Cda/Environment- Elevated Levels of Toxins Found in Athabasca River Finding refutes long-standing claims that water quality hasn’t been affected by oil sands development By Josh Wingrove writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 30-Aug-2010.
Technology, Science and Health- The Genetic Mystique of ‘Me’ Medicine Are we simply our genes? Is that why we’re unique? Guess again By Donna Dickenson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 28-Aug-2010.
Miscellaneous- What’s so Bad about Hate An unsentimental reflection on schoolyard shootings, Matthew Shepard, genocide and the easy consensus on hate crimes. By Andrew Sullivan writing for The New York Times; posted Sat 28-Aug-2010.
This is an article that ran in Sun. 26-Sep-1999 … Still relevant, though!
International Scene- Death in a Broken Country The Manila bus hijacking is a consequence of a great society experiencing exceptional struggles By Robert Hanlon writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 26-Aug-2010.
International Scene- Anatomy of a Hostage-Taking Bungle The deaths of Canadian and Hong Kong tourists in the Philippines were a tragedy of many errors By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
Cda/DND Fighter Acquisition- Critics Set to Launch New Attacks on Untendered Deal to Buy Fighter Jets Report says Harper moving ‘by stealth’ on F-35 purchase; asks why contract was sole-sourced By Daniel Leblanc writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
UPDATE: PMO Launches Pre-Emptive Strike against Fighter-Jet Critics The Russians are coming? At first glance, it was kind of a head-scratcher. By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
UPDATE: ‘Caustic’ Tory Spin on Jets Sours Relations with Russia, MP Says It is unhelpful to Arctic diplomacy for the Conservative government to create an international furor when the Russians conduct routine flights near Canadian territory, the opposition charges. By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
Cda/Miscellaneous- Health Care System’s Value Can’t be Measured, Auditor-General Says Ottawa’s lack of investment in long-term projections hurts attempts to find out if system is cost effective or sustainable, CMA meeting told By André Picard writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
Cda/CONservatives Behaving ‘Oddly’- Police Put Tory Credibility on the Firing Line This week’s interventions by leading police officers on the long-gun registry could create a bit of concern in the Prime Ministers Office. For the first time, the government appears to be losing the upper hand in this debate. Here’s why. By Bruce Anderson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Aug-2010.
Cda/Census Revamp- Voluntary Survey ‘Useful’ but Not ‘Comparable’ to Census, Stats Chief Says The results of the voluntary National Household Survey, which will arrive in Canadian mailboxes in spring, “will, of course, never be comparable to census data,”Wayne Smith said in an internal Statscan publication obtained by The Globe and Mail. By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 24-Aug-2010.
Cda/Census Revamp- Conservatives’ Census Decision Could Affect Party’s Outreach to Ethnic Canadians ‘Any rationalization to say this is a vote winner is a stretch, for any group of Conservatives,’ says Nanos By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 23-Aug-2010.
Cda/CONservatives Behaving ‘Oddly’- A Deconstruction Theme Runs Deep within the Current Conservative Movement The notion that the ‘50s was a golden era is one that Harper is said to have sympathy for. Born in 1959, he missed the pre-boomer age, but he might want to watch a few Mad Men episodes before he determines that it is the environment he would like to recreate for his daughter. By Chantal Hébert writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 23-Aug-2010.
Cda/CONservatives Behaving ‘Oddly’- Hill Frustrated with PMO’s ‘Excessive Control’ before Being Shuffled Conservatives say PMO has a good working relationship with all ministers By Kristen Shane writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 23-Aug-2010.
Cda/CONservatives Behaving ‘Oddly’- Tories Need to Start Listening to People Other than Themselves Retired Col. Pat Stogran, Canada’s outgoing Veterans Ombudsman came out last week to say the federal government doesn’t care about Canadian veterans. “It is clear to me that the government expected the Veterans Ombudsman to behave as a complaints manager responsible to the department,”he said. “Is it any surprise that the Veterans Ombudsman would speak out on behalf of our veterans and their families? Is it any wonder that the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman would be critical of the way the government is treating our veterans? His mandate, which ends this fall, will not be renewed after his three-year contract is up. By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Mon 23-Aug-2010.
United States of America- An Absence of Critical Thinking The backlash against the Cordoba House mosque is a classic leap in logic By Allan Levine writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 21-Aug-2010.
In university I had a professor who constantly challenged us students: Nothing is inevitable!
He bade us suss out the whys and the how-elses instead of just regurgitating the whats, whens, wheres and hows. Long now a neglected dimension even beyond and after formal education it seems: Confusing what to think with how to think… particularly sad when there’s such a dearth of the latter.
UPDATE: Mosque Plan Draws Rallies near Ground Zero The proposed mosque near New York City’s Ground Zero drew hundreds of demonstrators Sunday, with opponents carrying signs associating Islam with blood, supporters shouting, “Say no to racist fear!”and American flags waving on both sides. From The Associated Press; posted Sun 22-Aug-2010.
International Scene- What Went Wrong in Iraq? Most Things. Politicians, historians and pundits are taking stock now that the last U.S. combat troops have withdrawn. It’s not a pretty picture. Everybody lost. Nobody won this war. By Patrick Graham writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 21-Aug-2010.