Few shadows cast in North America
A Moral Giant among Pygmies, By Erich Follath, Spiegel Online International “Since last Sunday, the world has been mourning the death of Vaclav Havel. The Czech leader led a rollercoaster…
Norman Farrell
Murphy’s laws always apply
har·bin·ger Show IPA noun 1. a person who goes ahead and makes known theapproach of another; herald. 2. anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign:Frost is a harbinger of…
Help for the CBC on conflicts of interest
Regular readers will be aware that I filed a complaint with CBC Ombudsman Kirk Lapointe over the conflict involving Legislative Bureau Chief Stephen Smart, husband of Rebecca Scott who holds…
Rewarding incompetence
William Elliott was the first civilian Commissioner of the RCMP. An abject failure while heading Canada’s once esteemed police agency, Elliott departed recently. Like disgraced predecessor Giuliano Zaccardelli, this man…
New pipelines hurt Canadian consumers
Cushing Oklahoma is a price settlement point for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light crude oil and the town proclaims itself to be the “Pipeline Crossroads of the World,” However, petroleum…
On getting the news
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician, actor and TV presenter who often appears on Stephen Fry’s long running panel game show QI, an award winning celebration of the obscure.…
Breaking news from the DFO
Statement from the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Keith Ashfield, on Negative Infectious Salmon Anaemia Test Results in British Columbia Salmon “After Canada’s reputation has needlessly been put…
Not everyone shocked by Cohen disclosures
From my November 25 piece titled To be different, we must do things differently: “Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, along with Chief Bob Chamberlin and Chief Marilyn Baptiste, executive members of…
"We’d be in shallower shit now if…"
One of my favourite Brits is actor/writer/comedian/social commentator David Mitchell. He’s been mentioned here before probably because, while I may not share his rapier wit, I do share his cynical…
Vancouver Sun: FAIL!
On the left you can see yesterday’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after more than 60 First Nations annouced they will not allow the Enbridge pipeline through their territories,…
Vancouver Sun: FAIL!
On the left you can see yesterday’s Vancouver Sun cover page the day after more than 60 First Nations annouced they will not allow the Enbridge pipeline through their territories,…
CBC reporter’s conflict of interest
“Legislative Bureau Chief” Stephen Smart reports regularly on the British Columbia government. The “year-end views” interview with Premier Clark is but one example. Mr. Smart is married to Rebecca Scott,…
In Memory of Christopher Hitchens
A Worker Reads History by Bertolt Brecht Who built the seven gates of Thebes? The books are filled with names of kings. Was it the kings who hauled the craggy…
Globe & Mail demonstrates what the press can be
Instead of being handmaids to the rich and powerful – the usual role of Canada’s media – the Globe and Mail offers Gerald Caplan’s commentary; Be very afraid: Stephen Harper…
Equality before the law, maybe not
News item from the streets of America: Due to harsh sentencing, a disproportionate number of young Black and Hispanic men are likely to be imprisoned for life under scenarios in…
Untruthful minister must resign
McRae at BC farm of Norwegian company Greig Seafood British Columbia Hansard, October 20,2011 Minister of Agriculture Don McRae: “I’m pleased to say that over 5,000 samples have been tested…
Department of nothing much changes
BCCLA files complaint after RCMP Detachment Head comments “The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is filing a complaint after the head of the Langley RCMP made comments that could interfere with…
Taking issue with journalism in the MSM
I left this comment at Ian Reid’s article about Vaughn Palmer but the audio link does not work within comments, so I repeat the comment intended to follow Ian’s item…
The war machine grinds on
Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor winner, By Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers, Dec. 14, 2011 “WASHINGTON — With Dakota Meyer standing at attention in his dress uniform,…
For many, this is a depression
Does living luxuriously in secure compounds and travelling the world first class, richly clothed and dining extravagantly in the company of hired sycophants, qualify a person to determine or advise…