Cushing Oklahoma is a price settlement point for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light crude oil and the town proclaims itself to be the “Pipeline Crossroads of the World,” However, petroleum stored there is landlocked, disconnected from world markets. Declining U.S. demand and rising domestic production have created a North American
Continue readingAuthor: Norman Farrell
Northern Insights / Perceptivity: On getting the news
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician, actor and TV presenter who often appears on Stephen Fry’s long running panel game show QI, an award winning celebration of the obscure. Bailey’s comedy is always intelligent and topical, and sometimes strange. He claims to have attended Bovington Gurney School of Performing
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Breaking news from the DFO
Statement from the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Keith Ashfield, on Negative Infectious Salmon Anaemia Test Results in British Columbia Salmon “After Canada’s reputation has needlessly been put at risk over the past several weeks because of speculation and unfounded science, additional in-depth, conclusive tests, using proper and
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Not everyone shocked by Cohen disclosures
From my November 25 piece titled To be different, we must do things differently: “Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, along with Chief Bob Chamberlin and Chief Marilyn Baptiste, executive members of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs, attended the Nov. 24 celebration honouring Rafe Mair. It was a treat to hear each talk
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: "We’d be in shallower shit now if…"
One of my favourite Brits is actor/writer/comedian/social commentator David Mitchell. He’s been mentioned here before probably because, while I may not share his rapier wit, I do share his cynical disposition and contempt for pomposity, even while occasionally displaying touchs of that quality. In his weekly Guardian column, Mitchell takes
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Vancouver Sun: FAIL!
On the left you can see yesterday’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after more than 60 First Nations annouced they will not allow the Enbridge pipeline through their territories, on the right you can see today’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after one First Nation annouced they support
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Vancouver Sun: FAIL!
On the left you can see yesterday’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after more than 60 First Nations annouced they will not allow the Enbridge pipeline through their territories, on the right you can see today’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after one First Nation annouced they support
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: CBC reporter’s conflict of interest
“Legislative Bureau Chief” Stephen Smart reports regularly on the British Columbia government. The “year-end views” interview with Premier Clark is but one example. Mr. Smart is married to Rebecca Scott, a Communications Officer for the Premier and her Deputy Press Secretary. CBC practice guidelines state, “We are independent of all
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: In Memory of Christopher Hitchens
A Worker Reads History by Bertolt Brecht Who built the seven gates of Thebes? The books are filled with names of kings. Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone? And Babylon, so many times destroyed. Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima’s
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Globe & Mail demonstrates what the press can be
Instead of being handmaids to the rich and powerful – the usual role of Canada’s media – the Globe and Mail offers Gerald Caplan’s commentary; Be very afraid: Stephen Harper is inventing a new Canada. As noted by the reader who pointed me to this article, “Looks like this guy
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Equality before the law, maybe not
News item from the streets of America: Due to harsh sentencing, a disproportionate number of young Black and Hispanic men are likely to be imprisoned for life under scenarios in which they are guilty of little more than a history of untreated addiction and several prior drug-related offences. News item
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Untruthful minister must resign
McRae at BC farm of Norwegian company Greig Seafood British Columbia Hansard, October 20,2011 Minister of Agriculture Don McRae: “I’m pleased to say that over 5,000 samples have been tested for ISA in the last several years. How many came back positive? Let me think about it for a sec.
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Department of nothing much changes
BCCLA files complaint after RCMP Detachment Head comments “The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is filing a complaint after the head of the Langley RCMP made comments that could interfere with the independent review of the police shooting death of Alvin Wright. Wright, who had no criminal record, and no history
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Taking issue with journalism in the MSM
I left this comment at Ian Reid’s article about Vaughn Palmer but the audio link does not work within comments, so I repeat the comment intended to follow Ian’s item at The Real Story and the audio link: “You have of course identified the frustration with Palmer. He would be
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: The war machine grinds on
Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor winner, By Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers, Dec. 14, 2011 “WASHINGTON — With Dakota Meyer standing at attention in his dress uniform, sweat glistening on his forehead under the television lights, President Barack Obama extolled the former Marine corporal for the “extraordinary
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: For many, this is a depression
Does living luxuriously in secure compounds and travelling the world first class, richly clothed and dining extravagantly in the company of hired sycophants, qualify a person to determine or advise on social and economic policy? Or, does it encourage the individual, convinced by material success, to join or fund those
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: People who can do no wrong, another chapter
If you thought it was strange when West Van Chief Peter Lepine, the ‘independent’ review officer, commended RCMP after they Tasered an 11-year-old Prince George boy while arresting him last April, how about this story from Stockton CA: Michael is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. He is
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: I’m all right Jack!
A quiz for readers. First person to identify this gentleman wins a free subscription to Northern Insights. He was a major backer of Premier Photo Op during her bid for Liberal leadership; is a director of several large corporations in Canada; is on the board of trustees of the Fraser
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: HST savings elusive for consumers
In 2010, The Business Council of British Columbia, an association representing approximately 250 major business enterprises, circulated a report on consumer impacts of HST written by SFU Professor Jon Kesselman. It purports to demonstrate that: “the HST is not a “tax grab” and that its overall impact on the prices
Continue readingNorthern Insights / Perceptivity: Adventures in Portland and other places – REPLAY
For the earlier story on police watchdog Richard Rosenthal, I was connected to Portland sources by people I know in that fine American city. Instructor Martha Gies will soon be off with another writers’ group, this time to the Andalucian province of Granada. Gwen and I had hoped to be
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