‘lo all. In case you somehow managed to chew through my Sunday Feb 1 entry here’s a little update on the story.

Well, in case you didn’t make it Sunday, the People’s Republic of Wallonia (Belgian inbred frogeaters) granted Ryanair, in exchange for using its starving Charleroi airport the following:

• a 50% reduction in landing fees
• a 1EUR/passenger fee on ground handling assistance
• a 4 EUR/passenger fee to help Ryanair finance its advertising costs and ticket prices
• grants worth several (4?) millions of euros as start-up benefits

So now the European Commission has ruled that Ryanair has to repay up to 4 million euros of the support it got from PRW. Note that throughout Europe other cheap airliners are harming flag carriers and “serious” carriers with insanely low prices made possible through state-funding and that the Ryanair case may be a precedent for ending this kind of practices. Note too, that two other low fair companies, Bransons Virgin and Easyjet, who do not benefit from sugardaddies, carry banners on their planes with “no subsidies” on it. As it should be.

Now you guys, I guess the article on the EU’s Competition Branch suing Microsoft for the embedded Media Player probably got you shaking your heads again on the EU, and you know what? You’re probably right, in that case the EU's Competition Branch is likely overreacting. But the Ryanair case shows that it’s not all that bad, IMHO. There are worse things, e.g. spending on a Fruitcake Lab in Anchorage, heh heh. Or was it in Maine??? Memory is resembling an Emmenthaler cheese these days....

We've hit this one pretty hard here at DowneastBlog, but here's another look at the Bush administration's out of control spending policies.

We need to stop this insanity now, because this stuff won't go away once it gets passed. I've been hammering our Maine congressmen and senators over this. No replies yet, and no surprise either.

Here's Thomas Sowell with a look at special interests. I'm especially glad to see that Sowell points out the effect that exorbitant jury awards are having on the cost of health care.

Ironically, (unless you're a Democrat) John Edwards believes the cost of health care in America is too high, but spent the majority of his career making it that way as a trial lawyer.

I saw this on The Corner:

To All Kucinich Supporters: New York City Friends of Kucinich will be holding a group meditation and visualization for the Dennis Kucinich campaign. This will occur at 8:15pm on Wednesday, January 28th.

The intention of the meditation will be to create the energy pathways needed to give the Kucinich vision and everyone who aligns with that vision a voice in America and the World and to attract the prosperity and resources to do so.

At 8:15pm EST find a quiet space alone or in a group...Place your hands over your Heart Center and align your Heart and your Voice with the vision of the Kucinich campaign. Set an intention to reach out to others, especially possible supporters of the campaign. Spend five to ten minutes in this space. Close the meditation with a statement of gratitude.

If you are unable to participate at that exact time, then find a time as close as possible to 8:15pm that evening and set your intention to tune into the group, sending your thoughts and energy either forward or backward in time.

We hope as many people as possible can participate. Remember Dennis' belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings. So be it.

ok - that is it - I'll wait to hear back from ya...

peace and blessings,

Kim

Kim Brooks Wei
New Jersey Coordinator,
Kucinich for President
NJ website: www.njforkucinich

This is all I have to say to the Carolina Panthers.

On Kerry's post on the EU's Competition Branch's proposed fines on Microsoft:

I read it Kerry. I was actually unaware that this case was going on. I understand the EU Commission?s Competition Branch argues that because Windows supplies its OS with an embedded Media Player, software suppliers of other Media Players have trouble competing. So basically it?s the Microsoft Explorer/Netscape Navigator story again. Since that litigation battle was fought within the US I don?t think the EU?s Competition Branch can be criticized on its principal grounds to open up a similar case in the first place. But, since for as far as I know, and apparently Scott is of the same opinion, other Media Players have no problem operating under Windows. And so it looks to me that maybe the Competition Branch shot itself in the foot.

Even so, since I assume that this particular EU body has brighter minds on its payroll than your servant it might be interesting to hear their story on the compatibility issue. In short, I don?t think the EU?s Competition Branch in this matter acted no different from the US Justice Department a few years ago in the browser case ? but yes, it may be overreacting.

However, don?t throw away the child with the bathwater as they say over here. The EU Commission?s Competition Branch IS generally doing a good job. And honestly, when it?s mentioned in the newsreels over here it?s typically because it is scrutinizing some deal between a national government and a company where gross state-subsidies are involved: actually the Competition Branch is fighting these practices ? which are diametrically opposed to free market mechanisms, and which have been so common in Europe over the past decades.

Let me give you just one example: the Ryanair/Charleroi airport case. Ryanair is an Irish low cost carrier offering inter European flights at incredible prices; I think you could compare it with ValuJet in the US (does it still exist?). Anyway, they offer flights like Brussels/London for, say, 9.99 EUR (I kid you not!!!). Well, since 1997 they operate the airport at Charleroi, 45 minutes to the south of Brussels. Charleroi, a former industrial town which has one of the highest unemployment numbers (and crime rates) in the country, was so eager with the prospect of additional jobs that it sought the Wallonian Region?s support in persuading Ryanair to invest heavily in its underused airport. The Wallonian Region and BSCA (Brussels South Charleroi Airport) awarded Ryanair a 50% reduction in landing fees, a 1 EUR/passenger fee on ground-handling assistance, substantial (millions of euros) financial support in start-up benefits as well as 4 EUR support per passenger to reduce Ryanairs advertising costs and ticket prices?. A typical example of how socialist (communist?) Wallonia is running its business. For an excellent article on the subject click here.

And a somewhat more digestible article can be found over here.

Well now, the European Commission' CB is expected to announce its findings on the Ryanair/Charleroi deal on February 3.
If the Competition Branch has its way, Ryanair will have to repay at least part of the unlawful support from the Wallonian Region. Really, mostly the CB acts in favour of fair competition. I may keep you updated on the ruling.

For those of you with a fair share of time, find out more on similar 2003 cases here.


...........Tom, what kind of dictionary are you using? I checked out "BWEEEEUUUUUAAAAARRRRK" in my Dutch/English dictionary and in English it should read "BRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARROOOOOOOORRRK! Splash!!!"


To be fair, I thought another EU enormity would have caught your attention: namely, the EU Commission?s willingness to end the weapons embargo against China.

How ?bout that? Can I now quote Mr. F*cking Human Rights Champion Pr?sident Jacques Chirac, He Who Cared So Much For The Welfare Of The Iraqi People: "Respect for human rights is a necessary condition for the development of modern societies and economies. I know that this is one of your priorities." Adressing Hu Jingbao on hist state visit to France, a brightly red lit Eiffel Tower in hte background. Click here, if you please.

His conscience thus silenced, Mr. Chirac will now do his utmost best to weigh in on the European Parliament (read the CNN article: Parliament is opposed) to lift the arms sales ban come Spring. I must say that I was rather disappointed with President Bush?s harsh remarks against the Taiwanese government when President Chen Shui-bian suggested the referendum on independence and against hundreds of Chinese missiles pointed at the tiny island state. I guess that's what they call Realpolitik. This Chirac however bakes the cake brown? Never mind that the majority of Chinese is living in appaling conditions... HR are violated on an unsurpassed scale... the commie Chinese are violating virtually every accord made with the British on the existence of democracy in Hong Kong... I can now really understand your fears of a France-dominated EU. I can only hope the soon-to-be entry of 10 new member states will dilute France?s influence even further.

And now back to the Super Bowl! Have a nice Sunday yet!

I watched a re-run of David Kay's testimony before the Senate armed services committee on CSPAN yesterday. I came away very impressed with Kay and the manner in which he conducted himself. Of course, this hearing was just an opportunity for the senators to try and squeeze a soundbyte out of Kay to further their respective agendas. In the segment I watched, Kay deftly handled attempts from Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton to get him to repeat various anti-Bush mantras, without ever losing his composure. It was fun to watch a group of career politicians try to crack someone who was smart, confident, and apparently devoid of a political agenda. Kay is a scientist, so he lives in the world of facts. Since many of these senators aren't interested in facts, it was as if they couldn't even hear him when he repeatedly corrected their assertions. The attempts to shape his testimony were so impotent that it made me wish that there were more people like Kay representing us and fewer people like Kennedy and Clinton, who's intellects are so tied up in their own political agendas that they never get applied to solving the actual problems of society.

John Kerry had better get used to this sort of thing. He equivocates and triangulates on everything and it is going to come back in the form of a media induced ball-kicking.

Here is slightly rosier take on the NEA issue. While I am fundamentally opposed to government involvement in this arena, it looks as if the NEA is shaping up under current chairman Dana Gioia and pandering much less to the " repellent "transgressive" freaks" of the recent past.

Here's another point regarding the National Endowment for the Arts: I went to an art school back in the days where the NEA was under attack. There was much concern about this at the school and many students and faculty members were talking about an organized response. Their solution (never implemented) was to produce a show who's intention was to offend what they saw as traditional sensibilities. In other words, they wanted to shock, offend, and piss off the people who were looking to get rid of the NEA. Instead of creating a show that would prove the value of public funding for the arts, they wanted to show how impetuous and irresponsible they could be with taxpayer money, as if that would help their cause. While they were furious about the potential demise of the NEA, they also showed great contempt for the funding at the same time. Those who used NEA funding to produce work that didn't carry a controversial leftist political message were considered patsies for the Republicans.

On principle, I oppose the NEA because I do not believe it is the government's job to subsidize this sort of thing (I would be equally opposed if the money were going to a group of churches.) After seeing first hand the mindset of the potential recipients of this grant, I oppose it even more. People like Andres Serrano, who used NEA money to produce such juvenile works as "Piss Christ" (I refuse to link) are viewed as heroes by anti establishment artists, but if the NEA is abolished they will still blame conservatives. American citizens, no matter how ignorant or knowledgeable they are about the arts, deserve accountability when their money is being spent. Better to leave artists to their own affairs than to piss away money on Piss Christ.

Taking a break from the primaries...

Our man Walter Williams takes a look at the silly sweat shop paranoia that's so popular in liberal circles these days.

Of particular interest in this piece is the observation that minimum wage laws imposed on impoverished nations do a lot more harm to the "exploited" work force than the act of hiring them at a rate lower than the average western worker could ever hope to. Of course, minimum wage laws have the same effect in America and everywhere else.

Again we see the alleged compassion of the left exposed for what it is: Socialists (unions in particular) protecting themselves from Capitalist competition. Setting up price and wage controls is great for the short term interests of western workers who already have jobs, and for the politicians who are looking to buy their votes. Unfortunately, this tactic always harms those whom it is purported to protect, the unemployed and impoverished citizens of the world, who would gladly take a low paying job over no job at all. It also has the backlash effect of slowing economic growth, as corporations struggle against artificially high labor costs. Of course, this leads to the coddled western workers getting laid off. Once this happens, the left will scream for MORE protectionism, which is exactly what caused the problem in the first place.

Why Dennis Kucinich must be elected the next President of the United States. These are actual reasons for which people support "Dennis". I am NOT making this up:

She explained how it is important that the United States focus on helping the world's poor, such as keeping people in the Himalayas who have calluses on their feet from walking barefoot all the time.

"Our goal is to raise the issue of youth politics and music."

"I love Dennis because he shows me how we can have a world where I can be free to be who I am, I can feel safe, and everyone in the country can be safe and happy. Um, yeah."

"I feel the idea that you can defeat terrorism through war is absurd." Also, "I enjoy his ideas on medical insurance and education. They should be human rights."

Read the entire thing at NRO here.

I would pay Al Franken to try this with me. I'd go all ninja on him.

Scott,

Regarding David Kay, did you see this? I haven't heard anything in the mainstream press about the Syrian connection.

I saw David Kay interviewed on NBC this morning. I expected it to be a frustrating experience, but it was actually pretty encouraging. Kay pretty much put a bullet in this whole "Bush lied" hysteria, even going so far as to say that despite the lack of WMD's found in Iraq, the war was still a prudent undertaking. He brought up a point that I found to be very interesting. He said that from about 1998 on, Iraq was crumbling from within, and was unable to really do anything that required any organization. Saddam's scientists were taking money, but not producing the weapons Saddam wanted, although there were active weapons programs. Because of this lack of stability, terrorist organizations were taking notice, and beginning to infiltrate with the hopes of making off with whatever weapons technology they could find. Essentially, he proved there was an imminent threat and a link to terrorism, both points that are hotly contested by the left.

Another bonus was that Matt Lauer, not exactly a champion of the right, wasn't trying to spin Kay's statements at all. He actually was doing a lot to help Kay make his point. I still think the left will use the Kay report to try and hang Bush, but it looks like this one isn't going to have any legs.

Hold on to your wallets, folks. This piece points out that despite President Bush's current spending extravaganza, every single one of the current democratic candidates would increase the amount of federal spending even more.

While I find the current amount of spending truly appalling, at least the Republicans believe in a somewhat reasonable distribution of income taxation. These Democrats think they can pull this off while making the so called rich pay an even more disproportionate share of the load. Perhaps the Dems don't think they can achieve the popularity enjoyed by FDR until there is a full scale depression in place.

Oh what the Hell, just to be cantankerous and contrarian:

1) Dean

2) Kerry

3) Edwards

Well, I can't claim any New Hampshire residency, but both of my parents are New Hampshire natives, and I think Kerry is right about their political tendencies. Here's a few of my own predictions:

Kerry (John, not our beloved blogger) will win.

Lieberman will do poorly, and leave the race soon thereafter.

Clark will do poorly, and continue a slow slide into oblivion.

Dean will do ok, perhaps even squeaking out second place, but then join Clark on a slide into oblivion in the following primaries.

Sharpton and Kucinich will wait patiently in oblivion for Dean and Clark to arrive.

Edwards will do well enough to remain relevant, and will go on to a strong showing in the south, which will solidify his position as the most likely VP candidate.

Look for a Kerry/ Edwards ticket when all of this eventually shakes out.

The Patriots will win the Super Bowl. Tom Brady will stiff John Kerry on an endorsement.

Pom perompompom…pomperompompom…pomperompompom…. Actually it’s not so bad to be alone in the house…reminds me of those days when my folks and sisters had gone off and I was able to sniff in the oldest one’s drawers without fear of being detected…just had to make sure her stuff looked like untouched upon leaving the premises… She was just in full Duran Duran swing and I knew she kept some tutorial bookies for young girls with here and there a nice pic in it…ah….memories….


……………………………..(sigh)………………


…yup…am definitely feeling like I’m starring in Home Alone 5…but before the wackos try to break in…almost wished some hacker ‘d show up… just to break the monotony…


............................(checking comments section)......................


Uh-oh. Mark from Colorado wrote: "You're really spoiling for a fight, huh. I'm up for it if you are.". I would be very careful making such bold statements Mark. Extreeeemely careful. According to my old Rand McNally '93 Colorado has about 3,400,000 inhabitants and Maine some 1,300,000. Which means that Belgium with 10,300,000 is still outnumbering the two of you by more than two to one.


OK ok...after all you're not that bad Americanos. [RANT OFF].


I'm off till the end of the week to Florida! Booked an Air France flight to Miami. Will try do do the Keys too. So see you by Friday!