[PHOTO] Streetcar exiting Dundas West, passing south past the Crossways, Toronto

I caught a picture of this streetcar exiting south from Dundas West station from the shelter of the western entrance to The Crossways.

[OBSCURA] Changing world population balances, 1800 to 2100

The Russian Demographics Blog was the most recent source to link to Max Galka's remarkable map showing changing populations in the recent past and the projected future.

For thousands of years, Asia has been the population center of the world. But that’s about to change.

Asia contains 7 of the 10 most populous countries in the world, the two largest of which, China and India, each individually have larger populations than Africa, Europe, or the Americas. And as I’ve demonstrated previously, the eye-popping population density in regions such as Tokyo and Bangladesh is an order of magnitude greater than anywhere in the western world.

Two hundred years ago, the figures were even more extreme. In 1800, nearly two thirds of the world lived in Asia. And at that time China had a larger population than Africa, Europe, and the Americas combined.

Asia dominates the world population landscape, and it has for at least the last two and a half thousand years. [. . . T]he relative population sizes of Asia, Africa, and Europe have remained surprisingly constant for thousands of years. Since at least 400 BC, 60% or more of the world has lived in Asia.

According to the U.N. Population Division, the population of Africa is poised to explode during the next 85 years, quadrupling in size by 2100.

The U.N. attributes this change to two factors: Africa’s high fertility rates (African women have on average 4.7 children vs. a global average of 2.5) and its young population, many of whom will be reaching adulthood in the coming years and having children of their own.

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• At Antipope, Charlie Stross talks about the American far right and the popularity of Trump.


• The Broadside Blog's Caitlin Kelly writes about her shortlist of places to visit around the world.


• The Dragon's Gaze notes the trinary brown dwarf system VHS 1256-1257.


• The Dragon's Tales notes the use of CRISPR to edit human genomes.


• Geocurrents has a mini-atlas showing the diversity of the Russian Federation.


• Joe. My. God. notes that Taiwan's new president, Tsai Ing-wen, is strongly pro-gay to the point of supporting same-sex marriage.


• Language Log and The Dragon's Tales both reacted to news, product of genetic studies, suggesting that the Celts were recent arrivals to Ireland.


• Lawyers, Guns and Money looks at birtherism as now applied to Ted Cruz, perhaps being too gleeful, while Joe. My. God. notes Trump's use of this rhetoric.


• The Map Room Blog links to a map showing the relative economic strength of different Japanese municipalities.


• Marginal Revolution looks at Walmart in the context of its store closings.


• The Planetary Society Blog shares some Cassini photos of the Saturn system, including Titan and Enceladus.


• Towleroad notes that Truvada, as used for PrEP, is no more risky than aspirin.


• Window on Eurasia suggests anti-Putin protests are most likely in relatively prosperous regions like Moscow, Tatarstan, and Bashkortostan, and notes a push to make Russian an official language of the European Union.

[MUSIC] "David Bowie's 'Blackstar' Album Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart"

Billboard's Keith Caulfield shares the good news.

David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, giving the late music legend his first No. 1 album.

[. . .]

Blackstar was issued through ISO/Columbia Records and earned 181,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., during the week ending Jan. 14, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 174,000 were in pure album sales -- Bowie’s biggest sales week for an album since Nielsen began electronically tracking point-of-sale music purchases in 1991. (His previous sales high in that span of time came when his last album, 2013’s The Next Day, bowed with 85,000 sold in its first week.)

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The new Jan. 30, 2016-dated chart (where Bowie debuts at No. 1) will be posted in full to Billboard’s websites on Wednesday, Jan. 20. (Charts will be refreshed one day later than usual this week, due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18.)

Clearly, music fans were moved by the news of Bowie’s death, as not only did Blackstar perform strongly, but he has nine further albums that either re-enter or debut on the Billboard 200 chart. Among them are two further titles in the top 40: the greatest hits collection Best of Bowie (No. 4) and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (No. 21).

[LINK] "A rebirth for Manchu?"

Language Log's Victor Mair writes about his blog's coverage of the Manchu language, past attempts at revival, and the potential for using the Manchu of Xinjiang's Xibe to kickstart a return of the language to general use.

Manchu was the language of the last Chinese dynasty, the Qing, which ruled from 1644-1912, and had two of its emperors (Kangxi, Qianlong) each rule for 60 years or more.

Today, out of nearly ten million ethnic Manchus, fewer than one hundred can still speak the language fluently, and it is generally regarded as being on the brink of extinction.

[. . .]

When I listen to Sibe being sung, it's almost exactly what I imagined Manchu would sound like when I have had occasion to read texts in that language:

[. . .]

I am of the opinion that if enough Manchus have the resolve to resurrect their mother tongue, with Sibe serving as a model on which to base their efforts, it can be done. What is needed are individuals with leadership qualities who are committed to the task.

[LINK] "Strong Franc Chokes Swiss Manufacturers Fighting for Life"

Bloomberg's Alice Baghdjian writes about how the strength of the Swiuss franc, especially relative to the Euro, has been hurting the Swiss economy.

Nestled on the banks of Lake Zurich, humidifier-maker Condair AG’s factory provided a good living for its 41 workers. Then in November 2014, beset by high manufacturing costs, the company decided to transfer production to Germany. In seven months, Condair’s only Swiss plant will wind down for good.

When the Swiss National Bank a year ago Friday lifted the cap on the franc, allowing the currency to strengthen, it confirmed the company’s decision -- and its view that the Alpine nation can’t compete in manufacturing. In 2012, the most recent year available, Switzerland had the highest labor costs in Europe, at 51.25 euros ($56) per hour, government figures show. In neighbors Austria, Germany and France, the comparable cost was 29.75 euros, 30.50 euros and 34.25 euros respectively.

[LINK] "Taiwan: Polls Harken End of Nuclear Power"

The Inter Press Service's Dennis Engbarth writes about Taiwan's apparent impending shift away from nuclear energy.

Taiwan may soon be the first nation in Asia to resolve to become a nuclear free nation after four decades of reliance on nuclear power.

Nearly 14 million of Taiwan’s 23 million people are expected to go to the polls Jan. 16 to choose between three presidential contenders: ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) Chairman Chu Li-lun, 55, Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, 59, and People First Party Chairman James Soong, 73, a former KMT Secretary-General.

Tsai, a former Vice Premier with a doctorate from the London School of Economics, has a hefty lead in the campaign, and is publically committed to turning Taiwan into a “nuclear free homeland” by 2025 phasing out the nation`s three 1970s-era nuclear power plants operated by the state-owned Taiwan Power Co.

Two nuclear power plants in northern Taiwan each have two General Electric designed boiling water reactors (BWR), while a third plant on Taiwan`s southern tip features two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors (PWR).

After 38 years of martial law imposed by the KMT was lifted in July 1987, civic opposition to nuclear power surfaced, focusing especially on the construction of a fourth nuclear plant in Gungliao Township on Taiwan’s northeastern coast. It features two 1,350-megawatt advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) units designed by GE and Toshiba.

"We don`t want nuclear waste," say two Taiwanese women during a demonstration against nuclear power in Taipei on March 8, 2015. The flying fish and nuclear waste barrel refer to the "low-level" radioactive waste disposal facility set up in 1984 by the state-run Taiwan Power Co on Lanyu (Orchid Island) off Taiwan`s southeast coast that is opposed by the island`s indigenous Dawu people.

Taiwan’s continued use of nuclear power reemerged as a critical political issue after the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan.

[LINK] "Nuclear energy still king in Ontario; little power from wind and solar"

CTV reported on how Ontario gets most of its electricity from nuclear energy.

Nuclear power provided 60 per cent of Ontario's electricity in 2015, while renewables such as wind and solar power added only a tiny amount to the supply mix.

The Independent Electricity System Operator says Ontario got 24 per cent of its electricity from hydro-generated power from dams and run-of-river generators, and another 10 per cent from gas-and-oil fired generation.

Wind power supplied six per cent of the province's electricity last year, while solar power and biofuel generation each added less than one per cent to the grid.

The province stopped burning coal to generate electricity in 2014, but it had been providing about 25 per cent of Ontario's power a decade ago.

The average electricity price for Ontario residential consumers was 10.14 cents a kilowatt hour in 2015, more than double the rates from 2008.

[LINK] "Venezuela Economy Head Calls for Creativity as Oil Hits Low"

The scale of the economic collapse of Venezuela, as described here by Blkoomberg's Nathan Crooks, is eye-catching. One wonders what will happen next.

Venezuela’s new economy minister, who has argued that inflation doesn’t exist “in real life,” said policies to be announced on Jan. 12 would seek to avoid sacrifices by ordinary people as the price the South American country receives for oil exports plunges to a 12-year low.

“Our goal is to see how we can respond to these external restrictions without making internal sacrifices,” Luis Salas, who President Nicolas Maduro put in control of the economy this week, said Friday in an interview on the Telesur network. “That’s going to take creativity.”

The falling price of oil, which accounts for 95 percent of exports, has exacerbated shortages of everything from medicine to soap and placed the economy as the number one issue on voters’ minds as they handed Congress to the opposition for the first time in 16 years last month. No single measure can solve the economic problems, said Salas, who went on to signal that he opposes raising subsidized prices for household goods in order to boost supply.

“We’re not doing anything to make products available if the people can’t afford them,” Salas said.

He downplayed a recession that saw the economy contract 10 percent last year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation in Venezuela, already the fastest in the world, will increase to 204 percent this year, the IMF also estimates. The central bank hasn’t published any official data since the end of 2014.

[LINK] "Postmedia posts loss; to cut $50M by May"

The Toronto Star shared Postmedia's reports of its escalating financial losses. Whatever you think of the newspapers it owns, this is not good news for Canada's print media.

The company that owns the National Post, the Toronto Sun and other major Canadian newspapers is accelerating and hiking its goal to cut costs as it continues to bleed advertising, print circulation and digital media revenue.

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. says last year's acquisition of Quebecor's Sun Media newspapers helped push up the combined company's revenue to $251.1 million — up from $169.5 million for Postmedia alone.

However, the company is now aiming for cost reductions of $80 million by mid-2017 — up from its previous goal of $50 million in cuts by the end of 2017.

Postmedia says it expects the first $50 million of savings will be implemented by the end of its third quarter, which ends May 31. It didn't say how it would achieve those savings.

Excluding the impact of the Sn acquisition, Postmedia revenue for the first quarter ended Nov. 30 was $147.4 million, a 13.1 per cent decrease from the same period last year.

[URBAN NOTE] "Spadina subway extension could cost an additional $400 million"

The Toronto Star's Tess Kalinowski reports on rising costs for the Spadina subway extension. This, I suppose, is not so much a surprise as an expected event.

Toronto and York Region are facing an additional $400 million in construction claims and other expenses on the overdue Spadina subway extension.

The costs would be split 60/40, with Toronto on the hook for $240 million and York Region facing a $160 million cost for the 8.6-km transit line.

The extension, from Downsview Station to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre near Highway 7, is about 85 per cent complete. Testing will begin in April 2017 for an opening later that year, about two years after the originally scheduled launch.

TTC CEO Andy Byford briefs reporters on a bus ride to tour the York University station on the Spadina subway extension. The TTC released a report Friday revealing that the city is looking at paying out another $240 million in construction claims and York Region's share would be $160 million. The project is now tracking to cost about $3.2 billion, compared to the earlier $2.6 billion budget.

TTC CEO Andy Byford briefs reporters on a bus ride to tour the York University station on the Spadina subway extension. The TTC released a report Friday revealing that the city is looking at paying out another $240 million in construction claims and York Region's share would be $160 million. The project is now tracking to cost about $3.2 billion, compared to the earlier $2.6 billion budget.

It is now tracking to cost $3.2 billion, up from the most recent $2.8-billion budget, according to a TTC staff report released Friday.

CEO Andy Byford, who came to the TTC in 2012, has called the project "an albatross around my neck." But on Friday, he expressed relief and pride that the end is in sight.

[MUSIC] On David Bowie, his music, and creativity

Torontoist and NOW Toronto and the Toronto Star were among the many local news sources noting that, on the night of Saturday the 16th of January, Toronto amateur choral group Choir! Choir! Choir! performed David Bowie's breakthrough hit "Space Oddity" at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Yes, of course there was video.

"Choir! Choir! Choir! of 500+ Sings David Bowie's Space Oddity at the AGO" (Watch on YouTube)

Bowie the man is dead, but Bowie the icon lives on. His corpus of work, at least from "Space Oddity" up through to his last "Lazarus", is going to last.

"David Bowie - Lazarus" (Watch on YouTube)

Over on Medium, one Jason Evangelho wrote about how he saw, in Bowie's final music video, among many other things a warning to his audience.

There’s a scene about 3 minutes into the “Lazarus” video that’s difficult to watch. Scratch that, the entire video is difficult to watch now. Let’s call this scene harrowing. Bowie sits at a desk, frustrated and seemingly impatient to find the right words to jot down in the notebook in front of him. Suddenly a brief smile lights up his face and he begins enthusiastically scrawling on the pad in front of him.

A few seconds later, it’s as if Bowie is overwhelmed. He’s frantically writing now, face wrinkled in concentration, writing so furiously that his hand spills off the page and down the front of his desk.

To me, it’s screaming that Bowie had so much left to say. To contribute. To create. But time has run out.

There’s sage advice embedded here, a thinly veiled warning: Do not waste any more time not expressing yourself. Say what you need to say, boldly and without reservation. Nurture your creativity and don’t be shy about it. Stop constantly consuming and start creating before it’s too late, and that dark, mysterious wardrobe into nothingness consumes you.

In a followup piece there, Evangelho has noted his need to get out of his particular bubble. These pieces resonate with his Medium audience; they certainly resonate with me.