Opening Statement



Sunday 2 July 2017

Teacher Free Speech Summer 2017 News y Views!

hEY hO! kEEP ChECKing BAcK! LaTeR AdDITIoNs WiLL bE AddED In LaRgE TYpe SeT! mY Acronym Guide IS @ hErE! ... Legalization news now moved to "Oh Cannabis!" @ LINK!




TEACHER + UNION

Canadian unions have a leading role to fill in the fight against racism. With 30% of the Canadian workforce unionized, we can make a difference @ Rabble

Destreaming: ETFO elementary teachers urge the MOE [Ministry of Ed] to not rush back into destreaming our high schools as a part of it's Equity Action Plan. Been there. Done that. Sounds good in theory, works out badly in practice. Bleech! Be careful @ ETFO

Sir John A. MacDonald: ETFO members raise the ire of the "Make Canada Great Again" crowd by daring to suggest schools shouldn't be named after our notorious first Canadian Prime Minister. Meanwhile Canada's horrific legacy on indigenous genocide and residential schools continue to largely go unaddressed, despite the findings of the TRC [Truth and Reconciliation Commission], and the well known dark underside to Sir John A's and Canada's not so glorious past. @ Sun

School Violence: ETFO's public elementary teacher union President Sam Hammond speaks out against the rash of violence in our Ontario schools. Even the teachers are getting hit, bit, punched, and spit at. Clearly, a lot more "front line supports" are needed from the provincial government @ CBC

End the Silence - Stop the Violence: The OSSTF public secondary school union continues to lobby the Ontario Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour to protect it's front line teachers and education workers from "violence in the workplace". Nobody, teachers included, should have to fear getting injured at school. They outline the next steps they will be taking this fall with the provincial government @ OSSTF

Failing Grade: Toronto's TDSB public schools score very poorly for their lack of understanding about students' who are both black and queer. The issues are staggering. Sadly, one can't imagine the TCDSB Catholic board fairing much better. Much more effort and perhaps a swift kick in the butt seems desperately needed, to back up all the fine talk about Canadian inclusivity and LGBTQ Charter rights, paid for on the public dime. More @ Now

Equity Action Plan: The Wynne government plans to collect student data on race and ethnicity. Why? Seems it's to help them better jump through hoops to boost student achievement across the province. Hey Kathleen -when police "collect" this data it it's called "carding" .... But otherwise, a lot of the hiring and sensitivity training initiatives seem fitting. Consider the racist concerns raised about our province's richly diversified schools as of late @ CBC


"Why Marry a Teacher?" or "Look At Us -We're Wonderful!" Ha! Ha! Er ............ read on @ TC

Children First: NDP MP Charles Angus takes the Trudeau Liberal government to task for ignoring 4 rulings by the Human Rights Tribunal addressing Canada's systemic discrimination against First Nation youth. After 150 years of colonial exploitation and neglect, the way forward is to start putting the children's needs first. But that isn't happening @ Star

Aboriginal Education: The OECTA Catholic teacher union has prepared a thorough list of valuable resources to help it's teachers with First Nation issues @ OECTA


Higher Learning: Colorado's huge tax windfall since it legalized weed is being put to good use to help build new schools @ Fatherly

Medical Cannabis: OPSEU Ontario public sector President President "Smokey" Thomas leads they way in advocating for employee medical cannabis coverage @ Sun

OH CANADA


Oil will be well ....

Canada's 150th Birth Day: Canada Day wasn't much of a celebration for our indigenous First Nation peoples. Think about it: while "settling" in Canada, the white colonial England and France colonialists took away their land, culture and even their children. As a young nation, we are still a work in progress. So, how do we move forward constructively from here, to properly address these grave injustices? Bob Rae considers the challenges of the "Canadian Odyssey". For starters, he argues that Canada's indigenous people must also be thought of and treated as one of Canada's three "founding nations" @ Star

BC Goes NDP: 2 months after the provincial election, British Columbia's new NDP government is finally sworn into office, ending 16 years of Liberal rule. The New Democrats might very well be missing in action in federal politics, but not so at the provincial level @ CBC

Ontario PC Opposition Leader Pat Brown is laying low and playing his cards very close to the chest, during the run up to next spring's provincial election. Meanwhile, his "Progressive Conservative [PC]" [ahem!] party is very busy laying the groundwork for an election breakthrough in northwestern Ontario, to help topple the very unpopular Wynne Liberals. Will rising electricity rates prove to be the winning PC ticket? @ TVO


Wynne: Wot me worry?!?

The PC Curse: The party knives are out for PC leader Patrick Brown. About all he seems good at is fundraising. The 2018 Provincial election is once gain the PC's to loose. However, the once promising Browner has already lost his commanding lead over the flailing Wynne Liberals. Party members are getting a case of deja vu, and the deep, cold jitters! @  Star

Trudeau + Harper: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss! Is Justin just another "puppet for the wealthy"?!? If so, how did that happen? Think Oligarchical Rigging! More @ Tyee

Trudeau and Trump: The US President is lavishing praise on Justin Trudeau for doing a "spectacular job" as our Prime Minster. Perhaps Trudeau's "greatest success" so far is in diplomatically playing the Trump card to Canada's advantage, for whatever that's worth in the long run. It's a risky hand to play, but what else can Trudeau do with the terrible one that he was dealt when Donald took office? Hmmm @  Star


Oh Canada ...

"Canada 101" or "Nice, Nice, Very Nice": Canadians are friendly, polite and very easy going .... right?!? Ummm, well, we can thank WW2 and the US for the nice stereotype, anyway @ Huff

Top O' The Pops: According to a recent international IPSO poll, 81% of those surveyed think Canada has the "most positive influence on the world right now", for the second year in a row, compared to 40% who think it's the US. Heh ... Heh ... heh @ Macs

"Canada 201" or "Look at Us -We're Wonderful?!?" The world needs more Canada @ Whig No! No! Canada needs more of the world @ Star 

10 Things You Can't Say 2 A Canadian eh: What?!? You don't like hockey??? Poutine?? A boot? More @ RD

Trump Polls Tank: Under President Donald Trump, 80% of Canadians actually dislike our neighbours to the south for the first time in 35 years! Grrr! Grrr! Grrr! Of course, Trump's "dislike" polling has hit 70% in the states. Pretty close! So maybe those folks can be forgiven? Quick! Don't think too much! Somebody go tell them they can still at least come visit and be our friends! @ Star

Trumped: Yup! We Canucks dislike the Donald so much that the Trump Tower in Toronto is getting new owners and changing it's name! Unlike in the US where ... where ... where ..... Eh?!? It's happening all over the states too?!? Er ... er ... er ... Sorry! @ Huff


Racism: It Can't Happen Here? We Canadians mustn't get too smug! You'd need to be very privileged to think we're safe from the spectacle of fascist thuggery in Canada. Try again: There's actually over 100 white supremacist groups operating here @ Vice

Neo Con Rebels: A lot of our Canadian Conservative Party MPP's are finally cutting ties to the US based Rebel Media, following the alt right Charlottesville shit storm. For shame more aren't. Rebel's been busy stirring trouble up our way too. See my blog from last November's "Love Trump's Hate" protest rally here in Toronto [Blog]. Much more! Story @ Vice

IN THE NEWS


Trump on Charlottesville: The full text of his disturbing "Alt Right verses Alt Left" press conference is @ Pol Watch the video @ Heavy

Birther Cribbing: Alas! Most of Trump's talking points seem to have come from watching Fox News @ Wired

Racism: "Not Taking Sides?!?": Fox News praises Trump's moral objectivity in "not picking a side" after the white power rally and terror attack in Charlottesville, in an appeal to his core, white "America First" support @ DK

White Like Him: Trump's "silence" allows MAGA to fully embrace their inner racist within a deeply divided Amerika circa summer 2017 @ AmPro

White Power Reckoning: Here's how the western media would report the violent racist rally in Charlottesville, if the US were just any another other troubled "foreign" country @ WP

American Vanguard: A 20 year old white racist slammed his car into a crowd of protesters, killing one and injuring 19. Seeing is believing. Includes a video of the horrific, senseless terror attack @ BBC 

Meet The Victim: Anti racist protester Heather Heyer hoped to "stop hatred" @ BBC

On "Uniting the Right": Voices from both sides of the street in Charlottesville, summer 2017 @ BBC


"GOP Bad Driving Record" or "Life in the Right Lane": Republicans have been very busy working to "protect drivers" who somehow hit protesters. Other laws to "penalize nonviolent demonstrators" too. This has been going on since long before the Charlottesville white power horror show @ TP

Historical Snow Job: How the so called white supremacy "legacy"  still defines America's structure and institutions today @ YesM 

Class, Racism and Identity Politics: The Democrats could be walking into a racist trap if they continue to ignore the wider class based concerns of Trump's disenfranchised white voters @ Guardian

Statues of Limitation: Most confederate monuments in the US were erected well after the Civil War, either during the Jim Crow or Civil Rights era, calling into question their historical authenticity @ Week

White Woman's Burden: Tragically, it took the death of a white woman to finally get Americans fighting mad about white supremacy @ Affinity


Trump: The First White President?!? Yes, for our times, in that his presidency seems heavily based upon simply erasing Obama's legacy and starting over again, from a racist white perspective @ Atlantic

Time Bomb: A psychological analysis of what makes a Trump supporter tick @ Raw

Fractured Coalition: The 5 different types of US voters whom Trump must appeal to so that he can successfully forward his populist agenda. Tricky! Tricky! @ Hill


Unrepentant: Trump alt right Chief Strategist and media Svengali Steve Bannon accidentally opines to the leftie press about economic nationalism. Also a trade war with China, white supremacists, the lack of a military option in the North Korean conflict. Then there's the hawks, globalists and democrats in the Trump White House. The phone call happened just prior to his getting er ..... "fired" ..... after he might all ready have "quit". Hmmm @ AmPro

What was That All About?!? Editor Robert Kuttner opines on Steve Bannon's reasons for speaking to American Prospect in the "Unrepentant" article [above]. Check out his take on Trump and Bannon. Also, the relationship between "racism", "identity politics" and "economic nationalism" in MAGA @ DemNow

"Turbulence" Or "Goon But Not Forgotten": Steve "President" Bannon short but nasty stint in the White House, revisited @ NYT

Incompetence Now! Bannon is big on ideas and media spin. He's also proven to be very politically inept in sweating out the small but necessary details to act on them effectively @ Politico

A Falling Out?!? Bannon could actually prove much more useful for Trump from outside the White House, if they work in tandem @ FC

"The Master Plan" or "The Politics of Race": Bannon argues that racial strife is a winning political strategy for Trump @ WP

Doomed: Is a racist appeal the best President Trump can do? It's certainly appealing to his many unhinged white supporters. Likewise, the resulting fight over privilege and "identity politics" could "distract" the Democrats to free him up some wiggle room, in the value neutral sense. However the Donald still lacks the political skill and acumen to realize the end goal of economic nationalism, according to Bannon's formula @ Vox


Trump Clown Show: Whoa! Get this -US political commentators at Fox and CNN are astonished! Turns out that the "isolated and friendless" Trump scored two thumbs down in the international media for his disastrous circus like foreign policy antics on the world stage, during the G20 conference in Hamburg. Guess the befuckled stateside media didn't notice as the MAGA man "pressed hard on the decline of US leadership". Or that Russia and China will benefit again from his self inflicted wounds. Missed that, eh? Duh! Very embarrassing! But the real shocker? This is hardly anything new for the incredibly Unpresidential Donald Trump, as most everybody else around the world can all to clearly see @ Guardian

"Oligarchical Rigging 101" or "Try It On 4 Size": True to form, the Democrats continue to play the Russia card, hooking up with the Bush era Neocons, to plot the next Cold War sans the Trumpster. Ironically, regardless of whether the Donald's been playing footsies with Putin or not, in his arrogance and stupidity, he's playing right into their hands. Trump should be red in the face over how he's mishandling the Russia conspiracy stories, but he's not. With mid term congressional elections next year, is he painting himself and the GOP into the traitor's corner? @ Intercept


Trump Trans Military Ban Backfire: Uptight dudes [duds?] might like it. However, the Donald's transgender attack is creating problems for a lot of Republicans, and the military too @ WP

All The President's Guests: The "unauthorized" White House Guest Book shows who's been meeting with Trump behind closed doors! Scary! Scary! @ Politico

"No More Footsies" Or "In God We Trust": Seems the US Catholic bishops' honeymoon with the Trumpster is finally over! Ho boy @ NCR


Single Payer Health Care? As the Republicans continue to flail at repealing and replacing Obamacare, the Democrats toy with the increasingly popular idea of a single-payer healthcare act, like we have in Canada. But will they actually stand up to the big health insurance company bosses? Provide a credible alternative to the GOP in the Tweedle Dee / Tweedle Dum world of American oligarchical politics, circa 2017? Their "leadership" says no! More @ Huff

Muslim Ban: Trump wants to ban Muslim's from 6 middle eastern countries to stop Islamic terrorism from entering the USA. Truth be told, the overwhelming majority of gunmen shooting up the country are white Christian extremists ... Sooooooooo -will he banning Christians from 6 Europeon countries next?!? Why not??? More @ NYTDN

White Privilege RIP: White Christians are now officially a "shrinking majority" making up 45% of the total population in the US. So, how to re-engage in public life? From this new, unfamiliar, minority position? Where one no longer holds all the cards in your hand? Perhaps the reactionary backlash against anybody and everybody else, both at home and abroad who stands in the way of privilege, has hit it's high water mark with President Trump. However, some terrible precedents for the future are also being set. What happens once we inevitably switch chairs around the card table, and white Christians no longer hold the winning suite? Consider @ Atlantic


US War List: Whoa! Here's an update beginning in 1776  and including the "Indian Wars" @ AnonHq

Civilian Casualties: US coalition air strikes against the ISIS evil doers have already killed 2,200 civilians in the Middle East during Trump's first 6 months in office. That's more than Obama racked up in 8 years! So does that mean that the ... ahem ... good guys are finally winning? And um ..... aren't Canada's CF-18 jet fighters over there too?!? Could it be we also have some blood on our hands here in the Peaceful Kingdom?!?" @ Independent

President Trump -The Decline + Fall of the American Empire: A dire prospectus for the years' ahead @ Intercept

A Method To His Madness? Kim Jong Un talks crazy talk -or does he? Against all odds, North Korea has played the survival game very well for over 70 years. Still does. The klownish Trumpster could well just be playing into his hands with all his MAGA bluster. Bottom line: War is a terrible losing proposition for everybody, but everybody in the region. Is Kim Jong Un worried? Maybe not! For him there's not much left to lose, plenty to gain, by taking Trump for a fool in this high stake game @ WP


US Verses North Korea? China wins! Hands down! They've got most of the cards in their hands and know how to deftly play the game to their own advantage. Sadly, Trump does not @ AmPro

China's Position: If North Korea attacks first, they will remain neutral and not support them. If the US does, they will help their ally. Remember: China is a big economic power with a large nuclear arsenal. Checkmate? @ Aljaz

Living Through Another Cuba: The nuclear threat? It's a lot like a sad new millennium summer rehash of the frightening 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, in it's recklessness and duplicity @ Intercept

"Donald Strangelove" Or "The Point of No Return": Regretfully, a faltering and seemingly unhinged Trump doesn't need anybody's permission to launch a nuclear war. It's a "Fail Safe" wild card he can play freely at great peril. Ka-boom? @ FC

On Scale: The situation with North Korea has reached a tipping point, according to China. Missiles are being fired over Japan while the US war games continue in the region. The view from the other side @ SCMP


Cuba Si! Undaunted, the Cuban's wait for the other shoe to drop. Trump's announced his foreign policy reversal on Obama's effort to normalize relations with Cuba amongst great fanfare. But what will it really mean? What will he actually do? And are they afraid? What many pundit's forget is that the Cuban's have "been there, done that" many times before, through 11 former presidents. Not only did they managed to survive the US economic embargo and CIA sponsored "Operation Mongoose" terrorist attacks. They've also created a functional, independent, post colonial state. Despite it's high cost in blood, sweat and tears, that's no mean feat for the region! Of course they'd welcome more economic prosperity. But not a return to the bad old days of Yankee exploitation, especially under the incredulous Donald Trump @ Granma

Another Cuba? Bolivian President Evo Morales declares "total independence" from the World Bank and the IMF. He's been resisting their austerity measures in favour of increases to Bolivia's health, education, and poverty reduction programs since he was first elected in 2006. That's big news throughout the America's, but not up here in the north. Now watch for the pre-requisite Bolivian alt fact, bad news stories and an international crisis to soon unfold, as if on cue. An example will need to be made, in case anybody else gets the wrong idea! As with Cuba, and Venezuela, you can bet the "freedom loving" Donald Trump won't like what's happening, independence and social justice be damned! But is Amerika still calling the shots around the world? If so, for how much longer? In the Age of Trump, everything's changing and progressing, though perhaps not in the way the Donald might think! More @ Telesur


Evo -No 2 Evil!

Evil Empire: Bolivia's Evo Morales warns that the US is exploiting the crisis in Venezuela to get at their oil @ Telesur

President Trump is not the Supreme Court of Venezuela! Nor is our own PM Justin Trudeau! More @ Telesur

Big Stick: Trump and Pence talk tough about using the "military option" to allegedly "restore democracy" in Venezuela. Also because the US is apparently at "risk" from the diabolical "Cubans, Russians and Iranians" hiding here. However, they lack credibility in the region! Bigly! Who is really saying what? And how long will they even be around? @ Telesur and @ Telesur

Saintly Right Wing Terrorists?!? Catholic clergy were infamous for serving the Columbia ruling class, like they did throughout much of Latin and South America, throughout history. So Pope Francis, the pope with a supposed difference, certainly raised brows on his August trip to the country. Imagine the disappointment among progressives when he beatified 2 Columbia Catholic priests into sainthood, despite their complicity in the countries horrific right wing violence in the name of God, church and country! For shame @ Telesur


KULTURE KULT INK


Kayaking is fun! La la la la la ......

"Danger Man" or "Kayak Fishing 101": Beware of sharks! Get this -They can flip over yer kayak and then eat you!!! Yiiiiikes! I ... I ... I go kayaking almost every day, here during the summer at Lake Mississaganon, Land o' Lakes! Eh?!? It's a fresh water lake? Shhhhhhhhhhh @ FN

Georgia Straight: Vancouver's "hippie newspaper", celebrates 50 years of ruffling feathers at city hall @ CBC

An Interview With Pink Floyd's Roger Waters: The former Floydian front man speaks out on Trump, Russia, Israel and Palestine @ Youtube



"So Bad It's Good" Or " So, What Did You Do In The 80's"?!: Here are some charming photo's of the "awkward vintage metal bands" from back in the day. Who were these kids? They won't say .... would you?!? @ SU @ KR @ AFP

"Curtain Time" Or "Good Bye Golden Age": The new millennials don't watch classic movies much, except for "Gone With The Wind", "Psycho" and "Casablanca". Sigh! Alas! A lot of golden greats are falling by the wayside @ NYP

Now It Can Be Told: Here's proof that Beatle Meister John Lennon is still alive and well! He just faked his death .... er, well maybe! Good bye cruel world? @ PDF 



COMMENTS

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!
See below ...

Communist Girls Are More Fun #1

Communist Girls Are More Fun #1

Communist Grrrls are More Fun #2

Communist Grrrls are More Fun #2

Communist Grrrls Are More Fun #3

Communist Grrrls Are More Fun #3

Communist Girls Are More Fun #4

Communist Girls Are More Fun #4

Art at the Paris Louvre: What does it mean?!?

Art at the Paris Louvre: What does it mean?!?
A careful analytical study!

Help! I Have No Arms!

Help! I Have No Arms!
Please scratch my back.

I can't find my underwear!.

I can't find my underwear!.
Have you seen them!

Weee! I can fly!

Weee! I can fly!
Look! I can crawl thru walls!

I have a headache!

I have a headache!
And a broken nose.

I have a square hole in my bum!

I have a square hole in my bum!

Here try this, it's very good!

Here try this, it's very good!
No. You have a bird face.

I have an ugly baby!

I have an ugly baby!
No I'm not!

Let's save all our money + buy pants!

Let's save all our money + buy pants!
OK but I need a new hand too!

Oh no! I got something in my eye!

Oh no! I got something in my eye!

You don't look well.

You don't look well.
No. My head hurts +I have a sore chest.

Would you like a bun?

Would you like a bun?

Chichen-Itza: Lost Maya City of Ruins!

Chichen-Itza: Lost Maya City of Ruins!
The Temple of Kukulkan!

Gotta love it!

Gotta love it!
Truly amazing!

Under Reconstruction!

Under Reconstruction!

Temples + Snakes!

Temples + Snakes!

The Snake!

The Snake!
It runs the length of the ball field!