[PHOTO] Four photos from Halloween on Church Street

The crowds were out in full force.

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I had fun.

[BLOG] Some Tuesday links

• 'Apostrophen's 'Nathan Smith talks about when it is appropriate to judge a book by its blurb.


• Beyond the Beyond examines the remarkable scandal in South Korea involving with the cult and its control over the country's president.


• blogTO notes unreasonably warm weather in Toronto this November.


• Dangerous Minds shares a corporate sales video from the early 1990s for Prince's studio.


• The Dragon's Gaze notes the effect of Proxima Centauri on planetary formation around Alpha Centauri A and B.


• The Extremo Files notes unorthodox ways of finding life.


• Language Log talks about the language around Scotland and Northern Ireland and their relationship as complicated by Brexit.


• Marginal Revolution links to a paper suggesting inheritances reduce inequality.


• Savage Minds talks about an anarchist archaeology.


• The Volokh Conspiracy considers a controversy at the Library of Congress.

[ISL] "Will Cairo reverse decision to transfer islands to Riyadh?"

Al Monitor's Ayam Aman describes the continuing controversy in Egypt over the proposed transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

“Tiran and Sanafir islands are still Egyptian, and the Egyptian flag still flies above them.” This surprising statement was made by the Egyptian government’s lawyer during an Oct. 18 court session in which Cairo was appealing the April 21 verdict of Egypt’s administrative court that annulled the maritime borders agreement signed between Cairo and Riyadh earlier this year. The latter agreement, which led to widespread public outrage, effectively transferred ownership of the two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia.

The statement of the government’s lawyer, whereby he recognized that the islands are Egyptian territories, has sparked widespread criticism within Egypt’s political and judicial circles in the past few days. This coincided with the ongoing disagreements between Cairo and Riyadh about the intervention in the Syrian war and the decision of Saudi Aramco to stop oil supplies to Egypt in October, which threatens harmony and coordination in relations between the two countries.

An official in the Council of Ministers told Al-Monitor, “The government represented by the prime minister signed the maritime borders agreement, whereby the islands of Tiran and Sanafir would be transferred to Saudi Arabia. The government’s decision was based on the deliberations of a specialized committee that studied the issue at the political, topographical, engineering and historical levels.”

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, went on, “The government, however, is bound to commit to the judiciary’s decision should the appeal against the ownership of the two islands be overruled. Parliament has to consider another matter and has yet to vote on the agreement. All these procedures would delay the transfer of the islands, and therefore they remain thus far under Egypt’s sovereignty.”

[ISL] "Russia will not agree to joint administration of Southern Kurils - analysts"

Russia Beyond the Headlines' Gleb Fedorov notes that Russia remains strongly opposed to any talk of shared sovereignty with Japan over any of the Kuril islands.

Valery Kistanov, Japan expert from the Institute for Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, believes that the Nikkei article “was a deliberate leak” to test Russia’s reaction to this idea.

”Nikkei, a mouthpiece of Japan's business lobby, would not publish an article based on rumors,” Kistanov said. “I do not rule out the fact that this idea may have been discussed behind closed doors."

Dmitry Streltsov, an expert in Japan studies from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), says the leak “may be aimed at publicly creating an illusion of the possibility of ‘jointly governed territories,’ which could be seen as a step forward for Japan.”

Former Russian Ambassador to Japan Alexander Panov, who is believed to have a certain degree of influence on Russia's foreign policy towards Japan told RBTH, that Moscow and Tokyo seem to have agreed to resolve the dispute in a step-by-step manner.

"Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga claimed that this (joint administration) was not part of a plan that Tokyo conveyed to Moscow,” Panov told RBTH. “What exactly was conveyed is not known.”

[ISL] "Tax havens demand say in Brexit negotiations"

The Independent's Jon Stone notes that the various autonomous islands and archipelagoes under British sovereignty which have made their fortunate from exploiting their sovereign jurisdiction for financial purposes may be in for hard times.

British-controlled tax havens have demanded to be given a central role in the Brexit negotiation process.

Dr D. Orlando Smith, the premier of the British Virgin Islands, said overseas territories should “have our voice heard” as the UK leaves the EU.

He said the controversial territories required “high level engagement” in the process of the same sort as Scotland and the other devolved nations.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI), which styles itself as an offshore financial centre, has no capital gains tax, corporation tax, inheritance tax, or VAT. It is included on most lists of international tax havens.

[. . .]

Dr Smith is also the president UK Overseas Territories Association Political Council, which represents the interests of other overseas territories, many of which are also considered tax havens.

Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands are also British overseas territories and have been labelled tax havens in the past.

[ISL] "Iceland Shows What Beats Populist Parties: Growth and Jobs"

Bloomberg's Omar Valdimarsson shares arguments that the failure of the Pirate Party to win the Icelandic elections has much to do with the ability of conventional economics and politics to deliver.

The man who probably will be Iceland’s next prime minister says he knows how to deal with the global wave of populism that’s threatening the established order: Deliver plenty of economic growth and jobs.

Bjarni Benediktsson, the 46-year-old leader of the conservative Independence Party, on Sunday emerged as the big winner in the nation’s snap election. The populist Pirate Party, which had led in some polls even though it is only four years old, largely failed to live up to its hype. In a year where the British people voted to leave the European Union and political outsider Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for president, Icelanders were persuaded to vote for the status quo.

“We just took a stand against populist ideas,” Benediktsson said in an interview Sunday in Reykjavik. “What we’ve been saying lately is, don’t overspend, don’t over-promise, just keep your way when things are going well. They were calling for us to push the refresh button and we said, ‘Well, there’s no need to.”’

Even so, Benediktsson, finance minister in the outgoing government, will need to use all his negotiating skills to put together a viable majority. Due to the governing Progressive Party’s poor performance in Saturday’s vote -- it only retained eight of the 19 seats won in 2013 -- the next coalition will necessarily have to be expanded to at least one more party in a country where the center is losing ground.

[ISL] "Salt Spring Island residents wrestle over incorporation"

Katherine Dedyna, writing for the Times-Colonist of British Colombia, looks at the controversy on British Colombia's Salt Spring Island on the subject of being incorporated as a municipality.

Bucolic Salt Spring Island boasts a lot of sheep, artisans, well-aged hippies and world-class waterfront. But as the largest population centre of the Gulf Islands, the question of whether residents should shuck their rural status and incorporate as a municipality is firmly on the front burner.

A referendum on the issue is possible as soon as the new year.

A 141-page transition plan just passed by the Islands Trust council notes that Salt Spring’s 10,000 permanent residents and 3,000 non-resident property owners might have concerns about the “value for service” they’re getting and the number of sources tapped to provide services from water to police.

“So many decisions are made elsewhere that it’s ridiculous,” said incorporation advocate Ken Marr, owner of the island’s Windsor Plywood outlet.

A resident since 1969, he cites frustration with the duplication of effort required to get things done, with a building permit for a house requiring several separate stops. And don’t get him started on the runaround to get the hole at the bottom of Ganges Road repaired.

Road maintenance and policing come via the province, which also pays for the RCMP, sewer and recreational services come via the Capital Regional District, water from several sources, and land-use planning and development management from the Islands Trust. The 26-member Islands Trust was formed more than 40 years ago to deal with the threat of inappropriate or over-development given most of the land is privately owned.

[URBAN NOTE] "A private cafe in plain view on Toronto’s most important street"

At the Toronto Star, Shawn Micallef takes issue with a private restaurant in the Financial District.

Have you been to the Accountant Zoo, Toronto’s newest downtown attraction? It’s on the northwest corner of Yonge and Adelaide Sts. where people strolling by can watch accountants in their own habitat. It’s not a petting zoo though; the accountants are safely behind glass, seemingly oblivious to the world outside.

The accountants here look friendly enough. Some of them type on laptops, crunching numbers. Some are having meetings that seem very serious, probably doing an audit. Others seem much more relaxed, their identification cards bouncing at the end of their lanyards as they laugh and talk animatedly together.

This zoo actually looks like a bright and cheery cafe, but something’s different. Called Bistro 1858, it’s the new private restaurant for Deloitte employees who’ve moved into offices here in the Bay Adelaide Centre’s recently opened east tower. If you, non-accountant, walk up to the glass doors on Yonge you’ll find them locked with a sign that reads “No Entry. Please use our main entrance on Adelaide”. There, in the building’s lobby, a security guard at the entrance to Bistro 1858 only lets in employees and their guests.

This wouldn’t matter so much if it were tucked away in the basement or on an upper floor. Instead it’s like an elite airport lounge, but even those are generally kept out of view of the rabble who’ve only bought an economy ticket.

Saddest about this private cafe in a most public place is the denial of the public realm’s value and the mix it brings to our daily interactions. The closed door says no to chance encounters and overhearing random snippets of conversations from people we don’t know, some of the ways we learn about each other and gather new ideas.

[URBAN NOTE] "Bill could lead to sale of Ontario Place lands"

The Toronto Star's Kristin Rushowy reports from Queen's Park. We are indebted to the NDP for keeping track of this potential threat to Ontario Place.

The NDP is raising alarm bells after discovering that Ontario Place lands could be sold off under a little-known section in an upcoming bill meant to cut government red tape.

And while the tourism and culture minister cannot explain why it’s included in Bill 27 — the Burden Reduction Act — she was firm the government has no intention of getting rid of property at the cherished waterfront site.

“It’s there, I don’t know why it’s there, it’s there,” Eleanor McMahon told reporters at Queen’s Park. “I can tell you we’re not going to do it … I will say it one more time in case you missed it, we are not selling Ontario Place.”

But NDP’s GTA affairs critic Cheri DiNovo called the change a “poison pill” hidden in the omnibus bill, and wondered why the power will be granted if there are no plans to use it.

The bill allows Ontario Place to “dispose of land, buildings and structures, or any interest in land, buildings and structure, by sale, lease or otherwise.”

“This sounds ominous,” DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park) said at a press conference held at Queen’s Park with Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina) and urban planner Ken Greenberg of Ryerson University.