David, your lack of research literature has both an upside and downside. You drive home the downside clearly for the reader. The upside, however, is you have the chance to contribute original research. You are not going to footnote the seminal research of another person. This is exciting; you ought to be able to find enough research literature in related fields to help you set the stage for your original research.
This happened to your humble servant at the University of Toronto. He originally intended to study British history there for his M.A., but when he got there, thank God, faculty members pointed out that in effect British history had been written, but Canadian history was barely written in comparison with British and American histories.
The result was, thank God, I switched from British to Canadian history, where, believe it or not, I am an expert on a principal, leading "Father of Confederation," T.D. McGee, who was a Founder of the Dominion as a united country, not a series of royal colonies.
You are in the same situation. You are "chopping wood" in a totally new "forest"! Lucky you!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Immigrants save Canada for now from America's fate.
Ursula, bingo, you "hit the nail on the head."
Too many Americans have a lousy work ethic, or none at all.
As you observe, often they do not bother to show up to work.
Why should we blame business then for outsourcing production to countries with strong work ethics?
Some of the economic damage in this country has been by this country to itself because it has become lazy, undisciplined, entitlement-minded on too many levels.
The coming economic crash is going to provide a huge reality check for lots of Americans. They are not worth what they think they are.
Too many Americans have a lousy work ethic, or none at all.
As you observe, often they do not bother to show up to work.
Why should we blame business then for outsourcing production to countries with strong work ethics?
Some of the economic damage in this country has been by this country to itself because it has become lazy, undisciplined, entitlement-minded on too many levels.
The coming economic crash is going to provide a huge reality check for lots of Americans. They are not worth what they think they are.
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Wisdom of Wiarton, Ontario, Canada
Dear Sheila, there is in fact a 2005 sociological study from UC-Berkley entitled Tony Soprano’s America. The basic theme is the system is “fixed,” which threatens institutional failure as people withdraw their confidence in the so-called democratic processes. I heard Dalton Camps in person, at lunch in fact in Kingston, when I lived there, talk about this danger, institutional failure! Barbara Tuchman, the late US historian (died 1984) warned this was greatest risk for US today. Your cartoon aligns with this. I often think of you, Bob Rix, Doug Nickel, Vera and Jack Byers, V.C. Last, John Johnson. Wiarton was formative big time for your humble servant here. I want to write a series of essays entitled “The Wisdom of Wiarton.” Bob’s passing has been hard for me, for he and I worked together, walked to school together, and, like you, remained loyal friends over many years. It seems life is pulling me in other directions now, but Wiarton, you, your family, are not forgotten. You will be in my proposed book of essays! Jane and I are off to New York City in May for a week. I just joined the UEL association of Canada! It is time! We are hoping a Liberal government will replace Harper. Do not follow the US into wars in the Middle East to preserve oil company profits. We are fighting here to preserve what little social security and medicare we have. However, I am now getting serious. I do not want the problems of the world to detract from my appreciation, value of your friendship over these many years. Jane and I will probably head for Ontario later in 2011. Hopefully we can visit then. Meanwhile, God bless. Paul
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Canada resembles the European, not American, approach to business.
Jose, for many years, governments in Europe lived with the very real threat of Communism. If capitalism, or business, became too greedy, too barbaric, well-organized Communist parties were present to exploit abuses and take over.
As a result, European governments developed what we call the "welfare" state. They made sure that people got proper healthcare, wages, pensions, etc.
In short, they protected capitalism from destroying itself through provoking a bloody Communist revolution.
In America, we have never had, yet, such an organized force like the Communists in Europe to "put the fear of God" into the vampires on Wall Street for destroying our economy and millions of lives in the process as poverty increases.
Your humble servant here is not a Communist. He visited East Germany and Berlin - by motorcycle - when they were under Communist control, and he knows first-hand the fear under which people live under Communism. We do not want this.
We also do not want the banksters doing whatever they want in pursuit of greed. How we curb the current economic terrorism in the US remains to be discovered. The future is going to be very interesting, and, yes, scary yet.
As a result, European governments developed what we call the "welfare" state. They made sure that people got proper healthcare, wages, pensions, etc.
In short, they protected capitalism from destroying itself through provoking a bloody Communist revolution.
In America, we have never had, yet, such an organized force like the Communists in Europe to "put the fear of God" into the vampires on Wall Street for destroying our economy and millions of lives in the process as poverty increases.
Your humble servant here is not a Communist. He visited East Germany and Berlin - by motorcycle - when they were under Communist control, and he knows first-hand the fear under which people live under Communism. We do not want this.
We also do not want the banksters doing whatever they want in pursuit of greed. How we curb the current economic terrorism in the US remains to be discovered. The future is going to be very interesting, and, yes, scary yet.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Elora, Ontario, Canada
Walter, in our local bookstore last week, I found a reader on the philosophy of Albert Schweitzer in his own words, writings. It was a surprise, or an act of grace, a gift from God, again. It came at the right time moment.
In effect, Schweitzer decided not to waste his time on this planet trying to save people from themselves, e.g. Western civilization. Instead, he went where he felt his gifts, values were received with a minimum of resistance. In effect, he went into exile. Yet, he did not waste his time on lost causes, e.g. World War I and World War II. Both of them loom as colossal human disasters with time and distance from the wartime propaganda generated to motivate people to engage in killing each other.
He is offering me a model. Go where your values, skills, talents are welcome. In other words, As/Is. This is how it is, and if the society, civilization is intent on destroying itself, which the American society is, we, you, I cannot stop it.
Rather, live as best we can in situations where what we can offer, share is welcome.
I often think of the Mennonites that I saw living around Elora, Ontario. In a sense they are practicing a form of Schweitzer. They are in but not of the world’s god-awful agendas. I am not a primitive here. Rather, this setting calls to me, the Elora Gorge, the scale of the village, the art, antiques, out-of-time (nobody likes the 20th and 2lst centuries if they are sane) 19th and 18th century ambience in which hope for better days still lived.
Schweitzer taught “Reverence for Life,” not Death. Life is a gift of God, and as the Bible teaches, God is not, like the Egyptian idols, a God of death. He is the God of life, and we align with this basic reality when we “Reverence Life.” This may lead us, as it did Schweitzer, to disengage from futile efforts to save people from the consequences of their follies, for as the Bibles teaches, “the wages of sin (to deny, oppose God’s design) is death” not life.
Our dialog is an expression of Schweitzer’s insight. We share with each other, because we value what each other has to share, offer. This does not waste our time, which is short enough in this world in any case.
Yes, the meditation here is Albert Schweitzer, and I plan to read his writing with great care as a guide to what comes next, God willing.
Do not despair. It is easy to do. Rather, as Schweitzer managed, be in but not of the world. So ends the sermon of the day. Paul
In effect, Schweitzer decided not to waste his time on this planet trying to save people from themselves, e.g. Western civilization. Instead, he went where he felt his gifts, values were received with a minimum of resistance. In effect, he went into exile. Yet, he did not waste his time on lost causes, e.g. World War I and World War II. Both of them loom as colossal human disasters with time and distance from the wartime propaganda generated to motivate people to engage in killing each other.
He is offering me a model. Go where your values, skills, talents are welcome. In other words, As/Is. This is how it is, and if the society, civilization is intent on destroying itself, which the American society is, we, you, I cannot stop it.
Rather, live as best we can in situations where what we can offer, share is welcome.
I often think of the Mennonites that I saw living around Elora, Ontario. In a sense they are practicing a form of Schweitzer. They are in but not of the world’s god-awful agendas. I am not a primitive here. Rather, this setting calls to me, the Elora Gorge, the scale of the village, the art, antiques, out-of-time (nobody likes the 20th and 2lst centuries if they are sane) 19th and 18th century ambience in which hope for better days still lived.
Schweitzer taught “Reverence for Life,” not Death. Life is a gift of God, and as the Bible teaches, God is not, like the Egyptian idols, a God of death. He is the God of life, and we align with this basic reality when we “Reverence Life.” This may lead us, as it did Schweitzer, to disengage from futile efforts to save people from the consequences of their follies, for as the Bibles teaches, “the wages of sin (to deny, oppose God’s design) is death” not life.
Our dialog is an expression of Schweitzer’s insight. We share with each other, because we value what each other has to share, offer. This does not waste our time, which is short enough in this world in any case.
Yes, the meditation here is Albert Schweitzer, and I plan to read his writing with great care as a guide to what comes next, God willing.
Do not despair. It is easy to do. Rather, as Schweitzer managed, be in but not of the world. So ends the sermon of the day. Paul
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Religious Traditions in America and Canada
Madeline, your comments about underdogs are insightful. Here is why. In America, we encourage entrepreneurship, risk taking. The reason we do this is because in our culture to sin and to be saved from sin provides a cultural matrix in which failure does not permanently doom us. This is part of our religious revivalism that has spilled over into our secular culture. In fact, we admire the "sinner" (underdog) who has been "saved" (successful).
America and Canada share a common history of religious revivalism. However, in Canada, the estalishment churches have been Anglican and Catholic, which are not given to revival meetings. Therefore, it could be argued that Canada lacks a cultural matrix for vibrant or virulent entrepreneurship in comparison with America. However, the dominant church in Canada is the United Church of Canada in terms of numbers, and it has its roots in mainline Protestant traditions.
This writer in fact has attended open-air tent revival meetings in Ontario, Canada when he lived there. In this tradition, being a sinner and being saved mirrors the classic revivalism in America. Although the establishment churches have dominated the history of Canada, and helped to shape its culture, of course, there is ample evidence to suggest that Canada, like America, has also benefited from religious revivalism that gives failures another chance to succeed - to be entrepreneurs again.
America and Canada share a common history of religious revivalism. However, in Canada, the estalishment churches have been Anglican and Catholic, which are not given to revival meetings. Therefore, it could be argued that Canada lacks a cultural matrix for vibrant or virulent entrepreneurship in comparison with America. However, the dominant church in Canada is the United Church of Canada in terms of numbers, and it has its roots in mainline Protestant traditions.
This writer in fact has attended open-air tent revival meetings in Ontario, Canada when he lived there. In this tradition, being a sinner and being saved mirrors the classic revivalism in America. Although the establishment churches have dominated the history of Canada, and helped to shape its culture, of course, there is ample evidence to suggest that Canada, like America, has also benefited from religious revivalism that gives failures another chance to succeed - to be entrepreneurs again.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Once upon a time in Ontario, Canada
Zeneido, when you humble servant here taught in the Ontario, Canada public school system, our management insisted that the outcomes of every class grading for a course must be a bell curve. We were under pressure to meet a "bell curve quota." Therefore, this writer would say at the start of the course, because of this bell curve requirement, some of you must fail, and you must figure out who it will be. It is sad to have to do this.
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