The project I’ve been working on – my summer position as a research assistant – is in the spotlight today, as two of the IPSI research teams give a public progress report.IPSI Research Day – Proportionate Digital ID + Video SurveillanceSponsor: Identit…
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wmtc: gardenette update
My little garden-ette is going gangbusters.
Originally:
The rose bush is to Cody’s right.
Then:
Then:
Here you can see how pathetic the rose bush had become.
And now:
Continue readingwmtc: canadian boat to gaza send off today; female nobel laureates call on united nations to do the right thing
This morning in both Toronto and Montreal, many of the Canadian delegates of the Canadian ship Tahrir, will meet the media before boarding their flights to Turkey. The Tahrir will set sail for Gaza as part of Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human, an intern…
Continue readingwmtc: the big man is gone: clarence clemons dead at 69
What terrible, sad, shocking news. Clarence Clemons, the Big Man, the heart and soul of the E Street Band, has died.
My heart goes out to Bruce, who must have lost a brother today, as well as all the other E Streeters, and Clemons’ four sons.
Mr. Cl…
wmtc: bill ayers: "as public space contracts, the real victim becomes truth, honesty, integrity, curiosity, imagination, freedom"
A while back in my Intellectual Freedom and the Public Library course, I encountered an interesting shift of ideas. Larry Alexander, while arguing that freedom of expression is not a human right (I disagree!), points out that free speech is less about …
Continue readingwmtc: the true cost of tomatoes, or slavery and poverty continue to haunt the fast-food industry, and how you can help
I have blogged several times about the horrific conditions endured by the people who pick tomatoes in Immokalee, Florida, working for fast-food giants like Burger King, Taco Bell and McDonald’s, and supermarket giants like Kroger, Stop & Shop, Whole Fo…
Continue readingwmtc: canadian boat to gaza: we will not be intimidated by threats or lawsuits
A message from the Canadian Boat to Gaza, to anyone who thinks they can bully the boat into submission:
We will not be intimidated by threats or lawsuits
It has been brought to our attention that a lawsuit has been filed against the Canadian Boat to G…
Continue readingwmtc: "abortion saved my life" and other tales of human rights
What does abortion access look like to women who don’t have any? What does it mean to be unable to obtain an abortion when you need one?
The anti-choice movement in the US has succeeded beyond most of our worst nightmares. Although early abortion is …
Continue readingwmtc: former nfl star michael strahan joins the fight for marriage equality
This is reaching whole new levels of awesomeoness. Go go go!
Continue readingwmtc: history repeats itself as toronto censors subversive messages in public art
Did the City of Toronto paint over a mural because a figure in it resembled Stephen Harper? Or was the mural eradicated because it bears an anti-capitalist message? Or perhaps a little of both.
In early June, artist Joel Richardson said the City of T…
Continue readingwmtc: the half-century mark
I was born on June 13, 1961. I’ve been alive on this planet for 50 years today. And I’m pretty fucking happy about it.
In my belief system, we only get one shot. When we die, our bodies go the way of all organic matter, and that’s all there is. Prete…
Continue readingwmtc: more wmtc on brigette depape at the mark
A slightly enhanced version of my recent post about Brigette DePape is running at The Mark: Why Brigette DePape’s Actions Were Heroic.
I had assumed The Mark was inundated with DePape-themed essays, but it turned out they had only run one, and it was …
Continue readingwmtc: books on books, part 3: reading matters: what the research reveals about reading, libraries and community
Nobody reads anymore, or nobody reads anything worth reading.
At least that’s what we’re supposed to believe. These days everyone is too busy playing video games, watching YouTube and texting. Before that, everyone was too busy listening to loud musi…
Continue readingwmtc: why brigette depape’s actions were heroic in my eyes
The barrage of criticism being heaped on former Canadian Senate page Brigette DePape’s lone act of civil disobedience comes as no surprise, nor does the vehemence of some of the attacks. Naysayers range from the garden variety “I agree with her stateme…
Continue readingwmtc: michael moore: canadians need to get in touch with their inner hockey stick
Did you hear Michael Moore has offered our hero Brigette DePape a job? I hope she has many such excellent opportunities coming her way. A young woman with that much courage, poise and determination should have a bright future as a rabble rouser.
Michae…
wmtc: racist bus ad in mississauga, part two: we win!
Remember this?
I wrote about this here.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of my comrade Peter, we were able to organize the requisite five complaints needed to trigger a City review of advertising. And guess what? We won!
Dear Laura Kaminker:
Thank y…
Continue readingwmtc: major league baseball teams say: it gets better
The San Francisco Giants are the first major sports team to make an It Gets Better video in support of LGBT youth and the anti-bullying campaign. The Giants produced the video in response to a request from a long-time fan on Change.org.
Sean Chapin, a…
wmtc: pupdate and other updates
On Victoria Day, we met our friends James, Lori, Cobalt and Denim at Cherry Beach, which has an excellent leash-free dog park area right on Lake Ontario. Getting together at dog parks on stat holidays has become a tradition for our two families, and I…
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