Month: August 2010

Shadow dance

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

Poets are,

photographers,

on partially-built,

grey skyscrapers.

 

We perch on top,

balancing our desire,

with our fear of heights.

 

We can never show you,

the beauty of the city,

we find ourselves on top of,

despite our best efforts.

 

The concrete city,

is not so dull to us,

the pink underbelly,

teases us playfully,

but won't tease you.

 

I would slash my wrists,

to bleed all over this page,

if it meant something to you;

to hell with the consequences.

 

My crimson essence,

dances into your mind,

awakening forgotten life,

pushing a new passion out,

regenerating hope in hopeless,

people, who don't see beauty for,

what it's worth,

i never stopped,

and I couldn't try,

hard enough to ever,

keep you happy or near,

me in the best or worst of,

times when things broke down,

and there was no solace for the,

wicked and the cruel intentions we,

bounced off of one another's innocence,

on our way to a broken dawn with a shattered,

dusk that always served to remind us of how bad,

our failure was with everything we sincerely tried for.

 

Some things that are broken,

aren't looking for anyone to fix them,

and some shadows dance a lot more,

beautifully than some of the brightest flames.

A brush of inspiration

/ andyveilleux / 4 Comments

A starry-night sadness,

drifts through my ears,

escaping in visions,

and flash-memories,

through my window.

A clock disintegrates,

working it's way down,

this out-reached branch,

we call consciousness.

Will it bounce on impact,

when it meets the floor's rug?

Will it splatter carefully;

silver over black, white, yellow,

and

red?

Will the broken-man's dreams,

drift down the sorrowful waters,

of Monet's liquid Palazzo da Mula?

The smile teases,

at the corners of the lips,

because life is fragile.

Fight this

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

Exhaustion sets in,

fight this,

exhaustion climbing,

rounding the corner,

fight this,

hatred for the unexplainable,

unknown, and confused idea,

of what exactly happened then,

fight this,

sorrow that destroys the indestructible,

soul at the foundation of human existence,

that fosters and creates all spiritual growth;

now filled with an eroding, poisonous sadness,

fight this,

my brother,

we stand together.

G20 protests: what journalism means for democracy

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Recently, I found myself discussing the media coverage of the G20 protest with Hobb. We both found the media coverage to be shameful, and often useless. Not ALL media coverage, but a great majority of it. There was very little discussion of the Black Bloc, aside from stereotypical, recycled words. Read this article about the group by the Toronto Star entitled "Behind the Black Bloc." The article fails to really dive into anything remotely “behind” the group. What exactly is the Black Bloc? The author doesn’t know.

The author refers to the Black Bloc as a group, “many members of the Black Bloc;” and even as a tactic, “They embraced the Black Bloc tactic.” I understand it’s difficult to define, but pick a reference. The title seems to suggest the author understands it as both. Regardless, let’s get into the article more.

I’d like to share a few quotes with you that I found disturbing: “A Communist group set off a flare, distracting the crowd and police alike — and the mob took off across Queen.” The author later concludes the article by quoting a woman, “Violence just brings more violence,” a woman said into a megaphone as an anarchist set fire to a police cruiser. “What you guys are doing, it’s breaking my heart.” In case you missed it, the Black Bloc is both anarchist and communist at the same time. The author is apparently a little behind on his understanding of politics.

I don't mean to unfairly target the Toronto Star. Their newsroom did a decent job IN COMPARISON with many of the other big newspapers in the country. That assertion is not good enough, however. The CBC did a better job than the TorStar (I can hear the hard-Right grumbling about leftists and communists already, praying for the start of Sun TV), but even it was average at best.

It will take the determination of a solid researcher to dig up the true meaning of the G20 protests in historical and cultural context. It saddens me how badly context is missing in today's media. I read mentions of how crucial the G20 protests (and arrests) were, but it was among mostly obscure media sources. Not altogether surprising, as these obscure sources are some of the only ones practicing real journalism [i.e. journalism as a public duty to protect democracy].

Hobb pointed out a couple of important facts regarding the G20 protests. It was the largest mass arrest in Canada’s History (over 1000 arrested). One foreign journalist commented the detention centre was worse than those kept by Palestinian authorities. There were several instances of “cops gone wild” as he puts it (keep in mind he teaches Crime and Punishment). The extortionist cost of $1 billion dollars for security at the event. How often did you hear these facts reported by the media?

Where’s the investigate journalism? How many cops infiltrated the Black Bloc? I’ve spoken with people who knew some personally, and they were arrested multiple times by the uniformed police. How much damage was done by the Black Bloc and other individuals during the protests? Where were the police during the violent part of some of the protest? Who’s being held responsible for the police inventing a new law to arrest anyone within 5 metres of the fence? Who is being, or has been punished for this undemocratic discretion? Were there any human rights violations from police officers? Was any injured while they were in custody? Talk to a few lawyers (not just the solo one I heard on the news, who comes off as a conspiracy theorist from the quotes I heard), find out if the people arrested have a case.

Journalism has a responsibility to the public to be their watch-dog against authority and the “powers that be.” I keep coming back to a quote by Thomas Jefferson: "Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." The freedom of the press is being challenged by financial constraints, and a lack of trust from the public. The integrity of journalism has been steadily eroding for some time, and it’s leading to a decrease in trust of journalists. Journalists must restore the peoples’ trust in their work, or else democracy will go out the window. I will write at length about the erosion of trust in a later post.

Green fire and a dead queen

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

A green fire burns my heart,

it's now or never, clock swings,

an awkward metronome reminder,

we'll be gone soon, your hand on the,

pawn; mine's on a queen, empty and gone.

 

Hand moves piece,

queen dead by inaction,

rotting and decaying in another,

time, when a queen meant something,

special, but any unique nature died long ago,

hand removes piece from playing board in a flurry,

of traded blows that left both sides weak, pathetic, and vulnerable,

trust me.

 

Something broken in time;

no Ticktockman willing;

and all the king's men,

failed to put my life,

back together.

 

That shell broke long ago,

and I slipped out of it,

into someone else.

Sleepless night (an old poem)

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I came across this old poem I wrote and never published, while searching through an old Facebook group of mine. The group was called The Pentriloquists, and only had three members. Now the number stands at two. It is fascinating to look at one's old poetry and see how you've grown. Here is the poem:

"I bite my lip til it bleeds,
as I stare at a dark and vacant ceiling.

The night-shaded tiles reveal nothing,
and quest is a dream drifting further away.

Sleep has become a problem,
and I've lost the way again somehow.

I drift in and out of dream-like states,
as I drift in and out of rooms.

I'm lying there in your bed,
I'm lying here on the floor,
twenty minutes ago,
three hours ago,
and an hour and a half ago;
place and time do not matter,
now is the only time that can exist.

I taste the blood again,
why have I biten through the skin so many times?

Am I that frustrated and angry with the world?
No.
This frustration has only known one cause,
and I am the hand that pulls along the puppets,
now and forever."

Sudbury: a case study in foreign ownership

/ andyveilleux / 4 Comments

I came across an interesting article today concerning Canadian management statistics, and the oft-discussed (in Sudbury, and nationally I imagine) debate over foreign ownership. The article is written by economist Stephen Gordon, and is a response to an opinion piece written by Jeffrey Simpson in the Globe and Mail. To summarize the post, let me quote the Stephen’s initial reaction to reading Simpson’s article: “Oh god. Economic nationalism will be an issue. Spare us. #budget2010”

I've been reading Dr. Stephen Gordon's work for many months now, and his blog has always been informative and well-written. Stephen is an economics professor working at Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. His thinking regarding the failings of economic nationalism would be widely unpopular in a mining town like Sudbury (yes, it is still a mining town, despite claims to the contrary). That being said, his thinking is not wrong on this issue.

In some of my history courses with Dr. Mark Kuhlberg regarding environmental history, and northern Ontario history, I was fortunate enough to learn some of the failings of the xenophobic policy that is economic nationalism. Many a time it was not the foreign companies raping and pillaging the landscape, but our own Canadian companies. It was the foreign companies who often invested capital into repairing damaged eco-systems and re-greening initiatives, especially in the pulp and paper industry. To be certain, Mark is an authority in the field of pulp and paper industry.

All that being said, I do see the local case studies regarding foreign ownership, primarily in the mining industry. Let's take two polarized examples; Xstrata, and Vale. When it came time to negotiate with workers in their Sudbury operations, Xstrata and the CAW agreed upon a new 3-year contract this year without a work stoppage. When it came time for Vale and the USW to negotiate a settlement, there was a long and bitter strike, which ended up lasting about a year. Cries of evil foreign ownership were rampant in the city, and still are, at least among many of the working class individuals in this city I've spoken with [Note: my father is a miner at Xstrata].

It's worth reading Stephen's posting about foreign ownership, for a few reasons. Pay close attention to the opinions of Canadian management regarding education, and their lower education than their American counter-parts. Also, look at the discussion of how foreign-controlled operations are run as compared to domestically-owned operations. There are many arguments on both sides of the coin, so don't just write off foreign-ownership as evil because it's a trendy view in the Nickel City.

Sudbury: the great youth brain drain continues

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

While it is not news that Sudbury has had a difficult time keeping young graduates in the city following their graduation, having southern Ontario newspapers cover it is relatively new (at least in this blogger's eyes). I am referring to an article in the Globe and Mail written by Adam Radwanski on Friday, which you can read here. I'm not going to go into the politics of having a southern newspaper write about the north, but it's a great thing that Laurentian Univeristy is finally getting more southern exposure. Time to discuss the article.

 

I'll begin with a quote that summarizes the article: "But ultimately, employers must have enough high-end jobs to keep graduates around permanently. And For all of Sudbury’s progress, that’s where the constraints typical for northern Ontario cities still fall leave it short." Beginning a sentence, much less a paragraph with 'but,' and some of the obvious grammar errors, may send some of our more grammar-savvy readers into a frenzy, but that's not the focus of the discussion.

Sudbury's exodus of educated youth is nothing new, nor is the discussion of it. I cannot count the amount of people who I've talked to about it, in both the private and public sector. The discussion is usually centered on my future, or the future of associates of mine, in Sudbury. I'm at the age now (23) where seeking a career is a priority and something I’ve been working on for quite some time. I’m not opposed to leaving town for work, in fact I’d welcome it some days, but in my heart I know I’d prefer Sudbury. Where does that leave me?

Well, I’ve applied to work at some of the typical, available options in town. These include Laurentian University, the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce, Cambrian College, the city itself, the provincial offices, and federal offices. Beyond that, there are a host of other public development corporations, several private institutions, local media, and community colleges I’ve applied to also. I’ve worked for some of them, and been interviewed by more of them, but in the end I have not found a career out of it. Once again, where does that leave me?

At the moment, I’m continuing my studies. I’ve already got my Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from Laurentian University, my diploma from Print Journalism from Cambrian College, and will be finishing up a BA in Political Science this year. At 23 years old (24 when I graduate PoliSci), that’s not too bad of a resume. Add in all of the local volunteering, my hefty work resume, the various sports teams and committees, and the internships I’ve completed, and it looks even nicer. The sad reality, however, is that it’s difficult to find entry-level careers in meaningful work in this city. That’s the reality of the situation.

Simply put, the city needs to refocus their strategy on the youth brain drain. I understand that career turn-over has become a bit more stagnant due to the “harsh economic times,” as my favourite professor likes the call it. I also understand that companies want to hire people with experience, because they don’t have to train them. The problem with this two factors is they are causing educated people of my generation to have to leave town for employment. What’s the solution?

I would suggest more internships as a start. With internships, recent graduates, and even students, are able to gather valuable work experience. The issue with these internships is that they are usually too short-term. Take my current internship as an example. As a summer contract, I’m working for the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce. My contract expires this Friday. In total, I’ll have spent about three months and change here. Was it valuable? Definitely. The issue is that while it’s been a positive experience, it hasn’t nearly been long enough.

Another fellow Chamber intern has been here for almost a year, and then will be departing because her contract is up as well. Without diving too far behind closed doors, the Chamber will be sad to see her go. She has become an integral part of events planning here. The Chamber has asked for an extension, but has been declined. It simply is not in the budget to offer a new contract without government funding (remember, we’re a non-profit organization.) It is probable a new intern will be brought in, which will not be as efficient as retraining is a must for any new intern.

I’m really not sure what the answers are for this problem. It seems Sudbury, and Northern communities in general, have struggled mightily to attract educated youth into the work-force. I want to hear from you. How can Sudbury work towards attracting more educated youth into the workforce? Will a new government help the situation? Will the municipal candidates positions on this matter in the October elections?

Life after Facebook, and why you need to get on Twitter

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

 

Hi everyone, I wanted to change up my usual blogging routine by offering you a guest-blog from a friend of mine, Matt Southern. His story is a fairly interesting one, as he is a PR graduate, who decided to delete his Facebook account months ago, and only keep his Twitter. Without further adieu:

Twitter is one of the most powerful tools of the post-modern era for communicating with individuals and reaching an audience. It’s direct and succinct with unmatched user-friendliness and accessibility. However, after over a year of being an avid twitter user I’ve discovered one simple truth about the social networking service: it’s not for everyone.

Too often I’ve seen people join twitter only to post a few dozen tweets before abandoning the service altogether. To them I would say they’re doing it wrong. You could argue that they didn’t give it a chance but I would argue that they never learned how to use it to suit their needs. It’s remarkable how in 140 character updates there’s truly something out there for everyone.

To get the most out of your experience on Twitter you have to decide what you seek to gain from it. If keeping up with current events is as important to you as it is to me then you need not look any further. There’s no denying it’s one of the best news services available, I almost always get breaking news on Twitter before I get it anywhere else. However, the people who sign up only to follow their favorite celebrities and athletes may never discover that it’s actually a very useful news source.

If you’re a creator of digital content such as a blogger, vlogger, graphic designer, writer of short stories etc. there’s no better way to directly reach an online audience than through Twitter, especially if you’ve built up a healthy number of followers. Similarly, if you’re a consumer of content and like to keep up with your favorite bloggers, youtubers and graphic artists then you can do that as well.

One of my personal favorite ways to use Twitter is as a personal contact maker. I love connecting with people who are passionate about the same things I am. Twitter offers me that opportunity that I otherwise wouldn’t get in real life. For example, living in a small Canadian city where Hockey is the sport of choice it’s difficult to connect with people who are as passionate as I am about pro wrestling and mixed martial arts. Twitter provides me an outlet to share my thoughts and opinions with hundreds of people who are just as passionate, many of whom I’ve developed friendships with even though we’ve never met.

Additionally, as a Public Relations grad and current student of Communications I aspire to have a career involving social media one day. I value Twitter as a business contact maker as I’ve connected with many PR professionals and look to them for guidance as I prepare to begin my career in the next year or so.

After a while I became so satisfied with my Twitter experience that I did what others would believe to be unthinkable: I deleted my Facebook account. Quite simply, it wasn’t doing it for me for me anymore. I see the utilitarian value in Facebook for keeping in touch with friends and family but there’s numerous other ways to do that. E-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, or even good old-fashioned phone calls to name a few. If you take that aspect away there was nothing else to keep me coming back. I wasn’t getting any valuable news updates that I couldn’t otherwise get on Twitter. I wasn’t making any new connections because Facebook doesn’t offer the ability to view what people all over the world are talking about. I had a very limited audience to introduce to new blogs I was writing at the time. Plus, the privacy issues were starting to get to me so I felt the time was right to delete my account altogether. I haven’t looked back since. Twitter more than satisfies my social networking needs and I still keep in touch with everyone I used to while I had Facebook, proving that life does indeed go on.

sex, sex, and SEX

/ andyveilleux / 4 Comments

Well, now that you're all here because of the keyword "sex" (half-joking…), I'd like to open a serious dialogue about the topic.

First, I believe that we live in a society where sex is rarely spoken about, and is treated as though it's something to hide. If a person speaks about it too frankly, or too often, they are classified as either a pervert or a slut, and sometimes both. That being said, I still talk about it openly, honestly, and relatively often (labels/stereotypes be damned!).

The response I get when I discuss it is usually something sexist. "Typical," most people say, "a guy wanting to talk about sex." HELLO!? Women have sexual needs too, and some of them are not afraid to discuss it openly and honestly, if they trust you. There's some mystifying sexist belief that men talk about sex, because they're the perverted gender. I've had far more discussions about sex with females, and not just because I had a sexual interest in the person I was conversing with (because I know everyone was thinking that was the reason).

As a male in his twenties, I become pigeon-holed the moment I bring up sex oftentimes. As soon as I mention the subject I get the above-mentioned 'typical' response. It's frustrating for a number of reasons. First, I legitimately enjoy discussing sex. It's a fascinating subject, and explains a lot about the person you're talking with. Second, despite the conventionally-held belief, as a male, I don't want to sleep with every girl I try to chat up. Third, sex SHOULD be discussed in great detail, it's one of the most important parts of life (if not the most important, depending if you talk to heavy supporters of evolution and general supporters of humanity's on-going existence :P). 

To be honest, I've been incredibly surprised by a lot of my conversations regarding sex. Some people have zero (or almost zero) experience with sex, well into their twenties. Despite the obvious assumption, some of these individuals are not overly-religious, and are actually attractive. On the flip-side, some of my friends have a vast amount of sexual experience (yes, even some of the ladies too, who aren't "sluts.")

It's always interesting to have perspective into the sex-life of friends. Humans are naturally social creatures, and therefore love discussing things we can relate to. EVERYBODY can relate to sexuality, even if they haven't had sex before. It's rare to find an interesting topic, which everybody can discuss. Interesting + relative + passionate = great conversation. And if there are three things I know about sex; it's that these words describe it well, at least most of the time. ; )

What are your thoughts about sexuality? Are people open enough about it? Do you find people who discuss it honestly and openly? Are you open and honest when discussing it with others? How strong are the stereotypes regarding sex?