Less Posts This Year

This year I have decided to post 2-3 times a week rather than the daily posts I made before. At the same time, I am not going to reply to every comment. If it is just plain inane or designed for "stirring", I might just hit the delete button.

In the meantime, I have been making some comments on the Hong Kong government’s electricity sector message boards which can be found here.

If you are in favour of free markets, I strongly suggest a post or sending a simple comment to the government that you oppose the current situation and support opening up the market to all newcomers. Their email address is electricitycommentstage2@edlb.gov.hk

Sir John Cowperthwaite

Sir John Cowperthwaite who was Financial Secretary from 1961-1971 has just passed away. I don’t know of his achievements first hand or his exact philosophy, but he is credited with laying the foundation for Hong Kong’s free market economy. This includes eliminating import and export duties and introducing a flat tax rate. (Unfortunately his hard work in keeping Hong Kong’s economy free is now being undone.)

The SCMP notes that he was quoted as saying that he did very little – I take that to mean he just did not let government do that much. At the same time the paper notes he did not like the idea of the government collecting statistics. He thought that people would try to use them and that was not a good idea.

Imagine what Hong Kong would be like if he had not been the Financial Secretary. Would there still have been a free market economy during the last 40 yearsor would Hong Kong have stagnated like so many tinpot economies in this area?

The Iranian Terrorist and Nuclear Threat

On Monday, the local Iranian consulate wrote into the SCMP to say that Iran does not harbour any ambitions for nuclear weapons. Yesterday an Iranian think tank (The Institute for Trade Studies and Research in Tehran) says that we should not fear Iran if they do acquire nuclear weapons. Since free speech is restricted in Iran, one can only assume that there is an inherent contradiction in these two officially sanctioned views.

Iran does have a history of state sponsorship of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. They have regularly called for death to America and Israel and they have referred to a war against the West. The current president has labeled the Holocaust a myth and for Israel to be wiped off the map. So too has it called for the end of America. (Link provided to a translated speech by the Iranian president for last point). He notes as follows:

"Unfortunately, the Islamic world has been withdrawing in the past 300 years. I do not want to examine the reasons for this, but only to review the history. The Islamic world lost its last defenses in the past 100 years and the world oppressor established the occupying regime. Therefore the struggle in Palestine today is the major front of the struggle of the Islamic world with the world oppressor and its fate will decide the destiny of the struggles of the past several hundred years."

Clearly the Iranian president sees it as a long-term centuries plus war. He continues: (Note the reference to the Palestinian "nation" adopting Islamic behaviour – i.e. blowing themselves up to kill innocents.)

The Palestinian nation represents the Islamic nation [Umma] against a system of oppression, and thank God, the Palestinian nation adopted Islamic behavior in an Islamic environment in their struggle and so we have witnessed their progress and success.

Finally, he says the struggle is between all infidels (anyone who is not a Muslim) and specifically names the US and Israel as two nations the world can do without. Here it is, a specific stated goal to eliminate both.

Many who are disappointed in the struggle between the Islamic world and the infidels have tried to spread the blame. They say it is not possible to have a world without the United States and Zionism. But you know that this is a possible goal and slogan.

If one looks at all the evidence, the conclusion is that Iran is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, that it will use on Israel and the West (they are already trying to build missiles that will reach Europe). If one remembers that the most virulent form of Islam is suicide bombings, then they aren’t going to care too much about their own well-being either.

The Iranian’s are right on one thing though – this matter should not be resolved by a United Nations talkfest.

Return to Sender

It seems that a local communist study group has been giving me some free publicity on their website. Of course given communism’s bloody history including the deaths of over 50 million people, I won’t be returning the favour, just a strong moral condemnation to a website that should know that communism has resulted in so many deaths. This is because both communists (and national socialist or Nazi’s) rely on the idea that the interests and lives of the individual must be sacrificed; the first says to the collective, the second to the country or fuhrer.

Anti-Smoking Lobby’s Tactics Backfiring

Yestereday’s SCMP noted that Clear the Air has filed 1,500 objections to the Liquor Licensing Board on the grounds that the restaurants allowed smoking. Clear The Air even objected to a recent application by a restaurant set up by Igor’s even though it was going to be non-smoking restaurant. Annelise Connell is their vice-chairwoman and is a regular letter writer to the SCMP.

Of course Igor’s who applied for the license have since reversed their policy and will now be a smoking restaurant.

According to the SCMP, Igor’s said the objection by Clear the Air will cost Igor’s weeks of lost revenues. Further the paper notes that NO applications have been rejected by the board on the basis of smoking policy, but it adds that objections by Clear The Air add two months to the time it takes for a license to be approved. I have a full article on a related theme on the Capitalist Solutions main site.

Truly a World Wide Web

The web really is world-wide. It seems I got a very nice posting by a gentleman from Portugal. His website is http://www.subsolo.org/gustibus/

Charges Dropped Unfortunately

The government has dropped charges against 11 of the 14 alleged protesters that were originally charged with unlawful assembly. I am not a lawyer, but this leaves me thinking, whether they should have been charged with assault against the police or similar charges. At the same time, shouldn’t the police have been quicker in arresting those protesters that actually attacked them at the teim instead of rounding people up later and then relying on video evidence? That is, if a protester attacks a policeman with a stick, the police grab the proteseter straight away and use all reasonable force necessary to make such an arrest.

At the same time, I don’t want to second guess the police in what was a difficult situation – maybe the situation did not make this possible. After all, I woud just like to see those responsible for attacking the police getting their just desserts. Note: The protesters are presumed innocent until proven guilty and it is up to the police to prove that their case.

Photos from Afternoon Tea in Kwun Tong

As promised some photos of my afternoon tea at Kwun Tong law courts. We wanted to express strong moral disapproval of the South Korean farmers and their apologists. While they went on their hunger strike, Capitalist Solutions was supporting law and order by having afternoon tea.

The first is one of Korean protesters and supporters photographing our stand with Starbucks coffee, McDonalds McCafe sandwiches and a selection of sushi items.

The next is a view from the afternoon tea stand.

Finally, Korean farmers starting their hunger strike. After they riot, the protesters want to have the charges dropped. (Let’s remember they are innocent until proven guilty.) I could never understand why an alliance that wants to see more market access for third world countries would support farmers from a first world country – especially those that want to keep subsidies and tariffs in place. There is a basic contradiction here.

Free Trade Afternoon Tea at Kwun Tong Law Courts

We held a small afternoon tea event to support free trade and the police actions with regards to these protests. This includes a statement of moral disapproval of the protesters and their apologists. I will post details of the event later along with some interesting photos. The press release is below:

Afternoon Tea At Kwun Tong Law Courts

Capitalist Solutions Shows Moral Disapproval of Anti-Free Trade Hunger Strikers

[Hong Kong – 10 January 2006] Capitalist Solutions today held an afternoon tea event outside the Kwun Tong Magistracy as anti-free trade protesters started their hunger strike. The afternoon tea event follows on from earlier events in December 2005 by Capitalist Solutions under the banner of “We Love Hong Kong, We Love Free Trade”.

Simon Patkin, Director of Capitalist Solutions a locally based think tank that organized the afternoon tea said, “We held this activity to show strong moral disapproval of the anti-free trade protesters, both during the WTO meeting and after their subsequent arrest.”

Mr. Patkin noted that anti-free trade activists by their actions had clearly ignored calls for rationality during the WTO Trade meeting in Hong Kong. He said, “The anti-free trade protesters as a mob acted irrationally during the WTO meetings and those responsible should for any rioting should be prosecuted.” He added,  “If found guilty, they should be punished accordingly.”

Mr. Patkin also noted media reports of threats to send 1000 South Korean farmers to Hong Kong if the protesters charged were not released. Mr. Patkin said, “This is an insult to Hong Kong’s legal system and rule of law. Just as some countries have procedures for dealing with soccer hooligans, the government should review entry procedures for Korean farmers into Hong Kong in the near future. ”

At the same time, Mr. Patkin believed the South Korean farmers were not representative of the people of their country and the local protesters were not representative of Hong Kong. He said, “There were many good things about South Korea including their advanced electronic and motor industries. It is such a pity that a minority of protesters detract from all the good things about South Korea.” He added, “Why do consumers in South Korea have to pay 400% more for their rice and why do taxpayers subsidize these farmers so they can come to Hong Kong to protest? It just does not make any sense.”

Mr. Patkin is available for media interviews.

About Capitalist Solutions

Capitalist Solutions is a free enterprise think tank promoting the philosophy of rational self-interest in Hong Kong. For more information please go to www.capitalist-solutions.com.

For WTO updates please go to www.hkcapitalist.com

# # # END # # #

New Power Company Already Allegedly “Under Investigation’

With the possibility of a third power company in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reports today that one of the partners of this company may already be under investigation by the SEC:

It is understood the Securities and Futures Commission is investigating Vertex’s share-trading for possible market manipulation.

Vertex’s share price rocketed as much as 105.88 per cent in volatile trading on Thursday following China Hong Kong Power’s announcement that it was breaking into Hong Kong’s market.

So they announce they want to break into the market and straight away there are rumours they are going to be investigated. The whole dual power company model stinks – really really stinks – and this is the last kind of stunt one would expect the government to pull.

I will have more to say on the power companies in due course – The Stage II Consutlation Paper is sitting on my desk as I type.