Sometimes sweet justice prevails. Watch this video from Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman to see how.Recommend this Post
Continue readingAuthor: Lorne
Politics and its Discontents: Reasons To Occupy Toronto
There are many Canadians, most prominently Prime Minister Harper, who dismiss the Occupy Movement as having little or no relevance for Canadians. In a column specifically directed toward the young, but of significance to all progressives, The Star’s H…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another Excellent Column From Rick Salutin
As I have written elsewhere, in my view there are few Canadian columnists who can match or exceed the depth and range of intellect consistently reflected in the work of The Star’s Rick Salutin. In today’s piece, entitled Drawing inspiration from the …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: David Sweet’s Video Appearance
While Conservative M.P. David Sweet is coming under criticism after his appearance in a video honouring James Hubley, a gay teen who was bullied before his suicide, I have a different interpretation of his participation which I am sure many will disagr…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What Media Pundits Don’t Understand
Robert Hackett, a professor in the school of communication at Simon Fraser University and a research associate at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ B.C. Office, has written an incisive article on the failure of media pundits to understand …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Capitalism Tries To Turn Occupy Wall Street Into A Commercial Venture
In what can only be regarded as a perversion of the Occupy Movement, a couple in Long Island, New York has paid a $975 patent application fee to turn the phrase “Occupy Wall Street” into a brand for a line of coffee mugs, T-shirts, bumper stickers …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Chris Hedges Discusses OWS On Charlie Rose
Just back from my hiatus, I found a very recent Charlie Rose interview with the always articulate Chris Hedges and Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. It is well-worth watching as a primer for both the Occupy Movement and the corporate dominance that has tu…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: And Now For A Pause
Be back soon.Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Latest From Chris Hedges
For those who have not yet read Chris Hedges’ Death of the Liberal Class, his latest essay on truthdig, entitled A Movement Too Big to Fail, is must-reading.Using the thesis from his book, namely that the members and institutions of the traditional lib…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Latest Threat To Financial Stability? Canadian Obstructionism
While we reflect on the concepts brought forth by the Occupy movement, namely that the many are ill-served by the control exerted by the few, we should also consider the role that our own government is playing in the world. I have written extensively …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: John Steinbeck and the Occupy Wall Street Movement
In my days as a high school English teacher, one of my favourite books to teach was John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, the story of dispossessed farmers who, due to drought and economic factors, are forced to leave their land behind and travel to Califo…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Occupy Toronto
Well, I had the opportunity to attend the Occupy Toronto march to St. James Park, and I was impressed by the age range of those in attendance, as well as the calm orderliness that prevailed. I really hope the movement, as it spreads throughout the wo…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: CBC Apologizes Privately for O’Leary
The following has been reported in The Globe with regard to Kevin O’Leary’s boorish and abusive recent interview with Chris Hedges:CBC’s ombudsman says Kevin O’Leary’s heated remarks during an interview with author Chris Hedges violated the publi…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Pop Quiz: Can You Detect The Bias In This News Report?
Hint: it’s from a Fox affiliate.Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Funny, But True
Enjoy this satire that really isn’t a satire about the 1%:Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Victory For The Occupy Wall Street Movement
With the world watching, and over 300,000 names on a petition to stop it, the planned ‘cleanup’ of Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza Park, has been halted. The cleanup, which had been ordered by Mayor Bloomberg and was to have involved the …
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: What the Occupy Movement Means for Canada
There is a surprisingly good article (but only online, I think) in the Globe and Mail by an economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Armine Yalnizyan, who offers an interesting assessment of the Occupation Movement.These are a few of…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Mississauga Bans Shark Fin Products
Say what you will about Mississauga and their errant mayor, but on Wednesday its municipal council did the right thing. Despite those who urged caution, the council voted to implement a ban on the possession and sale of shark fin products, now joining…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Truth About The Garda Screeners’ Dispute At Pearson Airport
While the mainstream media has uniformly reported that the job action delaying so many passengers recently at Pearson International is over scheduling conflicts, to my knowledge only one source has actually reported the nature of that conflict.The Toro…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Gerald Caplan Writes on The Occupy Wall Street Movement
In an online article entitled This is what democracy looks like: Occupying Wall Street and Bay Street, Gerald Caplan and Amanda Gryzyb discuss why the occupation movement is a healthy expression of the people, and address some of the inequities that wi…
Continue reading