Ben Atkinson, PhD
@benatkinsonphd.bsky.social
PhD Economics with 25+ years experience in public, private, and academic sectors. Expertise in International Economics and Industrial Organization, including transportation and retail gasoline pricing. Proud Calgarian and life-long lover of rock n' roll.
“Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Pan, Bambi, Popeye, Mickey AND Minnie Mouse... the public domain wave shows no signs of stopping down, with Betty Boop the latest beloved cartoon character to be put through the horror wringer with BOOP.“ www.fangoria.com/betty-boop-h...
Betty Boop Is The Next Cartoon Classic To Get Her Own Horror Movie
The public domain wave continues, with Betty Boop the latest cartoon classic to get her own bloody horror movie.
www.fangoria.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:02 PM
“Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Pan, Bambi, Popeye, Mickey AND Minnie Mouse... the public domain wave shows no signs of stopping down, with Betty Boop the latest beloved cartoon character to be put through the horror wringer with BOOP.“ www.fangoria.com/betty-boop-h...
Theo Moudakis: We remember www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
Theo Moudakis: We remember
Click here to view this article from www.thestar.com.
www.thestar.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Theo Moudakis: We remember www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
"Global popstar Olivia Rodrigo has hit out at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for their use of her song, ‘All-American Bitch’, in a promotion video for self-deportations." faroutmagazine.co.uk/olivia-rodri...
Olivia Rodrigo slams ICE for using her song in "racist" video
Olivia Rodrigo has hit out at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for their use of her song in a promotion video for self-deportations.
faroutmagazine.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
"Global popstar Olivia Rodrigo has hit out at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for their use of her song, ‘All-American Bitch’, in a promotion video for self-deportations." faroutmagazine.co.uk/olivia-rodri...
Patrick Corrigan: Hoekstra F-bombs www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
Patrick Corrigan: Hoekstra F-bombs
Click here to view this article from www.thestar.com.
www.thestar.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Patrick Corrigan: Hoekstra F-bombs www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
Oh dear. This explains why “Bubbles” has been conspicuously absent on the TPB podcast throughout October, and why they completely skipped last week’s episode for only the second time ever — the first time being after John Dunsworth died. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...
Trailer Park Boys actor Mike Smith charged with sexual assault in Halifax
Assault is alleged to have occurred in December, 2017, but documents do not include additional details of the allegations
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Oh dear. This explains why “Bubbles” has been conspicuously absent on the TPB podcast throughout October, and why they completely skipped last week’s episode for only the second time ever — the first time being after John Dunsworth died. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...
Two down, one to go.
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"The Liberal government survived a second confidence vote related to the budget Friday, but ministers were challenged in Question Period after Fitch Ratings said Ottawa’s latest spending plan weakens Canada’s credit profile." www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
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"The Liberal government survived a second confidence vote related to the budget Friday, but ministers were challenged in Question Period after Fitch Ratings said Ottawa’s latest spending plan weakens Canada’s credit profile." www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Liberals survive second confidence vote as MPs break for a week
Meanwhile, Carney’s government faces questions after Fitch said the budget weakens Canada’s credit profile
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Two down, one to go.
_____________
"The Liberal government survived a second confidence vote related to the budget Friday, but ministers were challenged in Question Period after Fitch Ratings said Ottawa’s latest spending plan weakens Canada’s credit profile." www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
_____________
"The Liberal government survived a second confidence vote related to the budget Friday, but ministers were challenged in Question Period after Fitch Ratings said Ottawa’s latest spending plan weakens Canada’s credit profile." www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
"'I have not been pressured into remaining a Conservative MP. I support Pierre Poilievre unequivocally. He is a good, strong, handsome boy and I…love him,' said Smolyak in a video released...in which a gun is visibly pointing at him from the side of the frame." www.thebeaverton.com/2025/11/cons...
Conservative MP thinking of crossing floor wakes up with severed head of a John A. Macdonald statue in his bed
OTTAWA – Milton Smolyak, a “red tory” who has been rumoured to be mulling over a switch to the Liberal Party, woke up this morning with the severed head of a John A. Macdonald statue in his bed. “I wa...
www.thebeaverton.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
"'I have not been pressured into remaining a Conservative MP. I support Pierre Poilievre unequivocally. He is a good, strong, handsome boy and I…love him,' said Smolyak in a video released...in which a gun is visibly pointing at him from the side of the frame." www.thebeaverton.com/2025/11/cons...
"At press time, Trump was preoccupied watching a child drown in a lake as he stood motionless." thehardtimes.net/breaking/tru...
Trump Lowers Ozempic Cost So SNAP Recipients Can Afford to Suppress Appetite
WASHINGTON — Yesterday afternoon in the Oval Office, President Trump announced he would be reducing the cost of Ozempic in order for Americans on SNAP benefits to suppress their appetite while the gov...
thehardtimes.net
November 8, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"At press time, Trump was preoccupied watching a child drown in a lake as he stood motionless." thehardtimes.net/breaking/tru...
“If you couldn’t pay your rent, would you send a note to your landlord suggesting they try to get the government to pay instead?
“You might — if you’re an oil and gas company in Alberta.” us15.campaign-archive.com?e=66995a9428...
“You might — if you’re an oil and gas company in Alberta.” us15.campaign-archive.com?e=66995a9428...
‘I’m paying myself’
us15.campaign-archive.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
“If you couldn’t pay your rent, would you send a note to your landlord suggesting they try to get the government to pay instead?
“You might — if you’re an oil and gas company in Alberta.” us15.campaign-archive.com?e=66995a9428...
“You might — if you’re an oil and gas company in Alberta.” us15.campaign-archive.com?e=66995a9428...
Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD
“Ignacia Fernández, a 27-year-old model who is also the vocalist and founder of the Chilean progressive death metal band DECESSUS, surprised everyone at the Miss World Chile 2025 (Spanish: Miss Mundo Chile) semifinal last Sunday...by singing a death metal song.“ blabbermouth.net/news/watch-m...
Watch: MISS WORLD CHILE Contestant Surprises Judges By Performing Song From Her Death Metal Band
Ignacia Fernández, a 27-year-old model who is also the vocalist and founder of the Chilean progressive death metal band DECESSUS, surprised everyone at the Miss World Chile 2025 (Spanish: Miss Mundo C...
blabbermouth.net
November 7, 2025 at 1:34 PM
“Ignacia Fernández, a 27-year-old model who is also the vocalist and founder of the Chilean progressive death metal band DECESSUS, surprised everyone at the Miss World Chile 2025 (Spanish: Miss Mundo Chile) semifinal last Sunday...by singing a death metal song.“ blabbermouth.net/news/watch-m...
"You’re only 28, and you’re a Member of Parliament already. That’s a great honour. You’re in a very select club, and your career is in front of you. Stop complaining, roll up your shirt sleeves, and get to work. If you do that, the future will take care of itself!" opencanada.org/pursuing-a-p...
Pursuing a Public Life: How to Succeed in the Political Arena - Open Canada
In a new book, seasoned politician Sergio Marchi outlines the practical steps needed to succeed in the political arena.
opencanada.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:12 PM
"You’re only 28, and you’re a Member of Parliament already. That’s a great honour. You’re in a very select club, and your career is in front of you. Stop complaining, roll up your shirt sleeves, and get to work. If you do that, the future will take care of itself!" opencanada.org/pursuing-a-p...
This is disgusting! As Coun. Wyness said: “They’ve just contaminated a site zoned for apartment buildings – we don’t even know what’s been mixed in the garbage.” And the potential fines are practically nil! calgaryherald.com/news/constru...
Pile of illegally dumped building debris infuriating nearby northwest Calgary residents
Residents of Kincora say those illegally dumping construction debris on their street refuse to stop.
calgaryherald.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
This is disgusting! As Coun. Wyness said: “They’ve just contaminated a site zoned for apartment buildings – we don’t even know what’s been mixed in the garbage.” And the potential fines are practically nil! calgaryherald.com/news/constru...
"Engler...hasn’t officially submitted an application! So, if you’re a fan of his and want him to win, he’s already disappointed you, and if you’re not, well, you can’t be disappointed at all. Schrodinger’s disappointing candidate!" www.thebeaverton.com/2025/11/we-r...
We ranked the NDP leadership candidates by how likely they are to disappoint you
After Jagmeet Singh’s disastrous run of the NDP has shown, left wing politicians will always disappoint you.
www.thebeaverton.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:09 PM
"Engler...hasn’t officially submitted an application! So, if you’re a fan of his and want him to win, he’s already disappointed you, and if you’re not, well, you can’t be disappointed at all. Schrodinger’s disappointing candidate!" www.thebeaverton.com/2025/11/we-r...
“To be clear, our leaders should still behave in a civil and professional manner when interacting with him and his muppets, but nothing else — like one would do when stuck talking to an ex at a wedding or a funeral.” wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/trump-appe...
Trump Appears to Have A Strictly Dominant Strategy to Attack Canada. What Is Our Best Response?
It can be passive or aggressive, but it needs to be "fight back"
wallsandbridges.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:45 AM
“To be clear, our leaders should still behave in a civil and professional manner when interacting with him and his muppets, but nothing else — like one would do when stuck talking to an ex at a wedding or a funeral.” wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/trump-appe...
Background for My Upcoming Piece on the Canadian Budget wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/background...
Background for My Upcoming Piece on the Canadian Budget
Good morning, everyone!
wallsandbridges.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Background for My Upcoming Piece on the Canadian Budget wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/background...
Opinion: Dick Cheney Was the Warmest, Kindest Man to Ever Shoot Someone in the Face and Make Them Apologize for It thehardtimes.net/blog/opinion...
Opinion: Dick Cheney Was the Warmest, Kindest Man to Ever Shoot Someone in the Face and Make Them Apologize for It
Former Vice President Dick Cheney passed away yesterday, leaving behind what some have called a murky legacy. How exactly do we remember this complicated, enigmatic man? Some would say “war criminal,”...
thehardtimes.net
November 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Opinion: Dick Cheney Was the Warmest, Kindest Man to Ever Shoot Someone in the Face and Make Them Apologize for It thehardtimes.net/blog/opinion...
"White House Honors Dick Cheney With a 21-Gun-To-The-Face Salute" thehardtimes.net/breaking/whi...
White House Honors Dick Cheney With a 21-Gun-To-The-Face Salute
“We are paying tribute to the third greatest vice president in American history the only way we know how,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “As a man whose legacy involved using the ...
thehardtimes.net
November 6, 2025 at 12:05 PM
"White House Honors Dick Cheney With a 21-Gun-To-The-Face Salute" thehardtimes.net/breaking/whi...
Jen Gerson: "You all owe Doug Ford an apology" wallsandbridges.substack.com/cp/178091889
Jen Gerson: You all owe Doug Ford an apology
Carney doesn't get it — his job is to be our national moral leader, not our senior trade negotiator.
wallsandbridges.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Jen Gerson: "You all owe Doug Ford an apology" wallsandbridges.substack.com/cp/178091889
“Canadians are using electronic payment methods more than ever and depending upon where you are, it may be your only way to pay."
...
“But predictions of a cashless society haven’t quite materialized, according to the Bank of Canada.” www.theifp.ca/news/canada-...
...
“But predictions of a cashless society haven’t quite materialized, according to the Bank of Canada.” www.theifp.ca/news/canada-...
Cash versus card: What the Bank of Canada says about Canadians and cash
Despite electronic payments dominating, cash use remains stable in Canada. The Bank of Canada’s 2024 survey finds 80% of Canadians carry cash, holding an average of $156 for purchases and emergencies.
www.theifp.ca
November 5, 2025 at 2:16 PM
“Canadians are using electronic payment methods more than ever and depending upon where you are, it may be your only way to pay."
...
“But predictions of a cashless society haven’t quite materialized, according to the Bank of Canada.” www.theifp.ca/news/canada-...
...
“But predictions of a cashless society haven’t quite materialized, according to the Bank of Canada.” www.theifp.ca/news/canada-...
Adrienne Tanner: "In an election, conservative rural areas are over-represented relative to their population size and have outsized clout. In a referendum, everyone’s vote is equal, hence separation is doomed to fail." www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/04/o...
Danielle Smith has half a million reasons to support a united Canada
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been flirting with the notion of a separatist referendum to prove her fealty to oil and gas and keep her fragile coalition intact. She was outfoxed by a former deput...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Adrienne Tanner: "In an election, conservative rural areas are over-represented relative to their population size and have outsized clout. In a referendum, everyone’s vote is equal, hence separation is doomed to fail." www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/04/o...
"Limiting or shutting down debate over legislation has grown more common, and perhaps we are on the cusp of...notwithstanding clause becoming more common, too.
“That’s a problematic pairing if the argument here is rooted in the need for democratic accountability.” calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
“That’s a problematic pairing if the argument here is rooted in the need for democratic accountability.” calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
Breakenridge: We should expect robust debate and scrutiny in using notwithstanding clause
It’s not unreasonable to expect robust debate and scrutiny befitting the magnitude of the decision to use the notwithstanding clause.
calgaryherald.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
"Limiting or shutting down debate over legislation has grown more common, and perhaps we are on the cusp of...notwithstanding clause becoming more common, too.
“That’s a problematic pairing if the argument here is rooted in the need for democratic accountability.” calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
“That’s a problematic pairing if the argument here is rooted in the need for democratic accountability.” calgaryherald.com/opinion/colu...
“Corporate and union giving is banned in federal politics and in most provinces; Alberta has joined Saskatchewan and Newfoundland...as the only ones that allow it"
...
“The Smith government has also made corporate and union donations legal again in municipal politics...” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
...
“The Smith government has also made corporate and union donations legal again in municipal politics...” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
UCP made corporate donations legal in Alberta again. Then, businesses gave them $471K in first period. | CBC Accessibility
Injury lawyers opened their wallets to support the United Conservative Party, while their fight against auto insurance reforms continues.
www.cbc.ca
November 5, 2025 at 12:05 PM
“Corporate and union giving is banned in federal politics and in most provinces; Alberta has joined Saskatchewan and Newfoundland...as the only ones that allow it"
...
“The Smith government has also made corporate and union donations legal again in municipal politics...” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
...
“The Smith government has also made corporate and union donations legal again in municipal politics...” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
"I am increasingly...disappointed with...Carney. That is not to say I think anyone else in the running for his job would have been better (I don’t), but my standard for Carney was not 'be no worse than anyone else'. It was to fight back against Trump." wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/if-carney-...
If Carney and Ford Are Playing "Good Cop/Bad Cop" with Trump, They Are Doing It Wrong
The point of this game is to make the "perp" *cooperate*. Trump has yet to do so, and no amount of apologies and concessions will make him change.
wallsandbridges.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:52 AM
"I am increasingly...disappointed with...Carney. That is not to say I think anyone else in the running for his job would have been better (I don’t), but my standard for Carney was not 'be no worse than anyone else'. It was to fight back against Trump." wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/if-carney-...
Theo Moudakis: Carney’s apology www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
Theo Moudakis: Carney’s apology
Click here to view this article from www.thestar.com.
www.thestar.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Theo Moudakis: Carney’s apology www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...