Utopia, you are standing in it!

Spend less than 5 minutes watching this clip, demonetized by Youtube. Just to understand the hypocrisy.

At the risk of understatement, I’m not a fan of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The international bureaucracy is the “Johnny Appleseed” of moral hazard, using bailouts to reward profligate governments and imprudent lenders.

The IMF also is infamous for encouraging higher tax burdens, which is especially outrageous since its cossetted employees are exempt from paying tax on their lavish salaries.

In recent years, the IMF has been using inequality as a justification for statist policies. Most recently, the lead bureaucrat at the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, cited that issue as a reason for governments to impose higher taxes to fund bigger welfare states.

…inequality has become one of the most complex and vexing challenges in the global economy. Inequality of opportunity. Inequality across generations. Inequality between women and men. And, of course, inequality of income and wealth. …The good news is we have tools to address these issues… Progressive taxation is…

Starts with the host saying, “Let’s talk about whether the right has lost their balls, whether they are dying out, I mean, what is happening here?”

Farage: “No, look at Italy! Giorgia Meloni is going to become the Italian prime minister. Look at Sweden, 2 weeks ago; that country, ruled by Social Democrats since 1945, until now. There’s going to be a conservative majority leading Sweden.”

Helen Clark’s head must be exploding. She was always a die-hard, Sweden fan.

Farage: “Actually, all over the world, we are seeing a move against Globalism. Because what’s Globalism done? It’s made the rich, richer, and disadvantaged absolutely everybody else.”

Farage: “But somehow, somehow in our countries at election time we get people who masquerade as conservatives, don’t have the courage to stand up and fight for our values.”

Farage: “People are just coming up and talking to me. People are desperate for…

A marquess is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. Marquess (from the French marquis, march). This is a reference to the Marches (borders) between Wales, England and Scotland.

The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or widow) of a marquess is a marchioness or marquise. The children’s titles are the same as those of a duke’s children (Lord and Lady). These titles are also used to translate equivalent Asian styles, as in Imperial China and Imperial Japan.

A marquess is addressed as ‘Lord followed by thier first name.

United Kingdom

In Great Britain, and historically in Ireland, the correct spelling of the aristocratic title of this rank is marquess (although on the European mainland and in Canada, the French spelling of marquis is used in English).

It is disappointing that the bureaucrats at the International Monetary Fund routinelyadvocate for higher taxes and bigger government in nations from all parts of the world (for examples, see here, here, here, here, here, and here).

It is disturbing that the IMF engages in bailouts that encourage bad fiscal policy by governments and reckless lending policies by financial institutions.

And it is disgusting that those IMF bureaucrats get tax-free salaries and are thus exempt from the damaging consequences of those misguided policies.

One set of rules for the peasants and one set of rules for the elite.

The latest example of IMF misbehavior revolves around the bureaucracy’s criticism of recently announced tax cuts in the United Kingdom.

A BBCreport by Natalie Sherman and Tom Espiner summarizes the controversy.

No two Accessions are the same. That of King Edward VII in 1901 was characterised by widespread confusion regarding custom and practice, for Queen Victoria’s succession to the Throne had long ago faded from the public consciousness. This time, the ‘official mind’ was better prepared and the major difference between the Accession of King Charles III in 2022 and that of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in February 1952 was its visibility. By comparing the ceremonial surrounding these Accessions (and some others), this article reveals developments in what Walter Bagehot called the “dignified” constitution over the past seven decades.

Demise of the Crown

Before traditional black-bordered notices were affixed to the gates of Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s death was posted on Twitter. By law, the Accession of King Charles III was immediate, yet the precise moment of both Accessions is…

What’s dressed up as “progress” these days increasingly looks and sounds like a drift back to our Dark Age of misery, poverty and ignorance.

Anyone who still thinks wind turbines and solar panels equate with Earthly salvation, is more than just a little confused. But that’s the very point and purpose of those pushing the so-called inevitable ‘transition’ to an all wind and solar powered future.

As in days gone by, the model rests on inventing new forms of fear and firmly instilling them. And then following up with the promise of redemption through sacrifice and worship; albeit worshipping wind turbines and solar panels, instead of saints and idols.

The faithful readily subscribe to the myth and the mantras, merrily chanting them in the Twitterverse, trumpeting their peculiarly smug sense of superiority to the world at large.

Hot tip: if it looks like a cult and sounds like a cult, it’s a…

Stardate: Unknown (traditionally 2268)
Original Air Date: January 12, 1968
Writer: David P. Harmon, Gene L. Coon
Director: James Komack

“Put the bag on him!”

About a hundred ago, the starship Horizon visited the planet Sigma Iotia II and it was lost shortly after departure. News of the ship’s disappearance has only just reached the Federation as the distress call was made from this distant corner of the galaxy from an old-fashioned radio system. The Horizon came to this planet prior to the advent of the Prime Directive which directs Starfleet not to interfere with evolving cultures and planets. At the time, Iotian culture was in the beginnings of industrialization, and Spock claims Iotians are extremely intelligent and “somewhat imitative.” Now, the Enterprise has been sent to Sigma Iotia II where it remains in standard orbit.

Kirk communicates with the “Boss” Bela Okmyx (Anthony Caruso)…