Juggling for Fun and Future*

all the views we care to share

 

 

How British Columbia Became a Fairer Place

 

In late September, we sat down with Garry Merkel to talk about the Columbia Basin Trust Act ... its history and and what it might mean for our futures. As a founder and creator of the Trust, Garry is a well-placed source for understanding why the Trust Act was passed and the tools it provides to help us shape our communities. He says that the Treaty Act is much more important than most people realize:

 

 

 

The full program about the CBT's history is here or below:

 

 

Later we will add the second part of our conversation, about what we might want to do with our future.

 

 

To Put Things into Perspective,,,

40,000 light-years is 380,000,000,000,000,000 kilometers, roughly; but who's counting.

  • • •

Crystal Deth

As we shed our winter clothes and discover that all the bulk wasn't just fabric, it's time to revisit the nutritional fairy tales we've been fed for the almost half a century.

The Guardian has revisited the fat myth. Sugar, they say, is the real enemy of our health, not fat. Researchers at the University of Queensland compare sugar addiction to cocaine addiction.

So, while you're rearranging your wardrobe, consider restocking your pantry. Other than that, have a nice day.

• • •

a Celebration Which Includes the Story

of the Origin(al) Deal

Last Tuesday (February 7), the College of the Rockies celebrated its 40th anniversary. At the Aboriginal Gathering Place as part of the celebration, Ktunaxa Storyteller Joe Pierre recounted some of the stories of how our world came to be. One such story includes the deal by which human beings were supported by the animals and plants already living here.

Some Minutes with the Mayor

*—Juggling the Past, Present & Future

Knowing where we are and where we've been is essential to figuring out where we want to be. Then the hard work begins:

Mayor Don McCormick

If you prefer, you can listen to this program here.

Earlier editions of our conversations with Mayor McCormick are here.

• • •

SunMine

The largest solar installation in British Columbia officially signed onto the grid on 27 July, 2015. Built on a reclaimed brownfield site of what was once the world’s richest lead and zinc mines, the aptly name SunMine moves Kimberley, BC decisively toward a sustainable future.

SunMining

Kimberley continues to be recognized for boldness and imagination in building the SunMine. The case against fossil fuels (and for renewables) is now moving beyond environmental and health concerns to focus on the economic competitiveness of, specifically, solar energy. Here's one example:

Top Solar Energy Myths

Congratulation, Kimberley, Again!

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Our Neighbors

 

Greg Bradley — President, Kimberley Chamber of Commerce

 

Kim McLean — Bavarian Home Hardware

Stan Cuthill — Kimberley Building Supplies

                          
Tara Penner — Pivot Data

 

Grady Pasiechnyk — Wine Works

 

 

 

 

• • •

Some years ago, (Sir) Harry Evans quoted for us Lord Northcliffe's incisive comment:

 

“News is something someone wants to suppress.

Everything else is advertising.”

 

Evans repeated that quote at a reception in his honor at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, celebrating the publication of his memoir My Paper Chase in 2009. Harry Evan is simply one of the best reporter/editors we have ever met. If, as do we, you think that authentic, quality journalism is important, read his book. You might also enjoy watching Sir Harry's performance at the reception. It is very informative.

There's probably someone out there who would like to suppress something we've presented here, but probably they lack the power or will or sufficient interest to meet Lord Northcliffe's definition. To us, what we publish here does not seem to be advertising, so we will argue for a place between the heaven of journalism and the hell of advertising ... call it neighborly conversation.

  Frontpage 

Audio Bits: 

American author and playwrite E.L. Doctorow died in July. We talked with him in 2005 about his novel The March and about the relationship between writers and readers. These are excerpts from that conversation.

Why we do this

During Kimberley's 2011 election campaign, we made an offer to all the mayoral candidates to produce a regular discussion with the Mayor as part of the communication process everyone was talking about. We renewed that offer in 2014. On April 1, 2015, we recorded the first program. Here 'tis (on the right of this page).

 

This project is based on the notion of democratic dialogue, first introduced to us by Cornel West. Respectful discussions between and among the citizens of a community are the central core of a polity's ability to govern itself. That's why we're including some of our neighbors.

 

*—"Attention must be paid" is a line from Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. In a conversation with Gay Talese in 2006, he pointed out to us the importance of attending to everyday events and the people who inhabit them.