I sometimes think, in my more cynical and dark moments, that our species really has not evolved very much beyond our tribal roots. Examine our collective deportment today, and it is easy to draw the same conclusion that Khan observes in the following clip from the original Star Trek series:
Continue readingAuthor: Lorne
Politics and its Discontents: 1984 Redux: Moms For Liberty
You have perhaps heard of the Orwellian-named group, Moms For Liberty, whose main mission seems to be to ensconce themselves on school boards so they can restrict the books children have access to. But there is apparently another component to their mission, that of ‘saving’ the white race from extinction.The
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Is It Brinkmanship?
H/t Moudakis One has to wonder, given the lack of any real movement on a national pharmacare program, whether Justin Trudeau is gambling on Jagmeet Singh’s NDP being more afraid of an early election than are the Liberals. Given that the polls show an almost inexplicable lead by PP’s
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Politics Of School Boards
Having worked as a teacher for 30 years, I am well-aware of the politics that pervades and blights education. The higher one goes up the ladder, the more one is concerned about damage control. Since I was a mere peon, i.e. a classroom teacher, I had little tolerance for such
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Walk In The Country
One of the pleasures of my retired life is going out for long walks with former colleagues. Having taught at the same school, we have known each other for many years and, dare I say, we are all fairly well-read and attentive to the events that unfold in our world.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Warning Signs Are All There
There are many reasons that can be adduced for the declining health of democracy: widespread disaffection from the political process; pervasive anger among citizens; the disproportionate influence of social media; economic inequality and inequity, widespread ignorance and mental laziness, scrambling endlessly to provide food and shelter for one’s family, etc.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Shiny New Things
Despite our professed admiration for things that have withstood the test of time (heritage buildings, old literature and traditional values come to mind), it is undeniable that there is much allure to be found in the new as well. We marvel at innovative architecture, science and engineering, to name
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Such Elequence!
This took place at a school board meeting in Virginia. The rest is self-explanatory. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: I’m Getting Tired
The woes of the world are wearing me down. I therefore choose to change channels completely today and focus on comedy, one of the few escapes this world permits almost everyone. There are five comedians whose work I have revered for many years. At the top of the pantheon is
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: If You Are Of A Certain Age
… you will get this, the latest from Moudakis. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: About That Free Speech Thing
Increasingly, it seems that free speech and freedom of expression are contingent upon whether the powers that be approve of your views. Recent events surrounding the Israel-Gaza war underscore that reality. Close to home, Humber College has expressed ‘regret’ over a recent incident where a student was removed from campus for
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Repost: Sometimes, All You Can Do Is Feed The Birds
Let’s face it: life is grim these days, the Israeli-Hamas war but another reminder of our collective inhumanity, not just in the perpetration of evil acts of destruction but also in the very debate about whether a ceasefire in the killing of Gazans should be considered. with over 10,000 Palestinians
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Nearer My God To Thee
As the Benighted States of Amerika lurches ever-closer to a full-blown theocracy with the election of Mike Johnson as House Speaker, a timely reminder: be careful what you wish for: Amen. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Powerful Political Leadership
As the war between Israel and Gaza rages on, it is almost too painful to watch the devastation that the former is inflicting on the latter. I have always been steadfast in my view that criticism of Israel, which is clearly warranted in its ongoing retaliation for the horrible Hamas
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Two Seasonal Reminders
I guess we never really outgrow Halloween, especially when the auguries spell something scary for Doug Ford. And editorial cartoonists are certainly trying to put the fear of God into the premier: H/t Theo Moudakis Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Sunday Thought
With the NDP imploding under the weight of idealists and ideologues, and with some calling for the resignation of Marit Stiles, the following editorial cartoon seems to hit its target: The only possible victor emerging from this debacle, in my view, will be the Ontario Liberals, especially if they choose Bonnie
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Not A Team Player
I have never been much of a joiner. I never really participated in team sports, committees (unless I had no choice), or group endeavours. There is something about the passionate intensity of such pursuits that has always left me cold. And, of course, history teaches us a great deal
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Unpalatable Truth
The Israeli-Gaza war is heart-breaking, so much so that I find I cannot look at imagery of the dead on both sides. The Hamas attack on Israel was horrific, but so is the Israeli retaliation, clearly breaking international law by targeting civilians in Gaza. What is little known and
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: In All Humility
This is all we can really say: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Real Thinking Requires Hard Work
I have thus far refrained from writing anything about the atrocities taking place in The Middle East. I have nothing constructive to add to the debate. However, I can’t help but make an observation and reproduce the thoughts of another writer, who I will get to in a moment. First,
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