Total Energy Logo.jpg It is a well-known fact that the unconventional gas industry is involved in an inherently toxic business, particularly through hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), which the EPA just confirmed today has contaminated groundwater in Wyoming. The documentary "Gasland," DeSmogBlog's report "Fracking the Future: How Unconventional Gas Threatens our Water, Health,
Continue readingwmtc: how can we live without polar bears? bbc’s planet earth gets political
In October, I blogged about my impressions of the BBC nature series “Planet Earth”. I loved the show, but criticized the producers for making it completely apolitical. There was not a single mention of habitat conservation, climate change or any human-caused environmental disruption, which struck me as a terrible missed
Continue readingOffice of Religious Freedom shows it bias
The federal government’s creation of what it terms an Office of Religious Freedom is not off to a good start. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, mentor of the new office, has created a panel to help lay out parameters for the proposed office. The panel is in itself hardly representative
Continue reading350 or bust: Durban: Setting The Stage For Climate Chaos
Today’s guest blogger is friend of 350orbust Graham Saunders, who gives us his perspective on the U.N. climate negotiations in Durban: The Kyoto Agreement to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases became toast at the recent world meetings in Durban, South Africa. Yes, there are some damage control with statements
Continue readingConservatives: to hell with the courts. Where’s the outrage?
Conservatives and family gather in Chicago to re-enact the ‘good ol’ days’ With the Wheat Board fiasco roaring, the Conservatives don’t seem to care about rule of law or even ‘the normal legislative process’. How are Canadians not being affected by this obvious abuse of law? Aren’t the Conservatives the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Pipelines and Battle Lines Drawn by Harper Government
The paths, inexorably to a meeting point to violence, can only be changed by the senior governments, especially the feds. The cause of these paths are three: 1. the proposed Enbridge oil pipelines to Kitimat carrying Bitumen (sludge from the Tar Sands) mixed with gas (condensate), with one line running
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Pipelines and Battle Lines Drawn by Harper Government
The paths, inexorably to a meeting point to violence, can only be changed by the senior governments, especially the feds. The cause of these paths are three: 1. the proposed Enbridge oil pipelines to Kitimat, carrying bitumen (sludge from the Tar Sands) mixed with gas (condensate), with one line running
Continue readingExcited Delirium: Toronto’s ‘Emergency’ Warning
Toronto: it’s time to stand up to Ford’s lies.
Continue readingBetterParks for Vancouver: Be an Advocate for Your Neighbourhood
I’ve been working on public space issues for more than 12 years now, and blogging for about 10. It has been incredibly frustrating but also amazingly rewarding. Having grown up in Vancouver I have been able to watch the changes to the city and its public spaces for more than
Continue reading350 or bust: Canada At Durban Climate Talks: Talking Green, Walking Dirty
Fresh from Ani’s blog, this video of the large crowd of people have gathered outside the negotiations room at COP17 to stand with Africa as the negotiations come to a close: Here are other recent posts from Ani, with her observations of COP17: Talking green, walking dirty: a snapshot of
Continue readingA Novelist's Mind: Lilian Nattel Online: Schizophrenia vs DID (dissociative Identity disorder)
Thanks to Becca’s comment on my previous genesis post, I thought it would be useful to post a quick explanation of the differences. People who are schizophrenic hear voices. So do people with DID. What’s the difference? The voices that a person with DID hears are rooted in reality and
Continue readingBuckdog: FOX News Caught Distorting Reality Once Again – Video Of Post Election Rioting In Russia Is Actually From Recent Greek Riot
Fox News has been showing streets ablaze, violent clashes and firebombs thrown at security officers in Russia as aftermath to recent elections, but with one major problem – the images are not from Russia, they’re from Greece!
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On manual adjustments
For all the failings of a Con government that combines extreme centralization with an utter lack of vision, let’s give Stephen Harper credit for successfully bludgeoning satire to death. Just this week, I considered this to be at least somewhat of an exaggeration in the department of “using what’s been
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Video: Stop the CBC Smackdown Launch
Video of an event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov 29, 2011 to launch the Stop the CBC Smackdown campaign.
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Attitude/Platitude
There is a very fine line between attitudes and platitudes. That may well be the most clever thing I have ever written in my life. With the exception of that other super clever thing I wrote one time. Which I … Continue reading →
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Ron Bless America
The other day, I expressed admiration for the aggressive new F-150ish “Big Dogs” ad from the Ron Paul campaign, but Conan O’Brian’s parody of it is even more brilliant. “You want cuts? You got ‘em! He’ll cut $1 skrillion of government spending in week one! That’s skrillion… with a skrill!”
Continue readingExcited Delirium: Dec 9 2011 Excited Delirium Updates
An array of stories related to ‘excited delirium’.
Continue readingThe Pantsafire Chronicles: Diane Finley
The latest Harper Cabinet blazer is Minister of Human Resources Diane Finley. She’s been making patently false accusations against front-line workers in employment centres to cover up own grievous mishandling of her portfolio. Pressing ahead with her plans to close most employment centres across the country (from the present 120
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Soul of the Nation
Last April, as part of a larger post, I write the following about the pernicious effects of bad political leadership: If we consider, for example, the widespread cynicism and disengagement gripping people today, we are witnessing the effects of bad leadership. When people are manipulated by the politics of fear,
Continue readingConservatives: to hell with the courts. Where’s the outrage?
Conservatives and family gather in Chicago to re-enact the ‘good ol’ days’ With the Wheat Board fiasco roaring, the Conservatives don’t seem to care about rule of law or even ‘the normal legislative process’. How are Canadians not being affected by this obvious abuse of law? Aren’t the Conservatives the
Continue reading