Trifles, Light as Air
Military training transforms civilians into soldiers through relentless drills, hierarchies, and shared hardships. The discipline is so effective that even committed pacifists can be turned into relentless killing machines. At the core of this transformation lies the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)
This article is based on a speech by the Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, The Honourable Mr. Pierre Poilievre, MP. The purpose of the article is to look at the trade imbalance between Canada and the United States, to explain why a bilateral surplus does not equal exploitation, and to connect trade tensions to broader issues in defence and diplomacy.
The ambition to create intelligent machines is not a product of the digital age. It is an idea woven into the fabric of human civilization itself. From the mythological automata of ancient Greece — Hephaestus forging golden handmaidens endowed with reason — to the medieval legends of alchemical beings, humanity has long dreamed of breathing intelligence into the inanimate.
When compared to other mammals, the human corpus callosum is relatively small in size, a surprising trait given our advanced cognitive abilities. While absolutely large (about 10 cm long and 1-2 cm thick), it’s undersized relative to our expansive neocortex. In chimpanzees, our closest relatives, the corpus callosum is larger relative to their smaller brains.
For over three decades, the prevailing view on climate change has shaped global policies and public opinion. The central idea was clear: human activity, particularly in Western nations, was driving catastrophic environmental shifts through carbon emissions. Yet, recent developments have begun to challenge this long-held stance.
The “ratchet mechanism” is a central, yet often understated, feature of the Paris Climate Accord, designed to ensure that global emissions reductions progressively tighten over time. Unlike traditional treaties with fixed targets, the Accord’s structure relies on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), where countries voluntarily submit their own emission reduction pledges every five years.
In the glittering halls of international diplomacy, the Paris Climate Accord of 2015 was hailed as a landmark achievement—a united front against the existential threat of climate change. Ratified by 196 parties, it commits nations to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels. On the surface, it’s a noble endeavor, fostering cooperation to curb greenhouse gas emissions. But peel back the layers, and a darker reality emerges: the Accord is profoundly anti-democratic.