Happy Earth Day
Happy Earth Day, from the International Space Station. Here’s something to think about. This video is taken from a spaceship, the ISS. The astronauts aboard have to carefully regulate their…
April 2017
Meet the Mighty Finn
Who needs sleep anyway?
Saturday Photo: Standing Room Only at the Launch Party for Road through Time
And a good time was had by all! Librairie Drawn and Quarterly was packed Thursday night when we celebrated the launch of my latest book, Road through Time: The Story…
Reigniting a spirit of outrage on Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 2017 In honour of Earth Day, Staff Counsel Linda Nowlan looks at how the green movement can – and must – do more to keep the planet…
Another imaginary roadblock for the hospital
In the April 24 addendum to the agenda there is a report by the interim CAO about the hospital redevelopment you should read. It seems another council hissy fit is…
How We Know
In my view, knowledge is a subjective feel, but there’s a nice story behind it. The subjective feel appears circular: I say that I know when I can’t not know.…
In Praise Of Critical Thinking
At a time when darkness and ignorance seem to have become default positions for far too many people, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has made a four-minute video posted to his…
When History Supposedly Ended
Our world is in tumult. If you’re looking for the sources of the disruption, Jonathan Freeland writes that you’ll find them in the 1990’s. The ’90’s seemed like a placid…
Collus-PowerStream responds about dividend
On the April 24 council agenda is an addendum that includes the response from Collus-PowerStream about The Block’s questions over the lack of a dividend from the utility. I wrote…
In the politics of vitriol.
The emerging right-wing politics of Europe is spreading like a disease. First we had the self destructive BREXIT from the United Kingdom and now the threatening right in key countries…
Book collecting: snobbery or reading passion?
The book has always been a sign of status and refinement; a declaration of self-worth – even for those who hate to read. That’s the lead into a recent piece…
Holy smoke! Saskatchewan court’s Catholic education ruling is a bombshell
PHOTOS: Calgary Catholic School District headquarters (Screen grab from Google Street View). Below: Mr. Justice Donald Layh being sworn in in 2014 (Yorkton Today), Edmonton Catholic School District Headquarters, Edmonton…
Musical interlude
Suncatcher & Exolight – Memory of You
April 21: It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world.
Oh, it’s an exciting day in the Brunswick News. In the world section, throbbing with excitement, there’s a big story on the outbreak of whooping cough at a local school.…
That’s Not How It’s Supposed to Work. The Great Trump Giveaway.
Republican stalwart, Kevin Phillips, in his 2005 book, “American Theocracy,” explores the dynamics of how a globally dominant empire essentially empowers its successor’s ascendancy. Phillips notes that, at each succession…
It’s Still Unclear How Alberta’s Tailings Will Be Cleaned Up Or Who Will Pay For It
For years, Alberta’s government has reassured the public that it has a plan to ensure the oilsands’ 1.2 trillion litres of hazardous tailings are permanently dealt with after mines shut…
History in the Making – Britain Goes Coal Free
Britain and coal have gone hand in hand since the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Coal powered Britain’s factories and fueled her ships. Coal brought Britain enormous prosperity and world…
Premier Rachel Notley’s NDP wins Alberta’s first-quarter fund-raising sweepstakes, continuing trend from 2016
ILLUSTRATIONS: Elections Alberta’s icon on a canola-yellow field. Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, just to pluck a couple of names out of the story.…
5 ways Vancouver is bringing more wildlife back to the city
From restoring a salt marsh to creating wildlife corridors, Vancouver’s biodiversity strategy aims to make wild animals at home in the city By: Jen St. Denis Metro Published on Fri…
Jeebus! A Couple of Weeks Ago They Were All At the Beach.
Back in March the Brit papers were all proclaiming “heatwave.” Plenty of photos of Brits flocking to the beaches for a bit of early sunbathing. Now, a month later, one…