Appeared in the North Shore News – January 27, 2017 Agent 6ki4nsP is one of my shrewdest agents. He also describes himself as more right-wing than Genghis Khan. So it was revolutionary when he announced admiration for Justin Trudeau, whose character and decency impressed him in personal contacts when Trudeau lived on this coast. One…
Category: North Shore News
Bombastic broadcaster recalls talk radio heyday
Appeared in the North Shore News – January 13, 2017 Rafe Mair, astronomically paid battling broadcaster in the balmy days when CKNW styled itself Vancouver’s Top Dog, is in shaky health and thinks he’ll die in 2017. Mind and speech, he’s as sharp as ever. I assured him he looks fine. “I wish I felt…
Christmas in an era of reverse exclusion
Appeared in the North Shore News – December 30, 2016 A few days ago, you may recall, some Canadians celebrated Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Many others didn’t. Christianity isn’t their faith. Sensitive to them, and eyes on demographics and possibly dollar signs, greeting card designers proclaim ‘‘Happy Holidays,’’ or replace Jesus with Santa Claus,…
Once around the dance floor with Death
Appeared in the North Shore News – December 16, 2016 I saw myself in a mirror where there was no mirror. I was purple on a shifting, sea-like purple background. My lips were most purple of all. And swollen. Thick. My wife had called 911. Her voice was calm and clear. Then I was standing…
Ghosts of B.C. real estate scandal still linger
Appeared in the North Shore News – December 2, 2016 Premier Christy Clark of Banana Columbia – no misprint – is cruisin’ for a bruisin’ in May’s election if she doesn’t straighten up and fly right dealing with the multi-layered housing scandal. Enough of the 1940s slang. If New Democrat leader John Horgan plays his…
Woodfibre LNG thumbs-up no real surprise
Appeared in the North Shore News – November 18, 2016 West Vancouver council voted unanimously against it. At least 9,000 people signed a petition damning it. Hostility toward it bristled at three public meetings. So, no surprise, the Woodfibre liquefied natural gas project on beautiful Howe Sound got the thumbs-up, ultimately from the only thumb…
Candidates’ nomination papers provide a snapshot
Appeared in the North Shore News – November 4, 2016 The Old Frenchman said that a man is better revealed by his possessions than by anything he says, or claims to think or believe. So here is a taste of the possessions of the 12 candidates in West Vancouver’s Nov. 19 council byelection – on…
Persecution by paperwork at hands of IRS bullies
Appeared in the North Shore News – October 21, 2016 What is WRONG with those people? I was speaking – in very rare CAPITAL LETTERS – of the Americans. But large issues call for large letters. About the U.S. presidential campaign? Good guess. But not so. Nor about the Iraq or Libyan invasions, or waterboarding…
True North strong and free, flaws and all
Appeared in the North Shore News – June 30, 2016 Canada – we’re No. 1! In telecom charges! In bloated credit card interest! In stockbrokerages’ fat fees! In being passed over for NHL franchises by that little New York fink Gary Bettman! Outstanding Canadian man of letters Robertson Davies mused that one is allowed to…
WV council shuts out WV people 5-0
Appeared in the North Shore News – June 17, 2016 West Vancouver councillors unanimously approved a waterfront plan Monday that had more holes in it than the Titanic. Final score: Politicians and Financially Bulletproof Bureaucrats 5, Lesser Mortals and Present Businesses 0. Schizophrenically, the five – Coun. Michael Lewis absent – rhapsodized over green space….