In an earlier post, I wrote about some of the books that I had read and enjoyed in 2024. There were too many to squeeze into one post, so this is a second instalment.
Best Books 2024, Homer, cold cases, Zionism
Cash transfers from Meta class action explained
Meta, the company owning Facebook, is paying out $725 million in a class action suit for sharing its users' personal data without their knowledge to third party users. I received a direct cash transfer into my bank account for thirty-six dollars. I found it creepy.
Understanding the Roots of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Many supporters of Israel in the current war upon Gaza claim that Jewish people are indigenous to the region and have a right to claim it as their homeland. Author Rashid Khalidi, whose ancestors were a prominent family in Palestine prior to the creation of Israel, reminds us there were Palestinians living there long before the creation of Israel in 1948.
Gideon Levy criticizes Israeli media
Gideon Levy is a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaertz and a fierce critic of his country's media, especially its reporting on Israel's longtime occupation of the West Bank, and now of its conduct in the war on Gaza. On November 13, speaking online from Tel Aviv, Levy delivered the annual Peter Stursberg Foreign Correspondent’s Lecture, sponsored by the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University.
A Communist for the RCMP
Frank Hadesbeck was a long-time civilian informant for the RCMP over a span of 35 years. In this and future blog posts, Dennis Gruending, author of A Communist for the RCMP, explains how he researched and wrote this unique book.
Brian Mulroney, envelopes stuffed with cash
Brian Mulroney, who died in February, 2024, is being widely feted as a great prime minister. But after he left office, he also took envelopes stuffed with cash from a lobbyist and had no credible explanation for it.
San Miguel as tourist haven
San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico has been called one of the best small cities in the world and is a big draw for expatriates. It is indeed an attractive city, but unfortunately, the city's promoters both marginalize the past and conceal the present.
Christ in the Gaza rubble
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac preached a Christmas homily at the Evangelical Lutheran church in Bethlehem, in which he described the Israeli bombing of Gaza as genocide. He castigated western countries and their citizens, especially Christians, for supporting a bombing and artillery attack that have killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, 70 per cent of them women and children.
Digital gorillas threaten Canadian news
The giant digital gorillas Google and Meta are threatening to block Canadian news links from their sites because the federal government has passed Bill C-18, which would make them pay those who create the news for using their material. While that debate rages, I have practical advice about how to access Canadian news without relying on the tech giants at all.
Emmett Hall’s Supreme Court legacy
Emmett Hall was the last Supreme Court of Canada judge to come from Saskatchewan. He was appointed at age 65, and served on the court from 1963 to 1973. He accomplished more after the age of retirement than most people do in a lifetime. He was a formidable judge and the royal commissioner who recommended Medicare for Canada. His long service had a profound impact on Canada.
Pulpit and Politics 