Reprinted from November 2013. What’s in a name? Shakespeare said, “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” Organizations that aim to safeguard assets create effective […]
Baksheesh, bustarella, schmiergeld, kuroi kiri
Norm Farrell
Gwen and I raised three adult children in North Vancouver. Each lives in this community, as do our seven grandchildren. Before retirement, I worked in accounting and small business management. Since 2009, I have published commentary about public issues at IN-SIGHTS.CA.
"Cardboard box? You’re lucky…"
Vancouver firm promises to build home in Third World for every local condo sold, The Province, Feb 2014 “Two Vancouver businessmen have started a real-estate gifting program with the lofty aspiration of […]
Premier Clark ditches coal & LNG for renewables
Christy Clark announced today that British Columbia is terminating coal exports and ending negotiations to provide free land, power, natural gas feedstock, shipping facilities and other capital and operating supports demanded by […]
Norm on CFAX1070 with Ian Jessop 3/31/14
Pushing back on the pushback
Reprinted from August 2013: Anonymous reader argued through earlier comments that comparisons between BC Investment Management Corporation and Washington State Investment Board are inappropriate “apples and oranges.” The person attempted to justify […]
Don’t read this, it’s none of your business
In comments on the preceding article, a subject emerged that was apart from the beginning one but is worthy of separate examination. This is another iceberg type situation: much does not meet […]
Not a puffball comparison
A Vancouver Sun article recently offered a few outdated items about salaries paid to executives of the British Columbia Investment Management Corportion (BCimc). It was a public relations piece devoid of detail, […]
Days of restraint, austerity and net-zero
There was a time in British Columbia when creative and ambitious people aimed to be involved in productive entrepreneurialism. Perhaps manufacturing, construction, resource extraction, distribution or other activities that created and delivered […]
Salute to a man we can all admire
Many readers here and at other new media sites know Ian Reid through The Real Story. We’ve witnessed his brave struggle against an unrelenting health challenge and when RossK and I visited […]
Crony capitalism, part duh…
I don’t know that I will bother writing about the detail that I’ve accumulated in examining convention centre projects in North America and abroad. Regular readers can probably guess accurately at what […]
Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable
Finley Peter Dunne is credited with the words above. I have a feeling this direction will be in the minds of more than a few politicos a year or so from now. […]
Failing upward
In the five years 2009-2013, B.C. Pavilion Corporation, the provincial operator of BC Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre, accumulated deficits totaling $234,178,000 before public contributions (Source: Pavco audited financial statements). During […]
An updated update
I had surgery on my left eye last December and on my right eye a week ago. The procedures went well but I must wait a while yet before new eyeglasses can […]
Neither wealth nor splendor…
I was fascinated by Ian Jessop’s interview Friday with Dr. John Helliwell, Professor Emeritus of Economics, UBC. Dr. Helliwell is an editor of the World Happiness Report 2013, released by Columbia University’s […]
Jan 6 with Ian Jessop, CFAX 1070
War on coastal communities
Christy Clark’s Liberals seem dedicated to punishing residents of BC coastal communities, probably because all ferry dependent communities failed to return Liberal candidates in the last election. A few days ago, BC […]
Dis·in·gen·u·ous — [dis-in-jen-yoo-uhs]
Vancouver Sun Editorial Board Considers the Issues Earlier this month, the Vancouver Sun published an editorial titled, BC Jobs Plan figures don’t signal success or failure yet. In case you fail to […]
Propaganda presented as credible news
Were I a new arrival in Canada who relied on major media, I would believe, as Canadian Press reported, Northern Gateway is a project that, “…will put billions of dollars into the […]
The decline of journalism…
…It’s a fundamental existential problem for every society on earth today. That was in the opening comments of Dr. Robert McChesney when he was interviewed by Ian Jessop of CFAX 1070 radio. […]
Eyes still on the issues
Thanks for the good wishes these past few days. Surgery on my left eye went well and the doctor’s follow-up exam indicated a good result. In fact, within 24 hours I could […]
in-sights.ca 
If you require high standards a good place to look for clarity is Liz Oyer. Liz - Blanche takes down…