2022:
fact: you cannot wave the confederate flag or the swastika flag and rightly call yourself a patriotic american
five negatives and five positives of living in a remote region
roots and icebergs: decolonizing community spaces: a workshop
some of my "what i'm reading" posts for the year:
ghosts of gold mountain, the epic story of the chinese who built the transcontinental railroadlistening to joni (final post)
you could look it up: the reference shelf from ancient babylon to wikipedia
john steinbeck and me
poisoner in chief: sidney gottlieb and the cia search for mind control -- plus a few thoughts on conspiracy theories
digital minimalism: choosing a focused life in a noisy world
shinewe movie to canada: wmtc annual movie awards, 2020-21 edition
topsy-turvy land: u.s. states make protest illegal and driving into protestors legal
bearing witness: 215 tiny skeletons speak to us. canadians must listen.
friends and family reunion road trip: day eight: long-distance friends meet up in san francisco
friends and family reunion road trip: a story about the digital divide
who else turned 60 this year: celebrating the bc ndp
labour day 2021: workers want to work less and live more
from the archives: all over the world, i tell people where to go
2020:
#climatestrike vs my brain: i am struggling with pessimism and hopelessness
and let others do for you: interdependence, and the strength to be vulnerable
the ptsd story i promised you
how to afford a real social safety net: tax corporations, tax the rich, reduce u.s. military spending
some of my "what i'm reading" posts for the year:
the body keeps the score by bessel van der kolkwmtc "what i'm reading" posts to celebrate black august 2020
prairie fires: the american dreams of laura ingalls wilder
how to be an antiracist by ibram x. kendi
our inner ape: a leading primatologist explains why we are who we are
beaten down, worked up: the past, present, and future of american labor
is my body keeping score? personal insights (plus brain dump) after reading the book by bessel van der kolk
11 things you should know about u.s. presidential elections
george floyd, christian cooper, and when will this end?
11 things on my mind about the anti-police-violence and anti-racism protests
katy bowman's nutritious movement: will it change my life? i'm working on it
11 (more) things on my mind about the protests in the u.s.
"fine. biden. but this is bullshit."
interspecies love: it's been too long
international safe abortion day: abortion is healthcare
"you guys": change language, do no harm, but can we please leave space for learning and growing?
africans were involved in the slave trade. why do you think that matters?
the post of orphaned notes
further to rebecca solnit: angry men attack me online
listening to joni
dog eat dog2019:
chalk mark in a rainstorm
night ride home
turbulent indigo
taming the tiger
Exploring Vancouver Island
port hardy in photosin which i reflect on many one-year anniversaries of a big life change
winter drive: alice lake loop
drive and hike to the ocean: san josef bay
the north island restaurant report: where to eat in port hardy and port mcneill
the north island report: alert bay, eagles, and our first ontario visitors
weekend trip with mom: a few days in the comox valley
island day trip with mom: alert bay
island day trip with mom: whale watching cruise from telegraph cove
island day trip with mom: grant bay and winter harbour
five things you probably don't know about frederick douglass (and u.s. history)
some of my "what i'm reading" posts for the year:
ali: a life by jonathan eigwe movie to canada: wmtc annual movie awards, 2018-19 edition
frederick douglass, prophet of freedom
the nickel boys by colson whitehead
required reading for revolutionaries: jane mcalevey and micah white
"we don’t actually know what will happen, but know we may be able to write it ourselves": rebecca solnit on hope and why it matters
frederick douglass, susan b. anthony, and the ridiculous (and dangerous) quest for moral purity
in which we are officially homeowners
why it is interesting and significant that i own a piano
backyard baby bear
mlb rule changes: more disregard and contempt for baseball's core fans
picket lines, pupdates, and the 51st parallel: 10 things on my mind
11.11: there is no glory in war
listening to joni
hejira2018:
don juan's reckless daughter
mingus
wild things run fast
reading can make you a better person. here's evidence.
Trip to Vancouver Island:
vancouver island days one and two: arrival and sidneyon poppies, veterans, trolls, and doxing
vancouver island day three: sidney and saanich peninsula
vancouver island day four: downtown victoria and to sooke
vancouver island day five: sooke
vancouver island day six: mill bay, duncan, chemainus
vancouver island day seven: chemainus, ladysmith, nanaimo
vancouver island day eight: nanaimo, qualicum beach, parksville
what i liked, what i hated, and what i don't understand: a list about my election campaign
we movie to canada: wmtc annual movie awards, 2017-18 edition
two days in new york city and springsteen on broadway: a performance of unrivaled intensity
two weeks in northern ontario: the good, the bad, and the mushrooms
wmtc moves west
in which we take a big gamble and are rewarded, or, we are moving to port hardy
this just keeps getting better: port hardy plus full employment
The Move West - Driving Across Canada
the move west: day zeroport hardy day one: perfect fish and chips, bad movers, wild wildlife
the move west: day one: sauga to sudbury
the move west: day two: sudbury to wawa
the move west: day three: wawa to ignace
the move west: day four: ignace ontario to brandon manitoba
the move west: bonus track
the move west: day five: brandon manitoba to swift current saskatchewan
the move west: day six: swift current saskatchewan to calgary alberta
the move west: day seven: calgary alberta to sicamous british columbia
the move west: day eight: sicamous to delta bc
the move west: day nine: delta to port hardy
more trip pics on flickr
eleven things about our new life in port hardy
a walk on the bay and a drive to nanaimo, plus photos of the rockies
guest post: allan and diego's first week in port hardy
the north island report: expense check
the north island report: about that rain
listening to joni
blue2017:
for the roses
court and spark
the hissing of summer lawns
Trip to Egypt/Jordan
cairomighty leaf tea: green tea and greenwashing
giza
saqarra, dahshur, memphis
cairo: markets
cairo: islamic and coptic cairo
cairo: egyptian museum
overnight train from cairo to luxor
luxor
luxor: west bank sites
luxor: west bank sites, day two, and we miss abdul
luxor: the trouble with taxis (a guest post from allan)
luxor: east bank sites: karnak and luxor temples
luxor: abydos and dendera and a face-plant
random observations about egypt and egyptian life
luxor: east bank sites: museums and souq
luxor to aswan
aswan: welcome home
aswan
aswan sights
aswan: abu simbel
aswan to amman
petra
petra, day two
jordan is the anti-egypt and petra is the anti-giza
amman
amman: madaba
amman to cairo to home: in which things out work very nicely
(photos)
we movie to canada: wmtc annual movie awards, 2016-17 edition
accusations of cultural appropriation are a form of bullying -- and don't reduce racism
postscript: some clarifications and addenda to my recent post on cultural appropriation
in which we answer the burning question: "what kind of dog is that?"
"what kind of dog is that?" part 2: in which we learn more but feel like we know less
adventures in streaming: tubi, dick cavett, and the manster
the politics of the hardboiled detective novel
harry hoo, nick yemana, and the persistence of racism on mainstream tv
the strange case of the barney miller rape episode
the mysterious case of kars4kids: deceptive advertising for orthodox jewish proselytizing
what i'm reading, including:
four realistic youth novelslistening to joni
giovanni's room by james baldwin
swing time by zadie smith
words on the move by john mcwhorter
pit bull: the battle over an american icon
city on fire
the attention merchants by tim wu
the radium girls by kate moore
rolling blackouts, graphic novel that asks many big questions
a new wmtc feature2016:
joni mitchell (song to a seagull)
clouds
footnote #1
footnote #2
ladies of the canyon
in which the death of a rock legend makes me think about how our world has changed
fascist shift: donald trump in context
precariously yours: notes from the 2016 cupe ontario library workers conference
between the lines: how we got here
fight for 15 and fairness: brampton forum for decent work
it is designed to break your heart
what i'm reading: born to run by bruce springsteen
president trump: what didn't just happen
tala
and
cupe 1989 strike
2015:
action bronson, hate speech, and protest: rape culture vs. freedom of speech
my feminism includes trans people. all women need to listen to each other.
help my christian friend vote, or why the harper government must go
bernie sanders, the pope, and the politics of amnesia
m*a*s*h re-watch update: still funny and other observations (updated)
2014:
james frey: author, liar, sweatshop boss
dylan farrow and woody allen: a feminist, a rape survivor, and a woody allen fan weighs in
cherry-picked data and undisclosed bias: the failure of freakonomics
military propaganda at sports events reaches new extremes: continuous recruitment ads at baseball games
in which i defend the suburbs against misconceptions (some thoughts on reading jane jacobs)
know your rights, rental edition, part two
the decision "you'll regret for the rest of your life": the reality gap in fictional abortions
babe ruth was not a fat red sox: thoughts on historical fiction arising from dennis lehane's "the given day"
sexism, magic, and pre-famous cameos: watching "bewitched" on netflix
negative reviews and threats of lawsuits: let's not give in to corporate bullying
when sexual assault goes public: #beenrapedneverreported and the presumption of innocence
what i'm reading: this changes everything by naomi klein, one of the most important books you'll ever read
what i'm reading: pro: reclaiming abortion rights by katha pollitt
2013:
marxism 2012 program notes: from each according to their ability: the role of socialists in disability movement
can money buy happiness? yes. no. sometimes. maybe.
unpaid labour used to be called slavery. now it's an internship.
bangladesh factory fire: consumers are not the problem, or the solution
in which i enjoy my first day as a librarian, and explain something about library work
my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the self-hating jew, part 1
my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the self-hating jew, part 2
my journey to palestinian solidarity and the myth of the self-hating jew, part 3 and final
a kiss on the wrist: the absence of same-sex love on star trek as a measure of how far we've come
the tv detective mystery, where women are crazy and ex-husbands don't kill
personal update, our new (rental) house, and why we'll never own a home
hedges: "when harper passes right-to-work, you must go on a massive general strike, or you're finished"
what i'm reading: man's search for meaning by viktor frankl
self-checkout is unpaid labour, gift cards are interest-free loans, and let's stop using both
dirty wars: an important movie, marred by nationalism
murdoch mysteries, abortion on tv, and maybe an anti-war reference, too
plus:
Our trip to Spain in May
2012:
what we talk about when we talk about jeremy lin
why unions? would you rather have input into your working conditions, or not?
what are people supposed to do? or why we need socialism
marxism 2011 program notes: keynes vs. marx: can capitalism be reformed?
healthy eating costs more. fact or fiction?
a very important act you can take to "support the troops" and help a family in need, and a follow-up: what a dog can do: ptsd service dog fundraising update
what i'm reading / marxism 2012 program notes: "too many people?" population, immigration, and the environment
in defense of drugs: anti-depressant medication saves and improves lives
why is "entitled" a dirty word? some thoughts on what we are all entitled to
marxism 2012 program notes: how abortion rights were won in canada
now it can be told: why i have hated my job for the last four years
she said let's discuss abortion. i told her to fuck off.
voting for obama because of the supreme court? please check your math
2011:
resistance is not futile: resistance is everything
how to save the public library
"all we know is we are going to get our freedom" (Report on forum on revolution in Egypt.)
my police complaint saga comes to a close
stephen harper dismantles canada's refugee system; jason kenney attacks canadian democracy
books on books, part 1: robert darnton, the case for books
books on books, part 2: contested will by james shapiro
books on books, part 3: reading matters: what the research reveals about reading, libraries and community
if the world sucks, why hasn't anyone told me? i respond to joe denial
thou shalt be thin: obesity hysteria and the eating disorder epidemic
the only good bargaining is collective bargaining
"we work to buy things that are built to die so that we must work to buy more things that will break"
war is peace, freedom is slavery, and bp is listening: more tales of corporate propaganda
(My pick for best post of the year.)
on the dangers of centrism
occupy movement: some answers to cynics and detractors
beyond occupy: out of the parks and into our lives
how can we live without polar bears? bbc's planet earth gets political
2010:
on becoming a writer, part four, final, for now
the harper attack on canadian democracy, the long version (I didn't write most of this, but it's a very important post!)
where is the outrage? and other thoughts on canadian disengagement
save a little outrage for the real criminals (vancouver)
intellectual freedom in the library: part 1 and part 2
a simple lesson: how to tell the difference between hatred of a people and criticism of a nation's policies
therapists needed to treat quebecers' fear of headscarves
"discover canada": the harper government's vision of canada and of immigrants
report on george galloway in federal court: part 1, part 2, and part 3
we will not stfu: another look at nancy ruth, reproductive rights and the harper agenda
thoughts on george rekers: rent-boys, homophobia and self-hatred
choosing canada: how can self-imposed exile not be seen as resistance?
thoughts on her majesty's loyal opposition, such as it is
on giving up, believing, and what it means to be a fan
becoming canadian: today we take the final step
an all-or-nothing trap: the impossibility of moral purity
reproductive justice and the limits of polls: part 1 and part 2, women speak the fuck up
not all crimes are equal: humans and our rights are more valuable than windows (toronto)
open letter to g20 survivor: there is such a thing as being a victim
july 20 1985
"they didn't build a wall": is israel an apartheid state? a south african perspective: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5
once upon a baseball game: the corporate takeover of our brains continues
thoughts on roger ebert and transcending circumstance
it is so time to be over 9/11
science proves that men and women are from the same planet
2009:
thoughts on privilege
blog for choice day: providing a safe haven
jeremy hinzman appeal hearing through a campaigner's eyes
why not let them stay? current conservative arguments demolished
an atheist defends theists: part one, part two
genocide is more important than traffic
we all must support striking city workers
internal documents show harper govt obsessed with war resisters
from the archives: on being childfree
non-recyclable plastics and the dilemma of organic lettuce
you can't find inner peace in a bottle (of iced tea)
have you hugged a man today?
are my hands clean, and can i stand to get them a little cleaner
"the gray area": in which i am detained, harassed and threatened at the border
why i can't watch the olympics anymore
on becoming a writer: part one, part two, part three
2008:
involuntary military service is a form of slavery
ken epp shows his hand: it's all about the unborn
either margaret wente needs a fact-checker or the entire united states is a backwater
why i won't watch the beijing olympics
on raising consciousness and wanting a new cell phone
moral illogic: supporting peace, but not war resistance
on liberals, conservatives, good blogosphere citizens and free speech
a 9/11 discussion: part one, part two, part three, part four
2007:
blog for choice
on supposedly liberal people supporting hillary clinton
vagina
number 42
ashley was not treated, she was abused
better living through canada
on luck
apathy, laziness, fear? or something else?
the tyranny of the subconscious
reality check: violence against women
invasion of the brain snatchers
why the new home run record does not need as asterisk
ignatieff's apology ain't worth the paper it's printed on
cheap shopping vs health care
a little ancient history: queers on tv
abuse = abuse, murder = murder
thoughts on the bouchard-taylor xenophobia commission
the omnivore's amnesia
