005 – Natural Resources Stewardship Project: Global warming myths | Tom Harris Comments Off on 005 – Natural Resources Stewardship Project: Global warming myths | Tom Harris May 172007 As we reflect on our latest broadcast here at Just Right, we find ourselves once again challenging the prevailing narratives that dominate public discourse, from the so-called consensus on global warming to the insidious creep of racial quotas in municipal hiring. In our conversation, we welcomed Tom Harris from the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, whose insights underscored the complexity of climate science and the dangers of politicizing it. We delved into the notion that much of what passes for environmental urgency is not rooted in objective facts but in a self-referential system of alarmism, where dissenters are branded as deniers while evidence like solar activity influencing planetary temperatures—including the melting polar ice caps on Mars—goes unaddressed. We also revisited our primer on the Left-Right political spectrum, emphasizing that true consistency demands accountability to principles, and we invite our listeners to hold us to that standard. Turning to local matters, we applauded City Councilor Paul Van Meerbergen for his stand against policies that prioritize skin color over merit in job applications, a practice we see as a backward step toward racism disguised as equity. Disappointingly, figures like Harold Usher dismissed these concerns, ignoring the inherent quotas that such initiatives imply. We addressed a follow-up from caller Marcel on pollution and the environment, affirming that no political faction favors environmental degradation; rather, solutions lie in technological advancement and a robust economy, not in fear-mongering. Our discussion extended to critiques of Al Gore‘s An Inconvenient Truth, highlighting its flawed equation on technology and old ideas, and we explored how carbon dioxide—far from a pollutant—is essential to life, enhancing plant growth and oxygen production. Bans on technologies like incandescent bulbs or used oil disposal reveal a deeper agenda: government control over energy, paving the way for globalism and wealth redistribution under the guise of climate action. We proposed that conservatives convene unbiased hearings to air both sides of the debate, ensuring decisions are grounded in reason. In wrapping up, we shared a fascinating tidbit on turtles exhibiting negligible senescence, a reminder that nature holds mysteries worth exploring. Ultimately, navigating these issues requires rejecting hysteria in favor of rational inquiry that is just right. Note: Guest’s voice did not record on archive file, though was broadcast on-air. The silence on the audio file has been removed.
004 – Left-Right Clash Ignites Eco Fury Comments Off on 004 – Left-Right Clash Ignites Eco Fury May 102007 We find ourselves increasingly frustrated with the state of television programming, where promising shows like Drive vanish abruptly, and erratic scheduling leaves viewers disoriented. As we noted on the show, networks’ avoidance of reruns in favor of long hiatuses only exacerbates the confusion, a sentiment echoed by columnist Bill Harris. Even Lost, with its meandering plot and ratings woes, prompts us to question whether creators risk alienating audiences by shifting genres midstream—much like our anecdote about a family member rejecting Star Trek upon realizing its sci-fi essence. We also touched on the ongoing saga of Marc Emery, whose advocacy for marijuana legalization drew thousands to Toronto, reminding us that true liberty often demands personal sacrifice against unjust laws. Turning to gas prices, we dismantled the left-wing think tank’s claims of consumer rip-offs, emphasizing that prices reflect supply and demand, not arbitrary “justifications.” Their call for regulatory regimes ignores basic economics: the market is us—producers, consumers, and retailers alike—safeguarding resources through voluntary exchange, not government fiat. At the heart of our discussion was a reorientation of left and right ideologies, tracing back to Plato’s totalitarian mysticism versus Aristotle’s rational objectivity. We contrasted left-wing tendencies toward force, group rights, and statism with right-wing values of voluntary choice, individual justice, and freedom. This framework illuminates current debates, including a lively exchange with caller Marcel on environmental concerns. While we acknowledge pollution as a valid issue, we challenged the hysteria over CO2 and global warming, pointing out that industrialization, not its demonization, drives cleaner solutions. Caller Justin’s support reinforced our view that rationality must prevail over emotional deflection. In the face of symbolic absurdities like bans on light bulbs and plastic bags—mere distractions from real progress—we urge a return to principled thinking. There is an enduring need for balance. Ultimately, navigating these chaos requires perspectives that are Just Right.
003 – Global Warming: Snow Job or Inconvenient Truth? Comments Off on 003 – Global Warming: Snow Job or Inconvenient Truth? May 032007 The rapid cancellation of promising television series like Drive, starring Nathan Fillion, serves as a stark reminder of the flaws inherent in the ratings-driven system that dominates network decision-making. In a recent broadcast, we drew attention to how erratic scheduling, poor time slots, and direct competition with established hits doomed this intriguing program from the outset, much as it did with classics like the original Star Trek and Fillion’s earlier Firefly. Quality entertainment, we argued, cannot be solely measured by instantaneous viewer counts, which prioritize advertiser interests over creative merit and audience discovery. Shifting to economic realities, we examined the persistent complaints surrounding rising gasoline prices, attributing them not to corporate greed or collusion, but to fundamental principles of supply and demand. Misconceptions abound, with many callers and commentators demanding price controls or boycotts—measures that would only exacerbate shortages by discouraging production. No new refineries have been built in North America for over three decades, yet our demand continues to rise, creating inevitable upward pressure on costs. Adjusted for inflation, gasoline remains a remarkable bargain when compared to everyday commodities like bottled water, underscoring the extraordinary efforts required to extract, refine, and distribute this essential resource. Finally, we critiqued the prevailing environmental frenzy, particularly Al Gore‘s influential documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which we described as propaganda promoting government control over industry and individual choices. Contradictions in Gore’s data on CO2 emissions, exaggerated claims of scientific consensus, and the politicization of climate issues through fear and moral appeals were highlighted as evidence of a deeper agenda hostile to human progress and capitalism. True environmental stewardship aligns with rational advancement, not collectivist restrictions. Achieving this perspective requires rejecting alarmism and embracing free-market principles in a manner that’s just right. Transcript Donate
002 – Feminist Hysteria, Gun Rights, Tax Slavery Comments Off on 002 – Feminist Hysteria, Gun Rights, Tax Slavery Apr 262007 In this week’s broadcast of Just Right, we revisited the controversy surrounding the Western Gazette’s April Fools spoof edition, which had sparked an orchestrated campaign by local feminist groups to suppress humor and satire on campus. Having now examined the spoof issue myself, it becomes clear that the outrage was manufactured over harmless parody—a cartoonish nonsense that no reasonable person could interpret as advocating violence against women. Yet, activists seized upon exaggerated interpretations, leveraging sympathy for genuine victims to demand apologies, resignations, and even the discontinuation of future spoof editions. This is the hallmark of lobbyists who exploit emotional issues to advance control over speech and thought, all while ignoring the broader context of satire that poked fun at everyone. The discussion extended to the pervasive sexism in Canadian politics, where leaders across all major parties obsess over increasing female representation in legislatures, not based on merit or voter choice, but through discriminatory quotas that favor one sex over another. Women already enjoy full equality of opportunity, yet this push reveals a deeper agenda that undermines individual qualifications in favor of collectivist engineering. We also addressed the intellectual fallout from the tragic murders at Virginia Tech, rejecting calls for stricter gun control as a solution. True security lies in recognizing the fundamental right to self-defense, rooted in individual rights—a principle that deters tyranny far more effectively than disarming citizens. Blaming objects for human evil misses the point entirely. Other matters included the misleading rhetoric of “cleaning up the environment,” which ignores the reality that wealth and technology, produced through free markets, are the only means to genuine improvement—not rationing or anti-industrial mandates. High gas prices were explained through basic supply and demand, refuting claims of corporate gouging and highlighting how profits signal the need for increased production. Finally, the Fraser Institute’s revealing report on taxation demonstrated that the average Canadian family devotes 45% of income to taxes—far exceeding spending on necessities—amounting to a form of modern slavery when government claims nearly half of one’s labor. A shift to consumption-based taxes would restore fairness, privacy, and freedom. These issues all point to the same polarity: freedom versus control, individual rights versus collectivism—and finding the balance that is just right. Transcript Donate
001 – Left and Right: An Orientation Comments Off on 001 – Left and Right: An Orientation Apr 192007 Here we are with the very first broadcast of Just Right. I’m Bob Metz, stepping up to the microphone after the retirement of Jim Chapman and the end of Left, Right, and Center. I make it clear right from the start: this isn’t about being right-wing, it’s about being just right – that philosophy of freedom, reason, individual rights, voluntary choice, and tolerance that stands in stark contrast to the left’s statism, force, collectivism, whim, and intolerance, whether it comes wrapped in conservative or liberal packaging. I lay out the real meaning of left versus right, drawing from Plato and Aristotle all the way to today’s issues like abortion (neither ban nor subsidize), Sunday shopping (treat it like any other day), and pornography (freedom of speech, not bans from the religious right or the feminist left). All Canadian parties? They’re all on the left in my book. Then I dive into that campus controversy over the Western Gazette‘s April Fool’s spoof – a satirical piece that had the usual suspects screaming for apologies, sensitivity training, ethics codes, and even removing editors by vote. I defend it as legitimate humor and free speech, exposing the intolerance behind calls to censor “offensive” content, the myth of a “rape culture” in the West, and the feminist agenda that confuses sexuality with sexism while demanding force and funding to silence dissent. Throw in some history on pornography laws, the Fraser Committee, and the real story behind Linda Lovelace. I Even touch on a few TV shows like Drive, Lost, and that brilliant Firefly. In the end, defending freedom of speech, individual justice, and reason against the forces of censorship and collectivism is what being on the side of freedom is all about – and that’s Just Right. Transcript Donate
