Thursday, July 17, 2014

Worth Reading – July 17, 2014

Check out these articles for your enlightenment and amusement. However, before I go on, last week I recommended my friend Simon Andrews’ blog on American early Republic/American Revolutionary ideas. In my recommendation I said, “If nothing else he is a very talented writer...” I would like to be clear, Simon offers an engaging and nuanced analysis of early ideas and documents from the American Revolution/Republic. My favourite aspects are how he frames the debate the Founding Fathers had as part of a continuum of ideas contemporaries in England. However, I just plain love his writing. I wish to be unequivocal. I think I’m safe now.

Scott Stinson in the National Post writes about a suggestion that Ontario be split into two provinces, Toronto and not-Toronto. Interestingly, a more reasoned proposal is out there to split California into 6 states.    

I sent an angry letter to the newspaper, Northern Journal, and they published it. Not my intent, but here it is.

This is a really interesting article. Restaurateurs share their analysis for why service is worse in restaurants today, and the answer is that it is your fault.  

City Lab shares that transit prices should, perhaps, increase to better fund transit. I immediately thought this was quite stupid. I amend that into the fact that a more flexible funding model should be explored.

From the Globe and Mail, a summary of the Ontario Liberal budget

Martin Regg Cohn writes on how God-awful terrible televised debates are. Reform is desperately needed. It is a terrible way to govern a fundamental component to our democracy.

An interview with the new Transportation Minister of Ontario, Steve Del Duca (OLP – Vaughan). There is some promising ideas here... but I remain cautious. I have been burned too much.


I referenced this in Tuesday’s piece, Susan Delacourt writes on how we should perhaps get rid of political parties

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