Environment

McInnis on Exagerated Rumours of the Prairie Wheat Rollercoaster
His talk at the University of Guelph Rural Roundtable yesterday, presented a nuanced and revisionary look at the common story that wartime demand drove Canadian farmers to double acreage devoted to wheat as a result rely on it as a dominant crop resulting in a huge blow to GNP when the price of wheat collapsed after the war. … In this paper, McInnis questions the conclusion that Canada’s rapid economic growth during the first decade and a half of the twentieth century rested on western settlement and the ‘wheat boom.’ … The commonly held vision of mass migration to the prairies and the subsequent breaking of new land leading to verdant crops of wheat has gone hand in hand with a picture of Canada as the wheat bowl for the Empire during the time of the First World War.

McInnis on Exagerated Rumours of the Prairie Wheat Rollercoaster
His talk at the University of Guelph Rural Roundtable yesterday, presented a nuanced and revisionary look at the common story that wartime demand drove Canadian farmers to double acreage devoted to wheat as a result rely on it as a dominant crop resulting in a huge blow to GNP when the price of wheat collapsed after the war. … In this paper, McInnis questions the conclusion that Canada’s rapid economic growth during the first decade and a half of the twentieth century rested on western settlement and the ‘wheat boom.’ … The commonly held vision of mass migration to the prairies and the subsequent breaking of new land leading to verdant crops of wheat has gone hand in hand with a picture of Canada as the wheat bowl for the Empire during the time of the First World War.

Revolutions, Republicans and the Seasons
About a year ago I adopted the French Republican Calendar for my personal journalling. Why? Really for no other reason than to be different. It offered me the opportunity to learn the Republican Calendar through practise (a word-a-day sort of

Revolutions, Republicans and the Seasons
About a year ago I adopted the French Republican Calendar for my personal journalling. Why? Really for no other reason than to be different. It offered me the opportunity to learn the Republican Calendar through practise (a word-a-day sort of

Fuzzy Slippers, Chrome, Steel and Coffee
My apologies if this sounded like I was challenging Jared Diamond to a wordoff ;-) Michele just pointed me to wonderfully candid article explaining why office workers should appreciate their surroundings and pity the poor fools that consider the coffee

Fuzzy Slippers, Chrome, Steel and Coffee
My apologies if this sounded like I was challenging Jared Diamond to a wordoff ;-) Michele just pointed me to wonderfully candid article explaining why office workers should appreciate their surroundings and pity the poor fools that consider the coffee

Melnick, Cruikshank and Bouchier Weave Magic on the Bay
The Wilson Centre in Canadian History officially launched an awesome new learning tool destined for the classrooms of local schools last night. The People and the the Bay is an historical environmental documentary created by Nancy Bouchier, Ken Cruikshank and

Melnick, Cruikshank and Bouchier Weave Magic on the Bay
The Wilson Centre in Canadian History officially launched an awesome new learning tool destined for the classrooms of local schools last night. The People and the the Bay is an historical environmental documentary created by Nancy Bouchier, Ken Cruikshank and
Physical versus Virtual Environments
Bill Turkel posted another great thought piece today on the Importance of Infrastructure. This post is, as his others always are, very erudite, well phrased and provoke one to think. In this case, his framing question seems to be whether
Physical versus Virtual Environments
Bill Turkel posted another great thought piece today on the Importance of Infrastructure. This post is, as his others always are, very erudite, well phrased and provoke one to think. In this case, his framing question seems to be whether
Space and Scale
There is a great discussion at Bricoleurbanism on the absence of people-scaled spaces in Toronto’s urban streetscape. The discussion takes as a starting point construction hoarding on two sides of the street near Bloor that inadvertently created a humane street
Space and Scale
There is a great discussion at Bricoleurbanism on the absence of people-scaled spaces in Toronto’s urban streetscape. The discussion takes as a starting point construction hoarding on two sides of the street near Bloor that inadvertently created a humane street
Nokia’s Latest Bright Idea
Kudos to Nokia for adding the smarts to their cell phones to let a user know to unplug the charger from the wall socket. Apparently this simple operation (presuming people actually do unplug the phones – as opposed to leaving
Nokia’s Latest Bright Idea
Kudos to Nokia for adding the smarts to their cell phones to let a user know to unplug the charger from the wall socket. Apparently this simple operation (presuming people actually do unplug the phones – as opposed to leaving
Me As the Pseudo Environmentalist
On the flight down(?) to Montréal the other day, it was a sharp and clear early morning so I kept the camera with me in the cabin in hope of catching a few neat snaps from above. There were about
Me As the Pseudo Environmentalist
On the flight down(?) to Montréal the other day, it was a sharp and clear early morning so I kept the camera with me in the cabin in hope of catching a few neat snaps from above. There were about
And I Lose Another Utility…
Its just not my month/week/day for utilities. First it was the night of water and now in the midst of our best blizzard yet this year I seem to have lost half an electrical circuit in my house. If it
And I Lose Another Utility…
Its just not my month/week/day for utilities. First it was the night of water and now in the midst of our best blizzard yet this year I seem to have lost half an electrical circuit in my house. If it
Just Look at the Paws
Now talking about serious luck ;-) From Michele comes this absolutely amazing story, one which I am sure is just making its way to all the major news outlets, but so visually stunning. Apparently a rabbit farmer in Germany has
Just Look at the Paws
Now talking about serious luck ;-) From Michele comes this absolutely amazing story, one which I am sure is just making its way to all the major news outlets, but so visually stunning. Apparently a rabbit farmer in Germany has