In 2026, this personal blog will begin its 19th year. Financial contributions from readers keep the lights on. If you judge IN-SIGHTS to be worthwhile, please contribute by clicking on this post and following the link provided.
Our 18th year
Wealth inequality — How did it get so extreme, and what can we do about it?
Wealth inequality is a lot like the climate crisis. Both are slow-moving train wrecks of immense proportions. Just as climate change is wreaking societal destruction around the globe, so is wealth inequality. Society tends to think they can ignore these problems, until they can’t anymore.
Fascism
Spectres of Fascism, Historical, Theoretical and International Perspectives is a book edited Dr. Samir Gandesha, Director of the SFU’S Institute for the Humanities. It was published in 2020 but is drawn from a free school presented at the Institute in 2017. The following is taken from Professor Gandesha’s foreword:
USA’s mad Health Secretary
Kennedy, who is a nephew of late US President John F Kennedy, openly opposes the use of vaccines and has also backed several conspiracy theories, including on so-called chemtrails allegedly left by airplanes. He has repeatedly been accused of spreading vaccine misinformation and dubious theories on health. He also often promotes the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism.
One individual driving change
MacKenzie Scott is one of the world’s wealthiest women, despite living away more than US$19 billion. In 2020, she issued a statement that began with this…
You can’t have Housing First without having housing first
Finland is the only country in the European Union where homelessness has been decreasing. The small Nordic country is hailed as a model for homelessness work and Finnish expertise is in high demand. One of the factors behind Finland’s success is the Y-Foundation, whose human yet effective operating model is internationally unique…
TV commercial like no other
Recording TV programs, and then skipping through commercials during playback, I don’t often watch live television. Today, a 30-second version of this video caught my attention:
Canada’s dangerous neighbour
American companies own more than half of foreign-controlled corporate assets in Canada. How long before Donald Trump decides to “protect” his country’s interests and security? The Trump administration may blame Canada for allowing drugs and migrants into the USA. Parts of the USA have coveted Canada’s fresh water, and American companies dislike this country’s tax system and public spending, which favours climate action, environmental protection, public healthcare and other “leftist” schemes…
Theo Moudakis!!
A century ago, an American advertising executive popularized the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Toronto Star cartoonist Theo Moudakis proves that a few pictures are worth much more than a thousand words.
Housing the unhoused, or enriching the already rich… it’s a choice
The 21st century has seen an explosion in the number and wealth of billionaires, driven largely by financial market surges, deregulation, and favourable tax policies. It is no coincidence that historic levels of global wealth inequality have gone hand in hand with conspicuous levels of poverty and homelessness.
A bad neighbor
In fewer than 365 days after taking office Donald Trump would threaten to invade Panama and Greenland, launch a global trade war, bomb five countries, and invade South America — all while griping about being denied the Nobel Peace Prize.
Scalable geothermal energy
Permitting and transmission-connection hurdles face renewable developers broadly. Raising money to gain expertise and moving systems to a commercial stage are also challenges. With geothermal energy, the potential rewards are huge, in both financial and environmental terms. British Columbia should choose to be a leader in this sector.
Naked imperialism
“Most of the Americas have suffered from interference from their powerful northern neighbour – and are usually the worse off for it.”
Wag the dog
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.
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:
in-sights.ca 
Just asking. Does the UK have enough windfarms yet? https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9zyx150xdo “The UK has awarded contracts to build a record amount…