unschool review

can you spot the schooled?

Are un-schooling kids different than other kids? We asked some neighbourhood school kids for their opinions.

testing downhill

Thanks to a donated hand-me-down video camera from a family member, we've started playing with the medium once again. This quick little flick is the equivalent of putting a toe in the water (in this case, a well ensconced boot in snow) - we hope you enjoy the sentiment, and the marking of the solstice (a momentous occasion if there ever was one)

all quiet on the western front

We have been off the blog for quit some time. The main reason is, we've had a little trouble: our little video camera has, after years of faithful duty, given up the ghost. It stopped working, after other less alarming but nonetheless annoying glitches in the workings of the camera accumulated over the years.

The camera was purchased in October 2001 and did a warthog of a workout for covering many activist activities and for recording many an interview for radio free school.

So we are in the unenviable position of being a video association without video.

We will soon be making an appeal for support to go toward a new camera so we can get some more independent videos done and published for the world to see. Stay tuned...

national citizenshift

Well, it's finally taking shape, with just a few things to patch into the matrix: the National Film Board's CITIZENSHIFT web site has a dossier on unschooling, which includes some (four to be exact) very short videos produced by DIVA in partnership with Radio Free School.

The dossier is found (with more material being added) at citizen.nfb.ca/unschooling

Besides video, there is text, audio and images on the theme of unschooling.

Check em out. Be a good citizen. Or a shifty one. (Suit yourself)

faceless gimmick

Our first Music Video! with some un-schooled kids from our town.

crime seen

The local daily's crime writer did a youtube search for hamilton police stories: in her story she mentions

[The...] self-righteous cyclists in a Critical Mass rally that began in Hess Village. The cyclists filmed themselves as they rode around city streets, disobeying traffic laws and wreaking havoc for motorists.

We see cops handing out tickets to the group*. Face reality, one officer tells the bunch. Cars are here to stay.

Yep. Cars are here to stay (actually, we never said they weren't): yes sir, cars are out there everyday wreaking havoc for (other) motorists (traffic jams, accidents resulting in thousands of annual fatalities, pollution, noise, drunk drivers, even drivers with dementia.

Disobeying traffic laws? you mean like the 70% of drivers who admit to speeding, or the vehicles who fail to stop at all-way stop signs (most drivers) or who run red lights? or who race other cars and end up crashing into houses?

[*In fact the police did NOT hand out any tickets at Critical Mass, just a card with traffic violation fine prices on it.]

You'd think Critical Mass in Hamilton must be a big concern for the cops: yet they didn't come to the next month's ride, nor the one after that, or the one after that, and so on. Yes, they actually may have more important things to do for that one hour a month...

So, yes, it's hard not to be a little self-righteous, after all.