YouTube: His Holiness Pope Francis Our Moral Imperative to Act on Climate Change (TED)
Recorded the same day as His Holiness released his Fratelli Tutti, it is clear that there is, in the mind of Pope Francis, no room left for rampant capitalism in the face of our environmental ruin. We are called to as members of the human race, not just those who are Catholics, to look out for one another and ensure a healthy future for everyone, not just the rich.
The moments I liked best were when His Holiness deviates from his script and truly connects with the viewer. It is in these moments that we can truly see why he is so beloved by so many Catholics and non-Catholics around the world.
For best viewing: remember to turn on the subtitles and don’t read the comments.
Article: Online Hate Index Report: The Digital Experience of Jewish Lawmakers (ADL)
For moments where people deny that anti-Semitism exists in this day and age, the Anti-Defamation League has the facts to back up how much hate and vitriol members of the Jewish faith face on a daily basis.
Podcast: Training Police to Patrol Each Other (People Fixing the World)
What an important way for police officers to act as a check and balance for their colleagues. This can be such an effective tool to curb violence in the policing world.
Comic: Golden Sunset (The Nib)
I don’t know if the Greek approach of dealing with violent right wing will work in America as the author suggests. However, I think in a time of rising extremism, it behooves us to learn as much as we can about how extremists take control of democratic institutions.
Related reading: Greece Golden Dawn: Neo Nazi Leaders Guilty of Running Crime Gang (BBC News)
Podcast: The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Throughline)
When I first learned about Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit, I was moved by the emotional gut punch of this beautifully tragic song. I genuinely wish I had been taught about this because it is so moving and so impactful.
Holiday’s story is heartbreaking, and this podcast helped me understand the depth of how hard her life was. This podcast laid care how Holiday was literally hounded to the moment of her death for being a drug addict.
There has much been excellent reporting on how the war on drugs has disproportionately affected Black people, and Holiday’s story may be the first example of how this war on drugs ruined lives.
Podcast: Goodnight Nobody (99 Percent Invisible)
Finally (!) making an appearance on this blog, 99 Percent Invisible has done a great feature on Anne Carroll Moore, the birth of children’s librarianship, and the value of “real life” stories for children. Of course this was shared by colleague of mine from the library (thanks Wendy!)
An important reminder – persons with disabilities may not be able to adhere to the covid guidelines in place the same way as persons who do not have disabilities. As members of our community, we should look out for one another and not make assumptions, and if we are able to, make room for people so they don’t have to worry if they have enough space. Look out for each other and take care of other people – we’re all in this together.
Article: My Best Friend Is Gone, and Nothing Feels Right (The New York Times)
I wept openly reading this love letter from he author on losing their best friend.
There is a beautiful, heartbreaking love between two best friends, and it is quite unlike other love in our life. This letter reminds us that best friends relationship is so precious. Thank you to my best friend, from the bottom of my heart, for being my best friend. I love you so very much, pal.
I included this article because it is so beautifully written, so emotionally moving, and so direct-to-the-heart honest that I needed to include it.
But I also share it too because in a week where the president of the United States encouraged us to not worry about a virus that has killed over 210,000 Americans, we need reminders of the human cost of our apathy around safety and health regulations.
Podcast: Have you Been Sold a Lie about Recycling? (The Big Story)
This made me stop in my tracks. I was completely gobsmacked. I think I had heard parts and pieces of this report individually, but hearing everything laid out really hit me in my heart.
I try my best to be environmentally minded. I try my best to reduce and reuse, and take apart everything and recycle everything I possibly can.
But plastic recycling appears to a complete waste of everyone’s time and now the sheer weight of garbage that I have produced and displaced to other countries really hit me.
So what can be done? Our government has announced an intended ban on single use plastics, which while I think is important, has the potential to significantly impact persons with disabilities and small restaurants who are just beginning to recover from covid shutdowns.
Sullivan spoke about how the third “R” in reduce, reuse, and recycle was alway a very last option. I think I need to remember that.
Personally, I’m going to use this as a kick in the butt to take another serious look at the waste I produce, and look for ways to fully cut out plastic where I can.
You can listen to Sullivan’s original report here.
Whew. What a heavy week… onto something a bit more fun.
Blog Post: The Truth Behind Van Halen’s “No Brown M&M’s” Story (A Journal of Musical Things)
The passing of Eddie Van Halen this week was a blow for many music lovers. Something that I didn’t know until this week is that the brown M and M story that is so often attributed to other bands is actually from Van Halen’s contract. If you don’t know why the brown M and Ms are so important, click the link above to read more.
Sweet Treat: Seasonal Favourites at Rogers Chocolates
Listen, the favourites are great at Rogers chocolates – but there is something that is just so fun and novel about a seasonal favourite. Recently we enjoyed the cranberry Victoria cream, which was just perfection.
Local Shop: Kay’s Korner Experienced Goods
My favourite place in the world to window shop, Kay’s has been exceptional at choosing unique and useable goods that will fit in your home no matter your style.
I finally FINALLY got to use these tiny chair shaped place card holders for our thanksgiving dinner yesterday (within our bubble!) and they were absolutely perfect.
