Day after day
People with rust in their arteries (like me) probably remember a song that was briefly popular in 1969...
Norman Farrell
Nincompoops turned out to be correct
After more than 15 years of BC Hydro insisting demand was rising for electricity, Adrian Dix has now admitted what I documented repeatedly at IN-SIGHTS. CTV quoted the minister responsible…
Underwater data centres, part 2
The explosive growth of artificial intelligence may force us to choose between imperfect alternatives. If demand for computing power continues to rise, policymakers have to weigh the environmental and social…
Underwater data centres
China is the first country in the world to operate an underwater data center. It is part of a strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce the environmental…
Creating new markets for a fossil fuel
The Tyee is reporting on why the federal government wants to promote and subsidize a national network of data centres. Apparently the Liberals discount peer-reviewed science that says the global…
Stupidity worth more than C$100bn
Futurism describes itself as a leading source of cutting-edge science and technology news. That may not position the Florida-based journal as the most reliable place for financial and investment news,…
What the wounds are telling us
De Volkskrant (The People's Newspaper) is a Dutch morning daily, the third largest newspaper in The Netherlands. Its journalists Maud Effting and Willem Feenstra won the 2026 European Press Prize…
Making antisemitism respectable?
Years ago, veteran war correspondent Robert Fisk warned against equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. He argued that conflating opposition to Israeli government policies with hostility toward Jewish people served…
Ottawa Backed the War. Then Hedged. Then Went Quiet.
Canada's double standard on Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran, isn't a diplomatic nuance. It's a choice — and British Columbians are living with…
Tar sands pollution up to 64 times higher that official estimates
Peer-reviewed science found that emissions from Alberta's oilsands may be far greater than regulators and the public have been led to believe. Aircraft measurements revealed gas-phase organic carbon emissions up…
The Age of Ensh*ttenment
Because satire ruffled a few powerful feathers, Australia passed legislation that could land people in jail if they falsely present themselves as representatives of government agencies. That did not stop…
“I know it when I see it”
The New York Times published a piece by Brown University Professor Omer Bartov, titled, “I’m a Scholar of Genocide. I Know It When I See It.” At the risk of…
Intéressant
It is interesting to note that the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s estimate of a $578 million cost for Vancouver’s round-ball games is less than two weeks old and is already outdated.…
If a longtime ally is lost, Canada must build new alliances
Trump turns 80 in two weeks. Actuarial tables suggest he could remain alive and politically active for another seven or eight years — meaning Americans shouldn't assume his influence simply…
Justice delayed is justice denied
In late May, BC Supreme Court Justice Sharon Matthews ruled in favour of 880 migrant workers recruited for jobs at Mac's Convenience Stores through immigration consultants. The workers had been…
And Now for Something Completely Different
Occasionally, I leave aside the misery of politics, poverty, patrimonialism, and provisos that make life difficult. Tonight was one of those times. Gwen and I spent the evening at North…
“Attention-deficit-disorder Thunderdome”
As I decide whether to keep up this blog, I would like to hear from regular readers. What kind of content do you like to see on this website? What…
Average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence on governments
Economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence.
Solar energy and distributed generation
Clean electricity generated close to where you live — and increasingly owned by the people, businesses, and communities that use it. Solar experts and researchers from University of British Columbia…
Change is possible, but unlikely
Climate change is not a problem that can be solved within the current economic system without deep structural change.