Oops! Ginni Thomas Voicemail Opens Can of Worms: Fetishes, Tea Party Ties and More « SpeakEasy

Mrs. Thomas trying to defend her man has opened a can of worms in the process and the spotlight is on them and who knows where this would lead. Obviously Mrs. Thomas does not know her husband or like most people of privilege can afford to be naive about the ways of the world. Goodluck Mrs. Thomas and in future I would encourage you to stick to what you know best, you obviously don't know Mr. Clarence Thomas!
Oops! Ginni Thomas Voicemail Opens Can of Worms: Fetishes, Tea Party Ties and More « SpeakEasy

Dollar Stores Reap 'Super-Profits' By Exploiting Their Own Workers | | AlterNet

Who benefits and who loses from cheap goods you buy in the store. Read this article and see if it is fair to want to live off the sweat of others. While we rush into the dollar stores, workers are having to suffer because of it, from low wages, no benefits and working poor, while the owners of these business rake in millions. This must stop. We are not helping the planet by help these greedy entrepreneurs who skin the backs off their workers so they can add to their billions.
Dollar Stores Reap 'Super-Profits' By Exploiting Their Own Workers AlterNet

A Raisin in the Sun is a win for Soulpepper and Mengesha, again. | Sway Magazine

Check out Bahia Watson, winnipegger in Raisin in the sun at Soulpepper Theatre, toronto
A Raisin in the Sun is a win for Soulpepper and Mengesha, again. Sway Magazine

You've Come a Long Way, Baby ... or Maybe Not: Why Women are Losing Ground on Wall Street - Knowledge@Wharton

Women are losing ground - get a grip feminists!

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2622

YouTube - Joel Burns tells gay teens "it gets better" http://www.joelburns.com

Powerful teachable moment.
YouTube - Joel Burns tells gay teens "it gets better" http://www.joelburns.com

A shining remount of Raisin in the Sun - The Globe and Mail

Raisin in the sun gets three out of four stars. Winnipeg's bahia watson plays the role of Bequeata. Check it out - theatre review
A shining remount of Raisin in the Sun - The Globe and Mail

Ethiopian born director Weyni Mengesha's produces A Raisin in the Sun

Weyni Mengesha's critically acclaimed production of A Raisin in the Sun, a deeply moving and uplifting play, returns to the Soulpepper stage with Alison Sealy-Smith in her Dora award-winning performance as Lena Younger. This poignant play examines three generations of a black American family and their journey to discover love, dignity, courage, and hope amidst the tribulations of racial intolerance.
Soulpepper presented A Raisin in the Sun as a co-production with Theatre Calgary in 2008. Both productions played to sold-out houses.
"Blazingly good work from a uniformly strong cast" - Toronto Star
"A wonderfully luminous production" - Calgary Herald
"A vibrant and energizing night at the theatre"- Globe and Mail
Weyni Mengesha directs Awaovieyi Agie, Barbara Barnes-Hopkins, Dion Johnstone, Matthew Kabwe, Abena Malika, Diego Matamoros, Charles Officer, Kofi Payton, Alison Sealy-Smith and Bahia Watson in A Raisin in the Sun. A Raisin in the Sun will be performing at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts (55 Mill Street, Building 49, in the Distillery Historic District) from October 19^th until November 13, 2010.

Mengesha, Weyni

Mengesha, Weyni

AlterNet: Food in Uncertain Times: How to Grow and Store the 5 Crops You Need to Survive

Whether you are a serious gardener or not, this is an excellent article for you to read. Next year, think of what you might want to grow for yourself. Remember you can grow a lot of stuff in pots.
AlterNet: Food in Uncertain Times: How to Grow and Store the 5 Crops You Need to Survive

Personal Health - Three R’s for Extreme Longevity - NYTimes.com

Secrets to a long time - check this out
``Personal Health - Three R’s for Extreme Longevity - NYTimes.com

Anita Hill Asked to Apologize by Justice Thomas’s Wife - NYTimes.com

Mrs Thomas, Justice Clarence Thomas' white wife is reaching out to his Black victim to revictimize her by asking her why she did what she did? What is wrong with this woman? Doesn't she have any sensitivity to the case of sexual abuse and to deny that her husband did what he did is terrible.
Anita Hill Asked to Apologize by Justice Thomas’s Wife - NYTimes.com

Lorraine Hansbury classic - Raisin in the sun - Soulpepper theatre

 Years and years ago (like 1951) African American poet Langston Hughes asked a point-blank question: What happens to a dream deferred? While flashbacks from grade nine English class prompt us along to subsequent questions- does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?- director Weyni Mengesha stops here, taking the audience through a spectacularly contrived mulling-over of this notion on stage at the opening night of  Soulpepper’s A Raisin in the Sun.

Inspired by Hughes’ poem, Harlem, American playwright Lorraine Hansberry sets the broken promise that is an unfulfilled dream in Chicago (South Side), where the dreamers are shoeboxed-up in a tiny – yet charming- apartment where rooms are separated by curtains and the family room couch converts to a bed at night. This is the dwelling for the Youngers- where Mama Lena is queen and her son, Walter Lee, along with his wife, Ruth, their son, Travis, and Walter’s sister Benny (Beneatha), conduct themselves under her “tyranny.” 

The play opens with Ruth (a ravishing Abena Malika) cooking eggs for  Walter (Charles Officer), weighed-down by the ball and chain of a deadend job as a chauffer and an insatiable itch to dig his family out of poverty and buy his wife some pearls. Bahia Watson flits across the stage as his headstrong and flamboyant  sister, Benny, who dreams of becoming a doctor and not needing a man, toying with suitors and her family’s patience along the way.

Throughout the show, the feeling of dreams being swallowed up by reality is unshakeable.  Maybe because the small fortune Lena (Alison Sealy-Smith) comes into -insurance money from her husband’s death-  can’t satisfy them all: investments for Walter, med school funds for Mizz Independent, and the chance at a real home for Ruth and Travis. But the frustration of the Youngers’ collective failed dreams is aggravated by the distinctive intolerant racial climate of 1960s America. Their attempt to purchase a house in an all-white neighbourhood stirs backlash within the community (“That’s the way the crackers crumble,” notes Ruth.)

The show captures the lifespan of a dream, from hope to heartache to that bottom-of-the-barrel darkness that comes right before our deepest yearnings crossover to reality. And we get to be a part of that magic, witnessing the triumphs over financial woes, racial barriers, their limits, themselves, which only strengthen an unrelenting Daydream Believer and his Homemaking Queen.

The Deets: A Raisin in the Sun. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Distillery District. Oct. 19-Nov. 13. For tickets, call 416.866.8666

(Courtesy of Soul Pepper Theatre)

Rick Springfield late, late at night | Chatelaine.com

An entertainers bout with depression and how his dogs helped him through the dark times.
Rick Springfield late, late at night Chatelaine.com

Soulpepper Reprises Award-Winning Production Of A RAISIN IN THE SUN 10/19 2010/10/19

Soulpepper Reprises Award-Winning Production Of A RAISIN IN THE SUN 10/19 2010/10/19

CBC News - Calgary - Calgary chooses Nenshi as new mayor

Calgary chooses go to with a relative unknown for Mayor but it's good for democracy, diversity and multiculturalism.
CBC News - Calgary - Calgary chooses Nenshi as new mayor

Anita Neville, MP Represents Canadian women at Human Rights Conference

For Immediate Release

October 18, 2010

MP Neville Attends International Conference on Women’s Human Rights

OTTAWA – Anita Neville, M.P. for Winnipeg South Centre and the Official Opposition Critic for the Status of Women, today joined with fellow women representatives from across the world to discuss women’s human rights at the GlobalPOWER® 2010 conference in Washington, D.C..

“Upholding and promoting women’s human rights must be a top priority for the international community, and is a responsibility of every country including Canada,” said Ms. Neville. “Over the coming days my colleagues and I will discuss the international trafficking of women and girls, and explore policy mechanisms for responding to this urgent crisis within a women’s human rights framework.”

“We will also discuss HIV/AIDS and environmental policy through the lens of women’s human rights, and the individual human rights challenges of participant countries,” added Ms. Neville.

The GlobalPOWER® program is an initiative of the Center for Women Policy Studies. Its mandate is to “help elected leaders develop creative policy options and strategies to implement them.” Ms. Neville is the first Canadian Member of Parliament to be invited as a participant.

“Participating in this conference is a reminder that the Harper government must take further measures to address women’s human rights crises in Canada, including an inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls, the adoption of pro-active pay equity legislation as recommended by the 2004 Pay Equity Task Force, the restoration of the Court Challenges Program and a commitment to addressing human trafficking,” said Ms. Neville. “As Canadians celebrate Persons Day, let us acknowledge that more must be done to achieve full equality for all women, both in Canada and abroad.”

-30-

Contact:
Office of Anita Neville, MP

204-983-1355

613-992-9551

10 Things You Really, Really Don't Need | Environment | AlterNet

Check out stuff that you do not need, stuff that harms you and the environment. Remember that we human beings are part of the organic nature of the environment, we are connected to it like we are to our mother's navel string. When we care for the environment we care for ourselves. When we abuse the environment, we abuse ourselves.

10 Things You Really, Really Don't Need Environment AlterNet

Comedienne Margaret Cho: Watching the Brady Bunch Made Me Realize I Wasn't White (Video) | | AlterNet

One of the funniest commedienne on TV, Margaret Cho, who recently was on dancing with the stars, speaks about the intersectionality of race, sex and class. Check out the video when she realized she was not white.
Comedienne Margaret Cho: Watching the Brady Bunch Made Me Realize I Wasn't White (Video) AlterNet

Morals Without God? - NYTimes.com

Is there a God who is Omniscient and who is responsible for man's moral behaviour? This article is thought provoking. If I might put in my two-cents in the mix. I think it is arrogant of man to think that he was educated by the whims of the wind and that there is no Creator. I for one believe in a Creator, an organizing principle, God that pervades everything. Whether God created the world or the world created God is a question. But if God was the first person and understood nature in a way we do not at the present time and incrementally God is teaching us the way to know the Source of our beings through Avatars, Gurus, Prophets who appear to be born with knowledge that came directly from the Source. What is consciousness? Has anyone never felt that he or she is more than just this body that is wrapped around our true spiritual selves? The fact that we could think, plan, reflect, dream and skip out of our bodies temporarily mentally, says something, mean's something. Look at the world around us, these solid objects were once a thought, an energy. We are living in a miraculous world where we can see thoughts in solid forms. How can we say there is nothing beyond this shallow life. The Bible talks about many kingdows, The Baha'is talk about many worlds of God.

The Bahá'í writings state that human beings have a "rational soul", and that this provides the species with a unique capacity to recognize God's station and humanity's relationship with its creator. Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God through His messengers, and to conform to their teachings.^[25] Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and regular prayer and spiritual practice, the Bahá'í writings state that the soul becomes closer to God, the spiritual ideal in Bahá'í belief. When a human dies, the soul passes into the next world, where its spiritual development in the physical world becomes a basis for judgment and advancement in the spiritual world. Heaven and Hell are taught to be spiritual states of nearness or distance from God that describe relationships in this world and the next, and not physical places of reward and punishment achieved after death.^[26
Morals Without God? - NYTimes.com

Mother Nature Decoded - NYTimes.com

This is the fifth instalment in drawing lessons my New York Times Columnist and artist James McMullan. take advantage and start practicing what he teaches - practices makes perfect.
Mother Nature Decoded - NYTimes.com

100 years ago, historic journeys transformed a fledgling faith

How the Baha'i faith was transformed from a fledging to a World Religion. Check out this article for an interesting, thought-provoking journey
100 years ago, historic journeys transformed a fledgling faith

Recipes: Just 10 Diet | The Dr. Oz Show

Last evening I tuned in to Dr. Oz's show and he introduced the Just 10 Diet which sounds and looks like something that will be easy to follow. Why don't you check it out for yourself and see if you can lose 10 pounds on this diet and will it be something that you can follow for the rest of your life?
Recipes: Just 10 Diet The Dr. Oz Show

The Beagle Vanishes - NYTimes.com#more-63107#more-63107

The Beagle Vanishes - NYTimes.com#more-63107#more-63107

LINE BY LINE - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com

LINE BY LINE - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com: "October 7, 2010, 9:00 pm The Beagle Vanishes
By JAMES MCMULLAN
Tags:
drawing, perspective, vanishing points This is the fourth in a series.
In the second column we freed the circle from being a flat-on geometric shape so that it could move out into space as the ellipse. We’ve used it to help us draw a pot and to see the roundness of forms, and now we’re going to use that ellipse to fly us into an imaginary scene that introduces us to the principles of perspective.
We follow that flying Frisbee of an ellipse as it settles down as a perfect little pond on a vast Kansas prairie. A man walks out onto that plain with a picnic basket, a blanket and a beagle. He sits down on his blanket to admire the view and the improbably perfect pond.

James McMullanThe beagle catches the scent of the little rabbit on the other side of the pond and takes off after it. Ignoring the shouts of his master, the dog paddles through the pond, bounds across the vast expanse and disappears over the horizon. (Two nice farmers in the next town find him and call the ASPCA.) Read more…"

Violence Against Women Still on the Rise!.... WHAT?!

Violence Against Women on the Rise

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 13 (IPS) - Despite progress in the realization of women's rights across the world, discrimination and violence against women, particularly sexual violence, is on the rise, said Xiaoqaio Zou, vice-Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Addressing the General Assembly, she stressed that CEDAW is particularly alarmed by the increase in violence against women. All over the world, women continue to be raped and abused, while two million girls between the ages of 5 and 15 are introduced into the commercial sex market each year.
Impunity and justification for violence against women are widespread. The last stems from distorted views about gender equality, notably the roles and responsibilities of men and women in relationships. Many forms of sanctioned violence against women are associated with the community's or the family's demand for sexual chastity and virginity, CEDAW reports, with "honour killings" taking the lives of thousands of young women every year.

The CEDAW Committee was established in 1992 to monitor the implementation of U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979). The Convention is considered the most comprehensive treaty on women's rights issues but with 186 member parties, it does not even include all 192 U.N. members.

Mary Scott
President
http://www.ncwc.cancwc@magma.ca

VISION: A vibrant, pro-active, credible Council of Women reflecting the diversity of society, encouraging informed political decision making and public attitudes for the well being of society, through research, education, consultation and cooperation

YouTube - Using every moment to awaken - Ram Dass

YouTube - Using every moment to awaken - Ram Dass

Victory for Niqab Wearing Muslims in the courts

For Immediate Release

 

Ontario Court of Appeal Recognizes

Importance of Access to Justice for Niqab-Wearing WomenOctober 13, 2010 - Toronto - The Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision today in the case of R. v. N.S. on the right of a sexual assault complainant to testify wearing her niqab. 

"The Court sent a strong signal today that sexual assault complainants will be permitted to wear their niqabs while testifying, subject to limited exceptions and the strictures of the complainant's religious beliefs" says LEAF legal director Joanna Birenbaum.  "This is a significant decision affirming the importance of fair trials and access to justice for Muslim women and all sexual assault complainants".

The Court of Appeal judgment specifically recognizes the "powerful" nature of the complainant's rights to wear her niqab while testifying, and the unique "hardships" and "particularly vulnerable position" suffered by women who report sexual assault.  

The Court also recognizes that Muslims are a "minority that many believe is unfairly maligned and stereotyped in contemporary Canada" and that a failure to adequately consider the complainant's rights could "legitimize that negative stereotyping".

"It is also important that the Court confirmed the unreliability of demeanor evidence in general and in the specific circumstance of sexual assault" says LEAF co-counsel Susan Chapman.  "The Court went so far as to hold that allowing the complainant to wear her niqab could advance the truth seeking function of the criminal trial".  The Court noted that a complainant who normally wears the niqab and is required to unveil cannot be expected to "be herself" on the stand.  A trier of fact might well be misled by her expressions of embarrassment and discomfort. 

The Court held that the ultimate decision of whether to permit a witness to testify wearing a niqab must be determined on a case by case basis. A bald assertion of a right to demeanor evidence is unlikely ever to be sufficient, particularly at the preliminary inquiry stage.

LEAF asked the Court of Appeal to consider the demand that a sexual assault remove her niqab in the context of the long history of sexual assault complainants being harassed, re-victimized, humiliated and intimidated, especially at the preliminary inquiry.  Such tactics have long been used to shut down prosecutions or prevent women from reporting sexual assault in the first place.

Chapman explains that "LEAF is pleased that the Court of Appeal recognized this history of discrimination and has clearly indicated that objections to the niqab must be carefully scrutinized in order to fully protect and respect the complainant's rights and the interests of society in just and fair criminal proceedings". 

-30- 

For more information, please contact:

Joanna Birenbaum                                                          Susan Chapman

(LEAF Litigation Director/Co-Counsel)                         Co-Counsel

(416) 595-7170 ext. 223 (office)                                      (416) 364-8773 (office)

(647)500-3005 (cell)                                                            (416) 276-2794 (cell)

j.birenbaum@leaf.ca                                                              smchapman@papebarristers.com

LEAF is a national, non profit organization committed to confront all forms of discrimination through legal action, public education, and law reform to achieve equality for women and girls under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. For more information, please visit us at www.leaf

Books of The Times - Condoleezza Rice’s ‘Extraordinary, Ordinary People’ - NYTimes.com

I would personally love to read this book but if I should base my decision on this poor excuse for a review I would not read it.  Some people have expectations of others, they sit in their homes or offices and want to dictate what is important for someone of Rice's stature to write about.  I think the most important person she should write about is about her.  When you get to know her through her personal journey in life, you get a glimpse of what is important to her. Maybe her next book will be about her thoughts of after 9-11.  She has a right to write about what is in her heart and she chooses to talk about the people who are dear to here as a human being, her family, friends and other black folks who are contributing to the American society in a positive way. 
I do not agree with everything Rice stands for but I am nonetheless proud of her courage to stand with George Bush when the majority of Blacks support the Democrats. She stood her ground and had the courage of her conviction. I want to know more about this woman.  The writer appears to blame Rice for her ambitions which is think is sexist. "Her parents, both teachers, were striving and selfless members of that city’s black bourgeoisie. They sacrificed nearly everything so that their talented only child could become a sleek, heat-seeking, success-driven missile."  Would he have described a white man in this way?  I don't think so. I think this review is totally bias and self-serving.  This is a woman who is worth knowing from the inside out.

Books of The Times - Condoleezza Rice’s ‘Extraordinary, Ordinary People’ - NYTimes.com

14-Year-Old Blogger on Why Girls Should Embrace Feminism | | AlterNet

Gloria Steinam would love this girl, she represents hope for the future of feminism. She is like a voice in the wilderness of those who think feminism is dead. Check out this article
14-Year-Old Blogger on Why Girls Should Embrace Feminism AlterNet

6 Revolting Breakfasts That Just Might Kill You Before Lunch | | AlterNet

Are you into fast food breakfasts, if so, you might want to read this article:

6 Revolting Breakfasts That Just Might Kill You Before Lunch AlterNet

Last Chapter for Diana Athill, Editor and Writer - NYTimes.com

Dana Athill, British writer share her experience of moving from her own home into an "old people's home" and the surprising freedom she feels. She found out there is no need to worry, although it was a painful decision she had to make when she was basing her decision on the unknown. Perhaps she might find much more time to write, not having to do all the mundane chores for herself anymore. One of life's perhaps second to the last passage and as Ms Athill shows, it can be done with grace. This is a very inspiring story and I would encourage you to read it. You can be successfully producing at any age!
Last Chapter for Diana Athill, Editor and Writer - NYTimes.com

Top Five regrets of Dying

By Bronnie Ware

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though , e very one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends

Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness. 

Multiculturalism day in winnipeg 2010

Multiculturalism day in winnipeg 2010

Global Eyes Magazine August 2010

Global Eyes Magazine August 2010

AlterNet: Lou Dobbs, Immigrant-Basher, Uses Undocumented Workers on his Horse Farm

Those who scream the loudest are sometimes guilty. Lou Dobbs bashes illegal immigrants from the mountain top and it appears he has been using the very workers he debased and one of those whom he criticized - read this expose

AlterNet: Lou Dobbs, Immigrant-Basher, Uses Undocumented Workers on his Horse Farm

Is it the recession or Obama backlash? Something is fueling workplace discrimination « SpeakEasy

Is it the recession or Obama backlash? Something is fueling workplace discrimination « SpeakEasy

Aditya Jha: 'I want to be accepted for my own competency' - The Globe and Mail

Aditya Jha: 'I want to be accepted for my own competency' - The Globe and Mail

The reinvention of Maiko Watson | Sway Magazine

The reinvention of Maiko Watson Sway Magazine

The Provincial Nominee Program is delivering results - thank you very much

October 6, 2010 PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM EVALUATION SHOWS IMMIGRATION PROGRAM ON RIGHT TRACK: HOWARD Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard today released findings of an independent study which shows Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program is a success.   The evaluation, undertaken by University of Winnipeg professor Dr. Tom Carter, indicates an overall positive assessment of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and shows that nominees who come to Manitoba have mainly positive settlement experiences.    “We are pleased that many newcomers are finding jobs, buying homes and building a good life with their families here in Manitoba,” said Howard. “The study also provides us with some useful information on how we can continue to improve our programs and services.”   Some of the main findings of the study show that: ·         85 per cent of provincial nominees were working after three months and 89 per cent had permanent jobs; ·         83 per cent were working in their fields or in a related field over time; ·         after three to five years in Manitoba, 76 per cent of nominees were homeowners; ·         there is a high level of satisfaction with the type, nature and quality of settlement and language‑training services available; ·         95 per cent of principal applicants do not plan on moving to another province over the next five years; ·         91 per cent of nominees can communicate easily in English over time; and ·         provincial nominees express high levels of satisfaction with their communities as a place to live and a growing proportion are engaging in community activities.     “This study shows that our programs are on the right track, however the number of newcomers who have difficulty getting their credentials recognized remains too high,” said Howard. “We must continue to build on our programs to ensure that newcomers get jobs that match their skills and experience.”   Manitoba government efforts to assist newcomers get jobs that match their qualifications include: ·         More pre-arrival labour market preparation services and language training services available to provincial nominees destined to Manitoba. ·         Job-specific language classes offered at the workplace to assist immigrants to function more effectively in jobs they currently hold or advance to higher positions. ·         Qualifications-recognition projects for internationally educated engineers, agrologists, nurses, doctors, accountants, early-childhood educators, bank and credit union workers, teachers, medical laboratory technologists and midwives. ·         The 2007 Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act which ensures that registration and assessment practices are fair, transparent, objective and impartial. The Office of the Fairness Commissioner has been established to support self-regulatory bodies to comply with the fair practices outlined in the act. ·         Manitoba’s contribution to the development of the First Ministers’ Pan-Canadian Framework on Foreign Qualifications Recognition to improve the assessment and recognition pathways of internationally trained immigrants. ·         The Credentials Recognition Program which provides financial assistance to immigrant professionals as they proceed through the licensing process set by their profession’s regulatory body.   Recently, the federal government has signalled that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program will be capped at 5,000 nominees this year and next year, said Howard. The most recent information shows that Manitoba attracted 13,500 newcomers in 2009, 75 per cent through the PNP.   “The results of this survey will help us demonstrate to the federal government that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in recruiting and retaining newcomers who help our economy grow,” said Howard.  “This very successful model should be allowed to continue to grow.”   The study was based on personal interviews with 100 principal applicants and 50 spouses who arrived under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.   The main components of the survey included the PNP application process, pre-migration information, employment, income, language, education and training, health and other services, housing, financial assistance, settlement orientation, participation in community activities, retention issues, advice to future immigrants, and demographic and household information.   The study is available at http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/asset_library/en/resources/pdf/pnp-manitoba-provincial-nominee-program-tom-carter-report-2009.pdf.   - 30

October 6, 2010 PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM EVALUATION SHOWS IMMIGRATION PROGRAM ON RIGHT TRACK: HOWARD Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard today released findings of an independent study which shows Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program is a success.   The evaluation, undertaken by University of Winnipeg professor Dr. Tom Carter, indicates an overall positive assessment of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and shows that nominees who come to Manitoba have mainly positive settlement experiences.    “We are pleased that many newcomers are finding jobs, buying homes and building a good life with their families here in Manitoba,” said Howard. “The study also provides us with some useful information on how we can continue to improve our programs and services.”   Some of the main findings of the study show that: ·         85 per cent of provincial nominees were working after three months and 89 per cent had permanent jobs; ·         83 per cent were working in their fields or in a related field over time; ·         after three to five years in Manitoba, 76 per cent of nominees were homeowners; ·         there is a high level of satisfaction with the type, nature and quality of settlement and language‑training services available; ·         95 per cent of principal applicants do not plan on moving to another province over the next five years; ·         91 per cent of nominees can communicate easily in English over time; and ·         provincial nominees express high levels of satisfaction with their communities as a place to live and a growing proportion are engaging in community activities.     “This study shows that our programs are on the right track, however the number of newcomers who have difficulty getting their credentials recognized remains too high,” said Howard. “We must continue to build on our programs to ensure that newcomers get jobs that match their skills and experience.”   Manitoba government efforts to assist newcomers get jobs that match their qualifications include: ·         More pre-arrival labour market preparation services and language training services available to provincial nominees destined to Manitoba. ·         Job-specific language classes offered at the workplace to assist immigrants to function more effectively in jobs they currently hold or advance to higher positions. ·         Qualifications-recognition projects for internationally educated engineers, agrologists, nurses, doctors, accountants, early-childhood educators, bank and credit union workers, teachers, medical laboratory technologists and midwives. ·         The 2007 Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act which ensures that registration and assessment practices are fair, transparent, objective and impartial. The Office of the Fairness Commissioner has been established to support self-regulatory bodies to comply with the fair practices outlined in the act. ·         Manitoba’s contribution to the development of the First Ministers’ Pan-Canadian Framework on Foreign Qualifications Recognition to improve the assessment and recognition pathways of internationally trained immigrants. ·         The Credentials Recognition Program which provides financial assistance to immigrant professionals as they proceed through the licensing process set by their profession’s regulatory body.   Recently, the federal government has signalled that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program will be capped at 5,000 nominees this year and next year, said Howard. The most recent information shows that Manitoba attracted 13,500 newcomers in 2009, 75 per cent through the PNP.   “The results of this survey will help us demonstrate to the federal government that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in recruiting and retaining newcomers who help our economy grow,” said Howard.  “This very successful model should be allowed to continue to grow.”   The study was based on personal interviews with 100 principal applicants and 50 spouses who arrived under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.   The main components of the survey included the PNP application process, pre-migration information, employment, income, language, education and training, health and other services, housing, financial assistance, settlement orientation, participation in community activities, retention issues, advice to future immigrants, and demographic and household information.   The study is available at http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/asset_library/en/resources/pdf/pnp-manitoba-provincial-nominee-program-tom-carter-report-2009.pdf.   - 30

October 6, 2010 PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM EVALUATION SHOWS IMMIGRATION PROGRAM ON RIGHT TRACK: HOWARD Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard today released findings of an independent study which shows Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program is a success.   The evaluation, undertaken by University of Winnipeg professor Dr. Tom Carter, indicates an overall positive assessment of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and shows that nominees who come to Manitoba have mainly positive settlement experiences.    “We are pleased that many newcomers are finding jobs, buying homes and building a good life with their families here in Manitoba,” said Howard. “The study also provides us with some useful information on how we can continue to improve our programs and services.”   Some of the main findings of the study show that: ·         85 per cent of provincial nominees were working after three months and 89 per cent had permanent jobs; ·         83 per cent were working in their fields or in a related field over time; ·         after three to five years in Manitoba, 76 per cent of nominees were homeowners; ·         there is a high level of satisfaction with the type, nature and quality of settlement and language‑training services available; ·         95 per cent of principal applicants do not plan on moving to another province over the next five years; ·         91 per cent of nominees can communicate easily in English over time; and ·         provincial nominees express high levels of satisfaction with their communities as a place to live and a growing proportion are engaging in community activities.     “This study shows that our programs are on the right track, however the number of newcomers who have difficulty getting their credentials recognized remains too high,” said Howard. “We must continue to build on our programs to ensure that newcomers get jobs that match their skills and experience.”   Manitoba government efforts to assist newcomers get jobs that match their qualifications include: ·         More pre-arrival labour market preparation services and language training services available to provincial nominees destined to Manitoba. ·         Job-specific language classes offered at the workplace to assist immigrants to function more effectively in jobs they currently hold or advance to higher positions. ·         Qualifications-recognition projects for internationally educated engineers, agrologists, nurses, doctors, accountants, early-childhood educators, bank and credit union workers, teachers, medical laboratory technologists and midwives. ·         The 2007 Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act which ensures that registration and assessment practices are fair, transparent, objective and impartial. The Office of the Fairness Commissioner has been established to support self-regulatory bodies to comply with the fair practices outlined in the act. ·         Manitoba’s contribution to the development of the First Ministers’ Pan-Canadian Framework on Foreign Qualifications Recognition to improve the assessment and recognition pathways of internationally trained immigrants. ·         The Credentials Recognition Program which provides financial assistance to immigrant professionals as they proceed through the licensing process set by their profession’s regulatory body.   Recently, the federal government has signalled that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program will be capped at 5,000 nominees this year and next year, said Howard. The most recent information shows that Manitoba attracted 13,500 newcomers in 2009, 75 per cent through the PNP.   “The results of this survey will help us demonstrate to the federal government that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in recruiting and retaining newcomers who help our economy grow,” said Howard.  “This very successful model should be allowed to continue to grow.”   The study was based on personal interviews with 100 principal applicants and 50 spouses who arrived under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.   The main components of the survey included the PNP application process, pre-migration information, employment, income, language, education and training, health and other services, housing, financial assistance, settlement orientation, participation in community activities, retention issues, advice to future immigrants, and demographic and household information.   The study is available at http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/asset_library/en/resources/pdf/pnp-manitoba-provincial-nominee-program-tom-carter-report-2009.pdf.   - 30

October 6, 2010

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM EVALUATION SHOWS IMMIGRATION PROGRAM

ON RIGHT TRACK: HOWARD

Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard today released findings of an independent study which shows Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program is a success.

 

The evaluation, undertaken by University of Winnipeg professor Dr. Tom Carter, indicates an overall positive assessment of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and shows that nominees who come to Manitoba have mainly positive settlement experiences. 

 

“We are pleased that many newcomers are finding jobs, buying homes and building a good life with their families here in Manitoba,” said Howard. “The study also provides us with some useful information on how we can continue to improve our programs and services.”

 

Some of the main findings of the study show that:

·         85 per cent of provincial nominees were working after three months and 89 per cent had permanent jobs;

·         83 per cent were working in their fields or in a related field over time;

·         after three to five years in Manitoba, 76 per cent of nominees were homeowners;

·         there is a high level of satisfaction with the type, nature and quality of settlement and language‑training services available;

·         95 per cent of principal applicants do not plan on moving to another province over the next five years;

·         91 per cent of nominees can communicate easily in English over time; and

·         provincial nominees express high levels of satisfaction with their communities as a place to live and a growing proportion are engaging in community activities.  

 

“This study shows that our programs are on the right track, however the number of newcomers who have difficulty getting their credentials recognized remains too high,” said Howard. “We must continue to build on our programs to ensure that newcomers get jobs that match their skills and experience.”

 

Manitoba government efforts to assist newcomers get jobs that match their qualifications include:

·         More pre-arrival labour market preparation services and language training services available to provincial nominees destined to Manitoba.

·         Job-specific language classes offered at the workplace to assist immigrants to function more effectively in jobs they currently hold or advance to higher positions.

·         Qualifications-recognition projects for internationally educated engineers, agrologists, nurses, doctors, accountants, early-childhood educators, bank and credit union workers, teachers, medical laboratory technologists and midwives.

·         The 2007 Fair Registration Practices in Regulated Professions Act which ensures that registration and assessment practices are fair, transparent, objective and impartial. The Office of the Fairness Commissioner has been established to support self-regulatory bodies to comply with the fair practices outlined in the act.

·         Manitoba’s contribution to the development of the First Ministers’ Pan-Canadian Framework on Foreign Qualifications Recognition to improve the assessment and recognition pathways of internationally trained immigrants.

·         The Credentials Recognition Program which provides financial assistance to immigrant professionals as they proceed through the licensing process set by their profession’s regulatory body.

 

Recently, the federal government has signalled that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program will be capped at 5,000 nominees this year and next year, said Howard. The most recent information shows that Manitoba attracted 13,500 newcomers in 2009, 75 per cent through the PNP.

 

“The results of this survey will help us demonstrate to the federal government that Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in recruiting and retaining newcomers who help our economy grow,” said Howard.  “This very successful model should be allowed to continue to grow.”

 

The study was based on personal interviews with 100 principal applicants and 50 spouses who arrived under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.

 

The main components of the survey included the PNP application process, pre-migration information, employment, income, language, education and training, health and other services, housing, financial assistance, settlement orientation, participation in community activities, retention issues, advice to future immigrants, and demographic and household information.

 

The study is available at http://www2.immigratemanitoba.com/asset_library/en/resources/pdf/pnp-manitoba-provincial-nominee-program-tom-carter-report-2009.pdf.

 

The day feminist icon Alice Walker resigned as my mother - Times Online

Feminism then and now.
The day feminist icon Alice Walker resigned as my mother - Times Online

BBC News - Woman 'told paedophile Colin Blanchard to assault baby'

Tracy Dawber charged with baby assault

Do you know who is looking after your precious little child? Do you know and can you honestly trust anyone with the job. A little child is helpless and cannot speak and tell his mommy and daddy what is happening to him. As we rush to get children by various means, we should ask ourselves, how much are we willing to sacrifice for them. Children depend on their parents and when parents cart them off to someone else to do the job, it might seem unfair to the child. Why have children if you don' want to be home to care for them.
This article is a chilling reminder of what might happen to our children when we leave them with paid strangers. Chilling indeed.
BBC News - Woman 'told paedophile Colin Blanchard to assault baby'

Will the Eddie Long Sex Scandal Force Black Churches to Confront Their Homophobia? | | AlterNet

Sometimes when we deny people their humanity we push them in a dark closet and when they are kept in that closet they sometimes do bad things to themselves and others.

This is a opportunity for Blacks to speak up and support the basic human rights of their homosexual, transgendered and two-spirited brothers and sisters amongst us. Where is the love? If you are Christian where is the love of God? What is driving your chariot people, is it hate or love. One of the most compassionate things we can do for another human being and to be fully human according to the gurus of the past and the most brilliant spiritual minds of the planet, is to want more for others than we do for ourselves.
No one is asking you to change your sexual orientation, all this community of people and the civil society are asking is for you to show your humanity to all people. People deserve to be who they want to be regardless of what we might think. We are not asking you to approve something that is illegal for adults to do. Adults ought to be free to engage in loving relationships with other adults.
What eats your goat? Those of you who are so against this, what is it to you? What are you afraid of? As yourself the question and you will see that your fears are groundless.

For blacks, refusing to champion the civil and human rights of people with different sexual orientations be then asexual, transsexual, homosexual, bi-sexual or two-sexual, these are not sex objects but human beings deserving the same freedoms as adult humans in our society. Remember when Blacks were dehumanized and robbed of their rights, remember how that felt? How did you feel? Did you feel human? Did you think it was right that others labelled blacks less than human and therefore deserved less rights that they accorded to their lap dogs and cats? No it isn't right and there were many people including homosexuals who stood up and fight against the dehumanization of Blacks. Those who know the pain must not be silent, God would not want that. God is love and we are part of that divine, so let us love. If being of a different sexual orientation and expressing it is wrong, then let us leave that for the Master to decide, let us focus on why we are here having this human experience to love everyone and want more for everyone.
Lord make me an instrument of that peace, where there is hatred let me sow love. Let this prayer be your guide to opening your hearts to love:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon:

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope

where there is darkness, light

where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Will the Eddie Long Sex Scandal Force Black Churches to Confront Their Homophobia? AlterNet

Winnipeg Army Cadet Plants flag on Mount Everest

ROYAL CANADIAN ARMY CADET LEAGUE (MANITOBA)

NEWS RELEASE

WINNIPEG ARMY CADET TO "PLANT" MANITOBA FLAG ON MOUNT EVEREST

October 4, 2010

WINNIPEG, Manitoba: The Flag of the Province of Manitoba will flutter on the slopes of Mount Everest later this month.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger presented the Manitoba Flag Monmday afternoon to Army Cadet Chief Warrant Officer Lucas Mayo to take with him on his  to Mount Everest. Mayo is one of sixteen Army Cadets selected from across Canada to participate in the Mount Everest climb.

Premier Selinger told Mayo that he has a right to feel pride in his accomplishment of being selected for the International Expedition. "Lucas has obviously put in a lot of hard work and dedication to be selected for this trip-of-a-lifetime" said Premier Selinger. Bonnie Korzeniowski Manitoba's Special Envoy for Military Affairs added that he is a fine representative of the Army Cadet program and wished him well on his adventure.

Mayo will depart Winnipeg October 7^th and travel to Toronto to meet with the rest of the expedition members.  

They will begin their journey with an acclimatization day and mountain biking tour of Nepal's Kathmandu city. In the following days they will trek in Lukla and various other locations, participate in a cultural visit to Khumjung and Kunde Sherpa Village, trek to Everest Base Camp, followed by glacier training and white-water rafting on the Trisuli River.

The focus of this expedition will be on high altitude trekking and backpacking and will introduce mountain biking and white-water rafting under the guidance of both Cadet Instructor Corps officers and guides. Cadets will experience an adventure that is challenging, rewarding, and enjoyable. This experience will offer a rich selection of cultural experiences for the cadets.

The Army Cadet Expedition is the premier Army Cadet activity that challenges Army Cadets in Canada to new levels, and is the culmination of at least four years of training, requiring a superior level of fitness and maturity. This international expedition provides cadets with the opportunity to exercise self-reliance, leadership, and the spirit of adventure. The expedition will also challenge the cadets individually and as a group to improve their skills in decision-making and problem solving, teamwork and co-operation, communications, resourcefulness, and time management.

The Cadet Program is a national program for youth aged 12 to 18. It is sponsored by the Department of National Defence in partnership with three civilian organizations: the Navy League, Army Cadet League, and Air Cadet League.

- 30 -

PHOTO ATTACHED 

Photo Cutline: - Manitoba Premier Greg, (right) and Bonnie Korzeniowski, Special Envoy for Military Affairs, flank Army Cadet Chief Warrant Office Lucas Mayo as they present him with the Manitoba flag that he will plant on Mount Everest.

For further information contact:

Syphilis Experiment Is Revealed, Prompting U.S. Apology to Guatemala - NYTimes.com

Syphilis Experiment Is Revealed, Prompting U.S. Apology to Guatemala - NYTimes.com

Hatching the Pot - NYTimes.com

Want to learn about Art for free, this generous columnist is sharing his talents with you. Take advantage of it. This stuff costs a lot.
Hatching the Pot - NYTimes.com

YouTube - Gay student secretly taped having sex commits suicide.

YouTube - Gay student secretly taped having sex commits suicide.

Gay Student Kills Self After College Roommate Broadcasts Sexual Encounter on Web - DiversityInc.com

One would expect this juvenile behaviour from high school students but university students!  I am appalled  and these are the people who are expecting to come out of university to lead the next generation?  We have alot of work on our hands.  This is nothing but a hate crime.  Those who shamelessly taped such a private and intimate act, I can only say they might be desperately try to suppress their own homosexual tendencies. Why else would someone go to such length to commit such a  crime.  My heart goes out to the parents and all those who loved this young man. 
Gay Student Kills Self After College Roommate Broadcasts Sexual Encounter on Web - DiversityInc.com