Sophists And Today?
Aaron Sorkin’s television show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip aired in 2006. Already, the show feels somewhat dated and when watching it with our children my husband and I…
history
Conversations with Leigh Robertson and some reflections about making change in the world.
I had a great talk with Leigh Robertson the other day. Our conversation wandered from talking about child labour as a focus for teaching children about the history of the…
11.11: there is no glory in war
Eleven people, on war. * * * * Imprisoned for opposing U.S. involvement in thewar in Europe, Debs ran for President from jail. He garnered 1,000,000 votes, at a time…
what i’m reading: the birth of the pill by jonathan eig
The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution by Jonathan Eig was a fascinating and very readable look at how oral contraceptives — otherwise…
bcgeu 100: six short videos about labour history in the province of bc
I love history — the history of anything that I’m interested in. Music, baseball, science and technology, and of course, the history of people’s movements. Women, peace, civil rights, LGBT…
"at your library" in the north island eagle: awil’gola open house: celebrate first nations communities at the library
On Thursday, October 24, the Port Hardy Library will host Awil’gola Open House, a celebration of local Indigenous cultures. Awil’gola is a Kwak’wala word loosely translated as “in celebration”, “being…
orange shirt day: because reconciliation matters
Get the story at OrangeShirtDay.org.
On the Trail of Ella McLean
As a child growing up in Smoky Lake, I remember my dad, newspaper editor Lorne Taylor, taking me up to the graveyard off Victoria Trail. We pushed through the bushes…
what i’m reading: the nickel boys by colson whitehead
By now wmtc readers, at least those who read my “what i’m reading” posts, know that Colson Whitehead is one of my favourite authors. I was so happy that he…
weekend trip with mom: a few days in the comox valley
I thought it would be fun for my mom to see a different part of Vancouver Island. I didn’t want her going home thinking the whole island is a sparsely…
island day trip with mom: sointula
This week’s day trip with my Mom was the town of Sointula. One of my libraries is located in Sointula, so I’ve been there a couple of times, but had…
frederick douglass, susan b. anthony, and the ridiculous (and dangerous) quest for moral purity
Reading David Blight’s monumental Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, I learned some facts about both Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony that were very unpleasant and, at least in Douglass’…
what i’m reading: frederick douglass, prophet of freedom
My biography reading continues: I finally finished Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by the historian and Douglass scholar David Blight. It is a monumental work, not an easy read, but…
indigenous canada: online course from university of alberta
This is a detail from artwork thatwas used throughout the course. Earlier this year, I studied and completed “Indigenous Canada“, a 12-week MOOC offered by the University of Alberta. It’s…
11 things I loved about "rolling thunder revue: a bob dylan story"
Allan and I have been greatly anticipating “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story”, the new film by Martin Scorsese released this week on Netflix. When “The Last Waltz” opened…
five things you probably don’t know about frederick douglass (and u.s. history)
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, David W. Blight’s monumental biography of that greatest of Americans, is a long, challenging, and utterly fascinating read. After waiting for months to borrow it…
Primitive vs Civilized Societies
As someone born in 1950 and raised and educated in a Eurocentric culture I learned early that civilized societies are intellectually, socially, and technologically superior to primitive societies. This despite…
what i’m reading: jackie robinson: a biography
I finished reading this fine biography a while ago, but I’ve been having trouble writing about it. It was very good. If some parts were a bit too detailed for…
what i’m reading: solitary raven: the essential writings of bill reid
I’m supposed to be writing about the Jackie Robinson biography, which I finished weeks ago, but so far I haven’t been motivated to do so. I finished another Wallander mystery…
walking the walk: if canada is serious about reconciliation, the senate must pass bill c-262
Canadians, contact the Senate. Urge them to work together to pass Private Member’s Bill C-262, “An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United…