Language usage, as I am using the term (others will have different ways of using it), is concerned with how we use language for specified purposes. My study of language usage includes an interest in how power at times distorts language, because it has the power to do so. Language usage also concerns itself with the distinction between rhetoric and reality. As well, the category is concerned with the formal, systematic study of rhetoric, and with humanity’s attempts to define reality.
As noted at a July 17, 2008 UrbanToronto article, to find your Walk Score, it’s easy to find your Walk Score: “Go to http://walkscore.com/ and enter your address in the field at the top of the page, and the website will calculate the walkability (a score out of 100) of your neighbourhood based on the distance […]
A March 8, 2018 Toronto Star article is entitled: “‘Classroom was like a stage’ for U of T associate professor Lee Ann Fujii: Sudden death of 56-year-old popular scholar last Friday rattles academic community.” According to online reports, Dr. Fujii died of the flu. A blurb at the Toronto Public Library website for Killing Neighbors: Webs […]
A March 8, 2018 Atlantic Monthly article is entitled: “The Grim Conclusions of the Largest-Ever Study of Fake News: Falsehoods almost always beat out the truth on Twitter, penetrating further, faster, and deeper into the social network than accurate information.” An abstract of the Science article, on which the Atlantic Monthly article is based, reads as […]
In the course of my life, I’ve learned the basics of good posture. I am, that is, a graduate of Posture 101. Many people have been my teachers, over the years. State of near-collapse Early in my life, before I found my way, I was severely stooped over, my youthfulness notwithstanding. My ribcage was collapsing in […]
I owe many thanks to Jacqueline Marie Murdoch of Toronto for her reference, some time back, to the work of Stuart McGill of Waterloo. Several books by Stuart McGill are available at the Toronto Public Library. As well, several YouTube videos are available online, in which McGill clearly and cogently outlines topics of interest, such […]
In the course of my life, I’ve faced the usual numbers of trials and tribulations. From time to time, I’ve learned things that have stood me in good stead. One of the things I have learned, with regard to life’s challenges, is that respect speaks its own language. Respect, that is. creates its own narrative. […]
The following message is from the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association: Another step towards thoughtful planning in Long Branch! On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, our City Council adopted the Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines with the following amendment by Councillor Grimes. “That the guidelines be used by home builders, the community, City staff, committees and appeal […]
An Oct. 30, 2017 New Yorker article is entitled: “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain: The Sackler dynasty’s ruthless marketing of painkillers has generated billions of dollars – and millions of addicts.” It’s a good read. Click here for previous posts about opioids > Portugal’s unique approach to drug policy A Dec. 5, […]
I’ve written about my encounters (such encounters as continue, as I type this) with mindfulness, and will not bore you with a retelling of a tale about what I have learned, as a beginner practitioner (it’s been going on for over a decade now) of mindfulness. Click here for a previous post about mindfulness > […]