Radical Idea: Libraries
If the idea of a library was purposed today it simply would be laughed out of existence because a library embodies an idea that is often ignored: that people, no…
freedom
Strikes Work for Everybody: How We Got Maternity Leave
Presently in Ontario the Conservative governemnt has used “the nuclear option” to take away rights from workers. Not going to lie: it’s really bad, like Canadian Charter of Rights are…
Saving Scholars From Scary Situations
Academics face persecution in parts of the world where authoritarian governments rule, which makes the exploration of knowledge very difficult and can even lead to safety concerns for the academics.…
Therapy + Cash = Lower Crime
It’s a simple equation which may sound obvious to some and bizarre to others. Our current approach to crime focusses on punishment and repression, and that clearly doesn’t work given…
Best Tool to Fight Crime is Welfare
The best way to fight crime is to take away motivation to commit crime. It’s been proven time and time again that severe punishments don’t deter crime, so how can…
Kazakhstan Listens to Protestors, Moves Towards Democracy
Earlier this year the people of Kazakhstan went to the streets to protest the authoritarian government, which was met with lethal force from the government. Now, that same government is…
Ontario: Go Vote!
It’s Election Day in Ontario, so if you’re in the province go practice some democratic action. Basically every party is trying to make the province better except for the one…
BC Decriminalizes Hard Drugs
British Columbia has learned that punishing drug users doesn’t stop drug use or the negative impact drugs have on our society. The province decided to shift from a punishment approach…
Ottawa Police refer to anti-vax protestors as “freedom supporters”
In what can only be described as positive public relations spin – or just propaganda in this case – the Ontario Police’s official Twitter account referred to anti-vaccine, pro-disease protestors…
Debunking Poilievre’s Freedom Myth
If you listen to Pierre Poilievre, the leading — and rightmost — candidate for the Conservative Party’s leadership, Canada is a dictatorship suffering under the thumb of the tyrant, Prime…
Freedom’s Forgotten Partner
We hear a lot about freedom these days. There was, of course, the infamous freedom convoy that occupied Ottawa for three weeks and disrupted the supply chain at border crossings.…
Reminder: Occasionally Pop You Filter Bubble
Figure 1 from Cook, Ellerton, and Kinkead 2018. CC BY 3.0 When Russia recently expanded their invasion into Ukraine they clamped down on what they called “fake news”, meaning that…
Fight Book Bans by Reading These Books
Movements in the United States are trying to ban a number of works of fictions which they deem to be problematic. The problem, as they see it, is that certain…
Freedom or Just Free-Dumb?
It’s a sad statement on modern affairs that the word “freedom” has been reduced to a generally meaningless term, thanks to the constant gaslighting by the right. Every rule, regulation,…
Mexico Targets American Gun Manufactures
The drug cartels in Mexico are backed by American guns and profits from selling drugs to Americans. The Mexican government can’t do anything about the demand side within America, but…
The Insurrection Index Exists to Defend American Democracy
The Insurrection Index launches today to defend democracy in the United States from internal attacks on democratic institutions. The focus of the initiative is clearly in response to, and all…
How to Avoid Billionaire Trolls
Figure 1 from Cook, Ellerton, and Kinkead 2018. CC BY 3.0 The biggest trolls in the world are also the richest. Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp fame and Elon Musk of…
Big Box Stores Remove Products Used to Violate Human Rights
Two of the largest retail chains in the United States have stopped the sale of Chinese-made surveillance products used by the Chinese government to violate human rights. This move to…
What side are you on? And are you sure?
I have always been, and always will be, on the side of the anti-fascists and anti-authoritarians. At present, in 2021, that represents about 30% of the people. That may sound…