Parents:More Quality Communication Time

Are parents short changing their babies and young children with the lack of quality communication time? Do they tune in more to their cellphones, BlackBerrys and iPods than their young children?

Jane E. Brody in a New York Times article believes that the very young are being adversely affected by the new lifestyle.

"There were no such distractions when my husband and I, and most other parents of a certain age, spent time with our babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Like this young mother, we talked to them. We read to them and sang with them. And long before they became verbal, we mimicked their noises, letting them know they were communicating and we were listening and responding. (And we’ve done the same with our four grandsons, all born after the turn of this wireless century.)"

Moreover, Randi Jacoby, a speech and language specialists writes, “Parents have stopped having good communications with their young children, causing them to lose out on the eye contact, facial expression and overall feedback that is essential for early communication development.

Young children require time and one-on-one feedback as they struggle to formulate utterances in order to build their language and cognitive skills. The most basic skills are not being taught by example, and society is falling prey to the quick response that our computer generation has become accustomed to.

Parents need to be reminded of the significance of their communicative model.”

As I read this article, I am reminded of the daily practice of reading to my two daughters in the evening as they grew up. For almost ten years we headed to the public library once a week to pick out picture books we could enjoy for the week. I believe this habit of reading to them, or they to me for about 20 minutes a day, carried immeasurable benefits as they formulated their literacy skills.

Any other thoughts about developing communication skills within children? Are there increased challenges today?

A Canadian Supports Chicago Olympic Bid

Our trip to Chicago in August has left us with vivid memories of a world class destination. The people, the venues, the infrastructure, the parks and public museums, the geography of the river and the spectacular lake front should tip the scale for the IOC International Olympic Committee decision on Friday as to who will host the 2016 Olympic games.

To help with the lobbying efforts Oprah Winfrey is scheduled to visit. Also President Obama and First Lady Michelle will make presentations to the IOC during Friday's session in Copenhagen. "They will discuss why Chicago is best suited to host the 2016 Summer games, and how the United States is eager to bring the world together to celebrate the ideals of the Olympic movement,'' said a White House spokesman.

A Chicago Tribune editorial entitled 'Going for Gold,' states, "No, Chicago doesn't need the Olympics. This is already a world-class city. Has been for decades. During its rich history, Chicago has moulded its path to world-class stature in manufacturing, finance, retail, professional sports, academia -- on it goes. An Olympiad would be wonderful, but certainly isn't essential."

That statement is hedging one's bets, not getting too optimistic about an affirmation or too disappointed if the vote is negative.

Nevertheless, I agree with the editorial conclusion, "A positive decision would be a vote of confidence for this city and a mandate to deliver a spectacular Olympic experience."

Follow the countdown to Friday's decision here.

Second Life as Learning Environment

Does a virtual world like Second Life have a part in dynamic learning? Some educators are kicking the virtual can to scope out its possibilities.

Angela Maiers, for example, writes that she needs to experience this site with an open mind and a 21st century learning attitude. (Also her avatar needs to have cute shoes.) She will speak at an ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) virtual conference there.

Ken Allan was nominated as Blogger of the Month at the ISTE Blogger's Hut on Second Life and in the last several weeks has spent time at Second Life learning the ropes and thinking about its potential for online learning. He provides an enlightening journey of his quest as avatar Kallan.

David Warlick thinks that we should be asking our students more about what future learning looks like to them. "I'm much more interested in tools, content, platforms that serve student learners." His post includes an image with a student avatar.

Theodore Wright calls Second Life a virtual canvas for creativity. Distance learning has been made convenient but it's impersonal. An avatar based virtual world education, on the other hand, is highly interactive. Students would most gladly make the scheduled time for the virtual classroom.

Can we anticipate a virtual school in several years? Where students register with their online identities, choose classes and teacher avatars, engage in virtual collaborations, reports, and field trips?

Image: Ken Allan's Kallan

Marathon of Stamina and Hope

The 20th annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon/Half Marathon completed its most successful run ever with over 20,000 enthusiastic participants. Kenneth Mungara of Kenya won for the second successive year and received $20,000 for the win and an additional $25,000 for beating the previous record. He came in at 2:08:31. Amane Gobena of Ethiopia placed first in the women's division at 2 hours 28 minutes.

The event raised 1.8 million for 99 neighbourhood charities in Toronto. Along the course 12 cheering and entertainment centres were established to encourage the runners to the finish line.

My wife and I were there to enjoy the sport with a daughter and two son-in-laws participating in the event along with several of their friends.

The 7:30 AM start time on Sunday brought throngs of spectators to the city core. Kudos must be extended to Scotiabank and city organizers for running such a fine community event.

In my photo you can see everyone lining up for the start of the race. An interesting technological feature was that the runners each had a GPS chip on their shoe which enabled organizers to track the runners as they proceeded through the race.

As I stood there for several hours watching the runners return, I sensed that this event crystallizes the desire for many to set goals, to train, to push yourself to the limit and to be open to the energizing possibilities.

Redwoods: The Tallest Trees

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

The October issue of National Geographic contains the feature article 'The Tallest Trees.' It also chronicles the hike of photographer Mike Fay who covered 1,800 miles of the Pacific coastal forest. For any lover of trees and pristine forest this is a wonderful read.

Pictured here is a Dawn Redwood on our front yard. Our home in southern Ontario is on the same latitude, the forty-second, as in California where the giants grow. Dawn redwoods do quite well in the northeast of the United States and southern Ontario.

This post is cross listed with my new complementary site 365 Quote Quest.

The Staffordshire Hoard/The Mildenhall Treasure

The recent spectacular discovery of Anglo Saxon gold and silver artifacts by an unemployed British man reminds me of The Mildenhall Treasure, immortalized by Roald Dahl.

55 year old Terry Herbert made the discovery with his metal detector in July while walking in a country field near Burntwood, England. The 1,350 items, including five kilos of gold and silver, is believed to be dated from the seventh century AD and may have belonged to Anglo Saxon royalty.

"To see the volume and the quality of this Anglo-Saxon precious metalwork was absolutely stunning and I was literally speechless," said one curator.

Herbert spent five days digging up the treasure and he attributes his find to a saying he intoned that day. "I have this phrase that I say sometimes: 'spirits of yesteryear take me where the coins appear', but on that day I changed coins to gold." Herbert took up metal detecting as a hobby 18 years ago.

As I read this article, I am reminded of the Mildenhall Treasure which contains 34 Roman silver objects found in 1942 by Suffolk ploughman Gordon Butcher. The treasure was buried in the 4th century, and is one of the finest examples of Roman silversmithing. The large silver dish glorifies Bacchus in a drinking contest with Hercules.

Roald Dahl wrote a non fiction story about the find entitled "The Mildenhall Treasure" in a wonderful short story collection entitled The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More.


Is it just me, or is there this recurring dream for many of finding buried treasure in your neighbourhood? I will never forget the exciting discovery of a perfect arrowhead in our farm field as a boy. Moreover, I think people will be much more reluctant taking pot shots at recluses combing fields with their metal detectors!

Photo Credit:

A Father's Grief

It's every parent's worst nightmare: the discovery of a child's death. What emerged out of Kevin Snook's grief was a charity arising out of his son's love for the sea, a website, and a book: A Boy After the Sea: An Untold Story.

I encourage you go to the Dan Snook Trust Foundation site and spend several minutes there reading about their story and the cause of "transforming and enriching the lives of troubled youths." As you read there is the fitting melody, "Somewhere over the Rainbow." The book is also available here, sea food recipes of great chefs around the world, an interest shared by chef Kevin and his son.

Erin Anderssen's article in The Globe and Mail is entitled, "A father's recipe for healing."

Kevin Snook said, "Doing this book has been my therapy..."

Oprah's Latest Book Pick: Transcendent

Oprah's 63 rd book choice is You're One of Them by Uwen Akpan, a Nigerian author. She says, "Each one of these stories really just left me gasping."

The five separate narratives in the book are told from the perspective of a child and are set within the pervasive poverty and violence that exists in so many African nations.

The publisher writes, "Akpan's voice is a literary miracle, rendering lives of almost unimaginable deprivation and terror into stories that are nothing short of transcendent."

Of course, with Oprah's announcement the book's cultural relevancy has leaped forward. 650,000 copies will be printed after selling 21,000 hardcovers and 11,000 paperbacks since 2008.

Certainly Oprah must be commended for promoting literacy and social justice issues through her selections.

Read more about the book at Oprah's site.

Also it's interesting to peruse the lists of her past selections. Most have read at least several of these engaging books.

My New Blog: 365 Quote Quest

I am pleased to announce my new blog, 365 Quote Quest.

Here is the first post:

Welcome to 365 Quote Quest. The focus of this blog is simple. I will post one quote a day which speaks to me. You are welcome to respond to the quote or add a quote of your own.

Also, I welcome others to join me in my hobby and begin their own 365 blog with their own 365 name. (You may already have a blog as I do: this is a low stress additional one.)

Your 365 blog may look quite different from mine, with a different format or theme. Your 365 blog could be:

- an inspiring/challenging/enriching... deed of the day
- a new to you word of the day from the dictionary
- a descriptive word portrait of a scene of the day, or an actual digital photo
- a verse a day from a spiritual text
- a quote/reflection a day from a favourite author's works
- a sentence a day about a discovery, serendipity, struggle...
- a four/five... sentence story, opinion a day
- a free style short poem a day
- an 'app' a day (whatever that could mean)
- a link a day from your Internet reading
- an arts, crafts, business, social, political, entertainment, music, charity theme focus
- other...........

If you go on vacation or want to take two weeks off, that's fine. You can make up those days later on, or not at all.

Your 365 blog is meant to be fun and empowering, maybe even therapeutic.

Keep it simple and rewarding for yourself.

Leave a comment indicating your involvement and I will be happy to place you on my sidebar.

Pass on the invitation to others!

And if you don't want to start a blog, I hope you can still join me at 365 Quote Quest.

Finding Your Village of 1,000

The Holy Grail for most Internet marketers and bloggers is having at least 1,000 followers who read every post, and who eagerly seek out any advice, offers, or perspectives you may have.

Sonia Simone at Copyblogger refers to three who have helped to define the notion of a loyal band of followers. Seth Godin calls it a tribe. Kevin Kelly calls them your 1000 True Fans. Hugh MacLeod calls it a global microbrand.

Simone stresses that this Web 2.0 village is global, no longer the mythical pastoral village tucked away in an alpine valley. She encourages website developers to develop their brand carefully and to nurture your followers by providing them with an opportunity to develop cohesiveness.

I marvel at some of the sites I come across which have about 1,000 followers or more. The developers have built their sites well. There is, for example, Richard Millington at FeverBee, Steve Hargadon at Classroom 2.0, Hugh MacLeod at Six Sentences.

Presently I have about 125 RSS Readers which have been built up slowly over the last year and nine months. I have tried to be dedicated in maintaining a regular and worthwhile presence. One lesson I have learned is that you build your readers one at a time. They don't flock to your door step all at once and make repeat visits. Hey, I'm happy with the number of my readership so far... Thanks for following.

At the same time, stay tuned for I have several ideas over the next few months which may appeal to you.

If you have any advice about how I may improve this site, please comment or email.

How to Shine Again, After a Year of Gloom

What can a talented job applicant say which could land him/her a job amidst a hundred applicants?

Wallace Immen at The Globe and Mail interviewed a number of recruiters and career coaches for their advice about how applicants can benefit from a challenged employment market.

Innovators are in Demand
"The employment landscape has changed and organizations are definitely looking for fresh perspectives." ~ Jeffrey Rosin, president of Korn/Ferry International, Canada

Don't Settle for Less
"Take one issue on your wish list that sparks your interest and which you can use as an opportunity to showcase your talents...In this way you will be doing the kind of work you actually enjoy and have a skill set for..." Karen Kelloway of Kelloway Coaching

Become a Trend Spotter
A good way to get attention from those in a position to move your career along is to be a source of ideas that give the organization a competitive edge. Gene Hayden of Target Coaching, Toronto

Focus on the Future
In the months ahead, vision and forward thinking are going to be priorities. Sharon Graham at Graham Management

Be a Contrarian
"If everyone else in your department is doing things in the same way, now is the time to stand out by coming up with something completely different." Elizabeth Lengyel at People Coach

Look for Gaps to Fill
"Don't look for a job, look for work that needs doing,"Mark Vening at Change Rangers

Be a Source of Comfort
Moods at work have been a little sombre of late -so shake them up and inspire a bit of fun. ~ Eileen Chadnick at Big Cheese Coaching

It seems to me that ideal job applicants these days are not only good in their discipline but have a sufficient grasp of the humanities and can balance left and right brain activities to see the big picture. They are people persons who can collaborate well and generate enthusiasm and bring vitality to the work place.

These sound like worthy educational goals for children,teens, and young adults.

Labels: job interview, skills, strategies, tips,

WWOOF Your Way Around the World

WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and it's a growing opportunity for people who want to see the world by pulling weeds and harvesting chemical free fruits and vegetables. It can be hard work but at the same time WWOOFers meet some wonderful people who are committed to a friendlier environment, and learn some ecologically friendly farming practices.

The movement began in England in 1971 but growing interest in local food and organics has enabled the practice to spread internationally. Five years ago WWOOF Canada boasted 1,000 volunteers and 500 participating farms; today there are 2,000 signed up and 900 hosts. WWOOF'ers receive free board and meals for their work.

The movement seems to be an excellent educational exchange and an opportunity to build community consciousness of ecological farming practices.

WWOOF International provides a handy directory of sites around the world bound to tease and delight the global traveller who doesn't mind getting DIRTY.

Photo from Maclean's magazine article.

East Africa Famine: Do We Care?

Kevin McCort president and CEO of CARE Canada writes an eloquent and impassioned appeal about another hunger crisis in Africa. He encourages, "Please care."

On the 25th anniversary of the 1984 famine in Ethiopia, an event I vividly recall, McCort says this time it affects most of East Africa including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya.... It's been "a perfect storm of crop failures, lack of rain,wars, and internal political conflict. In 1984 eight million were affected. Now it's over 20 million."

He laments that times have changed. These days one is lucky to receive news of this tragedy in a ten second news clip at the end of the newscast. More than ever, a North American audience has been desensitized to the bad news coming out of Africa.

McCort realizes that organizations like CARE have to improve how we tell the stories of those affected. He relates the story of Paninah, a mother of two school age children in Nairobi, Kenya. She's poor but independent, and she, like many Canadians, works multiple jobs to support her family. But it's getting more and more difficult. With the drought, food prices have doubled and she doesn't know what tomorrow will bring.

To emphasize the seriousness The Humanitarian Coalition, a partnership of CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, and Save the Children has issued a joint appeal. The last time the Humanitarian Coalition launched a joint appeal was in May 2008, when Cyclone Nargis killed over 100,000 people in Burma.

Do we care enough to respond?

Blog Worthy Educational Topics on Twitter

David Warlick at 2cents Worth asks educators to provide links to topics students can blog about by posting them on Twitter with the hash tag #bwtopic. (blog worthy topic) This is a subject close to my heart so I thought I would provide several links from quoteflections.

For those just learning about Twitter, using hash tags can conveniently allow users to retrieve specific information. Hash tags can be used, for example, with Twitterers at a conference, sports enthusiasts about a big event, protesters around a political crisis, business people about the launch of a new product...

One strategic strength of Twitter is putting in searches of trending topics, or finding people who match your profile and interests.

By the way, TinyURL.com is a convenient website which reduces the URL of your links to a manageable size for use on your 140 character Tweets.

Universal Theme Park: Potter Magnet

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense...

~ First paragraph Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling

These words begin one of the greatest publishing enterprises ever. The series of seven fantasy novels, with epic movies to match, has resulted in an entrancing hold on several generations of readers.

Now Universal Orlando Resort is building a theme park of the Harry Potter story so magical that it will be 'unlike any other experience on earth.' It will have authentic sets of Hogwart's Castle, The Owlery, The Dervish and Banges magical instruments shop, and The Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head Pub.

This park is bound to attract hoards of devoted Potter fans when it opens in the spring of 2010 and ignite their fiery imaginations.

Susan Boyle: Entrances Talent Finale

Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady you know who I am
You know I can't let you slide through my hands...

I watched you suffer a dull aching pain
Now you decided to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines
Could make me feel better or treat you unkind.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away... ~ Rolling Stones, Wild Horses

Susan Boyle,Britain's Got Talent runner up, entranced the viewing audience at the America's Got Talent, finale yesterday. She delivered a soaring version of 'Wild Horses' leaving a raft of columnists declaring her a true star:

- Ann Powers at LA Times: Her rise has given the pop world an interesting new personality and music lovers a chance to embrace yet another very pretty voice.

- The Huffington Post: Susan "stole the finale..."

Her debut album 'I Dreamed a Dream' appears on November 23 and the pre-orders have topped the charts.

Her story is a heart warming one: from a frumpy small town parish choir singer, to instant celebrity, to struggling with some emotional issues, she has returned as a poised and impressive singer.

You may see her sing 'Wild Horses' at the finale here.

Did You Know 4.0: More Convergence

The computer in your cell phone today
is a million times cheaper
a thousand times more powerful
and about a hundred thousand times smaller
than the one computer at MIT in 1965.

So what used to fit in a building
now fits in your pocket
what fits in your pocket now
will fit inside a blood cell in 25 years. ~ Ray Kurzweil

The latest remix of Shift Happens, and Did You Know 3.0 is entitled Did You Know 4.0. The video has a media convergence theme and includes the quote from Ray Kurzweil.

Did You Know 4.0 was produced by XPlane, 'the visual thinking company.'

The 'Shift Happens' videos combine a techno sound track with engaging graphics and surprising statistics and quotes about the rapid change on the global landscape. The latest has been prepared for the third annual media convergence forum on October 20, 21 in New York City sponsored by The Economist with the theme 'The Moment of Truth: Consumers, Technology, Commerce.'

Interesting to know that the mobile device will be the world's primary connection tool to the Internet by 2020.

Karl Fisch at The Fischbowl and Scott McLeod at Dangerously Irrelevant were involved with the latest remix. Thanks to Cathy Nelson for the link.

BBAW: Window to Bibliophile Community

This is Book Blogger Appreciation Week and there has already been a flurry of posts from book bloggers about sites they endorse and enjoy. Just recently I discovered a wonderful community of book reader sites. There is an unmistakable tone of enthusiasm and love for their avocation.

Also it's interesting to see the diverse styles of the blogs and what adorns their side bars: causes, appreciations, and themes. They readily endorse each other through Google Friend Connect, list each other's blogs, and comment regularly. One gets a sense that these writers are empowered by each other's support and interest.

Here is a list of several great sites with their endorsements:
- Bibliophile By the Sea
- Lakeside Musing
- Peeking Through the Pages

One of the bloggers at Kiss a Cloud wrote, 'This blog is a reading journal. My posts on books do not usually feature plot descriptions nor literary analyses, but personal impressions and lingering thoughts. I started this blog as a means of replacing my handwritten journal, mainly for posterity.'

How true for so many. Blogging is transforming and empowering writing. It's not a solitary activity with rumpled pages in a dusty study, but an exciting, interactive publishing endeavour with a lot of excellent content.

For teachers, witnessing a wonderful blogging genre like this, should be a signal that online writing is a vital activity which will only grow in the future. Do students know the skills? Are they experiencing the exhileration of writing through dynamic classroom blogs?

Deconstructing Comment Moderation

I think most bloggers do not want to resort to comment moderation. There is something about the free and immediate exchange of vital ideas. However, I had a comment today that finally tipped the decision. Let me explain.

Bloggers make a lot of decisions:

- the website name
- the slogan or main perspective which provides a glimpse at voice
- the look of the blog and the choice of template
- the subject of post and how to structure it
- the content and categories of the very important sidebar (all of the information and visual cues along the side or top)
- the extent of work on the blog (on average mine is about two hours a day)
- the frequency of posts
- the perspective on commenting and reader interaction

What Tips the Scale for Comment Moderation

- I have received about 5 0r 6 unacceptable comments over the last 600 posts. These comments ranged from:
- vulgarity
- lack of reasoned opinion
- questionable innuendo
- spam
- a flippant or trite response
- a negative anonymous comment
- a derogatory comment
Consequently, I deleted those comments.

Why Comment Moderation is a Strategically Good Idea
- you protect the integrity of the blog and author
- you protect the people and sites you link to
- you provide a more secure place for a vital blog

In short:
- I have a long term investment in this blog.
- I want an integrity to my site that is respected by my readers.
- I want security for my readers who want to make comments to my blog.

Therefore, for my regular readers, I hope comment moderation is not too much of a disappointment. Your comments will be posted as soon as possible. Finally you will have the assurance and security of a blog with integrity and fairness.

Coincidentally Ari Herzog at Ariwriter just posted about the same topic.

Photo Credit:

Jay Leno's New Show: Interesting Links

For someone who rarely watches anything past 11, The Jay Leno Show at 10 suddenly becomes a show of interest.

Television executives, reviewers, and watchers are giving this show a lot of attention. Some call it a sea change, a huge roll of the dice for NBC.

-David Zurawik at the Baltimore Sun: this show represents the potential downsizing of network television; the network's affiliates are hoping that Leno provides a respectable lead in to the news at 11 or they lose millions in revenue; other networks are moving in at 10 with heavy hitting dramas to compete; watch NBC executive heads to roll if the Leno show fails...

-Scott Collins at the Los Angeles Times: Leno is overturning 60 years of prime time TV traditions; it's a potential job wrecker for writers, directors...;other networks are vowing to crush Leno;Leno's show will cost 1/3 of the $300 million the other networks spend for the 10 p.m. slot; Leno will abandon the traditional host's desk but still deliver an opening monologue; he will have a staff of 22 writers.

- Stuart Elliott at NYT: extensive marketing campaign of $10 million: also much free media publicity with front page treatments on Parade, Time, TV Guide; 'Fresh comedy served nightly, five nights a week'...

- Linda Holmes at NPR: has five pieces of advice for Leno including have more fun, be a warm not a cold, and watch out for making it about yourself...

- Bill Zwecker: each show is taped several hours in advance; there will be a lot of original content, a lot of diversity featuring new comedic talent, looking for universal appeal in the acts...

It's going to take several weeks to find out if viewers respond to this radical change in format in television programming.

Finally for Canadian viewers who are used to CBC news:The National at 10 p.m., the choice to see Leno is a tough one. Great reporting or epic comedy?

"Everyone needs levity, and Jay's signature comedy will provide that...to laugh off the problems of the day." ~Adam Stotsky

Photo Source

The Question of Balance

Art, propaganda, and politics have intersected at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Amidst the excitement of seeing some top actors and actresses from Sept. 10 -19, there is a controversy over spotlighting films of Tel Aviv filmmakers at its 100th anniversary. A growing group including Danny Glover, Noam Chomsky, and Jane Fonda has supported The Toronto Declaration: No Celebration Under Occupation. Their argument is that a 'Brand Israel' propaganda campaign is ill timed in the light of the Gaza massacre in January.

John Greyson, who withdrew a documentary film, said, "To my mind, this isn't the right year to celebrate Brand Israel or to demonstrate an ostrich-like indifference to the realities (cinematic and otherwise) of the region."

To counter, Marvin Hier at the Simon Wiesenthal Center said, "Tel Aviv is one of the freest cities in the world, warts and all: a model city of diversity, freedom of expression and tolerance, for Arabs and Jews." He added: "It is the height of hypocrisy to single out Tel Aviv. These protesters cannot masquerade their hatred toward Israel."

Naomi Klein, one of those who drafted the Toronto Declaration, writes, "It is a simple message of Solidarity that says: We don't feel like partying with Israel this year. It is also a small way of saying to ...to millions of Palestinians living under occupation and siege that we have not forgotten them, and we are still outraged."

Finally Patrick Goldstein at the Los Angeles Times provides a clear overview of the controversy and concludes that artistic freedoms should be respected.

"In his complaint to the festival, Greyson asked if "an uncritical celebration of Tel Aviv right now" wasn't akin to "celebrating Montgomery buses in 1963, California grapes in 1969, Chilean wines in 1973 . . . or South African fruit in 1991?"

"My answer would be: no way. Wine and grapes and fruit are agricultural products. Films are a product too, for sure, but they are also expressions of art and intellectual ferment. And once you begin to close the door in any way on artistic freedom, even if it simply involves pressuring a film festival to shun a country whose politics you disagree with, you might discover someday that it's a lot easier to shut the door to a free exchange of ideas than it is to open it up again."

Despite Goldstein's convincing point about artistic freedoms, I favour the position of the Toronto Declaration. I believe balanced journalistic perspectives and well funded artistic endeavours documenting the Palestinian cause and plight have been lacking for North Americans.

Photo Credit: Canadian Press , Naomi Klein, Aug. 31, 2007

Pink Diamonds

Plants take on a richness in late summer. The coleus an amber gold, the bloom of the butterfly bush a deep regal purple, the hydrangeas a bronze pink.

Dragoons, (foot soldiers) I tell you; the white
hydrangeas turn rust and go soon.
Already mid September a line of brown runs over them.
One sunset after another track the faces, the petals
Waiting, they look over the fence for what way they go.
~ Carl Sandburg

At the same time I think of readers in the temperate southern hemisphere who see spring stirring. Buds swelling, perennial flowers ready to peak above their beds of rich humus, the line of brown turning emerald.

Several sources for gardening pleasure and ideas is The Victory Garden on PBS and P. Allen Smith's website which explores garden design. Our favourite gardening magazine is Fine Gardening.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

Red Pepper Ball

As the summer draws to a close, it's time to enjoy the ripened glories of the garden. I made some zesty spaghetti sauce yesterday; the weekend before, hot chili. The glowing embers of these dishes came from the tiny red hot peppers pictured above.

Their flesh has been nurtured by the late summer sun. There was a succulence to the sauces that can only come from fresh spices.

What bounties of the garden do you enjoy, adding them to your favourite recipes?

Red Pepper Ball

Come one -let's go
To the Red Pepper Ball.
Where all kinds of peppers
Fill up the dance hall.
They dress in their finest
Red, yellow, and greens.
Then dance until dawn
With lady green beans.... Jennifer Jesseph

Also check out an article 'Spices that Heal: How does your Herb Garden Grow?' It points to oregano, thyme, ginger, basil, tumeric, fennel, peppermint, cilantro, rosemary,and cinnamon as health elixirs.

Paris Hilton Endorses Doug

Paris Hilton endorses Doug, media icon, and says we should head to his premiere digital art exhibit this weekend.

(If you want to have fun with digital media special effects, head to Photofunia or Big Huge Labs.)

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~ Milton Merle

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings

10 Students Who Taught Me

Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself. ~Cicero

How true. And yet this post gives advice.

I am a teacher retiree, someone over the hill, sent out to pasture. And, yet, many teacher retirees still have the fire of education and learning within and seek out meaningful post retirement opportunities, many of which are an application of the valuable skills they have gained over the last 30+ years. ( Quoteflections is one engaging pursuit for me.)

The National Education Association (NEA) has a post entitled 'The Voice of Experience.' Fourteen retired teachers, a total of 515 years of experience, provide their advice to new teachers about the profession. They include: avoid isolation and burnout, relate to your students, be real, ask for help, develop positive relations built on trust, show you care...

I thought I would share my advice to new teachers through the lessons I learned from 10 of my students over the last 33 years as an English teacher and cross-curricular literacy coach:

-Marianne loved to write. She didn't say much in class but her assignments sparkled with sensory appeal and metaphor. She loved to be challenged and given meaningful work. Ten years later Marianne published her first book of poetry. Did I give all of my students adequate mental stimulation to develop their unique gifts?

- Steve was the jock exemplar. Gym and after school sports allowed him to develop his trophy physical skills and sportsmanship. He was an average student in English with a positive attitude. Years later, as a physical education teacher he said, "I like how you got us thinking outside of the subject once in while." Did I provide enough encouragement to all my students and provide them with meaningful connections to every day life?

- Carol was a quiet student in my grade 9 class who emigrated to Canada three years earlier. She struggled with English and had to work hard to keep up. She also signed up for badminton where I was her coach. Her gifted singles play earned her medallions through high school. Could I have connected with more of my students in extra curricular ways outside of the classroom?

- Mark was in a very large applied Grade 11 class with a lot of his guy friends. He was in one of the most challenging classes of my career. He would rarely shut up and get down to work, and I had to hover over him to keep him quiet. Did I engage him adequately in class? Should I have incorporated more diverse strategies including kinesthetic activities?

- Julie found it hard to learn content and do well on written evaluations. I caught her eyes drifting out the window occasionally to the clouds and fluttering leaves. Then, she surprised me with her independent projects, her mind maps, dramas, and visual displays. Was I sensitive enough to pick up on the surprising diversity of student abilities?

- Jeff hated to read and told me never to ask him to read aloud. I could tell he rarely completed the readings for homework. I sat with him on occasion to help him with his skills. Was I aware enough about the potential depravity of certain home environments and the lack of support and nurture some students receive? Could I have provided more individualized assistance?

- Amy was active in Student Parliament and was quite the social butterfly. One day she handed in a paper which was clearly a rambling bowl of verbal spaghetti. I got fairly upset and said, "Why are you compromising your abilities?" Years later I saw her in the supermarket and she was the most gracious young lady. Was I demanding enough on all of my students to do their best?

- Blake was a student teachers liked to talk about in the staff room because of his insubordination. As a cross curricular literacy coach I saw him in different classes and how he reacted to his teachers. In one class Blake was student gold. He sat attentively, obeyed directions, and worked reasonably hard. What classroom management and teaching strategies did this gifted teacher use to work pedagogical magic?

- Jill had a silver tongue and could converse comfortably with adults. On the other hand, she was late with her essays and other assignments. One day I took her aside and thought I would concentrate on her strengths and said, "Jill, you have very good oral communication skills. I think you should consider a career in something like public relations." Years later she came to me and said how she appreciated that advice. Did I give enough recognition of individual student skills and provide some seeds of aspirations for all of my students?

- Ben was suspended for five days because of a serious fight. When he returned he sat bored and listless. I kept him after class and asked how he felt about coming back to school. He said that he felt like quitting because he was so far behind and had no interest in school. I told him I'm here to help; when can we meet? I want to help you catch up and feel comfortable about school. Ben did come in for extra help and he salvaged his year.

I am reminded of the saying: Be real, be kind, be true, be you. It's valuable advice for your students and yourself.

The four minute video "The Message" helps to embrace the quest of learning and living for both teachers and students. The film has wonderful applications for classroom learning.

Photo Credit: School Bell Teacher Retirement Gift

Thanks to Doug Johnson for the opportunity to provide this guest post to his wonderful blog. He has been a real source of encouragement as I develop my blogger's voice.

Obama's Health Reform Speech to Congress

President Obama's speech to Congress last night about health care reform provided an opportunity to build momentum, conciliation, and consensus.

Here are some highlights, top quotes from the speech:

-I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last.

-Our collective failure to meet this challenge -- year after year, decade after decade -- has led us to the breaking point.

-We are the only democracy -- the only advanced democracy on Earth -- the only wealthy nation -- that allows such hardship for millions of its people. There are now more than 30 million American citizens who cannot get coverage.

-Then there's the problem of rising cost. We spend one and a half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it.

-Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn't, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch.

-Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors' groups, and even drug companies -- many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about 80 percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.

-But what we've also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have towards their own government.

- Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.

-Now, if you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who don't currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices.

-And that's why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance -- just as most states require you to carry auto insurance.

-My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition.

-I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits.

-Now, because Medicare is such a big part of the health care system, making the program more efficient can help usher in changes in the way we deliver health care that can reduce costs for everybody.

-Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it the most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.

-We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it's hard. (Applause.) I still believe -- I still believe that we can act when it's hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

Several reactions to the Speech

Obama has set the stage for positive action in Congress, laid down the markers he needed to lay down, and, in general, regained some serious momentum for health care reform. ~ Ed Kilgore, The New Republic

A masterful speech, a blend of governance and also campaigning. ~ Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic

See the full transcript of Obama's speech here.

Any reactions to the speech?

Beatles Remastered: Glowing Reviews

9/9/09 is an historical day for music fans; it marks the release of the digitally remastered Beatles collection along with The Beatles: Rockband video game.

Several articles:

- Christian Science Monitor, "The Beatles Remastered - Getting Better All the Time"~ John Kehe writes an excellent review, "The improved sonics, sparkling clean tracks, enhanced separation...make it well worth the investment." The boxed 14 CD's sell for $260 or $19 each.

-CNN, "Remastered albums are delicious ear candy"~ John Lorinc "Many audible delights emerge to the surface more often than they did in the prehistoric days of vinyl and cassette."

- Gizmodo, "A Reminder of Why It Will Probably Rock" ~ Jesus Diaz The mono version provides surprises. "The sound is crisper and nearer. The bass a lot better..."

- Globe and Mail, Regarding The Beatles: Rock Band ~ Chad Sapieha It's "a strikingly sincere interactive recreation."

"This release is kind of like restoring the colouring of the Sistine Chapel." ~ Alan Light, former editor of Spin.

The Remastered CD's:

Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night, Beatles for Sale, Help! Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles (The White Album), Abbey Road, Let It Be, Past Masters, Yellow Submarine

Does the list above rekindle any memories? For me it's singing "I wanna hold your hand" while cruising to the dock in town with my girl over three decades ago and today.

U.S. Health Care Debate:Timely Links

As the nation awaits President Obama's address on transforming the health care system this evening, citizens wonder if he can clarify his vision and provide a platform for bipartisan support. Here are some pertinent links to the debate:

-New York Times, "How to Watch the Speech"~ David Herszenhorn
"Will he reiterate his support for a government run insurance plan - or finally state outright that he can accept a compromise that might disappoint liberals?...Mr. Obama will have to win over two crucial groups, the 180 million Americans who already have health insurance and worry they have more to lose than to gain, and the more than 45 million Americans age 65 and over on Medicare."

- New York Times, "Despite Fears, Health Care Overhaul is Moving Ahead"~ Sheryl Stolberg
The conventional wisdom that remaking the health care system to cut costs and cover the uninsured is on life support. However, this "conventional wisdom might be wrong." A number of critical players like the health care industry remain at the table....
"I think there is the foundation for building support for broader legislation."~ Dr. Mark McClellan

- Time, "Can Pelosi Win Over Wary House Dems on Health Care?"~ Jay Newton-Small
He quotes Tom Perriello, "I think the President is in a great position to make the case of what a new generation of politics that focuses more on solutions than on the ideological debates looks like. Because there's so much uncertainty right now, I want for the American people to hear and to understand what connects these issues."

- NPR, "Obama Must Reclaim the Debate"
Barack Obama's genius was to run a campaign that understood how much Americans wanted change. On Wednesday evening when he speaks to a joint session of Congress President Obama will need to reclaim that genius."

- Los Angeles Times, "Obama Needs the Speech He Just Gave"~ Tim Rutton
Many elements of his Tuesday address to schoolchildren should be in his health care speech to Congress and the American people.

- Newsweek, "Six Ways Obama Can Take Charge in Health Care"~ Jeremy Herb

- Toronto Star, "Obama Speech to Clarify Health Reform: compromise pondered in bid to calm acrimony."~ Mitch Potter

As a Canadian who enjoys a government run universal health care system, it is hard to understand all the fuss taking place in the United States where over 47 million Americans have no health insurance and 77% of Americans are unhappy with their health care coverage. The glaring inequities are disturbing.

Many eyes and ears will deconstruct President Obama's speech tonight to see if there is any hope for progress on major health care legislation.

Cartoon: Malcolm Mayes/Artizans

H1N1: Digest of Relevant Links

With millions of students back in school, will the H1N1 swine flu virus be a lion or a lamb this fall and winter?

Here is a digest of relevant links with information about the virus, vaccine, precautions, treatment, predictions, etc. to keep you informed:

- The CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Public Health Agency of Canada
- World Health Organization
- Flu.gov: One stop access to all latest U.S. govt. pertinent information
- Medical News Today: outbreak map of cases
- New York Times: Preparing for a stressful flu season
- Reuters: H1N1 could eventually infect 2 billion people, a third of the world's population, more statistics
- Globe and Mail: Child has a fever; keep him home...
- Guardian: French mayor bans kisses on the cheek...
- Newsweek: Swine Flu Vaccine: 11 Things You Need to Know
- U.S. News and World Report: Less Dangerous than Predicted?
- Vaccine to cost billions

Hopefully H1N1 will not turn into a virulent, severe strain like the SARS outbreak of 2003, or the Spanish flu of 1918, or cause a mass disruption of education and economies across the globe. It seems likely, however, that millions will catch a milder but still serious strain.

Any premonitions?

Cartoon: Beeler/The Washington Examiner

Obama's Back to School Speech: 09/08/09

Amidst the controversy of President Obama's request to speak to all students in a back to school speech, the transcript of the eighteen minute address is a beacon; it's positive, inspiring, and challenging.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, "It's been 18 years since a president has addressed the nation's youth." Why can't a leading public figure encourage its students to excel and live up to the ideals of the nation?

The White House released the speech the day before and it's worth reading in its entirety.

Obama talks about the nervousness that accompanies the first day of school, and then focuses on the reason for his talk, "I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year."

He points out that much of education has to do with responsibility, the responsibility of teachers, parents, governments and students. Education provides an opportunity to find out what you are good at. One needs an education to develop these skills and strengths.

Consequently goals must be set for for education. Students need resolve and commitment. Being successful is hard; you can't let failure define you. One becomes good at things through hard work, asking questions, not giving up on yourself.

"So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."

Obama includes convincing references to himself and others who struggled to overcome adversities as examples of what can be accomplished.

The education secretary said, "If the president motivates one C student to became an A, then the speech is worth it."

Hopefully most students will be able to hear the address and there will be teachers who can help students understand, learn, and apply life long lessons.

Any reactions to the speech or classroom reactions by students?

Graphic Content Curbs Smoking

Canada has been at the forefront of anti-smoking legislation over the last 20 years beginning with the banning of all tobacco ads. Since then, there have been restrictions on smoking in public places, banning the open display of cigarettes in stores, and displaying warnings on 50% of the principal display space on the box.

Now Health Canada is testing 49 new health warnings for possible display on cigarette packs including two with photographs of an emaciated Barb Tarbox on her deathbed with the title 'Dead at 42.'

Barb was diagnosed with lung cancer in September of 2002 and died on May 18, 2003. During that time Tarbox dedicated her life to getting the message out and speaking to over 50,000 students about the horrible consequences of smoking. She started smoking when she was in Grade 7. A journalist Greg Southam took pictures of her struggle and provides an overview of his association with her in the final weeks.

The warning also includes a quote from Ms. Tarbox, "When you die, you leave behind so much pain for the people that continue living. It hurts me so much to think of the pain I'll cause to my daughter."

The anti smoking legislation has resulted in a decline in the number of smokers in Canada by up to a percentage point a year, but the smoking rates for youth ages 15-19 remains steady at 15% over the last several years. (18% of Canadians 15 or older were smokers in 2008.)

The World Health Organization (2002) provides disturbing global smoking statistics particularly in developing countries where up to 60% of the men smoke.

Photo: The friend of Barb Tarbox applies water to her lips.

One wonders what are the best deterrents against smoking, particularly for youth who may take up the habit for a lifetime?

The End of Textbooks

With the advancement of digital technologies the end of $100 textbooks is near. The liquid or e-text is about to explode on the computer screen and transform education for students.

Seth Godin galvanized sentiment with his textbook rant. Symtext, a start-up company in Toronto, has a solution for Godin's concerns. They are developing the platform and association with leading publishers to enable teachers to get involved in the formation of fluid textbooks that will be current and strategically connected with up to date course content. The digital texts will include a wide variety of assets including podcasts, audio, video, images and current professional and academic literature.

Other companies developing similar digital texts include Flatworld Knowledge with remixable textbooks and Quirk with an e-marketing textbook.

Larry Cornies at the Doon Valley Journal, a journalism professor, is excited by the prospects:

"It’s a compelling concept, especially for those of us who teach journalism, where the instructional tools and curriculum are in large measure the panoply of events that occur around us each day. The notion of a “textbook” that would consist of such a wide range of materials and that could be altered on the fly offers some interesting new possibilities. I plan to keep this option in the back of my mind as I work with my students through the coming semester."

Some day, sooner rather than later, students will thrive in a paperless classroom?

Photo Credit: Symtext Graphic

World Vision Child Sponsorship

We received the annual progress report from World Vision about our sponsored child Jubilance who lives in Zimbabwe in the Hwange community.

The program there is in its second year and "was able to develop and build cordial relationships with the community and confront some of the challenges affecting children in the area including food insecurity, high prevalence of malaria, HIV and AIDS, and limited access to quality education among school children....To improve access to education for vulnerable children, school fees were paid for 120 vulnerable boys and girls. This includes the distribution of 4,000 textbooks for 4 primary schools."

Other initiatives include:
- school based feeding program
- 1,200 farming families each receiving 10 kg of sorghum seed
- 3,000 mosquito nets to children under 5 in the community, and in door spraying of 3,200 households.

The World Vision.ca site provides information about its outreach programs and the opportunity to sponsor a child. You can click through 1,696 children from impoverished areas around the world to read their story and select one to sponsor. For $35 a month one can provide much needed relief for the child, family, and community. (We have an automatic debit of this amount every month.)

A moving four minute video provides an overview of a child brothel in the Congo and how World Vision is helping the Beni Child Parliament to close them and rehabilitate the children and community.

Saving lives, building dreams...

What Empowers Your Blogging?

As GPS (Green Pen Society) host this month, Ken Allan at Blogger in Middle Earth has invited readers to post about what empowers your blogging? What gets you flying? Ken provides a short video of two highly successful entrepreneurial bloggers, Seth Godin and Tom Peters.

Seth Godin says: What matters is the humility that comes from writing a blog post, the metacognition of how am I going to explain myself, the process of forcing myself to discuss my point of view in three paragraphs... Blogging has become a potent micro publishing platform...

Tom Peters says: No single thing has been more important to my life than blogging. It has changed my perspective, intellectual and emotional outlook. It's the best marketing tool by order and magnitude.

Both say: And it's free.

Since January of 2008 I have written over 600 posts. This is not a boast but an affirmation of empowerment. With the exception of vacations and the occasional very busy schedule I try to post daily. The day usually includes reading several newspapers and perusing the 50 or so blogs I follow with a very efficient Google Reader. I try to decide upon a topic before evening. After supper I head to my study and write. This works for me but for others several times a week suits just right. Splendid!

What empowers me? In the old days before blogging I liked to write in a journal. I wrote stories and poems but I was not nearly as prolific as now. Now I am writing for an audience and most importantly for myself; it's fun and enriching most of the time. I agree with everything that Seth and Tom say above. There is humility, discipline, potency, and change on an intellectual and emotional level.

I invite others to get involved with this month's theme: Why do you write; what gets you flying? Visit Ken's site and inform him of your post.

Photo Credit: Digitage Web 2.0

The Old Farmer's Almanac: Reading Tea Leaves

The Old Farmer's Almanac is the oldest published periodical in North America since 1792. It is most noted for its extended seasonal weather forecast. It uses a "proprietary technique to forecast the weather for an entire year ahead. Now the 2009 Digital Edition gives you immediate access to week-by-week long range weather forecasts for all 18 U.S. weather regions plus 7 for Canada" and sells for $6.95.

The Almanac calls for a harsh, frigid winter for much of the U.S. while Dave Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said another El Nino weather event will give Canadians a better chance to enjoy a milder 2009-10 winter.

So who do you believe when weather experts often get a short range forecast wrong?

It's interesting to peruse The Old Farmer's Almanac site (almanac.com): local seven day and long range weather, puzzles, E-cards, gardening planting dates, seeds, astronomy, tides, food, advice, and community. It also has an active forum and blog with RSS feed. The site seems to have a good commercial base.

What do the tea leaves, stars, tides, ocean currents, or carbon emissions tell you about our upcoming weather?

Photo Credit: Alisa Jane

'Marvellous' Sale to Disney

Many are calling Marvel's sale to Disney a coup for Disney CEO Robert Iger.

Sharon Waxman writes, "Around Hollywood on Monday, Iger's colleagues were openly envious at his stealth move in buying Marvel, a company that provides exactly the kind of content that a 21st century media conglomerate craves. There are characters and stories, thousands of them, with fan bases to match...Jeff Bewkes over at Time Warner must be kicking his desk."

Nikki Finke, "With the whole deal worth 4 billion in cash and stock Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter, who owns 37% of his public company, stands to reap $1.5 billion in cash."

Glen Weldon, "It's quite apparent that now Disney can reach the boys age 8-18, a demographic that has thus far proven stoically resistant to the charms of Hannah Montana and High School Musical...This deal is about the properties - the characters- the raw material those characters represent through licensing, toys, TV, movies, games, sleepwear, and thrill rides."

Robert Iger Disney CEO told analysts on a conference call, "The popularity of Marvel characters and stories transcends gender, age, and cultural and geographic boundaries and can be told successfully across a wide range of both traditional and new media platforms."

Disney creators suddenly have a much wider playing field of superheroes to fashion their magic and they will have the boys' attention.

Photo Credit: Journalista