, with 354 requests on 40 topics sent to all three levels of government as well as to crown corporations and hospitals.At each level of government there were several identical requests. Institutions were not told they were being audited. The audit grades institutions on the speed and completeness of their responses.

“Because many of the requests were identical, the audit offers a unique comparison of different FOI handling across the country,” said Newspapers Canada chief executive officer John Hinds. “The audit shines a light on uneven practices that are not in line with the spirit of the legislation.”

CBC reports:

The City of Charlottetown ranked highest in the entire survey, by fully releasing the information asked for in less than 10 days. The P.E.I. government also did well, responding in less than 30 days and fully releasing details in three of the four requests.

Newspapers Canada praised the City of Charlottetown for releasing information that isn't formally covered under access to information law.

Saint John on Crime Mapping.com

The Saint John Police Force is the first department in Canada to share crime information with Crime Mapping. The site also reports crime information from 259 police agencies in the US.

Aboriginal fisherman threatened

The CBC reports:

A fisherman from Membertou First Nation [Nova Scotia] said he was frightened when non-native fishermen threatened him Monday as he was pulling lobster traps in Sydney harbour.
...
"I was scared — I'm not going to lie. I felt threatened. But as far as just backing down and just completely running away, I tried to talk to them first and explain to them the treaty rights that we have that I'm allowed to fish there," Paul said.

"Once that guy hollered out and said, 'We know your goddamned rights and we want your traps out of here. We don't care about your rights,' that's when I knew that, OK, these guys are potentially dangerous."

I am under the impression that anarchists should work more closely with Native people. Anarchists believe that everybody has a philosophical exemption to the 'social contract', while Natives have documented, though often ignored, exemptions to large portions of the 'social contract'. And it seems like we want the same thing: self-determination.

I still feel that I do not understand the history of the Natives of this continent. I'm not sure of the rights that should be afforded to them but I do feel a moral burden that I am eager to articulate and put to rest.


Aaron Huey at TED
America's native prisoners of war

Benefit Dance Sat Oct 1

Benefit Dance
for the family of the family of the late Kory McAleer (Lori & Tim)

Sat. October 1st
Charlottetown Legion
Music provided by Kelly Buote

Silent & Live
Auctions
50/50
Lots of door prizes
Doors open at 8:00
Admissions $5.00 or donation
tickets available at the door
or by calling Linda at 367-7100 Day or 368-1998 Eve

NS Supreme Court upholds civil asset forfeiture

A press release from the NS Department of Justice reports:

The province won its inaugural court case under new legislation that helps make sure that crime doesn't pay.

The lawsuit was filed with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in Sydney by the new civil forfeiture unit. It sought $5,725 that was seized Feb. 18, during a drug raid in Sydney Mines by Cape Breton Regional Police Service.

"The success of this case sends a message that crime will not pay in Nova Scotia," said Graham Steele, acting Justice Minister. "Government and police are collaboratively using this tool to deter criminal activity and help make our communities safe for families."

A Supreme Court judge in Sydney ruled in government's favour Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The unaccountability of what is going on here is best summed here: "While Reynolds had not been found guilty of trafficking, the province said the 36-year-old man earned the money selling marijuana and hash." Of course all of the law stuff is merely a formality, right.

It is important to note how issues are related. As police find new ways to generate revenue from illegal drugs the more incentive they have to promote the danger of such drugs. Follow the money. This is a big step back in the legalization of drugs and sound public policy. 

Policing for Profit:
The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture
by Institute for Justice

I start Monday

This is part of a series exploring PEI's Fine Options Program.

Heather, at Probation Services, came back from vacation so I got to meet with her directly . Some of the information she gave me conflicted with the information from Shaun a few weeks ago. The biggest conflict being that Heather recognized volunteering for adult sport as community service where Shaun did not. I got a one month extension as the fine was supposed to be paid by September 11th.

I opened up a file with probation services and went about looking for places to serve my community. This turned out to be harder than it sounds. It has to be with a registered non-profit organization, so you cannot simply go around on your own time picking up garbage in a public park, or reading to seniors. This must be institutional service, paper trailed and authorized. I put it to Facebook for suggestions and got none. Through work I got a contact for the local Bahá'í Faith organization, but I didn't pursue it since I got the impression they would not have much for me to do.

I decided to go main stream and headed to the Upper Room Food Bank. This proved fruitless even after a visit and several phone calls. I was surprised not even to get a courtesy return call. I was simply ignored after offering my services.

Things turned out better at the Upper Room Soup Kitchen. I showed up at meal time, found the manager, and worked out a schedule for me. I start Monday.

Fredricton's gas bar price war

The Daily Gleaner reports:

Since opening its pumps earlier tin [sic] August, Costco has consistently sold its gas for less than the city's other retailers, at times selling its gas at eight cents a litre cheaper than many of its competitors.

This would be filed under good news were it not for this:

Costco's Fredericton gas bar has sparked calls from the province's retailers for the government to further regulate fuels, with some asking for a minimum legislated pump price in New Brunswick.

 PEI and NS already legislate a minimum price.

Academic Pugilists

Do home schooled children academically outperform public school children?

It is a question that I have come back to time and again as a parent. Especially after hearing accounts about a teacher telling his students that Cleopatra was not Egyptian but that she was from Rome, and another who told a student that your blood boils if you have a fever of 100 degrees, and yet another who told her students that dinosaurs were alive and living in Texas. To me, these are horror stories that should be only heard around campfires or on a dark, story night when you're looking for a good fright.

Doc: The End of Poverty?

The End of Poverty? (1h44m) | Youtube | IMDB

The End of Poverty? asks if the true causes of poverty today stem from a deliberate orchestration since colonial times which has evolved into our modern system whereby wealthy nations exploit the poor. People living and fighting against poverty answer condemning colonialism and its consequences; land grab, exploitation of natural resources, debt, free markets, demand for corporate profits and the evolution of an economic system in in which 25% of the world's population consumes 85% of its wealth. 

 This is a good documentary if only to spur discussion. While watching it I began making a list of generalizations presented in the documentary. Some sat well with me, while others didn't.

I agree that
• government is corruptible
• violence is bad
• poverty is bad
• sovereignty is good
• slavery is bad
• Intellectual Property (IP) is bad, 
• trying to claim ownership of water that falls from the sky is an illegitimate violent monopoly much like IP. (Bolivia)
• people are equal moral beings. Moral differentiation based on skin color is bad.
• there exist forms of slavery other than chattle slavery
• monopolies are bad
• farm subsidies are bad
• taxing labour is bad

I disagree that
• privatization is bad (though pursuing privatization under a corrupt government might not be a good idea)
• capitalism is bad (though pursuing capitalism under a corrupt government might not be a good idea)
• aid is an effective method of 'fighting' poverty
• egalitarianism is justice
• monopolies are common and sustainable without violence
• taxing capital is good

Most of the disagreement seems to fall under the question of -- when markets fail under corrupt governments is the problem the market or the government? This is most marked in the documentary when the economists go about criticizing privatization campaigns. There is a false dichotomy presented that the natural wealth of a country must either belong to a multi-national corporation, or be commonly owned (that is government owned). In this choice there is an option that has been overlooked, that of ownership by local entrepreneur. One may debate if it is optimal but it certainly belongs in the conversation.

Another point that is assumed but not demonstrated is the connection between violence and income inequality. It is assume that the inequality causes violence, yet it seems intuitive (though debatable) that institutionalized violence would cause income inequality.

Talking about aid and generosity is good but first lets talk about stopping violence. The story of poverty is a story of violence. This is a story of military rule, this is a story of corrupt government. These may have a history intertwined with capitalism, but it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff.

NB investigates defined-benefit aliternatives

These are the green shoots to making things good. A Telegraph-Journal editorial helps soften the ground for a critical conversation about NB's public-sector defined benefit pensions.

 In a bid to de-emotionalize the debate and develop better public policy, the provincial government has directed its private-sector pension taskforce to investigate public-sector pension problems.

 The starting point to solving the problems that plague us like pensions, rather than money, science, technology or politics, is conversation. When conversation happens the rest follows.

It is critically important that neither government nor the taskforce prejudge the outcome of these deliberations. This is an opportunity to give every option the attention it is due, and engage New Brunswickers in the search for pension policies that are fair to all.

 Mind you this is a conversation for all, not just those at the top. Hence the role for sites like PEI Talk and Malple Leaf Web. Please comment if you know of other forums or communities (real or virtual) that support productive conversations on public policy.

The LCBO Throws Ontarians a Bone

The Justice Report: The LCBO Throws Ontarians a Bone:

As reported by Glenn Kauth, Ontario's LCBO has changed the rules: Ontarians will now be permitted to bring up to three litres of spirits, nine litres of wine, and 24.6 litres of beer into the province, as long as it is for "personal consumption"--whatever that might mean.

24 types of statists

Police, morality and violence

I would like to share a post I made.
Talk PEI | Forums | Questions for the politically engaged | #57
=====================

islanderatheart wrote:

Utimately police services and armed forces are government sanctioned means of using violence.

Many are in denial about this. Good to see you are not.

islanderatheart wrote:

Whether you them as protectors or as "goons" depends on your point of view. Certainly the behaviour of some members of police departments and armed forces leads people to question the forces' methods. On the other hand consider the number of contacts the police have every day with no problem. This is little comfort, however, if you are the victim of unjustified police use of force.

I have experienced the less than honourable side the Charlottetown police. They assaulted me: While being questioned inside the HQ on Kirkwood they tried to intimidate me into giving up rights; I twice asked if I was being detained; after getting no answer I started to leave then as I was reaching for the door I was grabbed and forced from the building. I have heard many worse stories from people I trust.

islanderatheart wrote:

Generally I believe the men and women who provide police services are good, caring people.

Possibly, but regardless of the quality of the individuals in uniform the role of the police officer is inherently immoral because they are given exception to the morality the rest of us are expected to follow. We are expected not to use violence against peaceful people, but this is demanded of police, most notably when they enforce drug laws. I suspect the less-than-honourable conduct is related to the inherent immorality.

islanderatheart wrote:

But look at the job we ask them to do. Anytime, anywhere they may face a situation where their safety or lives are at risk. No wonder police officers tend to stand together and protect their own. Who wouldn't? I think too little attention is paid to the psychological and emotional effects of police work.

Wiki| Police Officer: "Despite perceived dangers, policing has never been listed among the top ten most dangerous jobs in the U.S. In terms of deaths per capita, driver-sales work such as food delivery is a more dangerous profession than being a police officer". I'm not sure why we don't have annual state ceremonies to honour fallen farmers, construction workers and fishermen who, I suspect, get far less financial compensation.

Also read: Just how dangerous is police work?
=====================

Saturday night taxi shortages

You should blame the Charlottetown City Council for taxi shortages on Saturday night for at least 3 reasons: