My, my, my, they are incorrigible, aren’t they? Recommend this Post
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Politics and its Discontents: Can We, In Good Conscience, Allow This To Continue?
There are, without doubt, many justifications and rationalizations that people have for being willfully ignorant of the larger world around them: work pressures, home stresses, lack of time, lack of sleep, etc., etc. I will readily admit that one of the luxuries of retirement is the gift of time and
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Porter Air, Pension Funds, and Invisible Strikers
Many years ago, in the midst of my teaching career, there was a movement by a group of us to try to get the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to divest itself from Maple Leaf Foods when it was in the process of reducing its workers’ wages in Burlington by about
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Deteriorating Conditions at Walmart
Perhaps the land of low prices and deteriorating conditions could learn something from Costco, which believes in paying its employees a living wage. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: It Certainly Took Him Long Enough
His Mad Face? Seasoned cynic that I am, I can’t help but think that Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair’s denunciation of police misbehaviour is little more than a public relations exercise. Almost three years after the G20 debacle, in which over 1000 people were arrested and a mere handful of
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Cancer, E.I., and Government Hypocrisy
The Faces Of Common Humanity Without doubt, to battle cancer must be a grueling and depleting experience. But to face rebuke and betrayal at the hands of one’s government because of the circumstances of that battle must be almost as traumatic. Such is the almost unbelievable tale of Jane Kittmer,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Dennis Kucinich: US An ‘Orwellian State’
Some refreshing honesty from an American politician – well-worth watching: H/t Disinformation Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Administrative Hypocrisy
I came across this letter in The Hamilton Spectator yesterday. I consider the topic of feckless school administrators, operating without integrity, to be quite appropriate for this blog, given how it is yet another example of corruption and decay that undermines all institutions, perhaps most egregiously our political ones. But
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Message from Noam Chomsky
As usual, Noam Chomsky addresses issues whose existence others refuse to acknowledge. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Kafka, The Toronto Police, and Toronto Community Housing
“Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph K., for without having done anything wrong he was arrested one fine morning.” – The Trial, by Franz Kafka Last evening, I made a brief post which included a quotation from George Orwell’s 1984, linking it to a story from The Guardian
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Score Another One For Orwell
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever. – George Orwell As always, the writer had exceptional clarity about where Western society was headed. H/t Steve Collett Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Two Messages For Tim Hudak
I have a bit of a busy morning ahead, so just a brief post for now. I have written many times about young Tim Hudak, the lad who aspires to become Premier of Ontario through rhetoric that demonizes the public sector, public sector pensions, and unions. Apparently, constructive policy and
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Please Forgive Me
Even though I am a man of mature years, I guess I’m really just a kid at heart. See if you can guess this ad’s real purpose before you get to the ‘end.’ I am putting no tags on this post, so as not to give you any hints. Recommend
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another Face of Integrity
While we are witness to almost daily examples of greed, venality and dishonour (think of Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin, Mac Harb and Patrick Braseau as but a few odious examples) in public life, we don’t often get to see its obverse, personal integrity. That is why I take particular pleasure
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: No Free Ride
I do hope young Tim Hudak enjoys this brief video, directed by Bruce McDonald: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Face of Integrity
With a transcript of the extended interview. H/t Alex Himelfarb Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The War Crimes of Our Political Leaders
Recently I wrote a brief post directing readers to a story written by Chris Hedges. Hedge’s piece, entitled The Crucifixion of Tomas Young, conveyed the very sad story, one that has probably been lived out many times, of a young man, paralyzed in Iraq in 2004, who has made the
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Parsing The Rhetoric
Oh, how I do love it when the rhetoric of the right-wing is exposed for what it is: hysterical hyperbole. Watch Robert Reich first as he punctures the myths regarding the ‘dangers’ of raising the minimum wage: The look at Elizabeth Warren’s take on the same topic: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Egomania, Not Trudeaumania
Checking my Twitter feed this morning, I came upon a link to a story appearing in Sun News, an organization for which I usually refuse to spare the time of day, given its rather robust roster of strident, often hysterical voices desperately seeking to emulate the tone of Fox News.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Patterns
Hmm… do I detect a pattern emerging here and here and maybe here? Just wondering. Recommend this Post
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