Trust and the Public Good

How healthy is our democracy? That’s a loaded and provocative question. For some commentators it is the most pressing question of our time.

In Chris Hedges’ collection of essays The World As It Is, he cites Sheldon S. Wolin’s concept of “inverted totalitarianism“, detailed in Wolin’s latest book Democracy Incorporated. Wolin claims that modern democracies are not threatened by direct forms of dictatorship like a one-party state or a demagogic leader, but by more subtle forms: indifference, apathy, and ignoring social problems in favour of individual pursuits and pre-occupations.

This analysis can be traced back to Neil Postman’s 1985 classic Amusing Ourselves to Death (a 20th anniversary edition was published in 2006) which saw the pursuit of being entertained becoming an end in itself. The idea of challenging oneself and questioning the world around us is considered boring and the ultimate waste of time. 

Writers like Cass Sunstein (author of Republic.com)and Robert D. Putnam trace how traditional organizations like social service clubs and various associations once built social networks between people who would not normally have much in common. These informal social networks helped create the bonds which formed the sinews of democracy. For some, social media and the voluntary relationships found online have effectively replaced these traditional building blocks of democracy. For me, personally, I’m not so sure.

The unifying theme of these various points of view is that if democracy is to flourish in our age and into the future, there must be ways for diverse people with little in common to establish trust between us. But trust appears to be the rarest of commodities today: we don’t trust the expert,  we don’t trust the elitist intellectual, we don’t trust the company executive, we don’t trust the self-serving union bosses… if everyone has an agenda, where do we find the common ground or the public good?

How to build that trust in our democracy and in our personal relationships is one of the most pressing problems we face. I certainly can’t get my head around this issue in a single blog post, but here are some titles that may help us get started:

 Liars and Outliers by Bruce Schneier

Smart Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey

Trust: Self interest and the common good by Marek Kohn

Greater Good: How good marketing makes for better democracy by John A. Quelch

The Spirit of Democracy by Larry Jay Diamond.

Phil

The good ol’ hockey game

As I type these words, I’m watching Game 7 between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers (Go Sens!). [Editor's Note: Be sure to send Barbara your sincere condolences on their loss. Go Rangers!] I love playoff hockey – it’s faster, cleaner and more exciting than during the regular season. So exciting that I find myself typing in small bursts during commercials.

What better way to celebrate the good ol’ hockey game than by sharing the top 10 most popular hockey books at Winnipeg Public Library — as determined by you, our members. Check them out between games!

10 – Best of the best : ranking the greatest players of all time, by Scott Morrison

9 – The Winnipeg Jets : a celebration of professional hockey in Winnipeg, by Scott Taylor

8 – A thrilling ride : the Vancouver Canucks’ 40th anniversary season, by Paul Chapman and Bev Wake (too bad they couldn’t make it past the first round!)

7 – Hockey Hall of Fame book of goalies : profiles, memorabilia, essays and stats, by Steve Cameron

6 – Hockey’s greatest stars : legends and young lions, by Chris McDonell.

5 – Hockey Hall of Fame treasures, by Steve Cameron.

4 – Playing with fire : the highest highs and lowest lows of Theo Fleury, by Theo Fleury with Kirstie McLellan Day

3 – Hockey’s most amazing records, by Edward Fraser.

2 – The game, by Ken Dryden

1 - Back in the bigs : how Winnipeg won, lost and regained its place in the NHL, by Randy Turner

Now, everyone sing with me:

Hello out there, we’re on the air, it’s ‘Hockey Night’ tonight.
Tension grows, the whistle blows, and the puck goes down the ice.
The goalie jumps, and the players bump, and the fans all go insane.
Someone roars, “Bobby Scores!”, at the good ol’ Hockey Game.

OH! The good ol’ Hockey game, is the best game you can name.
And the best game you can name, is the good ol’ Hockey game!

Barbara

One term ends, another begins…

Spring is here! As the temperature reaches double digits, it’s time for Winnipeggers to don cut-offs and flip-flops at the first opportunity, and also time to bid farewell to one Writer-in-Residence and begin searching for the next.

This Thursday, April 26, come say goodbye to Terry Jordan and hear him read from his work, together with some of the authors he’s mentored during his term. Join us in the Reader Services area on the main floor of the Millennium Library at 7 pm.

The Library is also inviting applications for the Writer-in-Residence 2012 – 2013. From an office at Millennium Library, the Writer-in-Residence works with emerging Manitoba writers by email and phone as well as through individual consultations, group workshops, and other programs .

The residency will begin October 1, 2012 and run for seven months, subject to funding. For more information on criteria, compensation, and how to apply, see the Library’s May-June newsletter or call me at 986-2802.

The deadline to apply is Monday, June 4.

The Writer-in-Residence program is co-sponsored by the Winnipeg Public Library Board, the Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library, the Manitoba Writers’ Guild, and the Manitoba government.

Danielle

Fido or Fluffy? Choosing the Pet that’s Right for You

In the last year, my household has gone down from 4 pets (2 senior cats and 2 guinea pigs) to 2 pets (the guineas).  After owning the cats for almost 20 years, it’s quite weird not having them around anymore.  Do we get another cat?  Or do we venture into the realm of dog ownership (something I’m not as excited about as my husband and son are).  It doesn’t help that recently I’ve been reading articles about how over-run rescue shelters are with kittens and puppies this spring, with the warm weather increasing the breeding cycle of animals. And who can forget about the influx of unwanted bunnies now that Easter is over?

 If , like me, you’re considering opening your home to a new pet, it’s a great idea to do some research before you take the plunge.  Not every animal is a good fit for every household.  If you’re interested in a dog, a title like the World Atlas of Dog Breeds will provide you with information to make a better informed decision.  The Original Dog Bible contains information about how to decide if a dog is a good pet for you and how to choose a breed that’s a good match.  If you have dog allergies, don’t despair!  Sneeze-free Dog Breeds identifies those breeds that are better for those with allergies.

If you’re not a dog person, there are plenty of books on other pets.  If you’re considering a cat, then you might want to check out  The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cats, Cat Breeds and Cat Care.  Different breeds of cats have varying dispositions, and require different levels of care.  An Animal Planet DVD called Cats 101 also provides great information on cat behavior, breeds, etc.  And The Sneeze-free Cat Owner discusses breeds that might work out if you have allergies to these furry creatures.

There are also many smaller animals that might be a  great match for you.  We’re guinea pig owners, and just love these little guys.  In fact, when a friend recently told me that the Humane Society had 2 guinea pigs there, I had to visit the site daily to see if they had been adopted.  I even phoned to ask if they would be euthanized if no-one adopted them (apparently they don’t euthanize small animals).  Mike and Ike are no longer on the site, so hopefully they’ve found a great home.  The Barron’s book entitled Guinea Pigs will provide you with lots of good information about how to care for these pets.  And if you do decide to purchase guinea pigs (purchase 2 as one gets lonely!), then you can train them with the help of this book.  Yes, you can apparently use clickr training on guinea pigs.  (And no, I haven’t tried that yet with my own piggies).

Other small animals that might be a great match for you are hamsters and gerbils.  If you don’t want your hamster to die within 1 week like mine did when I was a kid, then you’d best do some reading first!  Hamsters: Everything about Selection, Care, Nutrition and Behavior would be a great place to start.  Hamsters for Dummies is another good title for prospective hamster owners.  If you’re interested in getting a gerbil, the book Gerbils: The Complete Book of Gerbil Care would be a good read.  I had a gerbil when I was a child, but it kept escaping from its cage.  My solution?  Give it to my sister so that when it escaped in the middle of the night I could wake her up and tell her to go look for her gerbil.

Rabbits also make interesting pets.  There are many breeds of rabbit, including lop-eared varieties, rex breeds, dwarfs and many others.  The Mini Encyclopedia of Rabbit Breeds and Care provides excellent information to help you decide if you’d make a good rabbit owner.  If you’re in the market for something a bit more exotic, how about a hedgehog?  Hedgehogs: Everything about Purchase, Care and Nutrition will let you know what’s involved in caring for this unique pet.  There are also books on caring for ferrets, turtles, snakes and reptiles.

If you do some research before you welcome a pet into your home, then you’ll likely end up with a pet that will be a great fit for your household.  And when you do adopt a new pet, feel free to check out these titles to help you choose a name.  Just promise me that you won’t use the name Zummo!

Theresa

It All Started with a Big Bang

All science is either physics or stamp collecting. – Ernest Rutherford

My newfound fascination with physics did indeed start with a Big Bang.  No, not the theory as to how the universe came to exist, but rather, the television show The Big Bang Theory.

Before encountering this hilarious group of scientists (and one engineer), my knowledge of physics was limited to what I had picked up in high school, which left me feeling vaguely uneasy about the whole subject. I regarded physicists in much the same way as spiders. I respected their place in the natural order of things, but I preferred to keep a safe distance between them and me.

Reading the brilliant Bill Bryson’s book A Short History of Nearly Everything kindled an intense but short lived attempt to learn more about physics that ultimately flamed out more swiftly than a supernova. To be fair, I did attempt to learn more about every topic mentioned in the book simultaneously, which may explain my rapid burnout rate.

Then along came The Big Bang Theory, and I tried physics again. Seeking to understand references such as Schrodinger’s Cat and String Theory, not to mention time travel and Star Trek, led me to a number of very educational and highly enjoyable books.

Physics I for Dummies

I really wish I’d had this book back in high school. It’s a great way to get an overview of a lot of the principles of classical physics,  complete with cartoons. I find it a handy quick reference guide, when I run across a theory or concept in another book that I don’t understand. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the wild physics theories, which taught me that my microwave oven has a connection to physics.

The Big Bang Theory: what it is, where it came from and why it works

This is a excellent history of, what else, the Big Bang theory. It goes back to the days before science existed as a school of thought, and takes the reader on a guided tour through philosophy with Plato and Aristotle, astronomy with Copernicus, gravity with Newton, Hubble and his discoveries, right through to current theories and schools of thought.

How to teach physics to your dog

While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend trying to teach physics to your dog, I do heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants some insights into quantum mechanics. The author, Chad Orzel, a professor of physics, uses his dog Emmy as the voice of a student filled with the sort of questions I’d ask if I were as smart as a dog. While evesdropping on their conversations,  I learned a lot about Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, as well as the best way to catch squirrels.

The physics of Star trek

While not all of the cool toys and gadgets in Star Trek have become a reality, it’s fascinating to see how much of what was once pure fantasy is now an everyday commonplace reality. Even though Scotty isn’t able to break the rules of physics, at least as we understand them, there are some rules we may be able to bend a little. As time goes on and our understanding increases, we may be able to re-write the rulebook completely.

Included in my “I have to read that sometime list” are a few other physics titles worth checking out:

The Matchbox that ate a Forty-Ton Truck: what everyday things tell us about the universe

How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel

A User’s Guide to the Universe

Physics on the Fringe: Smoke Rings, Circlons and alternative theories of everything

The Instant Physicist: an illustrated guide

I’ll never be an expert, or even a really well informed amateur on physics, at least in this universe. However, I have picked up a few theories that, who knows, may eventually take us to places where no man has gone before.

Live long and prosper!

On the horizon: it’s a book, it’s a plane, it’s…

The biggest news in the book world this week was the announcement that J.K. Rowling’s first book for adults will be published in September. The Casual Vacancy is described as a black comedy about the struggles that ensue in a seemingly idyllic British town after a popular city councillor dies — smart of her to explore a topic so different from the Harry Potter series. While not everyone is thrilled with the news, demand for the book will undoubtedly be sky-high. In fact, the British press have declared it the bestseller of the year before it’s even available to pre-order  (which means that it’s not in the Library catalogue yet… but keep your eyes open).

My personal eagerly-awaited book for this year was Tana French’s Broken Harbour. It’s being released in July, but I was lucky enough to get the chance to read an advance copy and it more than lived up to my high expectations. Like her earlier books, it’s much more than a (really well-done) mystery – Broken Harbour goes to the heart of what family is, what a home is, and how fragile they both can be. 

Danielle

Rx: Read A Book A Day

“If a man wants to read good books, he must make a point of avoiding bad ones; for life is short, and time and energy limited.”
— Schopenhauer

  I  gave up “blooks”, books based on blogs, for Lent, but I made an exception for Tolstoy and the Purple Chair , a memoir of reading a book a day for a year. I simply can’t resist the temptation of reading books about reading books. After losing her beloved sister to cancer, Nina Sankovitch filled her life with activities to escape her grief. After three years of incessant activity she finally stopped, sat down and read a book a day. She discovered that reading is the perfect therapy and that “great good comes from reading great books”. Her blog “ReadAllDay” is illustrated with cozy photos of the author reading mostly “en plein air” and occasionally in the eponymous purple chair or on a sofa.

The shots remind me of the Globe & Mail column  “My books my place” which features artists and writers reading in their favourite spots from penthouse condos to canoe docks.

I wanted to know how Nina found the time to read. It turns out that besides having a supportive family (she lives with 4 boys and a husband who helped with the cooking and cleaning) she took a year off  and read books that were no more than 300 pages long.  Short of taking a sabbatical or playing hooky, here are some tips on how to eke out more reading time:

Stop watching those tedious reality shows. You’ll get back so much more than those empty pop culture calories watching the endless mock crises of the Kardashian family.

Read alongside your child while he/she does homework. Not only are you modeling a love of books but you provide a comforting presence. A school guidance counselor passed along this invaluable advice.

Always carry a slim volume of poems for those periods of time waiting in line at the grocery store or dentist’s office.

Get up early and read with your morning croissant and bowl of café au lait in the coffee shop before work – so European.

Listen to audio books in the car or on your iPod on the bus on the morning commute. Download them for free from eLM. If you are lucky enough to own an ereader you can download eBooks as well.

Look for inspiration from others who have taken the challenge to read daily:

The Reading Promise  is the story of a girl and her father who made a promise to read aloud together for 100 consecutive nights. The ritual helped to form a powerful parent-child bond and continued until the author entered college. To start your own “reading streak”, read her blog readingpromise.com

 Book Ends: A Year Between the Covers  takes you on a delightful journey in which the author relates her reactions to 124 books read in a year.

  So Many Books, So Little Time  chronicles a readaholic’s year spent reading and the surprises it brought.

Which book will you choose to begin your year of reading and where will you read it?

Jane