Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Markham Hislop offers up his apologies for cheerleading for the TransMountain pipeline - both due to its immensely increased price tag, and for its imminent obsolescence if we even remotely approach a workable response to the climate crisis. John Woodside calls out Chrystia Freeland for refusing to take even the baby step of acknowledging that dirty energy development shouldn't be eligible to be treated as clean investments, while Environment Defence responds to the failure of yet another much-ballyhooed carbon capture project which was supposed to counter the emissions from fossil fuel production and use. And Geoffrey Deihl wonders whether the oil industry's insistence on allowing climate change to worsen unchecked will force us to subject the Earth to a reckless experiment in atmosphere manipulation. 

- Meanwhile, Leana Hosea and Rachel Salvidge report on the rapidly-rising levels of "forever chemicals" in human bodies. And Sharon Lerner reports on the EPA's sudden reversal in dealing with acephate - as ProPublica's revelation that it planned to use sketchy data on non-living subjects to allow for increased use seems to have pushed it to instead implement a ban. 

- Pat Van Horne surveys some of the health experts who are pushing for a Canadian pharmacare program that ensures the availability of all essential medicines. 

- Talia Barnes explores how consumer products are increasingly designed to subject people to the control of corporations.  

- Marc Lee and DT Cochrane examine how Canada's tax system has remained regressive over the past two decades - including with decreased contributions by the wealthiest 5%. 

- Finally, Linda McQuaig points out how much of Canada's media has been working overtime to either conceal or normalize Pierre Poilievre's cultivation of ties to the far right. 

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Thom Hartmann discusses how conservative policies and rhetoric both kill people even looking only at  homicides and suicides. Cory Doctorow points out how the conservative impetus to exacerbate inequality has resulted in the housing crisis - including through new means for the wealthy to take homes away from workers. And Jessica Wildfire highlights the inherent unsustainability of any attempt to use wealth or privilege to vanish from a society which is in the midst of breaking down under the logic of extractive capitalism. 

- Meanwhile, Gaye Taylor takes note of the steps Canadian cities are taking to try to reduce the foreseeable number of heat-related deaths which we can expect in the midst of a fossil-fueled climate breakdown. And Annie Nova writes about the immense financial cost of climate change for the people being born today. 

- David Olive writes that there's no valid objection to the Libs' plans to modestly increase the tax inclusion rate on capital gains, while Max Fawcett rightly argues that if anything Canada should be doing far more to ensure the rich pay their fair share. 

- Norm Farrell discusses the propensity of megaprojects to take on a life of their own which results in our missing out on more efficient and effective alternatives. 

- Kim Siever challenges the claim that business owners are entitled to a disproportionate share of profits based on their being the only parties taking on risk. And David Moscrop interviews Alex Hemingway about the far superior results of worker-owned firms by numerous standards - including the job security and resilience which are normally treated as the main reason for serving the interests of capital. 

- Finally, Jared Wesley discusses how the UCP is a threat to democracy - though it's worth noting that every justified criticism represents an element of the playbook of right-wing parties across the continent. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Shadowy cat.

Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Stan Cox writes about the looming eco-collapse - and its connection to a relentless focus on top-heavy "growth" with no regard for well-being or sustainability.  

- Dharna Noor reports on the U.S. House oversight committee's investigation showing how the oil industry has blocked any climate progress while engaging in performative public greenwashing. Tory Shepherd reports on what it takes for a climate denialist ad to be pulled for being misleading or deceptive. And David Zipper discusses how U.S. policy has encouraged car bloat and increased pollution (based in no small part on lobbying from both the fossil fuel sector and the auto industry).

- Meanwhile, Cloe Logan reports on the growing number of Quebec municipalities working on reducing fossil fuel infrastructure in new buildings.

- Jeffrey Kluger writes about the reality that he - like nearly everybody - is accumulating plastic toxins in his body at an alarming rate. And Benjamin Shingler reports on the halting progress toward a global plastics treaty. 

- Finally, Melvin Backman discusses how U.S. CEOs' pay continues to rise far faster than that of other workers. And Norm Farrell offers a reminder that minimum wage increases tend to produce more as well as better jobs. 

Musical interlude

Shallou - Fading

Friday Morning Links

Assorted content to end your week.

- Benji Jones writes that the long-predicted mass death of coral reefs due to climate change is coming to pass even as the climate breakdown continues to escalate. Adam Bailey highlights the obscene amounts of money still being thrown at fossil fuels - and the opportunity cost of spending to lock ourselves into dirty energy rather than building a clean future. And Kevin Jiang asks why Canadian governments are ignoring readily-available plans to make indoor air healthy for children. 

- Matteo Cimellaro reports on the work being done by Indigenous leaders to call out the use of the Arctic region as a dumping ground for plastic waste and other dangerous substances. And Maria Paula Rubiano discusses new research showing that exposure to chemicals in plastics results in an increased risk of cancer (among other dangers to health). 

- Ed Zitron writes about the deliberate process which resulted in Google undermining the usefulness of its search engine in order to extract value from users and advertisers alike. And Stephen Moore is nostalgic for the sense of curiosity and excitement which has been ground down by the corporate takeover of online activity.  

- Luke LeBrun talks to economists about the typical false debate playing out over fair taxation - as overwrought Con attacks on feeble Lib plans ignore the reality that there's room to ensure the rich contribute far more to the sources of their wealth.  

- Finally, Arno Kopecky discusses how Pierre Poilievre is bent on seeing the next election fought over a false portrayal of carbon pricing - to the exclusion of any issues which could actually improve people's lives to any meaningful extent. And Christopher Holcroft writes about the risks of normalizing Poilievre's contempt for truth and democracy. 

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Umair Irfan discusses the possibility that carbon pollution may have reached its peak in 2023 - while recognizing that even if that proves true, there's still a long way to go in reducing the additional climate carnage being inflicted by continued emissions. Justin Nobel notes that the damage done by the fossil fuel sector includes exposing workers to waste which is more radioactive than Chernobyl. And Kathryn Willis et al. recognize that the oil industry's plan to ramp up plastic production will mean a gigantic increase in another harmful byproduct. 

- Meanwhile, Sharon Lerner reports on the EPA's plans to raise the amount of a toxic pesticide permitted on food based on testing limited to isolated cells rather than the people who stand to be affected. 

- Ian Welsh highlights how Canada's housing affordability crisis can be traced back to the expectation by existing property owners that they'll be handed consistent windfall increases in their property values. 

- Becky Robertson reports on Loblaws' continued shrinkflation and price gouging even as they and other oligopolists insist on having free rein to exploit consumers as they see fit. 

- Finally, David Climenhaga discusses Danielle Smith's choice to fund yet another anti-public-health diatribe with public money - this time paying a disgraced COVID denialist physician to launder conspiracy theories through a secret task force. And Joel Dryden reports that the UCP is fully aware of dozens of medical clinics advertising membership fees - but is looking for excuses to avoid bringing them into compliance with the law prohibiting charging for access to medically necessary services. 

Wednesday Afternoon Links

Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.

- Sean Boynton reports on new research showing that the deadline 2021 heat dome was significantly exacerbated by the climate crisis. And William Boos discusses modeling showing a strong likelihood that we'll see another record-breaking summer for heat and humidity in the tropics. 

- Meanwhile, Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood notes that even as the Cons shriek about even the slightest policy aimed at alleviating the climate breakdown, the Libs' budget is pushing action down the road (and in some cases even reducing previously-planned funding over the next few years). 

- Amanda Chu and Jamie Smyth report on the predictable role of Exxon and other fossil fuel conglomerates in trying to stall progress on a global plastics treaty. And Craig Hodge, Christina Seidel & Natasha Tucker discuss the need to take a full life-cycle view in managing plastic pollution. 

- Luke Savage takes note of the push to boycott the Loblaws empire, while lamenting the futility of trying to withhold business from an oligopoly. 

- Finally, Martin Lukacs discusses how Pierre Poilievre is parroting big pharma's talking points in seeking to prevent Canadians from having access to needed medications. Luke LeBrun reports on Poilievre's latest meet-and-greet with Diagolon extremists and other rebranded arms of the Flu Trux Klan. And Steve Buist makes a valiant if futile appeal for Poilievre to stop trafficking in cynical fearmogering and general madness. 

Tuesday Night Cat Blogging

Primed cat. 

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Robin McKie warns that the next pandemic is likely to develop from a flu virus, while Augie Ray offers a reminder that we're still seeing waves of COVID-19 sweep through the population. And Alexander Quon and Zak Vescera report on warnings of the exponential spread of COVID which the Sask Party chose to deny and minimize with catastrophic results. 

- Samantha Harrington reports on new data showing that the death toll from the climate crisis is at least in the tens of thousands of people per year - and likely much higher. Jamey Keaten reports on the International Labour Organization's plea to recognize and counter the risks to workers from extreme heat and other environmental dangers. And Tim Palmer laments the lack of progress in developing high-resolution climate models to allow us both to better plan for climate changes, and to attribute responsibility. 

- Leah Borts-Kuperman exposes North Bay's collusion with a plastics manufacturer to squelch any discussion about "forever chemicals" in drinking water. 

- Luke LeBrun points out that Pierre Poilievre has a fan and kindred spirit in conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. 

- Finally, David Macdonald highlights how the capital gains tax tweaks which have the corporate lobby streaming about supposed harm to the middle class in fact have no effect on anybody below the wealthiest  0.13 per cent of Canadians.