Mark Hamilton
@gmarkham.bsky.social
Retired from years of journalism and teaching and living in Vancouver. Words to live by: “When we play music, immediately everything is nice.” — Evgenios Voulgaris. Current project is a blog featuring a rebetiko song of the day and more: www.tamark.ca/wp
It turns out that Montaigne well defined Trump and Trumpism in the 16th century: "Unless we draw the rules of right-conduct from within ourselves and if to us justice means not being punished, how many kinds of wicked deeds must we daily abandon ourselves to!"
November 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
It turns out that Montaigne well defined Trump and Trumpism in the 16th century: "Unless we draw the rules of right-conduct from within ourselves and if to us justice means not being punished, how many kinds of wicked deeds must we daily abandon ourselves to!"
I am (slowly) making my way through Montaigne's essay. I didn't not know how often -- and somewhat strangely -- he wrote about sex. "The appetite which enraptures us when we lie with women merely aims at banishing the pain brought on by the frenzy of our inflamed desires..." Yikes.
November 18, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I am (slowly) making my way through Montaigne's essay. I didn't not know how often -- and somewhat strangely -- he wrote about sex. "The appetite which enraptures us when we lie with women merely aims at banishing the pain brought on by the frenzy of our inflamed desires..." Yikes.
An apropos quote for these times, from writer Yiyun Li: "Those who speak without understanding have no trouble finding centre stage."
November 17, 2025 at 6:39 PM
An apropos quote for these times, from writer Yiyun Li: "Those who speak without understanding have no trouble finding centre stage."
When the team nears the end zone, is there any NFL QB who calls his own number more than Josh Allen?
November 16, 2025 at 9:03 PM
When the team nears the end zone, is there any NFL QB who calls his own number more than Josh Allen?
Hmmm. My occasional invisibility has kicked back in: at a dinner where a dessert plate was delivered to every table except the one I’m at.
November 16, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Hmmm. My occasional invisibility has kicked back in: at a dinner where a dessert plate was delivered to every table except the one I’m at.
I am way late to this: Rebecca Sonia's Wanderlust: A History of Walking (published 2001), is a marvel.
November 14, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I am way late to this: Rebecca Sonia's Wanderlust: A History of Walking (published 2001), is a marvel.
Does this Democrat deal mean the House will reconvene, all the Reps will be duly sworn and the Epstein vote goes ahead? I mean, there has to be something good coming from this.
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Does this Democrat deal mean the House will reconvene, all the Reps will be duly sworn and the Epstein vote goes ahead? I mean, there has to be something good coming from this.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
Well now, would you look at that?
A massive study of NEARLY 300,000 people in the United States found that receiving an updated 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine REDUCED people’s risk of severe disease AND death in ALL age groups, REGARDLESS of immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
A massive study of NEARLY 300,000 people in the United States found that receiving an updated 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine REDUCED people’s risk of severe disease AND death in ALL age groups, REGARDLESS of immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
November 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Well now, would you look at that?
A massive study of NEARLY 300,000 people in the United States found that receiving an updated 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine REDUCED people’s risk of severe disease AND death in ALL age groups, REGARDLESS of immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
A massive study of NEARLY 300,000 people in the United States found that receiving an updated 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine REDUCED people’s risk of severe disease AND death in ALL age groups, REGARDLESS of immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
I'm adding Paramount to my ever-growing boycott list.
November 7, 2025 at 3:35 PM
I'm adding Paramount to my ever-growing boycott list.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
Under new head of Paramount David Ellison, the studio has drawn up a list of actors who opposed the Gaza genocide and will not allow them to appear in its films and TV shows.
Does this sound familiar?
Also, "Ellison is reportedly aiming to take over Warner Bros. next."
Does this sound familiar?
Also, "Ellison is reportedly aiming to take over Warner Bros. next."
Paramount Has Blacklist for Stars Deemed “Overtly Antisemitic” — World of Reel
It sure looks like the likes of Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, and Mark Ruffalo won’t be making movies for Paramount in the foreseeable future.
www.worldofreel.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Under new head of Paramount David Ellison, the studio has drawn up a list of actors who opposed the Gaza genocide and will not allow them to appear in its films and TV shows.
Does this sound familiar?
Also, "Ellison is reportedly aiming to take over Warner Bros. next."
Does this sound familiar?
Also, "Ellison is reportedly aiming to take over Warner Bros. next."
Remarkable, indeed. I have dozens and dozens of books in my library with the Black Bond sticker still on them. Much respect. RIP.
There was news today from Black Bond Books that its founder Madeline Neill died. Hers was a remarkable story in starting a book store and creating a behemoth in this market. At its core was a love of books. The late George Garrett researched a biography on her life; hers was that worthy of study.
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Remarkable, indeed. I have dozens and dozens of books in my library with the Black Bond sticker still on them. Much respect. RIP.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
Whether it's this or the name change of Trutch street, so many BC Landlord crashouts are based on the inability to read a simple press release
Colonizer pearl clutching disinformation is completely drowning out the Cowichan Tribes:
Cowichan Tribes issues statement to clear up ‘misinformation’
They call the statements about the B.C. Supreme Court’s judgement on individual private property owners “deliberately inflammatory.”
www.aptnnews.ca
November 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Whether it's this or the name change of Trutch street, so many BC Landlord crashouts are based on the inability to read a simple press release
It’s odd to see so many skeets from Canadians saying how bad/how good the federal budget is. (Odd because the budget hasn’t been released yet.)
November 4, 2025 at 8:20 PM
It’s odd to see so many skeets from Canadians saying how bad/how good the federal budget is. (Odd because the budget hasn’t been released yet.)
So far, the combination of city council and provincial authorities has backed the police department’s requests. We’ll see what happens this time.
The Vancouver Police Department has already gone $17 million over budget. Now they're asking for a $50 million increase. The park board, meanwhile, is bracing for $15 million in cuts. #vanpoli www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Vancouver Police Board wants city to increase budget by $50M amid mayor's tax freeze promise | CBC News
The Vancouver Police Board has voted to approve a budget request of just over $497 million in 2026, a $50 million increase over 2025's final budget.
www.cbc.ca
November 4, 2025 at 7:17 PM
So far, the combination of city council and provincial authorities has backed the police department’s requests. We’ll see what happens this time.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
The LNG bridge is starting to collapse www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/04/o...
The LNG bridge is starting to collapse
Global demand for LNG is supposed to be driven by its role as a so-called "bridge" between coal and renewables. What happens when the shores it's supposed to connect keep getting closer with each pass...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The LNG bridge is starting to collapse www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/04/o...
It’s time for our elected reps to start saying no.
Some breaking news: in a special Vancouver Police Board meeting only announced over the weekend, the police board has requested a $50 million increase to their budget for 2026.
This comes as other departments across the city are trying to cut staff to ensure a property tax freeze for next year.
This comes as other departments across the city are trying to cut staff to ensure a property tax freeze for next year.
November 3, 2025 at 11:12 PM
It’s time for our elected reps to start saying no.
This is why Bruce Arthur is one of the best writers on sports (and other things, too) on the continent.
They say baseball breaks your heart, and the Blue Jays are a Hall of Fame what if team, now. So what does it mean to watch your team lose the World Series in one of the greatest games ever played? It means you got to feel something; you just didn’t get to choose what. www.thestar.com/sports/blue-...
Bruce Arthur: These Blue Jays are a Hall of Fame ‘what if’ team. The World Series loss just makes the heartbreak worse
This World Series will echo across Canada for decades, because Toronto lost the MLB championship in one of the greatest baseball games ever played.
www.thestar.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:39 PM
This is why Bruce Arthur is one of the best writers on sports (and other things, too) on the continent.
I'm re-reading a book of essays by E.B. White, and while there is a touch of the old-fashioned to him, I'm underlining something on almost every page, and stopping often to savour the way he has strung together his thoughts and words.
November 1, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I'm re-reading a book of essays by E.B. White, and while there is a touch of the old-fashioned to him, I'm underlining something on almost every page, and stopping often to savour the way he has strung together his thoughts and words.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
team of Canadian engineers on October 28 unveiled a fully electrified home
The project combines a system that eliminates fossil fuel use and dramatically reduces energy costs and emissions.
Canada’s self-powered solar home cuts energy use, emissions by half share.google/uDA643ogROMR...
The project combines a system that eliminates fossil fuel use and dramatically reduces energy costs and emissions.
Canada’s self-powered solar home cuts energy use, emissions by half share.google/uDA643ogROMR...
Canada’s self-powered solar home cuts energy use, emissions by half
Engineers in Canada have built a fully electrified solar-powered home that cuts electricity bills by 45% and carbon emissions by 55%.
share.google
October 31, 2025 at 10:16 AM
team of Canadian engineers on October 28 unveiled a fully electrified home
The project combines a system that eliminates fossil fuel use and dramatically reduces energy costs and emissions.
Canada’s self-powered solar home cuts energy use, emissions by half share.google/uDA643ogROMR...
The project combines a system that eliminates fossil fuel use and dramatically reduces energy costs and emissions.
Canada’s self-powered solar home cuts energy use, emissions by half share.google/uDA643ogROMR...
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
The most insanely frustrating thing about the #ClimateCrisis is how the breakthrough we so clearly need isn’t technological. It’s just a collective willingness, a determination even, to change in ways that would clearly be SO MUCH BETTER than the clear and obvious consequences of NOT changing.
October 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The most insanely frustrating thing about the #ClimateCrisis is how the breakthrough we so clearly need isn’t technological. It’s just a collective willingness, a determination even, to change in ways that would clearly be SO MUCH BETTER than the clear and obvious consequences of NOT changing.
1) Public pressure works. 2) I am so happy to live in a country that values ALL of its residents.
The federal government is currently making an announcement about new funding for women and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations. This pre-budget announcement (and the new funding) is happening *entirely* because of all the public outcry and pressure we've mounted over the last few months re: cutting WAGE by 81%
October 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
1) Public pressure works. 2) I am so happy to live in a country that values ALL of its residents.
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
IMPORTANT: The Dutch invest €595 million annually on urban biking, resulting in €19 BILLION saved in public health care costs alone. That’s how smart governments do the math on investing in better mobility.
Let’s be clear— it wastes public money to NOT do it.
#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com
Let’s be clear— it wastes public money to NOT do it.
#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:51 AM
IMPORTANT: The Dutch invest €595 million annually on urban biking, resulting in €19 BILLION saved in public health care costs alone. That’s how smart governments do the math on investing in better mobility.
Let’s be clear— it wastes public money to NOT do it.
#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com
Let’s be clear— it wastes public money to NOT do it.
#CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
"For months we have been repeating the same cycle....We’re like high-school seniors rehashing a first date."
Exactly. Just move on.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Exactly. Just move on.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: The art of no deal: Canada’s only winning move is not to play
The only objective in these negotiations should be to keep them going, for as long as we can
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:00 PM
"For months we have been repeating the same cycle....We’re like high-school seniors rehashing a first date."
Exactly. Just move on.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Exactly. Just move on.
www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Mark Hamilton
Did you know there’s a French village off the coast of Canada?
Anyways it’s set to be underwater due to climate change
Anyways it’s set to be underwater due to climate change
another climate crisis story, touching on a unique bit of my childhood (a school trip to france from canada, via bus and short ferry)
How do you move a village? Residents of France’s last outpost in North America try to outrun the sea
As rising tides eat away at the Saint-Pierre and Miquelon archipelago off Canada, plans to move the historic village to higher ground have divided residents
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Did you know there’s a French village off the coast of Canada?
Anyways it’s set to be underwater due to climate change
Anyways it’s set to be underwater due to climate change
Well, that's gotta sting.
Enten: "Canada is far more popular than Donald Trump is here in the United States. The net popularity of Canada is +49. Trump is -10. We're talking about Canada coming out nearly 60 points ahead on the net popularity ratings versus Donald Trump here in the US"
October 27, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Well, that's gotta sting.