Assorted content for your weekend reading.
- Lana Payne writes about the perilous future we're leaving to future generations - as well as the hope we should draw from young activists demanding better.
- Sven Biggs debunks a few of Justin Trudeau's excuses for using public money to buy and build a pipeline. Erica Ifill points out the gross lack of environmental justice when toxic substances are consistently inflicted on the people least able to respond, while Christopher Ragan and Courtney Howard write about the health impacts of a climate breakdown. And Sarah Cox discusses the B.C. government's thoroughly underwhelming response to a report on the dangers of fracking.
- Meanwhile, Vanessa Ratjen asks why Canada is neglecting obvious opportunities to develop geothermal energy. But the Corporate Mapping Project's database of fossil fuel puppetmasters largely answers the question as to why healthier alternatives have been suppressed while oil and gas subsidies have only been ramped up.
- Finally, Evan Siddall discusses the need to ensure that housing policy focuses on making a home available to everybody, not merely serving the cause of turning ownership into a seemingly risk-free investment.
Saturday, July 06, 2019
Friday, July 05, 2019
Friday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your week.
- PressProgress examines Statistics Canada's latest research on the tens of billions of dollars in taxes being dodged by multinational corporations. And George Monbiot offers an inside look into the crushing power of billionaires once they sense a threat to their sources of wealth and power.
- Sheila Matthen analyzes how inequality is only getting worse among millennial workers as compared to previous cohorts. And Ricardo Tranjan points out how employment insurance has eroded to the point where it withholds any income supports from the workers who need assistance the most.
- Andy Beckett writes about the sorely-needed alternatives to neoliberalism developing among a new generation of economists. And Anne Kingston writes that kindness and compassion are the only viable alternative to broken systems built around self-interest-based incentives.
- Larry Kusch takes note of the declining nursing care in Manitoba under the Pallister PCs, while PressProgress points out that Pallister's idea of health care "efficiencies" is shutting down emergency rooms.
- Finally, Jon Milton exposes the Libs' construction of a migrant detention centre in Laval.
- PressProgress examines Statistics Canada's latest research on the tens of billions of dollars in taxes being dodged by multinational corporations. And George Monbiot offers an inside look into the crushing power of billionaires once they sense a threat to their sources of wealth and power.
- Sheila Matthen analyzes how inequality is only getting worse among millennial workers as compared to previous cohorts. And Ricardo Tranjan points out how employment insurance has eroded to the point where it withholds any income supports from the workers who need assistance the most.
- Andy Beckett writes about the sorely-needed alternatives to neoliberalism developing among a new generation of economists. And Anne Kingston writes that kindness and compassion are the only viable alternative to broken systems built around self-interest-based incentives.
- Larry Kusch takes note of the declining nursing care in Manitoba under the Pallister PCs, while PressProgress points out that Pallister's idea of health care "efficiencies" is shutting down emergency rooms.
- Finally, Jon Milton exposes the Libs' construction of a migrant detention centre in Laval.
Thursday, July 04, 2019
Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.
- Mark Rice-Oxley points out the observations of the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Health as to the stress and mental illness caused by austerity. Robert Booth reports on the recognition that yet another round of giveaways to the rich and clawbacks from everybody else would represent a needless tragedy for the UK. And Frances Ryan discusses the inhumanity involved in a cap on benefits intended to control family sizes for people receiving social benefits.
- Tom Metcalf reports on a call for a wealth tax from multiple American billionaires who recognize that everybody ends up worse off when a wealthy elite isolates itself from the population at large. And Damian Carrington reports on the imminent risk of "climate apartheid" as concentrated wealth is used to shield the main contributors to a climate breakdown from its most severe effects.
- Jeff Berardelli points out the connection between climate change and the increased frequency and severity of heat waves. And Sarah Wesseler discusses how the increased use of air conditioning in response to higher temperatures only stands to exacerbate our climate crisis.
- Lisa Friedman reports on the latest revelations from the longstanding Taylor Energy oil leak, which include the underreporting of the scale of the leak by a factor of a thousand. And George Monbiot reminds us that we shouldn't buy the attempts of Shell and other oil giants to present themselves as planetary saviours when they've been knowingly destroying both our planet and our ability to act collectively to preserve it.
- Finally, Andrew Coyne notes that unelected Senators are again preventing our elected representatives from doing their jobs in passing legislation in the public interest - and this time merely through filibustering rather than any consideration of bills on their merits.
- Mark Rice-Oxley points out the observations of the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Health as to the stress and mental illness caused by austerity. Robert Booth reports on the recognition that yet another round of giveaways to the rich and clawbacks from everybody else would represent a needless tragedy for the UK. And Frances Ryan discusses the inhumanity involved in a cap on benefits intended to control family sizes for people receiving social benefits.
- Tom Metcalf reports on a call for a wealth tax from multiple American billionaires who recognize that everybody ends up worse off when a wealthy elite isolates itself from the population at large. And Damian Carrington reports on the imminent risk of "climate apartheid" as concentrated wealth is used to shield the main contributors to a climate breakdown from its most severe effects.
- Jeff Berardelli points out the connection between climate change and the increased frequency and severity of heat waves. And Sarah Wesseler discusses how the increased use of air conditioning in response to higher temperatures only stands to exacerbate our climate crisis.
- Lisa Friedman reports on the latest revelations from the longstanding Taylor Energy oil leak, which include the underreporting of the scale of the leak by a factor of a thousand. And George Monbiot reminds us that we shouldn't buy the attempts of Shell and other oil giants to present themselves as planetary saviours when they've been knowingly destroying both our planet and our ability to act collectively to preserve it.
- Finally, Andrew Coyne notes that unelected Senators are again preventing our elected representatives from doing their jobs in passing legislation in the public interest - and this time merely through filibustering rather than any consideration of bills on their merits.
Wednesday, July 03, 2019
Wednesday Morning Links
This and that for your mid-week reading.
- Rick Salutin discusses the needed rise of left-wing populism in the U.S.' presidential campaign (and elsewhere).
- Ed Finn highlights how policies designed around austerity and competition are designed to prevent people from cooperating toward the common good. And Erlend Kvitrud points out how direct public control over corporations serves as a crucial aspect of Scandinavia's economic and social successes.
- Tracey Lindeman notes that the airline industry represents just another example of how corporate consolidation is producing windfall profits and higher prices. And Katie Nicholson reports on Boeing's falsification of safety records.
- Rebecca Willis writes that more democracy is a crucial aspect of a successful effort to combat our climate crisis, while Avi Lewis and David Suzuki are hopeful that Canada is on the right track. Bloomberg News calls out the fossil fuel industry's continued sabotage of any attempt to develop workable plans to avert a climate breakdown, while Alastair Jamieson reports on Saudi Arabia's interference in UN discussions. Ben Jervey notes that the Koch brothers are among the oil barons trying to prevent the emergence of the electric vehicle industry. And James Temple discusses the need to reduce out anticipated fossil fuel use rather than trying to justify continued expansion in the name of "transition", while David Roberts writes about Jay Inslee's detailed plans to actually phase out our dependence on carbon pollution.
- Finally, Tom Koch writes that a national pharmacare system would both benefit from, and contribute to, the principle that big pharma shouldn't be able to capture public research dollars as a source of private profits.
- Rick Salutin discusses the needed rise of left-wing populism in the U.S.' presidential campaign (and elsewhere).
- Ed Finn highlights how policies designed around austerity and competition are designed to prevent people from cooperating toward the common good. And Erlend Kvitrud points out how direct public control over corporations serves as a crucial aspect of Scandinavia's economic and social successes.
- Tracey Lindeman notes that the airline industry represents just another example of how corporate consolidation is producing windfall profits and higher prices. And Katie Nicholson reports on Boeing's falsification of safety records.
- Rebecca Willis writes that more democracy is a crucial aspect of a successful effort to combat our climate crisis, while Avi Lewis and David Suzuki are hopeful that Canada is on the right track. Bloomberg News calls out the fossil fuel industry's continued sabotage of any attempt to develop workable plans to avert a climate breakdown, while Alastair Jamieson reports on Saudi Arabia's interference in UN discussions. Ben Jervey notes that the Koch brothers are among the oil barons trying to prevent the emergence of the electric vehicle industry. And James Temple discusses the need to reduce out anticipated fossil fuel use rather than trying to justify continued expansion in the name of "transition", while David Roberts writes about Jay Inslee's detailed plans to actually phase out our dependence on carbon pollution.
- Finally, Tom Koch writes that a national pharmacare system would both benefit from, and contribute to, the principle that big pharma shouldn't be able to capture public research dollars as a source of private profits.
Tuesday, July 02, 2019
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading.
- David Roberts writes about the developing recognition that we all bear responsibility for consumption emissions - though even better would be a focus on limiting emissions produced, consumed and exported alike. Daniel Masoliver examines some of the steps we can take as individuals to rein in our own emissions - though those pale in comparison to the scale of the problem originating with large polluters. And Benjamin Neimark, Oliver Belcher and Patrick Bigger point out the massive emissions emanating from the U.S.' military.
- Marc Lee discusses the absurdity of trying to claim massive LNG developments as a credit rather than a cost in trying to avert a climate breakdown. And Paul Willcocks calls out Andrew Scheer's combination of magic asterisks, corporate giveaways and attempts to game emission credit systems masquerading as a climate plan.
- Katie Bach, Sarah Kalloch and Zeynep Ton point out how employers themselves benefit by treating workers with respect rather than contempt. And Michelle Cohen makes the case for employers to at least foot the bill for mandatory sick notes - though the more important question is the frequency with which they're required in the first place.
- CBC News reports on Hamilton's failure to take violent right-wing extremism seriously - as evidenced by the fact that police have been used to protect bigoted groups from peaceful activists. Martha Gill comments on the need for skepticism about supposed defences of free speech which amount to nothing more than attempts to ensure that ignorance and bigotry are allowed to be emitted unopposed. And Michael Coren offers a warning about Andrew Scheer's hatred and intolerance (however it's concealed while he seeks power).
- Finally, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman respond (PDF) to dubious questions about the effectiveness of wealth taxes in both increasing revenue and ensuring greater equality. And Byrd Pinkerton and Dylan Matthews question why deceased plutocrats are able to impose their will on the world from beyond the grave.
- David Roberts writes about the developing recognition that we all bear responsibility for consumption emissions - though even better would be a focus on limiting emissions produced, consumed and exported alike. Daniel Masoliver examines some of the steps we can take as individuals to rein in our own emissions - though those pale in comparison to the scale of the problem originating with large polluters. And Benjamin Neimark, Oliver Belcher and Patrick Bigger point out the massive emissions emanating from the U.S.' military.
- Marc Lee discusses the absurdity of trying to claim massive LNG developments as a credit rather than a cost in trying to avert a climate breakdown. And Paul Willcocks calls out Andrew Scheer's combination of magic asterisks, corporate giveaways and attempts to game emission credit systems masquerading as a climate plan.
- Katie Bach, Sarah Kalloch and Zeynep Ton point out how employers themselves benefit by treating workers with respect rather than contempt. And Michelle Cohen makes the case for employers to at least foot the bill for mandatory sick notes - though the more important question is the frequency with which they're required in the first place.
- CBC News reports on Hamilton's failure to take violent right-wing extremism seriously - as evidenced by the fact that police have been used to protect bigoted groups from peaceful activists. Martha Gill comments on the need for skepticism about supposed defences of free speech which amount to nothing more than attempts to ensure that ignorance and bigotry are allowed to be emitted unopposed. And Michael Coren offers a warning about Andrew Scheer's hatred and intolerance (however it's concealed while he seeks power).
- Finally, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman respond (PDF) to dubious questions about the effectiveness of wealth taxes in both increasing revenue and ensuring greater equality. And Byrd Pinkerton and Dylan Matthews question why deceased plutocrats are able to impose their will on the world from beyond the grave.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)