Monthly Archives: December 2023

In a Foreign Land

Posted on December 27, 2023 by Dave Pollard

This is #25 in a series of month-end reflections on the state of the world, and other things that come to mind, as I walk, hike, and explore in my local community. photo taken here in Coquitlam by Vancouverite Ashika Morasiewicz In … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Works, Month-End Reflections | 7 Comments

Can Any Country ‘Divorce’ the US Empire?

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Dave Pollard

This map, from Multipolarista, shows the US-centred Empire bloc of nations (in red) that subscribe to the US-invented Rules Based International Order. The countries in green do not recognize that order, and they continue to support de facto a UN-centred international … Continue reading →

Posted in Collapse Watch, How the World Really Works | 7 Comments

Healing From Trauma in the Time of Collapse

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Dave Pollard

I want to apologize for the ads that appeared on of one of my recent posts on the version sent out by follow.it to email subscribers — I failed to renew my premium membership that allows these emails to go … Continue reading →

Posted in Collapse Watch, How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 7 Comments

Self-Directed Learning (Sort of)

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Dave Pollard

a photo of my high school, c. 1969 I‘ve written before about my brief, astonishing experience with self-directed learning — aka Unschooling (or “independent study”, as they called it back then) — at the end of my high school years. … Continue reading →

Posted in How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 8 Comments

The Only Game in Town

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Dave Pollard

A rather unsubtle parable, because that’s just how I’m feeling today after reading the news. The game you loved to hate has morphed in recent years. The newest versions are cashless (you swipe the title deed with your ‘debit card’), … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Works | 3 Comments

Links of the Month: December 2023

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Dave Pollard

image from Midjourney AI; not my prompt None of it makes sense. It all makes sense. Or rather, none of it has to make sense. It is not about what is sensible, or in any group’s rational self-interest. We will go mad … Continue reading →

Posted in Collapse Watch, How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 5 Comments

Play’s the Thing

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Dave Pollard

Midjourney AI’s take on kids playing tag; my own prompt I did not realize at first what it was that I looked upon. As my wandering attention centered, I saw nothing but two small projecting ears lit by the morning … Continue reading →

Posted in How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 2 Comments

The Sleep Cycle: Still Mostly in the Dark

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Dave Pollard

Left image: How much of your night is spent in each phase of the sleep cycle; Stage 3 (N3/SWS) sleep is considered the most restorative and makes up about 20% of young people’s sleep, but as little as 10% of … Continue reading →

Posted in How the World Really Works | 3 Comments

What the “Rules Based International Order” Really Means

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Dave Pollard

This map, from Multipolarista, shows the US-centred Empire bloc of nations (in red) that subscribe to the US-invented Rules Based International Order. The countries in green do not recognize that order, and they continue to support de facto a UN-centred … Continue reading →

Posted in How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 2 Comments

Why We Can’t See How Others See Things

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Dave Pollard

A recent front page from one of Canada’s largest-circulation ‘newspapers’, the extreme-right-wing National Post. The publication has been owned by a series of lunatic-fringe ultraconservatives since it was founded. Racist and hate-mongering editorials appear unabashedly on the front page of … Continue reading →

Posted in How the World Really Works, Our Culture / Ourselves | 3 Comments