By Greg Ellis
“A government’s view of the economy can be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”– Ronald Reagan, 40th US President, Republican On Wednesday, November 9th, 2005 the captains of America’s oil industry stepped foot in US congress… Continue reading Corporate piracy
By Ben Hoffman
“War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography”– Ambrose Bierce The audience was a who’s who of Calgary’s social elite, from oil baron to politician, the conversation topical and bearing the stamp of influence. I was a little out of place. This was the backdrop to a one hour invitation for a speech by the… Continue reading The new cold war
By Greg Ellis
“I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.”– George W. Bush In the winter of 2000 President Bush said he intended to run the government like a business. I thought he was striking a chord of rhetorical convenience rather than actually forecasting his performance. I must… Continue reading The democratic republic of Enron
By Greg Ellis
Entering the front doors of a casino in Calgary is a rare experience reserved for moments of boredom and feelings of risk. The lingering smoke, dreary faces, a dismal atmosphere underscored by an apparent quiet desperation. After completing three trips to Las Vegas last year, I incorrectly assumed my impression of gambling was accurate. Nothing… Continue reading Sinking into the casino abyss
By Greg Ellis
“One of the chief obstacles to intelligence is credulity, and credulity could be enormously diminished by instructions as to the prevalent forms of mendacity. Credulity is a greater evil in the present day than it ever was before, because, owing to the growth of education, it is much easier than it used to be to… Continue reading The power structure textbooks forgot