tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94143442024-02-20T18:27:09.452-05:00The Anarchist"But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin."
--Aldous HuxleyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-35287478704445090772016-08-12T10:05:00.004-04:002016-08-12T10:05:36.010-04:00ANNOUNCING ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH LEADERS IN CANADAHello
One of the most extraordinary youth programs in the world will embark on another fantastic journey with 242 youth leaders from around the globe. Through the generosity of the Government of Japan, 12 Canadian youth (11 participants and one National Leader) will be selected to participate in the 2017 sailing of the Japanese ship, the Fuji Maru, for the once-in-a-lifetime experience known as The Next Generation Global Leaders Program “The Ship for World Youth Leaders” (previously known as The Ship for World Youth).
The Next Generation Global Leaders Program “The Ship for World Youth Leaders” serves as a unique cross-cultural exchange program that aims to provide participating youth with the opportunity to enhance the leadership and management skills necessary to excel in an increasingly globalized world. Onboard, delegates will be engaging in a series of expert-led seminars, participant-led workshops and cultural activities.
This unique cross-cultural program will travel by cruise ship from Japan to Fiji and New Zealand, and takes place from January to March, 2017.
Participating countries for SWY 2017 are: Federative Republic of Brazil, Canada, Republic of Costa Rica, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Fiji, India, Japan, Republic of Kenya, New Zealand, Kingdom of Tonga, Ukraine
The Canadian Ship for World Youth Alumni Association is organizing the recruitment. Please note that English is the working language of the program. Applicants must be between the ages of:
18 and 30 for Participating youth (as of April 1st, 2016) (Deadline 1 September, 2016)
30 and 39* for National Leader (Deadline 15 August, 2016)
INFORMATION SESSION in TORONTO - JULY 31st
TIME: 12-1:30pm, July 31st, 2016
LOCATION: CSI Regent Park - 585 Dundas St East, Toronto - 3rd Floor - Meeting Room 1
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/1744146349131664/
INFO SESSION CONTACT: SUN 647-262-5836 - sun@therealsun.com
INFORMATION SESSION in OTTAWA - AUGUST 5th
TIME: 5:30-6:30pm, August 5th, 2016
LOCATION:Information and Culture Centre, Embassy of Japan in Canada - 255 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9E6
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/662335263914179/
INFO SESSION CONTACT: MIKE 905-730-0422 - michaellafleur1@gmail.com
*** For security purposes at Embassy, those interested in Hamilton Session are asked to register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ship-for-world-youth-information-session-tickets-26594447709
These information sessions are open to potential candidates interested in applying to the Next Generation Global Leaders Progam, "The Ship for World Youth Leaders" (SWY). Alumni from previous batches of SWY will be hosting the information session, providing background, sharing their experiences of being on the ship, and other information you will need to know to about about applying to the program, and to answer any questions you may have about the program to help better prepare you for your application!
Application forms, deadlines, Info Sessions and other pertinent information are available by visiting:
http://www.swycanada.org
https://www.facebook.com/SWYCAN/
https://twitter.com/swycanada
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Pinchevsky – SWYAA Canada President
Email: info@swycanada.org
Tel.: +1-5145022355Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-22228739187295434192014-04-17T09:41:00.000-04:002014-04-17T09:42:37.005-04:00A Eulogy for a Man I did not Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfkWbmSH9i1uBfawhUmUckY3Msx9x5Z3enCZPzf22MJfCJhR6TO3V3hBeqaCEn2dpcI26RwbKbO3VHIX-RkG-DFbmSc1_Dag5aTmVXn52nToruEohNkZ9QDRx7pWyjB0u6bVrNA/s1600/1538867_10203634887411342_4215664713212190240_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfkWbmSH9i1uBfawhUmUckY3Msx9x5Z3enCZPzf22MJfCJhR6TO3V3hBeqaCEn2dpcI26RwbKbO3VHIX-RkG-DFbmSc1_Dag5aTmVXn52nToruEohNkZ9QDRx7pWyjB0u6bVrNA/s320/1538867_10203634887411342_4215664713212190240_n.jpg" /></a></div>
The passing of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crad_Kilodney">Crad Kilodney</a> gave me pause to recall Toronto in the mid 1980s. He was a regular on Yonge Street when I worked at Charles and Bloor in Mr. Gameways Ark. I'd often pass by him while he smoked his pipe and carried a sign around his neck with some strange and interesting epithet on it. This was a time in my life where I desperately wanted to be "normal" (whatever that means). I grew up in some relatively challenging circumstances. Of course millions of people have it much worse than I did, but it did feel different than other youth in my immediate vicinity; and I didn't understand where many people were coming from. I had no concept of home ownership. I didn't really grasp the experiences of other people who had family members around them to support them (I just had my mum, who though very supportive, had a full plate). I always felt uncertain in the world. Of course many many 15-year-olds feel that way; but looking back on it, I'd still argue that being a mixed race kid in Toronto in the 80s, raised by a single immigrant mother living in subsidized apartment buildings wasn't the usual for Toronto, and especially not downtown Toronto. I think it was made odder by the fact that my mother had a university education and always expected—not demanded, but expected—me to go to university also. Perhaps in the more contemporary, postmodern, world we now inhabit this isn't at all strange. Nevertheless, I rarely felt anything other than an oddball growing up and I think this led to my overwhelming desire to have a life that more closely echoed the apparent lives of my peers. Now that I'm very firmly in middle age I sometimes wonder how my life would have been different if I'd had the courage to embrace my difference and do something completely original. The courage to be an outsider. I think this is the life that Crad chose. I never really knew the man, but it strikes me as a heroic decision to sell your own self-published writing to people on the street like a literary busker. In a way, he was the original blogger—except unlike a lot of the music, photography, and text today which is infinitely and perfectly duplicable, his work was finite and tangible. Rare items are now a rarity. Wikipedia says that material he created is now quite difficult to find. Kind of refreshing don't you think?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-78349433562905046472014-01-28T13:28:00.005-05:002020-10-11T10:47:50.959-04:00My Concerns with Bell's Mental Health CampaignThis was written as a "concise" Facebook post. It's just long enough to be considered rambling but too short to be considered comprehensive. It was also written with practically no editing or re-writing. For all its faults, I'm happy to share it.
<blockquote>So I find it difficult to concisely express my concerns but I'll try. One, is all the issues that you've all already expressed. It's goodwill marketing and Bell gets credit for it. The other, more important, critique is that the campaign is really about reducing the stigma of mental "illness" which is constructed as a biological impairment. With regards to stigma, it's so much less threatening to say it like that then to say discrimination, which is what it really is and is defined as such in the Ontario Human Rights Code. As for "biological impairment" it does not recognize that a) there is a great deal of neuro-diversity and not everyone agrees that there is a problem that needs to be fixed. It's possible for people to be proud that they are different—often troublesome and weird, but not necessarily in need of fixing. b) it fails to acknowledge the social conditions create mental distress. Poor or inadequate housing. Low income. Lack of supports for children and seniors. Fixing all these social ills would make a huge difference in many people's mental statuses. c) finally, it doesn't complicate the social construction of "illness". Mental illness is, in particular, subject to the vagaries of social norms. Not that long ago, being lesbian or gay was diagnosable. There are still sex acts that are part of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Drapetomania was never in the DSM but was a diagnosis of the uncontrollable desire of slaves to escape their masters; and of course, the psychiatric imprisonments of political dissidents in the USSR, are well known. So so much of diagnosis has to do with social control of some kind. Sometimes, it's very overt like the USSR example, and sometimes it's more under the radar as in the case of diagnoses like Borderline Personality Disorder, which is often code for troublemaker and stigmatizes things like female promiscuity (men of course can't be promiscuous). Whew. I could keep going but lets leave it at that for now.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-12338233488235128292011-08-10T13:50:00.000-04:002011-08-10T13:50:02.371-04:00Looking for PartnersHello,<br />
<br />
I am the course instructor for Foundations of Social Work Research (SOWK 3070) this coming Fall at York University.<br />
<br />
Part of the course involves connecting with community agencies and carrying out research projects that would be useful to them. In the past, agencies have asked for program evaluations, needs assessments, or the answers to other questions that furthered the agency's mission. Projects usually involve some literature search and the collection of some data. I am writing to ask you if you would be interested in participating.<br />
<br />
You would need to have a question/problem that a group of 6-8 social work students could work on over a semester. You would also need to commit to attending the first class, to discuss your project, and last class (for presentations) as well as meeting with the students separately at least once and answering questions, as they come up, by email. You may even have two different questions/problems that you'd like a pair of student groups to work on and that certainly can be accommodated.<br />
<br />
The classes begin on Sept 7 and are held in the evenings from 7-10pm. The final class is on Nov 30.<br />
<br />
If you are interested, please let me know asap and I'd be happy to discuss it further. Alternatively, if you know of any social service/social justice agencies that might be interested, please pass this message along to them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-74582750256183689892011-07-04T09:47:00.001-04:002011-07-04T09:47:22.755-04:00Or maybe that's their pointOK. Fair enough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-49983922996019153942011-07-04T09:29:00.000-04:002011-07-04T09:29:28.292-04:00Ford at the CottageI kind of roll my eyes at the constant references to how far out of their way some politicians came to show up for pride. Ford's absence has nothing to do with distance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-81155476849649000162011-06-11T16:05:00.002-04:002011-06-11T16:05:37.495-04:00Research Measurement<div class="pencast"><a href="http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=78KKfPkKm2Vt" target="_blank">Printable Notepad 3 pp. 20~21</a><br /><small>brought to you by <a href="http://www.livescribe.com/" target="_blank">Livescribe</a></small><br /><object width="228" height="316"><param name="movie" value="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A9A2416000001305FD410F9370F69B7&embedversion=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf?path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A9A2416000001305FD410F9370F69B7&embedversion=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="228" height="316"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-13742969953686120632011-06-11T15:16:00.000-04:002011-06-11T15:16:22.549-04:00Research Designs<div class="pencast"><a href="http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=hXJJNTn0NxnZ" target="_blank">Printable Notepad 3 pp. 17~19</a><br /><small>brought to you by <a href="http://www.livescribe.com/" target="_blank">Livescribe</a></small><br /><object width="228" height="316"><param name="movie" value="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011600003A9BE216000001305FE4A81C50290F6D&embedversion=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf?path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011600003A9BE216000001305FE4A81C50290F6D&embedversion=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="228" height="316"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-61246913444330229482011-06-11T13:52:00.000-04:002011-06-11T13:52:18.919-04:00The Research Process<div class="pencast"><a href="http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=Xp5vdCxQFfg0" target="_blank">The Research Process</a><br /><small>brought to you by <a href="http://www.livescribe.com/" target="_blank">Livescribe</a></small><br /><object width="228" height="316"><param name="movie" value="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A99AA15000001305FD54D06372CC457&embedversion=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf?path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A99AA15000001305FD54D06372CC457&embedversion=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="228" height="316"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-29341750045440474862011-05-10T21:41:00.000-04:002011-05-10T21:41:13.461-04:00Pencast<div class="pencast"><a href="http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=CPgMWgZJxRsF" target="_blank">Teaching Plans</a><br />
<small>brought to you by <a href="http://www.livescribe.com/" target="_blank">Livescribe</a></small><br />
<object height="316" width="228"><param name="movie" value="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A9BC8230000012F980232AA0D4287D8&embedversion=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.livescribe.com/media/swf/embedPlayer.swf?path=http%3A//www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/flashXML%3Fxml%3D0000C0A8011500003A9BC8230000012F980232AA0D4287D8&embedversion=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="228" height="316"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-83229405847525817802011-05-04T21:06:00.000-04:002011-05-04T21:06:31.201-04:00Grover or Yoda?<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CvUKDgt7lXw?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-65917262728181887902010-12-25T23:48:00.002-05:002010-12-25T23:52:51.907-05:00Christmas with KidsA asked Santa for a Nintendo DS for Christmas which would be fine if it didn't cost about 100$. When she was making her list I said that she should put a second choice in case Santa couldn't make a DS. She put a slinky. When she got the slinky Christmas morning she said, "at least Santa got me something better than a DS". She's really good at making herself feel better.<p>It somehow made it worse when she was playing in the car with a set of pens she received and she yelled with apparent genuine happiness, "yay, they're non-toxic". Ugh.</p><p>F asked for a Buzz Lightyear and I got him the medium priced one. You press a button and it says stuff but that's pretty much it. When Finn asked after a few minutes, is that all it does, I did feel somewhat wishful that I'd sprung for the fancy feature rich version.</p><p>I'm well aware that this is how we as parents are manipulated into a life of consumerism but it's pretty hard not to feel a bit of guilt.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-76099701280746019172010-10-20T12:55:00.003-04:002010-10-20T12:58:56.065-04:00Bulletin from C/S Info<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Re-Printed from C/S Info:<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Subscribers,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">On <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">extremely</span></b> rare occasions the Info Centre has sent out an alert about a time-sensitive issue of broad significance to the Toronto consumer/survivor community. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We would like to inform you about a children’s Halloween event called Powerhouse of Terror, planned to be held in Toronto from October 28 – 31 at the Power House, built in 1936 by the patients of the Mimico Lunatic Asylum. The event is being widely criticized by many prominent consumer/survivor activists. Visit Powerhouse of Terror <a href="http://charityhaunt.ca/indexb.php">http://charityhaunt.ca/indexb.php</a> for details about the event and its treatment of issues related to mental illness. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here are some excerpts from the event’s promotional website:<br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Nestled in the grounds of the former Lakeshore Psychiatric Centre, dare yourself to enter what some consider, one of the most haunted buildings in Toronto. In the Power House of Terror... you will experience fear at its deepest level. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Included among the “5 Terrifying Attractions!!!”:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><img id="_x0000_i1029" src="imap://wwoolrich%40gmail%2Ecom@imap.gmail.com:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX%3E9014?part=1.2&filename=image001.jpg" alt="The Asylum" border="0" height="20" width="135" /></span></span></b>- Enter...if you dare...a maze of ultimate madness. Once you enter The Asylum there is no escape. Whatever you do stay together and do not make eye contact if you want to survive</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><b><u><span>Side Show Attraction - $5 or Free with purchase of Tee Shirt!</span></u></b></strong><br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><img id="_x0000_i1030" src="imap://wwoolrich%40gmail%2Ecom@imap.gmail.com:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX%3E9014?part=1.3&filename=image002.jpg" alt="Buried alive" border="0" height="20" width="147" /></span></b>- A Personal, Solo, Extreme Experience involving all the senses. Ever been in a real coffin before? Experience a simulated burial and get buried alive! This ride allows you to lie in a REAL coffin and feel what it would be like to be buried alive. If you</span></span><span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">�</span></span>re claustrophobic, now is time to test your bravery.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Local anti-poverty advocate Pat Capponi sent the following email to <a href="mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com" title="blocked::mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com CTRL + Click to follow link">president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in response to the planned event.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Subject: “asylum of terror = fundraising on the backs of the misery and deaths of patients of the lakeshore hospital”. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri;">“Sir or Madam,</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One in five children will experience mental illness. Maybe one of those one in five will tour the awful, regressive Asylum on the grounds of the old Lakeshore Hospital, and see how the mentally ill are portrayed. Do you think that this is right or fair for Sick kids to be involved in? Those of us who have experienced mental illness and the stigma and prejudice against us really don't need this. Shame on you, and shame on your foundation for adding to the burden..and creating further reasons for people not to admit they need help.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri;">Pat Capponi</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri;">Voices from the Street”</span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;color:navy;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;"></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;color:navy;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;">The Hospital for Sick Kids is the beneficiary of this fundraising event. Ted Garrad, the president and CEO of Sick Kids Foundation, the fundraising organization for the Hospital for Sick Kids, has responded to community outrage as follows. He states</span></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: navy;">“We certainly do not condone any activities that would deliberately stigmatize people with mental illness and will work with the event organizers, event sponsors and community organizations to ensure this does not happen.”<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Concerns remain that his response is very general and does not specify what concrete actions he will take. He has been asked by community activists to provide a more satisfactory response.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you would like to share your views with Ted Garrad and/or the event organizers they may be contacted at:</span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="info@charityhaunt.ca%20">info@charityhaunt.ca</a> or 416-356-7689</span></span>.<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><a href="mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com" title="blocked::mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com mailto:president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com CTRL + Click to follow link">president.office@sickkidsfoundation.com</a> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">416-813-6166 or </span></span> <p style="line-height: 19.2pt; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1-800-661-1083</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Colleen</span></span> and Helen</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">C/S Info </span></span></p> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-8341872931900072452010-03-25T15:32:00.000-04:002010-03-25T15:32:18.047-04:00Open Ontario: Will more students mean more education? (Blog: The Inside Agenda - By: Mike Miner)<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/agenda/allfeeds/%7E3/XwpbD5D1ytE/index.cfm">Open Ontario: Will more students mean more education? (Blog: The Inside Agenda - By: Mike Miner)</a>: "<p><i>This post was written by the Agenda with Steve Paikin's intern, Ariel Garneau.</i></p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>If you’ve been on an Ontario university campus in the last three years you know what life for a student is like. Buildings are falling apart, student services like health centers and student unions are in high demand and underfunded. Students need more space and they can’t build classrooms fast enough. Ontario Universities are in need of an infrastructure overhaul.</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>In the March 8th 2010 Speech From the Throne, Premier Dalton McGuinty unveiled his Open Ontario five-year plan. In his speech the <a href="http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2005/05/reaching-higher-the-mcguinty-government-plan-for-postsecondary-education.html"><i>Reaching Higher: the McGuinty Government Plan for Postsecondary Education</i></a>, McGuinty promises to invest $6.2 billion more on post-secondary education and training between now and 2009-2010 and, this year alone, increase student numbers by 20,000. The plan raises several important questions, mainly are Ontario universities ready for an additional student load?</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>According a <a href="http://www.cou.on.ca/content/objects/BN-AcademicInfrastructure-July2009%20PG%20comments.pdf">July 2009 report</a> by the Council of Ontario Universities, “$9.4 billion in new construction was needed by 2012 to accommodate naturally increasing volume of students. Universities, however, were not in a financial position to sustain further borrowing to meet this level of construction.” The question is, will this increased funding allow universities to meet the expansion required for predicted student growth? Once the facilities are increased, will there be sufficient room to allow for the 20,000 undergraduate increase per year as Premier McGuinty wants? Surely current student needs should be met before worrying about exponentially increasing the student population. <a href="http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/futuree.html#meeting">Back in 1996 the Ontario was thinking just that</a>, what changed?</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>The next question is whether the current state of academics will be able to maintain the same high-quality results for its students after an increase in student body.</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>Some universities are undertaking “academic planning exercises” to re-shape their faculties, cut courses and stream line programs, and save money according to an issues driven <a href="http://qufa.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/top-down-destructive-planning-in-arts-and-science/">Queen's University website</a>. Most universities are scrambling to maintain service and meet a bottom line. What about China and India? The two countries have huge post-secondary systems, and are producing graduates and trades people proportionally at a greater rate than Ontario. However <a href="http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100323-206289.html">their degrees are not a guarantee of a quality education</a> as because of the glut of students and the institutions' inability to meet basic staff requirements. But if Ontario Universities can meet infrastructure requirements for an extra 20,000 students a year, will the quality of education slip? Currently the <a href="http://topuniversities.com/">University of Toronto is ranked the 29th best university in the world compared to McGill at 18th</a>. U of T has a total of 69,054 full-time students across three campuses, and McGill has a grand total of 27,044 full time students (including graduate students). The difference in students is 2.5 times larger.</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>When investing in our post-secondary system to meet future economic demands, should the government of Ontario focus on increasing the number of graduates or the quality of graduates? If Ontario solely focuses on the number of students it can leave the ‘higher’ aspect of education to the rest of Canada. If Ontario chooses to focus solely on the number of students it can graduate, it risks lowering the bar on high education.</p><div><br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:dnMXMwOfBR0"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?d=dnMXMwOfBR0" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:F7zBnMyn0Lo"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?i=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?i=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?a=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Eff/agenda/allfeeds?i=XwpbD5D1ytE:8UDcqlBf_9s:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0" /></a><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/agenda/allfeeds/%7E4/XwpbD5D1ytE" height="1" width="1" />"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-16288744009924479162010-03-24T09:51:00.000-04:002010-03-24T09:51:15.169-04:00Binder Clips as Cable Catchers Redux [Cable Management]<a href="http://lifehacker.com/5499838/binder-clips-as-cable-catchers-redux">Binder Clips as Cable Catchers Redux [Cable Management]</a>: "<p><img src="http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/17/2010/03/500x_cable_catcher_01.jpg" alt="Binder Clips as Cable Catchers Redux" width="500" />We've long been fans of <a href="http://lifehacker.com/257913/diy-binder-clip-cable-catcher">using binder clips as cable managers</a>, but sometimes, a person's raw enthusiasm for a technique makes it worth another look. Dutch freelancer David Rudolf Bakker photographs the whole process of desk-edge cable catching in beautiful detail.</p><p>If we're being completely honest, this editor never really caught on that the true beauty of binder clip cord management was that the clips themselves could fasten to a desk. It was implied in the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lihab/sets/72157600140320244/">lihab's Flickr set</a>, but perhaps not made explicit enough for quick-moving eyes. Bakker's photos show exactly how such a setup should look on a reasonably thin desk edge, and illustrates how the nook of the clip handle holds onto all kinds of cables—USB, Ethernet, Mac power port—just so.</p><br /><div><a href="http://lifehacking.nl/kantoor-tips/nooit-meer-je-usb-kabel-achter-het-bureau-verliezen-voor-e1/">No more USB cables behind your desk for less than € 1</a> [Lifehacking.nl via <a href="http://twitter.com/mattcutts/status/10912396868">@mattcutts</a>]</div>"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-88605575113204037162009-10-05T10:12:00.001-04:002009-10-05T10:12:35.094-04:00At the corner NUIT BLANCHE<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelarichardson/3978968603/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2467/3978968603_3019e3efbe_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelarichardson/3978968603/">At the corner NUIT BLANCHE</a> <br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/joelarichardson/">JoelRichardson</a></span><br clear="all" /><p>Fun evening at Nuit Blanche. We were a part of Joel's project. Unfortunately I can't find us pictured.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-64703134177497624602009-04-01T14:09:00.003-04:002010-10-20T13:10:33.052-04:00Possible Proposals<p>Reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man gave me the idea of exploring how <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmw9hR1501oRG-Kg6TXAgzS-6EEMw39FOmsZClG38GapLx3R8uSagZsSBBBiJUC1fIR5Jbb8Yn3kxobJzkoevORz0tqPnqHuj3kc6nvOi5IKgFh_rTZitJMC_OoYViY7cfBgEtQ/s1600-h/goya%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border: 0px none;" alt="goya" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkhMIcmTs0P37jLAXTnKtAI5P9gMKPA5fzGw7Fh_gw6iWP9dkQNTH7SdQIsXDu2ZgWvzVRnBfwJ8ZTEJqTa551H5ttvdS9NuHsU4QEiJO3_RQoo011S509GjkJB0TcappiPlNag/?imgmax=800" align="right" border="0" height="129" width="165" /></a>art can be used by marginalized communities for emancipatory/liberatory purposes. This is quite general of course . It's also quite a diversion from my previous work which has largely been in mental health. Not sure yet how I'd sell it to an admissions committee or faculty member.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-70282414843894162882009-03-27T16:37:00.001-04:002009-03-29T23:01:32.686-04:00The Role of Staff in a University<p>I was giving this some thought yesterday. Staff are kind of the unsung heroes of the education system. They certainly don't receive the glory and honour given to faculty and they're not treated with the sort of curious reverence that students are afforded; yet they fulfill a vital function and without them the university would grind to a halt in a hurry.</p> <p>I would also add that although they receive very few honours, they do receive a great deal of the blame when things don't go the way people want them to. When things take a long time or it's necessary to put in place unfavourable, occasionally foolish, policies, staff are expected to enact, carry out, and defend them to students and faculty who are effected. They are often treated as second class citizens by both students and faculty.</p> <p>Moreover, when it comes to furthering the cause of social justice staff contribute as much as faculty or staff in that they create the conditions under which social justice happens. They DO social justice by organizing and collaborating with students and faculty to make happen events and microevents of resistence against the neoliberal creep that is affecting all universities.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-9342250705486831782009-03-26T22:40:00.001-04:002009-03-26T22:40:25.793-04:00PhD Update<p>Well today I asked a colleague if she’ll provide a reference letter. I’m not sure she’s OK with it. Her reaction was a bit like she’s just smelled something bad. I reassured her it was for other programs. Still not not an excellent sign.</p> <p>I’ve got to work on narrowing down which programs I intend to apply to. It’s a real struggle finding appropriate part-time programs so I can continue working full-time. Sadly I can’t afford to go to school full-time although that would be my ideal situation.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-9584167551663753182009-03-13T09:14:00.000-04:002009-03-13T09:14:45.717-04:00Judges give Iraqi shoe thrower 3 years in prison<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/03/12/iraq-show-thrower.html">Judges give Iraqi shoe thrower 3 years in prison</a><br /><br />Can you fracken believe this? Three years! He should have gotten a trophy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-67615456653584251932009-03-12T14:23:00.001-04:002009-03-12T14:23:31.091-04:00Choose!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0KJ7FO_wn3SI4leoFHwdFttet9DiJylkuMV60AXXX5TQskpFcyWcWWP3XnORf67WjD-SERpUrbH5rfA__Xr9usXxFKmXxHIOAsAkYwSZpTD5tCvtdjdsYRwKugKXrmKmFdedjQ/s1600-h/scan0001%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="240" alt="scan0001" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHZqDzwUQv2rNDpc4i2u95gQNcNVmNgGTFKfuMbPqgnJE4IZzJC01_7JtunWZU5E4E5RFTJGTaz2q2I0ml06PMq9zUHiX70F4qWtTeaBI9P4oiNmqVBSwLWd4Iw6yv5kCLzMLcA/?imgmax=800" width="179" align="left" border="0"></a> </p> <p>This is from the new United Way campaign. So, picture yourself as a woman in her autumn years. You have two choices, what appears to be grim death, or wearing a pink track suit with a matching visor. Admit it, it's a tough call.</p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-18719496861999415962009-02-24T09:32:00.003-05:002009-02-24T09:37:38.511-05:00Terry Jones on Weapons Manufacturing<p><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/gdEl7cVmjJYL" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="240" width="320"></embed></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-61209969130332342592009-01-13T10:40:00.000-05:002009-01-13T10:41:29.756-05:00The Epic of Gilgamesh<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138372.The_Epic_of_Gilgamesh_An_English_Verison_with_an_Introduction?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Verison with an Introduction (Penguin Classics)" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172094180m/138372.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138372.The_Epic_of_Gilgamesh_An_English_Verison_with_an_Introduction?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">The Epic of Gilgamesh: An English Verison with an Introduction</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1436.Anonymous">Anonymous</a><br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42468649?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a><br /> rating: 3 of 5 stars<br />An adventure story in the best tradition. I'd suggest that it might be better read as a poem but it's sooo difficult to translate poetry effectively, that's it's not unequivocal that this prose interpretation isn't the better way to go.<br /><br /><br /><br />It's also interesting how many contemporary adventure stories, and indeed stories that come to grips with our mortality, draw on this epic: either intentionally or not.<br /> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1887672?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-50780399986518492572009-01-08T15:27:00.003-05:002010-10-20T13:11:46.137-04:00This is very cool (and Canadian)<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/49665e7f1b85b8a8/47fe70d4555df05a/941b4370/-cpid/a115d130bfd6c81" id="W47f1317f105123ad49665e7f1b85b8a8" height="283" width="384"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/49665e7f1b85b8a8/47fe70d4555df05a/941b4370/-cpid/a115d130bfd6c81"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9414344.post-70637447680885365792008-12-27T16:05:00.001-05:002008-12-27T16:05:16.326-05:00Bowie Meets Crosby<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/gKTHvW2JcAA' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/gKTHvW2JcAA'/></object></p><p>Trying to post this for a while to my blog. Hopefully it works this time. Great video. A classic.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0