The Big Cod Says, "Keep Verizon Out."
Safely retired ex-general Rick Hillier has a new gig as chairman of Telus Atlantic Canada Community Board. In that capacity he wrote an op-ed urging the government not to let…
The Mound of Sound
Mac Harb Resigns
Liberal senator Mac Harb has resigned effective immediately and repaid a total of $231,000 for disputed housing allowances he received plus interest. Harb said there are plenty of senators in…
Why Does the American South Embrace Climate Change Denialism?
Even as climate change whipsaws the American south, states such as Florida and Texas remain hotbeds of global warming denialism. The outgoing governor of Texas, who is expected to seek…
Why PRISM Matters
The Guardian has done an excellent and vital job digesting the U.S. National Security Agency PRISM data leaked by Edward Snowden. A good deal of it had come out, in…
Too Dumb to Live
Sean, the IT guy, is no more. The 26-year old Australian was at a birthday party at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat when he thought he’d swim across the croc-infested…
L’il Miss Piggy’s Tar Sands Adventure
Oilsands Quest, Inc. was very, very good to senator Pam Wallin. Her spot as a director of the Calgary-based energy company earned her $648,000 in cash and stock options, according…
A Coast Undefended
British Columbia’s environment ministry knows that the west coast is unprepared for even a small oil spill. Bureaucrats in BC`s environment ministry have warned that the province lacks the ability…
Is Harper Suppressing Climate Change Information?
Canadians are supposed to receive an annual accounting of our federal government’s efforts and progress on fighting climate change. It’s overdue and Environment Canada won’t say why or when it…
Banking on Neptune
Researchers hope they’ll be able to give Victoria and Vancouver a 30- to 50-second warning in advance of the megaquake when it occurs off Vancouver Island. That doesn’t sound like…
The Geopolitical Anchor Around the World’s Neck.
For all our wealth and sophistication, our nations still interact in ways remarkably akin to those that drove great power politics in centuries past. In OurWorld2.0, Manu Mathai warns that,…
Why Forcillo’s Five-Second Pause Matters
From the outset it’s been apparent to me that Sammy Yatim’s death resulted from two, distinct shooting events. The first was the initial, 3-round salvo that took two seconds. After…
Justin’s Splif Slip
Time will tell but it was probably a bone-headed thing to do. Why did Justin Trudeau volunteer that he had smoked pot recently? Did he think it would make him…
It’s Only a Matter of Time
When reports come out about computer hacking they tend to be either espionage or a “denial of service” campaign by activists/radicals to take down some corporate miscreant. So far no…
Out of Sight, Out of Mind. Putting Athabasca Back in Bitumen.
We – Canada, Alberta, the Oil Patch – are the sine qua non of the emissions that result from the production, transportation, refining, distribution and consumption of Athabasca bitumen. Just…
Forcillo was Eight for Nine
That Sammy Yatim was range practice for his executioner, constable James Forcillo, is apparent from the autopsy findings. Forcillo emptied nine-rounds from his gun. Eight times his bullets found their…
The Lost Art of Knowing Stuff
The internet is reshaping our minds. Reconfiguring might be a better word. A recent study shows that we don’t learn things the way we once did. We don’t accumulate knowledge…
Tuesday Night Rock
Knopfler, Clapton, Sting and Phil Collins on the drums. That’s rock’n roll.
The Stunningly Rapid Rise of the National Security State. This Shit is Beginning to Get Scary.
Big news on the Orwellian Front. The ascendancy of the national security state is picking up steam and it’s spreading into the upper echelons of the media. First up, The…
Hurricane Sandy Task Force or The Three Little Pigs
Little pig, little pig Let me come in Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in. Obama’s…
Yes, John, America Has Lost All Credibility in the Middle East. Now Here’s a Lovely Tuna Sandwich.
It’s kind of embarrassing to watch an old man come to some realization, like suddenly noticing his zipper is undone. It’s a surprise to him and he assumes it’s a…