Thursday, January 18, 2007

Permanent Residence Applications:

Skilled Worker Class
Business Class
Family Class
Convention Refugees Abroad and Humanitarian Protected Persons Abroad

- Living Outside of Canada (Skilled Worker, Family Class)

Requirements vary:

family class applicant must have a close relative who is a Canadian citizen
skilled worker class applicant must have a certain degree of aptitude in a trade or line of work

- Living In Canada (Naturalization):

A person who is a permanent resident may apply for Canadian citizenship by naturalization (grant) after three years resident in Canada. The requirements in full are that the person:

is aged 18 years or over
is a permanent resident
has lived in Canada for a total of three years out of the four years preceding the application for citizenship
knows about Canada (a test is required as part of the application process, but only if the applicant is between 18 and 54 years of age)
knows the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship
Say oath of citizenship

"I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen."

Impact:

Cultural impact -

Promotes multi-culturalism (see: Toronto) and cultural syncretism
Immigrants bring new cuisine, styles of dress, musical genres and traditions to Canada
Impacts how Canadians think of themselves (we pride ourselves on a multi-cultural identity)

Political impact -

A multi-cultural nation requires a multi-tasking government

Economic impact –

Skilled, working immigrants positively impact the economy
Illegal, unemployed, uneducated or unskilled immigrants negatively impact the economy
Family class immigrants often create families, fueling the economy further
Immigrants increase tax-base
Statistically speaking, asylum-seekers have difficulty getting on their feet, and initially require welfare payments
Immigrations helps to offset lower birth rates, aging population, etc.

Spiritual impact –

Canada has a large number of Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and so on; immigration promotes a diverse spiritual environment

Immigration in Our Town:

Profiles –

K.K

Why did you come to Canada?

Describe the process of coming to Canada

Have you found that Canadians, in general, are accepting or hostile toward immigrants?

What professions do your mother and father have?

J.B

Why did you come to Canada?

Describe the process of coming to Canada

Have you found that Canadians, in general, are accepting or hostile toward immigrants?

What profession do you have?

P.A

Why did you come to Canada?

Describe the process of coming to Canada

Have you found that Canadians, in general, are accepting or hostile toward immigrants?

What professions do your mother and father have?

How Immigration Defines our Identity as People of Kemptville and People of Canada

Our (high level profession one), our (high level profession two), and our (high level profession three) are immigrants. Without these people, our economy and way of life would suffer.... or something along these lines...

The 'Canadian Identity' is one of multi-culturalism and diversity... etc. etc.

Posted at 10:55 am by Dimensions
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Sunday, September 24, 2006

Plato Essay

Since the beginning of time, man has wondered about goodness. Philosophers throughout the ages have asked various questions about the nature of goodness, what is right and wrong, how one goes about obtaining happiness, and what basic moral principals are worth following. From early Sophists to modern philosophers such as Emmanuel Levinas, the nature of goodness has been a concern for many key thinkers throughout the ages. Though several philosophers agree on certain principals in this regard, a rich variety of theories have been formulated throughout time, many of which contradict or disagree with one another. This is part of what makes goodness such an interesting topic of discussion and study. Plato, a well-known Greek philosopher, was in awe of the good, and held it in high esteem. Consequently, he studied the nature of goodness at length, and came up with several noteworthy philosophies.

Before delving into the origin of goodness and the path to reach it, Plato considered the meaning of the term ‘good’. There are several things in this world that do not have identity by themselves, but are nonetheless omnipresent in all we know and do. “Truth, and goodness, and beauty, are but different faces of the same All” Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, indicated three of such entities. Plato thought of goodness this way - it is everywhere, but exists nowhere on its own; it is a characteristic that defines many things, but it is not an identity in and of itself. After establishing this definition of the good, Plato went on to dictate methods by which one can become closely acquainted with the good. "Until philosophers become kings, or kings become philosophers, humanity would not be free from trouble." Here, Plato underlines his profound belief that philosophers – and all those who contemplate goodness – are the most intelligent and good of all those in society. He believed that rationality and thinking formed the stepping-stones in the path to goodness, and that it was a just and righteous man who chose such a path. “If one devalues rationality, the world tends to fall apart,” said Lars von Trier, illustrating perfectly the sentiments of Plato.

Another aspect of his search for the good was the exploration of ‘ideal forms’. Plato was of the opinion that what is real need also be eternal and unchanging, and because our physical world is neither, it must be illusory. To counter this, Plato decided there must be a realm in which all things are unchanging and eternal, wherein lies one ideal, universal, good form of all that we see on earth. The objects, people, animals, plants, and even abstract concepts such as justice and beauty that we encounter everyday are mere imperfect, changing replicas of one unchanging, perfect, universal form. His search for the good, then, did not end at rationality – he felt that good, ideal forms of everything we encounter are present in another realm.

To say that Plato was an idealist with no interest in the real world, however, would be a tragically misguided statement. In his best-known work, The Republic, Plato outlines his vision for a utopian society in which the population is separated clearly into three different groups – leaders, soldiers and commoners. The leaders were to be a well-educated, wealthy segment of society, endowed from birth with the power and training to become strong rulers. The soldiers were to cultivate physical strength, ingenuity and craftsmanship, while the commoners were expected to maintain society from the ground up, growing food, building houses, fashioning weaponry for the soldiers, and filling all other necessary positions. In Plato’s vision, no segment of society was any better than the other – the ideal citizen was one who uses his or her talents to the greatest good, be that a ruler who used his rationality to make beneficial decisions for his people, or a commoner who used his skill at farming to cultivate a large harvest to distribute to others for food. Plato felt that this structure of society, though totalitarian in nature, would be strong, organized, and bring the greatest good to the people. Indeed, he dictated that this form of society existed in the realm of all good, ideal, universal forms.

As with all philosophers, Plato’s views did not go without contention. Sophism, a school of philosophy that denied the presence of objective truth (and therefore, objective morals), brought Plato’s theories about the good into question. Is there such thing as a universal ‘good’? The Sophists argued that there is not, and morals are established on an individual or societal level, through either personal rules to live by, or civil law. Suddenly the good did not seem like the omnipresent, omnipotent entity Plato made it to be.

Nonetheless, Plato remained one of the most well-known and highly regarded philosophers of all time. Born in Greece in 428 BC, Plato was one of many students educated by Socrates – a philosopher famous for his persistent berating and questioning of all those he encountered. Because Socrates wrote nothing down, it is difficult to tell which of Plato’s writings are mere dictations of his teacher’s ideas, and which writings contain his genuine thoughts and philosophies. Nevertheless, works of Plato such as ‘The Dialogues’ and ‘The Republic’ are still immensely popular, highly regarded works of philosophical inquiry, remarkable for their relevance to the modern reader. Throughout his life, Plato achieved a great deal, including founding the first Western university, educating Aristotle – who has since become a well-known thinker in his own right, and establishing a great deal of philosophical theories that are very much a part of the modern man’s consciousness.

“No evil can happen to a good man,” said Plato “either in life or after death.” Though Plato’s musings about goodness were often infected with this characteristic idealized language, his theories were rousing and sound in their own right. Goodness is not its own identity, but it is in everything; ideal, good forms of everything exist in a heaven-like realm; there are good ways that we can behave and organize our societies; through contemplation and reason, we can obtain the good. These theories are not simply inspirational, they are useful guidelines by which any man or woman can search for, find, and live through the good. “Good actions give strength to ourselves,” Plato tells us, “and inspire good actions in others.”

Posted at 10:16 pm by Dimensions
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Chapter One: True Maps, False Impressions - Study Notes

Chapter One: True Maps, False Impressions

Study Notes

Map Basics:

Map Scale – Map scale refers to the degree to which a map “zooms in” on an area. It can be defined as the ratio of map distance (distance between two points on a map) to earth distance (distance between those two points on the surface of the earth), measured in the same units. Large scale maps depict small areas; small scale maps depict large areas.
Map projection – Map projection is a systematic method of transferring the spherical surface of the earth to a flat map. It is impossible to represent a 3-D sphere on a flat 2-D piece of paper without stretching or compressing it in some way, so every projection is therefore distorted.
Mercator projection - A Mercator projection is a type of map in which the true compass directions are kept intact (lines of latitude and longitude intersect at right angles), but areas are distorted (for example, polar areas look much larger than they really are). Mercator Projections are useful for nautical navigation. Usually a cylindrical shape.
Time zones - Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. Every 15 degrees has a time zone. For every time zone you travel east, you add on an hour. For every time zone west, you take away an hour.
Date Line - The International Date Line (IDL), also known as just the Date Line, is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth opposite the Prime Meridian which offsets the date as one travels east or west across it. The International Date Line is the imaginary line on the Earth that separates two consecutive calendar days. That is the date in the Eastern hemisphere, to the left of the line, is always one day ahead of the date in the Western hemisphere. It has been recognized as a matter of convenience and has no force in international law. It is located 180 degrees away from Prime Meridian.
Prime Meridian - A meridian of longitude 0 degrees that runs through Greenwich, England, and is used as the origin for measurements of longitude.
23.5 degrees axial tilt - The fact that the Earth is on a 23.5 degree tilt causes seasons. The Earth's axis is tilted 23.5^o from the vertical. This means that solar energy strikes the Earth's surface unevenly. It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun. This puts the Sun more overhead, so solar energy strikes the Earth most directly. Simultaneously, the Southern Hemisphere is experiencing winter, because the Sun's rays are least directly overhead. In half of a revolution (6 months), the North Pole tilts away from the Sun, making solar energy least direct, so it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Fall and spring occur in between these two extremes when the axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the Sun.
Tropic of Cancer - The most northern point on the earth where the sun is directly overhead, located at approximately 23.5 degrees North latitude.
Tropic of Capricorn - The most southern point on the earth where the sun is directly overhead, located at approximately 23.5 degrees South latitude.

Five Themes of Geography:

Location – The absolute position of something on the surface of the earth and its relative proximity to other related things
Place – The local human and physical characteristics that uniquely define a place and give it meaning to its inhabitants
Region – An area characterized by similarity or by cohesiveness that sets it apart from other areas
Movement – The flow of people, goods, money, ideas or materials between locations near or far
Human / Environmental Interaction – The ways in which human society and the natural environment affect each other

Types of Maps and Distortion of Truth:

General purpose map – reference or place maps
Thematic map – thematic maps present a certain theme or set of information to a viewer
Qualitative map – show specific points of information that does not include numbers (i.e. language)
Quantitative map - show specific points of information that includes numbers (i.e. population)
Dot maps – use dots to point out certain areas of interest
Graduated circle maps – a series of graduated circles show an increase in whatever is being explored
Isometric maps – isolines isolate areas that share a certain quality, such as contours or elevation
Isoline – isolate areas on isometric maps that share a certain quality
Contour line – A contour line separates areas of differing number value on a contour line map
Isopleth – isopleth maps use colour to indicate certain areas that have the same characteristic. Defined and coloured by value, not artificial boundaries
Choropleth – use colour, but are defined by artificial boundaries (i.e. provinces)
Cartogram – a diagram which uses the form of a map to present numeric information while maintaining some degree of geographic accuracy
Mental map – your mind’s eye view of the world

Posted at 10:16 pm by Dimensions
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Chapter 1, Activity 1 Extention

Chapter 1, Activity 1 Extention:

True Maps, False Impressions in the Atlas of Canada

Aboriginal Population Map, 2001:

1) What is the primary purpose of the map?

The primary purpose of this map is to display, in full, the population percentage as well as distribution of Aboriginals in Canada in the year 2001.

2) What secondary information does the map also convey?

· The percentage of Aboriginals living specifically in each province

· The number of Aboriginals living in Canada and in each province in specific bands (Metis, North American Indian, and Inuit)

· Certain geographical information, such as rivers, provincial lines, and province names

· Comparison to 1996 population

· Percentage of on-reserve vs. off-reserve Aboriginals

3) How effective is that map at relaying the information it is designed to convey?

I believe this map is not effective at relaying the primary and secondary information it intends to convey. The map appears cluttered, and consequently difficult to read, due to an unnecessary concern with displaying irrelevant geographical information such as rivers and province names. Furthermore, the use of two kinds of information – population number and population percentage – makes for a confusing, and potentially misguiding map. Indeed, the mapmaker used multiple types of information in many areas, which confuses the reader. Another example is the use of regions in the main map as boundary lines, and the use of provinces in the information table as boundary lines. For these readers, the reader finds themselves confused more than enlightened when reading this map.

4) Be a detective. If the map maker had a hidden agenda, what might it be?

Naturally, the government of Canada wants to seem like an inviting, multi-cultural, accepting institution. In seventh grade history class, we were taught that ‘Canada boasts a cultural mosaic, where many different cultures can proudly maintain their traditions, language, and livelihood without pressure to integrate themselves into Caucasian, Western culture.’ This was thought to be unique, specifically in comparison to the ‘melting pot’ theory of culture the United States has. However, the truth is that the culture of the Aboriginals in Canada is suffering – they are losing their language and their territory, and more so now than ever, they are finding themselves concentrated in urban areas. In short, they are integrating themselves into English-speaking, Caucasian, Western culture, due to financial necessity. However, upon reading this map, one would never know – the use of percentages and the choropleth mapping system portrays the Aboriginal population as thriving, as well as being somewhat separate from areas of urban congestion (such as Southern Ontario).

5) List at least three ways the map might give a false impression

1) The use of percentages and choropleth mapping means that the Aboriginal population seems larger than it truly is

2) Neglecting to use specific numbers of Aboriginals in any given place (rather than percentages), makes it seem that Aboriginals do not inhabit urban areas, such as Southern Ontario

3) The use of indistinctive and relatively neutral colours provides less clarity for the reader. The eye cannot immediately distinguish between areas of differing population percentage, causing confusion.

Historical Indian Treaties Map:

1) What is the primary purpose of the map?

The primary purpose of this map is to show Indian treaties that were negotiated between 1725 and 1930.

2) What secondary information does the map also convey?

· Historical background of treaties in Canada (pre-map screen)

· The name and boundaries of each pre and post-confederation treaty

· The exact date each treaty was made

· Certain geographical information, such as lakes, provincial lines, province names and names of oceans

3) How effective is that map at relaying the information it is designed to convey?

I believe the map is very effective at portraying the information it is designed to convey, with the exception of one or two pitfalls. Though the map is distinctive, well-titled, and easy to read, I do not believe enough information is included for it to be useful for the average reader. One is left with many questions – it is mentioned that Aboriginal peoples and various European and Canadian governments formed treaties, but who are the particular participants (specific bands of Aboriginals, specific European or Canadian governments) in each one listed? It is also mentioned that treaties create ‘mutually binding obligations’ – what are some of the specific or defining obligations of each treaty?

4) Be a detective. If the map maker had a hidden agenda, what might it be?

Again, I believe the Canadian government created this map in an attempt to manufacture a good image for itself. In this case, the map creates the sense of a historically united Canada, in which European governments, Canadian governments and Aboriginal bands lived at peace with one another. Creating and propagating such a myth is advantageous for the Canadian government for obvious reasons. The truth, however, is very different – the Aboriginals were mistreated by the Canadian government both before and after confederation, and European governments were the first to take away their land and rob them of their natural rights.

5) List at least three ways the map might give a false impression

1) The fact that much of this map shows land united by treaty, one would think that the Canadian population was very much united. This is a false impression.

2) This map does not account for treaties that began in the years indicated and then fell apart.

3) The close proximity of many treaties in the Southern Prairies makes it difficult to visually discern between different united areas.

Elections:

1) What is the primary purpose of the map?

The primary purpose of the following three maps is to show the results of the three most recent elections (held in 2000, 2004 and 2006).

2) What secondary information does the map also convey?

· (on pre-map screen) General information about elections (how often they are held, how long they have been held, what their result is)

· Distribution of ridings and riding boundaries

· The name of each elected official, their party, whether they were a member of the previous parliament, the names of other candidates in any given riding, and a link to profiles of each one (upon clicking ‘get info from map’)

· Federal Electoral District Boundaries

· International boundaries

· Provincial / Territorial boundaries

· Canada / Kalaallit Nunaat dividing line

· The number of seats won by each party

3) How effective is that map at relaying the information it is designed to convey?

I believe this series of maps is effective at portraying the results of the 37^th, 38^th and 39^th general federal elections in Canada. One can clearly discern the ridings and general areas where any given party won seats, and the added table of information (regarding exact number of seats won) adds additional clarity to the map. There are only two ineffective elements of this map, the most important of which is the small size – parts of Southern Ontario with concentrating populations (and, thus, a large number of ridings) are cramped and unclear. A larger map would add clarity, and rectify this point of confusion. The second misguiding element is the use of choropleth mapping with the varied size of ridings – this creates the false impression that parties who won in larger ridings won more seats than parties who won in smaller ridings, which is not so.

4) Be a detective. If the mapmaker had a hidden agenda, what might it be?

Any political map is a simplification, and creates the sense of a united political agenda within any given riding, region, or province. However, since Canada’s political system does not work by proportional representation, this is not so. The NDP, the Green party and several Independent parties are grossly underrepresented in the current system, and actually obtain much more of the vote than our present system portrays. This map maker obviously set out to simplify the political scenery of Canada, and make it seem as if unified pockets of party supporters exist all throughout the country. A map displaying a proportionally representative vote would be a more accurate (and thus less concise and sterile) political map of Canada.

5) List at least three ways the map might give a false impression

1) The use of choropleth mapping is misguiding, in regards to the varied size of ridings. For example, the 38^th Federal Election map gives the impression that the NDP won a significant amount of the seats – the orange coloured spots on the map are rather large, occupying about 1/3 of British Columbia, 1/5 of Ontario and ¾ of Manitoba. However, when one looks closer, each of these large orange areas is really only one riding, and only amounts to three NDP seats (an incredibly insignificant colour). When incorporating the smaller bits of orange, the NDP only won 19 seats as compared to the Liberals’ 135.

2) The cramped nature of Southern Ontario gives the impression that Conservatives dominated this area, and the gray fuzziness of the region may even cause readers to assume several ridings were won by independent candidates. Both these impressions are misguided and untrue.

There are several different boundary lines on this list, many of which (in the legend) appear to have little difference in appearance. For example, the line that defines ridings looks very much like the lines that define provinces, which could be confusing for those who do not know Canadian geography well.

Posted at 10:15 pm by Dimensions
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Monday, March 20, 2006

It must be an illness

Teenage-dom is a contagious disease, and I'm afraid I must have contracted it. The symptoms are troubling, and undeniable - here are the top ten:

1) Listening to Blink 182 with way too much regularity *
2) Having to fight back the occasional desire to yell things like "That's not fair!"
3) Suddenly finding I can both understand and speak the language of grunts
4) Wanting to go to go see horrible action films instead of doing homework
6) Became disoriented for at least 24 hours after a good-looking guy winked at me
7) Can laugh at nearly anything, far too loudly, when I'm with friends
7) Can swear without feeling like a dork (or a jerk)
8) Said "True 'dat" TWICE in the last week **
9) Having odd urges to attend large, loud social events, like parties or shows

And finally...

10) Will not even bother to spell check this document before posting it.

* Anybody who has heard Blink 182 is likely thinking "Listening to Blink 182 AT ALL is way too much regularity" and you'd be right. This is serious.

** AGHHH!!!!

Posted at 07:45 am by Dimensions
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Sunday, March 05, 2006

Ladies and Gentlemen - Mitch Hedberg

I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.

The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how much I play, I'll never be as good as a wall

I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, "You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit", as though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammible and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.

I got my hair highlighted, because I thought some strands were more important than others

A minibar is a machine that makes everything expensive. When I take something out of a minibar, I always decide that I'll go and replace it before they check... but they make that stuff impossible to replace. I go to the store and ask, "Do you have Coke... in a glass harmonica? ...Do you have individually wrapped cashews?"

A waffle is like a pancake with a syrup trap

I don't own a cell phone or a pager. I just hang around everyone I know, all the time. If someone needs to get a hold of me they just say, "Mitch," and I say, "What?" and turn my head slightly...

I hate flossing. I wish I had one, loonngg, curvy tooth.

Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only one you can get yelled at for having. "Goddamn it Otto, you're an alcoholic! Goddamn it Otto, you have Lupis! ... one of those two doesn't sound right.

I know a lot about cars, man. I can look at a car's headlights, and tell you exactly which way it's coming

Is a hippopotamus a hippopotamus, or just a really cool Opotamus?

I think Pizza Hut is the cockiest pizza chain on the planet, because Pizza Hut will accept all competitor's coupons. That makes me wish I had my own pizza place. "Mitch's Pizzeria ... This week's coupon: unlimited free pizza. Special Note: coupon not good at any of the Mitch's Pizza locations. Free pizza oven with purchase of a small Coke. Two-for Tuesday: buy one pizza, get one franchise free."

I think foosball is a combination of soccer and shishkabobs. Foosball messed up my perception of soccer. I thought you had to kick the ball and then spin 'round and round. I can't do a back flip, much less several... simultaneously with two other guys... that look just like me.

You know that Pepperidge Farm bread? That stuff is fancy... it's wrapped twice. You open it, and then still ain't open. That's why I don't buy it... I don't need another step between me and toast.

A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer

I hate dreaming because when you go to sleep, you want to sleep. Dreaming is work. I go to sleep, and next thing you know, I have to build a go-kart with my ex-landlord.

I type a 101 words a minute. But it's in my own language.

You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something.

I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughtnut... I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I give you money and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I can't imagine a scenario that I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. To some skeptical friend, "Don't even act like I didn't buy a doughnut! I've got the documentation right here... It's in my file at home. ...Under 'D'"

I bought a seven dollar pen because I always lose pens and I got sick of not caring.

I wish I could play little league now. I'd be way better than before.

I use the word "totally" too much. I need to change it up and use a word that is different but has the same meaning. "Mitch do you like submarine sandwhiches?" "All-encompassingly..."

My neck is so fragile man, I can't wear a regular neck shirt, it hurts. And I especially hate turtle necks. Wearing a turtle neck is like being strangled by a really weak guy, all day. If you wear a turtle neck and a backpack it's like a weak midget is trying to bring you down.

I would imagine if you could understand Morse code, a tap dancer would drive you crazy. You'd say "Shut up! I don't understand! 'Share'...'the'...'we'...'too' -- I don't get it!"

Posted at 09:56 am by Dimensions
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Saturday, February 25, 2006

"Malaise De L'Orange" - by Weem

www.deviantart.com

Posted at 08:46 am by Dimensions
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Saturday, February 18, 2006

Observe: Rachel's brilliance

If there is one thing I can't stand, it's being looked down on, especially by people who don't know me and have no business judging me (or any of my peers, for that matter). But when adults shake their heads and bemoan "our generation", the ones who will one day inherit the world, it brings out something ugly in me. What are they leaving us that's so great? What are they doing that's so much better than what we could do? Not much and nothing, that's what. They're handing down a pair of pants with holes in strategic locations scrawled with offensive sayings, and two sizes two small besides. If they don't worry about global warming, it doesn't matter, they will be out of the picture before the polar ice caps start melting, right? And if they keep gobbling up natural resources, it doesn't matter, because the oil isn't going to run out in their lifetime. And it doesn't matter that they are entering into wars and foreign affairs that could mess up our relations all over the world, because they aren't going to be around when things really reach a head. We are. And we better figure out how to handle it, because otherwise there will be less than nothing to hand down to the generation after ours. Except for a spaceship to Mars and a solar panel, maybe

By: The lovely and wonderful Rachel.

Posted at 08:55 pm by Dimensions
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