Carbon tax cost BC taxpayers $24 billion
Introduced in July 2008, British Columbia's Carbon Tax cost BC taxpayers $24 billion before it was eliminated at the end of fiscal year 2024-2025. People in BC were encouraged to…
Norman Farrell
Geothermal, ever present energy
Months ago, I wrote Geothermal — clean, non-destructive renewable energy. It was about Calgary-based Eavor and the company's use of unique drilling technology to realize geothermal energy. I have followed…
July update
After being focused on personal issues for a while, I will resume publishing a few pieces each week. Thank you to the people who have continued to support IN-SIGHTS. Please…
Regular activity at In-Sights will resume
Our world has had no shortage of bad news and bad actors in recent times. Two hours spent with Cirque du Soleil remind us that humans are also capable of…
Facebook censorship
Minutes after I placed a link on Facebook to the IN-SIGHTS article Road to Dictatorship, the post was removed. Facebook labelled it spam, which is typically defined as irrelevant or…
Road to dictatorship
According to a democracy research project based at Sweden's University of Gothenburg, 27 countries have transitioned from democracies to autocracies since 2005. Nations controlled by strongmen now outnumber those where…
Small item, large consequence
Stewart Hicks is Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He described how a simple connecting device for roof trusses helped revolutionize the home-building industry. It…
Why do they lie?
I wonder. Do politicians lie because they think Canadians are collectively stupid, or do they lie because we are?
Game changer
The global battery market is now valued at around C$220 billion. That number is expected to be near half a trillion dollars in five years. Even that estimate may be…
Ever-Trumper time
I recently referred to Pierre Poilievre saying that he told Alberta Conservative Danielle Smith to, "Be ready, when I win, we need your help." Canadians had better be ready for…
Gray Lady up
I cancelled my subscription to the New York Times when the newspaper seemed to easily accept the horrors inflicted on two million residents of Gaza. Of course, that was not…
Canada as “totalitarian hell hole”
A familiar axiom that says, "People can be judged by the company they keep." Crime family movies use the phrase, "Any friend of yours is a friend of mine." I…
Priorities
A couple of election promises caught my attention. Perhaps these define different priorities established by politicians who aim to lead Canada's federal government for the years ahead. Maybe some of…
Points to ponder
There has not been much new material here at IN-SIGHTS because I've been working with a group of people to launch CANADA WEST FORUM. Busy days are further complicated by…
AI roasts Norm
With three school teachers in the immediate family, I usually stay away from artificial intelligence platforms. However, I learned that Chat GPT can use AI to describe individuals who have…
Defending democracy
Ordinary people must choose between authoritarianism and democracy. Our ancestors struggled to gain the vote; we must protect these rights. Are we willing to do that? Do we even understand…
Now is not the moment to remain silent
Facebook has plenty of flaws, but as a stopped clock does twice a day, it can provide useful information. It was on Facebook that I saw a quote by American…
An exciting new organization
I am proud to be associated with a newly incorporated non-profit with ambitious goals. All readers of IN-SIGHTS are invited to participate. The following is from the Canada West Forum…
Record growth in European solar photovoltaic, but not in B.C.
The cost of electricity produced with solar and wind technologies has been declining for 15 years. Because of corporate inertia, BC Hydro has been paying little attention. The company has…
Forest gardens deliberately planted by Indigenous people
Andrew Currey wrote in SCIENCE about forest gardens that were not recognized as human-created because they did not fit the modern image of agriculture. The journal described work by Simon…