Ship’s Log – June 2025

Jun 02, 2025

Moving is fun, isn’t it?

I’m in the middle of (wrapping up?) two moves. The first is an attempt to move my X account from @HTBF1968 to @APirateReturns. I’m doing it because despite paying for a blue check and having over 5000 followers my posts are rarely viewed more than 100 times. Is X suppressing my posts? I can’t prove it but it certainly seems that way. So, after months and months of frustration I’ve started a new account which currently sits at… 72 followers. Sigh.

The second move is across town to a brand-new building, “a deluxe apartment in the sky” if you will.

As the last place we lived in was furnished, we are also in the process of buying chairs, tables, pots and pans, and oh ya, cutlery. Day one had me sitting on the toilet eating peanut butter from a jar with my toothbrush. And my teachers said I’d never amount to anything. Who’s a failure now?

That is a minor inconvenience and was quickly remedied, more annoying was what we discovered about the internet. As the internet is more important to me than chairs or cutlery, I made sure to book installation move day. Here is a brief overview of my internet adventure:

Day One - despite Rogers, the movers, and FedEx all having different windows for their arrival they all arrived within 5 minutes of each other…of course. Anyway, the tech shows up, works for about half an hour and then an exchange somewhat along these lines occurs:

Tech: Your apartment isn’t wired for internet.

Me: Excuse me?

Tech: Ya, there’s no cable between your apartment and the electrical room.

Me: blank stare

Tech: I don’t know whose problem this is.

Me: blank stare while thinking “well, it’s not mine.”

Tech: We’ll have to get someone to come in and fix it.

Me: When?

Tech: Someone will call you. Hopefully tomorrow.

Day Two - “Tomorrow” arrived with me feeling less hope than the tech probably imagined I’d have, so I was quite surprised when two Rogers techs showed up with one of the building maintenance guys. After a morning of work the techs informed me that either the conduit was blocked, or it was crushed. In either case it was the building’s problem not theirs. As I did not want to play the role of middleman, I made them explain the situation to the building guy who informed me he’d call the contractor.

Day three arrived as did two electricians. Foolishly, my hope began to rise. “Surely we’ll have a solution now,” I thought. As we continued to unpack, one electrician was in the electrical room down the hall while another was in our apartment until I looked around just before lunch to discover that they had vanished. So down to the building manager’s office I went. I was informed that they couldn’t fix it so a different team would arrive on Monday. In the interim I was “welcome to use the guest Wi-Fi in the community room.” Oh thanks.

In other news…I’ve begun what I hope will be an ongoing series that presents topics in discussion rather than essay form. This approach is inspired by Plato’s “dialogues” which are structured as dramatic conversations. Plato used Socrates as a central figure, having him engage in question-and-answer process to probe ideas, expose contradictions, and seek truth. That’s a high bar, so grade me on a curve please.

There is another reason why I’m attempting this format; I want to see what, if any talent I have with fiction. Or at least the dialogue part of fiction. I am looking forward (dreading) to the comments I receive and will decide whether or not to try this again based on what each of you has to say.

Since I want to reward paid subscribers in some way, these will initially be behind the paywall. The first was entitled Clear, Simple, and Wrong.

It’s time for an Ad!

Hoist the Black Flag is an audience-supported publication which looks at US, Canadian, and World Politics (and anything else I find interesting).

Look, I get it, the demands for money are never-ending. I would write this even if I didn’t make a dime. I honestly would rather have you read my Substack for free than constantly ask you for money… but it never hurts to ask, so…

If you enjoy my work, please:

Hit the like button!
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Coming “Soon” Some Ideas

Ok, after several months of working on pretty much anything but what was on this list I’m renaming it. It feels dishonest to call it “Coming Soon” if it never arrives. It’s like the sign on my street that has been promising that a vegan burger joint will be opening soon. Sure, the workers could all just be weak from lack of protein and/or have lost the will to live but “opening soon” should have some meaning. Anyway, I’m keeping this here because it does serve as a store of “good” ideas. However, I’m no longer going to promise that you’ll ever see any of these…except for #10.

Two Tier Health Care – Why this can fix Canadian healthcare
This has all happened before… - Technocrats are the New Priesthood and we’re living though a second Reformation
The Great Forgetting – Failed ideas that just won’t die
War is coming! It’s time for Canada to fund the military
Saving Canada – Canada’s democracy in 1867 and today.
Is Trump a Communist?
Loyalty and Honor
Canadian Separatism
The “New Deal” has gotten old
Something brilliant.

Top 10 Subscriber Locations

Why is this here? Did you miss it when I said I like stats?

It’s also interesting, to me at least, to see where all my readers live. What can I do with this knowledge? I don’t know. Yet.

Canada (1)
California (2)
Texas (3)
UK (4)
Florida (5)
New York (6)
Australia (8)
Virginia (9)
Pennsylvania (7)
Ohio (10)

Note: the US is #1 by far but provides insight into individual states and it’s more interesting to present it that way. No other country can be broken down unfortunately.

Monthly Draw

I’m (slowly) approaching 1000 subscribers (thanks everyone!) When I do, I’ll be retiring the random draw. It’s becoming an administrative burden. Instead, I’ll be expanding the “Comment of the Month” so that multiple people (top 3 maybe?) win. So, start practicing as I’m hoping to hit 1000 subscribers in June (there, I just jinxed it).

The winner of this month’s 3-month complimentary paid memberships is:

mhaag@************.***

Congratulations!

Comment of the Month

Having just complained that the “Monthly Draw” is becoming too much of an administrative burden, I have to admit that picking the “Comment of the Month” is a lot of work as well. However, that is a good thing as I like to see people engaged in what I’m writing. I just need to be more efficient regarding how I go about it. Something for next month, I suppose.

I had quite a few comments this month and am struggling to pick just one. Since I make the rules, I don’t have to, so I’m going to award it to a few people.

@permiegeek723899 wins for a comment on Damned Hippies!

“I think best reply to those who think real communism would work but hasn't been tried is that person should…” Continued.

@lowstatus wins for a comment on Stop Arguing!

“It’s pretty clear to me that if the UK government had reduced all government employees wages by 25%...” Continued.

My thanks for the comments! Please enjoy your 3-month complimentary paid membership.

Note: If you’re a paid subscriber the 3-month complimentary paid membership extends your membership at no cost.

Recommend Hoist the Black Flag

For those of you who weren’t lucky enough to win this month you can earn complimentary memberships by referring friends to Hoist the Black Flag from here.

AYPWIP?

Given what I said about my online and real world moves at the top of this post it probably won’t surprise you that I want to include some quotes that come to mind when I think of the people and organizations that have been making my life harder than it should be. Here’s what I have:

Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge, others just gargle.

-- Robert Anthony

They didn't want it good, they wanted it Wednesday.

-- Robert A. Heinlein

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American (or Canadian) people.

-- H. L. Mencken

Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.

-- John Milton, Paradise Lost

Ok, that last one may be a tad overdramatic for what I’m going through, so how about we turn to George Costanza instead…

Podcast Recommendations

This month I’m going to recommend a little personal finance and a little history. Ok, personal finance is a bit of a stretch as it’s more about how credit card companies make their money than how you can save some, but it’s interesting and if you pay attention, you might get some budgetary ideas from it:

EconTalk: Conversations for the Curious – Inside the Mysterious World of Credit Cards (with Patrick McKenzie)
- Patrick McKenzie explains to EconTalk's Russ Roberts how credit cards work, who makes money from them and how, and gives his take on whether cash customers and debit card users subsidize the users of credit cards with reward programs.

The historical one is timely. At least for me. I’d been thinking how (if) the Chinese are using fentanyl as sort of a reverse opium war with the United States. If you want to understand what I mean, this is the podcast for you:

Breaking History – The Opium War: The Original Trade War

Final Thoughts

I got into an exchange with a “New York Times bestselling author” who called me “hostile and close minded” because we had different interpretations of the word “and.” The exchange resulted in one of my most successful posts so if he wants to insult me again, I can take it.

In the meantime, if you’re ever insulted online, bear this in mind:

“When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.”

― Anonymous

Please help me improve HTBF by answering the Reader Survey

That’s all for now.

Stay salty, my friends!

Phil

Hoist the Black Flag