Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Everybody's Talking
I have spent the past couple of days in the downtown core. One of the more interesting aspects of being downtown is the large number of people one sees talking to themselves. It can be quite a challenge trying to figure out if the person who is walking down the street holding a conversation with an invisible friend is suffering from mental illness or just on a hands-free cell phone.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
It's A Secret
I am reading a book by John Lawrence Reynolds called Shadow People -- Inside History's Most Notorious Secret Societies. It is an examination of a variety of so-called secret societies and their place in history.
The organizations profiled are a very diverse lot. There are the usual suspects: the Knights Templar, the Free Masons, and the Illuminati. There are the criminal: Chinese triads, the mafia, and the yakuza. There are the religious: the Gnostics, the Druids, Kabbalah, and Wicca. There are also secret societies of current notoriety: the Priory of Sion and the Skull and Bones. What all of these organizations have in common is that they are reputed to have great influence and people speculate about their secrets.
Of course, my secret society is not profiled, but that is because it is so secret that nobody knows about it but me. I can only hope things stay that way, or else I will be forced to come up with a detailed pseudo-history involving the Crusades, 1st Century Christianity, at least one royal family, and possibly ancient Egypt and quite frankly I don't have the time for that right now.
The organizations profiled are a very diverse lot. There are the usual suspects: the Knights Templar, the Free Masons, and the Illuminati. There are the criminal: Chinese triads, the mafia, and the yakuza. There are the religious: the Gnostics, the Druids, Kabbalah, and Wicca. There are also secret societies of current notoriety: the Priory of Sion and the Skull and Bones. What all of these organizations have in common is that they are reputed to have great influence and people speculate about their secrets.
Of course, my secret society is not profiled, but that is because it is so secret that nobody knows about it but me. I can only hope things stay that way, or else I will be forced to come up with a detailed pseudo-history involving the Crusades, 1st Century Christianity, at least one royal family, and possibly ancient Egypt and quite frankly I don't have the time for that right now.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Book Review: The Shock Doctrine
We live in a world that loves conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories were critical to the success of Fox's The X-Files that dominated the television scene back in the 1990s. Conspiracy theories were a critical element of the blockbuster novel The DaVinci Code. Conspiracy theories are at the heart of many accounts of the mysterious events that occurred at Roswell, New Mexico. Detective Munch's belief in conspiracy theories is a recurring element of the Law and Order character's personality. And a conspiracy theory of monumental proportions is at the heart of Naomi Klein's new book The Shock Doctrine, The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.
Conspiracy theories are often discounted as products of overactive imaginations and that, it seems, is the response that some critics in the "serious" business press seem to have taken when reviewing Klein's book. Having just finished the book, though, I think she may be onto something -- and it ain't pretty.
The Shock Doctrine details case after case of situations where governments took advantage of natural and man-made disasters to manipulate the kinds of whole scale economic changes advocated by Milton Friedman and the so-called "Chicago School" of economics. The changes included privatizing state-owned enterprises, reducing controls on capital, reducing wages and eliminating protection for workers, and vastly increasing the ranks of the unemployed. Although Friedman and friends argued that these kinds of economic transformations would lead to a "trickle-down" of wealth as the efficiency of the market took over from the inefficiency of controlled economies, the reality is a world where the Haves have more and the Have Nots have less.
On the whole, I find Klein's arguments that neo-liberal politicians have taken advantage of disasters to further their political and economic agenda to be convincing. I am less comfortable with Klein's assertion that the gross violation of human rights such as torture, institutionalized murder, and "disappearing" regime critics are directly related to the Chicago School's economic theory. Having said that, there is no doubt that the violations which Klein chronicles did occur after attempts to radically restructure the economies of countries as diverse as Chile, Argentina, China, and Iraq.
I must confess that at times I found The Shock Doctrine a bit depressing. Happily, the final chapter provides a glimmer of hope. Unlike many conspiracy theories, the villains in Klein's book do not have to prevail in the end.
The Shock Doctrine, The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
Naomi Klein
Alfred A. Knopf, Toronto, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-676-97800-1
Conspiracy theories are often discounted as products of overactive imaginations and that, it seems, is the response that some critics in the "serious" business press seem to have taken when reviewing Klein's book. Having just finished the book, though, I think she may be onto something -- and it ain't pretty.
The Shock Doctrine details case after case of situations where governments took advantage of natural and man-made disasters to manipulate the kinds of whole scale economic changes advocated by Milton Friedman and the so-called "Chicago School" of economics. The changes included privatizing state-owned enterprises, reducing controls on capital, reducing wages and eliminating protection for workers, and vastly increasing the ranks of the unemployed. Although Friedman and friends argued that these kinds of economic transformations would lead to a "trickle-down" of wealth as the efficiency of the market took over from the inefficiency of controlled economies, the reality is a world where the Haves have more and the Have Nots have less.
On the whole, I find Klein's arguments that neo-liberal politicians have taken advantage of disasters to further their political and economic agenda to be convincing. I am less comfortable with Klein's assertion that the gross violation of human rights such as torture, institutionalized murder, and "disappearing" regime critics are directly related to the Chicago School's economic theory. Having said that, there is no doubt that the violations which Klein chronicles did occur after attempts to radically restructure the economies of countries as diverse as Chile, Argentina, China, and Iraq.
I must confess that at times I found The Shock Doctrine a bit depressing. Happily, the final chapter provides a glimmer of hope. Unlike many conspiracy theories, the villains in Klein's book do not have to prevail in the end.
The Shock Doctrine, The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
Naomi Klein
Alfred A. Knopf, Toronto, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-676-97800-1
Thursday, October 25, 2007
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Cold Case Solved
Over the past ten years there have been a number of television shows devoted to investigators who solve old cases. In what has to be the coldest case yet, a mystery dating back to 1324 BC has finally been solved. Again.
Tutankhamun, or King Tut, is perhaps the best known of the Egyptian pharoahs, thanks to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Unlike most of his peers' tombs, Tutankhamun's tomb was not looted and the undisturbed treasure trove dazzled the world. It also made the young king, who died at age 19, an international household name.
The pharoah's cause of death is a mystery that has intrigued people since the tomb was discovered. One popular theory that arose after the mummy was x-rayed in the 1960s argues that Tutankhamun was the victim of foul play, possibly by his advisors. A new film, however, argues that the pharoah was simply the victim of an accident. Noted Egyptologist Zahi Hawass believes that Tutankhamun died of complications from a fall from his hunting chariot.
Hawass will be making his case in a new documentary film Tutankhamun: Secrets of the Boy King that is scheduled to air on Britain's Channel Five at the end of the month. Something tells me, though, that the case will be solved again in the future.
Tutankhamun, or King Tut, is perhaps the best known of the Egyptian pharoahs, thanks to Howard Carter's 1922 discovery of his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Unlike most of his peers' tombs, Tutankhamun's tomb was not looted and the undisturbed treasure trove dazzled the world. It also made the young king, who died at age 19, an international household name.
The pharoah's cause of death is a mystery that has intrigued people since the tomb was discovered. One popular theory that arose after the mummy was x-rayed in the 1960s argues that Tutankhamun was the victim of foul play, possibly by his advisors. A new film, however, argues that the pharoah was simply the victim of an accident. Noted Egyptologist Zahi Hawass believes that Tutankhamun died of complications from a fall from his hunting chariot.
Hawass will be making his case in a new documentary film Tutankhamun: Secrets of the Boy King that is scheduled to air on Britain's Channel Five at the end of the month. Something tells me, though, that the case will be solved again in the future.
A Zen Poll
If a poll is conducted in Afghanistan but nobody seems to listen, did the poll really exist?
In September, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Environics conducted a poll of Afghans living in Afghanistan about the state of their country. Questions ranged from their feelings about the country's future to their comfort level with foreign troops. Citizens living in Kandahar province were asked special questions about Canadian troops and Canada's role in Afghanistan.
Overall, the poll results showed that Afghans support their national government and are fairly optimistic about Afghanistan's future, with 79% saying they feel the country is going in the right direction. 73% said that they felt women's lives are better off today than they were under the Taliban government. 86% felt they were better off or the same as they had been in September of 2002.
In Kandahar, 60% of the respondents had a positive opinion of Canadian troops. (17% had no opinion or did not answer and a further 4% were neutral towards them.) Of the 19% who reported negative feelings towards Canadian soldiers, 45% said their negative feelings were because of the deaths of innocent civilians.
This is all interesting, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of the poll is how unimportant the results seem to have been. As can be expected, the CBC reports on the poll they commissioned, but the rest of the Canadian media seem to have left it alone. So did the government, which is somewhat surprising given the fact that Canada's commitment in Afghanistan is perhaps the most debated international issue (after Kyoto and global warming).
If you want to see the full poll results, check out this link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/afghanistan/afghan-survey2007.html.
In September, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Environics conducted a poll of Afghans living in Afghanistan about the state of their country. Questions ranged from their feelings about the country's future to their comfort level with foreign troops. Citizens living in Kandahar province were asked special questions about Canadian troops and Canada's role in Afghanistan.
Overall, the poll results showed that Afghans support their national government and are fairly optimistic about Afghanistan's future, with 79% saying they feel the country is going in the right direction. 73% said that they felt women's lives are better off today than they were under the Taliban government. 86% felt they were better off or the same as they had been in September of 2002.
In Kandahar, 60% of the respondents had a positive opinion of Canadian troops. (17% had no opinion or did not answer and a further 4% were neutral towards them.) Of the 19% who reported negative feelings towards Canadian soldiers, 45% said their negative feelings were because of the deaths of innocent civilians.
This is all interesting, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of the poll is how unimportant the results seem to have been. As can be expected, the CBC reports on the poll they commissioned, but the rest of the Canadian media seem to have left it alone. So did the government, which is somewhat surprising given the fact that Canada's commitment in Afghanistan is perhaps the most debated international issue (after Kyoto and global warming).
If you want to see the full poll results, check out this link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/afghanistan/afghan-survey2007.html.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Tilting At Windmills, 21st Century Style
Okay, President Bush, I'm confused. According to the news reports, you suggested that Europe needs to work with the United States to develop a missile defence system to counter the threat of nuclear missile attacks from Iran. This is despite the fact that (a) Iran does not possess nuclear weapons, (b) Iran does not possess missiles with enough range to reach European targets, and (c) anti-missile defence systems are notorious for not being able to do the job for which they are (expensively) purchased, namely shooting down enemy missiles.
The Russians, for one, are not buying W.'s arguments. The Russian Foreign Minister reportedly stated that "North Korea poses a fundamental threat, but Iran does not", so Russia is likely to oppose any plans to build anti-missile defence systems. And who can blame them? Today's defence against a non-existant Iranian threat could easily become a means of protecting US assets from actual Russian missiles.
Personally, I think it is criminally irresponsible for the President to be pushing for unnecessary weapons systems when tens of millions of his citizens lack proper health care, but then again, he is not so much the President of the United States as he is the President of the International Corporatist Agenda. Unfortunately, it is the little people of America who will be on the hook to pay for what is essentially another government gift to the armaments industry.
The Russians, for one, are not buying W.'s arguments. The Russian Foreign Minister reportedly stated that "North Korea poses a fundamental threat, but Iran does not", so Russia is likely to oppose any plans to build anti-missile defence systems. And who can blame them? Today's defence against a non-existant Iranian threat could easily become a means of protecting US assets from actual Russian missiles.
Personally, I think it is criminally irresponsible for the President to be pushing for unnecessary weapons systems when tens of millions of his citizens lack proper health care, but then again, he is not so much the President of the United States as he is the President of the International Corporatist Agenda. Unfortunately, it is the little people of America who will be on the hook to pay for what is essentially another government gift to the armaments industry.
Monday, October 22, 2007
A Giant Step -- Really?
I am a little sick of people going on what a "giant step for womankind" it is in outer space. It seems the commander on the space shuttle Discovery's next flight and the commander of the International Space Station are both females. As a result, it will be the first time in five decades of manned space flight that two women are in charge of space craft at the same time.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against two woman commanding space craft. I do, however, hate the fact that people are treating this as an accomplishment rather than asking themselves what took so long for this milestone to be reached.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against two woman commanding space craft. I do, however, hate the fact that people are treating this as an accomplishment rather than asking themselves what took so long for this milestone to be reached.
Endless Summer?
It got up to 26 degrees Celsius yesterday, and the same today. Not quite the kind of weather one associates with late October. I wonder how late in the year we will have to experience these sorts of temperatures before the Conservative government actually decides to take meaningful action to reduce green house gases.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Summer or Fall?
Despite the orange, red, and yellow leaves on the trees, it is easy to forget that it is fall. Just this afternoon I walked past roses that still had blooms on them. And only a week ago I saw a dragonfly. When it comes, winter is going to hurt.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Suburban Duck
Apart from wood ducks, you don't normally think of ducks as being forest dwellers but you'd be surprised how adaptable they can be. Just check out this male mallard.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Go, Stephen, Go
Faux conservative pundit Stephen Colbert announced that he is running for president. It is a joke, but it makes me a bit jealous that I don't live in the States. Maybe Rick Mercer can run for the leadership of the Liberals when Dion is turfed by his troops.
Monday, October 15, 2007
I Got the Work Man's Blues
Who has the most depressing job in the economy? If the US Government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is to be believed, that dubious distinction goes to people who take care of the sick and the elderly. According to a survey released Saturday, 10.8% of personal care providers experience depression that lasts two or more weeks. The next highest job category, at 10.3%, consisted of people who cook or serve food. Production jobs, which presumably include factory work, reported a 5.9% depression rate.
That information is good to know the next time government spokespeople brag about many new jobs have been created in any given period. Hopefully, the journalists covering the story will dig a bit deeper to find out how many jobs are in production and how many are in the more depressing service sector.
That information is good to know the next time government spokespeople brag about many new jobs have been created in any given period. Hopefully, the journalists covering the story will dig a bit deeper to find out how many jobs are in production and how many are in the more depressing service sector.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Children of Heaven
Its funny how two different people can go to the same movie and yet see two different films. I learned this when I watched the 1997 Iranian film Children of Heaven. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film but lost out to Life is Beautiful.
Children of Heaven is a sweet, beautiful tale of two impoverished siblings and the loss of a pair of shoes. When the movie came out it was generally well-received, but there were some critics. For example, critic Dennis Schwartz complained about a lack of dissension with the ruling regime. In fact, he stated that he would have been disappointed with its "simplistic" story if not for the fact that it gave him a chance to see what life in Iran was like. Somehow, though, I doubt that he chastises Hollywood's typical children's fare for failing comment on such pressing social issues as abortion, racism, sexism, militarism, rampant consumerism, bully capitalism, illegal immigration, the destruction of the environment, gay rights, elder rights, stolen elections, or any of the numerous other issues.
Oddly enough, the lack of a political agenda is one of the things that I loved about the movie. The movie felt real because it was rooted in a specific place, but it was a story that anybody could relate to, regardless of where they live. Personally, I loved the realistic interaction between Ali and his sister Zahra. I loved the interaction of the kids and their parents. I loved the fact that the movie wasn't afraid to address issues like poverty and fear and punishment. I just plain loved the fact that people communicated with each other.
So why am I writing about a movie that came out ten years ago? I guess I am nervous about the sounds I keep hearing that indicate the Bush regime wants to take military action against Iran. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to see an Iranian government with nuclear weapons either, but if bombing and missile attacks were a way to solve anything Iraq and Afghanistan would not be so messed up. I don't care how the legal beagles at the US Justice Department contort international law to put a spin on it -- killing civilians, especially children, is a war crime.
I would love to be able to make all the strategic planners and bomber crewman watch Children of Heaven with their families. Maybe it would help them remember that the children their bombs will murder are not that much different than their own kids. But I suppose that would be a real Hollywood ending, wouldn't it?
Children of Heaven is a sweet, beautiful tale of two impoverished siblings and the loss of a pair of shoes. When the movie came out it was generally well-received, but there were some critics. For example, critic Dennis Schwartz complained about a lack of dissension with the ruling regime. In fact, he stated that he would have been disappointed with its "simplistic" story if not for the fact that it gave him a chance to see what life in Iran was like. Somehow, though, I doubt that he chastises Hollywood's typical children's fare for failing comment on such pressing social issues as abortion, racism, sexism, militarism, rampant consumerism, bully capitalism, illegal immigration, the destruction of the environment, gay rights, elder rights, stolen elections, or any of the numerous other issues.
Oddly enough, the lack of a political agenda is one of the things that I loved about the movie. The movie felt real because it was rooted in a specific place, but it was a story that anybody could relate to, regardless of where they live. Personally, I loved the realistic interaction between Ali and his sister Zahra. I loved the interaction of the kids and their parents. I loved the fact that the movie wasn't afraid to address issues like poverty and fear and punishment. I just plain loved the fact that people communicated with each other.
So why am I writing about a movie that came out ten years ago? I guess I am nervous about the sounds I keep hearing that indicate the Bush regime wants to take military action against Iran. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to see an Iranian government with nuclear weapons either, but if bombing and missile attacks were a way to solve anything Iraq and Afghanistan would not be so messed up. I don't care how the legal beagles at the US Justice Department contort international law to put a spin on it -- killing civilians, especially children, is a war crime.
I would love to be able to make all the strategic planners and bomber crewman watch Children of Heaven with their families. Maybe it would help them remember that the children their bombs will murder are not that much different than their own kids. But I suppose that would be a real Hollywood ending, wouldn't it?
Movie Interrupted
Do you ever try watching a movie, only to find that you just can't do it? That's what happened to me tonight. I tried watching Monster -- the CharlizeTheron/Christina Ricci movie about the Florida serial killer -- but I couldn't get past the first 15 minutes.
Actually, I wanted to stop watching it during the earliest scenes where the serial killer is recounting her childhood and her dreams to grow up pretty and rich. Now don't get me wrong -- I understand that the real-life woman on whom the movie is based was a nasty serial killer. Still, there was just something so terribly sad about the situation that I could not watch it.
Actually, I wanted to stop watching it during the earliest scenes where the serial killer is recounting her childhood and her dreams to grow up pretty and rich. Now don't get me wrong -- I understand that the real-life woman on whom the movie is based was a nasty serial killer. Still, there was just something so terribly sad about the situation that I could not watch it.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Promise Made, Promise Kept
After totally humiliating his Progressive Conservative opponents in yesterday's election, Ontario's newly re-elected Liberal premier, Dalton McGuinty, announced today that his government was introducing a new statutory holiday. From now on, the third Monday in February will be celebrated as "Family Day".
That McGuinty is a crafty politician -- I had planned on making today's post "One Day Without A Broken Promise", but he ran a positive campaign against me. I know how John Tory must feel.
(By the way, I realize that the NDP, Green Party, Family Coalition Party, Freedom Party, Communist Party, Libertarian Party, and probably other parties also ran against the Liberals, but the Progressive Conservatives were the only party that had a reasonable chance of defeating the incumbents. Of course, that was before the election began and Tory started talking.)
That McGuinty is a crafty politician -- I had planned on making today's post "One Day Without A Broken Promise", but he ran a positive campaign against me. I know how John Tory must feel.
(By the way, I realize that the NDP, Green Party, Family Coalition Party, Freedom Party, Communist Party, Libertarian Party, and probably other parties also ran against the Liberals, but the Progressive Conservatives were the only party that had a reasonable chance of defeating the incumbents. Of course, that was before the election began and Tory started talking.)
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Signs
It has been sunny and beautiful this past week, with highs in the mid-twenties (Celsius). There are blooms on the rose bushes that I walk past every day, and yestereday I saw a dragonfly flitting about as if it were the middle of August.
And yet, the season cannot be denied. The days grow short. The leaves are changing colours. And today I saw a mob of red-wing blackbird -- literally thousands -- gathering in an open field near the highway.
And yet, the season cannot be denied. The days grow short. The leaves are changing colours. And today I saw a mob of red-wing blackbird -- literally thousands -- gathering in an open field near the highway.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Yet Another Leaf Nation Update
Bad news for Leaf Nation: Toronto lost the second of its two-game series with the Ottawa Senators last night. That gives them a record of 0 and 2.
On the bright side, the Maple Leafs remain undefeated against American teams.
On the bright side, the Maple Leafs remain undefeated against American teams.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Leaf Nation Update
The Toronto Maple Leafs remain undefeated in regular time play. (Unfortunately, they lost 4-3 in overtime against the Senators last night.)
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
And Now, Something for the Kids
Halloween is coming this month, and with it comes pumpkin carving. The World Wildlife Fund is offering ten free wildlife-themed stencils to help you and your little ghosts and goblins as you put knife to pumpkin rind. The images include a gorilla, a coral reef, a polar bear, and a sea turtle. There is even a contest you can enter after you have carved your pumpkin.
Check out the stencils at: http://www.worldwildlife.org/pumpkins/
Check out the stencils at: http://www.worldwildlife.org/pumpkins/
Thoughts from the Frontiers of Leafs Nation
Tonight is the first night of the 2007-2008 NHL season, which for some people is the start of an eight-month holy season that culminates in the Stanley Cup series. For me, however, it is relatively unimportant because I don't really care for hockey.
It may be because I never played it, but I seem to lack the mystical connection that other Canadians feel for the game. I have been known to watch Hockey Night in Canada on occasion, but I am certainly not the sort of rabid fan who would pay to watch games on cable. Nor am I the sort of fan who would pay the high cost of actually attending a game in person.
No, this year I will be content with reading about the games in the sports section of my local newspaper. And for the time being, I am going to savour the fact that Toronto is undefeated this season. Who knows how long that will last?
It may be because I never played it, but I seem to lack the mystical connection that other Canadians feel for the game. I have been known to watch Hockey Night in Canada on occasion, but I am certainly not the sort of rabid fan who would pay to watch games on cable. Nor am I the sort of fan who would pay the high cost of actually attending a game in person.
No, this year I will be content with reading about the games in the sports section of my local newspaper. And for the time being, I am going to savour the fact that Toronto is undefeated this season. Who knows how long that will last?
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