I paused to think about changes that have occurred in Vancouver during the past half-century. Most are positive; some are not.
A message from the Canadian Government
Old and uncollectible
Our magazine collection is rather large. Beyond hundreds of Scientific American, Archaeology, craft, cooking and gardening publications, we have about 500 National Geographic, including editions from the middle of the last century to the beginning of the current one. If you want some free reading material, contact me in the next few days. Rescue these old publications from destruction.
Bear with me
Our family has lived for decades at the edge of the forest in North Vancouver’s Seymour River valley. Bear encounters are not rare. We’ve had these animals in our yard countless times, […]
Regular activity at In-Sights will resume
Our world has had no shortage of bad news and bad actors in recent times. Two hours spent with Cirque du Soleil remind us that humans are also capable of incredible artistry that brings joy to people of all ages.
AI roasts Norm
With three school teachers in the immediate family, I usually stay away from artificial intelligence platforms. However, I learned that Chat GPT can use AI to describe individuals who have an online presence. I was described as shown here…
Should I smite them?
In 2000, James M. Kauffman forwarded a satirical letter circulating the Internet, addressed to conservative talk-show host, Dr. Laura Schlessinger. As a result, he became entangled in the raging controversies surrounding homosexuality […]
Smile
SCTV, Canada’s best ever comedy series? Of course!
Recent readings
About poetry and essays from the November 2024 issue of Scientific American, the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. The publication is useful for people at all levels of learning. Occasionally, it can make us smile.
Collectibles that may no longer be collectible
Possessions we once thought valuable and worth preserving sometimes end up in boxes that are ignored for years. I tell my wife that our kids will probably use a giant dumpster when we’re gone. Where else to put a leather-bound Encyclopedia Brittanica from the 1970s? A couple of stored boxes recently had my attention.
Quotations
A reader who communicates regularly sent several interesting quotations that are perhaps relevant in today’s world. Some are repeated here…
Frozen Logger
Wife and I stopped for food after attending a grandson’s Little League baseball game. She ordered a coffee with cream, but the only stirring utensil presented was a large soup spoon. A phrase from a 1928 song by James Stevens came to mind. I suggested Gwen could stir the coffee with her thumb. Alas, she had not been a logger. It’s not a great song, but the lyrics might bring a smile…
The man in the hot air balloon
Much is wrong with Facebook, but occasionally, it circulates nuggets of gold…
Smile
Long ago, I read Ayn Rand. But then I grew up and realized that unfettered self-interest is not good and altruism is not destructive. Unlike Rand, I believe that communities are richer when people interact, cooperate and assist those in need. However, I understand Rand’s appeal to young people who are emerging from their family and trying to establish a sense of adult independence. Almost a decade ago, Daniel M. Lavery wrote a piece for The New Yorker that imagined how Ayn Rand would have reviewed certain famous movies…
Things that matter, or things that don’t
Sometimes, we become focused on things that matter to us, but matter little or nothing to others. I might be accused of that when I write at IN-SIGHTS. But I haven’t yet reached the point where I’m analyzing ravioli and hiring a lawyer.
Street art
As 2024 dawns, warmongers, arms dealers, and defenders of genocide show us the depths of human malice. But looking elsewhere, we find street art displaying the heights of human tenderness and creativity.
Remembering
This item was first published in 2010. It reappears with minor editing. I think it might stimulate memories of fellow seniors and alter the minds of people who think the good old days were actually good old days…
October smile
The following item was found on the internet. Unlikely any of it is true, but it is amusing…
Naval deployment
As a change from the usual subjects at In-Sights, here are photographs taken by Lorne Simpson of Victoria, a friend of 50 years or so. Lorne is a keen observer and a multitalented artist. To record scenes, he might use a paint brush or his phone, but he might also use a 4″ X 5″ large format camera. I think these photos might interest readers of In-Sights.
Twelve rules for seniors
Not sure where this originated from but reader Erik Andersen sent it along.
in-sights.ca 
Blair Fix at _Economics from the Top Down_ also wrote two very good papers on the converion of housing into…