Yugoslavia as Science Fiction
Over the past two years, a collection of photographs of WWII memorials from (the former) Yugoslavia has made the rounds on social media. Popular sci-fi and fantasy blog io9 reported…
January 2014
Raptors come out for Olivia Chow for mayor!
Well, not really. And she’s not a candidate, as far as I am aware, so I guess that should be kept in mind, too. Anyway, I’m a Raptors fan, and…
ALEC Plans Massive Environmental Attack For 2014
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has a big year ahead of them, as they attempt to dismantle a slew of environmental protections from state to state. More specifically, the…
Think We’re Awash in Fossil Fuel Energy? Think Again. Crunch Time May Be Closer Than We Imagine.
The world could hit a global energy crisis possibly as early as 2015 and that’s got the Pentagon deeply worried. The shale oil and gas miracle that, especially in the…
There’ll be no help from Mary Dawson
Ethics Commissioner Distances Herself From Strahl Complaints Mary Dawson, the Federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner released a statement today distancing herself from recent complaints filed as a result…
Australia Roasts and It’s Lights Out
Australia is reeling from the worst heatwave to hit the country since – oh, I see, the worst since 2013. For city dwellers, heatwaves tend to be particularly severe –…
America’s Death Industry
When condemned prisoners are executed in the States today, death is often a matter of ill-educated guesswork. Dennis McGuire was on the wrong end of that miscalculation yesterday as the…
140 Law – Wise Law’s Legal Headlines for Friday, January 17, 2014
Here are the leading legal headlines from Wise Law on Twitter for Friday, January 17, 2014: Courtney Love testifies at first US ‘Twibel’ trial, sued by her ex-lawyer over critical…
It’s That Time Again in America
There may be no country in the world that harbours as much skepticism over climate change than the United States. From April to November, 2013, the number of American respondents…
Afraid Of People
The Conservatives have introduced a bill to “reform” the civil service. Lawrence Martin writes that, essentially, it is a directive that non conservatives need not apply: Call it the Loyalty…
Another home care strike looms as $1.1 million CEO offers workers less than inflation
This is starting to look like a pattern: another home care employer, another offer that has angered workers and led to another strike vote. This time it’s both nursing and…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Robert Reich (via GlenInCA) points out the connection between a strong middle class and curbs on corporate excesses – with may go a…
Who can afford what tar sands offer?
It was a headline in the Toronto Star Business Section: “Now or never for oilsands, executives say.” The answer that came immediately to mind was “How about never.” The Toronto…
Toronto needs a mayor: cause and effect
Rob Ford has allegedly lost some weight. I take alleged note of this.
A World Badly In Need Of Inspired Leadership
Since he was elected to the position, I have written several posts related to Pope Francis; several of them express a renewed hope that the plain-speaking pontiff can generate some…
The Failure of Centre-Left Politics in Europe: Krugman on the Scandal in France (Canadian Papers Please Copy)
Forget the dallying with dollies, Paul Kruman says that François Hollande’s behavior is scandalous. The French president has just announced increased austerity measures which have been discredited, and will make…
Westward Ho!
Every year Jackanape’s Traveling Carnival made the arduous journey to Kamloops. The freaks preferred the train, but if none were available, a dog-cart was always an acceptable conveyance. Especially when…
The Toronto Star on Olivia Chow
…or, more specifically, her new book. “Olivia Chow’s My Journey is a gutsy book. The NDP MP and transportation critic is a public figure and while writing about one’s weaknesses…
Copernicus Publishing Terminates Pattern Recognition In Physics
Here’s what you see when you go to the home page of the journal Pattern Recognition In Physics: It looks like I may have been wrong about this being a…