Blog Neglect and other Meanderings

I'm back!

Just in time for the provincial election , which looks like one where voter participation and policy will matter a great deal.

I've been quite busy lately having two jobs, including one I'm very excited about-having accepted employment in a fire related job at an Ontario college with the best fire training students could hope for, along with a completely different job elsewhere on the side for that all important extra money. (OSAP repayment is a painful reminder of school days)

Along with my actual jobs- there's my volunteer work with the Red Cross in Disaster Management. I've been doing lots of training, learning and reading. A major source of support across the world, the Red Cross is an organization I highly recommend to any of you with an interest in helping others, possible deployment to other countries, and most importantly a great team of other caring individuals  wanting to make a difference like you!


On my twitter feed, you will still find my focus on the crisis unravelling in Ukraine on a daily basis. I remain concerned, as we all should, about the fact that democracy, respect for human rights, and international law is being trampled. The May 2 fire in Odessa which claimed over 40 lives is disheartening.

On to democracy in Ontario!

I'll be monitoring provincial election happenings, in particular in Sarnia-Lambton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. I hope you'll follow along as I attempt to provide some interesting coverage of the candidates, the issues and voters thoughts in the area. Maybe I will see you at various events.

Tomorrow's blog will provide links to the Sarnia-Lambton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex candidates, along with party websites and other useful information to get things started.  

 Happy Campaigning.

March 15, Journalists on the Ground in #Ukraine

On the eve of what will undoubtedly end with violence and bloodshed, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Ukraine, their fledgling interim government, loyal military and their loved ones.   

My prayers and thoughts also go out to minorities in not only Crimea, but the rest of the Ukraine, not knowing how this will play out, but knowing what may come. 

To first responders: may your arms not be weary, and may support from your fellow brothers and sisters around the world keep you strong. 

To the people willing to lay down their life to fight for Ukraine in their moment of need- God bless, Godspeed and come home safe. You know who you are.  You know the motto.

Finally to the journalists, thank you. Without you, the story of Ukraine would not be told. Appreciation for the endless trolling, criticism and disbelief you face hourly in your assignments.  For the pursuit of truth and the complete sharing of information while risking your lives in so doing, thank you. Stay safe, and God bless.

Slava Ukraini. 

For an excellent example of on the ground reporting today, read Simon Shuster, Time Moscow, Gunmen Storm Crimea Hotel Full of Reporters on Eve of Referendum  http://time.com/26320/gunmen-storm-crimea-hotel-full-of-reporters-on-eve-of-referendum/

 ON THE GROUND IN UKRAINE   

(additions are welcomed, email, or DM me with location)  
A specific location list of journalists on the ground in Ukraine is available via DM or email, updated twice daily starting March 16.


Broadcasting:

 Daniel Sandford          BBC News, Moscow Correspondent,, on assignment Ukraine


Will Vernon                 BBC World News London correspondent, in Ukraine
   

 Ben Brown                BBC News     

Peter Leng                      BBC Foreign Affairs          

   

 Manuel Focus           cameraman
         
Simon Ostrovsky       VICE News,  reporter  (New York)  (online channel)


Lindsey Hilsum         Channel 4 News International Editor        

James Mates                  Europe Editor, ITV News              

Stuart Webb             ITN Channel 4 News journalist and cameraman        

Sean Swan                     ITN  News cameraman                          

Robert Parsons           Chief Foreign Editor, France24  

Gulliver Cragg              France 24  News          
           
 Paul Gypteau          TV Correspondent for AFP in Russia and CIS             

Barnaby Phillips         Al Jazeera, Correspondent on assignment Ukraine    

J-Francois Belange      CBC Radio Canada        
   

Print:

 Christopher Miller       Editor Kyiv Post  (Ukrainian daily, English)             

Shaun Walker             The Guardian,  Moscow correspondent 

 Paul Sonne                 The Wall Street Journal, Moscow correspondent      

Simon Shuster             TIME

 C.J.Chivers                     New York Times, senior writer      
                                                       
 Andrew Osborn            Reuters correspondent (assignment Ukraine)         

Damien McElroy            The Telegraph,  Foreign Affairs Correspondent     

Roland Oliphant             The Telegraph, Moscow Correspondent 

 Harald Doornbos           TPO Magazine                      

Paul Waldie                     The Globe and Mail, European Bureau Chief

Mark MacKinnon            The Globe and Mail,  senior correspondent     
 

 Freelance:
             
 Brian-Michel LaRue     Intelligence officer; diplomat; investigative journalist, 

                          ,         French Canadian-American, Check out his blog.

                                    Seriously.http://defeatism.net/about

  
 Ian Birrell                 foreign correspondent  http://www.ianbirrell.com/    

Olga Tokariuk            freelance journalist     

                                                                                          
Maxim Eristavi          freelance foreign correspondent covering Ukraine               

Lucian Kim               Swiss Korean journalist           
                                                       

Olaf Koens                journalist  
  
Oliver Bullough            journalist         

Patrick Reevell           freelance journalist     

Petr Terentiev             journalist, photographer          

Graham W Phillips   journalist/blogger  http://grahamwphillips.com/ 

 Harriet Salem               freelance journalist    
        
                                                                                     
  Photo/Video Journalists

 
 Evgeny Feldman       photojournalist                               
                

Yusuf Sayman          photojournalist      

                                                    
 Mike Giglio              BuzzFeed                                                                                        
                                                           

Pierre Crom              Photographer based in The Hague, The Netherlands 

Petr Shelomovski      freelance photographer  

              

              

Moscow:

Kevin Bishop       Acting Bureau Chief,  BBC News Moscow       
                                                                     

 

Thoughts on #Ukraine Crisis

Having recently read Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman’s 1988 book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, there is no more fitting modern day view of the propaganda model at work then by Russia’s relentless dance of misinformation in Ukraine’s crisis.    

The continued insistence that “there are/were no Russian troops in Crimea” has been an utter fallacy from the start. Day by day organized, professional, and financed, the Russian army slipped across the border. Indeed, the statement that these well dressed, well equipped forces are “local defense” or “pro-Russian local militia” is a mockery of the eyes and ears of Ukraine, and the rest of the world.

Admittedly, Western media, who knew better, should take their share of blame in getting the right information out to the world. It was after all, many in Western media who continued to repeat the phrase “organized groups without insignias”, “military without insignias”, “pro-Russian local militia” and other fancy phrases that completely ignored the organized, deliberate and at first stealthy movement into Crimea by Putin’s men. Thankfully, there have been others in the Western media trying to get the truth out to the public: Shaun Walker, Ben Brown, Kevin Bishop, Anshel Pfeffer, Simon Ostrovsky, Daniel Saunders, Stuart Webb, Simon Shuster to name just a few. 

 And yet within Ukraine, Putin’s propaganda rages on, sometimes reaching beyond Ukraine’s walls, sometimes not. Putin’s invisible hand reaches into Crimea, subverting the stated Ukrainian goal of democracy, freedom and the will of the people to have free elections, as early as possible. By disrupting Crimea’s parliament through the use of Russian agitators (clearly having enough training or strategic management by someone, do so), who then ensured a rigged vote at gunpoint, for Crimea’s succession referendum.  Coincidentally, the most recent vote by Crimean MPS was approximately 38/100 voting to support joining Russia, and pushing the vote to March 16 instead of May 25. The final step just taken, Crimea’s Parliament declaring “independence” ahead of the referendum, is Putin’s proverbial welcome mat.

In Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere, Putin’s propaganda machine has situated himself as the saviour of Crimea, the protector of rights of pro-Russian speakers. Mass marketing of the referendum compares Ukraine to Nazis and fascists and flames fears of some ethnic Russians. Yet there have been no reports of aggression towards ethnic Russians, or even those pro-Russian. There are reports of Tatars being contacted and threatened, Tatar houses marked with crosses, a hotel burned down, and Ukrainian passports being taken from Ukrainian citizens until after they vote. Many Russian Ukrainians do not want a separation, but their voices are being drowned out, or worse. Just as ominous, the arrival of Serbian fighters, images of beatings with baseball bats by local Russian militia, and finally the kidnapping, as of today a combined total of six journalists and activists, with many more journalists threatened and chased. By Russian troops.

Surely, it come as no surprise that the fix is in.

As Ukrainian soldiers have their loyalties tested, and as Tatars and Jewish citizens do face real and valid fears of persecution, exile and even bloodshed in Russian operated Crimea, the truth must be shouted from the rooftops, from every digital corner, from every pen, that what we believe to be true because we have been conditioned to believe it, is not so. Crimea will not be a better place in the hands of Russia, nor even to survive on their own sans Ukraine.

Nor can the rest of the world stand by. Covert operations and fly-bys must give way to presence and support of NATO on the ground in Ukraine, at strategic locations with a show of numbers. Financial aid to the government of Ukraine must be provided now, not after elections. Countries can and must send international observer delegations now and continue to stay beyond elections in May.  Finally, the EU and in particular Britain, must take a  real stand, more than small sanctions, putting basic human rights over desire to continue economic ties with Russian gun and energy markets.  It’s time for a joining of countries in putting their action ahead of their mouths. 

Deeply and gravely concerned are just words.  

What Ukraine now requires is global citizens to stand up, speak, support, and demand our leaders act. What Ukraine requires now is nations that recognize they need not engage in full scale war in order to ensure safety and security for not only Ukraine, but its neighboring countries and partners.

After all, if Russia is given implied consent through inaction to take by manipulation and force Crimea, what reason do other countries have not to invade desired territory themselves?