Why do coffee machines have plastic baskets? The oils build up over time and add bitterness to even the best coffee. Which is why my fair trade coffee is filtered through this ceramic basket.
The brown unbleached filters seem less chemically, and I stopped using the #2 cone filters, because, not only are they much more expensive than the basket filters, the bottoms often break. I’d rather not have to sieve my coffee.
Yes, I believe you’re correct the Pirate Party announced its Basic Income policy before the Greens, at least the PPoC was where I first heard of Mincome. The GPC had an excellent suite of interconnected policy, with Guaranteed Livable Income (the GPC version of basic income) at it’s heart (re-commitment to (truly) Universal Health Care, Universal Pharma Care, Universal Post Secondary Education, National Housing Strategy) which enough Canadians didn’t vote for in the 2015 election.
Instead, those voters who voted failed to empower the GPC beyond re-electing Elizabeth May. Similarly, voters withdrew a great deal of support from the NDP, decimating the party’s presence in Parliament. And sadly, no PPoC candidates have yet been elected to Parliament. There are a great many issues before Canadians, and the smaller parties have more limited resources than is good for Canada. I appreciate that the Green Party has a better opportunity than the PPoC to raise issues in the House and even the press with a sitting MP, but at the same time Ms. May has an extraordinary amount of work on her plate, not just as the MP for Saanich Gulf Islands, but as the leader (and only representative for) the entire Green Party across Canada, and what she does accomplish is pretty incredible. Seems to me both Ms. May and the NDP have applied themselves quite strenuously to the issue I think most important: electoral reform.
Since Confederation, the big parties have rigged the rules against small parties; even when elected, small parties and Independents are routinely excluded from full Parliamentary participation. This is unlikely to change substantially unless Canadians catch onto the fact we don’t have to vote for the usual suspects, we just need to forget about strategic voting, and get the other 40% of eligible voters out to the polls. My own thinking is that the most important issue before Parliament continues to be electoral reform. As we’ve seen today, one of the worst things about winner-take-all politics is policy lurch. http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315284-white-house-climate-change-webpage-disappears-after-trumps
Until the smaller parties at least get a level playing field that they might have the wherewithal to represent their constituents properly, how they choose to allocate the limited resources at their disposal is up to them. At this point Basic Income is not a priority for the Federal Liberals. If the Ontario Provincial Liberals go ahead with it, they might just rehabilitate the Wynne Government enough to get re-elected; if that’s the case, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Feds follow suit.
But there were at least 2 past (and possibly future) Green candidates at the Waterloo Region Basic Income Pilot Consulation, including Bob Jonkman here:
“You possess powerful skills to turn any situation around.”
— Fortune
Fair Trade coffee. Dark Roast. Yum.
Fair Trade coffee. Dark Roast. Yum.
the shape of things to come
the shape of things to come
Today is the American inauguration.
I know a lot of people have serious concerns, but the fact remains, the new administration was the result of the American winner-take-all election.
If you’re a Democratic supporter and the system didn’t work for you, it is time to see about fixing it. Fighting among yourselves won’t get you anywhere, it is time to find common ground. Complaints might make you feel better but working for productive change would be better. Seek out fairvote.org or see what you can do to help @lessig with campaign finance reform. If you want change, now is the time to knuckle down and work for it.
Feuds are counterproductive, so I recommend treating those whose politics you disagree with with respect, even if you think they don’t deserve it, because the only good way to real change that will stand the test of time is through dialogue and working together. The shape of your country’s future depends on it.
I know a lot of people are happy with the election result. You were unhappy during the last administration, and now you’re on the winning side. But no matter what your reasons for voting the way you did, chances are good that you are going to be seeing a lot of broken promises as your newly elected President finds his way, but that’s how it works. Even when your team wins in winner-take-all politics, chances are you are going to have to lobby the government to actually deliver on the promises that got your vote. If you want the system to deliver, now is the time to knuckle down and work for it.
Feuds are counterproductive, so I recommend treating those whose politics you disagree with with respect, even if you think they don’t deserve it, because the only good way to real change that will stand the test of time is through dialogue and working together. The shape of your country’s future depends on it.
I know a lot of people are unhappy, and would have been unhappy, no matter whether Mr. Trump or Mrs Clinton won. These are the citizens who support other parties, third parties, or are so disgusted with the unfairness of the system they support none. Nearly half of your eligible voters didn’t vote at all; I imagine many of them have bought into the idea that voting for what they wanted would have been futile. Not voting doesn’t get you what you want, it lets those who did decide your fate. If the system doesn’t work for you, it is time to see about fixing it. Complaints might make you feel better but working for productive change would be better. Seek out fairvote.org or see what you can do to help @lessig with campaign finance reform. Or get involved with the party of your choice to see what you can do to help it’s candidate(s) get elected next time there is an election.
Feuds are counter-productive, so I recommend treating those whose politics you disagree with with respect, even if you think they don’t deserve it, because the only good way to real change that will stand the test of time is through dialogue and working together. The shape of your country’s future depends on it.
Democracy shouldn’t be a team sport.
It shouldn’t divide citizens into “us” and “them.”
To make democracy work, people have to work together, for the good of all. For the public good. Remember the golden rule and stay classy.
Good luck to you all.