Opening Statement



Monday 3 May 2021

More Teacher Free Speech Spring 2021 News + Views!

AddITioNs aDDeD In lArGE TypESeT! ReaDeRs gUIdE @ HERE! 

LaTeSt LinKs @ TWITTER!

OH CANADA

On Fire: Canada's unsuccessful Covid strategy, at both the federal and provincial level,  is only serving to extinguish rather than eliminate the Covid virus. Think of the pandemic as a house fire. Whenever the flames die down a bit, we open up the economy, loosening whatever half measures have been put in place. Of course, the pandemic flares up again, because we never completely put it out. 

Meanwhile, countries like Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan went into a complete lockdown long ago. They long ago snuffed the fire out. Now they can return to business as usual, with just the basic safety precautions.

If Canada wants to follow their example, we need to evoke the federal Emergency Management Act. However, that requires a concerted federal and provincial effort. Sadly, at all level of government, we lack the real political leadership that would take Tyee @ Macs Read the act @ Here 

Ontario Aflame: Ontario Premier Doug Ford completely fumbles the ball, as the full force of the pandemic comes crashing down upon us. His latest stay at home order is at best a dog's breakfast of confusing half measures. He closes the children's playgrounds and steps up police checks. The guidelines are unclear at best, the consequences for breaking them a joke. 

Meanwhile, few people are working at home anymore because most everything has been declared an essential service. The school's remained open for far too long. Plus we still lack a comprehensive sick day plan for our lowest paid frontline workers. Out of economic necessity, they continue to go into work sick, further feeling the Covid fire. Read the Ford government's latest stay at home order and weep ON.CA Here's the Ontario Emergency Management Act 1990 upon which it's based @ Here

The Medical Advice: The Ford government has largely ignored the Science Table's medically based recommendations as outlined in "The Way Forward" @ ST @ Macs It's dubious if he and his cabinet often even understand the Covid modelling being presented to them @ QPB 

The Legal Advice: Ontario Police rarely have a falling out with the Conservative party.  However, most quickly decline the new powers Ford grants them to arbitrarily stop and check where everybody's going. It's surprisingly that the lawyers in his cabinet didn't spot trouble right away. Certainly, the dictate is a constitutional fireball, so poorly thought out that it'll easily be challenged in court, as a gross violation of our most basic charter rights. Premier Ford quickly backs down, but the embarrassing news story goes international NYT

Ford MIA: It's not just the police whom are giving Ford a big thumbs down! Ontario's local public health units start closing our Covid infested schools on the own. He finally shuts them down across the province. Angry parents soon have him backtrack on closing the children's playgrounds too. 

So what does Premier Doug Fraud do? He goes into quarantine at his mom's place! Apparently he's been exposed to the virus in his office at Queens Park. He was hiding there at the time, dodging questions in the legislature! 

Ford's press secretary Ivana Yelich probably doesn't mean to be funny as she reports that the fraudster is now busy learning how to use a laptop. That's so he can still carry out his duties while in quarantine. He usually relies on a badly, outdated Blackberry Classic cellphone, but he often can't download files on that.

In a huge dereliction of duty, our Dougie then disappears from sight for the next two weeks! It's the height of the pandemic! Prime Minister Justin Trudeau somehow managed to regularly speak and answer questions while he was in quarantine last year. But not so Premier Doug Fraud!

There's lots more about Ford's hijinks QPB BlogTO @ Vice @ NAL

Timeline 4 Chaos: Here's how the Ford government fumbled it's way into a third wave catastropheChatelaine.

School's Out: Ontario's largest public health units in Peel, Toronto and Ottawa have finally managed to force the government's hand to stop the school spread. Students across the province are learning at home again. There's a lot more to the story below, under "Education Beat" and @ CTV @  GlobeCTV 

Ontario SOS: It's the Mother of All Shit Storms! Hospital ICU's are overflowing with the sick and dieing! Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sends the Canadian Armed Forces into the ICU's to help out. He also offers Red Cross assistance with Ontario's vaccine drive. However, a miffed Doug Ford declines the desperately needed aid @ CBC @ NP @ Global  

Resign Now! The NDP and Liberal opposition call for Ford's resignation. The PC government's huge majority at Queen's Park, makes that unlikely. However, speculation is rife that the PC's either provide adult supervision for him, or better yet, a replacement premier for the province @ CTV Global @ #ResignDougFord Ford is international news again @ WP

Blame Game: Ford tries to deflect attention from Ontario's poorly planned inoculation rollout by blaming Trudeau for not providing us with more vaccine. Meanwhile, he can't distribute the vaccines that we'e got all ready. Sadly, Ontario has the lowest vaccination rate of any province, with 300,000 doses sitting in the freezer unused @ Now

Tru-Anon: Canada's Conservatives lend Ford a hand stateside with his fake news game. CPC Opposition Leader Erin O'Toole courts CNN's Jake Tapper to blame Trudeau for Canada's vaccine woes. Of course, Fox New's Tucker Carlson jumps onboard with the big lie too. TNC @ PM 

To his credit, Trudeau has successfully out sourced plenty of vaccines from abroad. We'll be receiving them soon. Canada's like most other countries that lack the domestic ability to produce their own vaccine. The Bottom Line? The province's knew we'd have to wait. Moreover, it's the result of a decades old problem involving both the Liberal and Conservative parties. See the links to their joint negligence in the Spring 1 edition of my Teacher Free Speech news blog. More @ CTV @ Youtube @ Ipol

Political Hot Spot: Ontario's Auditor General is investigating why Ford didn't fast track the provincial vaccine into all of the postal coded, hot spots identified by his Science Table. Did he choose the ridings that voted for him first? @ CP24

Ford's Trumpian HWY 413 Covid Follies: Check out the rogue gallery of lobbyists and developers with close ties to the Ford government, eagerly waiting to cash in on his greenbelt highway plans

Sure, Ford acts stupid. He's not be too bright, but don't write him off as a fool. He's a fraudster too, but one who knows how to serve his corporate masters well. 

Ford's taking a wrecking ball to the province's conservation plans, while distracting us with all his non-stop BS. There's definitely a Trumpian method to Doug Fraud's Covid madness NO @ ED

Drat! Foiled? The federal cavalry arrive to carry out an environmental assessment of Ford's controversial Greenbelt highway plans. A whole whack of frustrated municipalities and environmental groups understandably asked Trudeau to intervene. Now that the project is delayed, it can be properly debated in depth, along with the findings. Bet Ford won't like that! Not with a provincial election looming next spring @ ED 

A Sterling Case In Point: Disgraced, PC hatchet man Norm Sterling of Walkerton fame has been appointed head of the Greenbelt Council. Before retiring as a PC MPP, Norm voted against the greenbelt. Now he's been put in charge of it!?!? More wrecking ball politicsCBC


LilleyGate; Ontario's mainstream media is shamelessly ignoring the blatant conflict of interest between the Ford government and the Toronto Sun. We know for sure that Sun reporter and number uno Ford cheer leader Brian Lilley is living with his press secretary Ivana Yelich. They are quite the threesome, with Ford and Lilley forever kissing each others butt. However, for reasons unknown, the QP press gallery is afraid to say boo. Something must be done soon. Caryma Sa'd explains @ LD @ CarymaRules More @ DB @ Passage

Freedom Convoy:  Anti masker Chris Sky is taking his covidiot clown show on the road to a stop near you. They're stirring up those of us who don't understand that rights come with responsibilities, to spark an insurrection against the government's lockdown. One of the speakers, identified only as "George", regularly makes thinly veiled threats of gun violence. Quite the copy cat eh?!? Think Washington, January 12th! Wonder if CSIS is paying attention @ DB CNBC

Boycott Tim Hortons: A London, Ontario outlet of the self styled, Canadian coffee chain fails to notify it's employees of a Covid outbreak. A part time teen worker infects her family at home. Workplace spread remains a major, unchecked source of Covid spread in Doug Ford's Ontario. It's killing workers, their families and possibly anyone else they come in contact with too. @ CBC @ CBC

#BoycottTimHorton's

Mattamy Homes: The construction workers are caught getting their jollies with a couple of strippers at work, after they post the photos online. So what'll Dougie do now? To show the construction industry that they too must follow the rules too? Perhaps limit his pals to one stripper per site?!? @ BlogTo

Border Closures: Canada's extending the US border closure again. This time, it's our fault, since we pose the greatest threat. Hmmmm. Now Trump's gone. Joe Biden is President. We can't just blame the American's anymore. The buck stops here @ CBC Forbes

IN THE NEWS

Canadian Apology Time: Like a good Canadian boy, I want to apologize profusely. We are in a full blown crisis. Rest assured, more international coverage will follow, as soon as I can get a handle on all the bullshit up our way!

Vaccines 4 Canada: President Joe Biden promises Trudeau that the US will help Canada with our vaccine shortage. As he approaches his 100 day mark in office, over 227 million Americans have been inoculated. Joe's way ahead of schedule and now the US has more vaccines than they need! Hey! That's really nice, but we can't laugh at Joe like we laughed at Donald Trump anymore. Not much fun but we love you anyway! @ Global

Alaska 2 The Rescue: To help reopen the border, Alaska's Governor offers any surplus vaccine to their Canadian neighbours in British Columbia and the Yukon. Ok. Ok. Very nice, but Sarah Palin's now long gone too. Can't laugh at her either! Jeez, you're making this so hard @ CBC

A Joe Biden Fact Check: Canada's Mr. Fact Checker Daniel Dale reports that Joe made 29 false claims during his first 100 days in office. Trump made 214. Turns out Joe 's usually off script, ad-libbing stats when he gets it wrong, whereas his scripts are quite factual, unlike the Donald's. Hmmm. Bet if Dale could fact check the Ontario Ford government for us, Doug would make both Trump and Biden blush! @ CNN

RIP George Floyd: Surprise! Police officer Derek Chauvin is found guilty of all charges. His trial was quite the spectacle. It seemed like George was the one being tried. The defence clearly wanted to create reasonable doubt, using a lot of tired, old stereotypes and racist conspiracy theories. How sad @ SPLC

COVID BEAT

Covid Walks Among Us!

Murder Inclined: Big biz is clearly behind Ford's response to the pandemic. Our small businesses, working families and essential workers are being ruthlessly killed off en masse like never before. It's the perfect opportunity for Ford as a mass social murderer, to ruthlessly target, kill and maim the poor and less fortunate. Plus he doesn't have to fire a shot. Will he get away with it? @ Passage CD

QAnon Canada: Canadian Conservatives are playing copy cat with their GOP buddies south of our border. They've been coming up with lots of really wild and far out Canuck conspiracy theories throughout the pandemic @ Passage

Alt Right Watch: The alt right are trying very hard to mimic and co-opt the left's "civil rights" language at their anti masker rallies @ CD Often the media gives the most vocal extremists a pass on their white suprematist roots @ Passage The alt right's also trying to weaponize irony to spread hate. They aren't really being racist, sexist and homophobic. It's just a joke @ NPR

Sick Daze: The business lobby wants us to think that workers would just abuse a comprehensive, sick day plan. However, that's patently false and very short sightedRankFile

Flight From Hell: Faced with bankruptcy, the big airlines are flying through the pandemic by the seat of their pants. They want us to feel safe flying. However, feeling safe isn't the same as being safe. This passenger found out the scary truth, when an infected lady got on her plane @ Forbes  

EDUCATION BEAT

Schools Out: International studies show that it's very dangerous reopening our schools before the staff and students are vaccinated. Proper testing, distancing and ventilation are absolutely necessary too, for everyone to be safe and stop the community spread @ Lancet @ Nature

Strike While It's Hot: Ontario's teachers, education workers and school staff have faced very dangerous workplace conditions, throughout the pandemic. Sadly, vaccinating them still isn't a priority for the Ford government. If he dares to re-open our schools this spring, it's time for a province wide walkout

The floundering Ford government would be cornered, if AEFO, CUPE, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF took him to task and held his feet to the fire. But don't count on it happening. So far, the Ontario teacher union leadership hasn't shown the political will needed to really stand up for their members, students or the school communities, since the pandemic began. 

Can they still walk the union talk? Or will they be content to let Ford walk all over them again, as the virus spreads through our schools? To act decisively, the Ontario teacher unions need to organize now! 

NeoLib 101: Sadly, academia's response to the Covid pandemic continues to propagate the same old tired themes of commodification, competitive individualism and inequitable hierarchical structures. University faculty should be very wary. The times require that they push back hard and show some intellectual integrityOCUFA

KULTURE KULT INK

Ultimate John Lennon Plastic Ono Band: John Lennon's first studio solo album gets the deluxe 50th anniversary treatment. There's a new remix, along with some really powerful raw versions of the album that rock out like never before. A disc full of impromptu jams is included. Others feature lots of very cool demos and studio outtakes. They're spread over 5 cds, repeated on the 2 Blu-ray discs, with some new 5.1 remixes thrown in for good measure. John also entertains us with some very experimental, guitar work, on the previously unreleased session tapes, from Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band album. All in all, it's one of the best Beatle reissues to date. It actually gives the bootleggers a run for their money. John Lennon's POB's is a very powerful yet minimalist album. This re-issue is absolutely essential listening for every rock fan @ Audio1 @ Audio2 @ Audio3

Siri I'm Getting Pulled Over: Here's how to set your iPhone to record and stream a police check, just in case you encounter any problems @ Verge

"Dollar Beers Leave The Worst Hangovers" 

-Ontario Proverb

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!