It’s Not for Want of Money
If America’s military is short of anything, it’s not money. The United States provides its military with more money than the combined defence budgets of the next eight most powerful…
December 2017
On Honesty In Politics
Politicians have always played fast and loose with the idea of truth. Facts get weighted certain ways to support a narrative, creative “spin” is applied to manipulate the public perception…
We’ve Done a Good Job at Pretending. Now We Have to Figure Out If the Liberals Deserve to Be Called "Liberal"?
It’s a safe bet that Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem as Israeli capital will likely bring a motion to the floor of the United Nations General Assembly. The Harper/Trudeau machine has…
While We’re On the Subject of Jerusalem.
The Palestinians are once again on people’s minds (sort of, briefly) due to Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It sort of…
Extreme Wealth Inequality Persists
There was little or no media coverage of the release of data on the distribution of the wealth of Canadians in 2016 last week, perhaps because there has been little…
Democracy And Pipelines
Andrew Nikiforuk believes that Canadian democracy is in trouble. The most recent sign of that fact is the National Energy Board’s approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline: On Thursday the…
Some of you wanted my opinion on Jerusalem. Here’s my opinion on Jerusalem.
The pathetic irony is that @realDonaldTrump didn’t recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel to curry favor with Israelis and the Jewish diaspora. He did it to curry favor with…
American Maniac: Inside the Trump White House
I always knew that a close look at Donald Trump's White House, and the court of the Orange Emperor, would be a deeply disturbing experience. I just didn't know how…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Damian Paletta and Josh Dawsey report that cash for access is the only way for anybody to raise issues with the U.S.…
Denzil decides to do his duty.
Toronto Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong seems to have heard the clarion call of distant trumpets. He tells people that he is challenging for the Progressive Conservative candidacy in York East electoral…
Helping Your Loved One to Give During the Holidays
I posted this two years ago, but the message is still just as vital, I think. How can we help our loved ones to give during the Holidays? Giving is…
Saskatchewan’s War on Licence Plates: Is Brad just mad because he’s been upstaged by a woman, and an NDP woman at that?
PHOTOS: No press releases about Texas plates? Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall didn’t used to have a problem with out-of-province tags on work trucks, at least when they were being used…
Saturday Photo: Sil, a Tradition
Must confess that the photo dates from a few years ago, but in the refrigerator right now are 24 salt herring, waiting for me to get my act together and…
From Erik Andersen
In private emails, a number of people with expert economic knowledge exchange ideas about energy in BC. I get copies of some. This example, written by respected and retired economist…
Transit
Malcolm Johnston is a near perfect example of a citizen activist (sorry Keith Baldrey) who wants to see public money spent with maximum efficiency. He is convinced that legitimate transit…
why i write for rights and how you can too… redux #write4rights
Trying to compose my annual Write For Rights post, I thought I would recycle a good one from 2014… only to learn I had already recycled it in 2015! And…
Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Christopher Ingraham discusses the U.S.’ distorted distribution of wealth – and how both existing inequality and the Republicans’ plan to exacerbate it run…
As Site C Decision Looms, Peace Valley Locals Agonize Over Potential Loss of Homes, Livelihoods
Days away from a final decision on Site C, Peace Valley landowners have launched a “Home for the Holidays” campaign featuring photographs of families who would lose their homes to…
How Might A Nuclear War With North Korea Unfold?
Well I'm glad to see that the U.S. and South Korea have ended a massive military exercise without the North Koreans declaring war on them.The US doubled down on provocative…
Tending the Garden
“You have to tend to this garden of democracy, otherwise things can fall apart fairly quickly. And we’ve seen societies where that happens,” Former president Barack Obama In these days…