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Phil Fontaine heckled

1/25/2014

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In a speech at University of Winnipeg , Phil Fontaine was heckled by native protesters objecting to his acceptance of a job as liasion between TransCanada Pipeline and about 180 indigenous communities located along the proposed path of the Energy East Pipelines, which would carry crude 4,500 kilometres from Alberta to New Brunswick. The video is below. 

First Nation blogger Bartley Kives wrote about it here: An unfortunate time to protest. Kives writes:

In a province where unreconstituted racists will seize on any excuse to dismiss legitimate indigenous concerns about upholding treaty rights, economic development and environmental protection, this was counterproductive.

Don't just take that from a white guy. Although Manitoba's indigenous community appears divided over what happened Wednesday, some of its most prominent leaders are upset.
Justice Murray Sinclair issued a condemnation of the protesters' tactics. Manitoba Grand Chief Derek Nepinak, who attended the U of W event, said he wanted to hear what Fontaine had to say and said he was disappointed his predecessor didn't get a chance to speak.


I think that Fontaine should have continued to speak and the security should have removed the protesters or the facilitators handled it differently. There needs to be spaces for respectful, and even sometimes pointed, dissent. This is healthy for any group or movement. As the First Nations evolve and grow, and native people become more educated there are going to be conflicts around power, inclusion, values, etc. These need to be aired in a way that are inclusive. The problem is that in many native as well as white political and corporate institutions, dissenting voices are systematically excluded. It has been reported that chiefs in bands prevented Idle No More styled groups from protesting their decisions. This is unfortunate.

Further, it is a legitimate question to ask about the ethics surrounding a former grand chief working with an oil pipeline.  Fontaine, even though he is no longer a public, elected official, is still at least morally accountable to his community around his public conduct particularly when that conduct has  potential environmental and political impact on the community.

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Baby its cold outside

1/21/2014

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A great version with the incomparable Ray Charles and Betty Carter! Beat away the January blues and enjoy this fun number.
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Amiri Baraka Dies

1/9/2014

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The great American poet, Amiri Baraka, died today.  The New York Times featured a eulogy to him today. In their piece entitled,  Amiri Baraka, Polarizing Poet and Playwright, Dies at 79, Fox writes:

Mr. Baraka was famous as one of the major forces in the Black Arts movement of the 1960s and ’70s, which sought to duplicate in fiction, poetry, drama and other mediums the aims of the black power movement in the political arena.

Among his best-known works are the poetry collections “The Dead Lecturer” and “Transbluesency: The Selected Poetry of Amiri Baraka/LeRoi Jones, 1961-1995”; the play “Dutchman”; and “Blues People: Negro Music in White America,” a highly regarded historical survey.


One of his most contentious poems, Somebody Blew Up America (below), was highly controversial and  caused his title and tenure as Poet Laureate of New Jersey to be removed. "Somebody Blew Up America" was criticized due to its closeness to the events of 9/11 and its seeming sympathy with the "truthers" and anti-Semitic overtones. Still, it is a powerful and often insightful poem that exemplifies the kind of edginess that is associated with his work.  His diction and tempo is powerful. The provacative "who, who, who...?' deeply resonates for the listener.

He was a tireless advocate and spokesman against racism and poverty.  As Jazz Corner notes in their summary of his book "Blues People":

Blues People argues that in their art, Louis Armstrong, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and countless other black bards confronted the forces of racism, poverty and Jim Crow. This gave birth to work songs, blues, gospel, New Orleans jazz, its Chicago and Kansas City swing extensions, the bebop revolution (which in turn spawned the so-called cool and hard bop schools), and the then-emerging avant-garde of the late '50s and early '60s, characterized by the forward-thinking artistry of Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Cecil Taylor. 
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Winter

1/7/2014

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With bitter cold gripping most of North America, what could warm and console the heart more than Vivaldi's Winter!
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Diane Ravitch - Educational historian

1/5/2014

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I admire the work and research of Dianne Ravitch, the American historian of education. In this interview she discusses themes of how competitiveness does not necessarily lead to increase in competency. She advocates greater competency for teaching and building professional capacity and respect for the teaching profession.

She points out that right now education is driven by conservative economists, emphasizing competition, over and against the views of cognitive psychologists, philosophers, and poverty advocates; all of whom have knowledge to share in terms of how learning happens. The effect of this is that there is a narrow tunnel vision on test scores and these are taken as the only genuine, real measures of learning. So, we are preparing a generation of test takers who are not necessarily more knowledgeable. 

Ironically, even though the rhetoric of politicians and leaders is that we must focus on innovation, creativity, and ingenuity, the current emphasis on standardized testing will not produce any of these things. What ends up happening is that you will "punish" those students who think differently or overthink the question. And the student will have a perfectly good reason for selecting the other "wrong" answer. Kids should think about the questions, critically, and the "right" answer is not necessarily more accurate than the one distractor which is close to the "right" answer. She provides an interesting anecdote on the answer of who influenced Martin Luther King the most?

She also discusses the impact of poverty on learning and this is a very important correlate of educational outcomes and this is not always appreciated. We cannot just avert our eyes from this reality.

The rest of the interview focusses on her personal experience which is interesting as well. All in all a good interview and an important scholar of education.


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I'm In A Sentimental Mood

1/2/2014

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Sonny Rollins and the Modern Jazz Quartet can take you to so many good places. Moments linger and you can ease in to the new year with contentment and peace! Enjoy and savour!
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David Mamet and Dr. Katz

1/1/2014

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Dr. Katz was one of my favourite shows in the 1990's. Featuring an array of stand up comedians as Dr. Katz's patients and the regular improv of his son, Ben, and receptionist, Laura, the show had consistent deadpan humour with a kind of spontaneity that was unique. Added to that, the squiggle vision just added to the whole viewing experience. In this clip, David Mamet (Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Spanish Prisoner, House of Cards, Heist, etc.)  who is one of the best screen writers in Hollywood has a cameo with Laura. While he does not feature the kind of "Mamet-speak" he is famous for, he does have a humorous exchange and arguably has a faint Mamet-speak moment at the end when Laura asks, are you just blowing smoke and he replies, what do you mean just?

I also found another clip that helped me to channel some frustrations I have been having with a certain computer company that shall go nameless. My daughters lap top was shipped off at least 8 weeks ago for repairs. Trying to find the status of the repairs or even if they have the computer has been a nightmare. From people at the call in centre sending "escalating" enquiries to being brushed off until the supervisor returns, it has been a never ending merry go round! Still no word on whether or if the lap top has been repaired, where it is, or when work might be completed.  The comic below talking about the luggage clerk at a New York airport nailed my whole experience.
 
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    My Pensées

    The title of this blog is an allusion to the famous work of Blaise Pascal.  This blog represents the variety of my interests and thoughts on any given day and are  strung together, like Pascal's Pensees, in no particular order. I work in the field of mental health,  education, and human rights. I write and am a human rights advocate. I enjoy poetry, jazz, spirituality, politics and a potpourri of other interests that you will see reflected in this blog.

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