Community News
15-Minute Lockdown – They are slowly introducing the New Lockdown, the New Norm
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
No more camping holidays,
No more weekends away,
No more visiting families that don’t live close to you,
No more choosing the school you child goes to,
All of your money, shopping, travel, entertainment, daily activities are tracked and monitored by your digital ID.
If you exceed or do not abide by the rules given to you by the government you could be denied access to everyday activities and even fined, all under the guise of conserving your carbon footprint…
“Don’t judge a situation by what is happening in that moment, let it play out and see where it goes.” David Icke
If you are happy to be surveilled 24/7, and don’t mind being locked down, controlled and told what to do then this article probably isn’t for you.
CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE CHANGE…
I want you to think about how many times you have heard this phrase in the last two years. Media, our world government, oligarch’s have shifted the focus off COVID-19, and now they are priming us on a daily basis with this forced notion of climate change.
Priming is a phenomenon in which exposure to one stimulus influences how a person responds to a subsequent, related stimulus. These stimuli are often conceptually related words or images. Repeating the phrase “climate change,” activates and influences how the person responds to hearing it. Yes, they have made climate change a buzzword, something that we all have to take very seriously, like COVID-19. What they are now doing is utilizing the same techniques of fear, which will turn into intimidation if we, the people, begin to stand up against climate change.
I want you to take this article very seriously, because we are about to be swept up into a future that resembles “The Hunger Games,” where people are isolated into quadrants, and the freedom of movement that we once knew will be vanquished. We have been warning about this for over a year, and surprise, surprise, they are slowly introducing the new lockdown, the new norm.
Don’t get too comfortable with your new Normal; Climate Lockdowns might be on the way. (https://torontocaribbean.com/dont-get-too-comfortable-with-your-new-normal-climate-lockdowns-might-be-on-the-way/)
Published 11 months ago on March 21st, 2022, Toronto Caribbean Newspaper
In this article, I provided a warning for our community about what might be for us in the future.
In November of 2021, India’s Supreme Court called for a lockdown in the capital, New Delhi. Supreme Court Justices ordered authorities to halt all nonessential travel on roads in the national capital region. They also told them to close offices in the area, shifting tens of millions of people to work from home. It appears that something like this could be happening in more countries around the world.
In November 2020, the Red Cross made the claim that climate change was a bigger threat than COVID and should be confronted with “The same urgency.” Of course, the one and only Bill Gates recently demanded that something be done to prevent climate change, claiming it will be worse than the pandemic.
I want to bring attention to a recent interview that Bill Gates did with BBC Journalist Amol Rajan. In the interview, he responds to criticism that he uses a private plane even though he has urged political and business leaders to act aggressively against climate change. Gates replied that he more than offsets his own greenhouse gas emissions by paying for the removal from the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas causing global warming.
“Well, I buy the gold standard, of funding Climeworks, to do direct air capture that far exceeds my family’s carbon footprint,” Gates said.
BILL GATES – Because he is so rich he is allowed to fly in his private jets wherever he wants. According to him.
Only the rich ‘doing it for the good of mankind’ aren’t forced to follow the rules. This is the new equity you are being asked to swallow.
— Bernie’s Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) February 8, 2023
Gates’ argument is that his own investment in clean energy and other environmental and public health programs warrants his travel for those purposes.
Hmmmm! So, because you are rich, rules do not apply to you, but they apply to everyone else. I want readers to keep this in mind as you read the rest of this article
“Unfortunately, there are no vaccines for climate change.” Preparation for permanent climate lockdowns! (https://torontocaribbean.com/unfortunately-there-are-no-vaccines-for-climate-change-preparation-for-permanent-climate-lockdowns/)
Published 4 months ago on October 15th, 2022
In this article, I refer to the World Economic Forum and their claims that if we take the measures needed (climate lockdowns, less private car ownership, less meat), by 2030, our CO2 emissions will be greatly reduced? Meat on your dinner table will be a rare sight. Water and the air you breathe will be cleaner and nature will be in recovery. They want to take lockdown compliance and then move that over to climate change compliance. They want climate change lockdowns. That’s what’s coming.
At the end of the article, I asked readers, are you prepared?
Carbon Allowances; you can only do so much
Here we are in February 2023, and much of what we have reported is slowly coming true. Another priming word that is being propagated is carbon allowances. What is a carbon allowance you ask? Well, how it works is pretty much the same way allowances worked when some of us were children. Everyone starts with a baseline amount. Right now, that could cover how much electricity you use at home, travel budgets, and the impact of your food, but if you want to take a long flight, or have a big fancy car or something else that pushes out a lot of carbon, you may need more credits than you initially get.
(Mastercard unveils new Carbon Calculator tool for banks globally, as consumer passion for the environment grows – https://www.mastercard.com)
Trading comes in when your allotment doesn’t exactly fit your lifestyle. If a household isn’t using their full allotment, they can sell or trade to those who need more credits. Typically, people with lower incomes have lower carbon footprints than their high-income counterparts.
This concept has been brewing for a while; the introduction of personal carbon allowances (PCAs), a mitigation policy proposal was developed in the 1990s. This policy aimed to link personal action with global carbon reduction goals. A PCA scheme would entail all adults receiving an equal, tradable carbon allowance that reduces over time in line with national targets.
In its original design, the allowance could cover around 40% of energy-related carbon emissions in high-income countries, encompassing individuals’ carbon emissions relating to travel, space heating, water heating and electricity. Allowances were envisioned to be deducted from the personal budget with every payment for transport fuel, home-heating fuels and electricity bills.
Think about it readers; our governments are buying into an idea to limit your ability to move freely. That is right, the constitutional right to move around the country will be severely restricted.
How are they going to do this you ask?
The Solution; Lockdowns for all
One of the biggest urban ideas to emerge from the pandemic is the idea of the 15-minute city or 15-minute neighbourhood. The concept was developed by French urbanist Carlos Moreno, and they refer to a place where all the necessities of daily life – shops, schools, workplaces, doctor’s offices, parks, libraries, restaurants and other amenities – are located in a short 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. In this way, each neighbourhood becomes an ‘isochrone’, an area that can be explored within a given time, giving all residents access to their needs a convenient walk away.
They promote that workers can live near their offices or co-working spaces, eliminating the commute. Anyone can walk to a small, nearby park without having to hunt for parking spaces. Community building will benefit too: parceling a city into smaller units makes it far more manageable from a social point of view.
15-minute cities have been in the planning for decades but in actual fact the first mention of smart cities on the WEF site can be traced back to 2016 in an article called “4 ways smart cities will make our lives better.”
The world is buying into 15-minute Cities
Various cities around the world have begun to embrace the 15-minute city approach. For instance, Melbourne is proposing self-contained communities within an 800-meter radius. Portland’s Climate Action Plan calls for more vibrant neighbourhoods in which 90% of the residents can walk, or bike to fulfill their daily needs.
The most vocal proponent of the concept remains Paris, where the concept originated. Its mayor Anne Hidalgo has been championing the “Ville du quart d’heure,” since early 2020, and has limited car speed to 30 kilometers per hour on many streets; automobiles have been banned along the Seine one Sunday each month; and plans to include a biking lane on every street by 2024 is also in the works.
Japan (The Woven City)
Toyota Motor Corporation started construction in 2021 on a 175-acre smart city at the base of Japan’s Mount Fuji, about 62 miles from Tokyo. The city, which Toyota has dubbed the “Woven City,” is expected to function as a testing ground for technologies like: robotics, smart homes, and artificial intelligence.
These residents, who are expected to move into the Woven City within five years, will live in smart homes with in-home robotics systems to assist with daily living and sensor-based artificial intelligence to monitor health and take care of other basic needs.
United Kingdom
15-minute city zones have been proposed by Oxford City Council as part of the Local Plan 2040 have garnered significant controversy. The plan, which will see traffic filters installed on six roads as part of a £6.5m trial, is set to commence in 2024. Under these new filters, residents will be able to drive freely around their own neighbourhoods but will be fined up to £70 for driving into other neighbourhoods through the filters. The plan’s aim is to create neighbourhoods in Oxford where ‘essential’ facilities are accessible by a walking distance of up to 15 minutes.
199 Cities in Canada have Signed on to 15-Minute Cities
What is happening quietly across Canada, without a whisper on mainstream media is the implementation of 15-minute cities. That’s right people, cities across the country will have this concept become part of your regular life. Let’s take a look at some cities that have signed on.
Innisfil (The Orbit Vision)
The town of Innisfil The Orbit Vision has been developed with both the existing and future communities in mind to ensure that Innisfil grows and continues to be a great place to live. The below five goals will be at the heart of the Orbit Potential & Innovation Plan (OPIP) and will be reflected in the community to come. Creating 15-minute neighbourhoods designed with a people-first approach and integrated greenspaces. They claim it will make day-to-day life easier using technology and Smart Cities concept without losing the focus on good neighbourhood design
Ottawa (Five Big Moves)
Ottawa introduced the “Five Big Moves.” On their official website they state that the principles of 15-minute neighbourhoods are integral to the strategic directions contained in Ottawa’s Draft New Official Plan. The concept of 15-minute neighbourhoods supports a variety of objectives relating to intensification, economic development, energy and climate change (buzzword), gender equity, and culture. Additionally, planning for 15-minute neighbourhoods represents a critical means of embedding health resiliency in planning in order to achieve healthier, more inclusive communities.
Edmonton (Community of Communities)
Their district planning is a multi-year project to build The City Plan’s “community of communities”—small towns in our big city, where people can meet many of their daily needs within 15 minutes from where they live.
Edmonton 🇨🇦 City Councillor with he/him Twitter pronouns, @AndrewKnack gives enthusiastic speech advocating 15 minute cities. pic.twitter.com/FHQwLm9iSL
— Rowan (@canmericanized) February 12, 2023
Infrastructure Canada
Infrastructure Canada has an interactive map of the communities that applied to the Smart Cities Challenge. When you visit the website, you can click on the markers on the map to see more information about the communities and their applications.
What is scary is that there are already 199 cities across Canada who have signed up to relinquish their freedoms and once again acquiesce to higher powers.
There is a famous saying which says that “We only retain the freedoms for which we fight.” Eventually, we are going to lose our freedoms if we do not take them seriously. Our freedom is in danger of being hijacked by the so-called political parties, ideologues, corporate groups, and those who are truly running the world from the shadows. We thought we had gained our freedom from oppressors and monarchs in the previous century, but did we really?
The new face of tyranny is so compact, so well organized, and we as Canadians must STAND UP now and defend our most basic freedoms. We, the People need to take heart and be courageous and stand against this kind of oppression.
You can do this by writing, or calling into your local MP’s and saying, “NO TO 15-MINUTE CITIES.” Let’s not wait until it is too late.
References:
The 15-minute city meets human needs but leaves desires wanting. Here’s why – https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/11/15minute-city-falls-short/
Smart Cities Challenge Map Of Applicants (Canada) – https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/sc-vi/map-applications.php
Personal carbon allowances revisited – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00756-w
The Orbit Vision (Innisfil, ON) – https://innisfil.ca/en/building-and-development/orbit-vision.aspx
District Planning (Edmonton, AB) – https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/urban_planning_and_design/district-planning
Community News
Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients
BY PAUL JUNOR
It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.
On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.
UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:
- United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
- The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
- Unite Here! Local 75
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council
- Canadian Labour Congress
- The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)
“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”
The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:
Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng
She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.
Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story
She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.
Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson
She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.
Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron
She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.
Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark
He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.
Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris
She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.
Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge
She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).
Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby
She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.
Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)
This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.
The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.
The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)
UARR is looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:
- Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
- Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
- Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
- Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
- Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.
Community News
What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span
BY KAHA GEDI
As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.
First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.
First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.
Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”
Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.
Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.
Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients
West Indies memorable triumph over England: A valuable learning experience
How are current trends shaping our world? Foreshadowing 2025
AI can be a helpful tool, but it can’t replace the special qualities that make human storytelling unique
What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span
Anger!
YOGA: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) for sufferers of hypertension or heart disease
Kemtek Development launches new exclusive gated community in Jamaica!
Tourism-Related Live Streaming – The Manifold Ways it Can Create a Buzz for a Destination
Ravi’s West Indian Grocery – Fresh Products Weekly Straight from Guyana!
Send groceries to Jamaica in a flash, how? GroceryList Jamaica
ASA Meats & West Indian Groceries – Serving Freshness & Quality to the Community
Nadine Sutherland – A woman who continues to reinvent herself
Knia Singh – Light Up The Darkness
Spragga Benz – Light Up The Darkness
Kyle Kemper – Light Up The Darkness
David Icke – Light Up The Darkness
Ohio’s Bill 248 and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s compelling testimony
-
Community News5 days agoCan AI truly grasp the nuances of culture, history, and the unique spirit of a country?
-
Community News5 days agoDigital Double-Edged – We cannot allow a fragile digital system to control when and how you can travel
-
Community News2 weeks agoThe Future of work is here, and it’s a four-day week
-
Community News2 weeks agoMister International Canada crowns its 2024 Winner
-
Community News5 days agoTo navigate complex challenges: Caribbean governments, corporations, and organizations need innovative solutions
-
Community News5 days agoPatrick Parson remembered for his: Legacy, impact and influence in the artistic community in Toronto
-
Community News5 days agoLights Out! United Boxing Promotions shocks fans with unstoppable knockouts!
-
Community News2 weeks agoThe threat of international spies and saboteurs is real, but well hidden from the public domain
Steven Berge
March 12, 2023 at 8:57 pm
Guess who will get to decide what services you have access to. The rule by wealth system will not end itself, we have to organize massive protests and general strikes with a clearly written demand to end it once and for all people.