Fox Attacks the Environment (video)

I’m Just a Product of My Culture’s Spin

I am really enjoying this CBC News in Depth Section on Spin Cycles: The Spin, the Spinners and the Spun. The six-part series covers from A Century of Spin to Spinning Into the 21st century.

The series explores the world of politics, big business, advertising and public relations to find the real message behind all that spin.

Personally I like identifying, and analyzing spin. I will also produce my own spin when I believe strongly in something. I will also admit to being completely spun by the context of the culture I live in. Let’s face it, I was well on my spinning way by the time I was a year old ( yah thanks Mom).

Human development stems not just from biology, but also from interactions with the social cultural world (Vygotsky). Examples include family, school, church, books/media, entertainment, government, peers, etc.

I think everyone struggles to be able to break free of our cultural trenches so our thinking is not so limited. I know I do and it’s a lifelong battle.

Young Iraqi Refugee Girls Working as Prostitutes in Syria (video)

The number of refugees worldwide increased by 2 million and the Iraq disaster is playing a large role in these new numbers. MSNBC reports,

The rise was due in part to a continued exodus from Iraq, where 790,000 people left last year. Syria took in 449,000 and Jordan 250,000, the private refugees committee said.

Conservatives Stick It To Canadian Taxpayers

The Globe and Mail reports this morning that the Cons targeted tax breaks haven’t been much of a boon for Canadians.

The C.D. Howe Institute, in a particularly sharp attack on Canadian finance ministers, said yesterday that the 2007 round of federal and provincial budgets failed to do much to lower the high tax burden on business operations.

“Many governments increasingly rely on targeted tax credits, which complicate the tax system without necessarily improving the prospects for economic growth or fairness,” the report says.

In fact, the Conservatives raised income taxes by 1.4 billion per year to help pay for a 1% reduction in the GST. The Cons should ditch these cuts and go back to broad based income tax reductions for all Canadians Canwest reports,

Political analysts say these targeted tax cuts are aimed at winning over specific constituencies that reside in politically important parts of either the country or province.

“You load up system with all these special preferences, then down the road the politicians realize they could have had a big tax rate cut instead,” Mr. Mintz said in an interview.

It makes me angry when I hear Harper and Flaherty blather on about all the tax cuts their government has given Canadians when my family have not seen one dime of real benefit. I want the Liberals plan for income tax reductions where less taxes are taken off our bi- weekly paychecks back. The Globe and Mail says,

“Credits have been adopted or enhanced in the past two years for activities such as sports, transit passes, filmmaking, research, labour training and manufacturing and forestry equipment,” it says.

My husband’s bi weekly “paycheck” income taxes actually went up as a result of the Con tax plan. As a result, we are having difficulty mustering up much gratitude for a penny GST cut in this household.

Michael Moore Slams CNN (video)

Great video of Michael Moore nailing CNN and Wolf Blitzer.

Australian Indigenous Solidarity (video)

Australian aboriginals fight back against Howard’s racist policies.

The Northern Territory Government will back a legal challenge to the Howard Government’s radical intervention in remote Aboriginal communities.

Oil/Gas Shortages Only 5 Years Away

Well if this doesn’t make you quake in your boots nothing will. The CBC reports,

Consumers will see the beginnings of a serious global oil and gas shortage within two years, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned Monday.

The article’s message is conserve now or pay dearly later. We need to be sinking major dollars into the development of new technologies and focusing on making them affordable to all consumers, not just the rich (e.g hydrogen/electric transportation -cars, planes, trains). Time is quickly running out for the environment and our way of life.

Vancouver Island Liberals Celebrate with Pride

Today I joined Briony Penn, Hedy Fry and Anne Park Shannon in the Victoria Pride Parade.

It was cloudy and breezy during the parade so I didn’t use sunscreen and wound up with a nice sunburn. Regardless it was a most enjoyable afternoon. My partner from amfresh.ca took all the pictures on this posting.

The Libs were just one entry behind Jack Layton/NDP/BC NDP.

Later at the Pride Festival, Anne, Hedy and Briony got up on stage and promised to continue the fight for rights for transgendered people and wished everyone a Very Happy Pride!

CTV Ensuring Climate Skeptics Get Fair Airplay

CTV News does it part today to ensure that the public still thinks there is a debate about the climate change issue. Thumbs down to CTV for continuing to ensure that hucksters like Durkin get the publicity they crave, but do not deserve. To be fair CTV does say,

Reports released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change earlier this year, which represent the consensus opinion of more than 120 governments, found that global warming is real and that human activities, most notably the burning of fossil fuels, are more than 90 per cent likely to be the cause.

Nothing like keeping the fans of doubt alive in the public so our Con government will continue to feel justified and emboldened by right wing nuts in doing nothing about climate change. If I had to write/promote this guy’s position, I would have trouble sleeping at night. Why bother with it at all?

At one time people thought the earth was flat too and eventually science showed that was incorrect and people stopped it talking about it. It’s called science. I can’t see why this ignorant huckster’s documentary, largely dismissed by the world’s scientists is news.

It’s Time to Show Your Pride Victoria (video)

It’s time to party everyone because Victoria Pride is here. Join the Libs on Sunday and show your pride. Here is a copy of the invite:

We are all meeting up with Hedy & Briony at 11:15am by the Sir John A Macdonald outside A Channel and City Hall (Broad & Pandora). We will be marching liberally from City Hall at noon to Fisherman’s Warf Park where there will be lots of entertainment, food and fun. We will have lots of flags, buttons, stickers, banners and placards for you to wear/carry if you like.

It’s going to be a blast! Bring lots of water, sunscreen for the picnic – pets are welcome too!

And here is a little Queen to get us all warmed up for the occasion.