Why doesn’t our Prime Minister support our Constitution and Charter?

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Stephen Pate

Isn’t the leader of a democracy supposed to uphold the foundations of that democracy?

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Santiago Chile, not happy with our Charter (Photograph by: SAUL LOEB , Getty Images Canada.com)

I was shocked yesterday to read that Prime Minister Stephen Harper wouldn’t support the 30th Anniversary celebration of Canada’s repatriation of our Constitution from England and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“In terms of this as an anniversary, I think it’s an interesting and important step, but I would point out that the Charter remains inextricably linked to the patriation of the Constitution and the divisions around that matter, which as you know are still very real in some parts of the country,” Harper said. (Toronto Star) Continue reading →

Pete Seeger’s Greatest Hits – Turn Turn Turn

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Stephen Pate

Pete Seeger is no stranger to hits – Turn Turn Turn was a # 1 hit for The Byrds

“Turn, Turn, Turn” from Forrest Gump soundtrack

With words from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Pete Seeger wrote a timeless song that became a #1 hit for The Byrds in 1965.

A populist movement is working to give Pete Seeger his first personal # 1 hit with his cover of Bob Dylan’s Forever Young.
Continue reading →

Make Pete Seeger the Oldest Person With a #1 Hit

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Stephen Pate

At 92 years old, Pete Seeger’s version of “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan headed for record books

“Forever Young” sung by Pete Seeger for Amnesty International.

Updated with click-able links – At 92, Pete Seeger the folk troubadour is headed for the first #1 hit of his career. Tony Bennett just had his first # 1 hit album at 85. This will make Pete Seeger the oldest person with a hit record.
Continue reading →

Artists donated to Amnesty International on Chimes of Freedom

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Stephen Pate

Preserving Freedom of speech is the theme for the 4-CD set honoring Bob Dylan which gets richer with each listening

The artists on Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan, the monumental anthem to freedom of speech, talk about why they worked for no fees the project and what Dylan means to them.

It’s good to remember that Human Rights is not a luxury in a time when most of us are consumed with worry about jobs and the economy. Continue reading →

One day internet blackout works but it’s not over yet

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Stephen Pate

Massive blackout of internet sites on Jan 18 influences lawmakers

The media stories have Hollywood corporate fat cats reeling from Wednesday’s shutdown or blackout of more than 12,000 websites like Wikipedia, Reddit and Wired. NJN Network did its small part by wearing black all day.
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NJN Network is darkened today to protest SOPA PIPA

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Stephen Pate

Wearing black for SOPA protest

Wikipedia goes dark for SOPA protest

If SOPA passes the US Congress in anything close to its current form, the internet as we know it will be essentially dead.

We are joining sites around the world to protest like Wikipedia, Flickr, and Reddit.
Continue reading →

Occupy Wall Street is not about homeless lazy bums

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Stephen Pate

Many thoughtful people can see the corruption of the economic system

Former Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis arrested at OWS

City governments and police that are arresting Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters are making a big mistake.

Authorities who refuse to work on the problem are breaching democratic rights to free speech and free assembly. Continue reading →

Movie Producers praise China and Iran

Quote

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Stephen Pate

Speaking in support of SOPA, “The MPAA’s Michael O’Leary showed support for regimes that censor the internet, by saying that “the internet isn’t broken” in places like China and Iran… He really should spend some time there speaking to those who have been censored.” Thoughts On The House Judiciary Committee’s Hearings On SOPA TechDirt

Essentially SOPA, if passed, will shut down the internet as we know it to make Sony and Universal richer.

Todd King Dude Rock

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Still living the rock and roll dream one hot lick at a time

Todd King

Todd King is out in Calgary living the rock and roll dream.

I always have respected him for doing what he did and getting free (Bob Dylan paraphrase).

The Calgary Beacon profiled him with a story about his music and new CD for Stratabuse. Calgary Band Stratabuse Looking to Break Out with First CD

He’s not pushing paper at Music PEI or the government. Todd did both those jobs but he left them to be a rocker.

You can’t be a rocker conforming to the system. Rock and roll is about rebellion against the system, telling the establishment to shove it.

On PEI, the dependence on government money is corrupting rock and roll into a civil service job.

Unless musicians are willing to curry favour with the government and Music PEI, they don’t have a chance at the grant money that floats around twice a year.

With the new attempts by Music PEI to control the PEI Music scene, rebellious musicians will be out of work.

Not to worry – the whole government controlled music scene is imploding under the weight of its own paperwork.

Soon the ECMAs will be a phone in affair. Continue reading →

Electronic Frontier Foundation offline

Posted on November 21, 2010 by Stephen Pate

Did a TSA body search do them in?

Over the past few hours, the Electronic Frontier Foundation site has gone off-line.

Anyone else and it could be a glitch but with EFF I wonder. They are controversial advocates for Web freedom.

Current battles are with TSA, the FBI and assorted other government agencies.

Does anyone have news?

Save our outrage for real issues impacting veterans

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Stephen Pate

The white poppy campaign doesn’t compete with red poppies but seeks to raise awareness of non-violent conflict resolution

by Paul MacNeill, publisher, Eastern Graphic

Much is being made about a white poppy campaign initiated by the Island Peace Committee. Since the story first appeared hundreds of comments have been posted on news sites. The vast majority view the white poppy as a stunt and an insult to the symbolism of the traditional red poppy.

It is neither.

The peace committee started the white poppy campaign several years ago. It in no way competes with the sale of red poppies. Its goal is to raise awareness of non-violent conflict resolution. The red poppy is a powerful symbol of remembrance of the sacrifice by Canadian soldiers primarily in the First and Second World War.

To put the red poppy in context, there are some who believe it should be an exclusive symbol of the two world wars and should not be associated with our current military campaign in Afghanistan, which only proves that the poppy is a different thing to different people. As a society we should revere and honour any soldier killed in action, regardless of where the death occurred. Continue reading →