I would have to disagree that contemporary Toronto is undergoing something comparable to the displacement experienced by aboriginal peoples. Their populations were decimated by disease or removed by force of arms or law irrespective of their culture.
Canada's immigration policies are the product of our society, both its cultural institutions and economic needs in response to voluntarily decreased birth rate in the Canadian-born population. Immigrants predominantly arrive in response to an invitation from the state and are hand-picked to fill roles in the culture as defined by the status quo. In a very real sense, those that gain citizenship do so in service to the culture and have their lives and identities profoundly shaped by it. That our culture will, likewise, respond to them is the unavoidable. Over all, the imperatives of operating in Canadian society tend, over the course of a generation, to be "Canadianizing".
I am not certain if there are parts of the Toronto experience you feel are not reflective of Canadian culture. Personally, I find the diversity of cultural presence hugely enriching but not without conflict and negotiation. I feel that there have always been a plurality of cultures within Canada, but that their voices and visibility are increasing as a result of refinements and improvements in our practice of social democracy over the past 50 years. I believe that, for many years now, Canadian identity could perhaps be best described as a dialogue about "what it means to be Canadian" and that we on the whole are interested in all Canadians' input. And I would contend that the practice of democratic inclusion better prepares us for the realities of the increasingly small globe and is perhaps the greatest Canadian cultural achievement.
With every respect, I just couldn't disagree with you more strongly with your characterization of Toronto. It is an increasingly dynamic place because of multiculturalism. It is richly cosmopolitan, providing a great opportunity to explore the many cultures that comprise the Canadian identity.
Canadian civil society and its institutions focus on peace, order, and good governance. This has provided a strong basis for the development of cultural values such as tolerance, incusivity, moderation, and mutualism. So long as citizens are practicing those values, upholding the institutions, and participating in the public discourse, they are sharing in the creation of a nation that reflects the realities of contemporary globalization in a peaceful and mutally beneficial manner.
And there is no where in the world I would rather go out to eat. I love this town. Vive multiculturalism!
Toronto Hydro is not owned by the Canadian government
It's owned by a Canadian municipal government. The Corporation of the City of Toronto is the sole shareholder of Toronto Hydro Corporation, a holding company with four subsidiaries one of which is Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc.
I dunno... from http://www.policyanalysismarket.org/pam_orgs.htm, i quote:
DARPA has funded the development and operations of PAM. U.S. government agencies will not be allowed to participate in PAM and DARPA will not have access to the identities or funds of PAM traders.
I guess giving the Pentagon or CIA access to the list of investors and payoffs could be seen as a disincentive to investors. Every time you bet correctly we include a free audit and body cavity search!
The DARPA folks would never compromise this list. They don't need to - they've got the rest of the Total Information Awareness program to feed them with information on everyones'... er, terrorists' activities. That Poindexter is a man of real integrity.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: Yes, it's safe, it's very safe, so safe you wouldn't believe it.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: No, it's not safe, it's very dangerous, be careful.
My parents went gypsy a few years ago and live on the sailboat. They do all their planning using digital charts on a dell laptop (hardcopy charts as backup - they aren't suicidal). Used in concert with GPS it is a nice way to navigate, especially under low-visibility conditions.
The only problem they have had was when they got cocky and brought the unit up into the cockpit. One rogue wave on an otherwise calm day and - kzpat! - instant paperweight.
I'm so glad I live in Canada. Until the tanks roll across the border....:(
Actually, there won't be tanks - "War Plan Crimson" (or whatever the latest intervention plan is called) doesn't envision armoured conflict with Canadian troops. A light urban assault force rolling in to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Kingston is sufficient. From there you can control the major political, media and business centres (except Vancouver, of course) plus military communications, the major highways, railways and the St. Lawrence seaway. Then you just have to manufacture an 'invitation to assist in controlling [whatever destabilizing event]' a la Grenada and there will be nothing to interrupt the flow of natural resources to the US economy. The trick is to move fast, not heavy.
No joke! Declassified US planning documents from the early part of the century lay it all out and US base developments (Fort Drum) continue the trend. Check out Bordering on Aggression by Floyd W. Rudmin [Voyageur, 1993, 192 pages, $14.95 Can. tp, ISBN 0-921842-09-0]. It sounds like crazy talk, but Rudmin does a good job supporting his thesis. This kind of plan is actually just a testament to the abilities of the military to prepare for strange contingencies.
The Baldwins and the Arquettes can rest easy knowing they will be avenged.
A good book review of "Bordering on Aggression" here.
Given my choice of everyone, I'd like to see John Carpenter direct a Phillip K. Dick based movie
Ten years ago I would have agreed, no contest. Prince of Darkness, They Live, Escape from NY and The Thing were great movies. Unfortunately, I believe Carpenter has lost his edge. Did you see the mess he made of John Steakley's Vampire$? The book is a screenplay - trim it to fit, but don't interpret anything. Instead, John waded in and birthed a cinematic atrocity. Escape from L.A. is an amateurish, styleless, cash-grab. I fear what he would do to a PKD story.
Who would I give the reins to? David Lynch or Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures was creepy and he has proven he can interpret a text). Christopher Nolan (Memento), maybe?
Slashdot Mirror
I would have to disagree that contemporary Toronto is undergoing something comparable to the displacement experienced by aboriginal peoples. Their populations were decimated by disease or removed by force of arms or law irrespective of their culture.
Canada's immigration policies are the product of our society, both its cultural institutions and economic needs in response to voluntarily decreased birth rate in the Canadian-born population. Immigrants predominantly arrive in response to an invitation from the state and are hand-picked to fill roles in the culture as defined by the status quo. In a very real sense, those that gain citizenship do so in service to the culture and have their lives and identities profoundly shaped by it. That our culture will, likewise, respond to them is the unavoidable. Over all, the imperatives of operating in Canadian society tend, over the course of a generation, to be "Canadianizing".
I am not certain if there are parts of the Toronto experience you feel are not reflective of Canadian culture. Personally, I find the diversity of cultural presence hugely enriching but not without conflict and negotiation. I feel that there have always been a plurality of cultures within Canada, but that their voices and visibility are increasing as a result of refinements and improvements in our practice of social democracy over the past 50 years. I believe that, for many years now, Canadian identity could perhaps be best described as a dialogue about "what it means to be Canadian" and that we on the whole are interested in all Canadians' input. And I would contend that the practice of democratic inclusion better prepares us for the realities of the increasingly small globe and is perhaps the greatest Canadian cultural achievement.
With every respect, I just couldn't disagree with you more strongly with your characterization of Toronto. It is an increasingly dynamic place because of multiculturalism. It is richly cosmopolitan, providing a great opportunity to explore the many cultures that comprise the Canadian identity.
Canadian civil society and its institutions focus on peace, order, and good governance. This has provided a strong basis for the development of cultural values such as tolerance, incusivity, moderation, and mutualism. So long as citizens are practicing those values, upholding the institutions, and participating in the public discourse, they are sharing in the creation of a nation that reflects the realities of contemporary globalization in a peaceful and mutally beneficial manner.
And there is no where in the world I would rather go out to eat. I love this town. Vive multiculturalism!
Toronto Hydro is not owned by the Canadian government
It's owned by a Canadian municipal government. The Corporation of the City of Toronto is the sole shareholder of Toronto Hydro Corporation, a holding company with four subsidiaries one of which is Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc.
I dunno... from http://www.policyanalysismarket.org/pam_orgs.htm, i quote:
DARPA has funded the development and operations of PAM. U.S. government agencies will not be allowed to participate in PAM and DARPA will not have access to the identities or funds of PAM traders.
I guess giving the Pentagon or CIA access to the list of investors and payoffs could be seen as a disincentive to investors. Every time you bet correctly we include a free audit and body cavity search!
The DARPA folks would never compromise this list. They don't need to - they've got the rest of the Total Information Awareness program to feed them with information on everyones'... er, terrorists' activities. That Poindexter is a man of real integrity.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: Yes, it's safe, it's very safe, so safe you wouldn't believe it.
Christian Szell: Is it safe?
Babe: No, it's not safe, it's very dangerous, be careful.
My parents went gypsy a few years ago and live on the sailboat. They do all their planning using digital charts on a dell laptop (hardcopy charts as backup - they aren't suicidal). Used in concert with GPS it is a nice way to navigate, especially under low-visibility conditions.
The only problem they have had was when they got cocky and brought the unit up into the cockpit. One rogue wave on an otherwise calm day and - kzpat! - instant paperweight.
They don't do that anymore
I'm so glad I live in Canada. Until the tanks roll across the border.... :(
Actually, there won't be tanks - "War Plan Crimson" (or whatever the latest intervention plan is called) doesn't envision armoured conflict with Canadian troops. A light urban assault force rolling in to Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Kingston is sufficient. From there you can control the major political, media and business centres (except Vancouver, of course) plus military communications, the major highways, railways and the St. Lawrence seaway. Then you just have to manufacture an 'invitation to assist in controlling [whatever destabilizing event]' a la Grenada and there will be nothing to interrupt the flow of natural resources to the US economy. The trick is to move fast, not heavy.
No joke! Declassified US planning documents from the early part of the century lay it all out and US base developments (Fort Drum) continue the trend. Check out Bordering on Aggression by Floyd W. Rudmin [Voyageur, 1993, 192 pages, $14.95 Can. tp, ISBN 0-921842-09-0]. It sounds like crazy talk, but Rudmin does a good job supporting his thesis. This kind of plan is actually just a testament to the abilities of the military to prepare for strange contingencies.
The Baldwins and the Arquettes can rest easy knowing they will be avenged.
A good book review of "Bordering on Aggression" here.
Floyd Rudmin publications listed here.
Given my choice of everyone, I'd like to see John Carpenter direct a Phillip K. Dick based movie
Ten years ago I would have agreed, no contest. Prince of Darkness, They Live, Escape from NY and The Thing were great movies. Unfortunately, I believe Carpenter has lost his edge. Did you see the mess he made of John Steakley's Vampire$? The book is a screenplay - trim it to fit, but don't interpret anything. Instead, John waded in and birthed a cinematic atrocity. Escape from L.A. is an amateurish, styleless, cash-grab. I fear what he would do to a PKD story.
Who would I give the reins to? David Lynch or Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures was creepy and he has proven he can interpret a text). Christopher Nolan (Memento), maybe?