One of the more obvious points of convergence in political thought over the past 70-80 years is the greater appreciation of systemic complexity – the recognition that different decisions by many types of actors may collide in unpredictable ways, with the results potentially far outweighing the perceived impact of any
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Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Ethan Cox discusses how the Lac-Mégantic tragedy was a predictable – if not inevitable – outcome of a self-regulated (or un-regulated) rail system: Prior to, during, and after the process of deregulating railroads, there were strident warnings issued by the most credible and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – George Monbiot rightly challenges the attempt of corporate interests and their political sock-puppets to demonize anybody concerned about our planet’s future: Exotic invasive species are a straightforward ecological problem, wearily familiar to anyone trying to protect biodiversity. Some introduced creatures – such
Continue readingThings Are Good: California High Speed Rail is Green
Trains are way more efficient than cars and trucks when it comes to transporting people and goods, yet in North America, trains are often shunned for more wasteful transportation systems. This negative attitude towards sustainability is changing, notably California citizens voted for a high speed rail line in the state.
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: May 1, 2012
Tuesday, May 1 saw more debate on a couple of relatively non-contentious bills – along with a prime example of the Cons’ blinkered focus on mandatory minimum sentences. The Big Issue In continued debate on the Lucky Moose self-defence bill, the NDP pointed out some of the ways the legislation
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review – April 5, 2012
Thursday, April 5 was the final sitting day in the House of Commons before a two-week Easter break. And the debate was much less sharp than in previous days, as the primary bill up for discussion was supported by all parties. The Big Issue That bill was S-4, a bill
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Coal Train to Boardman: EPA Warns of "Significant" Public Health Threats in Northwest Coal Export Proposal
110326007Paul_K_Anderson_Coal-copy1.jpg As demand for coal in the United States has cooled off in recent years, coal mining companies have been scrambling to deliver their dirty loads to customers abroad. But what does this mean for communities along the transportation routes, particularly at the ports and export terminals where the coal
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Warren Buffett Exposed: The Oracle of Omaha and the Tar Sands
Warren Buffett Barack Obama.png On January 23, Bloomberg News reported Warren Buffett's Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), owned by his lucrative holding company Berkshire Hathaway, stands to benefit greatly from President Barack Obama’s recent cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. If built, TransCanada's Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline would carry tar sands crude, or
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament in Review: November 18, 2011
Friday, November 18 saw two pieces of legislation discussed. And the contrast couldn’t have been much more stark between an opposition effort to develop better legislation, and a government focused on nothing more than sticking to talking points regardless of whether they made the slightest sense in context. The Big
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Evening Links
Assorted content for your evening reading. – Mitchell Anderson wonders whether weeding out corporate psychopathy might be the key to a more equal and sustainable economy. – But judging from the crumbs being tossed at Ontario’s poor (in the wake of gigantic corporate tax cuts), the problem looks to extend
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: October 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 19 saw plenty of discussion of the Cons’ legislation to undermine the Canadian Wheat Board – both in the second-reading debate on the bill, and assorted procedural moves surrounding the legislation.The Big IssueNot surprisingly, Pat …
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Parliament In Review: September 30, 2011
The Harper Conservatives’ choice to talk about everything but the economy continued on September 30, with the day’s debate taken up by the Cons’ anti-refugee bill as well as a first look at the latest incarnation of Senate reform. The Big IssueLet’s gi…
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