PREAMBLE This blog, takenote.ca, features a wide variety of topics. Recently, many daily posts have responded seriously to national and global politics, and rightly so. There is, however, a limit to what we and our readers can tolerate. Sometimes we need a break from politics and the serious matters which swirl around us. So today,... Continue Reading →
The truth gets uglier, day by day
UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL IMAGES AND A VIDEO "Trump and Vance have revealed to Americans and to America’s allies their alignment with Russia, and their animosity toward Ukraine in general and its president in particular. The truth is ugly, but it’s necessary to face it." -- David Frum, The Atlantic, Friday, February 28, 2025 And one... Continue Reading →
Checkup, on Cross Country Checkup
Howls of protest surged online as the CBC News special 51st State: A Cross Border Conversation was announced and broadcast on multiple platforms across the U.S. and Canada this past Sunday. This was an international co-production between CBC Radio Cross Country Checkup with Ian Hanomansing and The Middle with Jeremy Hobson. Both hosts took calls from Canadians and Americans.... Continue Reading →
Trump is rapidly gaining a personal monopoly on the use of force
[Ken Gray] On this my 67th birthday I wanted to write something myself about the state of the world, of North America, and of Canada. A few ideas are in development, but for now, the words below published by Robert Reich today are best shared here. They answer a question many Canadians and Americans ask... Continue Reading →
Resist. Resist. Resist.
MuskRat OR Muscovites OR Muskatel — You choose Resist. Resist. Resist. Let me count the ways. Letters to the editor of papers of record (if any are left); social media engagement, bot or not; join the queue for radio call-in shows; march in local protest rallies which are growing in number and size throughout the... Continue Reading →
News — A double-edged sword
I am pleased to share a prayer from Irwin Keller, Rabbi, Teacher, writer, hope-monger. Rabbi Keller knows well how the news is a double-edged sword; it informs us about what is happening locally, nationally, and globally; likewise it often upsets us often to the point of despair. Whether we learn of events in the Middle... Continue Reading →
Flag Day in Canada – My contribution
We don’t have a flag to fly on our patio today; other Canadians however certainly do. It’s refreshing that many Canadians have recovered their pride in our 60-year-old Maple Leaf Canadian flag, itself recently dishonored by trucker convoys and hootenanny right-wingers. Instead of parading the flag on our south-facing patio, I offer the memes below... Continue Reading →
Anatomy of a sociopath — Trump and the GOP dismantled
Social Synthesist and author Eileen Workman provides answers to two pressing questions I have about Donald Trump. 1) Has he always been this abusive and cruel in his business and political dealings. And 2) while he is considered by many a laughing stock, serving up daily dose of clown-like horrors atop a vicious bullying narcissism,... Continue Reading →
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Celebrating great Americans — A new series of blogs Time for something different here at takenote.ca. Setting aside stories of the dark fascist in the white house and his posse of oligarchal henchmen I want to commence a series celebrating great modern day Americans. Today I feature Henry Louis Gates, Jr., someone I have only... Continue Reading →
Canada: The Labradoodle of allies
[KJG] Five-year-old Labradoodle Juno is a nationally recognized dog-blogger who lives with her Mawpaw and Pawpaw in Summerland in the BC Okanagan. Her numerous blogs on many topics remain a popular feature of takenote.ca. Today, she digs into US politics. Enjoy. [Juno] Jon Stewart, you nailed it. You have mended my broken heart, an organ... Continue Reading →