7.11.2016
7.08.2016
from the front lines, day five
I have been staring at my computer screen, trying to figure out how to describe the amazing day we had, and how to express my feelings about what we're creating together. Not an easy task.
Plus, my members keep posting awesome pics and vids to Facebook and YouTube and getting me distracted!!
Good Morning, City Hall!
More than 50 members gathered at the VIP parking entrance to welcome the City brass on their way to work. Apparently City Manager Janice Baker was among them! I was home responding to members' questions, but I heard it was really LOUD and really FUN.
Then, sometime later, I got a call from an anonymous source who works for the City. The person said that our action drove the City nuts!! The councillors were furious, security was on the walkie-talkies calling for backup, total panic.
This source gave us a rare opportunity to see that our actions are having an impact! And that was just noise! We didn't stop any cars -- and we're allowed to!
Later in the day, a member read an email from Baker to City employees about how to deal with the picket line -- and encouraging staff to work at home. The City of Mississauga normally is not flexible about alternative working arrangements, but they're making an exception for us!
Knowing this, we decided to also say goodbye to City Hall at the end of the day. And we heard that many City workers leave early on Friday, so after the late-morning pep talk, groups of members hustled over to all the garage entrances and exits.
Hello, Fred Hahn!
In the afternoon, we had a surprise visit from CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. Fred is a legendary labour activist -- an absolute staunch supporter of the rank-and-file (that's us) and an open, transparent, inclusive, welcoming union. He's someone I really admire, so I was excited to see him on our line!
Fred, Eddie Pereira from Peel District CUPE Council, and I walked around City Hall gathering the groups of members who were at the exits. Then Eddie showed us how it's done! We are allowed to detain people and cars going in and out of City Hall. Many of our members were amazed... in a good way!
Then Fred and Eddie marched with us from one garage exit to the next, chanting "Where Is -- Bon-nie, Where Is -- Bon-nie." Little did we know we were about to find out!
Hello, Mayor Crombie!
We were having a mini pep rally, when along comes Craig, a member, calling "Possible Bonnie sighting!!" We grabbed flags and ran down to City Hall, and sure enough, there she was.
The Mayor was taking part in a small ceremony to raise the Pride flag, the first time the Pride flag has been flown at Mississauga City Hall. We formed a semi-circle around the ceremony, and were quiet and respectful while the ceremony continued. Meanwhile our allies from CUPE Ontario were deciding what we would chant when the ceremony was over!
The Pride flag went up, and we started on "2-4-6-8 Why won't you negotiate?" and other fun stuff. Meanwhile, Bobby Nand, our CUPE rep, had infiltrated the ceremony and was speaking in the Mayor's ear! Apparently security tried to stop Bobby, but seriously, is there any stopping Bobby?
Bobby said the mayor would speak with us! So we all moved into the shade, and waited quietly with our flags and our signs.
Mayor Crombie came over to us, shook my hand, and introduced herself: "I'm Bonnie." OK... I'm Laura.
I told "Bonnie": we love our jobs, we are very proud of the quality services we provide -- she said "famous for" -- and we want to work. But we want to be treated fairly and with respect. We feel our requests are modest and reasonable. And we want to return to the bargaining table.
She said: Yes, we want to talk, too. I understand the offer that was tabled was fair and competitive, but let's talk, let's get back to the table.
We shook hands, everyone cheered, and security took her away.
What does the Mayor's statement mean?
We will do our best to hold the City to the Mayor's wish to get us back to the table. And we will continue our strike until we have a fair contract.
The acknowledgement list continues to grow
Today we want to acknowledge the support of:
Michelle Bilek, NDP, Peel Regional Diversity Roundtable
Lidia, Nubian, Manjeet, and Sonia, CUPE 4912, CAS
Tim and his son Liam, CUPE 2544 & 9130
Ryan, CUPE 3902, CUPE Ontario LGBT
Victoria, CUPE 4400, CUPE Ontario Disability
Ilija, CUPE 1006A, for being out there for us every single day
Harman & Julia, Kind snacks
Sandi's husband who brought us freezies
Lucy who brought homemade cookies
Eric who brought watermelon -- and a bugle!
With apologies because I'm sure there were others!
A word about leafletting
City security has been telling us we are not allowed to hand out flyers in some places, and allowed to in other places. This is not true. The City has instructed security to say this, and the City is hoping we don't know any better, and we'll go away.
But we are participating in a legal strike. It is our right -- guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms -- to express ourselves and associate freely. Leafletting falls under that right. We will always be respectful, of course, but there's no such thing as not allowed to distribute flyers in a public, City space.
We are not picketing on the weekend
Time to rest, relax, enjoy our family and friends, wash our pink shirts, and see each other on Monday.
Congratulations to us on making through our first week of striking!! I'll close this update with a quote from a member, from after the City reneged on its agreement to honour pre-approved vacations.
The City obviously doesn't know their library workers very well!
They're making the hazardous assumptions that we lack resilience, strength, intelligence, spirit, energy, and, of course, Solidarity.
Low blows by the city might sting but won't knock us out. They're underestimating us and it's a mistake.
I know that everyone is out there grinding the pavement and hustling to send our message. I'm not surprised because it's the same hustle and strength we bring to our jobs every day. We are the ones on the front lines making libraries work and connecting with customers on so many different levels.
We're not made of fragile glass. We won't break that easily.
Plus, my members keep posting awesome pics and vids to Facebook and YouTube and getting me distracted!!
Good Morning, City Hall!
More than 50 members gathered at the VIP parking entrance to welcome the City brass on their way to work. Apparently City Manager Janice Baker was among them! I was home responding to members' questions, but I heard it was really LOUD and really FUN.
Then, sometime later, I got a call from an anonymous source who works for the City. The person said that our action drove the City nuts!! The councillors were furious, security was on the walkie-talkies calling for backup, total panic.
This source gave us a rare opportunity to see that our actions are having an impact! And that was just noise! We didn't stop any cars -- and we're allowed to!
Later in the day, a member read an email from Baker to City employees about how to deal with the picket line -- and encouraging staff to work at home. The City of Mississauga normally is not flexible about alternative working arrangements, but they're making an exception for us!
Knowing this, we decided to also say goodbye to City Hall at the end of the day. And we heard that many City workers leave early on Friday, so after the late-morning pep talk, groups of members hustled over to all the garage entrances and exits.
Hello, Fred Hahn!
In the afternoon, we had a surprise visit from CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn. Fred is a legendary labour activist -- an absolute staunch supporter of the rank-and-file (that's us) and an open, transparent, inclusive, welcoming union. He's someone I really admire, so I was excited to see him on our line!
Fred, Eddie Pereira from Peel District CUPE Council, and I walked around City Hall gathering the groups of members who were at the exits. Then Eddie showed us how it's done! We are allowed to detain people and cars going in and out of City Hall. Many of our members were amazed... in a good way!
Then Fred and Eddie marched with us from one garage exit to the next, chanting "Where Is -- Bon-nie, Where Is -- Bon-nie." Little did we know we were about to find out!
Hello, Mayor Crombie!
We were having a mini pep rally, when along comes Craig, a member, calling "Possible Bonnie sighting!!" We grabbed flags and ran down to City Hall, and sure enough, there she was.
The Mayor was taking part in a small ceremony to raise the Pride flag, the first time the Pride flag has been flown at Mississauga City Hall. We formed a semi-circle around the ceremony, and were quiet and respectful while the ceremony continued. Meanwhile our allies from CUPE Ontario were deciding what we would chant when the ceremony was over!
The Pride flag went up, and we started on "2-4-6-8 Why won't you negotiate?" and other fun stuff. Meanwhile, Bobby Nand, our CUPE rep, had infiltrated the ceremony and was speaking in the Mayor's ear! Apparently security tried to stop Bobby, but seriously, is there any stopping Bobby?
Bobby said the mayor would speak with us! So we all moved into the shade, and waited quietly with our flags and our signs.
Mayor Crombie came over to us, shook my hand, and introduced herself: "I'm Bonnie." OK... I'm Laura.
I told "Bonnie": we love our jobs, we are very proud of the quality services we provide -- she said "famous for" -- and we want to work. But we want to be treated fairly and with respect. We feel our requests are modest and reasonable. And we want to return to the bargaining table.
She said: Yes, we want to talk, too. I understand the offer that was tabled was fair and competitive, but let's talk, let's get back to the table.
We shook hands, everyone cheered, and security took her away.
What does the Mayor's statement mean?
We will do our best to hold the City to the Mayor's wish to get us back to the table. And we will continue our strike until we have a fair contract.
The acknowledgement list continues to grow
Today we want to acknowledge the support of:
Michelle Bilek, NDP, Peel Regional Diversity Roundtable
Lidia, Nubian, Manjeet, and Sonia, CUPE 4912, CAS
Tim and his son Liam, CUPE 2544 & 9130
Ryan, CUPE 3902, CUPE Ontario LGBT
Victoria, CUPE 4400, CUPE Ontario Disability
Ilija, CUPE 1006A, for being out there for us every single day
Harman & Julia, Kind snacks
Sandi's husband who brought us freezies
Lucy who brought homemade cookies
Eric who brought watermelon -- and a bugle!
With apologies because I'm sure there were others!
A word about leafletting
City security has been telling us we are not allowed to hand out flyers in some places, and allowed to in other places. This is not true. The City has instructed security to say this, and the City is hoping we don't know any better, and we'll go away.
But we are participating in a legal strike. It is our right -- guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms -- to express ourselves and associate freely. Leafletting falls under that right. We will always be respectful, of course, but there's no such thing as not allowed to distribute flyers in a public, City space.
We are not picketing on the weekend
Time to rest, relax, enjoy our family and friends, wash our pink shirts, and see each other on Monday.
Congratulations to us on making through our first week of striking!! I'll close this update with a quote from a member, from after the City reneged on its agreement to honour pre-approved vacations.
The City obviously doesn't know their library workers very well!
They're making the hazardous assumptions that we lack resilience, strength, intelligence, spirit, energy, and, of course, Solidarity.
Low blows by the city might sting but won't knock us out. They're underestimating us and it's a mistake.
I know that everyone is out there grinding the pavement and hustling to send our message. I'm not surprised because it's the same hustle and strength we bring to our jobs every day. We are the ones on the front lines making libraries work and connecting with customers on so many different levels.
We're not made of fragile glass. We won't break that easily.
7.07.2016
from the front lines, day four
Every day, more and more members are coming out on the line!
At least 250 people were at Thursday's morning rally and lunch-time barbecue with CUPE Ontario. Spirits were very high, and we were NOISY!
We were joined by members of many other unions:
- Ryan & Evan, CUPE 3902, University of Toronto
- Sandra & Tracey, CUPE 5167, City of Hamilton
- Sonia from CUPE 4914, Peel CAS
- Mary, CUPE 3904, Ryerson University
- Bhupinder & Inderdep, United Workers Canada
- Sandeep, NDP Brampton
- Fair Wages Brampton
- Jim McDowell, Peel Regional Labour Council
Our afternoon visit from National Treasurer Charles Fleury was a bit more subdued, but still important. Before coming to Celebration Square, Charles had visited our sisters and brothers in CUPE Local 2974, the Essex Public Library Workers, who are also on strike. He was delivering greetings of thanks and strength. He was also delivering our second $5,000 donation of the day!
And our brothers from CUPE 3902, University of Toronto, are sending a $2,000 donation. Pretty amazing, this solidarity stuff.
The new issue of The Mississauga News has a picture of president Laura Kaminker proudly marching on the line on the cover and a very positive story inside. There still has been no word from the City, and not one word from Mayor Bonnie Crombie. However, we did hear from an unnamed source that -- pardon the expression -- huge shit-storms are ricocheting all over City Hall.
And there was an emergency Library Board meeting this week. ... Hmm, what could that have been about?
Here is the text of a letter one of our customers sent to Library Director Rose Vespa:
Dear Ms. Vespa,
As a regular user of the Mississauga library system, I am disappointed that negotiations with CUPE have failed. I am also dismayed by today's report in the Mississauga News that includes CUPE's characterization of library workers' contracts as "the very definition of precarious work” with part-time workers having "no benefits, no paid sick time or bereavement leave and no paid vacation" and "nothing but a constantly changing schedule that prevents them from holding down a second job, yet offers only 12 to 16 hours a week, often less." I am sure that neither you nor I would want to have to work in those conditions. I do hope that the city will make a better and more compassionate offer so that we can all continue to benefit from this wonderful service.
Thank you.
John S.
This Saturday, the Strike Committee and the Executive are meeting to debrief for the week and strategize for the week ahead. If you have ideas that you want to pass along, we are listening.
At least 250 people were at Thursday's morning rally and lunch-time barbecue with CUPE Ontario. Spirits were very high, and we were NOISY!
We were joined by members of many other unions:
- Ryan & Evan, CUPE 3902, University of Toronto
- Sandra & Tracey, CUPE 5167, City of Hamilton
- Sonia from CUPE 4914, Peel CAS
- Mary, CUPE 3904, Ryerson University
- Bhupinder & Inderdep, United Workers Canada
- Sandeep, NDP Brampton
- Fair Wages Brampton
- Jim McDowell, Peel Regional Labour Council
Our afternoon visit from National Treasurer Charles Fleury was a bit more subdued, but still important. Before coming to Celebration Square, Charles had visited our sisters and brothers in CUPE Local 2974, the Essex Public Library Workers, who are also on strike. He was delivering greetings of thanks and strength. He was also delivering our second $5,000 donation of the day!
And our brothers from CUPE 3902, University of Toronto, are sending a $2,000 donation. Pretty amazing, this solidarity stuff.
The new issue of The Mississauga News has a picture of president Laura Kaminker proudly marching on the line on the cover and a very positive story inside. There still has been no word from the City, and not one word from Mayor Bonnie Crombie. However, we did hear from an unnamed source that -- pardon the expression -- huge shit-storms are ricocheting all over City Hall.
And there was an emergency Library Board meeting this week. ... Hmm, what could that have been about?
Here is the text of a letter one of our customers sent to Library Director Rose Vespa:
Dear Ms. Vespa,
As a regular user of the Mississauga library system, I am disappointed that negotiations with CUPE have failed. I am also dismayed by today's report in the Mississauga News that includes CUPE's characterization of library workers' contracts as "the very definition of precarious work” with part-time workers having "no benefits, no paid sick time or bereavement leave and no paid vacation" and "nothing but a constantly changing schedule that prevents them from holding down a second job, yet offers only 12 to 16 hours a week, often less." I am sure that neither you nor I would want to have to work in those conditions. I do hope that the city will make a better and more compassionate offer so that we can all continue to benefit from this wonderful service.
Thank you.
John S.
This Saturday, the Strike Committee and the Executive are meeting to debrief for the week and strategize for the week ahead. If you have ideas that you want to pass along, we are listening.
7.06.2016
from the front lines, day three
Here are some highlights of the incredible support our strike action is generating:
1 - A customer called this morning. "Good morning, I am a library patron, just calling to say we support you. It is so hot today, would a donation of water be acceptable?" When we said yes, he said "OK, I will come by around 1:00 with 150 bottles of water." Wow!!
2 - We received an email from Kyle in Winnipeg, subject line "Solidarity!"
- Chris Buckley, president of the OFL
- CUPE 79, Toronto
- DPDSB Local 2544
- Bob from a union shop, who dropped off apple fritters and walked the line with us.
- And of course our daily visit from our brothers in CUPE Local 66.
#StrongerTogether!
5 - CUPE National is creating a Strike Support Website for us, to tell all union members all across Canada how they can support us.
6 - Another email:
9 - Speaking of Twitter, Mayor Crombie tweeted about the heat emergency in Mississauga. NOT FIVE SECONDS LATER, Peel District CUPE Council tweeted: "@BonnieCrombie there is an emergency right outside your office! Your librarians are on strike! Go talk to them!"
10 - If you have written to the mayor or your councillor and received an unsatisfactory answer, please don't worry. Everyone will receive the bland form letter. That's the City's public face. But in private, the letters and emails and phone calls are counted, and they will have an effect. We don't know when, we won't see it coming, but at some point the City will contact us. Until then, keep writing, emailing, and calling, and asking everyone else to do the same. You are making an impact.
Please sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!
Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca
John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca
Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca
For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.
1 - A customer called this morning. "Good morning, I am a library patron, just calling to say we support you. It is so hot today, would a donation of water be acceptable?" When we said yes, he said "OK, I will come by around 1:00 with 150 bottles of water." Wow!!
2 - We received an email from Kyle in Winnipeg, subject line "Solidarity!"
I work at the Winnipeg Public Library and am a member of CUPE 500. I wanted to send my solidarity to you in your fight for fairness.3 - We were copied on this letter to Library Director Rose Vespa.
We know the same struggle as you. As a part-time worker at the library I know how difficult it is to survive on the pittance that we are given. My hours per week also range from 12-20 a week but some part timers get as low as 6. It is basically impossible to live off it or get a second job. A lot of people are forced to leave jobs they love for economical reasons. When it was brought to the attention of our manager that workers can't live off the hours they're given she remarked, "that's not my concern."
You are fighting a fight for all library workers. I wish I could come out to the picket line to show my support for you directly. But I will do everything in my power from Winnipeg to give you support. You will win your fight.
Dear Ms. Vespa:4 - We received solidarity visits from...
The members of the Progressive Librarians Guild-GTA chapter wish to express their unreserved support for the members of CUPE Local 1989 as they enter into job action over the lack of a fair and equitable contract offered by the City of Mississauga.
More than half of the workers at the Mississauga Public Library work part time, with no benefits, paid sick time, or paid vacation. It is our understanding that the contract that was tabled addressed a pay increase, but that rings hollow when the majority of workers cannot make a living wage with part time hours.
Precarious work is a troubling trend and one that disproportionately affects women, young people, and newcomers, the very populations that public libraries seek to serve.
The very nature of precarious work makes it difficult, if not impossible, to properly connect with and serve community members.
We call on the Board to return to the table and address the demands of CUPE Local 1989 to offer a fair and equitable contract that values the important work of their membership.
With respect,
The membership of PLG-GTA
cc: CUPE Local 1989
- Chris Buckley, president of the OFL
- CUPE 79, Toronto
- DPDSB Local 2544
- Bob from a union shop, who dropped off apple fritters and walked the line with us.
- And of course our daily visit from our brothers in CUPE Local 66.
#StrongerTogether!
5 - CUPE National is creating a Strike Support Website for us, to tell all union members all across Canada how they can support us.
6 - Another email:
Good morning:7 - Some observations from one of our couriers who stands strong for our union:
We at York University have posted the following statement:
"The librarians and archivists of the York University Faculty Association stand in solidarity with all our fellow library workers in CUPE 1989 in Mississauga who are now on strike, fighting against precarious labour and for fair pay and decent benefits.
"Public libraries are important in Mississauga, in Toronto, in every city and town in Canada, and every worker in every library deserves, at minimum, a reasonable salary and a stable working environment. We call on Mayor Bonnie Crombie and the board of the Mississauga Library System to reach a fair settlement with CUPE 1989 immediately."
William Denton,
Steward, Library Chapter,
York University Faculty Association
1) I can't believe how many caring and talented people work for the library. There are too many to name individually, but I see at least one of them being brilliant every single day. It stuns me that our Employer can be so willfully disrespectful to those who give so much of themselves seemingly as naturally as they breathe air.8 - The video we shared recently is up to about 8,000 views and climbing. We've tweeted it to the City, of course. #saugastrike #WhereIsBonnie
2) It's ridiculous how our Employer has turned so many of its best and brightest against itself. There are incredibly dynamic library workers, and often it's these very folks who are channeling their boundless energies and exceptional levels of commitment into keeping our Union strong while standing up to the very organization they give their proverbial blood, sweat and tears to every day.
3) I love how united we are. We have 20+ year veterans picketing with fresh-faced newcomers. Librarians and senior librarians with (Level 2 pay-grade) couriers and Technical Services processors. Full-timers, part-time part-timers and pages. Everybody sounds passionate, committed, and fed up with always being treated as an afterthought.
9 - Speaking of Twitter, Mayor Crombie tweeted about the heat emergency in Mississauga. NOT FIVE SECONDS LATER, Peel District CUPE Council tweeted: "@BonnieCrombie there is an emergency right outside your office! Your librarians are on strike! Go talk to them!"
10 - If you have written to the mayor or your councillor and received an unsatisfactory answer, please don't worry. Everyone will receive the bland form letter. That's the City's public face. But in private, the letters and emails and phone calls are counted, and they will have an effect. We don't know when, we won't see it coming, but at some point the City will contact us. Until then, keep writing, emailing, and calling, and asking everyone else to do the same. You are making an impact.
Please sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!
Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca
John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca
Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca
For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.
7.05.2016
from the front lines, day two
We had another great turnout on Tuesday. When I arrived at 8:30 AM, there were already 100 people making noise at our favourite corner, and another 40-50 waiting to sign in.
So what did we learn today...?
The labour community rocks!
Folks from the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), Peel Regional Labour Council, York Region Labour Council, Peel District CUPE Council, 4948 TPL Workers Union, plus other CUPE Reps, all came out to show their support.
They talked about how our fight is for each other, for all library workers - and for all workers in Ontario and in Canada. We all share the same issues and struggles, so it's easy to support one another.
The rally was LOUD! and attracted a lot of attention from passing cars - and I'm sure, from our Employer as well. :)
We also received more financial donations, and donations of water and ice pops. One labour friend asked what we needed, and I said, how about some healthy snacks? A few hours later, here comes a guy with two cases of granola bars.
Social Media
We are rocking social media, with big assists from other unions. If you're on Twitter, please use hashtags #saugastrike and #WhereIsBonnie. Other good ones are #StrongerTogether and #LibraryWarriors.
And speaking of Bonnie Crombie ...
Our new mayor has not yet made a public statement about the library strike!
How you can help
The most important thing you can do to support us are to call and email the mayor's office and councilors/Library Board.
Here's something I received today:
Dear Ms Kaminker,Please support us! Sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!
As a 7-year resident of Ward 4, a regular library user, and a member in good standing of CUPE 905, I am writing to express my support for your efforts to achieve a truly "fair and competitive" agreement for Mississauga Library staff.
I am also pasting a message I just sent to my Councillor and Library Board member, John Kovac. I hope you find that it adequately expresses my feelings on this matter.Councillor Kovac,
As a 7-year resident of Ward 4 and a regular user of the Library, I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment in the Library Board in general, and you in particular as a Board member and my Councillor, for your inability to reach a fair agreement with Library staff, resulting in an entirely unnecessary disruption of service.
I am aware that Council recently voted itself a 1.75% increase for this year to a healthy $86,000 salary. Such an increase may seem comparable to the 1.5% (failing to keep pace with inflation), offered to library staff except that many of those staff need 2nd and even 3rd jobs to make ends meet. They might well have settled for a 1.5% increase if they had already been making $86,000 a year.
I am also aware of the 7.3% increase given to director of Library Services, Rose Vespa, in 2014. In light of this fact, and the fact that library staff received 0.5% that same year, it seems unconscionable to describe your entirely inadequate offer as "fair and competitive".
Public libraries are an essential building block in the foundation of any thriving and successful municipality. By being unable to reach an agreement with library staff, you have weakened that foundation. I judge this current version of the Mississauga Library Board to be a failure, you included. The municipal elections may be more than two years away, but on October 22, 2018, I will remember that failure when deciding how to mark my ballot.
Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca
John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca
Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca
For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.
7.04.2016
from the front lines, day one
About 200 of us were on the picket lines today. Despite the blazing temperatures, our spirits were high. We waved our signs and our flags, showing our pride to every passerby.
Media
I did interviews with the Toronto Star, CBC (we were on at 6:00 PM), CTV, CP24, the Mississauga News, and the labour newspaper Rank and File. Here are some links:
Toronto Star: Mississauga Workers' Strike Shuts Down 18 Public Libraries
Mississauga News: Union President Says Situation For Mississauga's Library Workers Is 'Precarious' And 'Stressful'
CBC: Mississauga Libraries To Close Monday As Workers Vote To Strike
CP24: Mississauga Libraries To Be Closed Monday Amid Strike
News Talk 1010: Mississauga Libraries Closed Amid Strike
Global News: Mississauga's 18 Libraries Closed Due To Labour Dispute
Yahoo! Finance: Talks Break Down, CUPE 1989 On Legal Strike For A Fair Contract With Mississauga Library System
Morning Star: Vital Summer Programming At Risk If Mississauga Library System Doesn't 'Get Serious,' And Bargain A Fair Contract, Warns CUPE 1989
Benefits Canada: Mississauga Library Staff On Strike Over Pay And Benefits
In the battle for public opinion, I don't think the City of Mississauga is looking too good.
Union Solidarity
CUPE Local 1989 has received a huge outpouring of solidarity and support from unions in Peel, Toronto, and indeed, throughout Canada. CUPE National President Mark Hancock called, and will visit from Vancouver soon.
CUPE Ontario is donating $5,000 to our strike fund. CUPE Local 831 (Brampton City workers) brought us water, signs, and goodie bags to give out to kids. CUPE Local 66 (Mississauga outside workers) stopped by. Labour activists from the Steelworkers and OPSEIU (college teachers) came from Toronto. Well-wishers were stopping by all day with water, freeze pops, and other necessities.
Tomorrow, the Canadian Labour Council, Peel Regional Labour Council, Toronto York Region Labour Council, and the Ontario Federation of Labour are rallying with us. And on and on it goes.
What's the big fuss? Only that the members of CUPE Local 1989 are on the forefront of a struggle for justice taking place all over Canada. And - literally - all over the world.
Customer Support
Many customers stopped by our sign-in table today. The ones I saw were disappointed that the library was closed, but were very clear that they supported us anyway. One couple with three children were horrified to hear our issues, and asked, "How can we help?"
One customer left me a voice mail: she had driven to two library branches hoping to walk the line with us, and was disappointed not to find us! I told her we were at Central and she said she'd be there tomorrow!
An unemployed Mississauga resident, originally from Sri Lanka, told me: "I depend on the library, and I'm sorry I can't use it, but I am with you all the way. I support what you are doing. I miss the library, but I want to help you."
These are only a few stories. There are many, many more. Most customers are behind us. They love their libraries, but they trust us and respect us, and know we are doing what we must.
Fairness and Respect
Why does our strike resonate so well with the public? Why is the media attention we receive so friendly? Because everyone recognizes injustice when they see it.
When workers receive a 0.5% increase and the Library Director receives a 7.3% increase ...
When that Director's increase amounts to more than what many of our lowest-paid workers - 28% of our membership - earn in a full year ...
When work done in Mississauga pays under $12/hour and the same work in Brampton pays almost $19/hour ...
When workers must come to work sick and ailing, because they lack paid sick time ...
When a City Manager earning $280,000 annually sits across the table from a union representing 112 workers earning below the poverty line, and tells us: "There's no more money. I guess you'll have to strike." ...
When there seems to be money for everything the Library wants - all the new technology, the automation, the renovations - but staff is told to make do ...
It's time to fight back.
Please support us! Sign our petition, and tell the City of Mississauga: Give your library workers a fair deal!
Bonnie Crombie, Mayor
905-896-5555
mayor@mississauga.ca
John Kovac, Library Board / Council
905-896-5400
john.kovac@mississauga.ca
Matt Mahoney, Library Board / Council
905-896-5800
matt.mahoney@mississauga.ca
For more information, contact Laura Kaminker, President, CUPE Local 1989, at 647-200-1481.
7.01.2016
mississauga library workers vote overwhelmingly to strike
Yesterday, the members of CUPE Local 1989, Mississauga Library Workers Union, voted overwhelmingly to strike.
Amid massive turnout in three separate meetings, 96% of the members in attendance said they are willing to take strike action in order to win a fair contract for all members. The July 4th strike deadline coincides with the start of summer programming, the Library's busiest time.
We, the members of Local 1989, love our jobs. We are very proud of the quality services we provide to the community. We are skilled workers, and our services are valued and loved by the residents of Mississauga. We ask only to be treated with respect, and for all our members to be able to provide a decent life for themselves and their families.
Our Library Pages -- the people who put the books on shelves -- deserve a living wage. Currently they earn only pennies above minimum wage, putting them well below the poverty line. Most are adults who support families!
Our part-time workers -- 56% of our membership and growing -- deserve paid sick time, at the very least. They currently receive no benefits, no paid sick time, no paid bereavement leave, no paid vacation. They have nothing but a constantly changing schedule that prevents them holding down a second job, yet offers only 12-16 hours a week, often less. Their contracts are the very definition of precarious work.
Our full-time and part-time workers received a 0.5% salary adjustment in 2014, and the same in 2015 -- 1% over two years! With the cost of living increasing by about 1.8% annually, we are falling farther and farther behind. Meanwhile, Library Director Rose Vespa enjoyed a healthy 7.36% increase. City Manager Janice Baker earns more than a quarter-million dollars per year. But Mississauga Library Workers are being told to make do with a 1.5% increase. When we point out that we received only 1% over two years, we are told, "That's in the past."
Commissioner of Community Services Paul Mitcham and City Manager Janice Baker regularly message City employees, telling us about all the wonderful things happening in Mississauga, and how much they value our hard work and dedication. For Library workers, these messages are a sad joke, serving only as a reminder of the huge gap between the City's self-image, and the reality of being a City of Mississauga employee.
When Mayor Bonnie Crombie talks about reducing poverty in Mississauga, we wonder why 28% of our membership is paid poverty wages, and why the City is staffed increasingly by part-time, precarious workers, with staffing levels stretched to the breaking point.
The members of CUPE Local 1989 challenge the City of Mississauga to set the standard for employment in our city. It can start by treating its library workers with fairness and respect.
How You Can Help
More information about our issues is below. HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Follow us on Twitter and retweet us!
@cupe1989
Like us on Facebook!
Facebook.com/cupe1989
Call or email Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie! Tell her you support library workers and want Mississauga to treat them with fairness and respect.
mayor@mississauga.ca
905-896-5555
Reach out to your own communities and ask them to do all of the above!
Join us on the picket lines!
If the City of Mississauga does not offer us a better deal by Monday, July 4, we will be on strike -- just in time for the start of summer programming, the Library's busiest season. If you are not working that day, will you join us?
Where: Mississauga Central Library, 301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga
When: July 4, from 8 am to 7 pm (picket shifts throughout)
Why: Because library workers deserve fairness and respect
Amid massive turnout in three separate meetings, 96% of the members in attendance said they are willing to take strike action in order to win a fair contract for all members. The July 4th strike deadline coincides with the start of summer programming, the Library's busiest time.
We, the members of Local 1989, love our jobs. We are very proud of the quality services we provide to the community. We are skilled workers, and our services are valued and loved by the residents of Mississauga. We ask only to be treated with respect, and for all our members to be able to provide a decent life for themselves and their families.
Our Library Pages -- the people who put the books on shelves -- deserve a living wage. Currently they earn only pennies above minimum wage, putting them well below the poverty line. Most are adults who support families!
Our part-time workers -- 56% of our membership and growing -- deserve paid sick time, at the very least. They currently receive no benefits, no paid sick time, no paid bereavement leave, no paid vacation. They have nothing but a constantly changing schedule that prevents them holding down a second job, yet offers only 12-16 hours a week, often less. Their contracts are the very definition of precarious work.
Our full-time and part-time workers received a 0.5% salary adjustment in 2014, and the same in 2015 -- 1% over two years! With the cost of living increasing by about 1.8% annually, we are falling farther and farther behind. Meanwhile, Library Director Rose Vespa enjoyed a healthy 7.36% increase. City Manager Janice Baker earns more than a quarter-million dollars per year. But Mississauga Library Workers are being told to make do with a 1.5% increase. When we point out that we received only 1% over two years, we are told, "That's in the past."
Commissioner of Community Services Paul Mitcham and City Manager Janice Baker regularly message City employees, telling us about all the wonderful things happening in Mississauga, and how much they value our hard work and dedication. For Library workers, these messages are a sad joke, serving only as a reminder of the huge gap between the City's self-image, and the reality of being a City of Mississauga employee.
When Mayor Bonnie Crombie talks about reducing poverty in Mississauga, we wonder why 28% of our membership is paid poverty wages, and why the City is staffed increasingly by part-time, precarious workers, with staffing levels stretched to the breaking point.
The members of CUPE Local 1989 challenge the City of Mississauga to set the standard for employment in our city. It can start by treating its library workers with fairness and respect.
How You Can Help
More information about our issues is below. HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Follow us on Twitter and retweet us!
@cupe1989
Like us on Facebook!
Facebook.com/cupe1989
Call or email Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie! Tell her you support library workers and want Mississauga to treat them with fairness and respect.
mayor@mississauga.ca
905-896-5555
Reach out to your own communities and ask them to do all of the above!
Join us on the picket lines!
If the City of Mississauga does not offer us a better deal by Monday, July 4, we will be on strike -- just in time for the start of summer programming, the Library's busiest season. If you are not working that day, will you join us?
Where: Mississauga Central Library, 301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga
When: July 4, from 8 am to 7 pm (picket shifts throughout)
Why: Because library workers deserve fairness and respect
6.26.2016
we still like lists: recipe for effective activism
What it takes to be an effective activist:
1. Hopefulness
2. Persistence, perseverance
3. Reliability
4. Enjoyment of teamwork
5. Willingness to take direction from others
6. Willingness to make space and time in your life for your cause
7. Good listening skills
8. A long view
9. Boundaries
10. Passion for your cause
1. Hopefulness
2. Persistence, perseverance
3. Reliability
4. Enjoyment of teamwork
5. Willingness to take direction from others
6. Willingness to make space and time in your life for your cause
7. Good listening skills
8. A long view
9. Boundaries
10. Passion for your cause
we movie to canada 2015-16. this year there's a part 2.
From the I Have Too Much Going On, Systems Are Breaking Down department, this year's we move to canada awards omitted a big chunk of viewing. I was very surprised -- and a bit disturbed -- to discover this!
Leaving aside questions about my mental competence, I'm reviewing the omitted films and series here, and I'll also update the main post. I'm also using this as an opportunity to move some of my binge watching to the main categories.
In the Muhammad Ali category:
The Duke of Burgundy
-- This darkly erotic love story is kind of the anti- Blue Is the Warmest Colour: crackling with sexual tension, and not a bit of skin exposed. A tender love story about love that is not tender.
In the David Bowie category:
Angel
-- I was skeptical about this Buffy spinoff, but ended up liking it more than Buffy -- the characters are more varied, the interplay and overlap of good and evil is even more complex. It's also funnier. Great stuff, with huge thanks to my Facebook friends who recommended it.
Series Noire
-- This French-language series from Quebec begins as a clever self-referential comedy, then deepens to a wry, bittersweet comedy-drama. Like BoJack Horseman, How I Met Your Mother, and -- my favourite TV comedy of all time -- The Larry Sanders Show, thos comedy improved when it tapped into pain. Really worth watching.
In the Allen Toussaint / Maurice White / Merle Haggard category:
Longmire, Season 4
-- This detective-western hybrid is still going strong.
Badults, Season 1
-- If you're old enough to remember The Young Ones, this is an updated version of the slacker-dudes-on-their-own motif, featuring members of a comedy troupe called Pappy's. The first season is funny. Please stop there.
Burnistoun
-- Could it be we've discovered a replacement for Kids in the Hall? I doubt this Scottish sketch comedy show will sustain itself as long as KITH, but Season 1 was hilarious.
Mike Tyson Mysteries
-- Are you watching this? It's funny, bizarre, occasionally hilarious, and episodes are only 10 minutes long. If you're a fan of Robert Smigel, you'll want to check this out.
Columbo
-- I started re-watching this detective show from my youth half as a joke, then discovered it was brilliant. More specifically, Peter Falk was brilliant. Lieutenant Columbo must be one of the greatest television characters of all time. The show was an absolute pleasure.
In the Glenn Frey category:
Birdman
-- Apparently we're the only people who didn't like this movie. Please don't explain it to me. I understood it. I did not enjoy it.
W1A
-- This spoof starts out with great promise, then reveals it contains only one note, played over and over and over.
In the Antonin Scalia category:
Badults, Season 2
-- Stop after Season 1.
Leaving aside questions about my mental competence, I'm reviewing the omitted films and series here, and I'll also update the main post. I'm also using this as an opportunity to move some of my binge watching to the main categories.
In the Muhammad Ali category:
The Duke of Burgundy
-- This darkly erotic love story is kind of the anti- Blue Is the Warmest Colour: crackling with sexual tension, and not a bit of skin exposed. A tender love story about love that is not tender.
In the David Bowie category:
Angel
-- I was skeptical about this Buffy spinoff, but ended up liking it more than Buffy -- the characters are more varied, the interplay and overlap of good and evil is even more complex. It's also funnier. Great stuff, with huge thanks to my Facebook friends who recommended it.
Series Noire
-- This French-language series from Quebec begins as a clever self-referential comedy, then deepens to a wry, bittersweet comedy-drama. Like BoJack Horseman, How I Met Your Mother, and -- my favourite TV comedy of all time -- The Larry Sanders Show, thos comedy improved when it tapped into pain. Really worth watching.
In the Allen Toussaint / Maurice White / Merle Haggard category:
Longmire, Season 4
-- This detective-western hybrid is still going strong.
Badults, Season 1
-- If you're old enough to remember The Young Ones, this is an updated version of the slacker-dudes-on-their-own motif, featuring members of a comedy troupe called Pappy's. The first season is funny. Please stop there.
Burnistoun
-- Could it be we've discovered a replacement for Kids in the Hall? I doubt this Scottish sketch comedy show will sustain itself as long as KITH, but Season 1 was hilarious.
Mike Tyson Mysteries
-- Are you watching this? It's funny, bizarre, occasionally hilarious, and episodes are only 10 minutes long. If you're a fan of Robert Smigel, you'll want to check this out.
Columbo
-- I started re-watching this detective show from my youth half as a joke, then discovered it was brilliant. More specifically, Peter Falk was brilliant. Lieutenant Columbo must be one of the greatest television characters of all time. The show was an absolute pleasure.
In the Glenn Frey category:
Birdman
-- Apparently we're the only people who didn't like this movie. Please don't explain it to me. I understood it. I did not enjoy it.
W1A
-- This spoof starts out with great promise, then reveals it contains only one note, played over and over and over.
In the Antonin Scalia category:
Badults, Season 2
-- Stop after Season 1.
6.21.2016
what i'm watching: further thoughts on himym
A few weeks ago, I blogged about watching "How I Met Your Mother," a show that has been a huge surprise to me. At the time, I thought the show was slipping in quality. I had started the eighth season, and the whole thing was off. The characters were too shrill, the situations too zany and over-the-top. Having come that far, I was determined to soldier on. To my surprise, I was rewarded. (I should call this syndrome The Springsteen.)
After three or four subpar episodes, the show found its voice again. Overall, Season 8 turned out to be one of the funniest, saddest, and most genuine so far. The final two episodes were downright beautiful, some of the best romantic comedy I've ever seen.
So Season 8 ends with the first glimpse of Ted's future soulmate, The Mother. And now, according to so many people, Season 9 will completely tank.
I think I'll re-watch some of Season 8 before I move on.
After three or four subpar episodes, the show found its voice again. Overall, Season 8 turned out to be one of the funniest, saddest, and most genuine so far. The final two episodes were downright beautiful, some of the best romantic comedy I've ever seen.
So Season 8 ends with the first glimpse of Ted's future soulmate, The Mother. And now, according to so many people, Season 9 will completely tank.
I think I'll re-watch some of Season 8 before I move on.
6.19.2016
it's crunch time at the bargaining table
June 27-29: The Negotiating Committee for CUPE Local 1989, Mississauga Library Workers Union, returns to the bargaining table for three days.
June 30: The Negotiating Committee presents membership with a settlement offer. If the bargaining team recommends ratification, there is a ratification vote. If we do not recommend ratification, there is a strike vote.
July 2: Summer programming begins at all our libraries. Free programs for children and youth attract a huge number of customers.
July 4: The City of Mississauga and CUPE Local 1989 are in a legal or lockout position.
July 7-8: The director of our library system hosts an annual conference of the Ontario Library Association.
We played a long game of cat-and-mouse to make this timeline happen. It took a lot of resolve and a fair bit of luck. Now that we're here, perhaps our employer will be very motivated to avoid a strike.
Brampton is a neighbouring city. Mississauga, Brampton, and one other city comprise the Region of Peel. Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has been making public statements about pulling Mississauga out of Peel.
From 1974 when towns and villages were amalgamated to form Mississauga, until 2014 when Crombie was elected, Mississauga had only one mayor. That is, Crombie is only the second mayor to hold office in this city.
Crombie has convened a Mayor's Advisory Board on Poverty and Homelessness, part of the Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy. Although there is ample reason for skepticism, this is potentially a big improvement over the former mayor's inaction. It took Hazel McCallion until 2010 to even acknowledge there was poverty in Peel.
Then there's the Fight for 15, the growing public discourse on precarious work and presenteeism, and the fact that more than half of Mississauga Library staff are precarious workers.
There are the (mostly male) Mississauga transit workers, who recently ratified a new contract, and kept their premium pay for Sunday work. The (mostly female) library workers are fighting to keep theirs, too.
And finally, there's this fact: there has never been a strike against the City of Mississauga.
* * * *
Last night, watching Endeavour, I heard this line: Sometimes you've got to put all you are, against all they've got.
I've been repeating this to myself, thinking about all I am, all our team is, and all our members are.
6.13.2016
we movie to canada: wmtc annual movie awards, 2015-16 edition
I'm posting my annual movie awards later and later every year. I'm also watching fewer movies, because I'm watching more TV shows. When I come home on Friday or Saturday, exhausted and needing total downtime, sometimes even a movie is too much mental effort; binge-watching a series is somehow easier. So I end up with a ton of movies on the List, unwatched, year after year.
But no matter. Here's what I did watch, and what I thought.
First, the annual recap.
- Canadian musicians and comedians (2006-07 and 2007-08)
- my beverage of choice (2008-09)
- famous people who died during the past year (2009-10)
- where I'd like to be (2010-11)
- vegetables (2011-12) (I was out of ideas!)
- Big Life Events in a year full of Big Life Changes (2012-13)
- cheese (I'm getting desperate!) (2013-14)
- and last year (2014-15) types of travels.
This year I've recycling a theme from a few years back. It was a bad year for the deaths of famous people, and it's only going to get worse, as a generation of musicians, actors, and thinkers that people in my age-range have worshipped have begun to leave us.
War resister, peace activist, athlete, orator, leader. Warrior for peace and justice. Proud Muslim. Few have sacrificed as much for peace as he did. Muhammad Ali was The Greatest, and so were these movies.
The Wire, Season 4
-- The absolute best viewing this past year wasn't a movie at all. Season Four of The Wire has more positive characters, more emotional investment, and a more profound impact than anything we've seen yet. The Wire is likely the best series ever aired, and this is its best season (so far). Exceptional.
Call Me Lucky
-- A hilarious, heartbreaking, inspiring movie about a man you've probably never heard of, featuring a lot of famous people who owe so much to him. My full review is here. I want everyone to see this movie.
Spotlight
-- A riveting drama and a fascinating history. A story that should never be forgotten, beautifully told. The DVD has interviews with the real Spotlight team.
Pride
-- Solidarity that made me weep with joy. A vision of the possible. Inspiration of the highest order.
Merchants of Doubt
-- An important, terrifying look into public manipulation, from Big Tobacco to climate change deniers. The must-see documentary of my movie season.
The Duke of Burgundy
-- This darkly erotic love story is kind of the anti- Blue Is the Warmest Colour: crackling with sexual tension, and not a bit of skin exposed. A tender love story about love that is not tender.
Brilliant, multi-talented, unique, influential, and gorgeous. There was only one David Bowie, and he influenced our culture in myriad ways. He did put out some clunkers and some mainstream fluff in his day. Like Bowie, these films are not perfect, but they are excellent.
Blue Ruin
-- A low-budget revenge thriller, as bloody as it is suspenseful. Riveting.
Far from the Madding Crowd
-- A lush, luminous adaptation of a great novel. I was skeptical, then found myself completely caught up in the characters and their tragic or triumphant lives.
The Search for General Tso
-- This documentary uses Ameican Chinese food as an avenue to explore identity, authenticity, and otherness. So well done.
Boardwalk Empire, Seasons 1-3
-- This high-quality historical fiction about boss politics in the Prohibition era ticks every box: gorgeous period setting, social significance, political intrigue, class war, and complex relationships. The first few seasons were stellar. After that, the great storylines faded away, and the plots became too repetitive. But these first three seasons, wow. Violence warnings, bigtime.
The Good Wife, Seasons 6 and 7
-- Rarely does a show stay great for seven full seasons. Writing, acting, storylines, politics -- all brilliant. I loved the ending, and am sad that it's over. Very nearly a Muhammad Ali.
Angel
-- I was skeptical about this Buffy spinoff, but ended up liking it more than Buffy -- the characters are more varied, the interplay and overlap of good and evil is even more complex. It's also funnier. Great stuff, with huge thanks to my Facebook friends who recommended it.
Series Noire
-- This French-language series from Quebec begins as a clever self-referential comedy, then deepens to a wry, bittersweet comedy-drama. Like BoJack Horseman, How I Met Your Mother, and -- my favourite TV comedy of all time -- The Larry Sanders Show, thos comedy improved when it tapped into pain. Really worth watching.
The shocking deaths of David Bowie and Prince overshadowed the passing of many other musical artists. Allen Toussaint, Merle Haggard, and Maurice White all created original, important music. Each man took established genres and threw in elements of culture, diverse influences, and their unique visions to create something new, different, and beautiful. Their music was solid, good, and sometimes wonderful. So are these movies.
Tangerine
-- Part buddy road trip, part bedroom farce, funny, sad, and outrageous. Plus a trans actor plays a trans person. Plus it was shot on an iPhone. Not a perfect movie, but a really good one.
The Overnighters
-- A stark documentary that reveals a sad slice of the dead American dream. Bleak, compassionate, thought-provoking, surprising.
BoJack Horseman, Season 2
-- As often happens, this comedy improved when it found the pain beneath the laughs. The second BoJack season was often very sad, and also very good.
Detectorists
-- A gentle, good-natured comedy about some misfits, their subculture, and their attempts at connection. Lovely, and left me wanting more.
Ex Machina
-- Plot twists, suspense, and an absolute shocker of an ending. For an exploration of human-technology love, see Her. For a thriller that happens to feature some androids, see this.
Force Majeure
-- How do we behave in a crisis? What would you do if...? The answer to that question sets off a chain of events that remakes a family's life. A bit long and occasionally tedious, but thought-provoking and worth seeing.
God's Pocket
-- A strange comedy-drama romp, and a reminder of Philip Seymour Hoffman's quietly perfect talents.
Holes
-- I finally saw the film adaptation of one of my favourite junior novels. It almost does justice to the book, which is very high praise.
How We Got to Now
-- Steven Johnson's PBS series does a good job of making a science-history lecture visually entertaining. I've only seen two episodes, but plan on watching all six.
Iris
-- The Big Man of Documentaries meets the flamboyant Grand Dame of Fashion, when 87-year-old presents 93-year-old Iris Apfel. A film about free spirits and life as creation. Really fun.
Keith Richards: Under the Influence
-- The latest revision of Keith's biography. Diehard fans won't learn anything new, but it's Keith, so it's fun.
Life Itself
-- This tribute to Roger Ebert, the film critic and cultural icon, was... good. I wanted it to be better, but if you were a fan of Ebert's, you'll enjoy it.
Magic in the Moonlight
-- Solid Woody Allen. Won't change your life, but if you like Woody's comedies, this is one of them.
Master of None
-- Aziz Ansari tries to break out of the comic-turned-sitcom mold, and sometimes succeeds. Funny and interesting enough to watch another season.
Pariah
-- An African-American girl from a working-class, religious family, comes to terms with her sexuality and claims her identity. Even though the story has been told many times, when it's told well, it's touching and inspiring. A young filmmaker's very impressive debut.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
-- A nice take on the Sherlock Holmes franchise. I found myself skipping through the action scenes to find the movie underneath, but it's fun and well done. Also a reminder that I just don't like action movies.
The Clouds of Sils Maria
-- In a film about actors and theatre, what's real and what's theatre shifts and bends and flips. This film is purposely disorienting and confusing, and strangely compelling.
The Dark Matter of Love
-- A cheery Midwestern family adopts older orphans from Russia, and learns that love and good intentions do not conquer all. This documentary follows their struggles, their perservanace, and their work with family therapists to try to get it right. Well done.
The End of the Tour
-- If you're not a writer or a fan of David Foster Wallace, I don't think this film adaptation of David Lipsky's Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself would be of much interest. But if you do fall into either of those categories, it's interesting and though-provoking. Jason Segal's portrayal of DFW is relevatory.
The Great Train Robbery
-- A funny, suspenseful, well written crime caper, told in a two-part series, first from the robbers' point of view, then from the police's. The first part is much more interesting than the second, but in general it's enjoyable. Lovely 1960s period piece, too.
The Imitation Game
-- This is not the first film about Alan Turing, the Enigma machine, and the homophobic persecution of Turing, but it's a very solid new take. Plus Benedict Cumberbatch. If you ever have the opportunity to watch Derek Jacobi as Turing, it's a very different portrayal, and also very good.
Tiger Eyes
-- Amazingly, this is the first Judy Blume novel to get a film adaptation. Directed by Lawrence Blume, the author's son, it's a simple and direct coming-of-age story. A tad melodramatic, but that's teenage life. Nicely done.
Rectify, Seasons 1 and 2
-- This series started out strong, but lost its way. Interesting, though, and worth seeing. We might try again at some point.
Love & Mercy
-- This biopic about Brian Wilson transcends the "troubled genius" mold. A good music film about struggle and redemption. The DVD extras include Brian and Melinda Wilson themselves.
Badults, Season 1
-- If you're old enough to remember The Young Ones, this is an updated version of the slacker-dudes-on-their-own motif, featuring members of a comedy troupe called Pappy's. The first season is funny. Please stop there.
Burnistoun
-- Could it be we've discovered a replacement for Kids in the Hall? I doubt this Scottish sketch comedy show will sustain itself as long as KITH, but Season 1 was hilarious.
Mike Tyson Mysteries
-- Are you watching this? It's funny, bizarre, occasionally hilarious, and episodes are only 10 minutes long. If you're a fan of Robert Smigel, you'll want to check this out.
Columbo
-- I started re-watching this detective show from my youth half as a joke, then discovered it was brilliant. More specifically, Peter Falk was brilliant. Lieutenant Columbo must be one of the greatest television characters of all time. The show was an absolute pleasure.
Glenn Frey probably made some halfway decent music at some point. His career probably wasn't a total waste, but if I never heard another Eagles song again, that would be fine with me. These movies and shows don't completely suck, but they are generally failures.
Garfunkle & Oates
-- The female Flight of the Conchords is mildly amusing, but it only plays one note, and gets old fast.
I Believe in Unicorns
-- I wanted to like this teenage story of dangerous love, escape, and redemption. But I just couldn't buy any of it. Natalie Dyer's performance is excellent. Other than that, ugh.
The Thread
-- Online communities and their impact on mainstream news and public perception is a fascinating topic. I'd love to see a movie like this, but better. Halfway between Glenn Frey and Haggard-Toussaint-White.
Last Weekend
-- Family melodrama about incredibly privileged people and their relative self-awareness or lack thereof. The always brilliant Patricia Clarkson saves this from the scrap heap.
Stephen Fry Live: More Fool Me
-- Stephen Fry is a treasure. This live show is occasionally good, but mostly meh.
Fruitvale Station
-- A fictional dramatization of the last day of Oscar Grant, who was killed by police in the Bay Area. This is one of those movies that I'm glad exists, but isn't very good.
God Bless the Child
-- The camera follows a group of siblings left alone by their depressed mother, with minimal plot and seemingly no script. It was such an interesting concept, and I wanted to love it. But it was so boring!
Levon Helm: Ain't in It for My Health
-- I love The Band and I loved Levon Helm, so I found something to enjoy in this movie. Levon deserved a great film and this is not it.
Manglehorn
-- Al Pacino is a misanthrope, then presto-change-oh, he's redeemed. What a disappointment!
No No: A Dockumentary
-- Do you want to see this baseball film? No. No.
Paper Towns
-- If this makes you read more John Green, it has served some purpose. Otherwise, a must to avoid.
Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation
-- This movie has some nice views of La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, so it wasn't a total waste.
Schitt's Creek
-- This started out full of promise, but faded first. It should have been much funnier.
Set Fire to the Stars
-- The best part of this film about Dylan Thomas is the title. There are a couple of good moments that save it from the bottom of the barrel.
Welcome to Me
-- Kristen Wiig is good, but quirky just to be quirky is just silly.
Seymour: An Introduction
-- This movie about an inspiring teacher might be interesting to someone who already knew and cared about him. But when it comes to introducing Seymour Bernstein and getting me to care about him, it completely failed.
Paul
-- I'm starting to wonder if Simon Pegg will ever appear in a good movie again. This road-trip romp has a laugh or two, but wow, some serious dreck.
Birdman
-- Apparently we're the only people who didn't like this movie. Please don't explain it to me. I understood it. I did not enjoy it.
W1A
-- This spoof starts out with great promise, then reveals it contains only one note, played over and over and over.
Antonin Scalia was a disgusting excuse for a human being and a dangerous US Supreme Court Justice. He should never be missed and these movies should not be watched.
Skating to New York
-- If you must see all things Canadian, don't say I didn't warn you.
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
-- An angry, bitter man finds out he is about to die, and runs around trying to love everyone. Yikes.
The Slap
-- I don't need to like every character in order to like a movie, but when every single character is hideously unlikeable, I must run away.
Computer Chess
-- What the hell? This was several critics' pick for best indie film of the year. I found it unwatchable.
Interstellar
-- Lurching from one plot hole to the next, awash in melodrama and rickety devices, this movie is a complete mess. Once again I am reminded not to be fooled by hype.
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
-- This film might be an insider joke that I'm not in on. I'm not really sure, as I only got through 20 minutes.
Badults, Season 2
-- Stop after Season 1.
Also:
Binge Watching:
Angel (loved)
Murdoch Mysteries S9 (still enjoying in spite of myself)
Columbo S1-12 (a classic)
Comedy Before Bed
M*A*S*H
How I Met Your Mother (currently on S8 of 9)
But no matter. Here's what I did watch, and what I thought.
First, the annual recap.
- Canadian musicians and comedians (2006-07 and 2007-08)
- my beverage of choice (2008-09)
- famous people who died during the past year (2009-10)
- where I'd like to be (2010-11)
- vegetables (2011-12) (I was out of ideas!)
- Big Life Events in a year full of Big Life Changes (2012-13)
- cheese (I'm getting desperate!) (2013-14)
- and last year (2014-15) types of travels.
This year I've recycling a theme from a few years back. It was a bad year for the deaths of famous people, and it's only going to get worse, as a generation of musicians, actors, and thinkers that people in my age-range have worshipped have begun to leave us.
War resister, peace activist, athlete, orator, leader. Warrior for peace and justice. Proud Muslim. Few have sacrificed as much for peace as he did. Muhammad Ali was The Greatest, and so were these movies.
The Wire, Season 4
-- The absolute best viewing this past year wasn't a movie at all. Season Four of The Wire has more positive characters, more emotional investment, and a more profound impact than anything we've seen yet. The Wire is likely the best series ever aired, and this is its best season (so far). Exceptional.
Call Me Lucky
-- A hilarious, heartbreaking, inspiring movie about a man you've probably never heard of, featuring a lot of famous people who owe so much to him. My full review is here. I want everyone to see this movie.
Spotlight
-- A riveting drama and a fascinating history. A story that should never be forgotten, beautifully told. The DVD has interviews with the real Spotlight team.
Pride
-- Solidarity that made me weep with joy. A vision of the possible. Inspiration of the highest order.
Merchants of Doubt
-- An important, terrifying look into public manipulation, from Big Tobacco to climate change deniers. The must-see documentary of my movie season.
The Duke of Burgundy
-- This darkly erotic love story is kind of the anti- Blue Is the Warmest Colour: crackling with sexual tension, and not a bit of skin exposed. A tender love story about love that is not tender.
Brilliant, multi-talented, unique, influential, and gorgeous. There was only one David Bowie, and he influenced our culture in myriad ways. He did put out some clunkers and some mainstream fluff in his day. Like Bowie, these films are not perfect, but they are excellent.
Blue Ruin
-- A low-budget revenge thriller, as bloody as it is suspenseful. Riveting.
Far from the Madding Crowd
-- A lush, luminous adaptation of a great novel. I was skeptical, then found myself completely caught up in the characters and their tragic or triumphant lives.
The Search for General Tso
-- This documentary uses Ameican Chinese food as an avenue to explore identity, authenticity, and otherness. So well done.
Boardwalk Empire, Seasons 1-3
-- This high-quality historical fiction about boss politics in the Prohibition era ticks every box: gorgeous period setting, social significance, political intrigue, class war, and complex relationships. The first few seasons were stellar. After that, the great storylines faded away, and the plots became too repetitive. But these first three seasons, wow. Violence warnings, bigtime.
The Good Wife, Seasons 6 and 7
-- Rarely does a show stay great for seven full seasons. Writing, acting, storylines, politics -- all brilliant. I loved the ending, and am sad that it's over. Very nearly a Muhammad Ali.
Angel
-- I was skeptical about this Buffy spinoff, but ended up liking it more than Buffy -- the characters are more varied, the interplay and overlap of good and evil is even more complex. It's also funnier. Great stuff, with huge thanks to my Facebook friends who recommended it.
Series Noire
-- This French-language series from Quebec begins as a clever self-referential comedy, then deepens to a wry, bittersweet comedy-drama. Like BoJack Horseman, How I Met Your Mother, and -- my favourite TV comedy of all time -- The Larry Sanders Show, thos comedy improved when it tapped into pain. Really worth watching.
The shocking deaths of David Bowie and Prince overshadowed the passing of many other musical artists. Allen Toussaint, Merle Haggard, and Maurice White all created original, important music. Each man took established genres and threw in elements of culture, diverse influences, and their unique visions to create something new, different, and beautiful. Their music was solid, good, and sometimes wonderful. So are these movies.
Tangerine
-- Part buddy road trip, part bedroom farce, funny, sad, and outrageous. Plus a trans actor plays a trans person. Plus it was shot on an iPhone. Not a perfect movie, but a really good one.
The Overnighters
-- A stark documentary that reveals a sad slice of the dead American dream. Bleak, compassionate, thought-provoking, surprising.
BoJack Horseman, Season 2
-- As often happens, this comedy improved when it found the pain beneath the laughs. The second BoJack season was often very sad, and also very good.
Detectorists
-- A gentle, good-natured comedy about some misfits, their subculture, and their attempts at connection. Lovely, and left me wanting more.
Ex Machina
-- Plot twists, suspense, and an absolute shocker of an ending. For an exploration of human-technology love, see Her. For a thriller that happens to feature some androids, see this.
Force Majeure
-- How do we behave in a crisis? What would you do if...? The answer to that question sets off a chain of events that remakes a family's life. A bit long and occasionally tedious, but thought-provoking and worth seeing.
God's Pocket
-- A strange comedy-drama romp, and a reminder of Philip Seymour Hoffman's quietly perfect talents.
Holes
-- I finally saw the film adaptation of one of my favourite junior novels. It almost does justice to the book, which is very high praise.
How We Got to Now
-- Steven Johnson's PBS series does a good job of making a science-history lecture visually entertaining. I've only seen two episodes, but plan on watching all six.
Iris
-- The Big Man of Documentaries meets the flamboyant Grand Dame of Fashion, when 87-year-old presents 93-year-old Iris Apfel. A film about free spirits and life as creation. Really fun.
Keith Richards: Under the Influence
-- The latest revision of Keith's biography. Diehard fans won't learn anything new, but it's Keith, so it's fun.
Life Itself
-- This tribute to Roger Ebert, the film critic and cultural icon, was... good. I wanted it to be better, but if you were a fan of Ebert's, you'll enjoy it.
Magic in the Moonlight
-- Solid Woody Allen. Won't change your life, but if you like Woody's comedies, this is one of them.
Master of None
-- Aziz Ansari tries to break out of the comic-turned-sitcom mold, and sometimes succeeds. Funny and interesting enough to watch another season.
Pariah
-- An African-American girl from a working-class, religious family, comes to terms with her sexuality and claims her identity. Even though the story has been told many times, when it's told well, it's touching and inspiring. A young filmmaker's very impressive debut.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
-- A nice take on the Sherlock Holmes franchise. I found myself skipping through the action scenes to find the movie underneath, but it's fun and well done. Also a reminder that I just don't like action movies.
The Clouds of Sils Maria
-- In a film about actors and theatre, what's real and what's theatre shifts and bends and flips. This film is purposely disorienting and confusing, and strangely compelling.
The Dark Matter of Love
-- A cheery Midwestern family adopts older orphans from Russia, and learns that love and good intentions do not conquer all. This documentary follows their struggles, their perservanace, and their work with family therapists to try to get it right. Well done.
The End of the Tour
-- If you're not a writer or a fan of David Foster Wallace, I don't think this film adaptation of David Lipsky's Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself would be of much interest. But if you do fall into either of those categories, it's interesting and though-provoking. Jason Segal's portrayal of DFW is relevatory.
The Great Train Robbery
-- A funny, suspenseful, well written crime caper, told in a two-part series, first from the robbers' point of view, then from the police's. The first part is much more interesting than the second, but in general it's enjoyable. Lovely 1960s period piece, too.
The Imitation Game
-- This is not the first film about Alan Turing, the Enigma machine, and the homophobic persecution of Turing, but it's a very solid new take. Plus Benedict Cumberbatch. If you ever have the opportunity to watch Derek Jacobi as Turing, it's a very different portrayal, and also very good.
Tiger Eyes
-- Amazingly, this is the first Judy Blume novel to get a film adaptation. Directed by Lawrence Blume, the author's son, it's a simple and direct coming-of-age story. A tad melodramatic, but that's teenage life. Nicely done.
Rectify, Seasons 1 and 2
-- This series started out strong, but lost its way. Interesting, though, and worth seeing. We might try again at some point.
Love & Mercy
-- This biopic about Brian Wilson transcends the "troubled genius" mold. A good music film about struggle and redemption. The DVD extras include Brian and Melinda Wilson themselves.
Badults, Season 1
-- If you're old enough to remember The Young Ones, this is an updated version of the slacker-dudes-on-their-own motif, featuring members of a comedy troupe called Pappy's. The first season is funny. Please stop there.
Burnistoun
-- Could it be we've discovered a replacement for Kids in the Hall? I doubt this Scottish sketch comedy show will sustain itself as long as KITH, but Season 1 was hilarious.
Mike Tyson Mysteries
-- Are you watching this? It's funny, bizarre, occasionally hilarious, and episodes are only 10 minutes long. If you're a fan of Robert Smigel, you'll want to check this out.
Columbo
-- I started re-watching this detective show from my youth half as a joke, then discovered it was brilliant. More specifically, Peter Falk was brilliant. Lieutenant Columbo must be one of the greatest television characters of all time. The show was an absolute pleasure.
Glenn Frey probably made some halfway decent music at some point. His career probably wasn't a total waste, but if I never heard another Eagles song again, that would be fine with me. These movies and shows don't completely suck, but they are generally failures.
Garfunkle & Oates
-- The female Flight of the Conchords is mildly amusing, but it only plays one note, and gets old fast.
I Believe in Unicorns
-- I wanted to like this teenage story of dangerous love, escape, and redemption. But I just couldn't buy any of it. Natalie Dyer's performance is excellent. Other than that, ugh.
The Thread
-- Online communities and their impact on mainstream news and public perception is a fascinating topic. I'd love to see a movie like this, but better. Halfway between Glenn Frey and Haggard-Toussaint-White.
Last Weekend
-- Family melodrama about incredibly privileged people and their relative self-awareness or lack thereof. The always brilliant Patricia Clarkson saves this from the scrap heap.
Stephen Fry Live: More Fool Me
-- Stephen Fry is a treasure. This live show is occasionally good, but mostly meh.
Fruitvale Station
-- A fictional dramatization of the last day of Oscar Grant, who was killed by police in the Bay Area. This is one of those movies that I'm glad exists, but isn't very good.
God Bless the Child
-- The camera follows a group of siblings left alone by their depressed mother, with minimal plot and seemingly no script. It was such an interesting concept, and I wanted to love it. But it was so boring!
Levon Helm: Ain't in It for My Health
-- I love The Band and I loved Levon Helm, so I found something to enjoy in this movie. Levon deserved a great film and this is not it.
Manglehorn
-- Al Pacino is a misanthrope, then presto-change-oh, he's redeemed. What a disappointment!
No No: A Dockumentary
-- Do you want to see this baseball film? No. No.
Paper Towns
-- If this makes you read more John Green, it has served some purpose. Otherwise, a must to avoid.
Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation
-- This movie has some nice views of La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, so it wasn't a total waste.
Schitt's Creek
-- This started out full of promise, but faded first. It should have been much funnier.
Set Fire to the Stars
-- The best part of this film about Dylan Thomas is the title. There are a couple of good moments that save it from the bottom of the barrel.
Welcome to Me
-- Kristen Wiig is good, but quirky just to be quirky is just silly.
Seymour: An Introduction
-- This movie about an inspiring teacher might be interesting to someone who already knew and cared about him. But when it comes to introducing Seymour Bernstein and getting me to care about him, it completely failed.
Paul
-- I'm starting to wonder if Simon Pegg will ever appear in a good movie again. This road-trip romp has a laugh or two, but wow, some serious dreck.
Birdman
-- Apparently we're the only people who didn't like this movie. Please don't explain it to me. I understood it. I did not enjoy it.
W1A
-- This spoof starts out with great promise, then reveals it contains only one note, played over and over and over.
Antonin Scalia was a disgusting excuse for a human being and a dangerous US Supreme Court Justice. He should never be missed and these movies should not be watched.
Skating to New York
-- If you must see all things Canadian, don't say I didn't warn you.
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn
-- An angry, bitter man finds out he is about to die, and runs around trying to love everyone. Yikes.
The Slap
-- I don't need to like every character in order to like a movie, but when every single character is hideously unlikeable, I must run away.
Computer Chess
-- What the hell? This was several critics' pick for best indie film of the year. I found it unwatchable.
Interstellar
-- Lurching from one plot hole to the next, awash in melodrama and rickety devices, this movie is a complete mess. Once again I am reminded not to be fooled by hype.
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
-- This film might be an insider joke that I'm not in on. I'm not really sure, as I only got through 20 minutes.
Badults, Season 2
-- Stop after Season 1.
Also:
Binge Watching:
Angel (loved)
Murdoch Mysteries S9 (still enjoying in spite of myself)
Columbo S1-12 (a classic)
Comedy Before Bed
M*A*S*H
How I Met Your Mother (currently on S8 of 9)
happy birthday to me
Apparently I have been alive on this planet for 55 years. That seems completely impossible. Yet there it is.
As always on my birthday, I feel incredibly fortunate to be alive and living such a good life. Thanks for still reading my (now occasional) blather.
As always on my birthday, I feel incredibly fortunate to be alive and living such a good life. Thanks for still reading my (now occasional) blather.
6.05.2016
pupdate: happiness is a cancer-free dog
Tala's stitches were removed last week, and we got the full biopsy results: clean margins all around. The surgeon says she does not expect to ever see us again. A week later, I'm still feeling waves of joy and relief. Allan takes the good news in stride, by not letting himself fully contemplate the bad news to begin with.
Watching Tala's crazy-thick fur grow in is interesting! A soft undercoat has already grown in. We're told the thick guard hairs take a long time.
Diego's progress continues to amaze me on a daily basis. We still bring Rollover on all walks, but in most situations, he is calm, or if he's agitated, he immediately turns to his person for a treat. Quick, quick, treat me before I explode! And we do.
The only scenario where he still consistently reacts is when we encounter other dogs in the small space of the elevator area on the main floor. Even then, he lets me lead him away, and as soon as the other dog is out of sight, Diego stops barking and relaxes. This is a long way from constant meltdowns at any distance, which would then throw him off for the entire walk.
In conclusion, dogs are amazing.
the greatest, forever. rest in power muhammad ali.
Revolutionary thought of the day, from a revolutionary American.
Two thoughts from my Facebook feed.
Not all white people are racist?
‘I Just Wanted to Be Free’: The Radical Reverberations of Muhammad Ali, Dave Zirin, The Nation
Muhammad Ali Risked It All When He Opposed The Vietnam War, Justin Block, HuffPo
Muhammad Ali: Worshipped. Misunderstood. Exploited., Ishamel Reed, New York Times Op-Ed
Official New York Times obituary, written by Robert Lipsyte, a steadfastly progressive voice in the overwhelmingly ultra-conservative field of sportswriting
If you haven't seen any of these movies, do yourself a favour. None is perfect, all are flawed, but all worth seeing.
When We Were Kings (1996)
The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013)
I Am Ali (2014)
Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?
No, I am not going ten thousand miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would put my prestige in jeopardy and could cause me to lose millions of dollars which should accrue to me as the champion.
But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is right here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality…
If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. But I either have to obey the laws of the land or the laws of Allah. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail. We’ve been in jail for four hundred years.
Muhammad Ali, 1967
Two thoughts from my Facebook feed.
I was saddened to hear that War Resister Muhammad Ali has died.
His courageous refusal to fight in Viet Nam inspired and encouraged me in doing likewise. Nor was it simply a matter of his religious commitment. When he said "No Vietnamese ever called me "nigger"", he exposed the war for what it was, and African American life for what it was.
As a War Resister, Muhammad Ali was The Greatest.
Lee Zaslofsky, War Resisters Support Campaign
RIP peoples champ. And writer friends, could we please remember to mention Ali was a proud Muslim? Bold, yes. Brave, yes. Handsome, yes. But also a deeply spiritual person. That can't be forgotten today or ever. #stopislamophobia
Joel H., Ottawa
Not all white people are racist?
There are many white people who mean right and in their hearts wanna do right. If 10,000 snakes were coming down that aisle now, and I had a door that I could shut, and in that 10,000, 1,000 meant right, 1,000 rattlesnakes didn’t want to bite me, I knew they were good... Should I let all these rattlesnakes come down, hoping that that thousand get together and form a shield? Or should I just close the door and stay safe?
Muhammad Ali, 1971
‘I Just Wanted to Be Free’: The Radical Reverberations of Muhammad Ali, Dave Zirin, The Nation
Muhammad Ali Risked It All When He Opposed The Vietnam War, Justin Block, HuffPo
Muhammad Ali: Worshipped. Misunderstood. Exploited., Ishamel Reed, New York Times Op-Ed
Official New York Times obituary, written by Robert Lipsyte, a steadfastly progressive voice in the overwhelmingly ultra-conservative field of sportswriting
If you haven't seen any of these movies, do yourself a favour. None is perfect, all are flawed, but all worth seeing.
When We Were Kings (1996)
The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013)
I Am Ali (2014)
5.15.2016
things i heard at the library: an occasional series: #21
Visibly anxious and upset customer: Can you please help me? Something is wrong with this computer!
I go over to take a look. The public computer is still starting up, and Internet Explorer (sadly, the default browser) is slowly opening.
Me (pointing to the Chrome icon on the taskbar): Let's try this browser instead. You'll find it's better than Internet Explorer.
Visibly anxious customer: No! I can't! I have to use the internet!
Me: I understand. This is also the internet. It's a different browser - a different tool for accessing the internet. Most people find it works better.
I help her open Chrome, and show her where to start, and return to the information desk. A few minutes later...
VAC: I can't use this computer! It's broken! I can't use this computer!
Me: All right, you're free to use any available computer. Why don't you log in to this one?
I stick around while she gets started, then return to the information desk. Fortunately, she is only steps away.
VAC: Can you help me?! Something is wrong! This isn't working! Can you help me?!
Me: What are you trying to do?
VAC: I always go to Sears.ca and I see my paystub. It's not working!
Me: Right now you're at Sears.ca, which is a public website, where people can buy products from Sears. The site where you see your paystub must have more to it. Perhaps Sears.ca slash... something?
VAC: No! No! Sears.ca! I go to Sears.ca and see my paystub! I do it all the time! It is Sears.ca!
Me: Here we are at Sears.ca. It's a website for shopping at Sears. There must be more to the address than that.
VAC: No! Look! Here it is on this paper! Look! My-dot-Sears-dot-CA.
Me: So what you need is my.Sears.ca. Let's do that.
We do. The site she is expecting loads.
Me: Do you know how to log in here?
VAC: Yes, of course I do! I do it all the time! Go away! Go away!
Me: Uh... ok. I'm at the desk if you need me.
I go over to take a look. The public computer is still starting up, and Internet Explorer (sadly, the default browser) is slowly opening.
Me (pointing to the Chrome icon on the taskbar): Let's try this browser instead. You'll find it's better than Internet Explorer.
Visibly anxious customer: No! I can't! I have to use the internet!
Me: I understand. This is also the internet. It's a different browser - a different tool for accessing the internet. Most people find it works better.
I help her open Chrome, and show her where to start, and return to the information desk. A few minutes later...
VAC: I can't use this computer! It's broken! I can't use this computer!
Me: All right, you're free to use any available computer. Why don't you log in to this one?
I stick around while she gets started, then return to the information desk. Fortunately, she is only steps away.
VAC: Can you help me?! Something is wrong! This isn't working! Can you help me?!
Me: What are you trying to do?
VAC: I always go to Sears.ca and I see my paystub. It's not working!
Me: Right now you're at Sears.ca, which is a public website, where people can buy products from Sears. The site where you see your paystub must have more to it. Perhaps Sears.ca slash... something?
VAC: No! No! Sears.ca! I go to Sears.ca and see my paystub! I do it all the time! It is Sears.ca!
Me: Here we are at Sears.ca. It's a website for shopping at Sears. There must be more to the address than that.
VAC: No! Look! Here it is on this paper! Look! My-dot-Sears-dot-CA.
Me: So what you need is my.Sears.ca. Let's do that.
We do. The site she is expecting loads.
Me: Do you know how to log in here?
VAC: Yes, of course I do! I do it all the time! Go away! Go away!
Me: Uh... ok. I'm at the desk if you need me.
rest in power, daniel berrigan and michael ratner
The world lost two great fighters for peace and justice this past week.
Daniel Berrigan was a lifelong peace activist, a man who was ready and willing to put his body and soul on the line. He was a writer, a thinker, a pacifist, an idealist, a pragmatist, and a priest.
Berrigan was also a leader, someone who, early on, helped make visible the connections between racism, poverty, war, and capitalism. He became a leading figure in the peace movement during the Vietnam War. Naturally, he was on the FBI's "most wanted" list and served time in prison.
Later in his life, Berrigan founded the Plowshares Movement, which used daring acts of civil disobedience to draw a spotlight on the US's nuclear arsenal.
Here are two pieces from The New Yorker celebrating Berrigan.
Michael Ratner's life and work also defies stereotype: he was a lawyer who spent his entire career defending the scorned, the falsely accused, the scapegoated. He was a trailblazer who pioneered the use of the law to champion human rights. Long ago, when I contemplated going to law school, I dreamt of Michael Ratner as my role model.
Democracy Now! devoted an entire program to the celebration of Ratner's life and work.
Daniel Berrigan was a lifelong peace activist, a man who was ready and willing to put his body and soul on the line. He was a writer, a thinker, a pacifist, an idealist, a pragmatist, and a priest.
Berrigan was also a leader, someone who, early on, helped make visible the connections between racism, poverty, war, and capitalism. He became a leading figure in the peace movement during the Vietnam War. Naturally, he was on the FBI's "most wanted" list and served time in prison.
Later in his life, Berrigan founded the Plowshares Movement, which used daring acts of civil disobedience to draw a spotlight on the US's nuclear arsenal.
Here are two pieces from The New Yorker celebrating Berrigan.
James Carroll remembers his "dangerous friend".Following in the giant footsteps of Dorothy Day, Berrigan's life and work demonstrates that religion can be a positive force for social change.
Eric Schlosser remembers how "a handful of a handful of pacifists and nuns exposed the vulnerability of America’s nuclear-weapons sites": Break-In at Y-12.
Michael Ratner's life and work also defies stereotype: he was a lawyer who spent his entire career defending the scorned, the falsely accused, the scapegoated. He was a trailblazer who pioneered the use of the law to champion human rights. Long ago, when I contemplated going to law school, I dreamt of Michael Ratner as my role model.
Democracy Now! devoted an entire program to the celebration of Ratner's life and work.
The trailblazing human rights attorney Michael Ratner has died at the age of 72. For over four decades, Michael Ratner defended, investigated and spoke up for victims of human rights abuses across the world. He served as the longtime head of the Center for Constitutional Rights.I can't begin to do justice to either of these men, but I didn't want their deaths to go unnoticed on this blog. Their passing saddens me and their lives inspire me.
Attorney David Cole told The New York Times, "Under his leadership, the center grew from a small but scrappy civil rights organization into one of the leading human rights organizations in the world. He sued some of the most powerful people in the world on behalf of some of the least powerful."
In 2002, the center brought the first case against the George W. Bush administration for the indefinite detention of prisoners at Guantánamo. The Supreme Court eventually sided with the center in a landmark 2008 decision when it struck down the law that stripped Guantánamo prisoners of their habeas corpus rights. Ratner began working on Guantánamo in the 1990s, when he fought the first Bush administration’s use of the military base to house Haitian refugees.
hooray for tala
Tala is doing great! Of course she was exhausted and a bit wobbly when she came home, but now she's well rested and back to herself. And she looks a whole lot better without a disgusting, oozing tumour sticking out of her side! More importantly, there's a 75% chance the cancer won't come back.
Look how thick her fur is! The doc said this will take a long time to grow back.
She doesn't need the Cone of Silence* this time, but the surgeon recommended she wear a t-shirt to keep protect the incision site. Tala accepts it with grace.
* I much prefer the vintage TV reference to the what most people seem to call it, the Cone of Shame. The surgery clinic calls it an E-collar, which makes me think both of some sort of digital device, and of E. coli.
Look how thick her fur is! The doc said this will take a long time to grow back.
She doesn't need the Cone of Silence* this time, but the surgeon recommended she wear a t-shirt to keep protect the incision site. Tala accepts it with grace.
* I much prefer the vintage TV reference to the what most people seem to call it, the Cone of Shame. The surgery clinic calls it an E-collar, which makes me think both of some sort of digital device, and of E. coli.
5.11.2016
in which i ride an emotional roller coaster and get off at the top
Short version: Tala has had surgery and has a very good chance of remaining cancer-free. Whoo-hoo!
It's been a crazy couple of days. Monday afternoon we hear the biopsy results. Tuesday morning we have X-rays done. Our vet recommends a top surgeon who is in the area. She has a cancellation, that very afternoon!
I cancel plans at work, and we rush over. The surgeon is amazing, explaining everything clearly and in great detail. Tala has already been fasted for the X-rays, so even though the surgeon still has another emergency to take care of, she's going to work on Tala that day anyway.
The staff at this clinic couldn't be nicer, calling us with updates, assuring us we can call at any time, even sending us photos of Tala in recovery!
I work Tuesday nights, and by 7:00 Allan has called to say the surgery is over and Tala is recuperating nicely. The doctor said it turned out to be not as extensive as she had thought, based on the external tumour. Statistically, there's a 75% chance it will not return. In this doctor's personal experience, of 21 surgeries on this type of tumour, there has been only one recurrence. Gotta like the odds.
I feel incredibly fortunate. I have a huge credit card bill to pay off - I had that before this happened! - but I feel very fortunate to be able to say that, too.
Here's our little girl in the recovery room.
It's been a crazy couple of days. Monday afternoon we hear the biopsy results. Tuesday morning we have X-rays done. Our vet recommends a top surgeon who is in the area. She has a cancellation, that very afternoon!
I cancel plans at work, and we rush over. The surgeon is amazing, explaining everything clearly and in great detail. Tala has already been fasted for the X-rays, so even though the surgeon still has another emergency to take care of, she's going to work on Tala that day anyway.
The staff at this clinic couldn't be nicer, calling us with updates, assuring us we can call at any time, even sending us photos of Tala in recovery!
I work Tuesday nights, and by 7:00 Allan has called to say the surgery is over and Tala is recuperating nicely. The doctor said it turned out to be not as extensive as she had thought, based on the external tumour. Statistically, there's a 75% chance it will not return. In this doctor's personal experience, of 21 surgeries on this type of tumour, there has been only one recurrence. Gotta like the odds.
I feel incredibly fortunate. I have a huge credit card bill to pay off - I had that before this happened! - but I feel very fortunate to be able to say that, too.
Here's our little girl in the recovery room.
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