The internal logic of capitalism has tainted our government’s response to the pandemic. Corporate profits were preserved, while the interests of the working class were disregarded. Pandemic austerity and vaccine nationalism were the primary themes of government responses, and have grave consequences for the working class and health of humanity.
Continue readingTag: Economics
Saskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Plague Update: Sports Canary
CBC reported this morning there are 5 fewer NHL teams, yet the league is trying to soldier on instead of responding to the writing on the wall. What's up with literally dozens of Calgary Flames players and staff testing positive for COVID-19, and the NHL and fans figuring it's a
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Pension pain pending
Many people think of Canada as one of the more socially advanced countries of the world. That is only partly true.
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Humanity’s slow-motion suicide
When I think about infinite growth on a finite planet, overpopulation, inequality, climate breakdown, and the ever-present risk of nuclear annihilation, I recall my science teacher son’s reminder, “Earth will survive; humankind may not.” Certainty is growing that global catastrophes will quicken damage to human well-being, endangering — potentially destroying
Continue readingTHE FIFTH COLUMN: The Communist Family
From each according to his abilityTo each according to his needs* If you did not know the source of this you could easily mistake it for a description of the family. After all in a family the family unit takes care of all of your needs from birth, and as
Continue readingThings Are Good: High CEO Pay Reduces Customer Satisfaction
The more a CEO is paid the worst customers are treated. Everyone knows inequality is bad for our society, but now shareholders might start caring because inequality within companies produces negative results. Customers are less satisfied with companies with high CEO compensations, and internally the companies suffer from inefficiency and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Amativa Banerjee writes about the cognitive dissonance involved in living through the COVID-19 pandemic. And Ian Sample reports on scientists’ recognition that the UK’s deadly second COVID wave was the result of the repetition of mistakes and a failure to learn from the
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Kudos to David Card and the minimum wage
Good news from the world of the dismal science. A Canadian boy, David Card, has won a share of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Economics. Nice to see one of our own win the big prize, and particularly nice when one considers why he won it. Pioneering research by Card
Continue readingIN-SIGHTS: Facts seem to support a progressive agenda
David Card’s Nobel Prize carries with it a cash prize of more than C$700,000 but the economist may experience greater satisfaction from credibility the award lends to his findings. Those conclusions challenged conventional wisdom and have been steadily disputed by “useful idiots” of the evil geniuses who control economies of
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Lauren Pelley examines the impact of the Delta variant in Canada. And Marieke Walsh notes that we’re facing an increasingly tight time frame to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations to avoid it resulting in a fourth wave, while reports on U.S. research showing
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist
Nearing the end of my two-week long prep period at the END of a year that slayed me with back-to-back senior courses, and I’m finally getting caught up on my reading! Just on Friday, Vancouver police were looking for a 40-year-old suspect, and arrested an 81-year-old Black man who happened
Continue readingExcited Delirium: Covid Journal, May 5, 2021
The debate is over. Let’s get moving forward – get vaccinated.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Silly Saskatchewan Party
EVs are not getting a free ride on the roads. A look through Saskatchewan budget documents shows clearly that the amounts spent annually to maintain highways far exceed what’s collected through the fuel tax on gasoline, diesel and propane that are earmarked for highway building and upkeep. For instance, Harpauer’s
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Maxime Taquet, John Geddes, Masud Husain, Sierra Luciano and Paul Harrison study the broad and severe neurological impacts of the coronavirus. Pamela Downe and Jared Wesley survey how the public in Saskatchewan and Alberta views the response to COVID-19. And Jason Warick reports
Continue readingIn-Sights: A rural coastal property
The BC Liberal Government refused to address affordability issues because the real estate industry was a large benefactor of that party. In addition, property transfer taxes were putting billions of dollars into the public treasury. I’m not sure the BC NDP dares to alter the status quo…
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Decentralization Or Collapse
To halt the decline of our civilization and stop our race toward ecological, economic and social collapse, we must sow and create a paradigm shift, a shift in the dominant world view, a shift in consciousness. That requires consciousness raising, media activism, and education. But we also need a fundamental
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Suez Canal Unblocked
Incredibly illustrative video to understand better the issue with #EVERGIVEN in the #suez pic.twitter.com/1iyPCh5tFk — Fábio Carvalho (@fabioac) March 28, 2021 This is the best thing you will see this week!! #EVERGIVEN pic.twitter.com/1FXNyH0BeM — Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) March 25, 2021 369 vessels queuing and waiting to pass through the Suez
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Stonks Game Stops At This Stop
Hedge funds that bet against Game Stop are crying foul as they lose a fortune, because the crowd noticed their weakness and exploited it. Sounds very Wall Street. Is it against the rules? How could it be in a market that has too few rules. The difference now is that
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: #Petrostate of the Province
You know you live in a #petrostate when local city council exec votes to restrict fossil fuel sponsorship and 1) the Premier threatens the City’s budget and 2) the official provincial opposition has nothing to say about it. This is the #CultureOfSilence I have written about — Emily Eaton (@emi_eaton)
Continue readingThings Are Good: Cambridge Economist: Our Economic Recovery Must be Green
Reagan-era economic thinking focuses on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the bellwether for how well society is doing. It’s a narrow view of the world which ignores everything except the movement of capital, yet many economists and politicians are stuck in this outdated way of thinking. In this context,
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