iPhone Diaries #662: Filipino meets Ukrainian

Mary's home-made borsht on rice, with Sikorski's garlic kolbassa on the side. Dec 22nd.

iPhone Diaries #661: Ice

 

 

 

 

Dec 22nd

iPhone Diaries #660: The Delta Guelph Hotel... a great corporate citizen... all for good karma

The Delta Guelph Hotel is offering complimentary (free) hotel accomodations to family members caring for hospitalized relatives. A great corporate citizen. Good karma. It's the gift that keeps on giving.  The Guelph Tribune, Dec 19, 2013.

iPhone Diaries #659: Gerry's back: ye olde tyme barber is here to stay

Vince's Barber Shop, Guelph. Dec 21st.

Gerry is a 70-something barber, comfortable in retirement, who drops in to help out at Vince's Barber Shop here in Guelph. He has the two qualities necessary for a great barber: steady hands and a great listener. On the subject of barbers, I believe that this trade will last and endure through all the technological innovations and revolutions and evolutions that we will go through. There will always be a need for #1's and #2's. Bakers, Brewers, Undertakers, Prostitutes.... add Barbers to the list. Prostitutes and Barbers are the only trades that don't require technological innovations.

Vince's was started by Vince, and now his son Rob is following in his footsteps, or should I say, handmoves. Until they develop an app for it, barbers are here to stay!

A Great Day for Canadians: A Hat Trick for Justice and Fairness

This week has been a great day for Canada… well. actually, just in the last two days.

First, a jury on the Ashley Smith Inquest has ruled and has made recommendations (with safeguards that this ruling be heeded and enforced) that the mentally ill in society, and especially those in the Canadian prison system, be treated in the context of mental illness, with respect and humanity. Remarkably, this jury established that front-line workers may now go with their conscience and  against the orders of senior management if these orders are deemed unjust, even criminal.

Second, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favour of honesty in police records and notes; that police have to hand in their daily notes, reports, and observations, at the end of their shifts, WITHOUT consulting a lawyer, specifically in cases under investigations. Consulting a lawyer, as well as an officer's peers, risks "compromising the independence of an officer and the recollection of the facts".This will lead to increased honesty and transparency, and inevitably, to justice and fairness for the Canadian public. This can only lead to greater transparency and trust in the police services.

Thirdly, the Supreme Court of Canada, has struck down Canada's medieval, incredibly-unfair-to-women prostitution laws. Unanimously!! This gives women more control over their bodies, and strikes a grievous blow to the pimps and human traffickers. This brings up Canada's laws to the same standards to those of the more enlightened European countries.

Next up, The Canadian government is hinting at the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana; opinion polls consistently show that the government policy is at odds with what the Canadian public wants.

One more item in the news, this just in: Police have recognized the unfairness and the racist implications of the designation "non-white" in police reports. Such a designation will shortly be relegated to the dust bin of history.

Canada: it's a beautiful country!

iPhone Diaries #658: Rhoadie in the snow

Dec 17th.

iPhone Diaries #657: Blue Lights

The lights in front of the Peter Munk centre on University Avenue. Dec 19th.

iPhone Diaries #656: Lechon with familiar faces

A community potluck at St Simon-the-Apostle's Church on Bloor Street East by the predominantly Filipino St. James Town community and Toronto City Mission. Dec 19th.

Jamie (and Jeff)

Music by Bill Withers, "I Want To Spend The Night"

Shooting solo with 2 cams all day: Sony a57 for B-roll and Sony a99 for main cam. RodePro Mic on a99, RodePro Mic and Sennheiser e100 on a57 using a Beachtek pre-amp. Burning 3x the calories as the Stills shooters. Shot for Boston Avenue Weddings: arguably one of the best outfits in Toronto!

The 40 Baker Street Youth Super Club: the final Edit. Just because these kids are our kids.

40 Baker Street Supper Club Edit3 from Diogenes Baena on Vimeo.

The final Edit. 

This feature is inspired by the generosity of spirit of Tobi, of Sue, of Edward, and of the nameless folks who frequent 40 Baker Street. When persons have few to meagre possessions, their humanity shines through… and I hope that being around them makes me a better person.

Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

The Life Of Nelson Mandela

A beautiful moving piece by Tory Zimmerman, a colleague here at Sickids, created when she was with the Globe and Mail.

nice one by Philip Bloom

An Amish Man from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

This is NOT my video but it has a quality that I aspire to achieve.