what i’m reading: pro: reclaiming abortion rights by katha pollitt
Katha Pollitt’s new book, Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights, is a powerful gust of fresh, clean air that blows away the toxic stench of the current discourse about abortion. Pro is…
laura k
in which my annual noncelebration of christmas causes my jewish cultural roots to reappear, a tiny bit
Two years ago, wmtc’s annual “i hate christmas” post declared: “i hate christmas is slightly less hateful this year“. Working in the library, as opposed to an office environment, I…
u.s. war resister corey glass speaks out from europe
Corey Glass, war resister from Canada by way of Indiana, speaks out from his travels in Europe in the current issue of NOW. I’m not going to bother to tell…
what i’m reading: lost memory of skin by russell banks
Lost Memory of Skin, Russell Banks’ 2011 novel, begins with an impossible paradox. A group of men are living in an encampment under a highway. It is, in fact, the…
bobby keys, 1943-2014
Terrible news for the music world this week, and for the world of unabashed, unrepentant, hard partying rock-and-roll. I have loved Bobby Keys for as long as I’ve known of…
athletes in solidarity against unpunished police abuse crimes murder
Derrick Rose Reggie Bush Davin Joseph Eric Garner
10 reasons you should participate in write for rights on wednesday, december 10
This Wednesday, December 10, is Human Rights Day. The date was chosen to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, the first document…
#strikefastfood: low-wage workers in 150 cities will strike today
Two years ago, fast-food workers in New York City held a one-day strike. In that historic action, the result of months and even years of organizing, about 200 workers walked…
rtod: this changes everything
Revolutionary thought of the day: All of this is why any attempt to rise to the climate challenge will be fruitless unless it is understood as part of a much…
what i’m reading: this changes everything by naomi klein, one of the most important books you’ll ever read
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate, by Naomi Klein, is incredibly difficult to write about. I’ve been putting sticky notes beside important paragraphs as I read, and my copy…
#walmartstrikers + international buy nothing day = don’t shop at walmart
I don’t know when people starting calling the day after US Thanksgiving “Black Friday,” but the expression has become synonymous with over-consumption, empty consumer culture, and the bizarre importance assigned…
what i’m reading: swamplandia! by karen russell
Swamplandia! caught me by surprise. At first, Karen Russell’s debut novel seemed like a quirky family story, a strange and somewhat sad tale told with great wit and humour. Then…
when sexual assault goes public: #beenrapedneverreported and the presumption of innocence
The revelations about Jian Ghomeshi hit my Facebook feed in waves. First many friends were shocked by CBC’s announcement that they were “severing their relationship” with the longtime and very…
write a letter, save a life: sign up now for write for rights
For the past few years, I have participated in Write For Rights, Amnesty International’s annual write-a-thon for human rights – actually the largest human rights event in the world (Canada;…
e.u. advocate general ruling strongly supports claim of war resister andré shepherd
The fight for justice for US war resisters took a major step forward yesterday, with a ruling strongly in favour of war resister André Shepherd. In the legal case of…
11.11: honour the dead by committing to peace
Robert Fisk, in The Independent: But as the years passed, old Bill Fisk became very ruminative about the Great War. He learned that Haig had lied, that he himself had…
dispatches from the community of readers’ advisors: r.a. in a day 2014
Last week I attended “R.A. in a Day,” an annual one-day mini-conference on readers’ advisory – that is, finding books for readers. It happens that the manager of my own…
garth hudson returns to big pink
This week, Columbia Records released The Basement Tapes Complete, six CDs of music made by Bob Dylan and The Band at the house they lived in – the legendary Big…
towards a cruelty-free face: switching to products not tested on animals
I’ve begun changing my personal care products to cruelty-free: natural products from companies that are better for the environment and don’t test on animals. I’m not sure how far I’ll…
rtod
Revolutionary thought of the day: Hunger isn’t about the amount of food around. It’s about being able to afford and control that food. After all, the U.S. has more food…