Glasgow – That Dear Green Place
We were visiting Glasgow (literally that Dear Green Place in Gaelic) to see where my father was born, grew up, and went to University. Fortunately for me, my cousin John from Australia had just visited and had met with historians, Bruce Downie and Norry Wilson. So, we too arranged to meet them in the Govanhill […]
Improving Urban Life
I am not keeping up with my commitment to write more often. I am busy. In addition to my usual advisory work, I am investing a lot off time into three inter-connected initiatives: Interconnected because they are all about improving urban life and providing homes for everyone and everything. How did I Ever Get Hooked? […]
I Have Missed Writing
We left for Portugal on January 31st. I have only published twice since then. But, I have been busy. We spent four weeks in Nazaré, the World’s surfing capital. Yes, this is the place that surfers go to catch the 100-foot waves. And then, two weeks in Vienna. I did take time to enjoy my […]
Lawns – Issue 79
Love your lawn? Do you hanker for a perfect carpet of green fescue? How many hours do you dedicate to weeding, watering, and mowing to get those perfect geometric stripes? Has this summer proven difficult for lawns where you live? Watering restrictions? Pests? Perhaps your lawn wars begin in the spring when you take on […]
Urban Green Space – Issue 77
We need urban green space! And yes, we have to preserve agricultural land and wilderness areas. The biggest road blocks to achieving these objectives: suburbanites demanding development freezes to halt densification. Densification results in more urban green space – not less. Also, it helps prevent urban sprawl to more distant municipalities that grow by re-zoning […]
Week of January 31st
What caught my attention the Week of January 31st? A Shell First Shell opened its first all-electric fueling station in Hammersmith and Fulham, London. Not a gas or diesel pump in site. Ultra rapid chargers bring car battery capacity from 0% to 80% in less than ten minutes. Built of sustainable construction materials, the charging […]
Week of January Tenth
What caught my attention the Week of January tenth? Appeasement Did you notice that this week, the US and NATO are taking the lead in Ukraine negotiations with Russia? If my memory of history serves me correctly, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain left Czechoslovakia on the sidelines while negotiating the Munich Agreement of 1938. As […]
I was born in Scotland, Issue 64
I was born in Scotland. However, my family left our home in Dundee for Canada when I turned three. So, I am more Canadian than Scots. The double “o” sound in spoon is the only remnant that I have of any kind of Scots accent. But, I do a better job than most in understanding […]
Municipal Elections, Issue 59
Québec has municipal elections on a set date every four years. Candidate campaigns are now in full swing with voting scheduled for November 7. Items high on the agendas in most municipalities – housing and population density. Focus Pointe-Claire I live in Pointe-Claire, an on-island suburb of Montréal. It has a lot going for it […]
Canadian General Election – Issue 57
I did vote NDP! I have almost always voted Liberal Party of Canada (“Libs” / LPC”). However, I meant to sit out this election in protest. But I will vote – for the New Democratic Party (“NDP”). In hind sight, I should have voted NDP when Tom Mulcair led the party. It was and still […]
Too Much Going On – Issue 56
Jagmeet Singh, Leader of Canada’s NDP
What Have I Been Reading – July 30, 2021
Learning to live well on this fragile planet is far more important than dreaming about the next one. Tim Jackson, Professor of Sustainable Development, and Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP), University of Surrey. Tim Jackson, The Alternative UK, July 24, 2021 Essay – the Plutocrat Space Race Fear of […]