A reader recently commented privately about the recent "Rape and Consequences" article, and expressed dismay that Canada's "rape shield" legislation is not  more effective at curbing  defence attorneys' strategy of "whacking the victim" in court.  Her comment made me think:  our society's acceptance of "rape culture" is...

"Night at the Museum" on August 10, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, will feature Dr. Gavin Hanke of the Royal Museum of BC, and the opportunity to speak with him informally.  He will have with him some exhibits -- and a vast store of knowledge on vertebrates:  that's all the creatures with backbones, though he doesn't include humans ...

(Editor's Note:  Southern BC is also home to most of the world's at-risk population of Mountain Caribou, and the comments in the column below about the need for undisturbed habitat apply equally.  For a BC government document on the Mountain Caribou's need for "large tracts of old-growth forest in the Interior Wet Belt," ...

The Rossland Telegraph   Things are beginning to look up for rape victims.  Recently, a judgment by Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Justice Juliana Topolniski reversed an acquittal of a teen charged with sexual assault.  The language in her ruling made it very clear that she was disappointed, to say the least, with the lower...

The following article was originally posted on the Worldwatch Institute blog. Worldwatch is an independent research organization based in Washington, D.C. that works on energy, resource, and environmental issues. Ask environmental leaders where voluntary family planning fits into their organizations’ missions and goals,...

Another bear story: I heard a noise in the night, outside, at a former residence.  Looking out the back door with a flashlight, I saw a disappointed-looking black bear gazing back at me over one shoulder, a bag of flour in her mouth, and a thick trail of flour leading from our neighbour's back porch to the bear.  The neighbour...

The Trudeau government is hell-bent on ratifying two massive investment agreements -- the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- that will radically undermine Canadian democracy. Yet very few Canadians are informed about these deals because our mainstream media has been so...

Selkirk College’s aim to reduce its ecological footprint through sustainable practices has taken a further leap forward as the institution joins a global association recognizing such efforts. Selkirk College has earned a STARS silver rating in recognition of its efforts to achieve greater sustainability from the Association...

People have harnessed energy from moving water for thousands of years. Greeks used various types of water wheels to grind grain in mills more than 2,000 years ago. In the late 1800s, people figured out how to harness the power to produce electricity. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, hydropower has expanded,...

Things are happening up in those hills, and if they aren't happening yet, they're being planned.  Here's an update for those who want to know. Old, rat-infested shelters are being replaced with new, rodent-proof ones.   Many of us held those old, often tarp-covered "huts" dear,  nurturing our memories of cosy warmth,  socializing...