Chicago’s Busy Fathers’ Day Weekend
Big Fathers’ Day weekend in Chi-town. 46 people shot in under 72-hours. That’s approaching Baghdad-level violence. What do kids buy Dad for Fathers’ Day in Chicago – ammo? While mass…
The Mound of Sound
Have Canadians Won the Man-Powered Helicopter Challenge?
The Canadian team, AeroVelo, may have won the prize for the first, man-powered helicopter flight. Here’s the tweet they sent yesterday: “Hit 3.3 metres & 65 sec on our flight.…
Out of This World – What Does Walt Natynczyk Have That Canada Needs for Space?
In my humble opinion, no Canadian general directly associated with the fiasco of our war in Afghanistan should be a candidate for government perks. That’s certainly true for Rick Hiller…
When He’s Not Kissing Ass, He’s Kicking Ass – It’s the Only Game Harper Knows
He used to lambaste the Chinese – before he became Beijing’s bitumen bumboy – but Sideshow Steve Harper has shown he still has game when it comes to Russia and…
Chinese Dissident Says We’re Becoming Just Like Them
Chinese artist and persecuted dissident, Ai Weiwei, has an interesting take on the U.S. NSA Prism scandal in today’s Guardian in which he says America is behaving like China. I…
The More Things Change….
Back in the mid-70’s I managed to snag a quick interview with the head prosecutor of the Quebec crime commission while the fellow was in Ottawa. I thought I’d hit…
Why Canada Should be Wary of U.S. Missile Defence
There has been talk that Ottawa might jump aboard the U.S. missile defence programme out of fear of a rogue missile launch from North Korea. Before we do, let’s make…
Brit DefMin Concedes – Afghanistan Is Our Vietnam
British Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, says the miserable war in Afghanistan has been his country’s Vietnam. Britain is experiencing a ”Vietnam phenomenon” as the mission draws to a close, the…
Naked Citizens
A short documentary that reveals what lies in store for the innocent when digital, robo-surveillance, gets it wrong.
Exposing the Link between Climate Change and Our Government’s Digital Surveillance of Us All.
Does climate change and the fear of public unrest explain why Western governments have sharply ramped up domestic surveillance of our digital communications? According to The Guardian, that’s precisely what’s…
It’s Only a Rumour, But It’s a Dandy
Did Tony Blair break up the marriage between 82-year old Rupert Murdoch and his 44-year old wife, Wendi Deng? BBC financial correspondent Robert Peston, who is close friends with many…
Capturing Alert
Sit back, go “full screen” and enjoy a preview of Charles Stankievech’s photographic odyssey filmed at CFS Alert, the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited outpost. The images are truly astonishing.
Will Robotic Killing’s Real Victim be Democracy?
Science fiction writer and futurist Daniel Suarez explains the danger, to us and to our very democracy, from the rise of autonomous lethality, killer drones. Get your weekend paranoia fix…
Selling Global Warming – Local May Be the Key
Let’s face it, people really don’t give a s**t about the devastation global warming is bringing to the people of the sub-Saharan Sahel. We don’t readily find the nexus by…
Well, Ladies, He’s Back on the Market
Get him while he’s hot – or at least still warm. 82-year old media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, has filed for divorce from his wife of 14-years, Wendi Deng. Murdoch, who…
Is It Insane If We All Do It?
We are seriously mentally ill, as individuals and as a society. If you don’t believe it, just look at all the self-destructive things we do often with a sense of…
Recent Offerings from the Tweet of God
Imagine if God had a Twitter account. Apparently He does! From it he dispenses divine observations and wisdom to we mere mortals. Here are a few of His latest offerings:I…
Quebec’s End-of-Life Care Act Online
CBC’s web site has the English-language version of Quebec’s End-of-Life Care Act. The Quebec approach differs from that of Vermont, Oregon, Washington and Montana where the terminally ill patient can…
Wherein Lee Valley Tries to Help You Get Your Freak On
This was just too good not to share. Head shaving or tattoos not included.
How We Once Distinguished Democracy from Totalitarianism
One of the great themes of the Cold War was individual freedom from state prying and oppression. Unlike the Communist world, democracy ensured we were free to go about our…