Take a Hike, Bezos
Obscenely rich Jeff Bezos thinks we’d all be better off if we just ordered our groceries online, that is to say from Amazon. If what makes Jeff Bezos better off…
The Mound of Sound
Again?
I don’t know what to say, except that they need to be heard. Tiny House Under Attack from Doreen Manuel on Vimeo.
"A Transformed and Blighted World"
Protesters in the US blocking roads and storming state houses are demanding a return to normal. No more lockdowns, no quarantine, no social distancing. Back to normal. What if there…
Trump is not Hitler But He Has a Few of the Instincts
From torchlight marches in Charlottesville to heavily armed fanatics storming Michigan’s state house, Trump’s stamp on America is inescapable. Trump is a master of the “big lie” and he has…
Vox Populi. Time to Ban Assault Rifles – Finally.
“Black Guns” gotta go. The Trudeau government is planning to ban AR-15 style rifles and four out of five Canadians think it’s about time. The Liberals first proposed such a…
Will We Repeat the Mistakes of 1918?
One of the costliest lessons to emerge from the Spanish Flu of 1918 is that pandemics often come in waves over a span of 12 to 18 months and the…
The Case Against Bailouts
The Guardian’s George Monbiot doesn’t support government handout/bailouts to corporations, especially airlines and fossil energy giants. No surprise there. That said, he makes a good case. Before I get into…
I Sat On This All Day. Okay, Here It Is.
A choral group consisting of Toronto physicians, “Voices Rock Medicine” – men need not apply – singing “Rise Again.” And, Vancouver’s offering, the Phoenix Chamber choir. Is it just me…
Here’s an Idea. Stop Eating Bats.
By now, Covid-19 has become a household term. What about Covid-20, 21, 22, 23 or Covid-24? Researchers have found at least six new strains of coronavirus in bats. Some speculate…
This Is What You’re Up Against. Why Neoliberalism Must Go.
It’s useful, every now and then, to reflect on what we’re up against. To some, neoliberalism has become just another dirty word. Neoliberalism = bad. Puppy dogs = good, I…
Cabin Fever?
Anyone who has spent time in a cabin on an isolated mountain lake knows it’s an unforgettable experience. Not for everyone perhaps but being that deeply immersed in nature is…
What Happens If We Get This Wrong?
Medical science contends that viral pandemics come in waves. The 1918 Spanish Flu claimed 30,000 lives in New York City. 20,000 of those deaths occurred in the second wave, in…
They Don’t Matter Much to Ottawa But They’re Cherished Out Here.
From dwindling salmon stocks, to fish farms and supertankers, Ottawa sees the BC coast as just something to be monetized. Yes, yes, Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, our commerce gateway…
Thanks, Avi. Thanks a Lot.
The chair of Harvard’s astronomy programme, Avi Loeb, has taken the opportunity served up by the pandemic to burst our illusions. Following a century of scientific and technological advances that…
A Bit of Perspective
As Washington’s spending on the Covid-19 pandemic creeps toward $3 trillion, it can be really hard to make sense of that much money. What to use for comparison? Oh, I…
You Have to be Shitting Me – Friday Edition
As America rides the Covid-19 tiger, the lunatic-in-chief is in freefall. Apparently a letter reached Loon One this week from a guy pitching bleach as a cure-all for the virus…
That’s Okay, We’re Willing to Settle
So many headlines scream that ‘this changes everything’ or ‘we can’t go back’ or ‘normal is over.’ Sure, four decades of neoliberalism have left us in a real mess. This…
The "Marie Antoinette" of the U.S. Senate
It was a Republican Congressman from New York, Peter King, who first branded Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, the Marie Antoinette of the American Senate. Mr. King was responding to…
In Case You Forgot About It, We’re Still Facing a Climate Crisis.
The shockwaves of the pandemic and the oil crisis have caused the climate crisis to recede from the public conversation. We may have other things on our mind but the…
The Problem with Junk Oil
Canada seems likely to get knocked off its perch as the world’s fourth largest petroleum exporter. We’ve milked it for all it was worth but today it’s worth way less…