Read all about it! The Hour misses the mark with Reisman

Heather Reisman; president and CEO of Indigo/Chapters

shes rich, shes powerful, she supports literacy…

40% of Canadian adults are functionally illiterate! Thats crazy. She’s helping to bring this to the government’s attention. However, why we would need a bookstore owner to bring this to the government’s attention says a lot about our government.

The Hour did a fantastic job of representing all of her positive qualities… so we don’t have too. In fact , the last quarter of the  Reisman segment seemed just like a Chapters infomercial. 

Even a small dose of critical questioning was missing from this interview.  

Now, im not here to attack the woman (or The Hour), and anyone can question whether the activities of a CEO outside of her work are material to the conversation, but i think it was not only purposeful but boring to ignore the controversy that Reisman has faced in the past, and that is just plain bad journalism.

I also think that the activities of a CEO ARE material to the conversation. we’ve congratulated other CEOs on here before for their charity and green efforts, there should be equal opportunity to reflect the bad just the same.  Even a brief mention in her bio about her controversial support of the Israeli military would have been sufficient.

I also am not here to pick sides within the Israel-Palestine conversation, but I don’t think it should be completely ignored either. 

The following few sentences were completely copied from another site 

         

Heather Reisman and (husband) Gerry Schwartz, the majority owners of Chapters Indigo Bookstores, have established a program called the “HESEG Foundation for lone soldiers”. HESEG offers grants of financial support to former ‘lone soldiers’ in the Israeli military to pursue post secondary education in Israel. At its peak, HESEG will distribute $3M per year to provide

scholarships and other support to former ‘lone soldiers’.

Lone soldiers are individuals who have no family in Israel but who decide to join the Israeli military. As Israeli soldiers, they participate in a military that operates checkpoints, that restricts Palestinian freedom of movement, enforces the occupation of Palestinian land, and has a documented history of human rights violations

 

Why should viewers care about this? Why should The Hour have asked about it? because people don’t necessarily know that when they spend money at Chapters it indirectly funds this foundation. Whether this foundation is right or wrong is another argument, but people should know where their money goes especially when the foundation in question deals with a conflict that affects  so many Canadians deeply and emotionally. This is necessary information and thats what journalists are supposed to give us, information.

 

 

 

 

This interview also could have given her an opportunity to explain her position, give her side- maybe people are missing something in their critique of her foundation? The Hour is usually good at letting people explain their opinions.

Shes a powerful woman with alot of money, and we have said this before: CEOs must be responsible. What she does is relevant to us and the conversation when it is Chapter’s customer’s money that is giving her the ability to create a foundation like this.

I would not be so critical of this interview if Reisman had been there with something important to talk about, but the discussion on literacy was done after about 4 minutes, and much of the rest of the conversation was fluff. There was an opportunity to have a real discussion, and The Hour missed the boat.

Its funny that Reisman mentioned that her  “2009 Canada Reads” choice is “The Book of Negroes”- A book being defended by Avi Lewis. Why is it funny? Because throughout the interview i was thinking: ‘Avi Lewis would not have let her get off so easy here’

It is also interesting that she said that her stores would never offer books that could “incite society toward the annihilation of one group” (i.e. Mein Kampf) and i think that is honourable… but slightly hypocritical considering her support of the Israeli military.

 

Its also Israeli Apartheid Week: 

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=167479

One Million Acts of Green

This is brilliant. Kudos to The Hour for stepping it up. As George and David Suzuki said in their conversation today, its not about being perfect its about taking steps toward being more green. So go for it, make a decision, register it on the site and prove that people can affect change.

 

Here is the e-mail that a member of the stroumboulopouli received today from environmentaldefence.ca:
One Million Acts of Green and Environmental Defence: Greening Canada Together!

Have you switched your light bulbs to energy-efficient ones? Dropped your plastic water bottle for a safer reusable one? Bought locally grown fruits and vegetables? Started using toxic-free cleaning products in your home?
Now you can brag about these great green acts, and the dozens of other ways you are helping to protect the environment every day.

CBC, “The Hour” with George Stroumboulopoulos, Environmental Defence and environmental groups across the country are mobilizing Canadians to do one million acts of green!
Starting today, YOU can be part of this nationwide green movement. Check out this video from George Stroumboulopoulos.

One Million Acts of Green is all about one small act making a big difference. It’s about one act from individual Canadians adding up to a million. Whatever green act you do, register it on the One Million Acts of Green website to be counted.
The website is the hub of One Million Acts of Green, connecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It’s a virtual gathering place where people can add their green acts, view content, post photos and videos, create groups, and challenge others to act.

The more green acts you do, the more you get to brag! So, don’t just stop at one green act. Be loud and proud. Inspire your fellow Canadians with all of the great green acts you are doing!
We’re challenging everyone to get involved. From CBC TV and Radio, to schools and universities, communities and cities, politicians, athletes, and even celebrities!

One Million Acts of Green is a partnership between CBC and Cisco, and is supported by Environmental Defence as well as the Clean Air Foundation, The David Suzuki Foundation, Earth Day Canada, Evergreen, GreenNexxus, Green Street (managed by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation), and The Climate Project – Canada.
It’s one million acts of green, one act at a time.
Be one of the million. Register your green act today!

Watch The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC TV on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 (TONIGHT!) and Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 11 pm for special One Million Acts of Green launch shows!

Get to the Point- Make Poverty History Ad

George Stroumboulopoulos is one of many famous Canadian faces that can be seen in a new Make Poverty History ad pleading to the governement to reach their target and fulfill their promise to give .7% of our national income as foreign aid. This amount is necessary in order for the world to make any real progress towards alleviating extreme poverty in the world.

watch the video here:

 

TAKE ACTION! Learn More Here:

http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/en

www.makepovertyhistory.ca/pointseven

 

 

Dr. Samantha Nutt knows who is to blame…

Dr. Samantha Nutt, former guest of the Hour was in Toronto this past March to lecture at the university of Toronto. A friend of the Red Chair Lounge was there, and found a message worth sharing. READ ON! 

 

CLUSTER BOMBS: We are all implicated.

 

In March I went to see Dr. Samantha Nutt, founder and executive director of War Child Canada lecture at UofT’s Hart House for their Hancock lecture series. To say that I learned a great deal of mostly troubling facts would be a bit of an understatement.
Dr. Samantha Nutt is incredibly knowledgeable, inspiringly stern in her convictions and it all stems from her first-hand experience in war zones. She knows what is wrong and who is to blame, and she is not afraid to state it, which is why her speech began with a disclaimer: “The opinions stated here are my own, and not necessarily those of War Child Canada”…etc.

There was one particular aspect of her speech that struck me as it exited her mouth, and has stuck with me since then.

Dr. Nutt spoke about cluster bombs.

“A cluster bomb is a cannister that opens in midair and ejects hundreds of “bomb-lets” across an area of more or less two football fields. These bomb-lets are little metal balls – as powerful as a hand grenade. When these bomb-lets explode, there’s a rain of jagged shrapnel. When they explode on the ground with a time delay they kill or maim anyone within a radius of 10 to 15 meters.” (The Real News Website)

These weapons of war are frightening, mostly because of the facts that come with them.

“as many as 1 in 4 of these bomb-lets never explode. The place where they fall becomes a minefield.” (The Real News Website)

Dr. Nutt explained that 98% of the victims of these unexploded bomblets are civilians, mostly children. Despite this the American Military maintain that they are a vital aspect of their war efforts and refuse to discontinue the practice.

And then there is us. What do we have to do with the problem, you wonder? 

ALL CANADIANS THAT HAVE EVER RECEIVED A PAYCHEQUE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE IMPLICATED.

Thats right. You are *unknowingly* paying for the production of cluster bombs, and the death of innocent people.

You know that bit of CPP you automatically pay into? that quiet deduction on your paystub? yeap, CPP invests “in corporations linked to the manufacture of anti-personnel landmines.” Thus, you also invest in corporations that manufacture cluster bombs. nice.

check out these links, or google this stuff for more information. Know what your government is doing, know where your money is going.

http://therealnews.com/id/1594/June 1, 2008/Cluster+bombs%3A+Hell+from+above

http://coat.openconcept.ca/cpp/

http://coat.openconcept.ca/cpp/overcoat/sanders-antipersonnelmines.html

War and Sex.

I don’t have too much to say about tonight’s show.

Chris Hunter 

The first interview with Chris Hunter was interesting mostly because my knowledge of war is lacking. My only real comment on the interview was the incredible phrase that i had never heard before, “operational theatre.” So creative, such a great euphemism. yes, i am being sarcastic.

Ryan Phillippe and Kimberly Peirce 

My comment on the  interview with Ryan Phillippe and Kimberly Peirce has nothing to do with the interview and everything to do with The Bio. It is always necessary to question the choice of visuals in those montages, because they are specific and purposeful. I didnt think the scene pulled from (i think it was) “Cruel Intentions” of him tossing a girl off the bed was necessary. It isnt funny. It doesnt prove he is a good actor. I guess all it really does is prove that there are too many men working in the editing room.

The Wheel Vs. Sex

was awesome. The wheel is no challenge for sex… but the grilled cheese sandwich might be another story…

Peter Mansbridge and Douglas Coupland

The Mansbridge interview was compelling. They touched on many topics, and i would like to rant about some of them…well, sort of.

American primary election..etc.- who cares? I do. I am interested in how quickly the election topics go from being discussed with substance, to being overshadowed by savvy political tactics and fancy phrases. Like how Kerry got branded as a “flip-flopper” (even though he clarified himself) and it overshadowed what he was saying. (probably because the media was bored by the sense that he was making, and “flip-flopper” makes for a sexier headline), but i digress. I am interested in how distorted the CNN dialogue has been when talking about whether “white america” or “black america” are ready for this and that sort of president. Is that really a useful conversation? Do we need to create/ deepen / exploit the divide? This can only get more vicious and more stupid.

As for Canadian politics– they didnt talk about this, but who wants lower GST? I would rather have better health care or all the million other good ways the money could be spent. But what do i know?

George’s Bob Marley Rant– made me happy, and he is completely right. I would say without hesitation that Marley is the most unifying musician of all time. Don’t know what I mean? crash any party, put on one of his albums, and hear the sound of no complaints. Try doing that with any other artist, and it just wont fly.

Douglas Coupland

I don’t think an artist being “of his/her time” is  “dorky,” as coupland suggested, i think he probably would agree that he would much prefer to write/contemplate the future, than analyze and define the now… or maybe not. regardless, i think my answer is cooler than his, and joe strummer is cooler than him. 😉

After that comment in the interview i stopped criticizing and started listening, because the conversation took a very human turn. Listening to someone talk about their past, their toughest times, all dramatic content aside… seeing the honesty of anyone in any setting, but specifically on telelvision is always a stalling moment to process, especially if you can relate.

Now I ask, anyone that watches Jpod? Provide reviews here please. Thank you.

Dr Abdullah Abdullah, “Pinball” Clemons and more!

So I don’t really care much about football, but even I enjoyed that clip showing the miami dolphins’ victory… but its quite misleading… football is rarely ever that exciting.

Have you guys noticed the new segment, “The Backstory”… Iam pretty sure its just a revamped version of “the set-up,” but I like it. Definately a better name. I have always appreciated The Hour’s willingness to bring context to their stories/interviews. That is absolutely something that separates them from every other news program. My only negative critique about “The Backstory” is the music they use. its terrible, and pretty distracting.  And yes, it matters.

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah

This was a pretty good interview, kinda tame. However, there was something said in the interview that really perked my attention and left me wanting to say “Hey Georgie! ask him about that!”… Maybe I missed something and you guys know the answer, but what did Abdullah mean when he said: “my view is that today we should have been in a better situation and we could have been, as far as afghanistan standing on its own feet”…

I wanted clarification. They “could have been” in a better situation? if what was done? if the afghani people start believeing in the cause??? That was the only answer i got from the interview ( unless i missed something)… and if you really think about it, that answer is totally backwards. “I know you folks don’t want us in your country, i know we invaded you because you cant deal with these people we trained call terrorists, but if you just be our friend, we can try and build you a new life…. i dont care if you want your old one”(my translation)

im not saying that what the troops are doing in afghanistan is not noble, im just sayin’…………………………..

Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons

I had the exact same reaction to Clemons’ suit as George did… Awesome. I really enjoyed Clemons’ energy and positivity in this interview. Two of my favourite quotes:

 “if what you did yesterday still sounds good to you today, you havent done much today”… and

“As a coach, in one victory, i won forty times, because I won for every guy on that team…” I just love that. I was less happy with his suggestion that Toronto is “just another big city” or could be passed off as “just another american city“…. i don’t know how true or false that is…

Carolyn Taylor’s best story ever

awesome, gross best story. I think as a collective The Red Chair Lounge LOVES the addition that Carolyn has made to  The Hour this season. She’s fantastically funny.

Goodbye “24”, Hello “2”???

hahahaha, I actually really like this. completely dorky, and I can relate to the conflict. A day at work without coffee really is a reason to panic! 😉

Jean Chretien: you cant take the politician out of the man

Please note, these comments are based on the televised interview, not the uncut one that can be found on The Hour’s website.

I liked this interview for many reasons. for instance, jean chretien’s personality: he was funny, he said what he wanted to say, he was confident and commanding, he is the epitome of a “politician.”

His personality and humour made the interview easy going and enjoyable. He listened in those “Prime Minister 101 classes.” I *almost* started to think that politicians are capable of being human… (a glimpse in to my bias, maybe?**)

I suppose it was easy for him to say what he wanted to say, construct history as he rememebers it, since his term has passed. There are a million more questions that i would have like to have seen asked… maybe i’ll find what i want in the uncut version.

As for Chretien being confident and commanding,  it is clear that he has played the game so long that the controlling of interviews and evading of questions just comes naturally at this point (even if he doesn’t have an agenda beyond “please like me and buy my book”). He is very good at it! It may be just a personal quirk, but answering a question with the word”but..” and proceeding actually provides the answerer with a lot of control. He made you think that he was a) gonna answer the question, b) gonna say something opposing to what we assumed he would say (thus keeping us paying attention) c) allowed him to steer the conversation whereever he wanted… and he did it so smoothly!

Chretien also cut george’s questions off before they were complete, which allowed him to talk about the suggested issue without being limited by a question. Good tool.

By the way, it worries me when a politician has no regrets… to me that just translates as not wanting to acknowledge where they fucked up.

I find that politicians tend to use the “well my term was almost up, but we were working on something..” excuse for their failings.. or in chretien’s case (when talking about Kyoto), he signed it knowing that he wouldnt be around to deal with it. i know being prime minister is a time-limited deal, but what a way to brush off responsibility! i suppose this is just as much a failing of our system, but id rather blame a human (or a semi-human parading as a politician)…

**note that i don’t like any politicians.

The Virgin Megaman, Newborn Alan Alda and a difference of opinion

Tonight’s show featured interviews with Richard Branson and Alan Alda… Two conversations that equaled a(n) (possibly?) unintentional argument about the pros and cons of celebrity endorsements.

First, Branson was available to discuss the death of the “record store,” and to promote Virgin Unite and their  endeavor to get aid to remote areas of Africa.  He estimated that chain record stores would be gone in ten years, which i think is likely and unfortunate. I am a huge cd purchasing geek, i love owning the albums as a packaged piece of art. However, i also realize that less albums and packaging is better for the environment. so…go ahead and download. 😦

Virgin Unite is tackling world issues head on. Branson is such a no-B.S. do-er, which explains why he is so optimistic… if you are actively working to get things done, you will see results. His charity is sending aid workers on motorcycles to remote areas of Africa… they are trying to unify and create communication between the many many charities working in Africa, thus allowing positive ideas and developments to spread… and they are welcoming the celebrity participants that they have attracted. Branson has no problem working with George Clooney or Natalie Imbruglia to get the word out on certain issues. This is a conversation we have had on  here before, and there are no definate answers to the question: is celebrity endorsement a good or bad thing? I think its safe to say that it is working in Branson’s case.

In the case of Alan Alda, although he was talking about electing popular people in to politics and not chairty (note: charity is political…………..), he said one of my most favourite things of all time:

“If we keep putting people up because people will listen to them, then we stop expecting them to have evidence for what they are saying”

such a reasonable argument. so perfect. We cant just agree with things because someone that is popular is supporting it, we need to know the background… and that tends to get overlooked.

He also said something else i really liked: “you cant do art without being personal” but some things are private.             

somewhere along the way we stopped knowing the difference between those two things, which is why i know too much about britney spears…etc. *uggghhh.*

I would say that this interview with Alan Alda is one of my favourite conversations ever on The Hour.

Disinformation: 70% of the world’s population has never heard a dial tone. really makes you think about the global divide. The division between the rich and the poor is not just happening and getting wider within our own countries, it is happening on a global scale. and this little fact really put that notion into perspective.

and finally… HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEIL YOUNG!

p.s. I did not mean to suggest that Britney spears makes in any way, shape or form something called “art”…. 😉

Vicente Fox and Kenny Vs. Spenny

October 31

Vicente Fox –

Hearing Fox speak of his relationships not only with his country, but with Presidents and Prime Ministers (past and present) was fantastic. The love he has for his country is evident. He’s not only out doing interviews to hock his book, but he speaks of his country with true love and pride, refreshing. His being able to sit back to compare and joke about drinking with Presidents was a great and a bit more of a look into his personality.

Very open and relaxed, I really enjoyed this one. I couldn’t help but notice a bit of editing before going to the first commercial. Hopefully, the crew at The Hour will decide to put up the entire interview for us to see.

Kenny Vs. Spenny – I’ve always liked the “concept” of this show, but I’ve always found the show itself to fail me. This is absolutely my type of humour, but the Kenny vs. Spenny doesn’t seem to pull it off for me. Like that great live band you know, that never seem to get that same sound to an album or video. I’m more interested to see the ventures mentioned in the Bio than I actually am in watching the show (as much as I have tried). Watching an interview with them never seems to be much better. I don’t know if Spenny is playing a role, or is really that whiny bitch we see on the screen (and in interviews like this). I guess it does well for them skit wise, but still, I just don’t buy it.

I think its good that they are being picked up in other countries, and great that Parker and Stone are producing, maybe I’ll be more interested after what they can do with it ( I hope!)

Good on Warren Buffet for actually requesting to pay more Taxes!!!

BTW – I think the painted background (in the opening) was great, the colour scheme was fantastic!

– Lisa Rowe