October 30, 2009
Friday FTW: An insurance company actually does something nice for once
The White House Studio Project hopes to win between $10,000 and $50,000 to expand their artist run studios, like the one pictured above, while allowing more Toronto artists the opportunity to afford both food and supplies. Everyone can think of something that would make their community, large or small, a better place to live: a crumbling building transformed into a rec centre, activities for the elderly,... [More >>]
October 30, 2009
Prairie Postcard Project #5: Hornepayne, ON
[Writer Laura Trethewey recently travelled across Canada by train, and sent us five postcards on the way, from B.C. to Northern Ontario. The "Prairie Postcard Project" chronicles that leg of her trip and the people she met along the way. Visit her blog for the whole story. Click the postcard images to enlarge.] Dearest This, Racing out of Northern Ontario, Dan is calling out upcoming sites for the... [More >>]
October 29, 2009
The African diaspora, not Western aid, is the key to true development
Participants in the "Africa Gathering" conference in London, October 27, 2009. CC-licensed photo via Flickr by chiefmoamba. In the interest of full disclosure, I currently work with Project Diaspora and am getting hitched to one of the founders next year in Uganda (you might be invited). However, that said, I think myself (mostly) capable of distinguishing between these personal associations... [More >>]
October 28, 2009
Prairie Postcard Project #4: Winnipeg, MB
[Writer Laura Trethewey recently travelled across Canada by train, and sent us five postcards on the way, from B.C. to Northern Ontario. The "Prairie Postcard Project" chronicles that leg of her trip and the people she met along the way. Visit her blog for the whole story. Click the postcard images to enlarge.] Dearest This: It’s almost a requirement that a hotelier have a certain amount of... [More >>]
October 28, 2009
Wednesday WTF: Congratulations! You’ve won a criminal background check!
Finalists in Virgin Mobile's National Fearless Day contest get free background and criminal record checks along with their cash prize. Virgin Mobile wants Canadians to join the hunt for the most fearless among us. Know what we fear? Massive privacy invasion! The contest involves posting a one minute video of yourself, doing something fearless, on YouTube. Skydiving or swimming with sharks are... [More >>]
October 28, 2009
EcoChamber #18: Canada’s crumbling Copenhagen climate countdown
Thousands of protesters convened on Parliament hill last Sunday as part of the 350.org International Day of Action on climate change. Photo via Paul Dewar's Flickr feed. It was the largest lobbying event on climate change in Canadian history: thousands of Canadians from across the country united on Parliament Hill last Saturday as part of the 350 International Day of Climate Action to demand leadership... [More >>]
October 27, 2009
Whole internet gangs up on Calgary Sun’s Ian Robinson; hilarity ensues
Calgary Sun columnist Ian Robinson angered readers and non-readers alike with his astute analysis of how a woman's footwear represents her politics. Local columnists didn’t have much to worry about before the internet. Maybe a few dirty looks while waiting for a morning coffee, or in the grocery store after, but by the next day all would be forgotten. A new column would hit the ink and everyone... [More >>]
October 27, 2009
University of Toronto’s Transitional Year Program safe — for now
A quick update on a story we featured in the September-October issue of This: The threat faced by the University of Toronto’s Transitional Year Program, a special access program designed for students that do not meet the academic requirements to enter university, has been subdued, at least for now. Here’s what happened last week: Monday, October 21st: Faculty of Arts and Science Council meeting... [More >>]
October 26, 2009
New study finds further evidence of Athabasca tar sands leakage
So you may remember the little scuffle we had with the Alberta government a few months ago over one of Emily Hunter’s blog posts about the Alberta tar sands. A spokesperson for the provincial government disputed some of the assertions the post made at the time about leakage of toxins from tailings ponds, and the downstream effects of those chemicals. Short story: “[T]here is no evidence... [More >>]
October 26, 2009
Prairie Postcard Project #3: Saskatoon, SK
[Writer Laura Trethewey recently travelled across Canada by train, and sent us five postcards on the way, from B.C. to Northern Ontario. The "Prairie Postcard Project" chronicles that leg of her trip and the people she met along the way. Visit her blog for the whole story. Click the postcard images to enlarge.] Train etiquette is different from all other types of travel. It’s almost rude to... [More >>]
