The last week or so my view of humanity world over has been severely soured. I’ve often expressed an attitude that Alberta is the ‘Texas of Canada’ when it comes to issues of equality and progressive society. Hidden in that stance is the inference that other places aren’t as backward,
Continue readingTag: France
Montreal Simon: The Bloody Battle for Gay Marriage in France
I can hardly believe what's been happening in France.Riot police battling homophobes, religious fanatics, and neo-Nazi groups. Gay people being attacked over their right to be married. In the streets of Paris, in the City of Love.Read more »
Continue readingPaul S. Graham: Behind the invasion of Mali
Roger Annis at the Feb. 24, 2013 annual meeting of Peace Alliance Winnipeg. Photo: Paul S. Graham Is the military intervention in Mali by France, with the assistance of the United States, Canada and others an example of a humanitarian intervention launched to protect a fragile democracy from the incursion
Continue readingThings Are Good: France Wants Lights to be Turned Off
France has passed a law that will make it illegal to keep lights turned on over night in non-residental buildings. Starting in July the lights need to be out an hour after the last employee leaves. This is a great way to save energy while reducing light pollution. The move,
Continue readingArt Threat: Art at War surveys creativity under Nazi occupation, from Picasso to Dubuffet
“History isn’t the lies of the victors … I know that now. It’s more the memories of the survivors, most of whom are neither victorious nor defeated.” – The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes On the last Sunday in the year, the Parisian bourgeoisie were out in force.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Murky Mali Mayhem
Afghanistan could be characterized as a perpetual civil war waged by people who range from bad to worse. Leaders change sides effortlessly, ally with and betray each other routinely. But Africa’s Afghanistan, Mali, and the rest of the war in the Sahara is far more complex, far more confusing. If
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: The Unintended Consequences of Military Intervention:
The Roots of Mali and Algeria Crisis in Libya. And let’s not forget Canada’s gung-ho involvement in Libya – which might partially explain the interest in Mali now. what was unleashed in Libya is coming home to roost.
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: The Unintended Consequences of Military Intervention:
The Roots of Mali and Algeria Crisis in Libya. And let’s not forget Canada’s gung-ho involvement in Libya – which might partially explain the interest in Mali now. what was unleashed in Libya is coming home to roost.
Continue readingPolitics and Entertainment: The Unintended Consequences of Military Intervention:
The Roots of Mali and Algeria Crisis in Libya. And let’s not forget Canada’s gung-ho involvement in Libya – which might partially explain the interest in Mali now. what was unleashed in Libya is coming home to roost.
Continue readingEclectic Lip: The millionaire tax, American- and French style
(originally written Apr 19, 2012. Part of my Great Upload of 2013.) The American “millionaire tax” plan At the moment, Obama is facing stiff resistance from his proposal to tax all income above $1,000,000 per year at a rate of 30%. This, despite the support of one-time world’s-richest-man Warren Buffett,
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Meanwhile, In France…
If you speak French, you’re in for a real treat from this group of protestors in France. And if you don’t, I think you’ll find that the clip transcends language into something that is universally mockable.
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: The Nobel Peace Prize is slipping into irrelevance
by Brian Lee Crowley | Troy Media | Macdonald Laurier Institute My mother could have told you why giving the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union would produce such a predictable and deserved outpouring of derision. An aspiring writer, she took a creative writing course. One of the assignments
Continue readingFive of Five: "France Bans Public Protests Over Cartoons"
Jason Ditz:
“There will be strictly no exceptions,” cautioned Interior Minister Manuel Valls, saying that any demonstrations will be broken up by security forces. France had previously closed a number of embassies across the Muslim World fearing …
Continue readingFive of Five: "France Bans Public Protests Over Cartoons"
Jason Ditz: “There will be strictly no exceptions,” cautioned Interior Minister Manuel Valls, saying that any demonstrations will be broken up by security forces. France had previously closed a number of embassies across the Muslim World fearing protests. The position of the government is odd, however, as they had publicly
Continue readingEclectic Lip: How Libertarians brought America Big Religion and Bigger Lawsuits…
(originally written Nov 2010; uploaded Aug 21, 2012 as part of my Great Upload of Musings… for balance, I’ll soon post the follow-up which praises some portions of libertarian philosophy which are very dear to my progressive heart. Politics makes for strange bedfellows, and I’m not above shacking up with
Continue readingFrance embraces Robin Hood tax
On August 1st, France introduced its long-promised Financial Transactions Tax (FTT). Popularly referred to as a Robin Hood Tax, or Tobin Tax, the 0.2 per cent levy will apply to sales of publicly traded shares, including credit default swaps, of businesses with a market value of over €1-billion. Ten other
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: No Breathalyser – Mon Dieu!
I’m sure this new legislation in France will impress the hell out of libertarians world wide. The French have identified that statistically, alcohol is involved in some 30% of traffic collisions. The solution? Mandatory breathalysers in every car. Al Jazeera breaks this story wide open: “A new motoring law
Continue readingDrive-by Planet: Dahan phone hoax exposes Nadine Morano’s political sympathies
Back in 2008 Sarah Palin believed she was talking on the phone with French president Nicolas Sarkozy when in fact she was speaking with a Quebec comedian Marc-Antoine Audette. A more recent high-profile hoax call is making the news in France. It involves a former minister in the Sarkozy government,
Continue readingImpolitical: Statesman at work
Well this seems to have gone well, what with the takeaway platitudes of agreement between Hollande and Harper about the need for growth and for there to be stability in order to have growth. But wait! “After Harper meets socialist president, Tories take ‘sumptuous’ Europe to task.” Well, I’m sure
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: To New York, Paris, Vancouver, and Toronto
Big orangutan kisses to all of you there for showing your support for the Quebec student movement. You have brought this ape to tears (and this rarely happens). Thank you. New York City Paris Vancouver Toronto
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