Benefit Photography Show

We're having a benefit photo show!

Photos by Ellen Michelson, Bill Michelson and Mark Daye will be on display, for sale to benefit The Equality Effect – 160 Girls for the whole month of February at Java Jive, at the corner of Church and Isabella.

Here's a very short, moving video about the programme.

Click Projects to learn more about the 160 Girls initiative.

The official show opening will be Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 6 p.m.  Please come.

We'll learn a little about The Equality Effect from Flora Terah, here from Kenya;  Ellen Michelson will also say a few words about the programme. We'll hear from our special guest, Glenys Babcock, founder of Pragmora, working to build peace around the world. We'll have some free and delicious nibbles;  as well, Eugene Johnson of Java Jive will generously offer his coffees, teas, and juices for only $1 each.

Here's some additional information.

Photographers:

77 Charles by Mark Daye

Mark Daye is an executive member of both the Green Party of Canada and the Green Party of Ontario for Toronto Centre.  He specializes in photos of  architecture and will feature some from Paris.


Bill Michelson is our Toronto Centre EDA's financial agent.  An urban sociologist, he has had many photos published.  This show will feature his photos of Africa and India.

Ellen Michelson, Green Party of Canada Toronto Centre Candidate; who recently sold some of her work to benefit Elizabeth May's campaign in B.C. Some of her photos are of places where she's worked abroad.

The full prices of all photos sold will be donated to The Equality Effect.

And Eugene supports an organization in Laos.  There's a donation box on his counter.  Current info is here. http://adoptavillageinlaos.blogspot.com/

Everyone involved really hopes you will come. If you can't make it to our opening, please stop in at Java Jive some time during February.

Naomi Klein: Addicted to risk

 

Days before this talk, journalist Naomi Klein was on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, looking at the catastrophic results of BP's risky pursuit of oil. Our societies have become addicted to extreme risk in finding new energy, new financial instruments and more ... and too often, we're left to clean up a mess afterward. Klein's question: What's the backup plan?

First witness video moments after Moscow Domodedovo airport bombing

Warning: This video contains graphic images of the dead and injured.

From the Globe & Mail:

An explosion ripped through the international arrivals hall at Moscow's busiest airport on Monday, killing 35 people and wounding about 140, officials said. The Russian president called it a terror attack.

The state RIA Novosti news agency, citing law enforcement sources, said the mid-afternoon explosion at Domodedovo Airport may have been caused by a suicide bomber. Those at the airport said it was filled with thousands of people at the time and the terminal filled up quickly with smoke.

Are your blueberries real?

Consumers have the right to know what is in the products they buy and eat. This is disgusting and misleading to say the least. Check out Food Forward to see how you can make a difference and learn about food.

Kelowna RCMP Police Brutality Investigation

2011 Recipe for Community in St. James Town – Urban Roots Youth Program

Want to learn about food production? Green Thumbs Growing Kids is pleased to announce that we are soon starting a new program for youth. It’s free!

Did you know? We can produce lots of fruits and vegetables in downtown Toronto? Urban Agriculture could be a great summer job for youth?

What: This is a certificate 8 week program to teach you all about seeds and plants grown in a greenhouse. Young people and adults will have a chance to participate in all aspects of the art and science of growing plants in a greenhouse. All participants who complete the 12 hours of instruction will receive a certificate.



Where: Rosedale Heights School Greenhouse, located across from Castle Frank TTC subway station.

When: Every Wednesday starting on January 19 and going to March 11 from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

For Who: St. James Town residents (15 and older), high school students, AND adults. PRIORITY will be given to St. James Town residents.

By Who: Green Thumbs Growing Kids in collaboration with Recipe for Community Project, a partnership project between the Toronto Community Foundation and the City of Toronto.

Register: urbanrootsyouth(AT)gmail.com — please register by January 19, 2011!
Phone: (647)348-5437

Please pass on this information to anyone you think will be interested. It’s going to be fun!

Queens Park G20 Demonstration

Yesterday was the Mass Demonstration Calling for an Inquiry to the G20 Summit at Queens Park in Toronto.  I attended along with some members of the Green Party of Ontario from Toronto Centre. The turn out was pretty good with about 150 people attending. Here are some pictures I took, and some of the news items about the event.

I was asked by the makers of this film to make a comment for a follow up they are working on. All in all it was a success and hopefully an inquiry will be called soon.

The Toronto Sun Story

http://underoccupation.com/g20/

Catholic School Board Chair Compares Gays to Nazis

Tell the Halton Catholic District School Board

to lift ban on Gay-Straight Alliances

 

Sign the petition here.

Ontario's Ministry of Education promotes the idea of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) in Canadian schools. The Ministry encourages GSAs as a tool to fight homophobia. It also recognizes the impact that a GSA can have in building bridges between all students. And yet, despite this, one Catholic School Board just isn't buying it. Welcome to Halton Region! 

Personally, I demand a public apology and the resignation of Alice Anne LeMay! ~Mark Daye

Mass Animal Deaths Map

If you haven't heard about the end of the world (at least as far as birds, fish, etc are concenred click here; to view the Mass Animal Deaths Map live version.

Challah Bread Recipie

After much trial and error this is the recipe that has worked best for me.

Bread Machine Challah

Add the following to the bread machine.

3-2/3 Cups of All purpose flour
1-1/2 Teaspoon of salt
1/3 Cup canola oil
1/3 Cup demera sugar (you can use any brown or regular sugar)
3 large eggs
3/4 Cup of warm water
1teaspoon of quick acting yeast

Optional
1 egg, lightly beaten
poppy seeds or sesame seeds

If you want to braid the bred use the 'dough' setting on the machine and remove the dough as soon as the machine finishes the cycle. Divide dough into two pieces. Divide each half into three pieces. Roll into strands and braid together. Cover and put into warm oven for 30 minutes to rise. Brush with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds then bake at 375F for 30 minutes.

If you would like a loaf of bread to use for slicing, sandwiches etc. Just put all the ingredients in the machine and use the regular cycle and you will get a nice soft, yellow coloured loaf that is quite nice.

Mass Demonstration Calling for Public Inquiry into G20 Summit

The following is from the Facebook event page for this event. I have added links, images and made minor grammatical changes. 

Please attend this event if you are able to.

WE "THE PEOPLE" DEMAND JUSTICE & ACCOUNTABILITY

WE DEMAND A PUBLIC INQUIRY

The police and governments of Toronto, Ontario and Canada, have now proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they THINK they can literally round up hundreds of citizens, gathered together to exercise their Charter rights to protest, for no real, legal or discernible reason-AND THAT WE THE PEOPLE OF TORONTO, ONTARIANS AND CANADIANS WILL SIMPLY STAND IDLY BY

Suspension of civil liberties

------Just snatch and grab them off the streets, and thrown them in a cage, in many cases without access to legal counsel and in a few cases after being threatened or physically harmed by the police services.

The arrested citizen then has to bear the cost of trying to defend themselves. If the police acted illegally where is the accountability? 

The citizens of this city again have to bear the cost of trying to prove that, and the public pays the damages. Not one single person in government or the police agencies has been held accountable. So in fact, the police are totally and utterly unaccountable. 

The bureaucrats who made the decision to round up peaceful protesters, or just people walking down the street, are unaccountable. 

The politicians are also unaccountable, as apparently they have veto power over investigating themselves and apparently don't even have the guts to conduct any kind of investigation, instead some semblance of an investigation has to be conducted by the Ombudsman. 

Who the hell is accountable? 

So WE THE PEOPLE if the police can illegally detain Canadians without any kind of accountability or oversight, how is this (in any functional way for the citizen) any different from a police state? 

Arbitrary arrests and detentions on the basis of secret laws that nobody knew about, with no accountability.  

That is the very definition of a POLICE STATE. WE THE PEOPLE are still absolutely appalled by what we saw on that weekend and shaken to the core by the hundreds of examples of police brutality that we witnessed and experienced and utterly disgusted by the silence and sheep like acquiescence from the people who are supposed to be representing all of us in Toronto and Ottawa. 

January 8, 2011

Queens Park -Toronto, Ontario

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Please attend and please bring your video camera to help protect the demonstrators.

As we have seen the police are free to do as they like without repercussion unless they are caught red handed.

As we have seen last summer in Toronto it is unsafe to freely protest

even though this is our CHARTER RIGHT!

Debating A Christian Flowchart

From Atheismresource.com
Click on the image to view full size.

Trinity-Spadina Greens Fundraiser

On Saturday January 22nd, local indie band, attagirl, and Toronto rock sensations, the Short and Curlies (www.theshortandcurlies.com), will take the stage at the Rivoli to help raise money and awareness for the Trinity-Spadina greens. All proceeds of the $10 cover will go to the local riding association.

The Green Party is gearing up for a tough election campaign, intent on proving that many Canadians do not support the regressive policies of the Harper Conservatives.

Hope to see you all there, CHEERS!

Details:
Venue: The Rivoli ,416-596-1908, www.rivoli.ca
Door: 9:00 PM
Show Time: 10:15
Cover: 10$ at the door, no advanced tickets.

If you have any further questions, please email Jonathan Sas at jonathan.sas@gmail.com

The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary

 

This video was made to WAKE UP California politicians. 

Well, here in Toronto we have a Mayor that needs a wake up call too!

Please call Mayor Ford's office at 416-397-3673 to oppose eliminating the 5¢ charge for plastic bags in Toronto. 

His staff are keeping a tally of calls, so please, if you're in or near Toronto, call to make your voice heard. 

Alternatively email Rob Ford at: mayor_ford@toronto.ca

Losing Their Grid

Green pioneers are showing it’s possible to connect with creation by disconnecting from the grid. All it takes is a little sacrifice and savvy.
 
By Vidya Kauri

In the same way that “Make love not war” was a slogan for the turbulent 1960s and “Think outside the box” was on everyone’s lips in the 2000s, “Living off the grid” is becoming a catchphrase for the climate-conscious 2010s. Despite the currency the phrase may have in the environmental movement, however, for most of us the idea of radically changing the way we live so we’re not a drain on creation remains just that — an idea. But increasingly, off-the-grid pioneers are showing that with a little savvy and sacrifice, it can be done.

Read the entire article at the UCObserver

Sparkling Diamond: Our Moulin Rouge Wedding

 

Here are a few highlights of our wedding on October 10, 2010. Beginning with the opening number 'Sparkling Diamonds' inspired by the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film "Moulin Rouge" featuring the fabulous Nina as 'Satine'. The second song is the Elton John favourite 

"Your Song" as sung by Nicole Kidman and Ewen McGregor.