When I arrived in Canada in 2004, I was blown away by the mere existence of Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe. Here were two politicians who spoke the truth, had roots in labor and consistently and unambiguously promoted left values. Layton was of course frequently red-baited by both the liberals and press (a fact conveniently …
Continue reading “Yet Another Layton Obit (upon reading today’s Globe & Mail)”
This morning, I found Tet lying on his side, by the door to the patio, like he’d laid down to rest. He passed away during the night — he was still a little warm when I found him. After a year and a half’s battle with cancer, partial renal failure, and a variety of other …
Fall 1995 was the first time I ever got to teach in my area of substantive expertise — it was an intro to communication studies course. I’d cleverly begun with McLuhan (yes, I know I know) and the “Medium is the Message” essay. The course ended with Baudrillard’s “Requiem for the Media” which is essentially …
Continue reading “Belated Baudrillard Anecdote to Serve as an Obit”
I awoke this morning to the news that Ellen Willis died. I have nothing profound to say about her that others haven’t already said better, but I will link to this wonderful brief history of feminism at the Village Voice.
