The Queen, G20 Abuses and Canada’s Future
It has been a couple weeks and I still can’t get this out of my head. I was going to write something quite venomous on Canada Day about the queen’s characterization of Canada, but decided to let it slide. But I can’t: The Queen said she has witnessed more than half of Canada’s national history [...]
The Beautiful Game: Football, Politics and Social Struggle
Is it any accident in the countries where sports teams are considered community institutions, publically owned and politically active, that their general social welfare situation is in much better shape? Is it not entirely fitting that in a country like Canada where even basic services like education and healthcare are increasingly becoming unaffordable and inaccessible to the majority of people, that things like pro sporting events have likewise become obscene luxuries?
An Informal Name Change for Stanley Park?
In recent weeks, we’ve heard the suggestion of renaming Stanley Park Xwayxway, after a native village that existed in the park for centuries before Europeans settled here. Despite a decision to leave the name alone, I think we can informally add a name to it. And we can do that all by ourselves. Share the [...]
A Fine Collection of Canada Day Racism
First Nations propose changing Stanley Park’s name to Xwayxway. What an interesting story about changing the name of Stanley Park to remove the colonialism. We now have Haida Gwaii and the Salish Sea. Removing colonial markers is about us as it is about the First Nations. But I am thoroughly astonished, but sadly not surprised, [...]
Vancouver’s Livability Delusion/Denial
Vancouver’s website has a link to the civic themes we’re promoting at our pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The spin [see below] is almost totally unbearable. I take issue with the the city’s PR claims of sustainability, livability, an urban sanctuary and our awareness of our impact on nature. I don’t care what kind [...]
Libby Davies, Israel, Spin and Chill
Hot on the heals of “The Thing About Israel” from the other day, I see a campaign against Libby Davies because of a video of her comments at a rally and the spin around it. Today I despin and respin aspects of the event. I found out about the Libby Davies YouTube video the other [...]
The Thing About Israel
OK, here’s the thing about Israel, OK, one thing: there is no greater concentration of political spin in all of human history than around the issues relating to Israel. And the spin has the [likely intended] consequence of creating a chill factor to keep people from trying to reasonably discuss issues on any side of [...]
Canada Impedes Mohawks’ Right to Return Home
This is what integrity looks like. Three Mohawks from Quebec travelled to Cochabamba for April’s climate summit. They left on the Haudenosaunee Passport since they accept neither Canadian nor American citizenship. They were easily allowed out of Canada with those credentials. But then Canada wouldn’t let them in unless they signed a Canadian document. Their story [...]
Is a Car Free Vancouver Possible?
CarFreeYVR posted a nice video [below] discussing the motivations and inspirations for car-free days in Vancouver. With car-free days festivals coming again on June 20 on Main Street, Commercial Drive, Kits and the West End [happy Father's Day!], I’m excited to see hundreds take over the pavement. But how does Vancouver ever become the first [...]
For Everyone Saying “I Told You So” About Facebook
Infrastructures via xkcd: Infrastructures. Share the Love: Twitter del.icio.us email RSS Facebook Google Bookmarks Digg LinkedIn StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Buzz
The Tyee – What Cynicism Costs Us
Wow. I think this was written for the me from about 7 weeks ago: What Cynicism Costs Us The author of Soul of a Citizen asks why so many ‘social activists almost delight in rolling around in the bad news.’ via The Tyee – What Cynicism Costs Us. Share the Love: Twitter del.icio.us email RSS [...]
Pettiness: the Defining Quality of Politicians?
I regret to say that in the 21st century so far, I see little gravitas and profound pettiness among politicians and political operatives. With a dozen or so exceptions, the gang is not up to the challenge of integrity. Last night I watched the movie The Contender [see here and here]. Nice film. Full of [...]
Just Bring Your Social Network Out of Facebook
Sure, Diaspora is only weeks old, but if you’re reluctant to leave Facebook because they’re holding hostage the rest of your social network, just bring your people to an open source alternative. This blog is a fine companion to the official Diaspora development team blog. There are grounds to be optimistic about an alternative to [...]
Emotional Emancipation
As a Jungian, poet and former high school English teacher, I should say that the following two songs and music videos are a solid and inspiring testament to the human process of emotional emancipation and liberation that comes from rejecting manufactured consumer culture. Aaaaaaaaaaah. Jaded, by the way, is right up there as one of [...]
Diaspora: #Facebook’s Open Source Nemesis
Here. Read this. If you don’t speak “social media sociology”, what it’s saying is that Facebook sucks and they’re going to build an open source, distributed, non-corporate, free, privacy-rich replacement. Now give them money to fund their junk food summer. It’ll be the best investment you’ll ever make in a liberating social media interweb. Thanks, [...]
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