…….. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20….. Do you know what this is? It is a count of the amount of days since my last job interview. A count that is used to monitor a continued hope that employment in my field or a career of some sort will be attainable under the current economy.
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Montreal Simon: The Terrorist Bill and the October Nightmare
Sometimes I can't help feeling that a lot of Canadians have forgotten the fundamental lesson of the War Measures Act.And that is, it wasn't Pierre Trudeau's finest hour, it was his darkest.It was an October nightmare, that led to the arrests of hundreds of innocent people. It wasn't needed to ensure
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Richie Havens and the Freedom Song
When I lived in the McGill Student Ghetto, I was told that Richie Havens once lived in the building next door.Either shortly before or after Woodstock, when he fell in love with a woman who worked at Eaton's. Or so the legend went.And when I sat on my small rickety
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Let’s do Some Gun Control!
If we are all over regulating women’s bodies, I’m thinking guns should not be a frakking problem. What if gun rights were regulated like abortion rights? Here’s a list of just some of the hoops you’d have to jump through before you could own a gun: Only one store
Continue readingThings Are Good: Canadians Want Science to be Free
Scientists in Canada have come under attack and censorship under the federal Conservative government and Canadians want that to change. Science Uncensored is a new organization focused on ensuring that research funded by the government is freely available to Canadians and that the government stop censoring research results. In the
Continue readingThings Are Good: Get Rid of Stuff, Do What You Love
Often we hear that spending on experiences make for a happier life than buying into consumerism. In concept it sounds great, but many people think that it’s hard to rejig their life to be focused on doing things rather than consuming things. This TED talk is about breaking free of
Continue readingThings Are Good: Open-Access Science Growing in Reach
Many academic journals charge a subscription fee that is out of reach for the common person, which means that independent researchers and students are at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing information. Elementa aims to make research about the anthropocene era we’re in freely accessible for everyone. Elementa follows
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Reflections on democracy
There is a global war on democracy underway, and if it is not addressed, our future will be bleak. But let us start with the ground work of democracy, and follow from there. Simple majority rule is accurately described as the tyranny of the majority; hence the need for constitutional
Continue readingWalking Turcot Yards: Don’t Fence Me In
Been thinking about the people in Fort Chipewan today, and everyone who lives in Northern Alberta near the Tar Sands. Stumbled on this song and thought it seemed like a pretty good way of positively saying no to all the powers that are destroying everything in the name of greed.
Continue readingThings Are Good: The Ideal 25 Hour Work Week
The currently popular 40 hour work week is a fairly modern notion and it’s thanks to unions that we don’t have something like an 80 hour work week. Times have changed and now scientists in the field of biodemography have suggested that a 25 hour work week is optimal. It
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Robbie Burns and the Rebel Voice
Well today was Robbie Burns Day, the most sacred day of the Old Scottish Calendar.And no doubt all over the world the Tartan Army was drinking heavily, and eating the horrible haggis.But not me eh?Because although I'm extremely proud of my Scottish heritage, I don't drink, I don't touch the
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Obama and the Shrinking of Stephen Harper
What a fairy tale day it was. What an awesome spectacle of democracy. What a great day to be a progressive.A black President on Martin Luther King Day standing up for freedom, justice, and equality.A solemn President Barack Obama took the oath of office for the second time in as
Continue readingThings Are Good: Marijuana Decriminalization Lowers Youth Crime Rate
Marijuana has been recently decriminalized in a few states in the USA, and based off of data from California the overall rate of youth arrests will drop dramatically. This is good news because now so many young lives won’t be destroyed for participating in using a drug that has negligible health effects (way less than […]
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Go Back To Sleep America, At Your Own Peril
I never reprint other people’s writings, no matter how good – but I will make an exception for this. This article is a true must-read. Please, take the time to read it. Then act. Good morning America. It’s time for a new day. Kudos and warm thanks to Jill Dalton
Continue readingThings Are Good: LA Bans Puppy Mills; Pet Stores to Sell Only Rescued Animals
LA joins quite a few other cities in North America to ban the sale of animals from puppy mills. Puppy mills are horrible breeding facilities focused on profit at the expense of animal welfare and many people buying a pet don’t realize that pet stores get their puppies from such
Continue reading350 or bust: Saturday At The Movies
This gets my standing ovation: the most honest 3 1/2 minutes of television.
Continue readingThings Are Good: In New York City Gay Marriage is Worth $259 Million
You read that correctly, a $259 million (USD) boom in New York City’s economy is thanks to respecting human rights! Changing the law to reflect reality and letting homosexuals marry one another has generated some needed economic growth for the local economy. All of this in just one year! “Marriage
Continue readingLeft Over: Take a little Time out of Your Busy Schedule……
Romeo Dallaire, possible the only ex-Armed Forces biggie I could ever have any respect for, is sponsoring this petition to bring Omar Khadr home…it’s well past time for this to happen, and as usual, the CRAPs are acting as though the issue didn’t exist, because it doesn’t suit their agenda
Continue readingThings Are Good: Mobile Devices for Development
The use of mobiles in development is nothing new; however, it’s always good to remind ourselves how useful this technology can be. Mashable has a list of five reasons mobile devices are good for international development (and in developed nations too). 4. Preserving the Rainforest Brazil’s Surui tribe, a group
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