H1N1 flu vaccinations, an evaluation.

Inspired by this article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/h1n1-swine-flu/quebecs-disney-inspired-solution-to-flu-shot-chaos/article1364403/
The H1N1 crisis appears now that it will not live up to its hype but, at the very least, it was an invaluable emergency preparedness exercise.  So much has and will be learned from this shot across the bow.  
In addition, it should be noted that Quebec has again demonstrated its ability to do things differently and better.  Coming up with a novel solution and adopting it province wide within days provides a standard of performance for the rest of Canada to emulate ---- again . 

Annuities: An option for any retiree?

Sure, but this article does not emphasize enough the foolishness of doing it at a time of such low interest rates.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/annuities-an-option-for-any-retiree/article1360062/
The cost of annuities is based on current long term interest rates. I always considered 8% as being a good long term investment goal. Therefore I would never consider an annuity unless I could get at least that rate. I bought annuities for my mother and father from their RRSP so that they could take advantage of the (at that time) $1000 pension income deduction. The return was 10%! They both lived into their early nineties which is another factor. If you think you are healthy and will enjoy an above average lifespan you can get an extra bump from an annuity. If you are expected to live to 83 then every year after that you are getting a gift from others who didn't make it that far. Buying an annuity today when interest rates are rock bottom doesn't make sense to me. Neither does writing an article perhaps encouraging others to consider it. Nor does providing a link to it. Here's the come on.
"Welcome to the Globe and Mail Personal Finance Reader. I’m Rob Carrick, personal finance columnist at The Globe, and each week I compile a list of articles, blog postings, videos and websites that represent the best of what the online world has to offer on money-related subjects."

Is western-style democracy the only way to go?

I think so.  Have a look at this.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/native-tribe-will-petition-ottawa-to-remove-their-indian-status/article1356107/
Wow. We are trying to impose democracy on Afghanistan. We insist that they must hold western-style elections although Afghanistan has a traditional tribal system as well (warlords). The difference that I see is that the warlords have access to no natural resources while the Gitxsan tribal chiefs apparently would have access to plenty.
My question is, can/should we allow a subset of Canadians to, by way of a western-style election, give up western-style democracy - forever?
In our western-style democracy we see politicians and political appointees who can't keep their hands out of the cookie jar. Are the tribal chiefs going to be any different? (The warlords don't even have a cookie jar and have to make deals with criminals in order to survive.)
Rather than have the Gitxsan proposal involve the traditional tribal system, they could form a corporation to harvest the natural resources with each community member owning one non-salable non-transferable share that would be created at some age of majority (maybe 13 years of age) and expire on death. That would work for me.

Long gun registry

Michael Den Tandt is editor of the Sun Times in Owen Sound and a national affairs columnist for Sun Media. This is what he has to say about the long gun registry.

http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2165851

What a puerile analysis of such a complicated issue.

He fails to mention the fourteen women killed in the Montreal massacre nor the four mounties slain in Mayerthorpe Alberta.

He fails to ponder on the fact that a lot of the cost in setting up the registry was probably due to the obstructive tactics of long gun owners.

He fails to explain why he is ignoring the appeal by the Chiefs of Police to leave the registry in place.

He does not examine what is at the bottom of all this. In my view, it is the influence of the American Constitutions's Second Amendment which "protects an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home". The American fear of being without a gun has rubbed off on Canadians. Long gun owners are afraid that gradually their long guns, by a thousand cuts, will be taken away from them.

Finally den Tandt has failed to offer some middle ground. I will do it for him. It is my belief that local sportsmen's associations, for example the Sydenham Sportsman's Association, could very responsibly and very competently contract to look after all aspects of the long gun registry for their particular area. I understand that they would be very wary of doing so but on the other hand we should start the dialogue.

Let's get creative in Afghanistan

I am not an expert on Afghanistan but I do understand that most warlords are able to exercise control over their own territories. They have to make deals with the Taliban in order that their people are provided for. They provide safe harbour, fighters, and get money for goods and services rendered.
In my view the thing to do is go to one warlord and work out a deal. As noted in the above post buying an agricultural product would be one method. Setting up a manufacturing facility would be another. Allowing export of Afghani labour would be another.
Would this be cheaper than alternative solutions? Probably not - but I'm not sure if that should be the measure - at least on a trial basis.