How to use your smart phone in Mexico
I knew before I went to Mexico that smart phones would work there, but there wasn’t much information on specifics. So, here’s my story. First, you’re not going to get…
Bob Broughton's Blog
A Linux adventure in Mexico
I had been using WiFi connections all over the US and northern Mexico for the previous six weeks, and was looking forward to getting an almost-permanent residence so I would…
The King of Versailles
I watched the documentary “The Queen of Versailles” when it was in the theatres. It’s a powerful piece of work. I had several reactions to it, but I’m going to…
Mitt Romney’s Bain Made Millions On Big Tobacco In U.S., Russia
Jason Cherkis and Zach Carter of Huffington Post put together this story from the University of California at San Francisco’s Legacy Tobacco Documents library: Mitt Romney’s Bain Made Millions On…
What the Republicans really believe about abortions
The Republicans have stepped into it on the issue of abortion, and don’t let the Republican down the street or the Republican at your office water cooler get away with…
Book Review: The Darien Gap
In the 21st Century, we have maps of the Moon and Mars, with names assigned to mountains and canyons. In this era of Google Maps and GPS’s, I find it…
World No Tobacco Day 2012
May 31 is World No Tobacco Day. For people in British Columbia, the issues that initially come to mind on the subject of tobacco are smoking in multi-unit dwellings, smoking…
Let’s see Mitt Romney’s marriage license
Bill Maher raises some important questions about the legitimacy of the Republican candidate for President in the 2012 election:
W. Somerset Maugham on theocracy
From The Razor’s Edge, published in 1944: “D’you remember how Jesus was led into the wilderness and fasted forty days? Then, when he was a-hungered, the devil came to him…
Most of what you’ve heard about Mexico is wrong, part II
Last week, I needed to take a taxi out to the suburbs of Oaxaca City to play some tennis. The place where I’m staying is close to the main bus…
Most of what you’ve heard about Mexico is wrong
At the time I’m writing this, I have been traveling in Mexico for 19 days. By bus, except for a ferry between La Paz and Mazatlan. I’ve made stops in…
Harper government goes after passenger rail again
Passenger trains have made it onto the radar screen of the Harper government again, and that’s always bad news. This time, it isn’t about nickel-and-diming Amtrak over customs inspections. They…
Saudi Arabia gets 84 fighter planes
The Kindom of Saudi Arabia was in the news twice during the month of December, 2011. On December 12, a woman in her sixties named Amina bint Abdul Halim bin…
Amtrak stop proposed for Blaine, WA
The topic of an additional stop for Amtrak trains between Vancouver and Bellingham, WA has finally caught the attention of local media. The need has existed for a long time.…
The Prosperity Mine proposal in the Chilcotin – a really bad idea
I’m going to be at the Vancouver Law Courts (specifically, at the corner of Nelson and Hornby) at 9:30 AM on Monday, November 28. The occasion is a court hearing…
Airspace to Occupy Victoria and BCIMC Nov. 10
On Thursday, November 10, Airspace Action on Smoking and Health will join Occupy Victoria to draw attention to the BC Investment Management Corp.'s $346 million investment in the tobacco industry.…
Occupy Vancouver, Oct. 15 (includes podcast)
I went to the Vancouver Art Gallery, listened to some speechmaking, saw a number of people I hadn't seen in over a year, and walked up Hornby Street and down…
Occupy Vancouver, Oct. 15 (includes podcast)
I went to the Vancouver Art Gallery, listened to some speechmaking, saw a number of people I hadn’t seen in over a year, and walked up Hornby Street and down…
Podcast: Vancouver’s "Occupy Wall Street" starts October 15
Errol Povah, President of Airspace Action on Smoking and Health, explains why we should be at least as outraged by the tobacco industry as by Bank of America, Bear Stearns,…
Podcast: Vancouver’s "Occupy Wall Street" starts October 15
Errol Povah, President of Airspace Action on Smoking and Health, explains why we should be at least as outraged by the tobacco industry as by Bank of America, Bear Stearns,…