News
Dutch and Canadian Farmers Fight Against Absurd Climate Policies
Thousands of farmers demonstrated in The Hague on Saturday against government plans to limit nitrogen emissions, which they say will put many farms out of business and harm food production.
During the demonstration, many people held the national flag upside down as a symbol of the upcoming March 15 regional elections, which followed similar protests by farmers in Belgium earlier this month over nitrogen emission rules.
Thousands of environmentalists also blocked a major thoroughfare in an unauthorized protest against tax rules encouraging fossil fuel use. Late in the afternoon, police used water cannons to disperse a group of about 100 activists.
The pro-farm protesters carried banners reading “No farmers, no food” and “There is no nitrogen ‘problem'” during the peaceful demonstration organized by the Farmers’ Defence Force group.
Because of the relatively large number of livestock and the heavy use of fertilizers, nitrogen oxide levels in the soil and water in the Netherlands and Belgium are higher than European Union regulations allow.
Farm organizations claim that the problem has been exaggerated and that the proposed solutions are unfair and ineffective.
Next week’s regional elections are significant because they will determine the composition of the Dutch Senate and because regional governments are in charge of translating national government goals, such as nitrogen caps, into concrete plans.
Environmentalists led by the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion scaled a wall next to the road they had blocked to hang a banner reading “Stop fossil subsidies”.
Reuters reports protesters are calling for an end to fuel tax exemptions for oil refineries and coal plants and exemptions for the aviation and shipping industries agreed upon at the EU level.
Farmers hammered by Trudeau’s climate alarmist policies
Meanwhile, while farm groups are “making nice” with the federal government on climate change policies, some outspoken academics and scientists argue that Canadian agriculture will suffer.
Ross McKitrick, an environmental economics professor at the University of Guelph, is one of the most vocal critics of the federal government’s “destructive agenda of removing fertilizer use.”
The federal government has called for net-zero production of some greenhouse gas emissions (excluding the most common: water vapor) by 2050 and has recast agricultural scientists’ roles to prioritize climate change.
“I believe it is completely inappropriate for Agriculture Canada to shift its focus away from assisting farmers in increasing productivity,” McKitrick said. “We already have controls on nitrogen emissions, and most conservation areas have long been working with farmers with nutrient flows into rivers, so it’s not like this work wasn’t happening.
But this new push to eliminate fertilizer use is frightening, as is the lack of analysis, which is typical of the federal government right now.”
He noted that previous administrations had all collaborated with independent modeling groups within the government to determine the effects of policy and economic analysts outside the government. “And now it’s all gone. “None of that happens anymore,” he lamented.
“I’ve heard this over and over again in a variety of policy settings. The government is simply winging it. They are motivated by ideology and do not consider the costs of these policies.
They will not release any results as long as people in the government are still doing them. There is nothing in the regulatory impact analysis statements that are issued. They are empty assertions that this will cause no harm and that they will impose policies” that disproportionately harm agriculture.
He warned farm groups to bolster their message and push back, or they would be burned.
“If they believe that making nice with the government over the net-zero agenda will make them friends with environmental groups or get the government to leave them alone, they are sadly mistaken,” he said.
“Canada’s energy sector did that for years. They stated that they fully support your climate agenda. ‘We’d rather be at the table than the meal on the table,’ they used to say, and guess what happened? If you endorse the government’s alarmist rhetoric and agenda, they will turn on you and say, ‘now that you agree that you are the problem, we must eliminate your nitrogen fertilizers.
Now farmers must phase out the fossil fuels we use on our farms.
“At that point, you could argue, we’re going to fight against that agenda. But you can’t because you’ve already agreed to all of the agenda’s thinking. So, I would advise farm groups not to make the same mistake as the energy sector. Consider how that worked in the energy sector.”
He agreed that many people would remain silent about the drastic changes in government policy. “I can stand up and say it, but there are many people in government and other areas of academia who would like to say it but don’t because of the risk of repercussions.”
McKitrick also told Farmers Forum that some global warming benefits Canada, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concurs.
“Most studies — Canadian academic studies and IPCC reports — have concluded that if climate change occurs as predicted by models, regions such as Canada will benefit from it. It will benefit agriculture in the long run.
Farmers must adapt to changing expectations in crop management and everything else they do to deal with weather patterns from year to year.
Small changes that may trend over 50 or 100 years cannot be expected to be a major issue for farmers dealing with natural weather variability.”
McKitrick also stated that Canada is working from a worst-case scenario of the future based on one of the IPCC’s models, which it admits is too extreme to be considered realistic.
“The IPCC has a long history of using very extreme emissions scenarios to project exceptionally high amounts of warming,” McKitrick said, adding that hundreds of studies now show that the extreme temperature scenarios will not occur.
News
King Charles Could Millions Annually from Renting His Properties
A recent analysis suggests that King Charles might earn over £1 million each year by renting out royal properties to holidaymakers.
The Royal Family’s historic houses and mansions are popular holiday rentals, contributing significantly to the Palace’s revenue.
Pikl Insurance estimates that the royals may earn up to £118,775.85 per month, or around £1,425,310.20 per year, from their holiday rental portfolio. Even after accounting for cancellations, the monarchy is anticipated to generate a net annual income of somewhat more over £1.4 million.
Estimated Annual Rental Income of £1.4 Million
The four primary royal properties accepting public bookings are Balmoral Castle, Castle of Mey’s Captain House, Restormel Manor, and Dumfries House, according to Express.co.uk. Cottages at Balmoral Castle in Scotland are expected to generate £36,798.30 per month after accounting for cancellations.
According to the numbers, the 500-year-old Restormel Manor in Cornwall is the most profitable of them all, earning a solid £47,082 every month. The resort, located in the Fowey Valley, has four booking spaces and six converted barns.
Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, adds an estimated £31,185.63 and offers 25 rooms for booking. The Castle of Mey’s Captain House in the Scottish Highlands is estimated to generate a more modest £3,709.92 per month, despite the fact that the entire property is available for booking.
The analysts stated, “While the Royal Family’s primary role is undoubtedly to serve the nation, it is clear that their properties are also a valuable asset.” These estimates highlight the royal estate’s considerable financial potential and provide an intriguing peek into the monarchy’s corporate operations.”
Royal Family received £86.3 million from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant in the previous fiscal year, according to official numbers released in July.
All revenues from the Crown Estate, which includes royal households, forestry, agriculture, and offshore wind, are paid directly to the Treasury, with a portion of this money, now 12%, returned to the Royal Family to finance their tasks.
The records also cover a period of jubilation, including the coronation and festivities surrounding the King and Queen’s crowning in May of last year.
News
Man Creates Candy Cane Car to Spread Christmas Cheer
In a delightful display of holiday spirit, a local resident in North Providence, Maine, has transformed his vehicle into a candy cane delight that is capturing hearts and spreading Christmas Cheer.
Over the past 15 years, Dave Clayman has transformed a simple 1991 Toyota Camry into a rolling holiday icon that captivates everyone who encounters it.
It’s wrapped in $3,000 worth of reflective tape, the same kind used on trailer trucks. Whether parked at a mall or cruising down the highway, you can’t miss it with its candy cane decorations.
This whimsical project started with an unusual idea. When an old exercise bike landed in Clayman’s possession, he mounted it on top of his car instead of letting it gather dust in his garage.
“There’s nothing like working out in the fresh air,” Dave said. That quirky addition quickly drew eyes, inspiring him to keep going.
The car features homemade rockets built from trash cans and salad bowls, candy cane-themed hubcaps, and candy cane lights dangling from the mounted exercise bike.
The Candy Cane Car cost Clayman $3,000
To top it off, it boasts a PA system and a custom horn, making it a true sensory experience.
The candy cane car has now become a local landmark every Christmas. Parked outside Clayman’s house, it’s a favourite backdrop for people snapping photos or simply stopping to admire it.
Some visitors even share stories of seeing the car as a child, reminiscing about how it’s been a beloved part of their neighbourhood for years.
“When people see it, their mood amplifies,” Clayman explained. “If they’re happy, they become happier. If they’re upset, well, they sometimes get angrier.” But for the most part, he estimates that over 96% of people love the festive car, particularly around Christmas.
Clayman said he used to wear a Santa costume when riding in his festive car for years. A few years ago, he bought a Grinch costume and never looked back.
“It’s like a state of euphoria. Every time I get behind the wheel and people see it,” he said. “Anything that people are in a better mood, it seems to make you in a better mood. It’s a labor of love you got to be committed to it.”
Related News:
Costco Is Offering The Peloton Bike+ At 300 Locations This Holiday Season.
News
Senate Approves Social Security Fairness Act, Heads to Final Vote
(VOR News) – On Wednesday, the United States Senate Social Security passed a measure with a vote of 73-27, indicating that the legislation, which is co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins of Maine, is likely to be implemented before the end of the year.
The law may be beneficial to personnel working in the public sector in Maine, including teachers, firefighters, and other workers.
The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal two restrictions that lower the amount of Social Security payments paid to public employees.
These regulations would be eliminated with the passage of the act. A provision known as the Windfall Elimination Provision makes it impossible for public employees who are currently receiving pensions to continue receiving them.
The Government Pension Offset, as it is commonly referred to, is designed to limit the amount of money that can be paid to the surviving spouses of recipients who are also receiving government pensions.
This problematic situation impacts Social Security benefits.”
In November 2024, the Social Security Administration reported that more than 2 million individuals, including more than 20,000 in the state of Maine, had their Social Security benefits reduced as a result of the Windfall Elimination Provision,” Collins stated in a statement that was released by her department.
In November 2024, the Government Pension Offset had an impact on more than 650,000 individuals, with more than 6,000 of those individuals residing in the state of Maine, according to the previously mentioned line of reasoning.
A vote of 327 to 75 was necessary for the measure to be approved by the House of Representatives the previous month. On Wednesday, Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate, announced that he intended to work rapidly in order to deliver the act from the House of Representatives to the president’s desk.
As indicated by Schumer, who was speaking on the floor of the United States Senate today, “Passing this Social Security fix right before Christmas would be a great gift for our retired firefighters, police officers, postal workers, teachers, and others who have contributed to Social Security for years but are now being penalised because of their time spent serving the public.”
In the beginning, the measure was supported by two individuals: Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, and Collins, a Republican. During her speech in support of the proposal, which was made on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday afternoon, Collins stated that the idea will have a significant impact on a number of individuals, including teachers in the state of Maine.
These advantages are the direct result of the effort that they put forth. During the course of her remarks, Collins asserted that the punishment in question was both unreasonable and unacceptable.
This will strain Social Security’s already shaky budget.
In a recent examination, it was discovered that the Windfall Elimination Provision was one of the primary problems that contributed to the difficulties that the teacher workforce in Maine is experiencing, which experts are referring to as a crisis.
A poll that was conducted and released by the non-profit organisation Educate Maine found that teachers in each and every county in the state of Maine identified the provision as a hindering factor in the process of recruiting new teachers.
According to the findings of the study, “this federal policy that reduces social security payouts is a disincentive,” which implies that it is detrimental to teachers who take on additional work and discourages people from switching careers in order to become teachers.
Sharon Gallant, a retired educator who worked in Gardiner for a total of 31 years, is one of the educators that are now employed there. Prior to beginning his career as a teacher in the public school system, Gallant was employed in the business sector. He made a little contribution to the Social Security system during the entirety of this time period.
“When you move into public education, you are faced with a certain degree of punishment,” according to her statement.
In letters that Gallant sent to Collins and to Sen. Angus King of Maine, who is an independent, he urged both of them to support the concept. She stated that even if it is unsuccessful, Maine will still have a difficult time recruiting teachers because of the clause that deters them from employment.
She made the observation, “If this does not pass, then it is just another reason not to enter public service.”
SOURCE: FR
SEE ALSO:
The Federal Reserve Will Drop Key Rates, But Consumers May Not Gain Immediately.
Canadian Dollar Hits Multi-Year Low Over Political Unrest
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Miller Expects 4.9 Million Foreigners to Leave Canada Voluntarily
-
News3 weeks ago
Nolinor Boeing 737 Crash Lands in Montreal
-
News2 weeks ago
“Shocking Video” Vancouver Police Shoot Armed Suspect 10 Times
-
Tech3 weeks ago
Increasing its Stake in OpenAI by $1.5 Billion is a Possibility for SoftBank.
-
News4 weeks ago
Facebook Securities Fraud Case Dropped
-
Health4 weeks ago
A Canadian Teenager’s Bird Flu Virus Has Mutations