There was a special feature disc to “Planet Earth” that was essentially a documentary about our environmental future. Much of this documentary talked extensively about the conservation movement; it was a fascinating conversation to watch, actually. Topics such as poaching protected species, or how an agency with a small budget decides which animals to focus on, made for a rare glimpse into these movements.
Poaching is generally divided into two groups: those that poach animals to sell on the black market, and those that poach to survive. The question that was addressed in this “Planet Earth” documentary, and the one that I pose to you now, is when it comes to feeding a starving family, or protecting the health of an animal population, which is most important? Read more »
Well, I must confess that this is a sad post to write. On Friday of last week, The Sasquatch held a wake/commemoration for the end of their publication.
A fiercely independent media source, Sasquatch will be suspending its publication due to financial strains and a generally challenging market. Editor Shayna Stock summed it up best when she wrote,
“This has been a difficult process for everyone involved, particularly because the need for independent media in this province is still so acute, and The Sasquatch, though barely out of its infancy, was already punching far above its weight. The more unbalanced and divided our world becomes, the stronger the need for democratic, public-interest journalism that holds power to account and presents practical alternatives to the status quo. It is painful, then, to close down a new publication that directly addresses that need.”
Well said, Shayna, well said. To all those involved with the publishing of The Sasquatch, thanks for being part of an important dialogue. We will miss you!
In this intensely interesting article, Mo Abrahim decided to present the bright face of Africa – its bright lights, its strong, talented governments, and its success stories. However, he did not let this focus on the positive keep him from discussing some of the things that Africa’s leaders must do to lead more of its 967 million people out of deplorable poverty.
For example, Ibrahim does a truly wonderful job of discussing why African nations must work together and form regional partnerships in order to compete internationally. He also recommends that aid be invested in infrastructure so that African economies can grow.
In 2007, there were 35,000 (16.7%) children under age 18 living beneath the poverty line (before-tax Low Income Cut-off) in Saskatchewan.
Ignore the concept of a poverty line for a moment – that statement says that 16.7% of children live below the ‘before-tax Low Income Cut-off’. That statement also says that the ‘before-tax Low Income Cut-off is the poverty line. Read more »
On Sunday, August 23rd, the Regina Symphony Orchestra played a concert in Wascana Park, marking the opening of the 2009/10 season. A wonderful event with vendors, great opening acts and scenery, Symphony Under the Sky was a shining example of accessible fun for all ages. More significantly, it was free.
Regina has had a whole host of amazing events this summer, from classical performances to AC/DC. The problem is that it often costs a great deal of money to attend. They are exclusionary when they are supposed to bring people together. While events often have larger corporate or business sponsors, for the first time Regina’s city council stepped up to the plate to the tune of $25,000. Read more »
The enumerator came by tonight! This is incredibly exciting; there I was, entering my second hour in front of my computer, when my doorbell rang. Wondering whether to stop working, I finally made my way to the door… and there was the enumerator! Like the eight year old in line to see Santa at the mall, I broke into a huge grin and happily gave the pertinent information.
To me, voting is exciting because it’s an opportunity to participate in our democratic process. Yawn, right? Wrong. Read more »
This is a brief and very interesting interview with K’Naan, a hip-hop protest artist from Somalia now based in Canada. His music speaks to the struggle people face living in his home country, and the government and warlords that prevent peace and prosperity. In this interview he talks about the origins of Somalian pirates from an angle that no other media source has addressed… watch on.
Do you want a new stadium in your backyard? How about a landfill or a nuclear power plant? I know what you’re thinking – who on earth would want to live with the noise, smell, or danger? I wouldn’t!
There’s a new buzz word that I really dig that’s being used to describe this conundrum – eco-discrimination. The hot topics of the day, such as the unanimous (albeit grudgingly) support in the Saskatchewan Legislature of nuclear power, or the equally hot debate surrounding Regina’s new stadium, often neglect that massive amounts of discrimination go into decisions like these. Especially when it comes to location – and the consequences are grave. Read more »
I just wanted to drop a line and let everyone know that the Impoverished Gourmet is ready for some online action! This afternoon will mark the first online installment of the most delicious and affordable recipes out there. A word to the wise… our goal is to show that cooking is much more fun and easy that most people think!
Now for the hard part… is it possible to be succinct enough to have a cooking column on a blog?? Stay tuned!
There’s something that has caught my attention from the very start of the Regina Streets Magazine, and it continues to peak my interest since the start of this website. That is, we get just as many comments and compliments from the “right” of the political spectrum as we do from the “left”.
I think that partisanship is both detrimental and ridiculous, in politics and in life. Take this magazine. Do I have to be on the left to talk about the causes and effects of poverty? Do I have to be on the right to have a strong corporate business model and believe in microdevelopment? Absolutely not. Read more »