Back in tribal days, the war leader was usually the best fighter, and he led from the front. The main development of war tactics in the last couple of millennia has been the gradual movement of the leaders away from danger. Since Medieval times, the noble/serf relationship has dominated the battlefield, with the serfs taking…
Politics, Social Commentary
The Law of the Oilfield Jungle
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
There are two ways to make a fortune in business. The first method is invention. You come up with a new idea, a new product, or an improvement on an old method. The other technique is to make it as easy and as cheap as possible to market your goods and services. A successful business…
Politics
Gapping the Bridge
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
I will always remember the moment when Justin Trudeau lost my confidence in him. He had won the election and was saying all the right things and everything looked okay. An then he called off his promise to institute Proportional Representation. It had been a key point in his campaign, and the main reason I…
Social Commentary
Paying it Forward
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Last September, I put myself in a situation where I had to fish or cut bait. I shouted loud and clear that I owed the government some money, and I was going to give it back. Well, last week I gave it back, and I was really glad I did, for various reasons. Honesty Otherwise…
Social Commentary
The Two-Millenia Scam
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
They say travel broadens the mind. It certainly broadened mine. As I toured various European cathedrals, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the artistry and engineering and, quite frankly, thr expense that went into their creation. But I couldn’t ignore the niggling thought that a lot of that expense was paid for by the…
Politics
Running the Numbers for Ukraine
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
The war in Ukraine may be a drone war at the moment, and the locals may be winning, but like all wars, this one is a matter of people vs people, and economy vs economy. People vs People In the long haul, this war comes down to people vs people. Like Hitler, Netanyahu, and the…
Politics, Social Commentary
The Battle Against Greed
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Sorry, folks, it’s time again for the voice crying in the wilderness. But I’m not prophesying anything good. The only sure bet at the moment is that we’re going to have a horrible time with wildfires this summer. El Nino, low snow packs, everything points towards it. What is unfortunately also true is that Nicole…
Social Commentary
Is World Cup Soccer Worth It?
by renaissanceadmin • • 2 Comments
The question many people are asking these days is whether World Cup Football is worth the tax money plunked down to host it. Civic Money and Recreation Most of our recreation opportunities come from a community model. We have live performance spaces only a few citizens will ever step into. We fund hockey rinks, swimming…
Social Commentary
A New Set of Monsters
by renaissanceadmin • • 0 Comments
Prologue: Handling New Technology It should be part of our social/political/economic ethos by now. The introduction of new technology always follows the same pattern: a better idea comes along, and entrepreneurs jump on the bandwagon, hoping to make a pile of money. Some do; most do not. Due to the uncertainty, profits must be high…
Politics, Social Commentary
Criminally Responsible
by renaissanceadmin • • 2 Comments
A difficult situation has arisen in British Columbia, and the Premier has seen fit to argue publicly against the penal system’s authority and actions. In doing so, he has harmed the usefulness of the legal system and not done any favours for the victims. The Original Case Ten years ago, a man killed his own…