"The Canadian Way"

Check Pilot · Post by **Check Pilot** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:58 pm

This is the kind of thinking that leads pilots to do what they do sometimes:

(It's the "Canadian" way after all) - Ya know - "it's not MY fault".

Subject: The Ant and the Grasshopper (famous fable) vs. THE CLASSIC VERSION OF THIS FABLE - (THE ONE THAT MAKES SENSE TO US!)

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

THE CANADIAN MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others less fortunate like him are cold and starving. CBC shows up to provide live coverage of the shivering grasshopper, with cuts to a video of the ant in his comfortable warm home with a table filled with food.
Canadians are stunned that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so while others have plenty. The New Democratic Party, the Canadian Auto Workers and the Coalition Against Poverty demonstrate in front of the ant's house. The CBC, interrupting an Inuit cultural festival special from Nunavat with breaking news, broadcasts them singing "We Shall Overcome." Svend Robinson rants in an interview with Pamela Wallin that the ant has gotten rich off the backs of grasshoppers, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his "fair share."
In response to polls, the Liberal Government drafts the Economic Equity and Grasshopper Anti-Discrimination Act, retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant's taxes are reassessed and he is also fined for failing to hire grasshoppers as helpers. Without enough money to pay both the fine and his newly imposed retroactive taxes, the government confiscates his home.
The ant moves to the US and starts a successful agribiz company.
The CBC later shows the now fat grasshopper finishing up the last of the ant's food though Spring is still months away, while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house crumbles around him because he hadn't maintained it. Inadequate government funding is blamed, Roy Romanow is appointed to head a commission of enquiry that will cost $10,000,000.00 The grasshopper is soon dead of a drug overdose. The Toronto Star blames it on obvious failure of government to address the root causes of despair arising from social inequity. The abandoned house is taken over by a gang of migrant spiders, praised by the government for enriching Canada's multicultural diversity, who promptly terrorize the community.

NFA · Post by **NFA** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 10:46 pm

Simply awesome.

Flying Low · Post by **Flying Low** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:36 pm

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry!

Flymyjet · Post by **Flymyjet** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:37 pm

Bute!!!!

. ._ · Post by **. ._** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:52 am

sherlock · Post by **sherlock** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:05 am

difficult to come up with a comment on this one... good post!

flynbutcher · Post by **flynbutcher** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:17 am

Should be sent into the Globe and Mail or Nat. Post. You might see it get posted. Good post

The Old Fogducker · Post by **The Old Fogducker** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:17 am

Check Pilot:

Excellent to see you dig that out and post it. I was listening to the radio the other day and heard it live .. well done.

To the ire of some of the more left-leaning, I agree completely ... mega-dittos my friend. See you before long.

Fog

flynbutcher · Post by **flynbutcher** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:19 am

OK, on second hand maybe you shouldn't send it in, wouldn't want to be responsible for a plagerism charge

TopperHarley · Post by **TopperHarley** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:00 pm

Not all less fortunate people are in their position because of their own actions or laziness. Many people are born into poverty. Other get there as a result of someone else's actions. And other people arrive there because of their own mistakes.

Whatever the reason is, if someone is truly in need of help and desires to change their ways for the good, then we should offer all the help we can.

If you have a son/friend who has squandered all their posessions (ex. blowing all they got in Las Vegas), but they return home after an extended period of time, admitting they made a mistake and request assistance to "get back on the right track" would deny this person the help they need? A great story about this situation can be found in the Bible: The Parable of the Lost Son- Luke 15:11-32.

Now I admit that there are some homeless people who want help for all the wrong reasons (money for drugs, alcholo, or sex). And I admit there are many people who abuse the social programs, like welfare and UI. But that does not mean that we should give up on these programs or on offering help to others. It just means they need some reform.

I'm sure many people disagree with my opinion that we all have a responsibility to help those in need, and I can respect that. Just don't lump all poor/homeless people as lazy beggers who are in their positions because of their own actions.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:05 pm

C-HRIS :

With all due respect to your thoughts on this may I suggest that the problem is created at the political level rather than a social level or regilious level.

Remember it is our political leaders who are supposed to guide us and ensure that our rights are protected.

How many politicians do you think are in contrevention of those ten rules in Exodus 20, specifically the ones about stealing and bearing false witness ( Lying )?

So first we have to get rid of the lying theiving coc.s...ers that are running the country.

Cat

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:11 pm

Cat.

With all due respect, find me a major world problem right now that DOESN"T have it's roots in organized religion.

You want politics? Wait until Old John P finally kicks the bucket - then we shall see politics at it's best(worst).

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:45 pm

Yeh, there isn't much doubt that religion is one of mankinds worst nightmares...

...Religion and politics are so intermeshed it is hard to seperate them...

...By the way I see good old Bob M. in Zimbawbe is having another one of his democratic elections today....thank God he is doing it fairly..just ask Jean Chretien, remember when Jean was bleating about how fair Bob's last election was...

Zim used to be a real good place to vacation, now I wouldn't even overfly it.

Cat

TopperHarley · Post by **TopperHarley** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:41 pm

I understand that there are a lot of problems in the political upper levels that we need to deal with. Nobody in the world has a perfect government though. Whether our PM was a conservative, an NDP member, a communist or a member of the Green Party, there would be problems and people complaining. That's life! I agree that changes are necessary, but at the same time, things could be a lot worse.

Would the world be a better place without religion? Don't know, but I doubt it. Would the world be a better place without the people (i.e. nutcases, like Osama) who distort the teachings and word of God to achieve their own goals and advance their own personal beliefs? Most definetly! All problems that people attribute to religion/faith should instead be attributed to humans.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:55 pm

" (i.e. nutcases, like Osama) who distort the teachings and word of God to achieve their own goals and advance their own personal beliefs? "

And therein lies the problem with religion, the killing starts when someone has a different God, who of course is "The true God ".

When you live in their land and begin to see their culture you realize just how hopeless the issue really is.

Cat

peeelot · Post by **peeelot** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:10 pm

This might be the beer talking but I will post anyway. I work with people who are the Grasshopper. They are very uneducated ( sorry about spelling wasent very good at it but I was the science fair winner) THese people make me sick all they want is a F***N handout they don't want to work they just wanna take it easy. Thay are all overweight the don't work very hard. ONe of my fellow employees was complaining that the ten cent coin was stupid because it had a boat on it. I wanted to smash my head into a wall. THis person was so uneducated that everytime I talk to them my IQ drops 50 points ( this person didn't get throught grade 10 and is making $25 an hour. I am working two jobs to pay for my Licences and this person makes 3 times as much as I do Because.... We all know it's the Blue NOse on the coin even a monkey with half a brain and it's head up it a** could figure that out. So in closing I think we should try to get rid of the NDP all they do is bitch and wine look what they did with ontario for 4 years. So to all you people who are the grasshopper what goes around comes around.

Thank you I am not sorry if I have upset anyone I hope you all read this and say this guy is right.

172pilot · Post by **172pilot** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:29 pm

This is the best thing I've ever read to sum up Canada. We need to get rid of socialism. There are too many incentives to not work - or work very hard to really make something of yourself. The best social program is a job, and those are created by vibrant economies. Economies that are free of restrictions such as regulations and taxes around every corner. Canada is losing its competitve edge. Our government focuses on handouts instead of creating opportunity.

172pilot · Post by **172pilot** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 6:37 pm

don't forget the NDP would label the ant as greedy... somehow those who take risks, put in extra effor, risk their life savings to get ahead are greedy.

not one of the wealthly people I know got there easily. most were living in poverty and today have more than most can ever dream of. listening to their stories is motivating to say the least. it was all built on the back of extremely hard work and big risks. and now they are large employers paying good wages, contributing to the entire community. the NDP will never undestand this... all they want to do is split up the pie, not create more pie for everyone.

planett · Post by **planett** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:08 pm

Hey peeelot, don't trivialize grade 10. My friend Ricky got his fu*&'n grade 10 a few years ago, his average was 57, the highest he's ever gotten without cheating. Who knows, maybe some day he'll get his fuc*'n grade 11.

North Shore · Post by **North Shore** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:26 pm

Perhaps this should bemoved to the misc/debate forum...?

We need to get rid of socialism

Economies that are free of restrictions such as regulations

So next time you drive your car to the airport, think of the benefits of socialism. The road you drove on, the airport that you flew from, the ATC system that organised you. The safety regulations that govern the car manufacturer. The police force that patrols the roads. The regulations that force you to insure your car. The emergency services that will pick you up, dust you off, and put you back together again should some of the above fail. Those damn socialists and their taxes! The nerve!