Has the Pentagon Met Its Match?
The pride of the US Navy are its fleet carriers – massive, nuclear powered, nuclear armed aircraft carriers that have for decades been a critical asset for “force projection” around…
The Mound of Sound
Today in the Land of Crazy
I heard something curious on NPR radio this morning. It was Donald Trump announcing that America would be sending no longer needed medical equipment and supplies to Italy and Spain…
Francis Fukuyama – On Paper, America Has What It Takes. Except For One Thing.
Political historian Francis Fukuyama writes that America has what it takes to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Except for one critical factor that it cannot succeed without – trust. A democracy…
Why America’s Healthcare System is Structurally Incapable of Handling Covid-19
The problem certainly isn’t lack of money. Americans already spend far more per capita than people in other developed countries on healthcare. Robert Reich says America’s healthcare system can’t respond…
Food Security. It’s Now a Thing. Finally.
A few years ago I did a spate of online courses on topics ranging from climate change to warfare in the 21st century to global food security. Of them all,…
Now We Have to Look at Ourselves In the Mirror. It’s Not Very Pleasant.
One of the traits neoliberalism has instilled in us is a near-bulletproof ability to look the other way. Terrestrial life (non-human) declines by half in forty years. Marine life declines…
Is This An Oil War or the Death Throes of a Petro-Economy?
There was a story on CBC radio this morning about Alberta oil producers running out of places to store their petro-production. No mention in the report that it’s a problem…
Is This a Re-Run of the High Middle Ages?
An historian of the Middle Ages, Patrick Wyman, sees eerie parallels between European history leading up to the Black Death and the post-WWII era leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic.…
The Rolling Stones – "Ventilator Blues"
When your spine is cracking and your hands, they shakeHeart is bursting and your butt’s gonna breakWoman’s cussing, you can hear her screamFeel like murder in the first degree Ain’t…
While They’re All Distracted By that Virus, Let’s Gut the EPA
Figuring that a public worried about a viral pandemic and their next pay cheque, Team Trump figures this is the perfect time to pull a fast one – or two…
How Will the Corona Virus End? – The Atlantic
The Atlantic looks at how the Covid-19 contagion will end for the United States. It won’t be pretty. Like World War II or the 9/11 attacks, this pandemic has already…
They’ve Been Right All Along. America is No.1
They had a lot of catching up to do but, boy, have they made up for lost time. The United States has now logged more Covid-19 cases than either China…
Brace Yourself. Trump’s Approval Ratings Hit All-Time High
The coronavirus has been great for the Mango Mussolini, America’s Bungler in Chief. It is unclear how long Trump’s polling bump will last. Polls tend to be lagging indicators, meaning…
We Knew. We’ve Known for Years. We Just Ignored the Warnings. That Must Stop – Now.
When we think of climate science we think of what are sometimes called “earth sciences.” Stuff like physics, chemistry, atmospherics, geology, hydrology, glaciology – the droughts, floods and severe weather…
An E.R. Doctor Slams Oil and Gas Bailout.
Dr. Courtney Howard, is an emergency physician. She’s also president of the Canadian Association of Physicians. Not surprisingly she’s been run off her feet trying to deal with the COVID-19…
How Do You Lock Down India?
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has imposed a three week lockdown on the nation of 1.3 billion people, telling them to “forget what going out means.” “From 12 midnight…
A Show of Hands, Please
Everyone in favour of the federal government taking on a nine to twelve billion dollar pipeline expansion when bitumen is now plainly a “stranded asset,” please raise your hands. Nobody?…
This Will Be Weird to Watch
As provincial governments trying to avert the worst of the Covin-19 pandemic order stores to close for the duration, does that mean they might bring back prohibition? I don’t think…
Brookings Institute – A Mortality Perspective on Covid-19
I’m posting this because, a), it’s the Brookings Institution and it is highly credible, and, b), it offers an up to date discussion about the issue of coronavirus mortality. I…
Boris Puts UK on Lockdown
Effective this evening which on the far side of the Atlantic is just about now, Brits are confined to quarters. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the decision on Monday evening…