The Future of Diversity | The Walrus

“When he stepped through the doors, though, the woman who worked there greeted him with “Uber Eats?” My friend doesn’t believe she was intentional in her racism;”

Source: The Future of Diversity | The Walrus

I’m not interested in attacking the author or their friend, but I do feel that this entire opinion piece was wrote on the grounds that there was actual proof of racism, instead of just an assumption.

Although I’m white, there have been occasions where I too have been asked by an anxious manager walking into a shop if I’m the delivery guy, or been stopped in the aisle of a retail establishment by a perplexed customer because I’m wearing a shirt that resembles the retail uniform.

Despite these examples, I chose not to take my story “to social media or demand an apology from the shop’s management.” But I am talking about my experience now where I know I will be understood: by people who been mistaken for being someone else.

Because let’s be honest here, this was really just a case of mistaken identity, and not an actual act of racism, as purported by the author and their friend.

Trust me, when I say I’ve seen racism in actual action. It was only a minor display, but it left an indelible mark of what it must be like being black in a major city like Toronto.

I was strolling along Bloor St. West with a bunch of my friends after a night of dancing. Further up the street we could see a young black man trying to hail one cab after another with no luck whatsoever. As we were walking by, he asked if we would mind standing with him for a moment while he tried to hail another cab.

When I asked why, he informed me that cabbies don’t like picking up black men after midnight because they’re afraid that there might be trouble, but didn’t have the same attitude towards white men.

True enough, within 30 seconds of standing with us, a cab did pull up beside us and he was able to jump in, much to the cabbie’s dismay before they drove off.

I agree that there is much that we as a society need to do to overcome racism and preconceived notions regarding identity, but let’s not do it through contrived narratives such as this particular example used in The Walrus, just to earn a few dollars.

 

Use Official Facebook App For Mac | Facebook For Mac Desktop

While I do like my iMac, generously donated to me by wonderful friend Kathleen Kenny​, I have to admit that I have found the selection of apps in the #MacOS #AppStore very limited, with many MUST-HAVEs missing or the best alternatives somewhat, well…. “pricey” would be generous. I would rather use the term “HIGHWAY ROBBERY” to describe my horror as I scrolled through the selections.

So being the Google​ Search freak that I am, I went looking for alternatives outside the App Store and came across this YouTube​ video posted by a gent using the pseudonym Smart Solutions, who lauded the free Fluid app, which lets you create your own apps for your favourite websites. Even better, the video showed just how easy it was to use.

FYI, there is a Premium version of the Fluid app, but all it does is open any app you’ve created to full-size instead of you having to do it yourself.

Getting Bedbugs Actually Made My Life Better

I’m closer to my neighbors, living with less clutter, and spend less time worrying about pointless stuff.

Source: Getting Bedbugs Actually Made My Life Better

Full disclosure: I discovered two of these vermin in my unit during the latter part of this Spring. I have no idea how they got there, but have my suspicions that they came from a unit directly underneath me by a couple of floors that I’m aware of having a “problem”. Fortunately enough, I saw them and got on top of the situation right away, and have not seen any since.

Anyways, I found this to be an extremely interesting take on the subject of bedbugs. That despite the toll the trauma of being infested by these little bastards can inflict on a person’s life, there is the possibility too that one can actually better themselves from the experience, by redefining how you see the world and what you consider important.

Best 10 Mac Apps 2018 – Erick Edword – Medium

“Amphetamine, Hyperdock, Parallels Desktop 12, Duet, Atom, Logic Pro X, Wunderlist, Evernote, GIMP, iTools are among best 10 Mac Apps 2018.”

Source: Best 10 Mac Apps 2018 – Erick Edword – Medium

Hi Erick, thanks for the article. I just recently got my hands on an iMac when my friend bought themselves a more recent model, and I’ve been pouring through webpages trying to find the best apps to make my life easier.

I do have one observation however, regarding your recommendation of Christian Baumgart’s “Hyperdock” app.

It seems that there have been absolutely no updates to the app since January 2017, and the Developer is no longer paying any heed to Support Request emails from Hyperdock users who have been running into considerable trouble since the Mac OS X update to High Sierra. Additionally, there have been no posts on Hyperdock’s Facebook page since 2012 or the Hyperdock twitter account since 2015

I would therefore recommend dropping your recommendation for Hyperdock, in order to prevent people from potentially wasting their money on what is likely an abandoned app.

Bison-Taunting Man at Yellowstone Is Arrested, Park Officials Say – The New York Times

It’s these types of reckless idiots who are some of the biggest threats to the #environment.

#Government at all levels should ban every directly related family member of this twit from State and National parks for the next three generations, in the hopes that what I like to refer is the Selfishly-Stupid gene gets weeded out.

Science is Reducing Plastic Pollution in our Food Chain. Here’s How.

The Earth needs all of our help to stay clean! Here’s one way we can all make a difference, and two ways science is reducing plastic pollution.

Source: Science is Reducing Plastic Pollution in our Food Chain. Here’s How.

Absolutely bowled over when the host said that almost 91% of all plastics are not recycled. What a horribly travesty

If first world governments at all levels​ were genuinely interested in saving taxpayers money, they could start with reducing the amount of plastic going into landfills by passing a law eliminating one-use plastic accessories.

Following that, impose a mandatory deposit on all remaining glass and plastic to encourage folks to stop throwing recyclables out because it’s more convenient, and if certain members of the right, center or left are concerned with the underground economy that would upsurge as a result of folks who root through trash and blue bins pulling out discarded glass and plastics and returning them for the money, make the return deposits taxable to stop the whiners calling it “free money”.

Of course, government would have to make certain that there is a task force capable of imposing an equally hefty penalty for those who refuse to comply with the necessity of removing plastics from the waste stream.

Finally, as an added bonus the recycling industry would finally become stable and commercially viable which translates into job creation, a boost to the economy and tax revenue at all levels.

Strong local democracy is worth fighting for | The Star

“It’s true there is no political theatre quite like a city council meeting but it’s also true that this is the level of government closest to our everyday lives.” ~SHAWN MICALLEF, Star Columnist

Source: Strong local democracy is worth fighting for | The Star

What a great opinion piece highlighting the benefits of effective civic governance.

As someone who was elected to speak on behalf my @TOHousing building, encompassing 455 units and 600+ residents, I can attest to just how important it is to have proper representation at any level of governance. Without effective advocacy, the system falls apart.

Cutting the number of Toronto Councillors in half flies in the face of true democracy, and Doug Ford and the PC party of Ontario should be ashamed of themselves for trying to pretend it’s not.

Why we need to do away with the politics of division — area code be damned | The Star

“Secession may be a wholly unrealistic concept but the growing animosity many Torontonians have towards people from the suburbs, aka the 416, and those who hail from the 905 isn’t, writes Emma Teitel.”

Source: Why we need to do away with the politics of division — area code be damned | The Star

The only hate I ever hear comes from those living outside of Toronto, so this story is an absolute joke.

Throughout the past week since FordNation’s announcement, it’s been absolute nastiness on social media from people who don’t understand or have a clue as to why Toronto has a Council the size that it does, and how it’s not unusual.

Frankly speaking, I would have preferred… no, scratch that, applauded, if #DoFo had decided to impose term limits. A progressive city needs to have people who are constantly thinking ahead, and not just about the next election. Too many past due Councillors who just take up space and contribute nothing new.