Trip to Toronto Free Gallery, Friday, Nov. 25, 2005

Tutorial this Friday, Nov. 25, will be at the Toronto Free Gallery and we will be welcoming a guest speaker, Zachary Devereaux, from Govcom.org, one of the exhibitors in the mapping show, to lead a workshop on critical mapmaking.

It'll be at the regular tutorial time: 10:30 am. Be there on time if you can, Zachary must leave by noon.

You'll find info on the Here Be Dragons exhibit for next Friday, Nov. 25 at either www.torontofreegallery.org or the HUMA 1650 web site. All of the artists/organizations exhibiting have a web presence, so a simple Google search from the list of contributors on the Toronto Free Gallery website will get you some background on them.

For those of you that couldn't make it this past Tues., you might also be interested in the mini-lecture I gave on the show. If you read this before tomorrow you'll have a better contextual grasp of Zachary's mapping workshop: Marcelo's introductory thoughts.

Two essays on critical cartography you'll be interested in: Richard Rogers' Why Map: The Techno-Epistemological Outlook and Brian Holmes' Flowmaps, the Imagninary of Global Integration. To find out more about Govcom.org, Zachary and Richard Rogers' organization, see www.govcom.org.

For tomorrow, here are directions to get to the gallery from York:

By TTC: Take the TTC at Downsview to the Osgoode stop, which is on the corner of University and Queen St. West, then take the street car heading east on Queen St. and get off at the first stop after the bridge over the Don Valley Parkway; the gallery will be on the north side of Queen.

By car from York University: Best thing to do is to Mapquest it. From York, go down Keele, turn left onto Sheppard, right on the Allen, left onto the 401, and right on the Don Valley Parkway all the way to King. Queen is several blocks north of King.

Tutorials for Nov. 18 and Nov. 25

Tomorrow, Nov. 18, we are meeting in Vari Hall, 3017. Be prepared to discuss the Benjamin piece and accompanying readings.

Next Friday, Nov. 25, we will be holding the tutorial at the Toronto Free Gallery and we will be welcoming a guest speaker from Govcom.org, one of the exhibitors in the mapping show, to lead a workshop on critical mapmaking for the tutorial.

You'll find info on the Here be Dragons exhibit for next Friday, Nov. 25 at either www.torontofreegallery.org or the HUMA 1650 web site. All of the artists/organizations exhibiting have a web presence, so a simple Google search from the list of contributors on the Toronto Free Gallery website will get you some background on them.

Also, here are directions to get to the gallery from York (again, FOR NEXT WEEK, not tomorrow):

By TTC: Take the TTC at Downsview to the Osgoode stop, which is on the corner of University and Queen St. West, then take the street car heading east on Queen St. and get off at the first stop after the bridge over the Don Valley Parkway; the gallery will be on the north side of Queen.

By car from York University: Best thing to do is to Mapquest it. The Don Valley Parkway is you'r best bet..

No tutorial this Friday, Nov. 11

Apologies for the confusion about this Friday's tutorial. While I was mistaken in believing this Friday, Rememberance Day, is a holiday at York, it isn't a holiday for York classes. It seems like I'm still on an SFU and BC holiday schedule. Having said that, since you're all writing your papers, go ahead and take the morning to continue working on your papers.

So, no tutorial this Friday.

Remember, papers are due by Friday night by 11:59 pm, or somewhere around that time. Don't worry, I won't dock marks if I see your email sent at 1:25 am. It just better be in my inbox by the time I wake up Saturday, which is usually pretty early (sorry!)

Oh, and please check the "Useful Writings and Articles" box in the right navigation bar on this blog for my two sample essays (one done using MLA, the other APA) and the "How to Write a Research Paper" article that I was telling you about which, while a bit late (although I went over much of the article in class with you two weeks ago), should still have some useful information for you.

Best of luck to you all.

Strike averted, tutorial is on for tomorrow

After intense late night negotiations last night, the strike has been averted. For more info go to: http://tao.ca/~cupe3903/web/?q=node/299 .

Tutorial is on tomorrow at Vari 3017. We'll discuss this, as well as McLuhan and Postman and continue our Technological Determinism chat.

Be well, all,

Marcelo

In the event of a strike

Well, as many of you probably know, the possibility of a strike is now very real. Here you can see some of the highlights of what we're struggling for: http://tao.ca/~cupe3903/web/?q=node/296#comment-50. Last night, in a six hour marathon meeting, the General Membership of CUPE 3903 turned down the latest deal.

In the event of a strike -- and we won't know for sure if there'll be a strike until midnight tonight -- there will be no tutorials and, I am almost positive, no HUMA 1650 lectures. Also be aware that the university administration might shut down the campus. The Humanities department will be open, however, and you can ask Evy Strong or Rita what this means for you as undergraduates. Also, if you live on campus, please talk to your dorm reps or your program supervisors about what this means for you. I've been told that regular non-teaching services will continue on campus and that some stores in York Lanes will remain open. I'm not sure about pubs and cafeterias, though. Bus services will continue but buses will most likely not cross picket lines (check the TTC website for more info) -- worst cast scenario, you'll have to walk to the nearest bus stop on Keele or the bus stops just on the outskirts of the south entrance heading towards Finch (I'm not sure if Steeles has bus service).

I remain available to you all for any immediate life needs you might have questions about, like safety at night, food, transportation, etc. I'll do everything I can to try and get you connected with the person(s) you'll need to talk to about whatever issue you might have. But please do discuss your issues with your departments, as well.

Note, however, that I won't be able to talk to you directly about any course matters, which would be considered a teaching duty and a violation of the possible strike.

Your papers, due next Friday at midnight via email, will be extended by each working day of the strike (i.e., Mon-Fri.). This goes for all other due dates, like the mid-term. Until you hear official word, however, consider it business as usual as far as our course goes. You should know where things are at by early tomorrow morning.

For up-to-the-minute information, please see the CUPE website: http://www.cupe3903.tao.ca/.

Peace, and be well.

Marcelo