Killing machines have no conscience
In there irony in America's rush to deploy drones and remote controlled weaponry around the world? From Joseph Nevins at the Boston Review, Robocop: In September 2010 the House Unmanned…
Norman Farrell
A shout may begin with whispers
"Wall Street's fear is understandable. If the public is ever given a voice to express its outrage, their party train will have to stop and some people will pay for…
"You can talk at your own town hall meeting"
Terrance Heath produces an excellent piece on the American 'Tea Party' movement brought to life by the Koch brothers and other plutocrats and apparatchiks. Is The Tea Party Over? Maybe.…
And when do they bell the cats?
Rod's Mickleburgh's B.C. NOTEBOOK in the Globe and Mail, After his one bright insight, Bloy gets left in the dark: "After nine years languishing on the government’s dusty backbenches, the…
BC Municipalities already audited
News item, September 29, 2011 "Municipal politicians voted overwhelmingly Thursday to tell the provincial government they don't want a Municipal Auditor-General's office... "The local politicians said they’re already prohibited from…
Finding tax sources that fit today’s economy
Financial Transaction Tax: Making the financial sector pay its fair share Brussels, 28 September 2011 – Today the Commission has presented a proposal for a financial transaction tax in the…
Union guy stealing my cookie
From BNET, Today’s CEOs think Henry Ford was a chump. Case in point: Larry Young, the CEO of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. In 2009, DPS made $555 million in…
Canadian media is unsustainable
Hochstein in his flower garden Phil Hochstein, head of the ICBA, a construction industry lobby group, has long been an articulate tool given red carpet access by media that fear…
Scapegoats. Do we have ours ready?
Spiegel Online, Governments Turn Blind Eye to Violence Against Roma It is a tragedy taking place in the heart of Europe. In many countries, Roma are being bullied by right-wing…
First Hahn, now Hayes and the rest must go
David Hahn's lucrative reign as BC Ferries CEO is ending but more substantial change is needed at the company. The Board of Directors failed in its role of oversight and…
Families? Maybe, not.
Sean Holman asks a great question but unfortunately, we all know the answer: Does Christy Clark want to put British Columbia families first or businesses? Read the entire article HERE.
Party with the plutocrats
From Sister Sage's Musings "Local right-wing gadfly and embarrassment to the city, Vancouver’s Paris Hilton, Leah Costello, is hosting war criminal Dick Cheney at her very elite, very right wing…
Multinationals avoid income taxes
Some believe that businesses should pay no taxes and HST serves part of that purpose. A remaining aim of business is to pay no income tax but, because ruling parties…
Insatiable appetites
An apothegm repeated often in programs treating alcohol abuse: "One drink is too many and one thousand is not enough." The statement also applies to business leaders and their lobbyists.…
The master of red tape reduction
Humanists associate Dick Cheney with war crimes but his legacy of malevolence is broader. In 2005, the U.S. Congress passed legislation exempting hydraulic fracturing from oversight under the Safe Drinking…
Callow victims supported billionaires’ coup
Coup: A quick, brilliant, and highly successful act; a triumph. By extension, a takeover of one group by another. Guardian columnist George Monbiot provides his view of a coup against…
Taking on Goliath
Salt Spring Forum and Salt Spring Island Conservancy hosted noted western Canadian journalist Andrew Nikiforuk Wednesday to hear details of his new book, Empire of the Beetle. It is an…
Liberal scorn for sustainability
Before joining the Vancouver Sun, Fazil Mihlar was Senior Policy Analyst at The Fraser Institute. In his years with the newspaper's editorial board, Mihlar has continued to serve philosophical goals…
Our neighbour devours it greatness
The Fall of the United States, CommonDreams.org, John Atcheson "Welcome to the late great United States – a country in economic and moral free fall. A country in thrall to…
Cut that red tape again, please
Premier Clark is barnstorming around the province celebrating jobs week. Not wanting to incur more debt and commit new spending, she intends to repurpose planned expenditures. Of course, she also…