I got an advance copy of Gender Failure, by Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon. It’s not quite available in the stores yet, but it’s coming soon and I urge you to get yourself a copy. It’s an extraordinary book. I loved the show Gender Failure so I knew before
Continue readingTag: D. Politics
knitnut.net: Mayor Rob Ford: Way worse than Larry O’Brien
I’ve been riveted by the Rob Ford debacle, but I am conflicted about it. On the one hand, Rob Ford is – and always has been – a repugnant, pugnacious, pig-headed, hypocritical, right-wing bully, so there’s something kind of appealing about watching him self-destruct in such a spectacular way. I
Continue readingknitnut.net: Scandals within scandals!
This has been a crazy week for news in Canada! Scandals within scandals! Between the scandal about the prime minister’s office covering up Conservative Senator Mike Duffy’s expense scandal, the sanitized Senate audit scandal, and the scandalous video of the Mayor of Toronto smoking crack, I’ve been riveted to my
Continue readingknitnut.net: When words turn bad
The other day I was on a conference call and we were discussing which tags and keywords should be included in a collaborative online database. The terms “substance use” and “harm reduction” were both on the list. I suggested we add “addiction.” Some other people on the call said that
Continue readingknitnut.net: Larry O’Brien’s ‘Book Lunch’
This was a present from GC. He took advantage of the special offer on Larry’s publisher’s website: SHIPPING FEE WAVED (sic) FOR THOSE WISHING TO PICK UP AT THE OTTAWA LUNCH (sic).
Continue readingknitnut.net: My visit to the seamy underbelly
At the harbour, outside my hotel So…I went to Vancouver for a whirlwind business trip. I arrived Wednesday afternoon and left Friday morning. I was working most of the time, but I did have two more-or-less free evenings, so I did what I could to cram Vancouver in. I hadn’t
Continue readingknitnut.net: I agree, somewhat, with Tom Flanagan
I have what I know will be a very unpopular opinion about a highly volatile subject. I should probably keep it to myself, but I feel compelled to share it. It’s about Tom Flanagan’s remarks about child pornography. The remarks for which he was roundly lambasted, fired as a CBC
Continue readingknitnut.net: A day in the life
This is what my day looks like so far: 9:00-12:00 – all-staff meeting at work to do a SWOT analysis of the organization (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) 2:00-3:30 – Conference Call 3:30 – meeting with funder 5:30-6:30 – House of Commons to watch Bill C-279 being debated. That’s the
Continue readingknitnut.net: I was wrong
I’m outraged that Rona Ambrose, Minister of State for the Status of Women in Canada, voted to re-open the abortion debate. The legal right to choose if and when to have children is absolutely fundamental to women’s rights, and I find it appalling that there’s an anti-feminist in charge at
Continue readingknitnut.net: Happy Canada Day, Stephen Harper. Here’s 59 cents.
It’s hard to look at yourself objectively, but rightly or wrongly, I’ve always thought of Canadians as peaceful, fair, decent, thoughtful and compassionate people who respect diversity, care about social justice and try to do the right thing. Oh sure, there are plenty of exceptions, and we’ve had our
Continue readingknitnut.net: Safe injection sites: Treating people with addictions like they matter
Last October, the Supreme Court ruled that Insite, Vancouver’s safe injection site, could stay open despite the Harper Government’s objections. The arguments hinged on whether addiction was primarily a health issue or a crime issue. If it were a health matter it would fall under provincial jurisdiction; if it were
Continue readingknitnut.net: I’m starting to wish I hadn’t joined the NDP
I can hardly wait until March 24th when all the NDP leadership candidates stop compaigning for my vote. My phone has been ringing off the hook with recorded messages from different candidates and their various supporters, telling me why I should vote for them, or inviting me to participate in
Continue readingknitnut.net: Last chance to join
I’ve pretty much always voted NDP, but now I’m an official card-carrying member. I signed up last week so I can help choose the next leader of the Official Opposition and the first New Democratic Prime Minister of Canada. Woohoo! There are a number of impressive candidates running for Leader
Continue readingknitnut.net: I love public outrage
Sometimes I feel bad about how hard it is to change the world. It seems that change for the worse happens so much more quickly and easily than change for the better. It feels like we’re fighting a losing battle, because all the power and money is concentrated on the
Continue readingknitnut.net: The politically (and otherwise) incorrect former mayor
I see Larry O’Brien has apologized. At the official unveiling of his portrait at City Hall last night, he told a reporter he was sorry about the racial slur. Instead of saying “The Spics are getting too much air time,” he says he should have said the Latinos were asking
Continue readingknitnut.net: Larry O’Brien steps in it again
Our former mayor, Larry O’Brien, has managed to publicly disgrace himself once again. This time it was by being openly racist on his public Twitter account. David Reevely, of the Ottawa Citizen, blogged the details, including the follow-up exchange with O’Brien. Now Larry has blogged about it, giving himself a
Continue readingknitnut.net: Salvation Army goes on strike
Sixty unionized workers at the Salvation Army Booth Centre went on strike at 3:00 pm today. The Booth Centre provides emergency shelter and food to homeless men in Ottawa. PSAC Local 73100 members are demanding a wage increase which would bring them up to parity with their counterparts at the
Continue readingknitnut.net: Larry O’Brien endorses Ron Paul
Larry O’Brien has declared Ron Paul as his hope for President of the United States. He likes his economic policies, which include immediately balancing the budget while eliminating the Federal Reserve and abolishing income taxes! You’d think Larry might have learned from his own failed attempts at budgeting that some
Continue readingknitnut.net: Sometimes I miss Larry O’Brien
The main drawback of Jim Watson being elected mayor of Ottawa is that we don’t have Larry O’Brien to kick around anymore. He was such an irresistible target. I don’t know if it was his colossal ego coupled with his little wee brain, or his ludicrously macho approach to life, or his absolute willingness to […]
Continue readingknitnut.net: Happy Birthday to Me!
Here are a few things you can do to celebrate my birthday today!
The Fabric Flea Market – at the Glebe Community Centre from 10:00 to 2:00. All proceeds go to Cambridge Public School. Admission $2. Lots of bargains on fabric, yarn, patterns, buttons and other needlework supplies.
Grand opening of the Daily Grind Art […]
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