The movie “Wag the Dog” takes the stance that American public policy may be founded on fraud in high places, and that there is no public outpouring too spontaneous-looking to be manipulated by political puppeteers.
Wag the dog
U.S. violates U.N. Charter
On January 3, the United States launched a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, captured President Nicolás Maduro, and flew him to a military base in New York. The American President says his country now runs Venezuela, holder of the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
What others do that we don’t / can’t / won’t
Innovation? There’s a lot our media never seems to notice succeeding elsewhere. A dam blocks salmon from reaching spawning grounds. Back in 2014 inventors employed a clever workaround. . Education? Who ranks as […]
Growing old is better than the alternative
I normally discard content suggested by unknown organizations, but issues of aging have growing importance to baby-boomers like me. When Andrea Needham of Elders Day offered an article, I reviewed her website and found useful advice and links to worthwhile content.
A Reader contributed again
Sorry, but I can’t show you a recent federal government ad. But you’re likely to see it. It’s a shocker…
Unusual calls to 911
E-Comm releases its annual top ten list reminding the public to keep 9-1-1 lines free for emergencies only:
Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a small non-profit organization working hard to protect fish habitat in BC’s rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the Pacific Ocean. This five-minute video explains their recent work.
Provincial party control of municipal councils?
Ken Boon, a respected citizen of northeastern BC, is a regular contributor to the newspaper based in Fort St. John. He is concerned about provincial political parties dictating local government policies. This is a recent column by Ken:
BC was deaf to cautionary tales
Many people are to blame for Site C, a facility that will produce electricity at a multiple of the cost of other clean power systems. No persons in positions of authority were willing to listen to cautionary tales, particularly reports that warned about megaproject madness.
BC Hydro customers paying for “doublespeak masterpiece”
In the Times Colonist, Les Leyne reacted to a recent BC Hydro report about Site C: B.C. Hydro has written the blandest, most blameless account possible. When it comes to burying a […]
Nincompoops ranting in their underpants just might have been right
Thanks to RanD Hadland at Facebook’s Say “NO” to Site “C” Dam! for drawing my attention to a recent Vaughn Palmer column. The Sun’s pundit mentions BC Hydro’s “pathetic” excuse making when justifying incompetent management of the Site C project…
Above and beyond the rule of law
Gordon Wilson should have been Premier of British Columbia. Instead, Vancouver power brokers of the 1990s wanted a more tractable person waiting to be Premier. Gordon Campbell replaced Wilson as Leader of the Official Opposition, David McLean and Jack Poole were among the money men who shaped the future of BC politics. Despite that setback, Wilson has lived an interesting life.
Happy holidays to all
I hope 2026 will be a good and peaceful year for everyone. My contributions at IN-SIGHTS have become a little less frequent because of good and bad personal issues. I trust 2026 will be different. This blog will soon be entering its 18th year. It has allowed me to become more informed and introduced me to many fine people. I hope IN-SIGHTS will last another 18 years, but my cardiologist may be doubtful.
The future casts a shadow on the present
Who better to represent Canada than Mark Wiseman former senior managing director and global head of active equities at BlackRock Inc. in New York. …Almost anyone?
Smile, or frown. Your choice
Found on the internet. As a recent traveller through YVR, I would argue with Jonathan Winters. Getting to the airport is relatively easy; getting through airport to the aircraft is the hard part. Regardless, enjoy these online observations.
Housing – a wealth extraction tool
With commodification of housing in Canada, homes are treated as investment assets, not just shelter. Investor-led speculation has led to soaring prices, rental increases, and rising homelessness. Housing has been turned into a wealth-extraction tool, impacting low-income families and essential workers most severely…
Lessons from Vienna: Rethinking Vancouver’s Housing Affordability
Professor Patrick Condon compares Vancouver’s adverse housing policies to the highly successful public housing projects in Vienna.
Housing affordability
Patrick Condon is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. With UBC law student Thomas Kroeker, he authored The 50 Year Vancouver Experience on Housing Affordability with Adding Housing Density. The paper is republished here with Prof. Condon’s permission.
Confronting Wealth Inequality: The Billionaire Class Explained
Billionaires control a massive and growing share of global wealth. The most affluent 1% of adults control roughly half the world’s assets, while the richest 0.001% have three times more than the world’s poorest 50%. The rich accumulate assets at almost double the rate of everyone else, so extreme concentrations of wealth worsen from month to month…
Affordable housing
Four months ago, BC Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Christine Boyle received a letter signed by 27 housing and urbanist experts. Text of the letter follows:
in-sights.ca 
Mr. Carney’s Speech clarifies Politics https://www.youtube.com/shorts/koRRSIUv_Kk?feature=share CUSMA? A trade deal authored by DJ Trump? Mr. Frum vs Mr. Trump https://www.youtube.com/shorts/aRNX5clKxwM?feature=share…