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9.30.2010

Missionaries of Hate: Vanguard Trailer


 
Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda to trace the influence of American evangelical leaders on a proposed law that could make being gay punishable by death. The episode "Missionaries of Hate" airs on Wednesday, July 14 at 10/9c.

Vanguard, airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.

Francis Bacon and the Evolution of Early Modern Homophobia

Author: Chuck Griffith

The term Homophobia is less than one hundred years old.[1] Before that, distaste for homosexual behavior was cloaked within the vernacular of Early Modern England, especially 17th century London, by terms such as "buggery" and "sodomy." By the early 18th century, men who exclusively had sex with men were deemed "he-whores."[2] Francis Bacon, the father of the scientific method and very much a man ahead of his time in many ways, nevertheless shows that he believed "masculine love" to be an "unlawful threat" in The New Atlantis (written in 1610-14 and published in 1623). In other words, this inspiring hero of the Royal Society would keep anything feminine, or effeminate, at arm's length.

His written protestations against homosexuality were not evident in his real life, however. Despite the fact that his public career ended in disgrace in 1621,[3] Bacon's writings went on to influence the Royal Society and their expansion of the scientific method into an experimental philosophy that is still practiced today in modern medicine around the world. In 1667, forty-one years after Bacon, the founder of the scientific method and the English essay, was eulogized by one of his apprentices who claimed that his "bounty transcends a father's natural love"[4], Thomas Sprat, a historian of the Royal Society, would credit Bacon and his "noble labours in that philosophy by a vast treasure of admirable imaginations" as someone of "new philosophy" greater than that of the Greeks.[5]

Durham Region Religious Nut Compares Gays to Nazis

On Tuesday of this week this homophobic Durham Region woman Sherry Clymer said during a debate with incumbent Mayor Steven Parish that if they were going to fly the pride flag at city hall, then they should also fly the Nazi flag to be inclusive of all groups. 

This idiodic woman should remember that not long ago she wasn't considered a person, in fact her beloved bible (hate literature?) considers her to be chattel, her husbands property so if she really believes so much, she should shut up and know her place is behind her husband and not out making a fool of herself in public.

Obviously she doesn't feel that way, or she wouldn't be running for mayor. Lets hope the good people of Ajax have some sense and show her the light at the polls. 

While debating several issues, she criticized Parish for having the banner raised in June to honour the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered community (LGBT) during Pride Durham.

When he said his decision represented the town's diversity, Clymer countered, saying people would never come together by focusing on differences, suggesting the mayor had "best be also hanging up the Nazi flag."
In an interview, she said "it wasn't at all my intention to compare one group with the other. My thought is why are we singling out a particular group ... anybody who says 'look at me, why should we look at them'?"

Links:
http://durhamelection2010.ca/SherryClymer

9.29.2010

Ontario Government Energy Survey

The Ministry of Energy is "seeking input from Ontarians" as it updates the electricity-plan-that-never-was. Tell 'em what you think! Phase out nuclear - Shut down coal - Conservation is the biggest and best "new" supply of electricity followed by renewables - We must move swiftly to 100% renewable grid!

Link to the questions is at http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/

James Cameron in oilsands 'sponge mode'

The people of Fort Chipewyan have a titanic new ally in their fight to keep their lands and waters clean in the face of growing oilsands development upstream from their community.

After a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said famed film director James Cameron has promised to do what he can to keep helping their cause.

"It's going to be a beautiful relationship," said Adam.

"I'm here to help," agreed Cameron, though he didn't specify what form his support would take.

The Hollywood heavyweight arrived in Fort McMurray on Monday and almost immediately departed on an aerial tour of the oilsands with native leaders who have complained that oilsands pollution is ruining fish stocks and giving them cancer.

James Cameron Visits The Tar Sands

9.28.2010

Canada’s prostitution laws unconstitutional, court rules

A Toronto judge has struck down Canada’s prostitution laws, effectively decriminalizing activities associated with the world’s oldest trade.
“These laws, individually and together, force prostitutes to choose between their liberty interest and their right to security of the person as protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Justice Susan Himel of Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice said in Tuesday’s landmark decision.
The long-awaited judgment had been on reserve for nearly a year.
Himel said that while she has concluded the laws amount to a serious violation of the Charter, she has imposed a 30-day “stay” on her decision to give lawyers for the federal and provincial governments, as well as the women at the centre of the case, an opportunity to make fuller submissions on whether her decision to invalidate the laws should be placed on hold for an even longer period of time.

9.27.2010

OSPCA Petition Video

10 volunteers needed to help with a Fair Vote Canada mailing

Date:  Tuesday, September 28
Location:  130 Carlton St. (NE corner of Carlton and Jarvis), in the Party Room
Start time:  7:00pm
End time:   8:30pm or 9:00pm
Task:  stuff and seal 1,000 envelopes
Immediate benefits:  great conversation with fellow electoral reformers (in fact, let's talk about municipal electoral reform!)
Long-term benefits:  history books will show that the pivotal moment in the fight to bring proportional representation to Canada can be traced back to this critically important mailing...and you were there!!

If you can lend a hand on Tuesday evening, please reply to office@fairvote.ca or call 416-410-4034.

200 Wellesley St. Fire - St. Jamestown Toronto Info for Residents

City of Toronto Information
Sept 26, 2010, 3 p.m. 

As a result of the fire on Sept. 24 residents of 200 Wellesley are still unable to return to the building. The Office of the Fire Marshal is in charge of the site.
Services for tenants are being provided at Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne St.) and 255 McCaul street (University of Toronto). At the site, City staff from Toronto Community Housing, Shelter Support and Housing, Toronto Public Health, Social Services and Toronto Animal Services are working together to provide immediate assistance, including options for accommodation, crisis counselling, information on social services, and to assist with other needs. The Canadian Red Cross is also on-site at the City's request to help provide support, including blankets and toiletries.
For safety reasons, and to preserve the integrity of the Fire Marshal’s investigation, residents still cannot enter the building.
Toronto Community Housing is working with partners including the Fire Marshal to assess and make necessary repairs so residents can return home as soon as it is safe.

Access to vehicles in parking garage
Residents who have vehicles in the underground parking garage and have their car keys will be able to access the parking garage to retrieve the vehicles today between 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Please meet at the entrance to the parking garage where Toronto Police will meet you and escort you to your vehicle. People who can’t get to this location during this time can approach the Toronto Community Housing information table at the Wellesley Community Centre (495 Sherbourne St.). Once people remove their vehicle they cannot re-enter until further notice. 

Meals
Meals for tenants will be provided at all three sites, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bag lunches for people are going to school or work will be available tomorrow at the Wellesley and McCaul sites in the morning.

Clothing
People can access clothing at the Goodwill store and Bloor and Sherbourne. You must take your yellow registration card to the Goodwill to get clothing. Goodwill is providing $25 per registration card. The store is open today until 5 p.m. and Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Mail
We are working with Canada Post to arrange for mail to be redirected to a nearby postal office for pickup. We will provide more information once it is available.

Showers
Shower facilities are available for tenants at 255 McCaul. There are busses leaving from Wellesley Community Centre to take tenants to 255 McCaul and bring them back. 

Assistance for pets
Animal Services and Toronto Fire Services have visited all locations where pets were reported to retrieve pets. Food and water has been left in the site for any pets that may still be in the building. For residents who have been reunited with their pets, food and water for pets is available at Wellesley Street Community Centre. 

Assistance with housing options
The City will continue to provide a place to stay and food for tenants for as long as needed. Toronto Community Housing and the City are working together to look at alternative accommodation for the longer term.

Residents requiring medication
People who require medication should go to Wellesley Community Centre and speak to staff at the medical information table for assistance with prescriptions. 

TTC - Transit tokens
A desk has been set up in the Wellesley Community Centre where people can get two transit tokens at a time. Please show your yellow registration card.

Scooter power recharging
People who use scooters to move around should check in at the Toronto Community Housing information table to let us know the make and model so we can get the right charger.

Letters for employers
People who require letters for employers to identify they have been impacted by the fire can obtain a letter from the Toronto Community Housing information table.

Tenant Hot-line
Tenants can call the Toronto Community Housing hot-line at 416-981-5520 to get updates.

Go green to avoid soaring nuclear costs

Shawn-Patrick Stensil Nuclear analyst, Greenpeace Canada

Ontario needs a frank and public debate on how to protect electricity consumers from the rising costs of the McGuinty government’s nuclear plans.
The government’s decision to restrict public consultation on revisions to its long-term electricity plan to a web-based survey simply dodges any meaningful public debate. This will end up costing the ratepayer and the environment.
We were told in 2007 it would cost $26 billion to keep nuclear at 50 per cent of electricity supply. That would repair 12 operating reactors and build two new ones. Since then, we’ve learned that building just two new reactors would cost $26 billion — sucking up the entire 20-year nuclear spending plan.
It takes 10 years to build new reactors and up to five to repair old ones, so the full cost of the government’s nuclear plan hasn’t hit our bills yet. But painful price hikes are coming unless the Ontario government reins in its nuclear plans.

9.24.2010

200 Wellesley St. Fire - St. Jamestown Toronto

St. Jamestown Fire

Update: CP24 is now showing video of another unit on the 24th floor with flames shooting out. The fire is not under control.

Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray is reporting 200 people homeless on his twitter feed. Donations of food, clothing and money are needed.

Update: 8:45 pm. I got a call from a friend who can see 200 Wellesley from his balcony and he says the fire has started up again and a window has blown out. According to CP24 the fire department is telling residents to stay put unless they are experiencing smoke.

A massive fire broke out this afternoon around 5 pm on the 24th floor of a St. Jamestown highrise. The National Post is reporting that the fire is now out. 10 firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion and four residents of the building, including two children were reportedly taken to hospital.

Torontoist and The Toronto Star report that although the six alarm fire started on the 24th floor the entire 22nd floor was also engulfed in flames. More than 100 firefighters were on scene with approximately 40 firetrucks and support vehicles.

The building has 711 public housing units and is fire trucks are seen daily at this building dealing with false alarms. When I passed by on my way home from work the entire balcony area of the unit was a wall of flames. This fire underscores the danger of allowing balconies to become cluttered with objects.


Toronto Centre MPP Glen Murray is accepting donations for residents. Please mail or drop off (Mon to Fri) donations for victims of fire at 200 Wellesley to:
Murray's office at 514 Parliament, Toronto, ON, M4X 1P4

Links:

The Toronto Star
Torontoist
The National Post
CBC
City Tv
The Globe & Mail




Electrify Pearson Rail Link, says Frank de Jong, City Councillor Candidate

Toronto, Ontario – (Sept. 24, 2010) - "The proposed rail link from downtown to Pearson should be electric or not built at all," said Frank de Jong, Ward 18 Toronto Councillor candidate.

Before the rail link is built the following core changes must be made:

1. To reduce noise, vibration and air pollution the rail link must be electric, not diesel. Nor is "Clean diesel" an acceptable solution. The increased upfront cost is balanced by lower life cycle costs, and the reduced pollution will save health care dollars and lives.

2. The rail link need not be financed by federal, provincial or city taxes, but rather should be paid for by collecting the rise in land values it generates along the route, especially around stations (Land Value Taxation).

3. The trains should make frequent stops and be fully connected to local public transit routes in Toronto, Malton and Georgetown with no extra fees above the local transit fare.

"World class cities don't treat their citizens this way," added de Jong. "Ward 18 - Davenport citizens live adjacent to the proposed Union Station-to-Pearson route. We won't accept diesel engines when the electric option is superior."

De Jong will be attending the "GO ELECTRIC MUSIC FESTIVAL" at Sorauren Park on Sunday September 26, 2010 and available for interviews. Visit http://www.cleantrain.ca/

For more information please contact:
Contact: Justin Trottier, Media Relations
Frank de Jong Campaign – Ward 18 Davenport
416-402-8856, justin.trottier@gmail.com
votefrankdejong

Rob Ford's Maturity

 
Don't vote for a jackass!

The Equality Effect

Click the image to view full size.

The equality effect develops creative legal solutions to address the inequality of women and girls in Africa who are subject to some of the most appalling human rights abuses in the world today (the equality effect currently works in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi).  By using the law in imaginative and original ways, the equality effect achieves concrete change that can result in increased freedom from violence, improved health, and increased prosperity for women and girls.

True Mud

9.23.2010

How to Deal With Ignorance with Regard to Atheism

If you are atheist, it can be difficult to deal with the proportion of theists who may be intolerant and most often ignorant of the intricacies of your position. Often, wild assumptions and keenly over-complicated accusations of being "closed minded" are rife.

This article will look into how you can deal with the irritation and frustration this can bring - and help you reach a level of mutual understanding with the people in question.


Steps

  • Stop. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. Being ignorant does not mean intentions are malevolent. See an encounter with an ignorant person as an opportunity to educate and open a meaningful dialogue; bringing with it mutual respect and understanding.
  • Ensure you know your stuff. Though most of the 40,000 religions throughout recorded human history are built on the same premises merely dressed differently; it's important to know exactly what the people you are dealing with actually believe. Read about all the major religions, and investigate whatever "reasons" the followers of these particular religions use to justify their beliefs. This will not only enhance your performance in a debate, but squelch any ignorance and misconceptions you yourself hold.

9.22.2010

Toronto's 10th Annual Car Free Day At Queen’s Park Circle

Join the Sierra Club for Toronto's 10th Annual Car Free Day @ Queen’s Park, Wednesday, Sept. 22nd from 10am - 2pm

Toronto's biggest Car Free Day has moved from Yonge & Dundas Square this year to Queen’s Park. Sierra Club spent months lobbying for a significant road closure and - finally - took it to the Toronto City Council. This year much of Queen's Park Crescent will be Car Free on September 22nd, 2010 from 10am to 2pm. We are partnering with U of T for their Environment Week festivities as well.

What can you look forward to?
•    NO CARS on Queen's Park Crescent East and West from Wellesley St. to University. Space and freedom to play in the open street.
•    Art Battle and Charity Auction!
•    Free Yoga classes on University Avenue!
•    Giant board games in the park!
•    Mini golf, badminton and other activities!
•    Cycling safety awareness, bike tune ups and circuit training!

In the Greater Toronto Area there are several Sierra Club-sponsored Car Free Days. They all aim to be fun, free events encouraging people to get out of their cars and run, walk, cycle or take public transit.

9.20.2010

Don’t Nuke Green Energy: Stop Darlington | Greenpeace Canada




The Ontario government is planning to spend $36 billion repairing reactors and building risky new reactors at the Darlington site east of Toronto, in part to replace the aging reactors at the Pickering station, which will close by 2020. This plan will divert billions of dollars that should be invested in cheaper and cleaner green energy sources and will drive up electricity prices.
A new report by Greenpeace and the Pembina Institute shows that replacing the Pickering reactors with green energy would be cheaper and would protect Ontarians from the high-cost and risks of new reactors.
Please tell Ontario’s Energy Minister Brad Duguid not to nuke green energy! Tell him you want affordable green energy instead of expensive and risky new reactors.

"The nuke industry still can't guarantee the safety of our ground water. Green energy anybody?"

Northern communities being courted as the site for a radioactive waste dump should be wary of the safety claims being made by the waste management agency controlled by the nuclear industry, says a new analysis of the scientific studies on underground waste disposal commissioned by Greenpeace.
Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) began looking in May for a community willing to have the nuclear industry’s harmful and dangerous waste buried in its area. The NWMO is offering large economic benefits to any community willing to take large quantities of the nuclear industry's radioactive waste. The agency has claimed such a proposal would be safe for the environment and community.

9.15.2010

The End of the Line Trailer

 
Olivia Chow presents THE END OF THE LINE tonight at the Bloor Cinema.
Imagine an ocean without fish. Imagine the global consequences. Join MP Olivia Chow on Wednesday, September 15 at 6:30 for THE END OF THE LINE, a powerful film about one of the world's most disturbing problems – overfishing. Stick around after the film for a discussion with Greenpeace Executive Director Bruce Cox. For more information visit http://oliviachow.ca/endoftheline. FREE!

Canada’s Shorelines need your help!

Join WWF this week across Canada, from September 18 to 26, for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, presented by Loblaw Companies Limited. Help your neighborhood river, stream, lake or ocean remain clean and healthy for another year by cleaning up shoreline litter. This amazing conservation effort is a great way to reconnect with nature and it’s a fun and easy activity for people of all ages. By putting aside a couple hours to volunteer, you can help keep our shorelines healthy for many generations to come! On September 18, come out to Woodbine Beach in Toronto to the WWF-hosted cleanup event. Or check out the online map for a complete list of cleanup sites near you! Gather your coworkers, family and friends and spend time being a part of the solution. Picking up litter has never been so rewarding!

50 things we can do to stop Global Warming.


1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. We recommend you purchase your CFL bulbs at 1000bulbs.com, they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.

2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.

4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases

Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available.

9.14.2010

The Human Effect On Climate Change And Global Disasters

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth.

In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as "global warming".

Anthropogenic factors are human activities that change the environment. In some cases the chain of causality of human influence on the climate is direct and unambiguous (for example, the effects of irrigation on local humidity), while in other instances it is less clear. Various hypotheses for human-induced climate change have been argued for many years. Presently the scientific consensus on climate change is that human activity is very likely the cause for the rapid increase in global average temperatures over the past several decades. Consequently, the debate has largely shifted onto ways to reduce further human impact and to find ways to adapt to change that has already occurred.

9.13.2010

Toronto Greens At Cabbagetown Festival Parade

 
Toronto Centre candidate Ellen Michelson thanks supporters at the Cabbagetown Festival parade on Saturday September 11, 2010.

Warchild Canada


This past saturday I stopped by the War Child Canada booth and signed their card (pictured) and I also signed up for their newsletter. I encourage you to do the same.
For more information about their international work and events  planned in Toronto, take a peek at the website www.warchild.ca 
The next big event is taking place next week on Tuesday, September 21st. The event, Busking for Change, is in its 3rd year, floods the streets of Toronto with artists who play music and raise cash. To see which artists are participating please visit: Busking For Change
Also, today – Monday, September 13, 2010 – Aeroplan will be matching all points donated to War Child. War Child uses these miles to travel to international programs and these donated points offset operational costs significantly. To donate please click here.
For all you sports fans, War Child is the Argo’s charity partner for the upcoming game on Friday October 15th. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the organization and are on sale at a discounted price of $25 for more information or to pick yours up visit www.warchild.ca/argosgame.

To view the photos of other supporters signing the War Child poster click here

How to Relate to an Atheist

This article seeks to help theists understand the viewpoint of atheists and relate to them in a respectful way.

  Steps


  1. Understand that Atheists are human beings with the same rights as theists.
  2. Recognize that they are community members who are entitled to the same rights as you are in developed societies. This is due to the fact that one of the criteria for being a developed society is the absence of discrimination on the basis of religion.
  3. Understand that Atheists recognize standards of ethics and morality, even if they do not match yours.  They may also have many or all of the same morals as you, but for different reasons.
  4. Be aware of the commonality of negative propaganda about atheists, such as "Atheists hate our country". This propaganda is never true.
  5. Respect their right to hold a differing opinion.


  Tips


  • Learn specifics about Atheism, agnosticism, and naturalistic philosophy, this will make it easier to relate to those you meet.
  • Communicate with friendliness.
  • Treat others as you'd like to be treated.
  • Don't assume, ASK, atheists are far less likely to be offended by questions regarding their lack of faith.
  • If you attempt to convert or argue with an atheist, be prepared, as he/she probably knows several well reasoned arguments.


  Warnings


  • Avoid condescension and self-righteousness when debating.
  • Debate respectfully and be well informed on your views, your opposition's views, and the standards of respectful debate.
  • Atheists are not stupid. Most loud and proud atheists are very rational thinkers who've been exposed to both sides of the fence. If you have not seen how atheists talk, debate or reason, do your homework before approaching one with a discussion. Failure to understand another person's view prior to discourse can result in being ridiculed for ignorance.
  • Atheism is not a religion or an organized set of beliefs. Therefore, do not categorize or generalize atheists as a group. The definition of an atheist is someone who has not accepted the claim that there is/are (a) god(s). That is the only unifying belief, beyond that, you would be foolish to assume anything. An Atheist may be pro-choice or pro-life, support or oppose same-sex marriage, be liberal or conservative, or belong to any political party.  They may enjoy traditionally religious holidays, or even religious art and music.  An Atheist may have come to the same moral or political conclusions as you, only by different reasoning.
  • There is no way to tell without asking, but religion may be a painful subject for an Atheist - either due to previous religious disagreements with family and friends, or for philosophical or moral reasons.  If they show discomfort beyond what you would expect in an academic debate, it may be best to change the subject.  Otherwise, you may inadvertently drive them farther away from your side.
  • An Atheist may avoid discussing religion because they don't want to change your mind.  They may be able to admire your faith without sharing it, and accept it as part of who you are.


  Things You'll Need


  • An open and understanding mind
  • Willingness to hold yourself to the same standards as the questions you ask them.




Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Relate to an Atheist.  All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

9.12.2010

Bedbugs

The insect of the year for 2010 is most definitely the bedbug. This old critter that most of us know from the nursery rhyme; "Good night, sleep tight don't let the bedbugs bite." is of course more than a nursery rhyme. Bedbugs have a real gross out factor, but apparently are not a public health threat and are infesting mattresses across North America. You may have heard about recent infestations at high end retailers, and even just before TIFF opened this year a tweet caused and uproar and the bedbug patrol stormed into action. In August we posted this video from Isabella Rosselini's series Green Porno featuring the bedbug. It is pretty educational and funny. There's been a lot of talk about these gross little creatures lately so I thought I'd try to share some useful bedbug information. As well as a creepy and gross video from National Geographic.


Here are some Facts & Myths from Toronto Public Health.

Myth: Bed bugs are too small to see.

Fact: Although they may be difficult to find because they hide well, bed bugs are big enough to be seen with the naked eye. Bed bugs look similar to an apple seed in size and appearance.


Cabbagetown Festival & Parade


Wow, what a great weekend for Toronto Centre Greens! We had a booth on Parliament Street in for the Cabbagetown Festival, a street fair put on by the Cabbagetown BIA. We had a great turn out of Greens for the parade, including Toronto Centre Federal Candidate Ellen Michelson and Provincial party leader, Mike Schreiner. Over the two days at the booth we met many interested residents and listened to their concerns. If you are interested in volunteering with the Green Party of Canada or The Green Party of Ontario please get in touch with me.