Census, (or lack of) confirms the need for sustained ‘Occupy Movements’

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , | Posted on 9:50 AM


Taken from recent article on MSNBC News, an alarming census completed in 2010 shows that 1 in 5 children in the United States live below the poverty line. Based on the federal poverty threshold defined as an annual income of $22,314 for a family of four, children living in poverty rose 1.6 percent from 14.7 million in 2009 to 15.7 million in 2010. Despite the country's position as being one of the wealthiest in the world, the number of people living in poverty has reached an all-time high in the United States.
"Children who live in poverty, especially young children, are more likely than their peers to have cognitive and behavioural difficulties, to complete fewer years of education, and, as they grow up, to experience more years of unemployment"
A little shocked and concerned by this news as I hoped more would be, I hasty researched to see what more I may find about child poverty and poverty in general at home here in Canada. Spending a little over an hour or so looking through Statistics Canada for some answers I could not find, I did stumble upon an out-dated response from the Chief Statistician of Canada, Ivan P. Fellegi on poverty and low income. The most recent version dated September 1997, (Yes I did say September 1997) states the following:

 “Statistics Canada does not and cannot measure the level of "poverty" in Canada"...

Confused? Shocked? Perhaps we shouldn’t be knowing the current level of transparency within our Government. WTF are they talking about? How in this modern day and age with all the advances in technology can a country not compile and record better statistic’s as to the state of our economy? What have they to hide? There must be some kind of records on the current state of poverty and the decline of income over the years, even if they are afraid to talk about it. The response from our Chief Statistician reads more like a disclaimer for the Government more than anything else.

I can certainly understand from a Government’s point of view as to why they may not want to make this kind of information public yet in a free and just society, shouldn’t this be the norm? People have a right to know where we stand in the world on such issues compared to other countries. Personally, I want to see the numbers for myself. We must demand more transparency in the Government and agencies who collect this data and do away with the vague disclaimers which are meant to cast doubt on the authenticity of the data being collected. We need change… and we need it NOW!
An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics. — Plutarch (46-120 AD)

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The Occupy Everywhere Movement… Just A New Beginning?

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , | Posted on 2:39 AM


In a movement which started in Kuala Lumpur on July 30, 2011 with Occupy Dataran which then migrated to New York City and San Francisco on September 17, 2011, with Occupy Wall Street and Occupy San Francisco and has now spread to more than 95 cities around the US, Europe and Canada. The grassroots demonstrations against corporate bailouts, illegal foreclosures, corporate greed, income inequality and high rates of unemployment have flourished recently online and have become a significant presence in Canadian cities like Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Calgary. The people or the 99% as they like to be referred are simply demanding change and rightly so. After years if not decades of social injustice and inequality, the 99% are beginning to speak out.

As I continue to monitor and watch the movement unfold, I’m baffled by the lack of commitment to the Occupy Movement Everywhere. A very compelling movement which is long overdue, yet lacks the momentum needed to bring around real change.   
"Resistance has always been most effective when exercised by those taught that they were the most powerless."
Just who, and where are the 99% who want and demand change? Where are they hiding? Has the Occupy Movement fallen on deaf ears or are people just too afraid to speak out against their oppressors? Perhaps most are contented with paying exorbitant taxes and earning pittance wages while corporate greed has become abundant and commonplace, hastily destroying the very fabric of our society for future generations. And still… their voices stagnant.

I watch in disgust as even among their own there is no solidarity to the cause. The backbiters and wannabe’s more worried about their own egocentric aspirations than those to which would benefit all mankind. They believe they belong to the 99% yet they want little if anything to do with the movement except to share in the rewards, should their be any. Depending what side of the percentage your on, the rewards could be irrefutable.

I read in disgust how lately the politicians and their henchmen now only want to quell the Occupy Movements as they become afraid of the growing momentum. How the corporate and government controlled media downplays the movement instead of airing and talking about the real issues at hand. (How often have we seen the media actually talking with the occupiers and telling their side of things?) Not often enough I’m afraid! What ever happened to Freedom of Speech and Freedom to Assemble as defined in Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Oh yeah… That was written for the 1% to oppress the 99%

I have to wonder though… With all the determination of the 99% where will this movement lead? Can anything good become of it? What will it change? What legacy may it pass down to our future generations? Personally, being part of that 99% I would hope that this movement continues to flourish and prosper. We desperately need change and we need it now. My heart goes out to everyone in the occupation who strive to bring about real change and I pray we can achieve our common goals without prejudice, violence and with much dignity.

Remember, we are the 99%!



Perhaps David Suzuki says it best.

“The course of human history is constantly changing. It's up to all of us to join the conversation to help steer it to a better path than the one we are on. Maybe our one demand should be of ourselves: Care enough to do something.”

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The Battle to Control the Internet

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , , | Posted on 2:22 PM

With the growing age of the Internet and the ever expanding digital world it seems as if there is a deadly war raging on throughout and surrounding the Internet. What was once a humble place for us mortals to spend some time in quiet research, enjoying leisure game play or connecting with our loved ones has now become a digital battle ground for those consumed by greed and profit!
Much like the battles in the real world where Good vs. Evil, the mighty war for control of the Internet is well under way. I was first drawn to this battle for control of the Internet with the debate over UBB (UsageBased Billing). Big Telecom’ companies fight over what they believe is their right to force UBB on the masses when they themselves are the biggest polluters on the Internet, forcing millions if not billions of people to view their often misleading advertisements. [Sound familiar?] No matter where you may land on the Internet today there are always enormous amounts of unnecessary advertisements and media. Media which is extremely bandwidth intensive hugely brought on by the ‘Big Telecom’ companies and their partners while they battle for control and the almighty dollar demanding we should pay for this.
Internet news media, online retailers, desktop application developers and Internet security software manufactures [just to name a few], all battle for your patronage in this battle for control. Yet just where are the people responsible for making sure that the masses have a fair playing field and are not being mislead by the hordes of online marketing fanatics and their tactics forced upon us daily in our search for leisure while we browse the Internet? Are not they the very same people who seek to take control of the Internet?
With the vast potential of wealth to be had on the internet and the lure of easy money, it is no wonder we see every walk of life scrambling into position. Recently we see how the battle is intensifying in the social media. From the early pages like My Space and My Yahoo and my MSN now comes along Twitter and Facebook with its 800 million strong and still counting.  Facebook has dealt a crushing blow to those less fortunate leaving countless others determined to earn this top spot. More recently a  fairly new player in the social war is Goggle+ and its circle of friends which have yet to be determined. I recently had a chance to check out this latest entry and so far I don’t foresee any immediate threat of Google+ taking over the reins. Perhaps it is just a launch pad for a super weapon of some sort...  
Needless to say, as in the real world the war rages on and countless players will succumb to the mighty all in the name of profit. There will be those who have and those who have not! Much like what is happening in our everyday lives, the rich will get richer all at the expense of those less fortunate. What the rest of us need to decide is where we want to stand in this battle in which may seem we have no control? Just remember, it’s all about the $$$... Don’t be swayed by the Promised Land.  The wealthy and rich would like to inherit the earth! Personally I would like to stay in the middle… if only they let me! 
We're into a whole new world with the Internet, and whenever we sort of cross another plateau in our development, there are those who seek to take advantage of it. So this is a replay of things that have happened throughout our history. ~Bill Clinton

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UBB… What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , , | Posted on 8:25 PM

As the debate over UBB (Usage Based Billing) rages on, it would seem that  the ‘Big Telecom’  have all the right answers, or so they would like us to believe. Shame on them! I for one am growing tired of hearing how they need to pay for the infrastructure already in place when we all, as consumers, are being over billed for the services we now receive. Just why do they now want to own the internet? Bottom line… it’s just another money grab. I agree that they may very well own the backbone, (the wires, fibre optics, ect)but the internet is a vast infrastructure with many nodes,  avenues and stations all of which the "’Big Telecom’ have contributed nothing to, so why is it now they feel they should profit off of others? Millions of corporations, businesses and consumers the world round have all contributed to the infrastructure of the internet so should we not reap some rewards also?
A recent article on The Globe and Mail does well to sum it up nicely.
Bell’s vision is an Internet that’s more like your cellphone. Treat every new Internet application as a “feature” that incurs a new monthly fee. Charge a “termination fee” if you get sick of how things are going. Above all, make everything consumers do cost more!
Sound familiar? We currently see this type of billing with our Cable TV, our home phone lines and our mobile phones.  Now, lets try to imagine an internet where if the ‘Big Telecom’ could have free rein to charge us at will as they now do with the other services they provide. It would not be very long before every web page, web app, video or song we clicked on or listened to, would have the all to familiar buttons attached.
Profit… is the real intention behind the current controversy regarding UBB, and no matter what Bell, Shaw Communications, TELUS or any other of the ‘Big Telecom’ may tell us or like us to believe, this must not be allowed to happen under any guise. As Canadians, and more so as consumers, we have to draw the line somewhere.
Click on the link to send your message to the Secretary General, CRTC  Stop The Meter: TNC CRTC 2011-77
Enough is ENOUGH!

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CRTC Ruling - Another Money Grab For Big Telecom?

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:30 PM

“When you invest zero, yeah, it’s pretty easy to say the cost-per-gig or per-bit is small. But when you invest billions, you’ve got to generate a return”  Mirko Bibic - Bell’s senior vice-president for regulatory affairs
A recent ruling from the CRTC to allow the big telecom companies ie: the Big Three, (BCE Bell, TELUS Corp, Roger’s Communications) to charge subscribers a Pay Per Usage fee is drawing heavy criticism and rightly so.  Just how much should we have to pay to access the internet, and just what is to be the outcome of a metered internet? Are we not paying enough already?


How many times have we all seen this before? Seems to me that this is just another money grab from the big corporations who only have one thing on their minds. The almighty dollar. (Let the rich get richer while the poor get poorer…) Myself, I’m getting real tired of this. I have more than enough hands in my pockets already!

Listening to them trying to justify their actions by talking about the billions spent on infrastructure just leaves me feeling sick to my stomach. What about the billions they overcharge their consumers for the shoddy cable and cellular services where every thing you do seems to cost you extra? Now they want to control and take over the internet as well! Please, give us a break!


For myself, I find this very disturbing. As a web developer and someone who enjoys streaming different forms of media over the internet, it’s hard to comprehend just why I, or anyone for that matter, should have to pay any additional fee for content that’s more graphic intensive or consumes more bandwidth, when  that’s the driving force behind the internet today.  Most sites today are very graphic intensive and if you stream media you’re bound to consume some bandwidth.  An average person on the web today could easily consume between 50 to 100 gigs of bandwidth per month. As new sites become more graphic intensive and consume more bandwidth then their predecessor, why is it the consumer should have to pick up the tab?
Even non-tech-savvy users are bumping up against download limits, as households seek more entertainment online and connect gaming consoles to the Internet!
It’s a complex issue with many sides but having a pay per use billing system in place will bring the internet to a standstill and will stifle new innovation. I honestly don’t believe that the big three are hurting because of lost bandwidth. However they are more likely hurting because of the potential for billions more of our hard earned money pouring into their coffer has escaped their grasp. Let’s hope that the recent ire of big businesses who rely on heavy data transmissions and the intervention of the Harper Government puts a stop to this blarney that the telecom companies would like us to believe. If not, perhaps we may wake up one day to find what once was, is no more thanks to the greed of a very wealthy few…

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The New Social Media – A Outlet for the Oppressed or Deceiving the Masses?

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in , , | Posted on 5:39 PM

“The difference between PR and social media is that PR is about positioning, and social media is about becoming, being and improving.” – Chris Brogan

 

socialmediaWhat is the true power behind social media and can it really make a difference in the world today? Recent protests in Egypt show one side of the true power behind social networking.  How a voice of one may overnight, or in a very short time, become amplified to reflect the voice of many. Having myself watched the speed and rise of the most popular social networking sites in the past decade, one has to wonder just what is the driving force behind social networking and how will it play into the next generation.

It really is quite fascinating at which the speed of social networking has grown.  From blogs to real time messages to Facebook, what is for sure to become the ultimate in social networking sites.  While the true potential behind Facebook is still to be discovered,  we can already see the ways in which it has influenced and changed the shape of the internet, and how it affects the lives of people from all around the world. 

In the internet world we see more and more sites becoming connected or associated with Facebook by the various means available.  We have like buttons, and share buttons, link buttons, and the list seems endless. Everyone want’s to be able to share their story with the world or through Facebook. Yet depending what side you represent, the way we share this information, may also be deceiving as is often the case with the Facebook (Like button). Those of us unfortunate enough to experience the sometimes unpleasantness of liking something on Facebook know all to well. Clicking on a button is not always what it may seem to be. Most times,  the real motive is not immediately known nor felt by the unsuspecting user. It only comes to light when perhaps the user’s friends demand that the unsuspecting user stop spamming their email account, or perhaps you find that something is suddenly not right with your computer. A word of advice… Stay away from the like button unless you know what it is you actually like.  Use the share button as it offers you more control over what it is you are sharing and others are less likely to be deceived.

~ullshit

Perhaps something greater than the deceptions though, is the power to bring people together where ever they may be and have their voice be heard throughout the world. From the current uprising in Egypt, to the cries for missing children around the world, social media has seems to have taken centre stage.  Unfortunately at this point, we’ll have to monitor closely how this will all play out in the long run.  In Egypt where censorship has once again taken control to try and shut off the voice of the people, social networking will prevail and the story will be told. With the introduction of social media, no one can stop the masses once the story is out there.  Let us remember, there is a great power behind the freedom of free speech and we must never let  the story be censored. That is the true power of social media and how it will change the world as we see it!

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On Censorship - Comments Disabled

Posted by Derek J.Sowa | Posted in | Posted on 10:10 PM

As to the evil which results from a censorship, it is impossible to measure it, for it is impossible to tell where it ends.

A recent article from  the Globe and Mail caught my attention the other day. The story focuses on the arrest of  Buddy Tavares caught on video. Sound familiar? This is not the first time we have heard of our Canadian Mounties caught is some despicable act on tape, nor am I sure will it be the last. However, after reading the article a few thoughts did come to mind.
First I thought, not again, remembering a similar incident which happened not long ago with Robert Dziekanski.  Not knowing the whole story I read further and I could not believe what I witnessed after watching the video of the arrest.  Clearly it shows a man, Buddy Tavares, being arrested by the police slowly stepping out of his vehicle with his hands behind his head and immediately upon exiting his vehicle proceeds to kneel on the ground at the request of the officer . The officer, gun in hand then proceeds to walk up and bluntly kick Buddy Tavares squarely in the face for no apparent reason. My God!  It left my gut feeling abhorrent and desperately wanting to speak out against such atrocious behaviour on the part of the officer. As I found my way to the end of the article, I noticed that the comments had been disabled for this particular story. Now where have I seen that before?
The English dictionary describes censorship as the following:
1.  suppression of published or broadcast material: the suppression of all or part of a play, movie, letter, or publication considered offensive or a threat to security
2.  suppression of something objectionable: the suppression or attempted suppression of something regarded as objectionable
Seems to me that the media like to take sides in these sensitive issues, as this is not the first time I have come across such censorship.  I have seen it on other sites as well. The Globe cites legal reasons for shutting out comments, yet the raw video on You Tube  has comments enabled.  I remember even A&E  had censored and shut down a discussion on Dog The Bounty Hunter because they say there was to much profanity.  Hell, and I thought we live in a free  and democratic society? I say if you’re going to play that crap on TV, then be prepared and listen to what the people have to say. Same goes for reporting. What is the purpose of reporting a story if the people really have no say in it?
On the other end of the spectrum a article published in the Toronto Sun about a protester at the recent funeral of Police Sgt. Ryan Russell seemed all to eager to have comments enabled. Can someone explain to me what’s the big difference between the two articles is and just who does the media serve? I think it’s time that the media do what’s right and let the voice of the people be heard. Really… STOP THE CENSORSHIP! What is the harm? These days we can all watch in abundance the violence, sex and profanity right in our living rooms. YES … we as diplomatic citizens who pay taxes and have the right to vote should be able to voice our opinions or concerns where ever and when ever we feel over such material and not have our comments censored by the whim of some moral outlet. Let the voice of the people be heard no matter who’s  to blame. The truth does and always will prevail. 
 

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