Lodestar

Linda, no doubt for partisan reasons, has unfortunately indulged in a number of exaggerations and distortions of fact when describing the situation in Canada. This saddens me, as the liberal cause is not helped when its partisans stoop to the same tactics that the other side uses.

For instance, Canada has 2800 troops deployed in Afghanistan, about 2/3 of the number of American troops who have died in Iraq. This is hardly a staggering number, but my friend the ex reserve colonel tells me it strains our army to the max.

Also a discussion with the nephew of a friend who is just back from a tour there confirms that most of the troops view their role as one of pacification, so that the lot of the average person, which has been ghastly for decades, can improve. We have no ambition to stay there!

I would have been glad if more time had been spent discussing the ideas of Karl Polanyi, doctoral supervisor and mentor of my favourite prof in grad school, the one who showed me the stupidity and moral bankruptcy of conventional economics.

I found her to be a breath of fresh air! Thanks.

And I really like the Mondrian, too. I tried imitating him when I was in college (I minored in the arts) — not at all easy. His work has to be viewed in person to be appreciated (there are brush strokes in the white spaces, which are important, for instance) and his work is very underrated as a result, IMHO.

Thanks again for the interview George.

I second David Ford's comment above in that I found the short discussion on Karl Polanyi rather interesting. I would like to hear more about alternatives to the capitalist system.

I wonder what Linda's position on 9/11 Truth is.