I just read a column by Alberta's Rush Limbaugh, Lorne Gunter, which he led off with:
"The CBC will never be able to exorcise its left-wing missionary zeal — for global warming, for Islam, for big government, Barack Obama, multiculturalism, public health care, human rights commissions and so on."
Unbelievable hypocrisy! The fact that someone feels secure saying that because a media entity pays attention to issues & people like those he lists makes that entity politically-biased is a clear indication to me of how successful the right wing (from Washington all the way to little-'ol-Edmonton) has been at brainwashing the public.
It's OK for him to paint the CBC as biased for dealing with those issues, but it's also OK for him and others of his ilk (Fox News and Macleans are a good start) to hammer, and hammer, and hammer away at the very same subjects, consistently twisting the facts in their promotion of the ideology of the right. Short form: its fine to be biased these days if you're biased against what they call 'the left'...which is generally a large group of people who have social consciences, balance, and a belief that enlightened government can be a very good thing.
It's fine in my book to have a different opinion, but I am disheartened with the meanness, the arrogance and the dishonesty of far-right commentators. They remind me of very scary TV evangelists: "Surrender to me all your thoughts, your compassion and your reason and I will deliver you unto the perfect world, in which taxes will be near zero, 'good people' will tell 'bad people' how to live, jails will be full, you'll be as free as possible to fight everyone for a bigger slice of whatever you want and along the way you won't have to pay for all those losers." I am amazed that the pervasiveness of their thinking – the result of the Regan-Mulroney years and, in Canada, still being fed by the Harper gang – has won them the magnitude of the forums they enjoy.
Paula Simons, thanks for your balance, and for The Journal's in giving you a forum.
Jackie Flanagan, thanks for your courage...and in Calgary, no less!
Linda Goyette, you were ahead of your time. Let's hope there really is a pendulum!
When the time comes, I don't want to retire into Lorne Gunter's idea of society. I'd like to think that, instead, I and others like me were actually able to make Alberta and Canada better places to live, places where good-hearted debate, compassionate thinking, emotional and artistic expression are respected at society's very core, and not ridiculed before millions by people with narrow vision, hard hearts and mean minds.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Flagpoles and death
Even the Ultimate Protector of the English language, the BBC, has fallen away from the proper use of the term to describe a flag which has been lowered in honour of a fallen soldier or 'important person'.
Everyone these days uses the term 'flying at half-mast'.
In fact, that term is only correct when the flag is on board a ship, where masts are used to fly flags.
On land, flags fly from flagstaffs, so the correct term is 'half-staff'.
(Curmudgeonly yours, I remain ever vigilant....)
Everyone these days uses the term 'flying at half-mast'.
In fact, that term is only correct when the flag is on board a ship, where masts are used to fly flags.
On land, flags fly from flagstaffs, so the correct term is 'half-staff'.
(Curmudgeonly yours, I remain ever vigilant....)
Pity the English language (1)
How ever did the word 'orientated' creep into our language?
What was wrong with 'oriented'?
What was wrong with 'oriented'?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Brainwashing from the right
I actually remember a time when government – the civil service, that is – was respected, a time when civil servants were seen as dedicated, intelligent people who managed important things on our behalf, who provided information and advice to politicians, and who then diligently carried out political decisions. Government was seen as a positive thing, the most important outward sign that as a society, we were maturing, consistently improving the quality of life both for ourselves and for those who needed a leg up.
But after two decades of pounding from the right, government has somehow become a sign of stupidity and waste: 'We need relief from taxes!' 'No new taxes!' 'How can sane people support the bloat that government represents?' 'The private sector can always do better!'
The right wing has spent many years quite successfully planting in our collective minds the concept that taxes are bad. Any tax, all tax, they would have us think, merely supports the fat paycheques, fat benefits and fat retirements of idiot civil servants. What the hell do they know, anyway?
Small government, says the right, is the only good government. Leave tax money in the hands of the people and everyone will profit from the wealth it creates.
When you acknowledge the right's manipulation of the public mind against the concept that taxes are an INVESTMENT in a better society and that government means, and can actually do, well, you become acutely aware of how easy it is these days for the right wing politicians, and especially for the media, to make statements based on the underlying assumption that taxes are bad, and that government is a waste of taxes. It's just assumed by those people that that's what everyone thinks....it's a self-perpetuating operating reality.
Well, I'm a fan of everything from pothole-less streets to clean air, highly competent teachers and flood aversion plans. I like the idea that independent safety inspectors make sure workers are safe and the work they're doing poses no public danger. I don't buy the pitch that refineries, petrochemical companies and other major industries like pulp mills are capable of policing their own environmental compliance. I like integrated, multi-jurisdictional transportation planning.
Those things are what government's for. They're really important. And so, therefore, is paying taxes.
What my province, my country and the rest of North America needs is a change of attitude toward respect for the rightful place of government, and all the services it provides, in a civil, enlightened society.
Let's agree once again that paying taxes is an investment. We can demand efficiency from our civil service, but let's start celebrating what they do for us, and stop resenting every penny it costs.
But after two decades of pounding from the right, government has somehow become a sign of stupidity and waste: 'We need relief from taxes!' 'No new taxes!' 'How can sane people support the bloat that government represents?' 'The private sector can always do better!'
The right wing has spent many years quite successfully planting in our collective minds the concept that taxes are bad. Any tax, all tax, they would have us think, merely supports the fat paycheques, fat benefits and fat retirements of idiot civil servants. What the hell do they know, anyway?
Small government, says the right, is the only good government. Leave tax money in the hands of the people and everyone will profit from the wealth it creates.
When you acknowledge the right's manipulation of the public mind against the concept that taxes are an INVESTMENT in a better society and that government means, and can actually do, well, you become acutely aware of how easy it is these days for the right wing politicians, and especially for the media, to make statements based on the underlying assumption that taxes are bad, and that government is a waste of taxes. It's just assumed by those people that that's what everyone thinks....it's a self-perpetuating operating reality.
Well, I'm a fan of everything from pothole-less streets to clean air, highly competent teachers and flood aversion plans. I like the idea that independent safety inspectors make sure workers are safe and the work they're doing poses no public danger. I don't buy the pitch that refineries, petrochemical companies and other major industries like pulp mills are capable of policing their own environmental compliance. I like integrated, multi-jurisdictional transportation planning.
Those things are what government's for. They're really important. And so, therefore, is paying taxes.
What my province, my country and the rest of North America needs is a change of attitude toward respect for the rightful place of government, and all the services it provides, in a civil, enlightened society.
Let's agree once again that paying taxes is an investment. We can demand efficiency from our civil service, but let's start celebrating what they do for us, and stop resenting every penny it costs.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Poor Tim!
OK, I really wanted to save my first post for something a little more than this, but what the heck:
Poor Tim Geithner. He's charged with conceiving and executing a strategy to prevent a global economic catastrophe of unparalleled proportions, but it seems all we hear of him these days concerns his part-or-no-part in $165 million worth of AIG bonuses.
Here we are again, victims of our addiction to sensationalism, and the media's addiction to stoking and feeding our addiction.
Even if Geithner personally considered the bonuses and made the call, the amount of money involved is less than 1/10,000th of the magnitude of the package that he and Obama have so far come up with...to avert the catastrophe!
The bonuses were wrong-headed, but they are not the story that will affect our financial future. If Geithner goofed, so be it. Given the Big Picture he is dealing with, I can forgive him the goof. And so should all news editors, and their Kens and Barbies who are feeding us this never-ending, ET-style hype.
Poor Tim Geithner. He's charged with conceiving and executing a strategy to prevent a global economic catastrophe of unparalleled proportions, but it seems all we hear of him these days concerns his part-or-no-part in $165 million worth of AIG bonuses.
Here we are again, victims of our addiction to sensationalism, and the media's addiction to stoking and feeding our addiction.
Even if Geithner personally considered the bonuses and made the call, the amount of money involved is less than 1/10,000th of the magnitude of the package that he and Obama have so far come up with...to avert the catastrophe!
The bonuses were wrong-headed, but they are not the story that will affect our financial future. If Geithner goofed, so be it. Given the Big Picture he is dealing with, I can forgive him the goof. And so should all news editors, and their Kens and Barbies who are feeding us this never-ending, ET-style hype.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Neighbourhood Critic says hello!
I'm Alex Macdonald, and my neighbourhoods include Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton.
I'm an ex-newspaper-journalist, an ex-government PR type (culture, recreation), a sometimes pro photographer, an experienced political strategist at both civic and provincial levels, and mostly these days a strategic communications consultant to organizations I respect, including construction unions, whose thinking these days would amaze anyone with old-time union stereotypes in their head-RAM.
I'm fascinated by the positives & negatives of the Alberta Oil Boom and how we Albertans just can't seem to get the 'managing wealth' thing right. Most people would love our problems, but when you're us, believe me, they're problems!
I'm amazed at how sheep-like Albertans are about Alberta. I'm amazed that people here (anywhere, for that matter) don't have a clue how big a Billion actually is!
Every time I hear the radio news, I am also amazed that they let some of those people write, because they can't.
I'm still awaiting the arrival of a Canadian politician at any level who is capable of 'spiritual' politics, that being the ability to tap into the spirit of the people, add ideas and hope and creativity and encouragement and energy, then beam it back to the people in words they actually get and act upon. From that perspective, I'm jealous of both the Americans and the people of Newfoundland & Laborador.
There are some things I'm happy with, like how my city is being run, how people where I live are into recycling, the coming of larger-scale alternative energy, and TV shows like Damages that don't assume I'm stupid.
This blog will take some time to develop, so please come back.
Drop a comment if you're motivated.
Let's see what happens.
I'm an ex-newspaper-journalist, an ex-government PR type (culture, recreation), a sometimes pro photographer, an experienced political strategist at both civic and provincial levels, and mostly these days a strategic communications consultant to organizations I respect, including construction unions, whose thinking these days would amaze anyone with old-time union stereotypes in their head-RAM.
I'm fascinated by the positives & negatives of the Alberta Oil Boom and how we Albertans just can't seem to get the 'managing wealth' thing right. Most people would love our problems, but when you're us, believe me, they're problems!
I'm amazed at how sheep-like Albertans are about Alberta. I'm amazed that people here (anywhere, for that matter) don't have a clue how big a Billion actually is!
Every time I hear the radio news, I am also amazed that they let some of those people write, because they can't.
I'm still awaiting the arrival of a Canadian politician at any level who is capable of 'spiritual' politics, that being the ability to tap into the spirit of the people, add ideas and hope and creativity and encouragement and energy, then beam it back to the people in words they actually get and act upon. From that perspective, I'm jealous of both the Americans and the people of Newfoundland & Laborador.
There are some things I'm happy with, like how my city is being run, how people where I live are into recycling, the coming of larger-scale alternative energy, and TV shows like Damages that don't assume I'm stupid.
This blog will take some time to develop, so please come back.
Drop a comment if you're motivated.
Let's see what happens.
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