To the editor, It is time to scrap the Young Offenders Act. Seriously. Yes, there is a strong argument to keep it intact, but I believe that with the increasing frequency of crimes being performed by children—such as assault, attempted murder, grand theft auto, to name a few of the recent events—we cannot let these […]
News + Opinion
Coast newspaper coverage of Halifax city news, breaking news, HRM municipal politics, city hall news, local business, downtown development, Dartmouth, Sackville, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Halifax councillors and the mayor
Posted inNews + Opinion
The blame game
To the editor, For some time now there has been much talk about young offenders, especially ones who steal vehicles. Recently on the news I heard people saying that after a youth steals a car, their parents should be arrested! I wonder—do these people have teenagers? Do they know how difficult it is to control […]
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Starship troopers
To the editor, Bruce Wark’s editorial (“Shared vision,” May 11) got me thinking…when is the public going to remove its collective head from its ass and realize that the main purpose for NASA (and space exploration in general) is to serve as a cover for weapons research and development? Do you really think government gives […]
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Habit trail
I was chowing down on green chili curry the Friday night before Rodney MacDonald pulled the fuse to detonate the provincial election, when I spied a note on the spice packet. It announced that the curry company donates money to help save the endangered Asian elephant. “But what about the poor mainland moose?” I cried, […]
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Question period
Stephen Hawking, author of A Brief History of Time, says one cannot “predict future events exactly if one cannot even measure the present state of the universe precisely.” Hawking (who’s quoted in Bill Bryson’s staggeringly good A Short History of Nearly Everything) is talking about an especially tricky theory of quantum physics. But think about […]
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Letters to the Editor
Dear NWTBDFW,Re: Lowering the flagNice soapbox. Did you even read V.L. Israel’s letter? No mention of lives being less valuable, no mention of not respecting our troops sacrifice. In fact, what is mentioned is that we have more valuable ways of supporting our troops than lowering the flag. The important point you missed was that […]
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Sunnyside up
May 4 saw the opening of a new Backyard & Veranda at the Sunnyside Mall in Bedford. The furniture and home decor shop carries sofas, kitchen appliances, draperies, accessories for the yard and dog, and more. “It really is quite impressive,” says David Seviour, the mall’s general manager. “And of course, Indigo is still to […]
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Less tax-y, more spend-y
Ah, spring—a magical time for a young premier. So many firsts. Last week, rookie premier Rodney MacDonald released his first budget as leader of the provincial Progressive Conservative party, and the Rod’ster aimed to please. Taxes, cut! Spending, up! NDP campaign pledges, borrowed! (The budget included an eight percent sales tax rebate on home heating […]
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Company’s coming
To the editor, Wondering what the real motive is behind this “all of a sudden we have a litter problem and we care about it” from city hall (“Bin there, done that,” April 20)? It’s economics folks, plain and simple. They don’t give a shit about you, but they definitely care about tourists and the […]
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Shared vision
The veteran peace activist Richard Sanders calls it “The War Fighters’ Eye in the Sky.” The eye in question is a sophisticated Canadian satellite called RADARSAT-1. It’s capable of peering through clouds and darkness to produce detailed images of the earth’s surface. “RADARSAT is, in fact, a major Canadian contribution to US-led wars that have […]
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Good to grow
After almost five years of consultation and studies, the final draft of the municipality’s new Regional Plan is online and ready for one last blast of public scrutiny. A public hearing on the plan—the very last stage before city councillors decide whether to approve it, amend it or reject it—will open Tuesday afternoon at city […]
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Birth right
Dealing with a newborn at age 63? Like Patricia Rashbrook, the Briton who purposely got knocked up late last year and is due to give birth in two months? Even with the sickly sweet sentimentality of Mother’s Day washing up on the shores of this weekend, the thought leaves me drowning in fear. Don’t get […]