Norman Farrell
Willing to help with the oil resource curse
Aljazeera, US troops to help Uganda fight rebels "US President Barack Obama has announced he is deploying 100 "combat-equipped" troops to Uganda to help efforts against rebels of the Lord's…
Phony issues from self-interested fronts
Canadian Federation of Independent Business wants municipal politicians to take the CFIB Taxpayer Pledge, committing to three principles: 1. Property Tax Fairness: "A commitment to narrow the current gap between…
Robert Reich readings
Robert Reich is an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton. Reich is currently Chancellor's Professor of Public…
Screw us and we multiply
Susan Heyes says, "Best sign I saw today…..Thanks to Geoff Olson!"
Double standards, professional courtesies
Drinking led to officer's merit badge being stripped, CBC, July 27, 2010 Gherasim and a fellow police officer, both off-duty at the time, were enjoying an evening of drinks at…
Demonstrators and police should be unmasked
The BC Civil Liberties Association, now in its sixth decade, has done important and principled work in our province while advocating for individual rights, freedom and law reform. Their good…
Solution for continued wealthcare
Report: A quarter of U.S. millionaires pay taxes at a lower rate than some in middle class, by Lori Montgomery, Washington Post, October 12/11 "A quarter of millionaires in the…
Lost vision: efficient, affordable, customer focused
Gulf Islands bi-weekly newspaper Island Tides promises an eclectic mix of local, regional, national and international topics — serious and light-hearted — to give readers a "relaxed, informed 'West Coast'…
Can we believe anything they say?
Pavco's convention centre and stadium deals fascinate me. People residing beyond BC's lower mainland are probably more pissed-off than fascinated. These deals clearly demonstrate the disaster potential when public and…
To every action, expect an opposite reaction
The most brazen disdain for democracy in modern times, Simon Jenkins, The Guardian, January 12, 2010 "There will be a tidal wave of rage. Over the next two weeks the…
What is Coke doing with Koch
From the Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch What is Coca-Cola doing behind closed doors with Koch Industries at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)? The Center for Media…
Drawing lines
One of the items in my Mirth and Meditation Archive is this: Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere. - Gilbert K. Chesterton Chesterton's expression is wonderfully concise…
Negotiation, a fruitless process in education
Almost six years ago, Vince Ready, in an interim report to the BC Liberal government about relations with teachers, commented: "…the parties have not concluded meaningful negotiations in the decade…
Open letter to DFO by Alexandra Morton
To: Dr. Laura Richards, Director General, Science, Pacific Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada I am writing to ask for your progress report on the thousands of silver-bright sockeye and now…
Dogs know best what to do with (anonymous) polls
Stephen Smart's report from Victoria caught my attention during Tuesday's CBC News Vancouver. The Legislative reporter has apparently written off the NDP opposition; his focus was on the party that…
Today’s built-to-loot enterprises show their style
Chuck Collins is a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies where he directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good (www.inequality.org). Chuck is also a co-founder of…