#Managed IT Service Provider in Canada

[gsweb]

GS Web Technologies Canada stands as a leading graphic designing company in Calgary, dedicated to bringing your creative vision to life. Our expert team combines innovation with strategic thinking to deliver visually stunning designs that resonate with your audience. From branding to marketing materials, we offer comprehensive graphic design solutions tailored to meet your business objectives. Partner with us to elevate your brand's visual identity and leave a lasting impression in the Calgary market.

[empirelogistics]

Integrated Logistics Company in Surrey BC - EMPIRE LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT INC

EMPIRE LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT INC is an integrated logistics company located in Surrey, BC. We specialize in providing supply chain solutions for domestic and international transportation services. Our team of expert logistics professionals provides custom-tailored solutions that are designed to ensure the timely transportation of goods while also minimizing cost and maximizing efficiency.

[argyrocratie]

"How will people get healthcare?

(...)

During the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona’s Medical Syndicate, organized largely by anarchists, managed 18 hospitals (6 of which it had created), 17 sanatoria, 22 clinics, 6 psychiatric establishments, 3 nurseries, and one maternity hospital. Outpatient departments were set up in all the principal localities in Catalunya. Upon receiving a request, the Syndicate sent doctors to places in need. The doctor would have to give good reason for refusing the post, “for it was considered that medicine was at the service of the community, and not the other way round.”[40] Funds for outpatient clinics came from contributions from local municipalities. The anarchist Health Workers’ Union included 8,000 health workers, 1,020 of them doctors, and also 3,206 nurses, 133 dentists, 330 midwives, and 153 herbalists. The Union operated 36 health centers distributed throughout Catalunya to provide healthcare to everyone in the entire region. There was a central syndicate in each of nine zones, and in Barcelona a Control Committee composed of one delegate from each section met once a week to deal with common problems and implement a common plan. Every department was autonomous in its own sphere, but not isolated, as they supported one another. Beyond Catalunya, healthcare was provided for free in agrarian collectives throughout Aragon and the Levant.

Even in the nascent anarchist movement in the US today, anarchists are taking steps to learn about and provide healthcare. In some communities anarchists are learning alternative medicine and providing it for their communities. And at major protests, given the likelihood of police violence, anarchists organize networks of volunteer medics who set up first aid stations and organize roving medics to provide first aid for thousands of demonstrators. These medics, often self-trained, treat injuries from pepper spray, tear gas, clubs, tasers, rubber bullets, police horses, and more, as well as shock and trauma. The Boston Area Liberation Medic Squad (BALM Squad) is an example of a medic group that organizes on a permanent basis. Formed in 2001, they travel to major protests in other cities as well, and hold trainings for emergency first aid. They run a website, share information, and link to other initiatives, such as the Common Ground clinic described below. They are non-hierarchical and use consensus decision-making, as does the Bay Area Radical Health Collective, a similar group on the West Coast.

Between protests, a number of radical feminist groups throughout the US and Canada have formed Women’s Health Collectives, to address the needs of women. Some of these collectives teach female anatomy in empowering, positive ways, showing women how to give themselves gynecological exams, how to experience menstruation comfortably, and how to practice safe methods of birth control. The patriarchal Western medical establishment is generally ignorant of women’s health to the point of being degrading and harmful. An anti-establishment, do-it-yourself approach allows marginalized people to subvert a neglectful system by organizing to meet their own needs.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, activist street medics joined a former Black Panther in setting up the Common Ground clinic in one of the neediest neighborhoods. They were soon assisted by hundreds of anarchists and other volunteers from across the country, mostly without experience. Funded by donations and run by volunteers, the Common Ground clinic provided treatment to tens of thousands of people.

The failure of the government’s “Emergency Management” experts during the crisis is widely recognized. But Common Ground was so well organized it also out-performed the Red Cross, despite the latter having a great deal more experience and resources.[41] In the process, they popularized the concept of mutual aid and made plain the failure of the government. At the time of this writing Common Ground has 40 full-time organizers and is pursuing health in a much broader sense, also making community gardens and fighting for housing rights so that those evicted by the storm will not be prevented from coming home by the gentrification plans of the government. They have helped gut and rebuild many houses in the poorest neighborhoods, which authorities wanted to bulldoze in order to win more living space for rich white people."

-Peter Gelderloos, "Anarchy Works" (2010)

[hellyeahscarleteen]

It’s that time again: we’re looking for a new cohort of volunteers!

Are you interested in joining a grassroots organization that's helped provide some of the very best free sex, bodies and relationships education, information and support online to people of all ages for more than two and a half decades? Do you have around 8 hours each week of time and energy (which you can split across a couple shifts) to donate to working with us? Can you do about 25 hours of initial training across the month of June? Are you pretty self-directed? Able to work remotely?* We’re looking for a new cohort of volunteers to train in at Scarleteen to specifically help us with:

direct services (the message boards, SMS helpline and live chat)

social media

content review

fresh ideas (!)

and enriching our team and community as a whole

This time around, we’re seeking folks who:

have previous experience working hotlines, warmlines, or other direct services

are already very familiar with the site and its services

feel very passionate about providing young people quality, caring, support and education, particularly in the arenas of sex, bodies, and interpersonal relationships

We’ll be extra keen if you:

live in or near India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka

live in or near Canada, Mexico or Australia

are BIPOC, disabled, or both

have previous experience providing sex and relationships education in community, school or nonprofit settings (not just on social media)

All volunteers will need to do some work in our direct services as a regular part of volunteering. You should also be familiar with Scarleteen's content, history and our overall vibe, and a dedication to the provision of free, sex-positive sex education. Training is provided, and team support, guidance and co-work is ongoing. We ask volunteers for personal responsibility in keeping work commitments, their own time management, contributing to the team, and pursuing and continuing your knowledge and skills in the area of sex education. We welcome applications from anyone who is interested in volunteering with us who meets the criteria listed above. We are deeply committed to serving our diverse, global user base well. We need and love the breadth of our team, and we particularly appreciate applications from people whose experiences, perspectives, and skills further expand our diversity.

(*If hardware is an issue, we can often help with that, so please don’t let a laptop that’s on the fritz or an old phone stop you from applying!)

Find out more and apply here:

[plethoraworldatlas]

Conservation groups filed objections this week to the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed final management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests in western Colorado. The plan would allow commercial logging on more than 772,000 acres of public lands, including mature and old-growth trees — a 66% increase from the current forest plan.

“A sizeable area of our beloved forests could be sacrificed to commercial logging at the expense of our already dwindling wilderness areas, wildlife habitat and recreation,” said Chad Reich with High Country Conservation Advocates. “Outdoor recreation is a far larger economic driver for our communities than the local timber industry that benefits from cutting these forests. The Forest Service would’ve known that if it had conducted an economic analysis, as required by law.”

Under the proposed plan mature and old-growth forests, which store massive amounts of carbon, could be commercially logged. Forest managers would not be required to identify and protect old-growth and mature trees. Steep slopes across the forests, including Upper Taylor Canyon and Slate River Valley, could also be logged despite the high risk of severe erosion and threats to water quality.

“The proposed plan directly violates federal policy on protecting mature and old-growth trees as a cornerstone of U.S. climate action,” said Alison Gallensky, conservation geographer with Rocky Mountain Wild. “The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests boast the highest carbon sequestration capacity of any national forest in the Rocky Mountain region. Despite this the Forest Service has failed to ensure these vital carbon sinks aren’t logged and sold.”

Objections also challenged the Forest Service’s failure to take urgently needed climate action by prohibiting new coal leasing in the plan.

...

The Forest Service recommended adding only 46,200 acres of new wilderness area in the final plan. The community’s conservation proposal had called for more than 324,000 acres of new wilderness lands. In addition, the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative offered a broadly supported proposal for new wilderness and special management areas in Gunnison County that was mostly excluded.

...

“Community members proposed special management area designations to protect pristine forestlands in the North Fork Valley from logging and oil and gas drilling,” said Peter Hart, legal director at Wilderness Workshop. “The Forest Service ignored those proposals and chose not to protect those areas in the new plan.”

The groups also raised concerns about the plan’s failure to address the myriad needs of plants and animals that depend on the forests.

“Over 20 years ago Colorado Parks and Wildlife reintroduced Canada lynx to the San Juan Mountains,” said Rocky Smith, a long-time forest management analyst. “This is a great source of pride for wildlife lovers in this state. Lynx are federally threatened and depend on mature forests with large trees. This plan allows for logging that could easily degrade or destroy much of the best habitat for lynx and their main prey, snowshoe hares, and undermine Colorado’s hard work to reestablish and maintain a viable lynx population.”

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests also provide habitat for the iconic bighorn sheep and lesser-known species like the Grand Junction milkvetch and the Tundra buttercup. These species, among others, need special designation the Forest Service grants to plants and animals when there is concern about their ability to survive in the area. Many struggling plants and animals were left off the list in the proposed final plan.

“Without the species of conservation concern designation the Forest Service has no obligation to make sure the plants and animals continue to exist locally,” said Chris Krupp, public lands attorney with WildEarth Guardians. “In many cases, the agency decided not to designate wildlife, plants or fish merely because it had no data on their population trends. Without species of conservation concern designation, the number of bighorn sheep in GMUG could dwindle down to almost nothing and the agency wouldn’t have to do anything about it.”

[jackied0minguez]

Remote Work Redefined: TopDevz CEO Ashkan Rajaee on the Future of Flexible Business

In a world where remote work has rapidly shifted from a temporary solution to a long-term strategy, TopDevz CEO Ashkan Rajaee is leading by example. Speaking ahead of the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, Rajaee shared insights on how his company has seamlessly integrated remote operations into its DNA—and why he believes this model isn’t just a passing trend.

A New Kind of Software Solutions

TopDevz isn’t your typical tech firm. Comprising an elite team of software developers, designers, project managers, and quality assurance specialists based in the United States and Canada, the company tackles the unique challenges that conventional off-the-shelf software can’t resolve. Rajaee explains that while standard solutions can cover 80–90% of business needs, the remaining nuances often cause significant inefficiencies. TopDevz fills this gap by offering custom solutions designed to address those critical details, ensuring that their clients achieve peak operational efficiency. With an impressive 96% workforce retention rate and 63% of their business coming through referrals, the company’s model speaks volumes about its effectiveness and employee satisfaction.

Mastering Remote Operations

Long before the global pivot to remote work, TopDevz was already thriving in a fully virtual environment. Rajaee emphasizes that the success of remote operations lies in having the right infrastructure and clear communication channels. “Working remotely isn’t as simple as logging in from home,” he notes. “It demands disciplined processes and a commitment to best practices—elements we’ve honed over the years.” His team’s seamless transition during the pandemic only reinforced the idea that a well-organized remote workforce can outperform traditional office setups.

The Indefinite Future of Remote Work

For TopDevz, remote work isn’t a temporary workaround—it’s the future. Rajaee envisions a business landscape where companies can lower overhead costs while empowering employees to work from anywhere. This flexible model not only drives client satisfaction by reducing expenses but also enriches employees’ lives by allowing them to choose environments that inspire creativity and well-being.

Rajaee even shares a personal touch: his passion for working from a yacht. Equipped with reliable Wi-Fi and satellite services, his unconventional workspace symbolizes the freedom that remote work offers. “If your current job doesn’t support the lifestyle you aspire to, it’s time to consider other opportunities,” he advises. His own journey from renting a yacht to eventually making it part of his regular work life underscores the importance of aligning one’s career with personal values and ambitions.

Empowering the Next Generation of Remote Entrepreneurs

Beyond leading TopDevz, Rajaee is passionate about sharing his remote work philosophy. Through his “RemotePreneur” initiative, he provides aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals with a playbook for building successful remote companies. This resource addresses the nuanced challenges of remote business management—from overcoming financial stagnation in traditional roles to confronting the inevitable criticisms that come with venturing off the beaten path. Rajaee’s message is clear: true freedom in work comes from rethinking established norms and embracing the possibilities that remote operations can offer.

Embracing a New Era

As businesses around the globe continue to navigate the evolving work landscape, Ashkan Rajaee’s vision serves as a powerful reminder that remote work, when executed with precision and passion, can unlock unprecedented opportunities. His leadership at TopDevz demonstrates that with the right approach, remote operations can not only sustain but also drive innovation, employee satisfaction, and overall business growth.

In a time when flexibility and adaptability are more important than ever, Rajaee’s insights offer a compelling roadmap for companies eager to thrive in a remote-first world.

[felassan]

Article: 'EA’s BioWare will lay off 50 and cut ties with unionized Keywords playtesting group'

[BioWare Blog post for reference]

Excerpts:

"The layoffs are a blow to morale at the studio and have made the environment difficult, said Gary Mckay, general manager of the developer, in a statement to employees today. He said EA is trying to make BioWare into a more agile and more focused studio. EA has an estimated 12,000 to 13,000 employees, and BioWare had perhaps 250 people. The moves come with a couple of related or perhaps coincidental events. A spokesperson for EA said that the company was unable to come to an agreement with a part of Keywords, a big game services firm, that provides playtesting services. In June 2022, this small part of Keywords had a group of contractors who voted to unionize. EA said it was unable to create a new contract and so will let that current one expire on September 27. It’s not clear what will happen to the contractors without the EA contract, but it’s fair to guess that some jobs will likely be lost over at Keywords unless they find other work. An industry source said EA has renewed work orders with Keywords Studios since their employees voted to unionize in June 2022. But the source added that, in this instance, the two companies simply couldn’t agree to terms. The Keywords contract requirements exceeded what EA/BioWare needed given the change in development approach at the studio.  The layoff also comes about three months after EA moved production of its massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, to a third-party publisher, Broadsword, in Reston, Virginia. The game debuted way back in 2011 and has entered maintenance mode. Broadsword has also taken over games like Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot so players can keep playing them. McKay’s leadership will not be affected. Michael Gamble, who recently returned to BioWare, serves as head of the Mass Effect team, and pre-production continues on the next Mass Effect game. Corinne Busche and John Epler, two leaders on Dragon Age, also continue in their roles. Andrew Wilson, CEO of EA, announced back in March that the company would cut about 6% of its total workforce, and these cutbacks are related to that move. EA has not said when Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will ship."

[source and full article]

[tieflingkisser]

I’m a dentist from India. The fluoride debate in the U.S. horrifies me

from the article:

Florida has just banned fluoride in public water, becoming the second state to do so. It’s part of decadeslong battle that has heated up in recent years. Local governments debate whether it belongs in the water supply. Parents question safety. Pseudoscience clouds public perception. Often, the conversation is framed as a domestic ideological battle between personal liberty and public health mandates.

As a dentist trained in India and a global health researcher based in the United States, I have observed the fluoride debate from a broader, global lens. In many parts of the world, fluoride is not controversial — it is simply unavailable. Millions suffer from preventable tooth decay because they lack access to fluoride, and therefore the protection it provides against oral disease.

In India, I treated patients who represented both extremes of the fluoride spectrum. Some rural communities were exposed to naturally high fluoride levels, leading to debilitating skeletal fluorosis. But in many urban and peri-urban settings, especially among low-income populations, fluoride exposure was virtually nonexistent. The consequences were visible: advanced cavities in children as young as 6, chronic gum infections in adults, and widespread tooth loss among the elderly.

In these settings, fluoridated toothpaste was not always affordable or available. Water systems were rarely fluoridated. The absence of fluoride was not a health preference — it was a systemic failure. My patients were not debating the merits of fluoridation. They were living with the consequences of its absence.

This duality shaped my understanding of fluoride not as a universal good or evil, but as a tool — one that must be managed carefully and distributed equitably.

Today, working as a public health researcher in the United States, I continue to examine the health implications of oral care disparities. In many ways, fluoride remains the only preventive dental measure that reaches vulnerable populations who lack regular access to clinical care.

Yet opposition to fluoride in the U.S. is often strongest in well-resourced communities — where alternative dental services are abundant, fluoride toothpaste is affordable, and public skepticism, political mistrust, or misinformation can take hold. For many of these people, unfluoridated water may not pose an immediate risk — they have the means to compensate through private care. But the bans they advocate for extend far beyond their communities, stripping others of a preventive tool they cannot easily replace. Low-income and marginalized populations, particularly Black and Latino communities, experience disproportionately high rates of dental disease and already lack sufficient access to both fluoridated water and affordable care.

In these communities, fluoride is not an ideological question. It is a practical intervention that can reduce the burden of oral disease, which in turn is linked to systemic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy complications.

[...]

The World Health Organization and numerous peer-reviewed studies continue to support fluoride as a safe and effective public health measure, particularly where preventive care access is limited. From Canada to the United Kingdom to India, governments continue to struggle with balancing public concern against health equity.

[wokealqaeda]

Albert Gonzalez (born 1981) is an American computer hacker, computer criminal and police informer, who is accused of masterminding the combined credit card theft and subsequent reselling of more than 170 million card and ATMnumbers from 2005 to 2007, the biggest such fraud in history. Gonzalez and his accomplices used SQL injection to deploy backdoors on several corporate systems in order to launch packet sniffing (specifically, ARP spoofing) attacks which allowed him to steal computer data from internal corporate networks.

Gonzalez bought his first computer when he was 12, and by the time he was 14 managed to hack into NASA. He attended South Miami High School in Miami, Florida, where he was described as the "troubled" pack leader of computer nerds. In 2000, he moved to New York City, where he lived for three months before moving to Kearny, New Jersey.

While in Kearny, he was accused of being the mastermind of a group of hackers called the ShadowCrew group, which trafficked in 1.5 million stolen credit and ATM card numbers. Although considered the mastermind of the scheme (operating on the site under the screen name of "CumbaJohnny"), he was not indicted. According to the indictment, there were 4,000 people who registered with the Shadowcrew.com website. Once registered, they could buy stolen account numbers or counterfeit documents at auction, or read "Tutorials and How-To's" describing the use of cryptography in magnetic strips on credit cards, debit cards and ATM cards so that the numbers could be used. Moderators of the website punished members who did not abide by the site's rules, including providing refunds to buyers if the stolen card numbers proved invalid.

In addition to the card numbers, numerous other objects of identity theft were sold at auction, including counterfeit passports, drivers' licenses, Social Security cards, credit cards, debit cards, birth certificates, college student identification cards, and health insurance cards. One member sold 18 million e-mail accounts with associated usernames, passwords, dates of birth, and other personally identifying information. Most of those indicted were members who actually sold illicit items. Members who maintained or moderated the website itself were also indicted, including one who attempted to register the .cc domain name Shadowcrew.cc.

The Secret Service dubbed their investigation "Operation Firewall" and believed that up to $4.3 million was stolen, as ShadowCrew shared its information with other groups called Carderplanet and Darkprofits. The investigation involved units from the United States, Bulgaria, Belarus, Canada, Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Ukraine. Gonzalez was initially charged with possession of 15 fake credit and debit cards in Newark, New Jersey, though he avoided jail time by providing evidence to the United States Secret Service against his cohorts. 19 ShadowCrew members were indicted. Gonzalez then returned to Miami.

While cooperating with authorities, he was said to have masterminded the hacking of TJX Companies, in which 45.6 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen over an 18-month period ending in 2007, topping the 2005 breach of 40 million records at CardSystems Solutions. Gonzalez and 10 others sought targets while wardriving and seeking vulnerabilities in wireless networks along U.S. Route 1 in Miami. They compromised cards at BJ's Wholesale Club, DSW, Office Max, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority and T.J. Maxx. The indictment referred to Gonzalez by the screen names "cumbajohny", "201679996", "soupnazi", "segvec", "kingchilli" and "stanozlolz." The hacking was an embarrassment to TJ Maxx, which discovered the breach in December 2006. The company initially believed the intrusion began in May 2006, but further investigation revealed breaches dating back to July 2005.

Gonzalez had multiple US co-defendants for the Dave & Buster's and TJX thefts. The main ones were charged and sentenced as follows:

Stephen Watt (Unix Terrorist, Jim Jones) was charged with providing a data theft tool in an identity theft case. He was sentenced to two years in prison and 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered by the court to pay back $250,000 in restitution.

Damon Patrick Toey pleaded guilty to wire fraud, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft and received a five-year sentence.

Christopher Scott pleaded guilty to conspiracy, unauthorized access to computer systems, access device fraud and identity theft. He was sentenced to seven years.

Gonzalez was arrested on May 7, 2008, on charges stemming from hacking into the Dave & Buster's corporate network from a point of sale location at a restaurant in Islandia, New York. The incident occurred in September 2007. About 5,000 card numbers were stolen. Fraudulent transactions totaling $600,000 were reported on 675 of the cards.

Authorities became suspicious after the conspirators kept returning to the restaurant to reintroduce their hack, because it would not restart after the company computers shut down.

Gonzalez was arrested in room 1508 at the National Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. In various related raids, authorities seized $1.6 million in cash (including $1.1 million buried in plastic bags in a three-foot drum in his parents' backyard), his laptops and a compact Glock pistol. Officials said that, at the time of his arrest, Gonzalez lived in a nondescript house in Miami. He was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he was indicted in the Heartland attacks.

In August 2009, Gonzalez was indicted in Newark, New Jersey on charges dealing with hacking into the Heartland Payment Systems, Citibank-branded 7-Eleven ATM's and Hannaford Brothers computer systems. Heartland bore the brunt of the attack, in which 130 million card numbers were stolen. Hannaford had 4.6 million numbers stolen. Two other retailers were not disclosed in the indictment; however, Gonzalez's attorney told StorefrontBacktalk that two of the retailers were J.C. Penney and Target Corporation. Heartland reported that it had lost $12.6 million in the attack including legal fees. Gonzalez allegedly called the scheme "Operation Get Rich or Die Tryin."

According to the indictment, the attacks by Gonzalez and two unidentified hackers "in or near Russia" along with unindicted conspirator "P.T." from Miami, began on December 26, 2007, at Heartland Payment Systems, August 2007 against 7-Eleven, and in November 2007 against Hannaford Brothers and two other unidentified companies.

Gonzalez and his cohorts targeted large companies and studied their check out terminals and then attacked the companies from internet-connected computers in New Jersey, Illinois, Latvia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

They covered their attacks over the Internet using more than one messaging screen name, storing data related to their attacks on multiple Hacking Platforms, disabling programs that logged inbound and outbound traffic over the Hacking Platforms, and disguising, through the use of proxies, the Internet Protocol addresses from which their attacks originated. The indictment said the hackers tested their program against 20 anti virus programs.

Rene Palomino Jr., attorney for Gonzalez, charged in a blog on The New York Times website that the indictment arose out of squabbling among U.S. Attorney offices in New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Palomino said that Gonzalez was in negotiations with New York and Massachusetts for a plea deal in connection with the T.J. Maxx case when New Jersey made its indictment. Palomino identified the unindicted conspirator "P.T." as Damon Patrick Toey, who had pleaded guilty in the T.J. Maxx case. Palomino said Toey, rather than Gonzalez, was the ring leader of the Heartland case. Palomino further said, "Mr. Toey has been cooperating since Day One. He was staying at (Gonzalez's) apartment. This whole creation was Mr. Toey's idea... It was his baby. This was not Albert Gonzalez. I know for a fact that he wasn't involved in all of the chains that were hacked from New Jersey."

Palomino said one of the unnamed Russian hackers in the Heartland case was Maksym Yastremskiy, who was also indicted in the T.J. Maxx incident but is now serving 30 years in a Turkish prison on a charge of hacking Turkish banks in a separate matter. Investigators said Yastremskiy and Gonzalez exchanged 600 messages and that Gonzalez paid him $400,000 through e-gold.

Yastremskiy was arrested in July 2007 in Turkey on charges of hacking into 12 banks in Turkey. The Secret Service investigation into him was used to build the case against Gonzalez including a sneak and peek covert review of Yastremskiy's laptop in Dubai in 2006 and a review of the disk image of the Latvia computer leased from Cronos IT and alleged to have been used in the attacks.

After the indictment, Heartland issued a statement saying that it does not know how many card numbers were stolen from the company nor how the U.S. government reached the 130 million number.

Gonzalez (inmate number: 25702-050) served his 20-year sentence at the FMC Lexington, a medical facility. He was released on September 19, 2023.

[darkmaga-returns]

The Wait Is the Price: Quiet Rationing Plagues Canadian Health Care

By Vincent Geloso, as published by AEIR’s The Daily Economy on 21 April 2025

Last month, a video was trending on social media showing a Canadian woman explaining that she had a 13-month wait for a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) test to check for a brain tumour.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, community notes popped up to say that the video was misleading. “Priority is decided by physicians, not the province,” wrote one commenter. Another noted that wait times did vary by province.

None of this, however, detracts from the core truths: Canadian health care is not free and it has two prices: the taxes Canadians pay for it and the wait times that make Canadians pay in the form of service rationing.

Canada’s publicly provided health care system actually requires rationing to contain costs. Because services are offered at no monetary price, demand exceeds the available supply of doctors, equipment and facilities. If the different provinces (which operate most health care services) wanted to meet the full demand, each would have to raise taxes significantly to fund services. To keep expenditures down (managing the imbalance from public provision) and thus taxes as well, the system relies on rationing through waiting times rather than prices.

The rationing keeps many patients away from care facilities or encourages them to avoid dealing with minor but nevertheless problematic ailments. These costs are not visible in taxes paid for health care but they are true costs that matter to people.

[empirelogistics]

EMPIRE LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT INC - Logistics and Intermodal Transportation in Surrey BC Canada

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[liquid-bonhomme]

Do you think Canada is a good place to immigrant to? Even if they are disabled?

I'd say so, yes . . . But uh, it depends on which part of Canada you're going to. And a few other factors.

Canada (probably) has one of the most . . . Mmm, let's use the word, generous immigration systems in the whole world?

Our birthrate has been stagnant for. . . Generally the entire history of our country. We literally need people to immigrate here. We also don't. . . Well, don't REALLY have the kinds of industry that have cultivated the same sort of egregiously predatory and exploitative hiring practices the states has when it comes to taking advantage of the undocumented and/or work visa holders.

Disability might end up being a significant factor depending on where and why you're immigrating though. Having a STEM or higher education degree and/or profession will help you, even if you have some kind of physical disability. A more mild disability will also likely not factor in to your application process. If you're immigrating as part of a family unit with able bodied members, that also shouldn't hinder your ability to get citizenship.

If you are immigrating alone, unable to work, and have some kind of serious medical needs . . . I DO believe that might make the process challenging for you. UNLESS you are a refugee. I believe you would need to have some sort of arrangement already in place. But there are ORGs and caseworkers who do help people through that process. But you'd have to search out those resources, and you know.

But Canada will provide reasonably extensive medical and welfare services even to like, tourists, so. There's Americans who cross the boarder just to get their insulin.

As a rule of thumb (assuming you're not a refugee, again) if you can work AT ALL, you should be okay. If you have someone here already to live with, you should be okay.

There's for sure complications and bureaucracy and bullshit. Government services are kinda underfunded at the moment. But if you can manage your way through it-- Canada is at least way less trigger happy with deportations. Ya need to be pretty . . . Uh, not playing ball to get deported. In most cases.

The one exception is-- in most of Canada, speaking only a limited amount of the local language is fine. The exception is Quebec. They can be . . . Kind of unforgiving when taking in immigrants who don't fluently speak French. They do offer French language services-- but it's only six months, and they require you to learn A LOT in that time frame. Yeah. It is what it is.

[bsenvs3000w25]

Blog #3: Privilege and Nature Interpretation

Hi everyone,

Welcome to my third blog post!

This week's blog post will explore the role of privilege in nature interpretation. To begin, Privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." There are two distinct categories of privilege.

The first refers to aspects of a person’s identity or circumstances that they are born into and cannot control. Examples of these include race, gender, socioeconomic status, and physical abilities. These factors often affect an individual's access to opportunities and experiences from the very beginning.

On the other hand, earned privileges are advantages that come from a person’s actions or achievements. This category includes education, skills, and professional accomplishments.

Unpacking My Invisible Backpack

My parents immigrated to Canada from Albania over 25 years ago in their late twenties, starting with almost nothing and speaking little English.

My dad, who graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tirana, began his journey in Canada, delivering pizzas and working overnight shifts at a factory to support our family. They managed to save enough for a down payment on a house just four years after arriving. Eventually, my dad secured a job as a service engineer with CN Railway in Toronto, and my mom started working as hairstylist.

As highlighted in this week's readings, many individuals born into more privileged circumstances "are not taught to recognize their privileges" (Gallavan, 2005). This concept deeply resonates with my experience as the daughter of immigrant parents.

Growing up, I was aware of the sacrifices my parents made in order to provide me with a life full of opportunitiy they never had. I often observed that many of my peers unknowingly took their privileges for granted. For instance, stable financial support and access to higher education were the norm for some of my peers and their families. But for my family, these achievements required significant effort and dedication.

My parents first day in Canada, 1998

Privilege and Nature Interpretation

When it comes to nature interpretation, privilege plays a significant role. As stated in the textbook, "To effectively serve a related audience, you must know them" (Beck et al.,  2018). Understanding the audience allows interpreters to tailor messages and experiences more effectively (Beck et al.,  2018). This requires interpreters to appreciate the unique backgrounds and lived experiences of their audience.

The textbook outlines several barriers that have discouraged park attendance among minority populations (Beck et al.,  2018).

Economic Barriers- Lack of personal vehicle or public transportation. Entrance fees, lodging, food etc. 

Cultural barriers- Participation is based on cultural preferences related to history, values, etc.

Communication Barriers- Language barriers may prevent interpreters from serving diverse audiences.

Lack of Knowledge- Lack of awareness on where to go, what to do.

Fear- Fear of wildlife, getting lost, safety conerns.

By addressing these barriers, interpreters can create welcoming environments, allowing diverse individuals to develop a deeper appreciation for nature and what it has to offer.

Thanks for reading!

Biona🍀🌷🐬

References: Knudson, L.B.T.T.C.D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing LLC. https://sagamore.vitalsource.com/books/9781571678669

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks." Multicultural Education, 13 (1), 36. Gale Academic OneFile. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

[crossdreamers]

The Life of an Ugandan LGBTQ Refugee in South Sudan

Transgender World presents the voice of a transgender woman fleeing persecution in Uganda.

By Jack Molay

The anti-LGBTQ laws of Uganda

Uganda has some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal for both men and women in Uganda.

Even though the Ugandan government argue that their homophobic and transphobic laws are anti-colonial, the policy has, in fact, roots in British colonial laws introduced when Uganda was a British protectorate. These days right-wing American Evangelicals do their best to fan the flames of queer-phobia in Uganda.

This policy is accompanied by deeply held homophobic and transphobic beliefs in large parts of the population. We have already reported on N., a lesbian LGBTQ-activist who fled to the Kakuma camp in Kenya when her mother and her sister were killed by her fellow villagers.

Queer life in Kenyan refugee camps

Kenya may be a little bit more lenient when it comes to practicing its own anti-LGBTQ laws ("sodomy" is punishable by 21 years' imprisonment), but the camps have their violent queer-phobic mobs, so you are never safe.

Queer Ugandan refugees in Kenya. Photo: Brian Inganga/AP Photo

From Kenya to South Sudan

This has led some LGBTQ-refugees to flee from the Kakuma camp in Kenya to another camp in South Sudan. One reason is the hope of becoming part of some of the Western refugee repatriation programs. That might seem like a long shot, but some have actually managed to get to the US and Canada.

We are deliberately not giving you the name of the South Sudan camp here, as the local authorities are searching the web in order to identify queer and trans refugees.

South Sudan criminalizes sexual activity between males and the gender expression of trans women. Neither Kenya nor South Sudan accept being queer or trans reason for being given a refugee status. There are clear limits to what the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, can or will do to protect them, even though the organization clearly condemns anti-LGBTQ violence.

We are in touch with several refugees in Kenya and South Sudan, and today we have the privilege of sharing one such life story with you, namely the story of A., a transgender woman who is now living in a camp in South Sudan. Her story can give you a glimpse into the life of LGBTQ refugees in both Kenya and South Sudan.

We know the real identity of A, but will not reveal it here due to fear of persecution. The original text has been anonymized for that reason.

The life of A

My name is A., and I am 37 years old Ugandan. I have a bachelor's degree from a university in Kampala, and I have worked in various fields, including banking, administration, customer service, and social work. I have always prided myself on my education and professional skills, but life as an LGBTQ person in Uganda has forced me to face some of the harshest realities imaginable.

I grew up in Jinja, Uganda, raised by my grandmother after my parents were unable to care for me. My mother abandoned me when I was just a baby, and my father died when I was only a year old.

The Jinja Nile Bridge

Despite these challenges, my grandmother provided me with love and stability until her death in 2019. My upbringing, however, was marred by the harsh realities of being different in a society that doesn’t easily accept those who don’t conform to the traditional expectations of gender and sexuality.

Being different

From a young age, I knew that I was different. I began to recognize my attraction to the same gender and struggled to understand my feelings amidst a society that fiercely upheld heteronormative values.

As I navigated my teenage years, I was drawn to boys, but those feelings were never acknowledged or accepted. My self-expression, which sometimes included clothing choices that blurred gender lines, made me a target for mockery and ridicule. The boys I had crushes on were seen as forbidden, and I lived in constant fear of being found out.

Violence

Growing up as an LGBTQ individual in Uganda was incredibly difficult. I faced relentless bullying, harassment, and rejection—not just from peers but from my own family. I was forced to endure physical and emotional violence, including one harrowing incident in 2002, where I was publicly stripped by my peers who questioned my gender.

The bullying continued throughout my life, but it reached a breaking point when I was arrested at the age of 16 after being caught with my boyfriend.

My family, including religious leaders, condemned me, and I was beaten and rejected by those I had once considered family. I was shunned and made to feel like a disgrace.

Workplace discrimination

In the workplace, I encountered further discrimination. I was fired from jobs because of my sexual orientation, as many employers in Uganda hold deeply homophobic views. My attempts to find work were thwarted by my family’s influence, who ensured that my efforts were sabotaged. I was left financially dependent on my boyfriend, and my prospects seemed bleak.

In 2017, my family forced me into an arranged marriage with a woman, even though I was already in a serious relationship with my boyfriend.

My family found out about our relationship and, in retaliation, I was arrested and once again ostracized. This led to my final job termination and left me in a precarious position, financially and emotionally.

My family told me never to seek help from anyone, including organizations like Icebreakers Uganda and Happy Family Shelter, who tried to support me. This cycle of rejection and violence ultimately led me to make the difficult decision to leave Uganda.

From Kenya to South Sudan

I fled to Kenya in 2021 , seeking safety and a fresh start. But even in Kenya’s refugee camps, I faced constant threats, violence, and discrimination. The environment was hostile, and I found no protection from the UNHCR. Fearing for my life, I eventually made my way to a camp in South Sudan, hoping to find a safe place for LGBTQ refugees like myself.

From the Kakuma Camp in Kenya (UNHCR)

Unfortunately, life in this camp has not been much better. We are discriminated against by the host community, and on December 27th, we were raided, beaten, and had all our belongings—including food—stolen. Our lives here are constantly at risk, and I fear for my safety every day.

A. was beaten up in the camp. (Private photo)

As an LGBTQ person living in this camp, I am forced to hide who I am, not just for my safety, but for survival. We live in a country that does not accept us, and we are subjected to violence and abuse simply for being who we are.

The constant fear, combined with the lack of basic resources, has made life unbearable. As someone with hypertension, my health is also at risk, as I lack access to necessary medication and proper care.

Hope for a better future

Despite these hardships, I remain hopeful for a better future. I am an educated person with a strong desire to rebuild my life. I want to find a place where I can live freely and authentically, where I can work again and contribute to society. I want to love openly, find a partner, and live a life where I am not forced to hide who I am.

My dream is to find safety, stability, and acceptance things that have been out of my reach for so long.

I ask for help not just for myself, but for all LGBTQ refugees facing similar struggles. I seek food, clothing, and medical care, but more than that, I long for a chance to live the life I’ve always dreamed of—free from fear, discrimination, and violence.

With your support, I hope to one day build a future where I can be myself, contribute to the world around me, and finally find the peace and acceptance I’ve always craved.

A.

Main illustration: Atlas Studio

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - August 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Safari park welcomes flamingo chicks

“An animal park has said it is experiencing a "baby boom", including new flamingo chicks that have hatched. Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire has also recently welcomed rare Amur tiger cubs and an endangered cotton top tamarin monkey baby. [… Flamingos] live 15-20 years in the wild, however in captivity and safe from predators, they can reach ages of 70 years.”

2. Golf clubs fight biodiversity loss

“The project aims to help green-keepers create havens for wildlife, particularly bees and butterflies, as well as introduce mowing methods to protect rare chalk grassland and encourage wildflowers. […] “Clubs doing this are seeing significant increases in pollinators, such as butterflies, without impeding the game."”

3. ‘We’ve got baby owls again’: how farming policy is helping English wildlife

“[In Abby Allen’s] lush Devon fields native cattle graze alongside 400-year-old hedgerows, with birds and butterflies enjoying the species-rich pasture. [… The Environmental Land Management Scheme] pays farmers for things such as planting hedges, sowing wildflowers for birds to feed on and leaving corners of their land wild for nature.”

4. $440 Million to Support Pregnant and New Moms, Infants, and Children through Voluntary Home Visiting Programs

“Through this program […] trained health workers […] provide support on breastfeeding, safe sleep for babies, learning and communications practices that promote early language development, developmental screening, getting children ready to succeed in school, and connecting with key services and resources in the community – like affordable childcare or job and educational opportunities. […] In addition, the [CDC] announced a new investment of $118.5 million, over five years, to 46 states [and] six territories […] to continue building the public health infrastructure to better identify and prevent pregnancy-related deaths.”

5. Endangered leopard frogs released into the wild

“More than a hundred leopard frogs have been released into the wild at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Washington state. Leopard frogs are endemic to North America but have been classed as endangered since 1999.”

6. Heat-based batteries are a surprisingly versatile tool

“[T]hermal energy storage [… is] expected to be more cost-effective than conventional lithium-ion batteries for storing cheap clean electricity over longer durations[….] Thermal storage systems take up less space per unit of energy stored than lithium-ion batteries do, [… and] can also deliver their stored energy without the efficiency losses that occur in converting electricity from [AC to DC and back].”

7. Dolly Parton is sending free books to children across 21 states — and around the world

“[In 21 states,] all children under the age of 5 can enroll to have books mailed to their homes monthly. […] Since the program started, books have been sent to more than 240 million to [sic] kids in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.”

8. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $100 Million to Navigators Who Will Help Millions of Americans - Especially in Underserved Communities - Sign Up for Health Coverage

“The grants are part of a commitment of up to $500 million over five years - the longest grant period and financial commitment to date, and a critical boost for recruiting trusted local organizations to better connect with those who often face barriers to obtaining health care coverage. […] Navigators offer free assistance to people exploring health coverage options through HealthCare.gov, from reviewing available plans to assisting with eligibility and enrollment forms, and post-enrollment services such as using their coverage to get care.”

9. ‘Ultra-Accommodating’ Hotel Concept Goes Beyond ADA Accessible

“The property […] will feature wider hallways, larger guest rooms, easy access to elevators and other modifications that exceed the standards required under the [ADA]. Staff will be trained in disability etiquette, how to assist with mobility devices and provide various accommodations ranging from hearing aid loops to sensory-sensitive lighting. […] The location in San Antonio is expected to be the first — not the only one — developed under this concept.”

10. Melbourne zoo welcomes rare southern white rhino calf to the world

“Kipenzi and the new calf have been closely monitored this week, with mother and baby being kept in a secluded area accessible only to keepers while they get to know each other and bond. […] The calf has already been showing a forthright personality, snorting and stomping around his enclosure[….]”

August 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)