Twinkies in the Service of Science
Great story in The New York Times today about the use of Twinkies, those disgusting little cakes, in science experiments. Seems they don't burn, can be shown to be made…
Mary Soderstrom
Why Historical Novels? Why Not Just History?
For my various book groups I found myself reading two historical novels this week end. One is Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks and the other is The Midwife of Venice…
Saturday Photo: Upside of Climate Change Is Longer Biking Season
Let me say straight out that I don't ride bikes unless my life depends on doing so--got hit by one when I was little and was traumatized. But I appreciate…
Part of the Story Behind the Montreal Super-Hospital Projects: Residential Developoment of the Mountain?
For some I've wondered about the reasons why many parts of the Montreal community were so gung-ho for building two new super-hospitals. The story goes back nearly two decades, with…
Building on a Swamp Doesn’t Make It Not a Swamp, Or My Mother on Rising Sea Levels
The New York Times has an opinion piece today arguing that rebuilding along the New York and New Jersey shoreline in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is not a good…
The Super Rich, Austerity and Life in the These Difficult Times
Chrystia Freeland says that the top .01 per cent control about 8 per cent of the world's wealth. So crazy that's is probably true! Check out her interview on CBC's…
Jeanne Visitng, Grandma Busy…
Elin and her friends are heading for Victoria today, to round out their Western tour. They got a lovely feature in Vancouver's Georgia Straight, and sound like their audiences have…
Saturday Photo: The Burning Bush
Don't know the name of this shrub, but it has been spectacular over the last week or so. The leaves are falling now, but for a while they blazed.Gorgeous, and…
US–Finally, Perhaps–Becomes More Secular, But What Does That Mean for Science?
The results of Tuesday's election seem to show that the appeal and influence of the Christian right wing, both Catholic and Protestant, is waning. Maybe not a lot, but enough…
Small World Dept: The Walter Art Museum Shows a Portrait of Africans in Europe Long Ago
One of the things that fascinated me in my research for Making Waves: The Continuing Portuguese Adventure was the evidence of contact on a nearly-equal basis between some Europeans and…
Getting Things to Work: It’s up to the Republicans
First question of the day: how will Obama convince the Republican majority House to sign on to his plans? Probably the only way that will happen is if the Republicans…
Google Annoys Me with Birthday Greetings
How does Google know when my birthday is? I have very deliberately avoided listing it on Facebook (although apparently you can find it: a friend did yesterday) and in replying…
Krugman Speaks from the Other Side of the World: Obama Won’t Do Anything Stupid
Seems that Paul Krugman was in Singapore yesterday (must have voted in an advance poll or by mail.) He had some most interesting things to say, as quoted in the…
Work on the Ground Wins Election for Obama
Mitt Romney helped Obama a bit with his stupid comment about Big Bird, but what really won the election was slogging in the trenches, that is work on the ground.You…
Politics in November 2012: Now in the Autumn of Our Discontent…
Shakespeare was has Richard III say "winter" but the sentiment is appropriate this season. Not only has a liar got a chance at winning the White House, Gerald Tremblay, the…
Hello There, Are You Listenting? Obama for President
Four years ago I spent the three days before the US presidential election telephoning to prospective voters in a several states, particularly Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Nevada. The message was…
A Milestone Passed for 2012
Snow flakes this morning! Reprieve from the worst? My birthday is Nov. 8, and ever since we’ve been in Montreal, the first snow flakes have fallen before then. Lee was…
Saturday Photo: Leaves Almost All Gone…
Frost forecast for tomorrow. The season is finally changing…
Come Talk about Richler’s Best–Barney’s Version–in French and English
I’m nearly to the end of Barney’s Version, Mordecai Richler’s last novel. It’s not the first time I’ve read it, but next Tuesday I’ll be leading a causerie littéraire at…
Go Figure Department: Gas Shortages in New York/New Jersey But Rises Low in Montreal
If you ever wondered why or how gasoline prices are determined, your questions should get deeper this week. We’ve been told that spikes in prices comes from shortages: shutting down…