Orimulsion revulsion: AIMS on NB Power’s Coleson Cove fiasco
Nothing sums up NB Power’s problems better than the Coleson Cove fiasco. In an effort to reduce its dependence on expensive fuel oil, the utility embarked on a $747-million conversion of Coleson Cove to burn Orimulsion. The vast bulk of the money has already been spent. There is just one tiny little catch. There is only one place you can buy Orimulsion: the state oil company of Venezuela. And while it has not always been the case, these days Venezuela is a synonym for “unstable banana republic.” The country teeters on the brink of civil unrest and authoritarian rule by a military strongman. Risky? You bet. Find out just how risky, and the price New Brunswickers paid when the risk went wrong,
AIMS Online March 9, 2004
AIMS releases its 2004 High School Report Card, a new edition of “Ideas Matter,” featuring Edmonton School Superintendent Angus McBeath, Wendell Cox asks How Smart is “Smart Growth”? and more.
Testing the testers; What educational establishment still won’t tell you
Nova Scotia's Minister of Education, Jamie Muir, released the third annual Minister's Report to Parents in late February. The good news? We didn't get any worse. According to the minister, we spent almost $1,900 more per student this year than in 1997-98. That's a lot of money just to prevent things from getting worse. In this commentary in the the Halifax Chronicle Herald, Charles Cirtwill asks, if we are spending that extra money, where is it going and is it going where it is needed?
How Smart is “Smart Growth”?
International expert challenges urban planning assumptions in AIMS’ most recent “Urban Futures” paper
Smart Growth
A world leader in smart growth has been Portland, Oregon. Many urban planners view Portland as a model for limiting sprawl. In the latest paper in AIMS’ Urban Futures project, “Smart Growth”: Threatening the quality of life, author Wendell Cox challenges the many assumptions promoted by smart growth advocates. He argues the evidence is mounting that Portland’s smart growth policies simply don’t work.
Media responds quickly to AIMS second Report Card
Following the release of AIMS first Report Card in 2003, anticipation was high for the second edition. Media outlets across the region were quick to get response from educators, students and education departments. Here is a sampling of the coverage.