Discussion and debate about health care is a staple in Canadian politics and the culture at large. The adjective most often applied to the system is used so frequently, it…
Photo: Ignacio YuferaI've learned that the image of a macaque monkey that I posted was not the kind of monkey that is being illegally trafficked in Canada. That image was…
Photo: Ignacio YuferaAn activist friend alerted me to this a while back. I wasn't able to focus on it -- ironically, because it's something I care so deeply about. Animal…
This post says nothing new or original or the slightest bit interesting. I just want to preserve what I've been posting on Facebook* over the last week.I'm going in order…
Revolutionary thought of the day: "What makes it possible for a totalitarian or any other dictatorship to rule is that people are not informed; how can you have an opinion…
image: self-righteousness and left activismYesterday I wrote about, among other things, why Americans should vote Democrat despite their very obvious shortcomings, blindspots, corrupt partisanship, militarism, support for the Israeli apartheid…
I rarely -- almost never -- write about politics anymore, either Canadian or US. But of course the upcoming US election is weighing heavily on my mind, as it surely…
I haven't written one of these silly personal posts in a while, and things are piling up. As I always say, I write this blog for myself, and I have…
This started out as a "things i heard at the library" post, but it got too complicated. Instead, it's a story about my life as the manager of a public…
current/international editionThe Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee is a masterpiece. It is truly one of the best works of narrative nonfiction…
I knew these books would break my heart. I chose three books from my List, all on the same topic: How to Kill a City: Gentrification, Inequality, and the Fight…
When I first heard about Julia, Sandra Newman's retelling of George Orwell's 1984 from Julia's perspective, I wasn't sure I would read it. Orwell is one of my very top…
Image: Ricardo Levins MoralesLast year, I created and led a labour book club through my union, the BCGEU. I navigated my way through multitudes of obstacles to make this happen,…
This week I learned that a friend and comrade from my Toronto days has died: Lee Zaslofksy. Lee was a leader in the War Resisters Support Campaign, supporting men and…
Here's a question for progressive folks following the US election campaign: Why do you call Kamala Harris "Kamala" and call Tim Walz "Walz"?* * * * A long time ago,…
Jim Thorpe was one of my fascinations as a child and teen. I spent a lot of time watching old movies on TV, and one day stumbled on "Jim Thorpe:…
I'm filling in for frontline staff on a break. A customer approaches.Customer: I put a book on hold. Is it here?Me: Did you receive a notice that it is in?Customer:…
Among the many recent titles published about racism, Clint Smith's How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America is probably the most meaningful and…
This is why I keep a running book list that is decades long. For more than 15 years, my list has included this note.The Red Parts - Maggie Nelson -…
Bluefin TunaYesterday morning we packed up, drove to one of the big drugstore chains, and bought a soft cooler case and ice. The leftovers from Asadero were just too good…
