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October 09, 2008

We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves

The Jawas point a derisory finger at yet another Canadian embarrassment, the latest target of Canada's puritans-without-God, disposable coffee cups. Remember: This is what the left cares about; to them, 9/11 is dismissed as the politics of fear.

Companies that sell takeout coffee must create their own deposit-return system that keeps disposable cups out of litter and landfill, or governments will do it for them, says a waste diversion consultant. ... "If they don't act, then the risks are very big. That is the writing on the wall," Morawski said. ... "It's not like if they don't do it they will be sitting status quo," she said. "I don't believe that the status quo will last much longer. I think they are going to be pushed by government to do things they don't want to do."

Intestinal cramping over a non-problem. Check. Professional income as a consultant for an imaginary profession. Check. Bullying and threats directed at people who work for a living if she does not get her way. Check. But there is a silver lining in that garbage disposal unit... even the reliably liberal Toronto Star gives Tim Horton's the last word. Socialists and social engineers need to step lightly if they plan to demonize our double-doubles.

Tim Hortons is the most popular takeout coffee company in Ontario. Spokesperson Nick Javor said the company is working on a solution by giving customers a 10-cent discount when they use refillable containers. It is also piloting an expanded in-store recycling system in 11 of its Toronto restaurants, which will be expanded to all Toronto restaurants by early next year, as well as other locations.

Javor said Toronto should figure out a way to compost its coffee cups, the way that Hamilton does. He called concerns about plastic lids a "red herring," saying the city should simply ask residents to remove the lids, which are recycled at a plant in Mississauga.

"I really think that we are looking at an element that is trying to make this into an environmental catastrophe. Well, it is not," Javor said.

Better to convince self-satisfied progressives of the Annex it is common courtesy to find a garbage can for their empty coffee cups rather than treat any flat surface as an alternative. I am certain local book store staff have better things to do than pick up after grown up babies with BMWs.

Related: A handy top ten most depressing quotes from George Orwell's 1984 (the last one is a spoiler but if you have yet to read 1984 you deserve what you get). And a doubleplusgood array of book covers.

"We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will. We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us; so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him. It is intolerable to us that an erroneous thought should exist anywhere in the world, however secret and powerless it may be. Even in the instance of death we cannot permit any deviation . . . we make the brain perfect before we blow it out."

And that, my friends, is why Barack Obama will attempt to censor the blogosphere and tell us it is for our own good.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 9, 2008 07:43 AM

Comments

I've related this phenomena to Hardin's essay on the "Tragedy of the Commons". The fear of tragedy has especial robustness in this state. To a point where for many, any utilization of the commons is a tragedy.

My one man crusade is to point out the meaninglessness of the Commons, if only approved uses are allowed. Sometimes sheep may safely graze.
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Posted by: OregonGuy [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 9, 2008 12:55 PM