Today was my first experience walking a picket line ever in my life. While I had hoped that negotiations wouldn’t have come to a strike, now that it’s official, I can now add “picketing” to my list of skills on my C.V.
Author: Gavan
My union (CUPE 3903) is poised for a strike and I’m feeling naked
This time next week, I might be on strike. Here’s the local media’s take on the potential disruption: York University faces possible strike (Toronto Star) York plans to cancel classes in event of strike (Globe and Mail) NORTH YORK: Strike looms at York U. (insidetoronto.com) Follow the most recent Google-indexed updates Optics are big when […]
Is loving the local enough?
Recently, the local has emerged on the scene and seemingly into the collective consciousness of urban Canadians (or Torontonians, at least). Evidence the perspective behind such ideas as “the 100-mile diet” what is nearby is better for ourselves and, in turn, when the local improves, so does the world. I personally have advocated for a […]
The abstract I submitted to the 5th World Environmental Education Congress
Hosted in Montreal next spring, this congress is kind of like the Olympics of the environmental education world: held biennially, it draws together academics and practitioners from around the world. I just submitted an abstract for a paper that is largely based on my dissertation research. Here’s the 250 words-or-less abstract: Bird-watching remains one of […]
A way to say thanks
I’m writing this in the car in between two interviews that I’m conducting this sunny Sunday morning. What I’ve been struck with as I’ve been busy with interviews this Spring and Fall is just how generous people have been with their time and personal space–I’m visiting people in their homes as a part of my […]
Hunter
Hunter, originally uploaded by Gavatron. A wolf spider (something in the family Lycosidae) going about its business. Taken in Temagami in August.
Godspeed!
Godspeed!, originally uploaded by Gavatron. This Eastern Wood Pewee decided that the elm tree behind my apartment building was a good place to refuel on its way to South America.
Academics that are also characters
I signed myself up for an Academia.edu account yesterday. It seems like an interesting hybrid of an academic homepage and social networking site. Has the potential for being a useful place to network if more people sign up for it (currently there are 5 people who have signed up from York–seriously under-represented). Regardless, I came […]
Why Wireless Nomad is no loger our ISP
I’ve written twice before about the Toronto (and southern Ontario) ISP Wireless Nomad. Both of these postings were in 2006 when we first switched from Bell Sympatico to Wireless Nomad. In the two following years, we found that Wireless Nomad was totally fine as an internet service provider until the summer of this year, where […]
Bell Canada & SP Data spread misinformation about the coming digital television switch
Bell Canada ((Actually, the number that called was 866-507-8350 which, when I called it back says that it is a “customer contact centre” of a company called SP Data, calling me with information about “products and service offerings on behalf of Bell Canada.” It seems that they specialize in, among other things, what they term […]