Two things: the Deepwater Horizon disaster involved conventional, crude oil. They were not dealing with tar-like sludge laced with toxins, acids, heavy metals and carcinogens. Secondly, it was a fairly easy site for oil spill response crews and vessels to get at. No mad currents, no huge swells, no tides,
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The Disaffected Lib: "A Big Step Backwards"
Global consumption of fossil fuels – oil and coal – rebounded last year. It’s enough that fossil energy giant, BP, called it “a big step backwards” and warned that the world may be on course to miss the already paltry goals of the Paris Climate Summit. The renewed upward march
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: "The Greatest Threat Facing Mankind" – Not That You Would Know It, Not In Canada.
“Climate change is still moving much faster than we are.” That’s the pitch from UN climate change czar, Antonio Gutteres. “Scientists are now worried that unless accelerated action is taken by 2020, the Paris goal may become unattainable,” the UN chief told reporters at the world body’s New York Headquarters.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The political pivot point of 2018.
In every election there is a point of pivot that decides the outcome. It has been fascinating listening to people across Ontario in the current campaign, learning of their concerns and frustrations. And they are concerned and conflicted and caring. They have been looking for solutions. Sometimes the solution can
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: As The Mask Slips Away
My late father-in-law, a man of deep conviction and integrity, was fond of this saying: “Socialism for the rich, capitalism for the poor.” Although he did not originate the adage, he felt it firmly described the thinking of those who control the levers of power, our governments. And now that
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Great. Now Notley Imagines She’s Speaking for All Canadians. You Too?
Rachel Notley is taking to the interwebs in her war with British Columbia. If it’s war B.C. wants, it’s war she’ll get. Now the Alberta premier, speaking for Alberta and all Canadians (including you, I guess) is going to expose the recalcitrant coastal curmudgeons, damned hippies and geriatric draft dodgers,
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Setting the Record Straight on Trudeau, Notley, Bitumen, and Our Future.
What’s the difference between all-out nuclear war and catastrophic climate change? So far we haven’t been stupid enough to resort to all-out nuclear war. Both of them can end civilization, indeed most life on Earth. The way we’re going it’s unclear which will get the job done first. Canada, of
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Happy New Year! It wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without AlbertaPolitics.ca’s Top Ten political predictions for 2018
PHOTOS: Will U.S. spear hunters like this guy still be able to come to Alberta after 2018? Your blogger predicts they’ll have to find ursine victims elsewhere. (Photo: Youtube screengrab, grabbed by the CBC and re-grabbed by me.) Below: Demonstrators on Cambie Street in Vancouver protest against the Kinder Morgan
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: There’s No Selfie to Fix This One
When Justin Trudeau or one of his drones pimp pipelines they’re sure to claim they’re “following the science.” Oh yeah, the science is on their side. Science says dilbit pipelines are safe. Science says so. Question: who is this guy, Mr. Science? Maybe there’s an Archibald Science or a Jean
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: When Does a Carbon Tax Work?
When it comes to carbon taxes, it’s all about pricing. The purpose of the tax is to discourage consumption of fossil fuels thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It seems to work, sort of, but carbon taxes are hindered by a lack of political will, a.k.a. cojones. So where to set
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Okay, Justin, Now Tell Us What Those Facts Are
Serial bullshitter, JustinTrudeau, was quick off the mark to defend the Kinder Morgan bitumen pipeline expansion in the wake of the announcement that the NDP, backed by the provincial Greens, will form the next government of British Columbia. With a straight face the prime ministerial bullshitter defended his government’s decision
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Rachel Notley’s tough talk on pipelines evokes the Peter Lougheed Era of energy policy confrontation
PHOTOS: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley at yesterday’s news conference in Edmonton. (Photo: Chris Schwarz, Government of Alberta) Below: Earth scientist David Hughes (Post Carbon Institute photo), B.C. Premier Christy Clark (B.C. Government photo), and B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan. Using language that, intentionally or not, evoked the Peter Lougheed Era
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Lies. And Trudeau-Trump lies.
You have come to expect it in the daily reports from the American White House. You know that the man in the White House tells lies. You just do not expect it from the guy in charge in Ottawa. And you already knew that the guy in charge at the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Leduc No. 1 and all that: Was February 13, 1947, Alberta’s unluckiest lucky day?
PHOTOS: Dignitaries stand around and have their photos taken at the Leduc No. 1 well near Devon on – if the Internet is to be believed – this day in 1947. Not sure if I believe that, seeing as the first photo below was supposed to have been taken on
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Betrayal
That’s it. Prime minister Slick has greenlighted the Kinder Morgan pipeline initiative that will ship 900,000 barrels of toxic, lethal dilbit a day across British Columbia, through the Lower Mainland municipalities, and into an armada of supertankers that will become a daily feature as they ply the waters of Burrard
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Look Justin, Cut the Bullshit
Today’s the day when we learn whether the federal government will put our north coast in jeopardy or merely threaten our south coast with disaster. Which pipeline will Trudeau approve? Will it be the Enbridge Northern Gateway or the expanded Kinder Morgan line through the Lower Mainland? Maybe it’ll be
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Why the World’s Eyes Will Be on Canada on October 19th
Next week’s general election will decide whether we can restore the Rule of Law and a functional democracy to Canada. Both hinge on driving Stephen Harper out of office. Yet that’s just scratching the surface of what it means to Canada and to the world to rid our country of
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: So What’s Our Excuse?
Amnesty International is urging Britain’s Cameron government to stop arms shipments to Saudi Arabia. Amnesty claims the weapons are being used to deliberately slaughter civilians in Houthi-rebel controlled parts of Yemen. Amnesty said it found a pattern of “appalling disregard” for civilian lives by the Saudi-led coalition in an investigation
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Stephen Harper’s Oily Comeuppance
A Saudi prince once said that the Stone Age didn’t end because man ran out of stones. The Age of Oil may be headed for the same fate. A Goldman Sachs outlook suggests the price of crude oil will hover around $45 a barrel for the next year or so
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Are You Supporting Politics of Nihilism?
2030. You do realize that’s just 15-years away. Do you realize that 15-years is a heartbeat when it comes to making fundamental change? So, what’s so important about 2030? Plenty. By then we’ll be experiencing climate change impacts that are disruptive and difficult to bear. Take your head out of
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