I got caught up in a few arguments about climate change recently that just reinforced to me, that there’s still such a strong bashlash against the entire idea that we’re unlikely to move forward quickly enough to be effective. Paper is trees! My school board is fundraising for the Philippines,
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Politics, Re-Spun: More CBC Privatization
The private sector is grinning at the stealth privatization of Hockey Night in Canada. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hockey Night in Canada, privatization version! Yes, the CBC is now in a privatization scheme called a public-private partnership [see below] to continue its mission to dump the most culturally significant
Continue readingCanadian Dimension | Articles: Evaluating Elysium
Science fiction is frequently at the cutting edge of social commentary. From Ursula Le Guin’s 1974 novel The Dispossessed to Neill Blomkamp’s 2009 film District 9, science fiction writers commonly use allegory and dystopian themes to offer powerful critiques of the contemporary world. Blomkamp’s newest film Elysium continues in this
Continue readingBlevkog: Human vs. Nature vs. Human Nature
There’s nothing like nature to provide a clear reminder that all the political scandals in the world are irrelevant in the face of human suffering in the wake of natural disaster. The death toll from Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda is already nearing 2,000, and the official toll is expected to be somewhere in
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: In Appreciation of Vintage Music
I was listening the other day to a song sung by Cliff Edwards, Cheating on Me, recorded from an old 78 RPM single. Scratchy, warbly, and a bit thin, but it comes across beautifully across the gap of time. When you listen for a while, the scratches just disappear into
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again. That children’s nursery rhyme says a lot about the situation Toronto Mayor Rob Ford finds himself in, following the release of police reports, yesterday.
Continue readingBlevkog: It’s Not the End of the World
His mind slid away into the labyrinthine world of doublethink. To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Anti-Intellectualism: The New Elitism
There’s a growing – and disturbing – trend in modern culture: anti-intellectual elitism. The dismissal of art, science, culture, philosophy, of rhetoric and debate, of literature and poetry, and their replacement by entertainment, spectacle, self-righteous self ignorance, and deliberate gullibility. These are usually followed by vituperative ridicule and angry caterwauling
Continue readingThe Misanthropic Bird: Junk Patriotism
Today is our motherland’s birthday. Let us cheer and let us cherish. Please only leave behind your reverence, and take away with you your trash. – Anonymous Netizen, ChinaSmack China’s 64th anniversary flag raising ceremony saw heavy rain drench 110,000 spectators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square Tuesday. But the rain was not
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: 1927: Ads, Layout and Typography
As promised, here are the first 20 scans of the ads from the 1927 North American Almanac I recently mentioned. If there is interest, I’ll do another set later this week. There are probably another 40 or 50 pages of ads in the book. I think these ads give us
Continue readingA Puff of Absurdity: On Celebrating Talent
Convalescing from a wicked cold that’s beating the crap out of me, I watched a trio of movies about amazing musicians: Joe Strummer, Ginger Baker, and Sixto Rodriguez. In the films, other musical geniuses were highlighted along the way. What a delight! But as Ginger, Jack and Eric talked about
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: A Cup of Pu-Erh
It’s dark in the cup, but in the glass pot for brewing, it’s a deep copper. It smells of earth and age, a hint of horses and leather. A rich, slightly sweet and crisp taste. Black, no milk. With milk, it changes to a hot-chocolate light brown, and the flavour
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Robin & Stewart – Our Veterans
Robin & Stewart – Our Veterans Submitted by Robin and Stewart on Mon, 09/23/2013 – 14:40 “Canadian soldiers bravely put themselves in harm’s way, prepared to sacrifice for their country. By some estimates one in five will return with the invisible wounds of PTSD” (War in The Mind). The complexities
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Swimming with Vivaldi
Today, for an hour, I swam with Vivaldi. Not the actual composer, of course. He died in 1741 at the age of 63. Would have made a mess of the pool to dig him up and toss him in. The “red priest,” as he was called (for his red hair),
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Kate, Robin and Stewart’s Challenge To Us All About PTSD
I will be doing regular updates on two events to increase awareness about PTSD, particularly as the Canadian Forces spends too little on treatment of its members and PTSD. Regardless of all the ways we could improve our military or the Canadian government’s often imperialistic foreign policy, the real human
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: A Benchmark for Quality Journalism
Once in a while, but not frequently, someone does something in the media that helps me understand that there is still integrity in journalism. At least in some places. Squeaky clean! Once upon a time, I wrote about Paris Hilton’s post-incarceration image make-over. Sure, that was 6 years ago. And
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Of Type and Typography
Humans have remarkable ability that is shared by – as far as we know – no other animal. We can turn abstract images and symbols into meaning. Words are, of course, the prime example, as old as our history. We can turn a word like dog, tree, table or vacation
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Empire of Illusion and the End of Literacy
I don’t know whether to feel vindicated, delighted, frightened or depressed as I read through Chris Hedges’s book, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle. Much of what he says reflects many of my own observations and opinions. I started reading this book in part
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Men: Never 100% Responsible for Rape?
I have no words, at least I thought I didn’t. It’s bad enough that men rape women, then modern culture shames women for wearing anything but a burlap sack. I do not condone rape or sexual assault, but I think the male teens often so accused are not wholly to
Continue readingCanadian Dimension | Articles: Beats Against Colonialism: A Tribe Called Red
The buzz around Ottawa’s electronic dance music group A Tribe Called Red has spread like wildfire. With sold-out shows as far apart as Austin, Texas, and Brighton, England, the three young men behind A Tribe Called Red are winning fans with each engagement while also opening the door for a
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