While the world awaits a UN decision, expected this week, on deployment of African peacekeeping forces to halt the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, the broader debate at the United Nations is internal democracy—specifically, which nations should have permanent seats and a veto on the Security Council. The 15 seat council has only 5 permanent members, […] More »

Thanks to everyone who slogged through my whine about Christopher Hitchens last week. I feel five pounds lighter. So, what appears recently in Britain’s The Independent? A truly fascinating analysis of the modern Hitchens, much of it in his own words. It explains a great deal, though not the decline of his rhetoric. I particularly […] More »

Update: As we passed Kingston just after 7pm, the conductor announced that we would be arriving in Toronto at 8:59pm, i.e. right on schedule. We pulled in at 9:26. Perfunctory apology. It is worth remarking that we somehow lost almost 30 minutes of time in the last two hours of the trip. That’s a rather […] More »

So, I hear that, as a step towards making Quebec a sovereign state within Canada (whatever that is supposed to mean) Mario Dumont wants to change the name of Quebec. Great idea! Might I suggest: Kanata (native for “meeting place”) Pas-si-Nouvelle France Narcissia More »

This is a long one, so bear with me. I’ve spent more than a bit of time the past while rereading some of what Vanity Fair and Slate columnist Christopher Hitchens has been writing about anything and everything. As a result, the quality of my Hitchens appreciation has changed somewhat. I’ve certainly stopped reading him […] More »

Bioethics 234 Mid-term quiz. Take home. Answer in complete sentences. 1. Steve needs knee replacement surgery. He is 290th on the waiting list, and expects to wait 2 years or more for the surgery. He is in a great deal of pain, and can no longer work. He offers $10 000 to someone higher up […] More »

Sunday, September 26 2004 is the 15th Anniversary of the Word on the Street, Canada’s pre-eminent book and magazine festival. This year there’s a new location in Toronto to note: QUEEN’S PARK, from Bloor to Wellesley. This Magazine staff, volunteers and writers will be there to hawk our wares all day, including subscriptions, back issues […] More »

Here’s the penultimate paragraph of Reed Scowen’s very challenging review of Jack Layton’s new book, in the recent issue of the LRC: The country needs a credible socialist alternative. The NDP could be providing it, but with a frustrating air of moral superiority it prefers to fight battles that have little resonance with the Canadian […] More »

Checking the electoral vote count website today, I note two things of interest. First, Kerry has edged ahead of Bush again in projections for who will reach the magic number and be all Martin Sheeny come November, due to a newly strong showing in hurricane-ravaged Florida. The first debate looms, also in Florida, September 30th […] More »

Last week I was ranting around the office about Teen Vogue’s cover story on “The shocking new way girls are keeping slim” or some equally stupid coverline. The story was about starlets using cocaine to keep their waistlines slim. It ticked me off because there’s widely held editorial wisdom with eating disorders that you don’t […] More »

I read Malcolm Gladwell’s latest, a charming essay on Ketchup, in the food issue (September 6, 2004) of the New Yorker. I recommend it for a number of reasons: – it reminded me of the equally charming “Legend of Pepsi AM” by Chris Turner (This Magazine, November/December 2002) – which reminded me what a kick-ass […] More »