What kind of tax break would you like to see? Ontario has gotten itself into a difficult situation. Too many people have lost their jobs, our province has lost its leading position in the country, and government has lost its ability to balance its books.
We face a critical choice. Either we implement sensible policies that create jobs and prosperity or we accept a future of high debt, declining public services and living below our economic potential.
The first and most basic thing government needs to do is balance the books. The second is to start to pay down the debt. We can’t afford to run government on a credit card. Interest on our accumulated debt is $10.6 billion a year. That’s a cost we’re passing on to our kids. It slows the economy and restricts government services for years to come.
Over the past nine years, families and businesses in Ontario have experienced a number of unpleasant tax surprises. The primary factor in our slow job creation is high tax levels. The top marginal tax rate in Ontario today is 49.5 per cent. That’s simply too high. Economists have demonstrated that overly high tax rates can actually reduce tax dollars collected because they are a strong disincentive to work. Lower taxes create jobs and higher taxes deter them. We can address the problem of 600,000 people out of work in Ontario, in part, through tax policy.
The three main taxes in Ontario are personal income tax, corporate tax, and the harmonized sales tax. Given that tax cuts create jobs, which sector tax cut do you think would be most effective for job creation? To provide input, contact me at 1-800-903-8629 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org.
Fair competition means giving all businesses an equal chance. It’s not up to government to act as an investment banker to support some businesses at the expense of others. Rather than use public money to favor companies that know how to work the system, use those tax dollars for broad general benefit. Ending corporate welfare will provide enough for significant tax changes.
Ontario has long benefited from free and open markets. The 1960’s Auto Pact between Canada and the United States, and the North American Free Trade Agreement that superseded it, fueled the manufacturing boom in this province. But while $2 billion worth of trade crosses the Canada-U.S. border each and every day, too often the border is a traffic jam, delaying goods and workers from crossing. Breaking this bottleneck with our largest trading partner, and the costly delays at other entry and exit points along our
southern border, is vital to growing Ontario’s economy. Ontario should embrace the economic opportunities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia and tear down the barriers that separate us.
Ontario is long overdue for a major reduction in rules that regulate businesses. Some regulations are necessary, but Ontario has accumulated an absurd paperwork burden that costs the province’s businesses too much time and money. We need fewer rules, and those rules must meet a clear need.
We can drive growth through innovation and ingenuity – and through a belief in markets, in entrepreneurialism, in competition and in free trade. These are values that have long driven economic success around the world. And government can lead economic growth with policies to reduce taxes, balance the books, boost trade and cut red tape. By MPP Toby Barrett
Corporate welfare? In 2011-2012, $ 1,021,521 was steered to Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford newspapers in one grant alone. image: www.pch.gc.ca
Tune in here on Tuesday October 9th and watch Felix Baumgartner make his record freefall attempt.
It’s October 5, 2012 and Felix Baumgartner is about to smash the 50+ year old free fall height record and break the sound barrier along the way.
Using a lighter-than-air balloon for the ascent stage, Baumgartner will float above Roswell, New Mexico, USA to the edge of space and then open the door of his pressurized capsule. It will be one small step for a man, and one giant fall for Felix and one giant marketing coup for RedBull.
When I was a fellow at the Canadian Film Centre’s New Media Lab in 2009, I was asked to make three predictions about future ‘real-life’ trends. Near the top of my list was increasingly ‘extreme’ extreme sports. I think I have gotten that one right, and if you’d like to know what the other two were drop me an email. With each leap in technology, mankind has been able to attempt more extreme feats. Technology has allowed us, the viewer, to live directly through real life participants much more vicariously than ever before, and mainstream virtual reality is just around the corner. Like a feedback loop, technology pushes the boundaries of what the human mind can conceive and what the human body can accomplish. Symbiotically, as we achieve more and more incredible feats, technology is utilized to not only showcase these feats but to instill an empowerment. More on this later….
In the early decades of the last century, extreme sports included seemingly placid activities when viewed with today’s sensibilities. Consider these examples: crossing the English Channel by airplane, modifying an automobile with solid rockets to reach a speed of 100 miles per hour, diving into the sea from a height of one hundred feet. In their allotted place in time, these activities were considered to be incredibly extreme and borderline committable.
Technology at that time meant that in order for a viewer to share in the participant’s experience, the viewer needed to read about the event in the newspaper, listen to the event on the radio or visit the event in person. This was a time of great internal imagination as methods and technologies in play were mystical and were not an everyday occurrence in those viewers lives. That being said, the crossing of the English Channel by airplane and other flights of fancy were made possible due to “magical signals traveling through the ether”. Aka: wireless radio technology. A pilot was now able to fly by honing in on radio signals. This same technology was used to broadcast news of the flight and this connectedness via the same technology may not be symbiosis in the traditional ecological sense but is most certainly a form of extreme mutualism. (Spinoza’s Theory of Imagination says essentially the same thing in his Extended Pattern Preservation Doctrine: The persistence of an individual [replace ‘individual’ with ‘same technology’] through time consists not in the sameness of underlying substance but, insofar as it is conceived through extension, in the persistence of a distinctive pattern of communication among moving parts. *
Our era is markedly different.
It is one of internal and external imagination. When Felix Baumgartner rides to the edge of space, we get to ride with him. We can watch a live stream of his progress, observe his ‘vital stats’: real-time mission statistics by watching the graphics on our smart device. We can hear the banter between mission control and Felix. We are in effect Felix Baumgartner’s mute passenger. (We will be hosting the LIVE feed right here in this post at the window below. UPDATE due to high winds today’s rescheduled attempt has been postponed until further notice. Check #freefall on Twitter for latest updates. )
This is a much more immediate and virtual form of reality and the excitement is compounded by our anxiety and our sense of power.
We sense our power because we have the very same technology that makes this attempt possible. If you happen to be a regular watcher of a reality television show involving a performance and a smartphone voting system you are essentially experiencing an empowerment. You hold in your hands an actual component of the program and take part in a communal experience. This is not just “must see t.v.”, this is “must do t.v.”
“Fearless” Felix
Much like NASA and the current MARS mission, Baumgartner’s team and sponsor Redbull have come to understand the necessity for hype and sensationalism in order to draw attention to their work and secure future projects. If no bucks=no Buck Rogers, then no Buck Rogers= no bucks.
Gemini and Apollo astronaut Gus Grissom. RIP Gus.
Really though, it’s not an economic strategy that I wish to point out here.
It’s the potential for an economic strategy, the potential for a social strategy, the potential for an emotional strategy and in fact all the potential strategies that our digital age has room for. Extreme human activities are by their very nature extremely emotional. They connect with us on a deep rooted, conscious and subconscious level. It’s like a modern incarnation of the primitive hunt or the ancient journey.
The development of economy and a look at where experience currently influences commerce.
If you choose to experience Felix Baumgartner’s highest free fall record attempt live on your smart device or project it into your living room like we are planning on doing here at the Silo office- you will be transformed on some level. (In the marketing and advertising world this is known as Pine and Gilmore’s Experience Economy.) That’s probably due to the fact that the natural environment, though beautiful, is incredibly dangerous and deadly and throughout our development as we have come to dominate this planet, we have developed and conquered by using technology. Is it incredulous to suggest that by using our smart device to experience these dangerous feats, we are in fact celebrating mankind’s conquering of danger and nature through technology? The very technology that we now hold in our hands? For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
“For the Canadian government, the TPP offers cover for major reforms to supply management, the combination of tariffs, quotas and price supports that increase costs for dairy, eggs, chicken, turkey and broiler hatching eggs. The system has been politically untouchable for decades, but using a backdoor approach of mandating change through trade agreement might provide the mechanism to garner the necessary popular support.” University of Ottawa researcher Michael Geist image:20thCenturyFox
Egg and dairy farmers take note…..If you haven’t heard about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (aka TPP) you’re not alone. This major, multinational trade agreement, conducted in private closed-door meetings had already voted on several key issues even before President Obama invited Canada to join this spring.
The TPP now includes the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chili, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore , Vietnam, Mexico and now Canada. Some economists have argued that since Canada already has free trade agreements with 4/10 of the TPP members we are not likely to see much ‘return on our buck’.
So the question then: Why has our Federal government shown so much interest? Is there a chance that by signing on to TPP, Canada could use the agreement conditions to make sweeping regulator changes in our country? And if the media reports circulating are to be believed (enter “Canada joins TPP” into your fave search engine) it seems inevitable that Stephen Harper’s government will soon announce Canada’s membership.
Law Professor Michael Geist image:cybera.ca
This from an online feature by University of Ottawa researcher Michael Geist :
“With Canada already surrendering negotiation leverage and few important markets at stake, our participation is less about other TPP countries and much more about us. Business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauded Canada’s entry into the TPP, (http://www.uschamber.com/press/releases/2012/june/us-chamber-applauds-canada%E2%80%99s-entry-trans-pacific-partnership-negotiations) expressing the hope that it would force further changes to Canadian intellectual property laws less than 24 hours after Bill C-11 passed in the House of Commons.
[From 2011, NDP MP Andrew Cash points out concerns regarding Bill C-11 CP]
For the Canadian government, the TPP offers cover for major reforms to supply management, the combination of tariffs, quotas and price supports that increase costs for dairy, eggs, chicken, turkey and broiler hatching eggs. The system has been politically untouchable for decades, but using a backdoor approach of mandating change through trade agreement might provide the mechanism to garner the necessary popular support.
Come on, breastfeeding is not obscene. Breastmilk has evolved into an immune-building milk tailor-made for each child to protect infants and children from illnesses in their environment. There are over 400 ingredients in breastmilk whose reasons for being there are not fully known. There is a component in breastmilk which is only there to grow the baby’s brain. That’s it. It can’t be replicated. Saying a certain non-humanmilk-based formula is ‘closer to’ breastmilk is akin to saying Michigan is closer to Hawaii than Pennsylvania. True, but one wouldn’t be closer to Hawaii’s environment, would they?
Our September Print edition cover- It is western culture that has sexualized breasts to the point where seeing a mother breastfeeding her child is obscene. image: courtesy of the author
Did you know that if you leave a naked baby on mom’s chest right after birth, they have the knowledge and ability to crawl to the breast and nurse perfectly by themselves (especially if mom was un-medicated during the birth). It is a beautiful moment to watch. That instinct is there for 3-4 months.
Should breastfeeding ever hurt? No. Just because many women do have pain in breastfeeding, doesn’t make it ‘normal.’ Most pain in breastfeeding, in my 20-year experience, is from poor latching or lack of knowledge. There isn’t enough time in a full prenatal labour/birth class to give breastfeeding instruction the time it needs. Attending La Leche League (LLL) meetings while pregnant can help prepare you (www.LLLc.ca). Or, talk with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant if you are nervous speaking in a group. Plus, partners may feel more comfortable speaking individually. IBCLC’s are listed here: http://www.americas.iblce.org/ibclc-registry. Both LLL and IBCLC’s are available before and after you have your baby and are a tremendous resource and support.
Maternite (Motherhood) by Maria Blanchard. Due to physical conditions that prevented Maria from ever being able to have children, she powered up her paintings with sentiment and substance. CP
The World Health Organization, and the Canadian Pediatric Society both say to exclusively nurse your baby for the first 6 months of life and to breastfeed for 2 years or more. That is the world standard. It is western culture that has sexualized breasts to the point where seeing a mother breastfeed her child is obscene. There is no food on earth which can replace the vitamins, minerals, and immunities which are found in human milk. How is seeing a baby nurse in public worse than seeing the lingerie models in the mall?
Dads should not be left out of baby’s life. But, if dads were meant to feed babies, they would lactate. Skin-to-skin bonding with dad/baby increases parenting hormones and normalizes baby’s temperature, heart, and breathing.
Public breastfeeding- what’s the big dealio? image: courtesy of the author
Dads, or other support people, may use a medicine cup (like what comes with children’s fever medicine) to feed the baby. In addition, baby’s tongue works similarly to breastfeeding, so feeding a baby with cup and at the breast should not cause nipple confusion.
There are documented risks to formula-feeding (increased risks for obesity, diabetes, and general colds/flus). Plus, moms may have an increased risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes if she chooses formula feed. Breasts are part of our anatomy to feed our babies. Honour that.
For the Silo by Aboriginal midwife Stephanie MacDonald, IBCLC. Contact Stephanie on twitter @StephIBCLC
Supplemental- 30$ per scoop Ice cream made from human breastmilk on sale in London, England
The stunning three sheet movie poster for the lost 1926 Paramount big budget silent film The American Venus realized $35,850 to lead the day in Heritage Auctions’ July 25-26 Vintage Movie Posters Signature Auction in Beverly Hills. The auction realized, in total, more than $1.45 million. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.
Controversy surrounds this 1932 Disney cartoon- in one scene, Mickey Mouse is seen using a cigarette lighter that has a painted swastika on it. In 1932, the world did not fully understand the significance of the swastika as it would relate to the rise of Naziism. image: Heritage Auctions
“Demand was steady and prices were, overall, quite good across the more than 1,300 lots we featured in this auction,” said Grey Smith, Director of Movie Posters at Heritage. “We saw a trifecta of focuses in this auction as collectors went after early Hollywood, Disney animation and Universal Horror. At the end of the day, we were all quite pleased with the solid results.”
The American Venus (Paramount, 1926) three sheet is a film that is now lost to history, minus a few trailers. What is known about it, however, is that the poster spectacularly features Louise Brooks, though this was only her second film appearance. She was relatively unknown at the time and her role in the film was very minor. The producers, however, obviously realized her star potential as they featured her exclusively on the poster. Brooks would go on to become one of the most iconic female stars of the late silent era.
“Brooks crafted a personal style that left an indelible mark on 1920s popular culture that’s still imitated today,” said Smith. “She achieved a cult status rarely garnered by entertainers of that time and is clearly a star that still resonates with collectors at the top of the hobby.”
Vintage posters were emotional, engaging and uniquely hand-crafted before hitting the printing press. image: Heritage Auctions
Rare and early Disney posters always create a stir when they appear at auction and the presence of a 1932 United Artists one sheet for Disney’s The Wayward Canary, depicting Mickey and Minnie Mouse, set collectors buzzing on its way to a $26,920 final price realized. Released in November 1932, the same year that the Academy awarded Disney a special Oscar for his creation of a nationwide phenomenon, Mickey Mouse, this is a key addition to any top Disney collection.
Universal Horror posters are still the gold standard in movie posters and this auction boasted several prime pieces from the top films of the genre, including a beautiful pre-war 1935 Belgian one sheet for Bride of Frankenstein, James Whale’s sequel to his 1931 masterpiece Frankenstein that quickly became a classic in its own right, realizing $20,315 from a determined collector, while a 1943 one sheet for Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man — often cited as one of the best posters in the Universal horror cannon — was the subject of intense collector interest before finding a new home at $15,535.
If you’re a space geek, science fan or techno nerd then you may already know a bit about the latest planetary lander called Curiosity. Today (August 6th, 2012) this engineering marvel (not to mention the challenge of sending and landing) sits near Gale Crater (this crater is so big there’s a mountain called Mount Sharp inside it CP) and prepares to investigate some of the most geologically interesting areas on the Red Planet.
What’s the big deal? This is an investigation that could unravel the greatest mystery of all…..”is/was there life out there?” So without further ado, here is the LIVE stream with real time chat. Update Aug6 10:03PM EDT the first LIVE stream has ended but has been archived and will play in the window below. Other LIVE streams will play in real-time as the mission developments continue. CP Update Aug22 1:03PM EDT we will be streaming the LIVE NASA press conference with updates on the mission and rover status. Video feed begins at 2:30 PM EDT CP
Testing out the optics on board the rover. These are an array of basalt rocks likely similiar to “Coronation”
The MARS/NASA/JPL team showed media the first scientifically laser-beamed and analyzed Mars rock during today’s press conference. This Basaltic rock (called Coronation by the team) displayed interesting hydrogen variations and preliminary results showed more hydrogen measured on its surface with exponentially decreasing amounts as the laser probed deeper.
Planetary Scientist Joy Crisp answering media questions during today’s Live feed.
The plan now before searching for water, is a ramping up of technical and rover checkouts, a more thorough planning order of activities and lengths, driving the rover to new sites for rock drilling and investigating what scientists are calling ‘scours’- ground indentations made by the Sky Crane thrusters during the descent of the Mars rover.
Scientists caution the fact that there are no definitive time tables for upcoming tests. This is due to such unpredictable conditions as weather forecasting and rover checkouts and performance. As these tests are conducted and checkouts are completed, the Mars team hope to learn how to ‘fine tune’ future tests after properly calibrating the rovers testing instruments. For example, the wavelength instrument is affected by the slight temperature shifts from the time of the Mars day and from the rover’s movements.
Spectrum results from Mars Rock “Coronation”. Note the Hydrogen peak after laser ‘zap’ #1. image:NASA/TheSilo
Reporter questions focused on the geological aspects of today’s conference and the team responded enthusiastically about plans to drive the rover to areas that have bedrock and opportunities for testing varied rock types. A short video in honor of deceased science fiction author and Mars fan Ray Bradbury rounded things out. As one scientist put it “ We are only 16 days into a two year mission.” Stay tuned. CP
Time flies. Seven years ago, The Silo visited the AGO’s Picasso exhibition. We were not disappointed. Approximately ¼ of the entire second floor was dedicated for displaying works from Picasso’s private collection. That’s right- these are the pieces that Pablo himself deemed specially significant for archiving and for his personal reflection. We were not disappointed.
Blowup and detail from Portait de Dora Maar (Portrait of Dora Maar), 1937. Oil on canvas, 92x65cm
Organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Musee National Picasso , Paris- the exhibition is chronologically organized with each period having its own dedicated gallery space and covers the following phases of Picasso’s VASTLY productive lifetime: From Spain to Paris 1900-1905 Ancient, African and Oceanic Inspirations 1906-1909 Cubism, Collage and Constructions 1909-1915 Classicism, Marriage and Family 1914-1924 Surreal Anxiety and Desire 1924-1934 War Paintings 1936-1951 and lastly The Joy of Life and Last Years 1950-1972
According to the Picasso’s Picassos (Picasso’s Early Life and Art) on pg 2 of the AGO’s exhibition catalog, Pablo Picasso was recognized as “an artistic prodigy and began…formal artistic training when he was only seven years old” with his father, who was a painter and an art teacher. For the next 85 (!) years Picasso would go on to not only change the art world, but would leave behind a vast legacy that is as fresh and relevant today as it ever was. Strolling around this fine exhibition and noticing how the other visitors were dressed is proof enough for this writer that Picasso’s influence on society is far from over. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
Picasso at 73years of age in 1954. “When I paint I feel that all artists of the past are behind me.”
On Saturday August 18th- hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the main entrance gates of Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. At stake was the ethical treatment of animals used for performances and entertainment. Over the past three years there have been increased reports by the media regarding the attacking of trainers by killer whales and other performing animals.
Messages on protest signs were simple, bold and clear. photos:The Silo/Mith Media
Many researchers believe that this sort of behavior is inevitable because killer whales are adversely affected by forcible confinement and pavlovian conditioning and that in turn has many questioning whether theme parks such as Marineland and Seaworld are capitalizing on animal cruelty. It’s not a new topic- zoo’s and circuses are not strangers to demonstration and protest and the relationship between humans and animals is a theme often employed by conscientious artists.
[Warning- the following video contains disturbing images. Viewer discretion is advised CP]
Segment from Umwelt (2010) exhibition catalogue- Jarrod Barker’s installation at the Norfolk Arts Centre explored the connectedness or non-connectedness (ie: the umwelt) of humans and animals. image:courtesy of the artist
Marineland denied our request (along with the Toronto Star’s request) for an interview and requested that the media respect “private [their] property”. That sort of reaction makes it difficult to investigate a story of this magnitude- and many questions remain unanswered. For example, earlier this year an infant beluga whale was attacked repeatedly by two adult belugas until it was killed. Media leaks reveal that the baby whale may have been ill and that the other animals acted out of fear since they may have detected signs of a contagious disease.
image: The Silo
Although no date has been set, The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is planning on bringing independent Sea Mammal experts and Marine Biologists into Marineland for an inspection according to an online report at www.thestar.comCP
Delegates at yesterdays Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario general meeting in Toronto- voted in favour of funding secular (non-religious) schools image:ETFO/The Silo
KITCHENER-WATERLOO – Green Party of Ontario candidate Dr. Stacey Danckert was joined by Leader Mike Schreiner in Kitchener to outline the Green Party’s plan to strengthen Ontario’s school system by ending wasteful duplication in the public and Catholic boards.
“With the issue of school cuts dominating these by-elections, the choice for voters is clear,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all children or protect the interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others. Only the Green Party will fight to improve our children’s education with a fair and equitable school system.”
At the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) general meeting in Toronto yesterday members voted in favour of a motion that would see public funding of public education in Ontario be limited to secular [ non-religious-based CP ] schools. Only the GPO is calling for a public commission to study merging the Catholic and public systems.
Ontario is the only province that provides full public funding for a single faith while providing no funding for other faith-based schools. As a result the UN Human Rights Committee has censured Canada in 1999 and 2005 for the discrimination in Ontario’s school system. “McGuinty has repeatedly slammed the door on talking about this issue. Instead he continues to ram the Liberals’ political agenda down the throats of parents and teachers,” continued Schreiner. “Ourchildren deserve a fair and equitable system regardless of their faith or sexual orientation.”
Recently Catholic Schools have come under fire for discouraging Gay Straight Alliances, student-run clubs that promote tolerance for diversity. “The McGuinty Liberals are quick to place the burden on teachers and have failed to recognize how wasteful our system is,” added Danckert.
A study prepared by William J. Phillips, Past-President of The Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario Inc. estimates savings from merging the school boards of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion per year. “It’s time to demand a better solution for our children and this province’s future,” added Dancket. “As your first Green MPP in Queen’s Park I will not let the other parties evade this issue any longer.” For the Silo by Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Artist Jarrod Barker, was recently invited to take part in MUCA-Roma’s Ala Afuera project. Based in the Roma district of Mexico City, MUCA is a University Museum of science and art. What made this project doubly exciting was the opportunity to show case a part of Barker’s home internationally.
The curators asked for a submission of 3 images and accompanying explanatory write-ups that “from your perspective, show a form of relationship between humans and the rest of nature.” This topic aka- Umwelt is not foreign to Barker who installed an exhibition of that name in 2010 at the Norfolk (nee Lynnwood) Arts Center in Simcoe,Ontario.
Long Point Seal Tamer Concept- J. Barker Location: Long Point, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada Long Point is a world biosphere. I know this because the United Nations has told me so. But for several months of the year Long Point is transformed. Under certain winter conditions, Long Point looks less like a marshy, swampy bird watchers paradise and more like an arctic shore. At least on the South West side. When I visit Long Point during these times, I react to the environmental changes. I see things differently. I feel things differently. A sun bleached tree stump becomes a seal. A marsh reed becomes a baton. A flint pebble becomes a ball. Natural transformation through the changes of the seasons is a holistic experience.
After the selection process, if successful- one of the artist submitted images and write-ups was selected for transformation into a postcard and incorporated with the other artist submissions. The goal was for the Ala Afuera team to mail out the postcards to other international Museums of art and science and Contemporary Art institutions as a connective gesture to highlight MUCA and the work of the artists involved in this project and to bring awareness to our human/nature relationships.
“The objective of the project Allá Afuera (Out There) is to gather a mosaic of images that represent ways of understanding the relationship we humans have with the rest of nature. From bucolic or passionate points of view to other more threatening myths and taboos, amazement, fear, the absurd, and maybe even indifference. We do not intend to cover all possibilities, but through images as a direct reading form, show that there are multiple ways of looking at this Bond.
Three times a year we will present a collection of postcards, with 18 images each, gathered in a biombo format. After two years we will complete the edition of six collections, with a total of 108 ways of understanding, 108 points of view, and 108 forms of defining our relationship with what is out there. “
Ala Afuera which translated mean’s “Out there” began mailing out the works a few weeks ago. For the Silo, Stephanie Bordega.
For more information and to request postcards please contact-
Allá Afuera (Out there) project Gonzalo Ortega and Jeronimo Hagerman
MUCA ROMA MUSEUM (University museum of science and art, Roma district, Mexico City) allaafueramucaroma@gmail.com
KATUSHA VOLUME ONE: EDGE OF DARKNESS, the first of a three volume graphic novel series by historical graphic novelist Wayne Vansant, is now available exclusively in digital format from digital publishing imprint Grand Design Communications.
The painting Kateryna by the Ukrainian poet and painter Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861)influenced Katusha. Kateryna tells the story of a Ukrainian country girl who is seduced and abandoned by a Russian cavalry officer.
KATUSHA is a coming-of-age story set in the Eastern Front of World War II, following the life of a Ukrainian farm girl Ekaterina Tymoshenko, nicknamed Katusha, starting with the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany in 1941. The three-volume graphic novel, which when finished will total 540 pages, follows her journey from farm girl to partisan fighter to tank commander in the Red Army, along the way participating in the Battles of Stalingrad and Berlin, among others.
During the second world war, hundreds of thousands of Soviet women served in the Red Army as pilots, snipers, tank drivers and other essential roles. Although KATUSHA is a work of fiction, Vansant based his story on interviews he conducted with living veterans in Ukraine and extensive research. He will return for another trip this fall, to conduct more interviews and do research on locations.
Lviv, Ukraine, 26 October 2010 – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is joined by Ukrainian officials as he pays tribute to Ukrainian poet, artist, and humanist Taras Shevchenko.
KATUSHA VOLUME ONE: EDGE OF DARKNESS, the first of three volumes, is out now exclusively in digital format for iPhone, iPad, Android, and in-browser reading. It is available in two formats – as six separate chapters priced at $.99usd each and as a single one hundred eighty page edition priced at $4.99usd, and can be purchased through iVerse’s ComicsPlus app and from Grand Design’s electronic storefront on iVerse’s website.
A native of Marbleton, Georgia, writer/artist Wayne Vansant has created many historical graphic novels – both fiction and non-fiction – in a career spanning more than twenty five years. His non-fiction graphic novel about the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II, NORMANDY, were be published in September by Zenith Press.
His recent collaboration with writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman, THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL (2012), a graphic novel about Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and the end of slavery in America was published by Hill and Wang, and Vansant was the primary artist for Marvel’s The ‘Nam for more than five years.
His other non-fiction graphic novels on military history include DAYS OF DARKNESS, ANTIETAM: THE FIERY TRIAL (with the United States National Park Service), BLOCKADE: THE CIVIL WAR AT SEA, and THE VIETNAM WAR: A GRAPHIC HISTORY.
The beginning of the end of physical movie rentals? Mainstream online movie promo for frozen pizza lovers.
It is another death knell. We spoke last year in 2011 about the awesomeness that is Netflix, and now from left field is..McCain foods and what a great fit. For years now, cereal manufacturers (they buy a lot of corn eh>) have wisely chosen to promo their boxes by including free Movie at the Cinema passes.
About a year ago it went on sale and it included a free Movie at the Cinema pass for Cineplex. There were only very minor restrictions on the pass: not valid for preview screenings ( I can wait two days for the film to run ) and not being valid for IMAX screens. So other than those, it was OPERATION POPCORN. On account of the free movie.
And this is now. Over last year’s Christmas holidays and this year’s Summer holidays the marketing gurus at McCain unleashed this consumer gotcha!: buy a McCain thin crust California Chicken pizza (surprisingly not that unhealthy) or other McCain pizza (not surprisingly that healthy) to receive a free online digital movie. The code is in the box. This sounded like a bit of fun. It wasn’t exactly emptying out a box of cereal for the prize inside but it was close, and a more adult-like treasure hunt ensued.
So it’s buy your pizza, fix your pizza (if you don’t already, try adding some shaved deli chicken, sliced olives and crushed black pepper), cook your pizza, then sink into your favorite chair in your home theater , turn on your smart t.v. and use it’s built in web browser to visit the Link to McCain Movies and use your code. If you’re feeling especially retro, I suggest the 1978 Superman. Gene Hackman as Luthor. Comic fans- is there a better onscreen comic villain performance, even now, thirty-five years later?
I love New Orleans pizza but in a pinch frozen pizza gets the silver medal
FYI I just had a look and McCain’s collection is small but it’s quality over quantity and using the Epson projector in our Silo office theater, I streamed The Matrix while enjoying a hot slice of Cal. Chick. pizza. For less than 5$ I had a pizza and a free movie that streamed well and projected to 5X7 feet and felt like a cinema experience. I wasn’t even missing the popcorn.
Did you know? McCain uses caramel and annatto for adding the right amount of colour to its tomato pizza sauce?
Is this the future? This is the future if you don’t think so, you’re still renting movies- perhaps on DVD or dare I say it, VHS? For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
“Ontario needs responsible leadership and instead we’re seeing partisan bickering, brinkmanship and flip-flopping from Queen’s Park politicians. Bringing us twice to the edge of another election only seven months after the last one is not responsible governance. I want to see the political establishment at Queen’s Park focus on solutions for the very real problems facing Ontarians. The people of Ontario do not want a summer election, and I welcome the cooperation that has averted one.However, the GPO remains concerned about the erosion of transparency, accountability, and public participation represented by the omnibus budget bill. Although we are pleased that our call to preserve the Endangered Species Act was answered, the budget bill still weakens environmental protections and opens the door to privatization of public services without proper oversight.
The GPO is disappointed that the parties at Queen’s Park slammed the door on an open, public discussion about merging the Catholic and public school boards. Before cutting essential services and closing schools, Ontarians need to talk about moving to a more equitable and financially responsible education system. The GPO remains opposed to the government’s misguided priority to spend a billion dollars on subsidies for wasteful electricity consumption, instead of a full-funding increase for Ontario’s most vulnerable children and investments in programs that help people save money by saving energy.
I believe minority government can work if the political establishment at Queen’s Park can put the public’s interests before their own partisan interests. The focus needs to be on long-term solutions instead of political as usual.” GPO Leader Mike Schreiner
Sent to the Silo by Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573 [1] jbhikha@gpo.caGreen Party of Ontario PO Box 1132Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
“Ultimately, governments will be the saviour of the Internet,” said keynote speaker, Dragon’s Den star Robert Herjavec at the 2012 Canadian Internet Forum photo: Scott Parker , The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA – June 11, 2012 – The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) and the Swedish company OpenDNSSEC AB (svb) are pleased to announce they are partnering on an initiative to make the Internet more safe and secure. CIRA will provide support for the continued development and enhancement of OpenDNSSEC, a free administration tool that uses open source code to simplify the implementation of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). DNSSEC is a set of extensions that will significantly improve online security.
“The support from CIRA is valuable to OpenDNSSEC AB in its effort to develop the software. It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the project with Sara Dickinson from the research and development company Sinodun as a project manager,” said Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC.
“We are pleased to offer our support to the OpenDNSSEC project,” said Byron Holland, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIRA. “It is through initiatives like this that CIRA can help foster a safe and secure Internet experience for all Canadians.”
OpenDNSSECis being developed in an international co-operation project with several participats: .SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation), Kirei, NLnet Labs, Nominet, SIDN, Sinodun Internet Technologies, and SURFnet. The OpenDNSSEC software was released in beta in 2009, and it has undergone significant improvements since that time.
Patrik Wallström, Acting President of OpenDNSSEC photo: Mith Media/The Silo
OpenDNSSEC AB was formed in 2011 to support other top-level domain administrators in their use of the tool to manage Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). The company develops the software and offers training and support agreements.
More about the software and DNSSEC
OpenDNSSEC simplifies the management of DNSSEC, an extension of the Internet’s open directory service DNS, which prevents Internet and e-mail addresses from being manipulated and ensures that they lead to the right online destination. In OpenDNSSEC, which .SE was involved in the development of, the necessary processes are automated to eliminate the need for manual management.
Under DNSSEC, Internet zones are cryptographically signed. When looking up a domain name, the signature is controlled using a key published by the party responsible for this zone.
.SE (The Internet Infrastructure Foundation) is a not-for-profit public-service organization that acts to promote the positive development of the Internet in Sweden. .SE is responsible for the Internet’s Swedish top-level domain, .se, encompassing domain-name registration and administration, as well as the technical operation of the national domain name registry. Proceeds from domain-name registrations are used to support projects that contribute to the Internet development in Sweden, through proprietary operations and the financing of independent projects. Read more at http://www.iis.se.
About CIRA
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority is the member-driven organization that manages Canada’s .CA domain name registry, develops and implements policies that support Canada’s Internet community, and represents the .CA registry internationally.
Toronto – GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the McGuinty
governmentto dedicate1% of the transportation infrastructure budget
to cycling and another 1% for pedestrians. Sustainable infrastructure
is a sound investment that will help people choose healthy
transportation options.
[The song featured is by Mercury and was supposedly inspired by his observing a leg of Tour de France. It starts with a chorus unaccompanied by instruments. The chorus is followed by two verses connected with a bridge, both followed by a chorus. Around the middle of the song there is a solo played with numerous bicycle bells. During the live performances, it was often played by the audience who specially brought the bells for this purpose. The song has a very unusual chord progression with numerous modulations, a change of meter (from 4/4 to 3/4) in the bridge, and the multitracked vocal and guitar harmonies.
The video for the song became scandalously famous for featuring 65 naked women, all professional models, racing at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. It was filmed by Dennis de Vallance. The group rented the stadium and several dozen bikes for one day for filming the scene; however, when the renting company became aware of the way their bikes were used, they requested the group to purchase all the bicycle seats. The original video uses special effects to hide the nudity.
“Bicycle Race “é um single da banda de rock inglesa QUEEN. Foi lançado em 1978, no álbum JAZZ e escrito pelo vocalista da Queen FREDDIE MERCURY. Ela foi lançada como um duplo lado-A única juntamente com a canção” Fat Bottomed Girls “. A canção é notável por seu vídeo com uma corrida de bicicleta com mulheres nuas em Wimbledon Stadium, que foi editado ou mesmo proibido em vários países. A canção tem uma progressão de acordes muito incomum com modulações diversas, uma mudança de metro (de 4 / 4-6 / 8) na ponte, e os vocais multipista e harmonias de guitarra.
A canção foi escrita por MERCURY e foi supostamente inspirado por sua observação de uma perna do Tour de France. Ela começa com um coro acompanhados por instrumentos. O coro é seguido por dois versos conectado com uma ponte, ambos seguido por um coro. Ao meio da música há um solo com sinos de bicicleta numerosos. Durante as apresentações ao vivo, muitas vezes era tocado pelo público, que levavam os sinos especialmente para esta finalidade.
O vídeo para a canção tornou-se famoso por escandalosamente com 65 mulheres nuas, todas as modelos profissionais, competindo em Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. Foi filmado por Dennis de Vallance. O grupo alugou o estádio e várias dezenas de bicicletas durante um dia para filmar a cena,. Porém, quando a empresa que alugou tomou conhecimento da forma como as suas bicicletas foram usados, eles pediram ao grupo para adquirir todos os assentos das bicicletas, o vídeo original usa efeitos especiais para esconder a nudez. Courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/user/lcsRamone CP ]
“If Premier McGuinty can find $1 billion dollars to build his
‘people’s highway,’ why can’t he find a few million dollars to make
streets safe for people?” asks Schreiner.
Today marks the launch of Bike Month in the City of Toronto. Cycling
plays an important role in the health of our citizens, strengthening
our local economies and our general quality of life.
Quebec spends $200 million on cycling infrastructure and earns $135
million each year from bicycle tourism alone. The US dedicates 1.6% of
its transportation budget for states to invest in cycling
infrastructure. Ontario has no dedicated funding to support cycling or
pedestrian infrastructure.
“Ontario needs infrastructure if we are serious about making our
streets and roads safe,” says Schreiner. “A small investment to
support cycling will reap big rewards — combating gridlock, reducing
health care costs and supporting local businesses.”
Two Danish studies showed that when 1% of car drivers switched to
riding bicycles, health care costs were reduced by 1%. Copenhagen
saves $300 per person per year on health costs because almost 80
percent of its population bikes regularly. Cycling and walking
projects create 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to just
seven jobs created per $1 million spent on highway projects. These and
other studies show that Ontario cannot afford not to invest in cycling
infrastructure.
The GPO’s 1% percent solution would create two funds for
municipalities to access the dollars they need for cycling and
pedestrian infrastructure. By doing so, Ontario would finally
recognize that cycling and walking are important forms of
transportation for growing numbers of Ontarians.
“We need a Complete Streets Act in Ontario to ensure that our streets
are safe for all users: cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians, wheeled
mobility devices, and transit users” says Trinity-Spadina candidate
and GPO critic for transportation Tim Grant.
Our future- values and esteem guide young girls development at Camp Stella Puella
Camp Stella Puella (“star girl” in Latin) is a summer camp “with a higher purpose,” says co-founder Mina Kazemi. Since she began in Dunnville,Ontario in 2008, along with cousin and co-director Julia Salco, the goal has been to provide young girls with a fun environment in which to explore issues of self-esteem, as well as introduce them to social action on a global scale, in hopes of instilling a passion to make positive change in the world.
It wasn’t long before Mina’s older sister Yasmin joined the team, two young women uniquely qualified to bring the world to Dunnville’s children. Mina is studying global health at the University of Toronto, has taken a world literacy trip to Ek Balam Mexico, and travelled to Kenya in 2009 with the Me to We program who, along with their charitable partner Free the Children, seeks to empower youth through activism at home and across the planet.
Yasmin also studies science and global health, has spent time in Ecuador volunteering at a childcare centre, and has been active since 2009 with Community Living. Last year she was president of the Best Buddies program, which matches a university student with a developmentally disabled adult to provide mentoring and friendship. All three young women are lifeguards with National Life Saving and first aid certification.
An emphasis on self-esteem and social action is what “sets us apart from other summer camps,” Yasmin says. Here’s how it works: at the beginning of the week, counselors introduce their campers to three issues of global significance—could be child labour, global warming, and how to find slave and sweatshop-free merchandise for more conscientious consumption. Or, perhaps, why girls can’t go to school inIndia. Through the process of building consensus with the children, a theme for the week is chosen, and the kids begin learning through age appropriate activities. Always they are taught that thinking globally begins with how we act locally, right here at home. Every week, as well, the children help plan a fundraiser based on their chosen theme. As an example, last year, after a week of learning about environmental issues, they organized an eco-spa with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund to help save endangered species.
After 5 summers, things are going well. This year a sister camp is active in Hamilton, and the Dunnville contingent is adding some overnight trips to their agenda. When I asked Mina what her motivation for all this work was, she told me that when she was a little girl, she loved going to camp. “It’s a place where long lasting friendships can be forged. And it can be character building too.” It sounds like these three ambitious young women have come up with a formula for a summer camp experience that can be both fun and formative. Every day there is some self-esteem building activity. Building on that foundation of self-love, a bunch of young girls are discovering there is a whole world out there waiting for people of conscience, just like them. For the Silo, Chris Dowber.
UPDATE March1, 2017– Camp Stella Puella does not currently have an active camping program but they continue to engage and offer services. There are plans in place to renew the camp program to learn more, visit www.stellapuella.ca or call 905-774-8601. Please mention The Silo when contacting.
13% of all adult Ontarians are public sector workers- accounting for over half of Ontario government spending
Let’s find alternatives to layoffs and program cuts. On May 16th, I introduced my Private Members Bill titled: An Act to address Ontario’s debt through alternatives to public sector layoffs and government program cuts while reducing the fiscal pressure on the people of Ontario who are having trouble paying their bills. This legislation offers options for tackling runaway spending that has us staring down the barrel of a $411.4 billion debt.
Servicing this debt impairs the ability of Ontario to function and has led to levels of taxation that restrict the ability of businesses to compete, and of individuals to survive financially.
There are over one million public sector employees in Ontario [ according to statistics in one recent study by the CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/content/178/11/1441.abstract , in 2007 the estimated adult population of Ontario was 7,996,653 which means 1/8 adult Ontarians or 13% of all adult Ontarians are a public sector employee, a staggering statistic CP ]- 70 per cent unionized compared to 15 per cent in the private sector. Labour costs account for over half of Ontario government spending. This spending sees public sector workers receiving higher compensation – wages, benefits, pensions… – than their private sector counterparts. The total amount paid to the public sector has jumped by 46 per cent since 2003.
My bill aims to take legislative steps address this trend, recognizing the Drummond report https://www.thesilo.ca/the-next-day-ontario-receives-drummond-commission-suggestions-on-public-service-reforms/ advice, “one recommendation that crosses all sectors is the need for prolonged moderation of growth in public-sector total compensation”. While the McGuinty team continues to dodge and weave through credit downgrades, flagging job numbers, and mounting debt, the truth is that unless the province gets its house in order, there will be no alternative but continued cuts to government programs and continued layoffs resulting in a lower level of service for all of us.
To limit the need for such extreme and harsh solutions, I feel the Government of Ontario needs to act immediately to limit compensation paid to employees in the public sector. At the same time, as spelled out in my bill, government must continue to recognize its legal duty to consult fully with those employees and their bargaining agents, and to negotiate with them constructively and in good faith.
My bill [if passed CP ] would amend the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act, 1993 to:
1. indicate government’s responsibility and objectives to fully engage, consult and conduct genuine and constructive negotiations with public sector workers on legislative changes to collective bargaining and compensation
2. link the total compensation package to the rate of Ontario’s real GDP economic growth per capita
3. allow for public sector furlough i.e. days off without pay. It’s important to note that between 2007 and 2009, over half the states have imposed mandatory furlough for their public sector employees
4. allow change in public sector pensions to defined contribution from defined benefit. Here as well, at least forty states have enacted significant changes to their public sector pension plans
5. limit length of public sector collective agreements to one year, after which wages are frozen until a new contract is settled, until budget is balanced
6. introduce a comprehensive and transparent benchmarking system for compensation, which would include a costing of the full compensation package, including benefits, pensions and moving through seniority grids
7. mandate stricter criteria for compensation awards in researching private vs. public comparables – achieved through a provincial wage board.
I look forward to providing more details as we approach debate of my bill June 7th For The Silo by Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP
Rachel DeAlto- flirting expert and brain behind the concept of FlipMe
May15, 2012– Introducing FlipMe, LLC—a revolutionary new way for women to flirt without providing their personal information, but before we get to that, Rachel DeAlto (flirting expert and the mastermind of FlipMe) offers her Top 5 Flirting Tips for Men: 1) Make the Approach – Flirting from afar should last about 1 minute. Take the initiative and start a conversation – even “Hi” works! 2) Play it Cool – Women definitely want to know you are interested, but we don’t want to feel like the last woman on Earth. Let us know you like us, but play a little cat and mouse along the way. 3) Pay Attention – It’s easy to get distracted, but try to give your full attention when you are just starting to get to know her. Listen to what she is saying and ask follow-up questions. 4) Stay Humble – You may be super successful and drive a fancy car, but don’t boast – it is a complete turn off. Let her figure it out on her own, and be impressed by your down to earth style. 5) Go Solo – We know you love your friends, and one day we might too! Until then, keep your boisterous buddies at bay while we get our flirt on.
Rachel DeAlto is a seasoned expert who has been featured on several television shows and programs and regularly teaches courses on flirting at The Learning Annex, America’s leading adult education center.
FlipMe Revolutionizes “How to Date” Rules & the Online Dating Scene and this popular flirting tool empowers Women to channel their inner coquette & make the first move.
How does it work?
– Give a prospective love interest a card with a sweet, sassy or sexy statement
– Log into your profile to see if he has responded
– Upon a response, connect and become intrigued with the new form of flirting
About FlipMe:
What FlipMe really is, is a philosophy. It’s here to say – let’s have fun again, and be confident. Get out there, meet people and make a connection. It’s breaking the ice made easy. You take charge of your dating life by giving your sassy, flirtatious side the perfect sidekick. FlipMe brings a casual confidence to meeting newpeople by offering a clever way to say “hi.” This stylish accessory is a simple and intriguing way to break the ice and let someone know you’re interested without divulging your personal details. When you purchase a pack, you get 30 cards, each with a unique code that lets the lucky recipient view your profile and send you messages. No one gets access unless you give them a card, and no one gets to see your personal information. It’s a safe, secure way to put the fun back in flirting. http://flipme.com/index.php
Canadian crooner Ori Dagan (well at least half of him)
Ori Dagan (twitter @oridaganjazz) seems to me like a man on a mission. With a rich baritone voice, he has tried to craft a jazz album that is both hip and playful, and, at the same time, a genuine jazz album, complete with standards and heavyweight musicians, and some original tracks as well. Dagan’s album, Less than Three, is a tasty stew of standards and originals with a classic Hebrew song thrown into the mix, and one from his own pen: Nu Az Ma, a call for peace of truly universal dimensions.
Ori Dagan (still from performance) image: www.thesilo.ca
After an opener of Madonna’s Lucky Star (yep, THAT Madonna CP ), which reminded my friend Sophie of a 60’s beat poetry track, with minimalistic base and percussion and funky vocals, Dagan moves to his mother tongue with Eretz Zavat Halav, a Hebrew song featuring the magnificent Jane Bunnett on soprano sax. Bunnett is a true jazz superstar, a multiple Juno award winner and multiple Grammy nominated musician and bandleader who has worked combining Cuban music with new and avant-garde jazz. There was a house down the street from me in west-end Toronto where people told me Jane Bunnett had moved. I used to hear her sax emanating out into the street from a third-story window. It was truly wonderful.
[If there’s any doubt about Ori’s capabilities as a live-on-the-spot performer this youtube video should alleviate. CP]
The material on Dagan’s CD is eclectic. I’ve already mentioned the Madonna cover. There’s also a totally scat version of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance that is exceedingly fun and features some great scatting too. Not everybody can do that you know. And he throws in some very sensitive renditions of Elton John/Bernie Taupin (This is your Song) and Lloyd Webber/Rice (I’d Be Surprisingly Good for You), to demonstrate a surprising range that can cover modern hits to a cutting, up-tempo Sweet Georgia Brown to round off the album.
This is a very dexterous record featuring a range of styles, and Dagan’s voice is rich, and according to my friend Sophie, sexy. She’d go see him “in a minute.” –CD
A few examples of the fantastic Cooling Tower art found at: http://weburbanist.com Did you know Cooling Towers (the nuclear style) predate nuclear power?
Ontario Energy Board report reveals nuclear causing rising electricity rates. “We need an honest discussion about rising electricity prices in Ontario. The misleading rhetoric blaming green energy for rising electrical rates is a disservice to the people of Ontario. According to the Ontario Energy Board, since 2006, 45% of the increase in our electricity costs are from subsidies for the nuclear industry, while only 6% are due to subsidies for green energy.
This will only get worse if the McGuinty Liberals proceed with their $33 billion nuclear spending spree. We still have not paid off the $19.8 billion debt from our last nuclear fiasco. The bottom line is that the cheapest and greenest kilowatt is the one we save. We have to stop burning money and deliver a long-term energy plan that prioritizes energy efficiency programs.
The stakes are too high to have politically partisan rhetoric derail an adult conversation about our energy future. We need to protect our pocketbooks with an honest look at the causes of rising electrical rates.”
The full OEB report is available here- OEB MSP green report [ It’s not a ‘light’ read at 106 pages but it’s quite detailed CP ]
Jaymini Bhikha Cell: 416-275-8573 Office: 416-977-7476 jbhikha@gpo.ca Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
Don't they want to listen anymore? The Green Party of Ontario believe that the recently passed budget bill " muzzles public input onchanges to important environmental protections."
[Ontario]Liberals have voted to pass a budget that muzzles public input on changes to important environmental protections. With these changes buried in the budget bill (Bill 55), the government has in effect exempted them from the public participation process normally required by law.
The Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario Canada
“The GPO is all in favour of working together, and we applaud the cooperation that has averted another election. But it’s wrong for the Liberal government to use the budget bill to silence public input on changes to environmental protections,” says GPO leader Mike Schreiner. “The public has a right to comment on legislation that protects Ontario’s natural legacy.”
The GPO is calling on the Liberals to remove changes to laws prescribed under the Environmental Bill of Rights from Bill 55 before final passage. Greens oppose using omnibus legislation to avoid the mandatory 30-day public comment period.
“Changes to environmental protections have no place in a budget bill,” says Schreiner. “Solving a financial deficit by creating an ecological one isn’t sound management or good leadership. It’s time for the Liberals to do the right thing and address changes to environmental laws separately from the budget.”
Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
Supplemental-
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – April 19, 2012) – The Quetico Foundation is deeply concerned that the Ontario Government’s omnibus budget bill will impact Ontario endangered species and parks. Significant amendments to dozens of important pieces of legislation are contained within Bill 55, Strong Action for Ontario Act. These changes being proposed, without consultation, include serious modifications to the Endangered Species Act, 2006 (ESA) that allow for exemptions, and to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA) that threaten and weaken the process for preparation and review of park management plans. These modifications have no relevance to budget matters!
The Foundation is concerned that Bill 55 both weakens crucial global initiatives to preserve biodiversity and relieves government of its duties with respect to proper management of our Ontario Parks.
Further, inclusion of multiple legislative amendments in a budget bill disregards the process that normally opens such changes to public consultation. The standard process of the posting of changes on the Environmental Registry has been ignored.
The Foundation urges Ontarians to demand that the proposed endangered species and parks legislation amendments to the PPCRA and the ESA, along with a number of other Acts that fall under the Environmental Bill of Rights, be removed from Bill 55. Citizens need to insist that due process be followed and that any proposed amendments be posted on the Environmental Registry and be open to public discussion in accordance with the normal government process.
About The Quetico Foundation:
The Quetico Foundation was formed as a not-for-profit organization in 1954 with a mandate to protect the wilderness values and ecological integrity of Quetico Provincial Park and other wilderness areas in Ontario for the benefit of future generations.
Here are some quick shots I did of our place. For us, the challenge is to use every possible space and yet achieve a feeling of spaciousness. I just did a count of all the space saving/creating measures we have made over the years – about 25 – not counting replacing, enlarging and adding windows and doors – from simple shelves to complex projects involving cutting into walls and making a new room.
It has taken us more than 20 years to do this. We purchased the place and a barren 3/4 acres in 1986 for $20,000. And, it has turned out even better than we dreamed possible.
Even in this tiny space, we can lose each other. David Wells, my partner in all this, has a blog in which he talks about our life here. You may be interested: http://DavesBackPorch.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
OUR SMALL HOUSE
EXTERIOR FRONT
INTERIOR – FRONT
INTERIOR FRONT
‘HALL’ FROM FRONT DOOR TO KITCHEN
MIRROR IN ‘HALL’ TO REFLECT MORE LIGHT
OFFICE/COMPUTER (to the immediate right of above ‘hall’)
KITCHEN STORAGE AND TABLE (other side of office above)
KITCHEN – small but functional. As a former professional
cook, I have found ways to scale equipment way down,
and use my creativity to produce nutritious, interesting meals.
NEW KITCHEN DOOR ENTRY – STAIRS TO JEWELLERY STUDIO AT RIGHT
JEWELLERY STUDIO – PREVIOUS ENTRY
NEW BACK ENTRY
BEDROOM (7′ X 11′)
CLOSET – DVD STORAGE – behind door
BATHROOM w CLAWFOOT TUB – AND WINDOW LOOKING
OUT TO ‘WOODLET’ (A Spa at Home)
BATHROOM VANITY WITH BEACH GLASS MOSAIC INTERIOR WINDOW
TO LET LIGHT INTO CENTRE OF HOUSE
In 1968 Simon Kotsch got into the army surplus business. It was good to him, but in ways you might not expect. Something began to happen to Simon as he sorted through his bounty of obsolete engine parts and electrical fittings: he noticed that he found the pieces beautiful. An excitement took hold of him. And then he went to work, drilling and cutting and fitting metal components together to make new things. Beautiful things. He felt “caught up,” he says simply. So began a love affair with military-industrial cast-offs that continues to this day. This was the birth of a sculptor and of a mecha artist.Let us throw aside, officially and forever, the artifice of journalistic objectivity.
I like this guy’s passion and I like his work. When we visited Kotsch’s Victoria St. Studio in Simcoe, Ontario we were greeted with warm smiles that never went away. Taking joy from your work is one thing, but when you combine joy with the sensibility of a true artist who respects, even loves his materials, the results can be magical.Some of Kotsch’s sculptures look like they could have come from the mind of Jules Verne—grand, monumental machines whose functions border on the mysterious, infused with Kotsch’s concern for symmetry and his acute sense of balance, proportion, and pattern. Others have a strong vertical momentum, like castles or rockets with many levels. But not everything has a sci-fi feel.
Kotsch uses the heft and gravity of larger pieces to create powerful and interesting earthbound sculpture. His ability to recognize, or create, striking patterns makes some of his metal works quite decorative to my eye—and that in no way infringes on their status as works of art.
Kotsch says he “savours the natural colour” of each item, whether it’s aluminum, copper, brass or porcelain (used as insulation in old electrical systems). You will not find much (any) painting here. You will also not find much welding. This, by his own admission, is because he’s not very good at it, and mediocre welding would make a sculpture look awful. He cuts and drills to make pieces fit. One technique he has developed is to take slices out of solid machine parts with a band saw, revealing patterns of copper wire within, like opening a geode.
An example of influence: years of working with Army surplus ephemera have inspired Simon’s forms
Simon Kotsch takes obsolete machinery—all of his extensive catalogue of parts predate metric—and turns it into stimulating works of art. We spent about an hour with him, and I left both excited and energized. I, too, had been “caught up.” This is one of the miracles of art for me: through active engagement with an artist’s work a kind of interface occurs between creator and appreciator, mediated through the work itself. I certainly appreciated the skill and imagination of Simon Kotsch, but I think I caught a bit of his love as well. For the Silo, Chris Dowber.
"The NDP's proposal to subsidize home heating fuel rather than supporting our most vulnerable children through full funding of the Ontario Child Benefit reflects misguided priorities," says Green Party of Ontario (GPO) leader Mike Schreiner
On April 3rd, NDP leader Andrea Horwath introduced the first of their budget proposals, taking HST off of home heating costs. “The NDP’s proposal to subsidize home heating fuel rather than supporting our most vulnerable children through full funding of the Ontario Child Benefit reflects misguided priorities,” says Green Party of Ontario (GPO) leader Mike Schreiner. “Subsidizing energy consumption increases pollution and benefits big home owners the most –generally the wealthy consume the most energy.”
“This is bad economic, social and environmental policy, driven by political expediency,” adds Schreiner. “The NDP’s proposal is a job creation strategy for Alberta oil and natural gas companies, not Ontario businesses.”
The GPO prefers to support lower-income families, social assistance recipients, and energy conservation ahead of subsidizing energy waste.
With this in mind, the GPO advocates eliminating the misleadingly-named Clean Energy Benefit, which supports the wasteful consumption of electricity, clean or dirty. Canceling it would save $975 million.
Here’s how we’d advise investing those savings, while still balancing the budget:
* $220 million for an energy rebate program targeted to lower-income families and seniors. * $600 million for an energy-efficiency building retrofit program to help homeowners, tenants and small business save money by saving energy. * $90 million to fund a full increase in the Ontario Child Benefit.
* $65 million to avoid freezing social assistance rates.
It’s not too late to put our financial, social and environmental future ahead of cynical politics. Environmentally and socially-concerned, fiscally-responsible voters should demand that Horwath’s NDP rethink such short-sighted budget demands. Read the GPO open letter to Premier McGuinty with our proposals for budget amendments www.gpo.ca
Jaymini Bhikha (Office) 416-977-7476 (Cell) 416-275-8573 jbhikha@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
Incredibly rare “Owl type” Silver Drachm (opposite face with Jerusalem lily) image:courtesy Heritage Auctions
The first silver shekel struck in Jerusalem by Jewish forces rebelling against Roman oppression in the first century CE, one of only two specimens known, brought a world record price of $1,105,375 at Heritage Auctions on March 8 as part of the auction of The Shoshana Collection of Ancient Coins of Judea. The coin sold to an anonymous overseas collector. Overall, this auction realized over $7.6 million, with the whole of the collection, consisting of more than 2200 coins in total, expected to realize more than $10 million in multiple auctions this year.
“This Year 1 silver shekel, struck shortly after the Jewish War began in May of 66 CE, is an incredible piece of history,” said Cris Bierrenbach, Executive Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “This is literally one of the very first coins the Jewish rebels struck after the ousted the Romans from Jerusalem, sending shockwaves through the empire. That history, as evidenced by the spirited bidding and the superb price realized, obviously continues to resonate today, more than 2,000 years later.”
The Shoshana Collection, assembled over the course of four decades by an American collector, is the greatest assembly of ancient coins related to the foundation of ancient Israel ever offered, spanning more than 11 centuries.
Other highlights from the collection include an incredibly rare gold aureus as Caesar (69-79 CE), struck at an Eastern mint in 69 CE, likely Tyre, anticipating the subjugation of Judaea, which the Romans achieved with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, which brought $956,000, while one of only two known surviving silver quarter-shekels of Year 1 (May 66-March 67 CE) in existence brought $896,250.
A few of the additional highlights included:
Jewish War (66 – 70 AD). AR half shekel. Year 4. Hendin 1365. TJC 209. AJC 262,25. Samuels 980 (this coin). Extremely Fine. One of six recorded specimens. Realized: $358,500.
Vespasian (69 – 79 AD). AE sestertius. AD 71 Rome. Hendin 1500b. RIC 71,161. BMC 543. Impressive Good Extremely Fine. Realized: $262,900.
Jewish War (66 – 70 AD). AR shekel. Year 5. Hendin 1370. TJC 215. AJC 263,31. Samuels 94 (this coin). Very Fine. Ex: Nelson Bunker Hunt. Realized: $262,900.
Jewish War (66 – 70 AD). Year 5. Hendin 1370. TJC 215. AJC II 263,31. Brand 3. Bromberg II, 309 Good Very Fine. Realized: $179,250.
Divus Vespasian (69 – 79 AD). AV aureus. Struck by Titus, AD 80-81, Rome. Hendin 1581. RIC 230,363. Cohen 143. BN 89. Superb. Realized: $131,450.
Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem, renamed by Hadrian) Collection, 164 coins. Realized: $107,550.
Titus as Caesar (79 – 81 AD). AV aureus. AD 72-73 Rome. Hendin 1469. RIC 84, 370. BMC 520. BN 73. About Extremely Fine. Realized: $101,575.
Vespasian (69 – 79 AD). AE sestertius. AD 71 Rome. Hendin 1500b. RIC 71,161. BMC 543. Samuels 146 (this coin). Extremely Fine. Realized: $95,600.
Bar Kokhba Revolt (132 – 135 AD). AR sela. First year (132/133 AD). Mildenberg 125,4.1 (this coin). Hendin 1373. TJC 218c (this coin). AJC 264,1c (this coin). Samuels 98 (this coin). Superb. Realized: $89,625.
Bar Kokhba Revolt (132 – 135 AD). AR sela. First year (132/133 AD). Mildenberg 124,3.5 (this coin). Hendin 1373. TJC 218 (these dies). AJC 264,1 (these dies). Samuels 97 (this coin). Superb. Realized: $89,625.
Auction of US coins continues on New York and over the Internet at www.HA.com/Coins through Sunday, March 11.
Seldom Seen Selections: One of the finest known 1795 Eagles
The famous 1795 American gold ‘eagle’ coin
The ten dollar gold pieces, given the name “eagle,” were the largest gold coins produced by the first U.S. Mint from 1795 through 1804. Like all early gold coins (and many early silver coins), these pieces did not carry an actual denomination as part of the design.
The 1795 BD1 is considered the first variety coined for the year, therefore it is the first eagle minted by the United States! There are more of them surviving today than all other 1795 varieties combined, and it is actually one of the five most common die varieties of the entire series from 1795 to 1804, a fact that would probably surprise most collectors. Quite a few examples survive in Mint State grades, giving collectors a reasonable chance of obtaining a high-quality example of the Small Eagle reverse design.
Many of the Mint State pieces have prooflike fields, including the coin we are featuring in our upcoming 2012 April 18-22 US Coins & Platinum Night CSNS Signature Auction. Although the fields are not deeply mirrored, they are clearly reflective. The surfaces are exceptional with only a few scattered abrasions. Faint adjustment marks are evident at the center obverse and on some of the obverse dentils. All design elements on both sides are sharply struck, suggesting to some the possibility that this may have been some type of presentation piece. This example is a relatively early die state of the variety, with faint obverse die cracks but no evidence of reverse cracks. Despite the existence of several Mint State pieces, this example is one of the most attractive we have handled.
A curious situation exists for both early half eagles and early eagles. For both denominations there were multiple varieties dated 1795 and only a single variety dated 1796, despite mintages that suggest this is illogical. During the course of 1795, just 2,795 eagles were minted from September 22 through November 27. In 1796, the Mint produced 6,934 eagles from January 9 through December 22. If we take these annual production totals at face value, an average of 560 coins per die marriage were struck in 1795 while a single die marriage produced all 6,934 coins in 1796. Clearly there is something wrong, unless many of the coins produced in 1796 were from dies dated 1795, and we can be certain that this was the case. According to the Guide Book, the 1795 mintage totaled 5,583 coins and the 1796 mintage totaled 4,146 coins, but even those figures are suspect, suggesting a survival rate of 10% for 1795 eagles and only 4% for 1796 eagles. This discussion illustrates the challenge that numismatists have today when attempting to reconstruct the events of the earliest years at the Philadelphia Mint. There were no records of mintages for individual die varieties, and any attempt to make such estimates today is plagued with problems.
In Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties, John Dannreuther provides estimated mintages for every variety and for the number of survivors for each variety. The only thing we know for sure is the number of die marriages known from 1795 through 1804 (32) and the total mintage for that period (132,714 coins including 122 pieces reserved for assay). By using the midpoint of Dannreuther’s survival estimates, we can also establish an approximate survival rate for the series of 2.5%. Is this enough information to establish original “mintage figures” for each variety or even for each coinage date?
Mark Van Winkle has spent considerable effort over several years attempting to correlate mintage figures with individual varieties, and now feels that it is impossible. There are at least two variables that cannot accurately be determined. First, the exact emission sequence needs to be determined (including both die marriages and remarriages). In a series like the early eagles, the emission sequence alone is enough to give a numismatist nightmares. Once the emission order is known, an accurate estimate of the survivors must be established for each variety and remarriage, and this is nearly an impossibility. Finally, differing survival rates from one coinage date to the next must be pinpointed, a seemingly impossible task. CP for Heritage Auctions Dallas, Texas www.ha.com
Supplemental– The Numismatic Network of Canada for those interested in studying and collecting Canadian coins, tokens, paper money and related numismatic materials http://www.nunet.ca/
The Ontario Green's feel that merging all provincial school systems is a long-term solution to tackling the deficit by reducing redundancies.
Toronto, ON – “Putting the public interest before vested interests is the most equitable and efficient way to eliminate Ontario’s record deficit,” says Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner. Eliminating the deficit requires tackling vested interests in the province’s biggest budget categories: education, energy and health care, as well as bringing our tax system into the 21st century. The Green Party is putting forward long-term solutions to tackle the deficit:
ONE SCHOOL SYSTEM
Ontario must merge the Catholic and public school systems into a single French and English public system to build a high quality, financially responsible, and equitable education system. Two school systems is an obvious source of duplication in the Ontario budget. Ontario also has a financial and social obligation to end the discrimination that results from funding only one religious school system. [ http://www.oneschoolsystem.org/ CP ] STOP BORROWING BILLIONS TO SUBSIDIZE THE WASTEFUL USE OF ENERGY
Ontario cannot afford to borrow 1 billion dollars each year to reduce electricity bills by a few dollars each month. The province should not play a shell game with our money for a program that benefits the wealthiest the most. The misleadingly named Clean Energy Benefit should be scrapped and replaced with a targeted rebate program for low income families and seniors who need the help the most. Such a rebate would be more effective at a much lower cost. We all save money with programs that help people save energy. IT’S HEALTHY OUTCOMES THAT MATTER
Ontario must move from a sick care system focused on hospitals to a home and community care system focused on illness prevention. Funding priorities should focus on healthy outcomes and providing people the continuum of care they need to maintain health and treat illness at the lowest cost to the public purse.
Ontario’s current orientation to treating sickness is costly and unsustainable. We can do better by keeping people out of hospital in the first place. This starts with a funding formula that pays doctors for promoting health, not the quantity of services they provide. We need to empower all health professionals to operate at their full scope of practice. BRING OUR TAXES INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
The Green party believes the government made a serious mistake in establishing a commission that only addresses government expenditures. We also need a modern tax system that provides sufficient revenues to deliver public services. We need an equitable and efficient tax system that enriches quality of life and encourages job creation without damaging our natural capital. The government should cancel corporate tax cuts that we can’t afford. The Green Party calls on the McGuinty government to form a public commission on the reform and modernization of Ontario’s tax system.
CONCLUSION
“It’s time for politicians to stop punting problems to our kids,” says Schreiner. “The Green Party commends the Drummond Commission for tackling some tough issues. Now the government needs to engage the public in implementing solutions.”
Media Contact: Becky Smit Cell: 647-830-6486 Office: 416-977-7476 beckysmit@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada
